Vegetarian Cooking - Skip Jennings

The Lotus Kitchen-Cucumber Mint Salad

You will absolutely love the Lotus Kitchen – Cucumber Mint Salad. It’s so refreshing in so many ways, from a main dish on a warm day, to a light palette refresher. This recipe and more is from my collection of vegan recipes from my upcoming book, the Lotus Kitchen with co-author Gwen Keannelly that combines good vegan eats with a yoga practice.

Enjoy,

-Skip

Ingredients:

4 cups chopped cucumber (3 medium sized cucumbers)
2 cups fresh mint leaves, de-stemmed
1 cup fresh cilantro, de-stemmed
1 cup lime juice
1/3 cup grape seed oil
1 cup fresh yellow cherry tomatoes
Raw macadamia nuts, chopped
Fresh basil

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and serve. Serves 4

The Practice: The cucumber is the most perfect food for hydration, nutrients and releasing weight. The practice of yoga also helps release weight and unwanted heavy energy. One of the effects of yoga is building heat within, and allowing the body to sweat out everything we do not need. To balance the body, take the time to hydrate with water and cucumbers.

Mindful Eating Practice: This practice is to be aware that the salad is hydrating, nurturing, and creating a healthy body. With each bite be aware of the water of the cucumber that is hydrating the body. Be mindful of each quenching morsel that is blessing your mouth. Feel the energy that the salad is stimulating within the body. The vibration that is delivered from the food is helping to elevate the vibration of the soul. During the ritual create an affirmation that helps remind you that eating is a practice. For example, “I know my mind, body, and spirit are strong as I eat my cucumber salad.”

The Lotus Kitchen – Vegetable Stock

Skip Jennings & Gwen Keannelly

My latest recipe, a vegetable stock is from my upcoming book, The Lotus Kitchen, with Gwen Keannelly. It’s a vegan cook book that combines good eats with a yoga practice. The beauty of a good vegetable stock is that you can really use any combination of vegetables and herbs that you like. Some strict vegetable stocks can lack the “richness” of a traditional stock, so we lovingly lace this one with seasoning. You can also modify and add ginger, lemon grass and dried Chinese or shitake mushrooms for an Asian flair. For a Southwest/Mexican feel, add diced jalapeno or Serrano chilies and lots of fresh cilantro.

Peace and blessings,

– Skip

The Lotus Kitchen Vegetable Stock

Ingredients:

4 carrots, chopped
4 celery stalks, chopped (including leaves)
3 tomatoes, chopped
1 medium sweet potato, peeled and chopped
1 scallion, chopped
1 red onion, chopped
6 cloves garlic, chopped
Juice of one lemon
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon thyme
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon Herbs de Provence
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 cup white wine
10 cups water

In a large soup pot combine all ingredients and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat and cover and simmer for one hour. Strain the stock and toss the solids. You should get about 10 cups of vegetable stock. You can freeze half for use at a later time. Or you can freeze in ice cube trays and pop out single servings as needed for sauces.

The Practice: When a recipe requires a lot of chopping we have to stand tall with a strong core. Mountain pose delivers the core strength to face many of life’s challenges. Harness the qualities of the pose while prepping your soup stock. Strength. Power. Longevity. Height. These are the qualities of your divine self. As you stand tall and prepare this dish, connect with the mountain strength that is your life.

Mountain Pose (Tadasana) Instruction: Stand tall at the top of your mat, feet hip distance apart, spread the toes to create a strong base. Draw the shoulders away from the ears and open the arms while spreading your fingers.

Vegan Recipes – Lotus Kitchen – Minestrone

Skip Jennings & Gwen Keannelly

Today’s crowd pleasing Vegan recipe is minestrone from my upcoming book, The Lotus Kitchen with Gwen Kenneally.

In addition, this and most of the recipes in the book are paired with a practice and yoga balance piece and this one has one at the bottom of the recipe.

Enjoy,

-Skip

P.S. Liked a recipe, let me know via my facebook page.

Crowd-Pleasing Minestrone

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 yellow onions, diced
6 stalks celery (including leaves), thinly sliced
3 carrots, chopped
1 tablespoon Italian herbs (dried blend of oregano, parsley, basil, rosemary, thyme)
Serves 12

Sautee above ingredients over medium heat in large soup pot, then cover to sweat for five minutes.

Uncover and add:
4 cloves garlic, minced

Sauté 5 more minutes, then add:
12 cups vegetable stock
1 box chopped tomatoes or 3 cups canned chop tomatoes
2 Yukon gold potatoes, diced
2 cans (15 ounces) cannellini beans, drained
1 small head Savoy cabbage, quartered and sliced

Bring to boil and simmer 30 minutes. Then add:
8 ounces pasta of your choice
6 more cups of vegetable broth
2 cups green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces

Simmer 15 minutes. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

The Practice:

The Karma Yoga practice is the act of serving others. This crowd- pleasing soup serves many. When serving this dish focus on how you may serve the universe and others to better the planet. Like a breathing meditation that helps one to connect with the universe, Karma yoga serves as reminder that we are all connected.
Breathing Meditation Instruction: Sit in a comfortable position. Relax and place the hands lightly on the knees. Close your eyes and begin to breathe. Be mindful of your inhale and your exhale. Begin to count each breath. As you breathe create a mantra that incorporates your intention. “I breathe this breath for the preparation of this meal. I am aware of the Universe. This food and breath are one.”

Vegan Recipes – Lotus Kitchen – Curried Quinoa

Skip Jennings & Gwen Keannelly

Today’s Vegan recipe, Curried Quinoa, is from my upcoming book, The Lotus Kitchen with Gwen Kenneally. Curry powder is famously known for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. In addition to the health benefits this dish is a textural delight. The crunch of slivered almonds, the chewy raisins, the snap of green peppers and the sweetness of the peas offer a pleasing and harmonious dance on the palate while the protein in the quinoa satisfies the need for protein.

In addition, most of the recipes in the book are paired with a practice and yoga balance piece and this one has one at the bottom of the recipe.

Enjoy,

-Skip

P.S. Liked a recipe, let me know via my facebook page.

Curried Quinoa

• 2 cups quinoa
• 4 cups water
• 1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted
• ½ cup raisins
• 2 large tomatoes
• 4 carrots, grated
• 1 cup sweet peas
• 1 green bell pepper
• 4 teaspoons curry powder
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• ½ cup cilantro, chopped
• Kosher Salt

In a good sized pot sauté quinoa kernels in a little bit of olive oil for 4 minutes, then pour in water, cover and let boil 15 minutes until absorbed. Cut up vegetables while you wait. When water is absorbed, fluff with a fork and add spices, vegetables (except for shredded carrots and cilantro), almonds and raisins. After stirring a good 30 seconds on heat, remove, dish into bowls, and garnish with carrots and cilantro. Serves 4-6

The Practice:

Quinoa is a fairly mild and bland grain until it’s seasoned. Curry is a hot spicy powder that you would likely not eat on its own. Separately they don’t work, but together they are the culinary Yin-Yang, balancing each other perfectly. Yoga is all about recognizing the balance. In a twisting lunge, you can feel the battle between stretching and strengthening. While one side is stretching the other side is releasing into a deep stretch until finally there is a realization that there is no battle at all, just the expression of pure balance.

Twisting Side-angle Pose (Parsvakonasana) Instruction: Coming from Warrior 1, place the hands into Namaste also knows and Anjali mudra (AHN-jah-lee MOO-dra) the praying hand position (hand over the heart). Lift the torso and twist towards the opposite side of the body, crossing the elbow over the knee, continuing to expand the twist by looking toward the sky.

Vegan Recipes – Lotus Kitchen – Raw Thai Coconut Soup

lotus-kitchen-book-300x300 Today’s Vegan recipe, Raw Thai Coconut Soup continues focusing on “Raw” theme. Organically grown raw and living foods provide high-quality nutrition while naturally supporting both proper digestion and a well-functioning immune system. Eating these life-giving foods helps to alkalize the body, a key factor in building excellent health. Today’s recipe is from my upcoming book, The Lotus Kitchen with Gwen Kenneally. Almost all of the recipes in the book are paired with a practice and yoga balance piece and this one has one at the bottom of the recipe.

Raw Thai Coconut Soup

Thai cooking is lively and aromatic and this soup is no exception. The coconut, ginger and garlic play nicely off the heat of the peppers. It’s at once complex and simple, not unlike a vibrant yoga practice.

Ingredients
2 young coconuts
1 cup cherry tomatoes
1 avocado
1 clove garlic, peeled
½ inch fresh ginger, peeled
1 teaspoon mustard powder
½ teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons soy sauce
Juice of two limes
3 Red Thai Chili Peppers

Garnish:

1 cup cilantro, chopped
2 cups of tomatoes, diced
1/3 cup of red onion, diced

Slice the coconuts in half and pour the juice into a large bowl. Scoop out the flesh and place in the bowl. Liquefy all ingredients with an emersions blender. Pour into bowl and garnish with cilantro, tomato and onion before serving. You can also use a traditional blender by placing all of the ingredients and liquefying. Serve room temperature. Serves 4

The Practice: Soup that is cool to the touch but heats presents opposition; once you taste it you will know true balance.

Yoga Balance: Some think our mind and body are separate, but as we practice yoga we learn to yolk our body and mind together. That is the main intention of the yoga practice. Recognize that you are one with your mind and body in all of your practice

Vegan Recipes – Vegan Paleo Cookie

Celebrate this weekend with a cookie recipe from my upcoming cookbook, The Lotus Kitchen with Gwen Kenneally.

Skip Jennings & Gwen Keannelly

The Lotus Kitchen, combines delicious and easy to make vegetarian cooking entwined with yoga. This book intends to offer more than a gingerly curated collection of healthy and boldly flavored recipes; it’s a beacon that shines light toward an awakened way of life. A journey that encourages you to explore an engaged and meaningful pathway to empowerment through yoga and enhance your existing practice with thoughtful food preparation and mindful eating.

Vegan Paleo Cookie

4 cups almond meal
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¾ cup coconut oil, melted
½ cup maple syrup
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 cup chopped dark chocolate or 1 cup dried cranberries
½ cup candied ginger

Preheat the oven to 350. Mix the almond meal, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon. Stir in the coconut oil, maple syrup, and vanilla. Stir in the chopped chocolate (or cranberry) and ginger. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets. For a variation, sprinkle a little sea salt before baking. Bake for 10-12 minutes on parchment paper-lined cookie sheet until the edges are golden. Let them rest on the pan for 5-10 minutes to firm up before removing. Makes 3 dozen.

The practice:

Each yoga class ends with the practice of Namaste. The Lotus Kitchen Namaste is performed by placing your hands on your third eye and allowing your hands to drift to Anjali Mudra in front of the heart chakra. Close the eyes and bow down to show deep respect for self, others and our practice.

Meatless Mondays – Recipes from my book Lotus Garden – Seitan and Quinoa Salad

Seitan and Quinoa Salad

For the next few weeks I’ll be sharing recipes from my upcoming Cookbook with Gwen Kenneally. This week we’ll share our Seitan and Quinoa Salad. Seitan is a popular vegetarian meat substitute and has been consumed in Asian countries for generations. It is derived from the protein portion of whole wheat and you’ll find it stands in nicely in a variety of meat recipes. And seitan has more protein than either tofu or tempeh.

2 cups quinoa
3 cups vegetable stock
Salt to taste
1 cup pine nuts, toasted
4 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Pepper to taste
4 tablespoons olive oil
3 cups cooked seitan, finely chopped (recipe follows)
1 1/2 cups green and red grapes, quartered

Bring quinoa and vegetable stock to a hard rolling boil. Remove from heat and cover, fluffing with a fork every 10 minutes until all of the liquid is absorbed and it has cooled down. Whisk vinegar and oil. Add seitan, grapes, pine nuts and quinoa. Toss well and add salt and pepper to taste. Serves 4

Grilled Seitan
8-ounce piece of seitan
Poultry seasoning
2 tablespoons olive oil

Mix olive oil and poultry seasoning. Add seitan and let marinade for 1 hour. Preheat grill to medium heat. Grill for four to five minutes, until slightly charred. Flip and cook the other side for four to five minutes.

The Practice: Quinoa and seitan are each an independently perfect source of protein. They could happily and effectively stand alone but when combined, they offer an explosion of great taste. It reminds us of the saying, “some things are better done with someone else.” Group practice is the same way. We could do Butterfly Pose at home by ourselves, but it is so much more fun with a group of practitioners holding that pose simultaneously in one accord. If you are a home Yogi, it might be time for you to step out of your box and experience the collective.

Vegan Recipe Corner – Vegan Stew

This week we whipped up a vegan stew that we prep here. The ingredients are simple and straight forward; onions, carrots, potatoes, parsnip and turnips. You can also substitute your own veggies too. Have a terrific weekend.

-Skip

INGREDIENTS
1 onion, chopped
3 carrots, chopped
3 potatoes, chopped
1 parsnip, chopped
1 turnip, chopped
1/4 cup uncooked white rice
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups water

PREPARATION
1. In a large pot over medium-high heat, combine onion, carrots, potatoes, parsnip, turnip, rice, pepper, cumin, salt and water.

2. Boil until vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes, adding more water if necessary.

3. Serve and eat

Vegan Recipe Corner – Ginger Veggie Stir-fry

This week the team has whipped up a yummy Ginger Veggie Stir-Fry. It’s quick, easy and delicious and although Vegan, it’s completely open to modify with the protein of your choice.

recipe-ginger-stir-fry

INGREDIENTS

1 tablespoon cornstarch1 1/2 cloves garlic, crushed2 teaspoons chopped fresh ginger root,divided1/4 cup vegetable oil, divided

1 small head broccoli, cut into florets

1/2 cup snow peas

3/4 cup julienned carrots1/2 cup halved green beans2 tablespoons soy sauce2 1/2 tablespoons water1/4 cup chopped onion

1/2 tablespoon salt

PREPARATION

1. In a large bowl, blend cornstarch, garlic, 1 teaspoon ginger, and 2 tablespoons vegetable oil until cornstarch is dissolved. Mix in broccoli, snow peas, carrots, and green beans, tossing to lightly coat.

2. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet or wok over medium heat. Cook vegetables in oil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent burning. Stir in soy sauce and water. Mix in onion, salt, and remaining 1 teaspoon ginger. Cook until vegetables are tender but still crisp.

Vegan Recipe Corner – Spicy Eggplant Caponata

Today’s recipe we continue the theme on “Spicy” with eggplant as our star veggie. As always it can be strictly Vegan or you can add your choice of proteins too. Let us know what you think or better yet, send us your photos enjoying your creation!

– Skip

Spicy Eggplant Caponata

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 pounds eggplant (1 large)
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 ribs celery, inner stalks, diced
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1½ cups Pomi chopped tomatoes
¼ cup red wine vinegar (make sure your vinegar is gluten-free if you are gluten-sensitive)
1 tablespoon sugar
Pinch cinnamon
½ teaspoon fresh thyme (optional but good)
2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained
8 chopped pitted kalamata olives
¼ cup minced roasted red peppers (optional)
3 tablespoons pine nuts, lightly toasted
3 tablespoons golden raisins, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 teaspoon finely minced garlic
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

PREPARATION

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Cut the eggplant in half lengthwise and score once or twice with a knife (not hitting the skin.) Roast face down on a baking sheet, covered in foil and sprayed with oil, until tender – about 20 minutes. Let drain in a colander for 10 minutes, cut side down. Scoop the eggplant out of the skin and chop coarsely.
Heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium heat in a large, heavy skillet. Add the onion, celery and red pepper flakes and cook for 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, vinegar, cinnamon and sugar and cook for 5 minutes more. Add the remaining oil, eggplant, capers, red peppers, olives, pine nuts, raisins and parsley and cook for 5 minutes more. Add garlic. Season to taste. Cool to room temperature.

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