Sweet and Spicy Edamame and Broad Beans

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Edamame1You might have tried edamame as an entree or side dish at the Japanese restaurant. It is just a fancy name for cooked green soybeans in the pod. Edamame are a powerhouse of nutrition. They’re low in fat and calories and high in protein (one of the few plant sources of complete protein), fiber and almost every other essential vitamin and mineral. Good news for ladies? Because soy is also a good source of calcium, it helps those with osteoporosis or osteopenia (decreased bone mass, which I’ve got unfortunately). Studies also have suggested that soy also helps alleviate symptoms of menopause. Don’t worry guys. It may have positive effects on preventing prostate cancer, too. So enough on nutrition facts! How do I use them? Make a great snack, of course, as the recipe below. Other suggestions are edamame hummus with healthy pita chips, mashed edamame on toast, in your casserole or stir-fry or salads. It all sounds yummy, right? I like cooking them in the pods. Then it is fun to peel them, pop the beans into your mouth and lick on your fingers. It is a fabulous appetiser or healthy snack. I hope you try this recipe x
EdamameIngredients

200g frozen edamame in shell
200g frozen broad beans
1 tsp of soy sauce
1/2 tsp of raw honey
1/2 tsp of minced garlic
1/2 tsp of chilli flakes
1/2 tsp of smoked paprika
1 tsp of sesame oil
1 tsp of sesame seeds
salt and pepper to taste

Boil frozen edamame pods and broad beans in a boiling water for 1-2 minutes and drain. In the meantime, mix other ingredients in a bowl. Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat. Add the soy mixture in. When it starts to bubble, stir in edamame and broad beans and cook for 5-10 minutes, keep stirring until the liquid is evaporated.

Posted in: Gluten Free, salads, Snack, Vegetarian

Carrot Muffins, Mediterranean Pasta Salad, Summer Green Salad

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LunchI had one of my friends over for lunch today. I was cooking like a storm, multitasking in the kitchen, which thankfully worked out okay today. She works at the bakery, from 3am to 10am, a bit odd shift. She says she is used to it now though it must be hard getting up that early to go to work when everyone else is still sound asleep. Well I sometimes get up that time and enjoy that hours of quietness, but not for work. She came quite hungry because she had a piece of bread since she got up this morning. Yes, I need to cook some nice food and feed her. I made carrot muffins, Mediterranean pasta salad and Summer green salad for her. We had chit-chats over lunch and coffee for about 4-5 hours. You just lose a track of time when you are with girl friends 🙂

Tiny little seeds are loads of energy-packed nutrition. Flaxseeds among them are one of the best sources of omega-3 fatty acids and lignans. To get the full health benefits, it must be grounded before eating. You can either buy a bag of flaxseed meal which is what I do or you can grind yourself at home.

Flaxseed meal has a rich nutty flavour and numerous health benefits including fighting against inflammation, protecting against heart disease, cancer and diabetes, controlling blood pressure and cholesterol and providing more dietary fibre.

It is also a great egg replacement in vegan baking, called flax “eggs“. A flax seed egg has half the calories of a large chicken egg and much less fat. It is not going to be exactly same as using eggs, but combining flax seeds and water (or non-dairy milk or juice) 1:2 ration will form into a gel, which helps to combine other ingredients together. Use in baking as you would one egg. You can also make a big batch and store in the fridge for up to a week. I made carrot muffins today using flaxseed meal. Recipes follow…
Lunch2Healthy Carrot Muffins

Ingredients

2 grated carrots
2 tablespoons flaxseed meal
100g milk
150g self-raising flour
1/2 cup of oats
50g brown sugar
1 tsp of cinnamon powder
1 tsp of baking powder
a pinch of salt
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 tsp of molasses
1 tsp vanilla extract

Mix all wet ingredients in a bowl and let it sit for 10 minutes to all flax “eggs” to set. Then add grated carrots and dry ingredients and stir. Spoon the batter into the muffin tray and bake in the preheated oven (180) for 20-30 minutes.

Mediterranean Pasta Salad

Ingredients

100g cooked pasta
1/2 cup of chopped spinach
1/2 cup of chopped sun-dried tomato
1/2 cup of chopped green olives
1 tsp of rinsed capers
1/2 cup of lettuce
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp e.v.o.o
salt and pepper to taste

Summer Green Salad

Ingredients

1 cup of cooked lentils
1/2 cup of peas
1 bunch of broccolini
1 bok-choy
strawberries
1 tsp of tahini paste
1 tsp of apple cider vinegar
1 tsp of maple syrup
salt and pepper to taste

Cook French lentils in hot boiling water for 20-30 minutes. Rinse and drain once it’s cooked. Steam peas, broccolini and bok-choy until they are cooked al dente. Place lentils and vegetables on the plate. Arrange halved strawberries on top. Drizzle a tahini dressing over the salad.

Posted in: Baking, Dinner, Lunch, My recipes, salads

Choosing The Base of Salads

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I have to admit how disappointed I was when I went to BBQs here. Grilling chuck steaks and sausages in a synthetic lining, bottles of barbeque sauce, sad looking salads, heavy salad dressings… Or maybe I’ve just been to all bad ones. I’m not a huge meat eater and thus going to a BBQ means pretty starving for me. Salads, especially, look so unloved. It’s just a side dish no one really touches. Can you name more than five salad veggies? Here is a thing. If you are a fan of healthy eating and cares about what goes into your body, then there is a homework for you. Go down to the local market or farmer’s market on the weekend and explore salad veggies. See how they look like, their names, smells, tastes, texture. You will be pretty impressed there is a whole world of veggies out there from spicy arugula to tender butter lettuce. Just in case I haven’t told you yet, I love going to the grocery shopping as much as clothes shopping. I will list some of the examples with photos and nutrition facts below.

  • Butter lettuce: Good source of vitamin A, K and folate. Soft and buttery textured leaves.
  • Cabbage: Dense, waxy, crunchy texture. Red cabbage has twice the vitamin C as green cabbage.
  • Iceberg lettuce: You will all know this one. Light and crunch texture. A good source of vitamin K, but that’s about it. Not much nutrition unfortunately.
  • Radicchio: Purple round heads of bitter leaves. Rich in phosphorus, calcium, vitamin B and C. Beautiful both raw and grilled
  • Romaine: Rich in calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, beta-carotene, vitamin A, B and C
  • Arugula (Roquette, Rocket): Peppery mustard flavour and nutty flavour. Contains anti-cancer properties.
  • Spinach: Tender, sweet, salty leaves. Rich in vitamin A, B, C, folate, iron, calcium and magnesium.
  • Kale: Sweet and tender greens. Very high in beta-carotene, vitamin K and C, calcium, anti-cancer properties.
  • Watercress: Peppery and tangy flavour. Rich in iron, calcium, iodine, folic acid, vitamin A and C, anti-cancer properties.

Try to mix 2-3 different variety of greens when you make a salad, for example, mild lettuce + crisp romaine + peppery arugula. That’s the foundation of your salad. Then you can add other ingredients like carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, what ever you feel like. Some suggestions for salad topping?

  • Crunchy: Nuts, pita chips, edamame, sugar snap peas, sweet potato, broccoli, pumpkin, beetroot, fennel, celery
  • Chewy: Dried fruits, sun-dried tomatoes, peas, corns, lentils, beans, tempeh
  • Fruity: apple, pear, nectarine, mango, berries, grapes
  • Creamy: cheese, hummus, yogurt
Posted in: salads, Vegetarian

Sushi Bowl

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Sushi BowlSushi or sashimi is one of my favorite foods to have when I’m out somewhere either from the restaurant or from the sushi roll take-away shops. It’s relatively healthy, gluten-free, easy on the go food. For deconstructed sushi bowl, you probably need rice, avocado, nori, etc that you normally see in sushi roll. I made my own twist putting in my kimchi, beans instead of rice and soy-tahini dressing instead of wasabi-soy dressing. The recipe is flexible and should be adjusted based on what you have on hand when you create your own flavourful sushi bowl. Chop your favorite vegetables and protein and throw them on top of complex carbs in a bowl. It is an easy way to eat clean, nourishing and healthy.

Ingredients

1/2 cup cooked chickpeas
1/2 cup cooked soybeans
1/2 cup grated carrot
1/2 cup sliced cucumber
1/2 cup shredded lettuce
1 bok-choy
radish kimchi
100g smoked salmon
coriander

For Soy-Tahini dressing
1 tsp of tahini paste
1 tsp of apple cider vinegar
1 tsp of honey
1 tsp of soy sauce1 tsp of sesame oil
1 tsp of sesame seeds
salt and pepper to taste

Rinse and boil pre-soaked beans for 20 minutes until cooked. In the mean time, prepare other vegetables and make a dressing. Drain the beans and assemble the salad. Drizzle a dressing over the salad before serve.
Sushi Bowl2

Posted in: Dinner, Gluten Free, Lunch, salads

Grapes, Lentil and Feta Salad

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Grape Lentil Salad1This is the kind of salad I’ve been making so many times. Lentils are a staple of my diet and perfect in summer salads, soup, vegetarian burger, curry and spreads. I like them because of their nutty and earthy flavour and creamy texture. Not only that, lentils are a powerhouse of nutrition. They are a good source of potassium, calcium, zinc, niacin and vitamin K, but are particularly rich in dietary fiber (good for digestive system), lean protein (make you full for longer), folate and iron. French lentils are my favorite because they don’t need pre-soaking, don’t get mushy or dry, and retain their shape very well after cooking. They taste so much better when you cook dried lentils at home rather than buy canned lentils, not to mention it is fresher and contains less salt and all that.

A few tips when you cook lentils! Wash and pick any bad ones or debris that might be in dried lentils. Cover with water in a pot and bring them to a rapid simmer, and then reduce the heat to low for the rest of cooking. About 10 minutes, take them off the heat, drain and rinse in cold water. Make sure they are not too mushy, which means overcooked. Add salt or acidic ingredients after cooking them otherwise lentils will get touch and not get cooked properly. Old lentils take longer to cook. So always keep fresh lentils in your pantry.

Grape Lentil SaladIngredients

1/2 cup of french lentils, rinsed and cooked
1/2 cup of diced cucumber
1/2 cup of red grapes, halved
1 cup of green salads
50g crumbled feta cheese
handful of toasted walnuts

For dressing
1 tsp of balsamic vinegar
1 tsp of e.v.o.o
1 tsp of honey
a squeeze of lemon
salt and pepper to taste

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