Vegan Kimchi – PNW Rainbow Harvest Edition

by EcoCosmeticsLab, posted in Fermenting

It’s fall so you know what that means.. fermenting season! This is my first time making kimchi. I used a recipe from the book Wild Fermentation by Sandor Katz, which my Mom gave me for my birthday last year.

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We got a gigantic haul of fresh organic veggies in our harvest box this week from Chris at One Love Farm in Lillooet. The tastiest kohlrabi I’ve ever eaten, so crisp, juicy and sweet. Also small purple cabbage, colourful carrots, fresh juicy ginger, onions, garlic, green cabbage and colourful chard stems I had left over from the previous week.

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optional cabbage totem for blessing the harvest kimchi:IMG_5814

METHOD

Submerge the cabbage, carrot, kohlrabi, and chard in a brine of 4 cups of sterile water with 4 Tablespoons sea salt.  2 to 4  hours or overnight.IMG_5822

Drain the salty brine from the vegetables and reserve brine. Taste the veg, if it is too salty you can rinse them with a bit of sterile water which is what I did. Make the spice paste:

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Grate ginger with rasp grater. Cut onions and garlic fine, add 3 Tbsp Korean red chili powder or less depending on spice level taste. Roughly mash together in a mortar and pestle:IMG_5831IMG_5893

That was the only red pepper flakes available at T&T market, it was 13$ for 1kg, or 2.2 lbs which is a huge bag but that was all they had and I needed to make kimchi asap!

Blend the spice paste together with the pre soaked vegetables:

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Sterilize your jars and wights with boiling water:

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Add the vegetables to the mason jars and tamp them down, if needed add more brine until the vegetables are totally submerged. Put weights and lids on, suck air out and tighten, these lids allow CO2 to escape and keep oxygen out.

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This is only the second day so I haven’t checked the taste yet, although you can taste everyday I would rather just leave it for now. After a week you are supposed to put it in the fridge.

Really excited about my first kimchi making experience!

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Roasted Vegetable Salad with Creamy Almond Butter Balsamic Vinaigrette

by EcoCosmeticsLab, posted in Green Salad, salad, Salad Meals

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When you want to be decadent and healthy at the same time!

I have been trying to cut down on grains lately and follow the specific carbohydrate diet a little more. This salad is really filling due to the almond butter dressing sweetened with dates and delicious tartness of the balsamic. I actually have a mediocre balsamic currently and it still tasted amazing, but if you have a higher quality one, all the better!

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Dressing:

  • 1/2 cup almond butter
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 3 Tbsp balsamic dressing
  • 1 tsp grainy mustard
  • 1/2 cup water
  • Juice of half a lime or lemon
  • 4 dates 
Blend in blender , adding water until happy with consistency
Roast squash and cauliflower in the oven at 400 degrees C for 40 minutes, flipping halfway through.
Wash and dry a bunch of lettuce, I found it easier to add the dressing to the veggies separately and mix, then add to the lettuce and mix, then combine together and voila!
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Black and White Salad

by EcoCosmeticsLab, posted in salad, Salad Meals

quinoasalad

Enjoy this salad while watching a film by G. W. Pabst.

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I began pondering a recipe for a black and white salad after purchasing this beautiful black quinoa ↓

IMG_4344 (1)Black Quinoa Galaxy

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Black princess cherry tomatoes from Salt and Harrow farm.

Recipe:

Maple Balsamic Dressing:

Salad

  • 1 cup Cooked black quinoa
  • 2 cups Blanched cauliflower florets (small pieces)
  • 10 black princess cherry tomatoes cut in half

Add half the dressing to taste, adding more if desired, might not use it all.

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I was attempting to only use black and white vegetables but couldn’t help but add parsley in for health and extra flavour. I would love to hear if you have any ideas of other black and white vegetables / fruit to add to this salad, please mention in the comments.

 

Enlightened Slaw

by EcoCosmeticsLab, posted in salad

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Slaying the slaw game

Crisp, refreshing and flavourful slaw.

If you don’t particularly like the taste of sauerkraut but need more probiotics in your life this is a fantastic way to dilute it. Surround it with an explosion of other fresh flavours for a delightful rainbow party in your mouth and a naturally fermented bacterial wellness party in your intestines. It’s a win win

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If you just have regular sauerkraut that’s perfect too. The cranberry kraut added a delightful sweetness but you could add some orange juice in the dressing to sweeten if desired.
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SHRED:

Green and /or purple cabbage
Carrot
Apple
Kohlrabi

ADD:
Cabbage sauerkraut and
Cranberry sauerkraut (recipe coming soon)
Pepitas (pumpkin seed)
Fresh Herbs (mint, cilantro, dill..) handful or more to taste
1 Tbsp basil (or other flavour) olive oil
3 Tbsp reg olive oil
2 Tbsp Apple cider vinegar

another variation on the salad, you can add peppers, other vegetables and dressings, experiment and have fun!FullSizeRender (39)

Squash & Lentil Curry Soup

by EcoCosmeticsLab, posted in Soup

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Quick and easy health food hacks!

Bone broth
Squash
red lentils
Grated ginger
Garam masala and curry powder spice, 1TBsp of each

Peel and chop up the squash into chunks add to the simmering bone broth, rinse lentils well under cold water and add to broth. Using a rasp grater, Great ginger into soup. (Or chopped fine) put lid on and allow to simmer for 15/20 minutes. Blend squash and lentil mixture with fork to eviscerate or leave as is.
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Tabbouleh Salad

by EcoCosmeticsLab, posted in salad

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I could eat tabbouleh salad every day for the rest of eternity. George Carlin did a stand up bit about death and how whatever you think your afterlife is going to be, it will be. My afterlife is me constantly munching tabbouleh salad. This pleasing five minute masterpiece is all you’ll ever need:

Juice of half a lemon (around 2 Tablespoons)
1/4 cup olive oil
Cucumber (about 1 cup)
Tomato (around 2 or 3 depending on size)
Green onion (1 or 2)
Parsley (1 bunch, rinsed and stems removed)
Mint (1 Tablespoon)

Salt and pepper to taste

(recipe can easily be doubled)

Usually tabbouleh calls for bulgur wheat but I omit it, you could also use quinoa or hemp hearts. Usually I cut the tomato and cucumber into really small pieces but I sometimes leave it in larger chunks.  A good trick for the best tasting tabbouleh is cutting the parsley really small. Go on a chopping spree. Here is a more traditional style but using quinoa:

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Grilled Fava Beans

by EcoCosmeticsLab, posted in Beans

It’s hard to make charred broad beans look sexy. Even on Martha Stewart’s website they resemble a burnt pile of crap. (Martha herself has a history of epically bad food photos.) But I digress… 

Despite it’s less than glamorous aesthetic appeal, these babies are a moreish, heavenly delight. I could eat a whole bowl to myself, day in / day out. Although I probably shouldn’t as I hear charred material causes cancer (what doesn’t though, am I right?). Nevertheless, it is a simple, quick yet decadent treat to be thoroughly enjoyed. 

I eat the whole bean, husk and all. It is soft and chewy and I de-stem them carefully beforehand so I can ravenously attack them without fuss later (but you don’t have to do this). The hard end and spine will never really be edible but go at it. Eat how you choose and feed your mitochondria the roughage it deserves! 

If you are eating the whole pod, definitely keep the charring to a minimum, if not, char away!

RECIPE

  • Fava beans (pick healthy green ones with velvety fuzz)
  • Olive Oil
  • Salt, Pepper
  • Lemon juice
  • (Fresh herbs if desired)

Carefully stem and toss the pods with olive oil. Grill for 4-5 minutes per side over high heat, for 8-10 mins, until pods are soft. Toss with lemon juice, sprinkle fresh pepper and salt. Voila! Delicious to the last drop.

coconut & seed flour chocolate chip cookies

by EcoCosmeticsLab, posted in dessert

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These are SOOO delicious and a gluten free alternative to wheat flour cookies.

For the sweetener I used dates.

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You can get two packages of succulent Iranian dates for 5$ from Persia Foods (multiple locations around Vancouver and area). So fresh and melt in your mouth tender!

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I grind my own seed flour using raw pumpkin seeds blended in a food processor. Be careful not too grind too much or it turns into butter. Get on that grind:

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Here is the wet mixture blended: dates, eggs, vanilla extract and coconut oil

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RECIPE

  • 200 ml ground pumpkin seeds (roasted or raw, or any seed/nut you prefer)
  • 200 ml coconut flour
  • 2 eggs (for vegan, use the equivalent chia or flax egg)
  • 1/3 cup coconut oil
  • 6 dates
  • 1.5 tsp vanilla extract
  • chocolate chips/carob/ blueberries,etc

METHOD;

mix dry ingredients and wet ingredients separately, then blend together and shape into cookie like formations on parchment paper.

Bake for 12-14 mins at 350 degree fahrenheit oven

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Falafel of the Century

by EcoCosmeticsLab, posted in patties, veggie patties

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RECIPE:

1 CUP cooked lentils

1 CUP steamed squash

2 CUPs chickpeas, soaked overnight (and /or sprouted for a day or 2), uncooked

1 CUP parsley and / or other herbs like basil, cilantro

4 or more garlic clove chopped

1 tsp cumin

salt and pepper to taste

Blend in a food processor / blender until it is combined and holds together but not so much that it becomes a hummus paste.

Fry in hot grapeseed oil (or other hot temperature oil) for approximately 5 minutes, until nicely browned. (Or bake in oven if you don’t feel like being decadent)

YEILD

Makes approximately 33 + falafel depending on size, can be frozen. lay uncooked balls flat on a tray with parchment, place in freezer until frozen then transfer to bag for quick meal at later date.

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I like to squish them flat to maximize the surface area, this ensure even cooking and also gets them nice and crispy