Kelp Noodle Stir Fry

I know some of us did a little bit of eating this past week. I find that even though I eat a very healthy diet, when I over eat I feel pretty crappy. Whenever I know I've eaten more than makes me feel light, I make myself something cleansing. Today I cut up a burdock root to put in this stir fry but it never made it into the cast iron pan. I ate the whole thing raw with a little sesame oil and ume plum vinegar (yum). I used all local veggies for this and had some leftover celeriac which I sauteed with some red peppers for a side dish (I used sesame oil, you could saute them in ghee, coconut oil, butter, or sesame oil and add a bit of brown rice, ume plum, apple cider vinegar or sea salt). This is one of the many cleansing, seasonal, and warm recipes we provide in our Autumn Cleanse which is being offered again as a post Thanksgiving treat. It felt so good when I did it last time, I think I am going to do again this week! Click here if you are interested in joining me~and remember, its not just for Portland people, you can do it from anywhere!

ingredients:

1 bag kelp noodles, drain water off, rinse and soak in water for 2-4 hours then drain and rinse again.

2 teaspoon sesame oil

1 teaspoon grated ginger

1 garlic clove minced

1 shallot (golf ball size) thinly sliced

10 shitake, maitake or chantrelle mushrooms sliced

½ cup peeled and shredded celery root or turnip

½ cup shredded carrots

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon tamari

1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

½ teaspoon sea salt

optional: drizzle of hot pepper toasted sesame oil, chopped cilantro, chopped scallions

preparation:

Heat sesame oil in a cast iron skillet or other medium sized pan. Add ginger and garlic, and shallots and sauté for a few minutes until shallots begin to soften. Add mushrooms and cook for another 3-4 minutes or until soft. Add celery root or turnip and carrots and mix well. Add apple cider vinegar, tamari, toasted sesame oil and sea salt and toss to coat all vegetables well. Stir in kelp noodles at the end, mix well and turn off heat. Serve garnished with chopped cilantro or scallions and hot pepper toasted sesame oil for some heat.

yield: 2 servings

If you don't know what kelp noodles are check out their website for more information. Its a great substitute for regular noodles and they are high in necessary trace minerals.

Sauteed Wild Mushrooms with Burdock Root and Kale

I absolutely love this time of year at the farmer's market. The contrast between the bright vegetables of summer and the gray Portland sky puts me in a state of euphoria. Now that might just be me, not everyone finds the sight of a bounty of vegetables orgasmic, I understand, yet I still encourage everyone (especially you Portlanders) to get out and go to the farmer's market. Get in touch with what is being grown in your area! One of the most exciting booths for me to visit is the mushroom booth. There are always new funky mushrooms to try. Last week I bought some black trumpet mushrooms and this week the lovely Maitake, also known as the "dancing mushroom" in Japanese folklore. It is known to be a balancing food that contributes to immune health.

This recipe is great for a quick lunch or dinner. Any protein can be added and the fresh burdock root contains polyacetylenes which are plant chemicals that are useful in fighting certain types of bacterial and fungal infections including things like ringworm and urinary tract infections. What a great way to boost your immune system going into winter. This recipe is one of many warming and immune boosting recipes in our upcoming Autumn Cleanse on November 12th (distance online class) and 13th (Portland live class). If you are interested and can't attend the live gathering on November 13th, you can listen to the class at your convenience over the weekend and join us starting November 15th for the group cleanse. For more information or to register click here.

Enjoy,

Andrea

Sauteed Wild Mushrooms with Burdock Root and Kale

ingredients:

2 teaspoons organic sesame oil

1 golf ball sized shallot sliced thinly into half moons

1 12 inch whole fresh burdock root sliced

1 cup chopped Maitake mushrooms (shitakes can be substituted)

1-2 cups lacinato kale cut into thin ribbons

1 tablespoon Ume Plum vinegar (or more if you like)

toasted sesame oil or toasted hot pepper sesame oil (optional)

sesame seeds (optional)

preparation:

Heat a cast iron skillet (or other) over medium heat. Add sesame oil and shallots and saute' until they start to soften. Add Maitakes and saute' a few minutes more. Placed sliced burdock root in the pan and stir well to combine all ingredients. Place a lid on the skillet and let the vegetables steam for a 3 minutes stirring occasionally. Continue to saute' until burdock is cooked through, a few more minutes. Add the ribboned lacinato to the pan and stir into mixture until the kale turns a bright green color. Turn off stove. Add the Ume Plum vinegar and toss well. I like to sprinkle toasted hot pepper sesame oil and sesame seeds on top before eating for a little kick.

Miso Lemon Almond Spread

I've had some requests for this one so I thought I would go ahead and post it today. I ferment this spread which gives it a more tangy/cheesy taste. I think it tastes best that way. However, you could skip the fermenting part if you are in a hurry. Its very versatile, you could add any spices, more lemen, orange zest, or chopped fresh herbs like chives, cilantro or basil.

This will be one of the recipes I provide in the upcoming Autumn Cleanse that I co-teach with Nutritionist Andrea Nakayama of ReplenishPDX. If you are craving the opportunity to sink back into your body, slow down, and enjoy a week of easy and nourishing food for your mind body and spirit then please join us! We are excited to offer people the option of attending locally or participating in an one of our teleseminars. Class Dates: November 12th (on-line) & November 13th (live in SE PDX) Group Cleanse Start Date: Monday, November 15th. Please click here for more information or to register.

ingredients:

2 cups almonds soaked overnight, strained and rinsed

3 tablespoons mellow white miso

1 garlic clove

2 tablespoons lemon juice

preparation:

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Add a little bit of water or more lemon to help blend if needed. You could also do this in a food processor. Place mixture in a jar or bowl and cover with a coffee filter and rubber band, or towel, and let sit on counter at room temperature for 8 hours or overnight until it starts to ferment and becomes bubbly or fluffy. Strain through a nut milk bag or cheese cloth squeezing out any excess liquid and place spread in a bowl adding optional fresh herbs or spices you might like. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. This recipe uses the whole almond, with the skin, which creates a bit more of a pulpy texture. I love it the way it is. Alternatively you could blanch the almonds or remove the skins for a very smooth,white chevre type spread. Serve on sliced cucumbers or apples for a yummy snack.

Enjoy!