Whole grains whenever possible. Whole this, whole that. But what are the whole grains? Which ones are gluten free??? Well, here are some answers.
In preparation for next week's recipe, Mediterranean Grain Summer Salad, I thought we would have a grain talk. There are so many out there. Whole grains help provide us with protein, fiber and many minerals such as selenium, magnesium and potassium, all of which are vital to digestive, muscular, cardiovascular and overall health. Make an effort to have at least half of your daily grains be whole grains.
A partial list of whole grains:
amaranth* brown rice buckwheat* bulgur (cracked wheat) corn*
Below are descriptions of some of the less common grains.
Amaranth is originally part of the Aztec culture. It is small, peppery in taste and about 14% protein. Make "popcorn" out of it by placing in a saucepan, cover and shake over medium heat with no oil necessary!!!
Whole grain farro is popular in Europe dating back to the Romans and is making its way into the US diet. It is the grain that makes semolina flour.
Millet is a staple in India, and found in bird food in the US. It is great in stews and as porridge.
Quinoa is a gift from the Incans. Rinse it before you cook it to shed the bitter saponin coating. It is a complete protein and at about 15% protein.
Sorghum is extremely versatile for ability to grow and food consumption from eating it like popcorn to porridge but is not high on the list of US consumption.
Triticale is a hybrid from durum wheat and rye created about 35 years ago. It is ideal for organic farming. Once again, big in Europe and looking for a home in the US.
Wild Rice isn't a rice at all but a grass seed. It has more protein than regular rice.
To make your grains a little nuttier and toasty, cook them for a few minutes in the pan before adding the water. Add the water when you hear them start to crackle. Most are cooked at 1 cup grain to 2 1/2 cups water ratio. Bring to a boil then simmer for 20 minutes or so. Read the labels for the specifics.
Enjoy!!!
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Scroll down to older posts or go to That's Vegetarian and watch one (or all) of the recipe videos, print the recipe(s), and prepare any one of the dishes. You'll find yourself saying "That's Vegetarian?!"
To be honest, I never had seafood ceviche. But, during the taste testing process, this recipe received glowing reviews from finicky eaters who enjoy the seafood ceviche. Growing up in Buffalo in the years I did (can't give my age away), ceviche was not in my family's lexicon. We had smoked whitefish and Friday Fish Fry (grew up Roman Catholic). The only raw fish were oysters, sardines and pickled herring. Did I mention my ancestry is Polish?
Back to the Vegan Ceviche...It is tangy, light, fresh and full of crunchy, soft, and chewy textures. The vegan Worcestershire sauce is a great marinade for the tofu. The key on making the tofu work is the chewy texture obtained by freezing it right in the container, defrosting it, and squeezing out the excess water before using it in the recipe. It does call for prepping that the day before but it is well worth the extra effort. The oyster mushrooms, if you can find them, are texture perfect because they are chewier than other mushrooms. It is fun to serve in the martini class too!!! I know it is a lot of ingredients and a bit of prepping, but it is well worth it. I hope you enjoy this refreshing Vegan Ceviche as much as I do. Sal y Pimienta is now available. Email Karen to find out more! Watch the video, print the recipe, prepare any one of the dishes and you'll find yourself saying "That's Vegetarian?!"
Vegan Ceviche
12 oz tofu, extra firm cut into 1/2" cubes *
2T Vegan Worcestershire sauce
1 cup combination of lime, lemon and/or orange juice, fresh squeezed (mostly lime and lemon tastes best)
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
1 cucumber, peeled (full or partially) and thinly sliced
2/3 c hearts of palm, small cubes or push the rings out
1 c mushrooms, preferably a combination of oyster and/or lobster but you can use shitake or portabella if you can't find the other two
5 radishes, thinly sliced
1/4 c orange, yellow or red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 c green pepper chopped
4t hot pepper such as jalapeño, Serrano, or Anaheim seeded and finely diced
1/2 c celery chopped
2 tomatoes chopped
2 t garlic chopped
2/3 c cilantro, chopped
1T Sal y Pimienta avocado oil or olive oil
Tortillas, wedged
Chili powder
Salt
Pepper
Cilantro stems for garnish
1 avocado, 1/2" cubes for garnish
*It is preferable to use defrosted tofu that has been previously frozen in the original packaging with the water. If you don't have the time, then extra firm tofu will work. In either case, drain or squeeze out the excess water before using.
Preheat oven to 400F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or spray with olive oil. Toss the cubed tofu in the Worcestershire sauce then place on prepared baking sheet. Cook for 10 minutes, flip tofu over and cook for another 10 minutes. Remove from oven to cool.
Meanwhile gently mix the red onion, cucumber, hearts of palm, mushrooms, radishes, peppers, celery, cilantro, oil with the citrus juices. When the tofu has cooled, add to the mixture and gently toss. Refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours, preferably overnight.
To bake tortillas, preheat oven to 400F. Spread the tortillas on a baking sheet. Squeeze some fresh lemon or lime juice on them, then sprinkle with salt and chili powder. Place in the oven for 10 minutes.
Serve 1/2c of the vegan ceviche in a martini or margarita glass or whatever look pretty. Pour some of the marinade from the container on top of the serving. Garnish with cubes of avocado, cilantro and tortilla wedges.
Prep time: 20 minutes
Bake time: 20 minutes for tofu, 10 minutes for tortillas
A caprese salad is light and refreshing.Putting it on a skewer makes it a fun appetizer or snack!!Summer is the best time to make the caprese skewers because of the fresh grape or cherry tomatoes you can get from your own garden or your local farmers’ market. Use good extra virgin Sal y Pimienta avocado oil or extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar to add to the intensity and flavor of the dish.
5 skewers (no need to soak the wood or bamboo ones since they will not be grilled)
20 grape or cherry tomatoes
20 fresh mozzarella balls, if they are larger balls, cut them in half or smaller
20 fresh basil leaves
Sal y Pimienta avocado oil
Balsamic vinegar
Fresh ground pepper
Grab a skewer. Grab a tomato, stick it on the skewer. Grab a basil leaf, stick it on the skewer. Grab a mozzarella ball, you guessed it, stick it on the skewer. Repeat 3 more times ~ T~B ~M /T~B ~M /T~B ~M
Lie skewers on a plate. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar plus a few turns of fresh cracked pepper. Pick up and enjoy!!!
It is hot, steamy and humid. There doesn't seem to be relief on the way. What to do, what to do? Ah-ha! Make Gazpacho!!! No baking, easy to prepare, and so refreshing it will whisk you away.
Gazpacho is a traditional dish from Spain that spread to Portugal and Latin America. They all have their own variations with adding bread or avocados and even omitting the tomatoes. They traditionally use a mortar and pestle instead of a blender of food processor, which cause the puree to foam a bit, and a sieve for the tomatoes to get the seeds out.
It is great summer soup because it is a soup served cold and the acidity of the tomatoes add to the refreshingness of it. There is some prep work with dicing and chopping. Or you can just throw it all in the food processor until completely pureed. Your choice and it is worth it either way.
To make the soup as rich and flavorful as you can, use fresh tomatoes from your own tomato plants or gather some up at a wonderful local farmers' market. Canned tomatoes can be more flavorful than many fresh ones you buy in your regular supermarket. Check out this article on tomatoes. Letting it sit longer also enhances the flavor of the soup, a minimum of 2 hours but t is still spectacular days down the road.
Visit That's Vegetarian to prepare any one of the dishes and you'll find yourself saying "That's Vegetarian?!"
Gazpacho
1/2c Celery, chopped
1 Red, orange, or yellow bell pepper, chopped
1 Red onion, chopped
1 Garlic clove, chopped
1 Cucumber, peeled and chopped
2t Hot pepper such as jalapeno, Anaheim, or Serrano, chopped
1/2c Cilantro, chopped
5 Tomatoes, chopped
2c Tomato juice
1 can Diced tomatoes
2T White wine vinegar
1T Sal y Pimienta avocado oil or olive oil
Salt and Pepper
Mix the celery, peppers, onion, garlic, cucumber, cilantro, and 3 of the chopped tomatoes in a large bowl. Using a regular or immersion blender or a food processor, puree the can of tomatoes. Add half of the veggie mixture to the pureed tomatoes and pulse about 5 times for 3-5 seconds each time. Add the remaining mixture and pulse another five times. Continue to blend until you get your desired texture. Pour into a bowl and mix in the tomato juice, remaining chopped tomatoes, vinegar and oil. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Chill in refrigerator for a minimum of 2 hours, preferably overnight.
Serve with cilantro, lime wedge, avocado and/or cucumber slices.
Serving size 1 cup
Serves 6
Prep time 20 minutes
2pp
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Over the last few weeks Sherrie Smith, TVeg Sommelier, and I have paired wines that are on BevMo's 5 Cent Sale with the various recipes from That's Vegetarian. The sale is great, buy a bottle at regular price and the second one is just 5 cents!! Bummer BevMo is in California and Arizona but you can order online! Please send me the the name of the wine store in your area when they have a sale like this and we'll be happy to do the pairing for you!
To watch the video, click on Video. To print the recipe, click on Print.
Enjoy making the dishes and pairing the wine. Please share your feedback on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube and subscribe to the blog for exciting updates and information!
Go to That's Vegetarian and watch one (or all) of the recipe videos, print the recipe(s), and prepare any one of the dishes. You'll find yourself saying "That's Vegetarian?!"
First and foremost - Happy 4th of July to my fellow Americans!!
I was home the other night with cabbage, mangoes and limes and a desperate need for dinner. I looked in my cupboard to see what else I had to add and found some hearts of palm, avocado oil, and honey. Mango Lime Coleslaw was created. It is a light and easy to prepare vegan dish plus it keeps well for a few days!
I decided to use the coleslaw in tacos. I squirted a couple of corn tortillas with lime juice, sprinkled chili powder and salt, then baked them for about 5 minutes on 350F to warm them up. I used 1/8c of black beans, 2T salsa, and then 1/8c of the coleslaw to complete. It was a superb summer evening meal accompanied with some anejo tequila on the rocks.
Remember to sign up on: Find us on Facebook, Follow us on Twitter, View our videos on YouTube and sign up for our newsletter at That's Vegetarian. Currently, we are pairing each That's Vegetarian recipe with wines from the BevMo 5 Cent Sale. It makes sense for those of us in California and parts of Arizona. For my Buffalo peeps, I could do the same when Premier is having their sale. Let me know when "that" store in your neck of the woods has their wine sale and Sherrie Smith, TVeg's Official Sommelier, and I can pair those wines for you with our recipes.
Go to That's Vegetarian and watch one (or all) of the recipe videos, print the recipe(s), and prepare any one of the dishes. You'll find yourself saying"That's Vegetarian?!"
Mango Lime Coleslaw (VEGAN)
4c Cabbage, cut into 1/4" wide by 2" pieces
1/8c Lime juice, fresh squeezed
2 Mangoes, 1/2" cubes
1/2c Hearts of palm, 1/2" cubes or slices
1 Cucumber, 1/2" cubes
1 Tomato, 1/4" cubes
2 Green onions, thinly sliced including green part
1T Sal y Pimienta Avocado Oil or olive oil
1T Honey
Salt and pepper to taste
Simply prepare the ingredients as indicated and mix together.
Tastes great right away or keep in the fridge overnight.
Serve as a side or on tortillas with black beans and salsa.
