Get Nutty

Who doesn’t love those peanutty, spicy cold noodles from Chinese take-out? Well, more often than not you're not just getting a quick meal, you're getting tons of calories, fat, and additives that come with processed peanut butter and excessive amounts of peanut oil which are likely added to those "to go" noodles. Don’t let that get you down. I whipped up a delicious and nutritious version that is bolstered with nutrients and protein and will take you less time to make and eat than it would for your local MSG haunt to ring your bell.

One again, I utilized the inspiring 101cookbooks as my foundation for this recipe and, as usual it did not fail me.  

Take-Out Style Cold Noodles

Serves 3-4

4 oz of buckwheat soba (1/2 package)

1 bunch of asparagus, ends trimmed, cut into 1/2- inch pieces

Sauce:

¼ cup freshly ground peanut butter

2 tbsp brown rice vinegar

1 garlic clove, minced

1 tbsp sesame oil

Crushed red pepper flakes (I like it spicy so I usually sprinkle a lot)

Pinch of salt

2 tbsp-1/4 cup hot water

Toppings:

6 oz firm tofu, cubed

4 scallions, thinly sliced

¼ cup dry roasted salted peanuts

¼ cup shredded carrots

¼ cup thinly sliced cucumber

1 tbsp roughly chopped cilantro

Sprinkling of black sesame seeds

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the soba noodles. Follow the cooking instructions. For the last two minutes of cooking, add the asparagus. Drain and arrest the cooking with a rinse of cold water. Set aside.

To make the sauce, mix the peanut butter, rice vinegar, garlic, sesame oil, red pepper flakes, and salt in a bowl.  Slowly mix in the hot water in order to achieve the desired consistency. I like it slightly chunky, but a thinner sauce will incorporate more easily with the noodles. Taste and adjust the seasonings if necessary.

Put a little sauce at the bottom of your serving bowl and poor in the noodles and asparagus.  Add most of your toppings, saving a little of each for garnish, and add a generous splash of sauce. Toss and add more sauce until the noodles are dressed to your preference. Finish with your garnishes and enjoy!

The power of the peanut!

Peanuts are a good source of plant-based protein and also have beneficial omega-3 and monounsaturated fat that improve heart health. These nutty little morsels also include our good friend fiber to help satiate, lower cholesterol, and improve digestion. Peanuts are also packed with coenzyme Q10, which is essential for a multitude of bodily functions, muscle integrity, and helps lower blood pressure.  Vitamin E, folate, iron, and zinc are also found in this little legume, which makes peanuts worth going nutty over. But, with all sources of fat, good or bad, be mindful to not go too nutty for peanuts since the ideal serving of 1 oz (a handful) contains 180 calories. Additionally, be sure to opt for raw or dry roasted nuts instead of oil roasted in order to lower the fat content. Also try to make your own mix of salted and unsalted nuts to help control your sodium intake.

With my clinical rotations well underway, I have really needed to find meals that are effortless, nutritious, and delicious. This protein packed dish hit the spot and satisfied my desire to order take-out - now that’s something to go nutty for!  

For additional nutritional info about asparagus click here

Quick Fix Mexi Night

Sometimes you just can’t help but get those cravings for gooey, cheesy, spicy goodness. Instead of going to the local greasy fryalator restaurant, I opted to make these simple, healthy, and tasty quesadillas that fulfilled my mexi craving. Obviously, to no one’s surprise, I had to take a healthful spin on these quesadillas and chose Ezekiel’s sprouted grain tortillas as my foundation. These tortillas are more substantial than your average white flour variety and offer a more robust flavor while providing essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber which are not always offered in your run of the mill refined form. For the interior, I used canned low sodium fat free vegetarian refried beans and spread the mash down as my base. For my layers, I caramelized some onions, blanched some asparagus, and roasted a poblano pepper. To top it off, I used about a tablespoon and a half of shredded monterey and cheddar cheese per quesadilla and some organic Muier Glen corn and black bean salsa. I placed another tortilla on top and pressed down slightly and baked for 10-15 minutes or until the cheese was gooey. I topped off these fiestas on a plate with some sliced avocado and pickled jalapeño and was in spicy cheesy Mexican heaven. I am sure these quesadillas are an insult to any Mexican quesadilla purest, but these were great, very simple, and up for a variety of interpretations.

Additional fillers:

Sautéed mushrooms

Blanched broccoli

Roasted red peppers

Sundried tomatoes

Black beans

Spinach

“Beans, beans the magical fruit, the more you eat the more you toot!” Well, that being said, beans are not a fruit but are a legume and are considered part of the vegetable and protein family. They definitely do have some magical attributes! Beans are loaded with calcium, protein, iron, folate, and phosphorus. They are a great source of fiber and can get things flowing, hence the lovely rhymes. Depending on the preparation, beans can be fat free and are a great food choice to help fill you up without being calorically dense.

To accompany my quesadillas, I made an uncomplicated smoky and spicy tomato soup that completed my fiesta….all I needed was some chilled Patron with lime and a mariachi.

3 cups diced onions

1 clove garlic diced

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 teaspoons paprika

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 quart low sodium vegetable broth

1 28 ounce canned San Marzano diced tomatoes

3 teaspoons minced canned chipotles in adobo with 2 teaspoons of adobo sauce

Optional Garnishes:

Fat free sour cream

Sliced avocado

Shredded cheese

Cilantro

Scallions

Crumbled baked blue corn tortilla chips

Sauté onions in oil until softened, 5 minutes.

Add garlic, cumin, and oregano and stir for 3 minutes.

Add broth, tomatoes, and chipotles, cover and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

Turn soup off, allow to cool slightly, and blend in either a blender or with an immersion blender.

Serve and garnish

Dear Asparagus, why do you make my pee smell?

Many people have pondered about the odor that arises post consumption of a spring meal composed of farm fresh asparagus. Sometimes even a few crunchy spears will cause the sulfurous smell to permeate your nostrils. Although debatable, most science blames the aroma on a sulfur compound in the asparagus called mercaptan. Believe it or not mercaptan is also found in skunk secretion, rotten eggs, garlic and onions. The smell that develops is due to the breakdown of this compound during digestion. Some fortuitous folks lack the enzyme to digest mercaptan and therefore do not have the stinky side effects. Despite the aftermath, asparagus has a bounty of benefits besides being versatile and delicious.  Asparagus has a nice balance of carbohydrates, fiber and protein. The green spears also have vitamins A and C, folate and lutein, which is beneficial for eye health.

For my farmer’s market fresh asparagus, I simply roasted the trimmed spears with a little olive oil, chopped garlic and parsley for 8-10 minutes at 350.

As the main event of the evening, a cioppino was prepared. Cioppino is a seafood stew that originated in San Francisco and is traditionally made from the catch of the day, therefore the ingredients are up for interpretation. For this cioppino, hake, a sweet, semi-meaty white fish was used as well as wild sea scallops, muscles, clams and shrimp.

Fennel, onion and garlic were first sautéed in olive oil. Red wine was then added to deglaze. After it reduced, a can of San Marzano diced tomatoes and 1/2 cup of fish stock were added and brought to a boil. After about 10 minutes, the pot was removed from the heat and allowed to cool slightly and then blended with an immersion blender. Once thinly pureed, the stew was brought back to a simmer. The hake and sea scallops were salt and peppered and quickly pan seared. While searing, the rest of the shellfish were added to the stew and cooked until the shells opened, 5-10 minutes. Everything was plated together and chopped basil and parsley were added to the finished product. Toasted slices of Grandaisy whole wheat baguette smothered with roasted garlic were placed along side for dipping.

This cioppino was very simple, extremely flavorful and delicious and encapsulated the essence of the sea. This dish was low in fat, contained fiber, lycopene and the crustaceans, mollusks and fish provided lean protein. The total cooking time was around an hour.