Vegan Fried Rice-Style Grains With Sweet Potatoes & Mushrooms

 

Vegan Fried Rice–Style Grains 

With Sweet Potatoes & Mushrooms

If you have leftover protein-rich grains such as millet or buckwheat, they can be transformed into a delicious vegan main course via a fried rice treatment. We add sweet potato, mushrooms and peas for substance, along with the classic Chinese flavour trio of ginger, garlic and soy. A final flourish of crispy onions brings their irresistible texture to complement the soft grains.

Ingredients:                                                                                                     2 tbsp (30 mL) canola oil, divided, plus more as needed
1 cup (250 mL) diced sweet potato, about 1/3-inch (8-mm) dice
Salt to taste
4 cups (1 L) sliced mixed mushrooms
2 tbsp (30 mL) minced garlic
2 tbsp (30 mL) minced ginger
1 bunch green onions, cut into 1/4-inch (5-mm) pieces, reserving some

   green pieces for garnish.               
3 cups (750 mL) leftover cooked protein-rich grains such as millet, 

   buckwheat, amaranth and/or fonio
1 cup (250 mL) frozen peas, thawed
3 tbsp (45 mL) tamari
White pepper to taste
Crispy onions or shallots and chopped cilantro to garnish

Directions:                                                                                     Preheat a wok or large nonstick frying pan over high heat. Add 1 tbsp (15 mL) oil and tilt pan to coat. Add sweet potato and season with salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer potatoes to a plate.

2. Return pan to burner and reduce heat to medium. Add 1 tbsp (15 mL) oil then mushrooms. Stir-fry mushrooms for 2 minutes. Add garlic, ginger and green onion. Stir-fry until mushrooms are tender, 1 to 2 minutes more. (Reduce heat, if necessary, so garlic doesn’t burn.)

3. Add grains and raise heat to medium-high. Stir-fry until grains are heated through with some crispy bits, about 5 minutes. (If the pan seems dry, add a little more oil.) Add peas and stir-fry until heated through, about 1 minute. Stir in sweet potato, tamari and white pepper. Taste and season with salt, if necessary. Transfer to a serving platter and garnish with crispy onions or shallots, reserved green onions and cilantro. Serve immediately.

 

Serves 4 to 6

Hide Bread ~ Big Sur Bakery

Hide Bread

Big Sur Bakery 

This is the alternative to english muffins served for breakfast at the Big Sur Bakery Restaurant. It must be toasted or will have a raw taste.

Ingredients 

5 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra flour for dusting
1/2 cup flax seeds
1/2 cup sesame seeds
2 cups oat bran
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup amaranth, quinoa, millet, or poppy seeds (or a combo of these)
2 tablespoons dulse flakes, or 1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons beer
2 1/2 cups buttermilk, half-and-half, milk, or water
unsalted butter, softened for serving.

Directions:
Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 375F degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper if desired.
Place all the dry ingredients in an (extra-large) bowl, stir them together, and make a well in the center. Add the beer and the buttermilk. Mix with the handle of a wooden spoon until a thick, wet batter forms. Sprinkle a layer of flour over the top. Turn the batter onto a lightly floured surface and roll it into a loose log about 2 inches in diameter. Cut it into 1 1/2-inch-thick slices and pat them down with your hands to form patties. Place the patties on the baking sheet and bake them for 45 minutes, until golden brown. Let them cool completely.

To serve, slice each patty in half, toast it well, and smear with butter (note: a sprinkling of salt works wonder here as well). And seriously, make sure to toast it. Hide bread is similar to an English muffin in that if you don't toast it, it'll taste raw.

Makes about fifteen 4-inch patties.

Lentil Tabbouleh

Traditionally, tabbouleh is made with lots of parsley and some mint. It's pretty easy to switch those up for just about any fresh, green, leafy herb. Try cilantro or even basil. This recipe kept the parsley, but added a bit of oregano and thyme. To round it all out,  red wine vinegar and lemon juice, minced fresh garlic, chopped celery, toasted almonds, chopped olives, and red bell pepper was added.
To finish it off, you'll want to add a drizzle of really good extra-virgin olive oil. Because it's a simple salad, the quality of the olive oil is important.

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LENTIL TABBOULEH
Start to finish: 30 minutes
Servings: 12

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Ingredients:
2 cups dry green or French lentils
Salt
1 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 stalks celery, diced
1/2 cup sliced Kalamata olives
1 red bell pepper, cored and diced
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Ground black pepper
1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted

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Directions:

Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Add the lentils and cook until al dente, about 15 minutes.
Use a mesh strainer to drain the lentils, then spread them in an even layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Transfer to the refrigerator to cool.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the parsley, thyme, oregano, garlic, celery, olives and red pepper. Set aside.
In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, lemon juice and olive oil. Drizzle the dressing over the herbs and vegetables, then mix thoroughly. Once the lentils have cooled (they don't need to be chilled, just no longer hot), add to the bowl and mix well. Season with salt and pepper, then sprinkle the almonds over the top.
Nutrition information per serving: 180 calories; 45 calories from fat (25 percent of total calories); 5 g fat (0.5 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 0 mg cholesterol; 25 g carbohydrate; 6 g fiber; 3 g sugar; 11 g protein; 160 mg sodium.

Lola Granola Bars

This is a recipe from Food Network.  Commercially prepared granola bars have ingredients many of us try to avoid which are known to be not heart healthy.  This is a healthy choice!

Lola Granola Bars

Ingredients:

• Cooking spray
• 2 cups oats
• 1/3 cup sunflower seeds
• 1/4 cup whole raw almonds, skin on
• 1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1/4 cup flax seed meal
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup honey
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 7- by 11-inch baking pan with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray.

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In a bowl, stir the oats, sunflower seeds, almonds, coconut, flax seed meal and cinnamon. Transfer to a dry sheet tray and toast in the oven for 15 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.

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While dry ingredients toast, in a medium pot, add the honey, coconut oil and vanilla. Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook until the honey turns a copper color, 12 to 15 minutes.

Pour the honey into the dry ingredients and mix until well coated with the honey mixture.

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Pour onto the prepared baking pan. Pack down the ingredients. Bake for about 10 minutes; the middle may seem slightly sticky but it will cool nicely. Let cool in the refrigerator for 1 hour. Flip over, take off the parchment and cut into rectangles. Serve.

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For other flavors, make the following substitutions to the recipe above:

Ruby (Cranberry): Omit the almonds and add an additional 1/4 cup dried cranberries.

Nathan (Blueberry/Almond): Substitute the cranberries with dried blueberries.

Enzo: (Cashew/Almond): Omit the cranberries and add 1/4 cup cashews to the dry ingredients.

Ellie (Cashew/Date): Substitute the almonds with cashews and substitute the cranberries with dried dates.

Maple Cinnamon Almond Butter

Maple Cinnamon Almond Butter 
with Hemp, Flax, and Chia Seed

Maple Cinnamon Almond Butter 

with Hemp, Flax, and Chia Seed

I try to incorporate as many grains as possible in my diet after reading an article several years ago. The Harvard Medical School published that most diets are Niacin deficient due to insufficient use of grains. Reap the benefits of no cholesterol with a nut butter. Serve on bread or with apple slices. This recipe comes from the blog "Oh She Glows". Use a food processor not a Vita Mix to process until smooth as it must be frequently stirred. This is so well worth the ingredients as it is delicious.

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Ingredients:
2 cup raw almonds
2 Tbsp whole flax seeds
2 Tbsp hemp seeds
1 Tbsp chia seeds
3 Tbsp pure maple syrup
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp kosher salt, or to taste
1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

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Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 300F. Line a baking sheet with parchment or a non-stick mat. In a large bowl, mix together the almonds, flax seeds, hemp seeds, chia seeds, and maple syrup. Spread out almond mixture onto baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes, stirring once half way through.


2. Remove from oven and allow the almond mixture to cool for a few minutes before placing into a food processor. Process for about 10 minutes, stopping to scrape the bowl every 30-60 seconds as needed. The mixture will be very drippy and smooth when ready. Add in the vanilla, salt, and cinnamon and process until mixed well.


3. Remove the almond butter from the processor. If you’d like crunchy almond butter, add some almonds (~1/2 cup?) into the (now empty) processor and process until chunky. Stir the chunky almonds into the almond butter. Makes 1 and 1/4 cups or a bit more depending on how much you lick the bowl.
Yield: 1 1/4 cup.

Adapted from Ashley and inspired by Naturally Nutty’s.

Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms Served With Farro

Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms Served With Farro

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Our daughter Barbara sent this recipe to me.  We are fond of farro.   Our first experience eating the grain was at a visit with our oldest daughter and family.  We were happy to learn Costco often carries it.

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One reminder I would like to add is; the gills of a portobella mushroom are bitter.  I use a grapefruit spoon to scrape the gills from the mushroom and then proceed with the preparation.

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6  4-inch diameter portobello mushrooms, stemmed

4 teaspoons olive oil, divided

2 leeks, white and pale green parts only, thinly sliced (2 cups)

6 cloves garlic, minced (2 Tablespoons)

1 1/2 Tablespoons chopped fresh thyme

1 lb. fresh baby spinach

4 oz. fresh goat cheese, softened

2 Tablespoons pine nuts

1 cup farro

2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

2 teaspoons lemon juice

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Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 F.  Line a rimed baking sheet with parchment paper, or spray with cooking spray.  Spray mushroom caps with cooking spray, and sprinkle gill sides with salt and pepper, if desired.  Arrange mushrooms gill sides down on prepared baking sheet.  Roast 10 minutes or until mushrooms begin to soften.  Turn mushrooms over.

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Meanwhile, heat 2 teaspoons oil in a non-stick skillet over medium heat.  Add leaks, garlic, and thyme, and sauté 4 minutes, or until leeks are tender.  Add 2 large handful spinach at a time, and cook 8 to 10 minutes, or until spinach is wilted and most liquid has evaporated, stirring often. 

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Stir in cheese and pine nuts until cheese is melted.  Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper, if desired.  Fill mushrooms with spinach mixture mounding on top and mashing down with hands.  Bake 25 minutes or until filling browns on top and mushrooms are fork tender.

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Cook farro in large sauce pan of boiling salted water for 20 minutes or until just tender, stirring occasionally.  Drain.  Transfer to large bowl.  Stir in lemon zest, lemon juice, and remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil.  Season with salt and pepper, if desired.  To serve, spoon 1/2 cup farro mixture onto each plate; top with one stuffed mushroom.