Summer Rolls – How we ROLL Pt. 3

Tags

Cellophane noodles, Peanut butter, Peanut sauce, Summer roll, vegan, WFPB, whole foods plant based, Wonton

Late one night (4am-ish to be exact) when we first started dating M, my now husband, came over after leaving a night club. I was standing at the counter making vietnamese summer rolls.

LOTS of summer rolls!!  At least 40!

I had a craving for them, so I got up and made them!

I remember him standing i the kitchen doorway in shock. Eyes wide and mouth open. What was I doing making these!? This little american girl standing in the kitchen slaving away like his Korean mother. All he said was, “Wooooooow!!”

I’m preeeety sure this is what made him fall in love with me! 😉

The Ravenous Munchkins love them as does the Ravenous Grandma. And since she promised to juileanne everything – Why not! 🙂

Since going vegan and getting healthy I tried to make them without shrimp.

Ingredients for Rolls:

• Vietnamese rice paper/summer roll wrappers
• 2 rolls of cellophane noodles
• wonton wrappers
• lemon balm or mint
• spinach
• carrots
• cucumber
• tofu; dry fried
• Veggie Ham
• Korean pear – or any fruit
• optional – pickled vietnamese veggies – cabbage and carrots

Ingredients for Sauce:

• 1/2 cup Peanut Butter
• 5 drops of toasted sesame oil
• cilantro to taste – I of course like a lot!
• 2 Tbls soy sauce
• 2 Tbls water

Directions:

1. Start by juileanning pre-cooked tofu, carrots, cucumber, veggie ham, Korean pear. Set aside.

2. Warm and slightly brown the veggie ham in a pan over med-high heat. Set aside.

3. Combine all ingredients for peanut sauce in a personal blender like magic bullet and blend well, adding more water to desired consistency.

4. Cut about 10 wonton wrappers in half – lenghtwise. wrap each around a skewer to roll and slide of skewer. Bake at 450 until brown or fry in a shallow pan of oil if you like.

5. Boil a pan of water and place noodles. Turn off heat and let sit for about 10 minutes. Drain.

6.. Arrange all ingredients on your workspace so that they are easily reached when preparing the rolls.

7. Fill a shallow dish with water and place on workspace. (I used a pie keeper top) Place one summer roll wrapper in the water totally submerged for 3 seconds, Flip and repeat for 3 seconds.

8. Place wrapper flat on table or counter. place a lemongrass or mint leaf, neatly place the veggies and wonton wrapper, then a bunch of noodles. DONT FILL TO MUCH!!!

9. Working quickly roll the side closest to you over the fillings and then each side, roll tightly.

10. If you do not fill and get to rolling quickly enough your summer roll will be loose and break easily. It may take take several trys to get it right. But well worth the patience! Serve with dipping sauce and enjoy! 🙂

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BiBimBap

Tags

BiBimBap, brown rice, korean, Rice

The Ravenous Munchkins have always loved rice since they starting eating.   Honestly each of their very first meals was miso soup with seaweed and white rice that I would make and puree for them…THEY LOOOOVED IT!!  I mean, what else would you expect from three kids who are part Korean?!?

The past 2 years I have had them eating (and LOVING) brown rice. It’s much more healthy, full of fiber, and it’s something that you can feel good about feeding your kids.

I decided to make something that we haven’t had in a while. BiBimBop – it’s a simple Korean dish that is simply steamed rice with seasoned and sautéed vegetables and meat.  BiBimBap literally translates to “Mixed Rice”.  A fitting name as you mix up the rice after it is served to you.

I was stoked to make this meal tonight and went on a hunt for this delicioso “Veggie Ham” I had tasted at the vegan restaurant we’ve been frequenting. I went to the Korean grocery, and 2 Vietnamese groceries before I found it…

JACKPOT!!

If you have had this I highly suggest you give it a try. Don’t let the HUGE size of it intimidate you, you can use it in EVERYTHING!! I don’t think it’s meant to be eaten plain, but as an add in for flavor for a dish. I would say the taste is a little “hammy” and a little “spammy”.

Ingredients:

• 1 package of brown rice; steamed
• 1/4 loaf of Veggie ham; julienned
• 1 package of  spinach
• 3 small Korean squash; julienned (or Mexican depending where u shop)
• 8+ shiitakes; sliced thinly
• one package of shredded carrots
• toasted sesame oil
• salt
• Sriracha and toasted sesame oil for serving

Directions:

1. Prepare rice ahead of time.
2. One at a time saute each different vegetable and veggie ham with a couple drops of toasted sesame oil and a pinch of salt. When each are finished place them in individual bowls.
3. When all veggies and rice are finished cooking, put some rice into a bowl and arrange your veggies on top. It’s all about presentation!!
4. I eat mine with a little sesame oil and Sriracha but you can also make some Cho Ganchang to serve it with.
5. Don’t forget to mix it up before you eat, after all it IS BiBimBap!

Banana Roll Ups – again…how we ROLL!

Tags

Banana, Flax, kids, Nut butter, Peanut butter, snack

The kids are screaming.

They want, “Something that starts with an I”.

Sorry Kid, no Ice Cream!

“Something that starts with a P”

Sorry Kid, No Pudding!

Coming up with healthy snacks that the kids will like can be quite a challenge. BTW – my kids went through 42 bananas in FOUR days last week!! That was between the 1 and 3 year old! Ravenous Munchkin J, the 4 year old, has decided that she doesn’t like bananas.

Guess what…she does NOW!

Ingredients:

• One Banana
• One whole wheat tortilla
• almond or peanut butter
• flax seeds (optional)

 

Directions:

1. Lay one tortilla flat on the counter.
2. Coat with 1-2 tablespoons of nut butter. (sprinkle with flax if you choose)
3. Place banana near one edge of tortilla. If your banana is really curved, bend back/break in segments to make straight.
4. Slowly roll banana in the tortilla.
5. Cut the banana roll into slices.
6. Watch the kids devour!

Detox Salad – WF Rip!

Tags

broccoli, carrots, Cauliflower, Detox, Maple syrup, salad

Man, I love me some Hot and Cold bar at Whole Foods!!

But it KILLS me to buy the simple things off the bar – though I will GLADLY pay $7.99 a pound for some of their TVP General Taos “Chicken”! That junk is like CRACK!

One of my faves is the Detox Salad – So while at whole foods, piling food on what woudl turn out to be my $16 plate, I took photos of a the ingredient card over a few of my faves.

This is the one I chose to make today with my edits of course! Enjoy! 🙂

Ingredients:

• 10oz cauliflower florets
• 10oz broccoli florets
• 10oz shredded carrots
• 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
• 1/2 cup mixed raisins
• Juice from 1 lemon
• Juice from 1/2 orange
• Maple syrup, granulated, to taste
• Sea salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. One by one chop each ingredient. Cauliflower, broccoli, then carrots. I did it with a hand chopper. Unless u need some arm toning, I recommend a food processor.  I had to take a few breaks.
2. Put chopped veggies into a large mixing bowl and add seeds, raisins. Stir well.
3. Add salt pepper and maple granules to taste.

Pumpkin Black Bean Chili

Tags

black beans, chili, Chili powder, pumpkin, soup

Ahhhh, another vegan meal fit for a bowl…

No, for realz, Ravenous Munchkin J has been begging me to make Pumpkin Soup since October – who know where she got that from. But being the good mother that I am, I will give the kids what she wants. Well kinda

Ingredients:

• 2 large cans of diced tomatoes
• 5 small cans of black beans
• 2 cans of pumpkin puree
• 1 small onion
• 1 cup wheat berries
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1/4 cup chili powder
• 1/2 tsp fresh ginger; grated
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
• pinch of freshly ground allspice
• chipotle powder (optional)
• cilantro for garnish

Directions:

1. Turn on crock pot to a High setting. Open all cans and pour them into a crockpot. Pour all liquid in too!
2. Put the spices and chopped onion in too.
3. Place the wheat berries in a saucepan and cover with water, cover and bring to a boil. Continue to cook in med-high for about 30-45 minutes until they have softened. Turn off and let sit for a bit, 10 min or so.
4. Drain the remaining water from the pan of wheat berries and add to the chili
5. Cover and let cook for at least 5 hours or until desired consistency.

Peanut Tofu & Veggies

Tags

broccoli, carrots, Chinese cabbage, Cook, Peanut sauce, Tofu, vegan

Yearning for something a little sweet and plant based but it was dinner time and didn’t want to totally ruin my appetite I came up with this…

Ingredients for Sauce:

• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1/4 cup cilantro
• 6 Tsp soy sauce
• 6 Tsp water
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 1/2 tsp Korean red pepper flakes
• couple drops of roasted sesame oil

Ingredients for meal:

• 1 package of tofu
• 16 oz brown rice
• 1 head of bok choy
• 1 package of baby carrots
• 4 crimini mushrooms
• 1 head of broccoli

Directions:

1. Cook brown rice in rice steamer.
2. Press the tofu between several layers of paper towels. This will help get a lot of the liquid out so that your tofu will brown easier and faster!
3. Put all ingredients for peanut sauce in a blender (I used my magic bullet) and blend until well mixed. Set sauce aside.
4. Cut your tofu into cubes. 
5. Heat up a well seasoned frying pan on high and put your tofu in. When browned on that side – flip to the next, and the next, and the next…
6. Rinse mushrooms in a collander to remove any dirt.
7. Chop veggies: chop mushrooms, slice bok choy, cut broccoli off stem, and slice baby carrots on the bias.
8. When tofu is almost finished cooking and browned on all sides. Remove tofu form the pan and set aside.
9. Heat up a wok or large frying pan. Add 1/2 cup of water. when boiling add carrots and broccoli, cover to steam. When almost finished add mushrooms and bok choy. Cover and steam.
10. Toss tofu with 1/2 of peanut sauce.
11. When veggies have finished steaming toss them with other 1/2 of peanut sauce, salt and pepper to taste.
12. Serve veggies and tofu atop a bed of brown rice.

Holy Crepes! Part Deux –

Tags

Breakfast, French

The Presentation of Jesus at the Temple, celebrates an early episode in the life of Jesus.  According to the gospel of Luke, Mary and Joseph took the baby Jesus to the Temple in Jerusalem forty days after his birth to complete Mary’s ritual purification after childbirth, and to perform the redemption of the firstborn, in obedience to the Law of Moses. Luke explicitly says that Joseph and Mary take the option provided for poor people (those who could not afford a lamb), sacrificing “a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.”

 Leviticus 12:1-4 indicates that this event should take place forty days after birth for a male child, hence the Presentation is celebrated forty days after Christmas. The presentation is celebrated FEBRUARY 2 and is the Catholic holiday of Candlemas, a feast to commemorate the purification of the Virgin Mary and the presentation of the baby Jesus.

For many French people La Chandeleur is a chance to enjoy a lot of crêpes, as well as do some fortune telling while making them.  As I mentioned in a previous post, Holy Crepes!  The tradition is to hold a coin in your writing hand and a crêpe pan in the other; then toss the crêpe in the air. If you manage to catch the crêpe in the pan, your family will enjoy prosperity for the rest of the year

• 2 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 pinch salt
• 1-1/2 teaspoons vegetable oil

1. In a bowl combine eggs, milk, flour, salt and oil. Process until smooth. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour.
2. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and brush with oil. Pour 1/4 cup of crepe batter into pan, tilting to completely coat the surface of the pan. Cook about 2 minutes, turning once, until golden. Repeat with remaining batter.
3. Fold twice and serve with toppings of your choice

Hashed Sweet Potato – Hash-Oranges??? Who knows!

Tags

Black pepper, Breakfast, Chipotle, Cook, Garlic, Grape seed oil, Onion, Sea salt, Sweet potato, vegan, Vegetarian

I adore sweet potatoes – as do my kids. They are such a nutritionally dense and flavorful food, what’s not to love. It’s like eating candy without, well, eating candy!

These nutritionally powerhouses boast a humungo 80% of your RDA of Vitamin A as well as 35% Vitamin C, and from a medium little sweetie baked in the skin you’ll get about 4 grams of fiber and only 100 calories! Such a smart choice over a regular old white potato!

Annnnd…so sick of the oatmeal every morning I threw this together. Nothing new, but new for us. 🙂

Ingredients:

• 2 medium-sized cooked sweet potatoes, chilled and cubed  ( I used one “Oriental” and one regular)
• 2 shallots; sliced
• 1/2 tsp coconut oil
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Chipotle powder – optional

Directions:

1. Heat 1/2 tsp of coconut oil over med high heat. Wipe around in pan with a paper towel to coat and discard.

2.  Add cubed sweet potato. 

3. When brown on that side flip with spatula. All sliced shallot. Keep an eye on these and flip with a spatula as needed until browned.

4. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper, to taste.