Never Underestimate the Versatility of Tea

the tea bags about to be removed

It was Sunday yesterday, and sometimes a meal on a Sunday is a way to wind down from the weekend and wind into the week.  What I make on a Sunday completely depends on what I ate and how active I was, how late it is and how much time I want to spend making a snack or dinner.   Last night it was mind over matter.  I did not want to shop and I felt like just standing there, cutting veggies and thinking about the upcoming week. I always challenge myself to not throw out produce and it seemed like a time to create a brothy soup. But what to do for stock?  Then I realized that I had lots of great teas, so I found a tea that had a bit of robustness and simmered with with my assortment of veggies. I did not want something smoky or even green.  I wanted a touch of richness so Rooibos it was.

Next, the decision was how to add umami to this tea base Spring dish, that fifth sense of 'yummy' other than the usual salt, sour, sweet and bitter that tells your tongue and palate you are eating deliciousness you  authored! Since I was not using meat or shellfish  or meat or shellfish stocks those sources were out.  I had no open tomato paste and only limited mushrooms so that was not going to make this fabulous.  Then I remembered that carrots, sweet potatoes, edamame and a touch of soy.....enough said.  30 minutes of chop, slice, dice, simmer and plate.  Yum!

a tasty easy almost no cost meal with tea

Take a look at your frig!  I found I needed to use up a small amount of tofu, and ended dicing one half cup each celery, carrots, beets, sweet potatoes, mushrooms, leeks, cabbage with three cloves of chopped garlic.  I made about 4 cups of the Rooibos tea with four tea bags and after peeling and cutting the beet, I simmered it gently til almost done, added the carrots for five minutes, then stirred in the cut up veg blend. Simmer, simmer 15 minutes with partial lid.  Salt, fresh ground pepper, a touch of soy, the tofu and a dash of vinegar and my one dish meal was garden to frig to table to spoon to mouth!   I got to thinking this morning that if I was in the mood for a salad I could have cut all the veggies in match sticks, then tossed with the same items, made a fantastic dressing by just warming the tea  with a touch of olive oil then tossing and re-season to taste. Either case, I easily had enough for two.  Tea, the fascinating power of tea.  Happy Monday.  The Vegetable Alchemist

Tale of two Kales

I have always been interested in bistro styled vegetarian fare.  It's practical, generally priced favorably, colorful, flavorful and usually just hits the spot.  Usually, but not always.  I realize the body loves vegetable and plant based recipes.  However you have to get the MIND to want to say it's okay!  The key here is two fold: 1) you have to identify what exactly your body is craving when you eat as if you are smart and drill down on that inner voice, that is most times what the body needs nutritionally 'and, 2) It has to meet your taste receptors in a way that satiates so you don't walk away with you mind telling you that you are still hungry and need to eat again and again.

Its fantastic that American kitchens are trying more and more to add veggies like kale to menus and home recipes.  It is packed with vegetable protein.  But you have to understand the nature of what makes it tasty.  I always enjoy a variety of cole slaws that can come from many ingredients: kale to cabbage and other vegetables.  Important is the cut of the vegetables and the dressing that satiates.  In one picture here is perfectly cut julienne veggies with baby and coarsely chopped kale.  The deal breaker was the lemon vinaigrette that was so tart it was hard to digest the coarse chopped kale.  Even a touch of honey would have made it all more palatable as the composition was excellent, although the more mature kale could have been cut much finer .  

The second kale slaw was simply finer chopped kale but with the peanut dressing adding umami and this style of emerald kale cut finely, it definitely was the reason I ordered a second dish.  So I give you a slaw with that dressing from the 'kitchn' .  Use kale and  take the time to chop it finely so it's more tasty.  Don't over dress the greens.  Then go about trying the more colorful kale above and improve on the lemon vinaigrette with your own thoughts for umami possibly with a touch of honey and fine short strips of nori to add depth.  Happy Thursday.

 

http://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-peanut-slaw-79651

 

Rolex fuels thoughts in creating a Fantastic Asparagus Sandwich....

Roasted Pencil Asparagus Sandwich

Well it's Friday and I'm just back from working at the Rolex in Lexington. The watch company sponsors a three day event in its own name where timing is everything. Each rider gets challenged in dressage, cross country eventing and finally jumping on the last day. That is if you are in the top group of the best clocked scores of the two previous days.  Makes me hungry just thinking it. 

Dressage: Last Minute Competition Prep

Even though today is a bit rainy and dreary in Chicago, it's Spring! I got a few hands of the the first tiny asparagus of the seasons from a Farmer's Markets on the way back. A toss with drops of EVOO, a touch of Himalayan or Sea salt with fresh pepper and I am ready.  At 5 minutes in a preset 400 degree oven lunch is on....clean, tasty and a mouthful of Spring wonderfulness in each bite!  Opps, almost forgot.  I rubbed a bit of fantastic grain bread with a touch of honey mustard just before I sandwich the pile of green gustos into the pocket.  fresh, natural and flavorful....life from the farm to the Vegetable Alchemist.  Eat well, stay active, have fun! 

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A Magnificent Herbivore

The next four days I am in Lexington, Kentucky working at Rolex, an International Horse Show. While horses are herbavores I am certanly not seeing a whole lot of vegetables around this town unless it is in the form of cole slaw (fantastic) and head lettuce (not so fantastic with all the creamy cheesy dressings).  But when you see the sights, the sunshine and the country side, it's the daily routine of what you bring to the table in your own tasty plant based comfort food with what you do to keep yourself in shape that speaks to your own level of discipline.
Eat Well, Be Active, Have Fun.

This is a photo from the Thoroughbred rating exam.  This guy past with flying colors as hundreds of spectators looked on at some truly amazing animals. The cross county event starts tomorrow, Thursday.  To the horse!  The fitness is within him.

Easter Bunny Horses do Exist !

 





The EASTER BUNNY HORSE !

EASTER is a fantastic day, especially when you get to ride The EASTER BUNNY HORSE!    

 

 

Tasty Swim Food

Cucumber Gazpacho with White Grapes.....YUM!

I love to swim.  Regardless of being in water, you get a bit dehydrated as you burn a lot of energy.  So before I go at it, I guzzle a glass of two of clear refreshing water.  But when done the last couple of days I planned the time for gazpacho!  This time, green. 5 minutes of peel, chop, and blend and I have a few glasses or bowls of a fantastic savory chilled soup. For those of you who think a clove of garlic is not much, I would start with half a clove, as the garlic carryies an extended flavor from the addition of the olive oil. 

Cucumber Gazpacho

Puree 4 cups of peeled, seeded and chopped cucumber with  1  1/2 cups sliced green grapes, a handful of parsley leaves, 1 clove of garlic, 1/3 cup olive oil, 1 tbl. white vinegar, 1/3 cup blanched slivered almonds and  1 to 1 1/2  cups water.  Season with a touch of coarse sea salt.   Blend adding a touch more water and reseason depending on the cucumbers.

 

Serve chilled with your favorite crisps.

 

Back at it......

Grilled Cauliflower
Miso, Cilantro & Szechuan Pepper 

It's been a while since I made a post on what's happening in my life.  Been busy figuring out a way for a little fitness and the pursuit of all things fun in better plant based recipes.  I also had to learn a little more about what I wanted this blog, the web site and The Vegetable Alchemist to do. 

So here we go....no recipe this time.....but to all of you....glad to be back....!

Cauliflower is by no means the newest thing to hit any culinary scene.  But this dish straight from a great spot named Rye in Louiville, Kentucky turned heads on a recent trip back to Chicago from Asheville, North Carolina.  Savory, touch of citrus and full of mildly-tasty miso it was finished with cilantro.  The veggie head was grilled first and garnished last.  A pinch of puffed rice got sprinkled on the plate to add crunch.  What a hit. Order me another! 

A glass of a crisp white was super but the  medium pale ale did the trick too. 
The Vegetable Alchemist   http://ryeonmarket.com/