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Two of my favorite foods – tofu and sugar snap peas. Tofu, because it is so versatile and soaks up the flavor of anything you make it with, and sugar snap peas because they snap, crunch, and pop in your mouth when you eat them. We eat tofu a couple times a week at home, and this is an easy way to make it – with caramelized onions in a soy-honey-garlic glaze so good that the tofu just sucks it all up in the last stages of cooking.
I kind of consider myself a flexitarian – I try to eat a few meatless meals each week. I’ve never quite been the one to say, “Oooohh, meat!” when it came to a barbeque. I think that the idea of a churascaria is a-scary-a (bad joke) and a waste of money if you took me along, and I have only cooked beef once since we’ve lived here in Hawaii (almost a year). I have nothing against beef and like it just fine – after all, all foods fit into a healthy lifestyle, but I just don’t crave it, and only eat it once in awhile when we go out to eat and a cheeseburger sounds good at the time, especially after a long day at the beach.
And no, for those of you who feel bad for my husband because I’m not slapping a 16-ounce steak on the grill every week, he’s always been a veggie lover, and was cooking like that before we got married 
. You can still get enough protein from other plant sources and at the same time be competitive in the regular physical fitness exams that he has to do every so often. It’s all about eating everything in moderation. Also, tofu is a good source of calcium for those who are lactose-intolerant, and low in saturated fat compared to their meaty counterparts. Another plus: by eating a couple meatless meals a week, you’re lowering your carbon footprint a little more by being more green and eco-friendly to the environment.
Caramelized Tofu and Sugar Snap Peas
1 package extra-firm tofu, cut into long thin slices per preference
1 small yellow onion, sliced thinly
2 Tbsp canola oil, divided
2 cloves garlic, minced finely
2 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
2 Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp water
1 tsp white sesame seeds
1/2 tsp black pepper
3 cups sugar snap peas
2 Tbsp water
1 tsp sesame oil
2 dried red chilis, optional for garnish
1. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat 1 Tbsp of canola oil. When the oil is hot, add the tofu. Saute the tofu, about 7-8 minutes, until golden-brown. Transfer to a medium plate. Add another 1 Tbsp of oil to the pan if the pan if needed. Add the onions, sauteing until the onions begin to wilt and caramelize.
2. In a small bowl, combine the garlic, soy sauce, honey, water, sesame seeds, and black pepper. When the onions are slightly browned, add the tofu back into the pan. Turn the heat off; add the soy sauce mixture and red chilis and combine all ingredients to evenly coat the tofu with the sauce. The tofu is done when the sauce stops bubbling and has evenly coated all ingredients.
3. In a small pan over medium heat, heat 2 Tbsp of water. When the water boils, add the sugar snap peas, and stir, cooking for about 3-4 minutes until hot. The goal is not to overcook; we want them hot but still crisp. When the veggies are hot, transfer to a bowl and toss with the sesame oil.
Serve the tofu and sugar snap peas with brown rice or noodles. Perfect meal!
*Sigh.* How I heart Saturday mornings. Unlike Sunday, where you wake up and think, “Ay, tomorrow’s Monday, I gotta finish up everything I didn’t get to on Saturday,” I get to be a little more slow-paced today. It’s kinda windy, not good for surfing conditions. Basically, the wind displaces the energy in the waves and all you get is fluff, no pick up. Also, I don’t feel like using all my energy battling to get out to the waves when it keeps pushing me back.
So back to my morning. I drink one cup (or less) of coffee every morning at work, but today I wanted to make a mocha with some skim milk and the fair trade cocoa that I bought at Trader Joe’s a while back. Caffeine in coffee, as well as other food and drink such as tea, energy drinks, chocolate, and even beer, acts as a mild stimulant and may give you that pick-me-up you need in the morning (I am one of those people who just drink it for the taste, since I am a morning person anyways). There are tons of studies out there stating whether or not drinking caffeine is good for you, but in general, caffeine has not been shown to be a direct link in causing diseases such as cardiovascular disease or osteoporosis.
The limit of caffeine intake can depend on individual sensitivities, but in general, consuming about 200-300 milligrams of caffeine each day poses no physical health risk. That’s equivalent to drinking about 2-3 cups of coffee (home-brewed) per day. If you drink coffee-shop brewed coffee, however, you may get more than 300 mg in a regular cup, probably because they use more coffee grounds to water.
Oh, and my personal recommendation: drink your coffee (or tea, or anything hot) in a big cute cup. I love mine. I just think it tastes better that way.
Good morning, Mocha Java
serves 1
1 Tbsp cocoa
Sugar to taste, or 1 packet Splenda
1/2 cup skim milk, heated (about 45 seconds-1 min in the microwave)
Few drops vanilla extract
1 cup brewed coffee (8 oz)
1/2 Tbsp half-and-half
1. Add the cocoa and sugar (or Splenda) to your empty coffee mug. Add the hot milk and vanilla extract, stirring until the cocoa and sugar dissolve. Add the coffee, then half-and-half if you wish. Drink up!
It’s a Friday night, and after a long week, I’m completely spent. Along with work, submitting my thesis proposal, doing a presentation at work, and trying to squeeze in some yoga or a workout here and there, I’m ready to relax. For most people, cooking would be the last thing to sound like a relaxing activity. But for me, it is, especially when I know I don’t have to wake up to an alarm tomorrow morning and can hang out the rest of the weekend! Here’s a simple dish to make – the oven does most of the work for you.
Peperonata is just a rustic Italian dish made of bell peppers, onions, and tomatoes stewed in olive oil. I didn’t put any tomatoes in my peperonata, but you can if you like. The turkey meatballs I made were moist, tender and savory – I really think you’ll like them! I served this all with some thin spaghetti and light tomato sauce which was just the thing the both of us needed to wind down the week. Lovely with a glass of your favorite wine.
Peperonata with Turkey Meatballs
makes about 26 meatballs, and about 4 cups of peperonata
For the peperonata:
4 cups sweet bell peppers, sliced
1 yellow onion, sliced
2 cloves of garlic, smashed
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp oregano
Freshly cracked black pepper
For the meatballs:
1 1/4 lb ground turkey
1/3 cup dry breadcrumbs (Garlic and Herb or any kind you like)
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1 egg
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 1/2 Tbsp ketchup
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp black pepper
3/4 tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
Nonstick cooking spray
1. Preheat oven to 400°F. In a baking dish, combine the peperonata ingredients, tossing to combine. Roast for 20 minutes, turning the ingredients once during cooking time.
2. Turn down the oven heat to 350°F. Continue to roast the peperonata until the bell peppers and onions are tender, about another 15 – 20 minutes.
3. Spray a large baking pan with the nonstick spray. In a medium mixing bowl, combine all of the meatball ingredients until well-incorporated – use your hands! Shape the meatballs by taking about 1 1/2 Tbsp of the meat mixture and rolling it into a ball. Place each meatball onto the baking pan – you’ll make about 26 meatballs. When all the meatballs have been formed, place the baking pan on the lower-middle rack of the oven. Bake for about 15-17 minutes, until the meatballs are fully cooked and opaque when split.
4. To serve, boil some pasta and make your favorite tomato sauce. Top with some peperonata and turkey meatballs.
We’ve been out and about all weekend, and since I’m also off today, didn’t want to fuss about in the kitchen for too long, especially since we’re set to go surfing soon! I felt like some type of a grilled sandwich today, and thought of French onion soup for some reason, maybe because it’s a comfort food with all that gooey cheese on top.
So that’s what I decided to mock my sandwich after – the French onion soup, sans beef broth . I bought a loaf of Rosemary Olive Oil Bread the other day made by La Brea Bakery – I love when you buy breads that are still warm and huggable! We love this bread and had some of it with Phong’s grilled chicken and veggies last night (he makes some delish grilled chicken – I don’t even bother anymore because it’s always so good. All I know is that he puts in a little kick with a few potent drops of Dave’s Insanity Sauce). This sandwich has less fat than usual grilled cheese sandwiches as well – I don’t use too much cheese, and just spray my George Foreman Grill with olive oil spray instead of butter.
French Onion and Mushroom Grilled Cheese Sandwich
serves 2
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 yellow onion, sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup button mushrooms, sliced
1/4 tsp dried rosemary
Pinch of dried bay leaves
1 tsp sherry
Salt and pepper, to taste
4 slices good bakery bread (Rosemary Olive Oil, French, etc)
1 Tbsp whole-grain Dijon mustard (or to taste)
1/4 cup grated fontina cheese
3 tbsp grated Gruyére cheese
4 slices tomato
Olive oil cooking spray
1. In a small saute pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the onion and garlic, cooking for a few minutes until the onions begin to caramelize. Add the mushrooms, rosemary, bay leaves, sherry, salt and pepper, and saute for another 5-6 minutes, until onions are slightly browned and mushrooms are cooked through. Place the mixture into a small bowl.
2. To assemble, heat a George Foreman grill, panini press, or a clean saute pan. Spray both plates of the GF Grill or Panini Press with the olive oil cooking spray. On one slice of bread, spread 1/2 the mustard and top with 1/2 the onion-mushroom mixture. Top with 1/2 the fontina cheese, add 2 slices of tomato, and top with Gruyére cheese. Top the sandwich with the other slice of bread. Repeat with the remaining slices of bread.
3. Place the sandwich in the panini press or George Foreman grill, pressing down so that the sandwich cooks evenly on both sides. Cook for a few minutes, until golden brown on both sides. If cooking on a saute pan, make sure to apply pressure on the sandwich with a spatula and repeat when you flip the sandwich over to the other side.
Happy Valentine’s Day to my lovely friends and family! Ok, now I admit I feel a little embarassed that I’m not going to go all out and make you a chocolate-laden souffle or red-themed something for V-Day, but truth is, I not only made red velvet cupcakes a couple of weeks ago, but also received red velvet cupcakes from my awesome coworker Donna this week (thank you buddy!). And count that fruit tart for Phong’s birthday. I’m all sweeted out!
So I’m making my fruit and nut “truffles” for you instead. Back in October, I went to the American Dietetic Association’s Food and Nutrition Conference & Expo in Chicago. They have this HUGE expo area where all these companies basically hurl free goodies at you, and I made out with things like free cookbooks, snacks, almond tins, etc. My arms got buffer just hauling bags of stuff around for three days straight. One of the free goodies we got were snack bars – now I’m not really a “bar” kind of girl, but I particularly loved the LaraBars, because they were all-natural and just full of great ingredients, like dates, almonds, and cashews. My fave was the Coconut Cream Pie flavor.
So last night, as I was loving my Friday evening of not doing anything and watching The Lakehouse on TV (don’t laugh), I realized I wanted to make a fruit and nut bar similar to what I had at the expo. To make them fancy, I made them into “truffles” and rolled them around in unsweetened coconut or almond meal, just because it was going to be Valentine’s Day. This is also great for my vegan and gluten-free friends out there (and I also have a friend allergic to chocolate, so this may be the only truffle she can eat!). No cholesterol, full of heart-protective monounsaturated fats, fiber, and antioxidants from the dried fruit. Love it.
Fruit and Nut “Truffles”
serves 14
1 cup dried Black Mission figs, chopped
1/2 cup dried plums, chopped
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp honey
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup unsweetened dried coconut, toasted
1/3 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted
2 Tbsp almond meal
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp orange blossom water, optional
Extra almond meal or coconut, to coat truffles
1. Combine the figs, dried plums, brown sugar, honey, cinnamon, and water in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring the mixture to a boil, and continue to cook until the liquid thickens to a syrupy consistency. Take the pan off the heat.
2. Combine the dried fruit mixture, coconut, walnuts, almonds, almond meal, vanilla extract, and orange blossom water into a food processor. Pulse the mixture a few times until the ingredients are incorporated, about 5-6 pulses.
3. Take out the food processor blade and invert the mixture into a medium bowl. Working with your hands, form about 1-Tbsp sized truffle balls, and roll in extra almond meal or coconut as desired. Place uncovered in the refrigerator in a single layer. The truffles stay moist after refrigerating – serve yourself whenever!
No matter how much hubby is trying not to make a big deal out of his birthday, I’m going to go all-out anyways for a mid-week dinner, sparkly candles and all! I love any reason to celebrate, because it means making something out of the ordinary and, superficially, I like to make pretty little things.
The menu for tonight: Sauteed shrimp salad by my mom-in-law who’s here for a visit, mussels in saffron and white wine sauce by me, garlic bread made with whole-wheat French bread, and fruit tarts (and, of course, the vino). Many tart crusts have a ton of butter (like almost 2 sticks’ worth), but I only use 1/2 stick of butter here. I top it off with a homemade vanilla custard, fruit of choice, and an apricot glaze. This is a great recipe for the time-crunched, because you can make the tart crust and custard ahead of time and assemble the day of with no additional baking.
A word to the wise: don’t buy sparkly candles, those kinds that sputter when you light them. We almost set a fruit tart on fire, and there’s a spray of candle wax on our dining room table that needs to be scraped off. Happy birthday Phong (I’ll clean this time)! <3
Individual Fruit Tarts with Vanilla (or Almond) Custard
Serves 5
Special equipment: 5 4 1/2″ tart pans
For the tart crust:
1 cup all-purpose or ultragrain flour
2 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
4 Tbsp butter, cut into 8 pieces
1 large egg
1 1/2 Tbsp ice-cold water
For the custard:
1 cup fat-free milk, divided
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp cornstarch
1 1/2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla (or almond) extract
Pinch of salt
For the fruit topping:
Fruits of choice (I use canned peaches in fruit juice – drained, fresh strawberries, and blueberries), about 2 1/2 – 3 cups’ worth
1/2 cup apricot jam (made with fruit juice, not corn syrup)
2 Tbsp water
For the crust:
1. Add the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in a food processor. Pulse the dry ingredients once or twice until incorporated.
2. Add the butter, and pulse about 10-12 times until it looks like coarse sand.
3. Add the egg and cold water, and continue to pulse in the food processor until a ball forms.
4. On a floured surface, invert the food processor bowl, remove the blade, and form the dough into a disk. Wrap it in plastic, and refrigerate for a few hours.
5. When ready to bake the crusts, preheat the oven to 350º F. Take the dough out of the fridge. On a floured surface, roll out the dough until it is about 1/4″ thick. Cut out about 5 1/2″ diameter circles to fit your tart molds. Press the dough into the sides of the tart molds, getting rid of excess dough going over to the sides. Repeat with the other tart pans. With a fork, poke little holes onto the surface of each crust (this will allow air to escape while baking and prevent the crust from puffing up).
6. Bake the tart crusts for about 10-12 minutes, or until slightly browned. If made ahead, then allow the crusts to cool, then place in the refrigerator, uncovered, until ready to use.
For the custard:
1. In a medium bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup of the milk with the cornstarch until there are no lumps. Whisk together the eggs in a 2-cup liquid measuring cup (Pyrex – I do this because it has a pour spout which is useful in the upcoming steps), and add the cornstarch mixture to the measuring cup. Mix well, and set aside.
2. In a medium saucepan (about 1-qt) over medium heat, add the rest of the milk and the sugar. Stir to dissolve the sugar, and heat until the milk begins to smoke or boil. Turn the heat down to low, and little by little, ladle about 1/3 of the hot milk into the large measuring cup, whisking the egg mixture well after each ladle. Now, whisking the leftover milk in the saucepan, slowly pour the egg mixture into the saucepan while continuing to whisk. Turn the heat back to medium, and continue to whisk the custard until it thickens, or covers the back of a wooden spoon. When it thickens, take the saucepan off the heat; whisk vigorously for another 30 seconds. Add the vanilla extract and salt, and stir to incorporate. Pour the custard into a bowl, and place plastic wrap on the surface of the custard so a skin doesn’t form. Put it in the fridge until cold.
To assemble:
1. Spread custard over the bottoms of the tarts. Arrange fruit on top as desired.
2. In a small bowl, heat up the jam for about 10-15 seconds. Add the water and stir until incorporated. Brush the glaze on top of the fruits, and enjoy!
Shrimp Salad my mom-in-law made:
Mussels in Saffron and White Wine Sauce
serves 3-4
2 lbs mussels, scrubbed and debearded
1 Tbsp butter
1 tsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp saffron
1 tsp crushed red pepper
1 cup clam juice
1/2 cup dry white wine
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Sea salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 cup chives, sliced
1. In a large stock pot over medium-high heat, add the butter and olive oil. When the butter starts to melt and get hot, add the garlic, saffron, and crushed red pepper; sautee for about 2-3 minutes. Add the clam juice and wine. Stir all ingredients and allow to boil. Squeeze in some lemon, and add salt and pepper to taste. Let the broth gently boil for about 5 minutes, and add the mussels. Cover the pot and cook the mussels until the shells open, about 5-7 minutes. Discard mussels in which the shells have not opened. Stir in the chives at the end. Serve in shallow bowls with some crusty French bread.
Garlic Bread made with Whole Wheat French Bread
Whole-wheat French bread, cut into slices
Olive oil
Finely minced garlic, salt, pepper, paprika, parsley
Drizzle olive oil over bread on a large baking pan. Add garlic, salt, pepper, paprika, and parsley to both sides of the bread, and let it toast in a preheated, 350 F oven for about 5-7 minutes, until crispy brown.
The smell of banana bread coming out of the oven cannot be beat! It’s one of my fave go-to breads, and I never make it the same way. Here, I decided to give it a little island kick by throwing in some toasted, unsweetened, shredded coconut. This banana bread was so moist and delicious – we ended up heating a small slice of it in the mornings and eating it on the way to work (yes, it was an eat-and-run kind of a week…so glad it’s Friday!).
The other week, I was speed-shopping at the grocery store, and unknowingly grabbed an Eagle Mills brand of all-purpose flour. When I got home, I read the label a little more carefully, and realized that what I had picked up was a blend of ultragrain flour with AP flour, and had 9 grams of whole grains, and 2 grams of fiber per serving! What a score – it’s always nice to realize that you picked up a little extra nutrition along the way. I usually substitute some of the whole-wheat flour with all-purpose flour, but I decided not to do that in this recipe since I felt good about the ultragrain blend.
Banana-Coconut Bread
serves 10-12
2 1/4 cups ultragrain all-purpose flour (or 2 cups all-purpose flour + 1/4 cup whole wheat flour)
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
3/4 stick (6 Tbsp) butter, softened
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 whole egg
2 egg whites
2 tsp vanilla extract
6-oz container plain, lowfat yogurt
1 1/3 cups mashed ripe bananas (3 large)
1 cup unsweetened, flaked coconut, lightly toasted (I do it on a pan at medium-low heat for a few minutes until very lightly toasted)
Nonstick, fat-free cooking spray
1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray a 8 1/2 – by- 4 1/2 – inch loaf pan with the nonstick cooking spray, and dust with flour, knocking out excess flour.
2. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. In another bowl, stir together the yogurt, bananas, and vanilla extract.
3. In a large bowl, cream the butter with sugars in a large bowl with an electric mixer at high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the egg and egg whites, continue to beat at medium speed. Add the banana-yogurt mixture, beating until combined. Reduce the speed to low, and add the flour mixture; mix until combined. Stir in the flaked coconut.
3. Bake the banana bread for about 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
I first tried orange blossom water at a Lebanese restaurant in Old Town Orange a long time ago (anyone know if it’s still there?). The food was so good, and I remember my coworker at the time ordered me the orange blossom water. It was so perfumy and lovely-tasting, but I never encountered it again. Until this weekend! I was at this health food store called Down to Earth (cute name huh?), and just wasting time looking at random things I wanted to buy. I found bottles of orange blossom and rose water (which is too strong for me, so no to that!) and immediately thought of a bunch of cool things I could make with it. I’m thinking of making some dessert recipe with it later in the next couple of weeks, so tune in for that, but for now I’ll settle for a glass of orange blossom iced tea. How could you not drink it? It just sounds pretty
Orange Blossom Iced Tea
serves 1
1 cup of your favorite tea, chilled
1/2 tsp orange blossom water
1 tsp honey
Orange slice, optional
Stir the orange blossom water and honey into the tea. Serve ice-cold, with a slice of orange if desired.
This ain’t no regular fish and chips, my dears! I hope I don’t make too many enemies, but regular fish and chips are not something I’d order in a restaurant – I’m not akin to having a fully-fried meal. My arteries stutter! It makes me feel like I’ll resort back to high school and get pimples all over again (by the way, total myth – oily foods do not make you break out, although you may feel like it).
My version is healthier. Tombo ahi is also known as albacore tuna. You can also use salmon or any firm-fleshed fish and that would work. The sweet potatoes act as the “chips,” and are just your basic roasted sweet potato with a zucchini thrown in for some good measure. You know me. I always try to throw in a little extra green when I can!
Tombo Ahi Fish and Chips
serves about 4
4 Tombo Ahi (albacore tuna) fillets (about 1 lb)
1 Tbsp fennel seeds
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
1/4 tsp seasoning salt
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 large sweet potatoes (about 1 1/2 lbs), cut into french-fry-like pieces
1 zucchini, cut the same way as the sweet potato
Salt and black pepper, to taste
A few shakes of paprika
1 Tbsp olive oil
Cooking spray
1. Preheat your oven to 400 F.
2. Place the fennel seeds in a zip-loc bag, and pound the seeds using a mortar and pestle, mallet, or a heavy pan, until the fennel seeds are slightly broken up (they don’t have to be ground to a fine powder – you still want it coarse). Combine the fennel seeds, paprika, red pepper flakes, black pepper, seasoning salt, and sea salt in a small bowl.
3. Place the fish fillets on a large plate, and drizzle about 1 Tbsp olive oil over the fillets, covering all sides. Coat the tops and bottoms of the fillets with the spice mixture, and let the fillets sit for about 5-10 minutes.
4. In the meanwhile, combine the sweet potatoes and zucchini, along with black pepper, sea salt, paprika, and olive oil in a baking pan. Put the baking pan in the oven, and roast, turning the potatoes and zucchini every 7-10 minutes for 20 minutes, until the vegetables are tender and slightly browned.
5. Heat a medium-sized saute pan over medium-high heat. Spray with cooking spray. When the pan is hot, add the fish fillets. Don’t move the fillets, and cook for about 5-7 minutes. Flip them over and cook a few more minutes on the other side, until the fish is opaque and cooked though (flakes easily with a fork).
That’s it! To serve, place a bed of the roasted veggies down on your plate and add the fish fillet on top. Insta-dinner!
Nutrition Facts (serving 4): 347 calories, 8.3 grams fat, 38 grams carbohydrates, 30 grams protein
