Count Your Blessings!

I received a parcel from Japan today – a parcel from my beloved Grandma.

I received a whole tray of cookies and mini cakes from Grandma:)

My Grandma has been sending my brother and I parcels on every special occasion – birthdays, Christmas, new year – ever since my family moved away from Japan. As a kid, I loved receiving parcels from her because she always knew what I wanted; as a teenager, I loved her parcels because they were filled with pretty dresses and I was also given extra pocket money; now, I love receiving her parcel because I know that she is still healthy and alive, and although we are miles apart, the love and concern for one another remains unchanged.

And a birthday card too:)

Sometimes, we all forget to be thankful for the little things that matter in life and focus on our material needs and wants. Sometimes, we get caught up with excelling in school or climbing the corporate ladder, we neglect the things or people that make a difference to our lives ; we stop counting our blessings, and channel our energies to worrying – I am guilty of this too. But every time I receive a parcel from my Grandma, it acts as a reminder to be grateful for what I have and for the people whom I love and treasure.

Source

So, thank you Grandma for your lovely parcel this year, and for all the unconditional love all these years. Above all, thank you for reminding me to count my blessings!

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Have you counted your blessings today?

Chicken Soba with Leek (Tori Nanban Soba)

Temperature: 30C. Humidity:80%. That was the weather for today.
And what did I make to appease my growling tummy? A piping hot bowl of Tori Nanban Soba (Japanese Chicken soba with leek).

Crazy, I know. But sometimes, I really do find it enjoyable to bury my face in a comforting bowl of Soba – even when it’s warm, humid and sticky. But by the end of the meal, I was dripping with perspiration – as though I was in a sauna room - and needed another shower. It was then that I  wished I was back in the cool Melbournian weather; then I would have all the excuses to delight in some wonderful soba.

For my friends who are feeling the chill in the southern hemisphere, I hope this bowl of chicken soba would provide you with the warmth that you need as it becomes colder. This recipe is really simple, and is perfect for times when you need a heart-warming dish that can be put together within 10 minutes.

My dad shared with me the story behind this dish (I don’t know how credible that is though), and I thought it is interesting enough for me to tell you about it! Tori means ‘chicken’ in Japanese, while Nanban literally means ‘southern barbarians’. When foreigners (the Portuguese traders) first arrived in Japan, they came in by ships from the south; and because their mannerism was socially unacceptable back then, they earned the reputation of being ‘barbarians’. The term ‘nanban’ was subsequently used on Europeans and South-east Asians entering Japan.  In ancient times, chicken was not part of the Japanese diet, and it was the foreigners who introduced chicken to the Japanese diet. Consequently, the addition of chicken to soba was also inspired by the foreigners during that period.

Chicken Soba with Leek (Tori Nanban Soba)
Serves 1

Ingredients 
90g dry soba noodles
50g chicken breast/thigh, bite-sized
1/3 cup leek, sliced
1/3 cup carrots, matchstick (optional)

Seasoning:
300ml dashi (or 300ml water + dashi powder)
2 tbsp mirin
2 tbsp tamari/ soy sauce
1 tbsp sake

1/2 tsp vegetable oil
Chili powder (optional) – I used Japanese 7-spices chili powder

Directions

1. Boil soba according to package instructions; drain and rinse with running water when cooked. Set aside in a bowl.
2. In a pot, heat the vegetable oil. Add sliced leek, chicken and carrot into the pot, and sauté for about 3 minutes until chicken is lightly browned.
3. Add dashi, mirin, soy sauce and sake to the pot and boil for 3 minutes. Transfer broth to the bowl of soba noodles. Serve. Enjoy!

Cook’s Note
Gluten-free: Use tamari sauce.

Have you had a piping hot bowl of soup in summer?

Lemon Spaghetti Veganized

I used to be crazy about pasta. It was perhaps my favorite Non-Asian dish. I liked how it can be put together so easily, but tastes as delightful as dishes that require more preparation time. 

However,  things have changed since I started dating James. Despite being born and bred in Melbourne, where Italian food is fairly popular, James hates pasta. He would rather have Soba Noodles with Tofu, than Spaghetti with Meatballs. He would rather have Savory Oatmeal than some lip-smacking Cream Sauce Pasta. And I dare say he would rather have some healthy Japanese Harusame Salad than some lovely lasagna. That is how much he hates pasta.

The main reason behind his dislike for pasta is because he ate so much of it when he was younger, he got permanently sick of it. Now, he would rather have anything but pasta. Somehow, after being with him for a little while, I gradually found myself letting go of my love for pasta ; I am no longer overly crazy about pasta, and hardly bookmark pasta recipes anymore.

Yet, when the sweet and lovely Jennifer from Delicieux first posted this Lemon Spaghetti recipe on her blog, I was totally mesmerized by the simplicity and the beauty of this recipe. I have never had lemon in my pasta, so that certainly caught my attention. I bookmarked it, knowing that I’d have to try it someday. And the someday came last weekend when I needed to carbo-load for my half-marathon! All I have to say is that if every carbo-loading meal is this enjoyable, I would be more than happy to run a half-marathon every month! I certainly do see myself making more pasta dishes again.

The original recipe called for the use of parmesan cheese, but being intolerant to dairy, I made my own substitute for parmesan cheese by grinding nutritional yeast and walnuts together. I have also substituted spinach with rocket leaves, and that gave the spaghetti a rich, peppery taste.   

Lemon Spaghetti 

Recipe adapted from Delicieux

Serves 4

Ingredients 

360g of dried spaghetti (I used brown rice spaghetti)

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese or Parmasan cheese substitute

1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 tsp pepper 

1/4 cup chopped basil

1 cup rocket leaves

1 tbsp lemon zest

Directions 

1. Cook the spaghetti in a generous amount of boiling, salted water until al dente, then drain thoroughly; reserve 1 cup of cooking liquid.
2. Meanwhile, combine the olive oil, Parmesan cheese/substitute, lemon juice, salt and pepper and whisk until it is thick and creamy. Set aside. 
3. Return the spaghetti to the pan and add the lemon sauce, lemon zest, basil and rocket.  Add the reserved cooking liquid gradually to moisten. 
4. Season the pasta with extra salt and pepper to taste. Serve. Enjoy!

Vegan ‘Parmesan Cheese’

Ingredients

1 cup walnuts 

1/4 cup nutritional yeast 

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp extra virgin olive oil   

Directions

Toast the walnuts in a heated pan with olive oil for a few minutes. Combine all the ingredients in a food processor, and blend until you get a fine powder. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a month.

Cook's Note 

Gluten-free: Use gluten-free pasta 

If you are can take cheese, do feel free to use Parmesan cheese!

Have your food preferences changed from years ago?

Race Recap: Passion Run (My First 25K Run)

Last Saturday was probably the most memorable day of my year thus far – I ran my first 25K race. Finally. The whole experience left me with tight and achy muscles, yet I can’t stop  grinning from ear to ear when I think about it now.

The day started off with me getting all happy and excited about the race. I couldn’t contain my excitement, and blogged about it. I fueled up, hydrated, studied the route, and left home about 1.5 hours before the start time. The sky was overcast then, and I was praying hard that it wouldn’t rain.

Despite allowing for 1.5 hours of traveling time, I soon realized that I would be late. I was flustered, and this left me wishing that I had teleportation skills. True to my expectations, when I arrived at the race venue, the race has already started. I panicked, but quickly found the baggage deposit counter, and fled to the starting point. I wish I had arrived earlier, so that I could have done some warm up. I followed the crowd (who were as late as I was), and started walking the race. There was such a huge crowd at the starting point, I had to walk the 500 metres of the race. This was actually a good warm-up for me, and made up for the warm-up that I had missed. Miraculously, the dark clouds have disappeared, and the sun was blazing.

The first 5KM went by like a breeze. I think it’s probably because I was filled with euphoria, knowing that I’m finally running the race that I have been training hard for; and from knowing that there are so many others (such as all of you) who have been giving me your relentless support. I thought ‘If 5KM is this easy, 25KM shouldn’t be a big deal…’. Unlike my previous 10K race, I stopped at almost all the water and 100-plus stops, so I was feeling a lot more hydrated as compared to the last time.

While the first 5KM went by quickly, I was still not into the run. I was more distracted by what the people around me were doing. Instead of finding my own comfortable pace, I was trying my best to keep up with the pace of someone just ahead of me. When someone stopped to walk, I wondered if I should stop to walk too.

It was after the 5KM mark that I started to get into the run, and found my comfortable pace; I focused my attention on my breathing and the tempo of my run. It made the run more enjoyable, and because my mind was in sync with my body, it made that run MINE.

By the 10 KM mark, the heat started to overwhelm me. I just wanted to stop to walk a little, but I knew that if I stopped, I will likely lose the momentum; I decided to push on. I was hoping for a slight drizzle at this point in time. It could have been my hallucination, but shortly after that, I THOUGHT I felt a drizzle and it made me feel better. But according to my fellow runners, there wasn’t any drizzle at all. Some of them suggested that it could have been someone else’s perspiration landing on me –which I hope was not the case - or possibly my own perspiration.

After the 15KM mark, I started to feel fatigue setting in, but it was purely physical, so I continued pushing on. I remembered reading an article about running mantras some time back, and decided to use one of my favorite for this run: Think strong, run strong!   It worked ! At least that motivated me for the next 7 KM.
After the 22KM mark, I started to really struggle. My knees started to buckle, my feet hurt, and my toes cramped up.  My longest training run has been 22KM, so I was mentally prepared for a challenging last 3 KM. But I did not expect my body to react in this manner. I really would have stopped, but when I passed by a signage that says ‘Winning is important, but persistence is vital’, I just had to push on. For it wouldn’t be long before I reach my goal.

The last KM was especially hard. If it was not for the supporters who were cheering all the runners on, I would have stopped. I really wanted to sprint, but all that I could manage was a slightly faster jog. I wondered ‘How can anyone manage a sprint during their final KM?’ Yet I just wanted to finish strong. I mustered up all the remaining energy that I had, and ran as fast as I could. I couldn’t be happier when I crossed the finishing line.

The race results are not out yet, but according to my watch, I finished it in 2 hr 50 minutes. While I was hoping that I would finish it in 2 hr 45 minutes, I am still pretty contented with my timing. I learnt something more valuable: If you want something badly enough, you will do whatever you can to reach your desired goal. That is the power of the human body and mind :)

Do you have a motivational mantra in life?

Some Pre-race Thoughts

Some days, we wake up slightly groggy. While on other days, we wake up excited and full of energy. Today is one of those days where I wake up feeling totally inspired, excited and ready to conquer the world! It’s also my last day as a 24-year-old, so I’d want to make the most out of it.

Remember the half-marathon that I have been telling you about? Well, I’m finally running the race today at 4pm (I think it’s a weird starting time). I’m totally psyched up and excited about it! It feels like yesterday that I told you about my decision to sign up for a half-marathon. I can’t believe how quickly time flies.

Unlike the usual half marathon, this run is a 25 km race - gulps. I’m not sure if I am as prepared as I hope to be, because my longest training run is 22 km, and I have not been following my training plan consistently after falling sick during the Easter week. When I recovered from my cold, I found myself experiencing some knee pains when I did longer runs. It was then that I realized how much I needed yoga (I’d share about this another time). Since then, I have only been doing 2 short runs and 1 long run every week, and have been doing yoga almost every day.  I do find that yoga helps me recover faster, and the knee pains are since gone; it has build my mental endurance too.

Source

While I may not be as physically prepared for the race, I am prepared for this mental game. Running is ultimately 90% mental, and 10% physical.  I do not have that much of a timing goal this time. All that I hope to do is to finish this race strong, both physically and - more importantly-mentally.

I have done loaded my iPod with my favorite songs,  hydrated, carbo-loaded with some lemon spaghetti last night, and familiarized myself with the route. I’m just waiting for the time to conquer the world race. But before I leave, I thought I should leave you with this quote. We can all be pretty hard on ourselves sometimes. It helps to tell ourselves every morning that we are stronger, braver, and more beautiful than we think we are!

Source

What inspires you today?

Blueberry Lemon Muffins (Gluten-free and Vegan)

Are there any foods that are blue in color?

The theme for the Cookbook Challenge this fortnight is 'blue'. I flipped through several cookbooks, hoping to find a dish that is naturally blue in colour, but wasn't really successful. I tried my best to think out of the box, but all that i could think of was blueberries. Also, aren't blueberries purple? Perhaps I was just craving for blueberries again . So instead of fighting my craving, I listened to my body, and made some of these wonderful blueberry lemon muffins.

I have always enjoyed the sweet and slightly sour taste of blueberries; they are perfect in oatmeal and baked goods. Yet, I can be a real utilitarian in my food choices sometimes – I like getting the most out of the food I eat. What I learnt about blueberries recently made me embrace blueberries even more.  Apparently, blueberries are one of those fruits that you don’t have to buy organic. Unlike fruits like apples, strawberries, grapes or peaches that are laden with pesticides, blueberries are one of the least contaminated of the lot.

This recipe is adapted from one of my favourite vegan cookbooks - The Joy of Vegan Baking. This cookbook has indeed brought me lots of joy; it has demystified the art of vegan baking and taught me how to bake without eggs or dairy. While the flours used in this the recipes are not gluten-free, I do find that many of these recipes can be easily made gluten-free. I do have one big problem with this cookbook – the end products are always too good, I just can’t stop at one serving.

In this recipe, I substituted the all purpose-flour for gluten-free flour, and added a tiny bit of xanthan gum. The resulting muffins were so delicious, they were gone within two days – I made a dozen of them. The muffins were moist and done to perfection ; the lemon flavor went really well with the blueberries too, and because they are not crazily sweet, it leaves you wanting for more. Needless to say, this is a keeper!

Blueberry Lemon Muffins 
Adapted from The Joy of Vegan Baking
Yields 12 muffins


Ingredients
Dry mixture:
250g (2 US cups) all-purpose flour OR gluten-free flour mix (I used Bob’s Red Mills)
1 ½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
½ tsp salt
Zest of 2 lemons
1 tsp xanthan gum (only if you are using GF flour)*

Wet mixture: 
150g (3/4 US cups) granulated sugar
235 ml (1 US cup) nondairy milk (I used unsweetened soy milk)
78 ml (1/3 US cup) canola oil
1 tsp lemon extract
15 ml (1tbsp)  distilled vinegar
1 box blueberries

Directions 

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F. Grease your muffin tins. If you are lining your muffin tins, do remember to grease the liners as well. 
2. In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking soda, salt, lemon zest and xanthan gum; make sure they are well mixed.
3. In a large bowl, combine the sugar, milk, oil, lemon extract and vinegar; mix well.
4. Add the flour mixture, and slowly stir the ingredients until they are well combined. Fold in the blueberries.
5. Fill the muffin tins to about two-thirds full. Bake for about 20 minutes or until muffins are lightly browned, and the wooden skewer comes clean when inserted into the center.
6. Remove from oven and let it sit in the tin for 5 minutes ; transfer the muffins to a wire rack and allow it to cool. Grab your fork! Enjoy!

Cook's Note 

- This recipe is originally not gluten-free, so if you can take wheat or gluten, feel free to use all-purpose flour.

* Check your gluten-free flour mix to make sure it contains xanthan gum. You can omit it if there's xanthan gum in it.

Do check out my fellow Cookbook Challengers' entries here.

A Quarter-life Crisis?

‘Perhaps, we’re experiencing the quarter-life crisis.’

Over the weekend, I met up with some friends –the mates who were cycling with me in Alaska- from college. Many of us have graduated from school last year, and have been working for nearly a year now. We reminisced about the memorable experience of training for our 21 days-long cycling expedition in Alaska, and discussed about doing something similar this year – perhaps in New Zealand.  It was then that Jasbir told us about how we could be experiencing a quarter-life crisis.

Surely, I have heard of people going through  mid-life crises  But the concept of the quarter-life crisis is really new to me. Originally, I thought it was one of those random thoughts that Jasbir was having, and dismissed it. It was only after a search on Google, that I learnt about how quarter-life crisis could be real and unique to the twenty-somethings of today.

The quarter-life crisis is supposed to be a period of uncertainty and inner turmoil that often accompanies the transition into adulthood. It seems like a common phenomenon for the twenty-somethings to have multiple jobs within the first few years of joining the workforce. A handful will feel lost or burnt-out, and will decide to go back to school, or take a sabbatical.

As I am about to turn 25 this week, I had to stop to ask myself if I am experiencing a quarter-life crisis. I am actually a little hesitant about sharing my inner-most thoughts and emotions on this issue here, because I don’t want to talk about an issue that is seemingly petty. Afterall, everyone has to go through different stages in life, and this is just one of that many stages; there’s really no need for me to make a mountain out of a molehill. Above all, I was afraid that I might sound immature. Yet I thought this might be a good time for me to tell you a little more about myself. So here goes …

Last year, after graduation, I left for Australia to work, travel and spend time with my partner who is living in Melbourne. I was at a crossroad back then, and needed some time to explore my options ; I had to decide if I want to start my career in Melbourne, Singapore or Japan; or to further my education. This break certainly gave me ample time to think about what I want, but some part of me felt like I was escaping from reality. I was a little anxious and worried about what life would throw at me, and decided to not think about it until I really need to. I focused on having fun, making the most out of my time in Melbourne, and learning more about myself.

Then came the time when I knew I had to face the music. I was at the same crossroad that I was at last year. The only difference is that this time, I was more certain about what I wanted. I decided to move back to Singapore, and continue with my long-distance relationship. It has been two months since I’d moved back to Singapore, was been a period of great uncertainty and self-doubt. Initially, I compared myself with my peers, and constantly wondered if I could get a job that is prestigious-sounding I would enjoy doing. I told James about how anxious I was, and he gave me some wonderful advices: There’s no use in comparing, because we are all unique. What works for one may not work for another. We learn through every experience, so remember to enjoy the process. His advices gave me some assurance and confidence. I have since secured a job that I know I would enjoy doing, and will be starting work next month.

So, do I think I’m having a quarter-life crisis? I might be, but I hope not. Sure, I’m still feeling a little anxious about starting on a new job; but isn’t this what everyone else feels when they start on a new job? Or perhaps I am running a half-marathon because I want to feel young and strong? How about the cycling trip to New Zealand? Is it an attempt to romance the past, and escape from the “real world”? I’m not sure what the rest of my mates think about this, but at least for me, It’s because I love running and cycling, and I want to challenge myself again.

Could the quarter-life crisis be the new 'mid-life crisis'?

Honey-'Soy' Roasted Sweet Potatoes

'You should stop running!’

My mom made this bold proposition on Mother’s Day. While my mom has been supportive of most of my decisions in life, one thing that she isn’t particularly supportive of is my new-found passion for running. Her argument is that running is hard on the joints; more importantly, the constant exposure to the sun makes runners look older. She would rather me look like Snow White, than a fit, tanned runner.

I might have burnt it a little (again) , but it was still yummy.

Her fears are not unfounded. Running is a high impact exercise and this could cause the collagen and elastin on the face to break down. Besides that, the constant sun exposure –and the occasional sunburns- is bad for the skin too.

Yet, in life, there’s a price to pay for everything, and there are risks to every activity that we engage in. Even activities that are deemed to be beneficial, can be dangerous too. I have heard about how people break their backs while practicing yoga. I told my mom I’m not ready to give up running. What I can do is to take preventive measures – for prevention is better than cure. I promised to always wear a cap and sunscreen,  and to eat lots of super foods for the skin. Super foods like sweet potatoes.

Do you know that sweet potato is Oprah’s favorite food? Sweet potatoes are high in beta-carotene, vitamin A and vitamin C, which are necessary for skin cells turnover and collagen production.  This subtly sweet side dish is a great accompaniment any Japanese meal, and is perfect in salads too. If you are as crazy as I am, you could it a huge serving on its own!

Honey-'Soy' Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Adapted from Japanese Pure and Simple 

Serves 4 as a side

Ingredients
400g sweet potato, peeled and cubed (1-inch pieces)
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tsp sesame oil
Pinch of salt

For the glaze:
1 ½ tbsp honey
1 tbsp soy sauce / tamari sauce (if gluten free)
2 tsp of juice of grated ginger
1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F.
2. Place the cubed sweet potatoes in a single layer on a baking tray and drizzle over the vegetable and sesame oils. Coat the sweet potatoes with the oils, using your hands; sprinkle a pinch of salt. 
3. Roast the sweet potatoes for about 30 to 40 minutes or until the edges turn crisp. Shake the tray every 15 minutes.
4. Preheat the grill to the highest setting, Mix the honey, soy/tamari sauce, and ginger juice in a small bowl. Drizzle over the sweet potatoes, and grill for another 5 minutes, shaking the tray occasionally. Top with sesame seeds, and serve. Enjoy! 

Cook's Note
If gluten-free: Use tamari sauce.


Other Sweet Potato Recipes You May Like
Baked Curry Sweet Potato Fries by Joy the Baker
Roasted Sweet Potato and Pomegranate Salad by Scandi Foodie
Kathy's Famous Sweet Potato Mash by Healthy Happy Life

Has anyone ever dissuaded you from doing something that you enjoy?

Apple & Blueberry Crisp (Gluten-free + Vegan)

Happy Mother’s Day to all the lovely mothers out there! (This post was scheduled for yesterday, but just realized that I might have scheduled it on the wrong date)


The second Sunday of May is always a day in many parts of the world where mothers are showered with attention, and given the extra special treatment. In my opinion, all the moms out there deserve all the queen-like treatment on this day (and every other day)! Moms today probably has the toughest job in the world; they take on various roles in life – nurse, teacher, counselor, cheerleader, cook, house-keeper, nurturer, provider, and a best friend. They provide us love, support, wise words, strength, motivation, and give us confidence.

So to show my gratitude to my mom for raising me, and always being there for me, I decided to make her some Apple and Blueberry Crisp this year – two of my mom’s favorite fruits. Just like most women, my mom has a weakness for sweet treats; yet she doesn’t like desserts which are excessively sweet.   This delightful dessert was perfect for my health-conscious mom because the sweetness of the fruits really come through, and the ingredients used are relatively kind on the waistline. My mom absolutely enjoyed it, and even had a second helping (which is pretty rare).

The theme for this fortnight’s cookbook challenge happens to be ‘Crunchy’, so I thought this dessert fit the theme to a T. Crunchy foods are always fun to eat, but sometimes, crunchy foods can end up feeling too dry. However, when crunchy food – like this crisp topping- is accompanied by cooked fruits, the sweet juices from the fruits help to subdue the dryness of the crisp topping, making it a real winner.

Since it is Mother's Day, I thought I should leave you with a touching video (it is in Mandarin, with English subtitles) that someone shared with me recently. This was a good reminder for me to not take my mom (or even my dad) for granted. Prepare some tissue!

Apple & Blueberry Crisp
Adapted from The Joy of Vegan Baking
Serves 6-8

Ingredients 
For the topping:
6 to 8 cups (900 to 1200g) cored and chopped apples
1/2 cup blueberries (optional)
1/2 cup raisins (optional – I skipped this)
Juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp allspice

For the filling:
1 cup rolled oats (or GF oats)*
3/4 cup chopped toasted walnuts
1/2 cup of oat flour (or grind rolled oats in the food processor)
1/3 cup canola oil
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4tsp salt
1/2 tsp anise seeds (optional – I skipped this)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Grease a 8- or 9-inch baking pan at least 2 inches deep.
2. To make filling, in a medium sized bowl, combine apples, blueberries, raisins, lemon juice, maple syrup, cinnamon, and allspice, and pour into baking pan.
3. To make the topping, in another bowl, combine the rolled oats, walnuts, flour, oil, brown sugar, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, salt, and anise seeds. The topping should be crumbly and chunky, and have the texture of wet sand. If the topping is too dry, add a few teaspoons of water.
4. Sprinkle the topping over the fruit mixture, making sure it is evenly distributed. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until the pears and apples are soft when pierced with a fork. 
5. Remove from the oven and serve warm, or at room temperature. It’s great with ice cream too! Enjoy!

Cook's Note 

*Gluten-free: Use gluten-free oats and oat flour. You can also get oat flour by grinding the gluten-free oats in the food processor.

Do check out my fellow Cookbook Challengers' entries here.

Japanese Sesame Spinach Salad (Horenso no Goma Ae)

“Tell us one fun fact about yourself!”

“I love spinach as much as Popeye!”, I exclaimed.  I vividly remember proclaiming to the world about my love for spinach during one of my school camps some years ago. And because of that, I was given the nickname of ‘Spinach Girl’ during that camp. It wasn’t a cute nickname, and after that incident, I became a little more cautious of the weird thing that I say.

It might have been an exaggeration, but spinach undoubtedly tops my list of favorite vegetables. I like it in my salads, green smoothies, boiled, sautéed, and in a sesame sauce like this.

 ‘Horenso’ means spinach in Japanese, while ‘goma ae’ means sesame sauce. This Japanese sesame spinach salad is probably one of the most popular way of preparing spinach in Japanese home cooking. It is often served as a side dish, together with rice, miso soup and other fish, meat or vegetable dishes. The sesame dressing gives the it a beautiful aroma, and brings out the sweetness of the spinach. I have made this for friends who dislike spinach, and they they were surprised by how simple, yet elegant this dish is. It is that good! If you have not had spinach like this before, I urge you to buy some spinach today!

Japanese Sesame Spinach Salad (Horenso No Goma Ae)
Serves 2 as side

Ingredients
200g fresh spinach, washed (not baby spinach)
3 tbsp white sesame seeds, roasted and grounded*
2 tsp sugar
2 tsp soy sauce / tamari sauce (if gluten-free)

Directions:

1. Bring water to boil in a large pot; boil spinach in the boiling water for about one minute.
2. Drain and soak the spinach in iced water until it is cooled. Remove the excess water from the spinach by draining, and squeezing it dry. 
3. Cut spinach into about 2-inch lengths, and set it aside in a medium sized bowl.
4. Combine grounded sesame seeds, sugar and soy sauce (or tamari sauce) in a small bowl. Add the sesame dressing to the spinach; mix well. Enjoy!

Cook's Note
* Make sure the sesame seeds are roasted and grounded. You could use store-bought roasted sesame seeds, and grind it yourself using a coffee grinder or food processor. Alternatively, if you have the Japanese wooden mortar and pestle, do feel free to use that. If your sesame seeds are not roasted, you could roast it using a frying pan over medium heat for about 3 to 5 minutes.
Gluten-free: Use tamari sauce instead.

The Japanese Suribachi and Surikogi

Did you have any funny nicknames in school?

Blueberry Buckwheat Pancakes (Vegan + Gluten-free)

Breakfast is undoubtedly my favorite meal of the day. I adore most breakfast foods – Oatmeal, muesli, smoothies, breads, muffins, hash browns and fruit salads. Yet, there is one thing that I hate having for breakfast – Pancakes.

Here’s why I dislike pancakes for breakfast:

• Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and I don’t want a breakfast that is loaded with sugar, fats, and empty carbohydrates.
• It always makes me feel bloated after I eat them.
• Pancakes hate me. Over the years, I have had many unsuccessful attempts at making pancakes. My pancakes always ends up looking like crepe, scrambled ‘egg’, burnt, or just plain ugly.
• I’m just too impatient. I would stand by the stove, wait for the tiny bubbles to appear, but flip  them over just too soon.
• Most pancakes contain gluten, dairy and eggs – things that my body is intolerant to.

Strangely, I decided to make some blueberry buckwheat pancakes to celebrate my recovery from the recent episode of cold. Pancakes and I have never been good friends, but these are the exception. This recipe caught my attention immediately because it is gluten-free, egg-free, and dairy-free. What I really like about it is that it uses buckwheat flour and brown rice flour, which are more nutritious than the usual all-purpose flour. The blueberries give it an antioxidant boost too! The pancakes  were fluffy and moist, and the blueberries gave it a nice, sweet yet slightly tart flavor.

Although it tasted great, I still do think it’s hard to make the perfect pancake. My first two pancakes looked like they had leprosy – they had uneven white patches on it. My third pancake was burnt. Thankfully, after that burnt pancake, my pancakes started looking a little more normal. I’ve yet to learn the art of making a perfect pancake, but I hope that I will get there someday.

Yes. These pancakes are so delicious, filling and good for the body, so I will definitely be making them again!

Blueberry Buckwheat Pancakes (Vegan + Gluten-free) 
Adapted from The Gluten-Free Vegan
Serves 4 

Ingredients 
Egg replacer for 2 eggs, prepared * (Or you could use 2 eggs)
1 1/2 cup soy milk (or your preferred milk)
2 tbsp grapeseed oil /canola oil
3 tbsp maple syrup/agave nectar
1/4 cup  applesauce
3/4 cup buckwheat flour
1/2 cup brown rice/ white rice flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1 cup blueberries

Directions

1. In a medium-size bowl, prepare the equivalent of 2 eggs using your favourite egg replacer. Add soy milk, oil, and maple syrup. Mix well. Add the applesauce and stir.
2. In another bowl, add buckwheat flour, brown rice flour, baking powder and cinnamon. Mix well.
3. Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture. Mix well, and fold in the blueberries. If the batter is too thick, add a small amount of water or milk to thin it out.
4. Heat the frying pan over medium-high heat. Pour a small amount of oil. When the frying pan is hot, pour a ladle full of batter. Cook until bubbles start to burst, and the edges of the pancake starts to dry. Flip over, and cook until slightly golden brown.
5. Serve with your favorite topping/maple syrup/ nut butters! Enjoy!

Cook’s Note
*Prepare egg replacer in a small bowl, according to manufacturer’s instructions. Different brands will require different amounts of water.

Other Pancake Recipes
Pancake with Blackberry Syrup by Clean Green Simple
Banana Blueberry Pancake by Happy Little Vegans

For more healthier indulgent recipes, visit Slightly Indulgent Tuesday.
 


What is your favorite breakfast food?