Adapted From The China Quick and Easy Cookbook by Del Sroufe 

One of the unhealthy things I inherited from my grandmother was her deep fryer— and I used to use it a lot, mostly to make buffalo wings. Now I want a healthier snack but I still love that hot spicy sauce—I just want it without the added oil, and I really don’t want the wings. Buffalo Cauliflower Bites do the trick! They are full of flavor and spice without all the bad stuff.

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

½ cup water 

¼ cup almond butter

½ cup red hot sauce, plus extra for tossing with the cooked bites 

¾ cup whole wheat pastry flour 

¼ cup nutritional yeast 

1½ Tbsp granulated garlic 

1 large head cauliflower, cut into 1-inch florets (about 6 cups)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. 
2. Combine the water, almond butter, ½ cup red hot sauce, whole wheat pastry flour, nutritional yeast, and garlic in a large bowl. Add the cauliflower florets and toss to coat well.
3. Place the coated florets on a nonstick baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown.
4. Toss with extra red hot sauce if desired.

https://chefdelsroufe.com/almost-instant-peanut-sauce/

• 1 large red onion, thinly sliced
• ½ cup water
• ½ cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 jalapeno pepper, minced
• 1½ Tbsp maple syrup , optional
• 1 tsp sea salt

1. Place the sliced onions into a large mason jar or other glass storage container with a tight fitting lid.
2. Combine the water, vinegar, jalapeno pepper, maple syrup, and sea salt in a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, then pour it into the jar over the onions.
3. Let the pickled onions cool to room temperature , about 30 minutes.
4. Store refrigerated for up to 1 week.

Adapted from The China Study Quick and Easy Cookbook, by Del Sroufe

The ginger and cayenne give this sauce a flavorful kick, and it takes only 5 minutes to make. The original recipe calls for full fat peanut butter, so I can only eat it on occasion. But by making it with peanut butter powder instead, which has much of the fat removed, I can eat this sauce as often as I want. 

Yield: 1 cup

Ingredients

½ cup peanut butter powder

¼ cup water, more as needed

¼ cup low-sodium tamari 

2 Tbsp rice vinegar 

¼ cup maple syrup, or Two-Minute Date Paste (see recipe) 

¾ tsp ground ginger

¼ tsp cayenne pepper (optional)

How to Make It

1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and whisk well to combine. 
2. Store refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 7 days.

Sukiyaki

Serves 4

Sukiyaki is a Japanese soup or stew usually made with meat, vegetables, and a broth made of soy sauce, mirin (a Japanese rice wine used in cooking), and sugar. I make it with brown rice noodles (though udon or soba are often used). It is one of my favorite noodle dishes and comes together quickly once all the ingredients are assembled. Most of the ingredients for this dish can be found in traditional grocery stores, though I sometimes have to go to my co-op or local natural foods store to find seitan.

• 8 ounces brown rice spaghetti
  1 leek, white part only, washed and thinly sliced on the diagonal
  2 cups shiitake mushrooms, stems removed
  3 cups mushroom or vegetable stock or Basic Soup Stock (page 146)
  1 8-ounce package traditional-style seitan, thinly sliced
  2 tablespoons brown rice syrup or agave nectar
  1/4 cup sake
  2 tablespoons mirin
  1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce or tamari
  1 bunch fresh spinach, coarsely chopped

1. Cook the pasta according to package instructions.
2. Drain and set aside.
3. Sauté the leek and mushrooms in a large skillet over medium-high heat for 5 minutes.
4. Add water 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time to keep the vegetables from sticking.
5. Add the stock, seitan, syrup or agave nectar, sake, mirin, and soy sauce to the vegetables and mix well.
6. Bring the mixture to a boil and add the spinach and noodles.

Quesadillas

Quesadillas are simply corn or wheat tortillas filled with cheese and sometimes vegetables. If you keep Cheese Sauce (See recipe below) on hand and salsa in the fridge, you can serve this easy meal to your family in minutes—or let them make it for themselves.

Serves 6

• 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 1 large green bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
• 8 ounces button mushrooms, sliced
• Sea salt and black pepper
• 1 recipe Cheese Sauce (recipe below)
• 6 large whole-grain tortillas
• Favorite salsa

1. Sauté the onion, bell pepper, and mushrooms in a large saucepan over medium heat until the onion turns translucent and starts to brown, about 8 minutes. Add water 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time to keep the vegetables from sticking.
2. Season the vegetables with sea salt and black pepper to taste. Stir in the cheese sauce and cook until heated through. Set aside.
3. Heat a large skillet over medium heat for a minute. Place a tortilla on your work surface and spoon on one-third of the vegetable mixture, then place another tortilla on top of it. Transfer the quesadilla to the skillet and heat until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Carefully turn the quesadilla over and brown the other side. Repeat with the remaining tortillas and vegetables.
4. To serve, cut each quesadilla into 6 wedges and serve with the salsa and sour cream.

Potato Soup

From The China Study Family Cookbook

Serves 6 to 8

• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 2 large carrots, peeled and diced
• 3 celery stalks, diced
• 8 ounces button mushrooms, sliced (optional)
• 6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
• 2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and diced
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh dill, plus more for garnish
• 1 tablespoon dried basil (if using mushrooms)
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 cups Cheese Sauce, or 2 cups unsweetened plant milk mixed with 2
• tablespoons arrowroot powder
• Sea salt and black pepper

1. Sauté the onion, carrots, celery, and mushrooms (if using) in a large saucepan over medium heat until the onion turns translucent and starts to brown, about 8 minutes. Add water 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time to keep the vegetables from sticking.
2. Add the vegetable broth, potatoes, dill, basil, and thyme. Cover and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.
3. Add the cheese sauce, season with sea salt and black pepper to taste, and cook another for 5 minutes.
4. To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and garnish each serving with additional fresh dill.