Umami Cabbage & Lemongrass Soup over Seasoned Rice

There's something about this soup...some people at our table may have moaned audibly, several times, and had seconds and thirds. 

I know it doesn't look like much, and when I first read the ingredients, I was seriously doubtful - but I thought I'd try it out, and then I tweaked and played with the flavor, and man oh man...am I ever glad I did. My family requested that I add this one to the blog...you know, for posterity's sake. 

This is a spin off of a recipe by Jill Nussinow.  After making her basic recipe, it felt like it needed something more, so I added and played with the seasonings and decided to serve it over a garlic and seaweed flavored rice-which doesn't necessarily sound amazing I know. But, when it all combines together...oh my-you too may just moan! For us, this is definitely a umami recipe! 

1.5 cups diced onions
4 peeled medium potatoes - cut into fourths, then sliced into 1/4 inch thick slices
1/2 cabbage thinly sliced (6-8 cups)
4 large garlic cloves, smashed and diced
2 Tablespoons diced or grated fresh ginger
4 stalks lemon grass, cut into 4-6 inch pieces
2 new Mexican chile peppers or jalapeno
4 cups vegetable broth
4 cups water
1.5 cans coconut milk
1/3 cup key lime juice
2 teaspoons cumin powder
1 Tablespoon smoked paprika
1/4-1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons salt (additional/or to taste)
2 Tablespoons liquid aminos or soy sauce

Rice
4 cups water
2 cups Jasmine rice
1 teaspoon salt
1 large smashed garlic clove
1/4 cup wakame (dried seaweed)


Turn pressure cooker to saute setting, and heat 2 T. water. When heated, add onions and saute. Add ginger, garlic, chili, and lemon grass. Saute for 2-3 minutes. Add potatoes and cabbage and stir a couple of times as they begin to soften.
Add broth, water, and coconut milk, salt and pepper.
Place lid on pressure cooker and cook for 4 minutes.
While this cooks, prepare rice (below)
Remove lid and add cumin, key lime juice, paprika, liquid aminos, cayenne, and additional salt to taste. Remove lemongrass stalks prior to serving.

Rice
Add water to saucepan and begin to heat. Add 1 teaspoon salt, smashed garlic, rices and wakame.
Bring to a boil. Allow to boil for 1 minute. Stir, then cover with lid, and turn heat to lowest setting. Cook without disturbing for 20 minutes.
Remove lid, allow to sit for 5 minutes before fluffing.

Place rice in the bottom of the bowl, cover with soup and serve.

2 Non-Dairy Plant Based Corn Chowders, & Basic Grilled Corn

I made this a couple of weeks ago with a cashew cream base, and thought that it would also be awesome with fresh, grilled corn. This recipe is one of my teenager's favorites and I've adapted it into two recipes - one with a cashew base, another with a non-nut base. This recipe works well with freshly grilled, canned or frozen corn.

I normally cook my corn in the husk in the microwave for 6 minutes, and it comes out steamed and juicy. With this recipe, because I really wanted the grilled flavor, and I didn't want to cook 24 ears in the microwave, and I had some extra kids hanging around with time on their hands who were available to help shuck corn and man the grill...I created the grilled option - but work with what you have!

To grill corn: (this process takes about an hour)
Carefully peel husks back, (some outer leaves may be removed) and remove silk. Pull husks back up into place to protect the corn.

Soak corn in a bucket or tub of water with 1-2 Tablespoons salt for 10 - 30 minutes. This will help the husks to not burn so quickly.

Shake off excess water, and place corn on preheated grill, and turn every 5 minutes, grilling for about 20 minutes. Take care not to burn (too much). If a charred look or flavor is desired, peel husks back, and place on grill for a few moments to achieve desired charring.

To release corn kernels from husks, stand cob in a large bowl or pan, and with a knife placed close to the center of the cob, slice/cut in a swift downward motion. Slightly rotate corn, and repeat until all kernels are removed from the cob: I learned this trick from my grandfather who had dentures - and he usually used a butter knife.

Chowder Recipes

*3 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1-2" chunks (Russet or Yukon) - see note
*1.5 cups peeled carrots - sliced into 1-2" chunks - see note
*3 quarts water with 1 teaspoon salt - see note

OR
1.5 cups raw cashews
4 cups of water

Corn kernels from 4-6 ears of corn on the cob (or two 16 oz cans canned corn)
1-2 cans diced green chiles, or 1 diced jalapeno
1/2 - 1 cup. dry Maseca corn tortilla mix (found in hispanic or flour section of grocery store)
1-2 t. liquid smoke (optional) OR 1 t. smoked paprika
1 t. lemon juice
1.5 t. cumin (adjust to taste)
1/2 t. chili powder (adjust to taste)
Dash cayenne powder (optional - adjust to taste)
Salt and pepper to taste

While the corn is grilling, place potatoes and carrots in a pan, with water, and boil until tender, (about 10-15 minutes.)
Remove from pan with a slotted spoon, (leave water in pan) and place them into the blender. Add water from pan to blender as needed, and puree until smooth. Return to pan (with the water), and stir to combine.

OR  Blend cashews in 4 c. water until smooth and place in a large pan.

Sautee onion, garlic and celery in a frying pan with water until tender. Add to the potato/carrot/water mixture OR cashew/water mixture.  

Place 2 cups of grilled corn into blender (or 1 can), and blend until smooth. Use potato/carrot water mixture or add additional water as needed.

Add to pan with other ingredients.
Bring to a boil, stirring frequently.

For potato/carrot option - to thicken this chowder base, place 1/2 cup Maseca corn/tortilla flour into a small bowl and add cold water, mixing until it reaches the consistency of a thick gravy.  Remove 1/2 cup of boiling chowder from the pan and mix into the maseca mixture - it will quickly thicken. Stir this mixture back into the chowder to thicken, and repeat this process until desired thickness is achieved.

For cashew cream option, if mixture is already at desired consistency, do nothing. To thin, add additional water to desired consistency, or use the maseca option above to thicken if desired.

Add additional corn kernels (1-2 cups,) diced (grilled optional) jalapenos or diced green chiles (including juices,) cumin, chili powder, lemon juice, liquid smoke/smoked paprika, and salt and pepper to taste. Sweetness may be adjusted with a small amount of maple syrup or molasses if needed. Heat, then serve.

Garnish with chopped bell peppers, cilantro or pico de gallo if desired.

We enjoy this with a fresh garden or fruit salad, and hot sourdough bread with either chimi churri, or a fresh herb spread (chopped fresh herbs, salt, and a little coconut milk blended together.)

*Note - for a quicker  or cashew cream based chowder, the boiled potatoes and carrots may be omitted and replaced with a cashew cream.  To create this, combine 1.5 cups raw cashews in a high speed blender with 4 cups of hot water.  Blend until smooth, and use this as the chowder base. This cream base will thicken when heated, so it may need to be thinned with water to desired consistency.

Dairy Free Hot Chocolate ~ Creamy Cashew Cocoa

Rich, creamy, & chocolatey - this cocoa is made to be sipped and savored, rather than chased down the gullet, but my kids are still working on the concept of savoring, as they would drink this by the gallon if I let them (and they've been requesting the recipe here, so that they are no longer reliant upon me when their need for smooth and creamy chocolate hits.) 

This is what I find 2 minutes after I've made this for them: 

Keep in mind that this recipe is a guideline, and amounts should be adjusted to taste - add more cashews for a creamier consistency, more or less cocoa powder for depth/darkness of chocolate, and more or less dates or maple syrup for desired sweetness.  

1 cup raw cashews

2 T. cocoa powder

12-14 deglet noor dates 

4 - 6 cups hot water

1/8-1/4 t. salt

 Dash (or two) cayenne pepper (optional)

Dash (or two) cinnamon (optional)

1 tsp. vanilla

100% maple syrup for additional sweetening (if needed...I don't need it, but my kids think they do)

Place all ingredients into a high powered blender -

 (or soak cashews for 4 hours beforehand in hot water.)

Blend for 3-5 minutes, until the beverage is heated, and all ingredients are thoroughly blended (er..blasted into microbits and emulsified into a delicious nectar, rather than still in chunks). 

Taste, and adjust for preference. 

Note, the salt brings out the sweetness, and the cayenne, cinnamon and vanilla add depth and a very subtle, difficult to figure out what the slight essence of flavor is, but oh so much yumminess! 

Vegan Comfort foods - Cream of Mushroom Sauce

As we've been adapting to our new whole food, plant based lifestyle in the kitchen, we've made some really gross food, and we've refined some recipes into family favorites - it's definitely been trial and error.

Below is one of our favorite go to's -  probably number one on our kids list of favorite vegan foods.  For me, it is the ultimate comfort food for a girl who was raised on Campbell's Cream of Mushroom soup!

1 cup raw cashews
3 cups hot water
1 cup thickly sliced shiitake mushrooms (or whatever you have but shiitake are our favorites)
1 medium onion - diced
4 garlic cloves, smashed and diced
1/4 cup tamari or soy sauce

Place cashews and water in blender and allow to soak for 15 minutes to soften the cashews.

Place onion and mushrooms in medium frying pan and sautee in tamari or soy sauce for 5-7 minutes, occasionally stir gently. Add garlic and sautee for an additional 2 minutes to release the juices and oils.

Using high powered blender, blend the cashews until they are completely smooth, then with the heat on, add to the onion, mushroom, and garlic in the frying pan, stirring while adding.
Continue to stir as sauce will begin to thicken.  Salt and pepper to taste if needed.

Once heated, serve over rice, potatoes, pasta, or grain.

*This can also be thinned with additional water and served as a soup.

Moist Cornbread - Vegan, Sugar and Oil free

It took me a really long time to find a cornbread recipe that I liked...and then we decided to cut all animal products out of our diet. And so, following is the vegan, no sugar, oil, or processed ingredients version of my favorite cornbread recipe. Let it be known that my kids LOVE this (so do the adults) and we aren't really big cornbread fans. It's a keeper! 

3/4 cup cornmeal
1 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup 100% pure maple syrup
1 can corn (pureed with corn liquid in blender)
1 can corn, drained (not pureed)
1/2 cup chia gel (add 2 T. chia seeds to 4-5 T. water, let sit 10 minutes)
1 medium onion, diced
1 garlic clove - minced
1 jalapeno pepper, diced
1 can coconut milk

Sautee the onion in small amounts of water for 25-30 minutes, stirring and adding water as needed.
Add minced garlic and jalapenos and saute for an additional 5 minutes.

Mix cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt in a medium sized bowl.
Add syrup, pureed corn, chia gel and coconut milk - mix well.

Add drained corn and onion mixture. Stir to mix.

Line a 9x13 glass pan with aluminum foil and bake at 375* for 30 minutes.

Allow to cool before turning out of pan.