Chipotle Bowl

This recipe has nothing to do with the fast food restaurant, Chipotle. When we lived in So. California there used to be this really great Cafe near downtown Los Angeles called "Luna Sol" and this was on their menu. I think that cafe went out of business, which is a shame because they had wonderfully healthy food for low prices in a neighborhood that didn't have a lot of other healthy and affordable prices. So this is an homage to my favorite defunct LA cafe. This is a great recipe for using up leftover brown rice.

1 package of extra firm tofu, rinsed, patted dry and cut into 1" cubes
Extra virgin or canola oil 
1-2 c. cooked kidney beans (or 1 15 oz. can rinsed and drained)
1-2 c. cooked brown rice
1 c. chipotle flavored salsa
1/2 a small red onion, sliced into thin rounds
2 Tbsp. water

1) Heat the oil in a large saute pan or a wok. Add the tofu and let it brown for about 5-7 minutes. Toss and let it continue to brown for another 5 minutes. Meanwhile spoon the warm rice into 2-4 bowls.

2) Add the kidney beans and salsa. Continue to cook until heated through, about another 5 minutes.

3) Spoon the tofu & kidney bean mixture over the rice in each bowl making sure to get all of the sauce evenly distributed.

4) Put about 2 Tbsp. of water into the pan and add the onion slices. Saute until soft, about 5 minutes. Place the onions atop each serving.

This makes 2-4 servings depending on how much beans & rice you use and what else you're serving.

Red Beans and Rice

When I first became a vegetarian in college my mainstay was those bags of Zatarain's red beans and rice. In the many, many, many years since college I've come to avoid pre-packaged meals as much as possible. I've often looked at red beans and rice recipes, but reading over ingredient lists I've been left uninspired and I have to admit I've not tried a single one I've looked at. Maybe they all would have been delicious, but I just wasn't motivated by them to try. So, of course, I finally decided to make my own. I don't know how this ingredient list will strike you, but let me assure you it is very delicious. The recipe is not a lot of work, but it does take quite a long time for the beans and rice to cook. For that reason this is an excellent meal to make on the weekend when you have some extra time, then you can use the leftovers for lunches during the week.

About 1 lb. of small red beans (if it's a little over or under that's no big deal), sorted, soaked and rinsed
About 2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, diced
6 oz. tomato paste
1 Tbsp. yellow mustard
1 tsp. dried oregano
6 c. water, plus more added during the cooking process
1 c. rice
1 scant Tbsp. sea salt
1 pound container of fresh salsa (I got it in the deli section of the grocery store), or 1 recipe Pico de Gallo.

1. Lay the beans out on a large kitchen towel and sort through them removing any debris or discolored, broken, or  malformed beans. Rinse the beans to clean and then place them in a large bowl covered with 2-3 inches of water. Let them soak for at least 6 hours up to overnight. Once they have soaked, rise them in a strainer and set aside.

2. When the beans have been soaked and rinsed heat the olive oil in a large, heavy soup pot or Dutch oven. Add the onion and let it saute until soft, about 7 minutes.

3. When the onion is soft add the tomato paste, mustard and oregano. Let the tomato paste melt as you stir the mixture around to evenly coat all of the onions.

4. Once the tomato paste is distributed evenly over the onions add the beans and about 6 cups of hot water, or enough to cover the beans by about 2-3 inches, and bring to a boil.

5. Let the beans cook at medium boil (not a gentle simmer) for about 2 hours until they are completely soft, stirring occasionally and adding more hot water when it starts to evaporate too much. You want to keep the beans submerged in a lot of liquid so that they have room to move around in the pot and cook evenly.

6. When the beans are fully cooked but not falling apart, add 1 c. of rinsed brown rice and a little more water if necessary. Let it cook for 45 minutes longer, partially covered, and stir occasionally but keep an eye on it because you'll start letting the water evaporate at this point to form a thick sauce.

Here the salsa has just been added.

7. As the mixture boils only add more water at this point if it is about to dry out, but just enough to keep it boiling without drying out. Keep stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan at this point to avoid burning. When the rice is fully cooked, after about 45 minutes, add the entire container of fresh salsa and let it cook for 15 minutes longer as the liquid continues to evaporate into a thick sauce.

This is how thick the sauce should be.

 This makes 6-8 servings and tastes lovely topped with fresh Guacamole.

Stuffed Bell Peppers

My Mom-in-law, Karen,  made some delicious stuffed peppers spiced with cumin and cinnamon when we were visiting for Christmas, and they were so good it inspired me to experiment (I'm copying the quinoa, greens and mushrooms from her recipe, and I guess I'm also bragging that my Mother-in-law makes delicious vegan food for us when we visit).

The sauce I use for this recipe can be used for many other things: a marinade for roasted or grilled vegetables or tofu, salad dressing, something else? The stuffing for these peppers could also stand alone as a pilaf of sorts. In fact, my two and 6 year old daughters spooned it up like I had just given them dessert (how lovely to hear your kids ask for more quinoa with beans and vegetables!). My picky eldest daughter turned her nose up at it, however, I know she would have liked it if I could have gotten her to try it. There is enough filling for 10-12 pepper halves (5-6 peppers) depending on how full you stuff them and how large they are. I only had 4 peppers (8 halves) and so I saved the extra stuffing to eat as a salad for lunch later on.

These peppers are quite beautiful and could serve as a main dish with a vegetable side and a salad. They could also be used as a side dish for a meal with soup or pasta.You could also choose to top them with vegan cheese or some bread crumbs.

For the Peppers and Stuffing

4-6 bell peppers, a variety of colors (try to get ones that will make nice big cavities for the stuffing)
1 c. quinoa (I used a mix of red and brown this time), rinsed and drained well in a fine mesh strainer
2 c. vegetable stock, water, or a combination (I used 1 c. of each this time)
1 large white or yellow onion, diced
8 oz. crimini/baby bella mushrooms, diced
1 medium-small zucchini squash, diced
1 small bunch greens such as kale, watercress, collards, baby spinach, washed & chopped
2-3 Tbsp. minced fresh basil
1 c. cooked navy beans
1/3 c. pinenuts
1/3 c. sundried tomatoes, diced
4 dried mission figs, diced

For the Sauce

3 Tbsp. vegetable stock
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil (or less, if you want)
2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp. shoyu or tamari
1 tsp. dijon mustard
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. sea salt
1/4 tsp. dried oregano
2 cloves garlic, minced

1) Cook the quinoa according to package directions, but err on the shorter end of the suggested cooking time. Most quinoa suggests a 10-15 minute cooking time, I would go with around 12 minutes so that it's still a bit moist but not too soupy. Once the quinoa is done cooking, remove it from the heat and set it aside.

2) As the quinoa cooks, slice the peppers in half lengthwise to make two flat pepper "boats." I like to leave the stems on and try to cut through them because they look pretty when the stems are in tact, but you could remove them. Use a paring knife or spoon to scrape out the seeds and ribs from inside the pepper halves.

3) Preheat a teaspoon or two of olive oil in a saute pan over medium heat and add the diced onion. Cook the onion until it just begins to brown (7-10 minutes) and then add the diced mushrooms and zucchini. Continue to cook the mixture until the zucchini until they are softened (about 5 more minutes). Then add the greens and saute until they are just wilted, anther 2-3 minutes, and remove the pan from the heat.

4) As the onions and other vegetables cook, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the minced fresh basil, cooked beans, pinenuts, diced sundried tomatoes and died figs into a large bowl.

5) Once you are done sauteing the onions, mushrooms, zucchini and greens, add them to the large bowl with the beans and other vegetables. Add the cooked quinoa. Pour the dressing over the mixture and stir to mix well.

6) Use a large spoon to stuff the mixture into the hollowed out peppers, pressing the stuffing deep into the peppers. Place the stuffed peppers carefully into a large baking pan and cover with foil. Bake for 45 minutes while covered. Remove the foil and bake for another 10-15 minutes, uncovered, until browned on top.

This makes 8-12 bell pepper halves.

Spicy Fried Tofu

I love crispy and spicy tofu, and this recipe is good because it isn't deep fried. You can serve this tofu on a platter as an appetizer, add it to any stirfry, use it in spring rolls, eat it over cooked grains, or whatever else you can come up with. 

2 -3 Tbsp. canola or peanut oil
1 16 oz. brick of firm or extra firm tofu
1 tsp. toasted sesame oil
3 Tbsp. shoyu or tamari
2 Tbsp. mirin (sweet rice cooking wine), optional
1-2 Tbsp. chile garlic paste (according to the heat level you like)
2 Tbsp. water
1/4 tsp. Korean chile powder or pure chile powder, optional
Drizzle of pure maple syrup, about 1 tsp. (or agave, etc.)
2-3 dashes brown rice vinegar or seasoned rice vinegar
1 scallion, white and green part, thinly sliced
1 tsp. arrowroot powder or corn starch dissolved in 2 tsp. water, optional

1) For the sauce, whisk together the toasted sesame oil, shoyu, mirin, chile garlic paste, water, chile powder, maple syrup, vinegar, and scallion and set aside.

The pretty measuring cup my friend, Josie, gave me.

2) Heat the canola or peanut oil over medium high heat (more high than medium) in a large non-stick saute pan and slice the tofu into desired shapes, I like big squares. Add the tofu to the heated oil and let it fry for about 5-7 minutes on the first side and  3-5 minutes on the second side (until both sides are browned). NOTE: If you don't use enough oil and don't turn the heat up high enough the tofu will stick to the pan and to each other and will break apart, so don't be meek.

3) Turn the heat down a bit and pour the sauce over the tofu (NOTE: if you want, you can carefully pour the oil out of the pan while holding the tofu in place with a spatula before you add the sauce). Let the sauce simmer and bubble for a few minutes until it thickens a bit. If you want a thicker sauce, add the optional arrowroot or corn starch dissolved with its water and cook for an additional minute.

This tofu makes about 6 appetizer servings or 2-3 main servings and is good dipped in sweet chile sauce as an appetizer, or over brown rice with sauteed enoki mushrooms like the photo to the right.

Brussels Sprouts Stirfry with Sourkraut

A German Asian stirfry fusion. WHAT!? I guess I've never seen a restaurant that combines German and Asian food, but I have to say this stirfry is pretty good.

15-20 brussles sprouts, halved or quartered
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. toasted sesame oil
1 red onion, halved and thinly sliced
About 10 button or crimini mushrooms, sliced
1/2 c. grated daikon radish
1 c. cooked beans such as black, adzuki or pinto
2-3 c. cooked brown rice
3-4 Tbsp. shoyu or tamari
2 Tbsp. mirin
1 Tbsp. brown rice vinegar or seasoned rice wine vinegar
Asian hot sauce (such as sriracha) to taste
1 c. wild fermented sour kraut, or a good store bought brand

1) Heat the oil in a wok or large saute pan over high heat. Add the brussles sprouts and try to arrange them so that a flat side is down. Leave them alone for about 5 minutes so that they can start to brown.

2) Once the brussles sprouts have started to brown, give them a toss and add the onions and a pinch of sea salt. Once the onions have softened add the mushrooms and daikon and toss to incorporate.

3) Once the mushrooms have softened add the beans, rice, shoyu, mirin, vinegar and hot sauce. Toss to combine well.

4) Remove the pan from the heat and add the sourkraut and toss to combine.

This makes about 4 servings.

Mixed Grain Stirfry with Onions, Carrots and Greens

Sometimes when I cook rice I like to make it with a 3:1 ratio of another grain such as spelt, buckwheat groats, rye berries or hulled barley. Adding other grains brings variety and also extra nutrients.

Long grain brown rice with spelt.

Greens are an extremely important food, we should all try to eat more of them. Dark green leafy vegetables are super high in calcium as well as many other vitamins and minerals (and unlike dairy they have NO saturated fat or cholesterol, and they have an alkalizing rather than an acidifying affect on our blood). You can use any greens you want for this, but keep in mind that while all greens are high in calcium spinach, chard, and beet greens contain oxalic acid which hinders our ability to absorb calcium. A really cool thing about greens is that vitamin C aides in our body's ability to absorb calcium, and in her great wisdom mother nature endowed most leafy green vegetables with high levels of vitamin C (unlike dairy). Did you know that there are numerous studies showing that countries with the highest dairy consumption also have the highest rates of osteoporosis? And countries with the lowest dairy consumption have the lowest levels of osteoporosis (and breast cancer!).

When I speak of acidic vs. alkaline blood what I am referring to is our blood's ph balance. Many studies have shown that disease thrives in blood with an acidic ph balance. We, therefore, want to eat foods that promote a slightly alkaline blood ph. Foods that promote alkaline blood include: brown rice, dark green leafy vegetables, burdock root, sea vegetables and citrus. Foods that promote an acidic blood ph include drugs (including prescription), alcohol, meat, dairy, caffeine, and worst of all, sugar. When we consume foods that acidify our blood our bones release calcium (and other precious minerals) into our bloodstream to bring its ph back to an alkaline state, which many believe is more responsible for osteoperosis than not getting enough calcium. Yet those brilliant (and well funded) marketing execs working for the dairy industry have managed to hoodwink us into believing we'll collapse into a pile of fractured hips if we don't drink cow's milk. Brilliant.

1 tsp. toasted sesame oil
1 tsp. another oil (olive, canola, hot chili, etc.)
1 white or yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced
2-3 carrots, washed and sliced
4-5 c. cooked brown rice, with other grains if desired
1/4 c. shoyu or tamari
1 tsp. brown rice or ume plum vinegar
1/4 tsp. Chinese 5 spice powder and/or 1-2 Tbsp. vegan hoisin sauce
1-2 c. (really as much as you want) chopped greens, any kind


1) Heat the oil in a large skillet or wok over high heat. Add the onion & carrots and saute until they begin to brown 5-7 minutes.

2) Add the rice and then all of the other ingredients except for the greens and toss to mix. Cook for about 3 more minutes while tossing.

3) Add the greens and continue to saute until the greens are wilted (this will take longer for a hearty green like kale than it will for a tender green like spinach).

This can be garnished with brown or black sesame seeds, a little baked tofu, several Tbsp. of cooked beans, pickled vegetables such as beets or red onions, or whatever else your (healthy from vegan food) heart desires.


Serves about 4 with a little left over.

Macro Plate

Everything about this meal is nourishing, balancing and delicious. The amounts for this recipe serve one so if you're serving more than 1, obviously, kick each of the ingredients up 1 notch for each serving. I like to use grated daikon radish as a garnish for this because it's said to break up fat deposits and help flush the fat out of our bodies (cool!). This is a great use for the bean recipes I posted earlier: Pinto Beans or Black Beans.

Toasted sesame oil
3 leaves bok choi, sliced with the leaves and stems divided
1/2 a small onion, sliced thinly
1 c. cooked brown rice or brown rice cooked with other grains (buckwheat groats, hulled barley, spelt, wild rice, etc.)
2 Tbsp. Umeboshi Vinaigrette, divided
Sea salt
Cooked beans such as pinto or black (or baked tofu)
Grated daikon radish (optional)
1/8 tsp. shoyu or tamari (optional)
Black sesame seeds to garnish (optional)

1) Heat a little toasted sesame oil over medium heat in a saute pan (cast iron, if possible) and add the onion and the white bok choi stems and cook, stirring occasionally, until wilted (5-7 minutes). If it starts to dry out add a Tbsp. or two of water.

2) As the bok choi and onion cook, place 1 c. of cooked grain into a bowl and mix together with 1 Tbsp. Umeboshi Vinaigrette. Then plate the rice.

That big white thing is the daikon radish.

3) Grate the daikon radish (I like to use about 2-3 Tbsp. of radish), place it on the plate with the grains and sprinkle with 1/8 tsp. tamari or shoyu and place about 1/4 to 1/2 c. cooked tofu or beans next to the daikon radish.

4) Once the onions and bok choi stems are cooked, add the chopped green portion of the bok choi and a sprinkling of sea salt and continue to cook for a additional 1-2 minutes.

5) Add the cooked greens and onions to the plate and drizzle with the second Tbsp. of Umeboshi Vinaigrette. Garnish with black sesame seeds if desired.

Indonesian Spicy Peanut Stirfry

I don't have much to say about this except that it's really good. Below I give an adaption for kids. And thank you, Indonesia, for spicy peanut sauce.

For the Stirfry:
2 tsp. peanut or canola oil
8 oz. diced tofu or tempeh
1 yellow or white onion, halved and thinly sliced
2 carrots, julienned
4-5 c. cooked brown rice (option: cook using coconut milk as part of the liquid)
Grated coconut, optional
Cilantro to garnish, optional

For the Sauce:
1/2 c. peanut butter
2 Tbsp. shoyu, tamari or soy sauce
1 Tbsp. seasoned rice vinegar
Juice of 1 fresh lemon or lime
1/4 c. water or coconut milk
Sriracha hot sauce or chili garlic paste to taste (I use about 1 Tbsp., but I like it really spicy so maybe start with 1 tsp.)
1 clove of garlic, pressed

1)  For the sauce simply whisk everything together in a small bowl and set aside.

2) Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a wok or very large saute pan and add the diced tofu or tempeh. Toss the tofu or tempeh  around in the oil and then let it sit until it starts to brown about 5 minutes. Toss it around and continue let it brown for about 5 more minutes.

3) Add the onion and carrot and continue to stir fry along with the tofu for about 5 more minutes.

4) Add the rice, sauce and grated coconut (if using) and toss to coat everything with the sauce and heat through.

Garnish with cilantro if desired. This makes about 4-6 servings.

NOTE: I adjusted this recipe for my kids by omitting the hot sauce and using broccoli rather than carrots and onions and all 3 of them loved it:

Kamut Salad

This is my attempt at making my favorite grain salad from the deli at the local food co-op. I think I got it right because it tastes just the same.

 
for the salad:

1 c. kamut, sorted, rinsed and soaked for at least 1 hour
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1/2 a small red onion, diced
2 small carrots, julienned
2 Tbsp. minced flat leaf parsley
2 Tbsp. minced fresh chives
1/4 c. toasted sunflower seeds
1/2 c green peas
1/2 c. dried cranberries

for the dressing:

Juice of 1-2 fresh lemons, about 3-4 Tbsp.
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp. flax seed oil (or more olive oil)
3/4 tsp. sea salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper

1) After the kamut has been soaked for at least an hour, rinse it off and place it in a sauce pan covered with about 3 inches of water. Bring it to a boil, reduce to a simmer and simmer, covered, for an hour. Make sure to stir it occasionally and add more water if it starts to evaporate too much.

2) As the kamut cooks chop all of the vegetables and herbs and place them in a large bowl with the sunflower seeds and dried cranberries.

3) Whisk together the dressing in a small bowl and set aside.

4) Once the kamut is done cooking, drain it and rinse with cold water.

5) Add the kamut and dressing into the large bowl with the vegetables and toss to combine.

This makes about 6-8 servings.

Brown Rice and Watercress Stirfry

Here's an easy way to get more brown rice and greens into your diet - both very healthy foods. Brown rice gives us a little protein, fiber, and energy through a steady and slow rise in blood sugar.

One of the most important things I learned through studying Macrobiotics was the difference between good carbohydrates and "bad carbs." I never got on the anti-carbohydrate band wagon, but I did sometimes wonder if maybe I shouldn't be eating things like brown rice and fruit. I was happy to find out that we indeed should eat whole food carbohydrates.

The bad carb issue relates to carbohydrates that are stripped of their fiber and nutrients (especially when other yucky things are added like sugar, high fructose corn syrup, copius amounts of sodium, and who knows what else). The carbohydrates we want to avoid include things like white rice, white bread, white pasta, candy, soda, chips, crackers, and all forms of processed foods. These foods cause our blood sugar to spike dramatically and, along with a host of all sorts of other unhealthy consequences, they will eventually lead to diseases like type 2 diabetes. Sorry to be dramatic, but it's true. 

2 tsp. toasted sesame oil
1 white or brown onion, thinly sliced
4-6 oz. cubed tofu, optional
3-4 c. cooked brown rice (short grain, long grain, batsmati, any kind)
1 c. cooked cannellini beans, optional
1/4 c. shoyu, tamari or soy sauce
1 tsp. mirin (optional)
1-3 tsp. hot Asian chili paste such as Sriracha or a chili garlic paste, optional
Several dashes of brown rice vinegar, ume plum vinegar, or seasoned rice vinegar
1 bunch of watercress or 8 oz. baby spinach
Toasted brown or black sesame seeds to garnish, optional

 

1) Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a wok or large skillet. Add the onion (and tofu if using) and saute until the onion just begins to brown, about 7 minutes.

2) Dump in the rice (and cannellini beans if using) and then pour all of the sauce ingredients you are choosing to use over the rice and toss to combine. Stirfry for about 3 miutes.

3) Turn off the heat and add the watercress or spinach and toss to incorporate. The heat of the stirfry will wilt the greens enough.

This makes 4-6 servings.

Macro Millet (GF)

Over the course of two separate winters I studied and attempted to eat mostly Macrobiotic food. "Why?" you might ask. "Why not?" say I. I found the diet too restrictive to follow long-term and I couldn't get into many of the particular spiritual philosophies, but I still had a wonderful time eating the food and I agree with the basic ideas of eating and living healthfully and intentionally. I was introduced to a lot of really wonderful concepts and foods through Macrobiotics - sea vegetables, body scrubs, twig tea, and various whole grains that I had never tried before.

Millet is a seed grass that is mainly cultivated in Africa. It is usually recommended you toast the millet before cooking it which gives it a nice nutty flavor. I adore gluten, it's one of my favorite proteins, but this recipe can be gluten free if you use GF Tamari in place of shoyu (shoyu is a naturally brewed soy sauce that I also learned about through Macrobiotics). Arrowhead Mills and Bob's Red Mill both sell packaged millet, but it's usually a bit cheaper to purchase it from the bulk section if you can.

1 c. dried millet
1 tsp. toasted sesame oil
1/2 a small red onion, minced
1 carrot, scrubbed or peeled and grated or minced
2 c. liquid, any combination of water and vegetable broth (you could use all water or all broth or a mix)
2 Tbsp. shoyu or gluten free tamari
Pinch of sea salt
Optional additions: cooked adzuki or black beans, diced tofu, any sea vegetable

1) Heat the sesame oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the millet, carrot and onion. Stir the millet around and let it toast until it becomes a tan color and smells kind of like corn tortillas (about 7 or 8 minutes).

2) Meanwhile bring the liquid to a boil in a sauce pan. Once the liquid comes to a boil the millet should be about done toasting. Add the millet, carrot, onion mixture to the liquid and give it a stir. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and cover. Let it simmer for 25-30 minutes until all of the liquid is absorbed.

3) Fluff and serve.

Serves 4 (side note: my kids love this, so maybe yours will too).