My Macro Christmas Menu 2011

Corn on the Cob with Ume paste
Fill sauce pan with 1/2 inch water and Boil corn for 10 mins.  Spread mashed umeboshi plum or pre-made ume paste.


Kabocha Stewed Vegetables
Daikon, chunks and quartered
Carrots, chopped in diagonal chunks
Broccoli
Kabocha Squash

1. Peel and cut into squash into 1-inch chunks and put in a pot. Add water to partially cover the squash. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until tender. Remove from burner and pureed in a hand food mill. Add additional water to stew thickness. 
2. Fill saucepan with 1/4-1/2 inch water.  Layer daikon, carrots, broccoli in the that order.  Boil water and simmer until very tender and all water is gone (aprox 50 mins).
3. Add pureed squash to veggies in saucepan, add a few drops of shoy, bring to a boil and simmer for a few mins longer.

Baked Lentil Loaf
4 ounces shiitake mushrooms sliced
1 tbsp brown rice vinegar
1 clove minced garlic
1 medium onion finely chopped
1 tsp grated ginger
Tamari to taste
1 cup green lentils
2 cups water
1 stamp-sized kombu piece

1. Preheat oven at 350 F.  In small saucepan, add lentils and water.   Bring to boil and skim off foam.  Add bay leaf and kombu.  Lower heat, and simmer, covered, for 45 mins, adding more water as it evaporates. 
2. Stir in remaining ingredients into cooked lentils.  Press lentil mixture into lightly oiled loaf pan and bake for 20-30mins.

Tahini Kale

1. Steam chopped kale (aprox 1/4 inch strips) and set aside
2. Mix 1 tbsp tahini with water to a dressing consistency.  Add diluted 1/4 tsp miso.
3. Marinate kale in mixture and refrigerate.

Couscous Cake with Pear Sauce


2.5 cups water or apple juice
Pinch sea salt
2 cups couscous

Topping:
5-6 pears, peeled and sliced
Pinch sea salt
1 cup water
2-3 tbsp kuzu, diluted in water

1. Place apple juice or water and a pinch of sea salt in a pot and bring to aboil.  Reduce flame to law and add couscous.  Cover and simmer 2-3mins.  Turn off flame and let couscous sit, covered, for several mins.
2. Place couscous in glass pan and press down firmly and evenly.
3. To make pear sauce for topping, place pears, salt, and water in a pot and bring to a boil.  Reduce flame, cover, and simmer for 4-5 mins, until pears are soft.  Add diluted kuzu.  Stir constantly to prevent lumping.  Simmer for 2-3 mins and remove from flame.
4. Spread topping on couscous cake and let sit in fridge to set.  Add chopped nuts on top for garnish.