Lemon Ginger Martini

February 17, 2014 · by ·

Lemon-Ginger-Martini

I’ve been obsessed with ginger lately. I love the boost of flavor it brings to a dish and I seem to be adding it to everything. Why not add it to a drink? I love ginger beer. I knew I would love it in other drinks.

I’ve also been building my liquor cabinet and playing with drink recipes lately. My father has always been the bar master in my home growing up. He has a knack for creating amazing cocktails whenever the family entertains. I try to do the same in my home.

My usual drink of choice is a gin & tonic. My gin of choice is Bombay Sapphire. Though I am also known to get creative. Like I did with my Frozen Cantaloupe Mojitos, I like to play with flavor. I was in a martini mood, but wanted to go outside of my typical Dirty Gin Martini. I mean, I love olive juice, but you have to be in the mood, you know?

I’d been craving sweets all day and I had an excess of lemons in the house. Usually when we have extra lemons in the house, we tend to make some lemonade for the kids. I decided it was my turn to enjoy the bounty this time. I decided to make a lemon and ginger simple syrup and make a slightly sweeter gin-based martini.

I juiced 4 lemons, zested some lemon peeled and cut up some ginger and then stirred it in to some water and sugar. I heated everything up and let the sugar dissolve, while letting the flavors combine.

making-simple-syrup

Once the sugar had dissolved and the lemon ginger flavor was well infused, I strained the simple syrup in to a bowl.

straining-simple-syrup

I let the simple syrup cool.

While the mixture cooled, I rimmed my martini glasses with some sugar.

martini-glass-in-sugar

Once the simple syrup was cooled down, I placed some ice in my martini shaker, added about 1/3 cup of the lemon ginger infused simple syrup and then added around a half cup of gin to the shaker. I shook everything and then pour the mixture in to my prepared martini glasses. I also garnished the glasses with some extra lemon zest.

shaker-martini

I couldn’t wait to taste the martini. This lemon ginger martini didn’t disappoint. Amazing! If you’re not a gin fan, swap it for vodka. The drink is fantastic and I encourage you to try it.




Lemon Ginger Martini
 
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Ingredients
Lemon Ginger Simple Syrup
  • Juice of 4 lemons
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • 2 inches of ginger, peeled and cut up
  • ½ cup sugar
  • ½ cup water
Lemon Ginger Martini (for 2)
  • Ice
  • ½ cup Gin
  • ⅓ cup Lemon Ginger Simple Syrup
  • Sugar to rim the glasses
  • Extra lemon zest strips for garnish
Instructions
Lemon Ginger Simple Syrup
  1. Juice the 4 lemons
  2. In a small sauce pan, mix the lemon juice with the ginger, the water and the sugar
  3. Heat to medium and let the sugar dissolve
  4. Once the sugar has dissolved, remove from flame
  5. Strain the syrup in to a bowl and let cool completely
Lemon Ginger Martini
  1. Rim martini glasses with sugar. Wet the rim of the martini glasses and place the rim of the glass on a plate of sugar to coat the rim,
  2. Place ice in the martini shaker
  3. Add ⅓ cup of the simple syrup and ½ cup gin to the shaker. Shake well.
  4. Pour in to prepared martini glasses.
  5. Garnish with extra lemon zest (optional)
  6. Drink up and enjoy!

 

lemon-ginger-martini-this-one

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Filed Under: cocktails, drinks, Kosher Connection Challenge, recipes · Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Sriracha Chex Mix

January 8, 2014 · by ·

Sriracha Chex Mix

I love Chex Mix. Chex Mix is one of my favorite snacks. Only homemade Chex Mix though. I stock up on Chex Cereals whenever I see them on sale at the grocery store. I’m always trying to come up with new flavor options for the wonderful snack mix.

I’ve made it with Creole seasoning, I loved it with curry seasoning and just recently, I decided I needed to make a Sriracha Chex Mix. Who doesn’t like sriracha? It seemed like it would be the perfect addition to this snack mix. I was right.

In a giant mixing bowl, I mixed up the Rice Chex, Corn Chex, cashews, almonds and peanuts.

I mixed up some melted butter, sriracha, sesame oil,  and tamari.

mixing-chex-mix-

I processed some garlic and ginger in my Cuisinart Mini-Prep so it became a paste and then added it to the bowl with the butter and the sriracha.

I poured the mixture over the Chex and nut mixture. I stirred everything well.

mixing-chexk-mix

I placed everything on a rimmed baking sheet and then I baked it in the oven at a low heat for an hour. I stirred it up every 15 minutes or so.

I then let the mixture cool and then sampled a bit. Oh yeah.

This Chex Mix came with us to our New Year’s Eve party. It’s perfect for any party or just for casual snacking. I love the kick of the sriracha!

Hope you enjoy!


Sriracha Chex Mix
 
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Recipe type: Snack, Gluten Free
Ingredients
  • 6 cups Rice Chex
  • 6 cups Corn Chex
  • 1 cup roasted unsalted cashews
  • 1 cup roasted peanutes
  • 1 cup toasted almonds slivers
  • 1 stick of butter, melted
  • ⅓ cup Sriracha
  • ¼ cup tamari or soy sauce
  • 2 tsp. sesame oil
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 3-4 inch piece ginger, peeled
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 250
  2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the dry cereals and the nuts.
  3. In a smaller bowl, combine the melted butter, tamari, sriracha and the sesame oil.
  4. Puree the garlic and ginger in a food processor and then mix in to the sriracha mixture.
  5. Stir the melted butter and sriracha mixture in to the cereal mixture and stir well, making sure that all nuts and cereal pieces are coated well.
  6. Transfer to rimmed baking sheets.
  7. Bake in the oven for an hour, stirring every 15 minutes.
  8. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
  9. Enjoy!

Sriracha Chex Mix

Filed Under: asian, Gluten Free, munchies, recipes, Snacks, Vegetarian · Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Spicy Miso Ginger Soup with Mushrooms & Spinach

January 6, 2014 · by ·

miso-ginger-soup

We were having a get-together with some friends and I offered to bring something over. They suggested soup. I initially thought I would do something simple like my Cardamom Cauliflower Soup or perhaps my French Onion Soup. I wanted to change things up a bit though. It’s been pretty cold around here and I’ve been craving spicy Asian noodle soups. My Bon Appétit Magazine had just arrived and I was drooling over the rice noodle soup on the cover.

Having looked through various recipes for inspiration, I decided to come up with my own vegan soup recipe. I had some miso on hand as well as shiitake mushrooms. I knew I could pull something together.

I began by sautéing up some shallots, garlic and ginger in a little bit of sesame and canola oil. As they softened, I added some cubed extra firm tofu and some sliced shiitake mushrooms, along with the whites of the scallions. I let everything sear and soften. The smell coming off the pot was amazing.

I stirred in some chili garlic paste and added some vegetable broth to the pot. I then added a strip of Kombu to the broth mixture. Kombu is a type of seaweed that adds amazing flavor to soups.

Next, I stirred in some miso and tamari to the mix. I tasted the broth a bit to see if it needed additional spice. I like heat, so I added a couple of squirts of Sriracha.

Next, I added some spinach, shredded daikon and shredded carrots. The spinach cooks up fast. At that point, the soup smelled amazing and I really wanted to dig in. I let the soup simmer for about a half hour. I then ladled in to a bowl over some gluten free soba noodles.

This soup is perfect. It’s great for these cold winter days. Add some extra sriracha if you want an extra kick.

ladled-miso-ginger-soup

Spicy Miso Ginger Soup with Mushrooms & Spinach
 
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Recipe type: Soup
Cuisine: Asian, Gluten Free
Ingredients
  • ½ tbsp. rice bran oil
  • 2 tsp. sesame oil
  • 2 shallots, chopped
  • 4 inch piece of ginger, peeled
  • 4 cloves garlic, peeled
  • 2 scallions, chopped (whites and light green only)
  • ½ pound extra firm tofu, drained and cubed
  • 10 oz. shiitake mushrooms, sliced
  • 2 tsp. chili garlic paste
  • 10 cups vegetable or imitation chicken broth
  • 1 6-inch strip of kombu
  • 2 tbsp. white miso paste
  • 1 tbsp. tamari or soy sauce (can adjust taste)
  • 1-2 tbsp. sriracha (optional, to taste)
  • red pepper flakes (optional, to taste)
  • 1.5 cups shredded carrot
  • 1.5 cups shredded daikon
  • 2-3 cups packed spinach leaves (could also use kale or mustard greens)
  • Soba noodles (optional, to serve)
Instructions
  1. Process the garlic and ginger in to a paste in the food processor.
  2. Heat up the oils in a heavy bottom soup pot.
  3. Add in the garlic, ginger and scallions and saute for a few minutes to soften.
  4. Add in the mushrooms and the tofu and saute for several minutes.
  5. Stir in the chili paste and add in the broth.
  6. Mix in the miso paste and tamari and taste the soup a bit. Add additional sriracha or red pepper flakes for extra heat.
  7. Add in the shredded veggies and spinach and cover the pot. Let the soup simmer for about a half hour.
  8. Serve over soba noodles.
  9. Enjoy!

Spicy-Miso-Ginger-Soup

Filed Under: asian, Dinner, Gluten Free, Lunch, noodles, Soups, Vegan, Vegetarian · Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Carrot Ginger Latkes

December 3, 2013 · by ·

carrot-ginger-latkes

Another night of Chanukah, another latke recipe. Or so it goes.

These latkes were inspired by one of me and my daughter’s favorite soup recipes. We both love carrot ginger soup in the fall.

I made a carrot latke years ago, and I vaguely recall it being tasty, so I thought I would give this a try.

I shredded some carrots,  an onion,  a small potato,  some ginger and some cilantro in the Cuisinart food processor.

I transferred the mixture to a bowl and drained whatever liquid I could out of the veggie mixture.

Next, I added some flour, eggs, garlic powder, salt and pepper to the mix.

I heated up the oil in my fry pan and fried the patties until done. You have to keep your eyes on the latkes because they can go from perfect to burnt very quickly. I drained the latkes on a cooling rack set over paper towels.

I served these latkes with cilantro and an option of sour cream or horseradish sauce.

These latkes will definitely be made again!

Carrot Ginger Latkes
 
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Ingredients
  • 6 carrots, peeled
  • 1 small Idaho Russet potato, peeled
  • 1 small onion, peeled
  • 2 tbsp. fresh ginger
  • 2 tbsp. cilantro
  • 2 tsp. salt
  • 2 tsp. ground pepper
  • 2 tsp. garlic powder
  • ½ cup flour
  • 2 eggs
  • oil for frying
  • additional salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. Wash and peel the veggies.
  2. With the shredding blade on a food processor, shred the carrots, potato, onion, ginger and cilantro.
  3. Transfer everything to a large mixing bowl.
  4. Drain as much liquid as possible from the shredded vegetables.
  5. Mix in the salt, pepper, flour, garlic powder, flour and eggs.
  6. Heat up about an inch of oil in a large fry pan.
  7. Fry the latkes, carefully flipping as they began to crisp up.
  8. Drain the cooked latkes on a paper towel lined cooling rack.
  9. Sample the latke and adjust seasoning as needed.
  10. Serve with a latke topping of your choice.
  11. Enjoy!

carrot-ginger-latkestext

 

Filed Under: Appetizers, Chanukah, fried, recipes, Side Dish, Vegetarian · Tagged: , , , , , , , , , ,

Red Miso Braised Baby Bok Choy

August 21, 2013 · by ·

miso-braised-baby-bok-choy

This vegetable side dish was inspired by a walk through my local farmer’s market a while back. As new fresh veggies come in to the market, I get more and more excited to bring new stuff home.

I also  recently went on a shopping frenzy at my local Korean grocery store. I managed to pick up my favorite kind of miso, red miso. Red miso is a rich fermented soy bean paste that lends itself to heartier foods. It’s perfect for a braise and bok choy works well with it.

This bok choy comes together in just a few simple steps. We served this with some grilled salmon. I hope you enjoy!

Red Miso Braised Baby Bok Choy
 
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Recipe type: side dish, vegetable
Ingredients
  • 1 tbsp. coconut oil (you could also use peanut oil or canola oil)
  • 1 tsp. sesame oil
  • 1 shallot, chopped
  • 2 tbsp. ginger, chopped
  • 2 tbsp. garlic, chopped
  • 5-7 medium heads of baby boy choy, washed and trimmed
  • 2 tbsp. red miso
  • ½ cup vegetable broth
  • 2 tsp. tamari or soy sauce
  • 2 tsp. red pepper flakes
Instructions
  1. Heat up the oil in a large pan.
  2. Add in the shallot, garlic and ginger. Cook a few minutes to soften.
  3. Add the cut bok choy to the pan and sear on both sides - about two minutes.
  4. In a small bowl, mix the miso with the vegetable broth and the tamari.
  5. Pour miso mixture over the bok choy. Cover the pan for 2-3 minutes to cook the boy choy a little.
  6. Add red pepper flakes to taste.
  7. Remove from heat and serve.
  8. Enjoy!

miso-braised-baby-bok-choy

Filed Under: Gluten Free, Side Dish, Vegan, vegetables, Vegetarian · Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Tofu, Cauliflower & Greens with Soba Noodles and Miso Tahini Sauce

August 8, 2013 · by ·

Soba Noodles in Miso Tahini Sauce

I’ve had a jar of tahini sitting in my pantry for too long. I really should use it more often. My intention when I bought it was to use it in salad dressings and similar sauces, but I just haven’t reached for it until now. I actually never intended to use it in this dish, but it just happened, and I’m glad it did.

I got a couple of bunches of broccoli rabe greens in my CSA and I wanted to include it in dinner. I also had a head of cauliflower begging to be used. Both of these veggies tend to get used as side dishes. I wanted to include both in my main course. So I came up with this soba noodle dish. I love cooking with soba noodles. I buy a gluten free version and they cook up so fast and taste excellent.

 

Tofu, Cauliflower & Greens with Soba Noodles and Miso Tahini Sauce
 
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Recipe type: vegan, dinner, gluten free
Ingredients
  • Soba Noodles
  • 1 pound of extra-firm tofu, cubed and drained
  • 1 tbsp. tamari or soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp. coconut oil
  • 2 tsp. sesame oil
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 1 shallot, chopped
  • 5 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1.5 tbsp. ginger, chopped
  • 1 head of cauliflower, washed and trimmed
  • 1 bunch of broccoli rabe greens (could also use spinach or swiss chard), washed and chopped
  • 2 tsp. red pepper flakes
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. ground black pepper
Miso Tahini Sauce
  • 3 tbsp. tahini
  • 2 tbsp. white miso
  • 1 tbsp. soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp. ginger, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, chopped
  • ¾ cup water
  • 1 tsp. ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp. red pepper flakes
  • additional salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. Boil some salted water in a pot and cook the soba according to the directions on the package. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process.
  2. Preheat the oven to 400.
  3. Mix the tamari and the sesame oil. Mix in to the cubed tofu. Place the tofu on a baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes.
  4. Heat up the coconut oil in a large pan. Add in the sesame oil.
  5. Saute the onion, garlic, ginger and shallots for a few minutes to soften.
  6. Break up the cauliflower and add to the pan. Cook for about 8-10 minutes. Let the cauliflower brown a bit.
  7. One the cauliflower is softer, but still has some bite to it, turn the heat down lower add in the chopped greens.
  8. Add in the red pepper flakes, salt and ground pepper.
  9. In a separate bowl, whisk all of the sauce ingredients together.
  10. To serve, layer the soba noodles then the cauliflower mixture. Then pour the sauce over both. You can garnish with scallions, roasted sesame seeds and additional red pepper flakes if you like.
  11. Enjoy!

Soba Noodles in Miso Tahini Sauce

Filed Under: asian, Dinner, Gluten Free, Lunch, Main Course, noodles, recipes, Vegan, Vegetarian · Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Vegan Mushroom Pâté

August 5, 2013 · by ·

Vegan Mushroom PateI was fasting the other day in preparation for a test, and all I could think about was bánh mì. I walked by the bánh mì cart near my office and my mouth was salivating. I decided that no matter what, I would be making bánh mì sandwiches for dinner this weekend. A while back, I made some vegan bánh mì here on the blog. From experience though, I knew it was missing something. It was missing the traditional pâté. It adds another layer of flavor to the sandwich and some needed moistness that pairs well with the other ingredients.

This time around, I knew I had to make my own baguettes AND make some pâté. Pâté is traditionally made from pork and chicken liver in these sandwiches. You all know that’s not my style. I’ve had some vegetarian eggplant liver before, but I’m the only one in this house who loves eggplant. I decided to make this amazing spread out of mushrooms and walnuts.

I toasted the walnuts in my cast iron skillet.

Toasting Walnuts for Pate

Then., I sautéed up some mushrooms along with some shallots, garlic, ginger and spices. The smell was already so good.

mushrooms for vegan liver

Once the mushrooms were done, I placed everything in my Cuisinart food processor and processed away.

It came together fast and made a huge difference in our bánh mì sandwiches! This would also be perfect as a dip with crackers or in place of traditional meat liver on shabbat and holidays!

vegan-banh-mi

 

 

Vegan Mushroom Pâté
 
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This vegan mushroom pâté goes perfectly with my vegan banh mi sandwiches!
Author:
Recipe type: vegan, dip, spread
Ingredients
  • ¾ raw shelled walnuts
  • 1 tbsp. olive oil or other neutral oil
  • 2 tsp. sesame oil
  • 1 shallot, chopped
  • 5 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1 tbsp. ginger, chopped
  • 10 oz. mushrooms - sliced
  • 1 tsp. tamari sauce
  • 1 tsp. ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • additional salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. Heat up your skillet on medium high heat.
  2. Toast the walnuts in the dry skillet for about 3 minutes. You do not want to burn the nuts.
  3. Remove the walnuts from the pan and set aside.
  4. Keep the pan on the heat.
  5. Add the oils to the pan. Let the oil get hot.
  6. Add the shallots, garlic and ginger to the pan. Cook a couple of minutes.
  7. Add the mushrooms to the pan and cook another few minutes. Stir in the tamari, salt and pepper.
  8. Once cooked, turn off the heat.
  9. Place both the walnuts and the mushroom mixture in your food processor and process well. It should be a paste.
  10. Taste and add additional salt and pepper as necessary.
  11. Enjoy!

Vegan Mushroom Pate

 

Filed Under: Appetizers, Gluten Free, recipes, Side Dish, Snacks, Vegan, Vegetarian · Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Wasabi Salmon Burger Wraps

June 11, 2013 · by ·

We had some leftover salmon from the other night. I wanted to use it up, but I am very bad about using leftovers. I just don’t like them. Salmon is one thing that I do use though. I usually like to turn it in to a salmon salad the next day. This time around though, I decided to turn it in to some salmon burgers. Similar to my baked salmon patties, you can use either recently cooked salmon or even some canned salmon. Both will work, but I always prefer to use fresh salmon when possible.

This salmon burger comes together in a similar way as the salmon patties, but the flavors are amped up a bit with the addition of the wasabi and ginger.

Salmon Burger Wraps

I mashed up my leftover fresh salmon in a bowl. You can use canned salmon if you don’t have fresh salmon lying around. To the salmon, add an egg, some wasabi, soy sauce, sesame soil, ginger, garlic, corn flake crumbs, chopped shallots. You mix it together and form in to burgers.

Salmon Burger Wraps

Fry the burgers in a large pan.

Salmon Burger Wraps

Serve in wraps with avocado, spinach, additional wasabi and mayonnaise.  So good! Make it now!

Salmon Burger Wraps

Wasabi Salmon Burger Wraps
 
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Recipe type: Sandwich, Burger, Lunch, Main Course
Ingredients
  • 12 oz cooked salmon or 2 - 6 oz cans of salmon
  • 1 shallot, chopped
  • 2 tsp. ginger paste
  • 2 tsp. garlic paste
  • 1 extra large egg
  • 2 tbsp. wasabi
  • 1 tbsp. mayonaisse
  • ¾ cup corn flake crumbs
  • 1 tsp. sesame oil
  • 1 tsp. soy sauce
  • 1 tsp. sriracha
  • Tortillas (I had mine in brown rice tortillas, while my family likes flour tortillas)
  • Avocados, sliced
  • Baby Spinach Leaves
Instructions
  1. In a medium mixing bowl, mash up the salmon with a fork
  2. Mix in the rest of the ingredients. Mix well.
  3. Form in to patties/burgers.
  4. Grill on a barbecue, or fry in a large fry pan on medium-high heat in one tablespoon of oil. The burgers should be lightly browned on both sides.
  5. Wrap up the burgers in a tortilla with additional wasabi or sriracha, some mayonnaise, some sliced avocado and spinach.
  6. Enjoy!

 

Filed Under: Dinner, fish, Gluten Free, Lunch, sandwich · Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Roasted Chicken Wrapped in Ramps

June 4, 2013 · by ·

Our fridge died this past week. It happened to give its final burst of cold air on a 90+ degree day. My kind of luck, right? So with that fridge, out went lots of food.

Somehow, the fridge and food mess happened at the right time. Things like these rarely do. It just worked out that we were able to find and buy a new fridge pretty quickly, thanks to the fine people at the Sears outlet. Just six or so hours after the fridge was delivered, I also had a brand new Fresh Direct order delivered to my door. It’s those little big things that happen, that can make your week look a little less bleak.

This was the first time I ordered through Fresh Direct, the fabulous online grocery delivery service. I am thrilled they have begun to deliver to my neighborhood. I was very impressed with their selection and prices.

So it happened, that I found myself looking at the most beautiful bunch of fresh and local ramps. Have you tried ramps? Ramps are a variety of wild leeks. They have a short season – usually found in my area in the Spring time. They are wildly popular. It seems that as soon as you see them at the farmer’s market, you must grab them fast, or they will be gone before you know it. So this season, every time I have seen them, I have been sure to grab them so that I don’t miss out.

I really love the way ramps look when cooked whole. I find them both pretty and tasty. Their dark green leaves add so much to the look of a dish. They taste fantastic too!

For a recent Shabbat dinner, I chose to wrap some chicken drumsticks in the ramps and glaze them with a sauce, then roast them in the oven. I loved the way these looked, both raw and cooked. They tasted even better.

I began my liberally sprinkling the chicken with salt and fresh ground pepper. I trimmed and washed the ramps and then wrapped them whole around each drumstick. I then brushed each chicken leg with the sauce I prepared and poured the rest of the glaze over the chicken. I then baked the chicken at 375 for about an hour. Everyone enjoyed this chicken. It was served up with some fresh roasted asparagus and roasted sunchokes.

 

You really can’t go wrong with this chicken dish. Enjoy!

ramp-wrapped-chicken

Roasted Chicken Wrapped in Ramps
 
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Author:
Recipe type: Poultry, Main Course
Ingredients
  • 1 package chicken pieces (I used drumsticks)
  • salt
  • fresh ground pepper
  • 1 bunch of wraps (1 ramp per chicken piece)
  • 1 tbsp. maple syrup
  • 2 tsp. Dijon mustard
  • 1.5 tbsp. olive oil
  • 2 tsp. garlic paste
  • 2 tsp. ginger paste
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 375.
  2. Wash and dry your chicken pieces.
  3. Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper.
  4. Wrap each piece of chicken in a ramp and place in baking dish.
  5. In a small bowl, mix up the maple syrups, Dijon mustard, olive oil, garlic, and ginger.
  6. Brush the glaze mixture on to chicken. Pour any remaining mixture over the chicken.
  7. Sprinkle additional salt and pepper oven the chicken.
  8. Bake in the oven at 375 for about an hour. Check the chicken for doneness.
  9. Enjoy!

 

Filed Under: chicken, Dinner, Main Course, shabbat · Tagged: , , , , , , , , ,

Asparagus and Leek Fried Rice

May 17, 2013 · by ·

We recently spent the day in and around Bucks County, PA. This area that stretches from the New Jersey border, near the Delaware River, is simply beautiful. Filled with beautiful farmland, old homes, and adorable little shops and wineries – there is just so much to see. As we were driving to our destination, we passed by a farm that advertised some fresh asparagus. I love asparagus! I got super excited, but we had somewhere to be. I made note of the sign and hoped that we’d be able to buy some of the good green stuff on our way home.

We stopped by the farm on our way back. At first I was disappointed to see that the place appeared “closed.” On closer look though, I noticed a small little shack with open doors that appeared to have farm goods inside. I got out of the car to inspect. They had a small selection of asparagus, herbs, greens and fresh honey available. There was no shopkeeper, but all items were priced and there was a locked box to deposit your money in. Love it! I fished out a few dollars and bought some asparagus! Love this kind of shopping. Further down the road, we stopped at another farm for fresh brown eggs. It was a lovely day!

8745779575_94e4012e4b_z

I was so excited to use this fresh and local asparagus. Earlier that morning, I had picked up some lovely fresh leeks. I love the way leek pairs well with asparagus. I was thinking about just sauteing the two as a side dish, but then it occurred to me to use the vegetables in my main dish.


Asparagus and Leek Fried Rice
 
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Asparagus and Leek Fried Rice
Author:
Ingredients
  • 1 tbsp. rice bran oil or canola oil (or any other high heat friendly oil)
  • 1 tsp. sesame oil
  • 4 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 2 tbsp. crushed fresh ginger
  • 8 oz. chicken-style seitan (or protein of your choice)
  • 2 leeks
  • 1 lb. asparagus, cut to 1.5 inch pieces
  • 4 cups cooked and cooled rice
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 2 tbsp. tamari or soy sauce
  • 1 tsp. sesame oil
  • 2 tsp. red pepper flakes
Instructions
  1. Start by cleaning your leeks. Slice them in thin rounds and soak in cold water. The sand and grit will soak to the bottom. Blot dry with a paper towel.
  2. In a large wok or fry pan, heat up the oil.
  3. Add in the garlic, ginger and onion. Cook for about 5 minutes to soften a bit.
  4. Add in the seitan chicken or any protein for that matter. Cook for two more minutes.
  5. Add in the cleaned and trimmed leeks and asparagus. Cook for about 3-5 minutes.
  6. Stir in the already cook rice. Mix to incorporate well.
  7. Add in the rest of the seasonings. Cook for another 5-10 minutes, stirring as you go. Taste and add additional seasoning as necessary. I love adding some chili pepper flakes and a squirt of sriracha when I eat it,
  8. This dish is very versatile. Feel free to add other vegetables or change up your protein.

 

 

Filed Under: Gluten Free, Main Course, Vegan, Vegetarian · Tagged: , , , , , , ,
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