I remember my mom making stewed rhubarb from homegrown rhubarb when we were kids. I have always liked tart fruit - I used to climb the pear tree in our backyard to get a green pear, I would only eat one bite but it was just to my taste! So rhubarb is a favourite of mine.
We were at the farmers' market in town today, and I bought what was probably the last of the season's local rhubarb.
When I did a silent retreat recently at a convent in Toronto, the nuns served stewed rhubarb at breakfast and I put it on top of my oatmeal and mixed in it - it was yummy!
My mom used to serve this over ice cream, but I like it on its own too.
Here's the recipe:
6 cups (1.5 L) cut up rhubarb
1 cup (250 ml) granulated sugar
2 TB (25 ml) water
We didn't have any granulated sugar at home, I had some brown sugar that was rock solid, but we did have organic sucanat, so I used that.
In a large saucepan, combine all ingredients and cook over medium heat, stirring, until the sugar dissolves. Reduce heat to medium-low, simmer, stirring periodically, for about 15 minutes or until the rhubarb is slightly thickened and stringy. Let cool.
This should keep for about 5 days in the fridge in a tightly sealed container. I don't expect it to last that long!
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Friday, June 3, 2011
Mexican Tomato Lime Soup
This recipe is from the cookbook "Moosewood Cooks at Home", published by Simon & Schuster. I was given this cookbook quite a few years ago from someone who had received a duplicate copy. I've made a few things out of it, but this one has been a real hit. It's quick, easy to make, and tastes really great!
We buy good quality tortilla chips to coarsely crush to go in the bottom of a wide brimmed soup bowl. Try President's Choice Lime & Habanero flavoured chips to kick up the heat in this soup!
This soup is a great starter, and is perfect for a hot summer day. Make lots as it keeps well in the fridge.
Here's a link to an online version of the recipe:
Mexican Tomato Lime Soup recipe (Moosewood Cooks at Home)
Moosewood Restaurant is located in Ithaca, NY, one of our favourite little towns to visit, and we always go to Moosewood when we're there. Ithaca is also the home of Cornell University, and has a really great pedestrian only area right in the downtown. Moosewood is just a block away, and there are lots of little restaurants, bookstores and shops to browse. There's also the Finger Lakes, beautiful gorges, etc. to explore.
We'll be featuring more recipes from this book in the coming months so stay tuned to this blog! Click on the photo below to check out the cookbook on Amazon.ca (you can browse the book online). I highly recommend this book!
We buy good quality tortilla chips to coarsely crush to go in the bottom of a wide brimmed soup bowl. Try President's Choice Lime & Habanero flavoured chips to kick up the heat in this soup!
This soup is a great starter, and is perfect for a hot summer day. Make lots as it keeps well in the fridge.
Here's a link to an online version of the recipe:
Mexican Tomato Lime Soup recipe (Moosewood Cooks at Home)
Moosewood Restaurant is located in Ithaca, NY, one of our favourite little towns to visit, and we always go to Moosewood when we're there. Ithaca is also the home of Cornell University, and has a really great pedestrian only area right in the downtown. Moosewood is just a block away, and there are lots of little restaurants, bookstores and shops to browse. There's also the Finger Lakes, beautiful gorges, etc. to explore.
We'll be featuring more recipes from this book in the coming months so stay tuned to this blog! Click on the photo below to check out the cookbook on Amazon.ca (you can browse the book online). I highly recommend this book!
Quinoa with currants, dill & zucchini
This is my all-time favourite quinoa dish (until another comes along!). You can serve it warm or cold. This recipe makes enough for 4 main servings or 6 side servings. We served it over salad greens. As a main dish, we didn't need anything else. We had two servings the first day, and served it cold the second day, still great!
It's a quirky mix of green onions, quinoa, currants, dill, zucchini, lemon, and sesame seeds, with optional feta cheese on top as a garnish.
I made an oops making this (I often goof when reading a recipe) - the recipe calls for grated zucchini done on a box grater. Well, I looked at our mandoline, and it was shaped like a box, so I sliced the zucchini. Then when I went back to the recipe, I saw it called for grated zucchini, so I quickly chopped them up into matchsticks, and I liked that a lot better than the grated zucchini, although it takes more time. So suit yourself - grated or matchstick.
Toasting your own sesame seeds is way better but requires you to pay close attention. I put them in a flat non-stick pan and turned up the heat. You have to watch them carefully! Spread them around and mix them up periodically. When the individual seeds start to get a bit smaller and start to turn a bit brown, they should be ready - don't burn them!
We served it with grated feta cheese (I cheated and bought a bag of grated feta), just a bit sprinkled on top adds a nice contrast in taste.
We also used only 1 zucchini, rather than 2.
Here's a link to the full recipe:
Quinoa with Currants, Dill & Zucchini recipe (101cookbooks.com)
It's a quirky mix of green onions, quinoa, currants, dill, zucchini, lemon, and sesame seeds, with optional feta cheese on top as a garnish.
I made an oops making this (I often goof when reading a recipe) - the recipe calls for grated zucchini done on a box grater. Well, I looked at our mandoline, and it was shaped like a box, so I sliced the zucchini. Then when I went back to the recipe, I saw it called for grated zucchini, so I quickly chopped them up into matchsticks, and I liked that a lot better than the grated zucchini, although it takes more time. So suit yourself - grated or matchstick.
Toasting your own sesame seeds is way better but requires you to pay close attention. I put them in a flat non-stick pan and turned up the heat. You have to watch them carefully! Spread them around and mix them up periodically. When the individual seeds start to get a bit smaller and start to turn a bit brown, they should be ready - don't burn them!
We served it with grated feta cheese (I cheated and bought a bag of grated feta), just a bit sprinkled on top adds a nice contrast in taste.
We also used only 1 zucchini, rather than 2.
Here's a link to the full recipe:
Quinoa with Currants, Dill & Zucchini recipe (101cookbooks.com)
A One Day Fast
Today I'm doing a one day fast, based on the Lemonade Diet (also known as the Master Cleanse). When I was in residence at an ashram doing my yoga teacher training, we would do a fast once a week on Thursdays.
We had a class with one fasting expert, who told us that he once did a 40 day fast, had done lots of 10 day fasts, and that he strongly recommended NOT doing them. He said a once-a-week fast was easily do-able, and quite effective in giving the body a rest for a day (since the digestive organs don't have to process food). So this is my first attempt at re-starting that healthy habit. It's great if others in the family do the fast as well (it's harder if someone is eating and you're not).
Another benefit of doing a fast (other than the lemonade purchasing and prep) is that you have a lot more time at your disposal since you don't have to be preparing or eating meals. And you may experience a lightness, more energy, since the body is not processing heavy meals. So it's a great thing to do if you want to do a weekend retreat, for example, you can meditate and detox all at the same time!
I didn't have the lemonade diet recipe, so I surfed the internet (see diet recipe & instructions below). There are lots of websites about this and a few books that you can buy (books give you more of an idea of what to expect if you do the diet for more than a day), but here are the basics.
NOTE: a warning about the internal salt water bath - when they say don't go out for two hours, they really mean it! My first yoga teacher used to warn us about this - he said you definitely don't want to be driving in a car. You'll know what I mean when you try it for the first time. Think liquid. Stay close to a bathroom. It's quite powerful!
DISCLAIMER *** I am not a medical expert. If you choose to try this diet, you are responsible for your results. Please consult a medical doctor if you are concerned about any aspect of this diet. If you are doing a fast for longer than one day then you should be supervised by a medical professional. ***
LEMONADE DIET RECIPE:
Drink 6 to 8 glasses of the Lemonade Recipe a day, if you want to lose weight. You can also blend part of the lemon skin and pulp with the recipe to add fibre, since this acts as a mild laxative.
The idea behind using all organic ingredients is that this diet helps purge toxins from the body and if the ingredients are not as pure as possible, you'll only be adding toxins back. If you can't get organic products (like the sea salt or cayenne), try to get products with as few ingredients on the label as possible. Check out your local health food store, since this is a really popular diet and they are sure to have the right ingredients.
They recommend drinking a laxative herb tea (Smooth Move is a good one) the night before, but I didn't have any so didn't bother. I did do the Internal Salt Water Bath, though, first thing this morning, and it worked wonders.
INTERNAL SALT WATER BATH:
First thing in the morning, mix the following:
STAY NEAR A WASHROOM for about two hours. You'll have bowel movements that will seem urgent, and they will get increasingly more liquid and frequent. At least that's what happened for me. It's gross, but it's all good.
Now that you've cleaned out your system, it's important to remain hydrated during the day since a lot of water will be released in the bowel movements. You can drink herbal tea during the day (peppermint is nice), and green tea will help burn fat. Be sure to drink lots of water in between your lemonade!
We had a class with one fasting expert, who told us that he once did a 40 day fast, had done lots of 10 day fasts, and that he strongly recommended NOT doing them. He said a once-a-week fast was easily do-able, and quite effective in giving the body a rest for a day (since the digestive organs don't have to process food). So this is my first attempt at re-starting that healthy habit. It's great if others in the family do the fast as well (it's harder if someone is eating and you're not).
Another benefit of doing a fast (other than the lemonade purchasing and prep) is that you have a lot more time at your disposal since you don't have to be preparing or eating meals. And you may experience a lightness, more energy, since the body is not processing heavy meals. So it's a great thing to do if you want to do a weekend retreat, for example, you can meditate and detox all at the same time!
I didn't have the lemonade diet recipe, so I surfed the internet (see diet recipe & instructions below). There are lots of websites about this and a few books that you can buy (books give you more of an idea of what to expect if you do the diet for more than a day), but here are the basics.
NOTE: a warning about the internal salt water bath - when they say don't go out for two hours, they really mean it! My first yoga teacher used to warn us about this - he said you definitely don't want to be driving in a car. You'll know what I mean when you try it for the first time. Think liquid. Stay close to a bathroom. It's quite powerful!
DISCLAIMER *** I am not a medical expert. If you choose to try this diet, you are responsible for your results. Please consult a medical doctor if you are concerned about any aspect of this diet. If you are doing a fast for longer than one day then you should be supervised by a medical professional. ***
LEMONADE DIET RECIPE:
- 2 TB fresh organic lemon juice (about half a lemon)
- 2 TB organic maple syrup (grade B) (I don't know what grade B is but I used local organic syrup)
- 1/10 tsp organic cayenne pepper (a pinch)
Drink 6 to 8 glasses of the Lemonade Recipe a day, if you want to lose weight. You can also blend part of the lemon skin and pulp with the recipe to add fibre, since this acts as a mild laxative.
The idea behind using all organic ingredients is that this diet helps purge toxins from the body and if the ingredients are not as pure as possible, you'll only be adding toxins back. If you can't get organic products (like the sea salt or cayenne), try to get products with as few ingredients on the label as possible. Check out your local health food store, since this is a really popular diet and they are sure to have the right ingredients.
They recommend drinking a laxative herb tea (Smooth Move is a good one) the night before, but I didn't have any so didn't bother. I did do the Internal Salt Water Bath, though, first thing this morning, and it worked wonders.
INTERNAL SALT WATER BATH:
First thing in the morning, mix the following:
- 4 cups of warm water (1 quart)
- two level teaspoons of organic sea salt.
STAY NEAR A WASHROOM for about two hours. You'll have bowel movements that will seem urgent, and they will get increasingly more liquid and frequent. At least that's what happened for me. It's gross, but it's all good.
Now that you've cleaned out your system, it's important to remain hydrated during the day since a lot of water will be released in the bowel movements. You can drink herbal tea during the day (peppermint is nice), and green tea will help burn fat. Be sure to drink lots of water in between your lemonade!
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Len's Rice, Kale, Mushroom, Bean & Tofu Dish
Serves 2 as a main dish or 4-6 as a side dish.
INGREDIENTS
2 cups of cooked rice
Olive or canola oil
Kale
1/2 pound of mushrooms
1 small-med cooking onion (2-2/1/2" dia)
nutmeg
1/2 can drained black beans
1/2 pound tofu (firm or extra firm)
Tamari
Sesame oil
Optional: maple sugar
DIRECTIONS:
Have two cup of cooked rice on hand (brown and wild rice is a good combo, or brown basmati rice).
Using stir-fry pan if possible, add a bit of oil in the pan. Wash enough kale to almost fill the pan - do not dry the kale (remove heavy stalks). Turn on heat, toss kale into oil and keep tossing until kale is well-wilted. Remove kale to chopping board and chop (but not finely). Set kale aside.
In same pan (dry it out first), add oil and sauté 1/2 pound of mushrooms (chopped) and set aside.
Sauté 1 small-med chopped onion in oil. While sautéing, add a pinch or two of nutmeg and other herbs and spices as desired.
Return rice, kale and mushrooms to pan and mix thoroughly. Add 1/2 can of drained black beans and heat.
While this is heating up, cook up 1/2 pound of tou that has been previously cut into 1/2" cubes and marinated in equal proportions of tamari and sesame oil (option: and maple syrup), enough to glaze the tofu.
When tofu has been warmed up and slightly browned, add to the rice/kale/mushroom mixture. Mix and serve.
Note: it's well worth buying a rice cooker if you don't have one, as it cooks the rice perfectly and will keep it warm while you work on other parts of the dish (you can even add cooked items to it like the mushrooms, etc., so they will stay warm as well).
INGREDIENTS
2 cups of cooked rice
Olive or canola oil
Kale
1/2 pound of mushrooms
1 small-med cooking onion (2-2/1/2" dia)
nutmeg
1/2 can drained black beans
1/2 pound tofu (firm or extra firm)
Tamari
Sesame oil
Optional: maple sugar
DIRECTIONS:
Have two cup of cooked rice on hand (brown and wild rice is a good combo, or brown basmati rice).
Using stir-fry pan if possible, add a bit of oil in the pan. Wash enough kale to almost fill the pan - do not dry the kale (remove heavy stalks). Turn on heat, toss kale into oil and keep tossing until kale is well-wilted. Remove kale to chopping board and chop (but not finely). Set kale aside.
In same pan (dry it out first), add oil and sauté 1/2 pound of mushrooms (chopped) and set aside.
Sauté 1 small-med chopped onion in oil. While sautéing, add a pinch or two of nutmeg and other herbs and spices as desired.
Return rice, kale and mushrooms to pan and mix thoroughly. Add 1/2 can of drained black beans and heat.
While this is heating up, cook up 1/2 pound of tou that has been previously cut into 1/2" cubes and marinated in equal proportions of tamari and sesame oil (option: and maple syrup), enough to glaze the tofu.
When tofu has been warmed up and slightly browned, add to the rice/kale/mushroom mixture. Mix and serve.
Note: it's well worth buying a rice cooker if you don't have one, as it cooks the rice perfectly and will keep it warm while you work on other parts of the dish (you can even add cooked items to it like the mushrooms, etc., so they will stay warm as well).
Apple and Brie Omelette
INGREDIENTS (for one omelette)
2 tsp butter, divided
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and thinly sliced
Ground nutmeg to taste
1 tsp sugar
2 eggs
1 TB water
2 TB roasted, chopped pecans
¾ oz (or more) Brie cheese, sliced
Heat a non-stick 8 inch skillet over medium heat. Melt 1 tsp butter in skillet. Sauté apple slices in butter until slightly transparent but not too soft, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle with nutmeg and sugar. Remove from pan and keep warm.
Beat together eggs and water. Heat same skillet over medium-high heat. Melt remaining 1 tsp butter in skillet and pour in egg mixture. As mixture sets at edges, with spatula, gently push cooked portions towards the centre. Tilt and rotate the pan to allow uncooked egg to flow into the empty spaces.
When egg is almost set on surface but still looks moist, cover one half of the omelette with half of the warm apple mixture and pecans. If you feel confident, slide half the omelette out of the pan onto a cookie sheet and flip the other half over top, otherwise, flip half the omelette over the other half with a spatula and lift out onto the cookie sheet. Garnish with brie cheese and a few sprinkles of chopped pecans. Broil for 1-2 minutes to melt cheese. Slide onto warm plate, garnish with remaining apples, and serve immediately (SERVES ONE but we made two and broiled them together).
We served this with a green mesclun salad and crusty bread.
2 tsp butter, divided
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and thinly sliced
Ground nutmeg to taste
1 tsp sugar
2 eggs
1 TB water
2 TB roasted, chopped pecans
¾ oz (or more) Brie cheese, sliced
Heat a non-stick 8 inch skillet over medium heat. Melt 1 tsp butter in skillet. Sauté apple slices in butter until slightly transparent but not too soft, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle with nutmeg and sugar. Remove from pan and keep warm.
Beat together eggs and water. Heat same skillet over medium-high heat. Melt remaining 1 tsp butter in skillet and pour in egg mixture. As mixture sets at edges, with spatula, gently push cooked portions towards the centre. Tilt and rotate the pan to allow uncooked egg to flow into the empty spaces.
When egg is almost set on surface but still looks moist, cover one half of the omelette with half of the warm apple mixture and pecans. If you feel confident, slide half the omelette out of the pan onto a cookie sheet and flip the other half over top, otherwise, flip half the omelette over the other half with a spatula and lift out onto the cookie sheet. Garnish with brie cheese and a few sprinkles of chopped pecans. Broil for 1-2 minutes to melt cheese. Slide onto warm plate, garnish with remaining apples, and serve immediately (SERVES ONE but we made two and broiled them together).
We served this with a green mesclun salad and crusty bread.
Sunday, February 3, 2008
In praise of pressure cookers
One of the challenges facing most of us is making healthy vegetarian meals while engaged in our busy schedules.
Preplanning and having some basic pantry items on hand is essential, but using a pressure cooker can help you enjoy foods you might not have the time or patience to prepare except on special occasions, and free up your time for other pursuits or practices.
Many people are frightened off by pressure cookers, thinking that they are dangerous and difficult to use (images of lids denting the ceiling and contents splattered all over the kitchen). New generation pressure cookers have spring-valves, so that very little steam escapes and they are much quieter. The pressure valve allows the user to determine the exact time at which the interior of the pan comes to pressure, and thereby affords much greater accuracy in cooking. Because little or no steam escapes during cooking, you can use less cooking liquid (thereby retaining more of the vitamins and minerals). You’ll also use less energy as food cooks, on average, about 3 times faster (most beans and legumes can be cooked in 15 minutes). For dishes such as stews and pasta sauces, the pressure actually causes the ingredients to quickly mingle and their flavours to intensify.
What to buy? Our first experience with a pressure cooker was about 5 or 6 years ago. We purchased a fairly expensive stovetop model made by Kuhn Rikon of Switzerland. This particular model has a quick release valve which is easy to monitor and use, and allows us to reduce the pressure and open the lid without losing a lot of heat – a great way to check food for doneness, or to add other ingredients with different cooking times for complete one dish meals. Keep in mind that pressure cookers are a long term investment, and therefore it is important to select a well-known brand from a company with a long established history (you will eventually need to replace the rubber gasket, for example).
There are actually three methods to release pressure when cooking: touch-release or quick-release method (if your pressure cooker has this feature, described above), cold water release method – running cold water over the pot in the sink to stop cooking (used mainly for foods with short cooking times), and natural release method where you simply remove the pot from the heat and allow the pressure to subside naturally.
We’ve made lots of different meals using our pressure cooker, but our most recent favourite is Vegetarian Barley Risotto. It can be made with winter or summer vegetables, keeping in mind that some vegetables have higher water content than others, and may make the risotto a bit runnier (but not like soup). Experience will tell you how to reduce the stock to compensate for these types of vegetables. Always start with the ratio of 3 cups water/stock to 1 cup of barley until you know better.
Check out this website about pressure cookers (recipes, FAQs, cooking times, what to buy, etc) “Miss Vickie’s Guide to Modern Pressure Cookery”
Preplanning and having some basic pantry items on hand is essential, but using a pressure cooker can help you enjoy foods you might not have the time or patience to prepare except on special occasions, and free up your time for other pursuits or practices.
Many people are frightened off by pressure cookers, thinking that they are dangerous and difficult to use (images of lids denting the ceiling and contents splattered all over the kitchen). New generation pressure cookers have spring-valves, so that very little steam escapes and they are much quieter. The pressure valve allows the user to determine the exact time at which the interior of the pan comes to pressure, and thereby affords much greater accuracy in cooking. Because little or no steam escapes during cooking, you can use less cooking liquid (thereby retaining more of the vitamins and minerals). You’ll also use less energy as food cooks, on average, about 3 times faster (most beans and legumes can be cooked in 15 minutes). For dishes such as stews and pasta sauces, the pressure actually causes the ingredients to quickly mingle and their flavours to intensify.
What to buy? Our first experience with a pressure cooker was about 5 or 6 years ago. We purchased a fairly expensive stovetop model made by Kuhn Rikon of Switzerland. This particular model has a quick release valve which is easy to monitor and use, and allows us to reduce the pressure and open the lid without losing a lot of heat – a great way to check food for doneness, or to add other ingredients with different cooking times for complete one dish meals. Keep in mind that pressure cookers are a long term investment, and therefore it is important to select a well-known brand from a company with a long established history (you will eventually need to replace the rubber gasket, for example).
There are actually three methods to release pressure when cooking: touch-release or quick-release method (if your pressure cooker has this feature, described above), cold water release method – running cold water over the pot in the sink to stop cooking (used mainly for foods with short cooking times), and natural release method where you simply remove the pot from the heat and allow the pressure to subside naturally.
We’ve made lots of different meals using our pressure cooker, but our most recent favourite is Vegetarian Barley Risotto. It can be made with winter or summer vegetables, keeping in mind that some vegetables have higher water content than others, and may make the risotto a bit runnier (but not like soup). Experience will tell you how to reduce the stock to compensate for these types of vegetables. Always start with the ratio of 3 cups water/stock to 1 cup of barley until you know better.
Check out this website about pressure cookers (recipes, FAQs, cooking times, what to buy, etc) “Miss Vickie’s Guide to Modern Pressure Cookery”
How to prepare TVP
My husband is the TVP expert, and gave me these instructions. TVP is available in different shapes & sizes (all dried); minced, cutlets, and chunks.
He soaks the cutlets for 4 minutes, but the thicker cutlets take a lot longer, so you will have to experiment with how long to soak. You must boil the water first, and it's best to use a Bodum (plunge-type glass coffee maker)so that the chunks are totally submerged. Once you've solved the texture problem with the correct amount of soaking, you can move on to the seasoning step.
He splashs it with Tamari (a bit, not a lot), and stirs it all up so it's well mixed. He says the chunks don't have a large surface area so you won't need a lot.
Then he says you need something with acid in it:
lemon juice, or lime juice, or balsamic vinegar
His latest find was mint sauce (purchased, but basically consists of mint in vinegar with a bit of sugar)
You can put this in soup, or a cassoulet-type bean dish, or add to stews.
He soaks the cutlets for 4 minutes, but the thicker cutlets take a lot longer, so you will have to experiment with how long to soak. You must boil the water first, and it's best to use a Bodum (plunge-type glass coffee maker)so that the chunks are totally submerged. Once you've solved the texture problem with the correct amount of soaking, you can move on to the seasoning step.
He splashs it with Tamari (a bit, not a lot), and stirs it all up so it's well mixed. He says the chunks don't have a large surface area so you won't need a lot.
Then he says you need something with acid in it:
lemon juice, or lime juice, or balsamic vinegar
His latest find was mint sauce (purchased, but basically consists of mint in vinegar with a bit of sugar)
You can put this in soup, or a cassoulet-type bean dish, or add to stews.
Vegetarian Barley Risotto
We have started using pearl barley in recipes and really love it! If you have a pressure cooker, this risotto takes practically no time at all to prepare and cook.
Serves 4
2 TB olive oil
1 cup pearl barley
50 grams TVP cutlet (or large chunks)
3 cups vegetarian stock (we have used McCormick's in the past, which are vegetarian, but nowadays we make our own vegetable stock)
2 oz sun-dried tomatoes, chopped (soft & pliable, not dried out and hard)
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 small cooking onion, chopped
1 leek, chopped (white & tender green parts - well cleaned of sand & grit)
sea salt to season
2 cups thinly chopped carrot slices
5 fresh sprigs of fresh rosemary, chopped fine
a few fresh basil leaves, chopped
1 TB dried thyme leaves
1 oz butter
1 oz parmesan reggiano cheese, grated (or a 3-yr old cheddar that bites back)
Pre-soak TVP for 5 minutes in 3 cups of water that has been brought to the boil, drain and discard liquid (we use a bodum coffeemaker in order to submerge the TVP completely).
Saute onions & garlic in bottom of a pressure cooker with olive oil.
When onions are softened, add leeks, when softened, add everything else except butter and parmesan cheese.
Cover pressure cooker with lid and cook for 10 minutes (after it comes up to pressure).
If you don't have a pressure release valve, let it set until the pressure releases before opening.
Add cheese and butter and mix well (if you had to wait for the pressure to come down, you may need to reheat in order to get butter and cheese to melt and mix together).
Serves 4
2 TB olive oil
1 cup pearl barley
50 grams TVP cutlet (or large chunks)
3 cups vegetarian stock (we have used McCormick's in the past, which are vegetarian, but nowadays we make our own vegetable stock)
2 oz sun-dried tomatoes, chopped (soft & pliable, not dried out and hard)
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 small cooking onion, chopped
1 leek, chopped (white & tender green parts - well cleaned of sand & grit)
sea salt to season
2 cups thinly chopped carrot slices
5 fresh sprigs of fresh rosemary, chopped fine
a few fresh basil leaves, chopped
1 TB dried thyme leaves
1 oz butter
1 oz parmesan reggiano cheese, grated (or a 3-yr old cheddar that bites back)
Pre-soak TVP for 5 minutes in 3 cups of water that has been brought to the boil, drain and discard liquid (we use a bodum coffeemaker in order to submerge the TVP completely).
Saute onions & garlic in bottom of a pressure cooker with olive oil.
When onions are softened, add leeks, when softened, add everything else except butter and parmesan cheese.
Cover pressure cooker with lid and cook for 10 minutes (after it comes up to pressure).
If you don't have a pressure release valve, let it set until the pressure releases before opening.
Add cheese and butter and mix well (if you had to wait for the pressure to come down, you may need to reheat in order to get butter and cheese to melt and mix together).
Tofu Mayonnaise
We were making eggless tofu salad, and forgot to buy mayonnaise,
so we made our own quite easily using a box of Mori-Nu soft silken Tofu (tetra-pak, so shelf-safe for almost a year), and a few ingredients we had on hand. This turned out a little bit bland, but you can experiment by changing some of the added ingredients, like adding more Dijon, dill, garlic, capers & fine herbs, chipotle, etc.
½ box silken tofu (or 6 oz soft tofu)
1/3 cup olive oil
1 small garlic clove
2 Tsp Dijon mustard
2.5 tsp fresh lemon juice
salt & freshly ground pepper
Puree the tofu and oil in a food processor until smooth (scrape down the sides). Add the garlic, mustard & lemon juice and season to taste.
Keeps refrigerated for up to 5 days.
so we made our own quite easily using a box of Mori-Nu soft silken Tofu (tetra-pak, so shelf-safe for almost a year), and a few ingredients we had on hand. This turned out a little bit bland, but you can experiment by changing some of the added ingredients, like adding more Dijon, dill, garlic, capers & fine herbs, chipotle, etc.
½ box silken tofu (or 6 oz soft tofu)
1/3 cup olive oil
1 small garlic clove
2 Tsp Dijon mustard
2.5 tsp fresh lemon juice
salt & freshly ground pepper
Puree the tofu and oil in a food processor until smooth (scrape down the sides). Add the garlic, mustard & lemon juice and season to taste.
Keeps refrigerated for up to 5 days.
Chocolate Banana Nut Smoothie
What kid (big or small) wouldn't want to have this for breakfast?
1 TB Cocoa Caminos organic cocoa powder
1 TB Nuts to You! hazelnut butter
1 TB brown sugar (or honey or maple syrup)
1 banana
1 cup chocolate flavoured soy milk
Blend it all up and drink it down!
Yummmmmmmmy!
1 TB Cocoa Caminos organic cocoa powder
1 TB Nuts to You! hazelnut butter
1 TB brown sugar (or honey or maple syrup)
1 banana
1 cup chocolate flavoured soy milk
Blend it all up and drink it down!
Yummmmmmmmy!
Len's Black Bean Soup
This is my husband's excellent black bean soup recipe!
Q – Where did this recipe come from?
A – We were down in Alabama, out shopping, and I picked up a bag of beans for soup that came with a spice pack and a simple recipe. One of the problems you have when you get a good soup like this is that it’s almost impossible to try to reproduce the spice packet. Usually when you find one that’s really good in flavour, it’s not a mass produced commercial brand, and you may not find it again in the stores. So, to get you started with this recipe, I’ll suggest you use the Indian spice mix that’s widely available called garam masala (I’ve also used Montreal Steak Spice). It’s in the spices that you can make your own personal signature on the soup.
Q – What do you like most about this recipe?
A – It begins as just a very simple “How To Cook Dried Beans”, and after that, with minimal additions, turning it into a flavourful soup, so simple.
BLACK BEAN SOUP
vegan / vegetarian
1 lb. black turtle beans
28-oz tin of crushed (not ground) tomatoes
Vegetable stock cubes or powder (enough for 1 litre of broth)
2 Tb. garam masala
2 Tb. olive oil
1 med. to large cooking onion
1 med. to large green pepper
Check beans for stones and soak overnight, rinse and drain. Put in pot and cover with about 1.5 inches of water. Simmer for 1.5 hours with lid on.
Sauté onion and pepper in olive oil, add to beans with garam masala and stock cubes. Add crushed tomatoes. Add water if needed, simmer for one hour with lid on. Add more salt as required, more water as required.
Q – Where did this recipe come from?
A – We were down in Alabama, out shopping, and I picked up a bag of beans for soup that came with a spice pack and a simple recipe. One of the problems you have when you get a good soup like this is that it’s almost impossible to try to reproduce the spice packet. Usually when you find one that’s really good in flavour, it’s not a mass produced commercial brand, and you may not find it again in the stores. So, to get you started with this recipe, I’ll suggest you use the Indian spice mix that’s widely available called garam masala (I’ve also used Montreal Steak Spice). It’s in the spices that you can make your own personal signature on the soup.
Q – What do you like most about this recipe?
A – It begins as just a very simple “How To Cook Dried Beans”, and after that, with minimal additions, turning it into a flavourful soup, so simple.
BLACK BEAN SOUP
vegan / vegetarian
1 lb. black turtle beans
28-oz tin of crushed (not ground) tomatoes
Vegetable stock cubes or powder (enough for 1 litre of broth)
2 Tb. garam masala
2 Tb. olive oil
1 med. to large cooking onion
1 med. to large green pepper
Check beans for stones and soak overnight, rinse and drain. Put in pot and cover with about 1.5 inches of water. Simmer for 1.5 hours with lid on.
Sauté onion and pepper in olive oil, add to beans with garam masala and stock cubes. Add crushed tomatoes. Add water if needed, simmer for one hour with lid on. Add more salt as required, more water as required.
Tempeh Sloppy Joes
This really satified my recent urge for a BBQ sandwich.
It makes four servings, and takes very little time and effort to prepare.
8 oz of tempeh, crumbled (I used Henry's Tempeh with hot peppers)
1 TB olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
1/2 cup diced green or red pepper (or celery)
1 cup barbeque sauce
4 toasted burger buns or 8 slices of toasted bread
Marinate tempeh in the barbeque sauce for about 20 minutes (while you're preparing and sauting the veggies as below).
Heat olive oil in a pan; add the veggies and saute, stirring until veggies are soft (or to your own taste). Add the marinated tempeh and sauce and heat through.
Serve on toasted buns or bread.
It makes four servings, and takes very little time and effort to prepare.
8 oz of tempeh, crumbled (I used Henry's Tempeh with hot peppers)
1 TB olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
1/2 cup diced green or red pepper (or celery)
1 cup barbeque sauce
4 toasted burger buns or 8 slices of toasted bread
Marinate tempeh in the barbeque sauce for about 20 minutes (while you're preparing and sauting the veggies as below).
Heat olive oil in a pan; add the veggies and saute, stirring until veggies are soft (or to your own taste). Add the marinated tempeh and sauce and heat through.
Serve on toasted buns or bread.
Tofu and Kale Quiche
Serves 4 to 6
1/2 teaspoon canola oil
3/4 cup chopped green onions
12 ounces firm tofu, crumbled (Sol brand is just right)
1.5 cup packed finely chopped kale or turnip greens
1.5 cup grated soy cheese
3/4 cup chopped red bell peppers
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon turmeric
One 9-inch store-bought pastry pie shell (thawed) – make sure to look for vegetarian pie shells (Tenderflake deep dish)
In a small, nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add green onions and sauté for 3 minutes. Add red pepper and sauté for 1 minute. Add all remaining ingredients except cheese, and mix together, sautéing until the kale starts to slightly wilt. Remove from heat and mix in cheese.
Transfer mixture to prepared pie shell (see package instructions). Bake in preheated oven for 40 minutes - you'll have to experiment with your own oven - ours runs hot so we did it at 250 Fahrenheit.
1/2 teaspoon canola oil
3/4 cup chopped green onions
12 ounces firm tofu, crumbled (Sol brand is just right)
1.5 cup packed finely chopped kale or turnip greens
1.5 cup grated soy cheese
3/4 cup chopped red bell peppers
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon turmeric
One 9-inch store-bought pastry pie shell (thawed) – make sure to look for vegetarian pie shells (Tenderflake deep dish)
In a small, nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add green onions and sauté for 3 minutes. Add red pepper and sauté for 1 minute. Add all remaining ingredients except cheese, and mix together, sautéing until the kale starts to slightly wilt. Remove from heat and mix in cheese.
Transfer mixture to prepared pie shell (see package instructions). Bake in preheated oven for 40 minutes - you'll have to experiment with your own oven - ours runs hot so we did it at 250 Fahrenheit.
Quinoa salad (vegan)
This recipe is so good, we had it twice in a row (ok, I made a full recipe and we had to eat it up). But we really, really like it! and I think I'm addicted to quinoa.
I used Bob's Red Mill brand organic quinoa (I had bought a bag a loooong time ago, and it was sitting in the fridge - I don't think aging it does anything).
Makes 4 - 6 Servings
Ingredients:1 cup quinoa
1.5 cups cold water
½ tsp salt
1 cup celery
1 - 2 small carrots, peeled and sliced thin
½ green pepper, sliced thin
1 medium ripe tomato
1 medium English cucumber, diced
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
½ cup chopped pistachio nuts
½ cup dried unsweetened cranberries
Dressing:
2 TB freshly squeezed lemon juice
¼ cup olive oil
½ tsp salt
Fresh ground pepper
Directions:
The quinoa can be made ahead of time and refrigerated. Soak the quinoa 1/2 hour in cold water. Rinse very thoroughly in water several times. For each rinse, pour off most of the water and finish draining through a large fine mesh strainer. Place in 2 quart pot with the water and salt. Bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to very low, cover and cook for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to sit five minutes with lid on. Fluff gently with a fork and set aside to cool.
Steam the carrots and green veggies for 5 minutes, rinse in cold water
Chop the tomatoes, herb and cucumber
Blend dressing ingredients with a whisk or shake in a jar
Gently combine veggies, walnuts, quinoa and dressing in a large bowl
Cover and chill
Keep the uncooked quinoa in the fridge or freezer (it has a high oil content and will go rancid otherwise). Use a pot with a tight-fitting lid (we use Le Creuset brand).
I used Bob's Red Mill brand organic quinoa (I had bought a bag a loooong time ago, and it was sitting in the fridge - I don't think aging it does anything).
Makes 4 - 6 Servings
Ingredients:1 cup quinoa
1.5 cups cold water
½ tsp salt
1 cup celery
1 - 2 small carrots, peeled and sliced thin
½ green pepper, sliced thin
1 medium ripe tomato
1 medium English cucumber, diced
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
½ cup chopped pistachio nuts
½ cup dried unsweetened cranberries
Dressing:
2 TB freshly squeezed lemon juice
¼ cup olive oil
½ tsp salt
Fresh ground pepper
Directions:
The quinoa can be made ahead of time and refrigerated. Soak the quinoa 1/2 hour in cold water. Rinse very thoroughly in water several times. For each rinse, pour off most of the water and finish draining through a large fine mesh strainer. Place in 2 quart pot with the water and salt. Bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to very low, cover and cook for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to sit five minutes with lid on. Fluff gently with a fork and set aside to cool.
Steam the carrots and green veggies for 5 minutes, rinse in cold water
Chop the tomatoes, herb and cucumber
Blend dressing ingredients with a whisk or shake in a jar
Gently combine veggies, walnuts, quinoa and dressing in a large bowl
Cover and chill
Keep the uncooked quinoa in the fridge or freezer (it has a high oil content and will go rancid otherwise). Use a pot with a tight-fitting lid (we use Le Creuset brand).
First attempts at vegetarian sushi
I bought some EDEN brand toasted nori sheets last week, and decided to attempt to make vegetarian sushi.
I bought President's Choice sticky rice, prepared according to the package, added fresh avocado strips and porcini mushrooms (reconstituted dried), SPIKE seasoning and San-J tamari sauce. I even bought the little bamboo mat to roll things up (having quickly glanced at the sushi makers in our local grocery store once).
The ingredients were great, but my execution was pretty awful. The first rolls were lumpy, and squished out of shape when cut. They tasted good, though (except I skimped on the avocado & mushrooms so it was largely rice and tamari).
By the time I had rolled the fourth sheet, I was getting better. Still, I decided I had better watch the sushi-makers at the grocery store next time I go.
Then I found this instruction page on Eden Foods' website. I think I'll give it another shot!
I bought too many avocados!
I bought too many avocados the other day (singles weren't ripe, so I bought a bag of 5 Haas avocados).
The first one went into a recipe (first-timer) of vegetarian sushi (see First Attempts at Vegetarian Sushi).
Desperate as the others were ripening fast, I stashed them in the fridge and started consulting my collection of recipe books for vegetarian/vegan recipes. I came up with a couple of recipes (Moosewood Cooks at Home, Vegetarian Recipes) for pasta and salads.
Then I spotted this interesting one - Avocado gelato! We bought an ice cream maker some years ago when I was having jaw surgery (and on a restricted diet for weeks), but never did use it, so it's a good time to break it out and experiment.
We'll try to make it with soy milk and I'll report back on how well it works.
This recipe calls for 2 avocados, so I'll have to try one of the other recipes to use up the other 2 remaining ones.
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