It all started with a bumper crop of eggplant. The old me would have whipped up a batch of eggplant parmesan with all the fried breading, mozzarella cheese, saturated fat and oodles of calories . The healthy me researched whole food plant based eggplant recipes. I found several on Forks Over Knives plant based nutrition site and decided to give Ratatouille Fusilli a try. I’m glad I did. What I like best about this dish is how simple it is to put together and how flavorful it is.
Eggplant, also known as aubergines, are often considered a vegetable but is really a fruit because they grow from a flowering plant and have seeds. We typically think of eggplant as purple in color but they can also be red, green or black. Eggplants are nutrient dense and packed with vitamins, minerals and fiber but very low in calories. Eggplants are high in anthocyanins which is a pigment responsible for their vibrant color but also a very potent antioxidant. Eggplants contain solasodine rhamnosyl glycosides (SRGs) which protect against certain types of cancers. There has been research to support SRGs effectiveness against skin cancer when applied directly to the skin. With all these health benefits, I’m going to make it a yearly tradition to add eggplant to my garden!
Ingredients
1/2 cup green lentils washed and soaked
1 (28 oz.) can diced tomatoes with juice
1/2 cup finely chopped leeks, both white and light green parts
3 cloves minced garlic
2 1/4 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 unpeeled eggplant cut into 1″ pieces
2 tsp. white wine vinegar
2 tbsp. finely chopped fresh basil
green lentils, canned diced tomatoes, leek, garlic, Italian seasoning, eggplant, white wine vinegarMy eggplant! Aren’t they beautiful??!!
Directions
Place the lentils in a saucepan and fill with 1 1/2 cups water. Bring to boil then simmer until cooked, about 10 – 15 minutes. Set aside but do not drain.
Cook pasta, drain and set aside.
In a skillet over medium heat combine tomatoes with the juice, leeks, garlic and Italian seasonings and cook for 10 minutes. Stir in the eggplant and cook for 15 – 20 minutes stirring occasionally until soft.
Add the pasta, lentils with their liquid and vinegar to the skillet and stir everything together until well combined.
Cook until heated. Add 1/4 cup water if the mixture seems too dry. Adjust seasonings to taste.
The seed for zucchini noodles (zoodles) was planted in my brain a few year ago by my sister Joyce. Never heard of such a thing. It took until now for that seed to finally germinate and grow!
Unlike pasta noodles, zucchini noodles are low in carbohydrates (a perk for anyone having issues with blood sugar), low in calories, low in fat and high in fiber, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and hydration. One cup of pasta = 240 calories and 4 grams carbohydrate. One cup of zucchini noodles = 33 calories and 6 grams carbohydrate. Do the math. Zucchini noodles (zoodles) is a no brainer!
There are lots of cool gadgets out there to make zucchini noodles (electric or hand held vegetable spirilizer machine, spiral strip slicer, vegetable peeler, julienne peeler and mandoline and knife). I have to admit I had my heart set on the spirilizer machine I saw at Target but when I saw the $65.00 price tag I opted for the more economical mandoline slicer ($12.98) and knife method. A little more time consuming but I already had the mondoline and cutting them into angel hair pasta strips was really not a big deal at all.
Mandoline sliced thin then cut in lenthwise strips using a sharp knifeVegetable spirilizer
But … after slicing the tip of my index finger off with the mandoline blade, the next time around I used a much safer hand held spirilizer.
Creamy Avocado Sauce
This sauce is so creamy and lick the plate clean yummy
Two very ripe avocados
Cilantro
Juice of one lime
Plant based milk (unsweetened)
Puree the avocado, lime juice and a little bit of plant based milk. Adjust the thickness to your liking by adding more or less milk. Stir in the cilantro. That’s it – easy peesy!
The zoodles came out pretty nice! Do you eat them cold or warm??? I say, whatever floats your boat! If you want them heated just put a little water in a pan and cook, stirring frequently for about 1 minute (or until the zoodles are warm). DO NOT OVERCOOK or the zoodles will become watery and mushy. I added a little fresh black pepper and red pepper flakes.And yes … do twirl them around with your soup spoon and fork!!!
While in the Virgin Islands in August, I happened across the most marvelous meal at the Cruz Bay Landing restaurant called Vegetarian Roti. The description read “curried chickpea and butternut squash served with roti shells.” Let me tell you – that was one delicious meal that I knew, once I got home, I’d have to duplicate. I researched recipes and tried several until I finally found a comparable match with a few little tweaks. This delicious dish is more like a stew and served piping hot works, not just in the Carribean, but on cool autumn evenings in Northeast Ohio!
Not only is this honey of a stew hearty and tasty, it is very definition of health and disease prevention. Let’s examine some of the star ingredients.
Butternut Squash:
This pale skinned winter squash with the vibrant orange flesh is given its name for the sweet and nutty taste. Like other orange colored fruits and vegetables, butternut squash is loaded with beta and alpha carotene which converts to vitamin A and supports the immune system. Butternut squash is also rich in zeaxanthin and lutein which, in combination with carotine and vitamin A, supports eye health. Additionally, it is high in fiber which helps to manage blood sugar and lower cancer risk – particularly colorectal cancer.
Cumin:
Cumin has been used in traditional medicine for a very long time. This earthy and nutty spice revs up the digestion process by increasing the activity of digestive enzymes. If taken routinely, cumin can reduce symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome. Research has most recently concluded that cumin helps improve blood sugar control and cholesterol management. Lastly, cumin contains phenols, flavonoids, terpenes and alkaloids which function as antioxidants. Antioxidants reduce inflammation and DNA damage to the body caused by unstable atoms known as free radicals.
Chickpeas:
Also known as garbanzo beans, chickpeas have an impressive nutrient profile. They are packed with plant based protein – a whopping 14.5 grams in 1 cup – and a generous amount of fiber. The combination of protein and fiber increases fullness and appetite lowering hormones (leptin) in the body. Additionally, chickpeas are high in iron, B vitamins, phosphorus, manganese and potassium. Chickpeas make a great little snack especially when oven roasted
Tomatoes:
Falling in love with tomatoes is a very good thing. This is because tomatoes are the major dietary source of the compound lycopene which is a red pigment and antioxidant. There have been extensive studies on the role of lycopene in the reduction of heart disease and cancer. The greatest concentration of lycopene is in the tomato skin and the redder the tomato the more lycopene there is. It gets even better. Tomatoes also contain a powerful antioxidant compound called chlorogenic acid. A study published in Clin Exp Hypertension 2006 July confirmed the blood pressure lowering effect of chlorogenic acid in individuals with essential hypertension.
Just look at those gorgeous autumn colors!
Ingredients
1 15.5 oz. can chickpeas (rinsed and drained)
1 14.5 oz. can salt free chopped tomatoes including juice
2 cups salt free vegetable stock
1 butternut squash peeled and cut into cubes
1 large onion finely chopped
1 tsp. finely chopped red chili pepper
3 cloves minced garlic
1 index finger sized ginger peeled and finely grated
1/2 tsp. curry powder (or more depending on taste)
1/4 tsp. black cumin seeds
1 – 2 tbsp. date syrup
Chickpeas, chopped tomatoes, vegetable stock, butternut squash, onion, red chili pepper, garlic, ginger, curry powder, black cumin seeds and date syrup (not pictured)
Directions
Toast the cumin seeds in a small frying pan for about 2 minutes. Be careful not to burn them. Grind them slightly with mortar and pestle. Toasting the seeds will reduce the bitterness and bring out the sweetness and earthiness.
In a large pot cook the onions in a small amount of water until they are browned. Add the ginger, garlic, red chili pepper and the toasted cumin seeds and cook for 1 more minute while stirring intermittently.
Add the squash, tomatoes and broth and simmer for 30 minutes with intermittent stirring and until squash is soft..
Add the 1/2 tsp. curry powder then taste. It is always best to go slow with curry powder. The level of heat is determined by the type and amount of pepper used. Mild will list ginger and black pepper as ingredients whereas hot will list red chilis and other peppers as ingredients. I ruined my first batch by overdoing it with curry powder.
Stir in the date syrup.
Serve piping hot with toasted roti or pita bread.
Served piping hot with toasted pita breadIt took several tries but I finally nailed the recipe. The date syrup gave it the same distinctive sweetness as I remember from the Cruz Bay Landing dish. This was my meal from the Cruz Bay Landing restaurant. The Curried Chickpea and Butternut Squash is in the round bowl. The folded flatbread to the right is the roti (whole wheat flour and water).
It’s getting to be that time of year when pumpkins, black cats, witches on brooms and harvest moons appear. As the leaves begin to show hints of autumn colors, the days get shorter and sweaters are pulled out of hybrination, I begin thinking of warm, soothing comfort foods. Stuffed peppers is a favorite cool weather meal in our household but tonight I made them a little different. Instead of the usual lengthwise cut I made them into little Jack-O’-Lanterns. I wish I could take credit for the idea. Instead it was a picture someone on facebook posted back in August and it has been on my mind ever since.
Traditionally, stuffed pepper recipes are made with ground beef. When you commit to a plant based way of eating, however, the source of protein becomes lentils, peas, chickpeas, edamame, beans, tofu, soy, spirulina, oats and sprouted whole grain bread. Plant based proteins that are prepared healthy contain the same chain of amino acids necessary to build and repair body cells without the extra baggage of “bad” fats. In this recipe, black beans are the star performer protein although kidney beans would also work very nicely.
Ingredients
4 orange, red, yellow or green bell peppers (make sure they can stand upright)
1 cup cooked brown rice (or quinoa)
1 can sodium free black beans drained (or kidney beans)
1 onion chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
2 cans reduced sodium condensed tomato soup
3/4 cup water
2 tsp. ground black pepper (more or less depending on preference)
3 small potatoes peeled
1/2 cup almond milk
fresh chives
Brown rice, black beans, onions, garlic, tomato soup, black pepper Mixed together becomes the yummy filling!
Directions
Slice off the tops of the peppers and set aside. Hollow the insides of the peppers removing the seeds and white parts.
Carve little jack-o’-lantern faces on the peppers
Arrange the carved peppers on a glass baking dish and microwave for approximately 5-8 minutes until slightly tender. Note: they should still be firm, not floppy.
Saute the onions and garlic in a large sauce pan with a small amount of water. Add the rice, black beans, tomato soup and pepper. Mix together and cook until warm.
Stuff the peppers and put the tops on.
Mix the remaining can of tomato soup with 3/4 cup water and a little black pepper and pour underneath and around the peppers.
Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.
Peel, cube and boil the potatoes until soft. Drain then add the almond milk and mash. Garnish with fresh chives.
Making stuffed pepper jack-o’-lanterns special takes only a few extra minutes. The kids and adult kids will love this super healthy meal!I could use a bit more practice on the carving. My jack-o’-lanterns resemble little frankenstein monsters but they sure tasted good!Bon Appetite my plant based friends!
Miso Soup with Baby Bok Choy and Shiitake Mushrooms
Well I was up at good ‘ole Lucky’s Market over the weekend and saw some baby bok choy (Chinese White Cabbage). It is not always the easiest to find. Regular bok choy is readily available but not baby. While they are basically the same, baby bok choy leaves are small, tender, sweeter and can be eaten uncooked in a salad. I remember the first time I discovered bok choy was back in my January post Baby Bok Choy with Tahini-Ginger Sauce. That guy in the produce aisle holding the bok choy like it was a prize trophy or fish or something, admiring it, smiling and telling me how beautiful it looks. And then his words of advice “it has to be baby bok choy – not mature stalks!” Some things you never forget. That is one of them.
So I’ve been thinking about miso soup for a few weeks now. It’s been quite awhile since we had it and I really appreciate the simplicity of this soup. For those of you unfamiliar, miso is a traditional Japanese soup with the core ingredients: stock and miso paste. Miso paste is a mixture of fermented soybeans, sea salt and koji (Japanese mold). You can find it in just about any grocery store usually in the produce or tofu section. I know what you are thinking. This is a no salt website and miso paste clearly contains sea salt. Well apparently the positive effects of soybeans cancel out the hypertensive and gastric cancer effects of sodium. That being said, miso paste is the only sodium containing product that is considered green light. Here is some supporting research.
In addition to the stock and miso paste anything else you want to put in is completely up to you. Some typical add-ins are seaweed, kelp, tofu, mushrooms, scallions and bok choy. If you like you can serve miso soup with rice noodles(very thin), udon noodles (thick) or ramen noodles.
Ingredients
6-7 ribs of baby bok choy (cut in pieces)
3 scallions (cut in small pieces)
10 shiitake mushrooms cut in pieces (remove stems)
1 block extra firm and pressed tofu (cut in small cubes)
6 cups vegetable or mushroom broth
4 tbsp. miso paste
1 tbsp. fresh grated ginger
1/2 tsp. black pepper
Rice, udon or ramen noodles
Baby Bok Choy, Ginger, Scallions, Shiitake Mushrooms, Extra Firm Tofu, Miso Paste, Vegetable or Mushroom BrothCooked Rice Noodles
Directions
Place broth and ginger in a pot over medium heat.
Add mushrooms, bok choy, white tips of scallions and black pepper and simmer for 10 minutes. Note: I remove the shiitake stems because to me they are too tough and chewy. I save them for mushroom or veggie broth.
Add the tofu and simmer for a few minutes until warm.
Turn off the heat and stir in the miso paste. Note: never add miso when soup is simmering or too hot because it will kill off the gut healthy probiotics.
Serve over rice noodles and garnish with cut up green scallions.
Umani is another term for savoriness and is considered one of the 5 basic tastes. In Japan it means “the essence of deliciousness” and is the perfect description of miso soup. Miso soup with noodles is rich enough to eat alone but tonight we paired it with sushi. I wish I can take credit for making the sushi. That’s on my bucket list of things to learn.
Tuscan Stuffed Portobello Mushroom Steaks with Cheesy Sauce
Mushroom [ˈməSHˌro͞om, ˈməSHˌro͝om] NOUN a fungal growth that typically takes the form of a domed cap on a stalk, with gills on the underside of the cap
I don’t know about you, but I think that definition sounds pretty really doggone disgusting. I mean, think about it. Eating a fungal growth with gills. For years I found mushrooms, portobella in particular, hands down repulsive. But when my son still lived at home and took a liking to cooking, he introduced me to the wonders of this funky toadstool fungus.
Mushrooms aren’t exactly bursting with color, or flavor for that matter, but they are packed with vitamins, minerals and protein. They are also rich in selenium which is a very powerful antioxidant. There has been much research on selenium and its cancer prevention properties as well as protection against cognitive decline and neurodegenerative diseases (Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, ALS, and multiple sclerosis). Selenium protects cells against oxidative stress damage. Increased oxidative stress is a prominent feature in these diseases.
Portobello mushroom caps are juicy, meaty and a lot of fun to stuff. I love exercising culinary creativity to conjure up different ways to stuff them. The sky is really the limit! Prepare the fungus mushrooms by washing them thoroughly to get rid of the gritty dirt. I use a vegetable brush but you can also just use a paper towel. DO NOT submerge the mushrooms in water because this will make them soggy. Remove the stems (if there are any) and save for mushroom stock. I buy mine without the stems (they will weigh less so will be cheaper). In order to make more room for the stuffing I first remove the gills on the underside of the cap by scooping them out with a spoon. You can also save the gills for stock if you’d like.
Ingredients (stuffing)
2 portobella mushrooms
1/2 red bell pepper cut in small pieces
1/2 yellow bell pepper cut in small pieces
1/2 poblano pepper cut in small pieces
1 scallion cut in small pieces
1 cup chickpeas
1/3 cup moderately chopped walnuts
1 tbsp. tomato paste
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. chili powder
Ingredients (sauce)
3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
3 tbsp. nutritional yeast
1 tbsp. corn starch
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder
Pinch of paprika
Directions
Using a fork smash the chickpeas and set them aside.
Saute the peppers, scallions and spices using a small amount of water for about 3 minutes.
Stir in the mashed chickpeas, tomato paste and walnuts.
Fill the mushrooms with the stuffing.
Place in a baking dish covered with a silicone cooking pad or parchment paper.
Bake in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes.
While the mushrooms are baking prepare the cheese sauce. Put all the ingredients in a saucepan, cook over medium heat while stirring constantly until nice and thick.
Just look at that sauce! Stuff those babies until they overflow. Any leftover stuffing can simply be added off to the side of your dish. After I made this I thought that I could have added breadcrumbs on top of the stuffing. I’ll do that next time by popping a slice of Ezekiel bread in the toaster (on dark) and crumbling it with a grater. Oh my goodness!!! And leftovers taste even better the next day.
There’s nothing better then walking through the door after a hard days work to the smell of veggie stew that’s been cooking all day long. This easy peasy stew is one of my standard weekday meals during brutally cold winter months in NE Ohio. With temperatures below freezing I decided this hearty stew was going to be on the Tuesday menu. I loaded up the slow cooker the evening before, plugged it in this morning and off to work I went. Around the 2 o’clock hour I started thinking about my little stew doing its thing in the cooker. I came home, took a warm shower, got into my jammies, robe and fluffy slippers (yes at 5PM), got a nice fire going and plopped in front of it with a nice piping hot bowl of this delicious and healthy stew. Winter evenings do not get any better than this – in my opinion. It’s the simple things in life that make me the happiest.
Easy Peasy Slow Cooker Vegetable Stew
Ingredients
1 28oz. can whole tomatoes
2 cans reduced sodium tomato soup
1/2 cup water
4 carrots peeled and cut in small pieces
4 large celery stalks cut in pieces
1 10 oz. package frozen pearl onions or large onion chopped
1 large package white mushrooms
3 red skinned potatoes cut in pieces and unpeeled
1 small bag frozen peas (or green beans)
1 package extra firm and pressed tofu cut in small cubes
1 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. paprika
Directions
Add all ingredients to the slow cooker except the tofu. Set on low for 8 hours. Add the tofu the last 30 minutes. If you prefer a thick stew add a few tbsps. cornstarch and mix together. Serve with Wasa multi grain crisp bread.
This recipe is dedicated to my daughter-in-law Snigdha, her parents and all the beautiful friends I have made afar in India. By cooking this meal I have developed an even deeper appreciation of the true art of Indian cooking. It is a skill that I believe would take me an entire lifetime to achieve.
Many years ago I purchased “The Indian Cooking Course” cookbook by Monisha Bharadwaj at Half Price Books. Gosh I miss that store. I was attracted to the cover which had illustrations of very colorful Indian herbs and spices. The inside was filled with vivid photographs of Indian markets, fruits and vegetables, kitchens, tin and copper utensils, landscape and – of course – mouthwatering cuisine. I remember when I first got this book I sat for hours days studying the details of all the pictures. I would imagine what it would be like being in India. I never made a single recipe – but I could tell you about all the spices, regions, climate and geography.
Well last weekend I took that cookbook out and searched exclusively for recipes that were plant based. I found several but the one that caught my eye the most was Gucchi Korma. I also felt this was the one I had the best shot at “pulling off” having never made an Indian meal before. I must say for my first attempt it really was delicious.
Gucchi Korma is a dish whose star ingredient is white mushrooms. Mushrooms have been cultivated in India only for the last 40 years. Early on, foragers gathered only a small amount for consumption. They were not considered a mainstay veggie by any means. In fact, in ayurvedic medicine (a healthy life style system in India) mushrooms are classified as unpalatable, promoting laziness and pessimism. They have apparantly increased in popularity and can now be found in markets and restaurants in India.
White mushrooms are low in calories, high in protein and vitamin D and a source of B12 which is important when following a plant based way of eating. Did you know that white mushrooms are immature fungi and fully grown white mushrooms are portobellos? I just learned that fun little fact today.
Rotis is an unleavened flat bread native to India but consumed in many countries worldwide. Roti is 100% vegan seeing that it is made from whole wheat flour and water. That’s right – just two ingredients. Pretty crazy but it’s true. Now, while I feel I can improve on my future rotis making skills, they didn’t turn out that bad. I gave myself a grade of C+. I think the trick is to knead them very well and roll them super thin. My first few batches were too thick and they didn’t bubble up as they should.
Gucchi (mushroom and pea) Korma with Rotis
Ingredients for Gucchi Korma
1 large onion sliced
1 fresh green chili chopped
1/4 cup raw cashews
2 cups white button mushrooms sliced
1/2 cup frozen peas
1 tsp. ground coriander
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. garam masala (directions for making this mix of spices is at the end of this post)
1 tsp. ground tumeric
1 tsp. ground black pepper
3 tsps. ginger-garlic paste
Ginger-garlic Paste: Ratio of 1 part ginger (peeled and chopped) to 2 parts garlic (chopped). Blitz the ginger and garlic in a blender along with enough water to turn the blades and make a smooth puree.
I feel like I might have added too much water. It was supposed to be a paste but it looks more like a smoothie. I guess I will need to perfect the ginger-garlic paste in the future. The good news though is that the dish was still delish.
Directions
Put the onion, chili pepper and cashews in a pan with just enough water to cover and bring to a boil. Simmer for about 10 minutes until the onion is soft then transfer to a blender and blitz to a smooth paste. Set aside.
I was pleased with the outcome. I think that’s like a B+.
2. Place a little extra virgin olive oil in a deep sauce pan over high heat. Add the ginger-garlic paste and cook for 30 seconds then add the mushrooms and peas. Stir in the ground spices. Cook for a few minutes until the mushrooms release their juices and the spices cook then add the onion and cashew paste. Note: I made an exception to the “no oil” here because I am a newby to Indian cooking and didn’t want to mess things up.
3. Stir for 7-8 minutes until the mushrooms are cooked through. Adjust the seasonings to your liking. Sprinkle a pinch of garam masala and serve hot with the rotis.
Ingredients for Rotis
2 cups stoneground whole wheat flour
3/4 cup slightly warm water
Directions
Place flour in a bowl. Add a little bit of water and knead with your hands until you have a pliable dough. If not pliable enough add more water. The maximum you would add is 3/4 cup. I used the entire amount of water.
Knead for 5 to 8 minutes. The more you knead the softer the rotis. This is very important. I stopped at the 5 minute mark (fingers got tired) but think that extra three minutes would have made them just about perfect.
Leave the dough ball to rest for 10 minutes in the bowl with a clean, damp kitchen towel over it.
Divide the dough into 10 equal portions the size of a lime. Coat with a light dusting of flour, shape into a ball with your palms and flatten a bit.
Roll each ball into thin, flat disks with a rolling pin about 5″ in diameter.
Heat a grill pan (cast iron would be ideal) on high heat. Cook the disks one at a time until the surface appears bubbly. Flip and press the edges down with a spatula to cook evenly. When the rotis is opaque and flecked with brown they are done. The recipe says to brush the rotis with oil – this is optional.
How to Make Garam Masala Spice Mix
1 tsp. black peppercorn
2 tsp. cumin seeds
3/4″ cinnamon stick
10 cardimon pods (seeded and husks disgarded)
10 cloves
3 bay leaves
2 blades mace
1 tsp. fennel seeds
2 tsp. coriander seeds
Heat a dry skillet over medium heat, add the spices and dry toast until they start to darken and become aromatic. Remove from heat and let cool before grinding to a fine powder with spice grinder or mortar and pestle.
Store in airtight container in a cool, dark place and use within 6 months. You can also put the whole toasted spices in a peppermill and use when needed.
If you are not interested in making your own garam masala it is sold in the spice section of most supermarkets.
Heating in a dry skillet. OMG the smell once they start toasting!!!Using mortar and pestle worked just fine for meAll ground upSome of the most expensive spices go into making garam masala. My Indian cookbook said there are as many recipes as there are households in India.
I’ve been making this chili all my married life. Well – the Chili con Carne version anyhow. It’s one of my father-in-law’s signature recipes that I turned vegan (sorry dad) by omitting the ground beef and adding tofu for the protein. I throw in some fresh spinach and wallah – both delish and nutrish!!
Chili without the Con Carne
Ingredients
1 green bell pepper chopped
1 onion chopped
1/3 fresh jalapeno finely chopped (wear gloves)
1 can reduced sodium tomato soup
1 large can diced tomatos
1 can red kidney beans drained
1/2 can black beans drained
6 oz. firm and pressed tofu
1 cup fresh spinach
1 tbsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/8 tsp. cumin
3 bay leaves
Directions
Add all the ingredients, except spinach and tofu, in a large pot. Simmer on low while stirring occasionally for 30 minutes. Add spinach and tofu and simmer for 15 more minutes. Remove bay leaves. Serve with Wasa multi-grain crisp breads (I buy them at Giant Eagle) or my Pepita, Sesame and Flaxseed Crisp Crackers.
I love this simple yet elegant dish that is a real cinch to prepare. It is light yet very flavorful and ultra healthy. Bok choy takes center stage in this special entree. Bok choy, or Chinese cabbage, has deep green leaves and lighter bulbous bottoms that remind me of spoons. It is a cruciferous vegetable (in the same family as brussel sprouts, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kale and turnips). Cruciferous vegetables contain sulforaphanes which help reduce inflammation. If you recall from previous posts, prolonged inflammation is linked to cancer, heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, cognitive decline and dementia. Eating cruciferous veggies raw is the most optimal way to take in the sulforaphanes. The next best way is steaming for 2-3 minutes.
How did I dream up this recipe? Long story short, I’m in Lucky’s Market and this guy is admiring the baby bok choy. “Looks beautiful, doesn’t it?” I’ll be honest I heard of bok choy but never cooked it. My response, “Sure does. What do you do with it?” He told me his recipe. He stressed “it has to be baby bok choy – not mature stalks.” I got a pen and sales receipt (the only thing I had to write on) out of my purse and asked him to repeat. Then he hand picked the perfect bok choy for me and wished me luck with making. People are so great!
Baby Bok Choy with Tahini-Ginger Sauce (from the man at Lucky’s Market)
Ingredients
Fresh bok choy leaves
Firm and pressed tofu cut in small pieces
2 scallions cut in pieces
Toasted sesame seeds
2 garlic toes finely chopped (or put through garlic press)
1 piece fresh ginger size of thumb (peeled and very finely minced)
6 tbsps. tahini sauce
2 tbsps. white vinegar
1 tbsp. miso paste
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
Bok choy, ginger, garlic, scallions, tahini, white vinegar, miso paste, sesame seeds, black pepper, tofu (not pictured)
Directions
Pour 1/2 cup water into a skillet pan. Place bok choy and scallions in the pan. Place tofu on top of the bok choy. Turn heat up to high. Put a cover tightly over the bok choy and tofu so that no steam escapes. Steam for 2 – 3 minutes until bok choy is tender and tofu heated through.
For the sauce place tahini,white vinegar, miso paste, ginger, garlic and black pepper in a bowl and wisk ingredients together.
Gently lift out the bok choy and tofu and place on dinner plate. Place tahini-ginger sauce off to the side and place scallions over. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds.
