Resources
Nutrition
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Autumn Food
Adzuki Bean and Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad:
For the tabbouleh
- 1/2 cup dry adzuki beans (or use 1.5 cups cooked beans)*
- 3/4 cup uncooked quinoa (makes 2.5 cups cooked)
- 1 cup packed fresh parsley, thick stems removed and minced
- 1/2 cup packed fresh Cilantro, thick stems removed and minced
- 2 small tomatoes, chopped (makes 1 & 1/4 cups)
- 3 large green onions, chopped
- Herbamare or fine grain sea salt & black pepper, to taste
For the dressing
- 1/3 cup + (1 tbsp, optional) red wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, minced fine grain sea salt & ground pepper, to taste
- 1 tbsp nutritional yeast (optional)
Directions
Adzuki beans: Soak the dry beans overnight in water OR use the quick soak method like I did: Place beans in a pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and then turn off the heat and let it sit for 1-2 hours. After soaking, drain and rinse the beans and then place back into the pot with new water, covering the beans with water by about 2-3 inches. Bring water to a boil and then reduce heat to low-medium, simmering for about 35-45 minutes. Watch closely and add more water if necessary.
Sweet potato: Meanwhile, preheat oven to 425F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Slice a sweet potato into 1cm rounds. Lay flat on baking sheet at bake for about 15 minutes each side, watching closely so it doesn’t burn.
Quinoa: Add 3/4 cup of dry quinoa and about 1 & 1/4 cups water in a medium-sized pot. Stir. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to low and cover with lid, simmering for about 15-20 minutes and watching closely. Quinoa will be light and fluffy when ready and the water will be absorbed.
Dressing: Whisk together all dressing ingredients and season to taste.
Tabbouleh: Combine the drained & cooked beans, quinoa, and chopped vegetables in a large bowl. Pour on the entire amount of dressing and stir well. Season to taste. Makes about 5.5-6 cups and should keep for at least a few days in the fridge.
To assemble the salad: Add 1 cup shredded kale onto a plate or large bowl. Spoon on 1.5 cups of tabbouleh on top. Garnish with goji berries, pepita and hemp seeds, and a handful of sprouts (all optional). Finally, add the grilled or baked sweet potato rounds on the side.
Winter Food
During winter we need to eat foods to keep us warm and support the kidneys. Energetically, warm foods include bay leaves, chestnuts, chicken, coriander, fennel, leeks, mussels, nutmeg, pine nuts, rosemary, shallots, sweet potatoes and walnuts. Preparing your meals can also add to the heat, such as stews and slow cooking.
Quick Meals and Snacks
Breakfast
Morning Rice ‘n Raisins
- 1/3 c. raisins
- ½ tsp. cinnamon
- 1c. water
- 2c. leftover rice
- 2t. roasted sunflower seeds
Bring raisins, cinnamon and water to a boil. Lay rice on top, cover, and simmer for 5 minutes, then stir. (For creamier cereal, mix rice with ½ c. extra water in blender, then simmer with raisins for 15 minutes). Top with roasted seeds.
Bulghur Sunflower Cereal
- ¾ c. bulghur wheat
- 1 ½ c. boiling water
- ¼ c. roasted sunflower seeds
- pinch sea salt
Make this “instant” cereal before you go to bed at night—its all ready to eat when you get up…(Great for travellers). Just boil water and pour oven bulghur and seeds in a 1 quart wide-mouth thermos. Seal and leave to “cook” overnight. Delicious served with a ladle of miso soup broth…or, for a sweet-tooth, top with amazake.
Rice (or Millet) Porridge
- 2c. leftover millet or rice
- 2/3 c. water
- ¼ c. daikon radish, red radish or turnip
- ½ c. leafy greens miso to taste or Sesame salt to garnish
Turnips for breakfast? Grain and veggie porridge is a staple breakfast in the Orient…light, hearty and sustaining. Try it, if your energy usually lags mid-morning.
Dice the radish, daikon or turnip. Slice greens. Boil water, add roots and simmer 5 minutes. Add millet or rice and cook 5 minutes. Add millet or rice and cook 5 minutes more. Flavor with miso to taste, or garnish with Sesame salt.
Versatile Soyfoods
Tofu Scramble
- 1 carrot, diced very fine
- 1 stalk celery, diced fine
- kernels of 2 ears corn, in season
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ½ tofu
- 1/3 c. water1 green onion, sliced
- 1t. Italian herbs
OR
- 1t. natural salsa (optional)
- Tamari soy sauce, to taste
Place carrot, celery, optional fresh corn, and garlic in a lightly oiled skillet. Spread tofu on top. Pour in water, bring to a boil, cover, and simmer 5 minutes. Add green onion and salsa or herbs. Flavor with tamari to taste, and simmer a few more minutes without a cover, until any extra water evaporates.
Tempeh peanut sauté
- ½ pkg. tempeh
- 1tsp. toasted sesame oil
- ½ c. water
- 2c. mustard greens or bok choy
- 2 tsp. tamari
- 1tsp. natural mustard
- 1c. bean sprouts (optional)
- 3t. roasted peanuts
Cut ¼” slices of tempeh. Saute them in oil, 8 minutes on each side. In a covered pan. Dissolve the tekka and mustard in water, and pour over tempeh. Add greens and peanuts, cover, and simmer 5 minutes. Add sprouts and heat again briefly. Tumble and serve with leftover steamed rice, or ramen noodles.
Salads
Festive Salads
Crispy Cabbage-Dill
- ½ small head cabbage
- 1 bunch watercress
- ½ small carrot
- brown rice vinegar
- tamari soy sauce
- roasted pumpkin seeds, or sunflower sprouts (optional)
- dill
Cut cabbage in small squares, and slice watercress fine. Julienne cut carrots, then dice fine, to make “confetti”. Plunge vegetables in boiling water for 1 to 2 minutes—just long enough to tenderize, but keep crisp and colorful. Drain and cool in a strainer. Toss with seeds and sprouts, and about 1 tsp. each of vinegar and tamari, to taste. Season liberally with dill.
Warm Weather Vegetables
Steamed Leafy Greens
- Bok Choy
- Chinese Cabbage
- Mustard greens
- Radish Greens
- Turnip Greens
- Watercress
A daily helping of one of these greens, lightly steamed (3-5 minutes) will give you a rich supply of vitamins and minerals, fiber and most of all…aliveness!! (The first 2 are also delicious raw in salads)
Colorful Shredded Veggies
- 1tsp. finely grated ginger
- 1c. fine-chopped broccoli
- 1 small carrot, grated handful of fresh peas
- 3-4 finely shredded cabbage or Chinese cabbage leaves
- 1 green onion, sliced
- ¼ – 1/3 c. water
Sensuous and crunchy—the secret is cooking these quickly! In a skillet, boil water, add broccoli stems, carrots, peas and ginger. Cover and simmer 3 minutes.
Then add broccoli tops, cabbage and green onion. Cook just until they wilt (about 1 minute). Serve as a side dish, or rolled in a whole wheat chapatti with mayo.
Quick-Boiled Salad
Choose from:
- Broccoli
- Cabbage
- Carrot
- Celery
- Chinese cabbage
- Daikon
- Green beans
- Green onion
- Parsley
- Radish
- Radish greens
- Snow peas
- Watercress
Popular in the Orient, this salad is refreshing and very digestible. Choose 3 to 5 vegetables. Cut them in attractive, small shapes. Boil 1 quart water and cook each vegetable separately until it’s just crunchy (2-3 minutes). Dip out with a slotted spoon and cool in a large strainer. (Save the cooking liquid—its great for soups or sauces). Toss veggies in a bowl and sprinkle with lemon juice or rice vinegar, and a dash or tamari.