Edamame and Goat Cheese Spread

For the longest time, I associated edamame only with Asian cuisines. It is delicious in the little pods, sprinkled with coarse salt, but shelled edamame can be so much more versatile than Japanese restaurants would lead us to believe. The first time I had edamame with goat cheese, my world was rocked. Whole new possibilities for the little green soybeans opened up, and life has been better ever since. A local Asian fusion restaurant we stumbled upon a few years ago was serving edamame dumplings with goat cheese, truffle oil, and pea shoots in a miso broth. We ordered one bowl only to order another because they were just too delicious.

This spread borrows from that edamame- goat cheese combination we had, but uses lemon and chives to brighten it up and extra-virgin olive oil to round it out.  While I call it a spread, it doubles as a dip and just may replace your favorite hummus this spring. It is green, tangy, and bright, and I promise it could not be easier.

Edamame and Goat Cheese Spread

1 cup fozen shelled edamame, thawed
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons fresh goat cheese (local if you can find it!)
2 tablespoon fresh chives, chopped
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 lemon, zested and juiced
generous pinch or two of salt, to taste

Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor and blitz until mostly smooth, scraping down the sides as necessary. Use it like hummus, and serve alongside vegetables, on crostini, or on a sandwich. Makes about 3/4 cup.

Cast Iron Skillet Bibimbap

At certain restaurants we go to, especially the ones where the menu stays nearly the same year-round, I order the same thing each and every time. If it is not broken, why fix it? I will still peruse the menu as if I am going to mix things up, but I invariably do not. I am like my grandfather who listens to all 32 ice cream flavors with immense enthusiasm only to order....vanilla. It is not that I am not an adventurous eater, it is just that I usually have chosen to eat at that restaurant because I have been craving that specific menu item.

In college, we ventured to our favorite local Korean/ sushi restaurant and I decided to really go wild and order not my usual order, the one I had ordered every few weeks for the past two years, but this noodle dish that I had spotted on the menu. One bite later, I was throwing a mini-tantrum because they were not at all good, terrible really, and I knew I should have stuck with my regular order of the stone-pot bibimbap.

Bibimbap is a Korean dish composed of a beautiful rainbow of gently cooked vegetables seasoned with sesame oil atop rice. Tofu or meat, with or without an egg, can be added. While it can be served cold or room temperature, my favorite way to eat it is hot, served in a stone pot called a dolsot. I love the way the rice turns golden and crispy on the bottom. It reminds me of that crispy layer you find on the bottom of a Spanish paella. Traditional bibimbap gets tossed with a generous dousing of gochujang, a red chili pepper paste, and I know my Korean friends would be disappointed to know that I do not really care for the paste and never put it on. My little sister once thought I had forgotten to put it on and dumped it all over my virgin bibimbap for me only to find out very quickly that I had not forgotten.

I had been wanting to try to make the dish at home for a while, but I always wondered how I would achieve that addictive crispiness without a dolsot. It was silly, really, that I did not think of using a cast iron skillet as a substitute before. And it works spectacularly. The pan is brushed with a generous film of sesame oil, brown rice is packed on top, and vegetables are arranged in neat little piles. More sesame oil is drizzled along the sides, and then the skillet cooks over medium high heat until the rice becomes toasty. I added a fried egg, sprinkled a little chopped toasted nori and toasted sesame seeds all over for extra goodness. I do not serve mine with gochujang because it is not something I care for, but feel free to serve it alongside or add another hot sauce.

For guidance in preparing the bibimbap, I referenced this recipe from Martine of Petit World Citizen and adapted it to suit my preferences and what I found worked best in the kitchen. It really is delicious.

Cast Iron Skillet Bibimbap

4 cups cooked short-grain brown (or white) rice (short-grain gives the best texture here )
1/2 pound shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and julienned
2 medium or 3 small carrots, peeled and julienned (see pic below on how to julienne carrots)
1 small zucchini, julienned
1/4 pound (about 1 cup) bean sprouts
3/4 cup shelled frozen edamame, thawed
5 ounces fresh baby spinach
1 garlic clove, minced
1 egg
vegetable oil or other neutral oil, divided
3-4 tablespoons sesame oil, divided
1-inch x 6-inch strip of nori, toasted and cut into 1/8-inch strips, optional for garnish
2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds, optional for garnish
gojuchang paste or other hot sauce, optional for serving

Using one pan, cook the vegetables in stages. Heat 2 teaspoons neutral oil in pan over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, a sprinkle of salt, and saute until cooked, about 4-5 minutes. Remove from heat, drizzle with 1 teaspoon sesame oil, and set aside.

Add another teaspoon of neutral oil to pan, add the carrots, a sprinkle of salt, and saute until crisp-tender, about 3-4 minutes. Set aside.

Add 1 teaspoon of neutral oil to pan, add zucchini and cook until crisp-tender, about 3-4 minutes. Set aside. Repeat with bean sprouts, adding 1 teaspoon of neutral oil to the pan and cooking until just wilted and some of water has been released, about 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

Add 1 teaspoon neutral oil to the pan, add the minced garlic clove, the fresh spinach, and a sprinkling of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally until spinach wilts. Remove from heat, pressing any extra water from the spinach, and toss the cooked spinach in a bowl with 1 1/2 teaspoons of sesame oil.

Assemble the bibimbap. Brush a cast-iron skillet (10 inches or larger) with 1 tablespoon of sesame oil. Add the cooked rice in an even layer. Create piles of vegetables atop the rice. Drizzle 1 1/2 tablespoons of sesame oil along the inner rim of the skillet. Heat the skillet over medium-high heat and allow to cook for 7-10 minutes or until you hear the rice start to crackle and crisp. It will smell a little toasty, too. You can always take a peak at the rice to check for crispiness, knowing that the center will be a tad toastier than the edges usually and there will be some residual cooking even when you remove the pan from the heat. Remove the skillet from the heat.

Add a fried egg or two or three or four. Sprinkle with nori pieces and toasted sesame seeds, and if desired, add gojuchang paste. Admire the rainbow of vegetables, then give it a good mix and enjoy! Serves 4.

Spicy Udon Noodles

I am sure you have all heard that carrots are good for your eyes. Or at least that is what your mother told you to get you to eat your carrot sticks. But it is true! They contain vitamin A and beta carotene which help with the maintenance of the retina. But do you know what else are good for your eye health? It turns out, a lot of things. It is undeniable that nutrition affects not only how your body feels, how your body appears, but more importantly, how your body functions. As we age, it becomes crucial to support and maintain some of those body parts and systems that start to fade with our diet. Eating consciously can help slow some of those natural processes.

One such natural process of aging is vision loss. For example, age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of vision loss for those aged 55 and older in the United States and affects more than 10 million Americans. AMD results from the breakdown of the macula of the retina which then causes loss of central vision. You probably know someone who has experienced this incurable disease. The only cure is prevention and prevention comes in the form of a diet rich in particular nutrients.

May is Healthy Vision Month and as a daughter and sister to two ophthalmologists who see how this disease debilitates so many patients, I feel compelled to share preventative measures you can take in the kitchen to help prevent eye diseases such as macular degeneration. The American Macular Degeneration Foundation (AMDF) recently released a book entitled Eat Right for Your Sight, and it is an invaluable resource to those wanting to use their diet to reduce their risk of vision loss or slow the process if it is already occurring. It not only offers an easy-to-understand explanation of the disease and lists what nutrients and how much of those nutrients are vital to healthy eyes, but it also offers original recipes with ingredients that contain those nutrients. Some recipes are contributed by famous chefs such as Alice Waters, Ina Garten, and Andrew Weil, and all are easy to read (and I mean literally- the font is large!) with readily available ingredients. I always love a cookbook with good pictures, and this one has some great ones.

The major eye-healthy nutrients highlighted throughout the recipes are:

• Beta-Carotene (carrots, winter squash, spinach, cantaloupe)
• Lutein/ Zeaxanthin (aka carotenoids)  (greens such as kale, spinach, broccoli, and eggs, and tomatoes)
• Omega-3 Fatty Acids (salmon, walnuts, flaxseeds, sardines)
• Vitamin A (sweet potatoes, carrots, beef liver, dried apricots, butternut squash)
• Vitamin C (oranges, kiwi, strawberries, red bell peppers)
• Vitamin D (salmon, mushrooms, beef liver, eggs, fortified milk)
• Vitamin E (almonds, sunflower seeds, peanut butter, avocados, wheat germ)
• Zinc (shellfish, cocoa powder, peanuts, fortified breakfast cereal, beef)

One particular note that I appreciated in this cookbook was the page highlighting "Good Food Combos." For example, Vitamin C enhances the absorption of iron from plant-based sources so they recommend serving citrus or strawberries with spinach. Vitamin D enhances calcium absorption. Furthermore, healthy fats are essential to optimum nutrient absorption of fat soluble vitamins A, D, E, K.  They suggest pairing avocado with grapefruit, olive oil with carrots, dressing with greens, or broccoli rabe with pine nuts, as I do in my Broccoli Rabe and Chickpeas with Toasted Garlic Breadcrumbs and Pine Nuts.

You can find a link to some of the recipes featured in the book here, and a link to more information about AMD and the American Macular Degeneration Foundation here.

I strongly recommend this cookbook as a gift to anyone who has an older family member or friend. Or if you are of that age, it is worth the investment. It is a wonderful resource to anyone looking to understand their health and to take charge of reducing the risk of vision loss that can come with aging.

After reading through the book and making a note of way too many recipes I wanted to try, I settled on the Spicy Udon Noodles because I had been craving something with exotic flavors. Other recipes that I dog-eared for later were the:

• Carrot-Cumin Soup
• White Bean Soup with Kale
• Celery, Grapefruit, and Avocado Salad
• Crunchy Cabbage Salad
• Mango Pico de Gallo
• Rice Paper Salmon with Satay Drizzle
• Broccoli with Sun-dried Tomatoes and Pine Nuts
• Blueberry Smoothie
• Jody's Peach Soup

These noodles are addicting. They are a little sweet, a little spicy, veggie-packed, and delicious. It recommends you choose six cups of mixed vegetables, and I chose zucchini, broccoli, bok choy, and carrots. The addition of red bell peppers would have increased the Vitamin C in the dish, but I completely forgot to pick them up from the store. The sauce comes together in a pinch and you sprinkle everything with aromatic basil, mint, cilantro, and roasted peanuts. I made a few modifications to the recipe based on what I had on hand, and you can see my changes in the parentheses. I also modified the cooking procedure just a little as it suggested to add all of the vegetables at once, but I felt certain vegetables (namely the broccoli and carrots) would need a little more time than the zucchini and bok choy. This is reflected in the instructions you see below. I added chopped scallions at the end to garnish with the fresh herbs although it recommends adding them in with the other vegetables to saute. Give this recipe a whirl- either the original version or mine. Your tastebuds will thank you, as will your eyes.

Spicy Udon Noodles

Zest and juice of 1 orange
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce (I used peanut butter)
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce (I used low-sodium tamari)
1 tablespoon Asian chili paste (I used Sriracha)
11/2 tablespoons sugar (I used 1 1/2 large pitted dates)
11/2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon canola oil (I used coconut oil, melted)
11/2 tablespoons minced garlic
11/2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
6 cups mixed cut raw stir-fry vegetables (broccoli, bok choy, zucchini, onion, scallion, red bell peppers, carrots) (I used broccoli, carrots, zucchini, and bok choy)
3 cups cooked udon noodles (9 ounces dry)*
1/4 cup freshly chopped basil leaves
1/4 cup freshly chopped mint leaves
1/4 cup freshly chopped cilantro leaves
2 tablespoons chopped dry-roasted peanuts, for garnish

Make the sauce. Combine the orange zest and juice, hoisin sauce (or peanut butter), soy sauce, chili paste, sugar (or dates), and vinegar in a bowl; set it aside. If you are using peanut butter and dates like I did, I found it easier to puree everything in a mini food processor.

Combine the sesame oil and canola oil (or melted coconut oil) in a small bowl.

Heat 2 teaspoons of the oil mixture in a skillet over high heat. Add the garlic and ginger and stir-fry until they begin to color, about 1 minute. Add the remaining oil mixture to the pan, and add the mixed vegetables and stir-fry until crisp-tender, 1 to 3 minutes. Stir constantly. I added the carrots and broccoli first and cooked for 1 minute. I then added the zucchini and bok choy and cooked for another 1-2 minutes or until crisp-tender. Add the noodles and reserved sauce. Cook for 1 minute more, tossing to combine. Add the basil, mint, and cilantro; toss to mix. Serve hot; garnish with the peanuts and scallions, if using. Serves 4.

* To cook the udon noodles: Bring water to a boil in a medium-large pot, and add a generous pinch of salt. Add the noodles and cook for 6-8 minutes, checking for doneness around 6 minutes. You want them al dente or with just a bit of bite. Remember there will be a little residual cooking as they rest and they will be heated again in the sauce. Immediately drain and set aside while you prepare the other ingredients.

Recipe from Eat Right For Your Sight: Simple Tasty Recipes That Help Reduce the Risk of Vision Loss from Macular Degeneration, By Jennifer Trainer Thompson and Johanna M. Seddon, copyright © American Macular Degeneration Foundation, 2014. Reprinted by permission of the publisher, The Experiment. Available wherever books are sold. 

Disclaimer: I was contacted by the publishers of Eat Right for Your Sight to review their cookbook, but all opinions are my own.

Roasted Carrots and Lemony Millet with Black Garlic and Herbed Yogurt

Carrots are rampant at the farmers' market right now. Tender and sweet, they are begging to be the star of a dish and not just the side show. A few weeks ago, I spotted Izy's beautiful carrot dish on her blog, Top with Cinnamon, and knew I had to recreate a version of it for myself at home. The carrots are left whole, slow roasted until they become fork-tender and a little caramelized, and then topped with an herbacious yogurt sauce spiked with funky black garlic. Now I just happened to have black garlic on hand from a recent market purchase of Obis One black garlic, but I am sure a little minced garlic sauteed slowly in a little olive oil until softened will sweeten and mellow its flavor and make a fine substitute. Or if you have roasted garlic clove on hand, even better. Mix that in for a substitute. I add a bit of brightness to Izy's original version with lemon juice and zest as I love the combination of mint, yogurt, and lemon.

This dish is eye-catching. I served it atop millet tossed with lemon juice, zest, salt, and a glug of good quality extra-virgin olive oil. To make it a meal, add some chunks of avocado and a handful or two of cooked beluga lentils or maybe a hard-boiled egg. This is a great dish that can be made ahead of serving time and can be eaten when the carrots and millet are warm or at room temperature. Just be sure to dollop on the cool yogurt sauce before ready to serve. Millet is a bit finicky as a grain once cooked and chilled in the refrigerator, so sprinkle it with drops of water before reheating so that it becomes soft again.

Roasted Carrots and Lemony Millet with Black Garlic and Herbed Yogurt

Carrots:
1 pound carrots, washed, peeled, and tops removed
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt

Lemony Millet:
1 cup millet
2 cups water
juice of 1 lemon
zest of 1/2 lemon
2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste

Black Garlic and Herbed Yogurt Sauce:
1/4 teaspoon black garlic (about 1 clove), minced (see note)
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup 2% plain Greek yogurt
juice of 1 lemon
zest of 1/2 lemon
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

For serving:
3 tablespoons pumpkin seeds (pepitas), toasted (see note)
handful of chopped fresh mint, for sprinkling
handful of chopped fresh cilantro, for sprinkling

Roast the carrots. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking pan with parchment paper or a Silpat. Toss the carrots with two tablespoons of olive oil and a sprinkling of salt. Mix and spread into an even layer. Cover the pan with foil and place in the oven. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil, turn the carrots, and bake for 15-20 minutes more or until the carrots are fork tender and beginning to brown at the tips. Remove from the oven and set aside.

Prepare the millet. Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a pot. Add 1/4 teaspoon of salt and the millet and stir. Bring back to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer. Cover pot and allow to cook on low for 25 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat, leaving it covered, and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Fluff the millet with a fork, add the juice of 1 lemon, the zest of 1/2 lemon, and 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil. Taste and add more salt if needed.

Prepare the yogurt sauce. In a blender or mini food processor, add all of the ingredients and process until smooth. Taste and adjust for salt, and set aside.

Transfer the millet to a platter. Spread the cooked carrots on top and top with the herbed yogurt sauce. Sprinkle with toasted pumpkin seeds and more fresh herbs. Enjoy! Serves 4 as a main course

Notes:
* as a black garlic substitute, you can use a gently sauteed chopped garlic clove or roasted garlic clove
* to toast pumpkin seeds if you only have raw, heat them in a dry skillet over medium heat for 8-10 minutes or until golden and a little puffed

Asparagus, Fennel, and Pear Salad with Citrus Dressing

Fennel is one of those vegetables that people either love or hate. I happen to love its bright licorice flavor in all forms- raw, roasted, shaved, gratinéed. I really fell in love with it during my study abroad in Italy. In Rome, it was casually mixed into salads much like we toss carrots into mixed greens. In Sicily, it was most often paired with Sicilian oranges, briny olives, and local extra-virgin olive oil.

Oftentimes people think they do not like fennel until they have it in the right preparation. I have seen self-proclaimed fennel-haters gobble up the last bits of a caramelized fennel dish as roasting it mellows and sweetens its flavor. In this salad, I make the vegetable a little more approachable in a different way. I thinly slice it so that it can wilt in the citrus dressing and pair it with a popular spring vegetable- asparagus. I add crunchy sweet pear, nutty hazelnuts and salty Parmigiano-Reggiano to make this a salad that you will probably want to double or even triple, even if you are serving fennel-haters. It is so refreshing, so crisp, and so bright.

I recommend serving this salad within an hour or two after mixing as it will really begin to wilt. Right before serving, sprinkle with the Parmigiano-Reggiano, if using, and the hazelnuts so that they can retain a bit of their bite. The salad can sit longer, but it will continue to wilt and will not be quite as crunchy.

Asparagus, Fennel, and Pear Salad with Citrus Dressing

1/2 bunch asparagus, tough ends removed
1 small fennel bulb with fronds
1/2 firm pear, thinly sliced and then chopped (I used a firm Barlett pear)
1 cup cooked chickpeas, drained
1/2 lemon, zested and juiced
1/2 orange, zested and juiced
1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/4 teaspoons sea salt
1/4 cup shavings of Parmigiano-Reggiano (I used a vegetable peeler)
1/4 cup hazelnuts, toasted and skinned, and chopped
freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Prepare the vegetables. Use a vegetable peeler to thinly shave asparagus stalks. Set shavings aside and then finely chop remaining pieces, including tops. Thinly slice fennel bulb. Pluck off about 2 tablespoons of fennel fronds and roughly chop. Prepare pear and set aside.

Prepare the dressing. In a medium bowl, mix juice and zest from lemon and orange, extra-virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper to taste. Whisk briefly to combine. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.

Add the vegetables to the bowl with the dressing and toss to coat. Readjust seasoning. Right before serving, sprinkle with Parmigiano-reggiano shavings and toasted hazelnuts. Best served shortly after assembling. Serves 4. 

Notes:

• Leave out cheese if making vegan. You may have to add a little more salt to make up for the difference.
• To toast and skin hazelnuts, toast in a dry skillet over low to medium low heat for 8-10 minutes or until golden. Use a towel to rub the hazelnuts together to remove their papery, bitter skins.
• Substitute walnuts or almonds for hazelnuts.
• Substitute a firm, crisp apple if you do not have a pear on hand.