Eric Holt-Giménez is an agro-ecologist, political economist, lecturer and author. In his new book, A Foodie’s Guide to Capitalism; Understanding the Political Economy of What We Eat, Eric reveals the link between capitalism, poverty, hunger and the ills that plague our food system. Eric has been the Executive Director of Food First since 2006. Food First is a non-profit organization that works to end the injustices that cause hunger through research, education and action. Eric is the editor of Food First books, Food Movements Unite! Strategies to Transform Our Food Systems; and Land Justice; Re-Imagining Land, Food, and the Commons in the United States, He co-authored the book Food Rebellions! Crisis and the Hunger for Justice with Raj Patel and Annie Shattuck; and was the author of Campesino a Campesino: Voices from Latin America’s Farmer to Farmer Movement for Sustainable Agriculture. Eric is of Basque and Puerto Rican heritage. He grew up milking cows and pitching hay in Point Reyes, CA, where he learned that putting food on the table is hard work. After studying rural education and biology at the University of Oregon and Evergreen State College, he traveled through Mexico and Central America, where he was drawn to the simple life of small-scale farmers. He returned to the States and received his Ph.D. in environmental studies from UC Santa Cruz in 2002.
Download this episode (right click and save)
Stuffed Heirloom Pumpkin
1 Large Round Organic Pumpkin
1 ½ lbs seitan, homemade or store bought (white
wave or Ray’s brands are good), cut into chunks
1 onion, chopped
4 carrots, cut into wedges
1 pound mushrooms, sliced (can use shitake,
portabella etc.)
2 yellow squash
1 butternut squash
1 sweet potato, cut into chunks
2 red or yellow peppers
1 head broccoli, cut up
4 parsnips
½ small napa cabbage
2 baby bok choy
¼ cup tamari
4 cloves garlic
2” piece of ginger, grated
2 Tbs. aji mirin (sweet rice wine)
2 Tbs tahini mixed with 1 cup water
1 package frozen peas
1 lbs potatoes, cut into chunks
2 sprigs rosemary
2 sprigs thyme
Cut out a circle on the top of pumpkin, scrape out seeds and replace top of pumpkin. Place pumpkin in shallow baking pan with a little water in bottom of pan. Make an aluminum tent over pumpkin with tin foil (to prevent burning) and bake the pumpkinin a 300’degree oven until soft (1 ½ hour-2 hours). Meanwhile, sauté onions, carrots, butternut squash, parsnips, potatoes and sweet potato in stockpot with a little olive oil. Add garlic and ginger. Cook for 10 minutes on low. Add broccoli, mushrooms, peppers, yellow squash, bok choy, cabbage, herbs and any other veggies you want. Add tahini and water mixture. Add mirin, tamari and frozen peas. Add seitan and cook for 20 more minutes. When pumpkin is soft, fill the pumpkin with the vegetable stew and return to oven for 30 minutes, to allow flavors to meld together. Serve right out of the pumpkin
