(Mahalia’s Recipe)
This recipe is a simple “side” that integrates a sea vegetable, Arame. With the classic Japanese flavors of toasted sesame with soy sauce, this broccoli dish will disappear fast. Perfect to accompany broiled/roasted tempeh, fish or chicken with ginger-tamari marinade, this dish is fancy enough for a party and easy enough to be part of a weekday meal.
From Christina Pirello’s fantastic macrobiotic-style cookbook, “Cooking The Whole Food Way”
“This dip is rich and delicious, and will disappear fast at a party.”
“Pan-toasting the nuts instead of oven-roasting them gives a better flavour for this dish.”
Lentil Walnut Pate @ Real Food Daily, Los Angeles
Photo by IronChefVegan
Place lentils, wakame, and water in a heavy pot over medium heat. Bring to a boil and boil, uncovered, 10 minutes. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 20 minutes, until lentils are very creamy. Season lightly with soy sauce (or sea salt) and simmer 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, and basil and cook, stirring, 3-4 minutes or until softened. Set aside.
Transfer cooked beans, vegetables, walnuts, parsley and a dash of soy sauce (or salt) to a food processor (or add everything to the lentil pot & use a handblender). Puree until smooth and creamy. Spoon into a serving bowl and lightly sprinkle with umeboshi and balsamic vinegars. Mix well and serve surrounded with crackers or toast points. Delicious on slices of daikon radish.
Makes 6 to 8 servings
Happy Soup
Seriously, this is the happiest soup I’ve ever made or had the pleasure of consuming. There is no other way to describe it. Perhaps it is partially the virtuousness I feel, eating local, wildcrafted herbs & greens in season. Mostly, though, it is just a great, simple soup. Click here to learn more about nettles (and allergies), and here for more about fiddleheads.
(Based on the suggestion of the Friendly Happy Guy from Forbes Wild Foods at Dufferin Grove Farmer’s Market)
Saute onions & garlic in olive oil until tender. Add water if necessary to prevent sticking. Add cleaned fiddleheads and continue sauteing. Add a bit of stock. Wait a minute or few. Add nettles. Pour stock over nettles, and add water to just barely cover the greens. Bring to a boil and then simmer for about 15 minutes, swirling/stirring to make sure nettles get wilted. About 10 minutes in, add the green onion. Add sea salt and maybe pepper. Blend. (I use a handblender, right into the hot soup in the pot).
Enjoy Happy Soup!
PS: some internet recipes for nettle soup swirl in cream at the end, but i really think this soup needs no enhancement.
This salad is build around a spicy cilantro pesto recipe from one of my favorite cookbooks, Lorna Sass’ Complete Vegetarian Kitchen. Thank you, Lorna, for the many tasty meals you have contributed to since I bought this book in 1999! Find her book here: http://lornasass.com/cookbooks/complete-vegetarian-kitchen It is a valuable kitchen resource for tasty and wholesome vegan meal ideas, or for a primer on how to cook beans or grains, or how to assemble an awesome salad, every time.
Cook quinoa in 2 cups of water with a bit of salt. While quinoa is cooking, chop veggies and put into salad bowl, leaving the avocado aside. Make the pesto. Remember that quinoa cooks faster than rice and take it off the heat when it is done (about 15-20 minutes)! Letting it sit with the lid on for a few minutes helps make it fluffy. Combine all ingredients (except avocado) and toss. Add avocado to individual bowls.
Serve warm for a 1-bowl week-night dinner, and pack up leftovers for a delicious – if garlicky – lunch.
From Lorna Sass’ Complete Vegetarian Kitchen
Cilantro is not only delicious, and cleanse-friendly, it also supports detoxification as it nourishes.
Note from Lorna: Great served over plain boiled beans or grains, or on bean and grain salads.