Cooking with Mochi ~ Waffles, Pan-Fried & Baked ~ The Kind Diet, Superhero Recipes

Mochi Waffle with Lemon-Walnut-Rice Syrup

This weekend I decided to cook some more recipes from The Kind Diet Cookbook, by Alicia Silverstone.

A few months ago I did a post about what I thought about her cookbook & what I had made from it so far.  Last time I was reading through it, I was intrigued by the notion of cooking with mochi.  Alicia had a few Superhero mochi recipes that sounded good, so I decided to try them this time around.

Pan-Fried Mochi

Baked Mochi

I'm glad I tried the recipes, but I don't think I will ever cook with mochi again, it's just too chewy for my taste. I was never able to get the pan-fried or baked mochi to look like the pictures in the recipes.  The pan-fried mochi looked like breakfast sausages to me, although I did enjoy the sweet/savory taste of the rice syrup/shoyu glaze.  The baked mochi looked like, well, you be the judge... The waffle mochi did morph into a true waffle shape, but again, it was just too chewy for me.  I suppose if you must eat gluten-free, mochi would allow you to make some interesting dishes.

The Kind Diet Cookbook ~ Flirting with Veggies

Roasted Cauliflower Steak ~ This was really good. It's a bit tricky to cut the cauliflower into a steak that will stay together, but just take your time. It makes an impressive display when you cut it right. I cut it in half horizontally & had good luck. You can get a couple of good slices that way, just work your way out from the first middle cut.  Don't worry if it doesn't cut quite right, it will still taste great!

 

I'm a Flirt!  Want to know what you are?  Then go get a copy of Alicia Silverstone's  vegetarian lifestyle/vegan cookbook ~ The Kind Diet.  My local library had a copy, so I checked it out.  I liked it so much I bought a copy for myself.  Alicia has written an engaging book about the vegetarian lifestyle that is interesting & easy to read.  It gets you thinking about the daily choices we all make in regards to eating & living.  She makes a compelling argument for the vegetarian lifestyle & eating vegan ~ without sounding superior or preachy.  I appreciate that.  She graciously welcomes us into her home & shares her ideas in a sincere & thoughtful way.  This is much more than just a cookbook, it is a kind & gentle road map for our journey in life.  Read it for yourself & you'll see what I mean. I'm sure you'll be as charmed as I was by what she has to say.  Even if a vegetarian/vegan lifestyle is not for you, her book is still full of information that we can all benefit from.   

I've made about a dozen recipes so far & have enjoyed them all.  I don't think of them as 'vegan recipes', I just see them as recipes for dishes I'd like to eat.  I'm looking forward to making more dishes from her cookbook & since Spring is just around the corner, I'm sure I'll find much to tempt me.  Now,  I don't think I will ever get beyond being a Flirt, but it is nice to know there is a guidebook out there that I can relate to if I ever decide I want to be a Super Hero. When you read her book... you'll get that statement. :)      Check out her website ~ The Kind Life

Baby Bok Choy with Sesame Vinaigrette ~ So good tasting & good for you, too. These make a tasty dish & cook up in minutes. I just used apple cider vinegar, since that is what I had on hand. Be flexible, if you can't find a certain ingredient ~ just use something similar.

Maple Roasted Louts Root Chips ~ The original recipe also called for lotus roots, leeks & sunchokes, but I only used the lotus root ~ the market was all out of the other veggies in the recipe. The lotus roots are such a beautifully exotic veggie. I just love the lacy designs they make when you slice them. They are surprising tasty & in this recipe they are savory, yet sweet.  I could see these becoming addicting.