Happy August, everyone!
We here in The Rough & Tumble have now entered our busiest week of the entire year, where we play 10 shows in 11 days in 5 different states. That’s right, 10 shows, 11 days, 5 big ol’ states-Minnesota, South Dakota, Wyoming, Kansas and Nebraska then back to South Dakota. We’re not crazy and neither are we!
Actually we’re looking forward to it because we’re playing such great shows as The Warming House in Minneapolis, the Sioux River Folk Festival, Auntie Mae’s Pickin’ Parlor in Manhattan, KS and Rhemsworld in Loomis, NE. Check out our tour dates and bring a friend! While busy schedules are great and keep gluten-free bread on the table, they can leave you feeling wiped out afterward if you’re not careful. We’ve learned that the key to playing such a busy schedule is to do your laundry beforehand and have some easy to make, easy to take meals at the ready.
Here’s a Kimchi concoction that is guaranteed to make you feel like you could take on whatever’s on your plate and even go for seconds. Do you still have the kimchi you made for last month’s Rumbly Tummy? If not, it’s really easy to make and only takes 3 days to ferment your own! If we can do it in a camper and not stink to high cabbage heaven all the time, so can you!
And then, add a heaping portion of it to this Kimchi Bowl— a dish that fills our bellies and makes us feel good, too. Getting a good picture of this dish may be difficult unless you are going to the trouble of food choreography. But as long as you aren't someone whose friends are dying to see your next food Instagram (let's be honest, though...) or a little folk band who is writing a monthly food blog, you should be in the clear. Or rather, even if you are a little folk band who is writing a monthly food blog, a good picture is likely not gonna happen. But like one happy camper and cook smartly said.
"Sometimes food just needs to be food so we can eat it, okay?"
That was Mallory. Just listen to her and eat it.
Quinoa Kimchi Bowl
Ingredients:
1/2 c quinoa
1 c kimchi
1 TBSP olive oil (smoked olive oil, if you have it) or coconut oil
1 extra large green onion, or half a small onion, diced
1 small carrot, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 c cauliflower (or broccoli), in extra small florets
1 large tomatillo (or 1 small tomato), diced
1/2 can kidney beans or adzuki beans
1 tsp cumin
1 TBSP tamari or aminos
1 tsp hot sauce, like Tapatio or another Mexican hot sauce
3 TBSP tahini
1 TBSP nutritional yeast
water
Salt & Pepper
green onions & sesame seeds for garnish
Instructions:
In a small pot, cook quinoa with 1 c water (bring to a boil without lid, reduce heat, then cover and simmer until fluffy— about 15-20 minutes). Fluff with a fork. Turn off heat, keep covered until you’re ready to serve.
While quinoa is cooking, in a small bowl, combine the tahini, nutritional yeast, and 3 TBSP water. Stir until it becomes a thick, creamy sauce. Add more water until desired thinness. Salt & Pepper to taste.
Heat a medium-large skillet on high. Add onion and carrot, stir until coated. Cover, reduce heat to medium/medium-high. Cook for 5 minutes covered.
Add garlic and cauliflower, stir until coated. Add a splash of water, stir, then cover for 3 minutes.
Add beans, tomatillos, & cumin. Stir. Add tamari & hot sauce, stir. Cover for a couple minutes longer until vegetables are thoroughly cooked.
To serve, place quinoa in the bottom of two bowls. Then add kimchi, then beans, top with sauce and sprinkle with garnish. And have everyone walking by your camper in the St. Paul neighborhood you’re parked in wondering what’s for dinner.
