Hunan Dumplings

To make Dumplings

1/2 lb ground raw pork
2 tbsp finely chopped water chestnuts
1 tbsp tamari
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp sesame seed oil
about 36 wonton wrappers

Chicken or veggie stock

Green onions (chopped)

mix all ingredients together and fill wonton wrappers. Bring a large pot with veggie or chicken stock and chopped green onions to a boil and add dumplings in batches of a dozen for a few minutes (they will float when done)… the pork will cook while boiling… (this makes a good soup in itself with the broth and wontons)

When done, drain and add Peanut sauce

Peanut Sauce

1 cup smooth peanut butter
1 cup hot water
4 tsp tamari
2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 tsp sambal Olek or other garlic chile sauce
2 tsp of chopped green onions

heat all the ingredients on low heat in a sauce pan and add to dumplings… (great sauce for fresh spring rolls also)

serve with rice and garnish with green onions..

Oatmeal “pudding”…

This is one of the boys favourite breakfasts… and it tastes like rice pudding…

3 cups of Milk
pinch of salt
about a tsp of cinnamon

a bit more than a tsp of Vanilla
a tbsp of Maple Syrup (the real stuff of course!)
a handful of raisins
1 1/2 cups of Oats

In a pot, bring mix Milk, salt, Maple Syrup and raisins to a simmer… add Oats and then cook on low until done…

when it is done I often add some ground flax seeds for extra omegas

Pouding Chomeur (poor man’s pudding)

This is a traditional french-Canadian dessert that was made during the depression era… the ingredients are simple and were cheap and it is one of those staple desserts in french-canadian homes…

(yes… it is full of sugar… but OH so good)

Cake:

• 1 1/2 cup flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup milk
• 1 tsp vanilla

Sauce

• 3/4 cup Maple Syrup
• 1 cup Brown Sugar
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1/4 cup butter

In a bowl sift flour and baking powder together… in another bowl, cream butter and sugar and add vanilla… then slowly add the milk and flour in alternating 1/4 cup increments until all together and smooth… spread in a buttered baking dish…

for the sauce… in a sauce pan, mix all the sauce ingredients together and bring to a boil… boil for a few seconds and then pour over the cake batter (do not mix)

bake in a 325 preheated oven for 45 min

Carrot Cake

this is an amazingly moist Carrot cake… I have make it both with or without cream cheese frosting and each way is perfect!

2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 3/4cups sucanat (or brown sugar)
1 cup applesauce
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups shredded carrots
1 cup flaked coconut
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 can crushed pineapple, drained

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Grease and flour a 9×13 inch pan.
3. Mix flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon; make a well in the centre and add sugar, applesauce, eggs and vanilla.
4. Mix with wooden spoon until smooth.
5. Stir in carrots, coconut, walnuts and pineapple.
6. Pour into 9×13 inch pan and bake for about 45 minutes.

Sushi style Spring Rolls

These are one of my favourites and are really easy to make….

Make Sushi Rice

Lay it out on rice paper, add filling and roll…

This one has green onions, Cucumber, Avocado, Carrots, Bean Sprouts, lettuce and pollock…

I Serve it with a Spicy Peanut Sauce…

General Tso Tofu

Cut 1 block of Tofu into Slices, marinate in Tamari for at least an hour or two…

Coat with Corn Starch and Fry in about 2 inches of oil… put aside…

Make sauce:

• 5 tbsp Tamari
• 3-4 cloves of garlic minced
• about 1 tbsp minced Ginger
• 5 tsp sugar
• 4 tbsp of hoisin sauce
• 6 tsp rice vinegar
• 3 tsp orange juice

Stir Fry 1-2 chopped onions, add brocolli florets (steamed or blanched), add sauce and simmer until thick.. add Tofu and stir enough to coat…

Serve with Rice and garnish with sliced green onions…

West African Peanut Soup

2 cups onions
1 Tbsp oil
1/2 tsp cayenne
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
1 cup chopped carrots
2 cups chopped sweet potatoes
4 cups vegetable stock
2 cups tomato juice
1 cup smooth peanut butter
1 cup chopped scallions or chives

Saute the onions in the oil.

Stir in the cayenne and fresh ginger.

Add the carrots and saute a couple more minutes.

Mix in the potatoes and stock or water, bring to a boil, and then simmer for about 15 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.

Puree the vegetables with the cooking liquid and the tomato juice.

Stir in the peanut butter until smooth.

Serve topped with plenty of chopped scallions or chives. 

Cashew Curry…

1 Onion
Garlic
Red pepper
Green onions
Peas
about 2 TbspCurry paste
Red chile paste (Sambal Olek)
can of Coconut milk
about 2 Tbsp of peanut butter
about 2 cups of Cashews
juice of one lime

Saute the onions and veggies until soft (but not too soft), add the garlic, curry paste, and red chile paste…

then add the cashews, coconut milk and the peanut butter and lime juice… simmer about 10 min and let thicken

Serve with rice… sprinkle more lime juice ontop

Vege Pate…

I have been making this recipe for a while… It was a big Hit at Colin’s Party last year, my grandmother came back for thirds!!! I sent out quite a few e-mails with the recipe the day after…

Vege Pate

• 1 1/2 cup Sunflower seeds, ground
• 1/2 cup Flour, Whole wheat
• 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
• 1 Large Carrot, grated
• 1 Large Potato, grated
• 1 Large Celery stalk
• 2 tbsp Lemon juice
• 2 tbsp Oil
• 1 Onion, fresh and grated or fried
• Salt, pepper, Poultry seasoning (or Thyme, sage etc)

Preheat oven to 350
Ground Sunflower seeds, place in food processor, add flour, yeast,
grated veggies, lemon juice, oil and spices
Process until smooth, ajust seasonings (tends to need quite a bit)
Place in Square Cake pan and bake for about 45 min or until golden
brown. (don’t overcook or it will be dry)

I love serving it in a wrap (like the photo above)