Tuesday, June 14, 2016

Millet Tofu Stew

(recipe from Christina Cooks)

1 cup millet, rinsed well
1/2 cup tofu, cut into tiny cubes
1 cup winter squash, cubed
5 cups water
1 tsp. miso

Millet tends to hold on to dust, so be sure to rinse it well, until the water running off is relatively clear.  Layer squash and then tofu in a heavy pot, top with millet, gently add water, cover and bring to a boil.  Lower heat to low and cook for about 30 minutes, until liquid is absorbed and millet takes on a lovely creamy texture.  Dissolve miso in a small amount of warm water and gently stir into millet.  Simmer 2-3 minutes.  Remove from heat and stir briskly.  Squash will break apart slightly and incorporate throughout the dish.  Serve hot, garnished with minced parsley, scallion, or toasted nori strips.

(Amazingly delicious flavor for a macrobiotic dish!  I used a whole block of tofu and quite a bit of butternut squash, extra millet - you don't need to be too exact on measurements, just add water to cover everything.  Creamy and yummy.  Be sure to salt and pepper to taste.)

Wednesday, June 8, 2016

Tempeh And Vegetable Salad with Miso Tahini Dressing

(recipe from Whole Foods Market)

Marinade:
1 tsp. ginger juice (I used minced ginger)
1 Tbsp. brown rice syrup (I used honey)
3 Tbsp. tamari
3 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
3 Tbsp. sesame oil
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes, or to taste

8 oz. tempeh, cubed

Dressing:
1/4 cup tahini
1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 1/2 tsp. miso
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. tamari
1 clove garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. warm water, or more (depending on how thin you prefer the dressing to be)

2 tsp. oil
1 ear corn, kernels removed (I used frozen corn kernels)
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
2 cups baby spinach
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 cups sunflower sprouts, roughly chopped
2 green onions, minced

Whisk together marinade ingredients until well combined.

In a medium pot with a steamer basket, steam tempeh cubes for 20 minutes and cool slightly.  Marinate tempeh in marinade for two hours, or overnight in the refrigerator, and drain.

In a food processor, blender, or with a whisk, mix together all dressing ingredients until well combined.

Heat oil in medium skillet on medium-high heat.  Add tempeh and sauté first side until golden brown, about 7-10 minutes.  Flip to second side and repeat.  Transfer tempeh to a paper towel to drain and cool.

In a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat, dry roast corn kernels until light brown, about 5 minutes, and remove from heat to cool.  In the same skillet over medium-high heat, dry roast pumpkin seeds until they are golden and begin to puff and pop, about 2-4 minutes.  Combine tempeh, corn, pumpkin seeds, spinach, bell pepper, and sunflower sprouts in a large bowl.  Mix in miso tahini dressing.  Garnish with green onions and serve.

(This salad takes a lot of work, but is really delicious.  The dressing is nice, even to just make alone and use for other salads, etc.)