Shaved Asparagus and Quinoa Salad

This is more of a summer salad idea than a full-on recipe. A few simple ingredients, no exact amounts to follow, something that can be casually put together in minutes! I brought this dish to a potluck barbecue and it instantly became a big hit!

SALAD INGREDIENTS: 

• Asparagus, shaved into ribbons
• Quinoa, white or red or mixed, cooked and cooled off.
• Scallions, chopped
• Fresh mint leaves, torn into small pieces
• Avocado, chopped into small chunks

SALAD DRESSING:

• Olive oil
• Lemon juice
• Salt & pepper

HOW TO SHAVE ASPARAGUS:

First, trim or snap off the ends of each spear. Then, holding the spear by the cut end with one hand, use a peeler to slice away from your hand with steady, even pressure. When the stalk starts to flatten, flip it around so the flat side is down, continue slicing until it's done. If the tips fall off, simply add them to the pile of shaved ribbons.

Instant Pot One-Pot-Pasta

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 zucchini, sliced into thick chunks 1 small onion, sliced
• 1 small shallot, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 12 white mushrooms, sliced
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon sherry wine
• 3 cups vegetable broth (or combination of broth and water) 2 tablespoons tamari
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce (optional) 1 pound whole grain penne pasta (or gluten free pasta of your choice)
• 1 (5.5 ounce) can tomato paste salt and pepper to taste

METHOD:

1. Switch Instant Pot to Sauté Mode. When hot, put in 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add zucchini, a sprinkle salt and brown for a few minutes. Remove from pot and set aside.
2. Add I more tablespoon of olive oil, throw in onion, shallot and garlic and sauté for a few minutes.
3. Add mushrooms. Mix in oregano and basil. Stir and cook for a few minutes.
4. Deglaze the pot with sherry wine, add broth, tamari, fish sauce (if used).
5. Pour in (dry, uncooked) pasta, stir in tomato paste. Make sure pasta is submerged in the sauce completely. If not, add more water.
6. Close the lid. Switch Instant Pot to Manual Mode and cook for 4 minutes at high pressure. When 4 minutes is up, wait 5 minutes and use the quick release method to de-pressurize.
7. Open the lid. If the pasta is too al dente, close the lid and leave it in the pot for a few extra minutes.
8. Stir in zucchini. Season with salt and pepper.

BUY AN INSTANT POT HERE

Vietnamese noodle salad

Seems like this is all I have energy to make for dinner on these hot, lazy summer days - something Asian, something cold, something mostly raw and doesn't require standing and stirring next to a hot stove - Vietnamese noodle salad.

For the tofu: Wrap a 16 oz cube extra-firm tofu in kitchen towels to soak up excess water. Cut it in 12 slices. Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees F. Marinade tofu slices in 1 tablespoon of tamari, 2 1/2 tablespoons of mirin, 1 teaspoon of minced ginger. Line baking tray with parchment paper and grease it with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Coat each side of tofu with nutritional yeast and lay them on the baking tray. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Flip and bake for another 5 to 10 minutes until golden brown. (If you prefer other sources of protein, chicken breasts, shrimp, ground pork or beef all work really well.)

For the noodles: Boil the rice noodles of your choice according to instructions. Once they are cooked and still al dente, drain them in a colander and throw in a bunch of ice cubes to cool them off instantly. I used a Pad Thai noodle here. Okay, it is a white flour product, not what I would do everyday but it also just occupies a 1/4 of the bowl. Check out these purple rice noodles here and here.

For the veggies: I used bean sprouts, cucumbers, shredded carrots and red peppers. Finely shredded lettuce also goes really well with this dish. Throw in leftover veggies, sauted greens or anything you have on hand!

For the dressing: Combine 1/4 cup of lime juice, 2 Tablespoons of water, 1 Tablespoon of fish sauce, 1 Tablespoon of maple syrup, 1 small red chili pepper (optional) in a big bowl, stir well.

For the garnish: This is what makes this noodle dish so magical! I used fresh basil and mint leaves, but cilantro and scallions also work. Feel free to mix and match. Add crushed peanuts for the extra crunch!

Assembly: Add noodles, veggies, tofu, garnish in a large salad bowl. Toss in dressing and serve.

Forbidden Rice Salad

I always have 1 or 2 protein dishes and whole grains in the fridge so weeknight cooking means only making veggies, which takes from 5-15 minutes!

Here is a really easy way to use up your cooked rice. I would add in defrosted shelled edamame, grated carrots, leftover grilled veggies or any boxed baby arugula or spinach I have on hand.  I put together a simple vinaigrette - 2 parts sesame oil, 2 parts vinegar (red wine or rice vinegar), 1 part maple syrup with a sprinkle of salt. Mix it all up, throw in some pistachios or chopped cashews and serve!

Clean-out-the-fridge lentil soup

I cooked a big pot of green lentils, made a delicious salad out of it but was kind of bored eating it as a salad again the next day. So I thought soup and found a perfect clean-out-your-fridge type recipe from Kitchn!  I simplified the recipe and improvised based on the veggie scraps I had in the fridge at the time. You really can't go wrong with it!

Ingredients:

• Olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 5 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
• Salt and pepper
• 1/2-inch to 1-inch piece fresh ginger, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 cups cooked green lentils*
• Chopped vegetables (cauliflower, carrots, broccoli, leafy greens, etc.)
• 4 to 6 cups chicken stock, vegetable stock or water
• 1 (28oz.) can crushed tomatoes

Method:

1. In a large saucepan, heat olive oil and saute onion for a few minutes. Add garlic, cumin, turmeric, salt and pepper. Stir to coat.
2. Add ginger, pepper flakes, bay leaves, lentils.
3. Add hard or medium vegetables like carrots, celery, cauliflower, broccoli florets or squash. Pour in crushed tomatoes and stock. Depending on the amount of cooked lentils and veggies you have on hand, adjust the amount of liquid so it's enough to cover the lentils and veggies. Raise the heat to bring to a boil, then lower to medium-low heat, cover the pot, and simmer for 15-20 minutes.
4. Add leafy greens if desired. If soup needs more liquid, stir in more stock. (It should look like thick soup, but not like a chili.) Add a splash of vinegar, salt, pepper and any additional seasoing to taste. Discard bay leaves. Garnish with parsley or cilantro and serve.

If you do not have cooked lentils, simply use more stock and cook the dried green lentils for an extra 15-20 minutes, until they are cooked through but not falling apart. Learn how to make a big pot of green lentils here.

Easiest way to eat a rainbow- master the basic stir fry

My default meal is stir fries. Not only can I finish all the wilting leftover veggies in the fridge, it is also the easiest way to eat the biggest variety of veggies in one sitting, what elementary school children are taught to do - eat a rainbow a day!

Because almost everything goes when it comes to stir fries, I will not give you an exact recipe, but a formula of success:

Protein (meat or plant-based) + crunchy veggies + mushrooms + greens + basic seasonings

In this stir fry, tofu is my protein of choice. When you empty a tofu cube from the box, make sure you dry it off. I like to brown my tofu in a non-stick or cast iron pan on all sides for a few minutes.

Then I throw in a few drops of tamari, toss to coat the tofu cubes and set them aside.

My crunchy veggies are red bell peppers, sugar snap peas and carrots. The mushrooms I am using are shitake and buna-shimeji, which is also called the beech mushroom and the brown clam shell mushroom.

The greens I am using are a few leftover broccoli rabe stems and baby spinach straight out of the bag.

My go to seasonings are tamari, garlic, ginger, salt, garlic flakes, mushroom powder. Sometimes I use all of them, sometimes just a few.

To make the stir fry, warm olive oil in a pan, add ginger and garlic mix.

Toss in crunchy veggies mix.

Add mushroom mix. Add salt, mushroom powder.

Throw in greens. Sprinkle a little more garlic flakes or seasoning of choice.

Toss in browned tofu.

Season with tamari to taste. Sometimes I drizzle a few drops of maple syrup to give it a touch of sweetness.

All ready to go! The simplest dish you can throw together with any random ingredients on a whim!

What is your stir fry formula? What works for you?

Celebrate Spring with 2 green soups

Spring has finally arrived! Seeing the tiny green buds once again bursting out of the many trees in my neighborhood, I am reminded that the greens-eating season has officially begun.

What comes to your mind when I mention eating greens? Green salads? Green juices? Or maybe green smoothies?

Let me share one green secret with you - green soups.  I survived the cold winter months by making variations of green soups to supplement my greens intake when eating a green salad just seemed too cold and unappealing. Green soups are like the savory versions of green smoothies - you can pack almost any green veggies in them. All you need is a blender or food processor to puree the ingredients into a smooth paste. Believe it or not, you don't even have to add dairy or potatoes to achieve the desired creamy texture.

It is such an awesome way to add greens to my diet that I will for sure keep drinking them as cold gazpacho soups way into the hot summer months!

Broccoli Fennel Soup (based on Susan Blum's recipe)

• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil or coconut oil
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 tsp minced ginger
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 celery stalk, chopped
• 1 leek stem, chopped (top 4 or 5 inches of greens removed)
• 3 cups chopped broccoli, florets and stems
• ½ head fennel, chopped
• 1 tsp salt (more to taste)
• freshly ground pepper
• 3 cups water

1. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan on medium heat.
2. Add the onion and ginger and cook until the onion is translucent.
3. Add the garlic, celery, leek, broccoli, fennel, salt and pepper. Cook for 2 minutes.
4. Add water. Bring to a boil, then cover, reduce the heat, and simmer for 10-15 minutes.
5. Remove from heat and set aside to cool for 10 minutes. Place the soup in a blender and blend until smooth and creamy.  Add salt and black pepper to taste.

Zucchini Pea Soup with Dill (based on Amy Chaplin's recipe)

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 6 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 leek stem, chopped (top 4 or 5 inches of greens removed)
• 5 medium zucchinis, diced (1 1/2lbs.)
• 1 1/2 cups frozen peas
• 3 1/2 cups water
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh or dried dill
• freshly ground pepper

1. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan on medium heat.
2. Add the onion and cook until translucent.
3. Stir in garlic, salt and cook another minute. Add leek and continue to cook for 2 more minutes.
4. Add zucchini, peas and water. Bring to a boil, then cover, reduce the heat, and simmer for 10-15 minutes.
5. Remove from heat. Stir in dill and set aside to cool for 10 minutes. Place the soup in a blender and blend until smooth and creamy. Add salt and black pepper to taste.

Falling Leaves Salad

This hearty salad reminds me of the deep vibrant colors of the Fall season. Delicious and beautiful to look at!!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 head small red cabbage
• 1 raw beet, scrubbed
• 1 or 2 carrots
• 1 pear
• salad greens (preferably arugula)
• toasted walnuts and pistachios
• fresh pomegranates, dried cranberries or raisins

Method:

1. Julienne red cabbage, beets, carrots and pears.
2. Combine with greens, walnuts and pomegranates or dried fruits.
3. To make the dressing, whisk together 1/4 cup olive oil, 3 Tbs apple cider vinegar, 1/8 cup umeboshi vinegar, 1 Tbs tamari and 1 Tbs maple syrup.
4. Toss salad with dressing and serve.

Easy Baked Sweet Potato Fries

These baked sweet potato fries have become a staple in my household. We have them for dinner, my daughter loves them as snacks. They are a perfect balance of sweetness in taste and crispiness in texture!

Ingredients:

• 2 large sweet potatoes
• 2 Tbs coconut oil
• salt and pepper
• smoked paprika, cinnamon or a seasoning of your choice

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Wash and pat dry the sweet potatoes well. With the skin on, cut them into matchstick size, adjusting to your preference of thickness.
3. Place them on a tray lined with parchment paper. Toss in coconut oil, salt and pepper. Add in extra spices (optional).
4. Bake for about 30 minutes, flipping the fries once or twice, until they are tender in the middle and brown on the edges.

Fingerling Potato with dill and lemon-saffron vinaigrette

This is another Lemonade recipe of classic potato salad with dill and a mimic of French mayonnaise mix. 

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds fingerling potatoes, scrubbed
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• salt and pepper
• 1/2 cup lemon-saffron vinaigrette
• 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 2 Tbs chopped fresh dill
• 1 large shallot, thinly sliced

Ingredients for the lemon-saffron vinaigrette:

• large pinch of saffron threads
• 2 Tbs hot water
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• juice of 1 lemon
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 3/4 cup olive oil

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Put the potatoes in a large baking pan. Drizzle with oil. Coat evenly and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 25-30 minutes till golden on the outside and tender when pierced with a knife. Shake the pan from time to time. When done, set the potatoes aside to cool. Potatoes can be prepared in advance and refrigerated.
3. In a small bowl, combine saffron with hot water. Allow it to sit for a few minutes.
4. In a blender, combine egg yolk, mustard, lemon, turmeric, saffron (with the water), salt and pepper. Blend on medium speed for a few seconds, then reduce to low. Slowly add the oil until emulsified. Add a Tbs of water to thin out if needed.
5. Slice the potatoes into 1/2 inch pieces and put into a mixing bowl. Add the vinaigrette, yogurt, dill and shallot. Toss to evenly combine. Season with salt and pepper. Serve chilled or warm.
6. Keep leftover vinaigrette in an airtight jar and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

I used the leftover vinaigrette to make an egg salad and tossed it into cooked quinoa with a little scallion. It works beautifully!