Blissful Bites (39 page)

dressing

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cup soy sauce or tamari

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cup brown rice vinegar

2 teaspoons fresh ginger (or just juice)

1 tablespoon liquid smoke

2 tablespoons maple syrup

Cook soba according to directions on package. Whisk dressing ingredients together. Remove noodles from water, toss with dressing, and set aside. Keep water boiling for blanching vegetables. Blanch veggies until lightly cooked and vibrant in color. Remove with skimmer and toss veggies with noodles.

In a small pot, simmer hiziki with new water and soy sauce until all water is absorbed. Steam or fry tofu in a skillet until lightly browned on both sides. Toss all ingredients with noodles and veggies. Sprinkle roasted sesame seeds on top and serve immediately.

• Makes 6 to 8 servings

You will be shocked at how delicious this mock tuna is, without all the saturated fat that comes with the real thing. Walnuts are used in place of salmon for their rich omega-3 content. Sea vegetables like kelp and dulse are used to give a hint of fish flavor while adding nutrient-rich trace minerals to the dish.

1 cup almonds, soaked 4 hours

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cup walnuts, soaked 4 hours

2 carrots, grated

2 stalks celery, minced

1 lemon, juiced

1 lime, juiced

3 tablespoons kelp granules

2 tablespoons dulse flakes

2 tablespoons nutritional yeast

2 tablespoons dried parsley

1 teaspoon maple syrup or brown rice syrup

1 teaspoon coriander

3 tablespoons tamari

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cup filtered water, as needed

Drain nuts, then blend in a food processor until finely ground. Add the rest of the ingredients and blend until almost smooth. Be sure to scrape down the edges of the bowl a few times to incorporate all the ingredients. Serve with crackers or pita bread, as a side dish, or as a filling for
veggie sushi rolls
, on page 162.

• Makes 3 sushi rolls •
Chef Fave

This dish is a new take on traditional sushi rolls with noodles instead of rice. It's not only pleasing to the eye and fun to make, it tastes delish. Feel free to use whatever fillings you prefer.

2 bundles from 1 package (19
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ounces) soba noodles

3 collard green leaves, stem removed

3 nori sheets

1 cup purple cabbage, thinly sliced

1 Persian cucumber, thinly sliced

6 basil leaves

apricot-ginger dipping sauce

1 tablespoon apricot preserves

1 teaspoon ginger, minced

2 tablespoons tamari

1 tablespoon maple syrup

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon fresh mint, minced

Cook soba noodles according to package directions. Dip collard greens in the boiling water 15 seconds before you drain the noodles. Drain and shock with cold water.

To assemble the sushi, lay a piece of nori on a sushi mat with the lines going vertically. Lay a collard green leaf on top of the nori, then layer the other veggies and basil toward the bottom of the sheet. Roll up the sushi while tucking the veggies until you roll it all the way up. Be sure to leave some of the nori at the top exposed so you can seal the roll with a little bit of water if needed. Slice into one-inch pieces.

Whisk together the dressing ingredients in a small bowl. Serve with sushi.

soba noodle sushi with apricot-ginger dipping sauce

• Makes 6 to 8 servings

If you love quiche, you will love this recipe, which has wakame for an added nutritional explosion. It has the perfect quiche-like consistency, so you'll never know it's vegan!

3 slices store-bought tempeh bacon (or use
sizzling tempeh bacon
, on page 45, chopped)

1 package (14 ounces) extra firm tofu, crumbled

3 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari

2 tablespoons tahini

1 tablespoon apple cider or sherry vinegar

1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

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cup nutritional yeast

Spices of your choice:
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teaspoon each cumin, oregano, basil, paprika, coriander, rosemary, chili powder, black pepper

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cup red bell pepper, diced

1 medium zucchini, quarter-moons

2 tablespoons dried wakame, soaked for 10 minutes, then drained

If using store-bought tempeh bacon pan-fry, chop, and set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine tofu, soy sauce, tahini, vinegar, oil, nutritional yeast, and spices in a food processor. Blend until smooth, making sure to scrape the edges of the bowl a few times to incorporate all ingredients.

Place tofu mixture in a medium bowl and combine with the veggies, wakame, and bacon. Place in greased pie pan or 8x8 casserole dish. Bake covered for 40 minutes. Uncover and cook for 15 more minutes, until the top is golden and browned. Serve hot.
 

wakame tofu “bacon” quiche