What I Miss Monday 6

Today’s post was originally supposed to feature coconut, but as I revealed yesterday, I recently bought some flaked coconut, much to my delight. One thing I’ve wanted for a number of recipes, but haven’t been able to find, is . . .

Cilantro

[Source]

A staple of Indian and Southwestern cuisine, cilantro is one of my most used herbs at home, alongside parsley and basil. When I made curried veggies this weekend, I could tell something was missing—and that something was cilantro. Then, for tonight’s dinner, I made the following recipe I dreamed up last week, which was delicious, but would have been admittedly better with some fresh cilantro.

Caribbean Coconut Beans & Rice

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 cup long-grain brown rice, soaked overnight and cooked

1 cup black, kidney, or pinto beans, soaked overnight and cooked

1 large sweet potato

1 cup sweet corn kernels

2 large tomatoes, diced

1 large green bellpepper, diced

4 scallions, chopped

1 orange, segmented and chopped

½ cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped

1 large banana, sliced

Toasted flaked coconut

For the dressing

¼ cup orange juice

1 Tbs. safflower oil or other neutral oil

1 Tbs. lime juice

1 Tbs. minced garlic

2 tsp. cumin

¼ tsp. cinnamon

1/8 tsp. allspice

Salt & pepper to taste

Directions

1. Microwave or roast the sweet potato until tender, but not too soft. Chop into ½-inch pieces.
2. To make the dressing, whisk together all ingredients, and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, combine all the rice, beans, sweet potato, sweet corn, tomatoes, bellpepper, scallions, orange, and cilantro. Mix together well, and add dressing, drizzling it on evenly and stirring everything a second time.
4. To serve, divide mixture amongst four plates, topping with banana slices and toasted coconut as desired.

Instead of orange and banana, try adding mango, pineapple, or other tropical fruits of your choice!

Cilantro

Behold the Beast!

Well, today’s back-on-track intentions were successful, and I’m feeling relatively better as a result, physically and emotionally. Of course, I always feel fabulous after devouring salad beasts!

Adzuki beans, cucumbers, beets, tomato, craisins, walnuts, almonds, and parsley all on a bed of romaine lettuce and accompanied by a side of wheatberries (not pictured). And of course, I had a square of dark chocolate for dessert. <3

Even when I’m eating alone, even when I’m in a hurry, I always try to consider presentation—treating the eyes to a visual feast, per se. It’s an easy way of making even a simple salad seem special, gourmet, worthy of a pampered princess.

Tonight’s dinner was just a repeat from yesterday, and as promised, I’m here to share a fabulous recipe that blew my taste buds away, mostly thanks to . . . toasted flaked coconut! I found a small bag of it on sale last week at the organic grocery I frequent, and considering I’d been craving coconut since mid-May, naturally I added it to my shopping basket without blinking.

Indian Rice Pilaf

Based on traditional biryani, but without the frying.

Serves 4

1 cup dry brown long-grain or basmati rice, soaked overnight and cooked

4 scallions, chopped

½ cup whole roasted almonds or cashews

¼ cup raisins

¼ cup toasted flaked coconut

¼ cup fresh parsley or cilantro, finely chopped

Salt & pepper to taste

Just mix all the ingredients in a large bowl and serve! Tasty warm or cold.

Seriously, this pilaf is more like rice pudding--it is naturally sweet thanks to the raisins and coconut. I ate around it the entire meal and saved it for last, just like a proper dessert! It would also make a tasty breakfast with a dash of cinnamon and some coconut milk!

Frustrations

I feel I can rightfully claim that I’m adept in the kitchen. I know the difference between dice and chop; I can caramelize onions, cook perfect quinoa, and even wield a maki roll mat with ease; and when I’ve a bunch of random ingredients lurking in the crisper, I can throw together a tasty dish without consulting a recipe. All in all, I am confident in my culinary skills.

Every once in a while, though, I experience flops, major, minor, or otherwise. For example, my first tofu quiche . . . absolutely inedible, much to my disappointment and frustration. I often tend to take things personally—even kitchen failures will send me into the depths of despair. Well, sort of. I’m being ever-so-slightly dramatic.

Today, I had planned on sharing a recipe I assumed would be a delicious success—this recipe, in fact. Now, in my defense, I was missing a couple of probably crucial ingredients, namely the ginger and jalapeno, and instead of orange juice, I used fresh orange segments. Plus, of course I didn’t have any tamarind paste, not here in France! All the same, considering the dish contained two of my favourite flavours, peanut butter and curry (however odd that combination might seem), I anticipated a tasty dinner on Thursday night.

Pretty, but nothing extraordinary in the flavour department, sadly.

The actual result, while not inedible, was rather disappointing. Granted, as I mentioned, I was forced to make a few alterations, and perhaps if I’d followed the recipe exactly, my palate would have been much better pleased. Nevertheless, in this case, I find myself doubting the recipe, in spite of its 4-star rating. Why? It was the sauce, I think—it wasn’t altogether flavourless, but neither the peanut butter nor the curry stood out to me. In short, they cancelled each other out. I personally would have liked more of a peanut-y taste overall, so doubling the sauce may be a solution if I attempt the recipe a second time. But that’s the question, isn’t it: should I bother re-trying the recipe? Especially when I don’t have three key ingredients?

A second frustration concerned the zucchini I added. I really like zucchini, but I’ve come to realize, weirdly enough, that it’s pretty tasteless. I usually steam or sauté it, and still, I cannot seem to bring out its flavour—roasting or grilling? I suppose I’ll just have to wait until July to vanquish that stubborn veggie once and for all! I can’t wait for summertime grilling!

On a slightly different note, I am also ever-so-slightly frustrated with my body at the moment. I have been suffering from killer sugar cravings, and this is a girl who claims to have virtually no sweet tooth! Every once in a while, I don’t mind indulging in a vegan cupcake, but lately, I’ve been snarfing down a few too many vegan chocolate chip cookies and/or dark chocolate squares. Sugar can be addictive—you enjoy just a little bit, and suddenly, you want more. Plus, I can probably attribute these particular cravings to depression, stress, crappy weather, my period, and the fact that I’ve not been sleeping the best.

That’s no excuse, though, so the remainder of those Dr. Lucy’s cookies are going straight into my suitcase—out of sight, out of mind. I will still indulge in daily dark chocolate, but one square after lunch or dinner is sufficient, not four. So, tonight, I’m popping a probiotic, and tomorrow will be a back-on-track detox day. I’m planning a long walk and an extra long yoga practice, lots of water and green tea, overnight oats (as per usual) for breakfast, a hearty salad beast for lunch, and a repeat of tonight’s tasty dinner:

Leftover Makeshift Macrobiotic Adzuki Beans & Sweet Potatoes, curried mixed vegetables (eggplant, tomato, and cauliflower), and the most delicious brown rice pilaf, thanks to an extra special ingredient–I’ll be back tomorrow with the recipe!

Comfort Food

I’m not an emotional eater, but sometimes, when I’m blue, I take great comfort in food—comfort not only in the food itself, but also in the knowledge that I’m nourishing my body, mind, and soul, especially when one (or all) of those three categories is in need of a little TLC.

Lately, I’ve been horribly depressed. I’m BEYOND ready to go home, but I still have another 2 weeks or so before my departure. I’m antsy; my head is in the clouds; I make (and remake) detailed lists concerning exactly what I am going to do, eat, and enjoy upon returning to good ol’ Iowa. I recognize this is definitely an OCD behaviour that is far from healthy, and while it’s certainly not helping alleviate my homesickness, it’s helping me cope. Sort of.

Despite my depression, I’m still trying to maintain good health. I find my appetite has all but altogether disappeared, but I fuel my body regardless, relying on favourite foods and flavours to make meals as appealing as possible. Cooking has always been rather Zen for me—chopping veggies over and over becomes something of a physical mantra, and stirring stews is almost like tracing hypnotic patterns in sand gardens.

This is where my appreciation for macrobiotics comes in. Several months ago, I read The Hip Chick’s Guide to Macrobiotics by Jessica Porter, and it changed my life. At the time, I’d been struggling with psychological residue related to a 3-year battle with negative body image and disordered eating patterns (that’s a story for another post). Macrobiotics offered a sense of peace where chaos had reigned for so long, far too long, and as I began chewing bowls of brown rice 50 times per mouthful, I suddenly found myself feeling amazingly balanced, which is what macrobiotics is all about—establishing equilibrium between Yin and Yang, the two energies that govern everything in the universe, including food. Perhaps this sounds a little New Age-y to you, but in fact, it is grounded in ancient philosophy. Whatever you believe, I encourage you to do a little research—read Ms. Porter’s book or just do a quick Google search. It’s really quite intriguing.

Now, I don’t agree with every aspect of macrobiotics. For example, I refuse to eliminate nightshade vegetables (eggplant, tomatoes, bell peppers, and potatoes) from my diet, and I simply cannot limit my fruit intake to one serving per day. However, I do agree with eating lots of leafy greens, beans, and whole grains and with chewing food thoroughly for optimal digestion. Here in France, one thing I’ve missed desperately is kale. My first week here, I was able to find (and relish in) some organic bok choy, but since then, I’ve relied solely upon romaine salads where greens are concerned. It’s kind of sad, actually. But at least, I’ve consistently had beans and whole grains.

Today, to help ease my depression (even the slightest bit), I decided to cook a macrobiotic classic, Adzuki Beans & Winter Squash. Of course, I don’t have any kombu here, and winter squash is both out-of-season and unavailable in France, so I substituted sweet potatoes, definitely one of my personal comfort foods.

Makeshift Macrobiotic Adzuki Beans & Sweet Potatoes

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 cup dry adzuki beans

2 sweet potatoes, cubed into 1-inch pieces (about 2 cups)

½ tsp. salt

1 Tbs. soy sauce, tamari, or shoyu

4 scallions, chopped, to serve

Toasted sesame seeds, to serve

Directions

1. Place adzuki beans in large saucepan, and cover with water. Let soak at least 8 hours, or overnight. Drain.
2. Cover the beans with fresh water, put a lid on pan, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, for about 25 minutes. Add chopped sweet potato and salt. Simmer, covered, 25 minutes more, or until potatoes are soft. Stir in soy sauce, and sprinkle with green onions and sesame seeds. Serve with brown rice and lightly steamed or blanched vegetables of choice.

A complete macrobiotic meal with the adzuki beans & sweet potato dish (you can hardly see the beans in this picture, but they are there, I swear), brown rice, and steamed cauliflower and zucchini. The only addition that would have rounded out the meal: a bowl of miso soup.

Adzuki Beans

Three Blissful Bowls

Three Blissful Bowls

When it comes to meals, I have a strange preference for eating out of bowls. It’s not that I dislike plates. I guess I just find bowls more aesthetically pleasing—there is something comforting about the rounded shape, and perhaps, this sense of “comfort” is derived from the correlation between bowls and soups and/or my passion for breakfast. Indeed, today’s first bowl was at breakfast . . . but exactly what that included will just have to wait until Monday. It’s a surprise!

Lunch was served in, you guessed it, another bowl (or technically the same bowl since I only have one here in France), and it was something of a tribute to Whole Foods’ salad bar. OMG, if ever I concoct a true salad beast, it’s at Whole Foods. Of course, today, I couldn’t choose from oodles of options, but I was content nonetheless with the flavours I combined in the following recipe.

Walnut-Wheatberry Bowl with Cumin-Spiced Carrots, Beets, & Basil

Serves 4 as a main, 6-8 as a side

Ingredients

1 cup dry wheatberries, soaked overnight and cooked

8 medium cooked beets, cut into quarters

8 medium carrots, halved lengthwise then cut into 1-inch long pieces

¼ cup raisins

1 Tbs. olive oil

1 tsp. cumin powder

Salt & pepper to taste

1 cup roasted walnuts

Chopped fresh basil, to serve

Directions

1. Steam the carrots until just tender. Allow to cool. In a bowl, combine cooked carrots, raisins, oil, cumin, salt, and pepper, tossing well.
2. To serve, divide cooked wheatberries equally amongst four bowls, followed by the carrot mixture to one side of the bowl and the beets to the other. Sprinkle chopped basil onto the beets. Top everything with ¼ cup walnuts and, if desired, an extra drizzle of olive oil.

 

At first, I was worried that cumin and basil would not complement each other at all, but the combination is quite fabulous, actually! This week, I’ve been devouring basil like crazy, not only in an Italian culinary context as Monday’s post revealed, but also in an Asian-fusion context.

Broccoli Buddha Bowl with Oranges & Caramelized Shallots

Inspired by this recipe

Note: I originally tried using sweet potato, but I wasn’t a fan. Shoyu and sweet potato just don’t mix very well for me. Feel free to add it, though, if you so desire.

ALSO: I noticed that any leftovers, oddly enough, don’t taste as great the next day. Usually, a little overnight marinating makes cold salads even tastier, as the flavours can meld, but I definitely preferred this meal the day I made it. Perhaps it was just my imagination, though.

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 cup dry adzuki beans, soaked overnight and cooked*

1 cup dry long-grain brown rice, soaked overnight and cooked**

12 shallots, cut widthwise into rings

4-6 garlic cloves, coarsely minced

1 Tbs. olive oil

1 head of broccoli, crowns removed and separated into bite-sized pieces, stems chopped

2 oranges, segmented then cut into fourths

½ cup coarsely chopped basil

2 Tbs. soy sauce, tamari, or shoyu

1 Tbs. brown rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar

1 Tbs. toasted sesame oil

Pepper to taste

Toasted sesame seeds & fresh basil leaves to garnish

*To correctly cook adzuki beans, see here.

**To correctly cook long-grain brown rice, see here.

Directions

1. In a skillet on high heat, allow the shallots and garlic to sauté in olive oil for about 10 minutes or until golden brown.
2. Meanwhile, steam the broccoli until slightly tender and bright green. Allow to cool. Then, in a large bowl, combine broccoli, oranges, adzuki beans, chopped basil, soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, and pepper to taste.
3. To serve, first divide cooked rice equally amongst four bowls. Add broccoli mixture, again divided equally, and then top with caramelized shallots. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds, and garnish with fresh basil leaves if desired.

Beet

Broccoli

Middle Eastern Feasts!

Friday nights are ME nights. After a week’s worth of classes, I enjoy nothing quite so much as a quiet evening at home, a delicious dinner, a soothing bubble bath, and perhaps a movie or a game of Scrabble (or both!) with my lover. Here in France, I’m no different—Friday evenings offer recuperation after 20 hours of French classes, plus constant immersion and subsequent brain-frying. Since I have very few luxuries here (i.e., those beloved bubble baths!), I try to pamper myself in other ways, such as cooking myself a really tasty, gratifying meal.

The other day, I mentioned how hot it’s been; well, the last couple of days, it’s been almost COLD again. French weather is very variable. In turn, I’m relying on the age-old balance between warming spices (such as ginger, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, and curry) and cooling condiments found in Middle Eastern cuisines. So, I’ve come bearing 2 recipes I’ve enjoyed on two respective Fridays last month.

Sweet-&-Savoury Moroccan Tagine Twist!

Adapted from this recipe

I re-designed this recipe to be super quick, so if you prefer a soupier (and thus more traditional) tagine, add 1 cup vegetable broth and let the vegetables simmer for 15-20 minutes.

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 cups cooked chickpeas

4 medium-sized carrots, cut into thin coins

1 onion, diced, or ½ large leek, chopped

8 plum tomatoes, chopped

1 large sweet potato

¼ cup raisins

1-2 Tbs. freshly minced garlic

1 tsp. cumin

½ tsp. coriander

¼ tsp. cinnamon

Salt  & pepper to taste

¼ cup finely chopped parsley or cilantro

Directions

1. Using a fork, poke several holes into the sweet potato before microwaving it for 3-5 minutes or until it becomes slightly soft, but still somewhat firm on the inside as well. Chop into ½-inch pieces.
2. In a skillet on high heat, sauté the minced garlic and diced onion in 2 tsp. olive oil until translucent, about 1 minute. Add the carrots, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, and spices, stirring well to combine, and then lower the heat to Medium, allowing the vegetable mix to simmer until the carrots can be easily pierced by a fork. Stir in the chickpeas, raisins, and chopped parsley or cilantro, and cook for another minute or so.
3. Serve immediately, with steamed brown rice and vegan cucumber raita.

The Simplest Vegan Cucumber Raita Ever

Serves 4-6

Middle Eastern dishes often complement a hot spicy dish with the cool tang of raita, a yoghurt-based condiment. There are several variations, but this is truly as basic as it gets.

Ingredients

1 cup plain vegan yoghurt (A good brand in the States is Whole Soy & Co.)

½ cup finely diced cucumber

Just combine the ingredients—simple as that! Keep the raita chilled as long as possible before serving.

I didn't use any raita here because, unfortunately, I didn't have any cucumbers that day.

And now, for the second recipe, which was very, very loosely based on this recipe.

Turkish Eggplant Stir-Fry with Dates & Pistachios

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 cups cooked chickpeas

1 large eggplant

1 large sweet potato

8 plum tomatoes, chopped

1 onion, diced, or ½ large leek, chopped

1-2 Tbs. freshly minced garlic

2 tsp. coriander

½ tsp. cinnamon

¼ tsp. nutmeg

12 dried dates, pitted & halved

¼ cup finely chopped parsley or cilantro

Salt & pepper to taste

Roasted pistachio nuts to serve

Directions

1. Halve eggplant lengthwise and sprinkle each side with a pinch of salt, which will bring out subtle flavour and help maintain the eggplant’s shape when it cooks. Allow it to sit for at least 30 minutes before coarsely chopping it. In the meantime, with a fork, poke several holes into the sweet potato and then microwave for 3-5 minutes or until slightly soft, but still discernibly firm on the inside. Cut into ½-inch pieces.
2. In a skillet on high heat, sauté the garlic and onion in 2 tsp. olive oil until translucent, about 1 minute. Add the eggplant. Sauté on high for another minute, then reduce the heat to low, adding the chickpeas, sweet potato, coriander, and dates. Allow to simmer for 4-5 minutes.
3. Once the eggplant is nicely browned and you notice the dates beginning to caramelize slightly, quickly stir in the parsley and then remove the skillet from the stovetop. Serve immediately, garnished with the pistachios and accompanied by steamed brown rice and vegan raita.

Hoorah for raita!

What I Miss Monday 2

This week I’ve been missing . . .

Japanese cuisine

I’ve been avidly eating Japanese food since before I was born—yes, when my Mum was pregnant with me, she frequented a Japanese restaurant in Omaha that would later become my favourite childhood restaurant. It’s weird to think about it, but literally, my fetus thrived on miso soup, seaweed, tempura, teriyaki, California roll, and sushi.

Now, where curry excites me and warms my insides, Japanese calms and cools me down. It’s been quite warm here as of late, and in turn, I haven’t really wanted to eat anything cooked, so I’ve been eating a lot of salads, including . . .

Super Simple Japanese Seaweed Salad

I splurged on a package of mixed sea vegetables because, well, they’re delicious and nutritious, and my body was really craving their cooling energy.

Back home, I usually reconstitute dried seaweed because it's much cheaper. Seaweed is expensive--hence, an occaisional treat. This WAY-TOO-TINY package contained dulse, nori, and sea lettuce.

Ingredients

Serves 1-2

1 cup pre-prepared or rehydrated seaweed

¾ cup cucumber, thinly coined then cut into strips

1 Tbs. soy sauce, tamari, or shoyu

1/2 Tbs. brown rice vinegar

1 tsp. toasted sesame oil

Toasted sesame seeds to garnish

Essentially, combine all ingredients and garnish with roasted sesame seeds when ready to serve.

Eaten with chopsticks, of course!

Seaweed is a MAJOR superfood packed with phytochemicals. I make it whenever I feel:

1)   that I haven’t eaten enough vegetables lately. And yes, even as a vegan, I sometimes don’t get my daily recommendations for produce—like last Monday, dinnertime rolled around, and I was rather horrified when I realized I’d only consumed 3 servings of veggies that day, when I usually aim for 7-9!

2)   that my body needs a detox. For example, a couple of days ago, I ate a few too many dried dates, which I absolutely adore, but whose sugars my body sometimes cannot handle, especially when I eat 2 servings in one sitting. I literally crashed on my bed for an hour afterward and sort of napped until the sugar high wore off. Lesson learned, detox the next day.

3)   that I am “internally imbalanced” and require the salty Yang of sea vegetables to recenter myself. I’m a huge proponent of Macrobiotics, a diet philosophy based on Zen that explores the balance of Yin and Yang in food. It’s really quite intriguing, and I will inevitably discuss it more in-depth in future posts, but for now, if you’re interested, you can learn more about it here.

4)   whenever I make homemade vegan nori rolls! Oh, I miss my kitchen!

Despite not really wanting warm foods, I did make a delicious stir-fry last week, and while not necessarily Japanese, it can perhaps qualify as “Asian fusion,” blending elements of Chinese and Thai cuisine. Multiple sources inspired this particular—an old, old, old Jane Fonda recipe, this recipe, and this recipe. Essentially, you can add any vegetables you want; had I the resources, I would also have included snow peas, shiitake or straw mushrooms, and, most importantly, baby corn!

Asian Apricot-Almond Stir-Fry

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 16-oz block extra-firm tofu, pressed & drained*

2 medium eggplants, coarsely chopped

½ lb. fresh green beans, ends trimmed

½ cup chopped scallions, green & white segments

8 dried apricots, coarsely chopped

1-2 Tbs. freshly minced garlic

1 Tbs. olive oil

½ cup packed fresh basil leaves

2-3 Tbs. soy sauce, tamari, or shoyu

2 Tbs. brown rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar

Cracked black pepper & red pepper flakes to taste

Roasted almonds & toasted sesame seeds, to serve

Directions

*First off, if you’ve never cooked with tofu, here’s a little crash course for you, Tofu 101. There are 3 main types of tofu textures—extra-firm, firm, and silken. Silken is best used for smoothies, desserts, and vegan omelets. Firm works very well for tofu scrambles. And extra-firm, well, is perfect for essentially everything else since it doesn’t crumble as easily. In order to ensure the firmest texture possible, you must first “drain” the tofu. How? Easy. Place the block of tofu between two plates and put something heavy (for example, some ridiculously large college textbooks, which, from personal experience, work very well!) on the top plate. Wait 30 minutes to 1 hour before removing the weight and dumping the pool of water that has congregated on the bottom plate into the sink.

Now, you’re all ready to wok and roll!

1. Heat oil in a skillet over high heat. Add garlic and scallions, and sauté until slightly translucent. Add eggplant, green beans, and ¼ cup water or vegetable broth, steaming the vegetables until the green beans become tender.
2. Add tofu, dried apricots, soy sauce, and vinegar, stirring frequently for another 1-2 minutes. Add basil leaves, and cook until just wilted. If you’d like a bit of spiciness, sprinkle ¼ tsp. red pepper flakes into the mix and stir well to combine.
3. Serve garnished with roasted almonds and toasted sesame seeds and accompanied by brown rice.

Seriously, if I could get away with it, I'd eat with chopsticks ALL THE TIME.

Sea Vegetable