How I spend my Saturday evenings….
Yes, this is a weekend evening not unlike most where I either; write, do wash, read or create recipes. Today I was in the mood for sushi but since I am not dating I decided to make it myself. I think of Sushi as date food. Especially since I have been on 6 first dates since moving to Santa Monica and each date has taken me to the same sushi restaurant in Venice. I was even at that same sushi place when I flew here from Northern Cali to go on an internet date with a guy from Brentwood. He didn’t even live close to this sushi restaurant but even he took me there two years ago. I have not had any luck with my first dates at the sushi place so I figure that maybe sushi is something I need to enjoy by myself right now.
Yes, this is a weekend evening not unlike most where I either; write, do wash, read or create recipes. Today I was in the mood for sushi but since I am not dating I decided to make it myself. I think of Sushi as date food. Especially since I have been on 6 first dates since moving to Santa Monica and each date has taken me to the same sushi restaurant in Venice. I was even at that same sushi place when I flew here from Northern Cali to go on an internet date with a guy from Brentwood. He didn’t even live close to this sushi restaurant but even he took me there two years ago. I have not had any luck with my first dates at the sushi place so I figure that maybe sushi is something I need to enjoy by myself right now.
A few months back I bought a sushi rolling mat and had yet to unveil it, so, tonight was its grand premier and it worked beautifully. My vegan sushi was and is yummy! I have plenty left for the next few days. Unlike regular sushi made with raw fish, my vegan sushi is safe for consumption for days on end. Well, maybe not more than 4 days tops.
So, I have been reading this book entitled, “The Handbook of Nutraceuticals and Functional Foods” I have been reading it as one would read a fictional book although this one is definitely non-fiction but I have been reading it page by page from the beginning. I came upon a section about all of the classes of antioxidants from plant and animal sources. Although I often forget that there are animal sources of antioxidants because most of the antioxidant nutrients that I read and teach about are plant based. But there are animal sources and now that I am writing about and acknowledging them I realize that, “of course there are animal sources”. In fact, even we humans make some of our own antioxidnats. One is called “superoxide dismutase” or SOD and its part of your body’s own natural defense system against invading free radicals. Plants make ‘antioxidants’ to protect themselves from environmental insults, insects, bad weather & oxygen free radicals, why shouldn’t man also be able to develop some protective elements too?
After reading about the antioxidants in fish, which we know as Omega-3 fatty acids, I realized that because of a strain in finances, and because of the limited “shelf life” of fresh fish, that I am not getting my ample supply of Omega-3’s. Although I do buy Omega-3 rich eggs and eat one of those about 4-5 days per week. They do contain at least the DHA Omega-3s. I also consume ground flax seeds every day but flax seed contains only the ALA Omega-3’s, which is the precursor to the DHA and EPA found in fish. We can not convert the ALA to DHA and EPA but the fish can and so can the chicken fed a flax seed diet. That is why eggs are a viable source of Omega-3’s. So, unless I eat fish at least 3 days per week or take fish oil supplements, chances are I am not meeting my recommended amounts of the DHA & EPA Omega-3’s. However, in Dr. Wildman’s book, I did read about how the fish get much of their Omega-3’s from their sea vegetable diet. I also eat sea vegetables but have been a little lax lately and that brings me to the recipe du jour which is actually not French (du jour is French for “of the day”), but this recipe is Japanese and is one of my most favorite foods…Sushi…"Domo Arigato” to my Japanese friends for introducing Sushi to the world…Roll it up & enjoy.
So, I have been reading this book entitled, “The Handbook of Nutraceuticals and Functional Foods” I have been reading it as one would read a fictional book although this one is definitely non-fiction but I have been reading it page by page from the beginning. I came upon a section about all of the classes of antioxidants from plant and animal sources. Although I often forget that there are animal sources of antioxidants because most of the antioxidant nutrients that I read and teach about are plant based. But there are animal sources and now that I am writing about and acknowledging them I realize that, “of course there are animal sources”. In fact, even we humans make some of our own antioxidnats. One is called “superoxide dismutase” or SOD and its part of your body’s own natural defense system against invading free radicals. Plants make ‘antioxidants’ to protect themselves from environmental insults, insects, bad weather & oxygen free radicals, why shouldn’t man also be able to develop some protective elements too?
After reading about the antioxidants in fish, which we know as Omega-3 fatty acids, I realized that because of a strain in finances, and because of the limited “shelf life” of fresh fish, that I am not getting my ample supply of Omega-3’s. Although I do buy Omega-3 rich eggs and eat one of those about 4-5 days per week. They do contain at least the DHA Omega-3s. I also consume ground flax seeds every day but flax seed contains only the ALA Omega-3’s, which is the precursor to the DHA and EPA found in fish. We can not convert the ALA to DHA and EPA but the fish can and so can the chicken fed a flax seed diet. That is why eggs are a viable source of Omega-3’s. So, unless I eat fish at least 3 days per week or take fish oil supplements, chances are I am not meeting my recommended amounts of the DHA & EPA Omega-3’s. However, in Dr. Wildman’s book, I did read about how the fish get much of their Omega-3’s from their sea vegetable diet. I also eat sea vegetables but have been a little lax lately and that brings me to the recipe du jour which is actually not French (du jour is French for “of the day”), but this recipe is Japanese and is one of my most favorite foods…Sushi…"Domo Arigato” to my Japanese friends for introducing Sushi to the world…Roll it up & enjoy.
BTW: you should only say “Domo Arigato” to a friend. If you are thanking someone you do not know well, I have just learned that the appropriate phrase is simply “Domo”, spoken slowly to show true gratitude. Interesting…K, now let’s cook & roll…
Oh, and I also had a sweet tooth so I threw together a vegan chocolate mousse
Here is that one first
Vegan Chocolate Mousse
1 (12oz) package Mori-Nu Firm Silken Tofu
2 Tbsp honey or maple syrup
(I just bought a $20 jar of local honey at the farmer’s market so I used honey)
3 heaping Tablespoons of Organic, Non-Dutched (non-alkalized) Cocoa powder (the same stuff I use in my daily Chocolate Mint Recovery Shake, more ways to get those Catechins and the taste of chocolate, that is so win-win)
I threw it all in a medium size metal mixing bowl and blended it with a hand held immersion blender
Oh, and I also had a sweet tooth so I threw together a vegan chocolate mousse
Here is that one first
Vegan Chocolate Mousse
1 (12oz) package Mori-Nu Firm Silken Tofu
2 Tbsp honey or maple syrup
(I just bought a $20 jar of local honey at the farmer’s market so I used honey)
3 heaping Tablespoons of Organic, Non-Dutched (non-alkalized) Cocoa powder (the same stuff I use in my daily Chocolate Mint Recovery Shake, more ways to get those Catechins and the taste of chocolate, that is so win-win)
I threw it all in a medium size metal mixing bowl and blended it with a hand held immersion blender
If you don’t have one of those, a regular blender, food processor, or hand held mixer will do just fine. If you’re really motivated, I believe a good fork and some strong arms could make magic as well. Well, maybe just make chocolate mousse but if you enjoy it the way I do, it will taste and feel like magic!
Dish into 4 ounce soufflé cups or something of similar size
Makes three 4 oz servings. I know, it’s not an even number. What’s that all about? But you do the math. Start with a twelve ounce package, divided into 4 ounces and you get 3 servings.
Perhaps you could dole out 3oz portions and then you would get four servings. Now that works out. You see, it’s really just about the math.
And now…the Sushi
Vegan Sushi
1 cup brown rice, cooked in 2 cups filtered water or brewed green, red or black tea
6-10 sheets dried Nori
1 Tbsp Brown Rice Vinegar
¼ cup Tamari
1 Tbsp Sesame or whatever oil you have on hand
Shiitake Mushrooms, if dehydrated, start by soaking them first in warm water
Sesame seeds or Gomasio (a combination of sesame seeds, sea salt & sea vegetable flakes such as Dulse)
¼ cup Dulse Flakes
¼ cup Nutritional Yeast flakes
¼ cup pickled ginger, finely diced (see recipe below)
Prepare the pickled Ginger first so it can marinade or “pickle” while you prepare the other ingredients
1. Cook rice uncovered in boiling water or brewed tea for five minutes. Then cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 40-45 minutes. If liquid remains, turn of the heat, stir the rice with a fork. Remove from heat and allow to steam on a separate burner. Leave uncovered until all the liquid has been absorbed.
2. Prepare your fillings and condiments while rice is cooking. Finely dice the Shiitakes. Heat the oil in a small sauce pan, add the Shiitakes & simmer in 1 Tbsp of tamari, add water if needed. You should have just enough liquid to ‘heat’ the mushrooms. Remove from heat after about 5 minutes. Set aside while you finish preparing the rice.
3. After the rice is cooked, add it to a 9 X 13 glass baking dish or similar size pan so that you can spread it out to cool and add the other ingredients. Add the brown rice vinegar, the rest of the tamari, the sesame seeds or Gomasio, the dulse flakes, nutritional yeast flakes & the Shiitakes.
4. Remove the ginger from the marinade and finely dice. Add the diced ginger and the “pickling” juice to the rice mixture. Mix it all up and get ready to “Roll”.
5. Place your nori sheet on a bamboo mat and spread the rice about 1/4inch thick over the whole sheet, leaving two inches at the top (the end away from you) for sealing off the roll.
6. Grasping the side of the mat that is closest to you, roll -it- up and away from you toward the top, pressing the log tightly together as you move it forward towards the end. Do not “roll” the mat within the sushi roll but use the mat to press the sushi as you roll it. The mat also helps to “seal” the deal. When the sushi is all rolled up, wrap the mat around it and grasp firmly to press it together. Moisten the end with rice vinegar to help it seal if needed. I find that if you use the mat right you don’t need anything else to seal it.
7. Place the sushi roll on a cutting board. With a very sharp knife, slice the nori roll in thin segments, about 1 inch thick or bias-cut in larger sections. Arrange and serve.
Note: you can add some wasabi powder to the mixture or put wasabi and extra tamari on the side for dipping.
Pickled Ginger
2 to 3 inches fresh ginger
1 tablespoon honey
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
4 tablespoons brown rice vinegar
1. Peel the ginger and slice it into paper thin slices.
2. Bring a pan of water to a boil, turn off the heat and soak the ginger slices in the water for a few seconds.
3. Pickling Mixture: Mix together the honey, salt and rice vinegar. Stir until the honey has dissolved.
4. Drain the ginger from the hot water and place the slices of hot ginger in the pickling mixture and let sit for about 30 minutes in the frig while you prepare the other sushi ingredients.
And now…the Sushi
Vegan Sushi
1 cup brown rice, cooked in 2 cups filtered water or brewed green, red or black tea
6-10 sheets dried Nori
1 Tbsp Brown Rice Vinegar
¼ cup Tamari
1 Tbsp Sesame or whatever oil you have on hand
Shiitake Mushrooms, if dehydrated, start by soaking them first in warm water
Sesame seeds or Gomasio (a combination of sesame seeds, sea salt & sea vegetable flakes such as Dulse)
¼ cup Dulse Flakes
¼ cup Nutritional Yeast flakes
¼ cup pickled ginger, finely diced (see recipe below)
Prepare the pickled Ginger first so it can marinade or “pickle” while you prepare the other ingredients
1. Cook rice uncovered in boiling water or brewed tea for five minutes. Then cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 40-45 minutes. If liquid remains, turn of the heat, stir the rice with a fork. Remove from heat and allow to steam on a separate burner. Leave uncovered until all the liquid has been absorbed.
2. Prepare your fillings and condiments while rice is cooking. Finely dice the Shiitakes. Heat the oil in a small sauce pan, add the Shiitakes & simmer in 1 Tbsp of tamari, add water if needed. You should have just enough liquid to ‘heat’ the mushrooms. Remove from heat after about 5 minutes. Set aside while you finish preparing the rice.
3. After the rice is cooked, add it to a 9 X 13 glass baking dish or similar size pan so that you can spread it out to cool and add the other ingredients. Add the brown rice vinegar, the rest of the tamari, the sesame seeds or Gomasio, the dulse flakes, nutritional yeast flakes & the Shiitakes.
4. Remove the ginger from the marinade and finely dice. Add the diced ginger and the “pickling” juice to the rice mixture. Mix it all up and get ready to “Roll”.
5. Place your nori sheet on a bamboo mat and spread the rice about 1/4inch thick over the whole sheet, leaving two inches at the top (the end away from you) for sealing off the roll.
6. Grasping the side of the mat that is closest to you, roll -it- up and away from you toward the top, pressing the log tightly together as you move it forward towards the end. Do not “roll” the mat within the sushi roll but use the mat to press the sushi as you roll it. The mat also helps to “seal” the deal. When the sushi is all rolled up, wrap the mat around it and grasp firmly to press it together. Moisten the end with rice vinegar to help it seal if needed. I find that if you use the mat right you don’t need anything else to seal it.
7. Place the sushi roll on a cutting board. With a very sharp knife, slice the nori roll in thin segments, about 1 inch thick or bias-cut in larger sections. Arrange and serve.
Note: you can add some wasabi powder to the mixture or put wasabi and extra tamari on the side for dipping.
Pickled Ginger
2 to 3 inches fresh ginger
1 tablespoon honey
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
4 tablespoons brown rice vinegar
1. Peel the ginger and slice it into paper thin slices.
2. Bring a pan of water to a boil, turn off the heat and soak the ginger slices in the water for a few seconds.
3. Pickling Mixture: Mix together the honey, salt and rice vinegar. Stir until the honey has dissolved.
4. Drain the ginger from the hot water and place the slices of hot ginger in the pickling mixture and let sit for about 30 minutes in the frig while you prepare the other sushi ingredients.
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