ORBS!

 I've been meaning to post this for a long time as requested by many who have tried these little balls of heaven! Because my hands get all messy, it was always hard to take photos. But alas here they are, easy to read in a blog for your enjoyment!

Why are orbs so awesome you might ask?
These babies are perfect for giving you an energy boost during hikes, long days, or before and after the gym. Packed full of nuts, dates, and hemp oil to make you full, and energized, and not to mention regular!  Also they taste really good, so they can help reduce sweet cravings. Just don't eat too many of them, they are high in calories.


Ingredients: (7 servings)

• 1/2 cup of shelled hemp seeds (or sesame seeds)
• 2 cups of nuts (I use 1 cup of almond and 1 cup of walnut)
• 1 cup of raisins (I use 1/2 cup of raisins and 1/2 cup of majooli dates)
• 1 tsp of cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp of salt
• 1 tbsp oil (hemp or flax seed)
• 2 tbsp of agave nectar or maple syrup*

*I find agave nectar to be too sweet so if you choose to use that, put only 1 tbsp.

Place parchment paper on cookie sheet. Set aside. Measure out hemp seeds on a place for rolling. Set aside. In a food processor, blend all remaining ingredients together until the dough pulls away from the sides, and nuts look well incorporated.

Transfer dough into large bowl and scoop our spoonfuls to form 14 golf ball size orbs. Roll each ball into the hemp seeds until coated. Place on lined cookie sheet and refrigerate for 1 hour before serving. Good for 1.5 weeks. They also freeze well too!

A no cook Thai affair

So it is bloody hot here. It's been in the 30's for weeks now with no signs of cooling. I love it, but I haven't used my oven in about a month. Trying to come up with no cook foods is becoming challenging. But with all the fresh produce coming out of the Okanagan, who needs it.

So I bring to you one of my fav no cook summer suppers, Smitten Kitchen's Mango Slaw and fresh spring rolls with my tahini dipping sauce. Enjoy!



Fresh Spring Rolls: (8 rolls)

• 8 rice wrappers
• julienne 2 carrot
• julienne red pepper
• julienne cucumber
• mint or basil or cilantro

Soak rice paper wrapper in warm water. When finished lay on flat surface. Lay ingredients on rice paper (2-3 sticks of each vegetable and one herb), and wrap according to directions on the package. Cut on and angle in half with a sharp or serrated knife.


Mango Slaw: (4 large servings)

• half of a Napa cabbage
• 2 mangoes peeled pitted and julienne
• half red onion thinly sliced
• 1 red pepper julienne
• two limes
• 2 tbsp of olive oil
• 1/4 cup of rice vinegar
• salt
• chili pepper flakes to taste 
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced mint
• 1/4 cup chopped cashews

Toss mango, cabbage, pepper and onion in a bowl. Whisk lime, oil, vinegar, salt and chili pepper flakes into a bowl. Before serving toss mint and cashews into slaw.


Tahini Sauce: (1 1/2 cups)

• 1/2 cup of shallots
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 3 tbsp braggs or tamari
• 1/3 cup tahini
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 1/4 cup vegetable stock (or water)
• 1/4 cup olive oil

Add all ingredients into a food processor, and blend until smooth.

Rice Pudding

I have been having the most crazy cravings for rice pudding. I think it's because there is a lack of good Greek food where I'm living, and wanted something I couldn't have. So I decided I would just make it myself. The recipe I adapted is called "Arroz con letche" from Smitten Kitchen, you can find it here.

This recipe was really easy, just took awhile to make because you need to let the rice soak and cooking times and then cooling times. Great when you need some comfort foods to warm you up on a snowy day.

Ingredients:

Serves 8-10

• 1 cup long-grain white rice (I used Jasmin)
• 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 strips of lemon
• 3 whole cloves or a tiny pinch of ground cloves
• 4 cups water
• 1 egg
• 3 cups whole milk (can also use lighter milk, I used soy, would also work with almond)
• 300 ml can sweetened condensed milk
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup raisins (I didn't add raisins! yuck!)

Step One:

Soak the rice, cinnamon, lemon or orange zest and whole or powdered cloves in the water in a heavy saucepan for 1 hour.

StepTwo:

After soaking, bring the rice mixture to a boil on high heat, uncovered. When it starts to boil lower the heat to medium and cook for 10 to 12 more minutes or until water is evaporated.

Step Three:

While rice is cooking, beat the egg in a bowl. Add the milk and stir well to mix. Add the egg mixture, condensed milk, salt, vanilla extract and raisins, if using, to the rice and cook over medium-low heat, stirring carefully, until it thickens slightly or until desired consistency about 25 to 35 minutes. *(I cooked mine for 30 min, and it came out very thick.Next time I think I would like the pudding to be a little thinner)

Step Four:

Remove citrus zest and cinnamon sticks. Let cool uncovered, then chill the rest of the way in the fridge.

Enjoy!

Kimchi Egg Udon

Well it sure has been awhile. Sorry about that. But while I've been working on my new life it had little time for food blogging, let alone food making. I'm getting settled into my new home Prince George, BC. We've uprooted from the east coast to the west, with many adjustments. Sold everything, including all kitchen things. Now my kitchen is minimal with little appliances. I miss my food processor :( Anyways, here is a super easy delicious recipe I thought of when I had crazy kimchi cravings.



If you don't know what Kimchi is, you must go out and ask your grocery store/ find a Korean restaurant/ or go and buy some ingredients and make some now! It is very good for you! It is one of those super foods packed with dietary fiber, vitamin C, carotene, and has lactic acid bacteria aiding in digestion! The Ecology Action Center has a lovely blog and classes teaching people how to make their own kimchi. I used the one found at save on foods which is surprisingly wonderful, however expensive. Maybe later I will post my own kimchi recipe on whats for sups, but for now, here is my Kimchi Egg Udon recipe;

Makes 2 (large) servings

• 1 tbsp of sesame seed oil
• 1 block of udon
• 1/4 red onion
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup of kimchi (more if you want it spicy)
• Pepper to taste
• Green onion and nori for garnish

In a frying pan heat the sesame oil in a pan (on medium - high) and lightly fry the onion for about a few minutes. Once the onion is lightly cooked add the udon noodles and fry for another 2 minutes, until oil absorbs. Add the kimchi and fry together until the onion is fully cooked.

Clear a space to crack the eggs on a clear surface of the pan. Let them cook a little then scramble into the udon kimchi mixture. Add pepper to taste.

Turn the heat on high and fry for another minute to get everything crispy.

Garnish with nori, and green onions and enjoy!

Pancake Day!

Happy pancake day, Fat Tuesday, Shrove Tuesday, or whatever else today is.

Every year we celebrate pancake day for supper. This year however, celebrated a day early because we wont be home. So I had some left over pancake mix and made one for breakfast too! It's a whats for sups and breakfast blog post.

This Rogers family recipe is probably my most favorite pancake recipe I've ever tried. These pancakes are thick, and dense but still light. Also holds berry sauce and maple syrup like a champ!

Ingredients:

• 2 eggs
• 3 cups milk
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract (optional)*
• 4 cups flour
• 1 cup white sugar
• 3 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon (optional) *

In a medium bowl beat eggs and add milk in one cup at a time. Set aside.

Sift flour baking powder, and cinnamon together. Add sugar and mix.

Pour in the wet ingredients (egg and milk) into the dry ingredients and mix until well incorporated.

Now you have your pancake batter.

To cook set your frying pan on medium, and heat oil or butter. We used oil.

Use an 8 oz ladle, and pour two full ladles of batter onto the pan. Cook until bubbles form on top, and then flip. Cook on the other side for about 5 more minutes, or until browned.

Enjoy pancakes with any topping!

Happy pancake day!

Kimbap (Sushi)

Today Jooyoun informed me that Koreans have their own world of sushi! Called Kimbap (seaweed rice). Rolled steamed rice in sheets of dried seaweed. It looks very similar to sushi, but for Koreans it is not fancy fare but more of a picnic food, that you can eat with your hands. Like what a sandwich is for North Americans.

I was a little intimidated at first, but I must say kimbap is really easy, and so much fun to make!

What you need:
Makes 5 Kim Bap rolls (5 servings)

kimbap (sushi) bamboo roller
or can use plastic wrap for rolling kimbap

• 5 cups of Calrose Rice (sticky rice)
• 1 tbsp Vinegar
• 1 tbsp Sesame seed oil
• pinch of salt
• Sesame Seed Oil and salt for frying
• 1/2 Carrot
• 2 cups Spinach
• 2 Tofu or veggie dog (optional)
• 3 Egg
• 1/2 cucumber Cucumber cut thick julienne 1/2 inch
• 5 sticks of Seasoned Burdock
• 5 sticks of Pickled Radish
• 5 slices of processed Cheese (optional)
• 5 Roasted Seaweed Sheets (Kim)

Make rice following the 2:1 (water:rice) ratio. Boil adding the vinegar, oil and salt. Let rice cool before you apply to the seaweed sheets.

While rice is cooking prep vegetables. For carrots julienne them finely. fry in some sesame oil and salt. Set aside.

Fry spinach in the same manner after you boil for 5 min. Set aside.

Cut tofu, or veggie hot dogs in our case into 1/2 inch thick julienne lengths. Fry until browned. Set aside.

Mix 3 eggs together in a bowl, until combined. Pour eggs onto frying pan and cook until browned. Remove from pan and slice into long lengths 1.2 inch thick or larger.

For cucumber remove heavily seeded middle and julienne lengthwise approx 1/2 inch thick. make one stick for each kimbap roll.

Take out 5 sticks of radish and burdock. and set aside.

If using cheese slices (which I recommend) cut them in half so they can become as long as the seaweed sheet.

Once everything is cooled, you can go ahead and start rolling! place bamboo roller on the table, with a sheet of seaweed on top. place cooled rice on 3/4 of the sheet. Place all of your ingredients on top of the rice stacked on top of each other, so the rice can completely surround the filling when you roll. I used the more flimsy ingredients first like cheese, spinach, carrot, then the stick like ingredients, cucumber, tofu, radish, burdock, and then egg.

Place a skinny strip of rice along the edge of the sheet so it can stick to the roll. And grab the side of the sheet with the ingredients on it first and tightly roll until it is all one. Use the bamboo sheet to tighten your kimbap roll. Basically rolling the sushi inside the bamboo sheet, once is all it takes.

Cut the roll into 1 1/2 inch thick peices or bigger if you like. And enjoy this great party snack.

Tofu Spaghetti Balls

This blog post is dedicated to Valentines day. What better way to celebrate love then referencing the classic Lady and the Tramp movie with Spaghetti and meat balls. This recipe however is a cruelty free version, made with tofu balls!

Adopted from my favorite vegan cookbook author Sarah Kramer's Vegan A Go-Go!

Pasta enough for two people

Tofu balls: makes around 10 - 12 balls

• 1/2 cup of firm tofu crumbled by hand (approx half a package)
• 1/4 cup of flour
• 1/2 tbsp of tahini
• 1 tbsp of tamari
• 1/4 cup of sun dried tomatoes
• 1/4 cup of green onion (optional)
• 1/4 tsp of garlic (optional)
• 1 very small onion minced
• 1/4 tsp of mustard
• black pepper
• 1/4 cup of flour for coating
• 2 tbsp oil for frying

In a large bown, mix together the tofu, 1/4 cup of flour, tahini, tamari, sun dried tomatoes, green onion, garlic, onion, mustard, & pepper with hands. Form balls with approx 1/2 tbsp of the mixture into a ball, and coat with flour until all tofu mixture is used.

Set them aside, and heat or prepare homemade pasta sauce.

In a frying pan on medium heat fry tofu balls in oil until browned all over. Once the sauce is hot, you can put them into the sauce. Let them sit in there for 5 minutes to absorb the flavors.

Serve over pasta and with Pinot Grigio.