Archive for category: Recipes

A light lunch or the perfect addition to any dinner, these spring rolls are oh so light and fun to make!

Spring Roll Ingredients:

1 pack of brown rice paper
1 cup of shredded cabbage
½ cup of shredded carrots
¼ cup of chopped red onion
1 medium avocado, thinly sliced

Sauce Ingredients:

2 T. soy sauce
1 T. maple syrup
½ to 1 tsp. sriracha
1 T. peanut butter

Instructions:

1. Mix sauce ingredients together.
2. Dip the rice paper in warm water to soften, then lay flat on your work surface.
3. Lay toppings in the middle of the wrap and roll it up like a burrito– folding in the sides and rolling up from the bottom.
4. Serve alongside sauce

Guest Bloggers: James Madison Dietetics

Alexandra Balbontin, Taylor Coleman, Julia Danisewicz, Andrea George, Emily Salvaggio, and Taylor Singleton

Cauliflower is a versatile vegetable that can be used in a variety of dishes such as curry and stir-fry. Roasting cauliflower is one of my favorite ways to enjoy it because roasting brings out the cauliflower’s natural sweetness. Now that spring vegetables are in season, I like to roast cauliflower and pair it with a fresh and flavorful romesco sauce made with red bell pepper, tomatoes, almonds, garlic, and olive oil.

Cauliflower Ingredients:

1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. dried oregano
Salt and pepper to taste

Romesco Ingredients:

1 large red bell pepper, diced
2/3 cup grape tomatoes
1 clove garlic, peeled
3 tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. balsamic vinegar
¼ cup blanched almonds
½ tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Add bell pepper, tomatoes, and garlic to a large baking sheet. Drizzle with one tablespoon of olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Mix well to combine. Roast for 10-15 minutes until tender.
2. Add cauliflower florets to a separate baking sheet and drizzle with one tablespoon of olive oil. Season with oregano, salt, and pepper. Roast cauliflower for 25 minutes until tender.
3. Once the bell peppers, tomatoes, and garlic are finished roasting, transfer the mixture to a food processor. Add remaining two tablespoons olive oil, balsamic vinegar, almonds, salt, and pepper. Pulse for 20-30 seconds until a fairly smooth sauce forms. Serve romesco sauce with cauliflower and enjoy!

By Tiffany Wu / Guest Blogger

Tiffany is a student at JMU, majoring in dietetics. Her family owned a Chinese restaurant when she was growing up, so her passion for food and cooking began at an early age. She especially likes creating delicious and healthy plant-based recipes.

Orange chicken was one of my favorite dishes to enjoy growing up in my family’s Chinese restaurant. Since transitioning to a plant-based diet, I wanted to recreate this popular dish and utilize tofu as the protein source. I recommend using Twin Oaks extra firm tofu because its hearty texture produces crispy cubes of golden brown tofu when pan-fried. To make the sweet and savory orange sauce, mix together orange juice, rice vinegar, tamari, and spices. Serve this simple and flavorful orange tofu over a bed of fluffy jasmine rice.

Ingredients:

16 ounces extra firm tofu
2 tbsp. tamari
1 tbsp. coconut oil
1 cup orange juice
1 tbsp. rice vinegar
¼ tsp. garlic powder
¼ tsp. ground ginger
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. cornstarch mixed with two tsp. water

Directions:

1. Cut tofu into small cubes and marinate in one tablespoon of tamari for 15 minutes
2. Heat one tablespoon of coconut oil in a large pan over medium high heat. Add tofu and pan fry for 10-12 minutes until crispy and golden brown. Flip tofu every 2-3 minutes so all sides can get crispy. Once tofu is done cooking, transfer to a bowl.
3. To make the orange sauce, combine remaining one tablespoon of tamari, orange juice, rice vinegar, garlic powder, ground ginger, and cayenne pepper. Mix well so all ingredients are well combined.
4. Add sauce to the same pan and heat for 2 minutes. Whisk in cornstarch mixture and simmer for 3 minutes. Add tofu back to the pan and mix well to coat tofu evenly with sauce. Serve with rice and enjoy!

By Tiffany Wu / Guest Blogger

Tiffany is a student at JMU, majoring in dietetics. Her family owned a Chinese restaurant when she was growing up, so her passion for food and cooking began at an early age. She especially likes creating delicious and healthy plant-based recipes.

Makes 2-4 servings
Congee is a rice porridge dish typically eaten for breakfast in China and other Asian countries. Making congee is a simple process. All you have to do is boil a pot of rice and water and simmer the mixture until the rice becomes tender and silky. You can eat congee plain or add a variety of flavorful mix ins. Growing up, my mother would often make savory congee with chicken and egg. Congee is also great to eat if you are feeling under the weather because it’s light, comforting, and easy to digest. For this recipe, I added mushrooms, leeks, ginger, and liquid aminos to create a satisfying dish full of umami flavor.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon Earth Balance butter
1 inch knob of ginger, sliced
1 large leek, sliced¼ pound shiitake mushrooms, sliced
¼ pound cremini mushrooms, sliced
1 cup jasmine rice, rinsed
8 cups water
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon liquid aminos

Directions:

1. Heat Earth Balance butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add leeks and mushrooms and sauté for 5 minutes. Season with 1 teaspoon of liquid aminos. Transfer cooked leeks and mushrooms to a bowl and set aside.
2. To the same pot, add rice, water, and ginger. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to low. Simmer for 20 minutes.
3. After 20 minutes, add in mushrooms, leeks, and 1 tablespoon liquid aminos. Stir to combine and simmer for 5 minutes.
4. Ladle congee into a serving bowl and enjoy!

By Tiffany Wu / Guest Blogger

Tiffany is a student at JMU, majoring in dietetics. Her family owned a Chinese restaurant when she was growing up, so her passion for food and cooking began at an early age. She especially likes creating delicious and healthy plant-based recipes.