Superfood Smoothie

In blender mix some or all of the following:
orange juice
milk or almond milk
frozen banana
frozen strawberries
frozen blueberries
frozen peach slices
fresh whole cranberries
frozen kale
frozen spinach
frozen broccoli
fresh whole cranberries
carrots
pomegranate seeds
chocolate protein powder
peanut butter
flax seeds
chia seeds
physlium husks (mixed first in some water)
cinnamon

Pom Sundae

Yogurt (regular or Nancy's)
Top with pomegranate seeds
Sprinkle with Flax Seed (crushed)

Afghan Roasted Pumpkin

Buy regular orange pumpkin.  Remove seeds.  Cut in quarters.  Cover with honey, garam masala. Bake at 425.

Make yogurt topping with regular yogurt, chopped mint leaves, and crushed garlic (2-3 cloves).

Serve pumpkin with yogurt on top.

Side of rice.

Moroccan Bean Stew

2 Tbsp olive oil
1 yellow onion, sliced
5 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tsp. cardamom, ground
1/2 tsp cinnamon, ground
1 tsp cumin, ground
1/2 tsp paprika, ground
1 tsp chili pepper, ground
1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes and their juice
2 cans (15 oz each) garbanzo beans (a.k.a. chick peas)
3 cups vegetable stock (or chicken stock or water)
1 lb zucchini, cut into 1-2″ chunks
4 oz dried apricots, diced
1/4 cup green olives, pitted and chopped
2 cups (packed) fresh spinach
salt and pepper to taste

1. Heat a large pot (6 or 8 qt) and add the olive oil. Cook the sliced onions over a medium heat until soft and add the minced garlic. Add the ground cardamom, cumin, paprika and chili pepper and cook 2 minutes.

2. Add the can of diced tomatoes, the garbanzo beans and the vegetable stock and bring to a simmer. Cook for 15 minutes and then add the diced zucchini, the chopped dried apricots and the green olives. Cook until the squash is tender.

3. Before serving, fold in the 2 cups of fresh spinach and cook until the spinach wilts. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with cous cous.

Source: http://www.formerchef.com/2010/05/24/moroccan-garbanzo-bean-stew/

Quinoa Black Bean Patties

6 Tbsp olive oil

3/4 cup red bell peppers, doced

2 cloves garlic minced

1 large shallot, diced small

1/2 cup fresh cilantro

1 can black beans drained

3 cups, quinoa

1 egg

2 cups bread crumbs

TJs Everyday seasoning

salt & pepper, to taste

Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet, add red peppers and sautee until slightly soft, anout 3 minutes. Add garlic and shallot and continue to saute until soft. Remove from heat, cool for a few minutes and combine with black beans and cilantro' add to a food processor and pulse until chunky. Blend mixture with quinoa salt and pepper. Taste; adjust seasoning if needed. Add a beaten egg and mix well.

Divide into 7 or 8 patties and refrigerate for about 10 minutes. Season bread crumbs with TJs seasoning,, salt and pepper to taste. Dredge patties in bread crumbs. Fry in remaining olive oil until browned. ABout 3 minutes on each side.

Egglant Basil

Japanese eggplant (2 or 3)
Green beans (10, cut in half)
Basil leaves (4 or 5 large leaves, chopped up)
garlic (4 cloves)
onion (half)
red pepper flakes
salt
pepper
Sweetener (sugar, agave nectar or honey)
Cooking oil

Slices, quarter and oven roast eggplant (with skin) in some oil at 375' for 15 min. Don't need to cook fully, but soften it.
Dice 4 garlic cloves and half an onion. Sautee on med heat in oil. Cover.
Add uncooked green beans (cut in half) to pan. Cover. Cook for a bit.
Add partially cooked eggplant.
Add basil leaves.
Salt/pepper/pepper/sweetener flakes to taste.

Serve on brown rice.

Navratan Korma

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
• 1/3 cup mixed nuts (cashews, pistachios, almonds)
• 1 medium onion, grated
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic paste
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger paste
• 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 1 cup water
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup chopped carrots
• 1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh green beans
• 1/2 cup green peas
• 1 cup chopped potatoes
• 4 ounces paneer, cubed
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• salt to taste

Directions

1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Place mixed nuts in the skillet, cook and stir until golden brown, and set aside. Stir onion into the skillet, and cook until tender. Mix in garlic paste and ginger paste, and cook 1 minute. Stir in tomato sauce, cayenne pepper, turmeric, coriander, and garam masala. Pour in water, and mix in raisins, carrots, green bell pepper, beans, peas, and potatoes. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, and simmer 20 minutes, until potatoes are tender.
2. Heat remaining oil in a separate skillet over medium-high heat, and cook the paneer on both sides, until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Place in a bowl with enough hot water to cover for about 2 minutes to soften, then stir into the skillet with the vegetables.
3. Stir milk and cream into the skillet with the vegetables and paneer. Bring to a boil, and continue cooking 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt to taste.

Source: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/navratan-korma/detail.aspx

Whole Wheat Pancakes

Why settle for store-bought pancake mixes when you can so easily make your own, more wholesome pancakes? These whole-wheat pancakes are light and delicious. Add some chopped berries if you like, and serve with warmed fruit compote or maple syrup. Just steer clear of butter!

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 cup low-fat buttermilk
• 2 tbsp honey

Preparation:
Whisk whole-wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. In a small bowl, combine egg, buttermilk and honey. Make a well in dry ingredients and stir in egg and buttermilk mixture.

Allow batter to rest for a few minutes.

Preheat griddle to 375 degrees or set a nonstick frying pan to medium-high heat. Drop batter by 1/4 cupfuls on to griddle or pan. Cook until the edges begin to dry and bubbles appear in the pancakes. Flip and cook for 1-2 minutes more.

Makes 8 pancakes.
Per 2 pancake serving: Calories 188, Calories from Fat 21, Total Fat 2.3g (sat 0.8g), Cholesterol 55mg, Sodium 236mg, Carbohydrate 34.2g, Fiber 3.7g, Protein 7.6g

Sitcky Coconut Chicken

• 6 to 8 boned, skinned chicken thighs (1 1/4 to 1 1/2 lb. total)
• 3/4 cup canned coconut milk (stir before measuring)
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
• 1 teaspoon fresh-ground pepper
• 1 teaspoon hot chili flakes
• Chili glaze
• 4 or 5 green onions, ends trimmed, cut lengthwise into thin slivers (including tops)

Preparation

1. Rinse chicken and pat dry. In a large bowl, mix coconut milk, ginger, pepper, and hot chili flakes. Add chicken and mix; cover airtight and chill at least 1 hour or up to 1 day.

2. Lift chicken from bowl, reserving marinade; pull thighs open and lay flat on a lightly oiled barbecue grill over a solid bed of hot coals or high heat on a gas grill (you can hold your hand at grill level only 2 to 3 seconds); close lid on gas grill. Cook, turning thighs as needed to brown on both sides, until meat is no longer pink in center of thickest part (cut to test), 10 to 12 minutes, basting frequently with remaining marinade (use it all).

3. Transfer thighs to a warm platter and pour the chili glaze evenly over meat; garnish platter with green onions.

Source: http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=522896

Baked Ziti

In the Bay Area it's hard to find a box of "Ziti" but Rigatoni works just fine.

1 16 oz box of Rigatoni

8 oz Ricotta cheese

3/4 cup grated Parmesan

8 oz grated Mozzarella

2 eggs

Pasta sauce

salt

pepper

Oregano, Basil to taste.

Pre-heat over to 400 degrees.

Boil pasta in salted water 10 min.

Set aside a few oz of Mozz and Parm to cover top of ziti with.

With remaining, mix ricotta, mozz, parm, and eggs.  Add pepper.  

In baking dish, put down some sauce, add 1 layer of pasta, then dot it with some of the cheese mixture.  Add sauce.  Repeat with additional layers of pasta, cheese mixture and sauce.  Your dish may fit 2-3 layers or more.  The dish needs to boil in the sauce, so make sure there's enough.  Cover top with the Mozz and Parm you'd set aside.  

Bake 20 min at 400.  Remove and let set for 5 min before serving.  Red pepper flakes can be added for spice.

Hominey stew

Place the following in the crock-pot for 4.5 hours

• Cutup chicken breast
• 1 med. onion chopped
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 can hominy, drained
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 1 can tomatillos
• 1 can mild green chilles

Serve in bowl, cover with sliced avocado and tortillas chips.

Tipsy Tiramisu

Ingredients:
6 egg yolks
1 cup sugar
1 T vanilla extract
2 lbs imported mascarpone cheese
1 cup heavy whipping cream
3 cups strong espresso coffee
1/2 cup dark rum
Italian ladyfingers
Shaved unsweetened chocolate

In a large bowl, whip together the eggs, sugar, and vanilla. Add the mascarpone and creame and whip until smooth.

In a small bowl, combine the coffee and rum. Working one ladyfinger at a time, soak the ladyfinger in the coffee mixture for a count of three, then arrange them in a single layer in a 9-by-13-inch pan. Top the ladyfingers with half of the mascarpone mixture. Repeat with more ladyfingers, forming a second layer. Top with the remaining mascarpone mixture and shaved chocolate. Refrigerate overnight before serving.

Source: Giovanni Geurrera from Uva Trattoria Italiana, by way of Copia American Center for Wine Food and the Arts

Chicken Cattiatore

Ingredients:

• Whole cut up chicken with skin
• Orange, Yellow, and/or Red peppers
• Onion
• Mushrooms
• Garlic
• Tomoto paste
• Tomato sauce
• Tomato diced
• Olive oil
• Seasonings (optional): Basil, olives, black pepper, salt
• Rice

Directions:

Dice onions and peppers. Saute garlic in plenty of olive oil, add onions and peppers. Add all tomato sauces. Add seasonings to taste. Stir in mushrooms.

In oven-ready pot, place chicken pieces and cover with the sauce from above. Cook at 350' for 1 hour per pound.

Serve over white rice.

Source: Melissa

Brisket Noodle

Ingredients:
Beef Brisket
Onion soup mix
Egg noodles

Directions:
In an oven ready pot, line with aluminum foil big enough to wrap meat inside. Add in brisket. Cover with water. Pour on top 2 packets of onion soup mix. Cook in oven at 350' for 1 hour per pound of meat. Serve over cooked egg noodles.

Source:
Griegel family recipe

Couscous salad

Couscous
Soy beans whole (edamome)
basil
garlic
chickpeas
salt pepper
tomatoes, can
avocado
scallions
Feta
olive oil
red pepper


Source: JP & Dania

Most amazing steak

Marinade:
Soy sauce - half cup or just enough to soak steak
Red wine (optional)
Cumin powder - 1 T or to taste
Mustard powder - 1 t or to taste
Freshly ground pepper - to taste
Garlic, ground - 3 gloves

Directions:
In a small bowl mix all the ingredients together to blend the spices evenly throughout the soy sauce. Put steak in large ziplock bag. Pour in marinade. Let sit one hour.

White Chili

1-1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts (cook and cut into small cubes)
2 14 oz cans chicken broth (note Chef JP sometimes uses a little bit less)
48 oz jar great white northen beans (we've made it with these and Butter Beans--the latter may actually be better)
and it's ok if the jars are smaller :-)
1 chopped (finely) white onion
2 tablespoons fresh minced garlic
approx 1 tablespoon olive oil
1 can (Embassy brand) salsa verde OR 4 oz can chopped green chiles (we use one of each)
2 heaping teaspoons cumin
2 levels teaspoons oregano
1/2 heaping teaspoon cayenne (red) pepper
Dash or 2 of favorite hot sauce (not sure we did this)
Fresh, chopped, cilantro (optional, but yummy)

Saute onions and garlic in olive oil. Add can of salsa/chiles.
Add the broth, chicken, beans and spices, hot sauce and cilantro.
The way we prepare the beans is drain all the water, and then
mash them up with a fork before adding. I'm the official bean smasher.
I'm really good at it. They're really what makes the chili thick.

Serve with shredded cheese, Jerry Pierce likes his with tostitos
(I recommend those thick tortilla chips).

Source: JP & Dania

Tom Kha Gai

We finally found an authentic Thai grocery store (Tuk Tuk in Berkeley) and can now start to experiment with more Thai dishes than we could before. When we run out of dishes to make, Tuk Tuk has free cooking classes every Sat 3-4.

This recipe came out really great, and I even liked the twist of pouring it over the jasmine rice to turn it into a whole meal. We also made chicken satay with it from fresh made peanut sauce from Tuk Tuk. We've tried 3 or 4 different jarred versions from various stores, but none were "right". Tuk Tuk's peanut sauce we perfect.

Ingredients

16 fluid ounces soup broth (chicken stock)
4-5 kaffir lime leaves, shredded
4 or 5 2 inch pieces fresh lemongrass, bruised to release flavor
1 inch cube (or a bit more) galangal sliced thinly.
4 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons lime juice
4 oz chicken breast cut into smallish bite sized pieces
5 fluid ounces coconut milk
small red Thai chile peppers, slightly crushed (to taste)
coriander (cilantro) leaves to garnish.

Note the number of red peppers is a personal choice. It can be as few as half a chilli per diner, to
as many as 8-10 per diner, but the dish should retain a balance of flavors and not be overwhelmend
by the chili peppers. We suggest about 8-12 chili peppers for this recipe.

Method

Heat the stock, add the lime leaves, lemongrass, galangal, fish sauce, and lime juice. Stir thoroughly,
bring to a boil, and add the chicken and coconut milk, then the chile peppers. Bring back to the boil,
lower the heat to keep it simmering and cook for about 2 minutes (until the chicken is cooked through).
Enjoy!

Not really intended to be eaten as a separate course, we like it served ladled over a bowl of steamed
Thai jasmine rice. This quantity serves 4 with other food, but is probably only enough for two if eaten
separately.

If you would like to have a decent-tasting tom kha without spending the time to prepare above, we also
suggest you try our convenient Tom Ka Paste (click to see description).

Source: http://importfood.com/recipes/tcsoupwithcomilk.html

Brunch egg soufflé

(Serves 8-12) Cooking time 1:10 at 350 degress

9X13 casserole –greased
o 3 cups French bread cubes
o ½ pound sharp cheddar cheese (grated)
o 2 tablespoons flour
o 1 tablespoon dry mustard
o 2 tablespoons onion (minced)
o 3 tablespoons margarine (melted)
o 3 cups milk
o 6 eggs

Arrange half of bread cubes in greased 9 X 13” casserole dish
Top with cheese
Layer next with remaining bread cubes
Blend all other ingredients together in large bowl until smooth
Pour over top of casserole
Cover and refrigerate over night (preferably)
Bake at 350 for approximately 1 hour and 10 minutes
Let sit for 10 minutes before serving

Source: Linda Y.

Cashew Mandarin Chicken

  

Chicken breast
Sesame oil or wok oil
Cashews
Mandarin slices
Roasted peppers
Soy Vey or other sauce of choice
String beans
Brown Rice

Cut chicken into pieces and cook in pan or wok with oil until mostly cooked. Add half of mandarin slices, all cashews and peppers. Cook until cashews are slightly soft. Add sauce. Serve over steamed beans.

Source: Jan

Spicy Tofu Rice Noodles

  

Rice Noodles
Cilantro
Red Pepper Flakes
Peanut Sauce
Lime
Tofu
Peanuts

Okinomiyaki

  

Ok mix
Cabbage
Mushrooms
Eggs
Ok sauce
Pickled ginger

Mexican Rice & Bean Salad

Dressing:
TBD but included
4 T Olive Oil
2 cloves crushed garlic
Mayo
Ground cumin
6 T lime juice
Cilantro
Salt
Pepper

Salad:
Black beans
Avocado
Cherry Tomatoes
White rice
Corn

Source: Linda

Chinese Chicken Salad

Dressing: Trader Joe's Peanut Dressing

Chicken: Grilled with Herb & Sea Salt Poultry Rub (Cost Plus World Market)

Salad:
-Lettuce
-Avocado
-Mandarin slices (from can)
-Red onion, cut in rings
-Cilantro

Topping:
Chinese crunchy noodle thingys

Vegatable Lasagna

 
 

Cream of Asparagus Soup

 
 

Brocolli & Sun Dried Tomato Fusilli

 
 

Vegatable Quiche

 
 

Thai Mussam Gai pic

 
 

Thai Mussaman Gai

Yellow Chicken Curry

Serves 4

2 Cups Chicken cut into 2 inch cubes
1 T Vegetable Oil
4 C Coconut Milk
2 T Roasted Peanuts
5 Each Small Onions - sliced
4 Each New Potatoes - cut into 3x3 cm cubes
3 T Mussaman Curry Paste (or if Mussaman not available, add bay leaves, cardamom and cinnamon to yellow curry paste)
2 T Fish Sauce
3 T Palm sugar (or regular)
3 T Tamarind Juice
3 Each Bay Leaves

Don't shake can of coconut milk, when open discard cream off the top
Put up rice.

In a wok, heat oil, curry paste, and 1 cup coconut milk and stir over a low heat until fragrant.
Stir in meat
Add remaining coconut milk and simmer gnetly for 5 minutes
Add potatoes, peanuts, onions, fish sauce, sugar, tamarind juice. Simmer until tender.
Remove from heat and serve over rice.

Potato Salad

 
 

Mediteranean Feast

 
 

Winter Squash Soup w/Cilantro Walnut Pesto

 
 

Winter Squash soup prep

 
 

Portabella Burger & Couscous

 
 

Carrot Ginger Soup pic

 
 

Carot Ginger Soup

Ginger-Carrot Soup
Usually found in tropical gardens, ginger root - which is actually an underground stem, or rhizome - sprouts large pink and orange flowers that look as if they've been carved out of wax. Although they are a much more common sight in home gardens, carrots (a member of the parsley family) aren't given to such showy blooms. Nevertheless, carrots pack a nutritional punch as impressive as any ginger blossom. Put the two roots together and you've got one of the most delicious flavor combinations I know of. Buy smooth ginger pieces (wrinkled ones are old and dry) and peel the skin away. Ginger is a wonderful digestive aid that strengthens the lining of the upper gastrointestinal tract, protecting against ulcers and parasites. The carotenes from carrots fortify the immune system and help maintain healthy skin and hair. When buying carrots, avoid those with cracks and be sure to remove carrot greenery, as it leaches moisture and vitamins from the roots.

Serves 4


2 teaspoons expeller-pressed canola oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh ginger root
3 cups carrots, chopped
1 medium potato, peeled and chopped
8 cups vegetable stock
Salt to taste
Dash of dry sherry
Dash of nutmeg
Chopped fresh parsley or cilantro (optional)

1. Heat the canola oil in a large pot, add the onion and ginger, and sauté, stirring, just until the onion is translucent.

2. Add the carrots, potato and vegetable stock. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and boil gently until the vegetables are tender, about 30-45 minutes.

3. Purée the soup in batches in a blender or food processor.

4. Add salt to taste and flavor with the sherry and nutmeg. Serve plain or garnished with chopped fresh parsley or cilantro.

Nutrients Per Serving
Calories: 140.8
Protein: 6.5 grams
Fat: 1.5 grams
Saturated Fat: 0.1 grams
Monounsat Fat: 0.6 grams
Polyunsat Fat: 0.5 grams
Carbohydrate: 24.8 grams
Fiber: 4.9 grams
Cholesterol: 0.0 mg
Vitamin A: 28,566. IU
Vitamin E: 0.7 mg/IU
Vitamin C: 11.2 mg
Calcium: 59.2 mg
Magnesium: 40.5 mg

Source: Dr Weil

Pasta Puttanesca

Pasta Puttanesca
Legend has it that this pasta dish was concocted by ladies of the evening after work was done, perhaps because it is both fast and spicy. At any rate, it is a perfect quick meal that has more than its share of flavor. Anchovies are a traditional ingredient and a source of omega-3 fatty acids, so use them if you like their flavor.

Serves 6

Nutrients Per Serving
Calories: 418.5
Protein: 17.8 grams
Fat: 8.7 grams
Saturated Fat: 3.1 grams
Monounsat Fat: 3.5 grams
Polyunsat Fat: 1.2 grams
Carbohydrate: 67.0 grams
Fiber: 5.2 grams
Cholesterol: 13.9 mg
Vitamin A: 886.2 IU
Vitamin E: 1.3 mg/IU
Vitamin C: 23.9 mg
Calcium: 210.4 mg
Magnesium: 62.1 mg
5-6 cups fresh tomatoes, peeled, seeded and crushed (or use two 28-ounce cans Italian tomatoes, drained and crushed)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes
1 1/2 tablespoons capers, drained and rinsed
3 tablespoons black olives (Kalamata or oil-cured), pitted and chopped
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
2 tablespoons fresh basil leaves, minced
4 anchovy fillets, minced (optional)
1 pound dried penne pasta
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

1. In a large bowl, combine the tomatoes, olive oil, red pepper flakes, capers, olives, garlic and basil. Let stand at room temperature for 1 hour.

2. Cook the pasta in rapidly boiling water until al dente. Drain well.

3. Toss the hot pasta with the tomato mixture. Add the grated Parmesan cheese and serve immediately.

Source: Dr Weil

Warm Chicken and Asparagus Salad

Jicama, Orange, Avocado Salad

 
 

Orange, Avocado, Jicama Salad

Bean thread mango pic

Baked Spicy Tofu with Bean Thread Noodles, Corn, and Mango

Marinade
1/4 cup toasted-sesame oil
1 t ground fennel seed
1/2 t salt
1 t red chili paste, or more to taste
2 T honey
1/4 cup freshly squezed lime juice

One 16-oz block tofu, soft or firm

1 package (3 1/2 oz) bean thread noodles (aka cellphane or mung bean noodles)

2 sweet onions, thinly sliced
2 ears corn, kernels cut off the cob (about 2 cups)
1/2 cup vegetable stock or purified water
2 T natural soy sauce (tamari)
2 mangoes, peeled, pitted and cubed
1 bunch cilantro, washed

Garnish
1 bunch mint

Toor Daal pic

Toor Daal

You need:
1 cup daal (yellow lentils)

1 t red chili powder
1 t tumeric powder
1 t garam masala
1 t ground cumin seeds
salt to taste
1/2 cup water

1 14 oz can chopped/diced tomatoes
1 T ginger paste
1 chopped onion (med)
Oil
curry leaves

jasmine rice


Put up jasmine rice, which doesn't require as much water.

Rinse 1 cup daal (yellow lentil). Soak in water for 30 minutes. Then boil on medium for 20 minutes. Beat them to make soft and mushy.

Combine the following to make paste:
1 t red chili powder
1 t tumeric powder
1 t garam masala
1 t ground cumin seeds
salt to taste
1/2 cup water

Heat oil or ghee in saucepan, add cumin seeds. Then add tomatoes, ginger paste, and curry leaves. Fry for a minutes then add the paste from above. Fry again briefly. In large pot, add lentils.


Serve next to jasmine rice.

Sushi & Tofu pic

 
 

Sushi

First, the sushi rice:

* 3 cups Japanese sushi rice (get in Japanese store)
* 1/3 cup rice wine vinegar
* 2 tbsps sugar
* 1 tsp salt
* 3 1/4 cups water

1. After washing the rice well, cook it by pan or rice cooker. How to Cook Japanese Rice

2. Make sushi vinegar (sushi-zu) by mixing rice vinegar, sugar and salt in a pan. Put the pan on low heat and cook until the sugar dissolves.

3. Cool the vinegar mixture.

4. Spread the cooked hot rice into a large plate (if you have it, use a wooden bowl called sushi-oke) by spatula

5. Sprinkle the vinegar mixture over the rice and fold the rice by shamoji very quickly. Be careful not to smash the rice.
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6. To cool and remove the moisture of the rice well, use a fan as you mix sushi rice. This will give sushi rice a shiny look.

7. The sushi rice is ready! It's best to use it right away.
Tips:

Japanese rice is a medium grained and gets sticky when it is cooked. The long grained American rice isn't proper for sushi because it is drier and doesn't stick together well.

Source: About.com

Next the rolling of the sushi. Cut the square seaweed in exactly half, which on my sheets are actually in the middle of a perforation. Put avocado and cucumber in the middle and roll, square off, sprinkle with sesame seeds, and cut. Cutting should be done with a quick sawing motion while sushi roll is held on both sides by fingers of the left hand and the knife in the middle, running through the fingers.

Tofu Block with Soy and Ginger Dipping Sauce
1 T natural soy sauce (Tamari)
2 T sake wine
1 T rice vinegar
1 t finely grated ginger
1/4 t chili paste
2 T chopped mango

Mix together and reduce over heat. Let cool and serve over block of silken tofu.

Mushroom Couscous pic

Mushroom Couscous

draft

Warm Quinoa pic

Warm Quinoa and Zucchini-Stuffed Tomatoes

INGREDIENTS

	1/2 cup quinoa
	2 tablespoons olive oil
	1 1/2 cups purified water or vegetable stock
	1/4 teaspoon salt
	1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
	1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
	1/2 medium onion, chopped
	1 cup grated zucchini
	2 tablespoons currants or raisins
	1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley or basil
	1/2 teaspoon ground curry (or cumin)
	1/4 teaspoon paprika
	2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
	6 medium tomatoes
	2 teaspoons bread crumbs
	2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350°F. In a small saucepan, toss the quinoa in, add one tablespoon olive oil, stir, pour in the water, salt, black pepper and Italian seasoning, and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Pour one tablespoon olive oil into a nonstick pan and sauté the chopped onions, zucchini, currants, parsley or basil, curry, paprika and lemon juice over medium heat for about 2 minutes. Scoop the quinoa into the sauté pan and mix thoroughly with a spoon until it is blended with the vegetables to make an aromatic stuffing. Remove from heat.

Create a lid for each tomato by cutting a star shape around the stem about 1/4-inch deep. Remove the top and set it aside. Scoop out the seeds of each tomato and some of the loose pulp, being careful to leave a strong wall of tomato all around. Spoon equal amounts of the stuffing into the cavities of each tomato, filling them up generously. Put the tomatoes in a small ceramic or glass baking dish and garnish with a sprinkle of bread crumbs and one teaspoon Parmesan cheese per tomato. Cover the baking dish with a glass lid or foil and bake for 25 minutes. Tomatoes should be firm and easy to transfer from the baking dish to the serving plates. Garnish by putting the star-shaped tomato lids back on top of each tomato.

Note: If you don't have quinoa on hand, you can make this recipe using millet or amaranth. Amaranth tends to have a slightly sweet flavor, while millet and quinoa tend to taste like natural rice, with a delicate, nut-like flavor.

Nutritional information 164.1 calories, 3.4g fat, 0.7g saturated fat, 5.9g protein, 30.6g carbohydrate, 1 mg cholesterol, 4.2g fiber

Source: Rosie Daley