Live Moo Shu (courtesy of Jennifer Murray)
This flavorful combination of napa cabbage, fennel, and the sea vegetable hijiki is one of our all-time favorites when combined with our live hoisin sauce—a sweet and flavorful rendition of the Chinese cuisine staple.
4 cups napa cabbage, sliced into 1/2-inch strips
1 cup carrot, peeled and julienned or grated
1/2 red bell pepper, ribbed, seeded, and julienned
1 small shallot, thinly sliced
2 cups shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced (or soaked dried black mushrooms)
1/2 large fennel bulb, julienned (optional)
3 Tbsp. sesame oil
3 Tbsp. nama shoyu
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup hijiki seaweed, soaked in warm water for 30 minutes
1 cup raisins
1 1/4 cups filtered water
1 tsp. garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. sesame oil
3/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes (or cayenne)
1 tsp. dulse flakes
1/2 tsp. unpasteurized barley miso
1/2 tsp. stone-ground mustard
16 leaves butterhead lettuce or 8 large chard leaves, stems removed
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the shredded cabbage, carrot, red bell pepper, shallot, mushrooms, fennel (if using), 2 tablespoons of the sesame oil, 1 tablespoon of the nama shoyu, and salt. Allow to marinate for 45 minutes.
- If dehydrating, dehydrate at 110°F for 45 minutes to soften the veggies. Remove, add the hijiki, and toss. Allowing the veggies to sit in the oil for 45 minutes, without dehydrating, will also soften them up a bit.
- Soak the raisins in the water for at least 1 hour. Place in a blender with the soak water.
- Add the remaining 2 tablespoons nama shoyu, garlic, remaining 1 tablespoon sesame oil, crushed red pepper flakes, dulse flakes, barley miso, and mustard and blend for 30 seconds or more, going from low speed to high speed until the raisins are blended smooth.
- To serve Chinese restaurant-style, place the vegetable medley on a plate. Stack the cabbage leaves on another plate and pour hoisin sauce into a small bowl. Tear off the desired size of chard leaf, wrap some veggies in it, and dip in the hoisin sauce.
Makes 16 wraps plus 2 cups sauce
Mark Reinfeld, Author, Vegan Fusion World Cuisine: Healing Recipes and Timeless Wisdom from our Hearts to Yours
& The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Eating Raw (Complete Idiot’s Guide to)
Please visit www.veganfusion.com or www.blossominglotus.com for more information.
November 28, 2008
QUESTION: I want to eat in a healthier way, but am not sure where to begin. Can you offer a few suggestions on how to make the switch?
MARK: We come across this question very often and have found that there are three simple steps you can take to get you on your way.
1. Begin Where You Are
The first step is to look at and accept where you are at with your eating. What is your current food intake? If you wish, keep a food log for a few days to a week. Keep track of everything you eat, including the snacks. This is a powerful practice as you can begin to locate the less than excellent food choices and begin to replace them with more healthful ones. Don’t play the judgment game with yourself. A recent study showed that the simple act of recording what we eat can help us lose weight. Remember the important thing is to take the first step. If your time or inclination does not allow you to keep a food log, that’s ok. Just take a mental note of where you are at right now. Accept that you are at where you are at and that this is the beginning of your journey towards more healthful living.
2. Hold an Intention of a Healthier Life
Hold an intention of creating a healthier, more vibrant you and commit yourself to do what you can to actualize this intention. If you are able to do this, you are 90% of the way there. This is what sets you aside from the 20 others who have given up on trying to improve themselves in this way. Create a vision of yourself of where you would like to be a year from now. What weight would you like to attain? What dress size or cholesterol level? If you feel inspired to write down these intentions, this can be another powerful inspirational tool for you to refer to along the way.
3. Gently Transition From Where You Are To Where You Would Like To Be .
There are many theories surrounding what foods are healthy and what foods are not. Special diets abound, each one proclaiming to be the end all/be all to lose weight, feel great and stay young forever. We would like to suggest that every individual is biophysically unique and what is true for some of us, is not true for others. Your own body and own sense of well being is your best judge. Rigidly trying to adhere to an externally imposed diet is a formula for disappointment and relapse into old ways of eating. In most instances, we recommend taking baby steps, making changes slowly and gradually. (Of course, in some instances, health conditions necessitate dramatic and instantaneous changes to one’s diet and lifestyle.)
We feel people shouldn’t have a deprived feeling when making these changes. There are countless ways of replacing unhealthy food choices with exciting and delicious alternatives.
November 25, 2008
From appetizer to dessert follow the trail each day to a scrumptious, compassionate Vegan Thanksgiving Feast! Each day this week we’ll offer you another recipe or two to add to your holiday menu plan. Make this a Thanksgiving to remember with recipes from Vegan Fusion World Cuisine …recipes that will tantalize your taste buds, stimulate your senses and just plain make you feel good!
Vegan Holiday Menu
( click the links for the entire feast )
Spinach Stuffed Mushrooms ( Monday )
Organic Mixed Green Salad with Toasted Pecan Vinaigrette ( Tuesday )
Blue Corn Crusted Tempeh with Shiitake Mushroom Gravy ( Wednesday )
Acorn Squash with Wild Rice Pilaf ( Thursday )
Cranberry Sauce ( Thursday )
Pumpkin Pie with Dairy-free Maple Whip ( Friday )
Pumpkin Pie with Dairy-free Maple Whip
20 min prep / 1 hour cooking + pumpkin cooking time / 9” pie
1 pre-made 9” Pie Crust
1 medium Pumpkin (1 ¾ C cooked)
¾ C Almond butter
¼ C Soy milk
¼ C Maple syrup
¼ C Sucanat or organic sugar
3 Tbl Molasses
2 Tbl Arrowroot powder
½ tsp Vanilla extract
¼ tsp Cardamom powder
¼ tsp Allspice powder
¼ tsp Nutmeg, ground
1/8 tsp Clove powder
1. Preheat oven to 350°. Cut pumpkin in half and remove the seeds. Place face down on a well oiled or parchment paper lined baking pan. Bake until a knife easily goes through the skin and the flesh of the pumpkin, approximately 45 minutes.
2. Scoop out 1 ¾ C pumpkin, place in food processor or blender with remaining ingredients and process or blend until smooth.
3. Pour mixture into pie crust and bake until top is firm to touch, approximately 1 hour. Filling may puff up and rise above crust line as it bakes. It will fall back down as it cools.
Dairy-free Maple Whip
12.3 oz Silken tofu
3 Tbl Maple syrup or agave nectar, or to taste
2 tsp Lemon juice, fresh squeezed
½ tsp Vanilla extract
Pinch Cardamom powder
Pinch Cinnamon powder
1. Place all ingredients in a food processor or blender and process until smooth.
This concludes of Vegan Thanksgiving Feast series. Enjoy creating your healthy, happy Thanksgiving meal.
Here are the links to all the recipes:
Spinach Stuffed Mushrooms ( Monday )
Organic Mixed Green Salad with Toasted Pecan Vinaigrette ( Tuesday )
Blue Corn Crusted Tempeh with Shiitake Mushroom Gravy ( Wednesday )
Acorn Squash with Wild Rice Pilaf ( Thursday )
Cranberry Sauce ( Thursday )
November 21, 2008
From appetizer to dessert follow the trail each day to a scrumptious, compassionate Vegan Thanksgiving Feast! Each day this week we’ll offer you another recipe or two to add to your holiday menu plan. Make this a Thanksgiving to remember with recipes from Vegan Fusion World Cuisine …recipes that will tantalize your taste buds, stimulate your senses and just plain make you feel good!
Vegan Holiday Menu
( new links will be added each day)
Spinach Stuffed Mushrooms ( Monday )
Organic Mixed Green Salad with Toasted Pecan Vinaigrette ( Tuesday )
Blue Corn Crusted Tempeh with Shiitake Mushroom Gravy ( Wednesday )
Acorn Squash with Wild Rice Pilaf ( Thursday )
Cranberry Sauce ( Thursday )
Pumpkin Pie with Dairy-free Maple Whip ( Friday )
Acorn Squash with Wild Rice Pilaf
30 min prep / 1 hour cooking / 4 servings
2 medium Acorn squash
1 C Wild rice (3 C cooked)
4 C Water or vegetable stock
½ tsp Sea salt
1 Tbl Olive oil
1 medium Onion, diced (1 C)
½ C Celery, chopped
1 Tbl Garlic, minced
1 C Pecans, toasted & chopped
½ C Cranberries, dried
1 Tbl Italian parsley, minced
1 tsp Sage, fresh, minced
1 tsp Rosemary, fresh, minced
1 tsp Thyme, fresh
1 tsp Vegetarian Worcestershire sauce (optional)
2 tsp Soy sauce, or to taste
¼ tsp Crushed red pepper flakes
• Sea salt, to taste
• Black pepper, ground to taste
1. Preheat oven to 375°. Rinse squash well, slice in half, scoop out seeds and place face down on a well oiled baking sheet. Bake until a knife can pass easily through any part of the squash, approximately 45 minutes. Set aside.
2. Place wild rice and 4 C filtered water or stock in a large pot and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to simmer and cook until rice kernels are open and just soft and chewy, approximately 50 minutes. Drain well.
3. While squash and rice are cooking, place oil in a large sauté pan on medium high heat. Add onion, celery and garlic, cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add remaining ingredients and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add water or stock if necessary to prevent sticking. Place in a large bowl with drained wild rice and mix well. Stuff into squash and bake for 10 minutes.
Variations
Substitute roasted chestnuts for pecans. Add ½ C corn and ½ C sliced mushrooms.
Cranberry Sauce
10 min prep / 15 min cooking / 2 ½ cups
4 C Cranberries, fresh or frozen
1 C Filtered water
¼ C Sucanat or organic sugar
¼ C Orange juice, fresh squeezed
2 Tbl Maple syrup or agave nectar
¾ tsp Cinnamon powder
½ tsp Ginger powder
¼ tsp Allspice powder
¼ tsp Nutmeg, ground
Pinch Cardamom powder
¼ C Pecans, chopped (optional)
1. Place cranberries and filtered water in a 3 qt pot over medium heat and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add orange juice, sucanat, maple syrup and cook for 8 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the remaining ingredients, cook for 3 minutes, or until cranberries have “popped” and the sauce thickens.
Variation
For a sweeter version, replace water with fruit juice, such as apple or pear.
The Pumpkin Pie with Dairy-free Maple Whip is coming tomorrow!
Recipes from: Vegan Fusion World Cuisine: Healing Recipes and Timeless Wisdom from our Hearts to Yours
November 20, 2008
From appetizer to dessert follow the trail each day to a scrumptious, compassionate Vegan Thanksgiving Feast! Each day this week we’ll offer you another recipe or two to add to your holiday menu plan. Make this a Thanksgiving to remember with recipes from Vegan Fusion World Cuisine …recipes that will tantalize your taste buds, stimulate your senses and just plain make you feel good!
Vegan Holiday Menu
( new links will be added each day)
Spinach Stuffed Mushrooms ( Monday )
Organic Mixed Green Salad with Toasted Pecan Vinaigrette ( Tuesday )
Blue Corn Crusted Tempeh with Shiitake Mushroom Gravy
Acorn Squash with Wild Rice Pilaf ( Thursday )
Cranberry Sauce ( Thursday )
Pumpkin Pie with Dairy-free Maple Whip ( Friday )
Blue Corn Crusted Tempeh with Shiitake Mushroom Gravy
25 min prep / 20 min cooking / 4 cutlets
16 oz Tempeh, sliced into 4 cutlets
1 Tbl Water
2 tsp Soy sauce
1 recipe Creamy Tahini Marinade (see below)
Crust
1 C Pistachios or Pecans, roasted no salt
½ C Blue corn chips, crumbled
2 Tbl Blue corn meal
1 Tbl Coconut, shredded & toasted, optional
1 tsp Cilantro, minced
½ tsp Cumin
¼ tsp Chili powder
Pinch Crushed red pepper flakes
• Sea salt, to taste
1. Preheat oven to 350°. Place soy sauce and water in a 9” x13” casserole dish, add tempeh cutlets and allow to sit for 5 minutes before flipping. Let sit for another 5 minutes. Prepare Creamy Tahini Marinade and pour over tempeh cutlets. Let sit for at least 20 minutes. Cutlets may also be marinated the day before the dish is prepared. Place dish in the oven and bake for 10 minutes.
2. While tempeh is marinating and baking, place crust ingredients in food processor and process until chopped fine.
3. Remove tempeh from oven, cover liberally with crust mixture, return to oven and bake for an additional 10 minutes. Remove from oven, and serve while hot.
Creamy Tahini Marinade
¾ C Water
1 Tbl Soy sauce
¼ C creamy tahini
1 Tbl freshly squeezed lemon juice
Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and whisk well
Shiitake Mushroom Gravy
10 min prep / 15 min cooking / 3 ½ cups
1 Tbl Olive oil
1 medium Onion, ¼” dice (1 C)
¾ C Shiitake mushrooms, sliced thin
1½ Tbl Garlic, minced
2 C Water or vegetable stock
¼ C Soy sauce, or to taste
Pinch Nutmeg, ground
Pinch Cayenne pepper
Roux
2 Tbl Spelt flour
2 Tbl Olive oil
1 Tbl Filtered water
1. Create a Roux by placing spelt flour in a small bowl. Add 2 Tbl olive oil and 1 Tbl
filtered water and whisk until a thick paste is created. Set aside.
2. Place 1 Tbl of olive oil in a large sauté pan on medium high heat. Add onion and garlic, cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Add mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add remaining ingredients except roux mixture and cook for 5 minutes on low heat, stirring occasionally. Add roux mixture and cook until gravy has a thick consistency, approximately 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
Next recipe for the Vegan Thanksgiving Feast: Acorn Squash with Wild Rice Pilaf
November 19, 2008
From appetizer to dessert follow the trail each day to a scrumptious, compassionate Vegan Thanksgiving Feast! Each day this week we’ll offer you another recipe or two to add to your holiday menu plan. Make this a Thanksgiving to remember with recipes from Vegan Fusion World Cuisine …recipes that will tantalize your taste buds, stimulate your senses and just plain make you feel good!
Vegan Holiday Menu
( new links will be added each day)
Spinach Stuffed Mushrooms ( Monday )
Organic Mixed Green Salad with Toasted Pecan Vinaigrette ( coming Tuesday )
Blue Corn Crusted Tempeh with Shiitake Mushroom Gravy ( Wednesday )
Acorn Squash with Wild Rice Pilaf ( Thursday )
Cranberry Sauce ( Thursday )
Pumpkin Pie with Dairy-free Maple Whip ( Friday )
Spinach Stuffed Mushrooms
25 min prep / 20 min cooking / 12 – 15 mushrooms
12-15 Stuffing mushrooms
1 recipe Lemon Herb Marinade (see below)
1 Tbl Olive oil
¼ C Shallots or onion, minced
½ C Cremini mushrooms, diced
1 large bunch Spinach, steamed & drained to yield ½ C
¼ C Tomato, chopped
1 tsp Basil, minced
1 tsp Italian parsley, minced
1 Tbl Nutritional yeast(optional)
¾ tsp soy sauce (optional)
½ tsp Mirin (optional)
½ tsp Garlic, minced
Pinch Crushed red pepper flakes
• Sea salt, to taste
• Black pepper, ground to taste
3 Tbl Bread crumbs for garnish
3 Tbl Pine nuts, toasted for garnish
1. Preheat oven to 375°. Wipe clean stuffing mushrooms, remove any stems and place in a shallow baking dish with Lemon Herb Marinade for 20 minutes or longer.
2. While mushrooms are marinating, place oil in a small sauté pan on medium high heat. Add shallots and cremini mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add tomatoes and spinach and cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add remaining ingredients, except pine nuts and bread crumbs, mix well and remove from heat.
3. Spoon a small amount of mixture into each mushroom, top with breadcrumbs and pine nuts, bake until mushrooms are slightly soft, approximately 10 minutes. Be careful not to overcook.
Lemon Herb Marinade
1 C water
2 Tbl freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 Tbl soy sauce
1 Tbl minced Italian parsley
Combine all ingredients in a shallow dish and whisk well.
November 17, 2008
Pecan Pie
If you’re a fan of pecan pie, this recipe is bound to satisfy as it bears a striking similarity to the flavor you love without all the refined ingredients.
Yield: 1 (8-in.) pie
Prep Time: 20 minutes
3 1/2 cups pecans
3 1/2 cups pitted dates
1/2 cup raisins, soaked
2 cups filtered water
1/4 cup date/raisin soak water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 cup agave nectar
1. Place 3 cups pecans and 1 1/2 cups dates in a food processor fitted with an S-shaped blade. Blend on high speed for 30 to 40 seconds or until mixture sticks together and runs up the sides without falling into the center. You may need to add more dates.
2. Press crust into a pie pan, making a layer around the bottom and sides at least 1/4-inch thick. (No need to oil the pan.)
3. Place 1 cup dates and raisins in a small bowl with filtered water. Allow to soak for at least 20 minutes.
4. Place remaining 1 cup dates, soaked dates, raisins, 1/4 cup soak water, vanilla extract, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and agave nectar in a blender and blend on high speed until a thick, relatively smooth mixture forms.
5. Pour mixture into the piecrust and layer the top with remaining 1/2 cup pecans. Wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. You want pie chilled so it keeps its form when sliced.
November 14, 2008
BBQ Tempeh Kebabs
For the BBQ Sauce:
1/4 cup barley malt syrup
1/4 cup ketchup
2 Tbsp. safflower oil
2 tsp. raw apple cider vinegar
2 tsp. vegetarian Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. stone-ground mustard
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. liquid smoke
Pinch of cayenne pepper, or to taste
- Combine all the ingredients in a medium-size bowl and whisk well.
To Assemble:
6-8 kebab skewers
8 oz. tempeh, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
1 medium bell pepper, 1 inch dice
1/2 medium red onion, quartered
6-8 medium cherry tomatoes
1 large portobello mushroom, 1 inch cubes
- Place the tempeh and vegetables in the BBQ Sauce bowl, mix well, and allow to marinate for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Decoratively arrange the tempeh and vegetables on the skewers, finishing each with a cherry tomato. Grill until char marks appear and the tempeh and vegetables are cooked through, approximately 15 minutes. Baste with some of the BBQ Sauce while grilling and top with the remaining BBQ sauce before serving.
Makes 6 to 8 kebabs
Mark Reinfeld, Author, Vegan Fusion World Cuisine: Healing Recipes and Timeless Wisdom from our Hearts to Yours & The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Eating Raw
November 13, 2008
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