Soba Noodle Salad

I ate this a lot last summer.
8 oz soba noodles (Eden brand are good– I’ve found them to be better than the co-op’s)
1/2 cup cilantro
2tbs rice vinegar
2tbs soy sauce
1 tsp chili oil (I used 1 1/2 tsp)
sesame seeds
salt and pepper

1. Cook noodles and rinse in cold water.

2. Combine noodles, cilantro*, vinegar, soy sauce and chili oil. Season with salt and pepper, and sprinkle on sesame seeds.
*I usually add the cilantro in right before I eat it, because otherwise they get soggy and weird within the salad (if you’re not eating it all at one time).
posted by melissa

weekend in Holland (MI)

A few weekends back. Burritos (inside = rice, a bean mixture from Ryan’s special bean dip), salsa and tortilla chips from the co-op (the good stuff), made-from-scratch horchata, and guacamole that came out of a remix of the jalapeno-cilantro swirl (4 cloves of garlic instead of jalapeno, water instead of vegetable stock, lime instead of lemon? — it was still really good) with avocados. Really good guacamole. It was all really good.
posted by melissa

Cashew “Ricotta”

From the Veganomicon by Isa Moskowitz & Terry Romero

1/2 cup raw cashew pieces (approximately 4 ounces)

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

2 cloves fresh or roasted garlic

1 pound firm tofu, drained and crumbled

1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil

1 1/2  teaspoons salt

In a food processor, blend together the cashews, lemon juice, olive oil, and garlic until a thick creamy paste forms. Add the crumbled tofu to the food processor, working in two or more batches if necessary, until the mixture is thick and well blended. Blend in the basil and salt.

This is awesome for stuffed shells.

Cilantro-Jalapeno Swirl

For the Roasted Red Pepper soup.
1 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves (I probably used more, I <3 cilantro
1/2 tsp salt
3 fresh jalapenos, stems and some or all of the seeds and ribs removed
Juice of 1 lemon
2 - 3 tbsp vegetable stock

Combine all the ingredients in a food processor until fairly smooth.

Roasted Red Pepper Soup with Cilantro-Jalapeno Swirl

from “Passionate Vegetarian” by Crescent Dragonwagon
Olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 bay leaves
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cans navy beans
5 red peppers, charred, steamed and peeled
4 cups vegetable stock
1 tsp honey
Juice of 1 - 2 lemons
3 tbsp mellow miso
salt and pepper
Cilantro-Jalapeno Swirl
cilantro

1. Heat the oil in a skillet and add the onion and bay leaves. Saute them for 4 minutes, or until the onion starts to wilt. Lower the heat as low as it will go and add the garlic. Cook for another 6 - 8 minutes, stirring often, or until the garlic is tender but not brown. Remove the bay leaves and scrape the saute into a food processor.

2. Add the beans, red peppers, about 3/4 cup of the stock, and the honey to the processor mixture. Buzz until very smooth. Meanwhile, heat the remaining vegetable stock in a medium saucepan. Add the processed mixture to the hot stock and heat together. Bring to a simmer, then turn the heat down very low.

3. Squeeze the juice of one of the lemons into the miso along with a few tablespoons of hot soup. Stir to dissolve the miso, then stir this mixture into the pot of hot soup. Heat through. Taste and add salt and pepper. Add the juice of the second lemon if you feel it’s needed (and a touch more honey if you want).

Serve hot with 1 tsp of the Cilantro-Jalapeno Swirl stirred on top, with cilantro garnish.
posted by melissa

saturday breakfast

Frozen hemp waffles, “fakin bacon,” frozen mixed berries (for the waffles), orange juice and yerba mate latte tea. recipe = go to whole foods when you wake up.
posted by melissa

Spicy Red Lentil Dal

2 cups vegetable broth
1 cup dry red lentils
1 tbs veg oil
1 chopped medium onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground turmeric
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1 tbs tomato paste
1 can coconut milk
juice of 1 lime

1. Bring broth and lentils to a boil in a pot over high heat. Reduce heat to med-low, partially cover and simmer for 10 minutes, until lentils are tender. Cover and remove from heat.

2. Heat oil in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic and red pepper flakes. Saute 5 minutes. Add cumin, turmeric and coriander and cook for 3 minutes, stirring constantly.

3. Add the tomato paste and cook for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the coconut milk and lentils, cook for 3 minutes. Season and stir in lime juice.

Great with rice!
posted by melissa 

Potato Masala and Rice

4 medium potatoes
2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp mild veg. oil
1 onion, minced
1 jalapeno, minced
1 tbsp minced peeled ginger
2 tsp brown mustard seeds
2 tbsp minced cilantro leaves (I use a ton more)
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp Garam Masala or curry powder
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/8 to 1/4 tsp cayenne
Juice of 1 lemon
1 cup frozen peas
Fake sour cream
More cilantro

1. Boil 3 cups of water over med-high heat. Cook the potatoes for 15 - 20 minutes, until tender but not mushy. Remove from heat, drain and let cool. Dice into 1/4 inch cubes.

2. While the potatoes cook, toast the cumin seeds in a skillet over medium heat, until brown and fragrant, 2 - 3 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

3. Also while the potatoes are cooking, heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the oil and onion. Saute until just about to color, around 7 minutes. Lower the heat slightly and add the jalapeno, ginger, mustard seeds and toasted cumin seeds. Cook, stirring often, for 3 - 4 minutes, until the mustard seeds start to pop. Add the minced cilantro, salt, ground coriander, garam masala/curry powder, turmeric, cayenne, and about 3 tbsp of water. Stir for a minute or two, then add the diced potatoes and lemon juice. Turn down the heat to low and let everything cook, stirring often but gently.

4. Put the frozen peas in a strainer and run very hot tap water over them until they are thawed and bright green. Drain and add them to the potato mixture.

5. Eat with rice, and I like to top with the fake sour cream and more cilantro.
posted by melissa

Mac & Cheese

3 1/2 cups elbow macaroni
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup flour
3 1/2 cups boiling water
1 - 2 tsp salt
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
pinch of turmeric
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup nutritional yeast
paprika

1. Preheat oven to 350. Cook macaroni.

2. In a saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Whisk in the flour, whisking over medium heat until smooth and bubbly.

3. Whisk in the water, salt, soy sauce, garlic powder and turmeric until dissolved.

4. Whisk in the oil and nutritional yeast.

5. Mix 3/4 of the sauce with the noodles and put in a cassarole dish. Cover with the remaining sauce, sprinkle with paprika, and bake for 15 minutes. Then broil for a few.

posted by melissa

Nacho Cheese

1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup nutritional yeast
1 1/2 cup water
2 tbs margarine
1 tbs yellow mustard
garlic salt
soy sauce

1. Mix flour and nut. yeast in a sauce pan. Add enough water to form a thin paste. Mix thoroughly.

2. Add the rest of the water and turn the heat to medium. Stir constantly.

3. Remove from heat, stir in margarine, mustard, garlic salt and soy sauce (to taste).

posted by melissa