Thai Zucchini Noodles with Spicy Peanut Sauce

My sister gave me the idea for today's blog post, and my goodness, what a good idea it was!  So far she's 2 for 2 (she also gave me the idea for my chocolate raspberry custard tart).  I'll have to hit her up more often.
xo 

Thai Zucchini Noodles with Spicy Peanut Sauce
Serves 4
 
2 medium zucchinis, julienne (I use a julienne peeler)
1 small red pepper, sliced thinly
1 large carrot, peeled and julienne (I use a julienne peeler)
2 green onions, sliced thin
1 handful beansprouts, rinsed
2 tbsp cilantro, minced
1 tbsp basil, minced

Spicy Peanut Sauce
2 cloves garlic
2 tbsp peanut butter
1/4 c canned coconut milk
juice of 1 lime
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp grapeseed oil
1 tsp rice vinegar
1/2 tsp sracha sauce
1/4 c chopped peanuts Pin It Now!

Recipe: Spelt, Pea + Mint Baked Fritters

This recipe was a complete accident.  I meant to make quinoa fritters. I went to the pantry and grabbed what I thought was the bag of quinoa to start things off, and when I got back to the kitchen I noticed I had grabbed farro (spelt) rather than quinoa.  And then I started thinking: wouldn't the crunchy texture of farro go wonderfully well with sweet flavourful peas and fresh mint?  And this delicious recipe was born.  Thank you universe :)

Spelt, Pea + Mint Fritters
Makes 18 fritters

1 cup uncooked spelt (farro), rinsed
3+ cups water
2 tsp olive oil
1 yellow onion, minced3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 c frozen green peas
2 flax eggs (2 tbsp ground flax + 6 tbsp warm water, let stand 5 min)
1/2 c breadcrumbs
2 tbsp water
2 tbsp fresh mint, chopped fine
2 tsp miso paste
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper


First cook your spelt.  Place spelt and water in a small saucepan and bring to low boil.  Let boil for 20 minutes, until spelt is soft but still has a bit of crunch to it.  Its ok if you overcook it a bit, it will hold better. 

Heat frying pan over medium heat.  Add 2 tsp olive oil and minced onion.  Sautee 3 min or so until onions turn clear.  Add garlic and peas and cook for another 2 min or so, stirring often so as not to burn.  Transfer to a mixing bowl and add flax eggs, bread crumbs, water, mint, miso paste, salt and pepper.  Mix well.  Carefully form into golf-ball sized fritters and place on non-stick sprayed baking sheet.  They won't stick together that well, but get them as packed as you can and they will stick together once you refrigerate and bake them.

Once patties are formed, place baking sheets in fridge and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 375.  Bake patties for 20 minutes.  Once baked, remove from oven and let cool completely before removing, carefully, from baking sheets. 

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Southwest Salad

Summer is my favourite season.  Today was a bright beautiful sunny day, and I felt inspired to make this salad as it reminds me of the flavours of summer: charred corn, tangy lime juice and a dash of barbecue sauce.  It keeps well in the fridge overnight, as the flavours blend and become even better over time.  But not that if you are keeping the salad overnight then don't add the romaine until it is ready to eat or it will wilt.

Southwest Salad
Serves 6

4 ears of fresh corn cut from husks (or 1 1/2 cups frozen corn)
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 head of romaine lettuce, chopped
1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1/4 red onion, cut into very thin strips
1 jalapeno
2 tbsp cilantro, minced
juice of 1 lime
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp barbecue sauce
few dashes frank's hot sauce
1/2 tsp salt
fresh ground pepper


Heat frying pan over high heat.  Add olive oil and corn kernels.  Cook until charred but not burnt, stirring often, about 5 minutes.  Remove from heat and let cool.

Place lettuce, beans, bell pepper, onion, jalapeno and cilantro in a large bowl.  Add lime juice, olive oil, BBQ sauce, hot sauce, salt and pepper and toss well to coat.

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Recipe: Quinoa-battered Eggplant Fries

Mmmm-mmm, I do love eggplant.  I usually whip it up into a dip, but thought I would try something different.  I thought that the soft, silky texture of eggplant would pair nicely with the crispiness of baked quinoa, so I came up with these quinoa-battered eggplant fries.  They are gluten-free and vegan.  Enjoy!

Quinoa-Battered Eggplant Fries
Serves 2

1 long Asian eggplant, peeled and cut into fries
1c cooked red quinoa
1/2 c water
1/2 c chickpea flour, plus 1 tbsp for dusting
1 tsp chilli powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne
1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Pulse quinoa in a food processor about 30 sec until broken down slightly.  Add 1/2 c chickpea flour and water and pulse to combine.  Add chilli powder, salt, cumin, cayenne and pepper.  Pulse to combine. 

Transfer quinoa batter to a shallow bowl.  Lay out eggplant strips and dust with 1 tbsp chickpea flour.  Dip each strip in quinoa batter and arrange in single layer on parchment-lined sheet.

Bake for 20-25 minutes until batter is crunchy and eggplant is soft. 

Serve with Bitchin' Sauce.




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Recipe: Miso-Ginger Tofu Salad Rolls

Here is a colourful summer dish that's light and fresh.  The great thing about salad rolls is that they are a nice change from simple salad, and are so versatile: you can add whatever veggies you like.  And here, rather than using a dipping sauce, I add flavour with marinated tofu that packs some punch.  I also generally omit rice noodles from my salad rolls, as the raw, colourful veggies are much healthier and give a nice crunch.

Miso-Ginger Tofu Salad Rolls
Makes 8

For the tofu
2 tbsp soy sauce 
2 tbsp olive oil 
1/8 tsp sesame oil
3 small garlic cloves
2 tsp miso paste
1 tsp minced fresh ginger
1/2 tsp agave syrup 
2 tbsp water1 tbsp rice vinegar
1/2 block extra-firm tofu, sliced into 1/8 inch thick matchsticks

In a food processor, combine all ingredients except tofu.  Process until smooth.  Place tofu in a shallow dish or bowl and pour sauce on top.  Toss to coat.

For the salad rolls
1 recipe Miso Ginger Tofu
1 medium zucchini, spiralized or julienne (or sliced into long strips)
1 small beet, julienne (long strips)
1 c shredded red cabbage
1 c grated carrots
3 green onions, white and light green part, minced
8 rice paper wraps
a large bowl of hot tap water

Place all prepped salad roll ingredients close together.  Working quickly, immerse one rice paper wrap in bowl of hot water.  Hold under water, and when it becomes just soft enough to bend but still feels stiff to the touch remove from water and lay flat on dry cutting board or counter.  Ensure surface you are using is dry.  If your wrap becomes too soft it won't be workable, and this means you have left it in the water too long or your assembling surface is not dry.

Spread small handful of zucchini lengthwise along centre of wrap.  Lay 4-5 slices of tofu on top.  Top with green onion, carrot and beet.  Add shredded cabbage.  Roll as follows: tuck in sides of wrap over fillings.  Fold in half and roll, burrito-style.  Place on large dish.  Repeat with remaining ingredients.  Transfer to fridge until ready to serve. Pin It Now!

Veggie Burgers 101 and Recipe for Spicy Mexican Veggie Burger (vegan, gluten-free)

I love veggie burgers, and am always trying to create new flavours and textures.  My favourites are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.  I have recently discovered that are a few basic steps when inventing a veggie burger: you need to start with a grain (quinoa, rice, bulger, spelt, etc.) and mix in something squishy/pasty (beans, sweet potatoes, potatoes).  You need a binder (egg replacer or flax eggs), and something to absorb the liquid (chickpea flour, breadcrumbs).  Then you can add whatever spices, veggies and sauces you desire.  

Today I felt like something spicy, so I whipped up these Mexican veggie burgers.  They are perfectly crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, and hold together amazingly well.  I served them with Asian Carrot Salad from Brendan Brazier's Thrive Foods cookbook.  Enjoy!

 
 
Spicy Mexican Veggie Burger
Makes 6 burgers

1/2 cup brown rice, cooked + 1/4 cup brown rice (reserved)
1 can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 block extra firm tofu, pressed* and crumbled
1/2 small onion, chopped
1 small red pepper, chopped
1 jalepeno, chopped
2 cloves garlic
1/4 c cilantro
1/3-1/2 c chickpea flour
1/4 c enchilada sauce
2 tbsp salsa
1 tbsp hot sauce
1 tbsp chilli powder
1 tbsp cumin
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne
2 flax eggs (made by combining 2 tbsp ground flax and 6 tbsp warm water, let stand 5 min)

Buns, hot sauce, sprouts, tomato, avocado, hummus, and other toppings of choice

*to press tofu: rinse and pat dry, wrap in clean kitchen towel and place between dishes.  Put something heavy on the top plate and let stand for 15 minutes.

Add 1/2 c brown rice, beans, tofu, onion, red pepper, jalepeno, garlic and cilantro in food processor.  Pulse until well combined.  Transfer to bowl and add remaining ingredients, including reserved 1/4c rice (which adds texture). 

Mix until well combined.  Form into 6 patties and place on wax paper-lined dish or baking sheet.  Note that the patties will be really soft and sticky.  They will get firmer in the fridge. 

Refrigerate patties for at least 2 hours.   When ready to cook, remove from fridge and cook on indoor electric grill on "high" for 15 minutes.

Sandwich in buns and top with desired fixings.

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Recipe: Grilled Hummus and Marinated Vegetable Wrap

For this healthy meal, you'll have to marinate the thinly-sliced veggies for an hour or two before assembling and grilling.  To slice my veggies ultra thin, I used a mandoline.  Enjoy!


Hummus and Marinated Vegetable Grilled Wrap
Makes 4

1/4 red onion, sliced very thinly
1 carrot, sliced very thinly or grated
1/4 cucumber, sliced very thinly
1 small red pepper, sliced very thinly
1/4 c olive oil
1/8 c white wine vinegar
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp dijon mustard
pinch salt
fresh ground pepper to taste
4 whole grain tortillas
3/4 c hummus

Combine veggies in a medium sized bowl and mix evenly.  In a jar, mix oil, vinegar, garlic clove, dijon mustard, salt and pepper.  Shake vigorously.  Pour over veggies and toss to coat.  Cover and put in the fridge for 1-2 hours.

Spread 3 tbsp hummus over half of one tortilla.  Layer 1/4 of the veggie mixture along the centre.  Wrap burrito-style.  Grill on indoor grill (aka George Forman grill) for 5 minutes.  Repeat with 3 remaining wraps. Pin It Now!

Recipe: Spicy Chick'n Banh Mi (Vietnamese Sandwich)

When hubs and I were childless and lived in a loft in Gastown, Vancouver, we frequented a hidden gem in our neighbourhood, Kim Saigon, to satisfy our recurrent banh mi cravings.  I do still crave the salty, spicy, tangy chicken sandwich, served on a crusty yet soft french baguette.

Enter vegan banh mi sandwich.  This sandwich blew my mind, and if you like spicy chicken banh mi sandwiches, I'm sure it will blow yours too.  If you eat chicken, you can use the real thing rather than Chik'n strips (which are a delicious meat-free alternative).  Also, the bread makes a huge difference.  I bought my demi-baguettes from La Baguette et L'Echalote in Granville Island.  

Spicy Chick'n Banh Mi
Makes 2

2 demi French baguettes (or 1 full)
Spicy Veganaise (below) 
Marinated Chick'n (below)
Pickled Carrot-Daikon-Jalepeno Slaw (below)
12 sprigs cilantro
1/8 c thin sliced red onion

Marinated Chick'n
1 package Chick'n strips
1/4 c soy sauce
1 large shallot, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp vegetarian hoisin sauce
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp Chinese five spice

Shred Chick'n strips.  Combine all ingredients and mix well.  Marinate for 2-4 hours. 

Pickled Carrot-Daikon-Jalapeno Slaw
1c julienne carrots
1/2c julienne daikon
1 jalapeno, seeds removed and sliced very thin
3/4 c apple cider vinegar
1/4 c sugar
1/4 tsp salt

Combine all ingredients in bowl and mix well.  Let stand for 2-4 hours then drain and pat dry.

Spicy Veganaise
1/8 c veganaise
2 tsp sracha sauce
2 tbsp lime juice

Combine all ingredients and mix well.


To assemble sandwiches: 

Slice baguettes lengthwise in half being careful not to cut all the way through.  Spread both sides with spicy veganaise.  Divide marinated chick'n between baguettes.   Top with red onion and pickled carrot-daikon-jalapeno slaw.  Spread 6 cilantro sprigs on each baguette evenly.  Serve immediately.




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Recipe: Sushi with Raw Parsnip "Rice"

Happy New Year!  It's been a while since I have blogged.  That's because it's been a whirlwind month.  With family visiting, dinners, out of town trips, and gatherings packed in back to back, I haven't had much time to myself.  But now its a new year, and after a healthy week full of delicious dishes and exercise hubs and I are finally starting to feel cleansed after several weeks of sedentary indulgence.  Its largely been a week of Vega shakes followed by jars of green juice, but since tonight is Saturday night and we were craving something extra special (well, we were actually craving pizza BUT we didn't do it!), I rocked it out and made these bad boys: vegan sushi with raw parsnip "rice."

Although they do have a parsnippity taste to them, they are refreshing and delicious and we both thought that they tasted sushi-like.  Give them a whirl and let me know what you think :)

First make your parsnip puree.  When you break down the parsnips, be sure not to over-process them as you will need to add the other ingredients and pulse further into "rice." Once the parsnips are broken down into roughly marble-sized chunks, add the remaining ingredients and pulse until parsnips resemble rice.

Next take a sheet of nori.  Spread a 1/8 inch thick layer of parsnip "rice" on nori leaving 1/2 inch bare along the top, lengthwise.  Place veggies lengthwise and roll.

Next you will cut the sushi log into pieces.  Make sure your knife is VERY sharp, otherwise the log will just smush.  I sharpened mine part way through because it just wasn't doing it for me.

Serve with tamari and wasabi, and enjoy!


Sushi with Parsnip "Rice"
Makes: 24 pieces (3 rolls)

3 large or 4 medium parsnips, peeled and chopped roughly
3 tsp almond butter
1 tbsp tamari
1 tbsp seasoned rice vinegar
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp sesame oil
3 sheets nori (seaweed sheet)
1/4 cucumber, peeled, seeds removed, slivered into matchsticks
1 avocado, sliced
1/4 carrot, peeled and slivered into matchsticks
1/2 yellow pepper, julienne
1/4 c sprouts
tamari and wasabi for dipping

In food processor, pulse parsnips until broken down into marble-sized chunks.  Add almond butter, tamari, rice vinegar, apple cider vinegar and sesame oil.  Pulse until reaches rice-sized pieces.  Scoop 1/3 of parsnip "rice" onto a sheet of nori and spread to 1/8 inch thick, leaving a 1/2 inch gap along the top horizontal edge.  Lay veggies horizontally in a line along the "rice".  Roll sushi into a log.  Using a very sharp knife, slice half then slice each half into 4 pieces.  Serve with tamari and wasabi. 

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Open-faced Hummus, Avocado and Sprout Sandwich

This is a delicious, quick and healthy snack that I often whip up when I need something fast.


Open-Faced Hummus, Avocado and Sprout Sandwich
Serves 1

1 bagel, cut in half and toasted (or 2 slices of bread)
2 tablespoons hummus
1/2 avocado, sliced
pinch of salt
2 small handfuls of sprouts
1 tbsp flaxseed oil (or extra virgin olive oil)

Divide hummus between two halves of bagel, spreading evenly. Divide avocado slices between halves and press down, smooshing slightly, on hummus layer.  Sprinkle with pinch of salt.  Add 1 small handful of sprouts on each half.  Top with drizzle of flax oil and serve.

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Recipe: Ranch Chick'n Wraps

This recipe makes 5 wraps, so you can wrap them up and toss them in the fridge where they will last for a couple days, and voila, you have a quick healthy meal.

Silken tofu makes a luxurious base for this smooth and creamy ranch sauce.  It could be used as a dip too.  You just throw everything into your blender or food processor and puree.

Next chop your romaine lettuce and red onion and toss together in a bowl. 

You'll want to brown the chick'n.  I use Gardein Chick'n tenders.  They are amazingly like the real thing and are low in sodium too.  (Gardein brand products are really great - their meatless burger patties are our favorite store-bought veggie burger.  Even my carnivorous father-in-law enjoyed them and said he couldn't tell they weren't the real deal.)

Now its time to make your wraps.  Place a generous heaping down the middle of the tortilla.

Tuck in the sides, roll up and enjoy!

Ranch Chick'n Wraps
Makes 5 servings

1 package Gardein Chick'n Tenders
1/2 head romaine lettuce, chopped
1/4c red onion, sliced thin
1 recipe vegan Ranch sauce
5 whole grain tortillas

Fry chick'n tenders for 3 minutes, stirring often, over medium high heat until browned.  Remove from heat and toss with chopped romaine and sliced onion.  Add ranch sauce and toss to coat.  Divide between tortillas and roll into wraps.  

Vegan Ranch Sauce
1/2 package silken tofu (approx 7 oz)
3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp grapeseed oil
1 tsp celery salt
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
pinch cayenne

Puree all ingredients in food processor until smooth.  Can be used as dip or dressing. Pin It Now!