LEMON CHIFFON CAKE

Black Bean Burgers

2016-11-16T23:16:00.000-08:00

Black Bean Burgers

Two 14.5-ounce cans 50% less sodium black beans
1 cup finely-ground oats (3.8 ounces)*
1/4 cup finely chopped red onions (1.4 ounces)
2 stalks green onions, finely chopped (1 ounce)
1 large jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped (1.7 ounces)
1/4 cup chopped cilantro (0.4 ounce)
1 large egg, slightly beaten (about 1.8 to 1.9 ounces)
1 tablespoon chili powder (blend) or ground ancho or chipotle chili powder
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1-1/4 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon Mexican oregano, crushed
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon hot sauce (optional)

*To make your own finely-ground oats, place rolled or quick-cooking oats in your food processor. Process until finely grind (flour).

Place beans in a colander to drain well, but do not rinse. Transfer beans to a very large mixing bowl. Using a potato masher, mash the beans until they are mostly mashed, but still have some whole beans visible.

Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well until thoroughly combined.

Shape into four patties, about 3/4-inch thickness, weighing approximately 7.5 ounces per patty. Place patties on waxed paper or parchment paper. Cover and refrigerate until ready to cook.

Heat a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat (7.0 on induction cook top). When pan is very hot, add 1-2 tablespoons coconut oil or olive oil to the pan (you can use 50% olive oil and 50% butter, if desire). Place bean patties in the skillet and cook the first side for 5 minutes. Turn each patty over and cook the second side for additional 5 minutes. If you like, you can add a slice of cheese during the last minute of cooking. (I like to turn off the heat and place the cheese slices on top, cover and let residual heat melt them enough for the corners of the cheese to drape over the edge.)

You can serve the patties as a burger on 100% whole-wheat buns with Vegenaise (or mayonnaise), Dijon mustard, Mexican Cabbage Slaw, Pickled Red Onions, pickled jalapeno peppers, avocado slices (or guacamole) or simply do traditional burger style with Vegenaise (or mayonnaise), ketchup, mustard, lettuce, onions, pickles and tomatoes,

Yield 4 patties

Homemade Toasted Garlic Infused Olive Oil

2016-05-12T07:01:00.000-07:00

Homemade Toasted Garlic Infused Olive Oil

10 large cloves garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped (2.0 ounces or 57g )
1 cup extra light olive oil (7.2 ounces or 204g)
1 to 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes or to taste

In a small skillet, combine garlic and olive oil.

Place over medium-low heat (4.0 to 3.0 on induction cook top) and heat until oil starts to bubble, about 7 minutes.

Continue to cook on medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until garlic turns to a light golden brown (approximately 8 to 10 additional minutes). During the last 2 minutes of cooking, you may want to stand by the stove because the garlic will become brown very quickly. Do not let garlic become too dark or burn (garlic will continue to toast while the hot oil is cooling). Make sure you are stirring frequently, especially during the last 2 minutes of cooking.

Add the red pepper flakes. Immediately remove from heat and let cool for about 1 hour.

When oil is cooled, transfer to a small jar and keep at room temperature for about 3 months.

The garlic pieces are completely cooked and toasty. When you bite into the bits of garlic, it is crispy and garlicky delicious. The garlic will continue to stay crispy for the entire length of time the oil is stored. I used this garlic oil with steamed spinach, steamed petite peas, roasted vegetables, soba noodles, pasta, potatoes, etc. I like to sprinkle the toasted garlic chips over baked pizza. When using the oil, make sure you include some bits of toasted garlic. Makes great dipping oil: just mix a small amount with some balsamic vinegar, pinch of mixed dried herbs, several julienne slices of sun-dried tomatoes (packed in olive oil). Dip crusty French bread with this oil. So good!

Yield 1 cup

Banana-Peanut Butter-Dark Chocolate Milkshake

2016-05-04T09:00:00.000-07:00

BANANA-PEANUT BUTTER-DARK CHOCOLATE SMOOTHIE

Adapted from The Kitchn

DELICIOUS and HEALTHY to enjoy this smoothie as a BREAKFAST SMOOTHIE. The first time I made this, I forgot to add the vanilla extract and this smoothie still tasted delicious without it. I added a tablespoon of crushed ice so I can achieve a thicker "smoothie" consistency. NO SWEETENER ADDED!

1 large FROZEN sliced banana (170g)
1/2 cup carton UNSWEETENED coconut milk or any type of milk of choice (113g)
1 tablespoon natural peanut butter or almond butter (14g)
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
1 to 1-1/2 tablespoons crushed ice (7g to 10g)
2 tablespoons chopped Trader Joe's 72% Cacao Dark Chocolate or your choice (11g)

Combine all ingredients, except the dark chocolate, into the container of a blender. Blend until smooth. Use the blender tamper to push and stir if you need to.

Add the dark chocolate and blend just until finely chopped and incorporated. Ready to serve.

Yield approximately 11 ounces, 345 calories

2016-02-02T23:30:00.001-08:00

The Best Lasagna Ever

Adapted from Pioneer Woman

This lasagna is The Best Lasagna Ever. The meat sauce is thick, not saucy and runny. It's easy to cut and serve. Each piece holds its shape and stands tall on the plate. There is nothing fancy or upscale about this lasagna. This is just a traditional lasagna recipe, but I love EVERYTHING about this lasagna. Even the cottage cheese layers.

1-1/2 pounds ground turkey

1 pound turkey or chicken sweet Italian sausages, casings removed
Half of a medium-size onion, finely chopped (133g)
2 large cloves garlic, finely minced (11g)
2 tablespoons dried parsley
1 tablespoon dried basil
2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon ground fennel
1 teaspoon salt (5g)
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon organic natural cane sugar (9g)
One 28-ounce can unsalted whole and peeled plum tomatoes, hand-crushed
Two 6-ounce cans tomato paste
One 8-ounce can tomato sauce
3 cups small curd cottage cheese (680g)

2 large eggs, beaten (104g)
1/2 cup finely grated (not shredded) Parmesan cheese (57g)
2 tablespoons dried parsley
2 tablespoons basil pesto sauce (20g)
1 teaspoon salt (5g)

1 pound shredded Mozzarella cheese
1-1/4 boxes (13.25-ounce) Barilla brand 100% whole-grain lasagne, about 19 noodles

Meat Sauce
Heat a large deep skillet or large stock pot over high heat until hot. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to the pan and swirl pan to coat the bottom. Add the ground turkey and sausages. Continue to cook the ground turkey and sausages over high to medium-high heat (high to 7.0 on induction), stirring frequently and breaking up meat ( I like to use a bench scraper to break up the meat and scrape off the brown bits from bottom of the pan). When meat is browned, transfer the meat to a colander and set aside.

Using the same pan, add more olive oil. Add the onions and saute onions over medium high heat (8.0 to 7.0 on induction) until soft and starting to turn brown. Add the garlic, the 2 tablespoons parsley, basil, Italian seasoning, fennel, salt, pepper and sugar. Continue to saute until garlic is fragrant. Add the meat back into the pan and continue to cook for another minute, stirring frequently. Add the hand-crushed tomatoes, tomato paste and tomato sauce. When mixture becomes bubbly, reduce heat to medium-low (4.0 to 2.4 on induction) to simmer, covered, for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

Cottage Cheese Mixture
In a medium-size bowl, mix the cottage cheese, beaten eggs, Parmesan cheese, the 2 tablespoons parsley, pesto and salt with a fork until well combined. Set aside in the refrigerator until needed.

Lasagna Noodles
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the lasagna noodles and continue to cook, uncover, for 7 minutes. Drain noodles and rinse in cold water. Drain well and set aside until needed.

Assembling the Lasagna
Spray a large baking pan (Le Creuset 5-1/2 quart size, about 15-3/4-inch by 10-3/4-inch by 2-2/3-inch), with nonstick cooking spray. This is the OCD in me: I like to use a kitchen shear to cut a few noodles to size to cover all spaces. 1st layer: Arrange lasagna noodles to cover the bottom of the baking pan (about 3-1/2 noodles). Spread 1/3 of the meat sauce (730g) and top with 1/5 of the mozzarella cheese (90g). 2nd layer: Arrange lasagna noodles (about 3-1/2 noodles) to cover the meat sauce layer. Spread half of the cottage cheese mixture (427g) and top with 1/5 of the mozzarella cheese (90g). 3rd layer: Arrange lasagna noodles (about 4 noodles) to cover the cottage cheese layer. Spread another 1/3 of the meat sauce (730g) and top with 1/5 of the mozzarella cheese (90g). 4th layer: Arrange lasagna noodles (about 4 noodles) to cover the meat sauce layer. Spread the remainder of the cottage cheese mixture and top with 1/5 of the mozzarella cheese (90g). 5th layer: Arrange lasagna noodles (about 4 noodles) to cover the cottage cheese layer. Spread remainder of the meat sauce and top with remainder of the mozzarella cheese. Either proceed with baking or cover the lasagna with plastic wrap and refrigerate up to two days.

Baking the Lasagna
Preheat oven at 350 degrees and position oven rack to the center of the oven.

If baking the lasagna immediately after assembly, cover lasagna loosely with aluminum foil. Bake for 30 minutes.Let lasagna rest for about 10 minutes before serving.

If lasagna have been refrigerated, bake lasagna for 1 hour and 20 minutes, loosely covered with aluminum foil. Let lasagna rest for abpoit 10 minutes before serving.

Yield 12 servings

2016-01-30T11:50:00.000-08:00

Ovenight Oatmeal

Adapted from delish.com

4 cups water (32 ounces, 907g)
1 cup carton unsweetened coconut milk or milk of choice (8 ounces, 227g)
2 tablespoons coconut oil or butter (28g)
2 tablespoons maple syrup (17g)
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1-1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 cups steel-cut oats (232g)
2 large apples, peeled, cored and cut into 1/2-inch size pieces (669g purchase weight)**

**Can use pears instead of apples or both apples and pears.

Generously grease a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray if you do not have a nonstick insert.

Add water, coconut milk, coconut oil, maple syrup, vanilla, cinnamon, cardamom and salt to the slow cooker. Stir in the oats and apples. Cook, covered, on low setting for 7 hours or until apples are broken down and the oats are tender,

Turn off slow cooker. Gently stir oatmeal and let rest for 10 minutes in the slow cooker.

Spoon oatmeal into bowls. If desired, top oatmeal with toasted nuts, coconut palm sugar or maple syrup, and carton unsweetened coconut milk or milk of choice.

Yield 4 to 6 servings

Lemon Ricotta Muffins

2016-01-27T10:03:00.000-08:00

Lemon Ricotta Muffin

Adapted from Cooking Light Magazine

These muffins are delicious. They are tender, moist, and lemony! These muffins are not only perfect for breakfast, but are also great with afternoon tea or Masala Chai. Since I don't normally line my muffin cups with paper liners, I am only able to bake up 9 muffins from this recipe. Recipe can be doubled to get 18 muffins.

Lemon Ricotta Muffins

7.9 ounces (224g) WHITE whole wheat flour (about 1-3/4 cups)

2/3 cup organic natural cane sugar (130g)

2-1/2 teaspoons baking powder (11g)

1/4 teaspoons salt

3/4 cup whole milk ricotta cheese (170g)

1/2 cup water (113g)

1/4 cup EXTRA LIGHT olive oil or expeller-pressed canola oil (48g)

Grated lemon zest from 1 large lemon (4g)

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (28g)

1 extra large egg, lightly beaten (57g)
1/2 teaspoon lemon oil OR 1 teaspoon lemon extract

1 tablespoon turbinado sugar (10g)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Position oven rack to the center of the oven. Spray 9 standard-size muffin cups with nonstick baking spray. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, natural cane sugar, baking powder and salt. Stir well with a wire whisk. Set aside.

In a medium-size mixing bowl, combine the ricotta cheese and water. Using a fork, smash up the ricotta cheese and the water until combined. Add the olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, egg and lemon oil or extract. Using a wire whisk, whisk everything together until thoroughly combined.

Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Add the entire ricotta cheese mixture. Using a pastry fork or a wire whisk, gently stir-fold the flour mixture with the ricotta cheese mixture just until the dry ingredients are moistened. The batter will be thick. Divide batter among 9 muffin cups. Sprinkle generously with turbinado sugar.

Bake for 18 minutes or until tops are lightly browned and a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes in the pan and transfer muffins to a wire rack to cook completely.

Best to store muffins in an airtight container and place in the refrigerator. The muffins will become more moist as it sits out at room temperature of more than one day.

Yield 9 muffins

Blueberry Coffeecake with Almond Streusel

2015-05-27T12:44:00.004-07:00

Blueberry Coffeecake with Almond Streusel
Adapted from Cooking Light Magazine

This blueberry coffeecake is moist, fluffy and light, with a burst of blueberry goodness, bright lemony flavor and a hint of cinnamon spice. This coffeecake tastes amazing and is perfect for breakfast or afternoon tea.

2 cups WHITE whole-wheat flour (9 ounces)
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups fresh blueberries (11 ounces)

1/3 cup coconut palm sugar (1.7 ounces) or packed brown sugar (2.6 ounces)

1/4 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (1.2 ounces)
2 tablespoons sliced almonds, walnuts or pecans, UNtoasted (0.6 ounce)
1 tablespoon WHITE whole-wheat flour (0.3 ounce)
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons coconut oil or butter, melted (1 ounce)

3/4 cup organic cane sugar (5.2 ounces)
1/4 cup coconut oil or butter, softened (2 ounces)
2 tablespoons EXTRA LIGHT olive oil (0.6 ounce)
1 large egg (1.8 to 1.9 ounces)
1 cup buttermilk (8 ounces)
2 to 3 teaspoons grated lemon zest (1 lemon)
1 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (0.5 ounce)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Position oven rack to the center of the oven. Spray a 9-inch by 9-inch baking pan with nonstick baking spray. Set aside.

Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium-size mixing bowl. Stir together with a wire whisk until thoroughly blended. Set aside.

Place blueberries in a separate small bowl. Measure out 2 tablespoons of the flour mixture and toss it with the blueberries. Set aside.

In another separate small bowl, combine the coconut palm sugar, oats, almonds, pastry flour and cinnamon. Toss with a fork to combine. Add the 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil and toss with a fork until thoroughly combined. Set aside. This mixture will be for the topping.

Place organic cane sugar, softened 1/4 cup coconut oil and olive oil in the bowl of a stand mixer. With the paddle attachment, mix on medium speed (speed 4) until blended, scraping down sides of bowl halfway of mixing, about 2 minutes. Add egg and beat until mixture is well combined on speed 4. Mixture will become creamy. Add flour mixture alternating with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture, mix on low speed (speed 1) after each addition just until combined. (I do this in 5 additions: 1 large scoop flour mixture, mix just until combined; next add 1/4 cup buttermilk, mix just until combined; repeat alternating flour and buttermilk 3 more times; and lastly, the last scoop of flour mixture, mix just until combined.) Add the lemon zest and lemon juice and mix on speed 1 just until combined.

Spoon half of the cake batter into prepared baking pan.Spread batter with an offset spatula out to the edge of the pan. Sprinkle evenly with 1 cup of the blueberries. Spoon remaining cake batter over blueberries and spread batter with an offset spatula to the edge of the pan. Sprinkle evenly the remaining blueberries. Toss excess flour from the blueberries with the brown sugar topping mixture. Sprinkle the brown sugar mixture evenly over the blueberries. Bake for 45 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes on a wire rack. Remove cake from pan and cool completely on a wire rack. Cut into 12 slices.

Yield 12 slices

2015-04-28T10:01:00.000-07:00

Quick Oat Ban and Banana Muffins
Adapted from Bon Appetit Magazine

These muffins are wholesome, moist, light, tender and delicious on the day it is baked, but even more fantastic the next day.

1-1/4 cups WHITE whole-wheat flour (166g)
1 cup oat bran (107g)
1/2 cup organic cane sugar (95g)
1 tablespoon baking powder (15g)
1/2 teaspoon salt (3g)
2 extra-large eggs (112g to 114g)
3/4 cup whole milk OR unsweetened carton coconut milk (170g)
1/4 cup melted coconut oil (57g)
1 teaspoon pure banana extract or pure vanilla extract (2g)
2 medium-size riped bananas, cut vertically in fourths or sixths, then slice horizontally into chunks (282g to 286g)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans, toasted (57g)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans, UNtoasted (57g)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Position oven rack to the center of the oven. Spray a standard muffin pan with nonstick baking spray or line with paper liners. Set aside.

In a very large mixing bowl, combine the whole-wheat flour, oat bran, sugar, baking powder and salt. Stir well with a wire whisk until thoroughly combined. Make a well in the center with a rubber spatula and set aside.

In a separate small mixing bowl, beat the eggs with a wire whisk. Add the milk and whisk together until blended. Add the coconut oil and vanilla. Whisk together until blended.

Add the milk mixture to the flour mixture. Using a pastry fork or rubber spatula, stir/fold ingredients until most of the flour mixture is moistened. Add banana chunks and the 1/2 cup of toasted nuts. Using rubber spatula to fold everything together just until combined, but do not overmix.

Divide batter into 12 muffin cups. Sprinkle tops with the remaining 1/2 cup of UNtoasted nuts. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool in the pan for about 5 to 10 minutes.

Remove from muffins from pan to a wire rack to cool completely.

Store muffins in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator. Next day, warm muffins in the microwave for 15 seconds or eaten at room temperature.

Yield 12 muffins

Whole-Wheat Dark Chocolate Muffins

2015-04-22T10:04:00.001-07:00

Whole-Wheat Dark Chocolate Muffins

These muffins were adapted from a Chocolate Buttermilk Bread recipe I found on Pinterest. Because I substituted the all-purpose flour for whole-wheat flour, the bread did not bake up well. The batter was quite thick and the very center of the bread was a bit raw after baking. The texture of the bread was quite dense, but it tasted delicious and very chocolaty. My second attempt, I made some modifications to the recipe. After 20 minutes of baking, the batter was starting to overflow out of the loaf pan. I immediately removed the pan from the oven and transfer the batter to a muffin pan. Not knowing what will be the outcome of this, I did end up with delicious and not-so-appealing-looking muffins. My third attempt, I decided to just bake the bread off as muffins. The muffins does not have a high dome which I was not able to achieve, but it is moist, chocolaty, and delicious. I like to warm these muffins in the microwave for 15 seconds so the chocolate chips are almost melting when you bite into it. Even if you don't, these muffins will still be delicious eaten at room temperature.

1-1/2 cups WHITE whole-wheat flour (7.1 ounces)
1 cup organic natural cane sugar (7.4 ounces)
3/4 cup Hershey's brand Special Dark Cocoa (2.5 ounces)
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (6.6 ounces)
1 large egg (about 1.8 to 1.9 ounces)
1-1/4 cup buttermilk (9 ounces)
1/2 cup Greek yogurt (4 ounces)
1/2 cup EXTRA LIGHT Olive Oil (3.4 ounces)
1 tablespoon Nescafe brand Clasico Dark Roast Instant Coffee
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Position twp oven racks to the upper third and lower third of the oven.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the whole-wheat flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt and stir well with a wire whisk until blended. Toss in the chocolate chips with a rubber spatula and make a well in the center. Set aside.

In a separate small mixing bowl, lightly beat the egg with a wire whisk. Add the buttermilk to the beaten egg and whisk together until blended. Add the olive oil to the egg mixture and whisk together until blended. Lastly, add the instant coffee and vanilla. Whisk together until blended.

Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture. Using a pastry fork or wire whisk, stir/fold in ingredients until all mixture are moistened. Switch to a rubber spatula to complete folding all ingredients until blended, but not to overmix.

Divide batter into 15 muffin cups lined with paper liners or sprayed with nonstick baking spray. Bake for 30 minutes. Let muffins cool in the pan for about 5 minutes and turn them out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Keep muffins in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Warm muffins in the microwave for 15 seconds or let it sit out at room temperature.

Yield 15 muffins

Spicy Corn and Chicken Chili

2014-12-16T09:30:00.000-08:00

Spicy Corn and Chicken Chili

This recipe is adapted from Whole Foods Market. This recipe is already doubled so this recipe will make a very large quantity. This chili is different from the traditional meat chili with beans. It is made with ground chicken, but most of the time I like to use ground lean turkey. It has a lot of corn instead of beans which makes this chili so delicious in flavor and texture. The spices and chipotlle salsa gives this chili a nice smoky flavor and kick. This chili is very thick, hearty, spicy and comforting. The spiciness can be adjusted to your own taste by adding more or less canned chipotle pepper in adobo sauce. The corn adds a little sweetness to the chili and I love the chewy texture of the corn.

2 large onions, finely chopped (about 1:6.3 to 1:7.8 pounds)
5 cloves garlic, minced (0.8 ounce)
1/4 cup ground ancho chili powder (0.8 ounce)
4 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 to 2 canned chipotle chili in adobo sauce (0.5 to 1.0 ounce), finely minced OR 1 teaspoon ground chipotle powder
2 pounds ground chicken OR two 1.25-pound packages ground lean turkey
One 28-ounce can no-salt plum tomatoes, hand crushed
One 14-ounce can Swanson brand 33% less sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup cold water
One 16-ounce jar Marcela Valladolid brand Fire-Roasted Chipotle Salsa (Safeway)
One 16-ounce package frozen roasted yellow corn
One 16-ounce package frozen white corn
2-1/4 teaspoons salt
2/3 cup chopped cilantro (1.0 ounce)

Heat a large pot over high heat until hot. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil and add the ground chicken/turkey. Cook, stirring and breaking up the meat, until browned. Transfer the chicken/turkey to a colander to drain and set aside.

Return same pot to the stove. Lower temperature to medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons olive oil to the pot. When hot, add the onions and garlic. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until onions are lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the chili powder, oregano, cumin, coriander, and chipotle chili. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.

Add the ground chicken/turkey and continue to cook, stirring constantly, for a few seconds. Add tomatoes, salsa, chicken broth, water, both kinds of corn and salt. Increase heat to high to bring chili to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer. Cover pot and continue to cook for about 25 minutes, stirring often. Remove from heat and stir in cilantro. Serve with corn tortilla, fresh diced avocado, and cilantro.

Yields 8 to 10 servings

Baby Kale Saute

2014-07-25T04:32:00.002-07:00

Baby Kale Saute

3 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced (about 0.6 ounce)
1 large shallot, thinly sliced (about 2.2 ounces)
1-1/2 pounds baby kale

3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1-1/2 tablespoons sherry or red wine vinegar

Heat a 12-inch deep skillet or large dutch oven over medium-high heat (8.0 on induction cook top). When skillet is hot, add 2 tablespoons olive oil and swirl around bottom of pan. Add the garlic and shallots to the pan and cook until garlic and shallots are beginning to brown.

Taylor Farms brand 1.5-pound package Organic Baby Kale can be purchase at Costco.

Working in batches, add several handfuls of baby kale to the pan at a time. Using 2 spoons, toss the kale to mix with the garlic and shallots. As kale begins to wilt down, add more handfuls of baby kale to the pan.

Continue to cook and toss with 2 spoons and adding more baby kale to the pan as each batch wilts down. When all the kale is added to pan, add salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes or until kale wilts down completely, adding more olive oil, if needed. If pan still seems dry, add just a splash of water. When kale is cooked, toss in vinegar and remove from heat.

Transfer to a serving dish.

Yield 4 to 6 servings

Simple Turmeric Rice

2014-07-24T10:05:00.000-07:00

Easy Turmeric Rice

This is a very simple recipe for "Yellow Rice" or "Turmeric Rice" that goes well with seafood and poultry. Most recipes will require mincing garlic and finely chopped onions, measuring out herbs and spices...I just didn't have time for mincing, chopping and sauteing. I just made a very simple rice with ground turmeric and it worked out very well. Of course, adding garlic and onion will improve the flavor, but this will be my go to recipe for turmeric rice on a rush.

3 cups medium-grain brown rice, washed well and drain (1:3.8 pounds)
One 14.5-oz. can Swanson brand 33% less-sodium chicken broth AND add water to the chicken broth to measure 4-1/2 cups (36 ounces chicken broth/water combined)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
2 tablespoons coconut oil or butter (1.0 ounce)
1 bay leaf

In a medium-size (3-quart) pot, add all ingredients to the pot. Bring to a full boil. Give a good stir, cover, and reduce heat to medium-low heat and cook for 45 minutes. When done, remove from heat and let sit for about 10 minutes. Fluff rice, remove bay leaf and rice is ready to serve. If desired, garnish with minced Italian parsley or finely sliced chives and/or toasted pine nuts or pistachios.

Yield 6 to 8 servings

Shiitake Mushroom and Scallion Frittata

2014-07-22T10:06:00.001-07:00

Shiitake Mushroom and Scallion Frittata
Adapted from Martha Stewart, Everyday Foods

1/2 pound shiitake mushrooms*
12 whole scallions (aka green onions), including green parts, cut into 1-1/2-inch pieces (about 5.7 ounces)
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and ground black pepper as specified in direction
8 extra-large eggs (about 15.3 ounces)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (2 ounces, then set aside about 1-1/2 tablespoons for topping)

*NOTE: Baby bella or cremini mushrooms can be substituted for the shiitakes, but will release a lot of liquid during browning. Saute until browned and all liquid have evaporated before proceeding with rest of recipe. Shiitake mushrooms are most reasonably priced at Asian food markets.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Position oven rack to center position.

Wipe shiitake mushrooms clean with a damped cloth or paper towel. Cut off entire stems and discard (too woody to consume). If mushroom caps are large, cut in half and then sliced, crosswise, 1/4-inch thick. You will now have approximately 7.6 ounces of sliced mushrooms. Set aside.

In a medium-size bowl, mix together the eggs, about 1.5 ounces (or about 3/4 portion) of the Parmesan cheese, and 1/4 teaspoon salt with a fork or whisk. Set aside.

Heat a 10-inch cast-iron or ovenproof non-stick skillet on medium-high heat (8.0 on induction cook top). Wipe some olive oil around bottom and sides of pan. Add about 1 tablespoon olive oil to the pan and swirl around the bottom of the pan. Add mushrooms and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Saute until browned, about 8 minutes. Add more olive oil if pan becomes dry. When mushrooms are browned, transfer to a dish and set aside.

In the same skillet, add another 1 tablespoon olive oil and swirl around the bottom of pan. Add the scallions and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Saute until browned, about 4 minutes.

Reduce heat to medium (5.0 on induction cook top). Return mushrooms back to the pan with the scallions and cook together for another minute.

Add the egg mixture to the pan and gently give a brief stir to evenly distribute the eggs.When the edges are starting to set, sprinkle with remainder 1-1/2 tablespoons (about 1/4 portion) Parmesan cheese.

Transfer skillet to the oven and bake for 15 minutes.

Remove from oven and let cool in pan for 5 to 10 minutes before servings or transferring to a serving dish.

Yield 4 to 6 servings

Roasted Broccolini

2014-07-15T12:39:00.002-07:00

Roasted Broccolini

Broccolini is a hybrid between broccoli and Chinese broccoli (Gai Lan). I first tasted broccolini when Earthbound Farm came out with "Broccolette." I purchased a 2-pound bag of "Broccolette" at Costco for ~~$5.99~~ (now $4.99), where it is the most reasonably priced. I roasted the broccolini in the oven the same way I roast broccoli, only at a slightly lower temperature. Since then, it's been my favorite roasted vegetable. I prefer broccolini over broccoli. There is no trimming/peeling necessary in broccolini. I only trim away very little of the stalk ends because it looks dry (but that is not necessary). Just wash, dry, and cook. Broccolini is very versatile to cook with. You can boil, steam, saute, grill and roast broccolini, which roasting is my favorite way to prepare broccolini. Each stalk has a broccoli floret and a few long leaves. Some stalks will be thicker than others, so I vertically cut the thicker stalks in half for even cooking. It's that simple. Broccolini is very nutritious: high in Vitamin C, Vitamin A, potassium, iron and fiber.

1 pound broccolini

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 teaspoon plus 1/8 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Position oven rack to the center of the oven.

Trim very little of each stalk ends if it looks dry and ugly. Cut thicker stalks in half, vertically, for even roasting. Plunge broccolini in a very large bowl of cold water to wash well. Drain well and towel dry. In a very large bowl, toss broccolini with olive oil, salt and pepper. Place broccolini in one even layer on a shallow-rim baking sheet. Roast in the oven for about 20 to 25 minutes. I like to roast mine for exactly 22 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool slightly in the pan. Transfer to a serving dish and ready to eat.

Yield 2 to 4 servings

Spicy Sausage Potato Kale Soup

2014-06-18T13:39:00.000-07:00

Spicy Sausage Potato Kale Soup
Adapted from The Candid Appetite

This soup is very simple to make and tastes delicious. This is another soup recipe I will be making quite often. This recipe does not require a lot of seasonings because most of the aromatics comes from the turkey sausages. This soup is practically a complete meal in itself with the turkey sausages, potatoes and kale. The heavy cream adds a nice richness to the soup without being too heavy. With some crusty whole-wheat French bread, it's a very satisfying meal. And makes a good breakfast soup.

1 to 1.22 pounds sweet or hot Italian TURKEY sausages, casings removed
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped (about 9.8 ounces)
3 large garlic cloves, finely minced (about 0.6 ounce)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper (or to taste)
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (or to taste)
3 bunches of Lacinato kale, stemmed and thinly sliced (about 14.4 ounces)
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
4 medium-size or 2 large-size Yukon gold potatoes, UNpeeled and thinly sliced; then soaked in water to cover until needed (about 2 to 2.25 pounds)
8 cups Swanson brand 33% Less-Sodium Chicken Broth (64 ounces)
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream (4 ounces)

Heat a 6-quart stock pot over medium-high heat (8.0 on induction cook top) until hot. Brown the turkey sausages in a tablespoon of olive oil until browned, breaking up sausages as it is browning. If there are a lot of liquid released from the sausages, turn up heat to high heat and continue cooking. When all the liquid have evaporated, reduce heat back to medium-high heat. When sausages are done cooking, transfer sausages to a colander to drain. Set aside.

Using the same pot and over medium-high heat, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the pot. Add the onions and garlic. Continue to cook on medium-high heat, stirring frequently and scraping the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Add salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Continue to cook until onions are soft and lightly browned, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the kale in 3 batches, allowing each batch to wilt down as it cooks. Stir in the nutmeg. Continue to cook the kale for another 3 minutes or until it turns bright green and completely wilted down. Stir in the sliced potatoes (drained) and turkey sausages.

Pour in the chicken stock and bring soup to a boil. Lower heat to a simmer (gradually 4.0 to 2.6 on induction cook top) and continue to simmer, covered, for about 20 to 25 minutes or when potatoes are cooked tender. Taste to add more seasonings to your liking. For my taste, I only added another teaspoon of ground black pepper and no additional salt was necessary. Stir in the heavy cream. Increase heat to medium heat (5.0 on induction cook top). When soup starts to come to a boil, immediately turn off heat. Soup is ready to enjoy with some whole-wheat French bread smeared with some coconut oil.

Yield 6 to 8 servings

Chocolate Chip-Coffee Muffins

2014-02-05T08:02:00.002-08:00

Chocolate Chip-Coffee Muffins

Adapted from Cooking Light Magazine

The first time I baked these Chocolate Chip-Coffee Muffins from Cooking Light, it turned out to be the ugliest muffins I ever baked. They were dry and very dense. I knew these muffins would be a disaster once I mixed together the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients. The muffin batter was the consistency of a cookie dough. I continued to bake these muffins anyway just to see what would be the outcome. When they were done baking, they were really small, ugly, dense, and dry. I couldn't understand how these muffins got such outstanding reviews. I wanted to throw them out immediately, but I decided to taste them first. Surprisingly the muffins were moist on the inside, but very dense. Had a good chocolate flavor, but lacked the coffee flavor. They were very dry on the exterior, but remain moist and dense brownie-like on the inside. These muffins had potential and with a few of my own modifications, the muffins are now light, tender and very moist with great chocolate/coffee flavor. Another plus... it's 100% whole wheat.

2 cups WHITE whole wheat flour (241g ounces)

2/3 cup unrefined natural cane sugar (130g ounces)

2 teaspoons baking powder (8g)

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips (96g ounces)

1 large egg (53g)

1 cup carton UNSWEETENED coconut milk (227 ounces)

5 tablespoons coconut oil or butter, melted (71g ounces)

1 teaspoon coffee bakery emulsion or coffee extract

3-1/2 tablespoons NesCafe Clasico Dark Roast Instant Coffee (15g)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Position oven rack to the center of the oven. Spray 11 standard-size muffin cups with nonstick baking spray. Set aside.

In a large-size mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Stir together with a wire whisk until well combined. Using a rubber spatula, stir in the chocolate chips and make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Set aside.

In a separate medium-size mixing bowl, lightly beat the egg. Whisk in the next 4 ingredients, one at a time, until well blended.

Add the coffee mixture to the flour mixture. Using a pastry fork or wire whisk, gently stir and fold the flour mixture with the coffee mixture until just until dry ingredients are moistened and finish folding with a rubber spatula just until incorporated. Do not over mix. Batter will be quite thick.

Divide batter among 11 muffin cups.

Bake for 18 minutes or until muffins feels firm on the top when lightly touched.

Let muffins cool in the pan for about 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Yield 11 muffins

2013-11-18T16:56:00.000-08:00

Vegetarian Split Pea Soup
Adapted from Everyday Foods

I really love this vegetarian version of split pea soup. This soup has so much flavor on its own without having to depend on smoked turkey drumstick (or smoke ham shank) for flavor. This recipe will make a very large quantity. You can either cut the soup recipe in half or you can make the full recipe, portion it into containers and freeze it. Since this soup is vegetarian, I even have this soup for breakfast, and again for dinner the same day. It's that delicious and good for you!

2 pounds dried split peas, rinsed well and drain
4 quarts water (16 cups)
2-1/4 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (2 extra-large potatoes)
1 pound carrots, peeled and thickly sliced
3 medium-size red bell peppers, seeds and membrane discarded and finely chopped (1:3.1 pounds)
2 large yellow onion, finely chopped (1:6.0 pounds)
2 large celery stalks, finely chopped (5.1 ounces)
4 large garlic cloves, finel minced (0.8 ounce)
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 large dried bay leaf
3 to 4 teaspoons salt or to taste
1-1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper or to taste

Combine all the ingredients, except the salt and ground black pepper, into a 10-quart or larger stock pot. Bring the soup to a boil over high heat (Pb on induction cook top). Reduce heat to a simmer (2.4 to 2.0 on induction cook top) and cook for 3 hours, covered, stirring occasionally and skimming away foam from the surface as needed (I don't bother with the skimming, if you stir occassionally, the foam will eventually cook out). During the last hour of cooking time, continue to stir occasionally and smashing a few chunks of potatoes against the sides of the pot each time you stir.

When cooking time is up, the soup will become thicker and peas will be cooked down. Add the salt and ground black pepper to taste.

Remove from heat. Ready to serve. Let soup cool completely before portioning soup into containers and storing in the freezer. Soup will thicken even more as it is cooling and stored in the refrigerator/freezer. You may need to add water to thin it out if it becomes too thick.

Yield about 7 quarts

Vegetarian Moussaka

2013-10-10T23:27:00.003-07:00

Vegetarian Moussaka
Adapted from Cooking Light Magazine

Moussaka, a Greek eggplant casserole, is traditionally made with ground lamb. Fine bulgur is used in place of the ground lamb to make this a vegetarian version of moussaka. It's hearty, savory and delicious. It is a great dish to make ahead and reheat later. I loved this dish a lot and is planning to include this vegetarian dish for our Christmas dinner.

Three eggplants, unpeeled, cut into 1/2-inch thick slices (about 3 to 3-1/2 pounds)
2 cups chopped yellow onion (10.3 ounces)
4 large garlic cloves, minced (0.8 ounce)
3/4 cup uncooked fine bulgur (4.5 ounces)
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
One 14.5-ounce can fire-roasted, no-salt diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons tomato paste (1.0 ounce)
2 cups vegetable stock (16 ounces)
2 teaspoons dried oregano2 tablespoons butter (1.0 ounce)
4 tablespoons whole-wheat pastry flour (0.8 ounce)
2 cups 2% reduced-fat milk (16 ounces)
4 tablespoons finely grated fresh Parmesan cheese (0.8 ounce)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper

Preheat broiler to 475 degrees or high. Position oven rack to be able to broil the eggplant slices 5 inches from the heat source.

Line a shallow-rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place one-third of the eggplant slices onto the foil in a single layer.

Brush each eggplant slices with olive oil. NOTE: Eggplants tend to soak up olive oil very easily like a sponge. To use minimal amount of oil, dip only the very tip of the pastry brush with olive oil and brush each eggplant slice. By dipping the very tip of the pastry brush, the olive oil will go a long way. I was able to stretch 1 tablespoon of olive oil for the entire batch of eggplant slices.

Broil 5 inches away from the heat source for 5 minutes or until browned on the first side. Leave the oven door slighly ajar when broiling?! I have always left the oven door slightly ajar when broiling and it seemed to work perfectly for my eggplant slices. You decide!

Remove eggplant from the oven and turn each slice over. Brush the second side with more olive oil and broil for anther 5 minutes or until browned. Transfer eggplant slices to a plate and repeat the broiling process with the remainder of the eggplant slices.

NOTE: While I am broiling eggplant slices, I always do an extra eggplant so I can eat it for my lunch. I like to package eggplant slices and eat it with hummus. I spread some hummus on each slice and fold it or roll it up and eat it like a taco.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat (7.0 for induction cook top) until hot. Add a tablespoon of olive oil to skillet and swirl pan to coat the bottom. Add the chopped onions and saute onions, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and saute for additional 1 minute.

Add the bulgur and continue to cook for 3 minutes or until bulgur is lightly toasted, stirring frequently. Add the allspice, cinnamon, cloves, salt and black pepper. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.

Stir in the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, vegetable broth and oregano. When mixture comes to a boil, reduce heat to simmer (4.0 to 3.0 on induction cook top) mixture for 20 minutes, uncovered, stirring occasionally, smashing large chunks of tomatoes to break them up.

While bulgur mixture is simmering, make the bechamel sauce. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. With a wire whisk, whisk in the flour, salt and white pepper. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly with a wire whisk. Gradually add the milk, stirring constantly with a wire whisk. When mixture comes to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low (3.0 on induction cook top) and continue to cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently with a wire whisk. Whisk in cheese and remove from heat. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Position oven rack to the center of the oven.

Lightly spray an 11-inch by 7-inch size rectangular baking dish (I used a Le Creuset 9-1/2-inch by 14-inch size cast-iron baking dish) with nonstick cooking spray. Arrange half of the eggplant slices on the bottom of the baking dish, slightly overlapping slices.

Spread the bulgur mixture evenly over the eggplant slices.

Arrange the remainder of the eggplant slices over the bulgur mixture, slightly overlapping slices.

Top the eggplant slices witt the bechamel sauce.

Bake, uncovered, for 40 minutes. Remove dish from oven. Increase oven temperature to 475 degrees. When oven reaches 475 degrees, return dish to the oven and bake for additional 4 minutes or until top is lightly browned. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Yield 6 to 8 servings.

Zucchini Muffins

2013-09-06T03:04:00.000-07:00

Zucchini Muffins
Adapted from Simply Recipes

I have to agree that these are the best zucchini muffins ever. What I love about these muffins, they are pack full of zucchini. They also have a lot of walnuts and raisins that adds sweetness, crunch and texture to these muffins. Just as I do with most recipes, I modified a few ingredients to suit my healthy way of eating, like replacing all-purpose flour with WHITE whole wheat flour and replacing butter with EXTRA LIGHT olive oil. I like my zucchini bread spiced up tasting like a pumpkin bread or a carrot cake, so I added a few more ground spices to this recipe. I seem to detect an unpleasant "metallic" aftertaste from the amount of baking soda the original recipe called for so I reduced the amount of baking soda and replaced the difference with baking powder which worked out perfectly.

3 cups WHITE whole wheat flour (12.6 ounces)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder
2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
3 cups slightly packed grated fresh unpeeled zucchini (about 13.7 to 14.1 ounces from about two large-size zucchini)*
1-1/3 cups unrefined natural cane sugar (8.9 ounces)
2 extra-large eggs, beaten (3.8 to 4.0 ounces)**
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup EXTRA LIGHT olive oil or expeller-pressed canola oil (3.4 ounces)
1 cup chopped walnuts, toasted (4.0 ounces)
1 cup dark raisins (5.0 ounces)

*ZUCCHINI: If you don't have enough zucchini, no worries. Just add enough grated peeled carrots for the difference in weight.
**EGGS: You don't have extra large eggs, just add enough EXTRA LIGHT olive oil to make up the difference in weight.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Position two oven racks to the upper third and lower third of the oven. Spray 15 muffin cups with nonstick baking spray (2 muffin pans). Set aside.

In a medium-size bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. Whisk everything together until thoroughly blended. Set aside.

Grate the unpeeled zucchini using the large holes of a box grater. DO NOT need to squeeze dry the grated zucchini. Set aside.

In a separate large-size mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar and vanilla extract until light and creamy. Sugar will somewhat dissolved, but not completely. Whisk in the olive oil until blended.

Using a pastry fork, stir in the grated zucchini. Then add in all the flour mixture. Gently stir/fold the flour mixture with the pastry fork until almost combined.

Using a rubber spatula, fold in the walnuts and raisins until thoroughly combined, but do not over mix.

Divide batter among 15 muffin cups. Place the muffin pan that is entirely filled in the upper third rack and the other pan that is partially filled in the lower third rack. Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Let muffins cool in the pan for about 5 minutes; then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Best to store muffins in an airtight container and place in the refrigerator. The muffins will become more moist as it sits out at room temperature of more than one day. Reheat muffins in the microwave for 15 seconds.

Yield 15 muffins, approximately 291 calories per muffin

Banana-Peach-Mango Smoothie

2013-08-08T10:06:00.000-07:00

Banana-Peach-Mango Smoothie

I was lucky to receive some homegrown mega-size peaches from my friend's harvest. The peaches ripen faster than I can consume them so I had to put most of the peaches in the freezer. The peach skin separated very easily from the peaches. I slice the peaches into thick slices and place them in a single layer on a plate lined with waxed paper. Place the plate in the freezer and freeze the peach slices until they were firm enough to transfer into a large plastic storage bag. Now the frozen peaches will separate easily until I am ready to use them.

It's my day off today and started my day with a delicious breakfast smoothie using frozen banana slices, peach slices, mango chunks and 100% pineapple juice. NO SWEETENER OF ANY KIND NEEDED. Just blended the frozen fruits together with the pineapple juice and I had a large glass of thick slushy smoothie.

3.0 ounces frozen banana slices (about half of a large banana)

4.0 ounces frozen peach slices (about 1 cup)

3.0 mango chunks (about 1/2 cup)

6 ounces 100% unsweetened pineapple juice

1 tablespoon crushed ice (optional)

Place all ingredients into the blender container in order of ingredient listing, starting with banana slices and ending with crushed ice. Blend until smooth, using the blender tamper to push and stir.

Yield 16 ounces, 280 calories

Bulgur Salad with Chickpeas, Roasted Red Peppers and Spiced Cumin Dressing

2013-07-05T22:10:00.001-07:00

Bulgur Salad with Chickpeas, Roasted Red Peppers and Spiced Cumin Dressing
Adapted from Jack Bishop, A Year in a Vegetarian Kitchen

Bulgur is a whole-wheat grain that have been cracked and partially-cooked. The grains are high in protein and high in fiber. Bulgur is a staple of the Middle Eastern and is used in dishes like Tabbouleh, Kibbeh or pilafs. You can substitute bulgur where recipes calls for couscous, quinoa or rice. The grains are light with a slight chewy texture and a nutty flavor. Bulgur comes in different grades ranging from #1 fine, #2 medium, #3 coarse and #4 extra course. Since bulgur is becoming more popular, you can easily find them in your local supermarket.

1-1/2 cups fine-grain bulgur (9.0 ounces)
3 cups boiling water (24 ounces)
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (1.2 ounces)
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil (1.7 ounces)
One 15.5-ounce can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drain well
1 cup finely diced roasted red pepper (6 ounces or two homemade roasted red peppers)
1/4 cup minced fresh Italian parsley (0.4 ounce)

Place bulgur in a large bowl. Add the boiling water and immediately cover with a lid or plastic wrap. Allow the bulgur to sit for 45 minutes, undisturbed.

Meanwhile, in a separate small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, honey, cumin, cayenne and salt. Slowly whisk in the olive oil until the dressing is well blended. Set aside.

After the bulgur sits for 45 minutes, uncover. The bulgur have tripled in volume. You will notice excess water sitting in the bottom of the bowl.

Drain the bulgur through a fine sieve, pressing out all the excess water from the bulgur.

In a large mixing bowl, add the bulgur, garbanzo beans, roasted red peppers and parsley. Toss well until thoroughly combined.

Add the dressing and give the bulgur mixture another toss until thoroughly combined. Transfer bulgur to an airtight container and refrigerate for at least 2 to 3 hours before serving, allowing the flavors to bloom.

The salad can be eaten on its own along with some pita wedges or as a lettuce wrap. I like to serve this salad as a side dish to salmon or grilled chicken breast.

Yield 6 to 8 servings as a side dish or 4 as a main course

Enjoy!

Golden Raisin Oat Bran Muffins

2013-07-01T06:50:00.004-07:00

Golden Raisin Oat Bran Muffins

Adapted from www.epicurious.com

I have found the ULTIMATE bran muffin recipe. For many years, I THOUGHT I had a very good recipe for a wheat bran muffin. Not anymore! After making these delicious oat bran muffins, I'm throwing out my old wheat bran muffin recipe. This oat bran muffin recipe is a keeper! In my opinion, oat bran is more pleasant tasting than wheat bran. I've been making these oat bran muffins almost weekly. Bran muffins are usually the best when they are fresh-baked. These muffins will firm up the next day, but it reheats well. Just reheat them in the microwave for 15 seconds and they will taste just as good as fresh-baked. I've changed the original recipe to make it healthier by substituting WHITE whole wheat flour for the all-purpose flour. I also substituted unrefined coconut oil for the butter. The original recipe calls for half the amount of butter (coconut oil) than what I posted. By accident, I doubled the amount of coconut oil. It was already too late when I realize I added twice the amount of coconut oil, but it worked out for the better. Because I'm using whole wheat flour, the extra coconut oil made the muffins more tender and flavorful.

Golden Raisin Oat Bran Muffins

2 cups WHITE whole wheat flour (8.5 ounces)

Scant 3/4 cup Trader Joe's brand Toasted Oat Bran (3.1 ounces) - See NOTE below

1/4 cup unrefined natural cane sugar (1.8 ounces)

2 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 cup golden and/or dark raisins (5.0 ounces)

1 extra large egg (1.9 to 2.0 ounces)

1 cup well-shaken cultured low-fat buttermilk (8 ounces)

1/3 cup mild honey (3.6 ounces)

1/2 cup organic unrefined coconut oil or butter, MELTED (4 ounces)

NOTE: Not all oat bran are the same for this recipe. I had tried several other brands of oat bran in the past and the texture of the muffins were more dense and drier. I had the best results using Trader Joe's brand in which the muffins are tender and flavorful.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Position oven rack to the center of the oven. Spray a standard size muffin pan with nonstick baking spray. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl. combine the flour, oat bran, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Using a wire whisk, stir ingredients together until well blended. Toss in the raisins and set aside.

For the wet ingredients, I like to mix one ingredient at a time. In a separate medium-size bowl, beat the egg with a wire whisk until well beaten. Whisk in the buttermilk until blended. Add the honey and whisk until blended. Last, add the melted coconut oil and whisk until blended.

Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Add the entire buttermilk mixture in center of the flour mixture. Using a pastry fork or wire whisk, gently stir and fold the flour mixture with the liquid mixture until just until dry ingredients are moistened and finish folding with a rubber spatula just until incorporated. Do not over mix. Batter will be quite thick.

Divide batter among the 12 prepared muffin cups. Bake for 20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Let muffin cool in the pan for about 5 minutes; then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

YUM! Enjoy!

Yields 12 muffins, approximately 267 calories per muffin

Seasoned Seaweed

2013-04-23T12:01:00.000-07:00

Seasoned Seaweed
Adapted from www.maangchi.com

I seem to have a lot of favorite Korean side dishes that I love to make repeatedly. This seaweed side dish is another favorite I love to eat with brown rice and kimchi. This recipe makes about a 4-cup quantity and can be stored in the refrigerator for about 1 week. If you like to eat the seaweed wrap of a sushi, you will love this side dish.

3.4 ounces dried seaweed or dolijaban**
3 thick stalks green onions, thinly slice entire stalks (about 1.4 ounces)
3 cloves garlic, finely minced (0.5 ounce)
3 tablespoons Bragg Liquid Aminos or any low-sodium soy sauce (1.2 ounces)
1/2 cup water (4.0 ounces)
2 tablespoons organic brown rice syrup or agave nectar (1.0 ounce)
3 tablespoons sesame oil (0.9 ounce)**
3 tablespoons roasted sesame seeds (0.6 ounce)**

**These items can be purchased at a Korean market or any Asian stores that carries Korean products.

Measure out 3.4 ounces of dried seaweed. Set aside.

A closer look at the dried seaweed. This seaweed is very different from the flat square nori sheets that are used in rolling up sushi. This dried seaweed or laver looks like strands of seaweed woven together into large thick sheets or rounds. This type of seaweed are used for soups, stews and salads.

In a very large mixing bowl, combine the green onions, garlic, liquid aminos, water, brown rice syrup, and sesame oil.

Whisk ingredients until thoroughly blended.

Crush, pull and tear the seaweed apart into small pieces over the sauce.

Wearing a disposable vinyl glove, toss the seaweed and the sauce until all the seaweed are saturated with the sauce and thoroughly coated.

Sprinkle in the sesame seeds and toss well until thoroughly combined.

Transfer seasonsed seaweed into an airtight container and store in the refrigerator. Best to allow the seasonsed seaweed to sit in the refrigerator for several hours before consuming as the flavors will deepen with time.
Serve as a side dish alongside with brown rice and other side dishes.

Yield about 4 cups

Spicy Shredded Cabbage MuChim

2013-04-18T11:33:00.003-07:00

Spicy Shredded Cabbage MuChim

Here is another favorite Korean side dish recipe adapted from www.aeriskitchen.com. I am addicted to this cabbage side dish. It has a nice balance of spicy, salty, tangy, and a touch of sweetness all in one. It is delicious eaten as a side dish alongside with rice, meats, seafood, and/or other vegetable side dishes. I'm satisfied just eating this with rice all by itself. It doesn't keep too long in the refrigerator, so you do want to consume it within a few days. I had mine for about three days and it was still delicious on the third day.

Half of a medium-size green cabbage, core removed, thinly sliced to fine shreds (1 pound, 453g)
2 thick stalks green onions, finely chopped (40g)
3 tablespoons Korean coarse red pepper powder (17g)**
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar (21g)
1-1/2 tablespoons roasted sesame seeds (9g)**
1 tablespoon sesame oil (9g)**
1 tablespoon organic brown rice syrup (14g) or agave nectar
1 large garlic clove, finely minced (6g)
1 teaspoon salt (5g)

**These items can be purchased at a Korean market or any Asian stores that carries Korean products.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the cabbage and green onions. Set aside.

In a separate small bowl, combine the red pepper powder, vinegar, sesame seeds, sesame oil, brown rice syrup, garlic and salt. Stir the sauce with a spoon until thoroughly blended.

Add the red pepper powder sauce to the cabbage. Wearing a disposal vinyl glove, toss the cabbage and sauce until cabbage is thoroughly coated with the sauce.

Salad can be eaten right away or transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to a few days.

To serve, transfer desired amount to serving dish. Sprinkle with roasted black sesame and white sesame seeds for garnish. Eaten as a side dish alongside with any meat or seafood dishes and, of course, BROWN RICE.

Yield about 6 cups

Amaranth Porridge

2013-03-05T11:53:00.000-08:00

Amaranth Porridge
Adapted from Three Many Cooks

Amaranth is a seed rather than a grain. You can find amaranth at Whole Foods Market or any health food stores. They are sold in packages and in bulk bins. Amaranth is inexpensive so do give it a try because it is very delicious. Amaranth is a nutrient powerhouse. It is gluten-free and contains more protein, calcium, magnesium, iron, and fiber than any other type of gluten-free grain. When cooked as a porridge, amaranth has the appearance of cream of wheat, but tastes very different from cream of wheat. It is thick and somewhat glutinous, a bit earthy and nutty in flavor, creamy with a slight crunchy texture...that is the best I can describe amaranth. It is delicious and I wish I had tried this sooner. It was love at first bite. It takes 25 minutes to cook amaranth porridge. It smelled grassy at first (I wasn't sure if I was going to like it) and almost seem impossible that it will thicken up, but it will. It will require your stirring attention during the last 10 minutes of cooking time because it will thicken up quite fast at the end and may scorch if you leave it unattended. I like my porridge on the thick side since I like to add unsweetened fresh coconut milk to my porridge when I eat it, so cooking with 3 cups of water is a perfect amount to use.

1 cup of amaranth (6.5 ounces)
3 cups of cold water (24 ounces)
Pinch of salt
4 teaspoons organic unrefined coconut oil (0.6 ounce)
2 tablespoons evaporated cane sugar or coconut palm sugar (0.6 ounces)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamon

In a medium-size pot, bring water, amaranth and salt to a boil over medium-high heat (7.0 on induction cook top) When mixtures comes to a boil, lower heat to medium-low heat (4.0 to 3.0 on induction cook top). Continue to cook for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Partially cover pot because mixture will splatter as it becomes thicker. Pay close attention during the last 10 minutes of cooking time because mixture will thicken up quite fast and may scorch if you don't stir it frequently. Consistency will be quite thick and glutinous-like. When done, stir in sugar, coconut oil, cinnamon and cardamon. Remove from heat and ready to serve.

Serve with unsweetened fresh coconut milk, soy milk, almond milk or any type of milk of your choice. Top with fresh or dried fruits and toasted nuts, if desired.

Can store any remaining porridge in the refrigerator in portions and reheat in the microwave for about 1-1/2 minutes on high power.

Yield 4 servings

Calorie count for each serving (5.8 ounces) of amaranth porridge including 1/2 cup of unsweetened fresh coconut milk is 273 calories.