Stir Fry Sauce

This went into a stir fry of frozen edamame and peas, fresh broccoli and green beans, served over brown rice.

1/2 cup water or veg broth
3 tablespoons tamari
1 teaspoon cornstarch dissolved in 1 tablespoon water
1/2 teaspoon Mirin
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon sunflower oil
3 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic, crushed and minced
1 shallot, diced

In a small bowl, combine the water/stock with the tamari, cornstarch slurry, vinegar and sesame oil.
In a medium saucepan, heat the sunflower oil until shimmering. Add the ginger, garlic and shallot and cook over high heat, stirring, until fragrant and golden. Add the frozen veg, if using. Allow to cook, stirring occasionally, for a few minutes. Add the stock mixture and boil over high heat until thickened and glossy, about 1 minute. Add fresh vegetables and stir fry a few more minutes until al dente.

Juicer Sweetbread

Now that we are juicing we have a steady supply of fruit and vegetable pulp that V, who I think has internalized my distain for wasting food, does not like to see thrown out. Perhaps this will turn us into composters at long last, but in the meantime I decided to make a "sweet bread" out of the leftover bits.

2 cups (270 grams) fruit/veg pulp from juicer (for example, I had a mixture of carrot, apple, beet and ginger)
2 cups (260 grams) spelt flour
3/4 cup honey
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon (3.5 grams) salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 cup coconut (sweetened or unsweetened) (optional)
3 large eggs
3/4 cup (180 ml) sunflower oil
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven. Place paper liners in 12 muffin cups.

In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and ground cinnamon. Stir in the coconut if using. Set aside.

In a separate bowl whisk together the eggs, oil, honey and vanilla extract. Fold the wet ingredients, along with the fruit and veg pulp, into the flour mixture, stirring just until moistened. Evenly divide the batter between the prepared muffin cups and bake for 20 - 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. (If making into one loaf in a loaf pan, cooking time is 45-55 minutes.)

Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack. After about 10 minutes remove the muffins from the pans and cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.

Makes 12 standard-sized muffins.