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.

Spontaneous Salsa, by Diane

 

I was really craving chips and salsa the other night, but didn't feel like leaving the house. I was about to make my Spicy Fermented Tomatillo Salsa, but really wanted a tomato-based salsa. The issue was that I didn't have tomatoes, so after pulling a few ingredients, I found a jar of Rao's marinara sauce. In a pinch, I used it and whoa did this come out amazing!! I like it better than regular salsa, especially with how the flavors blended the following day! This was a happy accident I will definitely be making again! I also didn't have regular chips on hand, but the siete knock-off of Doritos actually made this way better- score!

Ingredients:

1 whole white onion, quartered

1/2 large poblano pepper, seeds removed

1/4 jalepeño, seeds removed

1 large handful cilantro leaves

2 cloves garlic

1 lime, juiced

1 tsp kosher salt

1/2 cup Rao's marinara sauce

Directions: 

Pulse all ingredients except marinara until chunky, then add in marinara and combine quickly to as blended as you like.

Crispy Smashed Brussels Sprouts with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce, by Diane

 

I saw this recipe by Plant You on ig, and thought I'd give them a try since we all know I love my air fryer. These were super easy, but my biggest complaint was the cooking instructions. You are supposed to cook them at 450 for 15 minutes and then flip and cook for another 10. My air fryer only goes to 400 and I did 10 minutes before I noticed one side was burning so I flipped them, and 5 minutes later they were almost all char. So I would definitely make them again but with a new cooking time, which I'll write below. I served them with her roasted red pepper sauce, which was also a good pairing- I added nutritional yeast to this and that made it way better!

Ingredients:

2 lbs brussels sprouts, ends cut off

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp nutritional yeast

1 tsp salt

1 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp garlic powder

Directions:

1. Steam the brussels sprouts for 8 min.

2. Flatten the sprouts with the bottom of a cup to smash, and lay in an even layer in a greased air fryer. 

3. Drizzle each side with oil, and sprinkle tops with seasonings. Cook at 400 for 5 minutes.

4. Flip the sprouts, season the other side, and cook at 400 for another 5-10 minutes until crispy. 

For the sauce: Blend 3/4 cup soaked cashews (soak for 30 min), 1 clove garlic, 1/2 roasted red pepper, 1/4 cup almond milk, 2 tsp salt, and 2 tsp nutritional yeast until smooth.

Crispy Baked Tofu Bites, by Diane

I found this recipe from @plantyou, one of my favorite instagram accounts for healthy meal ideas and ways to use food scraps. These were a really crispy good snack/lunch! I made a few swaps that I included in the recipe below rather than posting hers.

First, I decided to swap the cornstarch for sweet potato starch, which I had leftover from my Taiwanese Chicken Cutlets, because it's extra crunchy when used as a coating. I also added my favorite chili crisp by Laogonma for flavor and a little bit of heat (this stuff is gold!!). The wet ingredients soaked up pretty quickly leaving me with no batter to coat the tofu, possibly from the addition of the sweet potato starch or possibly because I left the wet ingredients for about 5 min before I coated the tofu. As a result, the "batter" was sort of crumbly, so I sprayed the tofu cubes with avocado oil and tossed it in the crumbs and hoped for the best (it did actually all stick to the tofu in the end though)! Next time I'll coat the tofu in the wet ingredients before I toss in the starch and see if that helps, which I noted below. Finally, I used my air fryer, although her recipe uses the oven, and they did also turn out really crispy! 

Ingredients:

1 block firm tofu, pressed for 20 min and sliced into cubes

2 tbsp EVOO

2 tsp cornstarch (I used sweet potato starch)

2 tsp seasoning (I used goya here)

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp chili crisp

Directions:

1. Add EVOO, seasoning, and soy sauce in a bowl and whisk to combine.

2. Toss in tofu cubes to coat well, then add in starch and toss again.

3. Bake in air fryer @ 400 for 15 minutes, tossing halfway through.

Flower Child Sweet Potatoes, by Diane

These sweet potatoes are my favorite side at a local restaurant called Flower Child. They are red chili glazed, but not spicy. They melt in your mouth!! I was lucky enough to find their recipe posted online, and decided to make these stat! So easy, healthy, and definitely will be on rotation in the future. Yum!

Ingredients:

For the potatoes:

2.5 lbs sweet potatoes, cubed and roasted, at room temperature

1/2 cup sesame vinaigrette

1 cup kale, shredded

handful toasted sesame seeds

For the vinaigrette:

3/4 cup rice wine vinegar

3 tbsp sriracha 

1/3 cup tamari

3 tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tbsp sesame oil

1/2 cup grapeseed oil (I used coconut oil)

Directions:

1. For the vinaigrette, combine all ingredients except the oils and use an immersion blender to puree until smooth. Slowly incorporate both oils, bit by bit, with the blender until smooth and emulsified.

2. Warm the vinaigrette in a large sautee pan until simmering. Add the room temp sweet potatoes, kale, and sesame seeds.

3. Toss to incorporate until liquid is gone and remove from heat.

Rojak, by Diane

 

This was the side dish of our Indonesian lunch, and so so good! Rojak is one of my most favorite Indonesian and Malaysian dishes. It is a really unique combo of jicama, green mango, pineapple, and cucumber (this version had apple too) in a really flavorful sauce that is sweet and savory. The crunch of the veggies with the sweet savory sauce and peanut top is really addictive and extra refreshing in the summertime! I had no idea it was so easy to make, so this will be on repeat all summer as a light meal or fun snack! Recipe from my friend's Indonesian Street Food cookbook!

Ingredients:

1 medium jicama, peeled and cubed

1 medium green apple, peeled and cubed

1 green mango, peeled and cubed

3/4 pineapple, peeled and cubed

2 kirby cucumbers, chopped into bite size pieces

1 tbsp dried shrimp paste

3 tbsp sweet soy sauce

1.5 tbsp tamarind paste

1 fresh fresno chili

3 tbsp palm sugar (or sub dark brown)

1/2 cup skinned roasted ground peanuts

Directions:

1. Add all the fruits and veggies to a bowl and toss. Set aside. 

2. Start to make the sauce by placing the shrimp paste in a square of foil, folding inward to make a smaller square. Flatten the square with the palm of your hand. Roast this packet directly over gas flame for 1.5 minutes on each side until the paste begins to smoke and takes on a slightly burnt flavor. Open the packet and let cool.

3. Add soy sauce-sugar, plus the cooled shrimp paste, into a bowl and whisk until mixed.

4. Combine the sauce and fruits, top with peanuts and serve cold. Don't wait longer than 20 minutes to serve or else it becomes less crunchy!

Orchard Applesauce, by Diane

This is not the world's most complex recipe, so I debated putting it on here, but applesauce wasn't something I knew how to make before so I'm adding it! Plus we have a goal to meet, right Cheryl?!? Apple picking is one of my most favorite fall traditions, and this year I had a lot of extra apples leftover. This recipe is quick and super easy, and only gets better each day in the fridge if you can make it last!

The key to this applesauce is which apples you choose. First off, orchard apples in the fall just simply taste better than store bought apples year round, so go for that if you can! We have found in our family that selecting sweet/tart varieties work best. All sweet makes it too sweet, and all tart...well...yeah. If your goal is to have it be healthier and unsweetened as mine is, I would recommend choosing either all apples that are both sweet and tart, or 1 sweet apple per 3-4 tarts. 

Ingredients:

5-7 large apples (see above), peeled and cubed

1 cup water (for a thicker sauce, see below)

2 tsp cinnamon

Optional: honey

Directions:

1. Place the apples and water in a large pot with a lid on medium heat.

2. Cover and let simmer until the apples break down, stirring occasionally. 

3. When the apples start to break down you can help them along with the back of a spoon if you want chunky applesauce like we love, or you can use an immersion blender to get it smooth. Add more water if you want it thinner or if the bottom starts to brown.

4. Add in cinnamon, and if desired, sweetener of choice (honey works great!).

 

Indian Pickles, by Diane

 

After the success of Quickles and Korean Pickles, I wanted to see if I could create any other fun pickle recipes with other international flavors because they are awesome to snack on after the pool or being outside. This recipe from myrecipes.com was awesome with one big exception- I wouldn't let these marinate for longer than a few hours. By the time I got to them after 24 hours they were so strong I couldn't handle them! So in the future I'd follow these instructions and pull them after 40 min. I also used a mandolin to make pickle slices, but this recipe called for spears which may have also made them taste stronger. Side note- I had all the spices on hand thanks to our cooking through the countries activities during quarantine, so that felt like a win!

Ingredients: 

1 tsp vegetable oil

1/2 tsp each brown mustard seeds, black peppercorns, coriander seeds, whole allspice

1 tsp cumin seeds

3 cardamom pods, split open

2 small dried red chiles, broken in half

1/4 tsp ground turmeric

1 cup white vinegar

1/2 cup fresh lime juice

1/2 cup water

3 tbsp packed light brown sugar

1 1/2 tbsp kosher salt

4 garlic cloves, peeled and cut in half

1 inch ginger, peeled and sliced thick

6 persian cucumbers sliced thin (I used a mandolin)

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a small saucepan over medium heat and add in mustard seeds for 2 min.

2. Add remaining spices except turmeric and cook for 1 minute stirring constantly. 

3. Add turmeric, then remaining ingredients except cucumbers and bring to a boil, then simmer for 2 min. 

4. Put cucumbers into a glass jar or bowl, then pour liquid over top. Marinate for 40 minutes at room temp, then drain liquid and chill for up to 2 days.

Marinated Mushrooms, by Diane

I made these mushrooms for a salad I created for the week, and they were really good! This was a really easy recipe and would go well with a lot of things. The vinegar flavor was a bit strong for me to have eaten them on their own but they went great with salad!

Ingredients:

1 package cremini mushrooms

4 cloves garlic (2 smashed and 2 minced)

6 sprigs fresh thyme

2 bay leaves

1/4 cup finely diced shallot

1/4 cup EVOO

2 tbsp each white wine and red wine vinegar

3/4 tsp italian seasoning

salt and black pepper

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper

1 1/2 tsp finely chopped parsley leaves

Directions:

1. Fill a large saucepan w 5 cups water, add smashed garlic, thyme, 1 bay leaf and 1/2 tsp salt and bring to a rapid simmer.

2. Add the mushrooms and keep at a simmer for 3-5 minutes until tender, then drain well. 

3. While the mushrooms cook, combine remaining ingredients in a large bowl and whisk to combine well. 

4. Add the mushrooms while still warm, mix well, and marinate in the fridge for a minimum of 8 hours (up to 10 days).

Korean Tofu and Spicy Ketchup, by Diane

 

This was another banchan, or small dish, from cooking through the countries Korean edition! This one was a hit, and the sauce was so outstanding it would be great on just about everything! I just so happened to have doubled the sauce on instinct and I’m glad I did (posted below with doubled measurements). I also airfried them out of convenience, but the recipe calls for pan frying in oil. Super easy and already looking forward to leftovers!

https://mykoreankitchen.com/korean-tofu-spicy-ketchup/

Ingredients:

1 block firm tofu

Spray avocado oil

6 tbsp ketchup

2-3 tbsp gochujang (Korean chili paste) (I used 1!)

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp honey or maple syrup

2 tsp sesame oil

2 tsp minced garlic

1 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp toasted sesame seeds

1 tbsp sliced green onion

Directions:

1. Press the tofu by wrapping it in a handtowel, placing it on top of a cookie sheet, and placing another cookie sheet with a weight on top of that (I used a hand weight). Leave for an hour. This will get the water out so you can get the tofu crispy! 

2. Pat the tofu dry and fry on all sides until browned (I air-fried these at 350 for 10, then 400 until browned- another 5-10).

3. Combine ketchup through garlic and toss over tofu. Mix well and garnish with sesame seeds and green onion.

Korean Cucumber Apple Pickle, by Diane

This was another banchan, or small dish in the cooking through the countries Korea edition. This was meant to be a palate cleanser, and it was nice and refreshing. I would decrease the amount of ginger next time, but overall good and easy to make!

https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/cucumber-apple-pickle-351891

Ingredients:

1/2 lb Kirby cucumbers, sliced 1/8 inch thick 

1 1/4 tsp fine sea salt

1/2 Granny Smith apple, sliced 1/8 inch think

2 cups water

1/3 cup rice or cider vinegar

1 tbsp matchstick ginger

1/4 cup sugar

Pinch of Korean red pepper flakes 

Directions:

1. Toss the cucumbers with salt and let sweat for 30 minutes. Rinse and squeeze the excess liquid out of the cucumbers. 

2. Combine all ingredients and chill for one day, stirring occasionally. 

Cauliflower Garlic Fried Rice, by Diane

 

I made this as a side dish to go with my Gyoza Dumpling Meatballs, it came together in a few minutes while the meatballs were in the oven. Pretty good as a side or on its own!

Ingredients:

2 bags cauliflower rice w mixed veggies

4 eggs, whisked

3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1 shallot, thinly sliced

2 tbsp coconut oil

3 green onions, sliced

3 tbsp coconut aminos 

1 tbsp sesame oil

Salt and white pepper

Onion powder

Directions:

1. Preheat a pan to medium heat, add in coconut oil. When hot, add garlic and shallot slices and fry for 1 minute until crispy. Remove from pan.

2. Add sesame oil in, then pour in eggs. Allow to set for a minute, sprinkle on spices. Break up with the back of a wooden spoon.

3. Add in the cauliflower, green onions, and garlic/shallots. Mix well and add in seasonings to taste. 

Green Beans with Toasted Hazelnut and Lemon Zest, by Diane

 

I found this recipe and it seemed like the perfect side dish! The flavors combined really well, but I did make some seasoning modifications as well as a pan sauce to go with it. The beans came out perfectly! I wish I had less hazelnuts in here though, next time!

Ingredients:

1 lb green beans

1/4 cup toasted crushed hazelnuts 

1 shallot, sliced into thin rings 

2 tbsp EVOO

1 cup chicken broth

2 tsp lemon zest

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp poultry seasoning

1/4 tsp onion powder

1 tsp arrowroot powder

1 tsp truffle oil

Directions:

1. Heat a large saucepan to medium heat and add in EVOO. Add in shallots and cook 5 min until golden brown.

2. Add in beans, broth, and salt. Bring to a simmer and cover for 8 minutes. 

3. Uncover and add nuts, zest, and remaining seasonings. Sprinkle on arrowroot powder and stir until pan sauce thickens. 

4. Turn off heat and drizzle truffle oil, adjust seasonings. 

Pumpkin Seeds Two Ways, by Diane

This year I made two batches of pumpkin seeds- sweet and savory. For the sweet batch, I did a version of my Pumpkin Pie Roasted Pumpkin Seeds but with the addition of butter. For the savory batch, I got creative and added old bay and some spices. These turned out great and highly addictive! This is the recipe I’m posting below.

Ingredients:

Pumpkin seeds, dried

EVOO

Sea salt

Garlic powder

Onion powder

Old Bay

Directions: Combine all ingredients well, and spread on a greased baking sheet evenly. Roast at 400 for 15 minutes, flip, and roast until golden (about 10-15 more minutes). 

Pumpkin Spice Turmeric Latte, by Diane

I didn’t even bother with this photo, because this was horrid!! I had such high hopes for this recipe, but the spices were so intense that even with more milk added I had to pour the entire thing out. Ah well. 

Ingredients:

3/4 cup almond milk

3 tbsp pumpkin purée

1/2 tsp ground turmeric

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp coconut oil

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp each ginger, nutmeg, clove, cardamom

Pinch black pepper

Directions: combine all ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat for 5 min, then transfer to a blender to thicken. Top with coconut cream. 

Air Fried Green Beans With Basil Sage Pesto

 

Tonight I needed a snack and whipped this up with what I had on hand! This was really, really good! Delicious, and all ready in 10 minutes!

Ingredients:

3 cups French style green beans

1/2 cup basil

8 leaves sage

1/4 cup evoo

2 tbsp pine nuts

1 tbsp nutritional yeast

2 small cloves garlic

Pinch of pepper

1 tsp salt

1/4 lemon, juiced

Directions:

1. Toss the green beans in evoo and pop them in the air fryer at 400 for 8 minutes, then 350 for 2-3 more minutes. 

2. While the beans cook, combine remaining ingredients in a blender and adjust seasonings to taste. 

Spiced Dehydrated Apples, by Diane

 

This recipe came from a friend who got me into dehydrating (and actually gave me my dehydrator for my birthday!). This could not be easier! And again, the house smelled absolutely amazing all day!

Ingredients:

Apples (ideally a sweeter one like gala)

Cinnamon

Cardamom

Directions:

1. Slice apples evenly on a mandolin and remove seeds.

2. Arrange in an even layer and sprinkle with seasonings.

3. Dehydrate at 158 for 5.5 hours.

Spiced Dehydrated Pears, by Diane

 

A good friend got me a dehydrator for my birthday, and it was perfect timing because I knew I could make a whole bunch of fruit and veggie snacks that were compliant with this whole30/anti-inflammatory protocol. Today I made spiced pears, and the whole house smelled amazing all day!! These are definitely a feel good fall snack, and with lots of anti-inflammatory spices to boot. 

Ingredients:

Pears, sliced thinly and evenly with a mandolin

Cinnamon

Allspice

Ginger

Directions:

1. Place the pears on a dehydrator rack spaced apart. Remove all seeds and stems.

2. Sprinkle 2 parts cinnamon to one part ginger and allspice (these two are stronger than cinnamon and I didn’t want them to overpower the flavor) over the pears.

3. Dehydrate at 158 for 10 hours, or until hard when completed (they should break when you bend them). Store in an airtight container, preferably a glass one.

Fattoush, by Diane

 

This was the side dish to the Palestine dinner, another dinner in the Cooking through the Countries series. I was really surprised at how fresh this salad was, and the combo of the cool crispy veggies with the tangy dressing was really delicious. It tasted incredibly authentic too, and I think this dressing would have been a great marinade!

Ingredients:

4 medium tomatoes, chopped

4 large cucumbers, chopped

1 large green bell pepper, chopped

6 small radishes, chopped

3 scallions, chopped

1 small bunch arugula

1 medium head of lettuce, chopped

1 tbsp salt

1 tbsp ground sumac

1 tbsp dried mint

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (3 medium lemons)

1/4 cup olive oil plus 2 tbsp

1 piece soft bread

Directions:

1. Tear the bread into small pieces, then toast in a pan with 2 tbsp olive oil until crispy. Set aside.

2. Mix all the chopped veggies together in a large bowl.

3. Mix the remaining ingredients together for the dressing, and pour over the salad. Add the bread on top.

Spiced Sweet Potato Fries with Curry Mayo, by Diane

This recipe came from Eat Delicious, and reminded me so much of my favorite restaurant fries here in DC. I was excited to try them at home since the restaurant is currently closed. These were really flavorful and very easy and quick to make! The mayo would be great on a variety of things as well!

Tip: I have recently discovered that air frying potatoes is wonderful during the summer because I don’t have to turn on the oven, but it does tend to dry out the potatoes. To fix this, I simply remove the potatoes when they’re finished cooking from the air fryer and put them in a bowl that is tightly covered for five minutes. This allows the hot fries to steam them selves which both keeps the air fryer taste as well as allows some moisture back into the french fry.


Ingredients:

Sweet Potatoes-

2 lbs sweet potatoes
2 tbsp EVOO
1 tsp sweet paprika
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Curry Mayo-

3/4 cup mayo
2 tbsp lime juice
1/4 tsp ground turmeric
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 1/2 tsp mild yellow curry powder
Pinch sea salt


Directions:

1. Slice the sweet potatoes into long strips and toss with remaining ingredients.

2. Roast the sweet potatoes in a 400° oven for 45 min on a parchment paper-lined baking tray, turning halfway, or airfry at 400° for 15 min then cover to steam for 5 min.

3. While the potatoes roast, whip up the mayo and adjust seasonings if desired.