beginner stir fry.

i had the honor last year of helping dr. maya adam teach an undergraduate level class in child nutrition at stanford. the class involved 1 lecture and 1 cooking class each week. students learned everything from how to chop garlic to how to make crepes. the goal was to show them how easy (and not scary) cooking can be. this stir fry was one of my favorite dishes we learned to make. it has since become a staple in my kitchen.

stir fries are definitely my go to dish when i'm cooking for myself or one other person. i like to vary the vegetables and the sauce, and am always amazed how little tweeks lead to be big changes in flavor and texture. this particular combination could not be easier or quicker. it takes about 20 minutes from start to finish. throw some garlic, ginger, and onion into a hot pan. add the veggies. top with herbs and sesame seeds. consume.

if you're new to the world of stir frying, this dish is an unintimidating and delicious place to start. and if you're a veteran sauteer looking for some new flavors, plum sauce may just become your new favorite ingredient.

beginner stir fry

inspired by maya adam’s just cook

1/2 onion, minced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 inch piece of ginger, peeled and minced

1 tablespoon olive or sesame oil

1 head broccoli, chopped in florets

1/2 yellow pepper, cut into strips

1/2 red pepper, cut into strips

1 cup shitake mushrooms

1 zucchini, diced

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup plum sauce

fresh ground pepper

1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

1/4 cup sesame seeds

in a skillet or nonstick frying pan, heat the oil over medium high. once hot, add onion, garlic, and ginger. they should sizzle when they hit the pan. cook, stirring regularly, for about 5 minutes, until the onion starts to turn translucent.

add the rest of the vegetables and spread evening around the pan. let them sit and sear for 2-3 minutes before tossing. stir and cook for another 7-10 minutes until they are almost done.

whisk together the plum and soy sauces. add sauces to the pan and give it a toss so it coats the vegetables. cook for another 2-3 minutes until veggies are done. add a dash of ground pepper and cilantro. 

serve atop quinoa or your favorite grain. sprinkle with sesame seeds.

forbidden rice salad with miso dressing.

someone has a new favorite ingredient.

ever since i discovered that fateful pureed carrot miso soup, the miso kick has been in full swing. you name it: stir fry, salad, soup - it's going to get a healthy dollop of miso.

i'm surprised it took me so long to discover the ingredient's versatility. it's probably not unusual to associate the paste with the classic (and not always so appetizing) miso soup appetizer you get at most pan-asian restaurants. i just never realized to what extent these soups were underselling the ingredient. 

these days, i've been loving just diluting a teaspoon of miso paste in a bit of soy sauce and water, and using that as a stir fry sauce for my vegetables. two salty ingredients = never having to independently salt my dishes = people don't call me out on having a "salt problem" whenever we cook together. (yes, i'm sneaky like that).

this salad is a great potluck dish. it can be served warm, room temperature, or chilled, and it's so easy to prepare ahead of time. i'm a particular fan of the complementary mix of textures and flavors: some broccoli and edamame for crunch, tofu for a satisfying protein, and cilantro and toasted sesame seeds for that little kick. another bonus: this recipe makes a fair amount of dressing, the remains of which you can store in the fridge for up to a week (just in case you needed another stir fry sauce or salad dressing...).

forbidden rice salad with miso dressing

adapted from sprouted kitchen

1 cup forbidden rice

14 oz. block extra firm tofu


1 head broccoli

4 tsp. sesame oil


4 tsp. soy sauce

fresh ground pepper



1.5 cups thinly sliced carrots


2 cups cooked, shelled edamame

6 tbsp. toasted sesame seeds


2 handfuls of chopped cilantro



miso dressing


2 tbsp. white miso


1 tbsp. red miso*
4 tbsp. agave nectar or brown rice syrup


2 tbsp. sesame oil

5 tbsp. rice vinegar


2 shallots, minced


juice of an orange

rinse the rice. bring 1.5 cups water to a boil. add the rice, turn the heat to a simmer, cover and cook until all the water is absorbed (about a half hour).

drain the tofu by wrapping it between a few layers of paper towel and letting it sit for 10 minutes. repeat once (or twice, if you’re feeling really ambitious). cut it into cubes. heat the sesame oil over medium high heat. throw the tofu and broccoli in and saute for about five minutes. add in the soy sauce and some fresh pepper over the top and saute another few minutes until the edges are browned. turn the heat off and set aside. 


whisk all of the dressing ingredients together.

in a large bowl, throw together the rice, tofu, sliced carrots, and edamame. toss everything with the dressing. toast some sesame seeds in a dry pan and add those and the cilantro to the dish. give it another toss. serve warm, room temperature, or chilled.


*alternatively, you use a total of 4 tbsp. white miso. red miso is a bit stronger than white, so you need less of it. 

"adult" fig newtons.

from preparation to post, this healthy cookie series has been highly educational so far. i've grown as a gluten-free and vegan baker and spent way too many hours perusing cookie recipes online. through numerous baking adventures - and misadventures - i've kept my classmates well fed and created a name for myself as "that vegan girl". i've learned that just because a cookie isn't what i (or ina garten) would call a success, people will still eat it, enjoy it, and then lie to you about how wonderful of a baker you are. the best part? knowing it's a lie doesn't detract one bit from how good it feels.we're nearing the end of the series, and i have two amazing recipes left to share. the first are these vegan fig bars. in an attempt to curb my natural tendency to only bake things with chocolate in them, i decided to revamp a treat from my childhood lunchbox: the fig newton. whereas the packaged über-sugary fig newtons aren't particularly appetizing, these bars are dynamite. the smell of freshly stewed figs with agave is heavenly, and the dough is the perfect amount of chewy with a crunch from the chia seeds. what more, you'll have leftover figs to use in other assorted treats.... (stayed tuned!).
"adult” fig newtons

adapted from post punk kitchen

for the fig filling:

16 oz. dried black mission figs, stems removed and chopped into small bits

1 cup water

¼ cup agave nectar

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

for the dough:

2 tablespoons chia seeds

1/3 cup almond milk

½ cup vegetable oil

¾ cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 ¾ cup all purpose flour

½ teaspoon baking powder

¾ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

turbinado sugar, for topping

start by making the filling. in a small saucepan, throw in the chopped figs, water, agave, and citrus. bring to a boil over medium heat, and reduce to a simmer. stirring every minute of so, cook for a good 10 minutes, until figs begin to soften. let them continue to cook, but mash them with a fork or masher (?!) to create a chunky paste. the water will evaporate in the process – if it gets too dry, add in more water, a tablespoon at a time. remove from heat and set aside. you can leave your figs chunky, or if you want a smoother puree, throw it in the food processor (i prefer chunky!).

line an 8 x 8 square baking tin with aluminum foil so that the foil hangs over the sides of the pan. spray the foil with a bit of non-stick cooking spray.

now, it’s time for the dough. in a large mixing bowl, combine the chia seeds, almond milk, oil, sugar, and vanilla. whisk for a good 2 minutes to make sure it’s combined. in a small mixing bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. add dry to wet mixes, a bit at a time, stirring constantly. stir to form a soft dough. using your hands, form the dough into a ball and then divide into two equal parts. shape each section of the dough into a small square about an inch thick.

take the first two square and place it between two large sheets of wax paper. using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a larger square (or square-like shape) about the size of the 8 x 8 pan. if it is slightly larger, that’s ok too.

when you have your square shape, peel off the top layer of wax paper. flip the dough directly onto the pan. push it into pan. this will help to peel off the top wax paper layer, which you should do… now! when the dough is firmly in place, spread the fig filling all over.* don’t forget the corners!

using the same method as with the bottom crust, prepare the top crust. flip the crust on top of the fig mixture, press down firmly so it sticks, and peal the wax paper away.

bake for around 20 minutes, or until the crust is slightly golden and puffed. remove from oven and let cool. when cool, grab the edges of the tin foil and remove the cookie block from the pan, placing it on a cutting board. cut into bars of any size. enjoy, and then store in a sealed container.

*note: i used about ¾ of it the fig mixture here and reserved the rest for another recipe.

healthy cookie series: part one!

i think it's important to start by setting some things straight about the above title: 

yes, cookies are healthy. get over it.

in fact, if made right, cookies can supply you with oats, grains, honey, and a warm fuzzy feeling. if that doesn't equate with health, then i don't know what does.

unfortunately, i haven't been able to experiment with all too many cookie recipes since starting this blog (exception: please check out these ridiculous macaroons), as my oven for the past year was somewhat picky regarding what it would and would not burn/decimate in some way or another. cookies were, to put it lightly, not its baked good of choice. there are horrifying pictures that bare witness to this harsh reality, but for the sake of the children, i've tucked them away in a folder deep in the corridors of my hard drive. 

in any case, today's a new day! and a new oven! an oven that, unlike some ovens, doesn't subscribe to anti-cookie propaganda (i'm slightly sad that 1) my old oven can't actually read how sassily i'm speaking about it and yet 2) i'm still sort of writing this post as if it can). so over the next couple of months, i'll be posting three to four cookie recipes that are not only really really tasty, but also appropriate or customizable for certain diets (gluten free, vegan, SCD). 

my younger brother aptly described today's vegan and gluten free oatmeal chocolate chip cookies as "insane", and i think he's just about got it. these little guys are crunchy, sweet, and dense with flavor. this recipe makes about 20 cookies, some of which i topped with almond slices (though i think walnuts or pecans would be a nice alternative). also, feel free to add raisins or any other mix-in of choice to the dough right before baking. 

vegan oatmeal chocolate chip cookies

*for gluten-free cookies, use certified gluten-free oats

2 1/2 cups almond flour

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 tsp baking soda

1 tbsp cinnamon

2/3 cup steel cut (or gluten free) oats

1 ripe banana, mashed          

1/2 cup agave nectar

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon almond extract

3/4 cup vegan chocolate chips

1/4 cup almond slices (for topping)

preheat oven to 375F. lightly grease a baking sheet or line with parchment paper.

in a medium bowl, combine almond flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, and oats. in another bowl, combine the banana, agave, and extracts. pour wet ingredients into dry, and add the chocolate chips. (as there are no raw eggs or animal products in this, feel free to try some of the dough and see if it needs anything else. i may or may not have added more cinnamon...).

using a small spoon - or better yet, your hands - form the dough into little balls. place on baking sheet, top with a couple of almond slices, and bake for around 17 - 20 minutes. the finished cookies should be toasted around the edges and slightly doughy in the center.

tahini yogurt pasta salad.

there are few things i enjoy more than a sunny day, a new city, and a farmers' market. the sights, the smells, (the free samples), the assorted unrecognizable produce: it's all so intoxicating. i've been lucky to have spent the past two weekends in cities outside of cozy bremen, where my hosts took me to some food markets i'd probably pay a cover charge to enter again. for those in the area, london's borough market and munich's viktualienmarkt are both delightful places to go completely broke buying fruits, veggies, cheeses, honey, jams, etc. the former also boasts the world's greatest granola (helloooo shameless plugging!).

whether it's a new cheese or an unfamiliar chili, it's inspiring encountering new foods and trying to figure out ways to cook with them. unfortunately, the reality of having lived in bremen for three years is that i generally know which produce i'm going to run across at which time of the year. 

and yet! this little german city seems to still have a few tricks up its sleeve! if you remember my giddy astonishment upon finding portobello mushrooms earlier this summer, you can also probably imagine how excited i was to run across romanesco broccoli last week. granted, romanesco broccoli isn't the most exotic vegetable around, but it isn't easy to come by in these parts. i immediately purchased a head and ran (or more realistically: skipped gleefully) home to find a recipe for the evening.

this creative pasta salad (originally from the culinary genius that is 101 cookbooks) calls for broccoli, cauliflower, and green beans. i left out the latter two and swapped in some romanesco. the recipe was a hit - even my broccoli skeptical boyfriend was taking extra helpings! really though, the best part is the sauce, which comes together in minutes from tahini, yogurt, and fragrantly cooked spices. you can mix the sauce into the salad before serving, but i followed the original instructions and served each plate with a large dollop of it on top. there wasn't a trace of pasta left, and the extra sauce only lasted one day in the fridge before being devoured atop a frittata the next night.

broccoli pasta salad with tahini yogurt dressing

sauce:

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oi

1 medium garlic clove, minced

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon ground coriander

1/4 teaspoon turmeric


1/4 cup warm water


1/4 cup tahini (sesame paste)

1/3 cup plain yogurt


2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice


1/2 teaspoon salt

salad:


3 big handfuls of romanesco broccoli florets

1 handful broccoli florets

225 g short pasta

10 cherry tomatoes, halved

1/4 cup basil, roughly chopped

1/4 cup cilantro, roughly chopped

start by chop the cherry tomatoes and drizzling a little olive oil and salt and pepper over them. place in the oven to roast for about 20 minutes.

now bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt generously.

while the water is coming to a boil, you can make the sauce. heat the oil in a pan over medium heat. add the garlic, cumin, coriander, cayenne, and turmeric. stir well, and saute for about 30 seconds, or until the spices are toasted and fragrant. transfer this mixture to a medium mixing bowl and stir in the water, tahini, yogurt, lemon juice, and salt. taste and adjust to your liking. set aside.

when the water is ready, boil the romanesco and “normal” broccoli for about 30 seconds. fish out with a slotted spoon and run under cold water to stop cooking. drain well and set aside in a large mixing bowl.

return the water to a boil and add the pasta. cook until al dente, then drain and run under cold water. add to the vegetables. add the tomatoes, cilantro, and basil. toss gently. mix in the sauce at this point or serve the salad with the sauce on the side. everyone can take as much of a dollop as they like.

(could be) gordon ramsay's broccoli soup.

it's been a british kind of month. the reasons (note: only the first one approaches legitimacy):

1. i took a weekend trip to london to visit my cousin.

2. netflix has offered up instant viewing of all six seasons of gordon ramsay's kitchen nightmares.

3. i'm now on season 3 of the above mentioned show.

while there's always been a warm and fuzzy place in my heart for jamie oliver, whose endless optimism and jolly cockney slang i try and replicate in my own kitchen, i'm growing to appreciate the edgier - if not more fowl mouthed and offensively sexist - form of entertainment gordon ramsay offers. 

for those unfamiliar with his kitchen nightmare gig, it involves ramsay roaming the homeland searching for failing, disgusting restaurants on the verge of shutting down. he shows up as a charmingly sassy knight in shining armor to save the day by teaching their owners to, for instance, reduce the menu from 130 items to 15... or not to serve a dish featuring shrimp and a chocolate dipping sauce. sometimes he teaches the head chef how to make an omelette.

amazingly, through the use of simple lessons ("keep it f%#*ing simple!"), he gets them back on track to culinary success! it's inspiring, horrifying, and a great way to make yourself vow to never again eat in a restaurant with a dirty bathroom: if they can't keep that clean, then what's going on behind the scenes with your food?! 

even though i'm sort of hooked to the series (surprise surprise), the only downer is that i rarely learn any recipes or techniques from it. i mean, there are certainly cooking tips to be picked up - and my knowledge of how to run a kitchen staff has gone from none to slightly more than none - but it's uncommon that i'm brimming with new recipe ideas after an episode (or six).

that is, until a most recent episode, in which ramsay challenged some "twat" chef to a broccoli soup cook off! while his opponent whipped together some "bloody mess" using 11 ingredients, ramsay's soup consisted of a mere 3: broccoli, water, and salt. 

inspired by the simplicity, i took a gander at it the other afternoon. the only thing is that the whole sequence of him making this soup was about 20 seconds. he did explain the steps (recipe below), but details about measurements and timeframes weren't exactly explicit. which is why my broccoli soup may or may not actually be the one he was referring to. in any case, it was delicious! the broccoli flavor is bold and the soup is simple, super quick to make (tops 7 minutes!), as rich as can be in vitamin c, and surprisingly filling. while i might transform this next time into a 4 or 5 ingredient soup with a touch of garlic or a sprinkling of cilantro, i will definitely be making it again. and maybe, just maybe, dissuading ramsay from infiltrating my kitchen next season.

3-ingredient broccoli soup

1 head of broccoli, stem and all

1 large pot of water

1 tablespoon of salt (or more to taste)

chop up your broccoli. the smaller the pieces, the better. bring a pot of salted water to a boil. blanch the broccoli for about 3 or 4 minutes, until bright green. 

now here's the key part. the water you just used for blanching has formed a broccoli broth. so when you drain the broccoli, drain it over another pot where you will keep the broth. then, working in batches, add some of the broccoli and the broth (depending on how thick of a soup you'd like) to a blender. blend until smooth or slightly chunky. return finished soup to a pot to keep warm and salt.

enjoy with a chunk of toasted bread and an episode of kitchen nightmares.

vegetable stir fry with black bean sauce.

it's notoriously hard for me to commit to cooking pan-asian inspired cuisine at home. it just always seems like the list of ingredients i'm missing is longer than the list of ones already on hand. and whereas with pastas or salads i can tell which spices and oils are essential and which can be substituted or left out altogether, this same "expertise" has yet to extend into (westernized) thai or chinese cuisine. 

which is why i was really excited to come across a stir fry recipe that even i, in my humble and ingredient-limited kitchen, can easily throw together. the sauce consists of three ingredients: black bean sauce, soy sauce, and water. check, check, and check. 

you can choose which vegetables to thrown in according to the season or state of your fridge, and the dish can be served with any type of noodle or atop rice. we integrated the noodles with the vegetables at the end, but you could also keep it separate. light, flavorful, and versatile: after making an appearance in our flat for the first time a month ago, this guy already earned its place among the go-to staples. 

vegetable black bean stir fry

adapted from green kitchen stories 

1 zucchini, diced

1 eggplant, diced

1 broccoli head, chopped into tiny florets

1 red pepper, cut into long strips

4 handfuls of fresh spinach

3 tbsp sunflower oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 piece ginger, finely diced

1/2 chili (without the seeds)

1 medium-sized onion, sliced in long strips

1/2 bunch cilantro, roughly chopped

1/2 bunch basil, roughly chopped

1 bunch chives, roughly chopped

250 g rice noodles

sauce:

5 tbsp water

4 tbsp black bean sauce

3 tbsp soy sauce**

heat the oil in a large non-stick pan. when it's hot, toss in the onion, garlic, ginger, and chili and fry for around 2 minutes, until onion softens. add in other vegetables and cook for another 7 to 9 minutes until al dente. 

meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook rice noodles for 3-6 minutes (check package instructions so as not to overcook them). 

drain rice noodles and add to the vegetables. add water, black bean, and soy sauce, and let simmer for another minute or two. remove from heat and stir in cilantro, chives, and basil. serve immediately.

**this dish can be gluten free - just check that the soy and black bean sauces are gluten free.