tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-70120937212976822992024-09-11T06:31:27.134-07:00Healthy one-week (Mon-Fri) menu with a shopping list for people who are busy but still want to cook dinners. I will have a lot of Japanese food since that's what I know how to cook the best, but I want to balance out the menu as much as I can and also cook all sorts of healthy foods. Don't be intimidated by "Japanese cooking"! It's just one way to cook healthy meals.Nacchanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03864568047479672969noreply@blogger.comBlogger99125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7012093721297682299.post-57413888978836723382007-05-28T19:48:00.000-07:002007-05-28T20:06:43.846-07:00

This is not one of those recipes that hide the taste of tofu and you don't even know it's tofu. This is for tofu lovers.Tofu and tuna patties (for 3-4 people):Extra firm tofu in water (1 package)Chunk light tuna (1 small can)Eggs, beaten (2)Onion, diced (1/2 cup)Salt (a pinch)Pepper (a pinch)Soy sauce (1 Tbsp)Vegetable oil (1 Tbsp)1. Wrap tofu with paper towel and microwave for 2 minutes. This

Nacchanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03864568047479672969noreply@blogger.com56tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7012093721297682299.post-43001269061243347052007-05-23T21:04:00.000-07:002008-11-12T19:15:31.574-08:00

Tonight, I made a vegetarian dish from Cooking Light. It being vegetarian and African, I really didn't know what to except but it was really good! It was very easy to make too. Peanuts and sour cream make the stew incredibly rich. I did add more salt than what was called for though.African ground nut stew with sour cream-chive toppingIt says refrigerate sour cream for 2 hours, but I only

Nacchanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03864568047479672969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7012093721297682299.post-25900873804495496632007-05-21T21:03:00.000-07:002007-05-21T21:16:39.485-07:00

I'm a big fan of Thai curry, and I never thought it was so easy to make. I used to shrimp for this curry, but you can use chicken breast too.Thai shrimp curry (for 3 people):Black tiger shrimp, shells removed and cleaned (1/2 pound)Canned sliced bamboo shoot, drained and rinsed (1 small)Red bell pepper, seeded and sliced (1)Green curry paste (little less than 1/4 cup)Coconut milk (400ml can)Water

Nacchanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03864568047479672969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7012093721297682299.post-26099482434481897742007-05-19T22:21:00.000-07:002008-11-12T19:15:32.122-08:00

This is an easy Japanese dish to make that goes well with rice. I used pork here, but you can use chicken if you like.Pork and bamboo shoot cooked in miso (for 3 people):Pork, sliced (1/2 pound) - I used a fairly lean cut, but any cut would workCanned bamboo shoot tips, cut into half (1 large) - If you can't find tips, regular sliced bamboo shoots are fine tooCarrot, peeled and sliced diagonally

Nacchanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03864568047479672969noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7012093721297682299.post-8295635482230341542007-05-16T22:24:00.000-07:002007-05-16T23:11:06.235-07:00

Lasagna is one of those things that look very complicated to make but actually pretty easy to make. This recipe is as simple as it gets...Lasagna (for 4 people):Lean ground beef (1/4 pound)Diced onion (1 medium)Minced garlic (3 cloves)Olive oil (1/2 Tbsp)Canned whole tomatoes (28 oz can) - choppedSaltPepperDried parsley (2 Tbsp)Chopped fresh basil (10 leaves)Dried lasagna pasta (6 sheets) -

Nacchanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03864568047479672969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7012093721297682299.post-17130050820297332742007-05-16T22:00:00.000-07:002007-05-16T22:24:43.398-07:00

If you put this salmon patty on buns, it's a salmon burger, but I matched it with couscous instead and topped it with tomato-caper salsa.Salmon patties (makes three):Canned salmon (15 oz can)Egg white (1)Bread crumbs (1/4 cup)Salt (a pinch)Pepper (a pinch)Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix everything together well and form 3 patties. Heat pan with 1 Tbsp of olive oil over medium high heat.

Nacchanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03864568047479672969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7012093721297682299.post-83342057085567799922007-05-13T22:30:00.000-07:002007-05-13T22:41:25.331-07:00

This is a recipe that involves several steps and takes time to make. I tried to do some shortcut with this recipe by microwaving the chicken rather than boiling it, but it didn't turn out too well... Chicken got too tough. I think I either microwaved it for too long or it just doesn't work with microwave. Plantain and chorizo stuffed chickenFor green salsa, I used tomatillo salsa that I made

Nacchanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03864568047479672969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7012093721297682299.post-65285637117937283502007-05-11T21:53:00.000-07:002007-05-11T22:04:07.708-07:00

This is one of those quick, easy recipes that are perfect for weekday dinners. Nice thing about it is, everything can be cooked together in the oven. Spring onions are sweet and great for roasting.I placed chicken drums, spring onion (cut into quarters), and red potatoes (cut into quarters) in a casserole and coated them with salt, pepper, and olive oil. They were baked with 2 springs of fresh

Nacchanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03864568047479672969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7012093721297682299.post-59024694275616934392007-05-09T21:09:00.000-07:002007-05-09T21:27:32.321-07:00

I wanted to try making stir-fry with oyster sauce and found this recipe. It was so good! I added mushrooms and bamboo shoot to the original recipe. It was actually a little sweet for me, so maybe the amount of sugar can be reduced.Beef and broccoli stir-fry (for 4 people):Beef shank (10-12 oz) - half frozen (if you put frozen meat in the fridge in the morning, it'll be half frozen by the time you

Nacchanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03864568047479672969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7012093721297682299.post-16808300287853759982007-05-09T20:10:00.000-07:002007-05-09T20:23:26.761-07:00

This is not a usual weekday recipe. It takes a while to make, especially the part where you have to roast the chiles. Maybe there are some already-roasted chiles in the store... Anyway, it takes some time, but it's really really good. I made it over the weekend and kept it in the fridge.Here is the recipe:Chiles Rellenos GratinI didn't put corn or pine nuts, but it was still really good. I

Nacchanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03864568047479672969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7012093721297682299.post-75466672559811902252007-05-07T20:33:00.000-07:002007-05-07T20:56:47.913-07:00

Teriyaki fish is an easy and healthy dish to make that goes well with Asian salad.Teriyaki fish (for 2 people):Horse mackerel (2 whole or 4 fillet pieces) - You can use any kind of firm fish like tuna or salmonVegetable oil (1/2 Tbsp)Rice cooking wine (2 Tbsp)Mirin (1/2 Tbsp)Soy sauce (1 Tbsp)1. Combine all the ingredients except for the fish and vegetable oil.2. Heat oil in a pan over medium

Nacchanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03864568047479672969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7012093721297682299.post-80296002748325415412007-05-06T20:12:00.000-07:002007-05-06T20:46:36.607-07:00

Here is this week's menu:Monday: Grilled sanma dinner with celery kinpiraWednesday: Herbed chicken breast with tomatillo salsa and queso frescoThursday: Beef and sugar snap pea stir-fry with hot and sour soupFriday: Spring onion and sausage pizzaShopping list:Sanma/mackerel pike (2) - grilled sanma dinner with celery kinpiraGrated daikon radish (optional) - grilled sanma dinner with celery

Nacchanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03864568047479672969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7012093721297682299.post-43423070132046358342007-05-05T11:26:00.000-07:002007-05-05T11:47:14.832-07:00

Spring onion is sweet onion that is available only in spring. Roasting it is a nice way to enjoy its sweet taste, but pizza is also a good option. I wanted to keep it simple to accentuate the taste of spring onion. Spring onion and sausage pizza (for 3-4 people):Store bought pizza dough (1 package) - I used whole wheat pizza doughSpring onion (1 large)Portabella mushroom (1)Sausage (1 large) - I

Nacchanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03864568047479672969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7012093721297682299.post-33352376459807777572007-05-03T21:34:00.000-07:002007-05-03T22:06:30.528-07:00

Stir-fry is a nice quick dinner. With the time that you save, you can make soup for the side.Beef and sugar snap pea stir-fry (for 2 people):Sugar snap pea, trimmed (about 1 cup)Boneless beef shank (6 oz)Vegetable oil (1 Tbsp)Salt (a pinch)Rice cooking wine (1 Tbsp)Garlic chili sauce (1 tsp)Soy sauce (1 Tbsp)1. Boil sugar snap peas until they get bright green and rinse under running cold water.

Nacchanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03864568047479672969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7012093721297682299.post-42753740023948328512007-05-02T22:14:00.000-07:002007-05-02T22:25:59.911-07:00

This dinner was surprisingly easy to make. The original recipe tells you to make crust with bread crumbs, but I skipped all that step and just grilled the chicken after rubbing the spices on. It worked really well. Tomatillo salsa was very good. I had never used tomatillos before, but I want to try using them in other dishes too.Here is the recipe:Herbed chicken breasts with tomatillo salsa and

Nacchanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03864568047479672969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7012093721297682299.post-13380519678934020032007-05-02T21:42:00.000-07:002007-05-02T22:12:05.619-07:00

Grilled sanma or mackerel pike is one of my favorite Japanese dishes. Frozen mackerel pike is available at any Japanese or Korean store any time of the year, but the best time for mackerel pike is in the fall. Grilled fresh mackerel pike in the fall is just amazingly good and is one of the foods that I miss from Japan.Grilled sanma (for 2 people):Sanma/mackerel pike (2)SaltGrated daikon radish -

Nacchanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03864568047479672969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7012093721297682299.post-32787072113955635702007-04-28T20:41:00.000-07:002008-11-12T19:15:32.434-08:00

Beet ScallopiniEvery week, I try to use ingredients from the local market that look unfamiliar. This week, it was scallopini and beet. When I bought scallopini, I thought it was some type of zucchini, but it apparently is a type of squash... I also found yellow and red beets at the market with the leaves. I made salad with the root and boiled the leaves and dressed them with Japanese sesame

Nacchanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03864568047479672969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7012093721297682299.post-68011127431007981762007-04-27T23:19:00.000-07:002007-04-27T23:47:45.928-07:00

This chicken recipe is simple, healthy, and delicious!Spinach Parmesan chicken (for 2 people):Boneless, skinless chicken breast (1 large)Frozen spinach, thawed (about 1/3 cup)Freshly-grated Parmesan cheese (about 1/4 cup)SaltPepperWater (1 tsp)1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.2. Wash chicken well and pat dry. Make incision on the side and make a big "pocket." Salt and pepper both sides of the

Nacchanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03864568047479672969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7012093721297682299.post-78751124428108586592007-04-27T23:00:00.000-07:002007-04-27T23:18:54.427-07:00

Tonight, I did another one of the recipes from Cooking Light magazine. Pork was rubbed with coriander and salt then seared. For the sauce, chopped shallots, thyme, and minced garlic were sauteed in the same pan. Then cider vinegar, beef broth, and red currant jelly with black peppers were added. To thicken the sauce, corn starch was used. Pork was OK. The sauce had an interesting taste with the

Nacchanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03864568047479672969noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7012093721297682299.post-18323267900603790612007-04-25T21:30:00.000-07:002007-04-25T21:52:46.379-07:00

Ponzu is citrus-flavored soy sauce. It has a very refreshing taste and goes well with a lot of things. Simple steamed vegetables can turn into Asian hot salad with ponzu. Another one of my favorites is hot tofu with ponzu.Sake steamed fish with ponzu (for 2 people):Fish fillet (2) - it's best to use relatively firm fish that's not too fatty like sole or flounder.SaltPepperRice cooking wine (2 tsp

Nacchanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03864568047479672969noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7012093721297682299.post-69424779571888340332007-04-24T22:54:00.000-07:002008-11-12T19:15:32.631-08:00

I come home pretty late on Tuesday nights, so I made this pasta sauce over the weekend and kept it in the fridge. If you find really good sausage, this is a really nice way to enjoy that sausage flavor. I found a wonderful German butcher near my home that sells all sorts of sausages and smoked meats. I went there to sharpen my knife but couldn't resist getting one of their sausages...Simple

Nacchanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03864568047479672969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7012093721297682299.post-867086512672715802007-04-23T20:58:00.000-07:002007-04-23T21:39:39.154-07:00

Tonight, I cooked Spanish mackerel with miso. It's a popular Japanese dish called, saba no miso ni. I think the key to making this dish well is putting a lot of ginger at the right timing.Mackerel cooked with miso (for 2 people):Spanish mackerel (1 fillet cut into 2 pieces) - You can usually find Spanish mackerel at an Asian storeJulienned ginger (about 1/4 cup)Konbu seaweed (about 2 inch piece)

Nacchanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03864568047479672969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7012093721297682299.post-54519247847991956822007-04-23T20:39:00.000-07:002007-04-23T20:58:36.241-07:00

Last week was a busy week, so I only have 4 recipes to share...Monday: Crab fried riceTuesday: Almond crusted chickenWednesday: Seared pork with mango salsaFriday: Fried fish in vinegar marinadeShopping List:Crab (1 6oz can) - crab fried riceJasmine rice (1 cup uncooked) - crab fried riceGreen onions (3 stalks) - crab fried riceEgg (2) - crab fried riceChicken breast (1 large) - almond crusted

Nacchanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03864568047479672969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7012093721297682299.post-66864616126225603782007-04-20T21:31:00.000-07:002007-04-20T22:11:34.714-07:00

Tonight's dinner has a Southeast Asian flavor to it.Fried fish in vinegar marinade (for 3-4 people):Thinly sliced onion (1 cup)Julienned Carrot (1/2 cup)Chopped cilantro (a bunch)Rice vinegar (1 cup) Sugar (2 Tbsp)Salt (2 tsp)Soy sauce (2 tsp)Chili peppers (1/4 tsp)Tuna (15 oz)Potato starch (as needed)Oil (as needed)1. Mix everything well except for the fish, potato starch, and oil.2. Cut tuna

Nacchanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03864568047479672969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7012093721297682299.post-16294393416090482152007-04-18T22:47:00.000-07:002007-04-18T23:03:36.532-07:00

Tonight's dinner was very colorful. All the bright colors definitely boost your appetite.The recipes were taken from Cooking Light magazine.Basically, you rub a mixture of chili powder, salt, and allspice onto center-cut loin pork chops then sear them. For mango salsa, peeled and chopped mango is mixed with fresh mint, lemon juice, sugar, and crushed red pepper. For roasted sweet potatoes, toss

Nacchanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03864568047479672969noreply@blogger.com0