Fried wild rice and cabbage salad with mushrooms, walnuts and scallions

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A good side dish for dinner or for lunch, this is a salad with a lot of flavor and texture.

1/2 cup water
1/2t coarse sea salt, divided
1/4 cup wild rice
2T cooking oil
2 scallions, minced (4″ of green reserved for garnish)
1T fresh garlic, minced
1 cup sliced cremini mushrooms, 1/4″ slices
2 cups shredded cabbage (I used coleslaw mix)
1T apple cider vinegar
1T tamari
1T olive oil
2T nutritional yeast
1/4 cup chopped walnuts

Bring the water and 1/4t coarse sea salt to a boil in a small sauce pan with a lid.
Add the wild rice, cover and simmer or about 40-50 minutes on low until the water has been absorbed.
Remove from heat and set aside.
While the rice finishes, make the mushrooms and cabbage.
In a large frying pan with a lid, bring the cooking oil to heat with 1/4t of coarse sea salt on medium-high.
Add the scallion and saute for 2 minutes.
Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute.
Add the mushrooms and saute for 5-7 minutes (until the pan starts to brown).
Add the cabbage and saute for 3 minutes.
Add the vinegar and tamari and deglaze the pan.
Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and fry for 10 minutes, or until the cabbage is lightly soft but still chewy, stirring frequently.
Return head to medium high, add the wild rice and the olive oil and saute for 3 minutes.
Remove from heat and let stand to cool 15 minutes.
Sprinkle with nutritional yeast and chopped walnuts.
Stir to combine.
Garnish with scallions and serve.

Wilted spinach, wild rice and red pepper salad with black sesame seeds

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A simple side dish with lots of texture and colour. Add a couple tablespoons of dried cranberries or some sliced pear for a little extra flavor.

Ingredients

1/2 cup water
1/4 cup wild rice
1/4t coarse sea salt
2 cups packed baby spinach greens
1 large red pepper, cored and thinly sliced (1/4″)
1T olive oil
1/2t sugar*
2t lime juice
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
2T black sesame seeds
Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Directions

Bring the water to a boil with the sea salt in a small sauce pan with a lid.
Add the rice, reduce to low, cover and simmer for 45 minutes (or until the water is absorbed).
Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes covered to fluff.
Whisk the oil, sugar, and lime juice with 1T nutritional yeast.
Toss with the spinach, red pepper and remaining nutritional yeast.
Add the wild rice and toss to combine.
Let stand 10 minutes to wilt the spinach.
Season to taste, plate and sprinkle with black sesame seeds.

*Not all cane sugars are manufactured without the use of animal products. Organic cane sugar, beet sugar, and otherwise unrefined sugars are typically fine.

 

 

Soft wheat and cabbage with ginger and garlic

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A very simple side dish based on an Ethiopian dish. Trade the wheat for potatoes and add some carrots for a more traditional version.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups water
1/2t coarse sea salt, divided
1/2 cup soft wheat berries
2T plant only margarine
1/2T fresh garlic, minced
1t fresh ginger, minced
1/4t dried ground cumin
1/4t dried ground turmeric
2 cups shredded cabbage (I use coleslaw mix)
1/2t white vinegar
Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Directions

In a small sauce pan with a lid, bring the water and 1/4t sea salt to a light boil.
Add the wheat, reduce to low, cover and simmer until all the water is absorbed (about 45 minutes give or take).
Remove from heat and set aside.
When the wheat is done, in a large frying pan on medium low, bring the margarine to heat with the sea salt.
Add the spices and fry for 2 minutes.
Add the cabbage and the wheat, and stir to combine.
Add the vinegar.
Fry for 7-10 minutes or until the cabbage is lightly wilted, stirring frequently.
Remove from heat and serve.

Collard green wraps with tempeh, eggplant and potato and a smoky peanut sauce

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Garnished with a little sauerkraut and red Thai chili, this is a simple wrap with a lot of rich flavours.

Ingredients

For the collard greens
6 medium sized collard green leaves (e.g., 6″ long, 4″ wide)
Warm water to cover
1t coarse sea salt

For the filling
1T cooking oil
3/4t coarse sea salt, divided
1T fresh garlic, minced
1t fresh ginger, minced
1 dash liquid smoke
250g tempeh, shredded coarsely
1 medium eggplant, shredded coarsely (about 2 cups worth)
1 medium white potato, shredded coarsely (about 1 cup)
1T white vinegar
2T tamari
2 cups vegetable stock
A sprig of kombu (about 2″)
1/4 cup crunchy unsweetened, unsalted peanut butter
2T nutritional yeast
Sea salt and black pepper to taste

For the garnish
6T sauerkraut
2T red Thai chili paste or other hot sauce to taste

Directions

Soak the collard leaves in warm, lightly salted water for about 15 minutes.
Remove, and set the collards aside to dry while you make the sauce.
Shred the vegetables and toss with 1/2t coarse sea salt.
Let stand ten minutes, and then drain any liquid.
Lightly rinse to remove some of the salt.
Shred the tempeh (it may crumble during the process –that’s fine).
Bring the oil to heat in a frying pan on medium-high with 1/4t coarse sea salt.
Add the garlic, ginger and smoke and fry for 2 minutes.
Add the eggplant, potato and tempeh.
Saute for 3-5 minutes or until the pan starts to brown.
Add the white vinegar and tamari and deglaze the pan.
Add the vegetable stock and kombu.
Cover reduce heat to low, and simmer for 40 minutes, stirring here and there.
After 40 minutes, the liquid in the pan should be quite reduced.
If not, remove the lid and cook until there’s only half a cup of moisture in the pan.
Remove the kombu.
Add the peanut butter and nutritional yeast and stir until well-combined.
Remove from head and let cool 5 minutes.
Season to taste.
Add 1/6 of the filling to each roll (about 2/3 cup give or
take).
Garnish each roll with roughly 1T of sauerkraut and 1t of hot sauce.
Roll up like a burrito or temaki (a sushi hand roll) and serve.

Blue popcorn with white miso and nutritional yeast

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A simple, delightful and inexpensive snack.

Ingredients

1/2 cup popcorn kernels
2-3T plant-only margarine (or to your taste)
1/2t white miso (or more if you like miso)
1/2t onion powder
1/4t garlic powder
3-4T nutritional yeast, divided
Sea salt and and other seasonings to taste

Directions

Pop the popcorn either by stove top method or using a popper.
For the stove top version, use a frying pan with a lid and around 2T canola or avocado oil depending on the size
of the pan.
Heat the oil on medium high.
Add 2-3 kernels when the pan is warm, cover and wait for them to pop.
Add the remaining kernels in a single layer, cover and pop.
Shake the pan once they start to pop in earnest, and remove from heat once the they start to slow down.
Pour the popcorn into a bowl when it has settled.
Melt the margarine and whisk with the remaining seasonings until well-combined.
If you prefer some soft kernels, some dry kernels, pour over top.
For a more even coating, pour the mixture down the sides of the popcorn bowl evenly.
Swirl the popcorn by hand against the sides ensuring as even of a coating as possible.
Add an tablespoon or two of nutritional yeast, sea salt and any other seasonings to taste, and enjoy.

Single-serve polenta pancake with sauteed kale, sesame and tapioca white sauce and sliced heirloom tomatoes

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A simple dish for brunch for one that easily doubles.

Ingredients

For the polenta
1 1/3 cup boiling water
1/4t of coarse sea salt
1/3 cup coarse yellow cornmeal
2T unsweetened soy milk
1T olive oil (or coconut oil, if you prefer)
1/2T fresh garlic, minced
1T nutritional yeast
1 pinch black salt
1/2t dried ground turmeric (or to taste)
1T tapioca flour dissolved in 3T water
Sea salt and black pepper to taste

For white sauce
3/4 cup unsweetened soy milk
1/4t coarse sea salt
1T sesame seed butter (or cashew butter if you prefer something milder)
1/2T sauerkraut vinegar
1T nutritional yeast
1T tapioca dissolved in 1T cold water
Sea salt to taste

For kale and tomatoes
1 cup kale, chopped coarsely
1/4t sea salt
1T olive oil
2-3 heirloom grape tomatoes, thinly sliced, 1/8″
Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Directions

Make the polenta first, then the kale and the white sauce.
Bring the water and sea salt to a soft boil in a pan with a lid.
Add the corn meal slowly, stirring as you go.
Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for roughly 20-30 minutes, stirring frequently to avoid sticking.
The polenta will be done when it’s quite thick and pulling away from the sides of the pan.
Add the nutritional yeast, garlic, turmeric, soy milk and any additional seasonings.
Return to a light simmer on low.
Add the tapioca solution slowly stirring continuously until it thickens.
Remove from heat, let stand five minutes to cool, and season to taste.
Spoon the polenta into the bottom of 9″ round glass pie plate and smooth the top with a spoon.
Let cool for about 20 minutes uncovered in the refrigerator to setup.
Cover with plastic wrap and chill another hour or until you’re ready to put it into the oven.
When read, preheat the oven to 400F.
Carefully turn out the polenta onto a well-oiled baking sheet (use a spatula — it will be fragile).
Bake on the middle rack for 20 – 30 minutes until the bottom is lightly crisping.
Broil for about 5 minutes until the top is lightly browning.
Turn off the heat of the oven and leave the polenta on the middle rack to keep it warm.
While the polenta bakes, make the sauce and the kale.
In a small sauce pan, bring the soy milk to a simmer.
Add the sea salt, sesame seed butter and vinegar.
Simmer for 5 minutes on low.
Add the nutritional yeast.
Add the tapioca solution slowly stirring continuously until it thickens.
Remove from heat, season to taste and set aside for 5 minutes to cool.
In a frying pan, bring the oil to heat with 1/4t sea salt on medium high.
Add the kale and saute for 3-5 minutes (longer if you prefer your kale more cooked).
Remove from heat, season to taste and set aside.
When done, remove the polenta from the oven (carefully — it will be fragile) and plate.
Garnish with kale, then sauce, then sliced tomatoes.

Single-serve tofu, cabbage and date rice paper rolls with a red Thai chili, apple cider peanut sauce

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Sauteed in tamari and lime and served with a simple peanut sauce accented by tamari, apple cider vinegar and red Thai chili, the rolls make for a light and easy snack or lunch for one that can easily double. The dates give this dish a lovely sweetness. Add extra thinly sliced vegetables, basil, cilantro or mint to taste, and serve with either the simple sauce below or the sauce of your choice.

Ingredients

For the rolls
1T cooking oil
1/4t coarse sea salt
1t fresh garlic, minced
1 scallion, minced
125g tofu, shredded (about a quarter pound)
1 cup cabbage, shredded (I use coleslaw mix)
1T tamari
2t lime juice
3 dates, thinly sliced length-wise
2T nutritional yeast
1/4t red Thai chili paste (or to taste)
Sea salt and black pepper to taste
1 liter water
3 sheets rice paper

For the sauce
2T crunchy unsweetened unsalted peanut butter
1T tamari (or to taste — replace any tamari you subtract with a little water).
1T apple cider vinegar
1/2t red Thai chili paste (or to taste)
A pinch sea salt (or to taste)

Directions

In a frying pan, bring the cooking oil and sea salt to heat on high.
Add the scallion and garlic and stir fry for about 30 seconds.
Add the cabbage and tofu and stir fry for 3-5 minutes until the pan starts to brown.
Add the lime and tamari and continue to stir fry for another 3 minutes.
Remove from heat and toss with the dates and nutritional yeast.
Season to taste.
Whisk the sauce ingredents until homogeneous and set aside.
In a frying pan, bring the water warm temperature, but not to a boil. Aim for just hotter than is comfortable to the touch.
Add a sheet of rice paper and nudge it down into the water (to help it soften evenly).
Wait until the rice paper is soft and complete transparent.
Remove from the water carefully with a slotted spoon.
Spread evenly on a clean surface, add 1/3 of the filling and roll like you would a burrito.
Add the roll to a separate, clean and dry surface.
Repeat with the two remaining rolls.
Plate and serve with the sauce of your choice.

It’s important to tuck and squeeze the filling a little as you roll to make for a well formed roll. If you have difficulty spreading the rice paper, put it back in the water for a few seconds so that it will relax. The rice paper dries quickly and will stick — so, wrap carefully and separately in plastic wrap to store.

Artichoke and millet mousse with capers and lemon

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A simple side dish that takes advantage of millet and artichoke chemistry to produce an airy, creamy texture. Pictured here with roasted tofu, sauteed kale and a light tomato sauce.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups water
1/4t coarse sea salt
1/2 cup millet
1 cup artichoke hearts
1/2 cup unsweetened soy milk
2T nutritional yeast
1T lemon juice
1T pickled capers
1t prepared brown mustard
1/2T fresh garlic, minced
2T olive oil
Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

In a small sauce pan with a lid, bring the water and sea salt to a boil.
Add the millet, cover, reduce temperature to low and simmer for 25 minutes or until the water is fully absorbed.
Remove from heat, and let the millet fluff for 5 minutes.
With a food processor or immersion blender, puree the cooked millet with the remaining ingredients except the olive oil until smooth.
Slowly dribble the olive oil into the mix while continuing to blend to emulsify.
Cover with plastic wrap and set aside for 10 minutes to cool and setup.
Season to taste and serve.

Mushroom, sun-dried tomato and cauliflower orzo salad with red leaf lettuce

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A mostly raw side salad for four. Add lentils and/or replace the red leaf lettuce with kale or even red chard
for a light lunch.

Ingredients

For the cauliflower
4 cups cauliflower finely chopped
1/2 cup pickling vinegar
1T coarse sea salt
1 spring kombu
1T olive oil
1/2t dried ground turmeric
2T sesame seed butter
1T apple cider vinegar
1T fresh garlic, minced
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
3 cups packed torn red lettuce leaves
Sea salt and black pepper to taste

For the mushrooms and sun-dried tomatoes
2T cooking oil
1/4t coarse sea salt
4 scallions, minced (reserve about 6″ green for garnish)
1t dried oregano, rubbed
1/2t dried thyme, rubbed
1T fresh garlic, minced
8 cremini mushrooms (about 1/4 pound) stemmed and thinly sliced (1/8″)
1T lemon juice
1/2T tamari
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes minced (dehydrated, not the kind packed in oil)
Sea salt and black pepper to taste
1T black sesame seeds

Directions

Make the cauliflower first, then the mushrooms.
Trim and mince the cauliflower in pieces that are roughly 1/4″ x 1/2″ (like orzo), but don’t mince.
If you like, save a thin slice of cauliflower floret for additional garnish.
Combine the sea salt, kombu and vinegar.
Toss the cauliflower, cover and let stand at least 2 hours to pickle stirring here and there, longer if you can.
Drain the cauliflower and remove the kombu.
Whisk the oil and turmeric together first, then the cider vinegar, garlic, and sesame seed butter.
Dress the cauliflower, and toss in the nutritional yeast until well-combined.
Let stand at least 30 minutes, and then start the mushrooms.
In a frying pan with a lid, bring the oil and coarse seasalt to heat on medium high.
Add the scallion and green herbs and saute for 2 minutes.
Add the garlic and saute for another minute.
Add the mushrooms and saute for 5-7 minutes until the pan starts to brown.
Add the lemon juice and tamari.
Deglaze the pan.
Add the sun-dried tomatoes.
Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes until the mushrooms are a rich brown and the
sun-dried tomatoes, rehydrated.
Season to taste.
Toss the lettuce with the cauliflower.
Season to taste.
Turn the cauliflower out into a bowl for serving.
Top with the mushrooms and sun-dried tomato mixture.
Garnish with scallions and sesame seeds and serve.

Tacos with spicy tempeh, white miso sauce and baby greens

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Soft, hand rolled corn tortillas, warm spicy tempeh and lime accented greens make this a lovely and flavourful dish. Fresh tortillas are terrific and when you make them from scratch, you control all of the ingredients. Be sure to use masa harina rather than regular corn flour
for this recipe. This makes eight small tacos.

For the tempeh
1T cooking oil
1T fresh garlic, minced
1T red Thai chili paste (or similar and/or to taste)
250g tempeh, crumbled (use pasteurized)
1/4 cup tamari (or to taste)
1 cup vegetable stock
1/4t coarse sea salt

For the tortillas
1 1/2 cups masa harina
1/2T ground flax seed
1/2t coarse sea salt
1 cup hot water

For the white sauce
1 cup unsweetened plant milk (I use soy)
1/4t coarse sea salt
1T white vinegar
1T sesame seed butter
1T white miso
2T tapioca flour dissolved in 2T cold water
Sea salt and black pepper to taste

For the greens
1T olive oil
1t lime juice
1/4t coarse sea salt
1T nutritional yeast
1 cup loose baby kale
1 cup loose baby spinach

For the garnish
1/2 cup passata (or tomato puree)
1/2t red Thai chili paste (or similar and/or to taste)
Coarse sea salt and black pepper to taste.
2T nutritional yeast

First, start the tempeh, then the tortillas, the white sauce, the greens and the garnish.
In a frying pan with a lid, bring the oil and sea salt to heat on medium high.
Add the garlic and chili and fry for 2 minutes.
Add the tempeh and fry for 3-5 minutes.
Add the tamari and deglaze the pan.
Add the stock, cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 45 minutes.
While the tempeh simmers, make the tortillas.
Mix the dry ingredients and add the water.
Stir to form a smooth, pliable dough, neither too dry nor moist.
If the dough is too wet, add more masa 1T at at time; if too dry, add water 1T at a time.
Divide the dough into 8 equal parts, and flatten each into a 2-3″ round disk.
Cover the dough with a damp cloth while you press the tortillas.
Heat a frying pan on medium high heat.
If you have a tortilla press, follow the instructions provided.
If you don’t, roll the tortillas out gently between two sheets of plastic wrap into rough circles about 1/8″ thick, about 5-6″ in diameter.
It’s the peeling of the tortilla that’s of the most difficult part — go slowly.
Carefully peel and add the tortilla and cook until the top of the tortilla is start to look dry.
Flip and cook the other side (it should be about 1 minute each side, a little more on the first, a little less on the second).Little brown spots make a tortilla look lovely.
Repeat for the remaining 7 tortillas and cover with a warm, very lightly damp tea towel.
Let them rest for about 20 minutes to cool and soften until you’re ready to use.
The tortillas will keep, but you’ll likely have to steam them to use them later.
At the 40 minute mark, preheat the oven to 450F.
In a shallow pan with sides, bake the tempeh for another 20 minutes or until the moisture has been absorbed the tempeh has started to brown. Ovens vary; use the colour as your guide. Don’t overcook.
Start the white sauce and broil the tempeh for another 5 minutes.
In a small sauce pan, bring the soy milk to a simmer.
Add the sea salt, miso, sesame seed butter and vinegar.
Stir to combine and simmer for 5 minutes uncovered.
Slowly add the tapioca solution stirring continuously until it thickens.
Remove from heat and season to taste.
Remove the tempeh from the oven.
Let the white sauce and the tempeh cool for a few minutes.
While they cool, whisk the dressing for the greens and toss.
Whisk the ingredients for the garnish.
To assemble, fill each tortilla with 3-4T tempeh, 2T white sauce, 1/4 cup greens and then about 2t passata
mixture.
Sprinkle with nutritional yeast and serve.