March 2007: Diet, Global Warming, and Climate-Friendly Recipes

This recipe is easy to make and perfect for a weekday dinner. In fact, it is one of our family's favorite meals. Sometimes I eliminate the mushrooms to please the family members who don't like them and it still tastes great. You can also replace the adzuki beans with lentils, mung beans, pink bans, kidney beans, or marinated and saut�ed tempeh cubes; though my favorite is definitely the adzuki beans.

Filling:

2 cups adzuki beans

6 cups water

one 2-inch strip kombu

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

1 to 2 teaspoons dried thyme

1 teaspoon dried oregano

3 to 4 carrots, chopped

3 to 4 celery stalks, chopped

2 to 3 cups chopped cremini mushrooms

1 to 2 cups mushroom stock or water

� cup chopped fresh parsley

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

      Topping:

      3 large baking potatoes or yams, peeled and cut into large chunks

      water for cooking

      � cup extra virgin olive oil or organic butter

      sea salt or Herbamare, to taste

Rinse the adzuki beans and place them into a 3-quart pot, add the water and kombu. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook for approximately one hour, or until done. Remove the kombu.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

While beans are cooking prepare other ingredients. When beans are almost done, heat a large 11-inch skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil and onions and saut� until soft, about 5 minutes. Then add dried herbs, carrots, celery, and mushrooms. Saut� for another 5 to 7 minutes, or until vegetables are tender but not soft. Add mushroom stock or water, chopped parsley, and sea salt and black pepper to taste. Add cooked beans and mix well. Simmer for a few minutes and then pour mixture into an oiled casserole dish.

While vegetables are saut�ing, place potatoes or yams (or a combination of both) into a pot, cover with water and boil for about 7 to 10 minutes, or until potatoes are soft and cooked through. Drain off most of the water, reserving some. Place the potatoes into a glass mixing bowl and add the olive oil and salt; beat with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, adding any of the reserved water if necessary. Spoon the topping onto the bean and vegetable mixture, spreading it out as you go with the back of the spoon.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes. Serve with a large green salad and some whole wheat or brown rice bread for a satisfying, balanced meal.

Whole Meal Salad

This delightful, yet nutrient-dense salad makes a great energizing lunch. In fact, this is how we often eat it. The diverse array of flavors and textures are a delight to the taste buds! I often like to add some steamed cubed beets which add even another dimension of color and flavor. Any dressing will work here, but the Lemon Tahini dressing below is especially luscious.

Serves 2



      Salad:

      4 to 6 cups torn lettuce, washed and spun dry

      4 to 6 pieces Quick Saut�ed Tofu (recipe below)

      1 handful soaked raw almonds

      1 small avocado, cubed

      1 carrot, chopped

      2 green onions, sliced



      Lemon Tahini Dressing:

      � cup sesame tahini

      � cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

      2 tablespoons water

      2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

      1 clove garlic, crushed

      2 to 3 teaspoons lemon zest

      � teaspoon sea salt, or to taste



      Optional Additions:

      sprouted lentils

      alfalfa sprouts

      grated raw beets

      steamed cubed beets

      cherry tomatoes

      chopped celery

Evenly distribute the lettuce between two large salad bowls. Place tofu pieces on top of lettuce. Top with soaked almonds, cubed avocado, chopped carrot, sliced green onions, and any other optional additions you might want to add.

Place all of the ingredients for the dressing into a small bowl and whisk together. Taste and add more sea salt or garlic if desired. Pour desired amount of dressing over each salad. Store extra dressing in a glass jar in the refrigerator. Dressing will keep for up to 10 days.

Quick Saut�ed Tofu

This is a quick and easy tofu recipe that can be served with brown rice and steamed vegetables for a simple meal.

     1 pound firm organic tofu

      � cup tamari

      2 tablespoons seasoned brown rice vinegar

      virgin coconut oil for saut�ing

Slice tofu into 1 inch thick squares then slice each square in half to form a triangle. Place tofu triangles into a medium square baking pan. Drizzle with rice vinegar and tamari, gently mix by turning the tofu pieces until they are all mixed with the marinade. Marinate on the counter for about 20 minutes.

Heat a skillet over medium-high heat, add a few tablespoons of coconut oil, then place each triangle of tofu in the skillet. If your skillet is too small you will have to do this in two batches. Saut� tofu for a few minutes on each side.