More than three decades ago I began to learn a new way of cooking and spent many of those early years professionally studying whole foods cooking with masters who understand how to heal and maintain good health with food.  I was one of the chief cooks and developers of recipes in a Vegan/Macrobiotic Restaurant in the 1980’s, and taught hundreds of cooking classes throughout the 80’s and 90’s. I also had a Whole Foods Plant-Based catering business in the 1980’s.

The public is now more aware of the effects of food on physical, mental and emotional health.  This awareness has brought a new set of problems. Many people believe that refined and processed foods, snacks, and frozen meals from the health food store will bring good health. They will not. If you want to be healthy, please cook real whole foods. It does take time, but have you considered the time, money and inconvenience of not feeling well?

These three recipes all have brown rice as their foundation.  When complex carbohydrate is combined with beans, you receive every amino acid.  Tofu is considered a bean product since it is made from soybeans.  I hope you’ll experiment and get creative with these recipes.  They are inexpensive, satisfying and will keep you healthy.

 

 

Brown rice promotes energy, good digestion, healthy metabolism and balanced blood sugar; eliminates sweet cravings; relieves depression, and creates emotional balance; high in B vitamins; contains iron, vitamin E, amino acids, and linoleic acid.  White rice digests more quickly; however, because it is refined, it is not a strengthening food.  I do not recommend parboiled or instant rice.

Whole grains should be cooked with a small pinch of unrefined sea salt or a one-inch piece of Kombu, a dried sea vegetable, for better digestion, minerals, and to alkalize the grains. Kombu greatly increases the nutritional value of all food prepared with it, and is considered the most completely mineralized food. It has no taste, just great health benefit! 

Salt is an essential mineral; without it you would die.  To understand the role salt plays in your mental, physical and emotional health, please read, Salt:  Friend or Foe.

 

Brown Rice cooking methods

  • 2 cups brown rice
  • 2 1/2 cups filtered or spring water for pressure cooking; 4 cups for boiling
  • one inch piece of kombu, or a pinch of unrefined sea salt

 

Pressure Cooking

Place 2 cups washed brown rice in a pressure cooker with 2 ½ cups water and salt or kombu. Bring up to pressure on a medium-high flame.  When pressure is up, place a flame deflector underneath (to distribute the heat evenly) and lower flame.  Cook 45-50 minutes.  Turn off heat and let pressure reduce.

 

Boiling

Place 2 cups washed brown rice in a pot with 4 cups water and a pinch of unrefined sea salt or Kombu. Bring to a boil, lower heat, simmer 50-60 minutes.  Try not to remove the cover and check on it too frequently as this will release the steam and leave the rice too dry.

For added flavor:  You can cook rice and all grains with vegetable bouillon and/or fresh or dried herbs.I like the liquid bouillon by Pacific and Imagine, and Rapunzel dried bouillon cubes.

 

 

Stir-Fried Vegetables

 

Ingredients

1-2 teaspoons olive oil or sesame oil                         2 cups broccoli

1 onion, sliced thin                                                        2-3 cloves minced garlic

1 cup sliced carrots                                                        Few slices of ginger

1-2 celery stalks sliced                                                  1-2 TB. GF Soy sauce or tamari

1 cup of kale                                                                    1-2 tsp. arrowroot or kuzu to thicken

1-2 cups sliced mushrooms                                        

 

NOTE:   you can add or substitute any vegetables you like to this mix:  brussel sprouts, green cabbage, snow peas, etc.

 

Directions

  1. Heat the oil in a skillet. 
  2. Add the onions, garlic and ginger and cook, stirring, 2-3 minutes. 
  3. Add mushrooms, celery and cook stirring 3-4 minutes. 
  4. Add carrots, broccoli and cook, stirring 3-4 minutes. 
  5. Add any remaining vegetables, and cook stirring 2-3 minutes.  Add 1-2 cups water and soy sauce or tamari. Turn down heat and simmer about 2 minutes. 
  6. Dissolve kuzu or arrowroot in a little cold water and pour into the vegetables, stirring constantly until it boils and thickens—1-2 minutes.  Turn off heat.

Serve over brown rice with Spring Renewal Salad.

 

NOTE:  You can substitute ginger powder for fresh ginger and garlic powder for fresh.  Add tofu  for additional protein. In a hurry?  Buy frozen stir-fry vegetables to save time.

The above recipe cooks the vegetables in a sauce similar to Chinese vegetables. If you don’t want the sauce, leave out the arrowroot or kuzu and water. Add the tamari or soy sauce with each vegetable addition.

 

 

Rice and Vegetable Salad

 

Ingredients

  • 2 cups cooked brown rice
  • 1-2 ears corn or 1 cup frozen corn
  • 1/4 cup sliced radishes
  • 2 TB. diced or grated onion
  • ½ cup fresh or frozen peas or green beans

 

Dressing

  • Juice of one lemon
  • 1 TB. brown rice vinegar
  • 2-3 TB. GF soy sauce or tamari
  • ¼ cp. fresh parsley

 

Directions

  1. Wash and cook rice.  You can either pressure cook or boil the rice for 50 minutes with a pinch of sea salt.  Boil corn and remove from cob.
  2. Cook peas or green beans. 
  3. Lightly boil radishes (or use raw), peas or green beans and onions. 
  4. When rice is cooked, place in a large bowl to cool and then add cooked veggies.

 

Dressing

  1. Combine dressing ingredients and pour over salad.  
  2. Or, use your favorite bottled dressing. 
  3. Refrigerate before serving.

 

Options

  • You can use any vegetables that you have on hand. 
  • Add a can of rinsed chickpeas or black beans for added protein. 
  • Slivered almonds make a nice addition.
  • You can combine rice and barley in this recipe. Cook them together.

Serve with Steamed Leafy Green Vegetables and/or Escarole Soup

 

Vegan Burger or Loaf

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ cups cooked brown rice
  • 8 oz.  organic tofu, drained & mashed
  • ¼ cup chopped parsley
  • ½ onion, chopped
  • ½ cup diced or grated veggies—carrots, celery, onion
  • 2 cloves minced garlic
  • 1 tsp. cumin
  • 1 tsp. basil or thyme
  • 1 TB. GF Soy sauce or tamari
  • 1 TB. Tahini
  • 1-2 TB. Water
  • Sesame or olive oil

 

Directions

  1. Combine all ingredients. 
  2. Form into patties with wet hands. 
  3. Heat sesame or olive oil in a skillet, and sauté burgers 5-7 minutes on each side until golden brown. Or bake on an oiled cookie sheet at 350 for 30 minutes. 
  4. Serve on gluten-free grain buns with mustard, pickles, lettuce and tomato.

 

Option

You can also press the mixture into a lightly oiled loaf pan and bake 25-30 minutes at 350 degrees.  Allow to sit 30 minutes before slicing.

Serve with your favorite black bean salad.

 

 

Products I like

Lundberg Organic Brown Rice

Good quality Kombu 

Pacific Organic Vegetable Broth

Imagine Organic Vegetable Broth

Eden Kuzu