Atlanta Macrobiotics

Savory Mushroom Caps

Serves 4-5

Based on Wendy Esko’s, Eat Your Veggies

Please your palate with this plump inviting hor d’oevre,

Benefits: mushrooms actually help discharge old poultry. How great is that!

An hors d’oeuvre that’s actually delicious ‘n good for you at the same time!

8-10 large mushroom, stem removed              1 teaspoon shoyu

1 cup sourdough unyeasted bread, cubed        1/4 cup water

2 Tablespoons onion, minced                            1/4 teaspoon dried sage, crushed

2 Tablespoons celery minced                              Corn oil

1/4 cup cooked seitan, minced                           1 teaspoon parsley, chives, or scallion, finely chopped

***

Follow these easy steps:

Heat several teaspoons corn oil in skillet

Saute onion 1 minute.

Add celery & seitan & sauté 1 minute.

Place in a mixing bowl, with remaining ingredients.

Stuff each mushroom with this yummy mixture.

Place stuffed mushrooms on oiled baking sheet.

Bake at 350 20-25 minutes until juicy & tender.

Ooops, careful not to eat ‘em all up!   Save some for your guests!

It’s a very odd thing ~ as odd as cam be

That whatever Miss T eats turns into Miss T!

~ Sir Walter de la Mere, Author

1873 – 1958, Kent England

Yes, Virginia, there are vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies and 119 other Sweet and Natural desserts, thanks to Meredith McCarty’s writing her wonderful cookbook! Titled, Sweet and Natural, of course! You’ll enjoy nostalgic holiday tastes this Merry Christmas, Happy Chanukah, Happy New Year, and you have plenty of time to try the best treats for your own special Valentine too! So, let’s get this one started so you have a delish-ious soft, healthier chocolate chip cookie for your Christmas cookie holiday swap! I’ve taught lots of variations in my macrobiotic cooking classes, always to great delight! Add whatever else you enjoy to yours! I tried it with hazelnuts, coconut, and pecans too! For tonight I used only unbleached white flour and pecans – what do you want to try? Most important, just enjoy and share!! Maybe even try a Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake too!

Chocolate Chip Cookies,

thanks to Meredith McCarty, Sweet and Natural cookbook

Preheat oven – 350 degrees. Remember, organic ingredients enhances tastes!

dry ingredients

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1 cup unbleached white flour

1 cup malt-sweetened Sunspire non-organic chocolate chips*

1/2 cup walnuts, rinsed, then toasted, and chopped

1 teaslpoon aluminum-free baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon si salt, sea salt, Kushi Institute Store

wet ingredients

1/2 cup light vegetable oil such as walnut, or safflower

1/4 cup brown rice syrup, Suzanne’s, Natural Import Company, NC

1/4 cup pure maple syrup, Grade B is for baking!

1/2 cup water

1 teaspoon vanilla

Now let’s make these cookies dance onto that cookie sheet!

Your oven’s preheated to 350 degrees. Now line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or lightly brush with oil. I prefer the stoneware bake sheets to metal ones.

Mix dry ingredients in large glass bowl,

Whisk wet ingredients in medium glass bowl, and stir into dry ingredients.

Want medium-size cookies? Use a small ice-cream scoop about 1 1/4 inch diameter, leaving 1-2 inches between cookies.

Bake 12-15 minutes for small cookies, or 15-20 minutes for large cookies.

My gas oven takes 20 minutes for smallish cookies. And they are delish.

*Sunspire – in this case, we do not select the organic because the organic is sweetened with organice sugar;

the non-organic is the one sweetened with barley malt. The company got this one backwards!

Did you grow up on Noodle Kugels for every holiday! I did, and what’s Chanukah s’pose to tastelike when you’re vegan? Well, try this recipe, created by Harriet McNear, beloved macrobiotic teacher, in Winter Park, Florida. You most likely will want to add your own family flavor too. Isn’t that what the holidays are all about – as we remember our childhood romping with siblings and cousins, opening gifts, sharing, our beloved parents and grandparents. A favorite in our holiday macrobiotic cooking classes,  Atlanta Macrobiotic Pot Luck dinners, and I think you’ll enjoy it too! Happy Chanukah! And remember it for New Years, make it with matzo this Passover, and you’re all set for Rosh Hashonah and Yom Kippur too! Happy Holidays!

Apple Noodle Kugel with Crumb Topping

Heat oven to 325 degrees                  Bake 30 minutes

8 ounce wide noodles Deboles or BioNature                                                           Topping:

Corn oil (to oil casserole)                                                                                                8 Westbrae Lemon Cookies*

10 ounce mori nu soft tofu, or other tofu as you wish

2 golden delicious apples, sliced

1-2 teaspoons lemon zest

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1/2 cup rice syrup

3/4 cup raisins

2 teaspoons cinnamon (or less)

1. Cook noodles about half the time you ordinarily would, 4-6 minutes.

2. Place in bowl with all ingredients, except topping ingredients.

3. Mix together and place in large oiled casserole.

4. Place cookies in blender and pulse to make crumbs.  Sprinkle over top of noodle mixture.

5. Bake 325 degrees 30 minutes or until top is crisp and light brown.

6. Let cool about 15 minutes,

7. Then cut into squares and serve.

For topping* can also use Heaven Scent Windmill Cookie, Almond or Traditional Spice

Dickens hit it right on with taking Scrooge back through past Christmases! Exactly what we all do every holiday reminiscing our loved ones, and longing for the familiar family cuisine, whatever our mothers, grandmothers, aunts and loved ones cooked! I can still savor the delicious chocolate cakes from my beloved Grandmother Esther, and Mother’s Chocolate Lady Finger Cake, which became my neighborhood’s favorite too, til I became vegan and macrobiotic cooking our new lifestyle!

Still, holiday and party food can be a wonderful way to enjoy these past memories, and thanks to some wonderful cooks and their cookbooks, we have healthier ways to accomplish some traditional foods! Just this week I was on a Coconut Lemon Pie search - my mother’s absolute favorite and I found this wonderful recipe in Love, Eric by Eric Lechasseur. Please hurry to order this book, as they are stopping print as we speak!

It cut beautifully, and firmed quickly. I changed the crust to 3/4 cup Pastry flour and 1 cup unbleached flour being without Spelt flour, and not being able to wait one more minute! And, please, use organic ingredients for best flavors. We always use organic both at home and in our Macrobiotic cooking classes in Atlanta, and the results as they say are in the pudding! Enjoy.

Pie crust

1 cup spelt flour

3/4 cup unbleached flour

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/3 cup maple sugar

1/3 cup safflower oil

1/4 cup water

Let’s make the pie crust!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Combine dry ingredients in large bowl.

Add oil and water; knead quickly, forming dough.

Allow dough to sit 15 minutes! Yep, i time it!

Rolling pin and 2 pieces of wax paper, roll dough in circle to fit your 9-11 inch pie pan, or flan pop-up pan is what i prefer! William Sonoma

I like a really thin crust, no more than 1/4 inch, and even less!

Gently line pie pan with your crust and bake 20 minutes, maybe 25.

Remove from oven and let it cool.

***

Filling ingredients

1 cup plain Amasake, Rhapsody, from Vermont

1 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup brown rice syrup, Suzanne’s

1/4 cup maple syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

zest of 1 lemon

2 1/2 Tablespoon agar flakes

4 Tablespoon arrowroot

1/4 cup organic apple juice, not Gravenstein

extra lemon zest for garnish

and of course, coconut flakes for the yumminess of it all!

***

Now, it’s make a wonderful lemon filling time! So, turn on your favorite dance music!

Let’s whisk away to the music!

Combine all ingredients, except arrowroot and apple juice in saucepan.

Bring to simmer, whisking constantly, and cook 8 minutes! Whisk to the music!!

In small bowl, combine arrowroot and apple juice, then whisk into the lemon filling.

Continue cooking, whisking and dancing a few more minutes.

Remove from flame and let slightly cool.

Pour filling into your beautifully baked pie shell. Garnish with zest & coconut flakes

Refrigerate ’til firm.

Enjoy. i just had one more little slice to make sure it’s really delish! It is…..

Did you use to cook a Sweet Potato Pudding for Thanksgiving with 4 cups of brown sugar, Carnation condensed sweet milk, sweet potatoes – queen of the night shade vegetables, plus 3 cans of Dole crushed pineapples? Topped with melted brown marshmellows? Yep, that was my beloved family’s heritage recipe from all Thanksgivings past, and just about every other holiday as well.

Now enter a Macrobiotic Diet, 17 years of it to be exact, and we found the most delish substitute – cooked stove-top, delectably sweet, savory and healthy!

In my macrobiotic cooking classes I call it Easy Squash Pie, but our first Thanksgiving dinner with my son-in-law’s family when his dear Aunt Gail said, “This is the best Sweet Potato Pie I’ve ever had”, my daughter and I never said a word that it was made with Kabocha Squash! Kids of all ages enjoy this one! And a dessert really good for you, too! Didja know, squash is really good for our skin and especially our pancreas?

Here’s the recipe for you and your family to enjoy and savor!

Easy Squash Pie
1 Kabocha squash per 8 people, cut in inch large chunks
please use organic and do not peel, just cut away hard spots on
surface
potato masher
Steamer basket
Filtered or Spring water
Pinch Si Salt Sea Salt – teeny pinch enhance sweetness of squash
Optional: Suzanne’s Brown Rice Syrup if you wish a little sweeter

Directions:
1. Steam squash for about 20 minutes, until knife slides easily through chunks.
2. Mash squash, and place in pie pans, serve warm.
That’s it folks! Nature has sweetened this squash for you! Yummy it up!
Optional: set into pie crust if you like.
Sprinkle with toasted pecans.

Please join our Thanksgiving Cooking Class, Sunday November 22nd
Atlanta/Dunwoody, Georgia 1-4 pm for a complete Thanksgiving Dinner
Menu perfect for vegan, vegetarian and macrobiotic diets! $45 per person.
Can’t make that date? Private classes are available.
Check our website for menu: www.atlantamacrobiotics.com
RSVP: marsharueff@mac.com or call: 770 -396-9413
Not in Atlanta? Send your $20 check to Marsha Rueff, 1130 Trailridge Lane, Dunwoody, Georgia 30338 for perfectly wonderful and healthy Thanksgiving
recipes! Enjoy and Happy Thanksgiving to you and your dear ones!

Are you new to a vegan, vegetarian, or macrobiotic diet and wondering what in the world to feed your family this Thanksgiving Dinner? Well, wonder no more, and stop fretting about all the delightful yummy wishful dishes you are missing this year! Because, here is Thanksgiving memory food created at its very best! Gourmet tastes featuring the finest healthy ingredients! Exactly what you’re looking for! Without sugar, eggs, dairy, and poultry, msg, etc.

You’re Invited to

Holiday Cooking Class Series

A Macrobiotic Thanksgiving Dinner

featuring

Tofurkey with Herbed Stuffing

Southern Pecan Mushroom Gravy

Cranberry Sauce

Vegetable Medley

Pumpkin Pie

Sunday, November 22

1-4 pm

$45.00 per person

We will be cooking a Tofurky, or as my granddaughter Brittany calls it, a Faux Turkey! Unbelievable taste – you’ll relish it and wonder why you suffered with turkey all those years! Now, if you had store-bought tofurkeys in the past, they do not even come close to comparing with this incredible taste of a fresh home-made look-alike turkey breast made from the best tofu. Filled with amazing Herbed Stuffing, and everyone’s favorite: Southern Pecan Mushroom Gravy. Homemade Cranberry Sauce, Pumpkin Bread, and Pumpkin Pie featuring Franciscan Monk, Brother Ron Pickarsky’s award-winning crust. Every dish features organically grown vegetables and other products.

RSVP your reservation to hold your spot with Kushi Institute trained Marsha Rueff at 770-396-9413. Your  check will hold your place. Please send to Marsha Rueff, 1130 Trailridge Lane, Dunwoody, Georgia 30338.

This class might even be worth your trip to Atlanta! Can’t make that particular date? Other dates can be arranged, and private classes also available.