Vegetarian Sushi Bowl

Prep time:  15 mins

Cook time:  45 mins

Total time:  1 hour

Serves: 2 servings

Ingredients

• 1 cup short grain brown rice
• 2 cups water
• 1 Stash Organic Premium Green Tea bag
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon brown rice syrup (or honey)
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
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• 1/2 cup thinly sliced cucumbers
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced carrots
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced radishes
• 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
• 2 teaspoons black sesame seeds
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• 1 small avocado
• 1/2 cup edamame
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced red pepper
• 2 to 3 tablespoons pickled ginger
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• Sesame Seeds, for serving
• Soy Sauce, for serving
• Scallions, for serving

Instructions

1. Rinse the brown rice well. Combine with water in a medium pot. Cut open the green tea bag and sprinkle over the rice then give a stir to combine. Cover and let the rice cook until all the water has absorbed, 45 minutes. Whisk together the rice vinegar, rice syrup, and salt then stir into the cooked rice.
2. While the rice cooks, prepare the vegetables. Combine the cucumbers, carrots, radishes with the sesame oil and sesame seeds; let sit.
3. Once rice is done, assemble the bowls with all the vegetables and pickled ginger. Serve with extra sesame seeds and soy sauce.

Herbed Whole-Oat Salad

Yield

Serves 4 to 6 as a side dish

Ingredients

1. • 1 cup whole oats (also called oat groats)*
   • 1/2 cup minced onion
   • 1 large shallot if desired, minced
   • 1 1/8 teaspoons ground allspice
   • 1 teaspoon salt
   • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, or to taste
   • 2 tablespoons olive oil (preferably extra-virgin), or to taste
   • 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh parsley leaves
   • 1/3 cup finely chopped fresh mint leaves
   • 1 cucumber, peeled if desired, seeded, and chopped
   • 1 cup vine-ripened cherry tomatoes, quartered

Preparation

In a large saucepan of salted boiling water cook oats 25 minutes. Drain oats in a colander and rinse under cold water. Set colander over a kettle of boiling water (oats should not touch water) and steam oats, covered with a kitchen towel and lid, until fluffy and dry, 5 to 10 minutes (check water level in kettle occasionally, adding water if necessary).
      
While oats are cooking, in a large bowl stir together onion, shallot, allspice, and salt. Stir in hot oats and cool. Stir in lemon juice, oil, parsley, mint, and salt and pepper to taste. Add cucumber and tomatoes and toss gently. Salad may be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered (herbs may discolor slightly).

Bring salad to room temperature before serving.

Source:  Epicurious

Honey-Lime Oat and Black Bean Salad

If you can't find oat groats, substitute wheat berries, whole spelt, brown rice or any whole grain.

6 servings

Ingredients

• 1 cup oat groats
• 1 cup drained rinsed canned black bean
• 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
• 1 jalapeño pepper seeded and finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped red onions
• 1/2 avocado pitted, peeled and diced
• 1 tablespoon choppedf fresh cilantro

Honey-Lime Vinaigrette:

• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon grated lime zest
• 3 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 tablespoon liquid honey
• 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper 

Method

In large saucepan, bring 2 cups water to boil; add groats. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered and stirring occasionally, until tender and no water remains, about 45 minutes.

Drain and rinse under cold water; drain again.

Honey-Lime Vinaigrette: Meanwhile, whisk together oil, lime zest, lime juice, honey, chili powder, salt and pepper.

In large bowl, combine groats, black beans, tomatoes, jalapeño pepper and onion. Add vinaigrette and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. (Make-ahead: Refrigerate in airtight container for up to 24 hours.)

To serve, stir in avocado and sprinkle with cilantro.
Source:  Canada Living

Oatmeal Tabbouleh

Unlike traditional tabbouleh, which is a really a parsley salad with a little bit of fine Bulgar, this is more of a lemony grain salad with a generous amount of parsley and other herbs. For best results, toss the soaked oats with the dressing and refrigerate overnight.

 Yield  4 servings   Time1 hour

Ingredients

• ½ cup quick-cooking steel-cut oats
• Salt to taste
• 1 cup boiling water
• ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
• ½ teaspoon cumin seeds, lightly toasted and ground
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 2 to 4 tablespoons chopped fresh mint (to taste)
• 2 tablespoons chopped chives
• 2 to 3 medium tomatoes, finely chopped (omit if not in season)
• 1 cucumber, 2 Persian cucumbers, or 1/2 European cucumber, seeded if necessary and cut in small dice

Preparation

1. Combine the steel-cut oats and salt to taste in a bowl and pour on 1 cup of boiling water. Let sit for 25 to 30 minutes. Drain through a strainer and press the oats against the strainer with the back of your spoon to extract water. Transfer to a bowl.
2. Combine the lemon juice, salt to taste, cumin and olive oil and whisk together. Toss with the oats and let sit for at least 20 minutes or, preferably, cover and refrigerate overnight.
3. Add the remaining ingredients, toss together and let sit for 10 to 15 minutes or longer (in the refrigerator if longer than 15 minutes) before serving.

Source:   NY Times Cooking

Wheat Berries and Spelt

Here are several alternates to give a rough idea on cooking wheat:-

Standard Cooking Method

Step 1

Place spelt berries into a colander. Rinse thoroughly under running water.

Step 2

Place rinsed berries into a pot. Add water. Ratio of water to grain should be three parts water to one part spelt. Add a few pinches of sea salt to the pot.

Step 3

Place the pot on a burner over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. After the water reaches a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer until the grain is tender. This generally takes 50 to 60 minutes.

Presoaking and Cooking

Step 1

Place spelt berries into a colander. Rinse thoroughly under running water.

Step 2

Place rinsed berries into a bowl and cover with water. Allow the berries to soak for at least four hours or overnight.

Step 3

Drain the berries in a colander after soaking.

Step 4

Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a pan. Add drained spelt berries and saute for one to two minutes until slightly toasted. This will help bring out the nutty flavor of the grain.

Step 5

Add stock, broth or water to the pan, covering the spelt berries entirely. Place a lid on the pan and allow the berries to simmer until the liquid is absorbed. This will take approximately 30 to 45 minutes. Cooking with broth or stock instead of water will allow the spelt to develop more flavor.

 LiveStrong

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I have found that it really helps to toss warm wheat berries with at least a splash of olive oil and a pinch of salt just after draining.  If your recipe calls for other ingredients in the dressing such as lemon or vinegar and garlic, add those as well. The grains will soak up this all this goodness and really pop with flavor when chewed.

Another trick I learned is to toast the berries for a few minutes before cooking to encourage their nuttiness.  (I got this from Camino, a restaurant in Oakland, California.  More information here.) Spread them out on a sheet pan and toast in a preheated 375°F oven for about 10 minutes, just until they brown a little.  This step is totally optional but a nice thing to do if you have the time.

Be flexible

The recipe below is based on cooking hard red winter wheat berries.  The specific kind of wheat berry you buy, as well as how old it is, will influence the cooking time.

How To Cook Tender, Chewy Wheat Berries

Approximately 3 cups

What You Need

Ingredients
1 cup wheat berries
Salt
Olive oil (optional)
Equipment
Measuring cups
Baking tray (optional)
2-quart sauce pan with lid
Strainer
Bowl for tossing (optional)

Instructions

1. Toast the wheat berries (optional). Preheat the oven to 375°F.  Spread the wheat berries on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for about 10 minutes, or until lightly colored and aromatic.
2. Cook on the stovetop.  Transfer the wheat berries into a sauce pan and add 3 cups of water and a big pinch of salt.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, and cover the pan.
3. Check for doneness.  At about 30 minutes, start checking for doneness by scooping out a few berries and carefully tasting after they've cooled a bit.  They should be chewy but not tough. If not quite done, continue cooking and check the wheat berries every 5 minutes. You may need to cook them up to 25 minutes longer depending on the exact variety of wheat berry you purchased and their age.
4. Drain.  Drain the berries in the strainer and transfer to a bowl.  Toss with a splash of olive oil and a pinch of salt.
5. Store in refrigerator.  If not using right away, store the cooked wheat berries in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator for up to a week.  Gently reheat in a frying pan over low heat until hot, or serve at room temperature.

The Kitchn


• If you want the spelt berries very soft, like steamed rice, add 3 cups of water or stock to 1 cup of spelt, cover and simmer for 1 1/2 hours.
• If you like it chewier and nuttier, like for salads, use 2 cups of water or stock for every cup of spelt berries. Cook the spelt like risotto, adding half a cup at a time and stirring after each addition until the liquid evaporates. They should be tender after about 30-40 minutes.

TheKitchn

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 Red Winter Wheat

• 2 cups hard red winter-wheat berries, (see Tip)
• 7 cups cold water

Sort through wheat berries carefully, discarding any stones. Rinse well under cool running water. Place in a large heavy saucepan. Add water and salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer gently for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Drain and rinse.

EatingWell

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Braised Chicken

• 6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar (this is what the recipe called for, but I found it too strong.  Next time I will try 1/4 cup.

• 1 (400g) tin diced tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

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Directions

Preparation:10min  ›  Cook:20min  ›  Ready in:30min 

1. Season chicken breasts with ground black pepper and garlic salt. Heat olive oil in a medium frypan and brown the onion and seasoned chicken breasts.
2. Pour tomatoes and balsamic vinegar over chicken and season with basil, oregano, rosemary and thyme. Simmer until chicken is no longer pink and the juices run clear; about 15 minutes.

Garlic Salt

If you don't have any garlic salt use plain salt and a crushed garlic clove. Brown the garlic with the onions.

Inspiration:  Allrecipes

Wheat Berry Salad With Leeks and Marinated Mushrooms Recipe

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 pound cremini mushrooms, diced
• 1 large (12-ounce) leek, diced
• 2 medium cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoon picked thyme leaves, minced
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons cider vinegar, divided
• 6 cups cooked whole-grain spelt (from about 24 ounces dry)
• 2 small Persian cucumbers, quartered lengthwise, then sliced crosswise into 1/4-inch pieces
• 1/2 cup minced flat-leaf parsley
• 1/4 cup minced chives
• Espelette pepper powder, for garnish (optional)

Directions

 In a large skillet, heat 3 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat until shimmering.

Add mushrooms and cook, stirring, until tender and their water has evaporated, about 5 minutes.

Add leek, garlic, and thyme, season with salt and pepper, and cook until leak is tender, about 4 minutes.

Transfer to large bowl and stir in 1/4 cup cider vinegar. Let stand 15 minutes.

In a large bowl, stir together spelt, cucumbers, and mushroom-leek mixture.

Stir in remaining 6 tablespoons olive oil, 2 tablespoons cider vinegar, parley, and chives, and season with salt and pepper.

Spoon salad into bowls and sprinkle with espelette pepper, if using.

Source:  SeriousEats

Black Bean Stew (Feijoada)

Ingredients

For:  8 servings

• 1 pound dried black beans, or 4-14 ounce cans, drained
• 6 cups water
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 10 cloves garlic
• 1 cup bell pepper, (red or green, I used red)
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 cups vegetable broth, or water (optional)
• 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon Cayenne pepper 

Instructions

1. If you are using dried beans, sort beans to remove debris. Rinse beans and soak overnight in cold water at least 3 inches above. If using canned beans go to number 4 of recipe instructions.
2. The following day, drain and rinse beans. Place beans in a large pot with cold water.
3. Bring to boil on medium-high, cover and reduce heat to simmer until beans are tender, about one hour. Set aside.
4. Heat oil in a large pot on medium heat, add onion and saute until soft, about 3 minutes.
5. Stir in garlic, bell pepper, cumin, oregano, and bay leaves. and cook for another minute.
6. Stir in beans (along with remaining liquid if using cooked beans). If using canned beans add water or vegetable broth
7. Bring to boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally for flavors to blend. Using the back of a ladle mash some of the beans to help to make a creamy thick sauce. Add extra liquid if needed.
8. Stir in cilantro, cayenne pepper and salt to season.

Source:  Healthier Steps

VEGAN CHICKPEA CURRY

Preparation Time: 5-10 minutes
Cooking Time: about 10 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients:
4 tbs oil (I used rice bran oil)
2 small onions, finely chopped
1 small piece of ginger, grated
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped or minced
4 tsp curry powder
2x 400g tin of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
10 tbs ketchup
1/2 cup of water or a tiny bit more if needed
juice of 1 lemon
a pinch of salt and pepper to taste
fresh coriander to serve

 Instructions:
Pour the oil into a large frying pan over a low-medium heat.
Add the onions and sweat them down until translucent, stirring them regularly (for about 5 minutes or so).
Once the onions are ready, add the ginger, garlic and curry powder briefly stirring them
Add the chickpeas, ketchup and some water.
Simmer and stir for about 5 minutes or so.
Add the lemon juice, a pinch of salt/pepper...........
Serve with fresh coriander and a portion of rice.

Consider keeping and using the chickpea water for baking  #aquafaba.

Source:- The Little Plantation