Tag: side dish

Napa Cabbage Kimchi Recipe – Vegan OR Traditional 배추김치

 

Napa Cabbage Kimchi Recipe - Vegan OR Traditional 배추김치
 
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Making kimchi is a really easy thing to do. I know it seems daunting, but I promise, you'll love the end result! Best of all this recipe is vegan, but easily made more traditional. If you use gluten free tamari, it's also suitable for those with gluten allergies.
Author:
Serves: 10 servings
Ingredients
  • 2.2lbs (1 kilo) napa cabbage
  • ¼ cup coarse sea salt (for salting)
  • 300g daikon radish (or Korean radish)
  • 1 medium or 2 small carrots
  • 8 green onions
porridge
  • 2 cups water
  • 2 tablespoons sweet rice flour
  • ¼ cup soy sauce or fish sauce
  • ½ cup to 1½ cups red pepper powder
  • 1 tablespoon sugar, optional
  • 2 generous tablespoons ginger, peeled (about a 1½ by 1 inch piece)
  • 8 cloves garlic
  • ½ sweet apple or ½ korean pear or 1 small pear
supplies
  • 1 jar glass jar with tight fitting lid
  • sauce pan & whisk
  • blender or stick blender
  • gloves, HIGHLY suggested for mixing
Instructions
  1. You need to start out by salting the cabbage. This step is easy I promise. Follow along with the video. Cut the cabbage head into 4 pieces like shown and rinse under cold water. Shake the excess water off, and sprinkle salt into each leaf. Don't skip this step, if you don't salt it well enough the end result isn't very good! Leave the cabbage in a glass bowl to set.
  2. After 1 hour, toss the cabbage over, put any larger and thicker pieces towards the bottom. If you want you can spoon over the juice to help soak better.
  3. After another hour (2 hours total) check the cabbage, it shouldn't be gooey but softened. If you taste a piece it will have a slight crunch, but slightly salty.
  4. Rinse the cabbage 2-3 times under cold water. Make sure to rinse off each leaf. You don't want excess salt in your kimchi.
  5. Set the cabbage in a strainer to dry out some while you prepare the porridge.
  6. Add 2 cups of cool water to a saucepan, and whisk together 2 tablespoons of sweet rice flour (often called mochiko because of the brand name). Make sure you remove ALL lumps before you turn the heat on. Turn to medium high and do NOT stop whisking. Once you notice the mixture starting to thicken, reduce heat to medium and cook it for about 2 minutes. It's very important to keep mixing to prevent lumps.
  7. After 2 minutes, shut off the heat and stir in your sugar, soy sauce (or fish sauce), and red pepper powder. Then transfer to a blender jar. If you had an immersion blender (stick blender) this would work better.
  8. Add your mixture to blender along with your ½ apple or pear, garlic, and ginger that you have peeled. Blend on high until all the ginger and garlic are mixed in.
  9. Let this mixture cool to around body temperature. Don't skip this step or you'll cook the cabbage.
  10. Once the mixture is cooled, mix together with the carrot, green onion, and daikon (or Korean) radish. As shown in the video, spread a little mixture onto each leaf and outside of the cabbage. Put into, preferably, a glass jar with a tight fitting lid. An old pickle jar would work great for this. Pack it down and you're done.
  11. Let this sit at room temperature overnight, up to 2 days depending on the season. You want it to smell a little sour and you'll see bubbles from the bacteria in the cabbage. Transfer to your fridge and it'll be good for weeks, couple months even.
  12. Obviously you can eat it right after making it, but after 2 days is better. The juice can be used for soups or pancakes and the longer the kimchi sits in the fridge the more sour it tastes. We love it!
Notes
If you want more traditional kimchi, replace the soy sauce with fish sauce. Also if you are making this for someone who is allergic to gluten PLEASE make sure the tamari you use is certified gluten free!! I cannot stress this enough!

Do NOT use table salt for salting the cabbage, you will end up with gooey cabbage.

The apple/pear is optional but adds a yummy mellow flavor to the kimchi. The sugar is also optional, but if you're a baby with spice like I am, it really makes a difference.

You can add as much or as little red pepper powder as you want. I don't like it very spicy so I added ½ cup, but you can add 1½ cups if you like it very spicy!
Nutrition Information
Serving size: 1/10th Calories: 84 Fat: 2 Saturated fat: 0 Unsaturated fat: 0 Trans fat: 0 Carbohydrates: 12 Sugar: 4 Sodium: 538 Fiber: 2 Protein: 3 Cholesterol: 0
 

Simple Cornbread Recipe


Simple Cornbread Recipe
 
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Cornbread can be made quickly, simply, and without a lot of fuss. Importantly it tastes AMAZING. Low calorie is a plus!
Author:
Serves: 8 slices
Ingredients
  • 1 cup cornmeal
  • 1 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 tablespoon vinegar
  • 1 large egg
  • ½ cup water
  • ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 1 tablespoon oil for batter, can also use melted butter
  • 1 tablespoon oil for greasing pan
  • ¼ to 1 cup of sugar (see notes)
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
Instructions
  1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, this is approx 200 Celsius. If you are using a cast iron skillet, and you SHOULD, put that in to preheat as well.
  2. Add your milk and vinegar into a bowl on the side and let this set for a few minutes, this makes faux buttermilk. If you want you can just use buttermilk instead without the vinegar.
  3. Mix together all the dry ingredients in a bowl, if you want to sprinkle some sugar on top reserve about 1 tablespoon.
  4. Add your remaining liquid ingredients to the milk mixture. DO NOT mix the liquid into the dry until the pan and oven are preheated.
  5. Once your pan is well preheated, remove from the oven and add your 1 tablespoon oil. Spread around CAREFULLY with a heat resistant spatula.
  6. Now you may mix the dry and the wet together, try to remove all lumps. Once your mixture is smooth pour it into your pan. Scrape the bowl out and smooth the mixture in the pan if needed.
  7. Bake for 25-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. For me this takes 25 minutes but in my old apartment is took 40, so use a toothpick please!
  8. Let cool for 10 minutes. Slice into 8 pieces and serve with butter and honey, yummy!
Notes
I suggest using less sugar for normal cornbread, unless you intend on it being dessert style. If this is the case add more and also include ½ - 1 tablespoon REAL vanilla extract.
For a yummy texture, take one tablespoon of your sugar and set to the side. When you poor your batter in the pan, sprinkle it on top.
Nutrition Information
Serving size: 1 piece Calories: 212 Fat: 6 Saturated fat: 1 Unsaturated fat: 4 Trans fat: 0 Carbohydrates: 38 Sugar: 15 Sodium: 273 Fiber: 3 Protein: 5 Cholesterol: 29
 DSCF4531DSCF4538Look how yummy it looks! 

Want to know more about why we use both baking soda AND baking powder, check out this article from epicurious.com – CLICK HERE

Fresh Tomatoe Salsa ( tomatoes el fresco ) , gluten free & raw vegan friendly

This fresh tomato (tomatoe) salsa or tomatoes el fresco, is a staple in my house when tomatoes are in season! Its great on eggs, salads, fresh chips, you could even eat it by itself if you wanted! The possiblities are nearly endless with this dish. As if it couldn’t get better, this is a super fast, simple, and CHEAP budget friendly recipe that is not only gluten free, but raw vegan friendly. So lets make this tasty salsa!

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Ingredients:

1.5lbs of your favorite tomatoes, I used romas & yellow grape, but any will work
1/2c – 1 1/2c chopped onion
2 tablespoons raw olive oil
5-10 grinds black pepper
1/2tsp or to taste good quality salt, I suggest pink salt
1 bunch fresh cilantro or 2 tablespoons dried parsley ( I used dried parsley, however fresh cilantro is more traditional)
***Optional: other items as desired to taste, I suggest bell peppers, hot minched peppers, etc***

Directions:

Wash your tomatoes well and cut just the very top stem part off. Slice your tomatoes into your desired size and add to a bowl. I choose not to seed or devein my tomatoes because I want the liquid from the inside to marinade with the salsa, however you can choose to seed them & adjust your seasoning accordingly. Slice your onions up and add to the bowl. Add your olive oil, sprinkle with salt, black pepper, herbs, and any additional toppings as desired.
Toss well with your hands, being careful not to squish your tomatoes.
Set your salsa on the counter for 10 minute, then store in the fridge a minimum of 8-12 hours before using for best flavor. This salsa will stay fresh in the refridgerator for 1-2 weeks!

Makes: approx. 4 cups prepared, Preparation: 15 minutes + 8-12 hours in fridge *for best flavor* (nutritional information shown is for 1 cup salsa)

dietary notes: this recipe is raw vegan friendly & gluten free