Jerusalem Artichoke Salad

 

Salad

3 to 4 white turnips, cut into small cubes

4 to 6 Jerusalem artichokes (or sunchokes), cut into small cubes

1 onion, cut lengthwise into thin slices

8 oz green beans, cut into 1 inch lengths

3 to 4 T minced fresh dill

 

Tofu Dressing

1 pound firm tofu

2 T sweet white miso

1 T brown rice vinegar

1 T lemon juice

Spring or filtered water, as needed

 

Bring a pot of water to a boil and boil turnips until just tender.  Drain and set aside.  Repeat with the artichokes, followed by onions, and then green beans.  Toss together and chill.

 

To prepare dressing, puree ingredients in a food processor or blender until smooth, adding enough water to make a creamy consistency.  Mix in desired amount of tofu dressing with vegetables, and add dill to taste.

 

This dressing and salad will keep refrigerated up to 2 days.

 

Utensils: Pot to boil vegetables, spoon to strain vegetables, bowl, food processor, spatula, measuring spoons, cutting board, knife

Tempeh Chicken Salad

 

1 block tempeh, cut into 1 inch squares

3 to 4 T shoyu

Kombu, small piece

1 clove minced garlic, optional

1 stalk celery, diced

2 T red onion or scallions, finely chopped

¼ to ½ cup parsley, finely chopped

1 carrot, grated

2 T olive oil, optional

¼ tsp salt

1 to 3 tsp mustard (to taste)

1/8 tsp turmeric

1 organic dill pickle, minced

½ to 1 cup Tofu Dressing (see above)

 

Cut tempeh into bite-size cubes and place into a pan with water to cover, garlic, kombu, and shoyu and bring to a gentle boil.  Cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Drain, allow to cool, and then crumble into a bowl.  Chop or grate vegetables and add to the bowl.  Toss well with tofu dressing, and remaining ingredients. Serve on green lettuce leaves, or put into pita bread with sprouts.

 

Utensils: Pot w/lid to boil tempeh, spoon to strain tempeh, bowl, food processor, spatula, measuring spoons, cutting board, knife, grater

 

Colorful Pressed Salad

 

½ to 1 sliced cucumber

½ to 1 cup sliced cabbage (green, red, or Napa)

¼ to ½ cup sliced red radishes

1 stalk sliced celery

1 carrot, cut into matchsticks

1 teaspoon sun dried sea salt (or 1/2 tsp. per cup of vegetables)

 

Mix all vegetables with sea salt in a large bowl and gently massage the vegetables until they begin to wilt or sweat, turn shiny, and release liquid. Place a dinner plate (or another bowl) on top of the vegetables inside the bowl to cover. Place a weight such as a garden stone, jug of water, or sack of beans on top of the plate to exert pressure on the vegetables.  Allow the salad to sit under pressure for 30 minutes to one hour, until a significant amount of water is released from the vegetables.  Discard the pressing water before serving, and rinse off the vegetables so that they are not at all salty.  (If you leave overnight, they will become pickles.)

 

Utensils: bowl, cutting board, knife

Onigiri (Brown Rice Balls)

 

Pressure-cooked brown rice

2 cups short grain brown rice

¼  cup of barley

3 to 3 ½ cups water

Sea salt

 

Take two cups of brown rice and the barley and put it into a pressure cooker.   Sort through to take out any stones or husks.  Fill with water and wash the rice gently, turning 3 times.  Drain, and repeat for a total of 3 rinses to carry the dust and starch off the rice.  Add the 3 cups water to the rice, and bring to a gentle boil over a high flame.   Add a pinch of sea salt, put the cover on the pressure cooker and bring to pressure.  When it reaches full pressure, put a flame tamer underneath, turn to low, and cook for an additional 25 minutes.   Turn off the flame and let the pressure come down naturally.

 

Onigiri (Brown Rice Balls)

2 sheets of nori, cut in ½ lengthwise

2 cups of cooked brown rice

Umeboshi plums or paste, optional

Furikake, optional

 

Place cooked rice into a bowl and add optional furikake.  Take about ½ cup of rice between your hands to form a ball or triangle. Poke through the center and add optional ume plum or paste.  Cover with nori.  A completely sealed rice ball will keep for several days, especially with umeboshi plum.  Great for lunchboxes, traveling, or picnics.

 

Utensils: pressure cooker, rice paddle, bowl, strainer to wash rice, measuring cups, flame tamer (optional)

 

Berry Cherry Parfait with Almond Cream

 

Jelly

2 cups organic apple juice

2 cups organic black cherry juice

4 ½ T agar agar flakes

Pinch of salt

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups fresh or frozen berries (sliced strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, etc)

2 T brown rice syrup

Fresh mint, to garnish

 

Place the apple and black cherry juice into a sauce pan with the agar agar flakes and bring to a boil.  Add a pinch of salt, cover, and turn heat to low. Simmer for about 10 minutes, or until the agar agar flakes have melted. (Watch this carefully so it does not overflow.)  When it’s finished cooking, add the vanilla, and set aside with the lid off for about 10 minutes.

 

Place the berries into the bottom of a Pyrex dish and pour the jelly mixture on top of it.  Place in the refrigerator until it sets.  Serve topped with tofu whipped cream and mint.

 

Utensils: sauce pan with lid, measuring cup, measuring spoon, Pyrex dish, wooden spoon

 

Almond Cream

1 cup almonds

2 T maple syrup

Pinch of salt

1 tsp vanilla

 

Bring a pot of water to a boil and add almonds.  Cook until their skin puffs up.  Remove from water, and pop skins off of the almonds.  Place all ingredients into a food processor and blend until smooth and creamy. Adjust seasonings to taste.

Utensils: Pot to boil almonds in, a slotted metal spoon to take almonds out of hot water, a blender or food processor, measuring cups, measuring spoons, spatula, bowl

 

Variations: instead of almonds, use 1 package firm Mori-nu organic silken tofu