Banh Mi

If you've heard or know of Banh Mi then this post title should have brought a smile to your face.  Banh Mi sandwiches are delicious.  Here's one variety I've tried at home myself now.

Pork Meatball Banh Mi with Vietnamese Pickled Vegetables and Hot Chili Mayo

-pork meatball recipe found here
-pickled veg recipe found here

Ingredients:

Hot Chili Mayo:

• 2/3 cup mayonnaise
• 2 green onions, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon hot chili sauce (such as sriracha)

Meatballs:

• 1 pound ground pork
• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 green onions, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon hot chili sauce (such as sriracha)
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt

Pickled Vegetables:

• julienned carrots 
• julienned cucumber
• julienned daikon
• 1 c sugar
• 1 c water
• 1 c rice vinegar
• 2 tsp salt

Directions:

Hot Chili Mayo:

-mix everything together, chill until ready to use

Pork Meatballs:

-Line rimmed baking sheet with wax paper. Gently mix all ingredients in large bowl. Using moistened hands and scant tablespoonful for each, roll meat mixture into 1-inch meatballs. Arrange on baking sheet. Cover and chill so they can set up- but let them sit on counter to come to room temperature about a half hour before cooking them.  Mine only sat in the fridge for like 30 minutes.

-Preheat oven to 350°F. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add half of meatballs. Sauté until brown and carmelized all around, turning meatballs often and lowering heat if browning too quickly, about 15 minutes. Transfer meatballs to another rimmed baking sheet. Place in oven. Repeat with remaining meatballs.  Mine were in the oven for like 15 minutes while I got other things ready for dinner.

Pickled Vegetables:

-disolve sugar and salt in the liquids and then put the vegetables in to pickle for 1-5 hours.  I would even suggest less sugar...I thought they needed a little stronger of an acidic punch when I tried them.  The site provided up top gives step by step instructions.

Sandwich:

-Submarine bun+mayo+meatball+cilantro+vegetables=delicious!

Chewy Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

This is my go to chocolate chip oatmeal cookie recipe.  I didn't take picutes- mostly I just want to be able to easily find the recipe when I want to use it.  No substitutions here- just yummy cookie goodness!

1 c butter
1 c brown sugar
1/2 c white sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 1/4 c flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
3 c oats
1 c chocolate chips

325
12-14 mins
ungreased cookie sheet

Sweet Potato Latkes

Inspired from a recipe shown on The Chew.  Very important to get as much liquid out of your grated vegetables/fruit as possible.  Great as a side to dinner or breakfast.  We love having them with poached eggs on a breakfast for dinner night. 

Note: when poaching eggs add a tbsp of vinegar to your water to help your egg whites stay together

Note: when shallow frying anything, keep your heat around medium and you will know it is hot enough to start cooking when bubbles form around the base of your wooden spoon when you touch it to the bottom of the pan. 


Ingredients:

1 sweet potato
1/2 onion
1 apple
2 egg whites lightly beaten
1/4 Cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Directions:

Drop by spoonful in a small layer of oil (shallow frying) in a pan on medium heat.  Flip after a few minutes.  Remove to a paper towel to sop up some of the extra oil and sprinkle with a little finishing salt while still hot.

PS- I have tried it with yam and sweet potato.  Sweet potato is by far the better tasting root for this recipe.  I didn't like the yam version at all.

Quinoa Cakes

Jalapeno Cheddar Quinoa Cakes

This recipe was adapted from THIS site.  I made a non vegan version but if vegan is what you're looking for, check out the site.  Really yummy.  I served them with a garlic aioli (3 garlic cloves minced, 1/3 c mayo, juice from half of a lemon or lime, salt/pepper). 

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked quinoa (cooled)
1/4 cup flour
2 eggs, beaten
1/2-3/4 cup Cheddar Cheese
salt to taste (about 1/2 tsp)
pepper to taste (about 1/2 tsp)
1/2 tsp paprika (or you can use chili powder)
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
 2 tbsp fresh chopped cilantro
1 chopped, de-seeded jalapeno pepper

Directions:

Mix everything together.  Drop by 1/2 cup full in a hot pan with some olive oil.  Sear on both sides then transfer to a 350 oven on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper...for like 10 minutes or so.
(I didn't take a picture but because I altered the recipe, mine ended up looking more like quinoa cake from the site provided for the recipe below-Quinoa Burger)


Quinoa Burger

I made these a while back in a big batch and froze them for lunches in packets of 2.  They are less than 150 calories each.  Super yummy- I usually melted a little cheese on top and ate them with a little sour cream! From THIS site.

Ingredients:

2 rounded cups cooked quinoa, cooled

3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese (or other variety, if you prefer)

1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese

1 medium carrot, finely grated (OR 1 cup shredded zucchini, squeezed dry)

3 eggs

3 tablespoons all purpose flour

2 green onions, including white parts

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Olive oil for frying

Directions:

In a large bowl combine the cooked quinoa, cheddar cheese, cottage cheese, carrot, eggs, flour, green onions, Splenda, pepper, cumin, salt, and garlic powder.

Heat a frying pan and a couple teaspoons olive oil over medium-low heat.  Mixture will be slightly sticky, so using a 1/4 cup measuring cup, drop mixture into pan and lightly flatten to 1/2 inch thick.  Fry until golden-brown, about 5 minutes on each side.   Makes approx. 14 burgers.

Southwest Quinoa Salad

I love Southwest flavours and I'm always trying to find more salads that encorporate those flavours.  Here's a really delicious and healthy one featuring quinoa (from where else? Pinterest: here).  I've started buying my quinoa at Costco- 4 lbs (or 1.8 kg) for $10.  Let me know if you have found a better deal.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup dry quinoa, rinsed
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 3/4 cup water
• 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 avocado, chopped into chunks
• handful cherry tomatoes, halfed (or some diced regular tomato)
• 1/2 red onion, diced (I find raw red onion too aggressive for my taste, so I substituted green onion)
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped into chunks
• small handful cilantro, diced
• 2 limes, juiced
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 small clove garlic, minced
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1/4-1/2 tsp on chili powder, optional

Directions:

1. Warm the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Once it’s hot add the rinsed quinoa and toast for about 2-3 minutes until it starts smelling nutty and lovely. Add water, stir once, cover, and simmer on low with a lid on for 15-20 minutes. 
2. Transfer cooked quinoa to a bowl and fluff.
   
   

   

   Cooked, fluffed quinoa

3. Chop veggies and make dressing. Prepare the dressing by combining the lime juice, oil, cumin, garlic and salt/pepper. Whisk it aggressively. Adjust seasoning as necessary.
   
   
   
   
   
   
4.  Add all the remaining ingredients, including the dressing and beans, and mix. Adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve with tortilla chips.  We also sprinkled cheese on top, but if you omit that it's vegan friendly.  It's also gluten free- our tortilla chips were made from corn.  If you're not concerned about the vegan label it's great as a side to some grilled protein as well.
   
   
   
   
   

(We got 2 servings plus my 10 month old daughter's serving, plus 2 more left over servings...which we may have eaten later that night.  So much for a ready to go lunch...)

HUSBAND AND BABY APPROVED!

Zucchini Sticks with Onion Dip

Another zucchini recipe.  Cole did not like this one.  So if you don't like zucchini, this isn't the recipe to try.  I loved it and even my 10 month old daughter ate a few.

Found on pinterest of course, recipe off THIS site.

For 2 people:

Ingredients:
-1 large zucchi chopped into sticks
-1 heaped tsp salt

-2 eggs, whisked
-1/2 c panko
-1/4 c parmesan
-1 tbsp italian seasonings
-red chili flakes if you like heat

-1 onion, chopped
-1 1/2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
-1 1/2 tbsp dijon mustard
-1 tbsp honey
-1/2 c mayo


Zucchini Sticks Directions:

-place your zucchini sticks in a collander over the sink or a bowl and sprinkle the salt over them.  let them sit for an hour to release some of their water
-after an hour, pat the zucchini dry
-one or two at a time run through the egg and then the seasoned breading
-place on an oiled baking sheet and bake for 12 minutes at 425 then flip the zucchini and bake another 12 minutes.  serve with onion dip. great for kids and adults alike.

Onion Dip Directions:

-carmelize onions over medium/low heat with oil, salt, pepper and a little brown sugar (about 20 mins)
-run onions through processor with vinegar, mustard and honey
-mix onion mixture in with mayo

I served them as "fries" along side a burger

Zucchini Cakes

I like zucchini...Cole doesn't.  So I've been searching out recipes that use zucchini that Cole and I could enjoy together.  This one was a success.  

Ingredients:

1 large zucchini, grated
1 large egg
1 c. panko bread crumbs
Salt and pepper to taste (I used about a tsp of each)
1 tbsp. Adobo spices (I used 1 tbsp of chili powder)
1/2 c. Parmesan cheese, grated

Directions:

Remove excess liquid from freshly grated zucchini by placing them between paper towels and squeezing. In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients. Mix thoroughly. Heat a tbsp of olive oil in a large pan on medium. Shape spoonfuls of the zucchini batter into 2-in. (diameter) patties, and drop onto the sizzling pan. Cook each side for about a couple minutes, or until the outside is golden brown. Finish the cakes off in the oven. Stick them on a baking pan and finish them off in the oven at 400 for a few minutes while you finish up whatever the rest of your dinner happens to be.  I sprinkled a tiny bit of salt on the outside of these as they came hot out of the oven.

(makes 12 patties, about 63 calories each)

Cole doesn't like zucchini but ate all the leftovers.

Entree Salads

Ingredients:
-romaine
-spinach
-grapes
-granny smith apple
-toasted almonds
-radishes
-jumbo shrimp
-green onion
-dressing: apple cider vinegar, olive oil, sugar or honey, dijon, salt, pepper
-side of parmesan crostini

Ingredients:
-romaine
-ground beef+onions+jalapenos+taco seasoning (cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, paprika, salt, pepper)
-beans (I often use black beans but this night I had refried beans on hand so I used those)
-avocado salsa: avocado, red onion, cilantro, tomato, jalapeno, salt, lime juice
-chili lime dressing: 4 tbsp yogurt, 2 tbsp mayo, 3 tbsp water, 1 1/2 tbsp lime, 2 tsp sugar, 3 tbsp cilantro, 1/2 tsp chili powder

Ingredients:
-romaine
-spinach
-jumbo shrimp
-avocado
-shredded carrot
-strawberries
-feta
-dressing: balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt, pepper
-side of carmelized onion and feta crostini (exactly what it sounds like)

Ingredients:
-romaine
-spinach
-mango
-cherry tomatoes
-avocado
-green onion
-steak
-chimichurri sauce: 2 handfuls parsley, 1 handful cilantro, 4-6 cloves garlic, 2 tbsp grated onion, oil, splash of lime or red wine vinegar (pulse the greens in a processor but then whisk in the rest)

Hummus

I LOVE hummus! Especially in the summer, I love it with veggies as lunch or a snack.  It can sometimes be higher calories when a lot of oil is used.  I found on Pinterest a way to cut a lot of that out and I don't miss it.  The Pinterest recipe calls for 1 tbsp + 1 tsp of oil but I found that the consistency suffered so I added another tbsp or so.  So no more than 3 tbsp of oil for a whole thing of hummus.  I also love to make different kinds, here are my favourite.

Basic Hummus:

1 can chickpeas (19oz)
1 bulb roasted garlic or as many raw cloves grated as you desire, depending on how sharp you want the garlic taste...start with one (or a combo of both)
1/4 c lemon juice (fresh)
3 tbsp water
1 1/2- 3 tbsp oil (start with 1 1/2 and add more till you get the consistency- you can do the same with the water)
1 tsp salt
pinch cayenne (more or less depending on your taste)

Whiz it up in your processor. Then taste and adjust water, oil, lemon and seasonings to your taste.
(Hummus traditionally calls for tahini, I hate the taste of sesame so I always leave it out.  Add it in per your taste).


Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

Add 1 roasted red pepper to the basic recipe.  Taste and adjust seasonings. 
You can buy roasted red peppers or you can roast your own.  Just take a red pepper and put it under the broiler till it's all black.  You can also blister the skin right on your stove if you have a gas stove with the exposed flame.  Put it in a bowl, wrap in plastic wrap and wait like 15 minutes till it's cooled and peel the pepper.   Voila- roasted red pepper.


Spinach and Artichoke Hummus

Basic recipe + a handful or 2 (or 3, whatever) of fresh spinach leaves, 1 can of marinated artichoke hearts packed in oil (if you do this, don't add any oil to the basic recipe until you've tasted it and added your water- you might not need anymore).  If you use a can of artichokes packed in water, maybe add a little extra oil and some other seasonings- like italian ones.  Just a suggestion. 
-this is probably my most favourite hummus ever!