Millet Pudding

This is based on a recipe called Creamy Rice Pudding in Marilyn Diamond’s American Vegetarian Cookbook.

3/4 cup raw millet 

 

2 cups water

2/3 cup honey

1 cup raisins (optional)

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon                                           

1 tsp vanilla extract                                        

1 tsp lemon juice

                                                  

1 cup soymilk*

4oz tofu (any plain variety)                                       

2 Tb tahini

         

Apricot all-fruit jam or additional cinnamon for dusting

 

*Any kind of milk would work. If you're not vegan, half and half or regular milk would work. Coconut milk would probably be really good. (I have only made this with soy milk.)

 

1.  Preheat oven to 325°F.  Place millet in a dry medium saucepan and toast over high heat, stirring frequently.  When brown and aromatic, add water, honey, raisins, cinnamon, vanilla and lemon juice.  Bring to a boil and simmer, uncovered, over medium-low heat for 5 minutes.

2.  While millet cooks, combine milk, tofu and tahini in a blender and liquefy.  Stir into millet mixture and cook until mixture begins to thicken.

3.  Spray a 2-quart casserole with vegetable spray.  Pour mixture into casserole and bake for 45-60 minutes, until all the liquid is absorbed.

4.  When pudding is cooked there will be a layer of tofu on the top.  Mix this into

the rest of the pudding.  Either sprinkle with cinnamon or allow to cool and spread apricot jam over the top of the pudding.

NOTE:  keeps for several days in the refrigerator.  Heat in the microwave for 10-30 seconds to take the chill off or let stand at room temperature for 10 minutes or so.

 

 

Alz Sorta Hummus

A bean dip that's sorta like hummus -- but different.

1 16-oz can chickpeas (garbanzos), drained and rinsed
1 16-oz can Great Northern (white) beans, drained and rinsed
2 TB cashew butter*
1/2 small clove of fresh garlic, minced
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
1/2 tsp Mrs. Dash or other salt-free herb seasoning
1/8 tsp dried thyme
Juice of 1-2 small lemons (about 4 TB)
1-2 TB sesame oil
1 TB olive oil
Lemon slices

*Can easily make your own cashew butter by processing raw or roasted cashews in a food processor until smooth.

Process all ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Chill and serve with lemon slices.

Bean Curd With Spicy Sauce

From the World Of The East cookbook. This dish is delicious and takes only about 10 minutes to make.

Sauce:

2 tsp cornstarch
½ cup Vegetable Stock
½ tsp salt (optional)
½ tsp sugar or honey
1 Tb sesame oil
1 tsp chilipaste or szechuan sauce
2 Tb soy sauce (or tamari)

Mix together the cornstarch and the vegetable stock until smooth (using a fork or small whisk works best). Mix in all the other ingredients.

Tofu:

2 Tb oil
3 scallions (green onions), sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp ginger, minced
1 lb tofu

1. Heat oil in wok or frying pan.
2. Stir fry garlic and ginger in the oil for 10 seconds.
3. Add scallions, stir fry 5 seconds.
4. Add tofu, stir fry 1 minute. Turn heat to low.
5. Stir the sauce and pour it over the tofu. Mix gently and bring to a simmer. Let the sauce thicken, stirring gently now and again.

Serve over rice or other whole grain.

Chickpeas With Coconut

A co-worker many moons ago gave me several recipes from a cooking class she took with Catherine Devine M.Ed. Since I was vegetarian during my son's formative years, this is one of his home cooking favorites.

2 cups potatoes, diced
¼ cup canola or olive oil
4 cups cooked chickpeas
1 tsp fennel seeds (optional)
1 Tb ground coriander
Juice of 1-2 limes
1 cup grated unsweetened coconut
½ cup water
2 tsp turmeric
½ tsp salt (optional)
2 fresh hot chili peppers (jalenpeños, etc.)

Steam the diced potatoes in a vegetable steamer until tender. Sauté the cooked potatoes in oil until they begin to brown. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer for 15 minutes, until the coconut is softened. Serves 8.

Cold Sesame Noodles

A co-worker gave me this recipe years ago from a cooking class she took from Catherine Devine, M.Ed. It's always a big hit.

¼ cup hot water
6 Tb tamari (for this recipe, soy sauce is a so-so replacement for the tamari -- which you can get in most supermarkets)
3 Tb tahini (ground sesame seed paste)
3 Tb vinegar
2 Tb peanut butter
1 lb soba noodles or whole wheat spaghetti or fettuccini
1 Tb roasted sesame oil
2 Tb hot roasted sesame oil OR szechuan sauce
¼ cup sesame seeds*
2 scallions, chopped

1. While water is boiling for noodles, whisk the honey or sugar in hot water until fully dissolved.

2. Add the remaining liquid ingredients and whisk again into a blended sauce.

3. Lightly toast the sesame seeds by placing them in a single layer in a dry skillet over a low flame. Stir often to prevent burning. They are roasted when they begin to brown or when you begin to smell them. (You can skip roasting the seeds; raw unhulled sesame seeds are nearly as good.)

4. Follow the package directions for cooking the noodles. It's better is the noodles are not too mushy.

5. Rinse the pasta with cold water, then toss the noodles with the sauce and top with seeds and scallions. Chill or serve warm. Also good with some steamed cauliflower and red pepper tossed in.