Brussels Sprout, Grape, + Goat Cheese Pizza

This isn't so much of a step-by-step recipe, but a list of ingredients that taste quite lovely together :)

For crust: 14-19 oz. Pizza dough (I use the 5-minute Artisan Crusty White Bread recipe).
Bake the crust without toppings for 8-10 minutes in a 500°F oven.

Sauce: 5-7 cloves of roasted garlic + 3 Tbs apricot preserves + 1 tsp balsamic vinegar + salt to taste
Mash it all together.

Spread the sauce over the crust, then add some shredded parmesan, brussels sprouts, halved grapes, pine nuts, goat cheese and another drizzle of balsamic.

Bake for another 10-12 minutes, or until brussels sprouts are roasted and crust is golden.

Vegetable Fried Rice

• 3 cups already cooked rice
• 1/2 Tbs vegetable oil
• 2 Tbs Soy sauce
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp roasted red chili paste
• 1 clove garlic
• 2 Eggs
• 1 1/2 cups diced veggies (I like carrots, bell peppers, green peas, and water chestnuts)

1. Heat 1 tsp vegetable oil in a large saute pan over medium heat.  Scramble egg, add to pan, and cook until no longer wet.  Set aside in a bowl.
2. Heat vegetable oil in the same pan over medium-high heat.
3. Add your choice of vegetables (minus frozen peas if you're using them) and saute until 3-4 minutes, until cooked but still crisp.
4. Add garlic, 1 Tbs soy sauce, and chili paste.  Stir until chili paste is incorporated
   
5. Add rice and additional soy sauce. Stir fry until rice become a shade of brown.
6. Add the cooked egg and green peas.

Notes:

• Meat or tofu can be added. I recommend using already cooked beef, shrimp, or chicken, or browning the tofu separate. Add the meat with the egg and peas.
• The amount of soy sauce is completely up to you. My soy sauce is aged to salty ridiculousness so I usually use less than 2 Tbs.  If you like it strong, use more than 2 Tbs.

Sweet Chili Roasted Broccoli

Ever had P.F. Chang's Spicy Green Bean appetizer?  If you haven't, you should.  Or you can just make this broccoli and not go through the trouble of getting off the couch, changing out of your sweatpants, and driving to your local P.F. Changs.  Wait, you're not wearing sweatpants, you say?  Well, the kitchen is still closer than P.F. Changs.  This broccoli has all the same delicious flavors of their green beans; the sweetness balances impeccably with the salty spiciness of the chili paste.  This broccoli makes an excellent side, or if you're not a carnivore like me, a healthy serving of this deliciousness over brown rice makes an incredibly satisfying meal.  Now, how do I say "bon apétite" in Chinese?

 

Lemongrass Chicken Banh Mi Sandwiches

 Just like style, there are food trends.  And Vietnamese banh mi sandwiches are hip right now.  I wish I could pull the "yeah I've known about these forever, they're nothing new because I'm so knowledgeable of all things cultural and culinary..." card, but I can't.  I can, however, claim that Vietnamese food has been my favorite for a long while now, and I am super stoked that it is finally receiving the media it deserves.  Banh Mi are an approachable medium for Vietnamese food to take- I mean who doesn't love a sandwich?  I also appreciate that there are so many varieties to choose from, and no real wrong way to go about creating your own banh mi.  That being said, some ways just taste better, like this way :)

Roasted Asparagus

There are no sexy words related to asparagus.  Usually I attempt to come up with some suave, provocative description to get your mouth salivating or alternatively I at least try to pen a witty description... but asparagus?  How does one make asparagus alluring? "The green, knobby stalks drizzled with luscious olive oil dance with the freshly ground pepper and salt.  The dazzling show of vegetable..."  No.  Let's face it... asparagus is not a sexy food, however it does taste wonderful.  Particularly, roasting asparagus brings out its natural flavor flawlessly, without resulting in the sinewy or limp asparagus often achieved through other cooking methods.


And in case this description wasn't fulfilling enough, here's your trivia for the day: Did you know that asparagus is a cousin to onion and garlic?  I certainly didn't.  Thank you, Wikipedia.

Shrimp Pad Thai

• 1/3 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup cane vinegar (white vinegar will do)*
• 1/4 cup fish sauce*
• 2 tablespoons tamarind concentrate*
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 (12 ounce) package dried rice noodles (thicker ones)
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 4 eggs
• 2 carrots, juilenned
• 1 bell pepper, julienned
• 1 lb 51-60ct shrimp
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/2 cups chopped peanuts
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 2 cups fresh bean sprouts
• 1 lime, cut into wedges
• Cilantro

1. For the sauce: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, blend sugar, vinegar, fish sauce, water and tamarind concentrate.
2.  In a seperate bowl soak rice noodles in cold water until soft- about 15 minutes; drain . In a large skillet or wok over medium heat, warm oil and add garlic and eggs; scramble the eggs. Add carrots and bell pepper and stir until well mixed;  add the shrimp, and noodles and stir until cooked.
3. Stir in Pad Thai sauce, 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Stir in peanuts and paprika.
4. Serve with lime and bean sprouts on the side.  Garnish with cilantro. 

Notes:

• Fish sauce, tamarind concentrate, and cane vinegar can be found at the Asian grocery.
• If you don't want to bother with the above ingredients, some substitutions can be made: soy sauce for fish sauce, food processed lime juice and raisins for tamarind concentrate, and regular vinegar + 2 Tbs sugar to replace cane vinegar.
• Chicken or tofu are also tasty proteins to add.

Yields 8 servings

Italian Penne with Veggies

This is a super simple recipe, but always a crowd pleaser.  It is best topped with some kind of sauce- I love it with pesto, but a simple marinara from a jar is tasty as well.

• 1 lb penne (I use whole wheat)
• 1 medium zucchini, diced
• 1 medium yellow squash, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 3 carrots, julienned
• 1 cup halved grape or cherry tomaotes
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tsp Italian seasoning 
• Zest and juice of half a lemon
• Olive oil

1. In a large pot boil water and cook penne according to package instructions for al dente pasta. When finished drain, drizzle with olive oil and set aside.
2. While the pasta is cooking- in a deep skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat, and saute garlic.  Add carrots and cook about two minutes.  Then add the zucchini, squash, bell peppers, and tomatoes.  Add Italian seasoning, and a few Tbs of water and cover.  Allow vegetables to steam for about 3 minutes, then remove lid and cook until fork tender.  Zest the lemon, and add juice.
3. Add pasta into the skillet and stir, to reheat pasta, and incorporate vegetables and accumulated liquid with the pasta.
4. Serve topped with pesto, grated parmesan cheese, or marinara sauce.

Notes:

• Basically any shape of pasta that will hold sauce will do- rotini, shells, whatever you have on hand.
• When cooking pasta- DO NOT rinse it under water to cool.  Rinsing gets rid of the wonderful starches that allow pasta to bind with sauce- so simply let the water drain in a colander.  

Yields 6 servings

Vietnamese Vegetable Spring Rolls

• 12 Spring rolls skins (ensure they are rice paper)
• Thai basil (fresh) (a handful)
• Mint (fresh) (a handful)
• Cilantro (fresh) (a handful)
• 1-2 Carrots (julienned)
• 1/2 Cucumber (peeled and julienned)
• 1 1/2 cup rice noodles (vermicelli)
• ~1 cup alfalfa sprouts
• 1 cup Hoisin sauce
• 1/4 cup crushed peanuts

Directions:

1. Fill an at least 9x9 cake pan with hot water, and place one spring roll skin in for 1-2 minutes.
2. Remove skin, and like a burrito fill with rice noodles, cilantro, mint, Thai basil, carrots, cucumbers, and alfalfa sprouts.  Drizzle with Hoisin sauce, and roll tightly.
3. Repeat process for remaining spring roll skins.  Garnish remaining Hoisin sauce with crushed peanuts, and use for dipping.

Notes:

• These rolls are great with tofu or shrimp added also
• Hoisin sauce, rice noodles, and spring roll paper are usually available in your grocer's Asian food isle.  If not, check your local Asian market.
• When purchasing Hoisin sauce, look for one without MSG, it is far healthier and not as salty.

Yields 12 rolls.

Orange-Glazed Asparagus

• 1 bunch asparagus
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1 Tbs olive oil
• Salt & pepper to taste
• Orange zest (optional)
  

1. Snap the tough ends off the asparagus.
2. In an approximately 12" skillet (with a lid) add the asparagus, orange juice, and oil, and turn the heat on high.
3. Once the asparagus begins to steam, cook it for about 4 minutes, or until desired doneness.
   
4. Remove asparagus, and if desired add orange zest.
   
5. Allow the juice to reduce another 2-3 minutes, or until volume has reduced by about half. Drizzle the sauce over the asparagus, and serve.

Notes:

• If you find the orange flavor to be too strong, use half orange juice, half chicken stock.
• If your asparagus is particularly woody, use a vegetable peeler on the lower stem, and peel the harder outside down.
  

Yields 4 servings.

Spicy Sweet Green Beans

• 3/4 lb green beans, trimmed
• 2 Tbs soy sauce
• 1 Tbs honey
• 1/2- 1 tsp chili paste (found in the asian section of most groceries)
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1 Tbs canola/vegetable oil
• Sesame oil (optional)

1. Arrange a steamer basket in a pot over boiling water, and steam the green beans 3 to 4 minutes.
2. In a bowl, mix the soy sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, chili paste, and honey.
3. Heat the canola oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the green beans, and fry for 3 to 5 minutes. Pour in the soy sauce mixture. Continue cooking and stirring 2 minutes, or until the liquid is nearly evaporated. Drizzle lightly with sesame oil, then serve immediately.

Yields 4 servings.