Korean Rice Cakes in A Sweet Ginger Garlic Sauce

Korean Rice Cakes in A Sweet Ginger Garlic Sauce

Korean Rice Cakes are a food item that I only discovered recently. They are kind of chewy and can be used in soups or pot pie to add some texture to a dish.

Ingredients

1 500 gram package Korean Rice Cakes, I used the sliced variety
1 large carrot grated, about a cup
2 green onions, chopped for garnish
Cooked rice, for serving

Blender Ingredients

2 1/2 piece fresh ginger, peeled
1 clove garlic, minced
3 Tblsp soy sauce
2 Tblsp rice vinegar
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 cup DATE PASTE , or brown sugar to taste
1 1/4 cups water

Directions

Place all  blender ingredients into the blender and mix until smooth. Transfer to a pot

Add carrot and rinsed rice cakes.

Bring to a boil and simmer for about 15 minutes, until rice cakes are tender, but chewy.

Serve over cooked rice and garnish with green onion.

Enjoy!

 Here is a link to the type of rice cakes that has no added oils. I was able to find it in the refrigerated section of my local Asian market. http://ugou.de/index.php/lebensmittel/korea-japan/mainfood/chongga-reiskuchen-geschnitten-500g.html?___store=en&___from_store=cn

Soft Sourdough Bread for the ABM

Soft Sourdough Bread for the ABM

This bread comes together very quickly when using an Automatic Bread Machine. It is a soft loaf that makes a good sandwich.

 Ingredients

3/4 cup water
1 cup sourdough starter
2 Tblsp applesauce
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp stevia Or sugar  equivalent
3 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2 1/3 tsp yeast
Parchment paper lined baking pan ( I used a round enamel coated cast iron pan but a loaf pan should work)

Directions 

Place ingredients into the ABM pan in the order suggests by the manufacturer.

Select dough cycle.

Once cycle is complete remove from ABM pan and place onto a floured surface.

Shape into a ball and place into parchment lined baking pan. I used a enamel cast iron pan.

Lightly brush top with a little water.

Let rise for about 30 - 35 minutes in a draft free location. I used a warming oven.

Meanwhile preheat oven to 350 F.

Once dough has doubled in size, brush top again with a little bit of water.

Place in oven and bake for about 35 minutes or until top is nicely browned. If using a loaf pan, baking time may need to be adjusted.

Enjoy!

Artichoke Salad

Artichoke Salad

This is a colourful salad that can be prepared early in the day and left to sit in the fridge until ready to eat. While I have specified amounts for each ingredient, use whatever amount of each to your own liking. I have not used them, but adding in halved grape tomatoes would be a tasty addition.

Ingredients

1/2 English cucumber, sliced
1 can artichoke hearts, cut into quarters, drained
2 cups diced pepper, colour of choice ( I used a mix of green, red and yellow)
1/2 cup onion, finely diced
1/2 cup parsley, chopped fine
1-2 heads Romaine Lettuce, chopped ( optional)

Dressing

2 Tblsp water
1 Tblsp Lemon Juice
1/2 tsp white wine vinegar
1/4 tsp stevia, less or more to taste
1 garlic clove minced
1/8 tsp oregano
dash black pepper

Directions

Place all of the vegetables into a bowl.

Mix dressing ingredients together in a small jar or bowl.

Add dressing to vegetables and mix.

Let sit in the fridge for about an hour before serving.

Serve over romaine lettuce if desire.

Enjoy!

Corn Soup

Corn Soup

This is a very easy soup to throw together.  It is thick and satisfying made with healthy ingredients.

Ingredients

1 large onion, chopped
3-4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, minced
4 cups frozen corn
6 cups vegetable broth
1 19 oz can chopped tomatoes
1/4 tsp black pepper
3 tsp vegetable stock powder, or to taste
1/3 cup quick oatmeal
2 cups Korean rice cakes, or about 1 cup Cooked orzo, optional
 4 cups fresh spinach chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tblsp lime juice




Directions

 
Dry fry the onion until soft adding a little water if needed.

When the onion is soft, add in the garlic and a splash of water. Cook for about a minute.

Add in chipotle pepper, broth, black pepper, tomatoes, oatmeal, vegetable stock powder,  corn and rice cakes or orzo if using.

Cook for about 30 minutes. Stir frequently so the oatmeal does not stick to the bottom.

Add in chopped parsley and spinach. Cook for about a minute until spinach has wilted.

Stir in lime juice.

Enjoy!

Tip 

If you do not have Korean rice cakes or orzo on hand, add in a peeled died potato.

Cranberry Pumpkin Bread

Cranberry Pumpkin Bread

This recipe is for for my daughter's friend Sam. She asked if I had a recipe for pumpkin muffins. As it turns out I had some leftover frozen pumpkin in the freezer that needed to be used up and I had been thinking of making this recipe. While the recipe is for a loaf, it could be made into muffins by changing the baking time.

Ingredients

3 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
3/4 cup brown sugar ( this could be increased to a full cup if a sweeter loaf is desired)
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp cloves

2 cups pumpkin puree
1 cup applesauce
1/3 cup maple syrup

2-3 cups frozen cranberries


Directions

Line two loaf pans with parchment paper. See tip below.

Preheat oven to 350.

Mix flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice and cloves together in a large bowl.

Mix pumpkin, applesauce and maple syrup into another bowl.

Combine the two bowls. Mixture will be very thick. See tip below.

Add in cranberries and mix.

Divide mixture between the two loaf pans and smooth the top.

Bake in a preheated 350 oven for about 55 minute.

Loaves are cooked when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Cool on cooling racks. Slice and serve.

Enjoy!

Tip

Parchment paper is much easier to mold into a pan when it is wet. Crumble up a sheet of parchment and run it under water. Squeeze out the excess water and shape it into the pan being used.

If batter is too thick to mix, add about 1/3 cup water, but increase baking time up to 20 minutes. Test frequently to avoid burning.




Inspired by this recipe:  http://joythebaker.com/2010/11/vegan-pumpkin-cranberry-apple-pecan-everythinbread/

Sweet Chickpea Balls

Sweet Chickpea Balls

I was watching Chef AJ make a special treat made with peanuts, and I lamented that it looked so good, but  I can't eat nuts. Later that day, I was out shopping and came across some roasted chickpeas. Chickpeas were the only ingredient. So I decided to make my own version of Chef AJ's treat substituting roasted chickpeas for the nuts.

Ingredients

1 cup plain roasted chickpeas
1 1/4 cup date paste
1 tsp vanilla


Directions

Add chickpeas to the bowl of a food processor. Process until mixture is finely chopped, but NOT as fine as flour.

Add the dates and process until combined.

Add vanilla and process one more time

Mixture should hold together when pressed into a ball.

Using a tablespoon, scoop mixture into the palm of your hand and  form  into balls.

Repeat until all the dough has been used.

This makes about 24 balls.

Enjoy.

Mac and Cheese

Mac and Cheese

This is an easy recipe that can be made ahead and reheated in the oven or eaten right away.  Leftovers make a great lunch. 

Ingredients

5 Cups uncooked Macaroni

2 cups onions, chopped
2 cups peppers, chopped, red , green or orange, or a mix
4 cups spinach, chopped

Sauce

4  cups water
1/2 cup quick oats, uncooked
2 tsp vegetable broth powder, or to taste
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp prepared mustard, I used Sweet with Heat by Presidents Choice
1 2/3 cup nutritional yeast
1 tsp paprika, for sprinkling only

Cook macaroni. Drain and set aside

Cook onions in as little water as possible until tender. Stir frequently.

Add in chopped pepper and cook until tender. Add in spinach and stir until wilted.

In blender add all ingredients for the sauce and process for about a minute until smooth.

Pour contents of blender into a pot and cook until hot and bubbly. Whisk frequently.

Mix sauce, cooked vegetables and pasta together.

Pasta can now be eaten or reheated later.

If reheating later:

Pour into a 9x13 inch pan, Sprinkle with paprika.

Cover with foil and bake at 350 for about 35- 45 minutes until hot.

Enjoy!

Artichoke and Spinach Lasagna

Artichoke and Spinach Lasagna

This lasagna has a lot of flavour, so do not expect there to be leftovers. It is pretty simple to make, but there are a couple of ingredients that need to be made before being assembled.

Ingredients

1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 28 oz can chopped tomatoes
1/4 cup red wine
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp vegetable stock powder
pinch stevia, or to taste. Optional
1/2 tsp oregano
 lasagna noodles, oven ready variety
1 can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 pkg frozen spinach, drained and chopped
2 cups homemade oat cheese, made without the roasted red peppershttp://barbsplantbasedkitchen.blogspot.ca/p/vegan-oat-cheese-in-grilled-cheese_20.html
1 recipe Vegan Ricotta, recipe below

Directions


To make the tomato sauce:


Saute the onion using as little water as possible.

When the onion is soft, add the garlic and cook for about a minute.

Add in  the tomato paste,  tomatoes, wine, vegetable powder, black pepper ,stevia and oregano.

Cook for about 30 minutes on low heat. Stirring as required. Set aside.

Prepare oat cheese.  http://barbsplantbasedkitchen.blogspot.ca/p/vegan-oat-cheese-in-grilled-cheese_20.html

Prepare vegan ricotta.

Combine artichokes and spinach in a bowl.

Vegan Ricotta 

14 oz, soft tofu, plus
1 cup soft tofu
1-2 tsp vegetable stock powder
Smidgen stevia powder
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 tsp lemon juice

Place all ingredients for ricotta in the blender and process until smooth

To Assemble Lasagna

Place about 1/2 to 3/4 cup tomato sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 inch pan.

Cover with a layer of noodles.

Spread about half of the ricotta over the noodles and top with the spinach and artichoke mix.

Top the vegetable mix with half the the oat cheese. Top this with about 1/2 -3/4 cup tomato sauce.

Keep layering until all the ingredients are used up, making sure to top the entire lasagna with the last of the sauce and some oat cheese.

Cover with foil.

Bake in a preheated 350 F oven for 45 minutes then remove foil and bake for about 15 minutes more.

Let sit for about 15 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!

Mushroom Gyoza

Mushroom Gyoza

One day after making cabbage rolls, I found myself with leftover mushroom filling. I had some dumpling wrappers in the fridge and combined the two to make gyoza. This recipe is a bit fussy, but worth the effort. I use a stainless steel wok and steaming rack to make these.

Ingredients 

1 package dumpling wrappers
leftover mushroom filling from my cabbage roll recipe http://barbsplantbasedkitchen.blogspot.ca/p/easy-cabbage-rolls-love-cabbage-rolls.html
water for sealing the dumplings
pastry brush, optional
parchment paper
Dipping Sauce, I use sweet chili sauce

Directions

Lay out a dumpling wrapper on the counter top. Using a pastry brush or your finger, cover half of the wrapper with some water to moisten.

 Place  about 1/2 to 1 tsp of mushroom filling in the center of the wrapper.

 Bring up both sides and press to seal the edges together.

This step is optional, but it does make the gyoza look more authentic I think. Lightly wet the edges and fold the edges back on themselves. Once at either end and once in the middle. This makes the edges look a little fluted.

Once all the wrappers have been filled, place in a steamer rack that has been lined with parchment paper. I punch holes in the paper, but you could easily cut the paper into multiple pieces and rest the dumplings on the pieces. This allows the steam to the rack easily.

Place the rack over boiling water. Do not let the water run dry.

Steam for about 15 minutes or until the wrapper is tender.

Serve with your choice of dipping sauce.

Enjoy!

Coleslaw with Mustard Dressing

Coleslaw with Mustard Dressing

This dressing is slightly sweet with a bit of a kick from the mustard. It is easy to make and can sit in the fridge overnight. Sugar can be substituted for the stevia.

Vegetables 

6-8 cups shredded cabbage
1 carrot, shredded
2 green onion, chopped
1/4 mild onion, finely diced

Dressing

 2/3 cup rice vinegar
1 1/2 tsp stevia, or use less for a less sweet dressing
1/4 cup mustard of choice ( I used Sweet with Heat mustard by President Choice)
1/4 cup water


Directions

Combine vegetables in a large bowl and set aside

Combine all of the dressing ingredients in a bowl . Mix well.

Pour dressing over vegetables and mix well.

Place in fridge until ready to serve.

Enjoy

Zucchini Wraps

Zucchini Wraps

These wraps are fussy to make, but make a great presentation.  They also taste fantastic and will go fast. Any of your favourite sushi vegetables can be used too. The actual length of the matchstick will depend on how much you want them to stick out of the top of the wrap itself. I made mine about 1-1 1/2 inches taller the the slice of zucchini. I would recommend preparing the veggies ahead of time, so the actual assembly of the wraps goes quickly.

Ingredients

1 large zucchini
1/2 carrot, cut into fine matchsticks
1/2 cucumber. cut into fine matchsticks
1/2 red pepper, cut into fine matchsticks
1-2 radishes, cut into fine matchsticks
1/4 container pea shoots
1 green onion cut into lengths the same size as the matchstick vegetables

1 small container of your favourite hummus
Toothpicks

Directions

Using a vegetable peeler, thinly slice strips of zucchini along the long edge of the zucchini. The first one of two slices may be too narrow to use.

Lay the slice of zucchini out on a cutting board and using 1-2 Tblsp of hummus cover about 1/3 of the zucchini slice at one end only. The amount used will depend on the the of the slice.

Lay out the vegetables on top of the hummus, as shown.

Now starting at the end where the vegetables are, roll up the slice. Secure with a toothpick.

Serve and Enjoy.