Sesame Oil Cucumber Salad

Ingredients: (1 serving)

1 cucumber (roughly chopped)

2 cloves garlic (finely chopped)

1 tbsp rice vinegar

1/2 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp sesame oil

2 tsp nutrional yeast

a pinch of fresh cilantro

salt and red pepper flakes to taste

Toss all the ingredients above together. Enjoy!

The Savory Three

Ingredients:

2 bell peppers

1 eggplant

3 potatoes

3 cloves garlic

2 tbsp. soy sauce

3 tbsp. water

salt to taste

This is a very famous and easy Chinese dish to make. Make sure to follow the order of adding vegetables to get the perfect level of tenderness. 

Chop all veggies to bite size.

Heat a little larger amount of oil than you usually do in a pan. (Potatoes and eggplant absorb the oil really fast. Use a pan with a lid.)

First. Add in potatoes. Saute 3 mins.

Second. Add in eggplant. Saute 3 mins.

Third. Add in bell pepper and garlic. Saute 3 mins.

Last. Add in 2 tbsp. soy sauce, 3 tbsp. water and some salt to taste. 

Cover and let it cook 2 mins. ( Keep an eye on the water level. Do not burn the veggies.)

This dish is called 地三鲜 (di san xian) in Chinese. It can be translated as the savory three from the earth.  It is such a famous and tasty dish so almost every restaurant in China has it on the menu. 

Tiger Skin Chilies

Ingredients: (for 2 servings)

6-8 Anaheim chilies

1 red bell pepper

1 clove garlic

1 tbsp. dark rice vinegar

2 tsp. soy sauce

1 tsp. sugar

a pinch of salt

Step 1.

Halve the Anaheim chilies lengthwise and remove the seeds. Chop the red bell pepper to bite size.

Step 2.

Heat some oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. 

Arrange the chili halves skin side down on the pan and let it brown for about 8 mins.

Step 3. 

Add in chopped garlic and red bell pepper. Stir and cook for another 2 mins.

Step 4.

Add in the seasonings and turn off the heat.

1 tbsp. dark rice vinegar

2 tsp. soy sauce

1 tsp. sugar

a pinch of salt to taste

It is a classic way of cooking chilies in China. The Chinese name for this type of dish is 虎皮尖椒 (Hu Pi Jian Jiao) which can be translated as tiger skin chilies. The tiger skin refers to the brown and crispy skin of the chilies. I like to serve it over steam rice since the dish has some flavorful sauce. For a more spicy taste we can use jalapenos instead of Anaheim chilies.

Spicy Veggie Noodles

Ingredients: (2 servings)

2 handful of fresh spinach

1 large heirloom tomato - chopped

1/2 red bell pepper - sliced

1 carrot - thinly sliced

1/2 cup green peas

1 clove garlic - minced

2 servings of spaghetti brown rice pasta (or any other noodle)

salt

red chili flakes (oil infused)

nutritional yeast

Prepare the noodles.

Heat oil in a pan. Saute chopped tomatoes until very smooth. 5 mins.

Add in carrot slices and minced garlic. Saute until they are softened. 5 mins.

Add in red bell pepper slices, green peas and spinach. Season with salt and nutritional yeast. 5 mins.

Stir in fully cooked noodles.

Season with additional salt and red chili flakes to taste.

Avocado Chocolate Pudding

In a food processor:

(3-4 servings)

3 tbsp. hemp seeds. ( I used shelled hemp seeds, also called hemp hearts)

2 large hass avocados (or 4 small ones)

1 cup cocoa powder

1 tsp. vanilla powder

1 tsp. salt

Some sweetener to taste

(eg. 1/2 cup agave nectar

or 1 tbsp. stevia, 

or 2 tbsp cane sugar.)

2 tbsp. nondairy milk (Optional. depending on the consistency)

Top with chopped almonds for extra crunch.

Chill  30 mins before serving.

Sundried Tomato Olive Bread

Step 1. Whip together ( in a food processor):

3 tbsp. ground flaxseed

1/2 cup water

Step 2. Combine in bowl 1:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup whole wheat flour

2 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary

1 tbsp. chopped fresh basil

1/2 tsp. sea salt

Step 3. Combine in bowl 2:

Whipped flaxseed mixture (from step 1)

1 cup nondairy milk ( I used sweetened almond milk)

1/4 cup olive oil

Step 4. Add the wet ingredients (bowl 2) to the dry ingredients (bowl 1)

Add 1/3 cup finely chopped walnuts

Add 1/2 cup chopped pitted olives ( I used black olives and red olives)

Add 1/3 cup chopped sundried tomatoes

Mix well

The batter should be stiff and sticky.

Step 5. Bake

Lightly grease the loaf pan or other container that you are using to bake the bread. Add the batter to the loaf pan. Bake under 350 F for 40 mins.

Serve warm with your favorite dipping oil.

Crispy Radish Balls

Ingredients:

1 daikon radish

2/3 cup garbanzo bean flour

cilantro

green onion

ginger

five spice powder

salt

Step 1

Grate the radish as fine as possible.

Thinly chop some cilantro and green onions while waiting for the radish to drain excess water.

Grab a handful of grated radish and squeeze out any excess water into a bowl. 

*Save the radish liquid for later use.* 

Transfer the ingredients to a larger bowl to make the radish balls:

grated radish w/o water

chopped cilantro and green onions

2/3 cup garbanzo bean flour

grated ginger

1 tsp five spice powder

a pinch of salt

Mix all the ingredients together. If the radish mixture appears to be dry, start with adding 1 tbs radish liquid back into the mixture. (I added 3 tbs)

Step 2

Roll the mixture into 1 inch balls between your palms. Set aside.

Step 3

Heat some oil in a pan. Make sure the amount of oil in the pan should be enough to have the balls mostly emerged.  (I used a small pan. So I can use less oil.)

Gently put the radish balls in the oil. Fry them over medium high heat until evenly browned. (Turn the balls often to brown evenly)