Moosewood Tofu Vegan Dumplings in Garlic/Miso Broth (vegan with gluten-free options)

Rocket & Roses Kitchen Play List:

Audioslave ~ Bring Em Back Alive
Tina Dico ~ Private Party
Airbourne ~ Rattle Your Bones
Dead Sara ~ Some Have It Bad
Paulo Nutini ~ Scream (Funk My Life Up)
Nerina Pallot ~ Alien
The Virginmarys ~ Bang Bang Bang
Debussy@ Reverie L 68
Julia Macinally ~ Sallianne
INXS ~ Listen Like Thieves
Bizet: Bel Officier (Carmen, le remendado la dancer)
Beth Hart ~ Better Man
Crowded House ~ When You Come
Halestorm ~ Don't Know How To Stop

I love a bargain and I have to say the recipe book that I found these recipes in was certainly that...1p! Yep! The book is quite ravaged and well used but a quick tidy up of the cover and pages and it was good to go. The cookbook in question is Moosewood Restaurant Low-Fat Favourites. As a vegan/veggie cookbook junkie I have been aware of their abundance of  mostly veggie recipe based cookbooks. But I've always selected veggie/vegan cookbooks over theirs when buying a fresh and new book for my collection. I have to say that I may have been unwise in this because the recipes I found between the covers of this book have been plentiful. This is the first I've actually made from the long list I have written down for testing. 

I chose this one because it fitted the food style I am testing right now. Japanese or Chinese dumplings are intriguing to me. Now don't be daunted by the list of ingredients...every one is worth it and it's not really a rocket scientist recipe. Once you get started its quickly put together and when sat back at my dining table with the filling and wrappers I found myself reaching a Zen moment as I stuffed and rolled the dumplings together. My first experiences were not so calming! Believe me but perseverance is the key to these little beauties and one day you will find yourself sitting at your counter or table happily spooning in filling and playing with new shapes. Honestly...I promise. 

The Garlic/Miso Broth was suggested as a complementary dish to go with the dumplings and I was very interested with the cooking method. Quickly roasting garlic cloves and then blending with miso (I used white miso this time) and water and then heated up with low-sodium veggie stock...beautifully simple. I knew I had to try it and I wasn't feeling the dumpling dip love the day I made them. So a good, healing and nourishing broth seemed the way to go...

I made one adaption and that was the amount of shitakes used. I used 2 caps which is far less than the recipe asks for. But that is simply my issue with mushroom but you folks who love those darn fungi will just devour the correct amount I'm sure. I wanted a hint of the taste but not the texture. I used the dumpling cooking method of steaming for 10 minutes this time so I can warn you they will stick together and to the steamer tray which was an interesting moment. But next time I will try cooking them directly in the Garlic/Miso Broth. Also the amount of garlic I used was much less but this was because I read the recipe as 1 head of garlic and quickly grabbed a bulb and got peeling. However when I re-read the recipe later I see that Moosewood suggested 20 cloves. I only used 8...that was plenty for today but I will try it with the correct amount next time. Yep I am a garlic lover...

The results...well hell...they were so good. The dumplings were packed with flavours and textures and they were tender and still a little chewy which is just how I like them. The Broth was everything a good miso broth should be. So good that I would just sit and sip it as a hot beverage. The dumplings and broth combined with a scattering of a few fresh veggies made for a great lunch. Not wanting to repeat myself but the words nourishing and healing come back to my mind. 

And finally...the dumpling wrappers were made with wheat flour this time. Believe me when I say I wasn't overly happy with this and I found them dense and filling because of this fact. But I am still experimenting with vegan and gluten-free wonton/dumpling wrapper recipes and when I finally find one or create one that actually works...I will be shouting it out from the blog tops! I look forward to that day...so if you have a recipe you would like me to test...hit my email baby...rocketandroses@aol.com

Tomorrow I am taking a break for a week as I am heading out for a holiday with My Love and our good pal Ann. We are hoping to relax, breathe and heal the soul for a while. Something all three of us need badly. We are road-tripping down to the coast and I don't care if it rains the entire time...its a holiday for which I am extremely grateful. 

Moosewood Tofu Vegan Dumplings in Garlic/Miso Broth (vegan with gluten-free options)

Moosewood Garlic/Miso Broth              Makes 6 cups
(Recipe from Moosewood Restaurant Low-Fat Favourite Cookbook)

1 large whole head of garlic (approx 20 cloves) see note above
1/4 cup miso (use miso of your choice)
3 cups of filtered water
3 cups of low-sodium veggie stock 

Pre-heat your oven to 200'C/400'F/GM6. Peel the garlic cloves and place onto a baking sheet. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes. Your garlic cloves need to be golden brown not dark brown.

Place the baked garlic cloves in a blender with the miso and water and blend until smooth. Add this to a med sized saucepan with the veggie stock and gently heat through when ready to serve. Never allow it to boil. 

Moosewood Tofu Vegan Dumplings     Makes 48
(Recipe from Moosewood Restaurant Low-Fat Favourites)

1oz dried shitake mushrooms (I used 2 caps)
2 cups boiling water
6 garlic cloves, micro-grated
1 tbsp fresh ginger root, micro-grated
1 tsp ground anise
1 cup peeled and grated carrots
2 cups fresh mushrooms, minced (I used Enoki)
1 cup Chinese cabbage, minced
1 tsp rapeseed/canola oil
4oz pressed tofu, crumbled
3 tbsp soy sauce/tamari or Braggs
2 spring onions, minced
1 tbsp Hoisin sauce (optional)
1 tsp chilli paste

1 packet of wonton or dumpling wrappers (GF if able)

Place the shitake mushrooms in a bowl and cover with the boiling water for at least 20 minutes. When the mushrooms have softened, drain them and finely mince the caps. You can save the strained water and use as a stock if you wish. 

Put the shitakes, garlic, ginger, anise, carrots, fresh mushrooms, cabbage and oil. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. Stirring frequently. Place the tofu, Hoisin sauce, chilli paste, spring onions and soy/tamari or Braggs and stir very well to evenly distribute the sauces in the tofu crumbs. Add this to the saucepan and stir in. Cook for a further 3 minutes and then remove from the heat. Set to one side. 

Set up your dumpling rolling station as follows. Small chopping board in front of you. Large baking sheet to one side and the saucepan with the stuffing on a trivet to the right. Small bowl of water and a smaller bowl of brown rice flour. And here goes....take one wrapper and using your finger, brush water around the outside edge of the wrapper. Place a heaped tsp of stuffing in the centre of the wrapper and then quickly bring the edges together. I played around and ended up with fours shapes. But the basic and most quickly done is simply bringing the two edges together and press them to seal, leaving you with half moon shaped dumplings. If this is your first time...I would go with that shape. Place the shaped dumplings onto the baking sheet but do not allow them to touch and when all are done cover with cling film and place into your fridge until ready to cook. You can freeze some very easily at this stage. Line a box with baking parchment and place a layer of dumplings (not touching) into the bottom. Repeat this until your box is full and then freeze and they will stay good for at least 4 months. 

Cook the dumplings in one of the following ways: 

Gently simmer the dumplings in water or broth for 5 minutes. 

Saute them in a skillet prepared with 1/2 tsp of oil for 2 minutes on each side. Pour in 1/4 cup of water, cover, and steam for 4 minutes. 

Steam the dumplings in a steamer basket or sieve over boiling water for 7 to 10 minutes. 

Gently heat the Garlic/Miso Broth and place 5 of the dumplings in a bowl and then pour over a ladle of the broth. Scatter over a few fresh veggies of your choice and serve while its still hot. 

Although the dumplings are also good served at room temperature with the following sauce:

2 tbsp soy sauce/tamari/Braggs 
2 tsps rice wine vinegar
1 minced spring onion      Simply whisk together folks

Enjoy! 

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have a splendid week and I will be back with your all soon....right time to pack and hit the road. 

~Red~ 

NB: These recipes are not my own and therefore I take no credit for them whatsoever. They are the hard work and creation of the folks of The Moosewood Collective and theirs alone. I thank them for sharing such great recipes...~R~


  
 


 
   

SUMA: Rocket & Roses Black Bean Feast (vegan & gluten-free)

Rocket & Roses Kitchen Play List:

Beth Hart ~ Rhymes
Otis Reading ~ Pain In My Heart
Chris Cornell ~ Today
Louis Armstrong ~ La Vie En Rose
Live ~ I Alone
Alter Bridge ~ Ghosts Of Days Gone By
Alison Moyet ~ Invisible 
Norah Jones ~ Don't Know Why
Billy Joel ~ Honesty
Black Stone Cherry ~ Blame It On The Boom Boom
Prince ~ Nothing Compares 2 U
Terrorvision ~ What Makes You Tick
The Puppini Sisters ~ Sway
Brandi Carlile ~ The Story  

Rocket & Roses Black Bean Feast...savoury and sweet. (vegan & gluten-free)

There aren't words for how much I enjoy being part of the SUMA Wholefoods Bloggers Network. From receiving the latest catalogue, selecting the ingredients through to slaving over scribbled notes of inspiration and that final moment of taking the photographs...I love it all. The challenge is one I need at the moment with the health issues being at an all time low...the mental stimulation is a welcome relief. And although I had to accept much needed help from ML and my lovely Mum I still got the thrill as the recipes came to life...and tasted good. Always a...phew!..moment. 

SUMA have started selling tins of Organic Black Beans and as they are one of my favourite beans I decided to use them as my focus for this posting. I love the versatile nature of these little black gems and use them as often as I can in my cooking. I had quite a list of recipe ideas once inspiration hit and short listing them was quite hard. So I decided to make a new version of three of my favourite savoury forms and have a go at making a sweet treat too. Yes...a sweet treat. 

First up was the stuffing recipe. I wanted a succulent roasted butternut that was filled with a smokey spiced bean and vegetable stuffing. I used a whole dried Chipotle chilli to provide both the smokiness and heat. SUMA Black Beans, cooked quinoa and a selection of vegetables made up the texture of the filling. Added depth of flavour came from a good veggie stock and sun-dried tomato paste. Garnishing with fresh coriander leaves and a squeeze of lime juice finishes the dish to make for one flavour packed meal. The smokiness works perfectly with the sweetness of the butternut. And any leftover stuffing is really great as a filling for a sandwich or wrap. 

Next up was a black bean soup. A soup that is both light on the tum but packed with goodness. I wanted layers of flavour but not a long list of ingredients. I wanted a soup that could be made very easily. One of my favourite soup ingredients is the humble leek. I find great comfort in their flavour but enjoy their light texture when cooked. As a stand alone cooked veggie offering I'm not that fussed but as part of a dish I enjoy them very much. For me the combination of black beans and lime are divine so it wasn't a surprise to find myself juicing up some limes to add to the layers of flavour. Now when I made this dish I fully processed it to a smooth silky consistency which was nice but next time I will part blend the soup as I really am a chunky soup kind of a gal. The choice is yours. The results were a gentle soup that had a good layer of flavour from the earthiness of the leeks (not a literal layer of earth!) and wholesome beans and then the slight citrus sharpness bringing the soup up to another level. It's a quick and easy to make soup...and also turns out a light purple in colour so is quite pretty if that is your thing. 

Next up was a salsa. I have only recently found my salsa love and have been experimenting like a mad thing. This I have come to know...for me to enjoy salsa it has to be raw onion free. I've tried every method of 'treating' the onion before use from steeping in boiled water or vinegar to hopping on one foot and shouting to the moon! I just have to accept that raw onion and I are never to be friends. I can however digest a scant amount of minced spring onion in it. For this recipe I wanted nutritional goodness and a freshness with each mouthful. I adore vine-ripened tomatoes and love to keep a watch on them until they are at their perfect ripeness. Sliced simply in a sandwich with a lot of freshly cracked black pepper...food heaven. So some chopped vine tomatoes were the base for this salsa along with an avocado, spring onion, SUMA Black Beans, freshly cooked corn on the cob, fresh coriander. The dressing was simplicity itself...the juice of one fresh lime and one fresh clementine. Wow..what a salsa this one turned out to be. It smelt great just sitting in the bowl and the flavours and textures mixed perfectly. A healthy salsa that could easily become addictive...you have been warned..

And lastly....a black bean sweet treat. Yes...a sweet treat that isn't packed full of nastiness. No refined sugars in the fudge itself as I used medjool dates for the sweetness. I could have just served this black bean recipe up as it was which would have been a treat in itself, but I had a bag of SUMA Sour Morello Cherries which I was desperate to open. I love the combination of dark bitter chocolate and sweet cherries. The dried cherries weren't perfect as they did include sugar and sunflower oil in their ingredients which isn't my preferred choice but I couldn't argue that their flavour wasn't out of this world. They were juicy, sweet and full of cherry flavoured goodness. If you dislike glace cherries as much as I do because of the fake flavour and nasty texture...these could not be any further apart. As a treat every now and again these dried cherries are worth the little amount of sugar and sunflower oil. I decided to blend some into the fudge mixture itself and then use one as a topping for each piece of fudge. A little goes a long way with these sweet treats as they are intensely rich. One eaten with a bitter dark shot of espresso would be a great combination. And combined with the fact that these are 'healthier' treats...just makes them a food to be savoured indeed. 

So...let's get this black bean feast started....

Rocket & Roses Smokey Black Bean Stuffed Butternut (vegan & gluten-free)

Rocket & Roses Smokey Black Bean Stuffed Butternut
(Original recipe from the Rocket & Roses Vegan Kitchen)       Serves 2

1 lb baby butternut, halved, de-seeded 

1 med red onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, micro-grated
1 2" piece of fresh ginger, micro-grated
1 med carrot, peeled and finely chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, finely chopped
1 cup kale leaves, finely chopped
a handful of fresh coriander leaves, minced
1 whole dried chipotle chilli
3 tbsp boiling water
1/2 cup of low sodium veggie stock
2 tbsp sun-dried tomato paste
1/2 cup of cooked quinoa
1 tin of Suma Organic Black Beans, rinsed and drained
a good pinch of dried cinnamon
freshly grated black pepper to season to taste
extra fresh coriander for garnish
lime slices to garnish and juice

Pre-heat the oven to 350'F/180'C/GM 4. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set to one side. Take the prepared butternut halves. Carefully extend the cavity of the flesh up to 1cm from the top of the butternut. Place flesh side down onto the baking tray and place into the hot oven. Bake for 15 minutes and remove from the oven. Turn over so the flesh is facing up and put the tray to one side. 

Put the dried chipotle in a small bowl with the 3 tbsp boiling water and leave to soak whilst making the filling. 

Water-saute the red onion until softened. Add the garlic, ginger, green bell pepper and carrot and cook for 5 minutes. Put the sun-dried tomato paste into the hot veggie stock and stir until it has dissolved. 

Mince the softened chipotle and put it and its soaking water into the veggies along with the veggie stock mix. Stir well and then add in the cooked quinoa. Bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes. Add in the kale and minced coriander and stir well. Cook for 2 minutes and then add the ground cinnamon. Season with black pepper. Cook until the stock has dissipated and the stuffing is thick. Remove from the heat. 

Firmly pack the butternut with the stuffing and press in to fill the cavity. Then mound up extra stuffing to your personal preference. Place the tray back into the oven and bake for 25 minutes or until the butternut is tender. Serve sprinkled with more chopped coriander and lime slices to squeeze over. 

Enjoy! And don't forget the leftover stuffing is unbelievably tasty as a sandwich/wrap filling the next day. 

Rocket & Roses Leek, Black Bean & Lime Soup (vegan & gluten-free)

Rocket & Roses Leek, Black Bean & Lime Soup  Serves 6-8
(Original recipe from the Rocket & Roses Vegan Kitchen)

5 leeks, trimmed, cleaned and sliced
2 garlic cloves, sliced
5 cups low sodium veggie stock
3 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 bayleaf
2 15oz tins of SUMA Organic Black Beans
freshly grated black pepper
fresh coriander leaves

Water-saute the sliced leeks until softened. Take it slowly as you don't want them to brown. Add in the garlic slices, bayleaf, veggie stock and lime juice. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, covered, for 15 minutes. Add in the black beans and season with a generous amount of black pepper. Bring back to the boil, reduce the heat back to a simmer and cook until the leek is very tender. 

Remove half of the soup and blend until smooth and add it back into the remaining half and stir well to combine or completely blend all of the soup until smooth. Bring back up to a gentle simmer and serve with freshly torn off coriander leaves.

Enjoy! I've enjoyed this soup silky smooth but my preference is by far part blended. I'm just kooky that way...

Rocket & Roses Citrus Fresh Black Bean Salsa (vegan & gluten-free)

Rocket & Roses Citrus Fresh Black Bean Salsa   Yields 2 cups
(Original recipe from the Rocket & Roses Vegan Kitchen)

1 med/large avocado, flesh chopped into 1/2" cubes
2 med/large vine ripened tomatoes, finely chopped
1 spring onion, minced
1/2 tin SUMA Organic Black Beans, rinsed and drained well
1 fresh corn cob, cooked and cooled
1 handful of fresh coriander leaves, roughly chopped
juice from one lime 
juice from one clementine

In a bowl place the avocado, tomatoes, spring onion, black beans, coriander leaves and stir well. Strip the corn kernels from the cob and add to the bowl and stir in. Whisk the freshly squeezed juices together and pour over the veggies. Stir well to coat evenly. Store in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to serve. Or devour freshly made. 

Enjoy!

And now for the sweet treat....

Rocket & Roses Black Bean Morello Cherry Fudge Pieces (vegan & gluten-free)

Rocket & Roses Black Bean Morello Cherry Fudge Pieces
(Original recipe from the Rocket & Roses Vegan Kitchen)            Makes 24 pieces

1 tin of SUMA Organic Black Beans, rinsed and drained well
3 tbsp coconut oil, melted
4 medjool dates, de-stoned and roughly chopped
1/2 tbsp good quality vanilla extract
2 heaped tbsp smooth cashew butter
1/4 tsp salt
5 heaped tbsp good quality cocoa powder
20 SUMA Sour Morello Cherries
tiny amount of filtered water 

24 SUMA Sour Morello Cherry pieces, to top

Place the beans, dates, cashew butter, salt and cocoa powder into a food processor. Pulse until it has broken down a little. Add in the melted coconut oil and vanilla and blend again. If the mix is dry add the small amount of water to loosen it off. When it is whipped and smooth add in the cherries and pulse until they are very well combined. 

Using a silicone mould, brownie tin or other flat shallow baking dish smooth the fudge mixture into it and smooth off until level. Press the 24 cherries into the fudge so that when you cut out the pieces a cherry will be in the centre of each piece. Place into the fridge for 4 hours to firm up. 

Gently press out the fudge pieces if using a silicone mould and cut each square into four pieces. If using a tin or baking dish, make cuts to make 24 pieces and then gently lever out each piece. Serve with bitter hot coffee for a great balance. 

Store leftover pieces in an airtight container in the fridge and they should stay yummy for about a week....if they last that long!!

Gratuitous foodie close up...its ok...no need to thank me...my pleasure folks.

Enjoy the black bean feast folks and I hope you swing by the folks at SUMA Wholefoods and check them out. Thanks for stopping by and I hope you all are enjoying the sun and finding many reasons to smile today...

~Red~

NB: These recipes are my creation and mine alone. I have no problem with you using them or sharing them. I simply ask that you give credit where its due and provide links back to this posting as I always try to with others. Many thanks to Amy and SUMA Wholefoods for giving me the chance to be part of the SUMA Bloggers Network. Namaste...~R~