Simply Soba

The ridiculously nice California-esque weather we've been having the last few days seems to suggest that warm temperatures and sunny skies are here to stay. You know what this means- time to bust out the flipflops, hit the pool, and let those freckles come out to play!

With spring in full bloom and summer just around the corner, I've slowly but surely been increasing my intake of warm weather essentials- frozen yogurt and salad. For froyo, the best I can do is point you in the direction of Red Mango or Costco, depending on your budget. But for salad, I offer a recipe that is easy, light yet filling, amazingly healthy, and with asian flair. Oh, did I mention, it's also vegetarian?

Seared Tofu-Soba Noodle Salad
courtesy Cooking Light

-2 packages firm tofu (abt 12 oz each)
-1/4 cup rice vinegar
-1/4 cup soy sauce
-2 TBS sugar
-1 TBS sesame oil
-2 tsp ginger, grated and peeled
-1/4 tsp black pepper
-1 TBS olive oil
-lettuce (**Note: original recipe called for romaine, but I used Spring Mix)
-4 cups cooked soba noodles
-optional: chopped green onions

1. Cut tofu to slices, about 3/4 in wide, 2 inch long. Place slices in single layer on a plate, cover with paper towels. Then place another plate on top of the towels, pressing down on the slices occasionally. Let stand 20 min, drain liquid. Repeat for another 20 min.

2. While draining tofu, combine vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, ginger, black pepper to make dressing. Shake vigorously. Set aside in fridge.

3. Heat olive oil in skillet over med-high heat. Add tofu slices. Cook about 5 min on 1 side, until lightly browned. Remove dressing from fridge, shake, and add about 2-3 TBS of dressing to tofu before flipping over to other side (add enough dressing to lightly coat all slices of tofu). Cook another 5 min on this side.

4. Place lettuce on plate. Next, top with soba noodles, then tofu slices. Garnish with green onions if desired. Drizzle dressing over tofu, noodles, and salad, adding more as needed.

refreshing summer salad, for omnivores and herbivores alike

sorry, poor photo quality due to phone camera :(





easy-to-assemble leftovers make for a delicious next day lunch

The Nut-house

When it comes to cooking, I owe a lot to my mother, who guided me through those early med school days when I realized that 4 years at an expensive undergrad institution failed to equip me with the skills necessary for survival in a world without meal cards. After about a week of cereal, tuna, and tacos, I made one of the best moves in my life- called home and asked, "how do I cook rice?" And as they say... the rest is history.

One of my mom's (and dad's) favorite foods is nuts; if you open our pantry, you'll be sure to find at least 1 costco-sized bag of walnuts, almonds, pistachios, or cashews on the shelf. Since I'm home this weekend, I decided to pay tribute to the chef who taught me how to cook and join my parents on the nuttier side of life, haha.

Banana Nut Bread
adapted from Cooking Light

-2 cups all purpose flour
-3/4 tsp baking soda
-1/2 tsp salt
-2/3 to 3/4 cup of sugar (add less if your bananas are super, super ripe)
-3 TBS olive oil (**Note: original recipe uses 1/4 cup butter- use if preferred)
-1/3 cup vanilla low-fat yogurt
-2 large eggs
-1.5 cups mashed bananas, ripe best (usually about 3)
-1/4 cup pecans, chopped
-1/4 cup walnuts, chopped
-1/4 cup raisins

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Mix dry ingredients together with whisk- flour, baking soda, salt.
3. In separate bowl, mix oil and sugar together until well blended. (**Note: if using butter, mix melted butter and sugar together, beat with mixer at medium speed).
4. Add eggs, one at a time, to wet mix. Beat well.
5. Add bananas and yogurt. Beat until well blended.
6. Add dry flour mixture to wet mixture. Mix in completely. Try not to over-beat.
7. Gently fold in nuts and raisins.
8. Put batter in buttered 8.5 x 4.5-inch loaf pain. Bake at 350 deg F for 45-50 min. Cool on wire rack.
(**Note: for a crowd-pleasing variation, try with chocolate chips!)

chock full of protein and potassium :)

Best of Both Worlds

People are often surprised to find out that I'm a fob (or more accurately, a "yap," according to urban dictionary). I may not fit the stereotype, but catch me in person, and I'll gladly roll up my left sleeve and show you my mark of proof. It's too bad that society has put such a stigma on this status. I love being a fob- after all, my palate is all the more rich today because of it :).

For one thing, while my classmates grew up on Goldfish, animal crackers, and string cheese, I had all that plus the joys of dried squid, shrimp chips, and Pocky. When everyone else brought in pb&j sandwiches day after day, I could switch it up with "fuzzy pork" (rousong) between my slices of Wonder bread. Double the options, double the good times! And even now, when the fob within demands to be fed, a bowl of my mom's za jiang mien can bring me from the Alamo to the streets of Taiwan.

Za Jiang Mien

by la madre and yours truly

(**Note: because this is a home recipe, all the ingredient measurements are rough at best. follow your taste buds and adjust accordingly!)

*3/4 lb ground turkey (i prefer 93/7) or ground pork (for the less health conscious purists)

*3-4 pieces dried tofu (tofu gan), chopped

*1 cup of mushrooms, diced (Shitake preferred, but regular mushrooms at your local grocery store works as well)

*2 TBS ground bean sauce (do ban jiang)

*2 TBS sweet bean sauce (tian mian jiang)

*2 TBS oil

*2 tsp sugar

*1/3 cup water

1. Heat oil in deep pan on medium high heat.

2. Add turkey or pork to pan, breaking up any clumps so that the meat pieces are about the same size. Stir and cook until no pink is seen.

3. Next, add both sauces and sugar. Stir sauce combination evenly into the meat. Add some of the water (about 1/4 cup). Simmer for few minutes.

4. Add mushrooms and tofu. Mix well. Simmer for few minutes. If consistency of sauce is too thick, add more water bit by bit. Be careful not to over-dilute, since the mushrooms also will produce liquid as they cook.

5. Serve over noodles with chilled pickled cucumber (recipe below).

Pickled Cucumber

family recipe (again, rough measurements)

*1 large cucumber or 2 smaller ones, seeds removed, diced

*1 tsp salt

*1.5 tsp sugar

*1.5 TBS rice vinegar

*1 piece of garlic, roughly crushed

1. Mix cucumber with salt and sugar, making sure all pieces are well coated.

2. Add vinegar. Mix evenly.

3. Throw in garlic.

4. Refrigerate for at least 1 hr.

tangy flavor nicely complements

ah, a taste of childhood.

April Showers

Waking up to the soft pit-a-patter of rain on a lazy Saturday morning is one of the best feelings in the world. No, I take that back. Pulling up the covers, snuggling a little deeper, and snoozing for another hour or two definitely tops it. Days like these are special- when you can just kick back, relax, and enjoy life without a care in the world. And what better way to treasure the moment than with a stack of warm banana pancakes and a cup of joe? As JJ so aptly puts it, "can't you see that it's just rainin'/ there ain't no need to go outside."

Banana Pancakes
adapted from All Recipes- makes about 6 large pancakes

-1 cup all purpose flour

-1 TBS sugar

-2 tsp baking powder
-1/4 tsp salt

-1 egg (if you want to get extra fancy, separate egg white and yolk)

-1 cup milk

-2 TBS butter, melted (**Note: can omit this to cut the fat if planning on serving immediately. if saving some for later, i'd add this so they don't get slightly tough)

-2 ripe bananas, mashed

-1/4 tsp vanilla

-cinnamon

1. Combine flour, sugar, baking power, and salt in 1 bowl. Add dash of cinnamon. In separate bowl, mix together egg, milk, butter, vanilla, and bananas. (**Note: if you want extra fluffy pancakes, only add egg yolk here and follow option after step 2).

2. Stir dry ingredients into wet until mixed in. Batter will be lumpy. Be careful to not over-mix. (**Option for extra fluffy pancakes: Beat egg white separately. Gently fold in to already combined wet and dry mixture).

3. Set lightly greased pan on low to med-low heat. When pan warm, pour batter onto griddle, about 1/3 cup for each pancake. Cook until pancakes golden brown on both sides. (**Note: be careful with the heat!! If it's too hot, your pancakes will burn on the outside and not be cooked in the inside).

4. Serve hot. Top as desired.

can't wait till october!

Pizza My Heart

I am a simple girl with simple needs. While I appreciate the occasional dressing up and going out, my ideal meal time rendezvous is a hole-in-the-wall joint (clean, of course) serving fresh, delicious food. And at the risk of sounding like a 3rd grader, one of my favorite foods is pizza. I can't quite explain it, but there's something about soft, chewy crusts and melted cheesy goodness that just makes me happy inside. Top it off with grilled veggies and spicy meat, pair it with a diet Coke or Stella, and there you have the perfect setup for a fabulous afternoon or evening.

But pizza is junk food, right? I beg to differ. Yes, the greasy, sodium-loaded Pizza Hut/Papa Johns/Dominos creations should only be consumed in moderation, but homemade pizza can be both healthy and nutritious. And if you're especially motivated, try this tasty whole wheat crust variation.

Whole Wheat Pizza

(crust and sauce recipes adapted from All Recipes)

Crust:

(*Note: makes about 1-medium sized pizza)

1/2 tsp sugar

3/4 cups warm water

1/2 TBS active dry yeast

1/2 TBS olive oil

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1/4 cup all-purpose or bread flour

1. Proof yeast by dissolving sugar in warm water, then adding the yeast. Mix gently and set aside as it bubbles.

2. Stir in olive oil and salt to yeast mixture. Add flour until dough starts coming together. (*Note: If using bread machine, combine all ingredients together and set on dough cycle. Skip to step 4).

3. Knead dough on floured surface until dough is smooth, about 10 min. Place in greased bowl. Cover with towel and let stand until doubled in size, about 1 hr.

4. Take dough out onto lightly floured surface. Form into a tight ball. Put back in bowl, cover, and let rise another 45 min, until doubled.

5. Roll ball of dough with rolling pin (or any round surface) until it can't stretch any further. Drape over both fists and gently pull edges outward, while rotating the crust. (*Note: this is the cool spinning move the pros do on TV and in pizzerias. Give it your best shot! I tried, quite unsuccessfully, but it still tasted fine in the end, haha).

6. After reaching desired size, place on greased pizza pan. (*Note: I just used a cookie sheet- bottom of crust was still crispy on the outside. If you have pizza stone, I'm sure the results would be even better!) Top as desired.

Sauce:

(*Note: this recipe makes wayyyyy too much sauce- enough for 2-3 pizzas. Cut accordingly or just make one batch and freeze the rest for later).

-1 6oz can tomato paste

-1 cup water

-1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

-2 cloves garlic, minced

-1 tsp dried oregano

-1 tsp dried basil

-1/4 tsp dried rosemary, crushed

-black pepper to taste

-salt to taste (*Note: I found that it was salty enough w/o adding extra)

1. Mix together tomato paste, water, and olive oil. Mix well.

2. Add garlic and spices. Mix well.

3. Bring to boil and simmer about 10 min. If possible, let it stand several hours for flavors to blend.

Pizza Assembly:

(*Note: this is just how I did it this time with ingredients I had on hand. Feel free to experiment yourself with your favorite toppings and cheeses.)

1. Spread thin layer of sauce evenly on dough.

2. Top with layer of desired cheese (I like mozz).

3. Add desired veggies and/or meat (I added tomato slices, fresh chopped basil, mushrooms).

4. Add another layer of cheese.

5. Bake dressed pizza for 16-20 min in oven preheated at 425 deg F, until crust golden at edges and cheese melted on top.

freshness is key













assembly- complete. love that texture!

mmm...















and as always...
beat cal!!!

Pot Roast Truce

As most of you already know, I am pretty conflicted about Food Network. While I love Ina, Bobby Flay, Duff, and generally like Giada, I am not a fan of Rachel Ray ("yumm-o?" blech), Sandra Lee (artfully arranging store bought pie and serving a la mode is NOT cooking), and Paula Deen. Why hate on the sweet southern grandma, you may ask? Yes, she seems very kind and motherly, and the story of how she got her own show is actually really impressive, but I just cannot condone the fact that her staple ingredients are mayo and butter. Until... I came across this pot roast recipe during one of my red meat cravings. I've been looking for awhile now for a good, old-fashioned roast. When I saw that this one impressed Harry Connick Jr. and did not call for butter or mayo, I had to give it a shot. Pot roast for Easter dinner- why not?

Verdict: Simple, delicious, flavorful, and makes for great leftover sandwiches (I even ate one for breakfast :P). Highly recommended for anyone who is busy, feeding many, or just wanting a hearty meal of meat and veggies. So Paula, I declare a truce- hat's off to you!!!

Classic Pot Roast
(adapted from Paula Deen, FN)

• 1 (3 to 4-lb) round roast (less fatty than chuck roast)
  
• salt
• black pepper
• garlic powder
  
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 cup thinly sliced onion wedges
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 (10 3/4-ounce) can cream of mushroom soup (I used low sodium, low fat)
  
• 1/4 cup red wine (Didn't have any on hand, so substituted with Chinese white wine)
  
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• beef stock (beef broth will also do)
• 2 potatoes, peeled and cubed
• carrots, thickly chopped
  

Directions:

*if using oven, preheat to 350 F.

1. Dry meat. Rub on all sides thoroughly with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
2. Heat oil in large skillet and brown the roast, searing all sides. Place meat in roaster pan or in slow cooker pan.
3. Saute onions and garlic in same skillet for 1-2 minutes to absorb leftover roast juice. Also add a splash of wine to deglaze pan. Place over the beef.
4. Combine mushroom soup, wine, Worcestershire sauce and 3/4 cup beef stock in bowl. Pour over the roast. (**Note: if using slow cooker, liquid should cover about 2/3-3/4 of roast. Add more stock if needed).
5. Add potatoes and carrots to pan.
6. If using using oven- cover pan with foil and bake for 3 to 3 1/2 hours at 350 F or until meat is tender.
If using slow cooker, cook on low heat for 8 hours.
7. Serve. Meat should be tender and fall apart quite easily. (**Note: I found that the gravy needed to be a bit thicker when serving. To thicken, remove meat from pan and pour gravy into saucepan. Mix 2 TBS of cornstarch with a little cold water. Bring sauce to boil and thicken by adding cornstarch mixture. Stir constantly until consistency smooth).

















nothing says cross-cultural like pot roast served chinese-style, over rice!