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.