Dragon Rice Bowl

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 large zucchini, sliced diagonally
• 3 tomatoes, sliced thickly
• 8 Marinated Tofu Steaks (see below)
• 6 cups cooked brown basmati rice
• 1 batch Miso Gravy (see below)
• 1 bunch cilantro, chopped
• 1 bunch green onions, chopped
• 2 tbsp. brown sesame seeds, toasted

Directions

1. Grill the zucchini, tomatoes, and tofu steaks in the oven a medium to high heat, until lightly browned.
2. Put 1 1/2 cups cooked brown basmati rice in a large rice bowl.
3. Pour one 4-once ladle of warm Miso Gravy over the rice.
4. Arrange the grilled vegetables and tofu steaks around the inner edges of the bowl.
5. Put chopped cilantro and green onions on the Miso Gravy at the centre of the bowl.
6. Garnish with toasted brown sesame seeds. Repeat for each serving.

Marinated Tofu Steaks

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

• 1 block tofu (firm)
• 2 tsp. coriander, ground
• 4 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/2 cup tamari
• 2 cups water

Directions

1. Cut the square block of tofu into 1/4-inch-thick slices; then cut the slices diagonally into triangles.
2. Combine the remaining ingredients in a bowl and pour over the tofu triangles. Marinate for 1 hour. Store in a sealed container in the fridge. Keeps up to 5 days.

Miso Gravy

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

• 4 1/2 tbsp. spelt flour
• 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
• 3/4 cup Engevita (inactive) yeast
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable stock
• 1/3 cup sunflower oil
• 1 1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
• 3 tbsp. miso paste, light or dark
• 3/4 tsp. sea salt

Directions

1. Put dry ingredients, except salt, in a saucepan over low heat. Whisk in the vegetable stock to make a paste.
2. Let this come to a boil and simmer for 30 seconds.
3. Add the oil, mustard, miso, and salt to the ingredients in the saucepan. Whisk until everything is incorporated and the mixture is smooth. Serve hot.

Tonight I made Rebar‘s Lentil & Split Pea Soup with Mint-Mango Chutney, a perfect fall soup.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 7 garlic clovers, minced
• 1 tsp salt
• pinch hot pepper flakes
• 1 lb raw shrimp, pealed and de-veined
• Spaghetti
• 1/3 cup fresh chopped parsley
• Optional: 4 cups broccoli, freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Algorithm:

• Heat oil in medium skillet at low heat. Cook garlic and hot pepper flakes in the olive oil until lightly golden.
• Increase temperature to medium-high, add shrimp. Cook for two to three minutes.
• Meanwhile, cook pasta. If adding broccoli option, steam broccoli. Drain, return to pot.
• Combine pasta, shrimp pan, parsley and optional ingredients (if any). Stir up and serve.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. green beans (frozen are OK)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 cup slivered, red onions
• 1/3 cup raw cashews
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• few springs of fresh parsley
  

Algorithm:

• Boil water. Put beans in for five minutes on high. (Three minutes if frozen.)
• Strain. Run through cold water, set aside.
• In a large frying pan, heat up olive oil. Add black pepper and salt. Add onions, cashews, and stir-fry for two to three minutes at medium heat until onions soften.
• Add beans, cook until they are hot. Warning: Cashews burn!
• Put in serving dish, garnish with chopped parsley.

Ingredients:

• 6 cups vegetable stock
• 3 large yams
• 2 garlic bulbs, roasted
• 4 tomatoes
• 2 red peppers
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 2 tsp salt
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tbsp minced sage
• 2 tbsp minced oregano
• 2 tsp coriander seeds, toasted and ground
• 1 tsp ancho chile powder
• pinch allspice
• 2 tsp chipotle purée
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• juice of 1 lime
• salt and pepper to taste

Algorithm:

• Pre-heat oven to 375°F. Using a fork, poke a few holes in each yam. Place on a baking tray and roast until soft and collapsed (about 45 minutes). You can roast the garlic bulbs at the same time. When the yams are tender, cool slightly and remove skins. Squeeze flesh from the roasted garlic bulbs.
• Halve and seed peppers. Place peppers and whole tomatoes on an oiled baking tray and roast until the skins begin to puff and brown (about 15 minutes). Transfer to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap for 10 minutes. Peel away the skins and set aside.
• Heat vegetable oil in a large soup pot. Add onions and sauté until translucent. Add garlic, spices and herbs and cook until the garlic is golden. Stir in the peele, roasted, and vegetables, the stock and chipotle chiles. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
• Purée the soup until smooth. Whisk in maple syrup, lime juice and season to taste with salt, pepper and more chipotles, if desired. Serve hot.

Helpful Hint:
Great garnishes for this soup:

• roughly chopped roasted pecans
• spiced pecans
• fired whole sage leaves
• flame-roasted pepper salsa
• fried blue & yellow corn tortilla squares

Here is an amazing salad that I first tried this past new years eve, at Dave + Steph’s fantastic party. This last weekend, Dave + Steph hooked me up with the recipe and here it is. The photocopy they gave me was kind of cut off, but I think I got it right.

Grilled Tuna Salad

• 2 pounds fresh tuna steak, 1-inch tick
• good olive oil
• kosher salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• grated zest of 2 limes
• 6 tablespoons – freshly squeezed lime juice (3 limes)
• 1 teaspoon wasabi powder
• 2 teaspoons soy suace
• 10 dashes Tabasco sauce
• 2 firm, ripe Hass avocados, large-diced
• 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup minced scallions, white and green parts (2 scallions)
• 1 to 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

Heat a charcoal grill with hot coals. Brush the grill with oil.

Brush both sides of the tuna with olive oil and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Cook the tuna over the hot coals for about 2 1/2 minutes on each side. Remove to plate. The tuna should be seared on the outside and raw inside. Allow to cool slightly and cut into large bit sized cubes.

(If you don’t want to heat a grill, you can sear the tuna in a dry sauté pan over high heat. Heat the pan for 2 minutes, add the tuna steaks, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until seared on the outside and still raw inside.)

For dressing, in a small bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup of olive oil, the lime zest, lime juice, wasabi powder, soy sauce, Tabasco, 2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Add the avocados in the dressing and then arrange with the bite sized tuna. Top with scallions and sesame seeds.

Today I’ll be spending a relaxing afternoon cooking with R for a birthday dinner that’s happening tonight. We’re going to make a vegetarian meal and the idea of making stuffed eggplant/peppers sounds great. Here are two excellent recipes for stuffed eggplant and peppers.

Individually Stuffed Eggplant
2 small eggplants
1 tsp salt
olive oil
1/2 tsp black pepper
pinch cinnamon
1 yellow onion, finely diced
1/2 green pepper, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp dried oregano
2 tbsp currants or raisins
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
1 tomato, sliced
1 bunch parsley, chopped

0. Pre-heat oven to 350°.
1. Cut eggplant length-wise in half. Cut a regular grid of 1 cm squares into the inner egg plant flesh. Be sure not to cut through the outer skin, but close to it. Fill in cuts with olive oil about 2 tbsp per half. Put in dish, face-up and put in oven for 45 minutes.
2. Heat frying pan, add pine nuts, moving them around for 3-4 minutes until semi-brown then remove.
3. Add 3 tbsp of olive oil to frying pan, heat at medium heat. Add black pepper and cinnamon, stir-fry for 30 seconds.
4. Add onion, stir until semi-soft. Add green pepper, stir until soft. Add garlic, oregano, and raisins, fry for a couple of minutes (about 2). Add toasted pine nuts. Remove from heat.
5. Scoop out flesh of baked egg plant, add to frying pan, breaking egg plant up and mix together. Stuff mixture back into egg plants. Top with sliced tomatoes.
6. Cook for 45 minutes at 350°. Serve with garnished parsley.

Almond-Rice Stuffed Peppers

3 large red or green bell peppers
Boiling water
2 cups cooked brown rice
3/4 cup chopped almonds
2 green onions (including tops) thinly sliced
1 large tomato, peeled, seeded, and chopped
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 tsp each Worcestershire and dry basil
Garlic salt
Pepper

Cut peppers lengthwise through stems; remove steams and seeds. Drop pepper halves into boiling water; boil, uncovered, for 2 minutes, then plunge into cold water and drain well.

Stir together rice, almonds, green onions, tomato, parsley, 1 cup of the cheese, eggs, Worcestershire, basil, and garlic salt and pepper to taste. Mound mixture into pepper shells. Place peppers in a shallow baking pan; sprinkle tops equally with remaining 1/2 cup cheese. If made ahead, cover and refrigerate.

Bake, uncovered, in a 375° oven for about 35 minutes (45 minutes, if refrigerated) or until filling is piping hot. Makes 6 servings.

Per serving: 15 grams protein, 22 grams carbohydrate, 112 milligrams cholesterol, 320 calories.