Category Archives: Grains & Salads

Quinoa & Edamame Fried Rice

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This last week has been absolutely crazy for me! From interviews to meetings to events– I haven’t had even a second in the kitchen. It totally explains for yesterday’s bad mood.

Today however, I’ve had the day off with absolutely no obligations. No obligations. Ah, repeating that felt so nice.

So today I spent my no-obligation day in my kitchen, making up for a week’s worth of lost cooking time. I was craving fried rice all day today but since this week’s food events didn’t serve the most health cautious food, I decided it was a good idea to somehow create a healthy version of my original favorite.

So I thought to myself, what’s the healthiest grain substitute that ever did live? Quinoa.

Quinoa & Edamame Fried Rice (Serves 2)

 1 cup leftover cooked quinoa
1/4 cup cooked edamame (deshelled)
1/4 cup of shredded carrots
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp ginger, grated
1/2 onions, diced
2 eggs
2 tbsp soy sauce (low sodium)
2 tsp sesame oil
green onions (garnish)

 

1. Cook quinoa as directed on package. Once cooked, let stand (without lid) for 10 minutes to slightly dry out the quinoa. This allows for a crispier fried rice.

2. Add a few tsp of Olive Oil to a pan on high heat. Cook onions, garlic and ginger for 1 minute. Add in carrots and edamame. Cook on high heat for an extra minute.

How does one possibly make their fried rice extra sexy? By tossing in some edamame =). 

3. Gently incooperate the Quinoa to the vegetable mixture. Next, move the mixture to the sides of the pan to make space for the egg. Once ready break egg into the pan and scramble, eventually incorporating into mixture.

5. Add soy sauce and sesame oil. Fry on high for a few minutes until crispy. Taste first, and only then add more soy sauce if needed.

6. Garnish with green onions and sriracha (optional).

Indulge guiltlessly my friends.
-R

Sesame Ginger Salmon w/ Edamame Puree

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I wish I had that voice. The one that apparently everyone else has. You know, the one that tells you when you’ve over-ate or just need to eat healthy for the day. I don’t have it and frankly I can’t have it to be a full time foodie–to eat for a living.

Since I live so guilt-free and carelessly (when it comes to food), I aim to have a healthy and nutritious dinner at least 3 times a week. One of my favorite dishes to indulge in on my healthy day is this Toasted Sesame Ginger Salmon.

The flavors of the Salmon are bold and mind blowing while the edamame purree is creamy and delicate.

Toasted Sesame Salmon w/ Edamame Puree

serves 2

2 salmon fillets
1/3 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tsp fish sauce
2 garlic cloves, grated
1 tablespoons freshly grated ginger
toasted sesame seeds (garnish)
green onions, sliced (garnish)

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1. In a zip-lock bag create the ginger marinade by combining the olive oil, sesame oil, soy sauce, fish sauce, brown sugar,  garlic & ginger together. Add the salmon fillets and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to properly absorb.

2. Once ready, cook the salmon at 350 for about 10-12 minutes, or until opaque and easily flakable with a fork.

3. Remove and serve immediately, with a sprinkling of toasted sesame seeds, green onions and the edamame puree below.

Edamame Puree 

Serves 4-5

1 yellow onion, roughly chopped
3 garlic cloves, sliced
4-6 cups of shelled edamame
1 tsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp garlic powder
Vegetable stock
Olive oil
Sea Salt and Ground Pepper to taste

 

1. Bring your vegetable stock to a boil and cook your edamame for about 3 minutes.  Drain and reserve the liquid.

2. Saute your chopped onion in 1 tbsp of olive oil until translucent.  Add  sliced garlic and saute for a few minutes until fragrant.  Pour cooked edamame and onions and garlic into your food processor.  Add in Sesame oil and garlic powder. Blend together &  slowly add reserved vegetable stock until the puree is smooth.

3.Salt and Pepper to taste.

 

Bon Apetit !
-R x

Granola & Yogurt Cups

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At my place granola is an absolute house-hold necessity. It’s up there with toilet paper. That says a lot, right? So you can only imagine my reaction when I discovered these granola cups.

It may just be me, but for some reason everything in “miniature symmetrical form” tastes better. I can’t explain it and I most definitely don’t question it. Hey– I’m all about the cute round things!

If you are dying to know how to make these granola cups–I shared the recipe with my readers on Vancity Buzz. May I guide you to the recipe?

Love always,
r x

Bacon Salt & Vinegar Kale Chips

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Who knew it was possible to improve the Kale Chip! I sure didn’t! Well, until I discovered the Bacon Salt & Vinegar flavor that is.

If you must know…I’m obsessed with Kale Chips. And it’s not because of the whole “low fat low calorie” thing– ok, well maybe just a little. Think about it though, what’s better than being able to satisfy that “chip crunch”..guilt free!?

That’s what I thought!

Now, let’s talk about Bacon Salt for a hot sec. My friends always approach me with what I like to call the “Bacon Salt Dilemma”. The stories all share common grounds, “I got way too excited when I saw it…had to buy it …and now it’s sitting in my pantry because I have no idea what to do with it”.

If you are experiences any of the symptoms above, suffer no more! Sprinkling Bacon Salt on Kale Chips is as genius as the invention of the Kale Chip itself. For those of you who have never seen or heard about Bacon Salt—I apologize for the over excitement I may have caused. I purchased mine from LaLa’s Gift Store in my beautiful hometown of Deep Cove.

Bacon Salt & Vinegar Kale Chips

(Serves 2)

1 bunch kale
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 ½ teaspoons bacon salt ( a little goes a long way!)

 

Directions: 

1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF.

2. Separate the leaves and wash the kale thoroughly in cold water. Pat dry (easiest done with paper towel).

3. Slice out the tough center stem, then tear the leaves into bite size pieces. Toss onto a large baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, balsamic vinegar & season with bacon salt. Massage the pieces until coated. Spread them evenly (single layer) in pan.

4. Place in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until lightly browned & crispy.

5.  Once ready, remove from oven & transfer to a cooling rack.

I got you covered for beach season!

Love always,
R x

Thank You, Let’s Eat Channa Masala!

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This last month has been so surreal. From meetings, to interviews, to TV– I have felt like a Food Network Star. I feel as though I haven’t thanked each of you enough. So I would like to say again from the bottom of my heart…Thank You.

To each 1013 of you who voted for me, I can only hope to do the same for you one day. Each of you stood by my side to watch my dream potentially become my reality. I am blessed.

Even though I wasn’t chosen for top 3, making top 12 out of 1500 world wide applicants was winning in itself. YOUR support for my passion was truly the most incredible gift of being involved in the Richmond 365 competition. I now know that whatever I tackle in life, I have at least 1013 people who will support me. What a feeling!

Now that the competition is over and my life has died down a little, I’m back to spending most of my time in that section of the house where all the magic happens; The Kitchen.

…Channa Masala…anyone?

Channa Masala (serves 4)
Taken from the lovely Jenna (Eat, Live, Run Blog)
2 15 ounce cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 garlic cloves, smashed and chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
1 inch knob ginger, peeled and chopped
1 15 ounce can diced tomatoes
3 tbsp tomato paste
1/2 lemon
1 tbsp coriander
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp garam masala
1/4-1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp tumeric
3 tbsp butter

1.In a large skillet, heat 2 tbsp of butter. Once melted, add the onions and cook for about 10-15 minutes on medium low heat, or until golden brown.

2. Once the onions have caramelized, add the last tbsp of butter & saute the garlic, ginger and jalapeno. Cook for a few minutes.

3. Add the tomato paste and pince. Pince basically means to cook the tomato paste down so the sugars come out to play. How do you cook a tomato paste down? All you do is flatten it with a back of a spoon to the bottom of the pan.

You then crank of the heat and let the tomato paste crust.

Once you see crust, turn down the heat.

It’s not burnt don’t worry! This is what you are looking for!

4. Add the coriander, cumin, cayenne and tumeric and stir well. Then add the diced tomatoes, chickpeas and garam masala.

5.Cook for about five minutes or until the chickpeas have heated through.Finish with a squeeze of lemon.

Serve with warm naan or on rice!

Bon apetit!
r xo