My Recipe Science Boiled Down (or Steamed?)

Published by Jackie Olmstead, Sept. 19, 2021 — After meditating on my favorite soft pillow in the living room, I’m pondering what to make for my main meals over the next couple of days. I don’t usually think that far ahead. 

Today I feel excited. “Oh what do I have in my kitchen?” Let’s see… do I have a couple blocks of tofu in the fridge, enough rice cooked and frozen, enough assorted veggies, and oh do I have my box of greens? My pastas, dried beans, are they stocked up? Because when I have the basics in the cupboard, fridge and the freezer, I can make just about anything at a moment’s notice. Having my favorites also stocked up makes it so much easier. As things get depleted, I’ll keep the list going. Oh yes, and toilet paper has to go on there too.

So my topic is Earth Momma Recipe Magic. I have to remember that it wasn’t always this easy. I would go to the grocery store and stand in the aisles pondering, “Is this gluten free for real? The label says it is. (being celiac I have to be 100% sure or I don’t buy it) So I’d look and look, read and read and sometimes get so frustrated that I couldn’t find something that is Certified Gluten Free and 100% plant based. 

Then I started noticing the brands I found safe for certain products: Amy’s, Annie’s, Little Northern Bakehouse, MyBread, Beyond Meat, and so many more I cannot list all of them. Every time I found a new brand that was totally safe for me, I quietly said to myself (wishing they could hear me), “THANK YOU! OMG thank you! I can eat this! You guys rock!” I’ll take FOUR of these, please.

So I wanted to offer you a formula for one of my favorite meals: Buddha Bowls. When Tokyo Joe’s closed their restaurants last year I was super upset. I needed to make my own bowls at home! Here’s one of them I made that was superb:

“quinoa, steamed broccoli, chickpeas, purple cabbage, sesame seeds, cilantro, lime. Sauce: GF soy sauce, peanut butter, water, red pepper.”

I cannot find exactly where I found this particular recipe but here’s a site that has a massive number of recipes for you to peruse:

https://www.veganricha.com/26-vegan-bowl-recipes

Earth Momma Formula: Think of it like an assembly line like you are at your favorite Mongolian Grill type of restaurant. You can prepare many of these delicious ingredients ahead of time (but don’t cut onion way ahead of time, but you CAN pickle them so they’re ready to go):

1. Base (Grain like rice, noodles or riced cauliflower)
2. Protein (Tofu, tempeh, beans, legumes like chickpeas)
3. Leafy greens (you can cut them up really thin if you would like:) Kale, swiss chard, spinach, mustard greens, beet greens, watercress, microgreens (like broccoli, kale, sunflower and cabbage sprouts), dandelion greens, collard greens, turnip greens and one of my favorites bok choy (it’s in #4 too))
4. Cruciferous veggies (raw, roasted or steamed): Broccoli, cauliflower, radish, rutabaga, turnip (some are listed in #3 too)
5. Other yumminess (raw or sauteed): Onions, carrots, sugar snap peas, snow peas, potatoes (cooked and any kind of potato. Sweet potatoes are very nutritious), chives, pineapples, mushrooms, bell peppers, red cabbage, eggplant
6. SAUCE! Soy sauce based, tahini based, miso paste based, peanut butter based, sriracha, ranch hummus…. What do you love?
7. Bonus: Seeds/nuts on top: Cilantro, sesame, peanut, chives and other garnishes like flax seeds (the list could go on! You can get really creative here)

Kinda like a taco night, but even MORE nutritious than you can imagine and from the East! The little ones could even eat this meal as finger foods, the ingredients separated out. I’m hungry so I am going to wrap it up right now. 

My goal for you and my own family is to be able to pull together meals without always having to always rely on recipes. Once you get a hang of making the sauces, you’ll be an instant pro and the hero of the family. 

Good luck to you and let me know if you put together some bowls for your family. This is only one example of being able to create a master meal from some of your favorite ingredients around your kitchen.

Have a beautiful evening, my friend!

Love, Jackie O