My parents visited last week, and on their last night here I made a big vegan meal for everyone. Because of all the hype in the news about the possibility of radiation fumes reaching the West Coast, I decided to fix a meal with lots of seaweed… but a lot of Ashlanders had the same idea, so when I went to shop, most of the sea vegetables were sold out! I did find a few though, and I had some already, so I was able to make the recipes below…

As always, please, please, pretty please buy organic whenever possible… your body will thank you and our precious planet earth will thank you, too!

Light a candle and a stick of incense, if you like. Take a moment to tune in to your heart. Witness how you are feeling, and then intend to cook with love, even if you feel otherwise!

Aduki Beans (also spelled Adzuki Beans)
Soak 5 cups aduki beans overnight. In morning, drain and add fresh water, and then later drain and add fresh water again before cooking (about 15 cups water). While bringing the beans to a boil, begin chopping the vegetables, and add them as you chop them, in the following order:

1 medium yellow onion
1/3 cup raw ginger (or even more if you love ginger!)
15 shitake mushrooms
1 yam
5 garlic cloves
2-3 strips wakame seaweed
5 cups green kale, stems and leaves
3-4 carrots

Simmer all of the above until the beans have been cooking for about one hour. Then simmer for 30 minutes more with the following:

3 Tablespoons soy sauce
4 teaspoons sea salt
½ teaspoon black pepper, ground
3 Tablespoons cumin, ground
¼ cup brown sugar
2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar

Serve with brown rice and many toppings, such as: pickled ginger, fresh cilantro, raw kale, soy sauce, dulse (seaweed) flakes, miso, and gamazio, a traditional Japanese condiment of toasted and crushed sesame seeds – I toasted them in a pan with sea salt, and then ground them with a mortar and pestle. We also had some wasabi flavored nori snacks that were spicy and tasty!

Let me know how you like this recipe…

May all beings everywhere know Peace, within and without.

Om Shanti (Peace),

Yogini Tejaswini

See me in an interview about Peace with Yogi Pete here: Yogini-Bliss on YouTube

Photo of Teja stirring the aduki beans by Teja's son Gabe.