Oatcakes

From Super Natural Every Day

3 cups rolled oats
2 cups spelt flour or whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup flax seeds
3/4 cup chopped walnuts (lightly toasted, if wanted)
1/3 cup extra-virgin coconut oil
1/3 cup unsalted butter
3/4 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup natural cane sugar
2 large eggs, lightly beaten

Preheat the oven to 325 with a rack in the top third of the oven. Butter a standard 12-cup muffin pan.

Combine the oats, flour, baking powder, salt, flax seeds, and walnuts in a large mixing bowl.

In a medium saucepan over low heat, combine the coconut oil, butter, maple syrup, and sugar and slowly melt together. Stir just until the butter melts and sugar has dissolved, but don't let the mixture get too hot. You don't want to cook the eggs on contact in the next step.

Pour the coconut oil mixture over the oat mixture. Stir a bit with a fork, add the eggs, and stir again until everything comes together into a wet dough. Spoon the dough into the muffin cups, nearly filling them.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes , until the edges are deeply golden. Remove the pan from the oven and let cool for a few minutes. Then run a knife around the edges of the cakes and tip them out onto a cooling rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Buckwheat-Sesame Noodles with Tofu

Adapted from Super Natural Every Day

1 teaspoon pine nuts

1 teaspoon sunflower seeds

1/2 cup sesame seeds

1.5 tablespoons sugar

1.5 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce

1.5 teaspoons mirin

Scant 1 tablespoon sesame oil

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Salt to taste

12 ounces soba noodles

12 ounces extra-firm tofu

Extra-virgin olive oil

1 bunch green onions, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced. 

Toast the pine nuts and sunflower seeds in a skillet over medium heat until golden, shaking the pan regularly. Add the sesame seeds to the pan and toast for a minute or so. Remove from the heat as soon as you smell a hint of toasted sesame. Transfer to a mortar and pestle and crush the mixture; the texture should be like black sand. Alternatively, you can use a food processor. Stir in the sugar, tamari, mirin, sesame oil, rice vinegar, and cayenne pepper. Taste and adjust if needed.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt generously, add the soba, and cook according to package directions until tender. Drain, reserving some of the noodle cooking water, and rinse under cold running water. 

While the noodles are cooking, drain the tofu, pat it dry, and cut into matchstick shapes. Season the tofu with a pinch of salt, toss with a small amount of oil, and cook in a large skillet over medium-high heat for a few minutes, tossing every couple minutes, until the pieces are browned on all sides.

Reserve a heaping tablespoon of the sesame paste, then thin the rest with 1/3 cup of the hot noodle water. In a large mixing bowl, combine the soba, half of the green onions, and the black sesame paste. Toss until well combined. Add the tofu and toss again gently. Serve topped with a tiny dollop of the reserved sesame paste and the remaining green onions. 

Quinoa-Parmesan Patties

Adapted from Super Natural Every Day

2.5 cups cooked quinoa, at room temperature
4 large eggs, beaten
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup finely chopped fresh chives
1 yellow or white onion, finely chopped
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan or Gruyere cheese
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 cup whole grain bread crumbs, plus more if needed
Water, if needed
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil or clarified butter

Combine the quinoa, eggs, and salt in a medium bowl, stirring well. Stir in the chives, onion, cheese, and garlic. Add the bread crumbs, stir, and let sit for a few minutes so the crumbs can absorb some of the moisture. At this point, you should have a mixtures you can easily form into twelve one-inch-thick patties; if not, add more breadcrumbs or a bit of water as needed.

Heat the oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-low heat, add 4-6 patties, cover, and cook for 7 to 10 minutes, until the bottoms are deeply browned. Turn up the heat if there is no browning after 10 minutes and continue to cook until the patties are browned. Carefully flip the patties with a spatula and cook the second sides for 7 minutes, or until golden. Remove from the skillet and cool on a wire rack while you cook the remaining patties.

Alternatively, the quinoa mixture keeps nicely in the refrigerator for a few days; you can cook patties to order.

Chickpea/Quinoa/Avocado/Red Pepper Bowl

Adapted from wellandfull.com

Quinoa

• 1 Cup Quinoa, rinsed
• 2 Cups Water

Chickpeas

• 1½ Cups Cooked Chickpeas
• Drizzle Olive Oil (or other neutral oil)
• ½ Tsp Salt
• ½ Tsp Smoked Paprika
• 1 Tsp Chili Powder
• ⅛ Tsp Turmeric
• ½ Tsp Oregano

Red Pepper Sauce

• 1 Red Bell Pepper, ribs and seeds removed (or an equivalent amount of roasted red pepper from a jar)
• 2 Tbs Olive Oil (or other neutral oil)
• Juice from 1 Lemon
• ½ Tsp Pepper
• ½ Tsp Salt
• ½ Tsp Paprika
• ¼ Cup Fresh Cilantro

Everything Else

• Mixed Greens
• ~4 radishes
• An Avocado
• Sesame Seeds for Garnish
• 
  
• To cook the quinoa, bring 2 cups water to a boil, then add quinoa. Simmer for about 15 minutes until all water is absorbed. When done, remove from heat and keep covered for about 10 minutes so quinoa can absorb any excess water.
• 
  
• Preheat an oven or a toaster oven to 425. In a bowl, toss chickpeas, oil, and spices until chickpeas are evenly coated. On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, bake chickpeas for 15 minutes. When done, remove from oven and let cool.
• 
  
• To make red pepper dressing, add all dressing ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth.
• 
  
• Finally, assemble the bowls. In two bowls, add quinoa, mixed greens, avocado, radishes, and chickpeas. Drizzle everything with red pepper sauce, and sprinkle with sesame seeds.