Tea Smoked Mushrooms

Tea Smoked Mushrooms
Serves 4

1/2 pound assorted mushrooms, washed and dried (include shiitake, chanterelle,
portobello, brown cremini, or garden variety white)
4 large cloves garlic, minced
Olive oil to coat the mushrooms
1 teaspoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
Freshly ground black pepper
3 to 5 chives or scallions greens, chopped
Whole wheat pasta or ramen noodles [or crostini, for serving]

Tea-smoking mixture:
1/2 cup dry rice
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup black tea leaves of your choice, such as Yunnan, Assam, Kenyan or
Keemun
2 tablespoons whole black peppercorns, cracked
1 teaspoon whole coriander seeds
4 slices (about 1 ounce) fresh ginger root
4 cinnamon sticks
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon whole cloves

1. Quarter or halve the mushrooms, depending on their size, into bite-sized
pieces and place in a bowl.  Toss lightly to coat with garlic, olive oil and
soy sauce.  Grind black pepper over them and mix lightly to distribute the pepper evenly.

2. Mix together all of the smoking mixture ingredients.  Line a wok with foil
and place the smoking mixture in a mound in the center of the foil.

3. Set a wire rack in the wok and place a tight-fitting lid on top of the wok.
Heat the wok until wisps of smoke appear when you briefly lift the lid.

4. Reduce the heat under the wok and quickly place the mushrooms on the rack in
the wok.  Replace cover.  Smoke for about 5 minutes.  Remove the mushrooms and
place in a bowl to let stand at room temperature.  Adjust seasoning as needed
with salt and pepper to taste.

5. Top cooked whole wheat pasta or ramen noodles [or toast rounds/crostini]
with the mushrooms and sprinkle the dish with chives or scallion greens. Serve immediately.

Walla Walla Sweet Onion Rings

1 large Walla Walla Sweet onion, sliced into 1/4" rings

1 1/4 cups flour* (gluten free option below)
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 egg or 2 Tbsp. flax seed gel
1 cup almond milk (or alternative)
3/4 cup flax seeds, ground
Olive oil

Slice onion into rings and set aside. In a bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl, stir together egg (or flax seed gel) and almond milk. Grind flax seeds and place in a third bowl.

Dip the onion slices into the flour mixture to coat. Set aside. Then dip into egg/milk batter to coat. Then place on a wire rack to drain until batter stops dripping. Spread the ground flax seeds in a low dish or pie pan. Place the onion rings, one at a time, into the crumbs. Coat well. 

Deep fry in olive oil, turning half way through (2 - 3 minutes). Remove and place on paper towels to blot. Season with additional salt if desired.

Gluten-free option: use your favorite gluten-free flour blend or soy flour or gar/fava bean flour. I used Bob's Red Mill Hearty Whole Grain Bread mix and the flavors were fantastic! The ingredients in the bread mix were buckwheat, garbanzo bean flour, potato starch, cornstarch, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, sorghum flour, tapioca flour, cocoa powder, fava bean flour, molasses, caraway seeds, teff, potato flour, and onion powder. 

I used a skillet with about 1/4" of olive oil on the bottom and quick fried them, turning half way through. If you'd like a lower fat option, they can be baked in the oven instead. 

The caraway and sesame seeds added interesting flavor! 

Serve with your favorite dipping sauce (Veganaise, mustard, tomato paste, tomato chili paste).

Seed Crackers

1 1/2 cups raw sunflower seeds, soaked overnight, drained
1 1/2 cups raw pumpin seeds, soaked overnight, drained
1/2 red onion
1 to 2 stalks celery

1/2 head of garlic cloves

1/2 green jalapeno, minus the seeds

1 1/2 Tbsp (4 1/2 tsp) fresh rosemary

1 red bell pepper (capsicum)

4 carrots

 a handful of parsley

Grind all ingredients in a meat grinder or Champion Juicer. Alternate the seeds with vegetables to help blend mixture. Add sea salt to taste. Mix well (use hands).

Drop by spoonfuls onto a baking stone and heat in a dehydrator until crisp on top. Turn and continue to dry until crisp and completely dry.

If you don't have a dehydrator, use an oven heated on low, turn off heat and dry crackers. Continue process (remove crackers; reheat oven; add crackers to dry; etc.).

Chilled Strawberry Soup

May is the month of strawberries! 

The Urban Dictionary defines strawberry thus: 

Strawberry

(n) A delicious fruit and despite being called a "berry" it can be quite large. Strawberries typically are very tart and sweet. They are recognizable due to their red heart-like shape and its many visible seeds covering its outside.

The more proper definition can be found on dictionary.com. It says this:

straw·ber·ry

   [straw-ber-ee, -buh-ree] 

noun, plural straw·ber·ries.

1.

the fruit of any stemless plant belonging to the genus Fragaria,  of the rose family, consisting of anenlarged fleshy receptacle bearing achenes on its exterior. See illus. under achene.

2.

the plant itself.

Origin: 
before 1000; Middle English; Old English strēawberige.

No matter how you define it, the strawberry is a tasty morsel of delight! It can be used as a garnish, for dessert, and even as the first course for an afternoon tea party. 

Here's a recipe for {Cold Strawberry Soup} that looks so pretty in a clear glass bowl that contains it for tea time.

{Chilled Strawberry Soup}

• Puree 2 pints of hulled strawberries, 1/4 peeled cucumber, 2 tablespoons parsley, and 2 tablespoons of cilantro. Remove from blender and gently stir in a pint of hulled and chopped strawberries, 2 tablespoons parsley, 2 tablespoons cilantro, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, and salt to taste. Chill until very cold. Spoon into individual bowls and garnish with a strawberry rose and sliced green onions.

An Apple-a-Day Pesto

The neighborhood is busy with apple harvest. Pickers are filling bins with juicy, red, Fuji apples. The bins fill the back of semi-trucks who haul them to a nearby packing plant. There's nothing like a tree ripened Fuji apple! Its juicy water-core indicates a sweet and ripe apple. Our friendly neighbors are generous with their apples, so it is a perfect time of year to prepare foods with this delicious fruit!

An Apple-a-Day Pesto

1 1/2 cups basil leaves, fresh
1 cup parsley, fresh
1 cup Fuji apple, cored and quartered
1/4 cup almonds
3/4 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. apple juice concentrate
1 tsp. lemon juice, fresh
1 tsp. lemon zest, fresh
3 Tbsp. olive oil

Place basil, parsley, apple, almonds, and salt in food processor. Pulse until coarsely chopped. Stop pulsing and add apple juice concentrate, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Pulse food processor and then slowly drizzle olive oil into mixture. When blended, place pesto in a serving bowl.

Serve with apple slices, crusty slices of bread, and crackers. If you like to double-dip, add a bowl of peanut butter!

Enjoy!

Falafels

2 cups soaked garbanzos (cooked)
1/2 cup cold water
1 clove garlic
2 Tbsp. parsley
1/4 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. salt
1 cup savory crumbs OR 1/2 cup whole wheat bread crumbs OR gluten-free bread crumbs
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1 Tbsp. oil
2 drops butter flavoring

Measure 1 1/3 cup chopped garbanzos and place in bowl. Measure 2/3cup garbanzos, add water, and put with chopped garbanzos. Chop garlic. Add seasoning and mix. Mix bread crumbs, yeast, oil, and butter flavoring in small bowl. Form patties and roll in bread mix. Place patties on baking pan and cover with foil. Bake at 350 degreesfor 30 minutes. Serve in pita bread (or gluten free alternative).

Vegetarian Egg Rolls

1 package egg roll wrappers

2 carrots -- shredded

3 cups shredded cabbage

1 8 oz. can bamboo shoots -- slivered

6 green onions -- chopped

8 mushrooms -- chopped

2 cups bean sprouts

2 stalks celery -- chopped

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 pound frozen and reconstituted tofu* -- crumbled

2 tablespoons soy sauce or Tamari sauce

oil for frying

Heat oil in a skillet or wok. Add celery, carrots, and mushrooms. 

Stir-fry 2-3 minutes. Add cabbage, sprouts, bamboo shoots, and onion 

to stir-fry. Cook an additional 1-2 minutes. Add soy sauce to pan, 

crumble tofu and add to pan. Cook until liquid evaporates. Cool 

filling to room temperature. Fill egg roll wrappers with about 2 

tablespoons of filling each. Deep fry or pan fry until lightly browned.

*For a gluten-free version, use rice wraps instead of egg roll wrappers.  You may need to use two or three to add strength; simply layer.

A-Plus Artichoke Dip

1/2 lb. fresh spinach, large stems removed (or 10 oz. frozen spinach, thawed)
2 garlic cloves, minced
15 oz. canned white beans, drained
1 bunch green onions, sliced
1 pinch cayenne pepper (or 1/2 tsp. hot pepper sauce)
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
16 oz. canned artichoke hearts, drained and finely chopped

Wash the spinach, then cook until wilted.  Drain and place in blender.  Add cloves, beans, onion, cayenne, and lemon juice.  Puree until smooth.  Place in a bowl and stir in artichoke hearts.  Garnish with grape tomatoes and mint leaves.

Serve with pita wedges or crackers.

Tempura Batter

1 1/2 cups chickpea (garbanzo) flour*

1 1/2 tsp. salt (scant)

1/4 - 1/2 tsp. cayenne

1 1/2 tsp. turmeric

1/2 tsp. - 1 tsp.  ground cumin 

1 1/2 cups water (or mineral water)

Mix the flour and seasonings together.  Add half the water and 

whisk slowly. Then add remaining water. 

Heat oil to 370 degrees F.  Dip raw vegetables, like onions, carrots, 

cauliflower, broccoli, and okra, in batter.  It is best if the vegetables

are of uniform size. Immediately drop into oil. Cook for 2 - 4 minutes, 

until golden brown. Remove from oil with a slotted spoon and set on 

a paper towel lined plate. 

*Gar/Fava bean flour can also be used.  It is a combination of 

garbanzo and fava bean flours. 

**If the temperature is right, most of the oil will not be absorbed into 

the batter when cooking.

Curried Pineapple and Dried Fig Salsa

1 cup dried whole figs, stemmed (about 6 ounces)
1 teaspoon curry powder
Pinch of crushed red pepper, or to taste
1 1/4 cups water, or as needed
1 3/4 cups diced fresh pineapple or 20-ounce can pineapple chunks in juice, not drained
3 tablespoons unsweetened coconut chips or shavings


Combine figs, curry powder, crushed red pepper and water in a medium saucepan. (If using canned pineapple, use the pineapple liquid to cook the figs, adding water if necessary to measure 1 1/4 cups.) Bring to a boil. Cover and cook over low heat until the figs are softened and plumped, 15 to 20 minutes, depending on their dryness. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the figs to a cutting board, leaving the liquid in the pan. When cool enough to handle, cut into quarters and transfer to a medium bowl.


Add pineapple to the liquid in the pan. Return to a simmer over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is reduced and the pineapple is well coated, about 5 minutes. Add the pineapple mixture to the figs; stir to combine.


Heat a small skillet over medium-low heat. Add coconut and toast, stirring, until golden, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir the coconut into the fruit. Serve the salsa warm, at room temperature or chilled.


Makes about 3 cups.

Radish and Cilantro Relish

Radish and Cilantro Relish

2 cups radishes, thinly sliced
3 tbsp. orange juice
2 tbsp. fresh cilantro, finely snipped
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup onion, chopped
2 tbsp. lime juice
2 tbsp. olive oil
Dash red pepper flakes

Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Then cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Makes 3 cups of relish.

Cauliflower Pakoras

Cauliflower Pakoras

1 medium cauliflower
1/2 - 3/4 cup water
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 pinch cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1 1/2 cups garbanzo flour
1 teaspoon salt
good pinch garlic powder
1 t garam masala powder

Divide cauliflower into flowerets. Combine flour and spices and mix with water to a thick pancake mixture. Dip cauliflower pieces in batter. Deep fry until golden.

Tofu Almond Olive Dip

Tofu Almond Olive Dip

1/2 pound extra-firm tofu

1 tsp. honey

1 Tbsp. Bragg's Liquid Aminos

6 almonds

8 black olives

1/4 cup onion, chopped

1/2 cup parsley, chopped

Dash of salt

Dash of garlic powder

1 Tbsp. onion powder

Dash of cayenne

2 sun-dried tomatoes

1/4 cup nutritional yeast

1 - 2 Tbsp. water

Blend ingredients together until smooth and creamy. Some texture is

desired if you like chunky dips. Enjoy!

California Rolls

Sushi rice, cooked and cooled
1 to 2 thin long fresh carrots
8 to 10 fresh long green beans
2 tablespoons vegetable stock
3 to 4 fresh shiitake mushrooms
1/2 cup fresh peas
1 small avocado
1 package (10 sheets) nori seaweed
tamari sauce
rice vinegar or lemon juice
wasabi

1. Set the cooked rice aside.

2. Scrape carrots, slice thinly into long strips.

3. Remove ends from beans and slice large ones in half lengthwise.

4. Place carrots and beans in microwave safe dish or bowl, add broth. Cover. Microwave on high 2 to 3 minutes. Do not overcook.

5. Slice mushrooms into strips and add to carrots and beans. Add peas. Cover. Microwave on high 1 minute.

6. Remove vegetables from liquid to a plate and sprinkle with a tad bit of rice vinegar. Set aside to cool.

7. Place a sheet of nori on a bamboo sushi rolling mat, lining up the shortest edge with the bottom of the mat.

8. Spread enough rice mixture, about 1 cup of it, over the nori sheet, leaving a 2" edge at the top.

9. Place the vegetable strips plus slices of avocado in rows in the middle of the rice, making 1 neat row of vegetables.

10.Roll the mat, guiding the vegetables as needed. Squeeze mat to secure ingredients. Unroll. Wrap with waxed paper and set aside while you roll more.

11.When ready to slice, place on cutting board and using a very sharp heavy slicing knife, cut into slices about 1 inch.

12.Garnish with tidbits of ginger, onion, wasabi, and serve with soy sauce, rice vinegar, and any other desired dipping sauces.

Pakoras

2/3 cup chickpea flour
5 Tbsp cold water
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp cumin powder
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp ground cardamom
1/2 cup chopped onions
1/2 cup potato, peeled and finely chopped
2 Tbsp chopped cilantro
1 tsp salt
pinch of saffron

Mix chickpea flour and baking soda together.  Add cold water slowly and stir until just moistened.  Add the remaining
ingredients and mix until blended.  Do not overmix.  Drop by tablespoonful into hot oil. Fry on both sides until  golden
brown.

May use as a batter for fresh veggies like zucchini, broccoli, or onions.

Beth's Veggie Eggrolls

1 package rice paper wraps (about 15)
1 cup fresh bean sprouts (optional)
1 Tbsp olive or peanut oil
2 to 3 Tbsp finely minced garlic
1 med onion, finely chopped
3 Tbsp (45 ml) olive -OR- peanut oil
1 1/2 packages coleslaw mix
(-OR- one small head of green cabbage, finely sliced,
& 2 large carrots, finely grated)
2 tsp salt
1/3 to 1/2 tsp tamari sauce

1. Rinse bean sprouts well and leave standing in large colander.

2. Heat 1 Tbsp oil. Lightly saute onion until soft; add garlic. Continue to saute until onion is clear.

3. Add coleslaw mix/cabbage-carrot mix. If need be, before adding, chop up larger pieces that may be in mixture. Toss together with onion & garlic. Add salt & soy sauce. Heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is softened and about half original volume.

4. At this point, it's a good idea to taste the mixture. It should have a slight salty taste. If not, add more salt or soy sauce (depending on amount of liquid in pan).

5. Once cabbage mixture is softened, pour into large colander on top of bean sprouts (this heat will soften them, but not too much). Let the mixture drain for a while (about an hour is best if you have the time) to allow excess oil and soy sauce to drain off so eggrolls won't become soggy before cooking.

6. Place 1 to 2 heaping tablespoons of mixture into eggroll wrap. Wrap according to directions on package, making sure to moisten wrap to make sure they stick together.

7. You can either deep fry or bake these. Deep fry them in clean, hot oil until golden.

8. Drain well and enjoy!

NOTE:

These can also be frozen after they're cooked & then reheated. Layer the eggrolls in a single layer to freeze them (on a cookie sheet is best), then place in freezer bags to keep them. They will keep up to a month or so at a time.

When ready to reheat, remove from the freezer & allow them to thaw almost totally. Place them in a 375 F oven and heat for about 15 minutes total, turning them once about halfway through the heating time. They crunch right back
up for you.

Chinese Fried Walnuts

6 cups water
4 cups walnut halves
1/2 cup sugar extra light olive oil
salt

1. In 4 qt. saucepan over high heat, boil water, add walnuts. Heat to boiling & cook 1 minute. Rinse walnuts in hot water. Drain.

2. In large bowl, add walnuts, sugar & stir. Let sit 5 min. until sugar dissolves.

3. In same saucepan ( rinsed & dried,) over med. heat, heat one inch of oil. to 350 on thermometer. With slotted spoon, add 1/2 walnuts to oil; fry 5 min. or until golden, stirring often.

4. With slotted spoon, place in coarse sieve over bowl to drain. Sprinkle lightly with salt. Toss lightly to keep from sticking. Transfer to paper towel & repeat with other 1/2. Store in tight containers (keeps well.)