Chickpea Tofu Salad

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I recently discovered this soy-free and easy-to-make tofu on the internet (here and here). Burmese or Shan tofu it is. My grandma and aunties used to make tofu at home, which takes so much time and effort and in fact is daunting for me to do on my own. On the other hand, this chickpea tofu requires only three ingredients and is dead simple similar to making polenta. Compared to soy tofu, it is has a nice nutty flavour. Perfect for making chips, salads, fillings for sandwiches or wraps, topping up your soup or adding in stir-fries. I think adding other flavours into the tofu mixture would be nice such as oregano, chilli flakes or sesame seeds. Have fun making x
chickpea tofuIngredients (2-4 serves)

150g chickpea flour
a pinch of salt
450g boiled water or stock

Place chickpea flour and salt in a large bowl. Bring water or stock to a boil in a pot. Pour it into a bowl slowly as you whisk rapidly so that it gets thick with no lumps. Pour the mixture into a tin lined with a cling film and spread the surface evenly with a spatula. Let it cool and refrigerate more than an hour or until it firms up. Loosen the edges with a knife or spatula and slice portions as needed.

I cut it into little squares and lightly pan-fried a couple of minutes each side in coconut oil. Then served with watermelon, goat cheese, greens and a drizzle of balsamic glaze.

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

Roasted Vegetables in Miso Broth

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A smell and sound of the miso soup boiling away on stove. Mum’s cutting vegetables on chopping board. All busy herself in the morning to feed us a beautiful nourishing breakfast. This is a home feeling that comes to my mind  in a minute when I think of my mum, home and weekend morning. All the details that others cannot perceive, but me. There is nothing as nostalgic as the food of home. Isn’t it strange what you eat as a child dictates what you crave when you grow up? What is your home feeling? Oh, maybe I’m getting a bit of home-sick.

Miso soup in Korea is quite different to the ones you get at the sushi restaurants here. Korean version has a richer flavour with loads of ingredients in it. Tofu, clam, potato, zucchini, spring onion and mushrooms beautifully  arranged and cooked  in a large stone bowl. That is the main dish right in the middle of the table for us to share. Mum ladles a soup for my brother and me. I don’t consider myself the pickiest eater, but definitely want to get what I want. More tofu! She gives extra tofu in mine because she knows my taste. We also have a small bowl of rice and kimchi on the side. That’s right. To me, miso soup is the highlight of the meal, not the side. It always calls me when I crave a hearty home meal or should I say, when I miss home.

It is a simple dish to make, trust me. All you need is rice, vegetables, miso paste and vegetable stock. A great way of using up the veggies in your fridge! I seasoned and roasted chopped veggies in the preheated oven (200) for 15 minutes until they are cooked al dente. Boil miso broth in a pot and cook rice (I used a quinoa and bean mix) in another pot or rice cooker. Serve rice and roasted veggies in a bowl, and ladle the soup around it. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds. Serve warm.
miso soup

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

Goji Turmeric Chia Smoothie

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gojiturmericchiaI know everyone says that, but how is it already December? I can smell the summer just around the corner. We are still in this weird half spring and half summer zone and here in Melbourne is pretty bad with pollen, which gives me a sore swollen throat and nasty sneezes when I’m out and about, which is really annoying me >.< This wonderful smoothie is immune boosting, hydrating, energizing, anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant. Curcumin in turmeric is a magic ingredient fighting against inflammation and bacteria and helps to ease hay fever, asthma, bronchitis and other seasonal allergies. So if you are an allergy sufferer like me, try this drink every morning and stay healthy x

Ingredients

30g dried goji berries
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tbsp chia seeds
1 tsp honey or any sweetener of your choice
a pinch of sea salt
juice from 1/2 lemon
1 cup of coconut water

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until all combined. Adjust sweetener depending on your taste. Serve chilled.

Posted in: Breakfast, Drinks, Gluten Free, My recipes, Snack, Vegetarian

One Year of Blogging

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rice cakeI woke up this morning thinking ‘I started this blog today last year’. Wow! one year of blogging. Thank you for visiting and reading my humble recipes and posts. Your visits, comments and feedback are so valuable and encouraging to me. I’m so grateful that this blog gave me an opportunity to cook healthy food, experiment new ingredients and recipes and share with you after all. My inner Koreaness kicked in when I was thinking of what to make for a special day, one year anniversary of blogging. You cannot go pass a cake on a special occasion, right? So to make the occasion, I decided to make Korean adzuki bean rice cake. As a child growing up in Korea, this festive cake was always on the table for big national holidays, birthdays and many family gatherings. I even remember I had to deliver plates of this cake to our new neighbors and say hello to them when my family moved into new house or apartment. That said, I’m not sure if they do that anymore since we live such a busy life these days. You don’t even know who lives next door and sadly don’t care much. Traditionally, it is a steamed cake with layers of glutenous white rice and adzuki bean filling. Naturally gluten-free and vegan. I’m making my own twist on the traditional recipe by adding coconut milk in the rice layer, cinnamon and cacao in the bean layer, but the spirit of the cake is still the same. Celebrating 🙂 To everyone who has followed me on this blogging journey, thank you xrice cake1

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

GF Bread with Sprouts + Simple Guacamole

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sprouted breadHow much do you know about alfalfa sprouts? Did you know it is a healing food? Alfalfa sprouts are the shoots of the alfalfa plant, harvested before they become the full-grown plant. Because they are so small, the sprouts contain a concentrated amount of certain vitamins and minerals such as calcium, vitamin K and vitamin C. They are one of the most significant dietary sources of phytoestrogens, that can help reduce your risk of heart disease, cancer and osteoporosis. Saponins in alfalfa sprouts can help lower your bad cholesterol while also increasing good cholesterol. Saponins might also help boost your immunity. An easy way of using them is rinse under running water and add into your salads, sandwiches, wraps and burgers. I used to make this awesome gluten free bread, which turned out to be really good. You don’t need to pay ten dollars for a loaf of sprouted bread any more when you can make it so easy at home. Plus, for my lunch, I made a quick guacamole to spread on this beautiful slice of bread. Yum!

treat kidney stones, gastrointestinal and bloating

sprouted bread1Ingredients

For Guacamole
1 avocado
1/2 cup chopped parsley
a squeeze of lemon
1/2 tsp of smoked paprika
a pinch of Himalayan salt
1 tbsp thick Greek yogurt
1 tbsp of olive oil

Simply place all ingredients in your food processor and blend until smooth. Transfer to a serving bowl and refrigerate until serve.

For Sprouted GF Bread
20g chia seeds
1/2 cup earl grey, strongly brewed
2 eggs
1/4 cup melted coconut oil
1 tbsp thick Greek yogurt
1/2 cup almond meal
1/2 cup coconut flour
1/2 cup alfalfa sprouts
1 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp cardamom
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp baking soda
a pinch of Himalayan salt

Soak chia seeds in earl grey tea until it gets thick and gel-like. Add eggs in and gently whisk to combine. Add coconut oil and yogurt in and stir to combine. Add the rest of the ingredients, stir well to combine, pour the mixture into a loaf tin and set aside for 10 minutes. Bake in the preheated oven (180) for 40-45 minutes until cooked. Take it out of the oven and let it cool in a tin.
guacamole

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