fried lotus chips

winter

fried lotus chips

• Makes 3 to 5 servings

This is one of only two recipes you’ll find in this book that is fried. These lotus root chips are a perfect substitute for potato chips and are a great snack for kids and adults alike. Lotus root can be found at any Japanese market and many natural food stores.

5-inch piece lotus root

Safflower or sesame oil

Slice the lotus root into very thin rounds. Coat the bottom of a cast-iron skillet with oil and heat over medium-high flame. When the oil is hot, delicately place the lotus root slices in the pan and fry for one to two minutes. Flip and fry on other side until golden brown and crispy. Drain on paper towel, then serve.

lemon-roasted beets, brussels, and yams

• Makes 5 to 7 servings

This is a divine dish, but you must make sure that the beet slices don’t touch the other veggies because beets turn everything that they touch red!

2 cups Brussels sprouts, ends trimmed and cut in quarters

1 medium yam, ¹⁄₂ inch matchsticks

1 small lemon, zested and juiced

¹⁄₈ cup olive oil

Generous pinch sea salt

Dash black pepper

1 large beet, peeled, halved, and thinly sliced

¹⁄₄ cup parsley, chopped, for garnish

¹⁄₃ cup pumpkin seeds, toasted

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Mix the first six ingredients together in a large bowl, making sure all vegetables are coated well with oil. Transfer to a baking dish or sheet, placing veggies on one half of the sheet. Put the beet in the same bowl and toss to coat with oil. Place beet slices on the other side of the baking sheet. Bake for one hour, or until beets are tender. Check on the veggies and toss at 30 minutes. Place in a serving dish and toss with parsley. Sprinkle pumpkin seeds on top. Serve immediately.

gingery bok choi-burdock sauté

gingery bok choy-burdock sauté

• Makes 2 to 4 servings

This is a Japanese-style stir-fry that has no oil but tons of protein and health benefits. Ginger has many anti-inflammatory properties, while chickpeas are full of fiber and folate for blood sugar regulation.

¹⁄₃ cup water

Pinch sea salt

1 cup burdock, cut thinly on the diagonal

1 teaspoon ginger, grated

1 bunch bok choy, chopped, greens separated

1 cup cooked chickpeas, or 1 can (15 ounces), drained and rinsed

1 tablespoon tamari, or more to taste

Sea salt, to taste

Bring water to a boil in medium skillet with a lid. Place burdock in water and simmer covered with a pinch of sea salt until almost tender, about four minutes. Stir in ginger and bok choy stalks; cover, and steam for three minutes, stirring occasionally. Add bok choy greens, chickpeas, and tamari; cover and steam for two more minutes. Add sea salt as needed.

miso-baked daikon

• Makes 3 to 4 servings

Daikon is a foreign vegetable to most people, but the Japanese have eaten it for eons. It’s a bit spicy, but the longer you cook daikon, the sweeter it gets. It’s good for pulling excess fat and dairy from the body and is usually served grated alongside dishes like tempura.

3 cups daikon, cut into ¹⁄₂-inch half-moons

Pinch sea salt

2 tablespoons yellow or white miso

1 tablespoon mirin

Parsley, chopped for garnish

Boil daikon with a pinch of sea salt for 10 minutes. Reserve ¹⁄₄ cup of cooking water and mix with miso and mirin for the sauce. Drain daikon, mix with miso sauce, and place in casserole dish. Bake 25 minutes at 350 degrees F, tossing occasionally. Garnish with parsley.

perfect winter stew

• Makes 4 to 6 servings

There’s nothing like a warm, comforting stew on a cold day. This one is filled with good-quality sweet vegetables like yams and winter squash, along with other vegetables. It’s a nutrient-packed one-pot meal.

1 tablespoon safflower oil

2 garnet yams, small chunks

¹⁄₂ kabocha squash, seeded and small chunks

Pinch sea salt

1 tablespoon cumin

¹⁄₂ teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon marjoram

1 teaspoon grated ginger

1 carton No-Chicken Broth

2 cups filtered water

2 celery stalks, cut on the diagonal

8 mushrooms, sliced

1 can (15 ounces) kidney beans, drained and rinsed

Dash cayenne (optional, if you like a kick)

Sea salt, to taste

Heat oil in a soup pot. Sauté yams and squash with pinch of salt for a few minutes. Add cumin, cinnamon, and marjoram, and coat veggies well. Add ginger, broth, water, and sea salt, and bring to a boil. Simmer covered for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add celery, mushrooms, and beans, and simmer uncovered for another 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with cayenne, if using, and sea salt to taste.