Thank you, Hetty McKinnon, once again, for your inspiration. This is certainly one of those recipes that just writing it out prompts the desire to make it. So while you are reading, I will be serving myself. 

Ingredients

• 12 ounces dried or fresh thin noodles ( I subbed in Jovial GF Spaghetti which worked well)
• Neutral oil
• 1 small green cabbage, cored and thinly sliced
• 1 bunch of scallions, white and green parts separated and cut into 2-inch segments
• Salt and Ground Pepper
• Toasted white sesame seeds

Sauce 

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce (or tamari)
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
• A splash of maple syrup

Directions

1. Prepare the noodles according to the package directions. Rinse with cold water, drain, and set aside.
2. Mix the soy sauce, dark soy sauce, and sesame oil along with 3 tablespoons of water and a splash of maple syrup. Set aside.
3. Heat a large well-seasoned cast iron or nonstick skillet over medium-high. Add 2 tablespoons of oil. Cook the white part of the scallion until softened, add the cabbage, and season with ½ teaspoon of salt. Cook until cabbage is reduced and softened.
4. Add the noodles to the pan, and pour in the soy sauce mix.  Toss to let noodles absorb the sauce for several minutes, add the green parts of the scallions, and season with salt and pepper as desired.
5. Divide into bowls and top with toasted sesame seeds and an optional fried egg if desired.

Enjoy!

There was a chapter of my life when a freshly baked cake came out of my oven several times a week. We lived those days in Germany, I taught high school and often the first thing I did after arriving home was to gather ingredients and bake. At the time, our house was full, and a cake could disappear in one setting with the help of two teenage daughters, a husband, and a toddler.

Then came the gluten-free chapters of my life, and cake baking lost its ease. My collection of cake plates was repurposed. Unpacking those plates in our New Hampshire home inspired me to give it another go.  Thank goodness times have changed, and there are now so many creative young minds focused on removing the hurdles from gluten-free baking. Richa Hingle, of Vegan Richa is one of those heroes who creates accessible vegan and gluten-free recipes. It was her Blueberry muffin recipe that inspired the recipe below. There’s nothing like an adaptable Streuselkuchen to take you through the seasons. I can imagine this one with everything from berries to apples.

Preheat oven to 400F.

Ingredients

In a small bowl, blend with a whisk the following wet ingredients:

• 1 cup (236.59 ml) of cashew or almond milk
• 3 tbsp almond or coconut yogurt
• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar or other vinegar
• 1/3 cup (66.67 g) maple or coconut sugar (a little more or less to preference)
• 1/4 cup safflower oil
• A pinch or so of vanilla powder, a packet of vanilla sugar or 1 tsp of vanilla extract
• a few drops of almond extract

In a separate larger bowl, combine with a whisk the following dry ingredients:

• 3/4 cup of light buckwheat or sorghum flour
• 1 ¼ cup of almond flour
• ⅓ cup of potato starch
• 1 tbsp Flaxseed meal ( finely ground flax seeds)
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• Grated zest of a lime, lemon, or orange

In a small bowl, integrate the following to make the streusel topping

• 1/4 cup (55 g) coconut sugar or brown sugar
• ¼ cup of buckwheat or sorghum flour
• 2 tbsp vegan butter softened

Directions

1. Blend the wet into the dry just enough to moisten the ingredients well.
2. Gently toss in 2 cups of fresh berries or other chopped fruit.
3. Pour batter into prepared baking form, preferably with a removable bottom
4. Sprinkle streusel topping across the top of the batter.
5. Bake at 400 deg F (204 C) for 16 mins, reduce temp to 375 (190 C), and bake for another 7 to 8 mins.
6. Cool for 15 mins. before removing the rim of the pan.  Allow another hour of cooling, if possible, before cutting to serve.
7. This tender cake is best fresh or stored in the fridge for a day or two if it lasts that long.

Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 2 young tender leeks, washed and chopped fine, omitting the tougher green ends
• 8 ounces of frozen or fresh-shelled peas 
• 2 TBL olive oil
  1 TBL vegan butter
• 8 threads of good quality saffron allowed to “bloom” for 10 minutes in a few tablespoons of boiling water (this saffron by Kiva) is exceptional.
• 3-4  cups of veggie stock (prepared by dissolving two bouillon cubes in boiling water)
  2 cups long grain Basmati rice, rinsed well until water runs clear and drained
• Salt and pepper to taste
  A handful of finely chopped fresh herbs to blend in at the end ( parsley, thyme, oregano, marjoram) 

Directions

1. Heat oils in a large, heavy skillet with a fitted lid. 
2. Add leek and saute over medium heat. 
3. When soft and translucent add rice, mixing to coat each grain well with oil. Sprinkle peas on top of the rice. 
4. With the heat on medium, add enough broth to cover the rice with ½ inch of liquid.  Add in the bloomed saffron at this time as well. Cover, and when the liquid simmers, and steam hits the top of the lid, turn off the heat. Remove the lid quickly, covering the pan with a cloth tea towel and replacing the lid to fit snuggly.  Allow the pan to sit undisturbed for 15-20 minutes, and the rice will continue cooking. Remove the lid, toss in the herbs, using a fork to integrate them. 
5. This family favorite recipe can accompany any selection of seasonal roasted vegetables, and the leftovers make a wonderful lunch the following day.

Enjoy!