Ginger and Soy Salmon

Full disclosure, I took this recipe from my mother in law Hilde and I am not sorry about it at all.  She made this for Christmas dinner, the dish is super gourmet but also very simple and easy to make.  You can also prep it ahead of time and keep cool in the fridge if you are worried about the timing of cooking the fish.

Ingredients

1 lb salmon fillet
1 chunk of fresh ginger root (about 4 inches)
1 bunch of scallions
1 lemon
1 lime
1/2 cup soy sauce
salt/pepper
1/2 cup vegetable oil

1. Peel ginger root and thinly slice.  Set aside.
2. Chop scallions into less than bite sized pieces
3. Thinly slice lemon and lime.
4. Clean the salmon filet and dab with paper towels.  Place in a dish with a lip so it can go straight into the oven.
5. Top the salmon with ginger root, scallions, lemon and lime.  At this point you can put the fish in the fridge until you are ready to cook and serve.
6. When ready, preheat oven to 450 degrees.
7. Pour soy sauce over fish and top with salt and pepper.
8. Cook in the oven until fork on the fish is firm but not too hard.  About 12 minutes.
9. Remove fish from oven.  Heat a small sauce pan over high heat and add oil.  When nearly smoking hot, remove from stove and carefully pour over the fish.  This is dinner theater so you can do this at the table, but just be careful of the hot oil.
10. Serve and enjoy!

Brussels Spout Saute + Asian Noodles

This recipe will make you never want to order Chinese take out ever again.  The inspiration for this recipe goes out to my friend Betsy who informed me that fish sauce and brussels sprouts were an unbeatable combination.  Intrigued I had to try this combination and put my own spin on it adding some homemade yakisoba noodles.  If you don't have times to make your own noodles then please feel free to pick up some noodles from the grocery store (though you might be slightly disappointed).  Betsy, my hat is off to you!

Ingredients

Veggie Saute

1 1/2 pounds brussels sprouts
1/2 pound bok choy
1 medium carrot
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 cup fish sauce
1/4 cup cold water
2 tablespoons white sugar
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 garlic clove minced
1 tablespoon sriracha sauce (Rooster sauce!)

Noodles

1 1/2 cup flour
2 teaspoons salt
3 eggs

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Trim ends off brussels sprouts and remove outer nasty leaves.  Trim ends off bok choy as well.  Peel carrot and roughly chop.
3. Put veggies on a cookie sheet and lightly toss with vegetable oil.
4. Cook 20 minutes until veggies are crisp.
5. Meanwhile combine fish sauce through sriracha sauce in a glass or small tupperware to create your "dressing".  Set aside.  If you are not making your own noodles, skip to step 12.
6. Meanwhile combine flour and salt in a food processor and pulse to combine.  Add eggs and pulse to combine.  If the dough is wet, add a bit more of flour.
7. Kneed dough for a minute or two on a clean counter and let it rest 30 minutes.
8. Using a pasta roller or rolling ping, roll out dough until 1/4 in thick (setting number 4).
9. Heat a pot of chicken stock (4 cups) on the stove.
10. Take rolled out dough and cut into noodle shape or put dough through spaghetti pasta attachment to cut the noodles.
11. Cook the noodles in the boiling chicken broth for 2-3 minutes in small batches until cooked.  Set aside in a large bowl.
12. Combine noodles and roasted veggies in the large bowl and cover with "dressing".  Toss to evenly coat and serve immediately.

Sesame Seed Kale Chips

I've been making kale chips all summer, but I finally decided to brighten up the dish with some of my favorite flavors...tahini and lemon!  These chips are irresistible so be prepared to add this to your weekly grocery list.  You will never look at kale the same way again (and that is a good thing!)

Ingredients

1 lb kale, leaves torn from stems
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon tahini
1 small lemon, juiced
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
1 teaspoon salt

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.  Pull out two cookie sheets.  You do not need to pre-grease these.
2. Whisk olive oil, tahini, lemon juice and salt together in the bottom of a large bowl.
3. Add kale and use tongs to evenly toss the dressing over the leaves
4. Lay out on cookie sheets so the leaves are not overlapping each other
5. Sprinkle with sesame seeds
6. Cook 20-25 minutes until leaves are dry and crispy.
7. Devour!

Ginger Cilantro Meatballs

The best thing about meatballs is how versatile and easily modified they can be for any occasion.  A true favorite in our household is Swedish Meatballs and recently we posted about Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs.  Here I took some Asian inspired ingredients to create a meatball perfect to serve with rice.  Probably the most unique flavor in here is the use of pickled ginger instead of fresh ginger, but if can't find it, then regular ginger will do.  These can also be served as individual appetizers for a football game or other group get together.  Enjoy!

Ingredients for 24 medium meatballs

3 tablespoons pickled ginger, chopped
2 cloves fresh garlic, chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 bunch cilantro
1 egg
1 cup panko bread crumbs
1 lb ground beef or pork (or even chicken!)
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
pepper/salt

1. Prepare the inclusions first.  Chop ginger, garlic, onion and set in a bowl.
2. Remove cilantro from stems and finely chop and add to mixture.
3. Crack egg into bowl and add panko, meat, soy sauce and sesame oil.
4. Finally salt/pepper ingredients to your normal "taste".
5. Set a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper out before you start forming the balls
6. Use clean hands to mix all the ingredients together, really incorporating it all.
7. Shape meatballs to desired shape, but I go for about 2 inches diameter
8. Place on cookie sheet
9. You can either bake them in the oven at 425 until they are browned and cooked through (about 30 minutes) or pan fry them (about 20 minutes).  The choice is up to you, I think it really depends on what kind of dishes you want to do that night.
10. Serve with rice and simple salad.

Spinach and Sweet Potato Lentils

It doesn't get much better than sweet potatoes and lentils...throw in a bit of spinach and cream and you have got a soul warming vegetarian dinner that won't disappoint even your meat eating friends.  We served this with brown rice but it would have been yummy with some pita bread too.

1/2 onion finely chopped
2 serrano chili peppers finely chopped
2 roma tomatoes finely chopped
2 garlic cloves finely chopped
2 tablespoons cumin
2 tablespoons curry or garam marsala powder
1 sweet potato peeled and chopped into bite size pieces
1/2 cup lentils
2 cups water
2 tablespoons cream
1/2 bunch of spinach
salt/pepper to taste

1. Prep all of the ingredients through the garlic cloves.  Set 2 tablespoons of cream in a container to allow to come to room temperature
2. Heat oil in deep pot over medium high heat, when hot add the veggies, cumin, curry powder and stir to coat...cook for about 5 minutes
3. Add sweet potato and lentils and cover with water (about two cups water)
4. Let cook about 20 minutes until lentils and potatoes are tender
5. Remove from heat and let sit about five minutes.
6. Add cream and stir to incorporate
7. Add spinach and let wilt about one minute
8. Salt and pepper to taste and add more curry if desired

Thai Sweet Potato Soup

Winter is really starting to limit my options for dinners, but sweet potatoes are still in season and are always delicious!  I love Thai Sweet Potato Soup but the versions available in the supermarket are always too sugary so this is my savory and delicious version for you!

Ingredients


1/2 onion diced
2 tablespoons curry powder
4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1/2 can coconut milk
juice 1/2 lemon
salt/pepper to taste
1 handful cilantro (optional)

1. In a large soup pot heat olive oil over medium high heat.
2. When hot, add onions and curry powder stirring to coat and absorb the flavor
3. After five minutes add sweet potatoes and stir to coat
4. Fill pot with water until potatoes are covered, reduce heat to medium and let cook about 25 minutes.
5. When potatoes are tender, use an immersion blender to blend the soup.  Add coconut milk and lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste.
6. Garnish with cilantro and serve!

Butternut Squash "Winter" Rolls

Winter Roll here does not refer to your body...it's actually my version of a Spring Roll made with Winter veggies.  You can use any of your favorite squash here.  I had some left over pulled pork so I put that in but you could add any type of meat like roasted chicken (or even leave meat out!).  The intention here is to use leftovers so don't go too crazy looking for these items.  However the squash is essential!

Ingredients

2 cups peeled and bite size diced squash
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup garbanzo beans (drained)
1 cup pork or chicken leftovers
1 small head of cabbage peeled and chopped finely
1 small salad onion thinly sliced
Spring roll wrappers (available on the Asian foods aisle)
rice noodles (optional - need to be prepped during step 1 per package direction)

1. Preheat oven to 375.  Toss squash with soy sauce, sesame oil and olive oil.  While oven is heating let these marinade.
2. Put squash on a cookie sheet and roast about 20 minutes
3. Meanwhile prep other items (cabbage, onion, etc.)
4. Combine beans and meat, set aside
5. Remove squash and add to bean and meat mixture
6. On the table, set up a plate where you can soak the wrapper in hot water for 30 seconds.  These will need to be done one at a time when everything else is ready.
7. Serve family style, fill to your liking and top with hoisin sauce!

Sushi: How to make + 2 recipes

I am so excited about this post and I really hope you try this recipe at least once!  Despite having NEVER made or seen someone make sushi, it was actually really easy to do.  With the help of my friend Hillary we had dinner together in no time flat and it tasted and looked like the real thing (without the price tag).  If you serve this at your next party or game night, your friends and family will not believe you made it but it is super easy to do!  We did salmon, cucumber, shrimp and avocado but you could do any filling you can imagine!

Special note:  It is essential to follow the recipe for preparing the rice (i.e. no short cuts).  I got a lot of great tips from How to make Sushi and I definitely recommend you check out their website for great ideas.

Ingredients for 4 rolls

2 cups short grain rice, also called sushi rice (very important it is NOT long grain!)
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons white granulated sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 package of Nori seaweed rolls for sushi (usually sold in packages of 10 sheets)
1/4 pound smoked salmon or lox salmon
1/4 pound precooked shrimp
1 avocado thinly sliced
1 cucumber, peeled and sliced into long thing strips

1. Start be preparing the rice.  Place rice in a mesh colander and let water run over the rice for about 5 minutes to clear out the starches.
2. Put rice in medium pot on the stove.  Cover with water until 1 cm above rice and let sit for 30 minutes.
3. Turn on heat to high and stir rice every few minutes until water is boiling.
4. Put lid on the rice and turn heat to low.  Let cook until all water is absorbed, about 8-10 minutes
5. Meanwhile prepare seasoning for rice.  Combine rice vinegar, sugar and salt in another pan and cook over medium low heat until the sugar and salt are disintegrated.  Remove from heat.
6. When rice is done, gently transfer to a plastic bowl (very important it is NOT metal) with a wooden spoon.
7. Pour seasoning over the rice and carefully stir in.  Allow to sit until cool (very important to let it cool).
8. Prepare your fillings, cut veggies, etc.  You could even make some edamame to snack on while you wait.
9. When rice is cool you are ready to fill the roll.
10. Lay a piece of parchment paper for each person helping.  Remove a sheet of nori and put on the parchment paper.
11. Place a bowl of water in the center of the table so people can wet their hands to make the rice easy to handle.
12. Spread rice evenly across the nori.  Don't worry it doesn't have to be too dense, but make sure you cover most of the area.
13. Along the left hand edge of the rice and nori, add a vertical line of your toppings.
14. With dry hands start to roll the nori to the other side of the sheet until you have a sushi roll.
15. Carefully cut with a serrated knife and serve with ginger, wasabi and soy sauce.  If you have extra chopsticks, feel free to use those too!

Brussels Sprout and Spinach Salad with Sesame Dressing

This time of year brussels sprout is all over the farmer's market and who does not love this classically comforting vegetable?  Here I have taken it to a different region and thrown on an asian sesame dressing.  My friends loved the result and I'm sure you will too!

Ingredients


1 lb brussels sprout
1 lb spinach (stems removed and rinsed/dried well)
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon sesame seeds

1. Preheat oven to 375
2. Trim the ends off the sprout and cut in half.  Add these to a roasting pan as you go.
3. Evenly coat the sprouts with olive oil, soy sauce, and vinegar.  Evenly sprinkle salt on top
4. Pop into the oven to roast (about 40 minutes)
5. Meanwhile place the spinach in a nice salad bowl and set in the fridge while you wait
6. When sprouts are ready, remove from the oven and immediately add to the spinach, stirring to coat and wilt the spinach at the same time
7. Add sesame oil and stir to coat
8. Top with sesame seeds and serve

Hot and Sour Soup

I nailed the flavor combination in hot and sour soup and made it easy and delicious to be cooked at home.  If you want to add some shredded chicken I think that would be a nice addition too!

Ingredients

1 1/2 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon fish sauce
juice from 1/2 lemon
1 medium shallot thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic chopped
4 cups chicken broth
1 small head of cabbage thinly sliced
1 lb boy choy
1 package of udon noodles or 1/2 package rice noodles
1 egg, beaten
1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
Tobasco sauce

1. Combine vinegar, soy and fish sauces and lemon juice in a cup and set aside
2. Heat a soup pot over medium high heat.  Add a swirl of olive oil to the pan
3. When oil is hot add shallots and garlic
4. Cook shallots and garlic for two minutes and then add chicken broth
5. Meanwhile chop cabbage and trim the root ends of the bok choy
6. Add greens to the pot and then add noodles
7. Slowly add beaten egg to the pot stirring as you go to feather the egg in
8. Top with sesame oil and serve with hot sauce (trust me you will want hot sauce)

Easy Carrot Ginger Soup

It doesn't get more simple than this.  Fresh carrots, onions, ginger and broth.  I ate this for lunch with a nice crisp salad and a sprinkle of feta cheese but you could easily serve this as a first course at a dinner party.  It is perfect for all seasons, especially while the carrots are fresh at the farmer's market!

Ingredients

Ginger (size of your thumb)

1 small white onion finely chopped

1 garlic clove crushed

2 lbs chopped carrots

1 quart of vegetable stock

1. Peel ginger and finely chop

2. Heat soup pot over medium high heat on the stove.  When hot add olive oil and add ginger, onion and garlic

3. Saute for two minutes and then add carrots and stir to coat

4. Stir almost constantly for 4-5 minutes

5. Add broth to cover the veggies and let cook 25 minutes until carrots are very tender

6. This soup is best if blended with an immersion blender so when you remove it from the heat, blend being careful not to let hot soup splatter

7. Serve immediately or let cool and save for a later occasion!

Pork Kebabs with Curry Marinade

Craving something with substance but also spice, David and I came up with these pork skewers with a summer curry sauce.  There is not much else to be said except that this totally hit the spot and is something I would definitely grill again.  Serve with pita bread and a light salad and you have a complete summer meal.

Serves 2

Ingredients

1 pound pork cut for kebab or stir fry

Juice from one lemon

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 clove garlic

2 tablespoons curry powder

Skewers

1. Rinse pork, pat dry and set in a dish ready for marinating

2. Combine lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, and curry powder in a small food processor and power until well blending.  You could add some finely diced onion or green onion as well.

3. Pour the marinade over the pork and sprinkle salt and pepper on top.

4. Cover the meat and let sit in the fridge for at least two hours, four if you have time, turning the meat half way through.

5. When ready to cook soak the skewer sticks (if wooden) and then skewer meat using a brush to get all of the sauce on these skewers

6. Heat grill and add skewers when the grill is hot

7. Cook for about 10-12 minutes turning the skewers every few minutes.

8. Cut a test piece of meat to make sure the meat is done and when it is, serve up with some pita!

Mama Lisa's Spam Fried Rice

I know Spam doesn't necessarily sound like the most appetizing food on the planet but in this fried rice dish from my mom, the spam adds a nice subtle flavor while also letting the other veggies and rice flavor develop.  If you try Spam once in your life this should definitely be the recipe!

Ingredients

1 cup of uncooked rice (cook it per package instructions)
1 can of lite Spam
2 zucchini
2 carrots
1/2 cup vegetable or grapeseed oil
1/2 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons red pepper flakes
4-5 green onions or scallions
1 cup frozen peas

1. Prepare rice separately (even the night before)
2. Dice Spam, zucchini and carrots into bite size pieces.
3. Heat wok over medium high heat, when hot add  oil to pan
4. Let oil warm for about a minute and then add spam and veggies
5. Saute for five minutes to get a nice crispy edge on these, then add the rice and stir to coat with oil (this is called stir fried rice after all!)
6.  Cook rice for another 4-5 minutes.
7. Lower heat to medium low and add soy sauce, red pepper flakes, scallions and frozen peas (they will warm up in a minute).  This is also a good time to add a few drops of sesame oil or some hoisin sauce.
8. Serve in bowls (with hot sauce if desired).

The great thing about this recipe is that you can use whatever veggies you like!  Mushrooms and spinach would definitely work as well!

Two chicks stir fry

I know I wrote a post a while back stating that I rarely make stir fry, but this recipe is just too delicious and embodies spring in all of it's glory so I have to share it with you!  I call it "two chicks" stir fry because the recipe has chickpeas and chick weed (a lettuce similar to spinach).  The flavor combination is unbeatable and is best served with a side of brown rice.

Serves 2 hungry people

Ingredients


16oz organic tofu cubed (and drained as much as possible)
1/4 cup sesame oil
2 tablespoons sesame flakes
Olive oil spray
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 onion thinly sliced
2 cloves of garlic thinly sliced
1 can of chickpeas (garbanzo beans) rinsed and drained
Juice of a lime
1/2 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons dijon mustard
1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
2 large handfuls of chickweed (spinach can be used as an alternative)
1 large handful of broccoli rabe (also called rapini, broccoli can be used as an alternative)

1) Preheat the broiler
2) Toss tofu cubes with sesame oil and place on rimmed cookie sheet and sprinkle with sesame seeds
3) Cook under the broiler 5-6 minutes and then use a spatula to move around before putting back under the broiler for another 5-6 minutes.  You want the tofu to be a little bit brown so when you add it to the stir fry it doesn't break up.
4) Meanwhile heat a wok on high heat
5) Add vegetable oil and thinly sliced onions and garlic and cook 2-3 minutes
6) Add chickpeas and cook another 2-3 minutes, stirring to coat the oil and the onion and garlic.
7) While pan is still on high add lime juice, soy sauce, dijon mustard and red pepper flakes.  Stir and coat the beans and onions.
8) Add the tofu and stir to coat
9) Reduce heat to medium and add in chickweed and broccoli rabe.  You will need to use tongs to mix the greens in with the other ingredients.  Chickweed and broccoli rabe need about 5 minutes to cook down.
10) Remove from heat and serve stir fry on top of rice or noodles, or even eat by itself.  Enjoy with some hoisin sauce or garlic chili sauce!

Serious Stir Fry

I haven't made stir fry in almost two years but this was UNBELIEVABLE! Meant to be made with whatever veggies you have on hand, this mixture is not to be underestimated!

Ingredients:

1 cup of rice (cooked per package directions)
3 cloves garlic
2 cups thinly sliced fennel (onion if you prefer)
2 cups chopped kale (or boy choy or spinach, the list goes on)
1 cup chopped broccoli (chopped into bite size pieces)
1 cup shittake mushroom (roughly chopped)
Vegetable oil
2 tablespoons Sesame oil
1/2 cup soy sauce Soy Sauce
Red Pepper Flakes (to your own liking)

Serve with wedges of lime and plum sauce

1. Heat vegetable oil in wok over high heat
2. When oil is nice and hot, add garlic and then quickly add fennel and stir to coat.  If the pan is super hot at this point you can add a 1/2 cup of water to help steam the veggies.
3. Let the wok do its magic for a few minutes and then add the kale and broccoli
4. About 5-7 minutes in your veggies should be looking really tempting but to spice things up add the sesame oil, soy sauce and red pepper flakes.  Turn heat down to medium on the stove.
5. Now comes the hard part....the longer you let this cook the BETTER your fry will be.  After about another 7 minutes on medium heat you can add the chopped shittake mushrooms and let those cook down another 4-5 minutes.
6. You've waited and now you get to enjoy this delicious dish served over rice.  I definitely recommend a nice plum sauce (Hoisin Sauce) to add a little sweet to the spicy dish.