Yaki Soba & Wonton "Muffins"

I got my EAT TO LIVE book by Dr. Furhman in via UPS yesterday. I have finished reading up through Chapter two. He does alot of explaining about fiber, photochemical, and the importance of nutrient dense food. Everything he says agrees with my personal nutritional interests and background. His explanation about slow metabolism's and low calorie diets is interesting and new information to me. His food pyramid would definitely have fruit and veggie's portion to the widest with grains following behind, as I age and see myself getting a little less active (although I still exercise purposefully three - four times a week) this all makes sense to me.


MY VEG HISTORY
I started my healthy foods eating experience with a book sale book titled The Save Your Life High Fiber Diet by Dr. David Reuben (c) 1976. I was interested in this book because I just started experiencing some health problems in my early 20's.... alot of hormonal issues. Shortly after reading this book a trip to the library lead me to Dr. John Mc Dougal's very first book .... one written before he had a bunch of cookbooks and prepared prepackaged foods for sale. Then an Internet search lead me to Bryanna Clark- Grogan's very first cookbook, The Almost No Fat Cookbook which I loved before I even understood the word vegan. I bought a coffee cup at this same time to commemorate my decision, it has the very same picture by Mary Engelbreit that I show below. I've been a vegan foodie ever since then. Then larger changes occurred: giving up my social work career and becoming a home schooling SAHM, selling our home and purchasing an acreage, buying another building an opening up our bakery, then the list goes on and on ...... life has changed so much from that decision. I haven't looked back and have the same mind set again after selling our business while I go to full-time teaching (family consumer science / health). Perhaps while reading this eat to live book I will have another paradigm, but so far nothing is new to me that I have read - I will continue.


Meanwhile..... In the Kitchen

While in to the greens mode, Brussels sprouts are one of my favorites. This is an old, but goody post that I decided to bring up from the April 2006 archives. Enjoy!



YAKI SOBA (buckwheat pasta)
I have made buckwheat noodles before using my hand crank pasta maker, but didn't have time to do this for this meal. I found a yaki soba recipe that I wanted to try and I needed it quick because we would be out for most of the day and be very hungry by the time we arrive home. I was happy to find 100% buckwheat flour noodles at an oriental market last week, $2.79 (not organic) for 10 servings and each serving is bunched with a paper holder so that it is easy to boil up just as much as is needed. Eden has an organic 100% buckwheat soba, but I couldn't get this ordered in time and I think it costs $3.79 for a 12 oz serving. Buckwheat is a grain that my son is not allergic to at all and can eat without problem, but I know his system is sensitive and a problem could develop if we overdo. Plus for non allergy conscious eaters, buckwheat soba is a good way to incorporate variety in the diet (a good thing to do).

I made my seasoned cabbage and carrot/ onion and chik'n chunks ahead of time in the microwave the night before I planned on having this for supper. It turns out that I was the only one eating this supper because everyone else had something going on (of course the leftovers will be served another night - usually the weekend). This is a basic dish easily eaten with chop sticks.

My favorite part of this meal is the wonton "muffins". I baked them in my toaster oven in a mini muffin pan. The filling is unique and made from brussel sprouts (original idea from a Vegan Feast newsletter in which artichoke hearts were used).

BRUSSEL SPROUT FILLING RECIPE

The idea for these "muffins" came from browsing some online recipe archives, not vegan but great food ideas that could be make to my preference. I will be making my wontons in this way in the future, possibly buying another mini muffin pan.

In addition to the wonton wrappers I used this same filling for stuffed mushrooms at my Easter meal. Yumm! The mushrooms were baked at 375 degrees for 15 - 18 minutes. I enjoyed these best 15 minutes or more after coming out of the oven. I am impatient and like to grab things straight out of the oven... Burned mouths are not fun! FOR NON-BAKERS... I think these mushrooms could be cooked in a covered pan and turn out well also. Cook until the mushroom is at an enjoyable quality and the filling warm.

Canned zucchini, green beans, plums & chard

Canned goods...
Pickled cauliflour with carrot and red pepper
I am entering this into the county fair two days from now, Thursday. Dave is taking a walnutwood framed mirror he is working on... it's beautiful. When he gets it ready, I'll post a picture here.

All canned good recipes come from Andrea Chesman's Book (click below for a link to amazon.com)

Summer In A Jar

Zucchini Relish. I do not like big over grown zucchini, the flesh is stringy, the skin is tough and over all the only place for it is the compost pile. I never use a succhini longer than 7-8 inches while the flesh is still tender and the seeds are barely noticable. That is the size I use for this relish. It is the only way I preserve zucchini, otherwise I bake it into a bread/muffins or using it fresh in supper menu's or casseroles. I won a blue ribbon on this relish at a previous fair year. That same year I had the kids make seven grain and "everything" bread (my bakehouse recipes) and they both won blue ribbons too. Melissa's bread actually took two ribbons because the judges were impressed that she was under 12 and baked a blue ribbon quality yeast bread.

Here's a link to Bryanna's free recipe archives for more zucchini recipes. Notice the great rice and zucchini patty. Mine tunred out like hashbrowns, but tastes spectacular so there was not disappointment on my end at all.

Swiss Chard
"If vegetables got grades for traditional nutrients alone, Swiss chard would be the vegetable valedictorian." Check out the World's Healthiest Foods website for more information by clicking on the "swiss chard" words above.

What am I going to do with it?
The batch you saw in the picture was eaten fresh in sandwich and salad... it was young, tender and the first picking of the year. I wouldn't do that with chard otherwise because it loses it's sweet flavor not long after picking. Otherwise I like it sauteed with garlic and red pepper, thrown in stirfries, I have a favorite soup that is perfect with chard, I'll mix it into hummous (my fav persian green hummous), maybe add it to a smoothie (stem and core veins removed) if I have excess. Chard is tender like to spinach, but has a thicker leaf flesh.

Dilly beans and plum chutney
Plum Chutney is like a sweet and sour or "duck" sauce. Only this version has no extra additives and really is made from plums! Plums are not grown well in my area, so I had to buy these but 6 pounds for a good supply of excellent quality sweet and sour sauce was worth it!

Melissa and I love almost anything dilled, green beans no exception. I knew I would need to learn how to preserve foods when we first started gardening, but I did not like the suggestions for the well known Ball canning guide. Either their recipes were to sugary or I didn't like the seasonings. Usually when I want to get a broad idea of what information is available on a subject I check out amazon.com and half.com (e-bay's book sellers), then I start checking them out interlibrary loan to see whether the book would match my needs and purposes. Of the gardening preserving information I checked out, I liked the work of Andrea Chesman the best. Her book called SUMMER IN A JAR was my favorite because she offers instructions on how to make a recipe by the pint or a quart. If you are thinking you would like to do any canning, I think this book is a must!

Bryanna's Chili Garlic Green Beans
P. 129 (Fiber For Life Cookbook) See recipe for her complete and excellent directions. My version deviates some from hers.

My absolute favorite way to do green beans!
1 lb fresh green beans, steamed slightly or blanched 2 minutes in boiling water
1 Tbsp oil
2 cloves garlic crushed
1/2 tsp dried red pepper flakes
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp sugar
Wok this: Starting with oils, garlic and red pepper flakes, green beans, and then add the flavorings. Stir fry 3-5 minutes, until beans are tender. I like to sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Here's link to a former post I made about BRUSSELL SPROUTS. Roasted is my favorite way to make them.