Miso Soup, Veggie Maki, Salad, Apple-Peanut Butter Maki, and Cracker Jacks

Dinner 10/22 by Amy and Juan



• Miso Soup

• Veggie Maki

• Salad

• Apple-Peanut Butter Maki with Caramel Sauce

• Cracker Jacks

I wanted tonight's dinner to be simple, but instead I got a little carried away. The miso soup was made with onions, garlic, powdered ginger sautéed in a little oil and then I added water, cabbage, carrots, and lakota squash from our garden (which boiled into something wonderfully creamy). At the table, I had a small bowl of miso mixed with broth that people could add to their personal tastes along with some wakame and nori squares. I also put out a little sesame oil that helped add to the richness of the soup and complimented the nori's flavor.

The nori maki was sweet red peppers and carrots from our garden. Ironweed's salad was jazzed up with sliced almonds and marinated artichoke hearts — both a gift from Rachel's parents during their last visit with us.

The apple-peanut butter maki was my foray into dessert sushi. Since I was afraid that the apples wouldn't be sweet enough on their own, Juan put together a caramel sauce made with brown rice syrup, cinnamon, vanilla and a little soy sauce. I had suggested salt, but he figured the soy sauce would go well with the nori and he was right! It was a delicious sauce and definitely a dessert I would make again.

Dan was talking about sweet popcorn at lunch today, so I felt inspired to make some cracker jacks. The recipe came from Aveline Kushi's "Introduction to Macrobiotics" cookbook. It's very simple — just mix equal parts brown rice syrup and barley malt and heat until runny. Then mix with popcorn and bake for a few minutes. It hardens as it cools. Surprisingly, this tasted just like I remember the cracker jacks of my childhood tasting!