This is my first time eating mung beans. I did not know what to expect and was pleasantly surprised! Kitchari is all I ate for 2 days of a detox and felt really great during the detox. I think I'll eat this even when I'm not detoxing!
Ingredients
1 cup yellow mung beans
1 cup long grain brown rice
6 cups water
1 inch fresh ginger, minced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/4 tsp asofetida
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp coriander
1 tsp turmeric
4 tbsp ghee or oil
Instructions
Heat the oil in the pot. Add the ginger and garlic for 1 minute. Add the rice, mung beans, and water. Stir in the spices, cover and cook for 15-20 minutes. The rice and mung beans should be soft, but the mixture should still be somewhat soupy.
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Vegan Carrot Ginger Soup
This recipe was also inspired by my quest to detox without going nuts. This soup may taste very plain to some, but if you find that to be a problem, just add more ginger and I promise you will get more bite!
Ingredients
3 cups carrots, minced
4 1/2 cups water (or more if you want the soup to not be so thick)
2 inches fresh ginger, peeled and grated
salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Bring the water to a boil and add the carrots and half the ginger. Cook on high for 15-20 minutes or until the carrots are soft. Transfer ingredients to a blender and blend on medium speed. As you are transfering the ingredients to the blender and you have a lot of liquid sitting on top, but prefer a thicker soup, remove some the liquid and add it back in as needed in order to reach the consistency you prefer. Add the remaining ginger and salt and pepper to the ingredients in the blender while blending. Transfer back to the pot and reheat if necessary or serve directly from the blender. If this is still too bland for you, add some powdered ginger and more pepper.
Ingredients
3 cups carrots, minced
4 1/2 cups water (or more if you want the soup to not be so thick)
2 inches fresh ginger, peeled and grated
salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Bring the water to a boil and add the carrots and half the ginger. Cook on high for 15-20 minutes or until the carrots are soft. Transfer ingredients to a blender and blend on medium speed. As you are transfering the ingredients to the blender and you have a lot of liquid sitting on top, but prefer a thicker soup, remove some the liquid and add it back in as needed in order to reach the consistency you prefer. Add the remaining ginger and salt and pepper to the ingredients in the blender while blending. Transfer back to the pot and reheat if necessary or serve directly from the blender. If this is still too bland for you, add some powdered ginger and more pepper.
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Whiting with Sorrel Tomato Sauce
One of my co-workers had a lot of extra fresh herbs which she was gracious enough to share with me because she was on her way out of town. One of those herbs was sorrel...which I had never heard of, much less used in my cooking. I looked for recipes on the internet and didn't have all the ingredients for any recipe in particular, but very close to one from the Congo region, so I ended up making the fish with a tomato sorrel sauce. The recipe called for 1 small can of tomato paste, but all I had was pasta sauce, so I used that instead. My co-worker also gave me some gorgeous (and delicious) red and yellow baby tomatoes that I used for the sauce.
Ingredients
2 lbs. whiting fish
1 pint baby tomatoes, halved
1 bunch sorrel, chopped with stems removed
1 tsp nutmeg
2 shallots, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, sliced and seeds removed
1 bay leaf
1 cup pasta sauce
1 1/2 cups water
4 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Heat 2 tbps. of the olive oil in a pan, fry the fish until cooked through, and set aside. Heat the remaining 2 tbsps. of olive oil and add the shallots and jalapeno pepper in the pan until the shallots are cooked through. Add the tomatoes, pasta sauce, and half the water. Bring the sauce to a boil and simmer, slowly adding water to keep the sauce smoothe. Stir in the sorrel, bay leaf, nutmeg, and fish. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes and serve hot over rice or quinoa. I couldn't get the fish into the sauce in one piece, so I ended up with the fish all broken up, but it was still delicious and looked more like a stew by the time it was done. Enjoy!
Ingredients
2 lbs. whiting fish
1 pint baby tomatoes, halved
1 bunch sorrel, chopped with stems removed
1 tsp nutmeg
2 shallots, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, sliced and seeds removed
1 bay leaf
1 cup pasta sauce
1 1/2 cups water
4 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Heat 2 tbps. of the olive oil in a pan, fry the fish until cooked through, and set aside. Heat the remaining 2 tbsps. of olive oil and add the shallots and jalapeno pepper in the pan until the shallots are cooked through. Add the tomatoes, pasta sauce, and half the water. Bring the sauce to a boil and simmer, slowly adding water to keep the sauce smoothe. Stir in the sorrel, bay leaf, nutmeg, and fish. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes and serve hot over rice or quinoa. I couldn't get the fish into the sauce in one piece, so I ended up with the fish all broken up, but it was still delicious and looked more like a stew by the time it was done. Enjoy!
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Quinoa breakfast
I'm planning out a detox and got this idea from the March issue of Yoga Journal. Before this, I had only used quinoa as substitute for rice, but now I know it's also a great substitute for oatmeal during a detox. 1 cup of quinoa cooked is good for at least 3-4 servings
Ingredients
1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
handful golden raisins
handful raw almonds
1 tbsp. flax oil
Instructions
Rinse the quinoa using a strainer. Bring the water to a boil. Add the quinoa and cook until all the water is absorbed. Put some quinoa in a bowl and stir in the flax oil. Add the golden raisins and almonds and mix.
Ingredients
1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
handful golden raisins
handful raw almonds
1 tbsp. flax oil
Instructions
Rinse the quinoa using a strainer. Bring the water to a boil. Add the quinoa and cook until all the water is absorbed. Put some quinoa in a bowl and stir in the flax oil. Add the golden raisins and almonds and mix.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Flounder
This is very easy and delicious...a perfect Sunday night dinner.
Ingredients
2 filet of flounder
1 zucchini, sliced into strips
1 bunch green chard, roughly chopped
2 green onions, diced
2 lemons
salt and pepper
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Divide the chard onto two large sheets of aluminum foil. Salt and pepper the fish and place on top of the chard. Squeeze the juice of the lemons over the flounder (1 lemon per filet). Place the zucchini on the sides of each flounder filet. Sprinkle the green onions on top of the fish. Fold the foil over to make 2 little packets of the fish with all the ingredients inside. Place on a baking sheet and bake for about 20 minutes.
Ingredients
2 filet of flounder
1 zucchini, sliced into strips
1 bunch green chard, roughly chopped
2 green onions, diced
2 lemons
salt and pepper
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Divide the chard onto two large sheets of aluminum foil. Salt and pepper the fish and place on top of the chard. Squeeze the juice of the lemons over the flounder (1 lemon per filet). Place the zucchini on the sides of each flounder filet. Sprinkle the green onions on top of the fish. Fold the foil over to make 2 little packets of the fish with all the ingredients inside. Place on a baking sheet and bake for about 20 minutes.
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Vegan Pepper Pot Soup
The recipe that inspired this called for hours of soaking bones and making a beef stock. Not only do I not have time to do that, but I don't really enjoy handling red meat. So, here is a lovely vegan version that is really quick and very satisfying.
Ingredients
2 quarts water
1 cup okra, sliced
1 carrot, sliced diagonally
2 celery sticks, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 cup vegetable stock
3 small tomatoes, chopped
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. sea salt
1 tbsp. pepper
Instructions
Bring the water to a boil with some sea salt. Add the carrot, celery, okra, bell pepper, pepper, and cayenne pepper. Let everything simmer for about 5 mintues and ad the vegetable stock. Simmer another 5 minutes and add the tomoates. Simmer another5-8 minutes and serve hot.
Ingredients
2 quarts water
1 cup okra, sliced
1 carrot, sliced diagonally
2 celery sticks, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 cup vegetable stock
3 small tomatoes, chopped
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. sea salt
1 tbsp. pepper
Instructions
Bring the water to a boil with some sea salt. Add the carrot, celery, okra, bell pepper, pepper, and cayenne pepper. Let everything simmer for about 5 mintues and ad the vegetable stock. Simmer another 5 minutes and add the tomoates. Simmer another5-8 minutes and serve hot.
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Soy ginger trout
I bought some fresh trout without thinking about what I was going to do with it. I happened to have some fresh ginger, soy sauce, and bok choy when I got home, so this was the result. It was really good.
Ingredients
2 filet of trout
Greens from 2 heads of bok choy, roughly chopped
4 tablespoons soy sauce
1 large piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated
salt and pepper
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Divide the greens onto two large sheets of aluminum foil. Salt and pepper the fish and place on top of the greens. Sprinkle half of the the freshly grated ginger over each piece of fish and add 2 tbsp of soy sauce over each fish. Fold the foil over to make 2 little packets of the fish with all the ingredients inside. Place on a baking sheet and bake for about 10-12 minutes. The fish should be fully cooked, but still moist and the greens should be wilted and bright green. Enjoy wth a side of rice!
Ingredients
2 filet of trout
Greens from 2 heads of bok choy, roughly chopped
4 tablespoons soy sauce
1 large piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated
salt and pepper
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Divide the greens onto two large sheets of aluminum foil. Salt and pepper the fish and place on top of the greens. Sprinkle half of the the freshly grated ginger over each piece of fish and add 2 tbsp of soy sauce over each fish. Fold the foil over to make 2 little packets of the fish with all the ingredients inside. Place on a baking sheet and bake for about 10-12 minutes. The fish should be fully cooked, but still moist and the greens should be wilted and bright green. Enjoy wth a side of rice!
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Jalfrezi veggies & tofu
I stopped by Apple A Day after yoga the other day and came across a jar of Jalfrezi sauce by Seeds of Change. I had never tried or heard of it, but it sounded really good--fenugreek, cardamom, and turmeric. I found out that jalfrezi is a type of Indian curry used for stir fry. The instructions are simple enough too--just throw it on your tofu or meat once it's cooked and let it simmer with the sauce for 10 minutes. It turned out to be delicious and now I stop and pick up a jar every weekend.
Ingredients
1 jar Seeds of Change jalfrezi simmer sauce
1 package firm tofu
2 carrots, chopped diagonally
2 celery stems, chopped
1/2 onion, diced
1 zucchini, cubed
Olive oil
Instructions
Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent. Add the carrots, celery, and zucchini and cook until the carrots are almost soft. Add the tofu and jalfrezi sauce and simmer for 10 minutes. Serve over rice and enjoy!
Ingredients
1 jar Seeds of Change jalfrezi simmer sauce
1 package firm tofu
2 carrots, chopped diagonally
2 celery stems, chopped
1/2 onion, diced
1 zucchini, cubed
Olive oil
Instructions
Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent. Add the carrots, celery, and zucchini and cook until the carrots are almost soft. Add the tofu and jalfrezi sauce and simmer for 10 minutes. Serve over rice and enjoy!
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Kale!
I like kale and I've been using it a lot more these last couple months. This creation came about when I wanted light and healthy lunch on a cold (Miami cold, that is) Saturday afternoon. I also discovered that throwing in some kale at the end of cooking a soup or any sauteed veggie dish will add the extra leafy green goodness oompf and heartiness.
Ingredients
1 bunch kale
8 oz. sliced white mushrooms
1/2 carton firm tofu, cubed
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 tsp. thyme
1/2 tsp. sage
Instructions
Spray some olive oil in a large pan. Add the tofu and cook for 3 minutes, turning occasionally. Addthe mushrooms, salt, pepper, thyme, and sage. Cook until the mushrooms begin to cook down. Add the kale and continue cooking until the kale is wilted and the mushrooms are done. Enjoy!
Ingredients
1 bunch kale
8 oz. sliced white mushrooms
1/2 carton firm tofu, cubed
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 tsp. thyme
1/2 tsp. sage
Instructions
Spray some olive oil in a large pan. Add the tofu and cook for 3 minutes, turning occasionally. Addthe mushrooms, salt, pepper, thyme, and sage. Cook until the mushrooms begin to cook down. Add the kale and continue cooking until the kale is wilted and the mushrooms are done. Enjoy!
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Tandoori Chicken
You may or may not know that it is REALLY hard to find good Indian food in Miami. My favorite Indian restaurant, Renaisa, closed a while ago. So, I've taken matters into my own hands. Mr. M's favorite dish is Tandoori Chicken, so here is what I did for my first attempt. I used Arora Creations Tandoori Chicken Blend because it has all the spices I was unable to find separately. You can find the the Arora blend at Norman Brothers in South Miami.
Ingredients
1 package boneless and skinless chicken cutlets
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup white wine vinegar (you are supposed to use plain distilled vinegar, but I didn't have any and didn't feel like going to Publix)
1 package Arora Creations Tandoori Chicken Blend
1 large oninon, cut into large pieces
Instructions
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Combine the yogurt, olive oil, vinegar, and Arora blend in a large glass bowl. Use a knife to make a few small slits in the chicken. Mix well and then add the chicken breasts one at a time making sure each one gets completely covered with the mix. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 8 hours (up to 24 hours). After marinating the chicken, remove the chicken from the bowl, remove each chicken breast from the bowl and squeeze out any excess marinade. Place each breast on a greased oven pan after squeezing. Cook for 15 minutes and turn each chicken breast over once. Place the onion pieces on the baking sheet over the chicken. Continue cooking until done, about another 20-30 minutes. Serve with basmati rice.
Ingredients
1 package boneless and skinless chicken cutlets
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup white wine vinegar (you are supposed to use plain distilled vinegar, but I didn't have any and didn't feel like going to Publix)
1 package Arora Creations Tandoori Chicken Blend
1 large oninon, cut into large pieces
Instructions
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Combine the yogurt, olive oil, vinegar, and Arora blend in a large glass bowl. Use a knife to make a few small slits in the chicken. Mix well and then add the chicken breasts one at a time making sure each one gets completely covered with the mix. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 8 hours (up to 24 hours). After marinating the chicken, remove the chicken from the bowl, remove each chicken breast from the bowl and squeeze out any excess marinade. Place each breast on a greased oven pan after squeezing. Cook for 15 minutes and turn each chicken breast over once. Place the onion pieces on the baking sheet over the chicken. Continue cooking until done, about another 20-30 minutes. Serve with basmati rice.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Veggie Egg White Scramble
Egg whites sound really boring, don't they? They are so healthy though! In the past, I would make my egg whites with just spinach and salt and pepper, which is fine, but can get really boring. I decided to mix it up a bit using all the veggies in my refrigerator at the moment and come up with this great breakfast!
Ingredients
1 small carton of Egg whites
1 zucchini, choped into small pieces
2 green onions, diced
1/2 bell pepper (any color), diced
1/2 cup white mushrooms, sliced
3/4 cup black beans
1/2 cup canned diced tomatoes, drained
Olive oil
Sea salt and black pepper
Pinch of basil
Pinch of thyme
Instructions
Heat the olive oil over medium heat and add the green onion, zucchini, and bell pepper. Cook for 2 minutes and add the mushrooms. Continue cooking until the zucchini and bell pepper are soft, about another 3 minutes. Add the egg whites just until they cover the veggies. Add salt, pepper, basil, and thyme. Cook for about 2 minutes, scrambling everything together. Add the black beans and tomatoes and cook for another 3 minutes or until the egg whites are completely done. This should serve 3-4.
Ingredients
1 small carton of Egg whites
1 zucchini, choped into small pieces
2 green onions, diced
1/2 bell pepper (any color), diced
1/2 cup white mushrooms, sliced
3/4 cup black beans
1/2 cup canned diced tomatoes, drained
Olive oil
Sea salt and black pepper
Pinch of basil
Pinch of thyme
Instructions
Heat the olive oil over medium heat and add the green onion, zucchini, and bell pepper. Cook for 2 minutes and add the mushrooms. Continue cooking until the zucchini and bell pepper are soft, about another 3 minutes. Add the egg whites just until they cover the veggies. Add salt, pepper, basil, and thyme. Cook for about 2 minutes, scrambling everything together. Add the black beans and tomatoes and cook for another 3 minutes or until the egg whites are completely done. This should serve 3-4.
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Sweet Potato Marshmallow Casserole
If you love sweet potatoes, but don't want all the dairy, try this version! People rarely notice the missing butter when I make these.
INGREDIENTS
4 medium sweet potatoes (peeling is optional)
1/2 cup orange juice
1 tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
pinch of nutmeg
1 package of marshmallows
INSTRUCTIONS
Bake (40 minutes at 450 degrees) or boil the sweet potatoes (20-25 minutes) to get them soft. Remove the ends of the potatoes. Place the sweet potatoes in a casserole dish and mash with a large spoon. Add the orange juice, brown sugar, nutmeg and cinnamon. Continue mashing until all the ingredients are well mixed and the sweet potatoes are smooth. Spread the marshmallows evenly over the top of the sweet poatoes. Bake in 350 degree oven until the marshmallows begin to brown. Let cool for about 5 minutes and serve.
INGREDIENTS
4 medium sweet potatoes (peeling is optional)
1/2 cup orange juice
1 tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
pinch of nutmeg
1 package of marshmallows
INSTRUCTIONS
Bake (40 minutes at 450 degrees) or boil the sweet potatoes (20-25 minutes) to get them soft. Remove the ends of the potatoes. Place the sweet potatoes in a casserole dish and mash with a large spoon. Add the orange juice, brown sugar, nutmeg and cinnamon. Continue mashing until all the ingredients are well mixed and the sweet potatoes are smooth. Spread the marshmallows evenly over the top of the sweet poatoes. Bake in 350 degree oven until the marshmallows begin to brown. Let cool for about 5 minutes and serve.
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Mr. M's zucchini & mushrooms
Ingredients
1 zucchini
2 portabella mushrooms
olive oil
1 tbsp. soy sauce
Directions
Thinly slice the zucchini. Cut the mushrooms into 1/2 inch cubes. Heat some olive oil in pan over medium heat. Add the zucchini and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the mushrooms and soy sauce. Continue cooking until the mushrooms soften (about 5 minutes). Enjoy as a side!
1 zucchini
2 portabella mushrooms
olive oil
1 tbsp. soy sauce
Directions
Thinly slice the zucchini. Cut the mushrooms into 1/2 inch cubes. Heat some olive oil in pan over medium heat. Add the zucchini and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the mushrooms and soy sauce. Continue cooking until the mushrooms soften (about 5 minutes). Enjoy as a side!
Healthier Chicken Tenders
These chicken tenders are a great alternative to the greasy and bad-carb super-processed chicken tenders from the frozen aisle or fast food joint. Enjoy these with your favorite dipping sauce with a lot less guilt!
Ingredients
1 lb. chicken filets, sliced 2 in. wide
2 whole wheat pitas
1 tsp. dry oregano
1/2 tsp. dry sage
olive oil
salt
pepper
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Lightly toast the pitas in the toaster or toaster oven until they are crisp. Use a food processor or blender to turn the pitas into the bread crumbs to coat your chicken. Combine the ground pitas, oregano, and sage in a medium size bowl. Brush the chicken with olive oil and sprinkle a little salt and pepper over each piece. Place the chicken pieces one at a time in the bowl, cover with the pita and herb mixture, and place on the baking sheet. Place in the oven for 25 minutes, turn each piece using tongs, and continue cooking for another 20 minutes.
Ingredients
1 lb. chicken filets, sliced 2 in. wide
2 whole wheat pitas
1 tsp. dry oregano
1/2 tsp. dry sage
olive oil
salt
pepper
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Lightly toast the pitas in the toaster or toaster oven until they are crisp. Use a food processor or blender to turn the pitas into the bread crumbs to coat your chicken. Combine the ground pitas, oregano, and sage in a medium size bowl. Brush the chicken with olive oil and sprinkle a little salt and pepper over each piece. Place the chicken pieces one at a time in the bowl, cover with the pita and herb mixture, and place on the baking sheet. Place in the oven for 25 minutes, turn each piece using tongs, and continue cooking for another 20 minutes.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Vibacious Tilapia
When Mr. M and I were in NY visiting his family, his mom made the best tilapia ever! She was kind of enough to share the recipe below.
INGREDIENTS
Tilapia (1 lb. or more)
Garlic powder
Onion powder
AdoboSazon (with cilantro and achiote)
Lime(s)
Olive oil
1 Red bell pepper
1 orange bell pepper
1 yellow bell pepper
Red onion
Sofrito
Garlic clove(s)
Grated ginger (optional)
DIRECTIONS
Vibration cooking method--measurement by hand, eye & vibe. Wash down tilapia fillets in sea salt for about 5 mins and rinse well, and pat dry with paper towels. In a small bowl, season the tilapia with olive oil, garlic & onion powders, adobo, and limes. Gently rub al ingredients in all slices. Let sit a few minutes.
Use a cast iron pan or one of your choosing, adding enough olive oil to cover bottom of pan for a quick pan fry of seasoned talapia slices. Pan fry for 5-6 minutes, turning once. Remove slices from pan.
Add more olive oil, enough to cook down the sofrito, red onion(s), garlic & colorful peppers. Now, you should have a liquid base. Add the ginger. Return talapia slices to the pan, cover & cook over low heat for 10 minutes, adding a little water or wine if needed. Serve over couscous or rice with a salad and feast!
INGREDIENTS
Tilapia (1 lb. or more)
Garlic powder
Onion powder
AdoboSazon (with cilantro and achiote)
Lime(s)
Olive oil
1 Red bell pepper
1 orange bell pepper
1 yellow bell pepper
Red onion
Sofrito
Garlic clove(s)
Grated ginger (optional)
DIRECTIONS
Vibration cooking method--measurement by hand, eye & vibe. Wash down tilapia fillets in sea salt for about 5 mins and rinse well, and pat dry with paper towels. In a small bowl, season the tilapia with olive oil, garlic & onion powders, adobo, and limes. Gently rub al ingredients in all slices. Let sit a few minutes.
Use a cast iron pan or one of your choosing, adding enough olive oil to cover bottom of pan for a quick pan fry of seasoned talapia slices. Pan fry for 5-6 minutes, turning once. Remove slices from pan.
Add more olive oil, enough to cook down the sofrito, red onion(s), garlic & colorful peppers. Now, you should have a liquid base. Add the ginger. Return talapia slices to the pan, cover & cook over low heat for 10 minutes, adding a little water or wine if needed. Serve over couscous or rice with a salad and feast!
Friday, September 5, 2008
Latin American Vegetarian Food
I was in Austin, Texas a couple of weekends ago and went to my favorite restaurant, Mr. Natural. If you are a vegetarian living in Austin, you probably know about Mr. Natural and how they have fantastic lunch specials with lots of yummy vegetarian food.
For those of you who haven't been to Mr. Natural or Austin, you should know that this is THE place for Mexican vegetarian food...even vegans! Since Mexican food is known for lots of cheese and meat, the idea of making it vegetarian might sound disrespectful, but I think everyone deserves to have some good Mexican food. When you really think about it, the staples of Mexican food make it very amenable to vegetarian versions.
Soon after arriving back in Miami I was kind of sad to realize that there isn't much Mexican food here, much less vegetarian Mexican food. Now that I think about it, there aren't many vegetarian options for any type of food from Latin America around here. Then I thought, I know how to cook, what am I talking about???
So, I'm embarking on attempt to make vegetarian and vegan versions of some of my family's and my own recipes as well as any other dishes from Latin America that are begging for a vegetarian version. I'm down for the challenge, so if you have any ideas for dishes to be converted, let me know and stay tuned for the results!
For those of you who haven't been to Mr. Natural or Austin, you should know that this is THE place for Mexican vegetarian food...even vegans! Since Mexican food is known for lots of cheese and meat, the idea of making it vegetarian might sound disrespectful, but I think everyone deserves to have some good Mexican food. When you really think about it, the staples of Mexican food make it very amenable to vegetarian versions.
Soon after arriving back in Miami I was kind of sad to realize that there isn't much Mexican food here, much less vegetarian Mexican food. Now that I think about it, there aren't many vegetarian options for any type of food from Latin America around here. Then I thought, I know how to cook, what am I talking about???
So, I'm embarking on attempt to make vegetarian and vegan versions of some of my family's and my own recipes as well as any other dishes from Latin America that are begging for a vegetarian version. I'm down for the challenge, so if you have any ideas for dishes to be converted, let me know and stay tuned for the results!
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Lazy vegan lunch
This is less of a recipe and more of a strategy for packing a vegan lunch that is easy to prepare the night before and you can stick in the microwave for a few minutes. I think I ate this for lunch 2-3 times a week in law school because it fits nicely in a microwavable container and it doesn't take much to prepare couscous.
Ingredients
1 cup couscous
Water
California vegetable mix or broccoli (frozen)
1/2 tsp. Salt
1/2 tsp. Pepper
1/4 tsp. Cumin
Nutmeg, pinch
1/2 can Chickpeas
Directions
Bring some water to a boil in a kettle. Put the couscus in a large bowl. When the water is ready, pour the boiling water over the couscous until it is just covered. Add the salt, pepper, cumin, and nutmeg. Stir with a spoon and cover the bowl for about ten minutes. Rinse the chickpeas thoroughly. Spoon the couscous into your tupperware/glad containers you'll pack for lunch along with the chickpeas and the frozen veggies. By lunchtime, the veggies will be defrosted and the spice from the couscous should give everything some flavor. You can always add additional spices on top for more flavor.
Ingredients
1 cup couscous
Water
California vegetable mix or broccoli (frozen)
1/2 tsp. Salt
1/2 tsp. Pepper
1/4 tsp. Cumin
Nutmeg, pinch
1/2 can Chickpeas
Directions
Bring some water to a boil in a kettle. Put the couscus in a large bowl. When the water is ready, pour the boiling water over the couscous until it is just covered. Add the salt, pepper, cumin, and nutmeg. Stir with a spoon and cover the bowl for about ten minutes. Rinse the chickpeas thoroughly. Spoon the couscous into your tupperware/glad containers you'll pack for lunch along with the chickpeas and the frozen veggies. By lunchtime, the veggies will be defrosted and the spice from the couscous should give everything some flavor. You can always add additional spices on top for more flavor.
Friday, August 29, 2008
Rosemary Citrus Halibut
It took a little experimenting with different ways of preparing this and I think this way keeps the fish moist and helps it absorb the flavors. I think the red pepper flakes give it a nice little kick, but if you don't like spicy food, the flakes are optional.
2 halibut filets
4 tbsp white wine vinegar
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
juice of 2 lemons
zest of 1 lemon
zest of 2 tangerines
2/3 cup olive oil
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
1 tsp red pepper flakes
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine the white wine vinegar, rosemary, lemon juice, lemon and tangerine zest, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes in bowl. Whisk the olive oil in a little at a time and continue whisking until oil is combined well into the other ingredients. Lightly salt and pepper the halibut on both sides.
Heat the halibut over medium heat for 2 minutes on each side. Add the vinaigrette so it surrounds the fish and place in the oven. Baste every 2-3 minutes. Turn the halibut over after 15 minutes and return to oven for another 10 minutes, continuing to baste every 2-3 minutes. Remove from oven and serve immediately.
2 halibut filets
4 tbsp white wine vinegar
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
juice of 2 lemons
zest of 1 lemon
zest of 2 tangerines
2/3 cup olive oil
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
1 tsp red pepper flakes
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine the white wine vinegar, rosemary, lemon juice, lemon and tangerine zest, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes in bowl. Whisk the olive oil in a little at a time and continue whisking until oil is combined well into the other ingredients. Lightly salt and pepper the halibut on both sides.
Heat the halibut over medium heat for 2 minutes on each side. Add the vinaigrette so it surrounds the fish and place in the oven. Baste every 2-3 minutes. Turn the halibut over after 15 minutes and return to oven for another 10 minutes, continuing to baste every 2-3 minutes. Remove from oven and serve immediately.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Sushi!
About a month ago I decided I wanted to learn how to make sushi. So ,I went out and got a bamboo mat, sushi rice, nori sheets, and everything else for sushi. My first attempt was a total disaster. For some reason I thought that rolling sushi would be intuitive and easy. Boy was I WRONG. Now I know why Mr. M says some people spend their entire lives learning how to make sushi. I couldn't get the rolling action going and each roll I tried ended up completely falling apart.
So, I googled "how to roll sushi" to get a clue. After reading tons of info I realized that sushi rice requires a special mix of vinegar and sugar to add flavor and that saran wrap on your prep space or covering the bamboo mat makes things so much easier. Luckily my bag of Lundberg sushi rice had a recipe on the back. My next attempt was much more successful and I made it only with cucumbers to save the expense in case this turned out to be another disaster. This attempt was a lot better, but I forgot to make the special sushi rice, so it came out very bland and the rolls were formed, but a little loose.
Third time's a charm? I felt pretty good about actually being able to make a roll, so I bought some avocado and smoked salmon for my third attempt. The rolls didn't fall apart when dipped in soy sauce! I can't claim I'm good at this, but at least my rolls stay together now. There are also a lot of rolling instructions that say to use the bamboo mat instead of your hands to roll, but I can't seem to get it right with that method, so I'm sticking with this method until someone teaches me how to do it differently.
Ingredients
2 cups sushi rice
2 tbsp. sugar
1 tbsp. salt
1/2 cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced
1/2 avocado, thinly sliced
Thinly sliced smoked salmon (or any other fish you want in your roll)
Sesame seeds
Instructions
Rinse the rice in a colander until the water comes out clear. Cook the rice with the water in a pot until all the water is absorbed. When the rice is done, set it aside and let it cool so you don't burn your hands while preparing the sushi rolls. Transfer the rice into a large bowl. DO NOT refrigerate the rice.
In a pan over low-medium heat, mix the rice vinegar, salt, and sugar until the sugar is absorbed. When your rice is cool enough to handle, slowly add the vinegar mixture into the rice with your hands. I tried this with a spoon at first, but it works a lot better if you use your hands.
Next, place a sheet of plastic wrap on a cutting board or whatever flat surface you plan to use to make the rolls. Lay a nori sheet on the board, add a very thin layer of rice, and then sprinkle some sesame seeds on top of the rice. Flip the nori sheet with rice over (the rice should stick to the sheet).
Add a thin line of each filling toward the bottom of the nori sheet. Carefully begin rolling the sheet making sure it's not too loose or too tight so the ingredients don't fall out when you cut the roll. Once you've rolled the sheet, place a bamboo mat over the roll and give it a gentle squeeze to better form the roll. Flip the roll and squeeze with the bamboo mat again. Use a sharp knife to cut the roll into bite size pieces.
So, I googled "how to roll sushi" to get a clue. After reading tons of info I realized that sushi rice requires a special mix of vinegar and sugar to add flavor and that saran wrap on your prep space or covering the bamboo mat makes things so much easier. Luckily my bag of Lundberg sushi rice had a recipe on the back. My next attempt was much more successful and I made it only with cucumbers to save the expense in case this turned out to be another disaster. This attempt was a lot better, but I forgot to make the special sushi rice, so it came out very bland and the rolls were formed, but a little loose.
Third time's a charm? I felt pretty good about actually being able to make a roll, so I bought some avocado and smoked salmon for my third attempt. The rolls didn't fall apart when dipped in soy sauce! I can't claim I'm good at this, but at least my rolls stay together now. There are also a lot of rolling instructions that say to use the bamboo mat instead of your hands to roll, but I can't seem to get it right with that method, so I'm sticking with this method until someone teaches me how to do it differently.
Ingredients
2 cups sushi rice
3 cups water
2 tbsp. rice vinegar
2 tbsp. sugar
1 tbsp. salt
1/2 cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced
1/2 avocado, thinly sliced
Thinly sliced smoked salmon (or any other fish you want in your roll)
Sesame seeds
Instructions
Rinse the rice in a colander until the water comes out clear. Cook the rice with the water in a pot until all the water is absorbed. When the rice is done, set it aside and let it cool so you don't burn your hands while preparing the sushi rolls. Transfer the rice into a large bowl. DO NOT refrigerate the rice.
In a pan over low-medium heat, mix the rice vinegar, salt, and sugar until the sugar is absorbed. When your rice is cool enough to handle, slowly add the vinegar mixture into the rice with your hands. I tried this with a spoon at first, but it works a lot better if you use your hands.
Next, place a sheet of plastic wrap on a cutting board or whatever flat surface you plan to use to make the rolls. Lay a nori sheet on the board, add a very thin layer of rice, and then sprinkle some sesame seeds on top of the rice. Flip the nori sheet with rice over (the rice should stick to the sheet).
Add a thin line of each filling toward the bottom of the nori sheet. Carefully begin rolling the sheet making sure it's not too loose or too tight so the ingredients don't fall out when you cut the roll. Once you've rolled the sheet, place a bamboo mat over the roll and give it a gentle squeeze to better form the roll. Flip the roll and squeeze with the bamboo mat again. Use a sharp knife to cut the roll into bite size pieces.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Tofu & veggie stir fry
I've always had trouble getting tofu to stir fry with a nice texture. So, this time I looked up how it's done on Cooks Illustrated and learned the secret--cornstarch. A quick dip gives the tofu a nice slightly crunchy texture and makes the tofu so much more enjoyable.
Ingredients
1 package of low fat extra firm tofu, cut into triangles
1/2 cup cornstarch
4 tbsp. soy sauce
1/2 tbsp. granulated sugar
1 clove minced garlic
1 tbsp powdered ginger
1 bag frozen Asian veggie blend
1/2 package lettuce salad mix (I used a 5 lettuce blend)
1 cup thinly sliced carrots
1 tsp. sesame seed oil
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
Instructions
Place the cornstarch in a bowl and dip the tofu triangles in the cornstarch and set aside on a clean plate. Once all the tofu is lightly coated with the cornstarch, heat 1 tbsp. of the vegetable oil in a large pan. Add the tofu and cook for 8 minutes on each side over medium heat. In a separate bowl, mix the 2 tbsp. of soy sauce and sugar. Add the soy sauce and sugar mixture to the tofu and cook the tofu with the mixture for another 3-5 minutes and making sure you coat the tofu.
Remove the tofu and place on plates. Heat the other tsp. of vegetable oil and sesame seed oil in the pan. Place the garlic, frozen veggies, and carrots in the pan and cook for 10 minutes or until the carrots are soft and the other veggies are warm. Add the remaining 2 tbsp. of soy sauce, ginger, and lettuce. Stir continuously until the lettuce wilts and place on the plates with tofu immediately.
Ingredients
1 package of low fat extra firm tofu, cut into triangles
1/2 cup cornstarch
4 tbsp. soy sauce
1/2 tbsp. granulated sugar
1 clove minced garlic
1 tbsp powdered ginger
1 bag frozen Asian veggie blend
1/2 package lettuce salad mix (I used a 5 lettuce blend)
1 cup thinly sliced carrots
1 tsp. sesame seed oil
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
Instructions
Place the cornstarch in a bowl and dip the tofu triangles in the cornstarch and set aside on a clean plate. Once all the tofu is lightly coated with the cornstarch, heat 1 tbsp. of the vegetable oil in a large pan. Add the tofu and cook for 8 minutes on each side over medium heat. In a separate bowl, mix the 2 tbsp. of soy sauce and sugar. Add the soy sauce and sugar mixture to the tofu and cook the tofu with the mixture for another 3-5 minutes and making sure you coat the tofu.
Remove the tofu and place on plates. Heat the other tsp. of vegetable oil and sesame seed oil in the pan. Place the garlic, frozen veggies, and carrots in the pan and cook for 10 minutes or until the carrots are soft and the other veggies are warm. Add the remaining 2 tbsp. of soy sauce, ginger, and lettuce. Stir continuously until the lettuce wilts and place on the plates with tofu immediately.
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