Recipe: Veggie Dumplings

These dumplings were a major hit. I even got a "I don't even miss the meat!" comment. This is very rare.

I used a recipe from GP's It's All Good cookbook as a jumping-off point, but made some modifications to up the veggie factor, and eliminate some of the soy. I try to use only whole-soy products in moderation. I stay away from processed soy products for the most part due to the high likelihood that they contain GMO's and the common critique that when processed, soy's high estrogen content is linked to hormonal imbalances and other serious health issues. For these reasons I swapped the tofu for mushrooms, and make sure to use organic, gluten-free, whole-soy sauce.

Veggie Dumplings

1/2 small yellow onion, finely diced
1 garlic clove, finely diced
1 1/2 cups finely shredded green cabbage
1/2 cup finely diced crimini mushrooms
1/2 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup cooked quinoa
1/2 cup finely diced kale
1 Tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
approx. 30 square dumpling wrappers (usually found in the refrigerated section of the grocery store, or make your own!)

**please use organic ingredients if possible!**

Heat 2 tablespoons of neutral oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Add onion, garlic, cabbage, and mushrooms with a big pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened and are just beginning to brown, 5-6 minutes. Stir in the peas, quinoa, and kale and cook until peas are soft and the kale has wilted, 2-3 minutes. Turn off the heat and add the sesame oil and soy sauce. Use a potato masher to crush the mixture up until it begins to hold together. Let cool.

Now this part is easy, but can be time consuming, so enlist a helper or two {my helper was very enthusiastic, let me tell you} Lay a few dumpling wrappers on a flat, dry surface, and put 1 tablespoon of the filling mixture in the middle of each wrapper. Dip your finger into a bowl of water and use it to "paint" the edges of each dumpling. Bring the edges together to form a little pyramid. Be sure all the edges are sealed tightly.

 Don't you just love the shadows in my kitchen?

Aren't they cute?

There are a few options for cooking the dumplings. You can steam them in a bamboo steamer over a pot of boiling water for 4 minutes. Or, you can pan-fry them over high heat until they are golden brown, then add 1/4 cup water to the pan, and cover with a lid until they are cooked through, 2 more minutes. My favorite way to cook them is to simply pan-fry them over medium high heat. This creates a crispy exterior that everyone at my dinner table was fighting over.

Serve with a simple Dipping Sauce.

3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons water
juice from 1/2 of a lemon
1 teaspoon sesame oil

Mix together in a small bowl and serve with dumplings.

Enjoy!