EASY BAKED ONION SOUP WITH MISO AND SILKEN TOFU

Onions alive with Nutrition and Taste

Here's a simple onion soup that is tasty, and packed with nutrition.  It's so easy to make. You slice onions, garlic and tofu, but the oven does most of the work for you.  Once you've enjoyed it as an onion soup, make it again.  This time add different vegetables, noodles, or rice to the base for seemingly endless variations of this delicious dish.

 There are two different garnishes the onion soup, offering a vegan and a vegetarian option.

Vegetarian Version: With Parmesan Cheese

You'll need: (for 2 large servings): 3 medium onions, sliced; 2 cloves of garlic, finely diced; 2 tbs olive oil; 1 tsp. each dried herbs (thyme, oregano, savory); 1/2 tsp sage; 1 tbs tamari; 1 tbs Dijon mustard; 1 cup almond milk; 3 cup water; 1 block silken tofu, 2 tsp light miso. 

Garnish: (Vegan version) nutritional yeast; sesame seeds (Vegetarian option) Parmesan cheese

Sliced onions ready for baking

Here's How: 
Remove skin, and slice onions into thin rings.









In an oven-proof dish with lid, combine olive oil, tamari and dried herbs. Add onion rings and mix to coat well with oil.  Cover dish to sweeten onion's taste, and bake at 375 degrees until they are lightly browned, very soft and well-cooked. 

Adding the Diced Garlic to Oven-browned Onions

Add finely diced garlic and return dish to oven for a few minutes until garlic is slightly golden in colour, and onions lightly caramelized.

Frothy Almond-milk and Onion Broth

Remove dish from oven, and place 1/2 the onion/garlic mix in blender with almond milk, water and Dijon mustard. Blend until smooth.  Pour blended mix back into oven-proof dish, and stir gently. Replace lid, and bake in a medium oven (350 degrees) for 45 minutes.

Soft Silken Tofu Simmers to a Chewy Texture

Drain silken tofu and cut into cubes. Add to onion soup in baking dish, replace lid, and return to oven to simmer at 325 degrees for about 10 minutes. 

Blending in Low-sodium Miso Paste

To Serve:
In individual soup plates, blend miso with a small amount of water, then stir in onion soup.

Vegan Version:  Top soup with 1 tbs nutritional yeast, and 1/2 tsp raw sesame seeds.

Vegetarian Version:  Top soup with grated Parmesan cheese.

SUNSHINE SALAD

Sunshine Salad bursting with Taste

During these slushy sometimes-winter, sometimes-spring days in March, nothing is nicer than a Sunshine Salad.  Fresh lettuces, arugula micro-greens, sprouted sunflower seeds and juicy mango join spicy ground cardamom and cayenne in a flavorsome promise of things growing in the garden in the warm and sunny days to come.  

Cardamom Seeds Ground for Marinade

  
The Ingredients: 1- 1/2 cups mixed lettuces; 1 cup arugula micro-greens; 1/2 cup soaked and lightly sprouted sunflower seeds; 1 large ripe mango, diced; 2 tablespoons olive oil, juice of 1/2 lemon; 1 teaspoon maple syrup; 1 teaspoon ground cardamom; 1/8 - 1/4 teaspoon cayenne; light sprinkle of salt.

Juice fresh lemon into olive oil

The Marinade:  In a large serving bowl, add two tablespoons of olive oil.  Juice half a lemon into oil.  

Whisk until light and frothy

Stir in 1 teaspoons ground cardamom, 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper, and salt. Whisk all ingredients together until oil emulsifies, turning light and opaque in colour.

Soaked and Lightly Sprouted Sunflower Seeds

The Sprouts and Micro-greens:
To the marinade, add 1/2 cup of soaked and lightly sprouted sunflower seeds. 

Arugula Micro-greens and Sunflower Seeds

Gently mix in 1 cup arugula micro-greens.

Fragrant and Sweet Haden Mango

The Mango:
Wash, and peel a large ripe mango.

Sliced and Diced Delight

Slice the flesh away from the flat pit, and dice.

"Marinading marries the flavours"...zen-cuisine

Add fruit to serving bowl, and carefully incorporate it into the other ingredients. 
Cover and let rest in marinade while preparing the remaining ingredients.

The Lettuce:  Choose a mixture of your favorite lettuces, or greens like spinach, bok choy, or arugula.

Roots still nurturing greens

This 'living summer salad' mix contains Romaine, Deer Tongue, Tango Leaf, and Oak Leaf  lettuces.
 

Chemical-Free and Fresh Organic Lettuces

Remove 'living lettuce' from the root ball.

A Tasty Variety

Wash leaves and pat dry. Tear lettuce into bite-size pieces.
 

Mango-licious Sunshine Salad

To Assemble: Add lettuce to salad bowl, and toss well to coat with marinaded greens and seeds. Enjoy with fresh bread or crackers.

Marinade on bottom; lettuce on top

Serving Tip:
If you are making the salad ahead  of time, place lettuce on top of marinaded ingredients, cover, and refrigerate until needed. The lettuce will stay crisp when you are ready to toss it into the salad just before serving.

Inspired by the art of cooking?
Check out zen-cuisine at 
http://zen-cuisine.blogspot.com/

 

Healthy 'Fries': Spicy Avocado Sticks

Spicy Avocado 'Fries'

 Enjoy the spicy taste of  these unique avocado 'fries'. They combine nippy chipotle chili, cumin, coriander flavours with Italian herbs in delicious flax meal coating. These avocado sticks are easy to prepare 'fries', and make a great accompaniment to soup or salad.  They dazzle the palate when stacked on a toasted English muffin, and are a pleasing finger-food when simply eaten on their own. 

The nippy spiced coating and creamy avocado slices are a delightful marriage of taste and texture.

You'll need: For 2 servings: 1 Avocado, 1 tablespoon flax seed, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander, 1/4 teaspoon chipotle chili powder, 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme, 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano, 1/8 teaspoon dried summer savory, 1/8 teaspoon hot red chili powder, Himalayan salt crystals, fresh lemon juice.

Method: Cut avocado in half, remove pit and peel.Cut the fruit into thin sticks. Spritz lightly with fresh lemon juice.

The Coating:  Grind 1 tablespoon of flax seed into a fine meal in a spice mill or small coffee grinder.

Place flax meal on plate and mix together with 1teaspoon ground cumin, 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander,
1/4 teaspoon chipotle chili powder, 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme, 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano, 1/8 teaspoon dried summer savory, 1/8 teaspoon hot red chili powder, and Himalayan salt crystals to taste.

Coat avocado sticks with spiced flax meal.

Place coated avocado sticks on mesh tray and dehydrate at low setting.  The avocado will warm through and release oil into coating. 

Alternately, place on baking sheet and place in a warm oven until avocado is heated, and releases oil into coating.

To Serve: Arrange the avocado sticks on a plate with a small dish of Baba Ghanoush. They are also great with the traditional 'fries' topping of tomato ketchup.

A Serving Suggestion:
Split and toast an English muffin, and lightly spread with coconut butter.  Pile on avocado slices, and top with a generous dollop of baba ghanoush, and freshly ground black pepper.  Sprinkle on a little ground cumin and coriander powder.

BAKED CAULIFLOWER CURRY

This easy recipe for curried cauliflower makes a perfect meal when served over rice or noodles, or it can simply be enjoyed on its own. This is a very spicy dish, but you can moderate the heat by omitting the cayenne, reducing the amount of ginger, or choosing to use a mild or medium curry powder.

A Compact Head of Cauliflower

Cauliflower is a nutritious vegetable rich in Vitamin A and C.  It also provides high amounts of potassium, iron and zinc. Made up of clusters of stalks which end in myriad tiny florets, the entire head and stalk are edible. 

One-dish Delight: Baked Cauliflower Curry

Cauliflower is very versatile, and is often boiled, sauteed, steamed, and enjoyed raw in dips or as a dipper. But one of the tastiest ways of preparing cauliflower is to bake it.  Baking brings out cauliflower's sweet, delicate flavour. 

You'll need: 1 Cauliflower, 1/4 cup red pepper, 1/4 cup yellow pepper, 1 bunch fresh dill, 1 tablespoon chopped ginger root, 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon agave syrup, 2 tablespoons hot curry powder, 1/8 teaspoon salt, 2 tablespoons sultanas, 1/3 cup thin tomato sauce,  2 tablespoons unsweetened coconut  flakes.

Olive Oil, Lemon, and Agave Marinade

Method: In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice and olive oil.

Plumping Sultanas in Curry Marinade

Add agave syrup, curry powder, cayenne pepper, salt, and sultanas to mixture, and set aside to allow fruit to plump up in the marinade.

Snow White Florets

Break the cauliflower head into individual florets.

Feathery Fresh Dill

Wash dill and slice into small feathery pieces.

Bite-size Cauliflower and Chopped Dill

Cut each cauliflower floret lengthwise into two or three bite-size pieces.

Red and Yellow Peppers, and Fresh Ginger

Chop the ginger root into small pieces, and dice red and yellow peppers.

One Dish Curry Ready to Bake

 

Place cauliflower,dill, red and yellow peppers in a baking dish.  Add curry marinade with sultanas and mix well to coat the vegetables.  Pour thin tomato sauce over the dish. Cover and bake at 350 degrees until cauliflower is soft and tender (about 40 minutes)  Prepare rice or noodles if desired.

Sprinkle with Coconut

When vegetables are cooked, uncover the dish, and sprinkle with unsweetened coconut. 

Toasted Coconut Topping adds Crunch and Flavour

Bowls of Rice and Coconut Curry

Place dish under grill for a few minutes until coconut is lightly toasted.








To Serve: Fill bowls with rice or noodles, and spoon a generous amount of cauliflower over top.  

      

Seasonal Refreshment: A Winter Time Smoothie

An excellent way to boost energy is the inclusion in your day of the versatile and always popular Smoothie. This Winter Time version is an interesting twist on the classic blender beverage.  It warms the body and the spirit with the spicy tastes of fresh ginger root, cardamom, and blood oranges.  Mixed with strawberries and banana in almond milk, this drink is sure to tickle your palate as well as your fancy.

Warming Winter Time Smoothie

You'll need: 

(for 2 pint glass Smoothies)  3 cups almond milk,  2 bananas, 2 blood oranges, 1/2 cup fresh or frozen strawberries, 2 tablespoons chopped ginger, 1 teaspoon ground cardamom.

Organic Moro Blood Oranges from California

Making the Smoothie:

Peel and slice blood orange. Citrus seeds contain a rich nutrient profile and are commonly processed along with orange flesh in blender drinks.    

Dark Purple Blood Oranges and Ginger

 

Chopped Oranges, Ginger and Strawberries

 Chop fresh ginger root, and cut orange slices into small pieces.







Add frozen or fresh strawberries to blender along with orange and ginger root.

Ripe Bananas

Peel bananas and break into pieces and place these in the blender.

Tiny Cardamom Seeds and Pungent Powdered Cardamom

Grind cardamom seeds into a fine powder in a spice mill or coffee grinder.

Fruit with Almond Milk and Cardamom

Add almond milk and ground cardamom to blood oranges, bananas, ginger and strawberries in the blender.

Perfectly Frothy

Blend for 1 - 2 minutes until smooth and frothy.

Ready to Serve

 Pour into glasses, decorate with sliced strawberries, and enjoy. The combination of the blood orange and the almond milk creates a slight  fizzy sensation like a carbonated drink.

About the Spices: 

 

Cardamom (Ellattaria cardamomum): A popular spice of the ancient world, cardamom is noted as a cultivar grown by the King in the Royal Gardens of Babylon in 720 B.C.E. This bittersweet spice is often used in Indian, Chinese and Thai cuisines. It has a dynamic flavor which is said to add “lemon overtones and a distinct hint of eucalyptus and camphor” to food.An herbaceous perennial, the cardamom bush grows in India and Sri Lanka, and is a member of the ginger family. The spice has a gentle warming effect on the body, and is often ground and added to coffee because it is thought to “raise the spirits and enliven the heart”

 

Ginger (Zingiber officinale) with its fresh, warm and lemony sharpness increases circulation and facilitates digestion.