RECIPE | VEGETABLE DUMPLINGS

Golden crispy dumplings are one of my favourite foods of all times. These vegetable dumplings are filled with mushrooms and a variety of other vegetables. In this recipe, I use non-GMO sesame and avocado oil by Chosen Foods. Avocado Oil can withstand high-heat cooking and it's fairly scentless so it's perfect for frying. Since these are meatless dumplings, the cook time is quick and the filling is already precooked. That's the wonderful thing about plant-based dishes, the cook time and grocery bills are reduced by a significant amount. There's also less concern about cooking a meal through to kill bacteria, like E Coli or Salmonella found in raw meat.

As my husband and I move more towards a meatless diet, we are really loving the advantages of it and we don't feel like we are missing out. Our energy levels are higher, we experience less digestive issues and the best part is I don't have to exercise as hard to work off the calories saving me time! If you guys ever have a chance to watch this educational documentary called Food Choices (available on Netflix), I highly recommend it. It discusses whether humans really need to be eating animal based products and how it affects our health in a harmful way. Experts with PhD backgrounds provide their scientific explanations and proof from previous studies, especially if you're a skeptic. When I was younger, I thought we need to eat meat, consume dairy and eggs to receive protein but as I do my own research from a variety of educational sources, I'm learning that what we have been told is actually causing us to become ill. One example are the Got Milk ads we used to see on TV heavily promoted by celebrities with the infamous milk moustache. The documentary discusses how mother cows produce milk to feed their calves to grow at a faster speed so they can outrun their predators in the wild. Calves are later weaned off that milk because they no longer need similar to humans. So is milk essential to our diet especially when we can receive the same nutrients from other plant based foods? Cow milk is filled with a high amount of growth hormones and many other elements linked to many illnesses such as Prostate Cancer, Ovarian Cancer, Type 1 Diabetes and more. If you'd like a detailed article on that please click here. So why are humans encouraged to drink at least 3-4 glasses a milk per day? In short, the Got Milk ads and the suggested amount of dairy servings in the Food Guide are funded by the government in efforts to help dairy producers sell milk and stay in business. By selling more milk this makes politicians rich. If you'd like to understand this better, click here for a great video summarizing how the government helps the dairy industry sell milk in the US. With this said, I strongly encourage you to do your own research about the foods you eat, why you eat them and how it affects your body. Don't simply rely on what you're being told to do because there is possibility it could be incorrect.

YIELDS ABOUT 45 PIECES | PREP TIME 1 HOUR | COOK TIME 5-6 MINUTES

• 1.5 cups of shiitake mushroom diced (stems removed)
• 1/2 cup of white cabbage shredded
• 1 cup of white onion finely chopped
• 1 cup of carrot shredded
• 1 cup of Chinese chives (or garlic chives) finely chopped. Tip: freeze the remainder for later usage
• 1 package or about 45 dumpling wrappers
• 4 tbsp of light sodium soy sauce
• 1 tsp of sesame oil
• 1 tbsp of rice wine
• 1 tsp of black pepper
• 1 tsp of salt
• 1 tsp of cane sugar
• 1 tsp of corn starch
• 1/8 tsp of ginger powder
• Avocado Oil for cooking vegetables and frying dumplings

1. In a large skillet heat 1 tbsp of avocado oil on medium heat. Fry onions until translucent, about 2 minutes.
2. Add remaining vegetables and fry for 2-3 minutes. Then add in soy sauce, sesame oil, rice wine and combine well.
3. Season with ginger powder, pepper, salt, cane sugar and mix well. Lastly add the corn starch and combine, this will thicken your mixture. Fry for another 2 minutes.
4. Remove off stove and let it cool.

Time to Wrap

Required: 1/2 tbsp measuring spoon and bowl of water

1. Fill dumpling wrappers with 1/2 tbsp of vegetable filling. Lightly dab water on the edges of the wrapper. Seal the dumpling with your fingers.

Time to Cook Dumplings

1. On a large skillet set on medium - high heat, add 1-2 tbsp of avocado oil. Lower the heat to medium.
2. Add your dumplings, do not overcrowd the pan. Fry on each side for 1 minute or until golden brown.
3. Serve with red vinegar or sauce of your choice.

Tip: Freeze dumplings in a Tupperware container. Give each dumpling space to allow it to freeze without sticking to one another.