One of the reasons I like bibimbap is that you can eat a lot of veggies.
Typically the veggies are prepared simply so that you can really enjoy the actual taste of the veggies
Sesame carrot.
Enoki mushroom.
Spicy cucumber.
Sprouts.
A must for bibimbap if you ask me.
Homemade seitan steak.
So good!
Today when you go to a grocery store, you find so many different kinds of nuts and seeds.
However, I tend to buy/use the same kinds over and over.
So I recently told myself to venture out a bit and try different things.
So when I decided to make whole wheat Boule bread (1/3: whole wheat flour and 2/3 all purpose flour), I added a generous amount of sunflower seeds and hemp seeds.
Loved the crunchy texture and the rustic look!
Caesar salad used to be one of my favorite salads.
Now I make a plant-based version, and I love it even more.
Traditional romaine lettuce is good, but kale also makes an awesome salad.
This time I added sweet red grapes and homemade plant-based cheese and then topped it off with savory Italian cookie crumbs which are packed with olives, herbs, and sundried tomatoes.
Something different, unique, and super yum!
For the first time I tried chia seeds, I was horrified by the gooey texture.
That was many years ago.
Looking other people’s beautiful chia pudding pictures, however, I was still interested and kept telling myself “someday.”
The “someday” came this weekend.
Last time (and my only time) I tried, I probably put too much, which I suspect created the awful texture, so this time I did some research and measured seeds and liquid to get the correct ratio.
I made two different flavors.
One was Matcha, and the other was “Kinako” (roasted soy beans) and layered them in jars.
They are both very traditional Japanese flavors, and I love this combination.
I just happened to have “yo-kan” or Japanese red bean jelly, so I cut it into small cubes for garnish along with more kinako powder.
How did I like it?
Well, I loved it!!
The texture was “more right” this time, and I could actually enjoy it.
Of course, the Matcha x Kinako combination was a big winner for me.
A great thing about this pudding is that you can store it in a fridge for a few days (although I have a feeling that this will be gone quickly!).
I’ve been enjoying bread-baking on weekends lately.
This weekend I wanted to try something new and decided on pretzel buns.
I was a bit nervous, but the process was quite straight-forward, and they turned out great!
It didn’t take time to make them, because you don’t have to wait too long for the dough to rise.
It went very fast from start to finish.
I loved the beautiful color and the contrast, not to mention the look and the taste.
It has the unique pretzel flavor as well as slight sweetness.
There are a few items that we instantly associate with breakfast.
Eggs and sausage.
So to win the breakfast game, you need to have a wide variety of ideas where you still serve eggs and sausage but in different ways.
This plant-based “egg and sausage” breakfast crepe plate was a hit at our house.
It really checks all the box for us: lots of veggies; not much carbs, something fatty and cheesy; lots of colors; “egg and sausage” (of course).
I always have some type of plant-based cheese in my fridge.
This cheddar is great as it’s so versatile.
I usually make it “solid” and use slices for sandwiches or make it into sauce like this one.
Last time when I made homemade pasta, it turned out so great that now I want all my pasta to be homemade.
I was going to say I’m spoiled, but since I’m the one that makes it, I’m not sure if “spoiled” is the right word (lol).
This time I added one of my favorite dried herbs, Kasuri Methi.
Again this pasta dough is so easy to handle, and I really enjoy the process.
I decided to cut it into wider strips to make “fettucine” this time.
Beautiful, isn’t it?
Freshly cooked pasta was added to the pan of sautéed garlic, onion, and Bunapi and enoki mushrooms.
Freshly ground black pepper and crushed red pepper were sprinkled.
Yes, I use chopsticks for everything!
It’s a simple yet lovely dish.
Have a great weekend everyone!
Basic Homemade Pasta – makes about 4 servings
-1.5 cup all purpose flour
-1/2 cup chickpea flour
-1/2 teaspoon salt
-1/2 cup warm water, plus more if needed
I usually modify recipes purposely because I want to experiment.
But this time it happened out of necessity.
The recipe called for apple sauce, but I didn’t have it.
The closest thing I could think of that I had was pickled beets in a jar.
So that’s what went into these cookies.
These turned out perfect!
The beets worked great because they achieved the same texture.
These cookies are delicious.
And I love the color, too.
If you are wondering, no they don’t taste like pickled beets.
I love almost any type of noodle soup.
But miso noodle soup has a special spot in my heart.
As my hometown in Japan is famous for dark miso noodle soup, I grew up eating it a lot.
When I made homemade pasta, it looked like the noodles that were used for the miso noodle soup, and I just had to make it.
I don’t always have time to make carrot flowers, but when I do, I love doing things like this.
You have to admit.
The flowers make the whole bowl so pretty.
It’s probably categorizes as a winter dish.
But if you ask me, I can eat it any time of the year!
When I moved to the city from the suburb five years ago, I knew there were going to be some changes in my life.
But increased sense of community was not something I expected.
I now talk with neighbors much more frequently because I see them in the condo elevator.
I never imagined to ask a neighbor for sugar, but now I do.
When we lived in the suburb, we were on a cul de suc in the beautiful residential area, but because everyone was always driving, I hardly saw my neighbors, and many of the stores in the area were mostly big chain stores.
Now I walk into a shop, and I talk with the owner about local politics, as the owner not only owns the business but also lives in the same community.
Yesterday one of our neighbor friends, Mr. K, brought us kale because he and his wife bought it at the local farmers market, but it was too much for them.
I never say no to fresh veggies!
This was so fresh and tender.
My husband is not a big kale fan, but he said he liked THIS kale.
This Caesar salad has some surprises.
In this salad you’ll find kale leaves, strawberry slices, and black beans, dressed with garlicky homemade Caesar dressing, and the salad was served with coconut-nutritional yeast-salt sprinkles.
Super tasty!!
