THE CHINA STUDY QUICK & EASY COOKBOOK (7 page)
Read THE CHINA STUDY QUICK & EASY COOKBOOK Online
Authors: Del Sroufe
The key to oil-free baking is the lightness of touch. Do not overmix the ingredients and do measure ingredients exactly to get moist and light baked goods.
3 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1½ teaspoons baking powder
1½ teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 cups grated apples
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
¾ cup unsweetened nondairy milk
¼ cup maple syrup or Two-Minute Date Puree (
p. 62
)
1.
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2.
Line the cups of a muffin pan with paper liners.
3.
Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a bowl and whisk to mix well.
4.
Add the remaining ingredients to the bowl and, using a spoon or spatula, fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.
5.
Fill each muffin cup ⅔ full.
6.
Bake the muffins for 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the muffin comes out clean.
VARIATION—BLUEBERRY CORNMEAL MUFFINS
Replace 1 cup of the whole wheat pastry flour with cornmeal, add 1 cup of fresh blueberries, and reduce the grated apples to 2 cups.
TIP
I like Granny Smith apples for the tart flavor they add to this muffin.
MAKES 4 SERVINGS 
I am one of those people who will eat plain brown rice with salt and pepper, but this dish makes me feel like I won a prize that I didn’t have to do much to earn. If you make a big pot of brown rice at the beginning of the week, you can use leftovers to make this recipe for breakfast—or dessert.
4½ cups cooked brown rice
1 cup golden raisins or other dried fruit (chopped if large, like apricots)
⅓ cup Two-Minute Date Puree (
p. 62
) or maple syrup
1½ cups unsweetened nondairy milk
½ cup toasted chopped almonds (optional)
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract sea salt to taste
1.
Combine everything in a medium saucepan and simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes or until thickened.
Fresh Herbed Tomato-Corn Salsa
MAKES ¾ CUP
Make this easy oil-free dressing in large batches to have on hand for a number of uses. It is a perfect salad dressing for mixed greens or romaine lettuce and can be used as a dressing for the Beans and Grain Salad (
p. 103
) or Black-Eyed Pea Salad (
p. 110
).
½ cup balsamic vinegar
¼ cup Dijon mustard
¼ cup minced shallot
black pepper to taste
1.
Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and mix well. Store refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 7 days.
MAKES 1¼ CUPS
Soy, ginger, garlic, and rice vinegar are classic ingredients in a wide variety of Asian foods. This dressing is full of flavor and makes a great marinade for vegetables.
½ cup rice vinegar
½ cup brown rice syrup
¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce or tamari
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1.
Combine everything in a small bowl and whisk to mix well. Store refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 10 days.
MAKES 1 CUP
Now and then I need a change from the usual vinaigrettes for my salads, and this is one of my favorites. It is light, easy, and versatile. I often make this salad dressing with my Two-Minute Date Puree in place of rice syrup to make a dressing free of processed sugar, but it makes a visually less appealing salad dressing.
⅓ cup orange juice
⅓ cup brown rice syrup or Two-Minute Date Puree (
p. 62
)
⅓ cup white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
1½ teaspoons dried mint
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1.
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and whisk to mix well. Store refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 10 days.
MAKES 1 CUP 
I love this citrusy variation of a classic Asian dressing. The added kick from the ginger and cayenne pepper will liven up any salad.
½ cup bottled orange juice (not from concentrate)
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
¼ cup mellow white miso paste (also known as sweet miso)
¼ cup rice wine vinegar
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
1.
Combine everything in a blender and process until smooth and creamy. Store refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 7 days.
