Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Pandor's Peacefully Spicy Noodles

This recipe is vegetarian. This recipe is easily made vegan.



Be creative in what you make this is a flavorful variation of the Shoyu Ramen. Use fresh ingredients that are around you. Listen to your intuition, use your knowledge of what goes together. This recipe is slightly spicy, and very tasty.

Ingredients:
Base (add first):
Water
Soy Sauce
Bullion
Sweet Onions
Ginger
Garlic

Add just before boiling:
Noodles
Carrots (Julienne)
Green Peppers (Julienne)
1 Egg (add last when heated stir well)

Spices:
(Touch of) Wasabi
Sea Salt
Pepper
Chives


Follow the ingredients list. Add in water, and then add enough soy sauce to make it change color. Be careful, and if you are not sure about the soy sauce taste as you add it in. Add bullion you can make this without it but it adds more flavor. Add in onions, garlic, and ginger then turn on the heat on high.

Just before boiling add in noodles, and then the add the julienned carrots and green peppers. Make them long and thin easy to pick up with chopsticks but not too big. You get a nice balance of fresh and cooked when you add it in near the end. When the noodles are soft enough, add in the egg and stir quickly.

Then add the spices and enjoy :)

Tip: Noodles are noodles. You can use linguine noodles, or you can pull ramen noodles out of the package and add the package as a replacement for the bullion.

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Vegan Pot Pie



This recipe is medium difficulty. It is complex dish and takes approximately 45 minuets to prepare and 50 minuets to cook.



I used an over-sized muffin pan for my pot pies. Find a pie pan or something that would fit.

With this recipe you need to make it in several parts. First make and allow the dough to rest then, cut and sauté vegetables, then cook the sauce, and then put it all together.

Crust:

Flour
a banana (optional)
healthy amount of vegetable margarine
salt
hot water

Mix the dough but you don't need to over knead this recipe. The vegetable shorting will keep the dough very moist and easy to manage. First add the flour, then the salt and the banana. Then add the vegetable margarine in and mix well. Then add in the hot water. Knead the dough until there is not much loose flour, if it is sticking to your hands you need to add more flour. Dough sounds hard but it is very easy, its all about the balance of the flour and the water. Once it is together cover bowl with a damp towel to retain moisture.

Cut your vegetables:

carrots cut into rounds
minced garlic
minced sweet onions
vegan boca patties (optional)
portabello mushrooms
soy sauce
sage
thyme
parsley
salt
pepper

Chop your ingredients, sauté in vegan butter or olive oil. Adding in the carrots first followed by the garlic and onions, fake meat. Lightly drizzle soy sauce over the chopped mushrooms to give it a boost of flavor and darker color before adding it to the pan. Add in the spices, and then set aside. You can add salt and other spices when you add in some of the first ingredients to the pan.


Cook sauce:

water
crushed garlic
vegetable bullion
salt and pepper
rosemary
thyme
parsley
flour to thicken

Boil water with seasonings and garlic. Whisk the flour together with water in a separate dish to prevent flour lumps. Don't forget to taste and adjust to your liking.


Same concept, but with home made apple jam.


Construct your pot pie:

On a lightly floured surface separate the appropriate amount of balls of dough for your pot pies leaving a fair amount for the pie top. Roll out and place into the designated pre floured pie dishes. You can roll the bottom pie crust over the top and pinch it together for a nice seal. Don't forget to pot air holes on your pot pie with a knife. When you take it out once its golden brown let it cool. Warning the insides will still be steaming hot. Enjoy!


These vegan pot pies toppings are pinched together to close.

Vegan Pot Pie



This recipe is medium difficulty. It is complex dish and takes approximately 45 minuets to prepare and 50 minuets to cook.



I used an over-sized muffin pan for my pot pies. Find a pie pan or something that would fit.

With this recipe you need to make it in several parts. First make and allow the dough to rest then, cut and sauté vegetables, then cook the sauce, and then put it all together.

Crust:

Flour
a banana (optional)
healthy amount of vegetable margarine
salt
hot water

Mix the dough but you don't need to over knead this recipe. The vegetable shorting will keep the dough very moist and easy to manage. First add the flour, then the salt and the banana. Then add the vegetable margarine in and mix well. Then add in the hot water. Knead the dough until there is not much loose flour, if it is sticking to your hands you need to add more flour. Dough sounds hard but it is very easy, its all about the balance of the flour and the water. Once it is together cover bowl with a damp towel to retain moisture.

Cut your vegetables:

carrots cut into rounds
minced garlic
minced sweet onions
vegan boca patties (optional)
portabello mushrooms
soy sauce
sage
thyme
parsley
salt
pepper

Chop your ingredients, sauté in vegan butter or olive oil. Adding in the carrots first followed by the garlic and onions, fake meat. Lightly drizzle soy sauce over the chopped mushrooms to give it a boost of flavor and darker color before adding it to the pan. Add in the spices, and then set aside. You can add salt and other spices when you add in some of the first ingredients to the pan.


Cook sauce:

water
crushed garlic
vegetable bullion
salt and pepper
rosemary
thyme
parsley
flour to thicken

Boil water with seasonings and garlic. Whisk the flour together with water in a separate dish to prevent flour lumps. Don't forget to taste and adjust to your liking.


Same concept, but with home made apple jam.


Construct your pot pie:

On a lightly floured surface separate the appropriate amount of balls of dough for your pot pies leaving a fair amount for the pie top. Roll out and place into the designated pre floured pie dishes. You can roll the bottom pie crust over the top and pinch it together for a nice seal. Don't forget to pot air holes on your pot pie with a knife. When you take it out once its golden brown let it cool. Warning the insides will still be steaming hot. Enjoy!


These vegan pot pies toppings are pinched together to close.

Fresh Foods!



There is nothing, nothing that is better then fresh foods that are not processed. When you are cooking add as many 'true' ingredients are you can. These tomatoes were grown in the garden and then transplanted into a hanging garden in my office. The bottom has cherry tomatoes which I harvested many today. The top contains sage, aloe vera, some lemon trees and peppermint.



The peppermint grows fast, and takes over space. I will use peppermint in many ways so far I have made it into a tea. Fresh herbs are wonderful for medicinal purposes. Before science formulated pills, herbs were the medicine of the world. They work. Big pharm doesn't want you to figure out how to heal yourself.

The problem with western medicine is that they treat the symptom while often missing the cause. Holistic medicine means that you look at everything. You don't have to live in the world they set out for you, gross old processed food in boxes.

It is best to use food that was grown locally remember to look for Non GMOs for no genetically modified ingredients, and buy organic when you can.

I know many of you have heard this all before, but there is one more reason to eat like this. Your health. If you eat arteries clogging food you will be at a much greater risk for a heart attack as well as many other chronic diseases later in life. What we put into our bodies is fuel. Use the best possible. Why is fresh vegetables the best? It is made for us! The earth made the food for us.


Monday, September 20, 2010

Yummy Rice Sauce


Yummy sauce for rice! This recipe is Vegan - This recipe is easy


Cook Rice: Remember to use jasmine rice and buy them in large sacks from an Asian store.

Grill:
Portobello Mushrooms marinaded in dark soy sauce or regular soy sauce
Sweet Onions cut into rings
If you don't have a grill mince onions and slice mushrooms, you can sauté the garlic from the sauce base and the onions instead.

Sauce Base:
Minced Garlic
Water
Bullion
Soy Sauce
Sea Salt
Pepper
Chopped Walnuts

Sauce Thickener:
equal parts corn starch and cold water


Prep your ingredients, don't forget to permeate the mushrooms with soy sauce. Grill your onions and mushrooms. Then make the sauce base, adding the grilled food near the middle and saving the walnuts for just before boiling. When your sauce starts boiling add in the premixed sauce thickener, stir gently and allow to coagulate. Plate rice and spoon on top.



Sunday, September 19, 2010

Shōyu Ramen

This recipe is Vegan - This recipe is easy

Make fresh ramen whenever you want with more ingredients then what can fit in a small packet. Stock up ingredients and enjoy whenever your in the mood.

To make your own ramen noodles follow the recipe for making egg roll wrappers and cut small or run though an angel hair pasta attachment. Allow noodles to rest in pasta nests. Visit your local Asian store for vegetarian noodles or use the noodles from the package you already have.



Ingredients:
Water
Bullion
Soy Sauce
Minced Garlic (or Minced Ginger)
Minced Onions
Mushrooms (optional)
Noodles

Heat water with bullion and soy sauce. The soy sauce will change darken the soup base and add a strong flavor be sure to be mindful about how much you are adding. Add garlic and onions right away so they can add more flavor to your base. When it is about done add in the mushrooms, followed by the noodles when the soup boils.


Enjoy :)

Ramen featured with freshly made noodles, shiitake mushrooms and garnished with bok choy.

Saturday, September 18, 2010

Why Are There No Measurements on this Site?

When you are cooking you are not just heating up something. You are forming a unique culinary experience tailored to your needs. Turning basic ingredients into hearty meals is something innate within human beings. It is in our nature to survive, in our nature to know how to cook. So listen to yourself and your instincts above all else while you are cooking.

Recipes are not about exact measurements but they are about methods. Use recipes as a guide to learn a method. Utilize ingredients that are available around you. Tear the dish down to its core and then rebuild it as you see fit.


Eat Well - Live Well
Simplicity is Key - When in doubt leave it out

Vegan Chocolate Chip 'n Mint Cookies

Prep: 10 minuets - Cooking Time: 12 minuets - This recipe is easy.

Fluffy chocolate cookies with a cooling mint glaze. Perfect for dipping in chocolate soy milk.



Cookie Dough:
Flour
Baking Soda
Baking Powder
Coca Powder
Sugar
Vegetable Margarine
Cold Water
Chocolate Chips

Glaze:
Vegan Butter (or Margarine)
Peppermint Extract
Powdered Sugar
Coca Powder


Mix the cookie dough in ascending order. Stir well and like other dough until it holds together and doesn't stick flatten into cookie pieces and place onto a floured cookie sheet. Cook for 12 minuets at 375.

With about 5 minuets left prepare your glaze. On the stove top melt your vegan butter add in powdered sugar coco powder and peppermint extract. Peppermint extract is very concentrated so go easy on it. Brush glaze onto the top of the hot cookies and allow to cool for 5 minuets.

Enjoy


Tuesday, August 3, 2010

How to Make Fresh Egg Roll Wrappers

This recipe is Vegan. Non-Vegans can use Eggs instead of sesame oil or olive oil.

Fresh egg roll wrappers are much easier to make then you think. A hand crank pasta machine will really help in rolling the dough thin, although it is not necessary.


Fresh vs Frozen:

First of all anything fresh won't have all the preservative ingredients that frozen wrappers will. When I started cooking the difference between fresh and frozen was amazing, egg roll wrappers are no exception. Fresh wrapper ingredients are nearly always on hand. Fresh wrappers are a more stable and flexible container. Frozen wrappers are crispier and thinner then fresh wrappers. For restaurant quality egg rolls give fresh wrappers a chance.


Fresh Wrappers
Frozen Wrappers



Ingredients:
  • Flour
  • Sesame Oil of Olive Oil for Vegan Wrappers
  • Salt
  • Water

Add flour to bowl. Add salt, and stir around with your hands. The flour will start to appear crumbly. Run cold water and add water a little at a time. Stirring around constantly feeling how the dough changes. It will be very crumbly then it will want to stick all together as you press it. There may be a small amount of flour still stuck to the sides. Once it seems to be all together like in the picture below take onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 5 minuets. You can also knead the mixture in the bowl itself. Cover with a towel to avoid dehydration and allow to set for 30 minuets.



Remove dough and placed onto floured surface. Cut into 4 (or however much dough you have) pieces. Make those pieces into balls. If they are going to stand long in the air place the towel over them. Roll dough with floured rolling pin. Continue to roll out until thin and cut square pieces. Squareness is important when you are making egg rolls, because it will effect the shape while wrapping.

If using a hand crank pasta machine; roll with rolling pin until it catches. Roll out from the largest setting, down to about 2 or 3. A nice balance between not being punctured easily, but not being too thick either.



Dust with cornstarch to avoid sticking together. Cut into squares. Be careful about how many wrappers are piled in a stack for a long period of time, the lower wrappers may start melding together and will need to be rerolled.

That's it :)