BitterSweet

Rock and Roll

Quick and easy is the name of the game these days, at least when it comes time to throw together a meal.  My latest fixation is based on one of my favorite dishes, but slightly tweaked to cut down on cooking and prep time.  It’s not rocket science or terribly innovative stuff, but fun, tasty, and takes about 10 minutes total to slap together.  Just think sushi, but ditch the rice and reach for some soba noodles instead.

Pick any sort of soba you’d like (pictured above are matcha-flavored noodles, thus the lovely shade of green) and tie 1 – 2 ounces together at the very end of the bundle with kitchen twine or clean crochet cotton. Toss into boiling water, and cook for 3 – 4 minutes. Meanwhile, chop up any veggies (or tofu, tempeh, even beans!) you have on hand into thin match sticks. Here, I went with carrot, cucumber, red beet, avocado, shiitake, and daikon sprouts.

Drain and lightly rinse the cooked noodles in cold water, and let dry for a minute or two. Lay out a sheet of nori on a dry, clean workspace, and carefully drape the noodles over about half of the sheet. Cut of the top of the bundle that’s become fused together, and spread the noodles as evenly as possible. Place your veggies and other fillings in the center of the noodles, and wrap the whole thing up like you would for any sushi roll. Cut into 6 pieces with a very sharp knife, and serve with soy sauce.

Even if you aren’t pressed for time, this variation makes for a nice change of pace from the standard white rice sushi!

Amazing Amazake

“Ama-What?” is somewhere along the lines of the typical response I get when I mention this little known sweetener. Ah-Mah-Zah-Kay; it’s been around for centuries, so it’s hardly the new kid on the block, and yet so few westerners have even heard of this lovely elixir. Native to Japan, and actually the first stage of making sake (it can also be translated as “sweet sake”), it’s thick, creamy, and sweet as can be, and it’s made solely of rice. You heard right- This is just plain old brown rice!

Okay, so there’s more to it than mashing up a batch of cooked rice*, but not too much. Hard to find in the mainstream market place but easy as can be to make at home, the only stumbling block in the whole operation is locating a source of koji, brown rice inoculated with friendly bacteria that will help to ferment your cooked rice into something a bit sweeter. Found in the refrigerated section, usually not too far from the miso (another byproduct of koji, by the way) in your local Asian market, or like all other things, various online specialty stores.

Your koji is likely to come with a set of instructions as well, and you’re more than welcome to follow along with those, but I personally went with the suggestions outlined here, which actually come from the book Wild Fermentation by Sandor Ellix Katz. By the way, if you’re the least bit into any of this crazy fermentation stuff, I highly recommend you check out this book.

Lacking an incubator or appropriately sized dehydrator to stay at a low, steady heat for a number of hours, I simply set my oven to the “proof” setting, stuck a thermometer in there to monitor it, and let it go. Your oven may run hotter or cooler, so be sure to check where the heat is before sacrificing your amazake to an adverse environment. Think of it as a delicate little rice baby, and handle with care! Checking frequently is key, as there’s no set time that it will be “done;” Just dip a finger in periodically and taste it. When it tastes sweet, you’re good to go, and that’s all there is to it.

You can leave it chunky if you’d like, but I prefer to move mine into the blender briefly to get a lusciously smooth puree. The result is so thick, you can actually eat it like pudding! Traditionally served as a hot drink, you can thin it out with water (maybe 3/4 cup water to 1/4 cup amazake) and heat it up with some grated ginger for a historically correct experience. However, I happen to think that it can work as a fantastic sweetener in many baked goods.

Unlike white sugar and most sweeteners used in baking, amazake will not give you the same degree of browning, and it will never produce that tooth-aching, candy-like sweetness that you sometimes get from say, a cupcake with mile-high frosting. And that’s the good news, if you ask me! Perfectly suited for more subtle, delicate treats with nuanced flavors, I found it to be the perfect addition to breakfast items especially, such as pancakes, scones, and of course, muffins.

Despite my initial trepidation about serving these borderline “hippie” carrot spice muffins to an omnivorous crowd, they were quite possibly the hit of the party, a half dozen snatched up in a minute flat. If the threat of a less sweet baked good still strikes fear in your heart though, never fear; I have just the thing to fix that.

A generous smear of amazake and agave chocolate icing should do the trick!

*Don’t let the whole brown rice concept hold you back, either. I also made a batch of amazake with millet, and another with quinoa, to great success! Use the same proportion of koji, but go wild and try any cooked grain you can think of!

Amazake Carrot Muffins

2 Cups All Purpose Flour
1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1 1/2 Teaspoons Ground Ginger
1/2 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
1/4 Teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
1/2 Cup Chocolate-Covered Crystalized Ginger, Chopped
2 Cups Shredded Carrots
1/2 Cup Canola Oil
1/2 Cup Water
1 Cup Homemade Amazake**

Amazake Chocolate Icing (Optional):

1/2 Cup Homemade Amazake
3 Tablespoons Agave
1/2 Cup Cocoa Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla

**Being so much thicker than commercial amazake, which is intended to be used as a beverage, you certainly can substitute the latter in these muffins- Just remove the water and use a total of 1 1/2 cups amazake instead.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees, and either lightly grease or line 12 muffin tins with papers. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and soda, salt, and spices until all the dry goods are thoroughly combined. Add in the chocolate-covered ginger and carrot shreds, tossing to coat, to prevent either from just falling to the bottom of your muffins.

Separately, whisk together the oil, water, and amazake, and then pour the wet mixture into the bowl of dry ingredients. Switch over to a wide spatula, and stir just enough to bring the batter together, with minimal lumps. It will be very thick.

Evenly distribute the batter between your prepared muffin tins, mounting it up in the center (I find that an ice cream scoop helps keep things neat and even, but you can always just use a large spoon.) Bake for 18 – 22 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and dry.

If you’d like to make icing to go along with your muffins for a more dessert-like treat, simply stir together all of the icing ingredients until smooth. Apply as desired.

Makes 12 Muffins

Printable Recipe

Just Chillin’

How typical; I find something I like, and I’m nothing short of obsessed. Now, while I had never had much of a penchant for chilled soups before, I’m suddenly overcome with the desire to whip up batch after batch of cool, savory blends. Rather than fight the urge, I’m riding this wave out, seeing where it might take me. So far, it’s been a rather delicious journey.

The myriad of new seasonal veggies have proven too tempting to leave at the market, and everything from the baby sprouts pushing through the dirt and the tiny buds developing on trees seems to scream “green!” to me, and so green has been the inspiration behind many recent meals. Although leafy greens would be a natural though, I decided to leave them for salads this time, and create a wholly different sort of green soup.

Avocados, peas, and roasted asparagus join forces in this emerald mix. Not entirely smooth but with a satisfying bit of texture, this refreshing soup is another utterly simple recipe, and should spring decide to pull another cold snap over us, could happily be warmed up if desired.

Spring Green Soup

1 Pound Fresh Asparagus
3 Medium Shallots
3 Cloves Garlic
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper

3 Cups Water
1 Tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar
1 – 2 Tablespoons Braggs Liquid Aminos
2 Cups Fresh or Frozen Green Peas
1 Ripe Avocado
2 Fresh or Dried and Re-Hydrated Shiitake Mushrooms
Handful Fresh Parsley (About 1/4 Cup)
Olive Oil for Garnish (Optional)

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees, and line baking sheet with aluminum foil. Snap off the woody ends of the asparagus, and spread them out in an even layer on the baking sheet. Peel the garlic and shallots, and slice the shallots in half. Place them on the sheet as well. Drizzle lightly with olive oil, and sprinkle with just a pinch of salt and pepper. Bake for 20 – 30 minutes, until the asparagus are bright green and tender. Let cool.

To complete the soup, toss everything else into your blender, along with the asparagus, and allow it to spin until mostly smooth, but definitely not pureed. Chill briefly if necessary, and top individual servings with just a drizzle of olive oil if desired.

Makes about 6 Cups

Printable Recipe

Simple Spring Fare

In Mother Nature’s typical teasing, taunting fashion, March neither went out like a lion or a lamb, and now April has waffled between a wintry reprieve and an all-out tropical climate.  Not exactly the stuff that smooth transitions are made of, but instead of moaning and complaining about the obvious, I’ve found it much more helpful to work on recipes that can be just as adaptable to the unpredictable whims of the early spring season.

Yes, I’ve come here offering you a blended soup. Plain, humble, unexciting fare, but there’s so much more than meets the eye with this luminous orange puree. Thickened not with cream or tofu or even any sort of added fat, this deceptively silky soup doesn’t taste the least bit lean, but as a result is also the perfect sick-day dish for unsettled tummies. Almost shockingly sweet, the natural sugars of carrots and beets are at work here, sure to convince anyone that vegetables can be the stuff of desserts. But this soup is firmly planted on the savory side of the street, don’t you fret, and is just as happily served piping hot, with perhaps the added richness of vegan sour cream, as it is chilled, topped only with a sprinkle of fresh herbs at the most. No matter what sort of weather spring is sending your way, a big batch of this soup will keep you happily sustained. Now that’s my idea of comfort food!

Golden Carrot Soup

2 Medium Onions, Chopped
5 Cups Water
3 Medium Gold Beets, Chopped
4 -5 Carrots, Chopped
1/4 Cup Sweet White Miso Paste
2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
Salt to Taste

In a large soup pot, throw in your chopped onions, beets, carrots, and water. The water should just cover all of the veggies; if not, add a splash or two more. Cover, bring to a boil, and then reduce the heat to a simmer. Allow everything to cook for about 30 minutes, until the beets and carrots are fork-tender. Transfer everything (carefully!) to your blender, and thoroughly puree, until completely smooth. Add in the miso, lemon juice, and salt as needed, and blend to incorporate. Serve immediately for a hot soup, or chill for at least three hours if you’d prefer it cold.

Makes 8 – 9 Cups

Printable Recipe

Make a Splash

For all the choices available in the non-dairy milk arena today, I find it truly dismaying that there isn’t more of a focus on flavor. That’s not to say that many of these options don’t taste great, or that I don’t buy all sorts of soy, almond, oat, hemp, and rice beverages regularly. My complaint is how unadventurous most manufacturers have become, afraid of upsetting our simple and undeveloped palates, perhaps! Whereas even the mainstay, Silk, previously had offerings of a chai and mocha variety, their numerous colored cartons are now largely limited to the standard: Plain, vanilla, and chocolate. I love a good vanilla soymilk over my cereal, and I’ll take a tall glass of chocolate soymilk with my cookies any day, but after a while, these same staples just get boring.

Thirsting for something a bit more fun, a recent sale on strawberries was just the inspiration I needed. It’s hardly an original idea, but the results were just so refreshingly tasty, it seemed like a shame not to share. Not too sweet, but creamy and bursting with fresh berry flavor, it absolutely hit the spot. Best of all, it takes next to no effort, and leaves plenty of room for creative interpretation. Trust me, this is only the beginning- Imagine adding ginger or mint, or swapping out the strawberries for blueberries, or… Well, you get the picture!

Strawberry Almond Milk

1/2 Cup Raw Almonds, Soaked for 8 hours or overnight
1 Tablespoon Chia Seeds
4 Cups Cold Water
2 Cups Hulled and Sliced Fresh Strawberries
2 – 4 Tablespoons Agave Syrup
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Pinch Salt

Thoroughly rinse and drain your almonds before tossing them your blender, along with the chia seeds and water. Give it a quick pulse to combine, and then let it sit for about 10 minutes for the chia seeds to start re-hydrating. Then, turn it on to high, and allow the mixture to blend for about two minutes. Pause, add the strawberries, agave, vanilla, and salt, and blend for another two minutes, or until completely silky smooth. Strain the resulting milk through a fine mesh sieve or nut milk bag, either discard the solids or save them to bake with, and store the almond milk in an air-tight pitcher in the fridge for up to a week.

Makes about 6 Cups

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