tomato basil soup and grilled portobello grinders

there is a great reason why there are no prep photos from this post.

so there i was, feeling like a total g with my jazz on the grill,

my soup in the blender, my onions caramelizing...

...

...

...when i looked over at my blender and saw my soup leaking into 

a beautiful orange puddle on the floor that homer the dog was 

quietly ingesting.

i was debating whether or not to use real tomatoes in this recipe.  they're

a nightshade and completely absent from traditional macrobiotic cooking.

for good reason.  nightshades can do wicked damage to your joints, your

blood (i bruise like... well... a tomato when i eat them), and a lot of people

thought they were poisonous for a few hundred years.

that being said, they were growing on a vine in my front yard and i just

couldn't help myself.

if i were making this totally macro, i would substitute tomatoes for carrots

and onions, slow-cooked and run through the food processor.

portobello mushroom grinders

4 portobello mushroom caps

olive oil

organic steak marinade, or tamari with spices

italian dressing

sweet vidalia onion

bun of choice

preheat barbecue grill to 400 f.  marinade mushroom caps in liquids

(i did 1/4 c. olive oil, 1/4 c. steak marinade and 1/2 c. italian dressing)

at least 30 minutes.  brush grill with olive oil and grill for 15 minutes.

slice vidalias into disks and caramelize with a pinch of salt at least 20

minutes.  i did this in a large cast-iron skillet and left it greasy for the soup.

once the mushrooms are done, roast your bun of choice 3-5 minutes on

hot grill, stack, and enjoy!

tomato basil soup

6-7 fresh tomatoes, diced

2 c. veggie stock

2 shallots

3 cloves garlic

1 head cauliflower

olive oil

2 cups fresh basil plus more for garnish

salt

ume vinegar

preheat oven to 375.  drizzle cauliflower florets with olive oil. roast

for 15-20 minutes until soft.

brown diced shallots and garlic in skillet and set aside.

run cauli florets with some veggie stock through your food processor

until pureed and smooth.

at this point, take everything out of your cuisinart.  unless you really like

mopping the floor.  transfer it to a high-powered blender.

blend all ingredients until smooth in consistency.  transfer to a large pot,

season with salt and ume vinegar to taste, and heat.

dip your grinder and enjoy!

mellow mushrooms

this week, i had to go on a macrobiotic fast to take care of the side effects of the

antibiotics i took.  they were gnarly.

the only thing that got me through it was 'the best of jefferson airplane' and my

subscription to martha stewart weddings.  there were a lot of late nights listening

to "white rabbit" examining floral centerpieces.

i went to the grocery store and picked up some exquisite shrooms.

this is a shiitake mushroom.  to pick a good shiitake, it's crucial

that the mushroom hasn't flared yet.  the edges of the  mushroom

should be curled under, like a teacup flipped upside down.

don't cook with the stems of mushrooms.  they're tough and the

sense i get is that they're very constricting and yang.  they're much

tastier when slow-boiled as an ingredient in soup stock.  i have a

giant stack of frozen shiitake stems in my fridge at home.

mushrooms really do make you mellow.  slivered shiitake

mushrooms finely, boil for fifteen minutes and add a pinch

of sea salt to relieve tension and calm a frayed disposition.

this is a portobello mushroom cap.  i usually don't cook with them

because i think they're too flaky and messy, but it added a nice

chewiness to my spaghetti.

those of you with dishes that predate 1980 must have at least one

iconic, all-american chicken bowl.  i've seen these in almost every

apartment i've been in that wasn't an ikea show model.

there's literally an entire subsection on ebay devoted to them.

i thought that using this bowl would inject my food with that

peaceful, easy feelin'.

ok, so it occurs to me that this picture looks like primordial

mitochondria, so i apologize for how unappetizing it is.

psychedelic psquash pspaghetti

with

mellow mushroom sauce

::ingredients::

two spaghetti squashes

5 cloves garlic

2 shallots

2 tbsp olive oil

sea salt

1 large yellow onion, diced

3 cups diced assorted mushrooms

1/2 cup almond slivers

toasted sesame oil

3 tbsp kuzu dissolved in 5 tsbp cold water

tamari to taste

::squash noodles::

preheat oven to 375.  slice squashes in half, and gut seeds and sprouts with a spoon,

leaving about 1/2 to 1 inch fruit on every side, depending on the initial size of your

squash (see above photograph).  mince garlic and shallots, and fill inside cavity of

each squash half.  pour 1/2 tbsp olive oil, and coat squash and fillings thoroughly.

bake at 375 approximately 1 hour.

::sauce::

stir-fry onion in toasted sesame oil over medium heat until translucent, about 3-5

minutes.  add mushrooms, stir-fry an additional 3-5 minutes until soft, then add

3-4 cups water, almond slivers, bring to a boil, and simmer for 15 minutes.

add tamari and stir.  take your dissolved kuzu mix and SLOWLY fold into

the pot, mixing quickly.  if you pour it all in at once, you'll end up with a

solidified block of creamy jello that tastes like nothing.  it's gross.  make sure

your kuzu is fully incorporated.

once your spaghetti squash is out of the oven, allow it to cool until it's safe to

touch.  grasping the squash, rake the tines of your fork down the sides, peeling

the "noodles" from the squash, and deposit them into a large bowl.  if the squash

is cool, this is really fun.  if the squash is still hot, like mine was last night because

i'm a glutton who might as well just eat out of a trough, it's incredibly painful.

let that be a lesson to wait for it to cool.

spoon a large dollop of your mushroom sauce over your garlicky "noodles,"

pour yourself a big bowl of greens (i used dark kale, below), and enjoy!

mmmm.  groovy.

the grim peeper: an easter post

i have long feared that my sins 

would return to haunt me,

and the cost would be 

more than i could bear.

mel gibson's "the patriot"

I transitioned to a macrobiotic lifestyle in January of 2009.

Most days, my past is behind me.  Truthfully, since I've become

so healthy and strong in recent years, I haven't thought too much

about the things I left behind.

But some days, I get the feeling that they haven't forgotten me...

I had fallen behind on the week, and didn't begin the preparation

of my Easter meal until late Saturday night.  I returned home alone,

set up my equipment in the kitchen, and began to wash my vegetables.

In the darkness of the night kitchen, a thousand tiny voices sang

in my ears.

I sliced my rutabaga.

I blinked.

I blinked again.

My vegetables boiled.  Uneasy thoughts bubbled just below the

surface of my mind, like frozen mushrooms simmering in stock.

'I'm a fool,' I mused aloud.  'There is no fear in the long dark

kitchen of the night.  Only celery and bonito shavings.'

I opened the oven.

Like the unexpected occupation of a public restroom...

...I hurriedly shut it with a mix of apologetic shame and flustered

bewilderment.

By the light of the television, I enjoyed my meal.  My soup was

both strengthening and balanced.  A delicate dance of sublime scallions

and subtle celery.

I don't miss the traditional American holiday diet.  Cadbury eggs

hold no sway over me.  Reese's cups hardly tempt me.  These

nutritional crimes are so deeply embedded in my past that to partake

them now would be nigh unthinkable.

But sometimes I think that they miss me.  I think that I was the one

that got away, that by some fluke, some universal oversight I was

released from their thrall too soon.

And they want me back.

the grim peeper:  a photographic journey 

provided to you this easter by becky.

easter root veggie stew

for healing and strengthening

1 rutabaga

1 large white onion

2 carrots

4 stalks celery

4 springs fresh flat-leaf parsley

3 cloves garlic

:: prep ::

mince garlic

rough-chop parsley

large roll-cut rutabaga, onion, carrot, and celery (about 1" by 1" chunks)

in a deep pot, saute garlic in olive oil until slightly brown.  

add onions, salt, white pepper and saute until beautiful and 

translucent.  once beautiful, add carrots, celery, and rutabaga 

chunks, submerge in water with a bay leaf, and bring to boil.  

simmer 20-30 minutes until carrots are bright and soft.

in a separate (deep) pot, boil either pre-purchased veggie stock 

or 6 cups water plus frozen stock ingredients.

once veggies are simmered, add stock and parsley, and 

season with splash of mirin, splash of ume vinegar, drop 

of brown rice syrup, and splash of tamari.  taste, and add 

salt or tamari as needed.

onigiri!

i love onigiri!

おにぎり好き！

onigiri : noun, japanese

(pronounced "oh-nee-gee-ree")

1.  delicious use of leftovers
2.  quick to-go lunch
3.  steamed rice balls filled with delicious goodies and covered in nori seaweed.

onigiri is the ULTIMATE to-go food in japan.  a lot of japanese people find it strange that westerners have never heard of onigiri, because it is the japanese equivalent of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.  every child gets it in their lunch box (some of which are triangle-shaped to fit onigiri).

why is it so great?
for one thing, the salty goodies on the inside actually speed-ferment the rice so that you don't need to refrigerate it.  it stays fresh all day!
also, the nori seaweed "diaper" on the outside of the onigiri keeps the sticky grains of rice from getting stuck to your hands, making for a truly mess-free experience.

what can you put in it?
you can put anything in onigiri.  traditionally, umeboshi plums, pickled daikon (called takuwan), and salty fish are the most common fillings.  it's a great way to recycle fridge leftovers, like last night's salmon teriyaki.  you can see that i put a small dollop of each filling on top of the onigiri in the picture.  this is so that i can identify what's inside!

recipe please?
here we go.  the only thing i pre-made here was 2 cups of short grain brown rice.  friends, this is the time to use up your leftovers.  do not use any other kind of rice besides short-grain.  it won't hold together.

this looks wicked gross, but i swear it's not.  

it's a pickled umeboshi plum (available at whole foods), 

pit removed, cut into strips.

put about 1/3 cup cooked rice in your wet hands, shape into

a bird's nest, and put a small dollop of fillings in the center of

the nest.

shape into tiny triangles, placing a teeny piece of the topping

on top so that you know which flavor is which :)

line them up like a tiny, tiny army.

all the little soldiers in a row :)  so cute!!

cut 2"x6" strips of nori, and wrap the bottoms like a diaper.

onigiri is the cutest snack.

::ingredients::

2 cups cooked short-grain brown or white rice

pickled ume plums

natto version - 1/2 cup natto, 2 tbsp minced scallions, 1 tsp dijon mustard, splash tamari

fish version - 1/4 cup shredded bonito fish flakes (whole foods), 1 tsp. tamari, 2 tsp. water

daikon version - 1/3 cup pickled daikon radish, rinced and diced

some of the above combinations require a little mixing and adjusting to taste.  i had a little bowl of natto mixture, a bowl of fish flakes, etc.  and fyi, the fish version was the winner :)

the raving (encounters with a vegan cashew loaf)

once upon a midnight dreary, 

while i hungered weak and weary

over quaint and curious hipsters 

at the whole foods grocery store.

i was starving, nearly snapping, 

so opposed was i to snacking,
as of someone near attacking 
strangers at the grocery store.

`'tis a cashew loaf,' i muttered, 

`formed upon my cutting board-
only this, and nothing more.'

eagerly i set it baking; - 

lately i had started making
my roast to surcease my aching - 
hunger from the grocery store -
with some rare and costly cashews 
purchased in bulk at the store -
soaking, still for evermore.

 now my pants are never fitting, 

while i'm sitting, while i'm sitting
with quiv'ring seams about to bust 

and hit my ankles on the floor;

and the roast has all the seeming 

of a gravy that is gleaming,
gobs of oil casting sheen 

while cashew crumbs lie 'cross the floor;

and my butt from out that barstool 

that stands shaking on the floor
shall be lifted - nevermore.

vegan cashew loaf

modified from peta recipe

::roast::

1 cup olive oil

1 cup vegetable stock 

2 large onions, finely chopped 

3 cups raw cashews, soaked in cold water for 30 minutes

1 1/2 cups bread, cut into small cubes (i used food for life gluten-free brown rice bread)

3 large cloves of garlic 

salt

nutmeg 

2 tbsp lemon juice

::stuffing::

3 cups bread cubes 

1 cup olive oil

1 small onion, diced

2 stalks celery, diced

1/2 tsp. each thyme and majoram 

3 tbsp. dried parsley

• Preheat oven to 400°F

Pre-chop all your ingredients.  This will save you a lot of time in the long run, trust me.  I also separate the onions/bread that's used in the roast from the onions/bread used in the stuffing.  Makes life easier once things get started.

• Heat oil in a deep pot, add the onion and sauté over low flame until translucent and soft. Remove from heat.

• Grind the cashews in a food processor with the bread and garlic and add to the onion, together with the stock, salt, nutmeg, and lemon juice, to taste.

Combine stuffing ingredients in a large bowl.

• Put half the cashew mixture into the prepared pan, top with the stuffing, then spoon the rest of the nut mixture on top.

• Stand the pan in another pan to catch drippings and bake for about 30 minutes or until firm and lightly browned (cover the roast with foil if it gets too brown before then).

• Cover in delicious almond-mushroom gravy.  Recipe for that one to follow.

pot-sticking to my story.

can gyoza be gluten-free and vegan?

with more rice flour disasters under my belt than i'd like to

freely admit, i was pretty sure these dumplings were going to

be a total hot mess.

they were hot.

they were not a mess.

i got my filling from yukiko's delicious recipe over on berkshire vegan.

it's shiitake mushrooms, napa cabbage, scallions, and garlic.

i have made these in the past with tofu and leeks on the inside, and

they were totally delicious, so i would recommend doing that too!

to stuff a dumpling, just make sure you have:

a sticky protein (i.e. tofu, crumbly tempeh, mushrooms)

something with some heat (garlic, sesame oil with chili)

something tangy (scallions, leeks, onions)

something green (cabbage, baby bok choi)

gyoza wrappers

white rice flour

arrowroot starch

water

salt

and sesame oil

again, hat-tip to berkshire vegan for an excellent set of instructions.

the gluten-free modification was pretty simple, just a straight flour-to

rice-flour substitution.  i DID have to add more water, though.

following yukiko's excellent instructions, i combined the dry

ingredients, added the sesame oil, and slowly added water,

kneading for approximately ten minutes.  i then pinched little

balls of dough slightly smaller than a ping pong ball, rolled

them in arrowroot, and pressed them flat.

dumplings are a communal activity.  you really need more than

one person, because the fragile dumpling wrappers begin to

crack and dry out quickly, so the faster you can stuff those

wrappers, the better.

place a SMALL amount of filling (no more than one teaspoon)

on a flat, circular wrapper, take a finger dipped in water and wet

a half-circle on the flat wrapper, press edges together, and smooth.

they should look like little crescents.

if your dumplings begin to crack... DO NOT PANIC.

just add a little water and gently smooth.

heat oil to pretty high temperature, and toss in your dumplings,

flipping gently as each side browns, about 2-3 minutes on each side.

i opened a window to avoid setting off the smoke alarms.  this

helped tremendously, as they get a little smoky.

gyoza sauce:

1/3 c. tamari

1 tbsp brown rice vinegar

1 pinch chili powder

diced scallions

1 tsp. grated ginger juice

on the side:

2 tbsp. grated raw fresh daikon

yum!!

carrot daikon drink!

since i didn't make this today, a photograph will be forthcoming.  in the mean time, this is a request for carrot daikon drink from a friend of mine.

carrot daikon drink is great for releasing old stores of stagnant oils and animal products.  it's particularly useful after a cleanse or fast to get that stuff up and out.

it's important when you do a regimen of carrot daikon drink to walk lots, drink lots of water, and chew your food well.  i believe intuitively that it works best that way.

also, don't do it before bed.  you'll be up peeing all night.  thank you daikon!

also also, do not eat for thirty minutes before or after carrot daikon drink unless instructed to do so by your macrobiotic counselor :)

carrot daikon drink
one serving

1 cup grated carrot (fine to semi-fine grating)
1 cup grated daikon (fine to semi-fine grating)
1 square inch nori seaweed
1/3 pickled umeboshi plum or 1/2 tsp umeboshi plum paste

bring 2 cups of water to a boil.  add carrot and daikon, return to boil, and simmer ten minutes.  add nori and ume plum.  let sit until it's cool enough to drink, and drink/eat 1 cup.  if you've got extras, i always like to share :)

user warning:  this stuff smells really, really bad.  prepare to clear out your house.  people will complain.

beautiful yudofu. beyudoful.

this is why i need you people to keep me in check.  i start punning.

yudofu

what is it?  a beautiful, light tofu dish that can be served warm or cold.

how long does it take?  this is the brilliant part.  about 15 minutes.

i love japanese cooking because with simple techniques and the same

few ingredients, you can make endless combinations of dishes.

what is bonito?

...what IS bonito?  bonito is a common japanese ingredient.  it's a predatory fish

native to asia that is dried, shaved, and used either as a garnish or a base in recipes

and sauces.  ghee is to indian food what bonito is to japanese food.

in the past, bonito came in big plastic bags, shredded like coconut flakes.

it's become a lot more processed in modern times, mostly for speed and ease

of use.

Eden brand bonito flakes, traditional style.  Between $6 and $8
at Whole Foods Market.

bonito pellets.  Usually between $2-$6 at Asian grocers.

the pellet brand and similar brands powder the bonito and combine it with kombu,

salt, sugar, MSG, and some processed compounds i can neither pronounce nor digest.

this is one of those cases where traditional food has become doctored and processed

in the name of "convenience."  it's so SO important to read ingredients.  i love eden brand

because i can trust that there's no funny business hidden in the label.  i used to cook with

the pellets, but it always left me feeling dehydrated and puffy.  on the contrary, after cooking

with the eden flakes, i felt light and wonderful.

real, whole foods are beautiful <3 p="">

making yudofu

ingredients

--tofu--

1 package silken tofu

--sauce--

4 tbsp shredded dried bonito flakes (eden is a great brand)

1 3 inch strip dried kombu

1/3 cup shoyu or 1/4 cup tamari

1 tbsp mirin

3 cups water

--garnish--

2 scallions

1 sheet roasted nori

1 tbsp grated fresh ginger

rinse kombu in cold water.  place kombu in three cups cold water in a medium-sized

saucepan and bring to a boil.  once boiling, add bonito flakes, lower temperature,

and simmer for ten minutes.*

add mirin, tamari/shoyu, and bring back to a rolling boil.

cube silken tofu and GENTLY place it on a spoon with a strainer.  lower into

boiling sauce for 2-3 minutes.  gently lift and roll tofu cubes into a shallow bowl.

once all cubes are boiled, take sauce off the heat.  pour sauce over tofu using a strainer

to remove any stray tofu or bonito flakes that may be lurking around.

cover in grated fresh ginger, scallions, shredded nori, and enjoy!

*i save time here by stuffing the bonito in a tea or coffee filter and tie it off at the top.

this means i don't have to strain the sauce at the end.  it's just a convenience thing.

you certainly don't have to do it, but it IS easier.

a burrito story

hello burrito!

once upon a time, i only had ten minutes.

i took a brown rice tortilla (food for life is the greatest)

leftover quinoa

cubed tofu

carrots

kale

and

c

o

r

n

threw them in a pot of boiling water one by one

stacked them, and drizzled them in dressing.

then i wrapped it, sat down on my couch,

and watched the bachelor.

sometimes being macrobiotic is really, really fun.

bento ii :: sesame-fried mochi

after a couple weeks of lackluster meals, i feel like i'm finally starting to get

my macro chops back!

last night was bento ii :: advanced bento theory

i made savory fried mochi, nanban onions, miso condiment, and made a weak

attempt to cook fish before resigning and putting it back in the fridge.

i found this marvelous blog, Just Hungry, that features traditional japanese recipes.

many of them will be familiar to those of you who spent any time at the kushi

institute.  what i admire about this chef is the honest simplicity of her recipes.

she buys almost nothing pre-made.  if you're willing to do things the long way,

she has instructions from homemade pickled umeboshi to homemade mochi.

i adapted these recipes from justhungry to be macrobiotic, which was quite simple.

sesame fried mochi

slice 1 package mochi into small squares.

puff in oven at 400 degrees for approximately 10 minutes,

until mochi begins to pop and expand.

preheat cast-iron skillet over medium heat.

add 1 tbsp. toasted sesame oil with 1 tsp. tamari.

immediately add puffed mochi.  over the course of three

or so minutes, check the bottom of your mochi with a spatula.

it should be a beautiful golden-brown.

flip once.  toast another two-three minutes.

the afore-mentioned beautiful golden-brown.  yum.

cover in nori, toasted sesame seeds, green onions, spicy kimchi, whatever you choose!

i think even a natto-scallion paste would be nice!  my package of natto arrives next

week, so i'll try it and tell you!

golden sunrise dressing

golden sunrise dressing

to my everlasting embarrassment, i haven't posted in a solid month.

i've been doing 90% more shopping and 90% less cooking, which

is probably why my fridge has melting mushrooms and i've dropped

a dress size.

i'm so sorry i've been such a negligent blogger!  i tend to post when

i cook, and since the holidays have been so busy at work, i haven't

been doing too much cooking.

that being said, i wanted to share with you guys a beautiful dressing

i make every morning.  nutritional yeast is my little indulgence.

--------

blanche assorted veggies.  i like napa cabbage, onion, carrot, and turnip.

:: combine ::

1 tbsp olive oil

1 1/2 tsp bragg's liquid aminos

1 tbsp fresh-squeezed lemon juice

heaping tbsp nutritional yeast

mix, slather, and enjoy!

--------