How to Prepare Asian Leafy Green Vegetables

Always wash your produce before consuming it. Asian leafy green vegetables such as water spinach contain lots of dirt on their stems. Moreover, you want to wash off as much of the pesticides as possible. For most Asian leafy greens, you’ll want to submerge the vegetables completely in a large bowl of cold water. Slosh them around gently. Then, lift your vegetables up from the bowl of water to leave the dirt and impurities behind. Repeat at 1-2x depending how dirty your vegetables are. Usually, spinach and taku choy have the highest levels of dirt and require lots of washes. Once your veggies are clean, place them into a colander to drain for at least 10 minutes. Then start making your stir fried water spinach.

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Stir fried water spinach

A simple stir fried water spinach recipe with garlic and miso paste.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Chinese

Keyword stir fried water spinach

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 4 people

Ingredients

• 1 large bunch water spinach
• 3 cloves garlic
• 2 tbsp neutral oil
• 1/2 tbsp miso paste
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 fresno chile sliced, optional

Instructions

• Wash water spinach by submerging it in a large tub of water (mixing bowl). Repeat 2-3 times until the water is clear. Then drain. Cut into 3-inch pieces.
• Heat a large saute pan on high heat. When the pan is hot, add in oil. Add in minced garlic. Allow to become lightly brown, then add in all vegetables and water. Cover with a lid and allow to steam for 2-3 minutes.
• Then remove the lid and stir the vegetables to bring the softened vegetables to the top and place uncooked vegetables on the bottom. Cook with lid covered for another 1-2 minutes.
• Then add in miso paste and soy sauce. Mix thoroughly into cooked vegetables. Cook for another minute and then remove from heat.

A main dish to serve with water spinach could be basil garlic pork stir fry.

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Spicy Peanut Sauce

The easiest spicy peanut sauce for dipping spring rolls.

Course Dips

Cuisine Asian, Vietnamese

Keyword chicken satay with peanut sauce, peanut dipping sauce, spicy peanut sauce, spring roll sauce

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 4 people

Ingredients

• 1/8 cup peanut butter
• 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
• 2 tbsp hot water
• 1 tsp sambal chili paste or to taste

Instructions

• Add together peanut butter, hoisin sauce, hot water, and sambal chili paste into a bowl.
• Microwave for 30 seconds. Then mix well and serve.

This dipping sauce goes well with my Vietnamese pork spring rolls. Just substitute the barbecue pork for boiled shrimp or boiled pork belly.

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Vegan Coconut Overnight Oats

Creamy, sweet, vegan coconut overnight oats topped with fresh blueberries and pecans.

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Keyword overnight oats, vegan coconut overnight oats, vegan overnight oats

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Resting time 8 hours hours

Servings 1 person

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 1/4 cup sweetened vegan vanilla almond yogurt e.g., Oui from Yoplait
• 1/4 cup oat milk
• 1/2 tsp almond extract
• 1 tbsp dried shredded coconut

Toppings

• 1/3 banana
• 1 handful blueberries
• 1 handful pecans toasted
• 1 tsp dried shredded coconut

Instructions

• Combine rolled oats, oat milk, yogurt, almond extract, and dried shredded coconut. Place in refrigerator overnight.
• Prep other ingredients: toast pecans for 4 minutes, then roughly chop them. Slice bananas and wash blueberries. Set aside.
• Place oatmeal mixture into a serving bowl. Then place toppings by row: chopped pecans, shredded coconut, blueberries, then bananas. Optional: add a drizzle of agave or honey for additional sweetness. Serve cold.

For other easy breakfast ideas, check out my strawberry chia seed pudding.

If you have 10 minutes to spare, then you can make pan seared zucchini. Drizzle a little bit of Lawry’s garlic salt and you’re set for your veggies for the evening.

Food does not have to be complicated to be delicious and satisfying. The best part? This side dish is a healthy vegetable. That’s a winning combination for most working adults, especially those with little ones.

Feeding pan seared zucchini to babies/toddlers

For all the young mommies and daddies out there: this zucchini dish can also be served to babies who are eating solids, about 6 months or older. Just make sure to give them the middle parts of the zucchini, which are soft. Edge pieces are usually too hard so make sure to eat those yourself.

For baby-led weaning, make sure you read up on what sizes and shapes are appropriate to feed your baby based on their age and finger grasping abilities. If your baby does not have good finger grasp, then you can give him/her long strips of the soft zucchini. But if your baby does have good finger grasp, cut the zucchini up into chickpea-sized pieces to reduce risk of choking. I found out the hard way because my 6 month old had much better grasp than I realized, and giving her long pieces was a choking hazard.

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Baby Food Roasted Zucchini

Roasted and steamed zucchini for babies

Course Baby Food

Cuisine Baby Food

Keyword baby food, baby led weaning, zucchini for babies

Prep Time 3 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 18 minutes minutes

Servings 2 people

Cost $5

Ingredients

• 1/4 zucchini cut into thin 1 inch strips for babies with poor pincer grasp, cut into chickpea size pieces for babies with good pincer grasp
• 1/2 tsp canola oil
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Place zucchini on a roasting pan. Season with oil and garlic powder, mixing thoroughly.
• Roast zucchini for 4 minutes at 400 degrees. Then cover zucchini with another piece of foil, and place back into oven at 350 degrees. Allow to steam for another 7-10 minutes until zucchini is completely soft. Test the zucchini by smashing a piece with your thumb and forefinger. The zucchini is ready when it can be easily smashed.
• Allow to cool completely, then serve.

For more veggie dishes, check out my balsamic roasted Brussels sprouts with bacon.

Romesco sauce is essentially a Catalan/Spanish-style pesto featuring red bell peppers rather than basil. It is garlicky, rich, sweet, and super yummy! You’ll love it as a spread in your sandwiches, or a dip for your next dinner party.

What nuts should I use for romesco sauce?

-toasted almonds

-toasted pine nuts

Pine nuts are often very expensive, so definitely feel free to substitute for roasted almonds.

Can I use raw nuts?

Ideally you should use roasted/toasted nuts for most pestos or any type of cooking. Toasting the nuts brings out their delicious rich flavor. There is a place for raw nuts (e.g., blended raw cashews for vegan cheesecake), but pestos and romesco sauce need that rich nutty flavor that can only be brought out by toasting your nuts.

How do I toast nuts?

My favorite way to toast nuts is to throw them onto a sheet pan in a 300 degree F oven and let them roast anywhere between 10-15 minutes. Any hotter and you have a high chance of your nuts burning. You’ll know your nuts are done with you smell that nutty aroma and the nuts are golden brown

What do I serve with romesco sauce?

• roasted cauliflower and other roasted veggies
• burger
• pita chips
• pasta
• toast
• sandwiches/wraps

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Romesco sauce

A rich, sweet, and savory blended red bell pepper sauce

Course condiment

Cuisine Spanish

Keyword caramel sauce, pasta sauce, romesco sauce

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 22 minutes minutes

Servings 2 people

Equipment

• 1 food processor

Ingredients

• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 piece jarred roasted bell pepper
• 1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes
• 1/4 cup toasted almonds
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper
• 1/4 tsp lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flake

Instructions

• Roast garlic at 350 degrees F for 15 minutes
• Add roasted garlic to roasted bell pepper, sun dried tomatoes, toasted almonds, olive oil, salt, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, lemon juice, and red pepper flake.
• Using a food processor, blend until the sauce is smooth like the texture of pesto. Scrape down the sides for even blending.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste.

There are so many delicious ways to preserve your food without using preservatives. Tomatoes are a beautiful produce of summer. Unfortunately, food spoils quicker in the summer. Also, since tomatoes are high in water content and have thin skins, they do not last very long once they are picked. In this post, I will show you how to make beautiful oven sun dried tomatoes to help extend the life of your tomatoes.

In the case of tomatoes, you can do the following to make the most of your harvest.

Of course, you could just choose to use up all of your tomatoes right after harvest. The following recipes use tomatoes: Tomato Beef Stir Fry and Thai Papaya Salad, bruschetta.

Other ideas to use up fresh tomatoes:

• ceviche
• salsa
• pico de gallo
• roasted tomatoes side dish
• bruschetta

What can I make with oven sun dried tomatoes?

• creamy pasta with chicken, spinach, and sun dried tomatoes
• make a romesco sauce
• sprinkle them in your salad
• pizza topping
• add them to your cheeseboard for a tangy contrast to meat and cheese

Price Comparison

Sun dried tomatoes cost $3-5 for a 3-oz pack. But you can essentially make them for free if you already grown cherry tomatoes at home. Or if you buy cherry tomatoes, they cost $3.29/lb. Oven sun dried tomatoes are much cheaper if you make them at home.

Store-bought ($1 – 1.67/ oz) vs. Home-made ($.21/ oz).

Sure, these are not very expensive, but the price mark-up is almost 5x the price if you buy store-bought sun dried tomatoes. Try making oven sun dried tomatoes yourself to skip the preservatives and see if you get a better result!

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Oven Sun Dried Tomatoes

Cheating the sun with oven sun dried tomatoes

Course Appetizer, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword roasted tomatoes, sun dried tomatoes, vegetables

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 3 hours hours

Total Time 3 hours hours 10 minutes minutes

Servings 4 people

Equipment

• oven

Ingredients

• 5 lb fresh cherry tomatoes cut in half
• 1 tsp salt or to taste

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.
• Using a chef's knife, cut tomatoes in half.
• Sprinkle evenly with salt.
• Roast butternut squash for approximately 3 hours turning the last hour to allow even roasting.
• When tomatoes have become dried but still somewhat chewy and soft, remove from oven.
• Allow tomatoes to cool. Then place them in a sealed container and refrigerate. These can keep for 1-2 months refrigerated.

Happy cooking! Tag me on Instagram @jennskitchendiary if you’ve made this dish! Would love to see how it turned out!

You are probably rushed for time in the morning, and it’s hard to make time for a proper breakfast.

If you prefer something sweet and light for breakfast, you can grab an apple or make this yogurt parfait.

If you’re in the mood for savory food, you can make this easy vegan avocado toast.

The Joys of Avocado Toast

Ironically, there is a running joke about Millennials and our avocado expenses. Who knows if my extravagant spending on avocados will prevent me from ever being a homeowner? But I do know this: home ownership is not for everyone, so bring on the avocados!

If you like simple foods for breakfast that are healthy and easy to prepare, avocado toast is perfect for you! You have the freshness of the sliced veggies and the creaminess of avocado.

How to Make Avocado Toast

1. Pick a bread- sourdough, wheat, ciabatta
2. Find a ripe avocado-the flesh should give when you push gently with your finger
3. Choose seasonings- garlic salt, seasoned salt, pepper, everything bagel seasoning
4. Pick toppings: fresh herbs, eggs, bacon, thinly sliced tomato, onion, cucumber, radishes
5. Add citrus: lemon/lime juice helps to brighten up your avocado toast

FAQ:

How to keep my avocado from turning brown?

1. Squeeze lemon/lime juice on the surface of the avocado flesh. For guacamole, mix lemon juice into the mashed avocado.
2. If possible, keep seed in the avocado/guacamole.
3. Wrap with cling wrap. For guacamole, make sure the cling wrap touches the surface of the guacamole and pushes out any air in between the cling wrap and guacamole.
4. Refrigerate.

How do you ripen an avocado quickly?

Place avocados in a paper bag along with a banana or apple. Close up the paper bag and place the bag in a cool dry place. Do not leave your avocados in the refrigerator if you want them to ripen. Only refrigerate after your avocados are already ripened.

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Easy Avocado Toast

Course Main Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword sandwiches, vegan, vegetables

Ingredients

• 2 slices whole wheat toast
• ½ avocado sliced
• 1 Persian cucumber thinly sliced
• 1 Roma tomato thinly sliced
• 1 squeeze of lime juice
• 1 pinch garlic salt
• 1 pinch fresh ground black pepper
• 1 pinch everything bagel seasoning optional

Instructions

• Place toast in a toaster/toaster oven and allow to toast for 5-10 minutes at 300 degrees F.
• Slice avocado, cucumber, and tomato thinly. Set aside.
• When toast is golden brown and crispy, layer cucumber on and sprinkle sparingly with garlic salt. Then layer tomato and sprinkle sparingly with garlic salt.
• Lastly, top with avocado.
• Add a little splash of fresh squeezed lime juice on top of avocado toast. Add a small sprinkle of garlic salt and fresh ground black pepper.
• Optional: Add everything bagel seasoning.

Happy cooking! Tag me on Instagram @jennskitchendiary if you’ve made this dish! Would love to see how it turned out.