Nourishing Japanese Vegetable Soup

I love to make this soup when I want to nourish myself. I feel so good whenever I eat this. It is one of those recipes I make time and time again when I do my weekend cooking. It is a great way to use up those extra vegetables kicking around your kitchen.

This recipe originally came from Alicia's Silverstone's book The Kind Diet. In it she has a recipe for Magical Healing Soup. When I first made it, it came out kind of bland (for me, but her recipes and the cookbook are great) so I kept adjusting the recipe to find my perfect balance of flavors. This recipe is the result of a lot of trial and error and is now my favorite. I find that the dried mushrooms, onion, garlic, ginger and soy sauce make a wonderful broth with a lot of depth.

Once you have the broth down, this soup is very versatile and I adapt it constantly depending on what vegetables I have on hand. Some of my other favorite add ins are leeks, broccoli, seaweed, squash and burdock root. Experiment and adapt this soup to suit your tastes.

Nourishing Japanese Vegetable Soup

Ingredients:

6 cups water

1/2 ounce dried mushrooms; I use a forest blend with shiitake, oyster, and porcini

1/2 medium onion diced

2 cloves garlic, minced
2 large carrots, diced
2 stalks of celery diced
1/2 bell pepper diced
Few leaves of kale, shard, or spinach to equal 1/2 cup chopped
1 inch piece fresh ginger (I usually keep fresh ginger on hand in the freezer)
1/4 cup soy sauce
4-8 tsp miso paste

Directions:

Bring the 6 cups of water to a boil and add the dried mushrooms. Let them simmer for 15-20 minutes to soften. If any of the mushrooms are large, fish them out when they have softened to dice them and then add them back into the pot.

Dice and add the vegetables in the order listed and simmer them until soft. About 20 minutes check every now and then until the veggies are a texture that you like. I like mine somewhat crisp and firm as opposed to very soft, but to each their own, right?

Mince the ginger and take the pulp in your hand and squeeze out the juice right over the pan, I like to add about 1/2 tsp of fresh minced ginger to the soup as well. Then add the soy sauce.

Finally, serve each bowl with a teaspoon or two of miso paste. Miso has good bacteria in it (like yogurt does) from fermentation, and boiling it kills the bacteria. So I like to serve the soup piping hot and add the miso paste to each serving. It takes a little while to dissolve so I get a small scoop with a measuring cup, and get some of the hot broth in it. Then, I add the miso paste to the measuring cup and stir it in with a fork to dissolve it. Lastly, I add that back into the bowl of soup and it is ready to serve. Miso can be salty, so start with 1 tsp and add more to your liking.

For 4 servings
Nutritional information from caloriecount.about.com

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 464 g

Amount Per Serving

Calories 55 Calories from Fat 5

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 0.6g 1%

Trans Fat 0.0g

Cholesterol 0mg 0%

Sodium 1159mg 48%

Total Carbohydrates 10.4g 3%

Dietary Fiber 2.5g 10%

Sugars 3.8g

Protein 2.9g

Vitamin A 156% • Vitamin C 56% Calcium 5% • Iron 5%

Nutrition Grade A

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

I like to save the seeds from our Halloween carving pumpkin and toast them for a snack that is both tasty and healthy. Making your own pumpkin seeds is easy and means less waste… why throw away the seeds when you can eat them?

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

To make roasted pumpkin seeds simply reserve the seeds from the inside of a pumpkin. Remove as much gunk as you can, but don't rinse the seeds because that is where the pumpkin flavor is. Simply spread them on a cookie sheet and leave them out to dry overnight. My medium sized pumpkin yielded 1 1/4 cups of seeds.

When you are ready to toast them preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Drizzle a tsp of olive oil over the seeds and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Rub the seeds with your hands to distribute the oil and seasonings. Then bake them for 10 minutes. These seeds are not chewy, but have a nice crunch and pumpkin seed flavor. Store them in a glass jar or another air tight container.

Pumpkin seeds have protein, fiber, zinc, and magnesium. So you can snack away guilt free. Also, experiment with flavors; try adding herbs, nutritional yeast, cinnamon and sugar, or any other combination that sounds good to you.

Carrozucchi Cake

My husband loves carrot cake. It is his absolute favorite and I make it every year for his birthday. This past weekend I made this cake just for fun because I had just harvested zucchini and carrots from my garden. A few weeks ago I made these Mighty Mighty Muffins which also uses carrots and zucchini. I figured carrot cake is wonderful and zucchini bread is wonderful so why not bring them all together into one happy cake.

Carrozucchi Cake

Cake Ingredients:

1/2 cup raisins

1 1/2 cups soy milk
2 tsp apple cider vinegar

2 tbsp flax meal
6 tbsp water

1 cup grated zucchini (1 smallish zucchini)
1 cup grated carrots (1 large carrot)

1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup oat flour
2/3 cup all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp allspice

1/3 cup vegan margarine
3/4 cup natural sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Cake Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and prepare two 8 inch round cake pans with cooking spray.

Put the raisins in a measuring cup and cover them in hot water. You want to let these soak while you prepare the rest of the ingredients so they will plump up.

Combine the soy milk with the vinegar in another measuring cup to let it thicken and sour.

Mix the flax meal with the water in a small bowl and let it sit. It will thicken up and make a great binder in the cake. I make flax meal by running whole flax seeds through my spice grinder. I save any extra in the freezer.

Grate your carrots and zucchini into a small bowl. You want about a cup of each, but don't worry about it being exact.

In a mixing bowl combine the whole wheat flour, all purpose flour and oat flour. I make my own oat flour by running rolled oats through my spice grinder. It works really well. Oat flour makes for a healthier cake that is still light and delicious.

To the flour add the baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and allspice. Combine it well and make sure there are no clumps of baking soda.

In another bowl beat the margarine with the sugar and vanilla until it is light and fluffy. Then add the soured milk and mix well.

Pour the wet ingredients into the flour mixture and mix just enough to combine and then fold in the raisins (drained of the hot water), carrots, and zucchini.

Put the batter into the two round cake pans and bake at 350 degrees for 25 - 30 minutes ... they are done when the tops are brown and spring back to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.

Let the cakes cool and remove them from their pans.

Frosting Ingredients:

1/4 cup vegan cream cheese (I like Tofutti brand)
1/4 cup vegan margarine (I like Earth Balance brand)
Pinch of salt
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups natural powdered sugar
1-2 tbsp water

Frosting Directions:

Let the margarine come to room temperature and place it in a mixing bowl with the vegan cream cheese. Add the vanilla, 1/2 cup of powdered sugar, and 1 tbsp of water. Beat with electric mixers until it is completely smooth and combined. Add more powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time and continue to beat with the mixers until all the powdered sugar is incorporated and the frosting is light and fluffy. You can add a little more water as needed to get the consistency you would like.

This makes just enough frosting to put a thin layer between the two cakes and frost the top (and sides if you want). Sit back and enjoy while being impressed that a cake with two vegetables can be this amazing, and then have more - guilt free :)

Meatless Taco Filling

As the only vegan in my immediate family I am always looking for recipes that satisfy all of our tastes and preferences.

This taco filling has been wonderful because I can use it in so many ways and my family is not only happy to eat it, they request it.

We usually have this as a base for taco salad and occasionally in tacos. Both tomatoes and avocados have been really good lately so we have been craving taco salad.

Meatless Taco Filling (For Tacos or Taco Salad)

Ingredients:

1 tsp vegetable oil
1/2 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 bell pepper, chopped fine
4 oz can chopped green chillies (I like mild, but go with your heat preference)
12 oz textured vegetable protein (or vegan crumbles from Yves or Boca brands)
1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp oregano
2-3 tsp red chili powder (depending on how much spice you want)
1/2 cup salsa
1/2 cup water
fresh cilantro

Add-ins of your choice for taco salad or tacos: taco shells, corn chips, lettuce, tomato, avocado, vegan cheese, vegan sour cream, kidney beans, olives, whatever suits you or whatever you have on hand will work.

Directions:

Heat the oil in a frying pan and add the chopped onion. Let the onion start to soften and then add the garlic and the bell pepper. Continue to heat, stir, and let the peppers and garlic start to soften. Next, add the protein and the can of chills and once it is all warmed add the spices. Finally, add the salsa and water and let it all simmer for about 10 minutes to let the flavors blend. Stir frequently and add more water if needed. Finally, right before serving chop some fresh cilantro and add it to the taco filling. This gives a really fresh flavor. I use about a fourth cup of cilantro leaves which equals a couple tablespoons when chopped.

My son's taco salad creation

Sometimes, if I have it on hand and am feeling fancy, I will deglaze the pan with beer or veggie broth for a deeper flavor (using just about a 1/4 cup), but it is really good without this extra step.

While the taco filling simmers, I prep all the toppings for the salad or tacos. We like to set it all out and let people build their own meal.

For 8 servings
Nutritional Information from caloriecount.about.com

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 98 g

Amount Per Serving

Calories 201 Calories from Fat 16

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 1.8g 3%

Cholesterol 0mg 0%

Sodium 139mg 6%

Total Carbohydrates 16.7g 6%

Dietary Fiber 7.2g 29%

Sugars 6.7g

Protein 36.3g

Vitamin A 83% • Vitamin C 16% Calcium 9% • Iron 41%

Nutrition Grade A

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet

Vegan Scalloped Potatoes

This is a recipe that I have longed for, but had been reluctant to try. It seemed it would be hard to recreate this dish I remember from years past. To get the cheesy flavor, I turned to some of my favorite vegan macaroni and cheese dishes and used them as a springboard for this dish. It turned out great, with a creamy sauce that totally satisfied. This is vegan comfort food.

Vegan Scalloped Potatoes

Ingredients:

1/2 onion, chopped
6 medium potatoes, peeled and sliced
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1/4 cup margarine
2 cups plain and unsweetened soy milk
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp bread crumbs
paprika

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease a rectangle glass baking dish.

Combine the flour, yeast, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.

Spread a layer of potatoes and a layer of onion in your baking dish. Sprinkle some of the flour mixture on top. Repeat until you have used all of the potatoes, onions, and flour mixture. Next, pour the soy milk over the potatoes, add the lemon juice (kind of sprinkle it on top), and put pats of margarine over the top. Sprinkle with bread crumbs and paprika.

Bake for 60 minutes.

For 8 servings. Nutritional info from caloriecount.about.com

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 249 g

Amount Per Serving

Calories 236 Calories from Fat 66

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 7.3g 11%

Saturated Fat 1.2g 6%

Trans Fat 0.0g

Cholesterol 0mg 0%

Sodium 414mg 17%

Total Carbohydrates 36.3g 12%

Dietary Fiber 5.8g 23%

Sugars 4.7g

Protein 7.7g

Vitamin A 5% • Vitamin C 56% Calcium 4% • Iron 14%

Nutrition Grade A

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet

Loaded Breakfast Quinoa

This breakfast packs a punch in terms of flavor and nutrition. It is naturally sweetened with chopped dates and maple syrup. It is so good warmed and with some soy milk poured on top, like a porridge. I also like it at room temperature as is.

Loaded Breakfast Quinoa

Ingredients:

1 cup quinoa
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups water

4 dates, chopped
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tbsp maple syrup
1/4 cup shredded coconut
1/4 cup raisins
1 tbsp chia seeds
1 tbsp hemp seeds

soy milk (optional)

Directions:

Rinse the quinoa in a sieve and put it in a sauce pan with the salt and water. Bring it to a boil, lower the heat and let it simmer for 15 minutes.

Once the quinoa has absorbed the water, fluff it up and add the chopped dates, cinnamon, cocoa powder, maple syrup, coconut, raisins, chia, and hemp. Taste and adjust the seasonings.

For 6 servings. Nutritional information from caloriecount.about.com.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 131 g

Amount Per Serving

Calories  183 Calories from Fat  41

% Daily Value*

Total Fat  4.5g 7%

Saturated Fat  1.4g 7%

Trans Fat  0.0g

Cholesterol  0mg 0%

Sodium  103mg 4%

Potassium  331mg 9%

Total Carbohydrates  31.9g 11%

Dietary Fiber  4.5g 18%

Sugars  9.3g

Protein  5.8g

Vitamin A 0% • Vitamin C 1% Calcium 4% • Iron 19%

Nutrition Grade B+

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet

Zucchini Bread

It is late summer and the zucchini is really coming on. I like to cook with it and bake with it...here is one of my favorite recipes for baking with zucchini.

Zucchini Bread

Ingredients:

1 cup grated zucchini (1 small zucchini)

1 tbsp flax meal (I prefer golden)
1/4 cup water

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg

1 cup sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/3 cup raisins

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees, and grease a bread loaf pan with cooking spray.

Grate your zucchini and reserve. Mix the flax meal with the 1/4 cup water and set aside to thicken (be sure to mix it well, a fork works great for this).

Mix all the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl which is the flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg.

In another small bowl or measuring cup, combine the sugar, vegetable oil and flax mixture. Stir and combine. Then add these wet ingredients to the flour mixture and mix until just combined. Then add the grated zucchini and the raisins. Mix until incorporated and pour the batter into a greased bread loaf pan.

Bake in the pre-heated oven for 1 hour or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean and the top is nicely browned.

For 12 slices. Nutritional information from caloriecount.about.com.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 56 g

Amount Per Serving

Calories  176 Calories from Fat  45

% Daily Value*

Total Fat  5.0g 8%

Saturated Fat  0.9g 5%

Trans Fat  0.0g

Cholesterol  0mg 0%

Sodium  104mg 4%

Potassium  98mg 3%

Total Carbohydrates  32.5g 11%

Dietary Fiber  0.9g 4%

Sugars  19.3g

Protein  2.0g

Vitamin A 0% • Vitamin C 3% Calcium 2% • Iron 5%

Nutrition Grade C+

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet

Lemon Poppyseed Quinoa with Prunes

I love muffins, pastries, breads and anything baked. I don't always feel my best when eating a lot of these foods, though. So I am trying to incorporate muffin flavors with healthy grains for breakfast. I love quinoa for breakfast and so I decided to incorporate my son's favorite muffin flavor to make lemon poppy seed quinoa.

Lemon Poppyseed Quinoa with Prunes

Ingredients:

1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
pinch of salt
zest from 1 lemon
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp agave nectar
1 tbsp poppy seeds
1/4 cup almonds
1/4 cup chopped prunes
pinch of cinnamon

Directions:

Toast the quinoa in a saucepan over medium high heat for a few minutes until it starts to pop. Then add the pinch of salt and the two cups of water. Bring to a boil and then cover and turn the heat to low and let simmer for 15 minutes.

When the quinoa is done fluff it up and add the lemon juice, agave nectar, chopped prunes, and almonds. Stir it all together and add the poppy seeds and a pinch of cinnamon to the quinoa and mix. Enjoy for breakfast or a snack.

For 4 servings:
nutrition information from caloriecount.about.com 

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 188 g

Amount Per Serving

Calories 235 Calories from Fat 58

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 6.4g 10%

Saturated Fat 0.7g 3%

Trans Fat 0.0g

Cholesterol 0mg 0%

Sodium 46mg 2%

Total Carbohydrates 38.5g 13%

Dietary Fiber 4.6g 18%

Sugars 8.7g

Protein 7.6g

Vitamin A 2% • Vitamin C 4% Calcium 8% • Iron 13%

Nutrition Grade B+

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet