Nuts and Seeds Health Bars

Posted on September 29, 2018 by mama huang

Ingredients:

1/4 C quinoa, uncooked
3/4 C pecans  (or sliced almonds, pistachios, walnuts)
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/4 chia seeds
1/4 C  hemp hearts (or other seeds)
2T coconut sugar  (or dark brown sugar)
1/4 t salt  (1/2 t if course salt)
2T canola or avocado oil or melted butter
1/2 C maple syrup (can be 1-2 T  less)

Directions:

Heat oven to 325 deg F (300 for conv oven).

Line a 11″x17″ baking pan with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, mix all ingredients

Pour mixture into the lined pan and level it out into an even sheet about 1/4″ thick or less. It won’t cover corner to corner, can be irregular, but will cover most of the pan.

Bake for 15 min, turn the pan 180 degrees, and bake 5-10 more mins; check for  even browning. If the corners are starting to get too brown, remove pan and allow to cool. If the corners and edges still look the same as the center, bake 5 more mins.

Remove from oven and allow to cool in pan on rack. When cool enough to handle, break into pieces. Sometimes, if the pieces are not crispy enough,  I turn them over and bake at 275 deg for another 5 mins. When cool, store in airtight container.

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Portobella Mushroom Marinade

Posted on August 1, 2018 by mama huang

Ingredients:

3 portobella mushrooms or container of baby bellas
1/4 C canola oil
3 T chopped onion
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 T balsamic vinegar

Preparation:

Mix all ingredients and pour over mushrooms.
Stir to coat thoroughly.
Marinade 1 hr prior to grilling.

 

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Chinese Smashed Cucumbers With Sesame Oil and Garlic

Posted on July 28, 2018 by mama huang

Adapted from JULIA MOSKIN NYT Cooking

  • YIELD4 to 6 servings
  • TIME40 minutes

Tony Cenicola/The New York Times

 

In China, cucumbers are considered the ideal foil for hot weather and hot food. Versions of this salad, pai huang gua, are served all over the country, sometimes spiked with dried chiles and Sichuan peppercorns for more dimensions of flavor. In Beijing, people buy whole chilled cucumbers from street vendors and munch them on the go, much as Americans become attached to their cups of iced coffee in summer. The smashing process, a classic Chinese technique, cracks the skin, helps release the seeds and splits the flesh into appealing craggy pieces. Salting and chilling the cracked cucumbers give them the perfect cool, crunchy, watery mouth feel.

INGREDIENTS

  •  About 2 pounds thin-skinned cucumbers like English or Persian (I usually use  2  large English cucumbers)
    1 t salt
    1 t sugar

 

Dressing:

  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
  • 1 ½ tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons sesame oil
  • 2 teaspoons soy sauce
  • (1 tablespoon grapeseed or extra-virgin olive oil) I don’t add this.
  • 2 large garlic cloves, minced or put through a press
  •  Red pepper flakes, to taste
  •  Small handful whole cilantro leaves, for garnish
  • 2 teaspoons toasted white sesame seeds, for garnish (optional

PREPARATION

  1. Rinse cucumbers and pat dry. Cut crosswise into pieces about 4 inches long. Cut each piece in half lengthwise.
  2. On a work surface, place a piece of cucumber (or several) cut side down. Lay the blade of a large knife flat on top the cucumber and smash down lightly with your other hand. The skin will begin to crack, the flesh will break down and the seeds will separate. Repeat until the whole piece is smashed. Break or slice diagonally into bite-size pieces, leaving the seeds behind.
  3. Place the cucumber pieces in a strainer and toss with the salt and sugar. Place a plastic bag filled with ice on top of the cucumbers to serve as a weight and place the strainer over a bowl. Let drain 15 to 30 minutes on the counter, or in the refrigerator until ready to serve, up to 4 hours.
  4. Make the dressing: In a small bowl, combine salt, sugar and rice vinegar. Stir until salt and sugar are dissolved. Stir in sesame oil and soy sauce.
  5. When ready to serve, shake cucumbers well to drain off any remaining liquid and transfer to a serving bowl.  Add half the dressing, half the garlic and the red pepper flakes to taste, and toss. Keep adding dressing until cucumbers are well coated but not drowned. Taste and add more pepper flakes and garlic if needed. Serve immediately, garnished with cilantro and sesame seeds.
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