not-so-forbidden rice salad

winter

not-so-forbidden rice salad

• Makes 5 to 7 servings

I love black rice because it’s quick-cooking and has a unique taste profile. Feel free to change up the veggies and spices to make your own unique dish for each season.

1 cup black forbidden rice, washed

1³⁄₄ cups plus ¹⁄₂ cup filtered water

Pinch sea salt

2 cups sweet potatoes, small cube

1 teaspoon tarragon

1 teaspoon coriander

Dash black pepper

2 tablespoons sherry vinegar

1 tablespoon tamari

¹⁄₃ cup packed basil, chiffonade (page 27)

Sea salt, to taste

Place rice, 1³⁄₄ cups filtered water, and a pinch of sea salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce flame to a simmer for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, heat ¹⁄₂ cup water in a medium skillet. When it begins to sizzle, add sweet potatoes, a pinch of sea salt, and spices to the skillet and combine well. Cover and let simmer for about five minutes. Add a touch more water if it's sticking and stir in the remaining ingredients except basil. Cover and cook for another three minutes.

When rice is done, place in a medium bowl with the veggie mixture. Fold in all the ingredients until well combined. Season with sea salt, as needed.

sage-infused polenta fries

• Makes 5 to 7 servings

These are a great healthy substitute for fatty french fries and go great with cashew-garlic aioli, on page 156, fire-roasted tomato sauce, on page 129, or basil-cashew cheeze sauce, on page 127.

Oil spray, for casserole dish and baking sheet

1 recipe for basic polenta, on page 144

2 tablespoons fresh sage

2 tablespoons nutritional yeast

¹⁄₄ teaspoon paprika

¹⁄₈ teaspoon nutmeg

¹⁄₄ teaspoon coriander

Sea salt and black pepper, to taste

Combine additional ingredients, except sea salt and black pepper, in the pot with polenta and follow the directions in the basic polenta recipe, on page 144. Lightly spray medium casserole dish with oil. You want a dish that will make the polenta about ¹⁄₂ inch thick (about 9x13). Pour polenta inside and smooth over evenly. Let sit for 45 minutes until it hardens.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Carefully flip the polenta out onto a cutting board and slice into french-fry shapes. Spray a baking sheet with oil, place fries about ¹⁄₄ inch apart, sprinkle sea salt and pepper on top, then spray lightly with oil. Bake for 15 minutes, then flip and bake another 20 minutes or more, depending on how crunchy you want them.

sage-infused polenta fries with cashew-garlic aioli

cashew-garlic aioli

• Makes about ¹⁄₄ cup

This vegan sauce is great for sandwiches, wraps, and as a dipping sauce for fries.

2 tablespoons raw cashews, soaked 1 hour

2 tablespoons sesame seeds

1 teaspoon garlic

3 tablespoons coconut milk

¹⁄₂ tablespoon coconut oil

1 tablespoon lime juice

Sea salt, to taste

Drain cashews. Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until well combined, about two minutes. Season with sea salt to your preference.

tofu ricotta cheeze

• Makes about 2 cups

This is the best substitute for cheese in lasagna or pasta shells, spreading on pizza, or even inside a wrap.

1 package (14 ounces) extra firm tofu

¹⁄₃ cup fresh basil

¹⁄₂ cup nutritional yeast

2 tablespoons tamari

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon maple syrup

1 cup fresh arugula or spinach

Pinch black pepper

Sea salt, to taste

Blend all ingredients except sea salt in a food processor until well combined and no lumps remain, about four minutes. Be sure to scrape down the edges of the bowl to incorporate all the ingredients. Season with sea salt and process again for a minute.

wild harvest pilaf

• Makes 7 to 8 servings

Around the holidays you may be looking for a delicious and beautiful dish to serve in addition to traditional stuffing or in place of; this is that dish! I use a Lundberg wild rice blend, but feel free to use a mix of whatever rice you have along with wild rice.

2 cups wild rice blend, rinsed and drained

3 cups filtered water

¹⁄₂ cup orange juice

Pinch of sea salt

1 tablespoon orange zest

¹⁄₃ cup orange juice

¹⁄₄ cup dried cranberries

¹⁄₄ teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon coriander

¹⁄₄ cup toasted pine nuts

¹⁄₃ cup parsley, chopped

Sea salt, to taste

Bring first four ingredients to a boil in a medium saucepan. Cover with lid and lower flame to a simmer. Cook for 40 minutes, or until rice is done. Fluff and place in a medium bowl. In a small saucepan, combine the rest of ingredients except nuts and parsley. Heat over a medium flame for a few minutes. Fold mixture into the rice with nuts and parsley. Season with sea salt and serve immediately.

veggie-stuffed pasta shells with mama mia magnifico sauce

veggie-stuffed pasta shells

Makes 5 to 7 servings

This is going to be a favorite in your house, especially if you’ve recently dumped dairy and miss lasagna.

1 package (16 ounces) large/giant pasta shells

1 teaspoon oil

1 cup zucchini, diced small

1 cup mushrooms, finely chopped

tofu ricotta cheeze, on page 157

mama mia magnifico sauce, recipe below

Cook pasta according to package instructions. Heat oil in medium skillet, then sauté zucchini and mushroom until barely limp. Turn off heat, then mix in tofu ricotta cheeze, on page 157. Stuff filling into the pasta shells, then cover with mama mia magnifico sauce (recipe follows).

mama mia magnifico sauce

• Makes about 6 cups sauce

This is an amazing spaghetti sauce made without nightshade tomatoes that I learned how to make at The Natural Epicurean. This is great for those trying to stay away from nightshades because of joint problems. You would never know this isn’t made with tomatoes! Great to use with pasta, lasagna, sloppy joes, or any other time you need a tomato base, like with BBQ sauce or ketchup.

1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into large chunks

1 medium rutabaga, quartered

3 medium carrots, cut in large chunks

Filtered water

¹⁄₂ teaspoon sea salt

1 tablespoon oil

3 celery stalks, diced

¹⁄₂ cup onion, diced

1 tablespoon dried basil

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 tablespoon umeboshi vinegar (or sherry vinegar)

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons tamari

1 tablespoon maple syrup

1 small beet, grated

Sea salt, to taste

Place squash, rutabaga, and carrots in a pressure cooker with water half the height of the vegetables. Add ¹⁄₂ teaspoon sea salt, lock lid in place, and bring up to pressure. Cook at full pressure for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, heat oil in skillet over medium flame and sauté celery, onion, spices and a pinch of sea salt for a few minutes. Stir in umeboshi vinegar, balsamic vinegar, tamari, and maple syrup, then set aside.

When root vegetables are done, turn off flame and let pressure come down naturally. Remove lid. When vegetables have slightly cooled, puree in a food processor or blender. Fold in sautéed celery, onion, and grated beet. Add as much beet as necessary to make the sauce a deep red. Season to taste with sea salt and black pepper. Warm over medium flame until hot and serve over pasta.