Here are some of my recent favorite recipes from sources such as my teacher, Mie Naka at Macrobi Garden (www.genmai.ne.jp), Christina Pirello’s site www.christinacooks.com, and www.cybermacro.com   

 

Quinoa salad

 

Quinoa                                    1 cup

Water                                     2 cups

Parsley                                    ½ cup, chopped

Scallion                                   ½ cup, sliced

Radish                                     ½ cup, diced

Green leafy vegetable          1 cup

Lemon juice                            1 to 2 T or to taste

Ume vinegar                           1 tsp or to taste

Salt                                         a small pinch

Mint                                       

 

<Directions>

Wash quinoa gently. After washing, bring a pot of water to a boil.  Add the quinoa, cover, and then reduce heat to low. Simmer for about 20 minutes.  Take off the heat, fluff with a fork, and allow to cool. Meanwhile, cut the vegetables, and place all cut vegetables into the bowl and mix. Add the lemon juice and ume vinegar and salt and mix.  When the quinoa is cool add it to the vegetables and dressing, mix well, and serve.   

 

Green Rolls

 

4 large leaves Chinese cabbage                  

½ cup sauerkraut

½ bunch leafy greens (collard, kale, kikuna, mizuna, etc)

1 small carrot

¼ cup kabocha

2 sheets nori

2 T almonds, toasted (sesame, sunflower, or pumpkin seeds also OK)

 

Cut the carrot on the diagonal and then slice into thin matchsticks.  Pour enough water into a pan for blanching vegetables (about ½” high) and bring it to a boil with a pinch of salt.  Add the carrots and blanch for a few minutes until soft.  Remove and set aside.  Repeat with the kabocha.  Add a little bit more water to the pan and bring back to a boil.  Add the Chinese cabbage leaves and cook until soft.  Remove from the water and pat dry.  Repeat with the greens, and drain excess water.  Put two cabbage leaves on a sushi mat and cover with a piece of nori.  Place the carrot, greens, kabocha, sauerkraut and almonds in the center and roll it up.  Slice into bite-sized pieces.  Repeat with the second roll.

Fried Tempeh with Apricot Mustard

Sesame oil
8 ounce block of tempeh, cut into 1-inch triangles
apricot mustard
4 tablespoons stoneground mustard
4 tablespoons unsweetened apricot preserves
grated zest of 1/2 lemon
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
sea salt
2 teaspoons brown rice syrup
1-2 sprigs fresh parsley, finely minced

Cut the tempeh into bite sized squares and steam or boil for about 20 minutes.  Place enough sesame oil in a skillet to generously cover the bottom. Turn the heat to medium and when the oil is hot (you'll see patterns forming in the oil, known as 'dancing') begin pan-frying the tempeh until browned, turning once, cooking 1-2 minutes per side. Drain on paper and set aside.

For the sauce, simply place all ingredients in a small saucepan, using salt to your taste. Warm over low heat until the preserves and rice syrup thin, creating a thick sauce, about 1 minute. Do not cook until the mixture foams. As soon as the apricot mustard thins, stir in tempeh to coat. Transfer to a serving platter and serve garnished with minced parsley.

Watercress with Marinated Onions

 

1 medium onion sliced into fine half moons

1 tablespoon finely minced parsley

2 tablespoons shoyu

4 tablespoons brown rice vinegar

1 bunch watercress rinsed and sliced

2 cups spring water

 

Place the 1 cup of water in a pan and bring to a boil on a medium flame. Add the shoyu and rice vinegar and then the onions.  Simmer for one minute and then remove from the heat. Place the onions and liquid in a bowl and leave to sit for at least one hour.  Remove onions from the liquid and mix together with the finely minced parsley.  Meanwhile, bring the other cup of water to a boil on a medium flame.  Add the watercress and blanch about 5 seconds. Remove the watercress and place on a serving dish.  Add the onions and mix through the watercress.

 

Papaya Mousse           

 

Agar flakes                            1 T

Apple juice                             1 cup

Soft Tofu                              1/2 pound, blanched and drained

Papaya                                    2 cups

Sweet miso                             to taste

Apple juice                             1 cup

Lemon juice                            to taste

Salt                                         pinch

Mint                                        as a garnish

 

Soak the agar flakes in the apple juice for about 15 minutes.  Bring the apple juice and agar to a gentle boil, and then bring to low. Simmer until agar dissolves, about 3~4 minutes. Crumble the tofu and apple juice into a blender or food processor and mix until smooth.  Add papaya, the agar liquid, miso, and lemon juice and blend again to cream it more.  Finally, add a small pinch of salt.  Keep the mousse in the refrigerator until it hardens. Serve garnished with fresh mint.