Sprouting 101, Mung Beans and Raw Sushi

The whole raw food movement or diet can be a little daunting. But don't be stressed out, you don't have to go as far as buying a whole new set of  strange kitchen tools like dehydrators, spiral slicers, nut butter grinders or high powered juicers. There are some simple foods you can add using what you have laying around. If you have a shallow bowl, jar or plate you can definitely sprout mung beans. Mung beans have a decent amount of fiber and protein, as well as Vit K and folate, B vitamin good for your skin, blood, bones...

Day 1 - add water
Day 2 - drain, rinse well, add enough water to cover halfway (twice during day)
Day 3 - drain, rinse and eat
If storing, use airtight container and keep in fridge.

 

Great topper for salad, in maki sushi or as a snack.

For the salad I used the Raw Pecan Ranch from an older post. Modify the ranch dressing for sushi by leaving out the lemon and sweetener. Add a teaspoon of dry wasabi powder if you want the extra kick.


For the raw maki sushi I did modify the pecan ranch and used the raw miso mayo.


Raw Maki Sushi
raw or toasted nori - cut into one inch strips
jicama - skin removed and cut into strips using a vegetable peeler
cucumber or zucchini - strips using a peeler
raw miso mayo - line down center
Layer nori, jicama, cucumber and mayo.
Roll into sushi. 
 

A variation uses the mung beans mixed with the raw miso mayo and diced red peppers. You can do it with or without the nori. To make room for the filling, the roll has a larger open center with butter lettuce to keep it from falling through.
For a shortcut you can also use a store bought Miso Mayo.

If you want to take on some more challenging sprouts, get your hands on alfalfa, broccoli, radish, garlic or red clover seeds. For those a sprouting jar, made using a mason jar and a square of cheese cloth, is easy enough to put together. Seeds, kits and info at Mumm's.




For more raw meals and desserts, the vibrant and inspirational Ani Phyo has a great site with some recipes and books available.

4th of July Vegan Style, with Sushi Bowls of course

fresh to the table

There's something very therapeutic about making food for loved ones.
Every step deserves close attention.
From the planning of the perfect dish,
to the care taken choosing each ingredient,
to the prepping of the produce - chop? scallop? julienne? grate?
to the cooking of each component
and to the presentation.

farmer's market treasures

I understand that this much attention to each stage of cooking is not everyone's cup of tea. Different people are drawn to different activities like gardening, crafting, hiking, knitting or running. But for me, when I cook for people I care for, it's not work, it's not a drag, it's a joy. For me it's about fully immersing myself in the moment.  Giving myself a break from the regrets and fears that fill my head. Taking the opportunity to create and put on a grand performance.

I remember a cloudy stretch between sunny days when I decided I didn't want to cook anymore.
Being in a kitchen had become too tied to memories best forgotten. Fortunately, I was blessed with friends that helped to bring me out of that place.

 

Clean up is the step that I would be happy to do without. Other than that, having people over for dinner is such a win win for everyone. I like eating out for new culinary adventures but there's no place home.

 


How about this for a non-traditional 4th of July diner?

I thought it would be fun for people have a sushi bowl.
The base of the bowl was 2 parts jasmine rice and 1 part forbidden rice. Black/purple rice, reserved for royalty in the past, has the same nutrition as brown rice plus extra antioxidants. I prefer the texture too, less of a husky chew. The forbidden rice, serving for 6, was seasoned with 4 sheets of finely shredded roasted nori and 1/4 cup of soy sauce - using a gluten free shoyu easily makes the bowl gluten free. 

The grand selection of fine topping included black bean nori, sauteed shitake mushrooom, crispy ginger, minced soy beef, hass avocado, cherry tomato and seasoned nori snacks.

Black Bean Nori
1 cup of organic black beans - canned or soaked and cooked
1 tsp fresh grated ginger or 1/4 tsp ginger powder
1 sheet of roasted nori, finely shredded with kitchen scissors
1 tbsp shoyu or tamari sauce
heat all in a pot on medium heat til bubbly, stirring occasionally

Sauteed Shitake
1 cup of fresh shitake, sliced in strips or soaked and drained from dried mushrooms
2 tsp refined coconut oil - neutral taste and aroma
1 tbsp shoyu/tamari sauce
1 tsp coconut sugar or agave
heat oil in a pan on medium
cook mushrooms til slightly browned
lower heat, add sauce and sugar, heat another 2 min

Ginger Crisps
4 oz fresh ginger, thinly sliced
1 tsp refined coconut oil
1/4 tsp salt
heat oil in a pan on med/high
place ginger in a single layer in pan
heat til slightly browned, turn over once, brown

There was also a salad that turned into an interesting tell of people's personalities. Some had the salad as a starter while others mixed the salad with the rice in varying proportions. The salad had romaine lettuce, dinosaur kale and parsley. The dressing was a tangy pecan ranch.

Tangy Pecan Ranch Dressing

massaged kale salad

1/2 cup raw cashew
1/4 cup raw pecan
1 cup water
1 tbsp lemon juice or juice of 1/2 lemon
1/2 tsp salt or 1/8 to1/4 if less desired 
1 tbsp yellow miso
1/4 tsp garlic powder or 1 fresh clove
2 tsp coconut sugar or agave
Combine all in high speed blender til creamy

Alternatives
2 tbsp of nutritional yeast in place of miso
2 tsp unpasteurized apple cider vinegar in place of lemon juice
just pecan or just cashew
make it nut free with sunflower seeds

The dressing is fun on any salad. Use it in a wrap or in a sandwich. Flavor punch a pasta by leaving out the lemon and combining it with marinara sauce.

The raw dressing also helps fight inflammation and has a low glycemic index.
One serving boasts significant amounts of the minerals magnesium and manganese ( magnesium benefits, manganese for your health). 

For dessert we had organic fair trade chocolate chip brownie cupcakes with choc icing and a peanut butter cream. Curious about why fair trade, jump to older post.
If cupcakes are your thing check out this magic book of goodness.
Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World
or order some up from this Wizard of sweet delights
Clara Cakes

And now a dance break!

Just in case you haven't visited yet, here's a new restaurant in LA Rawsheed Fusion Chef.

The road to Plant Based City or Veganville

raw maki

My journey to veganville took five years. People I talk to about cooking are relieved to hear that my early
forays into vegan territory were failures. Meals of spaghetti with plain tomato sauce were far from satisfying and diners of ramen with frozen mixed vegetables were demoralizing. It's not like I was much of a cook to begin with. The only change I made to my spaghetti was to leave out the ground beef. I guess I missed the flavor the fat added.

The sushi I used to make using canned salmon wasn't exactly Iron Chef worthy. They're a far cry from the raw maki rolls of today...

vegetable maki

or the more conventional rice filled sushi using steamed baby bok choy, cucumber and carrot. The variations are endless. Avocados are always great, as are alfalfa sprouts, bell peppers, asparagus, pickled daikon and baked tofu.

I've even had banana and mango in a dessert sushi, with brown rice and coconut optionals.

That said, here are some tips that I hope will help.

Have a handful of meals that you can learn to do that are simple and quick.

Here are 4 ideas -

2 Step Chili
1 can of bean salad or kidney beans (Eden Foods have organic beans without plastic lining - BPA free ) and 1 jar of salsa.
Eat with cornbread or tortilla chips.
Feel free to make nachos by melting some Daiya cheese on the chips first. 
Feel even freer to top nachos with chopped green onion, jalapenos, vegan sour cream and avocado/guacamole.
In time you can can substitute the canned beans with soaked and cooked dry beans and replace the jar of salsa with:
2 chopped tomatoes
1 bunch of fresh chopped cilantro
1 tbsp of ground cumin
1 tsp salt
1 clove of minced garlic
1 chopped onion
1 chopped bell pepper
1 chopped celery stalk
(saute above 4 1st in 2tbsp of oil in a pan on medium heat for 5 minutes, add tomatoes and simmer on low for another 10 minutes)

hemp pesto primavera

Pasta Primavera - pasta with roasted vegetables
In a large bowl, toss 1 chopped red bell pepper, 1 chopped zucchini and 1 julienned carrot (no thicker than 1/4 inch) in 3 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp garlic powder and 1/2 tsp pepper.
Place in a single layer onto a baking sheet and cook at 350F til carrots softened, about 10 min.
Remove and add to marinara or a vegan Alfredo sauce and a pasta of your choice.

Vegetable Stir Fry
Chop up 1 red pepper, 2 stalks of celery, 3 napa cabbage leaves and/or 2 baby bok choy bunches, 2 green onions, 3 cloves of garlic and 2 portabello mushrooms.
Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a large pan or skillet and sauté veggies and 1/2 tsp salt on medium for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add half pound of cubed super firm tofu and saute for 3 minutes as an option. Lower heat and add 4tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp agave or coconut sugar and heat for 2 more minutes.

Serve on cooked rice, mixed greens or fold into a wrap with a smear of Vegenaise or Vegan Heights Tasty Mayo.

sweet & sour chickn

Bringing back a dish from my childhood I made sweet & sour chicken using tomatoes, fresh cut pineapple and a chicken alternative, grilled separately with minced garlic. Beyond Meat has a good one. Useful for chicken salad sandwiches and summer BBQ skewers too.


Baked Butternut Squash
Wash, peel (optional) and cube butternut squash. Place in a large mixing bowl and toss with 2 tbsp oil, 2 tsp salt, 1 tsp garlic powder or 3 cloves of minced garlic, 1 tsp pepper.
Place in a single layer on a baking sheet and cook for 20mins, or until translucent/soft
Top squash on romaine lettuce, mixed greens or baby kale.
Use your favorite salad dressing along with avocado, shredded carrot, cucumber, raisins, thinly sliced red onion, halved cherry tomatoes or sprouts. If handy add chick peas, sliced pears, chopped walnuts, sunflower seeds, edamame or baked tofu.
Or put the squash into a high speed blender with 2 cups of water and 1/2 cup of raw cashews for a creamy soup.

It's best to stock up on simple eats that take no cooking.

raw oat hemp hazelnut milk cereal

Tortilla chips with guacamole or hummus.
Wraps or sandwiches stuffed with tempeh bacon, lettuce, tomato, avocado & Vegenaise.
Granola or cereal. Top with hemp seeds, chopped dates, sliced almonds or goji berries. Bagels with vegan cream cheese, nut butters or jams. Frozen or fresh fruit for blended fruit smoothies.

Basic things to have in your pantry/fridge:
coconut oil
Daiya cheese
almond, rice, soy, hemp, flax or coconut  milk
vegan butter (store bought or homemade made with 1/3 cup coconut oil & 2/3 cup of hemp, avocado or sunflower oil)
salad dressing
Vegenaise
almond, rice, soy or coconut yogurt

I do almost all of my day to day with these kitchen tools:
Vitamix
toaster oven - Cuisinart model TOB-40
ceramic coated non-stick pots and pans

The Vegan Stoner blog has some fun recipes. Very newbie cook friendly.

Plant Based Paige has many gluten free nutrient packed spins on classic eats.

My own easy choc mousse recipe is here in case you missed it. Another alternative sweetener to consider is coconut sugar.

Pizzas are real simple to throw together and the topping choices are unlimited.

sausage bell pepper pizza

hemp pesto spinach flatbread pizza

have a pizza party

Buy a ready made frozen pizza crust, naan bread or tortillas (for a super thin crust).
Spread on the marinara sauce, vegan Alfredo or pesto (food process 1 cup fresh basil leaves, 2 cloves garlic, 1 tsp agave, 1/2 tsp salt, 3 tbsp nutritional yeast, 2 tbsp olive oil), cover with Daiya cheese and whatever toppings.
Sliced portobello mushrooms, bell peppers, pineapple, vegan sausage, cherry tomatoes, artichoke hearts, asparagus, sliced olives, fresh basil, jalapenos or baby spinach.
Eat with a side salad, smoothie or garlic bread.

coq au vin over forbidden rice

Always have fresh fruit available. Go with the seasons and buy cantaloupes, honeydew melons, pears, bananas, apples, mangoes, dates, figs, pomegranate, pineapple, peaches, apricots and all manner of berries.

As soon as you have some new found cooking confidence, have some friends over to celebrate.

I know not everyone lives to eat, but sometimes a really comforting meal really brightens up a dark day.

sushi nite

My Daily Bread...sometimes rice

sprouted mung bean maki sushi

When it comes to mealtime, the spectrum goes from mundane grub to gourmet. Most families rotate the same handful of dishes week after week, while others travel the culinary world in search of new cuisine. 

 

Some people simply eat to live while others truly live to eat. Do you know someone that would skip eating if they could, that see lunch as an interruption to their busy day? Do you know someone that moments after finishing lunch, have their mind on what's for dinner?

Above, miso sprouted mung bean red pepper sushi, using zucchini in place of nori. Nori can be used for rolling, but it doesn't hold up unless served right away.
 
I wouldn't say I live to eat, but I do find a good meal uplifting, setting the tone for what I do next. A very short menu of recipes items is what I typically draw from each day. More often than not, what can be made in fifteen minutes and needing no more than 5 ingredients wins.

wild blueberry raw cheesecake

When I don't have fifteen minutes, I'll usually have some leftovers in the fridge to fall back on. Definitely making large batches that last a few meals is a big time saver.

To the left, raw wild blueberry cheesecake with pecan crust. Cashews and bananas make the perfect base.

SUPERFOOD PACKED LIFE SAVER

Every morning I start out with a protein shake with one or two scoops of Brendan Brazier's Vega. As the best snack ever, dip a ripe banana in raw almond butter and then in the choc Vega. Try it sooner vs later.

(from anywhere across North America you can get it from Ryan and Courtney, the cool people at Vegan Essentials, or from Giacomo, raw food vegan bodybuilder, at Vegan Proteins)

Taking pictures of food has become a good habit for me. It's nice to be able to share a fun little visual journal of some of the food I've made for others and myself over the past year or so. Again, keep in mind that I don't eat like this all the time.

VEGAN THANKSGIVING

THANKSGIVING DESSERT - MAPLE PEAR PIE

Maple tempeh (marinated in maple syrup, garlic, agave, balsamic vinegar & olive oil), roasted green beans, carrots, mashed potatoes and peppered mushroom gravy.  
Savory seitan roast (wheat gluten with vegetable stock, garlic & sesame seed oil), wild rice cherry stuffing, Brussels sprouts, carrots and broccoli.

Above, rustic pizza (sauteing the mushrooms with garlic before topping the pizza adds all the more flavor) and two-bite seitan wellington (pastry can be filled with homemade seitan, Tofurky or walnut & mushroom filling).

FAJITAS ARE FUN

Instead of bell peppers I cooked marinated chayote squash. Chayote has great texture and holds flavors well. The protein was strips of seitan, wheat protein, brushed with garlic oil and baked til lightly crispy. Homemade salsa and mexi rice rounded out the toppings. Napa cabbage and lettuce leaves are fresher alternatives to tortillas.

90 of these raw coconut butter pecan cheesecake cups were made for a party recently. Coconut, pecans, cashews and banana form the base.

Below, broccoli napa ramen. Vegetable stock heavy on the ginger and scallion, with some sesame seed oil.

NOODLES & NACHOS

Purpose and Spice

I was really moved after watching the video of five star chef Narayanan Krishnan. It is so beautiful to see someone with a clear and driving purpose in life.

The following is an excerpt from the article Once a rising star, chef now feeds hungry.
 

In 2010 Narayanan was a Top 10 CNN Hero.

 "Krishnan founded his nonprofit Akshaya Trust in 2003. Now 29, he has served more than 1.2 million meals -- breakfast, lunch and dinner -- to India's homeless and destitute, mostly elderly people abandoned by their families and often abused.

Krishnan's day begins at 4 a.m. He and his team cover nearly 125 miles in a donated van, routinely working in temperatures topping 100 degrees Fahrenheit.

He seeks out the homeless under bridges and in the nooks and crannies between the city's temples. The hot meals he delivers are simple, tasty vegetarian fare he personally prepares, packs and often hand-feeds to nearly 400 clients each day.

Krishnan carries a comb, scissors and razor and is trained in eight haircut styles that, along with a fresh shave, provide extra dignity to those he serves."

Building the Akshaya project

You can also view on Youtube Narayanan Krishnan and on the CNN site Narayanan Krishnan CNN Heroes Tribute.

Tasty Palettes' Ven Pongal

Naturally I was curious about the Ven Pongal and Sambar dishes Krishnan mentioned in the videos so I looked them up.

The blog Tasty Palettes has the recipes for the Ven Pongal and a few variations of the Sambar. It's quite an impressive blog. The dominantly Indian recipes are rooted in tradition but many include contemporary touches or options.

What is notable, is the large number of vegan or vegan friendly dishes available.

Apricot Cantaloupe Sorbet...Mousse...Smoothie...you decide

We had a few cantaloupes left after COK's Bring a Friend BBQ held earlier in September, so we gave them to our gracious host Heather Shenkman. Follow her cardiologist, vegan activist and Ironman Triathlete adventures at her own blog Vegan Heart Doc.

Here's the recipe that I gave to her for a cantaloupe sorbet. The cashews give the dessert its creaminess and the apricots are the perfect whole food sweetener.

Apricot Cantaloupe Mousse with Wild Blueberries

1 cup dried apricots (1/3 lb)

1 medium sized cantaloupe (5" in diameter)(1 lb), peeled and seeded

4 oz of raw cashews (1/4 lb)

2 tsp vanilla extract

1/8 tsp salt (optional) 

2 tsp stevia powder or 1/4 tsp stevia liquid (optional)

Combine all in high speed blender or food processor til uniform texture and smooth.
Makes 9-10 3oz servings.

Mousse
Chill in the refrigerator. I added some sliced bananas and wild blueberries for a quick parfait.
Sorbet
Freeze in an airtight container. Because of the low fat content, it freezes like a hard ice cream, so I suggest you defrost slightly before scooping.
Smoothie
Stir or blend 1/2 cup into 1/2 cup of rice milk, hemp milk, coconut water or coconut milk.

click to zoom in

For each 80 gram serving you have get 3 grams of protein, 2 grams of fiber and only 5 grams of fat. Adding stevia for extra optional sweetness doesn't add to to the carbs or fat at all.

What's really impressive is you get almost half of your daily recommended intake of Vit A and a third of you Vit C just from one serving.

If you prefer honeydew melons over cantaloupes, just switch them out in the recipe. Blueberries go even better paired with honeydew. If you have raisins, dates or figs in your pantry, go ahead and switch out the apricots for any of those dried fruits.

What! You Put Pineapple in my Burger.

Compassion Over Killing is one of many great local organizations in Los Angeles. As a combination pre-labor day party and vegan outreach event, COK held a BBQ fundraiser social. I was more than happy to help out.

Match premium meat alternatives, one of many contributors, had pounds of their ground chicken and beef drop shipped to me so that I could get them seasoned and BBQ ready. The COK Blog has a full list of contributors to the event.

Steak Fajita Burger:
1 lb Match veg beef
1 green pepper, cored & minced
2 tbsp dried onion powder
2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp dried garlic powder
2 tbsp cumin
1/4 cup button mushroom, chopped & sauteed/browned (optional)
1/2 tsp sea salt (optional)

1st time at the grill, believe it or not

BBQ Cajun Burger:
1 lb Match veg beef
1/2 green pepper, cored & pureed
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp vegan Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp dried onion powder
2 tsp dried garlic
1 tsp celery salt
1 tsp dried parsley (optional)

Held up great on the grill, chicken stuck to grill less.

Basil Chicken Burger:
1 lb Match veg chicken
3 tbsp dried basil
1 tsp dried garlic powder
2 tsp dried onion powder
1/2 tsp sea salt (optional)

Hawaiian Chicken Burger:
1 lb Match veg chicken
2/3 cup crushed pineapple, drained
2 tsp dried garlic powder
2 tsp dried onion powder
1/2 tsp sea salt (optional)

Lightly brush each side of patty with oil before grilling or lightly oil skillet if cooking on stove top. Brown well before turning. Each recipes makes 8 2oz patties or 16 1oz sliders.

Condimentwise, the Basil Chicken Burgers went well with Vegenaise, classic ketchup suits the Hawaiian Burgers and Daiya cheese melts great on the Steak Fajita and BBQ Cajun Burgers