Cooking with Kale

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I love green vegetables as raw or cooked. Vibrant colour and bitter taste. I cannot live without them!

I bought a bunch of kale from the market this morning. I use a lot of greens in cooking like spinach, broccoli, zucchini, spring onions, cabbage, bok choy, etc. But somehow I haven’t really used kale and collard that much – maybe because it is a bit hard to find at the supermarket here. I really should make a trip to the farmers markets on the weekend and explore more.

Apparently Kale is one of the healthiest vegetables on the planet. One cup of chopped kale contains 33 calories, 9% of daily value of calcium, 206% of vitamin A, 134% of vitamin C, 684% of vitamin K, a good source of copper, potassium, iron, manganese, and phosphorus. Antioxidants in kale have the anti-cancer health benefits. The fibre content helps to lower blood cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease. But, too much vitamin K can cause problems for some people who take anticoagulants. And you need to avoid eating calcium-rich foods with kale since  it interferes with calcium absorption. So it is proved that kale is a power house of nutrients!

I used half to make a sauteed kale and mushrooms with a splash of soy sauce and a teaspoon of garlic, and another half for kale chips. I’ve seen packaged ones at the health food shops, which cost fortune for a handful of kale chips. It is cheap and easy to make at home, so do it yourself! I washed and pat dried kale leaves. Sprinkle sea salt and cayenne pepper. Put in 170 degree oven for 30 minutes (check and flip them now and then so it doesn’t burn). It is light, crunch, spicy.. I’m in heaven.

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

Smoky Roasted Chickpeas

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One of my New Year’s resolutions is healthy eating – eat more legumes and beans for extra carbohydrates!

My diet was not that great a few years back. Poor body image and not fully understanding what balanced diet is resulted me in having very low carb and no fat diet, avoiding grains, nuts and seeds, and dairy products completely. Years of mistreating my body caused more damage than I thought. I consider myself healthy, but not real healthy. I’m still in the progress of recovery inside out and try to respect my body more. Anyways I will try to eat more carbs and good fat this year to put on healthy weight 🙂

I’m a huge fan of chickpeas. Not only are they cute and yummy but also have so much goodness in them. They are totally wheat/ gluten free, high in protein, zinc, folate and fibre. They are super versatile in both cooking and baking. Healthy dip, hummus, is one of my favorite snacks on crunch veggie sticks. Socca, flattened bread made of chickpea flour, is great alternative for tortilla. They are also great for salads, casseroles and soups. Chickpea flour can be added to make muffins and cakes in gluten free baking.

I made roasted chickpeas for snack this morning. If you need a great snack on the go, it is quick and easy to make, healthy and flavoursome. I soaked half cup of chickpeas overnight, cooked them in boiling water for 15 minutes until they soften up. I massaged them with a teaspoon of coconut oil, sprinkle of cinnamon powder, cayenne powder and sea salt, then baked them in 180 degrees oven for about 20 minutes (agitate them every 5 minutes). You can be creative when adding spices depending on your taste buds, such as chilli flakes, curry powder, cumin, smoked paprika, lime juice, vinegar, soy sauce, etc. Keep them in airtight container once cooled down and eat within a few days.

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

No-Bake Mint Choc Tofu Cake

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Tofu is one of my favorite foods although my hubby hates it. Maybe because I grew up with it ever since I was born. Korean pronunciation is more like “duboo”. We have so many dishes using tofu in Korea e.g. boiled tofu with Kimchi, tofu stir-fry, pan-fried tofu steak, tofu dumplings, tofu soup, list goes on and on. Tofu is made from cuddled soybean milk. It contains a good source of protein, iron, calcium, vitamin E, isoflavons that reduce bad cholesterol. I’ve seen on TV a while ago back home. Since people have become more health-conscious and care what they eat even sweets, organic Korean cafes started using tofu in desserts. I guess it does have quite neutral flavour and pudding-like consistency making it right for the use of dessert. So I’ve decided to make one for myself and my friend who is coming over this morning.

I blended one block of semi-firm tofu (about 200g), 50g coconut powder, two teaspoons of cacao powder, 15g chia seeds, a splash of peppermint extract, one peppermint tea bag and maple syrup for sweetness. I then firmly packed in a small cake tin and put it in the fridge to set. Garnished with more cacao powder and goji berries. It smells amazing! moist, chocolatey and minty. You wouldn’t know there is tofu in it. Seriously good:)

 

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

Nori Wrap with Quinoa and Black Beans

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A quick shot of my lunch before it has gone. I made a simple nori wrap with quinoa and black beans.

I only found out about quinoa a.k.a “the gold of the Incas” a couple of years ago as I started my clean eating. It is popular now that you can find it easy at the local health shops. Surprisingly, most quinoa comes from South America where it is grown wild and pesticides are not used. So you don’t have to worry too much about buying ‘organic’ foods as it is naturally organic.

Shame I didn’t know about it almost 30 years! I even introduced to my mum back in Korea where quinoa is not that common yet and hard to find. She has fallen in love with it now since I taught mum mixing quinoa through rice for more nutrition and flavour. These little guys are without doubt one of the superfoods.

– A high protein grain alternative: quinoa contains more than double the amount of protein found in the standard grains and also has a complete amino acid profile

– More fiber: fiber relieves constipation and helps to prevent heart disease by reducing blood pressure and diabetes. It also makes you feel full longer, acting as a natural appetite suppressant.

– Contains iron, lysine, magnesium, Riboflavin (B2) and manganese

– It’s gluten free!

Cooking quinoa is so easy. I boil a cup of quinoa in a pot using a 1:1 ratio of quinoa and water for about 15 minutes in medium to low heat, just like the way you cook rice on stove. You can mix with other grains or beans as well. It is so versatile you can use for salads, soup, savory cakes, etc.

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

Making Sauerkraut

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Just like Kimchi in Korea, sauerkraut is a fermented cabbage side dish which took root mostly in Eastern Europe and Germanic cuisines. I try to incorporate fermented foods in my diet such as Kimchi, sauerkraut, yogurt or kefir for my digestion.

As per my previous post on Kimchi, sauerkraut as a fermented food has many health benefits.

– easier to digest and absorb compared to eaten raw
– high in Vit B, C and K, calcium, potassium and magnesium
– low in calories
– lactobacilli and enzymes improve digestion and the growth of healthy bowel flora
– soothing the digestive tract, good for stomach ulcer
– high in antioxidants (lutein and zeaxanthin)

You can buy a jar of sauerkraut from the store though it is expensive, has preservatives and is very high in sodium. So why not making at home since it is extremely cheap and easy to make? It is also very rewarding when you make your own:)

All you need is sea salt and cabbage (I’ve chosen a red cabbage, but any cabbage would do). You need to massage and knead the shredded cabbage and sea salt with clean hands in a mixing bowl until it gets wet and excess water comes out of the mixture. Pack the moist cabbage mixture and liquid into a jar and close the lid tightly. Leave the jar in a cool dark place for a few days to allow the bacteria to start fermentation. Check everyday to see if it is soft and tangy. Then you can keep it in fridge to slower down the fermentation process. It goes well with any meat dishes as well as in salads – beautiful purple colour and intense flavour!

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