Okra Kimchi, by Diane

 I love okra, and wanted a creative green veggie for the week. I came across this recipe from @korean.roots to turn okra into kimchi and it could not have been easier! This was really good, and while you can have this fresh right away I liked it the more it fermented in the fridge!

Ingredients:

1.5 lb young okra, tops and tails removed and cut into 1 inch slices

4 tbsp kosher salt

1/2 small red apple, minced

3 green onions, chopped (green parts only or can use both)

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 tbsp white sugar

3 tbsp gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes)

2 tbsp black sesame seeds

2 tbsp rice wine vinegar

1 tsp sesame oil

Directions:

1. Toss okra in salt, let rest up to 2 hours, rinse and drain 2-3 times. Okra should still be a little salty.

2. Combine okra with remaining ingredients.

3. Serve immediately or refridgerate/ferment in an airtight container.

Tuna Sushi Bowl with Crispy Rice, by Diane

 

I have been craving a chilled, easy lunch recipe for the week to batch cook, and created this bowl out of a few trending recipes I saw online. I used canned tuna for convenience here, but really any protein would work well. I thought this would be great fresh, but it actually worked better after a few hours to sit and marry all the ingredients together.

Ingredients:

3 tins canned tuna (I used fish wife albacore in spicy olive oil)

2 cups crispy rice (click link for recipe)

1 cup julienned carrots

4 scallions, thinly sliced, green and white parts

1 cucumber, thinly sliced (I used a mandolin)

1-2 cups edamame, shelled

2 packets seaweed sheets

2 tbsp black sesame seeds

3 tbsp fried shallots

Sauce: 3 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp mayo, 3 tbsp chili sauce, 1 tbsp sesame oil, 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar

Directions:

Combine all ingredients and enjoy!!

Crispy Rice, by Diane

 

I've seen this trend for crispy rice salads for a while, and I made a batch to put on my Tuna Crispy Rice Sushi Bowl this week! This was super easy to make, very versatile in terms of type of rice and flavorings, and can be used in so many things. I actually didn't love how this turned out as it was kind of tacky and not all crunchy, it may have been I needed to cook it longer.

Ingredients:

2 cups white rice (can be day old, or freshly cooked, I used a packet of microwavable rice that I did not cook)

2 tbsp chili oil

1 tbsp soy sauce

Directions:

Mix ingredients well and place in an airfryer basket in a single layer, cook at 400 for 15 or so minutes. Stir every 5 min to make sure rice cooks evenly and doesn't burn. I left this on a paper towel to absorb some of the oil.

Pillowy Ricotta Gnudi, by Cheryl

I was looking for a ricotta recipe that wasn't lasagna and came across this! I don't know what I was thinking this would be except a big ball of gooey warm cheese, but that's exactly what it is. I made it with a butter sage sauce, which was good, but I think a marinara sauce like the recipe stated would be better. These would be great on some doughy pieces of bread! I liked it a lot, but it's not for dinner. Maybe an appetizer? I'm still not sure how I feel about it. And I have about 12 balls leftover. Yum? 

Ingredients: 

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

30 oz ricotta cheese, (1 large container, or two small)

2 large eggs

1.5 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

2 cups all purpose flour, divided

Sauce: 3 cups marinara sauce or butter with sage

Directions: 

1) Place Parmesan cheese in large bowl with the ricotta cheese. Add two large eggs, salt, and pepper, and mix well. Add 1 cup flour and stir until just combined.

2) Dust a rimmed baking sheet with 1/2 flour. Scoop out a golf ball size gnudi and place them on the sheet. You may have around 35 balls. Sprinkle the top with the other 1/2 cup flour. Place is refrigerator for 20 minutes. 

3) Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. 

4) Gently place the gnudi one by one into the boiling water without overcrowding. Boil until the gnudi float and are firm to the touch, about 3-5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, carefully transfer the gnudi to the serving bowls.

5) Spoon the sauce over the gnudi. Garnish with chopped basil. 

Easy Zesty Lime Shrimp and Avocado Salad, by Cheryl

Ooh it's been a hot minute since I've been on here! But I just had to make this new shrimp and avocado salad and I'm so happy I did! I've already made it twice in one week. It's so light and refreshing... perfect for a summer lunch or snack! Super flavorful, healthy, and quick! Yum!

Ingredients: 

1/4 cup red onion, chopped

2 limes, juiced

1 tsp olive oil

salt and pepper, to taste

1 lb cooked jumbo shrimp, chopped

1 medium tomato, diced

1 medium avocado, diced (I used two)

1 jalapeno, seeds removed, diced

1 tbsp chopped cilantro

Directions: 

1) In a small bowl, combine red onion, lime juice, olive oil, and salt and pepper. Set aside at least 5 minutes.

2) In a large bowl, combine chopped shrimp, avocado, tomato, and jalapeno

3) Combine all of the ingredients together, add cilantro, and gently toss. Add salt and pepper to taste, if desired.