This recipe comes from a vegetarian cookbook called “A Taste of Vitality”. It is available for free download by clicking here. I love this cookbook - it offers wonderful whole foods, largely gluten-free vegan recipes that sustain and increase health. Enjoy this recipe, and feel free to download the cookbook to try others!

As a big fan of wasabi (reader Nimmi C. will recall the great wasabi-eating contest of 1999), I was nothing short of excited to try this dish out.  The recipe can be made as instructed, or poured into a sesame-oiled baking dish and baked as a pilaf.  It has a nice bite to it but is not overwhelming. Leftovers are great in a wrap, rolled around seaweed or consumed with sashimi (raw fish).

Quinoa:

• 1.5 cups quinoa, washed
• 3 cups vegetable broth
• 1 tsp. dark sesame oil
• (optional - use 4 cups leftover quinoa and skip quinoa cooking instructions)

Vegetables:

• 1 tbsp. dark sesame oil
• 3 medium leeks, diced small
• 1 small rutabaga, diced small
• 3/4 pound asparagus, diced small
• 1/2 tsp. salt

Tofu: (easily omitted if soy-sensitive)

• 2 tsp. olive oil
• 16 oz. firm tofu (pressed as long as possible to remove excess water)
• 1/2 tsp. salt

Finishing:

• 2 tbsp. powdered wasabi (if using a paste, adjust to your taste)
• 3 tbsp. tamari (use 3 tbsp. water and1 tsp. salt mixed with wasabi if soy-sensitive)

Once quinoa is washed, place ina  saucepan with oil and salt, cover, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, bring heat to low and cook for 15-20 minutes.

Heat a pan over medium-high heat and add oil. Saute leeks and rutabaga until crisp-tender. Add asparagus and sea salt and cook 2 more minutes. Set aside.

Cut the tofu into small diced pieces (similar to vegetable in size). Heat a  large skillet and when it is hot, add oil and tofu. Saute, flipping diced tofu occasionally, so each side is crispy and browned. Once they become firm and crispy, lower heat, add salt, and stir gently for a minute. Turn off heat.

In a small bowl, mix wasabi and tamari until there are no lumps. Add the tofu to a large bowl, and pour the wasabi mix onto the tofu. Mix well. Add the quinoa and vegetables and continue to mix well. IF MAKING ROLLS, Briefly blend half the mixture in a food proessor and mix it back into the unblended half. This allows the mix to be pressed into rolls that actually stick together.  At this point, you can refrigerate the mix to use later, or form it into rolls immediately.

To make the rolls:

Place parchment paper on a baking sheet (allows easy removal).  If you do not have parchment paper, you can oil a baking sheet. Parchment paper is best, and very reliable for roll removal without damage.

Form rolls into sturdy, upright cylinders with your hands and place them on the baking sheet. If the mixture does not adhere well, it may be too dry; try adding some water until it stays together. If the mix is very mushy, it may be too wet. Add some brown rice flour or other whole grain flour to dry it out a little. The mix should form about 16 rolls.

If you do not want rolls, place the quinoa mix into an oiled baking dish, smoothing out the top so it is in a layer of even depth.

Place quinoa rolls or pilaf into a 400 degree oven (preheating is unnecessary). Bake for 35 minutes or until a crispy edge is formed around rolls and they are golden brown. Alternatively, bake the pilaf for 20 minutes to allow flavors to blend or serve freshly mixed if time is short.

I just finished the Eugene Marathon about a week ago and set an amazing personal record. Part of preparing for an offsite marathon requires experimenting with foods that are travel friendly to minimize the chances of digestive distress on race day. I have recently discovered that my old standby - instant oatmeal - no longer works well for my body. I switched to raw granola (made from buckwheat) on race day and had no digestive issues, plenty of energy, and amazing speed.  Granted, I cannot attribute this all to raw granola, but not having an acidic stomach clearly played a part in my success.

Here is a similar recipe for home - a buckwheat muesli. Once I find a raw granola I can make and enjoy, I will post that recipe here as well.

Buckwheat Apple Muesli

Serves 1 (generously)

• 1/3 cup raw buckwheat groats
• 5 dates
• 1/4 cup apple juice
• 1 medium apple, sliced into quarters
• 1/8tsp. cinnamon
• 1 pinch nutmeg
• 1-2 tbsp. shredded coconut
• 2 tbsp. walnuts or nuts/seeds of choice

Soak buckwheat and dates overnight in 1 1/4 cup water. In the morning, drain and RESERVE the soaking liquid.  Place dates and groats in a food processor or Vitamix. Add 2 apple quarters, 1/4 cup reserved liquid, juice, and spices. Process on low until fairly smooth.

Pour  into a bowl and dice remaining apple, stirring into cereal. Top with coconut and walnuts.

Nabbed from Recipezaar.com and originally credited to Sunset magazine, this recipe will be excellent on a warm summer evening.

• 8 oz. farfalle (bowtie) pasta (can use brown rice spirals or other shaped GF pasta)
• 12 oz. crimini mushrooms
• 4 oz. fresh shiitake mushrooms
• 2 tbsp. butter, Earth Balance, or toasted sesame oil
• 2 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 3tbsp. fresh ginger
• 3 tbs. fresh minced garlic
• 4 cups shredded raddichio
• 1 cup cooked, shelled edamame (Trader Joe’s has this available in their frozen foods area) or use adzuki beans if soy sensitive
• 2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
• 1.5 tbsp. dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp. soy sauce (use 2 tsp. salt if soy sensitive)
• shaved fresh parmesan
• salt and pepper to taste

Cook pasta according to directions. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop cooking process.  Slice all mushrooms and saute in 1 tbsp. butter or oil for 3-4 minutes or until lightly browned.  Add remaining butter/oil to pan. When melted, add ginger and garlic and stir for one minute, or until it becomes fragrant. Add radiccio adn edamame and stir until radicchio wilts - about 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk vinegar, mustard and soy sauce until combined. Add cooked pasta and mushroom mixture and toss to coat. Add salt and pepper. This may be served warm or cold, and topped with freshly grated parmesan just before serving.

Serves 4

Reader and client M.H. shared this exquisite quinoa recipe with me. Quinoa is an incredible grain - a true superfood - from South America. It was a staple food of the Andean peoples for centuries. Rich in protein, iron, and calcium, quinoa is filling, versatile, and quick to cook - 20 minutes. A whole grain that is even faster than white rice!

This recipe comes from 101cookbooks.com, originally sourced to Chef MD’s Big Book of Culinary Medicine.

Warm and Nutty Cinnamon Quinoa Recipe

A few notes and tips from the book: low-fat soy milk may replace the low fat milk, blueberries may replace the blackberries, dark honey may replace the agave nectar, and walnuts may replace the pecans.

1 cup organic 1% low fat milk
1 cup water
1 cup organic quinoa, (hs note: rinse quinoa)
2 cups fresh blackberries, organic preferred
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/3 cup chopped pecans, toasted*
4 teaspoons organic agave nectar, such as Madhava brand

Combine milk, water and quinoa in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer 15 minutes or until most of the liquid is absorbed. Turn off heat; let stand covered 5 minutes. Stir in blackberries and cinnamon; transfer to four bowls and top with pecans. Drizzle 1 teaspoon agave nectar over each serving.

Serves 4.

*While the quinoa cooks, roast the pecans in a 350F degree toaster oven for 5 to 6 minutes or in a dry skillet over medium heat for about 3 minutes.

This rice pudding is allergy free and quite exotic. Instead of using dairy and eggs, rice milk is used and the pudding is thickened with cornstarch. Arrowroot powder can be substituted for cornstarch, if desired. [2 teaspoons of arrowroot equals 1 tablespoon (3 teaspoons) of cornstarch.]

Place the pudding rice in a large saucepan. Pour in one cup of rice milk and enough water to cover the rice one inch above the level of the rice.

Bring to a boil and cook until rice is tender.

Add remaining rice milk and sugar, if desired. Sample the mixture before adding additional sugar. Rice milk is sweet, and you may find it doesn’t need additional sweetener.

Return pudding to a boil, then reduce heat to medium low and simmer.

Mix together the cornstarch with a tablespoon or two of rice milk to form a slightly runny paste.

While stirring the rice, slowly add the cornstarch mixture.

Mix in the rosewater and bring to a boil.

Remove from heat and transfer the rice into a large glass serving bowl or 6 individual ramekins. Cool at room temperature and then refrigerate for at least one hour. Garnish with rose petals before serving (if desired).

Looking through my kitchen, I noted I had some chard and yams that were beginning to look a little past their prime. Utilizing the power of Cookin’ With Google, I found a recipe for African Yam Stew, which I altered to suit my own tastes. Below is the modified recipe, which yielded fantastic results.

African Yam Stew

4 cups vegetable broth

1 tsp. chili oil

1/2 chopped onion

3 cups diced yams

1 can canned chick-peas

1 cup uncooked quinoa
1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup “The Heat is On” Spiced Peanut Butter

2 cups chopped collard greens
1 teaspoon black pepper

1 tablespoon kosher salt

Saute’ onion in chili oil until soft. Add broth, yams, chickpeas, rice and salt; simmer for 30 minutes.

Blend peanut butter with 1/2 cup stock to make a smooth paste. Stir into the stew along with the greens and turn heat to low, allowing flavors to marry for 5 minutes.

Add salt, pepper, and additional chili oil or chili sauce to taste.

Serves 4-6

A special thank you to reader Melina V. for sending in this amaranth recipe she found!

Apple Cinnamon Amaranth Grits

Ingredients:

1/2 cup amaranth grains
3 cups water (at least)
pinch of salt
1/2 cup apple sauce
2 tablespoons cinnamon sugar
2 teaspoons agave syrup

Directions:

Heat a dry pot on medium-high heat. When it’s hot, add amaranth. Shake the pot to keep the amaranth moving, otherwise it will burn. Put the lid on because the seeds will start popping. (This will smell incredible).

When a good amount of the seeds are popped (half?), add hot water to cover by about an inch. Stir well and add a pinch of salt. I keep hot water handy in a kettle while I do this so that I can keep adding hot water as needed without brining down the temperature.

Set your timer to 30 minutes and turn the heat down to medium-low. Stir frequently, adding hot water when the mush gets too thick.

When the 30 minutes are over, turn off the heat, stir in the apple sauce (sweetened, unsweetened, flavored,… your choice), and serve with 1 tablespoon of cinnamon sugar and 1 teaspoon of agave syrup drizzled over each of the two servings.

I never knew what to do with the amaranth that was sitting in my kitchen, except add it to bread. I also never liked it in salty dishes. It is pretty healthy since amaranth has a great nutritional profile.

This would probably also be good with some soymilk or soy yogurt stirred in or some dried apple bits or other dried fruit cooked with the amaranth. You could possibly add some seeds or nuts to this, too.

Serves: about 2

Preparation time: less than 1 hour

A few weeks ago I was caught red handed.

I was explaining to a client the benefits of whole grains and was showing a list of whole grains to try.

“Amaranth, what is that?” she asked.

I stumbled a bit. I know amaranth - in some ways more than other grains. It’s the one grain I can recognize without a doubt when I see it growing - the long, magenta “muppet fur” tail is a dead giveaway. I knew it to be originally from South America. And I knew it was a small grain - smaller than millet and more often found in a mix of grains than as a featured solo.

But what did it taste like? I couldn’t tell her. What made it special? (It looks like Muppet fur!) I drew a blank.

Now motivated to be more informed, I turned up a little information and a recipe featuring the unobtrusive, easily dismissed amaranth.

Amaranth is, in fact, another ancient South American grain (It was also a featured crop halfway around the world in the Himalayas). It was a staple of the Aztecs, Incas, and Mayans. Like quinoa, it all but disappeared in the region after a Spanish ban enforced by the Conquistadors. The Aztecs mixed amaranth with honey, shaped it like gods and ate it in ceremonial rituals. The similarity between this ritual and Catholic communion was too eerie for priests, thus the grain was banned for centuries.

Amaranth is rich in calcium, B-vitamins, vitamin C and antioxidants. It is also a source of harder to find minerals such as copper and manganese. Like quinoa, it is a rich source of easily digestible protein and also contains a good amount of fiber.
For more information on the rich history of amaranth, visit wikipedia.

Amaranth recipes are not easy to come by. The recipe below comes from Vegetarian Times. While it is a hearty fall stew, our recent bout of cool weather may be suitable enough to try out a test batch.

Amaranth Corn Chowder

Vegetarian Times Issue: March 1, 2000 p.48

6 servings

• 6 cups Vegetable Stock or vegetable broth
• 2/3 cup uncooked amaranth, rinsed
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 Tbs. plus 1 tsp. olive oil
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 large onion, diced
• 4 large cloves garlic, minced
• 1 medium red bell pepper, diced
• 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
• 4 cups fresh or frozen corn
• 1 tsp. canned chipotle chili in adobo sauce
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/8 tsp. freshly ground pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 Tbs. fresh lime juice
• 2 Tbs. umeboshi vinegar
• 1 Tbs. umeboshi paste
• 1 Tbs. tamari or reduced-sodium soy sauce
• Cilantro sprigs and lime slices for garnish

Directions

1. In large pot, combine stock, amaranth and bay leaf and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, 25 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in large heavy skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Add cumin and stir 30 seconds. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in garlic, bell pepper and oregano; reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring often, 5 minutes. Stir in 2 cups corn, chipotle and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
3. Stir corn mixture into amaranth mixture. Cover partially, increase heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes. Discard bay leaf.
4. Preheat oven to 450F. In small bowl, combine remaining 2 cups corn, 1 teaspoon oil and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Stir in freshly ground pepper. Spread in nonstick baking pan and roast until beginning to brown, about 15 minutes.
5. Remove soup from heat. Stir in roasted corn, chopped cilantro, lime juice, vinegar, umeboshi paste and tamari. Transfer to blender or food processor (in batches if necessary) and puree until almost smooth, or puree directly in pot with immersion blender. Let stand, covered, at least 30 minutes before adjusting seasonings.
6. Rewarm over low heat. Ladle into bowls, garnish with cilantro sprigs and lime slices and serve.

Leafy greens are some of the easiest and most beneficial vegetables to incorporate into your daily routine. Densely packed with energy and nutrients, they grow upwards to the sky, absorbing the sun’s light while producing oxygen. Members of this royal green family include kale, collard greens, swiss chard, mustard greens, arugula, dandelion greens, broccoli rabe, watercress, beet greens, bok choy, napa cabbage, green cabbage, spinach and broccoli.

How do greens benefit our bodies? They are very high in calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, phosphorous and zinc, and are a powerhouse for vitamins A, C, E and K. They are crammed full of fiber, folic acid, chlorophyll, and many other micronutrients and phytochemicals. Their color is associated with spring, which is a time of renewal and refreshing, vital energy. In traditional Asian medicine, the color green is related to the liver, emotional stability and creativity. Greens aid in purifying the blood, strengthening the immune system, improving liver, gall bladder and kidney function, fighting depression, clearing congestion, improving circulation and keeping your skin clear and blemish free.

Leafy greens are the vegetables most missing from the American diet, and many of us never learned how to prepare them. Start with the very simple recipe below. Then each time you go to the market, pick up a new green to try. Soon you’ll find your favorite greens and wonder how you ever lived without them.

A Costa Rican Staple

Gallo Pinto is a Costa Rican breakfast staple. Like many Latino cultures, it is, well - rice and beans. This combination of protein and whole grain is a very satisfying way to start the morning and a great way to utilize leftovers. I recommend serving it Tico style - with a egg on top!
It can also be wrapped up in a corn tortilla, or covered in your favorite salsa. This recipe comes from the Feb. 2007 issue of the McDougall Newsletter.

Preparation Time: 5 minutes (need cooked rice) Cooking time: 15 minutes Servings: 4

• ¼ cup vegetable broth or water
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cans black beans, drained (liquid reserved) and rinsed
• 3 cups cooked brown rice
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• freshly ground pepper

Place the water in a large non-stick frying pan and add the onion and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently until onion softens and begins to stick to the bottom of the pan. Add a bit more water or broth and repeat until onion begins to stick again. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Add a bit of the reserved liquid from the beans to make the rice look “dirty”, if desired. Cook until heated through. Serve hot with salsa on top.
Hint: To be more authentic, you can cook dry black beans in water to cover until tender (about 3-4 hours). You will need about 3 cups of cooked black beans. Save some of the cooking liquid to mix with the beans and rice.

Black Bean Quinoa Salad with Basil Lemon Dressing

• 1.5 cups uncooked quinoa
• 3 cups organic vegetable broth
• 14 oz. package firm tofu
• 2 tbsp. olive oil, divided
• 1 1/4 tsp. salt, divided
• 1 cup chopped fresh basil
• 3 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• 2 tbsp. Dijon mustard
• 2 tsp. grated lemon rind (use an organic lemon)
• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 (10 oz.) package of frozen edamame, shelled and thawed
• 4 cups chopped tomato (about 3 medium)
• 1/2 cup sliced green onions
• 1/2 cup chopped carrot
• 1 (15 oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained

Rinse quinoa to remove saponin, a bitter coating. Place quinoa and broth in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 15 minutes or until broth is absorbed. Remove from heat.
Drain tofu and pat dry. Cut into cubes. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place cubed tofu in skillet and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Saute’ tofu until browned, about 9 minutes. remove from heat and cool.
Combine remaining oil, remaining salt, and the next six ingredients (through garlic) in a large bowl and whisk until blended. Stir in quinoa.
Add thawed edamame, tofu, onion, tomato, carrot, and black beans to the quinoa mixture, stirring gently to combine. Store covered in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Yields ten 1 cup servings.
Recipe adapted from Cooking Light, March 2006

I simply must share:

Last week I branched out and experimented with the rice cooker. I found cooking steel cut oats in it to be perfectly easy, and I can now have hot oats for breakfast several days of the week with just 90 seconds of prepwork!
Last night I was making a cup of blackberry sage tea and accidentally poured about 1/4 cup of maple syrup in it. Rather than toss it out, I let it steep, added soymilk, and used it as the liquid in my current batch of steel-cut oats.
OH. MY. GOSH.

This is an incredibly creamy bit of heaven.
Here’s the recipe:

1 cup soy milk
1 cup boiling water
2 blackberry tea bags (I used Republic of Tea’s Blackberry Sage)
3-4 tbsp. pure maple syrup
1/2 cup steel cut oats

Steep teabags in hot water and soymilk. Add maple syrup. Let sit 10-15 minutes.
Put oats in rice cooker and add liquid, squeezing the excess liquid from the teabags into the rice cooker. I used the porridge setting on mine, but I do not think it matters much.
I also imagine this would work well in a slowcooker.