Vegan Granola Bars

I'm reading the book in Defense of Food.

Because of this book I went into the cabinet to read some ingredients listed on things like my favorite morning granola bars. Though the product has a pretty respectable list of ingredients there were a few things that just don't sit right with me, like soy protein isolate, "natural flavor," mixed tocopherols.
I just made some granola bars that came out pretty good. Here's what I came up with.
Preheat the oven to 325-degrees
For the mix:
1/2 c. rolled oats1 1/2 c. 7-grain cereal (you can use Bob's Red Mill, if you do you can leave out the flax seeds listed below).
1/4 c. sesame seeds
- Put these ingredients into a food processor and pulse (can be as fine as you want, you can even bypass this step, but the 7-grain cereal I used had millet in it which was a little too rough on the teeth for me).

1 c. Whole Wheat Pastry flour
2 T. Bob's Red Mill wheat germ
2 tsp. finely ground flax seed (unless you use Bob's Red Mill, which includes flax seed)
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. Bob's Red Mill corn starch
1 T. Dandy blend or Inka (or other grain coffee substitute. I use this ingredient for the chickory root in it.)
1/2 c. evaporated cane juice sugar

- Combine all these dry ingredients into a bowl and mix thoroughly.

1/4 c. Canola Oil
1/4 c. Brown Rice Syrup
1 T. Coconut oil (you can leave this ingredient out if you don't have it around, just add another 1T. of canola oil to the mix)
2T. Water
1/2 tsp. salt
1 T. sunflower seed butter (or almond butter, or even peanut butter)

- Whisk all these ingredients together.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until thoroughly incorporated.
- Put this mixture onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and spread evenly so that there is an even thickness all around. Score with a pizza cutter or knife into serving size pieces.
- Bake for about 30-minutes. Turn the cookie sheet 180-degrees every 10-minutes so it bakes evenly (the edges might burn, I just discarded the very edges that did so).
- Cool on a wire rack.

Glazed Brussels Sprouts

1 pound Brussels Sprouts
1 T. Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
1/2 tsp. salt
1 T. Maple Syrup
1 T. Red Wine Vinegar
freshly ground black pepper

- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
- Cut the very bottom of the Brussels sprouts, cut in half lengthwise, and discard the outer leaf
- Place in a bowl and toss all ingredients together (except for the black pepper).
- Spread onto a baking sheet and roast until tender, about 20- minutes
- Season with black pepper and serve hot.

Tofu Cheesecake

For Thanksgiving Dessert I'm planning to make this recipe from The Angelica Home Kitchen cookbook. I haven't decided if I'm going to make it a Peanut Butter version or this lemon one.
For the Crust:
1 1/2 c. Pastry Flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
6 T. Olive Oil
6 T. Maple Syrup
Pinch of Sea Salt
- Combine wet and dry ingredients into separate bowls before combining all together to make sure to mix ingredients thoroughly. Add the salt to the wet ingredients. Form into a smooth dough.
- Press the dough into the bottom of an oiled, 9-inch springform pan.
- Bake in a 350-degree oven until the crust is golden, about 15-minutes.

For the Filling:

- 2 pounds firm tofu
- 1/3 c. Olive Oil
- 1 1/2 c. Maple Syrup
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/4 c. freshly squeezed lemon juice (or 1/4 c. Peanut butter with some water to thin)
- 1/2 tsp. minced lemon zest
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 3 T. + 1 tsp. Agar Flakes
- 1c. Water
- 2 T. Arrowroot powder
- 3/4 c. plain soy milk

- Place the tofu, oil, maple syrup, salt, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla in a food processor and process until the mix is very creamy.
- Add the Agar flakes with the 1c. water and heat in a saucepan over low heat. Bring to a simmer and cook on low until the agar is dissolved.
- In a bowl dissolve the arrowroot and soymilk. Add to the agar mix stirring until thickened (about 2 minutes or so).
- Add the agar mixture to the tofu mixture and process until smooth.
- Pour the mixture into the springform pan and place in the refrigerator to set, at least an hour.
- Before removing the springform, run a knife around the sides.

Serve With:
2 pints strawberries
2 T. maple syrup
1 T. fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

- Blend and chill

Warm Chocolate Sauce:
- 2 c. chocolate (vegan) baking chips
- 1/4 c. Coffee
- 1/4 c. agave or maple syrup
- 1 c. soymilk maybe more depending on consistency desired.

- Over a double boiler, melt the chocolate chips, add the coffee and syrup.
- Blend mixture together with the soymilk.
- Let cool and set.
- This topping is a lot richer and worth making. I haven't tried the carob recipe above.

Vegan Cupcakes

A recommendation for a vegan cupcake recipe. Here's what I came up with. Let me know if there are any problems understanding the recipe, or just as well, let me know how they turn out. Here's the link to the recipe sheet.

5 elements

A Spreadsheet of the 5-elements of food can be found here (There are 3 pages). For more information check out Healing with Whole Foods by Paul Pitchford.

easy pasta dish

A quick and delicious dish of pasta.

1 pkg. (16 0z.) Penne Rigate
1 can (14 oz.) Artichoke Hearts; rinsed and quartered
2 small cans of sliced Black Olives (depending on the size of can available at your market, the ones I get are 2.25 oz. each, so I use two of them)- rinsed
2 cloves fresh minced Garlic
2 T. Olive Oil
1 jar of your favorite pasta sauce

- Cook the Pasta in salted water according to package instructions
- Heat the Olive Oil over medium-high heat
- Add the artichoke hearts and saute for about 3
- Add the Garlic, saute and additional 2 minutes
- Add the Olives, turn the heat up to high and cook an additional 2 minutes while stirring, being careful not to burn
- Add the Tomato sauce and turn the heat down to simmer. Grate some (or a lot) fresh ground black Pepper over top. Cook until the sauce is heated through. I usually only use 3/4 of the jar, saving some for reheating leftovers.
- Strain the pasta and toss with a drizzling of Olive Oil.
- Serve it up with a topping of fresh ground black pepper, grated grana padano, and some fresh herbs if you got 'em!

elements:
Artichoke = Wood, Black Olives = Wood, Tomato = Fire, Garlic = Metal, Cheese = Metal

Aloo Ghobi

3T. Canola Oil
1 small or medium Yellow Onion diced
3-cloves Garlic minced
1-inch piece of Ginger minced
2-3 small serrano peppers, minced. (Optional)
1 small head of Cauliflower
6 small or 3 large red potatoes. Peeled, and boiled until a knife goes through relatively easy. Cool and dice
1 can of diced tomatoes (I think they're 14-15 oz cans)
1 can Garbanzo beans

2 tsp. Mustard Seed (optional but preferable)
2 tsp. Cumin seed ground
1 tsp. Coriander seed ground (I like to put the Cumin and Coriander in a saute pan and lightly toast, then grind in a spice grinder with the Cardamom seed)
1/2 tsp. Black Cardamom seed (not necessary but a good addition)
2 tsp. Turmeric
1 tsp. salt (possibly more to taste)
2 tsp. Garam Masala
1 c. loosely packed Chopped cilantro

- Heat the oil in a large skillet over high heat
- Add the Mustard seeds and let sizzle until they start to pop (be careful here don't panic!)
- Add the Onion and saute until translucent (about 3-5 min)
- Add the Ginger, Garlic, Serrano's and saute another 2 minutes
- Add the Salt & Spices EXCEPT FOR THE GARAM MASALA! Stir and cook about 1 minute
- Add the Cauliflower, stir together
- Stir together the garbanzos and potatoes, add the diced tomatoes
- Add about 1/4 c. water, cover and lower heat to a simmer, cook for about 20 minutes or until cauliflower is soft.
- Add the Garam Masala and Cilantro, mix together well and let cook an additional 5-10 minutes.
Serve with white Basmati rice, a squeeze of lemon over this dish works great too.

Cauliflower = Metal, Potatoes = Metal, Garbanzos = Earth, Tomato = Fire, Garlic/Ginger = Metal, White Rice = Metal, Onion = Metal, Canola Oil = Wood,

Beets!

Beets are one of those vegetables that you might dislike because you have never had them prepared correctly (Kale and Brussels Sprouts come to mind as other ones). You owe it to your health to love beets.
A trick of the trade for moist, delicious beets is by roasting them on top of salt (don't worry, it doesn't jack up the sodium content by doing this).
- Cut the very tops of the beets off (just enough so the beet can stand on this edge without rolling over).
- Wash your beets thoroughly and pat dry.
- Dollop a bit of canola oil into your palm and rub your palms together, then rub the oil into all of your beets.
- On a sheet tray spread out a layer of kosher salt (the rough stuff, not the fine grain).
- Put the beets top down onto the salt.
- Bake at 350 degrees until a knife goes through easily, about 40 minutes or so.
- Let cool
- Cut off the very top portion of the beets that were sitting on top of the salt and discard
- Peel and dice into medium size pieces.
I can easily eat these beets as is, but I prefer to toss them, while still warm, with a vinaigrette (either home made or otherwise). Lately I've been using this dressing, but I was using this one.
Just a little bit goes a long way.
Another way I like to eat these beets (and remember, you can prepare these the day before you want to eat them) is in a salad of Arugula greens with some goat cheese.

elements:
Beet = Water

Curry Cabbage

3-4T. Canola Oil
1 small head of green cabbage, finely shredded
2 T. julienned Ginger
3 cloves minced Garlic
2 small serrano Peppers minced
1 bunch Scallions (about 1 cup packed) chopped
1/2 c. chopped Cilantro
5 small red Potatoes (Boiled, cooled, peeled, and diced)

1 T. Coriander seed
1 heaping tsp. Cumin seed
I combine the Cumin and Coriander seed in a skillet and lightly toast. Afterwards, I put into a spice grinder and grind into a fine powder. You can just use already ground spices, but the flavor in whole seed comes through a lot better.
1/2 tsp. Turmeric
1 tsp. salt
1 can of diced tomatoes
1/2 c. yellow mung beans (or yellow lentils) picked over and washed
Fresh ground black pepper
Chopped Cilantro to garnish

- Heat the oil in a large skillet (or wok) over high heat; Add the Garlic, Ginger, Serrano and saute about 2 minutes.
- Add the spices and cook for 1 minute.
- Add Potatoes, stir together.
- Add scallion, cilantro stir together, cook 1 minute.
- Add tomatoes, mung beans, cabbage.
- Reduce heat to medium and stir the ingredients until well mixed, cook until cabbage wilts, 3-4 minutes.
- Cover the pan
- Cook until the cabbage is wilted and dal is tender, 25-30 minutes. Stir occasionally.
- Season with Black Pepper (and salt if needed), garnish with cilantro, serve with white Basmati rice.

elements:
Cabbage = Metal, Mung Beans = Wood, Potato = Metal, Garlic/Ginger/Chili = Metal, Rice = Metal, Canola Oil = Wood

Roasted Vegetables

1 Small Butternut Squash; peeled, seeded, and medium diced
4 Parsnips - Large Dice, or roll cut
4 Carrots - Large Dice, or roll cut
1 Large Red Onion - rough chop
Canola Oil
Salt & Pepper

Combine all the ingredients into a large bowl, drizzle with 2 T. canola oil, about 2 tsp. salt and some pepper to taste. Toss to coat.
Spread out onto baking tray and cook at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes.

Simmer 1/2 c. Balsamic vinegar until reduced to half the amount, about 5-10 minutes.
This balsamic reduction should be pretty thick. Drizzle this over the roasted vegetables.
You can also drizzle with 1-2 T. Pomegranate molasses; or you can make your own.

Finally, add some dried cranberry fruit, about 1/2 c. If they are hard to the squeeze, soften by simmering in some orange juice (or water) for about 5 minutes, this will soften them up.

Garnish with some chopped parsley

Vegan Tofu Scramble Burrito

1 Pkg. Super-Firm Tofu (20 oz.) crumbled. If you can't find Super-Firm then use Extra-Firm
1 Pkg. Light Life Smart Links
1 small red onion diced or 1/2 large Red Onion
3 T. Canola Oil
1 T. Yellow Mustard Seeds
1 T. turmeric
salt to taste, about 1-2 tsp.
about 1 cup of roasted Potatoes

Heat the oil in a cast iron skillet, or whatever skillet you have ;)
Add the Breakfast links and roll in the oil to coat all sides. Cook for about 5 minutes and remove from the oil.
Add the mustard seeds.
When the mustard seeds start to pop add the onion.
Cook the onion until translucent; about 3-5 minutes.
Add the turmeric and cook for 1 minute.
Add the crumbled tofu, stir to coat with the turmeric.
Cut up the Smart Links into bite sized pieces, add them to the tofu mixture.
Add the roasted potatoes.
Stir all this together and let cook for 2 minutes or so, just to get everything mixed and hot.
I steam some tortillas and add a touch of Tapatio hot sauce and green tomatillo salsa, roll up and eat!

For the Potatoes:
About 6 small red potatoes or 3 large ones small or medium dice
1 T. canola oil
1 tsp. Turmeric
1 tsp. smoked paprika
1 tsp. salt or perhaps a 1/2 & 1/2 mixture of salt and Garlic salt
-Mix all this together and cook at 350 degree oven until done (about 30-45 minutes).

I make a big batch of these and use them for bean and rice burritos and tofu scramble burritos. Just warm them up before adding them to your scramble or burrito assemblage.

Vegan Apple-Pecan Scones

3T. Flax seeds
1/2 c. apple juice
1 1/3 c. whole wheat pastry flour
1 1/3 c. unbleached white flour
1/3 c. barley flour or additional white flour
1 T. baking powder
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp. grated ginger
1/2 tsp. ground allspice
1/4 tsp. ground cardamom
1/4 tsp. sea salt
1 large apple (Granny Smith), peeled and chopped
3/4 c. toasted pecans, chopped
1/4 c. raisins
1 c. apple juice
1/2 c. maple syrup
1/2 c. canola oil
1 tsp. vanilla extract

- In a blender, grind the flax seeds then add the 1/2 c. apple juice and blend until gummy (about 1 minute).
- Combine the dry ingredients and the chopped apple into a bowl and mix well.
- In a blender or food processor combine the flax mixture with the remaining wet ingredients and pulse together until frothy; stir this mixture into the dry ingredients.
- Using a 1/3-cup measure, drop the batter onto an oiled cookie sheet. Flatten with the back of a wet spoon.
- Bake at 375 degrees F for between 15-20 minutes.
- Cool on a wire rack when done.

Szechuan Style Seitan

I've adapted this recipe from a recipe book for tofu. The first version was vastly different and it has evolved over the years. I'm still changing it up and adding new flavors, so it's quite an adaptable dish, depending on your preferences...
Szechuan Beef was a favorite of mine in childhood, and now I have a happy replacement. Quite scrumptious!!


Ingredients:

• 1 T sake or dry sherry
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup miso
• 1/4 cup apricot jam (or 3 T orange marmalade)
• 1/4 tsp chili oil
• 2 T canola oil
  
• 2 medium leeks, julienned
• 2 carrots, julienned
• 2 stalks celery, julienned
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 T tamari
• 8 oz. seitan, julienned

1) Prepare the sauce in a bowl by whisking together: miso, water, sake (or dry sherry), jam, and chili oil.

2) Heat 2 T of canola oil in a saute pan. Add leeks and saute on medium heat for 3 minutes until soft, stirring occasionally.

3) Stir in garlic and saute for one minute.

4) Stir and add carrots, celery and 1 T tamari. Saute for 5 minutes.

5) Add thinly sliced seitan and sauce to saute pan and simmer for 5 minutes.

6) Serve over rice and enjoy!

Vegan Tempeh Bolognese

1 box Penne Rigate
1 pkg. (8oz.) Tempeh - crumbled
1 tsp. whole fennel seeds
1 tsp. rubbed sage
3 T. Tamari
2 T. Olive Oil
A jar of your favorite pasta sauce.

- In a large pot bring about 3-4 quarts of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to the instructions on the box.
- In a saute pan heat the olive oil.
- Add the tempeh, and lightly brown (about 2-4 minutes).
- Add the fennel and sage, stir to mix, cook an additional minute.
- Add the tamari - cook until the tamari dries up an additional 2 or 3 minutes (it will stick to the pan, not to worry).
- Add about 3/4 of the jar of pasta sauce, lower heat and simmer until the sauce is hot. I usually only use 3/4 of the jar because I like to save the rest for re-heating any leftovers. If you plan on eating all of the pasta then use the entire jar of sauce.
- Add the bolognese sauce to the cooked pasta and enjoy!

T. = Tablespoon, tsp. = teaspoon

Toasted Quinoa

Here's a little spin on cooking Quinoa.
Using 1 c. Quinoa + 1 3/4 c. water + 1 - 1 1/2 Tablespoons Olive Oil + Optional Bragg's to taste (see below).
- Rinse the quinoa thoroughly
- Add to a hot pan and stir around for about 3-5 minutes
- The quinoa will end up being dry (just like it was before you rinsed it). You will notice the difference in the way it moves around the pan more easily once it is dried.
- Let it cook/toast this way for about 1-2 minutes, being careful not to burn it. If it is sticking drastically to the pan you can remove it from the heat or lift the pan above the heat. The pan should have plenty of residual heat in it to gently toast the quinoa.
- Add the oil and stir to incorporate, letting cook an additional 1-2 minutes. If it's not sizzling, move the pan back to the heat. At this point the aroma should be like a pleasant popcorn-like smell.
- Add the water, being careful of splattering.
- Bring to a boil, cover and lower heat to a simmer.
- The quinoa takes about 15 minutes to cook (hardly much time at all).
- Turn heat off, stir quinoa, return lid and let sit for an additional 5-minutes.
- I love eating my quinoa with Bragg's liquid aminos and sauteed kale or braising greens. yummmmm

Herbivore

Herbivore - The Earthly Grill
Price range $ - $$
We ate lunch at the Berkeley location on Shattuck ave. (there are two other locations in S.F.). It's a pretty straightforward restaurant with a very wide selection of menu choices. According to their web page they serve breakfast, which sounds fantastic. For us, this wasn't a restaurant that's particularly about the "service" or "ambiance," it is all about having plenty of options to choose from and not skimping on the portions (loved that about Herbivore). I can't really say the food is outstanding, but it doesn't seem like the type of place that is striving to wow critics. If you're vegetarian/vegan and you're hungry and you don't want to search a menu for options available to you (or create your own dish out of ingredients found on a menu), then Herbivore will do you good.

Maya Restaurant

Maya Restaurant
$$ - $$$
Not vegetarian, but there are options. Not quite as many options if you are vegan, but you won't leave hungry.
Located in Sonoma (on the square).
We love Maya! We're not entirely certain if that's because of the food, or the Tequila. Maya has an extensive Tequila list where you can order by the 2oz. pour, by the flight (a sample of a couple of varieties), or by the Margarita (there's no better hour than Happy Hour!).
Speaking of hours, they seem to be closed during siesta hours (I can't remember the exact times and their website doesn't mention it) so maybe call ahead if that could be an issue.
The complimentary tortilla chips are ever present with two types of salsa. They also have a "hot" salsa which you have ask specifically for, and we end up mixing the hot into the other two mild salsas.
My fiance eats fish, so he's all about the fish tacos. While I always go for the Grilled seasonal vegetable platter for an entree. There are a number of vegetarian and vegan options available for appetizers as well (you can probably get full on them alone). The last time we were there they had a fresh fruit appetizer plate (served with agave/honey for dipping) that is perfect for the vegan in you, delicious! Check out their menu online.
The food is great, the ambiance is inviting and relaxed, and did I mention Tequila?! yummm

Homemade Seitan Recipe

Perfect for a lazy Sunday afternoon, here's a recipe for homemade Seitan as adapted from The Angelica Home Kitchen cookbook. It takes about 10-minutes to form the dough and knead it, 30-minutes to let it soak (plenty of time to prep the other ingredients), 20-30 min. to rinse, and 2 hours to let simmer in broth.

2 lbs. unbleached white all purpose flour (equals roughly 6 1/2 cups)
2 lbs. whole wheat bread flour
6 c. cold water

-Combine the flours, add the water and knead until you have a smooth and firm ball of dough. You may need a little extra flour for this process to get beyond the tacky consistency.
Place this ball of dough in a large bowl and cover with warm water for 30-min.

While the dough is resting, get your broth ingredients together.
1 large yellow onion cut into large pieces
3 carrots cut into large pieces
2-3 stalks of Celery, cut into large pieces
4-5 cloves of garlic cut in half
1 piece of ginger about 3" long chopped up
3 sprigs of thyme
2 bay leaves
1 tsp. black peppercorns
2 leaves of fresh cooking sage
1 1/2 c. Shoyu or Tamari
1 gallon of water
Place all ingredients into a stock pot.

After 30-min. dump the water out that the seitan was soaking in and place the dough into a colander, put the colander into a bowl.
Fill the bowl with cold water and gently knead the ball of dough for 5 minutes.
Dump the starchy water and fill the bowl back up with cold water while gently kneading for another 5-min. The dough should have the consistency of a bowl of wet socks.
Dump the starchy water and fill the bowl back up with cold water while kneading the dough for another 5-min.
Dump the water and fill with warm water and knead the dough until the water starts washing out clearly. About 5-10 min.
For the last 5-min. rinse again with cold water. The water should be relatively clear by now and the dough should be firmer and about 1/2 the size from what you started with.

Seperate the dough into 2 or 4 smaller balls. Add to the stock pot, bring to a boil, simmer for 2 hours. Try to keep the seitan submerged under the water if you can. I used a glass bowl that was heavy enough to weigh down on the seitan that was bobbing up.

I apologize for the lame video. I've never used iMovie before and don't know how to add effects or Text. It should help a little though, right?


voila!

Wei Qi Protective Vitality Soup

From Healing Tonics: 101 Concoctions to Increase Energy, Boost Immunity, Enhance Memory, Ease Dgestion, and Support Daily Health and Wellness by Jeanine Pollak...

I have been creating tonics like crazy ever since I picked this book up, and today I decided to create a soup that's purported to help allergies among other things (auto-immune diseases, lupus, diabetes, and hepatitis). Seeing as how the weather has taken a turn from 100 degrees to a mere 55 and raining, it seems to be a perfect day for it as well....
This soup has a medicinal quality, it's kind of bitter, and very hearty. I wasn't crazy about it, but I've also made some changes to the following recipe that I think will make it better. This makes enough soup to serve 4-6 people.

5-7 sticks Astragalus (I only had powder, so I just used 1/2 tsp to make sure I didn't over do it)
1 medium Reishi mushroom (Do NOT chop this one!)
2-3 small Shitake mushrooms
1/3 - 1/2 cup slightly sprouted Adzuki or Black beans
1/2 - 1 cup of organic barley
1 cup mixed vegetables (I used carrots), chopped
2-3 pieces nori, dulse or wakame
1/3 cup fresh or 2 T dried Gobo (burdock root)
1 cup fresh nettles or wild greens (I used mustard), chopped
2-4 cloves garlic, chopped
1-2 medium onions, chopped

The mushrooms that I used were dried, so I reconstituted them in warm water. However, the Reishi mushroom never really softens up, so it's not necessary to reconstitute or chop this one. After the Shitake mushrooms are reconstituted, you will be able to chop them into smaller pieces.
In 3 quarts water, add the Astragalus, mushrooms, and beans. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
Add the barley, and simmer for an additional 20 minutes.
While the pot is simmering, chop your veggies, garlic, onions and cut your greens into smaller pieces. Saute the onions in 2 T of oil for 5 minutes. Add the carrots and garlic and saute for 2 minutes.
Add the vegetables, burdock, garlic, greens, and onions to the soup pot and simmer for 15 minutes.
Turn off the heat and "season" with miso. I added about 1/3 cup mellow white miso.
If using Astragalus sticks, remove them and the Reishi mushroom before eating.

There have been many studies trumpeting the anti-cancer effects of mushrooms, especially Shitake, Maitake and Reishi. Here's an article in plain English, that summarizes this page.

My 20 minutes of Morning Yoga

Recently, I've motivated myself to routinely practicing yoga in the morning, rationalizing that if I have three hours to play Solitaire (yes, I got a bit hooked one day), then I certainly have 20 minutes to squeeze in some yoga. Imagine if I had filled the entire three hours with yoga! (I guess that will be my next goal!)
So, with that in mind, I present to you my morning workout with Jason Crandell...

Vegan Rice Salad w. Miso Dressing

2 c. Water
pinch of salt
1 c. long grain brown rice, rinsed

Combine above ingredients in a pot, bring to boil. Cover, simmer for about 40 minutes.
Empty into a bowl, set aside and cool, while you prepare the remaining ingredients.

1/4 c. Canola or Grapeseed oil
1 + 1/2 T. apple cider vinegar
1 + 1/2 tsp. Shoyu
1 T. Rice Syrup
2 T. white/blonde Miso
2 + 1/2 T. water
2 tsp. minced onion

-Blend the above ingredients together.

Stir the above vinaigrette into the brown rice. Add 1/2 c. thawed frozen peas with 1 grated carrot, and 1/2 c. minced red onion. Keep refrigerated.

Vegan Strawberry Shortcake

For the Cake:

1c. unbleached white flour
1 c. Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. baking soda

1/3 c. Canola Oil
3/4 c. Maple Syrup
3/4 c. Water
1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla extract

- Combine the dry ingredients.
- Whisk together the wet ingredients.
- Combine the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients.
- Bake at 350 for about 40-45 minutes. Until a toothpick comes out dry.

For Strawberry Sauce:

1 pint Strawberries, de-stemmed
1/2 tsp. lemon juice
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
1 T. Maple Syrup

- Blend the ingredients together, strain, and chill.

Vegan Chocolate Cake

Vegan, Chocolate, eat-it-for-breakfast-lunch-&-dinner-cake. Get rid of all other vegan chocolate cake recipes.

Vegan Chocolate Cake

1 c. Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
1 c. unbleached white flour
1/2 c. Maple sugar or Florida Crystals
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 c. + 2 T. cocoa powder

1c. maple syrup
1 c. soy milk
1/2 c. canola oil
2 T apple cider vinegar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. almond extract
1 c. water
pinch of salt

- Mix the dry ingredients together.
- Mix the wet ingredients together.
- Combine wet with dry ingredients.
-Bake in two cake pans at 350 for about 45 minutes, until a toothpick comes out dry.
- Let cool on wire rack.
- When cool, cut the very tops of the two cakes off to get a flat surface. Layer some icing on top of one cake and top with the other cake. Cover the layered cake with remaining Ganache. You can also take the cake tops that you cut off and pulse in a food processor to get cake crumbs , which you could then pat around the edges of the iced cake.

For the Ganache

2 c. Chocolate Chips

1/4 c. brewed coffee
1/4 c. agave nectar
3/4 c. soymilk

-Melt the chips in a baine-marie style.
-Add the remaining ingredients and blend together in a food processor until combined.
-Let cool, and spread evenly on the cake.

{Alternatively} you can replace the vanilla and almond extracts with Raspberry extract. In which case you can make a Raspberry Sauce to go with your cake (1pint raspberries + 2 T. Maple Syrup + 1 tsp. lemon juice blended together and strained) and top the cake with fresh raspberries. mmmmmm

Vegan Cabbage Rolls

Yields approx. 12-15 rolls

1 large head of Organic Cabbage
½ c. pearled Barley cooked in 1c. water….cook and set aside to cool

½ c. short grain brown rice cooked in 1 c. water….cook and set aside to cool

1 Yellow Onion Small Dice w/ 1 T. Canola Oil & ½ tsp. natural sugar
3 cloves Garlic minced
1 T. Oil for cooking the carrots, celery & garlic
½ large Carrot small dice
½ stalk Celery, small dice
8oz. roughly crumbled Tempeh w. 2 T. Canola Oil
1 tsp. Dry Ground Sage
½ tsp. fennel seed
2T. Tamari or Shoyu
1 Veggie Burger (I use Garden Burger’s Veggie Medley)
¾ - 1 jar of simple tomato sauce
½ - ¾ can Diced Tomatoes
1 T. Dry Parsley
Salt & Pepper to taste

- For reference purposes: T = Tablespoon , tsp. = teaspoon, c = Cup…Canola oil is good, grape-seed oil is better, but Olive Oil is not recommended. Salt & Pepper to taste relies on the adage that it’s easy to add ingredients, but difficult to take away. So, add salt and then taste. If it doesn’t meet your tastes, then add a little more salt, until it meets with your approval.

- I cook everything individually in order to retain individual flavors. It might be laborious while you’re doing it, but it pays off in the end.

- Heat the Oil before adding the diced yellow onion, and cook over a medium-low heat for about 5 minutes before adding the sugar and pinch in some salt. Caramelizing onions should take about 30 minutes on a low heat, and it’s better to have a frying pan with a wide surface area. Let the onions take their time cooking since it takes time for the sugars in the onion to leech out and caramelize. Check often to make sure the onions aren’t burning.

- When the onions are finished, I like to spoon them into a colander or strainer so as to drain off excess oil. Set aside while you cook the remaining ingredients.

- Wipe clean the pan you cooked the onions in. It doesn’t have to be washed clean, but just enough so that there are no remaining food particles that will burn/smoke/pollute the flavors.

- Heat the 2 T. Oil before adding the 8 oz. tempeh. Cook the tempeh to coat with oil, add the sage and fennel seed, stir to coat and let cook for a minute. Add the tamari and stir to coat, cooking for another 5 minutes. Scrape this mixture into a bowl and set aside.

- Cook the veggie burger in a toaster oven or oven for about 12-15 minutes. When finished cooking, let it cool for about 10 minutes before cutting up into a medium dice. Add to the rest of the mixture.

- Again, wipe clean the cooking pan. Heat 1 T. oil and add the diced carrot and celery. Cook for 1-2 minutes before adding the minced garlic. Add a pinch of salt and pepper, cook another 2-3 minutes until the veggies are soft.

- Now, combine all the ingredients (including the grains of Barley and Rice that you cooked in the beginning) into a bowl and mix together well.

- Taste and add salt and/or pepper as needed.

- Now you have the stuffing, set this aside and let it cool.

- Bring a big pot of water to a boil.

- Remove the first two leaves of the cabbage if they’re looking not to fresh. Cut around the stem of the cabbage with a pairing knife so the leaves will separate.

- Put the head of cabbage into the boiling water. (Be careful of water displacement.)

- The cabbage leaves will start to separate as they cook. Remove the leaves into a bowl of cold water to stop the leaves from cooking.

- So, you’re left with a mixture of stuffing and cooked cabbage leaves. Each leaf should hold about ¼ - 1/3 cup of stuffing.

- Put the stuffing in the middle of the cabbage leaf, tuck the ends in and roll up.

- Put some of the diced tomatoes and tomato sauce on the bottom of the pan that you use. Place all of the rolls into a large casserole dish (covered with foil), crock pot, or large pot with a lid. Pour the remaining tomatoes over the cabbage rolls. Cover and cook on the stove top on low-medium heat, or covered and in the oven at 350 for about 30-45 minutes.

- Enjoy!

The World According to Monsanto

"On March 11 a new documentary was aired on French television (ARTE – French-German cultural tv channel) by French journalist and film maker Marie-Monique Robin, The World According to Monsanto - A documentary that Americans won't ever see. The gigantic biotech corporation Monsanto is threatening to destroy the agricultural biodiversity which has served mankind for thousands of years."

Round-Up = Cancer? Check out the study at minute 16:30.
The issue of Substantial Equivalence in justifying GMOs at minute 24:00.
The Revolving Door effect of private sector experts moving into government positions at minute 44:00.

So, they start by discussing Round-Up and Round-Up Ready Soybeans, and then move into r-BGH. I made it to minute 50, and I've got to take a break...I'll add more notes if I get back around to it:)

Pica Pica Maize Kitchen - Napa, CA

Pica Pica
610 First Street
Napa, CA 94559
Sun-Fri: 11Am-8Pm
Sat: 11Am-9Pm
707.251.3757
http://www.PicaPicaKitchen.com/
$-$$


The Oxbow Market has recently opened up near Copia on First Street between Soscol Avenue and Silverado Trail, and with it, there are a few new options for vegetarians!!

I'll highlight the new Venezuelan kitchen, Pica Pica, first...

Pica Pica (peeka-peeka) is derived from Picar, meaning to eat several small things. The portions are perfect for a light lunch or dinner. My fiance and I went and shared the Yucca Fries with Pica'Chup (their signature spicy ketchup), the Pabellon Vegetariano Arepa, and the Cheese Maize'Wich. We were both satisfied at the end of the meal, (but I did find room for a scoop of Three Twins Organic Ice Cream - which is right down the way from Pica Pica).

Their menu consists of quite a few vegetarian options, and it's not burritos or tacos. Instead of tortillas, the various fillings rest inside arepas or cachapas. What the heck are those?!?
Well, they are kind enough to present a short glossary on the front of their take home menus, just so you don't forget...
Arepas (ah-ray-paz) are grilled corn flour flatbreads, crunchy on the outside and moist on the inside. (wheat and gluten free)
Cachapas (ka-chop-az) are a sweet corn pancake. (wheat and gluten free)
The Maize'Wich is served on sweet cornbread.

Veggie Menu Items:
Domino Arepa: black beans with shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Pabellon Vegetariano Arepa: Pica Pica seasoned tofu, fried plantains, black bean paste and sliced avocado (my favorite!!)
Queso Arepa: choice of cheese
Cheese Cachapa
Cheese Maize'Wich
Bululu Salad: corn, red bell pepper, jicama and pineapple with mixed greens
Sifrina Salad: hearts of palm, carrots, celery and daikon with mixed greens
Yucca Fries with choice of Morena (black bean mayonnaise), Pica'Chup (spiced ketchup), Pica'Pun (signature hot sauce), Mela'o de Papelon (sugar cane) and Tamarindo (tamarind)
Tostones: crispy, fried green plantain


The atmosphere is casual, with seating in the middle of the market building, or along the bar area where you can watch the cooks working.

From PicaPicaKitchen.com:

The maize-centric take-out kitchen that brings the flavors of the unexplored, delicious cuisine of Venezuela and South America to American food lovers. Using fresh ingredients and authentic recipes, Pica Pica’s center piece dish is the arepa, a grilled corn flour based flatbread filled with delicious options, which can be enjoyed as finger food, as a complete meal or taken home for dinner parties. The menu is complimented with tequeños, cachapas, polvorosa de pollo, yucca fries, salads and a variety of South American beverages and desserts. Good all day, from breakfast to dinner.

Respectable of nature, Pica Pica favors local ingredients and serves its food in 100% biodegradable containers made of corn or sugar cane.

0-25 - $
25-50 $
50-75 $$
75-100 $$
Based on two people, eating entrees, and drinking a beverage.

Beer and Sangria are on the Beverage Menu, along with Coconut Lemonade and an assortment of bottled beverages.


Here's what the Napa Register had to say about Pica Pica...

Steel Cut Oatmeal

I've found the yummiest steel cut oatmeal recipe at VeganYumYum:

I've been substituting coconut oil for the margarine, and I think it adds to the flavor. Also, instead of sugar, I use 1/4 tsp of blackstrap molasses and 2 tsp of maple syrup. Enjoy!

Apple Cinnamon Steel-Cut Oatmeal

Serves One Hearty Breakfast Portion, Two Petite Portions

2 tsp Non-Hydrogenated Vegan Margarine
1/2 Cup Steel Cut Oats
1 1/2 Cups Hot water
1/4 tsp Cinnamon
1 Pinch Salt
1/2 Cooking Apple, diced
1/4 Cup Soy, Oat, or Nut Milk
1-2 tsp Brown Sugar (or regular sugar with a small drizzle of molasses)
1 Tiny Pinch Nutmeg, optional

Heat margarine in a small sauce pot that has a tight fitting lid. Add oats and toast them for 1-2 minutes, until fragrant. Add cinnamon and salt, stir well. Stir in hot water and bring to a brisk boil. Cover and turn down heat. After 15 minutes, add apple, milk, and sugar and stir. Cook for another 5 minutes uncovered, stirring occasionally.

If after 5 minutes you’d prefer your oatmeal to be thicker, cover and turn off heat and let sit for an additional 5-10 minutes. This gives the oats a chance to absorb more liquid without running the risk of burning the oatmeal. Also, the oatmeal at this point is approximately the temperature of magma, so you might as well let it cool down a bit before you dig in.

If you feel like dressing up your oatmeal, drizzle it with a small amount of molasses and a pinch of nutmeg, or sprinkle it with additional brown sugar, or add a fresh apple slice or two to the top.