Cookin' Real Fresh

Oh Heeeyy!

The warm nights of summer are coming, and with them comes the delightful taste of fresh ingredients. This blog entry is all about utilizing those delicious, healthy, snappy items in a healthy way (obviously).

Surprisingly, I don't have anything sassy or hysterical to say. Maybe I'm maturing. Today is my last day working in the housing office and soon, I'll migrate to live with Tim which upsets my parents of course. I'll be writing for http://www.annapolis.com/ this summer while living in Tim's townhouse that will eventually by part mine. I guess I'm just thankful.

Actually, I thought of something sassy to say. I bought these precious pointed-toe kitten heels to wear at my graduation. I wore them this week and procured a MASSIVE blister on my dang heel. Now, I won't be able to wear these stupid shoes to graduation and will have to settle for some stupid pair I already have. There's your sass.

Now, onto the fresh cookin'!

On the right, you'll notice a picture of an Asparagus Tart.

Ingredients:

1 canister pizza dough (like the Pillsbury rolled tube thing)

2 cloves of garlic, chopped

2 tbsp. olive oil

Salt and pep

Bundle of asparagus, washed and 1-2 inches trimmed off ends
Good cheese (when recipes include limited ingredients, use the best of those ingredients to make the dish shine)
Fresh herbs, chopped (I used sage but basil would be killer)

Directions:

1. Unroll pizza dough on sprayed pan

2. Cover dough with olive oil, salt, pep, and garlic

3. Bake for 5 minutes at 350

4. When done baking, top with cheese, asparagus, and herbs

5. Bake again for 15 minutes at 350

Isn't that super easy and fabulous-looking? If I'm being honest, this recipe is a spin-off of Joy the Baker's Gruyere and Asparagus Tarts. Her's look equally delicious but the cheese she used is about $6 for a little block, which is just too expensive for me. I also substituted pizza dough for puff pastry, which saved me about $4. BARGAIN!

Moving on, to the right we have a delicious meal Tim and I prepared last night. I dub it Shrimp, Sage, and Asparagus Pasta.

Ingredients:

Whole wheat spaghetti

1 lb. shrimp, cooked with Old Bay

2 tbsp. sage, chopped (or another fresh herb)

Asparagus, washed and chopped

3 tbsp. butter

3 tbsp. olive oil

salt and pep

1/2 cup white wine

1/2 onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 lemon, zested and juiced

Directions:

1. Saute onion and asparagus in 1 tbsp. olive oil and butter for about 5 minutes
2. Add garlic, salt and pep and saute another minute
3. Deglaze the pan with wine
4. Add in cooked pasta, shrimp, rest of olive oil, and sage
5. Toss to finish

(Add feta or gorgonzola if you'd like!)

Nom nom.

Baked Shrimp with Feta, Dill & Tomatoes

Ingredients:

1 28 oz. can chopped tomatoes
2-3 tbsp. dill, washed and chopped
1 cup cooked whole wheat penne
1 lb. shrimp, raw and peeled
1/2 block feta, crumbled
salt and pep
1 tsp. pepper flakes

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients
2. Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes

Simple yet yummy!

Mussels in Wine Sauce

I wouldn't classify this dish as an entree, but it certainly makes a fabulous appetizer. The house will smell like seafood though, so if you're trying to woo someone, wear too much fragrance to mask the fishy smell. Then woo all you want.

Ingredients

1 package of mussels (keep on ice until you use and discard any mussels that are open--it means they are dead)
3 tbsp. butter
1/2 onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
3 tbsp. parsley, washed and chopped
1 small can chopped tomatoes
1/2 cup white wine
Bread to sop up the juicy goodness

Directions:

1. Saute onions and garlic in butter
2. Deglaze the pan with wine sauce and cook until it bubbles for about five minutes
3. Add tomatoes and mussels then cook, covered, until all the mussels open
4. Add parsley and serve

I mean, yum. If you've never had mussels before, try these bad boys out. By nature, mussels are salty and coupled with the butter, they become even more scrumptious. No extra salt is needed. Eat with wine, as if I need to tell you that. Duh.


Happy Almost Summer!!

Love,

L

Spring Health

Hello to you!

Yes, I am still alive and no, I did not forget about you. I have been busy doing insignificant things like purchasing an iPhone (a.ka. joining the world), deciding on graduate schools, interviewing and accepting a teaching assistantship, and helping the bf with house decisions and decorations. Actually, those are VERY significant things.

Along the way, I made some marvelous, springy dishes I want to share with you because I like you so much! Isn't that wonderful?!

Alright, first up we have a delightful pairing of smoky and sweet in Giada de Laurentiis'...

Roasted Eggplant and White Bean Crostini


Ingredients:

1 big eggplant, cubed and roasted (see picture)
1/3 cup olive oil
salt and pep
1 whole wheat baguette, sliced and toasted
1 can of cannellini beans, rinsed
1/3 cup parsley leaves
juice from one lemon (and zest too if you're feeling extra fiesty)
2 garlic cloves
slices of fancy cheese (like gorgonzola or a hard cheese like white cheddar)

Directions:

1. Drizzle eggplant cubes with olive oil and dress with salt and pep. Roast at 450 for 20-25 minutes.
2. Once eggplant has cooled, pulse all the ingredients (minus the bread) in a food processor.
3. Assemble the bread on bottom, smear puree in middle, and top with cheese.

* There are a multitude of variations for this. Try adding a drizzle of honey to the finished product. Add brie cheese on top and melt in oven. Smear the puree on sandwiches. Substitute the puree for hummus. Add a sliver of apple to the top. The list goes on and on.


What makes cooking so fabulous is that you need not adhere so strictly to a recipe, which somewhat defeats the purpose of this blog. So be it if you explore uncharted culinary territory.


Sorry for the digression.

Next up on our springy adventure: Green Summer Salad.

This happy dish defies the tradition of salad. It is a compilation of hues of green, only enhanced by (not defined by) a simple dressing. I made this up all on my own. It was a moment of culinary clarity for me.





Ingredients:

1 hothouse cucumber (I use these because seeds freak me out, but by all means, use your discretion.)
bunch of basil, chopped (quantity depends on preference)
gorgonzola or feta cheese
1-2 cups of edamame beans, cooked
1 avocado, chopped
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
1/2 lemon, zested and juiced
1/4 cup olive oil

Directions:

1. Mix and eat to your health!

Really, this salad is beyond delicious--so beyond that there is no word. The only setback is that it needs to be consumed within a few hours on account of the avocado (which turns brown the more oxygen it intakes). Otherwise, the salad is easy, involves unconventional ingredients, and is super good for you.

And...moving on.

I can't take credit for this next recipe, but I do take credit for navigating through the Internet to find it. I believe I followed some link through Pinterest, which then lead me to another link, and blah blah blah. Therefore, I don't know whom to attribute this recipe to, so sorry, person.

The sweet potatoes in this recipe shine, but the roasted grapes (yes, you read that right) are not far behind.

Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Grapes


Ingredients:

2-3 sweet potatoes
bunch of red grapes, removed from stems
2 tbsp. honey
1-2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. brown sugar
1/3 block of feta, goat, or gorgonzola cheese

Directions:

1. Clean sweet potatoes, poke all over with fork, wrap individually in foil, and bake at 400 for 1 hour.
2. Remove sweet potatoes and roast grapes on sheet tray for about 10 minutes (watch these suckers, they will burn).
3. Once potatoes cool off, slice vertically and scoop out insides (but leave a little border).
4. Mix cheese, spices, honey, potato insides, sugar, and roasted grapes in a bowl.
5. Assemble the mixture in the potatoes and drizzle with honey to finish.

Yum is all.

Finally, we have the ever-delicious couscous. Though I'm still unsure of its classification (grain or pasta), I nevertheless adore this magical little ball. Last night, I prepared this couscous salad to accompany salmon and broccoli. I dub it Pantry Couscous.





God bless Instagram. Look how much better this pic looks!

 Ingredients:

1 box of garlic couscous
1/2 lemon, zested and juiced
1/4 cup olive oil
1 can artichoke hearts, rinsed and chopped
1 can black olives, rinsed and chopped
a whole helluva lot of parsley, washed and chopped

Directions:

1. Cook couscous according to box (with spice sack included).
2. Mix all the ingredients together.
3. Add couscous when cooked.

Isn't that simple and lovely!? Yes, yes it is. Make it immediately.


Lastly, we have another of my Mediterranean dishes. Like the above dish, this one is utilizes many ingredients from the pantry. Really, the only thing you'd need to purchase would be lemons and pesto sauce. Yay for convenience.



Pantry items have never been more useful.



Red Potato Pesto with Carmelized Onions

Ingredients:

1 lb. red potatoes, washed but not peeled
1 can black olives, chopped
1 container of prepared pesto
1 onion, sliced like little moons
1 lemon, zested and juiced

Directions:

1. To cook potatoes, steam for about 25 minutes or, boil in water for about the same time. (Poke with a fork to judge their softness.)
2. While potatoes cook, heat a pan on medium low. Add butter and olive oil. Once butter melts, add in onions and stir. Cover pan and let cook (stirring occasionally) for about 20-25 minutes. You want the onions to turn light brown but not charred brown.
3. When potatoes are cooked through and cool, cut them into little cubes.
4. After onions caramelized, combine the potatoes and remaining ingredients.



You want caramelized onions to look like this.



The finished product!



Well, that'll about do it for this blog entry. I've shared five delicious, light recipes with you. I hope you enjoy these spring-inspired dishes as much as I do.

But wait, I decide to procrastinate more and offer you further wisdom!

Below, you'll find recommended cookbooks! Mind you, I own all these cookbooks, so it would be advantageous of you to ask me to make dinner for you. I will agree to this request especially if you supply the booze.

1. Ellie Krieger's The Food You Crave

2. Giada de Laurentiis' Giada at Home, Weeknights With Giada, and Giada's Kitchen

3. Weldon Owen's Vegetarian (Thanks to Sana for this Christmas gift!)

4. Cooking Light's Way to Cook Vegetarian

Try out something new this week!

Baking Healthy--is it Possible?

Cupcakes, brownies, and cookies are almost never regarded as healthy. However, there are dessert recipes out there that are somewhat nutritious/not that awful for you. If you're looking to lighten up your dessert menu, try one of these recipes below and enjoy shameless guilt (although I would still advise you to work out the day on which you indulge but that's just because I'm crazy).


PB & J Muffins

1 cup white flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup wheat germ (this is optional but it boosts the nutritional content with folic acid and vitamin E)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar (or honey or molasses, warmed)
1 tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/4 cups skim milk
1/3 cup processed peanut butter (you can't use the natural stuff, which totally sucks)
2 egg whites
2 tbsp. butter, melted
2 tsp. vanilla extract
your favorite flavor of jam


Directions:
1. Mix wet ingredients together
2. Mix dry ingredients together
3. Combine the two sets of ingredients in a large bowl and stir until just combined
4. Spoon batter halfway up into muffin cups
5. Add about 1 tbsp. of jam to each muffin
6. Then fill up muffin cups with remaining batter
7. Bake at 400 for 20 minutes


I make these bad boys almost every month. What's wonderful is that they are not a downfall to my diet--as long as I don't eat all at once. I have been known to eat 3 for breakfast though. I feel it necessary to insert here than on days when I'm being a Fatty Magoo, I work out so it's not as bad. Oh, and I just learned the other day on The Revolution that a good goal to have is to work out until you sweat. This is simple, yet revolutionary. 


If you're making something other than dessert, try for a recipe that includes a vegetable or fruit. Here's a delightful butternut squash and carrot bread pudding recipe I've developed. Below that is a berry strata that is equally delicious and high in nutritional content.


Butternut Squash & Carrot Bread Pudding


1 butternut squash peeled and chopped into little cubes (you can use sweet potatoes too)
salt and pep
1 cup chopped onion
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 cups skim milk
1 cup cheese
about 1 tsp. of allspice and cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
3 eggs
2 egg whites
about 9 cups stale wheat bread (I always grab those day-old loaves at the store that are 2 or 3 bucks)
1/2 cup wheat germ (optional but you should use because it's high in vit. e and folic acid)
1 cup shredded carrots


Directions:
1. Drizzle olive oil, salt, and pepper over the cubed squash and roast on 400 for 17 minutes
2. Saute onion for about 5 minutes over low heat then add garlic and season with salt & pep
3. Combine milk, cheese, spices, eggs, egg whites, carrots, squash, and wheat germ in a huge freakin' bowl
4. Add cubed bread into mixture and pour into an oven-safe dish
5. Let the mixture hang out for a while, perhaps overnight if you can
6. Sprinkle some cheese on top 
7. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.


In my notes, I wrote next to the recipe: "Shut up; this is delicious." Enough said. 


Lemon Ricotta Cookies

(I can't earn any points for creating this recipe. It's from my favorite person ever, Giada de Laurentiis, of the Food Network.) Here's a link to watch Giada make these babies: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/lemon-ricotta-cookies-with-lemon-glaze-recipe/index.html



In the beginning there was a lump of batter...



Cookies:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 stick unsalted butter, softened

2 cups sugar

2 eggs

1 (15-ounce) container part-skim ricotta

3 tablespoons lemon juice

zest of 1 lemon

Glaze:

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar



In the end there were cookies!

 3 tablespoons lemon juice

zest of 1 lemon

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Cookies:

In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In the large bowl combine the butter and the sugar. Using an electric mixer beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating until incorporated. Add the ricotta cheese, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Beat to combine. Stir in the dry ingredients.

Spoon the dough (about 2 tablespoons for each cookie) onto baking sheets. Bake for 15 minutes, until slightly golden at the edges. Remove from the oven and let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 20 minutes.

Glaze:

Combine the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a small bowl and stir until smooth. Spoon about 1/2-teaspoon onto each cookie and use the back of the spoon to gently spread. Let the glaze harden for about 2 hours.

Cook's Note: Definitely make the glaze; they make the cookies brilliant.


Lemon Yogurt Cake

(This is from Barefoot Contessa, of the Food Network. I made this cake for my grandmother after she returned home from the hospital. She loved it and I confirmed my status as an adorable and loving grand-daughter.)

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 cup plain yogurt
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
zest of two lemons (zest lemons first then zest)
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup veg. oil (don't use olive oil here; you want something oily, not flavorful)
1/3 cup wheat germ

Sift together the flour, baking powder, wheat germ, and salt into 1 bowl. In another bowl, whisk together the yogurt, 1 cup sugar, the eggs, lemon zest, and vanilla. Slowly whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. With a rubber spatula, fold the vegetable oil into the batter, making sure it's all incorporated. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 50 minutes at 350.

If you want to spice it up, make a glaze of 1 cup powdered sugar mixed with 1/3 cup sugar and 1 lemon, juiced. Pour on cake while it's still warm.

Oatmeal Muffins

These are great little muffins for on the go or a sit-down breakfast. And contrary to what you may think, they are not dry at all.

2 eggs

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 1/4 cup buttermilk

3/4 cup maple syrup

1 1/4 cup whole wheat flour

1 1/2 cup rolled oats

1 tsp. baking powder



1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tbsp. honey

1 tbsp. cinnamon

* You could also add peeled and chopped apples and/or pineapple for a fun twist



Every story has a beginning...





Directions:

1. Mix wet ingredients together

2. Mix dry ingredients together in separate bowl

3. Mix both sets of ingredients together until combined

4. Bake at 400 for 20 minutes



Middle...





Delicious and healthy baked goods are just a recipe away.



And an end.

Mocha Cake w/ Cream Cheese Frosting

This recipe hails from a fantastic book my fantastic future mother-in-law gave to me. It's entitled The Food You Crave by Ellie Krieger. She's a registered dietician and worked at NYU so anything she says is brilliant and should be taken to heart. It is freaking delicious.

Ingredients

For cake:

Cooking spray

3/4 cup whole-wheat pastry flour

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup Dutch processed cocoa

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 tablespoons butter, melted

2 tablespoons canola oil

2 eggs

2 egg whites

1 1/2 cups lowfat yogurt

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon espresso powder, dissolved in 1 tablespoon of hot water

2 ounces good-quality dark chocolate

For the frosting:

1 (8-ounce) bar Neufchatel cheese (reduced fat cream cheese), softened

1/3 cup confectioners' sugar

1 teaspoon espresso powder dissolved in 1 teaspoon hot water

1 teaspoon coffee liqueur or vanilla

1 small square chocolate

Arrange rack in center of oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9 by 13-inch cake pan with cooking spray and set aside.

Whisk together flours, cocoa, salt, baking soda and baking powder in a medium bowl, then sift ingredients through a fine mesh strainer.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together melted butter and oil. Add eggs and egg whites and whisk to incorporate. Fold in yogurt, vanilla, sugar and dissolved espresso powder. Melt the chocolate in the microwave for 90 seconds or over a double boiler. Fold chocolate into batter.
Gradually add sifted dry ingredients and stir until just incorporated; do not overbeat. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until cake has risen nicely and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool completely.
While cake is cooling, make the frosting:
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and beat with an electric hand mixer until soft and creamy. Spread frosting evenly over cake and cut into squares. Finely grate one small square of chocolate. Sprinkle the chocolate shavings over the cake.

Tips to choosing healthy-ish baking recipes:

1. Look for recipes that use a blend of oatmeal and white flour (don't even attempt to bake with all wheat flour because you'll end up with wheat pizza dough--ick).

2. Find recipes that have less than 1 cup of sugar and instead sweetens using vanilla, citrus juice or zest, and honey (the lemon ricotta cookies don't follow this rule but they are SO good)

3. Keep it natural: vanilla, honey, and molasses are best in their pure, unadulterated forms

4. Use less chocolate chips and use more cocoa (like in the recipes above)

5. When using chocolate, go with dark chocolate (I've read 70% and higher is a good amount of cocoa to look for when buying)

6. Try recipes you think will be good, but have potential to be made better (that tip goes across the food genres)

7. Find recipes with veggies or fruit in them

Note: If you have no buttermilk, just make your own. It's easy. Say you need 1 cup of buttermilk. Just mix whatever milk you have with 1 tbsp of lemon juice or white vinegar. Let the mixture sit a few minutes and you'll see how it gets lumpy.

ENJOY!



Funky Foods

Ello!

The reason I've begun this particular blog post is in honor of my dear friend, Liz, or as I call her, Lizard. We've been friends since we were little tots, and our friendship has stayed strong through all these years. Even when I transitioned to a healthier lifestyle by implementing more vegetables, soy, and healthy cooking, Lizard stayed interested and often teased me about my new health crazes. Haha, Lizard, it is SO funny. With that in mind, I have catered this post to those odd yet delightfully healthy foods I so lovingly adopted as part of my diet. The following quote has nothing to do with healthy food, but I deemed it necessary to this post nonetheless.



I'm on the left, Lizard is on the right. Aren't we precious?



When you hear someone you dislike is pregnant, just call her a cat. It really means she's slutty. -Lindsay and Lizard

First,

Soy Vanilla Milk

* This delicious dairy milk substitute has less calories and more calcium than cow's milk.

* I purchase the vanilla flavor because it is just like drinking melted vanilla ice cream. Ah!

* This item is about the same cost as cow's milk

* According to an article on LiveStrong's website, using soy milk instead of whole milk in a drink can omit over 100 calories.

Easy Healthy Breakfast

 

The crazy healthy breakfast complete with a Rise Up Coffee mug.

-Soy Vanilla Milk (or sometimes I go with almond milk, as pictured)

-Post brand's Wheat n' Bran cereal (it's all natural, contains no sugar or salt, and is made of whole wheat, rendering it incredibly healthy albeit flavorless)

-Chopped fruit or a bee-na-na on the side

This is just a cereal dish, and I hope you know how to assemble. The vanilla-flavored milk and fruit really spice up the bland cereal. I eat this when I'm being a lazy butt. It is phenomenally healthy and really does fill you up because the fiber content in the cereal is so high. Remember this: Fiber=Full Belly.

Soy Chai Latte

When I don't order coffee at a coffeehouse, I order a chai latte with soy milk. It is a ridiculously awesome drink. Here's how to make it:

Steep a chai tea bag (there are a variety of flavors) in hot soy milk. Add a sprinkle of cinnamon, sugar, and/or nutmeg to the top. That's it! Oh, and this costs you less than $1 whereas a soy chai latte at a coffeehouse would cost you an upwards of $3.

You can also substitute soy milk in baking recipes for cow's milk.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cocoa Zuke Muffins (adapted from silksoymilk.com and photo from website)

1 cup flour

3/4 cup sugar

1/3 cup cocoa powder

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 cup vanilla soy milk

2 tsp. vinegar

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 egg, beaten

1 tsp. vanilla

3/4 cup grated zucchini

1/2 cup boiling water

1/2 cup chocolate chips

1/3 cup wheat germ

Directions:



In a medium bowl whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa, cinnamon, baking soda, wheat germ, and salt. In another bowl whisk together Silk, vinegar, vegetable oil, beaten egg, and vanilla until combined. Pour Silk mixture over dry cocoa mixture and stir by hand until all the flour is incorporated. Stir in the zucchini followed by boiling water. The mixture will be thin.

Fill muffin liners 3/4 of the way full, sprinkle with chocolate chips and bake for 13-17 minutes until tops spring back and a tester inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes.

When I pop out children, I'm going to trick them into eating vegetables with this recipe. Mwah ha ha.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Second,

Wheat Germ

This is really an easy ingredient to implement into any recipe. While it is not a flavor boost, this ingredient is a nutritional agent. You really can put it in anything with the exception of soup. Perhaps this is a personal preference though; I don't want to see floaties in the soup.

It has folic acid and Vitamin E, which are both good for preggo women.


My aunt brings a little baggie of wheat germ with her to restaurants. It is hilarious to see her sprinkle this on food and nearly insult the servers as if their food needs improvement. What's scary is that I've been known to do this very thing. We become our family. 

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Third,

Falafel



* This is a glorified bean burger the Mediterranean peoples like to claim.
* Chickpeas a.k.a. garbanzo beans have natural estrogen in them, and if you have seen Sex and the City 2, you can appreciate the hormonal things estrogen does for you.
* To the left, you will see all the ingredients you need for both the sauce and the burger. And get yourself a big ass knife, too.




Falafel and Bean Sauce

Falafel:
2 cans of garbanzo beans, rinsed
2-3 cloves of garlic
2 tsp. cumin
2 tsp. coriander
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
cilantro leaves, washed and removed from the stems
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 cup wheat germ
1/3 cup white flour

Bean Sauce:
1  can cannelini beans, rinsed
1 clove garlic
1/2 cup plain greek yogurt
1/2 lemon (the juice and zest)
2 tbsp. olive oil
cilantro leaves, washed and removed from stems

For the falafel, blitz together the first 6 ingredients in a blender. Then, add the last ingredients and pulse until mixture is combined. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes or overnight. I usually make the mixture on Sunday and eat it the rest of the week. You can also freeze the mixture.

For the bean sauce, blitz all ingredients in a blender. If the sauce isn't thin enough, add more olive oil. Serve the sauce with the falafel (cook it by frying it in a pan until crispy) in a pita, tortilla, or in salad with cucumber, feta, and avocado. DELICIOUS.

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Fourth,

Edamame


* This is the natural, unadulterated version of soy products. Manufacturers use this product to create things like tofu.
* Straight from the nutrition facts: 1/2 cup of edamame contains 4 grams of fiber, 8 grams of protein, and vitamins. There's no cholesterol or gluten in these little green magic beans for those of you who are on the G Diet.
* With the exception of green M&Ms, most green foods are healthy. This little bean is no exception to this rule. Also, the darker the lettuce, the healthier (spinach is way better for you than iceberg lettuce-ick).


No. 1 Stir Fry (I can't resist playing on the name of ALL Asian take out restaurants. Seriously though, why?)


1 package of extra firm tofu, squished with paper towels to remove water
1 package of frozen edamame beans (not the pods), thawed
1 bunch of cilantro, washed and removed from stems
2 tsp. red pepper flakes (add more if you've got an inclination to spicy foods)
2 tbsp. rice vinegar
2-4 tbsp. soy sauce (reduced sodium) *Taste frequently to avoid over-salting.
chopped garlic
carrots cut into little cigarette sticks
chopped ginger root
chopped onions
chopped celery

Directions:

If you know how to make stir fry, you will know how to assemble this dish.
1. Heat a wok or big skillet on medium-high heat
2. Fry tofu after you have pressed water out with paper towels and cut into cubes
3. Cook tofu until lightly brown on all sides
4. Remove tofu from pan
5. Saute onion, celery and carrots for about 5 minutes then add garlic and ginger
6. Cook for about 5 more minutes then add edamame
7. Add the sauce, vinegar, and pepper flakes. Cook for a few minutes.
8. Restore all ingredients together in pan and stir to combine. Add cilantro.


This dish is super fun because it's versatile and while I have supplied a list of ingredients, you can practically substitute any veggie you want for another. You can even use all frozen veggies if you want, just make sure to thaw before throwing into pan. I served this dish over Chinese noodles which I burnt, so I can't necessarily recommend them. Aside from the questionable noodles, I also made some spring rolls (or are they egg rolls? I don't know the difference). So here's a freebie recipe.

Spring/Egg Rolls


-Wonton wrappers (sold in produce section)
-packaged slaw mixture
-soy sauce
-chopped onions




Directions:


1. Saute onions and slaw mixture over high heat for a few minutes. 
2. Add soy sauce to mixture
3. Remove from pan after the onions are wilted somewhat translucent
4. Put some mixture on a wonton wrapper and fold into a little package (don't stress over technique because the frying process will seal the wrapper)
5. Finish wrapping all little premature egg rolls
6. Fry in a pan, wok, or skillet like the one in the background of the picture over high heat
7. Make sure you put enough oil in the pan to coat the entire bottom 
8. Flip sides when one side is sufficiently brown
9. Serve with dipping sauce and get your Asian on!


Happy cooking, people.