Nori and Daikon Loaf for Japanese Style Soups and Noodles

Nori and Daikon Loaf for Japanese Style Soups and Noodles by wanwu73 on Polyvore

Ingredients:

1 TB ground flax seed1/4 cup warm water
1/2 small onion, diced
1-1/2 tsp sesame oil
1/2 cup cannellini beans
1/2 cup processed oatmeal
3/4 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated ginger
1/3 cup toasted sesame seeds
1-1/2 tsp soy sauce
2 Nori sheets ground in spice grinder
1 tsp salt

Equipment:

Steamer
plastic wrap
foil

Directions:

1. Prepare a pot of water and steamer.
2. Combine the flax seed and water and set aside for 10 minutes.
3. Combine the onion and sesame oil in a large microwave safe bowl, and microwave for 2 minutes
4. Add the cannellini beans and using a potato masher, mash into the onion and oil until a paste is formed.
5. Add the oatmeal, bread crumbs, ginger, sesame seeds, and soy sauce and use a spatula to combine.
6. Add the Nori and salt, and continue to combine.
7. On top of a layer of oiled plastic wrap form the paste into a long, slender loaf.  Wrap well, with the seam side up.
8. Wrap this again in Aluminum foil, seam side up.
9. Set in steamer and steam for 1 hour.
10. Remove and let cool, unwrap and slice thinly.  Serve with soups and noodles.

 
Serves 4.

Japanese Style Steamed and Stuffed Squash with Mushroom Sauce

Japanese Style Steamed and Stuffed Squash by wanwu73 on Polyvore

 Ingredients:

1 acorn squash, or similar size 

 Stuffing:

1 cup shredded kale

1/2 LB umami pate

1 TB sake

1 TB mirin

1/2 tsp grated ginger

1 TB soy sauce

1/4 tsp sesame oil

1/4 tsp brown sugar

Mushroom Sauce:

1/3 cup sliced and dried shiitake mushrooms

1/3 cup warm water

1 and 1/2 cups mellow umami broth

2 tsp brown sugar

1 TB sake

1 and 1/2 TB cornstarch

1/2 tsp sesame oil

Directions:

1. Cut squash in half and scoop out seeds.
2. Prepare filling.
3. Mound half the filling into each squash half.
4. In a deep pot bring about a quart of water to a boil.
5. Place stuffed squash in steamed and cover.  Place over boiling water.
6. Steam about 1/2 an hour or until tender.
7. While squash is steaming, prepare Mushroom Sauce.
8. Place mushrooms in a small bowl, add warm water and soak 30 minutes.
9. Squeeze mushrooms dry, an d reserve the liquid.
10. In a small saucepan, combine mellow umami broth, soy sauce, brown sugar, and sake over medium-high heat.
11. In a small bowl, blend cornstarch and mushroom soaking liquid.
12. Stir into sauce.
13. Cook until thick, stirring constantly.
14. Stir in sesame oil and sliced mushroom.
15. Place 1/2 squash on each serving plate.
16. Serve with mushroom sauce. 

 Makes 2 servings

Sauerkraut Stew

Sauerkraut Stew by wanwu73 on Polyvore

Ingredients:

1 tsp vegetable oil

2 onions, thinly sliced

1 tsp garlic powder

1 can of kidney beans (15 oz)

1 TB chopped fresh dill

1 tsp caraway seeds

6 cups robust umami broth

4 cups cabbages (approx 1/2 medium cabbage)

Salt and pepper to taste

1 TB paprika

Directions:

1. Heat the oil in a dutch oven.
2. Add the onions, put the lid on, and let steam 5-10 minutes.
3. Stir in the garlic powder, turn up the heat.
4. Add the beans, dill, and caraway and stir for a minute or two to mix.
5. Add the broth.
6. Bring to a boil and add the cabbage.  Return to a boil.
7. Add the salt and pepper
8. Put on the lid and return to a simmer.
9. Cook approximately 15 minutes, or until the cabbage is cooked to your taste.
10. Stir in the Paprika.

Makes 4 (2.5 cup) servings

Soymilk Chai Tea

Soymilk Chai Tea by wanwu73 on Polyvore

I found this awesome Aladdin thermos at a thrift store.  Perfect for keeping chai warm. 

This recipe makes 8 (8 fl. oz) servings.  I usually pour some into a thermos or tea pot and store the rest in a Tupperware pitcher in the refrigerator.  

I shop for my spices at a local Indian grocery--much more inexpensive that a conventional supermarket.

Ingredients:

1 TB fennel seeds

6 green cardamom pots

12 whole cloves

1 cinnamon stick

1 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp black peppercorns

2 bay leaves

7 cups water

2 TB Indian tea leafs (I used a British Breakfast)

1 cup soy milk, or other non dairy milk

Directions:

1. Place all spices and water in a pot.  Cover and boil over medium heat for 20 minutes.
2. Remove from the heat, add the tea leaves and steep for 10 minutes.
3. Add the milk and return the tea mixture to a boil.
4. Strain the tea into a pitcher.
5. Add sugar if desired.

Slow Cooker Mushroom Stroganoff

Mushroom Straganoff by wanwu73 on Polyvore

This recipe was updated from Betty Crocker's Classic Beef Stroganoff, from 1976.


 Ingredients:

2 TB vegetable oil
1 LB mushrooms of your choice, sliced
1 medium onion, minced 
1 oz dry mushrooms, hydrated according to package instructions
2 cups robust umami broth
2 TB catsup
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1 TB cornstarch + 1 tsp
3/4 cup soy milk
1/4 tofunaise
Chopped Parsley to serve 
Paprika to serve
3 to 4 cups hot cooked noodles

Directions:

1. Saute the onions and mushrooms until soft.  Add to the crock pot.
2. Add the hydrated mushrooms to the crock pot.  
3. Blend broth, catsup, garlic powder, salt, and cornstarch on medium speed, until smooth.  Pour into the crock pot.
4. Set crock pot on high heat and cook 3 to 4 hours.
5. Half an hour before serving, combine the tofunaise, soy milk, and the other tsp of cornstarch in a small sauce pan and stir on medium low heat until thickened.  Add to the crock pot, folding it into the mushroom mixture.
6. Serve stroganoff sauce over noodles and top with Parsley and sprinkle with paprika.

 Makes 4 servings

Catsup

Home Made Catsup by wanwu73 on Polyvore

 

 

 

If you want to see how to make catsup using fresh tomatoes, I did a post on my old blog Learning from Mom Dill Pickles and Catsup.

 

Today's is a quick pantry version and is meant to produce a smaller, on demand quantity.

 

Ingredients:

 

26 oz can tomatoes, including juice, chopped

1/4 cup onion, chopped

1/4 tsp cayenne

1/4 cup brown sugar

4 whole cloves

1/2 inch stick cinnamon broken

1/4 tsp celery seed

1 tsp salt

 

Directions:

 

1. In a heavy bottom pot, mix tomatoes, onion, and cayenne.  Bring to boiling.
2. Cook about 15 minutes.
3. Put tomatoes in blender and reduce to a juice.
4. Add sugar and return to pot.
5. Bring to a boil and simmer briskly about half an hour or until mixture is reduced by hall.
6. Meanwhile. in a small saucepan combine the vinegar, whole cloves, cinnamon and celery seed.
7. Cover; bring vinegar to a boil.  Remove from heat and let stand.
8. When the tomato mixture has reduced by half, strain the spiced vinegar into the sauce.
9. Add salt to mixture, and simmer til of desired consistency.

 

 Makes 2 cups (serving size 1 tsp)

 

 

 

 

Hamburger Helper Stew Updated

Hamburger Helper Stew Vegan Makeover by wanwu73 on Polyvore

Ingredients:

1 tsp vegetable oil
1/2 onion diced
3 cups robust umami broth
1 potato sliced as thinly as possible into rounds 
1/4 cup peas
1/4 cup diced carrots
1 TB cornstarch, diluted with stew broth
Salt to taste

Directions:

1. Saute onion in vegetable oil until soft.  
2. Add other ingredients and bring to a boil.
3. Turn to medium low, cover and cook until vegetable are done (about 15 minutes)
4. Add cornstarch and continue to cook on medium to medium low heat until the broth thickens. 

Makes 2 servings

Sweet Potato Loaf with Spicy Peanut Sauce

Sweet Potato Loaf with Spicy Peanut Sauce by wanwu73 on Polyvore

This is an update of Sunset's Cookbook of Favorite Recipes' (1975) Browned Potato Loaf.  The original recipe contains milk, butter, and cheese and uses white potatoes.  I've used sweet potatoes, soy milk, and a rich peanut sauce.

The Sweet Potato Loaf

Ingredients:

3 TB vegetable oil

3 TB all-purpose flour

1 cup soy milk

4 medium-sized sweet potatoes (cooked and diced)

1 TB minced parsley

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Combine vegetable oil and flour, and cook, stirring, until well-blended and bubbling.
2. Pour in milk slowly, while whisking, and stir until thick.
3. Add the potatoes and minced parsley to the sauce.  
4. Cook on low heat, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, or until mixture is fairly stiff.
5. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Turn into a well-greased bread pan, press down firmly, and refrigerate several hours or overnight.
7. Half an hour before serving, turn loaf out onto an oven proof pan, spread a layer of the peanut sauce over the top.
8. Bake in a 375 degree oven until golden brown, about 30 59 40 minutes.

Makes 6 servings

Spicy Peanut Sauce 

This recipe for peanut sauce is one that I use for other recipes and as a dipping sauce.  You will not need the whole amount for the loaf.

Ingredients:

1 TB vegetable oil

1 tsp garlic powder

3 ounces self-ground peanut butter

1 cup mellow umami broth

1/3 cup plain soy milk

1 TB chili paste

1 tsp robust umami powder

1 tsp salt

1 TB brown sugar

2 tsp corn starch

Directions:

Combine ingredients in blender, blending on medium until smooth.

Bring to a boil, and then simmer for approx. 15 minutes or until thickened.

This sauce is also good with noodles.

Pantry Tomato Sauce

Pantry Tomato Sauce by wanwu73 featuring a face powder

For a meal in a hurry.

Ingredients:

 2 TB olive oil

28 oz can whole tomatoes, cut up, with their juice

1 TB tomato paste

2 TB robust umami broth powder

1 tsp garlic powder

1tsp onion powder

1 tsp brown sugar

5 drops maggi sauce

Directions:

Heat the olive oil, turn down heat and simmer other ingredients for 10 to 15 minutes.

Spicy Country Hash Soup

Country Hash Soup by wanwu73 on Polyvore

Ingredients:

3 cups mellow umami broth

1/4 cup sliced onions

1/4 cup umami pate, formed into small, round dumplings

1 large potato, shredded or very finely julienned

1 pickled jalapeno, chopped 

salt and coarsely ground pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Bring the broth to a simmer.
2. Add the the dumplings.
3. When the dumplings float add the other ingredients and simmer for about 10 minutes, or until the potatoes are soft.

Mellow Umami Broth

Ingredients:

3 cups water
1 tsp sesame oil
3 TB mellow umami broth powder
1 tsp vinegar

Directions:

Combine ingredients in a soup pot, at a simmer, until broth powder is well dissolved.

Mellow Umami Broth Powder

Mellow Umami Broth Powder by wanwu73 on Polyvore

Ingredients:

1 TB ground flax seeds

1 TB ground sesame seeds 

2 tsp celery salt

2 tsp garlic powder

2 tsp onion powder

1 tsp oregano

.5 tsp turmeric

Directions:

Grind ingredients in a spice grinder to form a fine powder.

Lahmacun (Turkish Pizza)

Lahmacun (Turkish Pizza) by wanwu73 on Polyvore

My husband and I have had Lahmacun at a local Turkish restaurant and thought that it would be pretty easy to replicate.  The one we had was on a very thin, almost crackery flat bread, though many of the recipes I've found call for a pita.  On its surface was a simple ground meat and tomato paste topping.  On top of that, were sliced tomatoes, onion and lettuce.  We picked each slice up and folded it over and ate it like it was a taco.  Delicious!  I've replicated a quick vegan pizza using flour tortillas, which turned out perfectly.

Ingredients for each Lahmacun:

1 flour tortilla

1-2 tsp tomato paste

1/4 cup umami pate

1/4 tsp za'atar spice, or thyme or oregano*

Optional:

lettuce

tomato

onion 

Directions:

1. Turn broiler on to preheat.
2. Brush the tomato paste onto the tortilla.
3. Combine the pate and the spices.
4. Using your fingers press the umami paste into a thin layer on top of the tortilla.
5. Broil 2-3 minutes depending on your oven.  The sides of the tortilla should be crisp and brown.
6. Add the optional toppings as you desire. 

*Za'atar is a Middle Eastern spice mixture containing sumac and a variety of other spices.  It has a slightly bitter taste that can be off putting if you aren't expecting it.  Each region has its own mixtures.  I found mine at local Middle Eastern store and have also seen in it Indian stores.  It is also good mixed with olive oil and spread on a pita and broiled for a couple of minutes.  A local Lebanese restaurant serves this, calling it simply, za'atar bread.

Umami Pate

Vegan Umami Pate by wanwu73 on Polyvore

 

 

I based this mixture off of my favorite veggie burger mix, making changes to lean to a more umami flavor.  In the last week I have used this mixture in a multitude of soups, sauces, sandwiches, and casseroles.  It has given a more toothsome feel to them all.  In the coming weeks I'll be posting many of those recipes.

 

Ingredients:

 

1/2 cup onion diced

1 tsp garlic powder

1 TB sesame oil

2.5 TB ground flax seed + 1/2 cup warm water

1 cup cannellini beans

1 cup oat flour

1 1/2 cup breadcrumbs

2 grated celery stalks

1/2 cup sunflower seeds

1 TB soy sauce

2 TB umami broth powder

1 1/2 tsp chili powder

1 tsp cumin

1tsp oregano

 

Directions:

 

1. Prep the flax seed and water and let sit for ten minutes.
2. In a medium size microwave save mixing bowl combine the onion, garlic powder, and sesame oil and microwave for 1 minute. 
3. Add the cannellini beans and mash with a potato masher.
4. Add the oat flour, breadcrumbs, celery, sunflower seeds, soy sauce, and flax seeds and combine well.
5. Add the broth powder and spices and combine well.

This should produce 26 oz of pate.  I store mine in the refrigerator in a ziploc bag and use it throughout the week.

 

 

Bean and Barley Soup

Bean and Barley Soup by wanwu73 on Polyvore

Ingredients:

3 cups Robust Umami Broth

15oz can cannellini beans

1/4 cup pearl barley
1 small carrot, diced
1 small celery stalk diced 

Directions:

1.  Combine ingredients in a saucepan.
2. Bring to a boil
3. Lower temperature and cover with lid, cooking until the barley is al dente.

Red and White Vegetable Stew

Red and White Stew by wanwu73 on Polyvore

 

 

This spicy stew is very warming on a cool day.  The name is derived from all white vegetables, and a spicy red broth. 

 

 I used my slow cooker for this recipe

 

Ingredients:

 

1 garlic clove

3 cups robust umami broth

2 TB cornstarch 

1 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp chilli paste

1 cup cauliflower, cut into bite size pieces

2 large potatoes, cubed

1/3 cup thinly sliced onion

1 tsp dry white wine

 

Directions: 

Add all ingredients (dilute the cornstarch with several TB of broth to smoothly incorporate into the stew),except the wine to the slow cooker.  Cook on high for 3 hours, or low 5 to 6 hours, depending on how your slow cooker cooks (mine cooks fast for a slow cooker).  About 10 minutes before serving, stir in the wine.

Umami

UMAMI by wanwu73 featuring beauty products

Umami

Robust Umami Broth Powder

This broth powder is my answer to Lipton's French Onion Soup Packets.  I add it to anything and everything to add a certain depth of flavor.

INGREDIENTS:
   
1/4 cup dried mushroom
2 tsp onion powder
2 tsp celery salt
1 tsp wasabi powder
1 tsp white pepper
1 tsp dried parsley

DIRECTIONS:

Use a spice grinder to combine ingredients into a fine mixture.  I store mine in old spice bottles.

Robust Umami Broth

Robust Umami Broth by wanwu73 on Polyvore

Ingredients:

1TB sesame oil

1 TB umami broth powder

3 cups water

1 tsp tomato paste

4 or 5 drops of Maggi sauce
Salt to taste

Directions:

Bring water to a boil.  Add the other ingredients and let simmer 5 to 10 minutes.  You can adjust the amount of sesame oil if you are watching your fat.

Avocado and Canellini Bean Salad

Avocado and Canellini Bean Salad by wanwu73 on Polyvore

INGREDIENTS:

15 oz cooked cannellini beans

2-3 TB Sunflower Seed and Parsley Pesto

1 avocado, cubed

1 tomato chopped

1 tsp garlic powder

salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

Combine ingredients in a bowl, folding the pesto, vegetables, and seasoning into the beans.  Serve on bruschetta or on top of rice or quinoa.

Serves 4

Nutritional Information

Sunflower Seed and Parsley Pesto

Sunflower Seed and Parsley Pesto by wanwu73 on Polyvore

INGREDIENTS:

1.5 cups chopped Parsley

1 tsp chopped garlic

3 TB unsalted sunflower seed kernels

3 TB multi-grain bread crumbs

1/4 cup olive oil 

DIRECTIONS:

Blend ingredients together in a blender on low speed to create a coarse mixture.  Mix with pasta or salads.

Make 4 servings. 

Nutritional Information 

Chili Mac

 

Chili Mac by wanwu73 on Polyvore

I developed this recipe in a quest to continue to veganize those yummy comfort foods of yesteryear.  This one is a riff off a recipe in the 1958 Cooking with Casseroles (another Savers find, of course).

For those of you whose lunches sometimes involve potlucks this is perfect.  Or, you can just save it all to yourself and portion it out through out the week.  This makes 12 servings.

STEP 1


Ingredients for chili:

1 tsp olive oil
1 onion chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
3 cups canned pinto beans or kidney beans
1 can (6 oz) tomato paste
1 cup crushed tomatoes
1 can vegetable broth
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp thyme
1 TB chili powder (my diy chili powder)

Directions:

Heat the oil, add the onion and garlic, stirring to coat.  Turn to low and put a lid on the pot.  Let slowly heat for 5 minutes.  Take off lid, return heat to medium and saute the onion and garlic until soft.  Stir in the tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, vegetable broth, beans and seasonings.  Simmer for thirty minutes until the chili has thickened.

 STEP 2

Ingredients for macaroni:

1 (8 oz) package macaroni
2 cups Cheese sauce

Directions:

Cook the macaroni according to package directions. Stir together the cheese sauce and macaroni until thickened.

STEP 3

Spray a large casserole with cooking oil.  Add the macaroni and cheese.  Pour the chili on top and slightly stir the mixture together.  Bake at 300 degrees for 5 to 10 minutes.

Nutritional Information


Note: I'm thinking that diy chili powder might make another great Christmas gift idea.