kabushi sushi

Tonight I steamed up some kabocha squash and couldn't figure out to prepare it. I wanted to incorporate some whole grains and other fresh vegetables I had lying around, but needed some variation from the basic grain with steamed vegetables routine I've been sticking to lately. I decided to try it rolled up in a maki sushi roll. Even as a vegan, sushi is one of my favorite foods- I think the seaweed really lends a flavor similar to that of the giant chunks of raw fish I used to enjoy atop my rice every so often. The saltiness of the ume plum and sweet kabocha pair really nicely with the crunchy raw vegetables.

Ingredients (makes one 6pc roll):

1 sheet of nori seaweed

1/2 cup cooked brown rice

1 scallion

1 small piece of daikon radish, sliced thin using a veg peeler

1/2 umeboshi plum

1 big piece of kabocha squash, steamed or baked until very soft

Place the nori sheet ruff side up on a sushi rolling mat. Spread the brown rice on top, leaving about one inch from the edge of the nori on the top and bottom. It is easier to spread if the rice is still warm but not too hot that the nori gets sticky and tares.

Place the scallion across the middle of the nori sheet. Rip the ume plum into little pieces and press it along the rice parallel to the scallion. Scatter the daikon slices next to the scallion. Break up the squash with a fork and place on top of the other vegetables.

Lift the piece of nori up from the bottom and bring it over the vegetables. Use the sushi mat to squeeze it into a tight log shape. Then carefully roll the sushi until you reach the end of the nori. With a clean knife (*this is key to getting a good cut, so make sure to wipe down your knife with a dish towel between slices) cut the roll in half. Wipe the knife again and then slice each roll into three even pieces.

Enjoy! This is nice with a dipping sauce of braggs with ginger juice and bit of water.

chocolaaate?!?! for breakfast!?!?!!!

Once upon a time, there was a girl who was in the middle of finals week, and although she was too tired sleep-deprived to prepare healthy meals and all she really wanted to was shovel chocolate bars down throat, she did all she could to resist. This girl was me just a few weeks ago. Some people crave sweets under stress other crave carbs. I crave raw chocolate granola. I discovered this brand (pictured) at a local health food store and it's pretty much what I subsisted off of for a few days. However, at $10 a bag, I knew this could not become a habit (not just for monetary, but nutritional reasons too!!) I knew the ingredients were all things I had at home, and with a little tweaking, I was able to recreate this amazing treat in a study break's worth of time. Totally worth the effort as it saved me money and gave me tons of energy to power through those all-nighters.

WARNING: This stuff is highly addictive and nutritious!

Dry Ingredients:

1c raw buckwheat groats, soaked over night

1/2 raw sunflower seeds, soaked 3-4 hours

1 Tbsp ground flaxseed

1 Tbsp chia seed

3 heaping Tbsp coconut flakes, plus more for topping

1/2 raisins or any other dried fruits

Superfood "Batter" Ingredients:

1 packet of frozen acai berry

1/2 Tabsp spiralina (or less to taste, I'm a spiraling groupy so I like lots!)

1/4c raw cacao powder (I used one that contains macs too, it's my favorite brand)

dash of cinnamon

stevia to taste

Begin by mixing all the dry ingredients together in a large bowl.

Blend the "batter ingredients" together in a blender and then pour over the dry. Stir until evenly coated.

Spread the mixture onto a dehydrator tray lined with parchment paper. I spread it in an even layer, not too thin, this way the mix chunks together. Mmmm chunks!

At this point you can add additional toppings. I choice more coconut flakes for sweetness, bee pollen for added energy and cacao nibs for more chocolaty crunch!

Optional additions:

Cacao nibs

Bee pollen

Additional nuts or seeds

Mulberries

Goji berries

Let everything dehydrate overnight, until hardened. Break the large pieces into smaller chunks and store in an airtight jar (if it even lasts that long!) Or, be like me and transfer it straight into a bowl and top will almond milk.

Munch.

This recipe has been submitted to Healthy Vegan Friday on Carrie on Vegan

Hello 2012.

Check out my really detailed post on resolutions last year. I'm feeling a bit more in control of things this year and want to celebrate the things that are, rather than what I want to change.

11 Things We Survived Together in 2011

New York Mag's Annual Reasons to Love New York

I recently discovered the work of Jennifer Rubell who is so inspiring as I work towards my own body of work

One of my goals this year is to become even more informed about the politics of food. I just became aware of the notion of corporate organics. Scary stuff!

I got to see the work of Do-Ho Suh at a gallery in Chelsea. So freakin amazing up close. The End.

New kid on the block

Oh my god Amaranth! Where have you been all of my life?!

After reading so much about all of the amazing health benefits of this incognito whole grain, I thought I would give it a try. It cooks up just like quinoa, in about 15-20 minutes. However, amaranth requires a ratio of 1 part grain to 2.5 parts water. The grain itself is much smaller and kind of sticks together. I'm thinking these would be great in veggie burgers?

1c Amaranth + 2.5c water

1 Delacata squash, steamed until fork tender

1 small red onion

3 cloves of garlic, pressed and chopped

1/4 raisins

1 handful each of chopped parsley and dill

Mung bean sprout salad

Here is a great asian-inspired salad I threw together yesterday.

Ingredients:

2 cups mung bean sprouts

1 carrot, grated

1/2 cucumber, grater

2" long piece of daikon radish, grated

2 scallions, chopped

1" piece of ginger, finely grated, squeeze in juice and mix in pulp

1/2 Tablespoon braggs

spash of umeboshi vinegar (optional)

Then today, I ate the leftovers for lunch! It tasted even better once the flavors marinated the vegetables overnight. I toasted a sprouted corn tortilla, smashed up some warm adzuki beans and then added the salad with lots of red pepper flakes and some Siracha, obvi. When in doubt...tacos!!

Buckwheat Berry Pancakes

I'm finally on break and finally have time for nice, relaxing, elongated breakfast! It's so nice to be able to wake up and think about what I'm actually in the mood to eat rather than the usual "shovel some oatmeal down my throat while it's still piping hot because I have 3 minutes to be out the door" routine. Today I actually turned off my alarm and went back to sleep! I think I dreamed up this pancake recipe while I snoozed. I wanted some hearty whole grains and something on the sweet side, without being too sweet. I adapted this recipe from here since I had never actually made pancakes from scratch before (I grew up with Bisquik mix with Tollhouse chocolate chips, and would usually just pick out all the chocolate:)) Oh, how times change. I feel like I'll be making these a lot this break since once you have all the flours prepared they are super easy to whip together and grill up on the stove. They came out better than I could have dreamed of!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup nondairy milk (I used almond milk)
1/2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup buckwheat flour
2 tablespoons all purpose flour (I subbed oat flour)
1/2 tablespoons sugar (I subbed 1/2 T flax seeds mixed with stevia)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 tablespoon baking powder

1/4 cup mixed berries or filling of choice (I used frozen mixed berries, see suggestions)

2 tablespoons coconut flakes (optional)
1 tablespoon coconut oil (for grilling, I actually used just enough to coat the pan)

In a small bowl, mix milk with vinegar and let sit while you mix dry ingredients. To make whole grains such as buckwheat into flour, simply place in blender on high speed for about 30 seconds. This is so much more economical than buying pricey pre-made flours from the health food store, especially if you buy your grains from the bulk bins like I always do.

In medium bowl combine all the dry ingredients. Slowly pour the wet ingredients over the dry mixture, lightly folding as to keep a nice fluffy consistency. Batter may be slightly lumpy. Do not over stir as this is what makes pancakes hard and dense, not what we're looking for. Fold in the berries and coconut or whatever add-in you choose. Let batter sit 10 minutes.

Heat oiled griddle to medium-high. Pour batter to desired size and cook 2-3 minutes per side. Be careful not to burn them! I usually turn the heat down to a little over medium for best results.
This makes three small pancakes, a good serving for one, but you can double or triple the recipe to make lots for friends! Have a pancake party!

light and fluffy with bursts of berries

Here are some other ideas I came across while searching for recipes online:

-banana with vegan chocolate chip

-sliced apple with cinnamon, raisins and walnuts

-grated pumpkin, sweet potato or squash

-bok choi and mushroom (savory)

-gingerbread pancakes

...the list goes on. I feel like I'm going to be experimenting with this one a bunch!

Update:: I made these with my roommate who blogged about our indulgent experience here. I recommend making a nice syrup to accompany the versatile cakes and also to stack them as high as you possibly can. I think they taste better when they are in skyscraper formation ;)

What to bring to a holiday party?

Umm cookies, duh!

I am always trying to subtly turn my meat-devouring family members (who I love very much) onto the deliciousness that is vegan food. My most effective approach has been to make really yummy vegan food whenever we have a family gathering and either leave these dishes out on the table with the rest of the food, or I make a special treat and wrap 'em up real cute and give them as gifts. Whether I pose them as a gift or "regular food", everything always gets eaten.

I made these cookies a while back, I think as father's day gifts, but they would also make really great holiday presents. I took the original veganized recipe and made a few changes to make them gluten-free as well and also to use up a bunch of very ripe bananas I had on hand. They came out great and where really fun (had a little too much fun with this part) to decorate! They would even be a great project to work on together if you weren't trying to hide the absence of milk and butter from the eventual consumers!

Chocolate-dipped peanut butter-banana cookies:

1 cup chunkyy peanut butter
½ cup dairy free margarine, softened (I used Earth Balance brand, could also sub in coconut oil if you wanted to make these less processed and even more crazy flavored!)
½ cup brown sugar, firmly packed
½ cup sugar
¼ cup mashed really ripe banana
½ teaspoon vanilla
1 ½ cups gluten-free flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup almonds, chopped
2 cups dairy free chocolate chips
½ cup sugar
2 tablespoons dairy free margarine

Heat your oven to 400 degrees

In a large bowl beat together peanut butter, margarine, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and creamy. Add banana and vanilla.

In a medium bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Add flour mix to peanut butter to and stir well.

Cover bowl and refrigerate for 20 – 30 minutes. Make balls about the size of a golf ball, roll in sugar and place on ungreased cookie sheet.

Using a fork make crisscross pattern flattening cookies slightly. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes.

Remove cookies from the oven and cool on a wire rack (after testing a little piece to make sure they aren't poisonous of course!)

Place a sheet of waxed paper over a cool cookie pan or plate.

Next, heat the chocolate in a small saucepan over low heat. As it begins to melt add the margarine. Once the chocolate is melted, begin dipping half of each cookie in the chocolate, using a spoon to help spread the chocolate evenly over the cookie. Don’t be shy here, a nice thick coating is what you’re looking for.

Place the chocolate-dipped cookie on the waxed paper. Then the fun part! Decorate (or in my case, over-decorate!) with whatever sprinkles, chopped nuts etc you have on-hand. Be sure to do this as you dip each cookie because the chocolate will set quickly. Once you’ve filled up this tray with dipped cookies, place the tray in the fridge to help set the chocolate.

Got a leeeetle bit carried away

When everything has cooled an hardened, stack about 4-5 cookies on top of each other, wrap up in parchment paper and tie with a ribbon. Viola!

I've been a vewrrrry good girl this year :))

Holiday Wishlist 2011*

Totally already ordered this iphone case for myself. Ooops I just couldn't hold back!

While it's not being prescribed as a cure for seasonal affective disorder just yet, the Bright Blind is sure to lighten one's spirit in dark, sad abodes and office spaces worldwide. Made of electroluminescent (EL) sheets, Makoto Hirahara's Bright Blind simulates a window where none exists. The artificial blind functions in exactly the way you might guess; turn the plastic stick and control the brightness!.

Finally, a cute bike helmet! I ride my bike around NYC all the time and have even been in a (minor) accident before, yet I don't own a bike helmet because I have yet to find one that is actually cute enough to wear.

I don't know about you, but the heat in my apartment has been making me feel shriveled up like a raisin. Made out of cedar, the Mast requires no plugs. While it's definitely not as powerful as some of the electric models listed here, it's certainly more ecological. The bottom is filled with water and dispersed through the fan shaped sheets of cypress at the top at a rate about six times that of a glass of water. The humidifier is also made by artisans, not machines so expect it to take about a month for yours to be made. We like the artful shape, environmental friendliness and woody smell in the air this humidifier provides. Forewarning, the page for the Mast is in Japanese.

**Nerdy-tech Alert** but how good of an idea is this?

The Belkin Conserve Socket plugs into any household outlet and automatically stops the flow of energy, including standby power, to outlets using an adjustable timer. Not only is this outlet better in terms of safety (devices that are left plugged in can be prone to electrical malfunction or fire) but is helpful in reducing electricity bills and conserving resources.

Salad spruce-up pt.2

This post seems quite appropriate considering my recent adventures in ending a salad rut and finding confidence in preparing brussels sprouts on my own. I bring to you: The Super Sprout Salad

Ingredients:

1/2lb brussels sprouts, grated in a (not for)cheese grater

1 handful alfalfa sprouts

Sprinkle of flax and/or sunflower seeds for added protein and crunch

Sweet Mustard Miso Dressing:
1 lemon, zested and juiced
2 tablespoons miso
2 tablespoons stoneground mustard
2 tablespoons brown rice syrup (I only used 1 because I used sweet white miso and found it to be sweet enough)
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
Black pepper, to taste
Sea salt, to taste (omitted this because the miso was salty enough for me)
Filtered water, as necessary

Also bellow are 5 ways to break out of your salad rut via thekitchn

1) A Sprinkle of Cocoa Nibs: I first started using a sprinkling of cocoa nibs on top of my salads this summer. While you'd think it would lend an odd sweetness to a salad, because of their slightly bitter nuttiness, they provide a really nice toasty, savory element. And a welcome crunch.

2) Mix Up Your Greens: It's easy to get in a rut when it comes to salad greens. We know which greens we like and we continue to buy them. Maybe you're a butter lettuce gal or a strictly romaine kind of guy, but next time you're at the market, choose a spicy arugula or watercress to change things up a bit.

3) Try a New Ingredient: I recently had a dinner party with a handful of good friends here in the Bay Area and we prepared a salad with fennel and mushrooms. Both the fennel and mushrooms were sliced paper thin and we dressed it with a simple dash of olive oil, lemon and good sea salt. It was a most welcome change from a more typical green salad. Now when I'm at the market, I've been picking up fennel or a persimmon or something I don't typically use in salads just to experiment with something new.

4) Herbs, Herbs, Herbs: My dad adds chopped cilantro to virtually every green salad he makes. After falling in love with salads at his house, I've tried adding chopped Italian parsley, chives or dill. Herbs are an easy, wonderful (and healthy) way to liven up any tired salad.

5) Hello there, mandolin: In addition to trying new greens or ingredients in a salad, slicing or prepping your vegetables in a new way will make you feel like you're experiencing an entirely new kind of salad. Try slicing your vegetables paper thin or as matchsticks on a mandolin. Or do the exact opposite and keep things robust and chunky. Visually, you'll trick your palate into thinking you're onto something totally new.

salad spruce-up pt.1

I've kind of been in a salad rut lately. Kale + some herbs + sprouts + some kind of dressing + maybe half an avocado for slow-digesting fats, some beans or seeds for protein and crunch and, if I'm lucky, some leftovers on top.

To make my lunch a little more exciting (lunch is already a pretty exciting part of my day-but sometimes you need something special to look forward to!) I'm currently working on devising a few recipes that can be made ahead of time, stored in the fridge over the week and added to the top of any bed of greens and really jaz them up. Bonus* they also make great fillings for a collard or tortilla wrap, or atop some whole grains for dinner!

Corn and Mung Bean Salad(based off of this recipe)

1 cup dried mung beans
2 large ears corn, kernels removed (about 2 cups)
1 small red onion, diced (about 1/2 cup)
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup dill, chopped
1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Prune and Beet Salad:

5 cooked beets, chopped into bite-sized pieces

1c prunes, soaked in water for a few hours or until soft, then drained

3Tbsp olive oil

2tsp ground flax seed

2tbsp sesame seeds

sea salt, to taste

Mix all ingredients. Plop on a bed of greens (kale in my case) I also chopped up a dill pickle because, um, sour pickles and sweet beets are a bomb combo.

What are your favorite salad add-ins?