SHIRO WOT / ሽሮ ወጥ

 

When I get asked the desert island question - the one relating to food, after enduring the cruelty of the question, my thought goes to the humble shiro. 

I didn't grow up thinking that shiro was my fav food. In elementary school, when filling out friends' autographs, to the question "what is your fav food," I consistently responded kitfo be kocho. Kitfo is a minced, extra-lean red meat dish that comes from the Gurage tribe in the southern part of Ethiopia and is a delicacy traditionally reserved for celebratory occasions. It's akin to the French's streak tartar but with different spices and side dishes. It is traditionally (and sensibly) eaten with kocho, a loaf, arduously and devotedly, made from the root of the false banana. 

I'm of the Amhara tribe and kitfo was not made all that often in our household. I've probably not had kitfo more than 20 times in my entire life. Maybe 30. 40? No! The rarity of the experience was part of what made the dish a treasure in my mind, especially as a kid. And ofcourse, it was good. 

Shiro, in contrast, is an everyday meal that comes from the northern region and its chief ingredient is the humble chickpea...ground to dust. The process of making shiro powder is long and meticulous and involves marinating, sun-drying and grinding. It comes in two varieties: nech shiro and key/mitten shiro. The former is blended with fresh garlic, ginger, shallots as well as herbs and spices such as Ethiopian basil, fenugreek, Ethiopian cardamom, and Ethiopian caraway. The latter is blended with dried red chili peppers in addition to the root vegetables, herbs and spices. Nech (white) shiro is not spicy, key (red) shiro is. 

Shiro is truly revolutionary as far as food innovation goes in that it is a main dish product, only minimally processed, made to last for a year or more. It is made all-natural (sans preservative, additive, etc) and requires minimal effort to take it to a final prepared meal. 

But it's not because it's innovative or that it's highly nutritious that I'm compelled to choose the humble shiro from the impossibly long list of dishes I love. 

It's how it makes me feel...

Yes, when I chew it and taste it, but long after I have swallowed it...

It's the full body nourishment I feel after having shiro (with injera), every single time. Perhaps the powdered chickpea is easy on the tummy. Perhaps it's the accompaniment of the sourdough injera. Perhaps it's because it is food I grew up eating and one to which my body is attuned. 

Perhaps I wasn't aware of it as a kid, but as an adult, nothing else is quite the same. 

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PS. I love shiro's distant cousin, the hummus, too. 

PPS. Wot (ወጥ) means stew in Amharic. Shiro (ሽሮ) is the chickpea blend. Shimbera (ሽምብራ) is chickpeas. 

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Feeds 4 to 5 as a side dish 

Ingredients: 
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil or coconut oil 
2 medium yellow onions, minced 
6 to 7 garlic cloves, minced 
1/2 tsp maqulaya (optional) 
2 large ripe tomatoes (preferably Roma), finely chopped (preferably deskinned first) 
5 heaping tbsp shiro powder 
6 cups warm water (and more for loosening the stew as it cooks)
1 tsp sea salt 
1 jalapeño pepper, halved and seeds intact 

Creative steps: 

In a deep pan over medium-low heat, cook the onion in oil for 5 to 8 minutes, or until slightly soft. Add the garlic and cook for another 5 to 8 minutes, or until everything is translucent and caramelized. Don't skip the caramelization process as this deepens the flavour of the stew. Stir in the maqulaya, if using, and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, cover pan and bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes, or until dissolution. In a separate bowl, mix the shiro powder with 6 cups of warm water (or until the mixture is runny). Transfer the shiro mixture to the pan and stir well and carefully. Season with salt, cover pan and bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a minimum and let simmer with pan covered for atleast 15 to 20 minutes. If you have time, let it simmer for longer; the longer it simmers, the more the ingredients collide and the more the flavour develops/deepens. Keep checking every now and then to stir and avoid scorching. If the stew thickens, add splashes of water to loosen; the desired consistency is not too runny but not too bulky either. In the last 10 minutes or so of simmering, add the jalapeño pepper, seed-face down; this will infuse a subtle and fresh spiciness to the stew. The best way to gauge if the stew is well done is to wait until the oil surfaces to the top. Serve with injera and a veggie side dish. Shiro goes well with gomen (sauteed collard greens) or tikil gomen (sauteed cabbage). Pictured above is a side dish of boiled beetroot/carrot combo and a dollop of yogurt. As ever, enjoy. 

 

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PPPS. Injera is central to the typical Ethiopian cuisine; without it, the dishes especially the stews don't make sense. One day, when I have the right stove, I will be making injera at home and I will share the recipe. In the meantime, to my fellow Torontonians: you can find injera as well as shiro powder and maqulaya in Ethiopian or Eritrean convenience stores. In the old, OG Little Ethiopia in the west end, there are Freta Injera & Variety Store, Yohanna Convenience Store, and Ossington Mini Mart, all on Bloor Street West. Freta Injera makes local, 100% teff injera, my fav of all. Yohanna also carries Freta's injera. Also, Yohanna and Ossington Mini Mart carry 100% teff injera imported all the way from good ol' Addis. It survives the 14-hour direct flight from Addis to Toronto just fine, but make sure to grab it the day it arrives (call and check before making the trip). The local teff/barley combo you find in every store, to me, is - it has to be said - not-injera. In the new Little Ethiopia in the east end, there are, no doubt, many more choices, so I invite you to just go and explore. If convenience stores don't work out for some reason, you could just try walking into an Ethiopian restaurant and asking to buy just injera. It might be a bit pricier but it's worth it. 

PPPPS. Amazon links for mitten shiro, maqulaya, etc. 

PPPPPS. Merry Summer. 

Earth-like Supper Part II

 

It's Earth Month and I have an Earth-like Supper for you. 

I got the recipe for this quinoa bake many, many years ago from my dear colleague Andrea when we were working together at IRC. She gifted me a pack of red quinoa from the U.S. and it was my first time being introduced to the South American seed (widely thought of as grain because it cooks like grain). 

I have since made this quinoa bake (and also this savory quinoa cake) countless times in countless variations, both vegetarian and vegan, and not once has it failed to deliver. 

Pairing the bakes and cakes with something moist like avocado (or roasted red peppers) is key. And adding roasted squash brings a sweet and flower'y dimension to this Earth-like Supper. 

Happy Earth Month, humans. 

PS. Here is Earth-like Supper Part I. 

PPS. Torontonians, here are meaningful ways you can act this month (and beyond) to care for our planet. And here is Toronto Public Library's long-running Our Fragile Planet program with free educational events throughout the year. Everyone else, how might these ideas inspire you to act in your corner of the world? 

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Feeds 6 to 8 as a side dish

Ingredients: 

1/2 cup quinoa (no quinoa? try subbing with lentils and adding 1/4 cup of chopped nuts for crunchiness)

1 cup water 

1 large bunch (about 150g) spinach, washed 

1/2 of a small cabbage, green or red, thinly sliced 

2 medium-sized yellow onions, thinly sliced 

1/2 cup feta cheese (or other soft cheeses like mozzarella or cottage cheese) 

2 large eggs 

1/4 cup chopped fresh dill (or 1 tsp dried dill) (optional) 

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 

2 tbsp virgin coconut oil, divided (no coconut oil? sub with olive oil)

Sea salt to taste

For serving: 

- A handful of raw baby spinach and half of a medium-sized avocado, dressed with sea salt, a squeeze of a quartered lemon and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil 

- Oven-roasted squash

Creative Steps: 

First prepare the quinoa. Add quinoa and water to a pot and bring to a boil and then simmer until all the water is absorbed (just like cooking rice). Next prepare the greens. In a pan over medium heat, cook the cabbage in splashes of water for 3 to 5 minutes, or until it's wilted but still retains some texture. Add the spinach and wilt for 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer greens to a colander and strain to remove excess water. Transfer to a cutting board and chop roughly into small pieces. In the same pan, heat 1 tbsp of olive oil and sauté onions over medium to low heat for about 10 minutes, or until caramelized. In a large bowl, mix together the cooked quinoa, wilted greens, sautéed onions, cheese, eggs, dill and a couple of pinches of salt; combine well. Coat an oven-proof casserole with 1 tbsp of coconut oil and then transfer the quinoa mixture into the casserole using a spatula to spread evenly. Bake in the middle rack of the oven at 350 degree F for 20 minutes. Drop in the remaining 1 tbsp of coconut oil and use a brush to coat the top layer; bake for another 20 to 30 minutes, or until the top layer gets crispy. Enjoy with a side of avo salad and roasted squash. 

Winter Solstice Cookies

 

The genius of the typical Ethiopian cuisine is this: it has no dessert. 

Instead, you find the sweetness in the main dish itself. The Ethiopian spice blends - maqulaya and especially mekelesha - are concocted such that they exude sweetness only by virtue of their ingredients and, more importantly, the proportion of their ingredients. Maqulaya which translates to "for sauteing" and mekelesha which corresponds to "for simmering or for finishing" are both essential spice blends for making Ethiopian stews, and together with berbere, the Ethiopian chili blend, they render the distinctive taste and aroma in Ethiopian dishes. 

Qulet - Ethiopia's curry - is the starting point of any Ethiopian stew and typically includes onions, garlic and ginger and sometimes tomatoes, all sauteed with maqulaya and for a hot, spicier version also with berbere. Tomatoes - a fruit, not a veg - make things sweeter. And a concentration of alliums always means umami. 

Injera, the Ethiopian sourdough flatbread is tart, and as far as my experience goes, tarter than other sourdough breads. This over-tartness is then beautifully complimented by the savory, umami and spicy stews with a clear undertone of sweetness. 

And when you bring in bitter things like sinafich and siljo and such into the mix, you hit the full spectrum of tastes: sour, salty, sweet, bitter, umami and spicy. And this...is a satisfying experience to the sense of taste (and perhaps more broadly to the digestive system). And this...is the genius of the Ethiopian cuisine. 

But this post has nothing to do with the Ethiopian cuisine. It has to do with...cookies. 

Except perhaps that the main ingredient in the cookies is teff, the high protein, high fiber, gluten-free grain indigenous to Ethiopia and Eritrea and which is used to make the aforementioned injera. 

The teff does make a difference. Together with the other wholesome ingredients, these are nutritious crunchy bites masquerading as cookies. 

Sweet Winter, fellow northerners. 

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Recipe from the Ontario Vipassana Centre 

PS. The original recipe called for xantham gum and margarine which I subbed with tapioca flour and coconut oil respectively, both of which worked nicely. Also reduced the sugar from 1 1/4 cup to just 3/4 cup which worked well for my taste; for a sweeter version, go with 1 cup or the original recipe. 

PPS. This cookie is vegan. 

PPPS. If you're having Ethiopian on the regular, carry on. Whatever your diet, you may want to heed this advice we're getting these days about the order in which we ought to consume our food...

Makes 35 to 40 cookies (if you don't have a big party, best to freeze half to bake at another time) 

Ingredients: 

3 cups teff flour 

1 & 1/2 cups thinly shredded coconut 

2 tsp tapioca flour 

2 tsp baking soda 

1 tsp sea salt 

3/4 cup demerara sugar (or coconut sugar or brown sugar or whatever sugar you have on hand) 

1 & 1/3 cups dark chocolate chunks, 70% cacao (for an elevated experience, buy your fav dark chocolate and chop into chunks) 

1 & 1/3 cups virgin coconut oil (in a semi-solid state or having a margarine-like texture; cool in the fridge if needed to get the desired texture; this is important to get the right dough consistency) 

1 cup water (for mixing dry ingredients) 

5 tbsp ground flaxseeds 

5 tbsp water (for making flaxseed paste) 

Creative steps: 

First, make the flaxseed paste. In a small bowl, combine the ground flaxseeds with water to make a paste and put aside. In a large bowl, combine all dry ingredients and mix well. Add coconut oil, flaxseed paste and water and then mix thoroughly. Roll dough with hands into a ping pong-sized ball and flatten gently. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake at 350 degree F for about 15 minutes, or until the cookies are baked through and the aroma in the room causes a near swoon. En...joy. 

Sweet Potato + Avo + Sauerkraut

Breakfast.

Breaking the all-night fast.

This breakfast recipe I got from my naturopath....and I've been jazzing it up all summer and fall long.

Why so special? 

It's simple to put together. Cut up a sweet potato very thinly, throw the slices in the oven at 400 degrees, 9 minutes on each side. A couple more minutes maybe if you want to get it really crispy. Mash up one ripe avocado, lather it over the sweet-potato-slices. A forkful of sauerkraut on top. A generous shower of black sesame seeds. That's all. 

It easily allows for real multi-tasking. Throw the sweet potato in the oven. In the first 9 minutes: mash up the avocado; take the remaining ingredients out of the fridge and onto the kitchen counter; make the bed. In the next 9 minutes: wash any leftover dishes from the night before. The oven timer is not off yet, so look around, tidy up and make space for the day to unfold.

Everything happens on the chopping board (save for the time in the oven). Chop, assemble and serve on the board.

It's savory. A deep celebratory howl for savory breakfasts, everyone.

It's light yet wonderfully filling. Break your fast with this...and then face your day, tummy light, body spring’y, and eyes wide open.

Did we forget? It's delicioso.

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Feeds one

Recipe from the Integrative Health Institute in Toronto 

Ingredients:
1/2 of a medium-sized sweet potato; thinly sliced lengthwise (about 15 slices)
1 medium to large avocado; mashed, together with a couple of pinches of sea salt
Sauerkraut; a forkful for each sweet potato slice
A generous sprinkle of black sesame seeds

Creative steps: 
Bake sweet potato slices in the oven at 400 degree Celsius for 9 minutes on each side. For each side, begin checking for readiness at the 5 minute mark to prevent the slices from burning. Add more minutes as needed until the slices are cooked through and slightly crispy. Top sweet potato slices with mashed avocado (a tablespoon or so per slice) and sauerkraut (a forkful per slice). Sprinkle black sesame seeds on top. EnJoy.

Jazzing it up: 
Instead of avo -- hummus. Something creamy.
Instead of sauerkraut -- sliced cucumber or sliced tomatoes or both. Something moist (and veggie).
Instead of sauerkraut -- kimchi. This one I found to be too intense and a bit weird. 

The OATMEAL 2.0

Nothing stays the same, and that is true even to an innocent bowl of oatmeal.

Maybe before, a few slices of banana was the way to go....but now...more banana please.
Maybe before, one tablespoon of maple syrup did the trick....but now....one teaspoon only please.
Maybe before, you didn't have the sense to add shredded coconut...but now....not without it please.
Maybe before, ....

The basic combination of...

- Dried fruits + fresh fruits
- Nuts + seeds

...remains unchanged.

The 2.0, however, is not too sweet, yet far from being bland. Hidden from view - mixed in the oats - is the pumpkin seed butter (or any nut/seed butter of your choice) which gives it a rich, savory-like taste. With the sweetness of the banana, the dried fruit (dried mulberries are gem) and a tad bit of real maple syrup, everything comes to a balance.

A moment of silence for The OATMEAL 2.0.

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Serves one 

Ingredients: 
1/4 cup quick steel-cut oats
3/4 cup water
3/4 cup soy milk (or any other non-dairy milk)
1 tsp pumpkin seed butter (or almond/cashew/peanut butter)
1 tbsp crushed walnuts
1 tbsp hemp hearts
1 tbsp dried mulberries (or dried figs, prunes, raisins)
1/2 of a medium-sized banana, thinly sliced
1 tbsp unsweetened shredded coconut
1 tsp pure cacao powder
1 tsp pure maple syrup

Creative steps: 
Put the oats in a small pot, add the water, and then bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let it cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the soy milk and let it cook until the mixture thickens and starts to bubble slightly, about 1 or 2 minutes. Stir in the pumpkin seed butter and then immediately remove from heat and transfer to a bowl. Add the remaining ingredients on top - artfully to your heart's desire. And...enjoy! As mindfully as possible.  

Spicy Tom Yam

What's a Tom Yam? 

One of many Thai soups - and from my limited, but growing, knowledge of Thai cuisine - one that is...simple to make. Boil water. Add flavourings. Add veggies. Pronto.  

It's flavoured by the usual Thai suspects: lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime leaves, alliums. It also calls for a fresh red chili, smashed, which...goes a long way in the route of spicy. And this vegan version has all kinds of veggies and fungi...including, in this case, the bat-ear mushroom. 

Crunchy like a liver. And almost strange...

Aside from the small dose of mushroom sauce and soy sauce, it's all...very light. Watery, as opposed to soupy, and yet so flavourful...and loaded with veggies. Paired with fruits, one of the more perfect breakfasts.

Feeds two

Ingredients:

1 lemongrass, cut into 4-inch wide bits

3x3 inch galangal, sliced

2 kaffir lime leaves, shredded from the midrib (to diffuse its most amount of flavour)

1 fresh red chili, smashed

1 small shallot, peeled and crushed

2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

1 bat-ear mushroom, roughly sliced

4 wild mushrooms, shredded

4 Oyster mushrooms, sliced in big chunks 

4x4 inch firm tofu, cubed in big chunks 

1 small tomato, cubed

1 small carrot, sliced horizontally 

1½ cups of water 

1 tb of soy sauce 

1 tb of mushroom sauce 

2 tbs of lime juice 

1 tsp of brown sugar 

A pinch of sea salt 

3 tbs of roughly chopped cilantro

Creative Steps:

Add the water to a pot, bring to a boil and then add the lemongrass, galangal, garlic, shallot, kaffir lime leaves and chili. After 2 to 3 minutes, add the rest of the ingredients except for the cilantro. Continue to cook for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the carrot is soft but slightly crunchy. Remove the pot from the heat and throw in the cilantro. Let cool a bit, eat mindfully...and enjoy! 

Borscht: Slavic-Style Beetroot Soup

When you wake up to a blizzard at 4 in the morning...

You stay in...and make borscht.

Recipe from the Ontario Vipassana Centre in Canada, adapted from one that feeds 150 to one that feeds up to 5 as a side dish

Ingredients: 
1 small-sized yellow onion, sliced
2 medium-sized carrots, grated
2 medium-sized beetroots, grated
1/2 teaspoon of dried parsley (or dried dill, or dried oregano, or dried basil)
1/2 teaspoon of dried thyme
2 tablespoons of vinegar
1 small (smallest) tin of tomato paste - about 1/2 a cup
2 medium-sized yellow potatoes, grated
1/2 of a small green cabbage, sliced thinly OR 2 handfuls of Brussels sprouts, sliced thinly
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon of sea salt
A few turns of freshly ground black pepper to garnish

Creative steps: 
In a large pot, saute onion in olive oil over medium heat for three minutes, or until the onion starts to soften. Add the carrots and cook for three minutes, or until the carrots start to soften. Add the beetroots, dried parsley and thyme, vinegar, tomato paste, and a cup of water; the resulting consistency should be that of a thick tomato sauce - add more water if needed. Bring to a boil and then simmer over low heat for 15 minutes.

In another pot or large pan, bring 3 cups of water to a boil. Add potatoes, cabbage, and bay leaves - if the vegetables are not totally submerged in the water, add more hot water until they are. Simmer over low heat for 15 minutes. Then transfer the potato/cabbage mixture into the other pot, add salt, and then simmer over low heat for 15 to 20 minutes, or until all the vegetables are soft but still retain a bit of texture or crunchiness; check for readiness at the 15 minute mark to ensure that the vegetables do not get overcooked. Garnish with freshly ground black pepper, and ta ta enjoy! 

Vegan Shepherd's Pie: Two Ways

The first time you had a shepherd's pie - the "real" shepherd's pie, it was a memorable experience. The ground beef, the mashed potatoes - the softness and comfort and savoriness of it all. 

Then by a lucky set of circumstances...you become a vegetarian. 

And then one day not very long after...you see someone consuming a vegan shepherd's pie. A light goes off. 

Lentils in lieu of the ground beef - that's one way (see images above). 

Or mushrooms and soy-based veggie "ground round" in lieu of the ground beef - that's another way (see images below). 

That's all it takes. 

However. 

We can't forget the all-too-important dark green veggies...so...you happily break the rules. Bok choy (see images above), and broccoli (see images below). 

And when you find leftover wild rice in the fridge, you have the good sense to throw it on top (see images above)...which adds a nice and much-needed crunchiness to the dish. 

And because you like pretty - and again - some texture, you slice up green onions very thinly and carefully, and use it to bedazzle the field of mashed potatoes (see images below). 

If the meal of a shepherd is shepherd's pie, then the dream is to be a shepherd. 

Vegan Shepherd's Pie I 

Ingredients: 

2 sweet potatoes, cut in cubes 

2 red potatoes, cut in cubes

1 cup of lentils, cooked in boiling water and strained 

1 bunch of purple bok choy, steamed and chopped roughly 

6 cloves of garlic, minced 

1/2 of a red onion, minced  

1 fresh red chili pepper, minced 

1 dried red chili pepper, crushed 

1/2 cup of cooked wild rice 

3 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil (1 tb for cooking, 1 tb for greasing, 1 tb for drizzling)

Freshly-ground black pepper to taste

Sea salt to taste 

Creative Steps: 

Cook potatoes in boiling water for about 15 minutes, or until they become mushy. Drain the water away, mash the potatoes, mix in two pinches of salt, and then set aside. In a pan over medium heat, saute the onion, garlic and chili peppers in olive oil for 3 to 5 minutes, or until they soften and become fragrant. Add lentils and cook for 1 minute. Then mix in the bok choy. Grease an oven dish with olive oil. Divide the mashed potatoes equally into two. Put the first batch in the oven dish and then season with black pepper. Layer in the lentil / bok choy mixture and then put the remaining mashed potato on top. Finally sprinkle the wild rice over the top. Add a few turns of black pepper and a drizzle of olive oil. Bake in the oven at 350 degree Celsius for 25 minutes. Let cool a bit and enjoy! 

Vegan Shepherd's Pie II

Ingredients: 

1 sweet potato, cut in cubes 

2 yellow potatoes, cut in cubes 

1/2 cup of coconut milk 

1 tablespoon of coconut oil 

3 spring onions, sliced thinly 

1 medium-sized yellow onion, minced 

6 cloves garlic, minced 

1 pack (340 gram) soy-based veggie ground round 

4 Cremini mushrooms, minced 

2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil 

1 teaspoon of mixed Italian herbs 

1 can (411 grams) of cherry tomatoes (chemical/preservative-free)

Freshly-ground black pepper to taste 

Sea salt to taste 

Creative Steps: 

Cook potatoes in boiling water for about 15 minutes, or until they become mushy. Drain the water away and then mash the potatoes. Add coconut milk and coconut oil, a few pinches of sea salt and a few turns of black pepper; combine well and put aside. In a large pan over medium heat, saute the onion for 2 minutes, or until just soft, and then add the garlic and cook for another 3 to 5 minutes, or until they soften and become fragrant. Add the mushrooms and cook for about 5 minutes, or until they brown and soften. Add the veggie ground round and cook for about 3 minutes. Mix in the cherry tomatoes and the Italian herbs and then bring to a boil. Then simmer under very low heat for about 5 minutes. In a large oven dish, first add the sauce and then cover with the mashed potatoes. Sprinkle in the spring onions and bake in the oven at 350 degree Celsius for 20 minutes. Let cool a bit and enjoy with a side of roasted broccoli! 

Kale- & Allium-Stuffed Jumbo Shells (first try at vegan cheese)

You love ravioli...but...what if you don't love to make it from scratch every time. What if...you don't love to make it from scratch at all.

And store-bought ravioli is simply...out of the question.

Store-bought, hand-made, gourmet ravioli? Where did you find these? And were they good?

Regardless...

There is a way to have ravioli...without the ravioli.

Introducing, welcoming  - drum roll - the Jumbo Shells.

They are giant. They are dry. And they come clean and easy...in a box.

You boil them, stuff them with the goodies of your choice (today's choice: kale, alliums, vegan cheese), and then slowly whisper "let there be ravioli."

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Feeds four

Ingredients:

15 jumbo shells, cooked according to package instructions

1 large bunch kale, leaves torn from the stalks by hand 

1 small-sized yellow onion, thinly sliced

8 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp of extra-virgin olive oil

1 canned whole or diced tomatoes

4 "grates" of whole nutmeg

Sea salt to taste

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

4 handfuls of vegan cheese (2 handfuls cheddar style, 2 handfuls mozzarella style) (I used Daiya)

Creative steps:

Bring water to a boil and cook the jumbo shells according to package instructions, usually about 8 to 10 minutes. In the meantime, prepare the filling.

In a pan over medium heat, sauté the yellow onion with olive oil for one minute and then add the garlic and cook for another 3-5 minutes, or until translucent and fragrant. Take care not to burn the garlic. Add the kale and nutmeg and cook for another 5 minutes, or until the kale wilts slightly; try to find the middle state between too chewy and completely wilted. Add salt and pepper to taste, remove pan from the heat, and then mix in 1/2 of the vegan cheese (1 handful cheddar style, 1 handful mozzarella style).

When the jumbo shells are done cooking, drain them in a colander, rinse them with cold water briefly, and let the excess water seep through the colander. Stuff the kale into the shells immediately, before the shells start to dry out.

In a large baking pan, dump the can of tomatoes. If using whole tomatoes, use a spatula to break apart each whole tomato. Add 2-3 pinches of salt, a few turns of black pepper, and 2-3 pinches of dried mixed herbs. Tuck each stuffed jumbo shell in the tomato mixture, three shells per row, for a total of five rows. Sprinkle in the remaining vegan cheese. Bake in the oven at 400 degree F for 20 minutes, or until the tomatoes start bubbling and the vegan cheese melts.

Eat mindfully and ENJOY.

P.S. A little, but much deserved, praise for the vegan cheese: it was good - tasty to the taste buds and light to the tummy. It is essential, however, that the "cheese" melts, and so leftovers need to be reheated before consumption. 

Cornbread Snack

Sometimes, just sometimes. When the hunger gets tough...and the tough get going, the cure is a quick little snack. 

And if you have made cornbread beforehand, it will help. And if not, any good quality bread, i.e., sourdough bread, whole-grain bread, whole- and multi-grain bread, seeded bread...any of these will do. 

Then a teaspoon of all-natural peanut butter. 

Then slices of banana. 

Then a generous sprinkle of hemp hearts. 

A glass of water, not to be forgotten. 

You're set. 

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Serves one 

Ingredients: 

Home-made cornbread (recipe here), warmed, or sourdough/whole-grain/multi-grain bread 

1 tsp of all-natural peanut butter 

1/2 a banana, sliced 

A generous sprinkle of hemp hearts 

Creative steps: 

Arrange all ingredients on a plate. Dig in with the hands and enjoy! 

P.S. On a semi-related note...this. 

Chocolate Cake: Vegan (and Rich)

Savory or sweet, savory or sweet, what are you into, savory or sweet?

The question of the ages.

These typing hands say, "lots and lots of savory and a little bit of sweet."

A little bit of sweet. A little some of sweet, please.

What of sweet?

Pure cocoa powder. Dark chocolate chunks. Fresh fruits. Fancy molasses. And...maple syrup, fresh from the trees.

Bitter sweet. Bittersweet. Dark. Rich. And bittersweet.

Slrrrup.

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Makes 16 small squares

Adapted from Ben Kim's Chocolate Raspberry Cake*

*Firstly, thank you, Ben Kim!

*Secondly, the replacement of sugar (called for in the original recipe) with fancy molasses and maple syrup (used in this recipe) results in an increased moistness as well as sharpness in taste. The addition of pistachios complements the dark chocolate and gives a nice crunchiness. Strawberries also trump raspberries in this recipe, personally speaking.

Ingredients: 

1 and 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup pure cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
A pinch of sea salt
2 medium ripe bananas, mashed
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 tablespoon vinegar
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1/4 cup fancy molasses
5 tablespoons melted coconut oil
1 cup sliced fresh strawberries
1/2 cup dark chocolate chunks
1/4 cup crushed pistachios
Fresh fruit to garnish (strawberries, grapes, blueberries work best)

Creative steps:

In a bowl, combine all the dry ingredients (flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and sea salt). Stir with a fork or whisk to combine evenly and then keep side. In another bowl, first mash the bananas and then add the liquid ingredients (almond milk, vinegar, maple syrup, fancy molasses, and coconut oil); mix well. NOTE: melt and add the coconut oil to the liquid ingredients just before combining the dry and liquid ingredients in order to prevent the coconut oil from condensing. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and fold gently with a spatula until just combined. Add the dark chocolate chunks, half of the strawberries, and half of the pistachios; gently fold in and distribute evenly. NOTE: take care not to overwork the batter. Transfer batter to a wide oven-proof dish. Add the remaining strawberries and pistachios on top and press them in gently to level the surface. NOTE: you can play around with the look or design of the cake by how you arrange the strawberries and pistachios. Bake in the oven at 375 degree F for 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean. Once done, remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Then transfer onto a wire rack and let cool for another 10 minutes. Enjoy right away! Or keep in the fridge and consume within a week. Or keep in the freezer for longer. Best eaten from the freezer after thawing for 10-15 minutes, whilst it's still a bit ice cold. In all cases, serve with fresh fruit (strawberries, grapes, or blueberries) to lend moisture to the cake; this is key. 

Stinging Nettle with Yoghurt and Wholegrain Bread

It's not everyday that you go out foraging in the wild and use foraged ingredients in your cooking, so when you do these things, it's a...celebration. 

Not that you have to go to the wild to forage for food; you can do it in the vicinity of your house in the city. Perhaps the closest park or parkette. Your lawn. Or even right *in* your house, just look for dandelions busting out of the concrete. 

What's foraged in the wild is weeded in the city. 

But more and more these days, we're being told to eat our “weeds”…

So, let us review a list of the so-called weeds: 

- Dandelions

- Plantain

- Nettles

- Garlic mustard

- Chickory

To mention some. 

Today's ingredient of the wild, today's *magical* weed is the stinging nettle. Sauteed with red onion and then dumped on a pool of yoghurt, you get this beautiful contrast of hot and cold together with the umami-ness of the onion and the bitter'y depth of the green that nettle is. And the stinging, it dies with the heat. 

Serves one 

Ingredients: 

3 handfuls of stinging nettle, chopped 

1 teaspoon of minced red onion 

1 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil 

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste 

2 heaped tablespoons of organic plain yoghurt 

2 slices of toasted wholegrain bread (pictured is sunflower seed / multi-wholegrain bread)

¼ of a medium-sized pear, chopped (optional)  

Creative steps: 

On a pan over medium heat, stir-fry the red onion with olive oil for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the onion starts to soften and become translucent. Add the nettle to the pan, season with salt to taste, and continue to stir-fry for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the nettle slightly wilts and takes on a vibrant deep green colour. Add a few turns of freshly ground pepper, stir well to combine, and then turn off the heat. Start plating by first making a pool of yoghurt, then add the chopped pear followed by the nettle. Serve with toasted wholegrain bread on the side. Eat mindfully and enjoy! 

THE OATMEAL

Perhaps the greatest thing about the go-to breakfast, besides being the fastest meal to make, is that no one go-to breakfast is the same as another. Whilst the oat is the common denominator, the toppings – some fresh fruits + some dried fruits + some seeds – allow for *many* combination possibilities, and we all know that novelty can be a powerful thing. 

The other thing about the go-to breakfast, which some of us like to do, is not to mix in the toppings when cooking or serving. 

Because if you do mix in the toppings, it can be too easy, in a lousy way – chug it right in whilst thinking about your deliverables for the day. 

But if you don’t mix in the toppings, it allows for “engaged” eating – constructing, and therefore paying attention to, your bite. 

Now, the Japanese art (and science) of perfecting the bite – aka sushi – is to be highly commended. But if you have sushi, just remember to be ultra mindful. 

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Serves one 

Ingredients: 

½ cup 3-min steel-cut oats

1½ cups water  

½ cup unsweetened almond milk 

1 tbsp maple syrup 

1 tsp (a generous heaping) peanut or almond butter (preferably 100% or all-natural brands) 

¼ banana, sliced  

½ cup fresh fruit, chopped (berries, pears, peaches, or mangoes work well) 

1 dried fig or prune, sliced 
1 tbsp of sunflower seeds or lightly toasted flaxseeds 

A pinch or two of unsweetened cocoa powder for dusting (optional) 

Creative Steps: 

Put the oats and water in a pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until the water is almost absorbed, about 2-3 minutes. Add almond milk and cook under low heat for another 2-3 minutes, or until getting a consistency that is thick but still flows. Immediately transfer the oat mixture to a serving bowl and top with the seeds and the fresh and dried fruits (including the banana). Swirl in the peanut or almond butter, and drizzle in the maple syrup. Add a pinch or two or more of cocoa powder, if desired. And then...enjoy! 

Grilled Squash + Steamed Broccoli Florets

When you have bought a small, stout squash because it sounded like a nutritious idea and it has been lying around in your pantry for sometime because you did not want to deal with all the peeling, you throw it in the BBQ the next time you grill something. The result: a blackened exterior and a mushy interior, good to pack away in the fridge for some more days. Then one morning when you no longer have all the ingredients for your go-to breakfast or when they (the ingredients) are available but it (the dish) is beginning to really get on your guts, you turn to your blackened, mushy resource and amass all of your creative power.

Experiment of the day: 

Objective: To transform your blackened, mushy resource primarily into an edible meal, but very preferably into a gourmet one, with the expenditure of as minimum time and effort as possible.

Tools: A paring knife to scrap off the squash's burnt skin; a tablespoon to remove the squash's innards and to mash up the rest; an old chopping board that can afford to take in all of the black, burnt gooey bits from the squash; a small bowl; a chef's knife to chop up any available allium; a small pot; your softless, worker's hands; your relaxed mind flying high and in all directions with imagination; your softless, worker's hands.

Squash companion: 3 spring onions, liberally chopped; an inch-wide slice of salted butter; a few pinches of sea salt; a few turns of black pepper.

Creative steps: 

• Melt butter in pot and saute spring onions (save the upper green bits) for a few minutes until soft. 
• Add mashed squash and green bits of spring onions; combine well for a couple of minutes. 
• Add sea salt and black pepper; fold in. 
• Serve with slightly steamed broccoli florets seasoned with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil, a couple of pinches of sea salt, and a couple of squeezes of lemon juice. 

Optional but highly recommended eating style: 

Spear broccoli florets into the allium'y/smoky/butterly-rich squash goodness. Remember to chew mindfully, swallow mindfully, and ENJOY!

P.S. Dear dedicated readers (and non-dedicated readers alike!), I'm still around, travelling quite a bit, cooking a decent part of my life away, and strategizing on how to bring you "quality" content in a, ahem, sustainable way. And just so you know I have not been slacking all this time, I'm going to post the photos of some of my favourite dishes from the bygone months, two dishes for each, to serve as proof! (Some day, just some day, all of this backdating business will be behind me). And once you all have had enough time to digest all of the pictorials (read: to go goo-goo gaa-gaa over them), then I will be posting the recipes. And because I want to be kind and generous, I have already posted the recipe for one. This one.

P.S.S. Welcome to my voice. And because I care for those people who don't want to be bothered with my voice and want to go straight to the gist or for those who do care about my voice but are simply in a hurry, I have annexed a more direct, thorough and brief version of the recipe right below.

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Serves two 

Ingredients: 

• 1 small-sized acorn squash 
• 3 spring onions; chopped crosswise, upper green parts separated from the rest 
• 1 inch-wide stick of salted butter 
• Sea salt to taste 
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste 

Creative steps: 

• Grill the squash on a BBQ with lid covered for 30 - 40 minutes, or until mushy. Begin checking for readiness in 30 minutes. Remove from BBQ to use right away or pack away in the fridge to use in a couple of days. 
• When ready to use squash, use a small knife to scrap off the burnt skin, get to the core and scoop out the seeds using a spoon, and then mash the flesh of the squash in a bowl. 
• Melt butter in a pot over medium heat and saute the spring onions (without the green parts) for 2 to 4 minutes, or until soft.
• Add the mashed squash and the upper green parts of the spring onions to the pot; combine well for 1 to 2 minutes. 
• Season with sea salt and black pepper to taste, fold in and then remove from heat. 
• Serve with slightly steamed broccoli florets, or other vegetable of your choice, seasoned with a couple of squeezes of lemon juice, a few pinches of sea salt, and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil. 

Enjoy! 

Mexican-inspired Part II

When you have had good results from your first Mexican-inspired dish, you tend to make it again and again. And each time with slight variations, it's more fun that way.

In Part II...

Instead of the full-blown guacamole, why not go the speediest (and laziest) route of just avocados? Afterall, guac is really about the avo.

Instead of green or yellow cabbage, why not red cabbage? Afterall, red is more flavourful (and more nutritious?) than the rest.

And then the addition of cilantro takes the dish to a WHOLE OTHER LEVEL and more so to the category of Mexican-inspired.

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Serves four

Ingredients:

For the black bean/red cabbage combo 

1 cup black beans; soaked overnight, or for 8 hours

¼ of a medium-sized red cabbage; very thinly shredded

6 garlic cloves; minced

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper to taste

For the garlic tomato sauce 

10 medium-sized red tomatoes (preferably Roma); diced 

8 garlic cloves; minced 

1 jalapeño pepper; halved, seeds intact 

1 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil 

Sea salt to taste 

For serving

1 cup short-grained rice; steamed in 2 cups of water 

2 avocados; seeded and diced; ½ avocado per serving 

1 dollop of sour cream per serving, or to taste

1 lime wedge per serving, or to taste 

Corn tortilla chips (optional) 

Creative Steps: 

Black bean/red cabbage combo
First prepare the black beans. Put them in a large pot, add 3¼ cups of water, throw in the herbs, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook between 30 minutes to an hour and a half (depending on size and age of the beans), or until the beans soften throughout without getting mushy. Begin checking for readiness at 30 minutes. Once cooked, strain and keep aside. (Tip: boil large portions of black beans, adjusting the measurements above proportionally, and store in the fridge for miscellaneous use).

In a pan over medium heat, sauté the garlic in oil for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the garlic softens and releases its flavour. Stir in the black beans and cook for 3 to 5 minutes. Turn off heat, stir in the cabbage and combine well, and then remove pan from the heat. Add salt and freshly-ground black pepper to taste. 

Garlic tomato sauce 

In a pan over medium heat, sauté the garlic in oil for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the garlic softens and releases its flavour. Stir in the tomatoes and then bring to boil. Reduce heat to low, use a spatula to push out the juices of the tomatoes (if tomatoes are still chunky), add salt to taste, throw in the jalapeño pepper, and let simmer over minimum heat for 15 to 20 minutes. 

Divide the two dishes between individual plates or bowls and serve with the hot steamed rice, avocados, sour cream, lime wedges, and corn tortillas chips (if using). Enjoy!