Shin's Vegan Ramen

This isn't any of that unhealthy deep-fried stuff you can get for a quarter at the store - this is true ramen. When I say that I don't mean that this is necessarily traditional ramen as it contains that nutty sweet corn - it's the noodles that count. Normally ramen is made with eggs, but there's no reason as to why you can't make them a bit healthier with some flax seed right? Besides, the spiciness and chewiness of the tofu compared with freshly made and wonderfully concocted broth will make you float to a noodley-heaven.

(Vegan Hokkaido Ramen Noodles Ingredients)

• 3/4 a cup of All-Purpose Flour
• 3 tbl Hot Water
• 1 tbl Ground Flax Meal
• 3/4 tsp of Iodized Salt
• Extra Cold Water for moisture

(Ramen Broth Ingredients)

• 1 tsp Hoisin Sauce
• 1/2 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
• 1/2 tsp Ground Black Pepper
• 2 Parsley Leaves
• 1 Dry Bay Leaf
• 1/2 of a Medium-Sized Onion
• 1 Small Garlic Clove (snapped in half)
• 1/2 a cup of Cold Water

(Ramen Tofu Ingredients)

• 1/4 a package of Tofu (frozen for 48 hours and defrosted)
• 1/2 tsp Hoisin Sauce
• 1/2 tsp Mirin
• 1/4 tsp Rice Vinegar
• 1/2 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
• 1/4 tsp Ground Black Pepper
• 1 Small Sliced Carrot
• 1 Chopped Green Onion
• 3 tbl Vegetable Oil

(Directions)

• For the Vegan Hokkaido Ramen Noodles: Mix the flour and salt in a food processor for about thirty seconds.
• Combine the hot water with the flax meal.
• Once the flax meal has started to come together, you can add it around the food processor to touch all of the places where the flour is. Run the food processor until the flax egg is fully incorporated then slowly add in a few trickles of the water (no more than one tablespoon).
• Once it has come together like refrigerated cookie dough, knead it a few times to make sure it comes together and put it under a damp towel for about an hour.(You can work on your tofu while this rests.)
• Once the dough has relaxed enough and softened a bit you can roll it out onto a plastic-lined and flour coated cutting board. Cover a large and very sharp knife with flour, as well as your rolling pin.
• Roll it out as you would a pie crust as thin as you can, and when cutting them - try to cut as thinly as possible. Make sure to have a pot of boiling and heavily salted water on the stove before you finish cutting the noodles.
• Once the pot of water is boiling, coat your noodles in flour and slowly spread them through the water. Boil them for about 3-4 minutes or until the noodles are fully cooked but still chewy.


• For the Ramen Broth: Combine the ingredients into a small saucepot and place it onto a stove over medium heat. Cook until fully heated and once you've decided that it is to your liking. While working on the broth you can make your tofu.


• For the Ramen Tofu: Wring out your tofu then marinate it in the seasonings and hoisin sauce for about an hour (once you've finished the dough for the noodles).
• Once the hour is up, place all of the ingredients into a small pan over medium-heat until the vegetables are softened and the tofu is crispy.
• Serve over the noodles and add in about 1/4 a cup of yellow corn onto the side. If you like you can add 1/2 a teaspoon of coconut oil to simulate butter that often accompanies Hokkaido-style ramen.
• Enjoy!

You Won't Miss Eggs This Easter

Simple and creamy tofu filling bulked up by some cornmeal and flavored with salt, pepper, Dijon and yellow mustard and chives. That sounds like a good filling for some Easter deviled "eggs" doesn't it? How about upping the awesome factor and dying these eggs pink with some all-natural beet juice? I think this is a recipe that could be appreciated by everyone and can be adjusted to your tastes.

(Tofu Deviled Eggs Ingredients)

• 1/2 cup Yellow Cornmeal (quick-cooking is best)
• 1/2 block of Pressed Tofu
• 1 cup of Boiling Water
• 1/4 cup Beet Juice
• Olive Oil (to cover the food processor)
• Chives, salt, pepper, paprika and mustard (of your choice) to taste
• Turmeric for color

(Directions)

• Start the boiling water and trim your tofu into the shapes that you like. If you want them to look more like eggs just be careful when cutting them into an oval shape.
• Place the newly shaved tofu "eggs" in the boiling water for about three minutes and chop up the leftover tofu.
• Once the tofu "eggs" are done then place them in some cold water with as much beet juice as you like.
• Add the cornmeal to the boiled water along with the tofu bits. Add turmeric to the mix until it's the color that you want.
• Take the mixture to a food processor with some olive oil around the sides and grind it until it is creamy.
• Add the rest of the ingredients and place them into a small plastic sandwich bag, cut a tiny tip off of the end of the bag where most of the filling is and set it aside while you cut a hole into the tofu.
• Once the hole has been cut, pat the tofu dry and gently squeeze the filling to your liking.
• Pat it dry (avoiding the filling) once more and stash it in the fridge for about thirty minutes.
• Enjoy!

Three Little Lambs of Easter Are We

                                            

These cakes were simple to bake and pretty easy to decorate. The only hard part is that you have to constantly chill them after each application of frosting. Otherwise it's just a sweet and wonderful treat to add to your holidays! It’s full of coconut flavor and it's the perfect dessert for those whole love this island nut.

Coconut Cake Recipe:
3 cups of Cake Flour
2 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp of Iodized Salt
1 and 3/4-2 cups of Vegan Granulated Sugar
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp of Vanilla Extract
2 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar (with Mother is best)
1/2 cup Coconut Cream
1/2 cup Cold Water
3/4 cup of Coconut Oil (scented is fine)

Sift together the cake flour, salt, sugar, baking powder and baking soda in a bowl and mix together the rest of the ingredients separately. Once all of the dry items are mixed together and all of the wet items are mixed together then you can slowly mix them, adding the wet to the dry in this case. Use whichever baking dish(es) that you like (I used two ramekins and a larger pan) and grease them with coconut oil. Spread the coconut cake batter through the dish(es) equally and tap them about 10-20 times on a hard surface to ensure that all goes well in the baking process and everything is equally distributed.

Bake the cakes for about 30 minutes at 350 degrees and poke a knife through the middle of the center-most one. Let the cakes cool on a cake rack (or a cool pan) for about an hour or until everything is fully cooled, then run a knife around the edges a few times and pull the cake out to let it cool a bit more, then prep your frosting.

Coconut Frosting Recipe:
3 cups of Powdered Sugar
1/4 cup of Coconut Cream (or enough so everything is pulled together like store-bought)
1/4 cup of Cold Coconut Oil
1/4 tsp of Coconut Extract (optional)

Mix the coconut cream with an electric mixer and slowly pour in the powdered sugar. Once about 1/2 a cup is added you can add more coconut cream and coconut extract, then alternate until it is the right texture. My kitchen was especially hot today so I stored the frosting in the freezer for about 5 minutes, and then stirred it with a whisk. I took one of the smaller cakes from one of the ramekins and cut the puffed top off (use your hand to level it but keep your thumb out of the way). I put large amount of icing on the top, and then smoothed my butter knife around it to cover the brown color and to make sure that it looked more like a sheep. I placed that in the fridge for about five minutes, took it out and added raisins for eyes and made a design of rings around the face with my knife and a cake decorator (optional). I placed that back into the freezer and mixed some of the frosting with some beet juice to make sure that the color was to my liking, then used a skewer to place the nose on and the cheeks. I covered the sides with coconut and placed it back into the freezer to chill. Repeat with the next one. For the larger cake I did the same except for adding about 1/4 cup of cocoa powder and adding more beet juice for a darker color.


Remember, these cakes can be used for any occasion so don't feel left out if you don't celebrate Easter!

Enjoy!

Signed,

<3 Bou Shin <3

You Don't Know Jack About These Tacos!

Notice something a little different? It's not seitan or tofu on these tacos but it's most definitely home-made. Could it possibly be jackfruit!? Of course it is, but don't worry about any fruit or durian flavors being added to it - I used young canned jackfruit in brine and made sure to wash it at least six times before draining it. It adds a meaty texture but not quite a meaty flavor that I enjoy. Paired with the Navajo fried (and baked) bread and bean paste with bits of corn and minced onion, it's absolutely delicious. The flavors of the south definitely come through, and the home-made seasoning for this had a slight Doritos taste to it and just a touch of heat from the cayenne.

(Vegan Chicken Ingredients)

• 1 can of Young Green Jackfruit in Brine
• 1 pkg Taco Seasoning (recipe follows)
• 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
• 1 Garlic Clove
• 1 Dry Bay Leaf
• 4 cups of Cold Water
• 3 tbl Oil (of your choice)

(Taco Seasoning Mix Recipe)

• 1 tbl Cayenne Pepper
• 1 tbl Ground Cumin
• 1 tsp Garlic Powder
• 1/2 tsp Oregano
• 1/2 tsp Paprika
• 3/4 a tsp of Granulated Sugar
• 1 tsp Black Pepper
• 1/2 tsp Iodized Salt

(Bean Paste Recipe)

• 1 14 oz can of Black Beans
• 1/4 cup of Corn (your choice on the type
• 3/4 cup of Cold Water
• 3 tbl of Oil
• 1 Dry Bay Leaf
• Salt to taste

(Navajo Fried (and Baked) Bread:)

• 2 cups of Whole Wheat Flour
• 1/2 a tsp of Iodized Salt
• 1-1/2 tsp Baking Powder
• 1/4 cup Cold Coconut Oil
• 3/4 cup Warm Water

(Directions)

• For the Vegan Chicken: Wash and press the jackfruit pieces in a colander about six times and then place them into a slow cooker with two cups of water, the bay leaf and the garlic clove for about two hours.
• Once they start to fall apart, take them out and shred them with two forks (you may need a small knife as well). If the end is still hard you can put it back into the Crockpot for a few minutes, and then use one fork to chop that up. If the top part is harder to shred, you can just use your knife to cut it apart.
• Put the shredded jackfruit into a colander and wash them a few more times, making sure to press them after each washing and set it aside while you pour the water out of the Crockpot.
• Add the last two cups of water into the Crockpot and cook the jackfruit for about 10-15 more minutes or so, then begin to prep your taco seasoning.


• Seasoning/cooking the vegan chicken: Take the jackfruit out and drain it one more time before adding it to a pan of your preferred oil over medium heat. Let it crisp up a bit before adding in half of your seasoning, then let it crisp up a bit more before adding the rest.
• Let it cook to your liking and move it to a small dish so that you can use the pan to cook your beans.


• For the Beans: Drain and wash your beans then add them to a food processor with some of the water, once they are liquefied, move to a separate bowl and repeat with the rest of the beans and water.
• Once the consistency is to your liking, fry a bay leaf in the oil over medium heat and after about 30 seconds you can add your beans.
• Once the beans have started to cook you can add the corn and heat it up thoroughly. Move it back to the bowl and salt to your liking.


• For the Navajo Bread: Mix the dry ingredients together then flake in your coconut oil. Once it is fully incorporated, add the water and blend it together before wrapping it in plastic wrap and placing it in the fridge for about 30 minutes.
• While that is happening, preheat the oven to 400 degrees (if you want baked) and prep your rolling area and rolling pin.
• Pull out the bread after the thirty minutes are up and cut it into quarters, then roll the bread out as thinly or as thickly as you want (for crispness. Then decide if you want the bread to be baked, fried, or both
• If you want fried, then fill a pan about half-way with oil over medium heat and wait for it to heat up. Carefully place your rolled out dough into the pan with the oil and let it cook completely. You may need to flip it with some tongs but everything should work well.
• If you want baked bread, then turn a pan upside down with some oil and place it into the oven until it heats up completely.
• Toss the baked bread onto the pan for about 5-10 minutes, and then flip it when the other side has turned brown.


• Take the bread out when ready and spread the bean paste on, sprinkle some chopped onions onto it and cover it with the delicious jackfruit.
• Enjoy!

The Easter Bunny Came Early

Most of it you've seen before - but notice something a little different in the corner? No - I haven't switched over; it's just some mock caviar!

Bunny Face:
Nori
Japanese Sticky Rice
Vegan Ham
Sakura Denbu (as a filling)

I used a ramekin and made the face just as I did with the heart-shaped onigiri and shaped it into an oval. Then I made the set of ears individually using the "L" fingers to make the ears fit more. Then I slid a toothpick half-way into each once and slid it into one side of the bunny head. After the ears were in place I cut the nori into the shapes I wanted. I had to cut the bottom of the nori first, then the whole square out before shaping it for the mouth. After that was stuck in place I cut out a triangular piece of vegan ham and stuck it onto the middle of her adorable face. The rest of the rice was mixed with some chlorophyll to make it green and surrounded the bunny.

The flower has a piece of vegan ham in the middle and is some sakura denbu mixed with some more sticky rice. I wrapped it up tightly and used to opposite edge of a sharp knife to make the little petals, then I sprinkled it with some sesame oil and some sesame seeds as well. I placed it in the corner and went to work on my sushi.

Vegan Caviar/Fish Roe:
1/2 - 1 Cup of Small Tapioca Pearls
1/4 a Cup of Beet Juice
1/4 Cup of Dulse
1 Sheet of Nori
Enough Cold Water to cover them

Optional:
Sea Salt
Sesame Oil

Mix the ingredients together and cover them with the water, then wait for about an hour for the tapioca pearls to soak up some water. Then, transfer them to a small sauce-pot over medium-heat and keep a cup of water handy. Once the pearls start to gel up and the mixture starts to solidify, add more water. Cook the mixture for about 30 minutes and continue to add more water if it solidifies.

After about 30 minutes, turn off the heat and put the tapioca pearls in a strainer while running plenty of cold water onto them. Once you've decided that it has been enough, transfer the pearls to a small bowl and sprinkle them with some sea salt if you like and add them to some sushi. The sushi was simply leftover rice wrapped tightly in nori and cut into small slices (wet your knife after each slice), then top with the caviar.


Enjoy!

Signed,

<3 Bou Shin <3

Vegan Sakura Denbu

I never really liked denbu, but I've always loved the color so I decided to make it. Since I constantly make bentos I thought that I could check and see if there were any recipes but to my surprise none of them have been veganized! This was no mere challenge for me, however, as I had to get pretty near perfect for it to even be near the original denbu (made with fishy-bits). I think I succeeded - but it just so happens to be your opinion that matters to me.

(Vegan Sakura Denbu Ingredients)

• Half a package of Extra-Firm Tofu (frozen and defrosted twice)
• 2-3 tbl Canned Beet Juice
• 1/2-3/4 tsp of Iodized Salt
• 1 and a half tbl Granulated Sugar (vegan brand)
• 1/4-1/2 tsp Mirin
• A few bits of Nori

(Directions)

• Take the tofu out and rip it with your hands once it has defrosted, then place it in the food processor and give it about three short runs.
• Take that out and squeeze it with a cheese cloth until the moisture is completely gone, then cover with the rest of the ingredients and mix them gently with a pair of chopsticks. Let it rest for about an hour or until the flavor and color have completely soaked into the tofu.
• Then, ring it out a touch more (not too much or the color might run out) and mix with your rice and make anything you like with it.
• Enjoy!

Gotta Eat Them All!

Is that a Snorlax and a Metapod? I think so! They're in their natural curry habitat and surrounded by delicious sticky rice. They've just evolved but I don't think that they've gained enough experience points to defend themselves against a nice pair of chopsticks. Whether you're making this meal for yourself or for a child it is going to be a hit - who else can say that they've eaten a Pokemon before?

Snorlax and Metapod Sushi:
2 large Triangular Pieces of Extra-Firm Tofu
Enough Japanese Sticky Rice to fill the inazarizushi (boxed is fine)
Nori (for the eyes and mouth)
Vegan Ham (for the cheeks)
4 cups of Boiling Water
Salt, Pepper and Sesame Oil to taste
Enough Flavorless Oil to fry with


Press your tofu by wrapping it in a clean kitchen towel and placing it between two plates, then place a heavy weight on the top plate and wait for one to two hours. After that is done, cut it into large triangles and prepare your pan with the oil. Once the oil is hot and ready - add one piece of tofu and brown it slightly on all sides (to the point that it gets a light crisp), repeat with the next one and let both cool completely before putting them back into the pan of oil for their final crispness. While you cook the tofu (separately), put on a pot of boiling water and set up a colander under the faucet. Once the tofu has come out of the pan, place it in the colander and run it under hot water from the sink and about two cups of boiling water from the pot. Repeat with the next one and dry them both with a towel, then cut a slit into the middle and spoon out some of the tofu, then stuff in the Japanese sticky rice and decorate as you like. For the eyes and mouths I just made a few small cuts into a nori sheet and stuck them onto the rice, took them off, then placed them back on so that they would most definitely stick. Then - for the snorlax I simply added two pieces of vegan ham cut with scissors (you can use a straw as well) to his face for a sleeping snorlax. I added the rest of the rice to the side and worked on my curry.

Japanese-Indian Style Curry:
2 Washed Russet Potatoes
3 Medium-Sized Chopped Carrots
1/4 cup of Whole Wheat Flour
1 Large Onion (sliced thinly)
3 tbl of Olive Oil
1/4 a tsp of Fresh Ginger
Garam Masala (recipe will follow)
4 Cups of Cold Water
Salt and Pepper to taste

Garam Masala Recipe:
1 tsp Whole Cumin Seeds
1/2 tsp Ground Coriander
1/2 tsp Ground Cinnamon
1 tsp Whole Cloves
3/4 tsp Ground Black Pepper
1/4 tsp Ground Nutmeg

Separate the ground spices and place them in a separate bowl, then toast your seeds in an unoiled pan until you can smell them. Once they become more aromatic - place them into a spice grinder or small food processor and grind into a powder (shake it to grind it all). Mix it together with the pre-ground spices and use in your curry.

First, caramelize your onions in a pan with some salt, 1/2 a tsp of garam masala, ginger and the olive oil. Once the onions are fully cooked, add the carrots and let them cook for about one to two minutes. Then add in about a cup or two of water and let those simmer. Once they start to simmer you can start to chop the potatoes as small as you want (I was eating this for dinner so I did 1/2 inch chunks) depending on how much time you have. After about three more minutes you can add the potatoes, some more water and work on your roux.

For the roux, whisk the whole wheat flour with about three teaspoons of garam masala. After that has been mixed together, add three tablespoons of olive oil into a pan over medium heat and begin to whisk the olive oil slowly (once it is fully heated). Once you begin to whisk it, slowly add the flour mixture into it and continue to stir as much as possible so that the flour can be fully cooked. After about two minutes or so, add the water that came from the curry (once the vegetables are soft enough) and add it to the roux. You can add it back to the pan once it has been fully incorporated, salt and pepper to your liking and serve it right up. For a little more decoration I added some broccoli to act as trees, but you can do anything you like with it.

Enjoy!

Signed,

<3 Bou Shin <3

Chick-Peasy Potatoes

I needed something simple for lunch and deciding that just having a whole head of steamed broccoli would be a horrible punishment for those around me - I opted for something out of the cruciferous vegetables. These twice baked chick-peasy potatoes were the perfect treat.

(Chick-peasy Potatoes Ingredients)

• 3 Russet Potatoes
• 1 8 ounce Can of Chickpeas
• 1/2 a tbl of Nutritional Yeast
• Minced and Lightly Cooked Garlic
• Dried (or fresh) Chives to taste
• Salt and Pepper to taste

(Directions)

• Cover three potatoes in olive oil after sticking them with a fork and baked them at 400 degrees until they were soft.
• Wait until they cool down a bit more then scooped out their insides, leaving a little potato to hold the skin's form.
• Sprinkle some olive oil, salt and pepper and bake them until they were crispy.
• Mix their fluffy insides with the rest of the ingredients and then add them to the shell. Make sure to over stuff them so that the edges would crisp up and become cheesy.
• After that is done, sprinkle more Nutritional Yeast on top and place under broiler until top is crisped.
• Enjoy!

Tarta, Tarte, Tart

Beautiful isn't it? It's made with a simple pie-crust and glazed lightly with almond oil, coconut oil and agave nectar to give it a much deeper flavor and a wonderful color. Underneath the flaky shell are fresh pears, agave nectar, orange zest and juice and just a dash of cinnamon for more depth. It took less than two hours to make this and yet it looks like a masterpiece!

(Tarta, Tarte, Tart Crust Ingredients)

• 1 cup of All-Purpose Flour
• 2 tsp Granulated White Sugar
• 4-5 tbl Cold Coconut Oil (not Virgin)
• 1/8 a tsp of Iodized Salt
• 1/8 a tsp of Baking Soda
• 5 tbl Ice Water + a 1/4 a tsp of Organic Apple Cider Vinegar (with Mother

(Tarta, Tarte, Tart Filling Ingredients)

• 3 Medium-Sized Pears, sliced thin
• 1/2 a tsp of Cinnamon
• 5 tsp of Cornstarch
• 2-4 tbl of Brown Sugar
• 1-2 tbl of Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice + 1/2 tsp Zest

(Tarta, Tarte, Tart Glaze Ingredients)

• 3 tbl Hot Water
• 4 tbl Agave Nectar
• 1/8 a tsp of Almond Extract

(Directions)

• For the Crust: Measure the coconut oil in its liquid state and placing it in the freezer. After 2-5 minutes the oil should be ready.
• Mix the dry ingredients together.
• Break it into equal size chunks into the flour mixer, then take your fork and mash it into the flour until everything is crumbled.
• Place a well in the middle and add in your ice water and vinegar mixture slowly to the batch while mixing. It shouldn't be a wet batter and should feel slightly like store-bought pie dough.
• Once that is done, smooth it out and wrap it in plastic wrap - then place it in the fridge for 30-45 minutes.


• For the Filling: Mix all of the ingredients first except for the apples Then toss the apples in it. l
• Once that is done, set it aside and prepare your glaze as the pie crust continues to chill.


• For the Glaze: Combine the ingredients together in a small bowl.


• Assembling the Pie: Flour your rolling pin and baking surface and slowly roll out the pie crust, only rolling one side for about 5-10 seconds and letting it rest for 10 more seconds as you focus on another side and the middle.
• Once it is about 1/8 of an inch, transfer it to a lightly oiled small pan (or you can free-form it) and keep the edges on the outside as you place in your filling as you like.
• Roll the sides on top of each other as I did in the photo and spread some more coconut oil over it for color.
• Bake it at 425 degrees for 15-20 minutes, then lower the heat to 350 and continue to bake it for 35-40 minutes or so, depending on your oven.
• Once that is done, smooth it out and wrap it in plastic wrap - then place it in the fridge for 30-45 minutes.
• Enjoy!

Beignet Done That

My mother may be from the south but I doubt she's had anything as good as these. They're relatively-healthy beignets as they contain coconut oil and wheat flour as well as the other good stuff. They shouldn't be eaten on their own as they don't have any large amount of sugar in them, and although granulated sugar covers the top - when it's dunked in this delicious strawberry syrup, you won't care what anyone calls it.

(Beignet Ingredients)

• 1 and 1/2 a cup of All-Purpose Flour
• 1 and 1/2 a cup of Whole Wheat Flour
• 2 and a 1/2 tbl of Cold Coconut Oil (not Virgin)
• 3/4 a cup of Regular Soy Milk + 1 tbl Apple Cider Vinegar (with Mother)
• 1/2 a tsp of Iodized Salt
• 3 tbl Hot Water + 1 tbl Ground Flax Seed
• 1/2 a package of Rapid-Rise Yeast
• 1/8 a cup of Warm Water
• 1/8 a cup of White Sugar
• 3/4 tbl of Baking Powder
• 1/4 a tsp of Baking Soda

(Strawberry Syrup Ingredients)

• 1 Pint of Strawberries (washed, de-leaved, and cut into equal pieces)
• 1/4 a Cup of Cold Water
• 1/4 a Cup of Granulated Sugar
• A Squirt of Agave Nectar
• A Pinch of Iodized Salt
• Juice from an Orange Slice (about the size of the one on the photo.)

(Optional in case it doesn't thicken)

• A Small Slurry of Cornstarch and Cold Water

(Directions)

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• For the Beignets: Mix all of the dry ingredients together except for the sugar and prep your egg batter (the flax + water. Let that sit for a while.
• Measure your coconut oil while it is still in liquid form. Pop that in the freezer for a moment after everything has been put in order and then mix it with your fingers into the dry mixture.
• Prepare the soy milk with the apple cider vinegar, then mix together the yeast, the warm water, and the sugar. Let the yeast mixture stand for 5 minutes after one stir then create a hole in the middle of your flour mixture and mix it. Mix it with a hand mixture (or a stand mixture) for about 5 minutes until it has all come together.
• Take the ball of dough and knead it with some all-purpose flour until it has become elastic. Split it up into equal pieces (I got ten) and let them rest in a warm place for 15-20 minutes. Meanwhile get started on that delectable strawberry syrup.


• For the Strawberry Syrup: Mix all of the ingredients together except for the orange juice and the slurry. Cook that on medium heat for about 5-10 minutes in a heavy=bottomed pot, then lower the heat to the lowest setting and add the orange juice.


• Cook that for about 5 more minutes and then add the slurry if it hasn't thickened and seems still slightly watery. Be sure to constantly stir in the area that you are placing the slurry into, and to make sure there weren't any lumps in it before hand.
• Once the thickness is to your liking, cut off the heat and strain it. It made about half a cup of syrup but you can always double up on the recipe.
• Grease a sheet pan with the oil of your choice and brush the tops of the beignets with it as well, and sprinkle some sugar on top.
• Bake for about ten minutes or so. To see if they're done, stick a knife in the middle-most one and if it comes out clean they are ready!
• Place more oil on top and dust them with the sugar of your choice (powdered or granulated).
• Dip into the strawberry sauce and Enjoy!

Brown Rice, Rice Baby

That's right, another vegan milk recipe that goes out there for those of you who are allergic to soy or want to use it for other reasons. The process is quick and simple - take a cup of brown rice and soak it in two cups of cold water for about 30 minutes and once time has elapsed, drain and wash the rice, then follow the instructions for cooking the rice on the package and do just that. Make sure that the rice is still firm and feel free to add a tray of ice cubes into it, otherwise you might have a hot mess of rice coming out of your blender and that's a very painful no-no.

Add half of the rice to a nice glass blender with 3 cups of cold water. Liquefy it and shake it a bit to make sure that the rice has been thoroughly crushed. Now you can either take out the rice and leave the milk, or vice versa. Add the secondbatch of rice and do the same, but keep some of the rice in some time with just a tiny bit of the milk. Shake it around and liquefy it to make it creamier. After that is done, strain it thoroughly and heat it on the pot for about 5-10 minutes, then strain it again and let it cool. If you are drinking it you can add 1/2-1 crushed tablet of a vitamin B12 tablet and 1/2 a calcium tablet to the milk and shake it in its container constantly. If you want it to have flavor add a tablespoon of sugar or vegan sweetener and 1/2 a tsp of almond extract or vanilla extract.

(Brown Rice Milk Recipe)

• 1 cup of Cooked Brown Rice
• 2 cups of Cold Water (for cooking)
• 2 cups of Cold Water (for soaking)
• 6 cups of cold water (for blending)

(Optional Add-Ins)

• 1 tbl Vegan Sugar (or other sweetener)
• 1/2 a tsp of Vanilla or Almond Extract
• 1/2 a tsp of Iodized Salt
• Crushed vitamin B12 and/or Calcium tablet

I don't personally drink rice milk unless it's something like horchata, but I do use it in baked goods or to cover oatmeal. When used in baked goods it makes the pastry (or whatever you're making) much lighter than soy milk would be. However, like soy milk - this should be used quickly and efficiently, as well as the leftovers, meaning the pulverized rice mix.

I would suggest making a sweet rice porridge known as Okayu, although I'm not sure how it would work out with pulverized rice (haven't had it in a long time). If you make it and don't have too much of a sweet tooth - don't add too much Azuki bean paste to it either.

When It's Chilly Eat Some Chili!

Simple and basic chili meant to warm you up and still entertain your taste buds. Normally when I make chili I don't measure anything as it depends on everyone's tastes if it will be good or not, but I'll try for you.

Chili Recipe:
1 cup of Texturized Vegetable Protein (boiled for ten minutes, washed and drained)
1 can of Diced Tomatoes
1 handful of Fresh Tomatoes
1 Fresh Jalapeno Pepper (half de-seeded if you want a bit spicy)
1/2 tbl of Cinnamon
1/2 a tsp of Chili Powder
2 cloves of Minced Garlic
1/2 of a Minced Large Onion
1/2 of a Small Green Bell Pepper
A dash of Paprika
Olive oil (or preferred olive oil)
Salt and Pepper to taste

Sauté the fresh ingredients together in a pot with olive oil until they are tender, then add all of the spices and seasonings except for the cinnamon. Once the smells of the seasonings mixed with the vegetables have begun to permeate through the air, add the canned tomatoes and the texturized vegetable protein (plus a bit more Paprika). Let that stew together for about 5 minutes, adding liquid as you want - then add the cinnamon in increments, tasting (with a different spoon) as you go. Once it is heated up and has come together, serve it in a bowl with those delicious and cheesy crackers, and eat until your heart's content. If you want to add a brighter and much fresher flavor, definitely add some sliced green onions on top - don't use chives.

Enjoy!

Signed,

<3 Bou Shin <3

That's Cat-tastic!

Don't worry, I'm not baking anything for an animal other than a human - besides, my cat is way too snotty (or smart) to enjoy even the sophisticated tastes of these crackers. I sure hope you aren't though, because these are way too delicious to not be eaten, and way too good for you to maintain a sophisticated character when eating them. You can use any type of cutter that you like, but all I have are three types of cutters and the cat was the smallest one that I could find.

These are made with three different types of flavors - Italian rosemary and Vegan Parmesan, Spinach and finally a mixture of the two.

Plain Cat-Tastic Crackers Recipe:
1 and 1/2 cups of All-Purpose Flour
1 and 1/2 cups of Whole Wheat Flour
2 tbl of Nutritional Yeast (try to get the ones that look the flakiest)
1 tsp of Garlic Powder
3/4 a tsp of Iodized Salt
1 tsp of Baking Soda
1 cup of Ice water 1 tbl of Apple Cider Vinegar (with Mother is best)
A little less than 1/2 a cup of Pure Coconut Oil (not Virgin)
Turmeric and Paprika for color

Italian Cat-Tastic Crackers Recipe:
1-2 tablespoons of Crushed Sesame Seeds
1 tbl of Apple Cider Vinegar (with Mother is best)
1/2 a tsp of Rosemary
1 and 1/2 cups of All-Purpose Flour
1 and 1/2 cups of Whole Wheat Flour
2 tbl of Nutritional Yeast (try to get the ones that look the flakiest)
1 tsp of Garlic Powder
3/4 a tsp of Iodized Salt
1 tsp of Baking Soda
1 cup of Ice water 1 tbl of Apple Cider Vinegar (with Mother is best)
A little less than 1/2 a cup of Pure Coconut Oil (not Virgin)
Turmeric and Paprika for color


Spinach Cat-Tastic Cracker Recipe:
1/4 cup of Spinach Juice or Chlorophyll and 1/4 cup Ice Water
1 and 1/2 cups of All-Purpose Flour
1 and 1/2 cups of Whole Wheat Flour
2 tbl of Nutritional Yeast (try to get the ones that look the flakiest)
1 tsp of Garlic Powder
3/4 a tsp of Iodized Salt
1 tsp of Baking Soda
1 cup of Ice water 1 tbl of Organic Apple Cider Vinegar with Mother
A little less than 1/2 a cup of Pure Coconut Oil (not Virgin)


If you want to you can just use the first recipe and mix it together as you like, considering that there are only a few recipe changes in each. But after your decision, make sure that your coconut oil is well melted when you measure it out, then pop the measuring cup into the fridge for 5-10 minutes, then break it into pieces and let it chill for 15 more minutes. While the coconut oil has begun to solidify, add your dry ingredients together, then add the baking soda to your water mixture and wait about 2-5 minutes after stirring it. Once that is done, make sure that your flour color has a slightly darker tinge to it after adding the turmeric if you want them to be orange. Then make a well in the middle of your dry ingredients and alternate between the water and the coconut oil. If it is still quite wet - add more all-purpose flour and knead it to a doughy consistency. Afterwards, wrap it in plastic and place it in the fridge for 30 minutes. Prep your rolling and cutting area, making sure to keep the cutter and your table covered in all-purpose flour at all times. If your table is not marble, try to do this on a pan or some other non-absorbing surface.

Once the 30 minutes are up, take them it out, roll it to about 1/8 of an inch, then cut them into your preferred shapes with the cookie cutter (or your knife), rolling and rerolling until you run out of dough. Place the crackers on a well oiled sheet (use olive oil making Italian) and bake them in the oven for about 5 minutes or until they've puffed up to about twice their original size.     

Continue with the rest of the batch and enjoy!          



                                                                                                                                                   Signed,
                                                                                                                                        <3 Bou Shin<3

Sloppy Joe Is Sooo Sloppy

He's so sloppy that you need two hands to eat all of the tasty and spicy "meat" between two Okara buns. He doesn't need anything else to sop up his delicious paprika and garlic spiced flavor, just those two fluffy wheat buns - and you. You can change him though, and make sure that Joe becomes a clean man on your plate! One little nibble and you'll want more, although you find that you're full after one burger, you will also find a system to try to eat as many as possible.

(Sloppy Joe "Meat" Ingredients)

• Texturized Vegetable Protein (that has been covered in boiled water for 10 minutes, then washed and drained)
• 2 cloves of Minced Garlic
• 1/2 of a Small Minced Onion
• 1/2 a tsp of Crushed Red Pepper
• 1/4 a tsp of Black Pepper
• 1/4 a tsp of Greek Oregano
• A dash of Paprika
• Salt and Garlic Powder to taste
• 1/2 a Cup of Chunky Spaghetti Sauce (your favorite)

(Okara Buns Ingredients)

• 1 cup of Raw Okara (cooked is fine as well)
• 1 packet of Rapid-Rise Yeast
• 1 Cup of Warm Water
• 1 tbl of Brown Sugar
• 3 tbl of Unflavored Oil (for coating the pan)
• 1 tsp of Iodized Salt
• 1 and 1/2 cups of All-Purpose Flour
• 1 and 1/2 cups of High Protein Wheat Flour

(Directions)

• For the "Meat": Normally I would have precooked and seasoned the garlic and onions, but instead I decided to keep them as is. With the TVP to give more texture and flavor.
• After the TVP has been washed and drained, add the vegetables and the pre-measured spices and mixed them together. Then coat a pan in olive oil and set it on medium-heat and add the meat.
• Once it begins to cook add the salt and pepper and the spaghetti sauce, only allowing a few chunks of tomato into the recipe as I went.
• Let the dish cook for about 5 minutes and then served it on top of Okara buns.


• For the Buns:Mix all of the dry ingredients except for the brown sugar together in a large bowl, then add the rest of the ingredients (except the oil) to a smaller dish, mix them together and allow the yeast to eat the sugar for about 3-5 minutes.
• After the yeast has grown, create a hole in the middle of the flour mixture as you would for biscuits and slowly mix in the yeast. After it is all thoroughly mixed together it should be quite wet, in that case move it to a warm area and preheat the oven to about 320 degrees.
• After 30-40 minutes are up, take the bread dough out of its warm area and punch it down, knead it with some flour until it is elastic, split into equal pieces and shape them into buns then let them sit on an oil covered pan for 15-20 minutes to allow them to proof once more.
• Once time has elapsed, cross the buns with a knife to make sure that everything is together and then place them into the oven for 15-30 minutes. To be sure that they're done, peek every few times and once they start to change color, move them around to see if they stick and look lighter, and if you're still not sure - place a knife into the center-most bun as you would do a cake.


• Serve them together and enjoy!

Soya Milk Doesn't Come From Cows

Imagine a cheap way to get your protein, vitamins and minerals without having to spend a lot of money every week. Can you think of it? If you answered "Steal from your neighbor's garden." then that's the incorrect answer and stay away from my yard. If you answered "Make soy milk of course!" then that is the correct answer and thus will be rewarded with this divine recipe!

If you can't find soy beans in your local grocery store, more than likely any Asian market or grocery store you go to will. Make sure to look for organic split soy beans to avoid those nasty GMO's, and to buy a few good packets of them for good measure. Once you've done that, wash about 1 cup of your soybeans and then soak them in enough water to cover them for 12-24 hours or so, and if you want your soy milk to look more like store-bought, use double the amount of soy beans and some more water. Once the hours are up you can drain most of the water and then place them into a pot (or a microwave-safe bowl) and heat them on high for about 2-4 minutes. Once that is done, add about 6-8 cups of cold water to a large glass blender and drain your soy beans over the sink. Once they are drained, place the first half into the blender and blend it until the bottom is nothing but mashed soy beans. Sift that out into a bowl once and put the liquid back in, moving the soybeans (or Okara) to a different bowl. Next, add the second half of soy beans into the liquid and repeat the process.

Sift it through as many times as possible until there is no detectable soy bean mulch left. Place the used soy beans in the bowl with the rest and you can immediately make the protein-filled okara burgers (after the soy-milk is made). Once you have all of your soy milk ready, add it to a large pot and boil it for about 10 minutes, and once those ten minutes are up add 1 teaspoon of iodized salt, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, and 1 tablespoon of sugar. Stir it together and put it into a container (mine has a built-in strainer). If you want it to be healthy you can add a crushed vitamin B12 packet and a crushed Calcium Magnesium tablet for every half gallon of soy milk as well.

Let it cool and enjoy as is or you can make it into tofu (if unflavored). As the soy milk is cooling, prepare to make enough okara burgers to eat for a week. Take half of the okara mixture and combine it with about 4 ounces of pressed silken tofu, blend it through until it turns into a paste, then add it to the rest of the chunky okara and use it as a binder. Sprinkle it liberally with salt, pepper and any other spices you want in your burger. After that is done, heat up some leftover vegetables from your fridge in a well-oiled pan until they soften up. I had red and green bell pepper, garlic and onions in my fridge, but anything is fine. After you've done that, add the cooked vegetables to the okara and sprinkle in about half a cup or so of Panko (Japanese Bread Crumbs) and mix it all together. Form patties with them (I only used about three tablespoons for each) and if you like you can twirl them around in an equal mixture of cornstarch in water and then press them into more breadcrumbs seasoned with salt and pepper. Once all of the patties have been assembled, heat up a pan with some oil and delicately place a small batch of burgers with it. Be careful when you flip it when the other side has turned golden brown, and place the burgers onto a plate, being careful not to let too many breadcrumbs soak up the oil and end up in the pan. Once the last batch is done you can make them into little sliders, cover them in sriracha, or make a tofu tartar sauce.

Okara Burgers Recipe:
1-2 cups of Okara (mashed soybeans)
About a cup of minced Veggies
1/2 a cup Tofu (any type)
Salt and Pepper to taste

Tofu Tartar Sauce Recipe:
1/2 a cup of pressed Silken Tofu
2 tbl Fresh Lemon Juice
1/2 a tsp Iodized Salt
1/2 a teaspoon of White Vinegar (or to your taste)
1-2 tsp of Dijon Mustard
Pepper to taste
Minced Sweet Pickles (any amount)
A dash of Paprika
A tbl of Olive Oil


Soy Milk Recipe:
Organic Split Soy beans
6-8 cups Cold Water
Iodized Salt
Vanilla Extract


Tools Needed For Soymilk:
1 Glass Blender
1-2 Large Strainers
2 Large Bowls

Enjoy!

                                                                                                        Signed,

                                                                                                                               <3 Bou Shin <3



That's Bulgogi!

I promise -  next time I'll move onto grainier pastures. But this dish is sweet, spicy, savory and delicious with the slightest hint of rice vinegar. Combined with a mountain of steamed white rice and enough kimchi to swim in, the essence of good Korean food is brought out. And boy is this delicious essence right here, everything is well balanced and tasty, and the fresh green onions add a nice fresh taste to the meal. I did not create the sauce recipe, but I did take a few extra steps on making and pre-cooking the seitan.

(Seitan Bulgogi)

• 1 and 1/4 a Cup of Vital Wheat Gluten (I used Arrowhead Mills)
• 3/4 a Cup Cold Shiitake Broth (hot water and five mushrooms)
• 1/2 tsp of Garlic Powder
• 1/2 tsp of Iodized Salt

(Bulgogi Sauce)
Original post - http://getsconedpdx.com/2010/04/08/grilled-seitan-bulogi/


(Directions)

• Combine the dry ingredients and add the broth afterwards.
• Steam the seitan for about 15 minutes just so that they would be already par cooked.
• Let them cool down and let them marinate in the sauce for about 45 minutes to an hour, but allow as long as possible so that the flavors can permeate the seitan.
• Afterwards, pan-fry the seitan on each side and baste each cutlet with the sauce until the pan was smoky and hot.
• Then, transfer the seitan cutlets to an oiled grill in one direction, waiting for the grill marks to appear. Once they do, simply turn the cutlets about 90 degrees so that they could get the beautiful diamond shape seen most prominently on the far right cutlet.


• Served with fresh green onions, sesame seeds, steamed rice and kimchi.
• Enjoy!