Korean Vegetarian Dishes (Bibimbap and Japchae)

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While being raised in South Korea, I don’t think I appreciated enough what I had – culture, family, friends, food. Well..I guess a part of it was because I was younger and not as mature. This blog has been the outlet and given me a great opportunity that I can think about my past, present and future..who I am.. I can sit in my own zone in silence, read, learn and write. This journey has transported me to a happier time in my life back home, and I connected food with those memories. Don’t you all have that? When you think about those foods from your cherished memory, it brings you a big smile. You feel like you are just there, you can even smell the aroma and feel the warmth on the tip of your nose. Feeling of love:) Yes, food is so powerful. It can impact us on a deeper emotional level than just physical health. These two Korean dishes. I totally adore them. They are gluten-free, dairy-free, vegetarian, vegan, healthy and, of course, delicious! I’m glad I can show you some Korean dishes on my blog. Thank you for visiting my site and sharing my journey x

bibimbapBibimbap is lightly cooked vegetables on rice commonly served in the hot stone bowl, which keeps it warm and also makes the crispy rice at the bottom. The way you eat is add Gochujang, Korean spicy sauce, mix all up and eat. You can put any kinds of veggies but normally bean sprouts, spinach, carrots, mushrooms, cucumber, daikon, tofu, zucchini and kimchi. It can be as simple or as complicated as it can be. I add my healthy spin on it – using raw veggies for good enzymes, tempeh for protein, and cauliflower rice with a light Gochujang dressing.

JapchaeJapchae is sweet potato noodles (springy glass noodles) stir-fried with vegetables. Mum used to make it for my birthday, school picnic day, Thanks giving day or just on the weekends. It is a kind of food you make a huge plate and share with everyone. To make it healthy, I normally steam the veggies al dente, boil the noodles and then mix with a soy dressing in a large bowl. Dressing consists of soy sauce, minced garlic, shallot, vinegar, honey, sesame seeds, sesame oil, salt and pepper. Simple combination, but delish!

 

Posted in: Dinner, Gluten Free, Lunch, My recipes, Vegetarian

GF Grapefruit Yogurt Cupcakes

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Grapefruit CupcakesI find adding fruits or fruit juice or fruit puree is a bit challenging since it changes the texture and ph balance of the cake. Depending on how juicy your fruits are and how dry your flour is, you need to change the recipe slightly. Trust your gut feeling? These cupcakes worked for me today, yay! A burst of sweet-tart flavour from the grapefruit and extra moistness from yogurt makes this cupcakes so perfect. I added in the lactose free yogurt instead of thick Greek yogurt. You can also use silken tofu for dairy-free option. If you have a sweet tooth, you might want to add more sweetener since it is still quite tart cake. Or use sweet oranges instead? Have fun baking x

Ingredients

1 grapefruit (about 2 tbsp of zest and 2 tbsp of juice)
50g coconut flour
50g almond flour
100g lactose free natural yogurt
2 eggs
1 tbsp of coconut oil
1 tbsp of stevia (adjust depending on how sweet your grapefruit is)
1/2 tsp of vanilla bean powder
1 tsp of baking powder
a pinch of salt

Lightly beat the eggs in a large bowl. Add zest and juice from the grapefruit, stevia, coconut oil and yogurt into the bowl. Stir to combine. Add all other dry ingredients and stir. Spoon the mixture into a prepared cupcake tin and bake in the preheated oven (180) for 25-30 minutes or until cooked. Let it cool and enjoy.

Posted in: Baking, Breakfast, Dessert, Gluten Free, My recipes, Snack

Spicy Cucumber Gazpacho

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I know gazpacho is more summery soup, but I just felt like something refreshing and hydrating. This recipe makes the most of fresh, simple summer flavors, and a dollop of wasabi adds the right amount of heat. You can change ingredients depending on your taste. Normally, some recipes include white bread, sour cream or cream in it, which I’m not fancy. Onion or garlic? I didn’t want too much raw garlicky flavour, so skip that. As far as pairing goes, I think seafood like crab meat or prawns or white fish will be beautiful with it. Maybe serve with homemade flat bread or focaccia on the side? Yum. I cannot wait to try this (it is being chilled in the fridge now!).
Cucumber GazpachoIngredients

1 continental cucumber, chopped
1 bunch of parsley
1 bunch of coriander
1 cup of lemon ginger tea, brewed and cooled
1 tsp of apple cider vinegar
1 tsp of Himalayan salt
a pinch of cayenne pepper
1 tsp of wasabi paste
a squeeze of lemon
olive oil

Add all ingredients except olive oil in a blender. Blend well until combined. Transfer to a glass jar or jug, cover and refrigerate for a couple of hours. Just before serving, add olive oil and ice cubes if you like.

Posted in: Dinner, Drinks, Gluten Free, My recipes, Vegetarian

Raw Cauliflower Tabbouleh

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I hope I’m not too late to the party. Cauliflower “rice” seems like a big hit among healthy foodies on the internet at the moment. I’ve been meaning to try and finally I made a cauliflower tabbouleh today.

Tabbouleh is a Middle Eastern salad normally made of bulgur wheat. Replacing bulgur with cauliflower makes this salad raw, grain-free and also crunchy for days in the fridge. This fresh and light salad is a perfect complement to any kind of protein or with flat bread. Cauliflower is a perfect replacement for the white rice because it looks similar, but has more crunchy texture and better nutrition in it. Cruciferous vegetables (such as broccoli, kale, cauliflower, cabbage, watercress, and mustard greens) are said to be detoxifying because they provide support for the immune, inflammatory, hormonal, detoxification, and antioxidant systems in your body. They also contain powerful anti-cancer compounds unique to this class of vegetables.

It is a little messy to make “rice” using a box grater. If you grate too hard, cauliflower goes everywhere on the kitchen bench. So be gentle with that baby unless you want to do a massive cleanup afterwards. I think using a boxer grater is better although it is time consuming because a food processor seems to make “rice” too fine and wet. I will leave it up to you, either a boxer grater or food processor is fine.
Cauliflower TabbouleIngredients

1 head of cauliflower florets
1 cup of chopped cucumber
1 stalk of celery
1 cup of chopped kale leaves
1 bunch of coriander
1 cup of pomegranate

For dressing
1 tsp of za’atar
1 tsp of smoked paprika
1 tsp of apple cider vinegar
1 tsp of Himalayan salt
a squeeze of lemon
1 tbsp of e.v.o.o

Wash, cut the florests and grate the cauliflower into “rice”. Combine with cucumber, kale, coriander and pomegranate in a large mixing bowl. For dressing, mix all ingredients in a small bowl and stir well. Pour the dressing into the tabbouleh and gently toss. Transfer to a serving bowl.
Cauli Tabbouleh

Posted in: Gluten Free, Lunch, My recipes, salads, Vegetarian

Raw Minty Green Tea Cheesecake

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Raw Greentea Cake
I don’t know how many of you are familiar with Matcha green tea powder. It is one of my favorite flavours in sweets, which you can find easily back home such as green tea ice cream, green tea latte, shaved ice, macaroon, cake, cookie and even used in cosmetics. When Daniel and I went to Jeju Island a couple of years back, we visited a green tea farm and museum. We learned how much care goes into a little pack of green tea. Then we sat outside looking over the farm and sap on a beautifully brewed fresh tea with green tea dessert. Amazing! And it cannot be compared to those prepacked horrible teabags, which has no depth and tastes just bitter to me. All teas are good for you, but green tea is by far the best. Try to buy a high quality organic green tea as much as possible. It should be vacuum-sealed for freshness when you buy. Store them in the fridge or freezer once open to slow the oxidation process down.

Matcha is packed with exponentially antioxidants. Its ORAC (oxygen radical absorbance capacity) is a mighty 1300 units per gram, compared to pomegranates 105 units per gram or blueberries 91 units.It has potent cancer-fighting properties, boosts your energy throughout the day, helps you lose weight and cleanse your body. Matcha is also rich in L-Theanine, a rare amino acid that effects the brain’s functioning to promote a state of well-being, alertness, and relaxation. So monks would drink green tea to stay focused and alert during hours of sitting doing meditation.

As well as drinking, you can add matcha green tea powder in your foods. For example, add a teaspoon in your breakfast bowl, yogurt, smoothie, pancakes, and baked goods. You will get addicted to these guys once you try them 🙂

Ingredients

For Base
1 cup of mixed nuts (almonds, cashews, walnuts)
5 medjool dates pitted and chopped
1 tsp of goji berries
1 tsp of cacao powder
1 tsp of cinnamon powder
1 tsp of cacao nibs
a pinch of salt

Pulse the ingredients in a food processor. Add a bit of water if you need. Press the mixture firmly at the bottom of a small spring form pan. I used a square container with a baking paper lined inside so that it is easy to take it out. Set in the fridge while making the filling.

For Filling
2 cups of raw cashew nuts soaked overnight
1 tbsp of stevia
1 tbsp of matcha green tea powder
1 tsp of vanilla extract
1 tsp of peppermint extract
2 tbsp of coconut oil
coconut water

Rinse the pre-soaked cashews and drain. Mix all ingredients in a food processor until you get a smooth mixture. Add a bit of coconut water at a time. Taste the mixture if you need any more sweetener or green tea powder. Pour the mixture onto the crust and spread evenly. Cover it and put in the freezer for a few hours to set. Then take it out of the freezer and run the knife gently to cut into little bars. I like keeping the rest in the freezer and take it out 30 mins before serve.

Posted in: Dessert, Gluten Free, My recipes, Snack, Vegetarian