September 4 Autumn Vegetable Stew
This is a sweet, warming vegetarian stew. You can make it with either tofu or tempeh, whichever appeals more to your tastes. You may not be familiar with all of the ingredients but please take a chance with this recipe. The addition of miso, tahini and umeboshi adds a complexity to the flavors that is very satisfying. If you don't have umeboshi vinegar you can substitute apple cider vinegar instead.
For the stew:
2 tablespoons olive oil or coconut oil
1 cup chopped onions
2 cups peeled cubed winter squash
1 1/2 cups sliced carrots
2 cups cubed yams
4 cups of vegetable stock or water
1 tablespoon sea salt
1 1/2 cups small cauliflower florets
1/2 cup fresh or frozen peas
2 tablespoons white miso diluted in 1/4 cup warm water
3 tablespoons tahini
3 tablespoons umeboshi vinegar (substitute 1 T of apple cider vinegar if need be.)
1 teaspoon dried thyme or 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, or 1/2 tablespoon fresh rosemary
1/4 teaspoon white or black pepper
3/4 cup celery, finely sliced
For the tofu marinade:
2 tablespoon tamari
1 tablespoon brown rice vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound extra-firm tofu, rinsed, drained, cubed
If adding tempeh INSTEAD of tofu:
1 pound tempeh, cut into 1 inch cubes
2 tablespoons mirin
3 tablespoons tamari
3 tablespoons olive oil
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large pot, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil and sauté the onions for 3-5 minutes or until translucent. Add the squash, carrots, yams, and stock and bring to a boil. Add the salt. Reduce heat to simmer and cook for 15 minutes.
While the vegetables cook, in a small bowl, mix together the tofu marinade. Place the tofu on a rimmed baking sheet and coat with the tamari mixture. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the tofu begins to turn slightly brown.
If adding tempeh instead of tofu see tempeh notes below.
Add the baked tofu and cauliflower to the pot. Stir in diluted miso, tahini, umeboshi vinegar, celery, thyme, rosemary, and pepper and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the cauliflower is soft. Add the peas just before serving and cook 3-5 minutes more until they are a bright green color. Serve immediately.
Tempeh notes:
Mix together tempeh marinade. Arrange tempeh in a pyrex baking pan and add marinade. Cover and bake for 30 minutes, uncover and bake for an additional 15 minutes. Substitute for tofu in menu.
September 4 
Pumpkin Muffins
I started to make these muffins when my son started kinder garden and he needed a snack in addition to his lunch. They are slightly gooey, filled with fat, some protein, and really satisfy the children and adults alike.. I make a batch, freeze them, and take them out the night before school or work as needed.
Makes 24 mini muffins
1.5 cups whole wheat pastry flour
2 t aluminum free baking powder
1/4 teaspoons sea salt
1.5 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/2 cup walnuts optional (toasted and finely chopped)
1 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 c butter ,melted (or canola oil)
1 egg
1/2 c maple syrup
1 t vanilla
1/3 c milk
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
2. In a medium bowl, mix dry ingredients and stir in nuts
3. In another bowl, whisk wet ingredients together.
4. Add wet ingredients to dry to form a somewhat thick batter. Add more milk as needed.
5. Grease mini muffin trays.
6. Fill mini muffin tins half way. Bake for 13-16 minutes. (Keep watch after 13 minutes.)
Variations: This is a basic muffin recipe. Change it as you feel inspired. Add a few chocolate chips if your child needs an extra special treat. For banana muffins use banana puree instead of pumpkin, substitute 1 t cinnamon instead of pumpkin spices.
September 4 Magic Mineral Broth
by Rebecca Katz
Rebecca Katz says this broth is, "Cancer-fighting, immune-boosting, sniffle-healing comfort in a cup. Mothers say, My kid loves this broth! Others tell me, All of a sudden I can sleep! (The magnesium is so calming). People who are sick or run down, mothers who have just had babies, all have healing stories to tell. Many have credited MMB with helping them survive cancer treatment and... thrive!"
I strongly agree! I have enjoyed it myself and I have made it for many in need. It has lived up to it's magic name. Here is a link to the recipe. I hope you enjoy it too.
September 4 Miso Vegetable Soup
3-4 medium leeks, about an inch in diameter, trimmed, halved lengthwise, rinsed and sliced thinly
1-2 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 strip of wakame (3-4 inches long)
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled, sliced into very thin half moons
6 shiitake mushroom caps, thinly sliced
10 ounces extra firm tofu, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
Enough water to just cover the vegetables
Sweet brown rice miso paste (approximately 1 teaspoon per bowl)
Garnish: scallions, shredded kale, gomasio sesame seed shake, toasted sesame oil
Directions:
1. In a soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the leeks and sea salt and sauté, stirring frequently until they soften, about 5 minutes. Add shiitake mushrooms and sauté for 2 more minutes.
2. Add sweet potatoes and just enough water to cover the vegetables. Then immediately add the ginger and wakame strip and bring to a boil. (You can add more water for a thinner consistency.) Lower heat and simmer, covered for 30 minutes, or until sweet potatoes are soft.
3. Just before serving remove the strip of wakame and add tofu cubes. Let tofu simmer a few minutes until it has warmed up.
4. Place 1.5 teaspoons of miso in each bowl. Add some plain hot broth to each bowl to dissolve the miso. Then fill each bowl with vegetables, tofu, and more broth.
Garnish with scallions, kale, gomasio sesame seed shake and toasted sesame oil
September 4 Kale Arame Salad
Two of the first spring greens to emerge are chives and dandelion greens. Feel free to use these seasonal ingredients in place of the kale and carrots. This recipe is very flexible. What makes it special are the arame and the dressing. Everything else is ripe for experimentation! It is hard to find arame in any local grocery stores these days, but it is truly worth the extra effort to purchase it online. My favorite brand is Eden.
1 package of arame (approximately 1.76 oz or 50 g)
1 cup of kale, finely chopped
2 medium carrots, grated
1-2 shallot bulbs, finely chopped
Dressing:
3 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
3 tablespoons tamari sauce (or liquid coconut aminos or Braggs aminos)
3 tablespoons brown rice vinegar (or lemon juice)
3 tablespoons gomasio
• Soak arame in medium sized bowl with just enough water to cover for 20 to 30 minutes. Drain liquid (save the water for your plants).
• While arame soaks prep the vegetables. Rip kale leaves off the stems. Chop the kale leaves very finely.
• Grate carrots and dice shallots.
• To make the dressing mix together the toasted sesame oil, tamari, brown rice vinegar, and gomasio in a jar with a lid and shake well.
• Mix the vegetables into the arame. Add the dressing and mix gently.
September 4 Savory Butternut Squash and Onions
excerpted from The Nourishment Cleanse Workbook, by Halé Sofia Schatz, heartofnourishment.com
It is a wonderful dish for the holidays. Simple to make and delicious to taste.
1 medium butternut squash, peeled, and chopped into 2 - inch pieces
2 medium onions, quartered
2 tablespoons extra - virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons sea salt
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine all of the ingredients in a large glass casserole dish and mix well. Cover tightly and bake for 45 minutes-1 1/2 hours. (If your oven is calibrated it will be closer to 1 hour cooking time.) The squash is done when you smell it’s sweetness filling up your kitchen and the squash and onions are slightly browned on their tips
