Fennel Soup

I had a friend coming over tonight who is Vegan and I wanted to make a nourishing vegetable soup. I had two Fennel Bulbs in the refrigerator and decided to use them. I never think of using Fennel in Soup as I usually braise it or make it into a salad. But tonight I was craving soup and so I used it along with some Carrots, Green Beans and Onions. I also added a can of Tomatoes and some Vegetable Broth and ended up making a delightful soup - I was so pleased! The Fennel has a somewhat sweet flavor when cooked and the end result was a bit more like a vegetable stew. It was delicious, fast and easy too!  

Fennel Soup

2 Fennel Bulbs, trimmed and cut into small pieces

3 Large Carrots, trimmed, peeled and cut into small pieces

a large handful of Green Beans, ends trimmed and cut into small pieces

1 large Onion, chopped

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

8 cups Vegetable Broth

1 14 oz can chopped Tomatoes

2 teaspoons Salt

1 Bay Leaf

Put the Olive OIl in a large soup pot and add in the Onion and Fennel. Cook, stirring frequently until they are softened.  Then add in the Green Beans and Carrots, the Vegetable Broth, the Tomatoes and the Salt and Bay Leaf.  Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook for 30 minutes.  

Five Element Analysis

Soup by it's very nature is a Water Food, so that element is automatically involved in this dish. Fennel is one of the few Metal Vegetables, so that element is covered and the Onion adds even more.  The Carrots and Green Beans bring in the Earth Element. The Tomatoes contribute the Fire Element. The Olive Oil is the only representative of the Wood Element but the Vegetable Broth has Celery in it so the Wood Element is there too.  So, this Soup is more balanced than I expected!

Spaghetti with Poached Scallops in Fresh Tomato Sauce

Now that I've found a Gluten Free Pasta brand that I really love, La Veneziane, I've been making a lot more Pasta. It's made from Corn in Italy and the taste and texture is so much like regular pasta that everyone I serve it to has no idea that it's Gluten Free!  

So, was in the mood for Linguine with Clam Sauce, but I didn't have Linguine, but I did have Gluten Free Spaghetti and I didn't have Clams either, but I did have frozen Scallops from Trader Joe's.  And, best of all, I had fresh, ripe Tomatoes from my own backyard and the Farmer's Market. I decided to puree the Tomatoes along with a Shallot. I then sautéed some Zucchini in Olive Oil, added in the Tomato Puree and White Wine and I poached the defrosted Scallops (cut in half both ways) in the simmering sauce. If you don't have Scallops, I think that sliced white Fish or Chicken would also work well. Anyway, It was wonderful and I definitely plan on making this often.   

Spaghetti with Poached Scallops in Fresh Tomato Sauce

12 ounces Spaghetti Noodles 

12 Scallops, sliced vertically and then horizontally (to make thin half moons)

1 pound of fresh Tomatoes

1 Shallot, peeled and roughly chopped

1 large or 2 small Zucchini, ends trimmed, cut in half and then sliced into 1/4" thick slices

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

1/4 cup White Wine
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/4 teaspoon Sugar

Heat salted Water in a large pot. When boiling, drop in the Tomatoes for 1 minute. Remove  with a slotted spoon to the cutting board.  Then add in the Spaghetti. Cook according to the package directions.

Peel the Tomatoes and add to the bowl of a Food Processor or Blender and add in the Shallot. Puree until smooth.

In a Saute Pan with a high side, heat the Olive Oil and add in the Zucchini. Cook until the Zucchini is just starting to brown. Add in the Wine, Salt, Sugar and the Tomato Puree. Bring to a boil and reduce heat. Add in the Scallops and poached them until they turn opaque (this happens quickly. Add the Spaghetti and toss to coat. Serve immediately.

Five Element Analysis

Scallops belong to the Water Element and the Tomatoes and Wine contribute the Fire Element.  The Zucchini and Corn Pasta bring in the Earth Element and the Fire Element is seen in the Shallot. Only the Wood Element is missing so be sure to serve some leafy green vegetables along with this pasta dish for a balanced meal.

Taiwanese Three Cup Chicken

Three Cup Chicken is a very popular Taiwanese dish. My Aunt once made it for me and I watched her carefully. At the time my question was Why is it called Three Cup Chicken - is it because it makes 3 cups of Chicken?  The answer was that the sauce was made up of 3 cups of Sesame Oil, Rice Wine and Soy Sauce. But she reminded me that she was talking about teacups - not measuring cups! The other flavoring include a bit of Sugar along with Thai Basil and some Scallions (Green Onion tops) that are added at the end to maintain the aromatic flavors. This dish is traditionally served over Rice.

I like to make it with the Chicken Things cut into small pieces and I use Low Sodium Tamari so the dish isn't too salty. I also use Taiwan Rice Wine, which is clear (and Gluten Free). This dish is really quick and easy to make and absolutely delicious!  

Taiwanese Three Cup Chicken

2 pounds boneless, skinless Chicken Thighs (about 6) cut into 1 inch pieces

1/3 cup toasted Sesame Oil

8 Garlic Cloves, sliced thin

1 chunk of Ginger (about 1" square), peeled and sliced and then cut in half

1/3 cup Low Sodium Tamari

1/3 cup Taiwan Rice Wine

1 Tablespoon Sugar

1 handful of Thai Basil Leaves

2 Green Onions, green tops only sliced into small pieces

Heat a sauce pan over medium high heat and add in the Sesame Oil.  Then add in the Garlic and Green Onion. Cook until you can smell the fragrance.  Then add in the Chicken and cook until the Chicken is no longer pink.  Pour in the Tamari, Rice Wine and Sugar. Stir until Sugar is absorbed and the sauce comes to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring frequently. Sprinkle with the Thai Basil and Green Onions. Toss to combine and serve with Rice.

Five Element Analysis

Chicken belongs to the Wood Element and the Tamari and Sesame Oil contribute the Water Element. The Metal Element is found in the Garlic, Thai Basil and Green Onions. The last two ingredients also bring in some more of the Wood Element. The Fire Element is found in the Rice Wine. Only the Earth Element is a bit deficient - it is found in the Sugar and Gingers so I served this dish with a Cucumber Salad to bring in more Earth and the White Rice contributes more Metal to make a balanced meal. 

Homemade Sloppy Joe's

I had some ground Beef that needed to be cooked and I wasn't sure what to make with it. My son suggested Sloppy Joe's. I haven't made then for a really long time. It's one of those sandwiches that I remember from my own childhood and it was usually made with a spice mix and some Tomato Paste. Tonight, though I decided to make it from scratch since I didn't have an of the mix. I looked up the ingredients on the McCormick website and the main ingredients were: Sugar, Onion, Salt, Corn Starch, Paprika, Chili Pepper, Red and Green Peppers, Garlic and Vinegar. I decided to use Dehydrated Onions and Garlic Salt so it would taste more like the mix. I used minced Red Pepper since I didn't have any Green. Peppers. I combined Tomato Paste with a little Ketchup and also added some Coconut Vinegar (a very mild Vinegar) and some Brown Sugar. I finally added some Worcestershire Sauce to give the sauce some depth and some Chili Powder and Paprika to make it just right. It was wonderful!  I served it over some Gluten Free Hamburger Buns and felt like a kid again! 

Homemade Sloppy Joe's

1 pound lean Ground Beef

1/4 teaspoon Garlic Salt

1/2 cup Dehydrated Onion (or minced Onion)

1/2 cup minced Red Pepper (or 1/4 cup Red and 1/4 cup Green Pepper)

1/2 cup Tomato Paste

1/3 cup Ketchup

1/4 cup Water

1/2 teaspoon Paprika

1/2 teaspoon Chili Powder (or another mild vinegar like Apple Cider Vinegar)

1/4 cup Coconut Vinegar

2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar

2 teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce

Cook the Ground Beef with the Dehydrated Onion and Red Pepper until the Beef is no longer pink. Sprinkle in the Salt and add the Tomato Paste, Ketchup and Water and mix thoroughly Then add in the Coconut Vinegar, Brown Sugar, Chili Powder, Paprika and Worcestershire Sauce. Heat until bubbling and mixed thoroughly. Serve over toasted Hamburger Buns.

Five Element Analysis

Beef belongs to the Earth Element and the Brown Sugar adds even more. The Red Pepper, Tomato Paste and Ketchup bring in the Fire Element as does the Paprika and Chili Powder. The Onion and Garlic Salt contribute some of the Metal Element and the Wood Element is represented by the Coconut Vinegar. The Water Element is seen only in the Worcestershire Sauce. All Elements are present but Wood, Metal and Water need some support. Serving this with Hamburger Buns - either regular or Gluten Free will add some more Elements - Wheat will bring in more Wood and Gluten Free Buns are made from Rice Flour, which is a Metal Food and Tapioca Starch and Corn Starch, which are more Earth ingredients. The best way to balance this meal is to bring in some more Wood, Metal and Water foods, perhaps in a vegetable salad to create an even better balance.

Italian Cabbage Salad

It's been a crazy month around here with lots of comings and goings - houseguests and kid's moves - and so I've had vey little time to post. Besides that, And, I'm mostly only doing really light meals and salads. Finally, I am getting back to my usual routines and getting to post a few things too.

My latest favorite salad, which I made when there was very little in the fridge, is a marinated Italian Cabbage Salad. It has the usual flavors of an Italian style Vinaigrette with Balsamic Vinegar and the advantage of this salad is that it keeps well. Cabbage can hold up to the dressing for quite a long time so I usually double the recipe when making it. I love adding lots of Pine Nuts to give even more texture.  

Italian Cabbage Salad

2 cups shredded Green Cabbage

2 cups shredded Red Cabbage

1/4 cup Basil Leaves, sliced thinly (Chiffonade)

1/4 cup Red Onion minced

1/4 cup Balsamic Vinegar

1/3 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1/2 teaspoon Salt

1/2 teaspoon Sugar

1/3 - 1/2  cup Pine Nuts

In a small frying pan, cook the Pine Nuts until you can smell their fragrance and they just start to brown.  Remove to a plate to cool. 

Place the Cabbage and Basil in a serving bowl. In another smaller bowl, mix together the Red Onion, Balsamic Vinegar, Olive Oil, Salt and Sugar.  Stir to combine and pour over the Cabbage.  Toss to coat thoroughly and sprinkle on Pine Nuts. Let the flavors meld for at least 15 minutes or place in the refrigerator to serve later.  

Five Element Analysis

Cabbage belongs to the Earth Element although the Red Cabbage also contributes some Fire. The Pine Nuts bring in the Earth Element. The Balsamic Vinegar and Olive Oil make sure that the Wood Element is involved and finally the Basil and Red Onion both come from the Metal Element. As a side dish, it's quite balanced, but for a meal, be sure to have more Fired Foods.  

Vietnamese Meatball Bun Salad Bowl

It's hot and smoky here in Seattle due to all the wild fires burning in British Columbia. That makes me too tired to cook much, so I've been eating a lot of salads and sandwiches. Tonight, though, I was craving Bun, which is a Vietnamese Salad bowl full of Rice Noodles, Cucumber, Carrots and lots and lots of fresh herbs like Cilantro, Thai Basil, Mint and Shiso Leaf. Unfortunately, my favorite Vietnamese restaurant closed recently near my house and I didn't want to drive downtown to their other location. The solution? I decided to make it myself. Luckily, I have Mint, Shiso Leaf and Thai Basil all growing in my garden and I always have Cilantro in my fridge along with Carrots, Cucumbers and Lettuce. The only thing I was missing was Pork that I could slice to caramelize the Vietnamese way. But, I did have ground Pork so I made Vietnamese style Meatballs in the Broiler and I added just a bit of caramel into the Pork to give it the right flavor. I got that idea from a recipe I saw once and wrote down on a little slip of paper, which I kept, but I am sorry to say that I didn't write down where it came from. So thank you to whomever created that recipe. I topped the salad with chopped roasted Peanuts and I was in heaven. It was so good!  I might not need to order takeout anymore since I love this version so much!

Vietnamese Meatballs

1 pound ground Pork

1 large Shallot, minced

3 Tablespoons Fish Sauce

2 Tablespoons Sugar 

3 Tablespoons Boiling Water

2 Tablespoons Cold Water

Put the Pork into a mixing bowl and add the Shallot and Fish Sauce. Then in a small frying pan, add the Sugar and Boiling Water. Cook over medium heat for about 8 minutes or until golden brown. Then quickly add in the cold water, stir and add to the Pork mixture. Stir to combine, pushing the meat down with a spatula until it becomes somewhat pasty. Shape into about 20 meatballs and place on a baking sheet. Press to flatten. Put into the broiler and cook for 4 - 5 minutes and then turn over and cook for an additional 4 minutes.  

Bun Salad Bowl

8 ounces of Rice Noodles

1 large or 2 smaller Cucumbers, peeled and cut in half

1 large Carrot, peeled

1 small head of Butter Lettuce, washed

1/2 cup of Cilantro Leaves

1/2 cup of Thai Basil Leaves

1/2 cup of Mint Leaves

Optional:  1/2 cup of Shiso Leaves

1/3 cup chopped roasted Peanuts

Cook the Rice Noodles in boiling water from 7 - 10 minutes. Drain and rinse with Cold Water. Place in a serving bowl. 

Remove the Seeds from the Cucumbers using a small spoon.Then cut into julienne pieces about 2 inches long.Julienne the Carrots into similar size pieces. Then slice the Lettuce using a Lettuce knife or tear into thin strips. Place on top of the Noodles. Then sprinkle on the fresh herbs. Lay the Meatballs on top of that and sprinkle with the Peanuts. Pour the Dressing over all and toss before serving.

Nuoc Cham Dressing

1/2 cup Lime Juice

2 Tablespoons Light Brown Sugar

2 Tablespoons Sugar

1 cup Boiling Water

4 Tablespoons Fish Sauce

2 Garlic Cloves, minced

1/4 teaspoon Red Chili Flakes

In a bowl, stir together the Sugar and the Boiling Water. Stir until dissolved and then add in the Lime Juice, Fish Sauce, Garlic Cloves and Chili Flakes.  

Five Element Analysis

Pork belongs to the Water Element and so does the Fish Sauce. The Wood Element is represented by the Lime Juice. The Fire Element is seen in the Lettuce and Chili Flakes. The two kinds of Sugar, the Peanuts, the Cucumber and the Carrot all make sure that the Earth Element is present. And finally the Metal Element is represented by the pungent herbs, the Shallot and Garlic and the Rice Noodles. This then is a perfectly balanced Summer meal!

Greek Salad

In the summertime, I eat a lot of salads during hot weather and I have a lot of different salads that I make, but wanted something a little new and different. I also had someone coming over and decided to make Greek food for dinner, so the perfect accompaniment would be a Greek Salad. I've had lots of them in Greek restaurants, but wasn't that excited by them and not too long ago, a friend of mine - who is half Greek - told me that traditional Greek Salads don't have lettuce in them. I've always had them served with Lettuce - usually Iceberg so I was intrigued. I got her recipe and when I made it, I loved it and so did my guest.

A traditional Greek Salad incorporates Cucumber, Sweet Red, Orange or Yellow Peppers, ripe Cherry Tomatoes, thinly sliced Red Onion, Feta Cheese and Kalamata Olives. The dressing is made with Red Wine Vinegar, Olive Oil, Garlic, Salt and dried Oregano. It's very important to cut the Feta into cubes instead of using it crumbled and it's actually much better to use dried Oregano than fresh. My friend told me to make the Salad dressing ahead of time to let the flavors meld and also to dress the salad at least 30 minutes before you serve it. This is such a great salad that it is joining the summer salad rotation!

Greek Salad

1 large hothouse Cucumber or 4 Persian Cucumbers, ends trimmed (leave peel on) 

1 small Orange Pepper

1 small Yellow Pepper

2 cups Cherry Tomatoes, cut in half

1 cup thinly sliced Red Onion cut in quarters

4 ounces Feta Cheese (Sheep's Milk if possible to find), cut into small cubes

1/2 - 3/4 cup Kalamata Olives        

Cut the Cucumber in half and take a small spoon and scrape out the Cucumber seeds and then cut into 1/4 inch thick half moons. Then cut a think slice off the top and bottom of the Peppers. Then, cut in half and then cut into 1 inch squares - you should have about 1 cup of each. Put the Cucumbers, Peppers, Tomatoes, Red Onion, Feta Cheese and Olives in a large salad bowl. Drizzle dressing over and toss to coat everything. Let sit for at least 30 minutes before serving.  

Dressing

2 Garlic Cloves minced

1/4 cup Red Wine Vinegar

1/3 cup Olive Oil   

1 teaspoon dried Oregano   

3/4 teaspoon Sea Salt

1/2 teaspoon Sugar

1/4 teaspoon fresh Ground Black Pepper   

Place all dressing ingredients in a bowl and whisk together.  Let sit for at least 15 minutes up until overnight before dressing the salad. 

Five Element Analysis

There are so many colors in this salad that you can be pretty sure that most Elements are covered. To start, the Cucumbers belong to the Earth Element. The Yellow and Orange Peppers have both Earth (because of the color) and Fire because Peppers belong to that Element. The Tomatoes and Black Pepper add even more Fire. The Red Onion and Feta along with the Garlic and Oregano make sure that the Metal Element is present.  The Vinegar and Olive Oil contribute the Wood Element and the Calamata Olives bring in a bit of Wood but also some Water o because they are black. The little bit of Salt in the dressing and in the Feta bring in a touch more Water. The Water Element needs a little support, so this would be a perfect salad to go with some grilled Fish, or an Eggplant dish or some Greek soup.