Lobster Stuffed with Artichoke Hearts & Portobellos

Like life, food blogging requires balance. Trying to chronicle every meal that crosses our table can be taxing, and there are times when we crave cooking's simple creativity without the responsibility of recording a recipe. Here's a dish from our repertoire with only a photograph as evidence. It's sumptuous and inventive, and will likely appear in the future!

Awhile back, Adam found frozen, lobster tails on sale for a ridiculous price. (Thanks, Matt!) We almost always buy our seafood fresh, but these tails were just a few dollars apiece. When the time came for our lobster extravaganza, we wanted something different than the routine butter and lemon. We consulted our favorite cookbook, The Flavor Bible, for ideas. If you have basic cooking skills and you only buy one cookbook, make this the one.

Who knew that lobster paired with mushrooms and artichoke hearts? The Flavor Bible does. Creamy, tender hearts and sautéed portobellos compliment buttery lobster beautifully. A mushroom reduction yielded an intensely flavored gravy that begged to be slathered over mashed garlic potatoes.  A slight dusting of panko and Parmesan, steamed beet greens for color (and vitamins), and a sprinkling of parsley finished the plate!

Blackened Tofu Mushroom Burger with Wheat Tortilla Chips

Adam and I grew up at opposite ends of coastal Orange County. He spent his younger years riding the sidewalks and waves of San Clemente, while my toes spent most of their time planted in the sands of Newport Beach. Reluctantly famous, Laguna Beach is precisely between the two. If you don't know it personally, please take 10 seconds to forget the Laguna you know from The Real OC and let me introduce you properly.

Things you would find in the REAL Real Laguna Beach of the '90's: Artists, festivals, Birkenstock-shod hippies, bead stores, homeless guys staring at each other intensely over chessboards, Hare Krishnas, secret coves, rickety staircases to the sand, and local businesses like Hemp in the Hollow, Fahrenheit 451, Tippecanoe, and Taco Loco. Taco Loco serves up all kinds of delicious food from lobster tacos to blackened tofu mushroom burgers. Baskets of thick tortilla chips make you ever thirstier for another ice-cold Mexican beer. Adam and I share independent memories of sitting outside on rickety plastic chairs drinking beer and watching the summer crowds amble past. That, and epic blackened tofu mushroom burgers.

We sought to satisfy our mutual craving without braving insane summer beach traffic. We played with the flavors a little, but we think you'll enjoy it! Finding some extra-firm organic tofu at Mother's Market, we went to town on these burgers! High-quality tofu is essential for this sandwich. If at all possible, check out a vegetarian or ethnic market and buy extra-firm organic tofu.  Enjoy!

Serves 3-4

INGREDIENTS:

• 12 oz pkg super firm tofu (or extra firm) - ideally squarish (sliced = burger)
• about 20 cremini mushrooms
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 3-4 slices of swiss cheese
• 2 Tbsp spicy BBQ sauce
• 1 onion, halved crosswise and sliced into 1/2" thick slices
• 1 avocado
• 1 large heirloom tomato
• juice of 1 lime
• 3 Tbsp cilantro, minced
• salt
• sandwich thins (or buns)
• blackening seasoning
• cooking spray
• iceberg lettuce
• whole wheat tortillas (about 2 per person)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Begin by removing all water from the tofu. Remove tofu from packaging and wrap in a few paper towels. Place on counter and gently place a heavy object (pan, cutting board, etc...) on top to apply pressure to the tofu. Allow to sit for 10 minutes.
2. Remove paper towels and slice into 4 thin slices or 3 thick slices. 
3. Add 1 Tbsp olive oil to frying pan over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and onions and saute until softened and brown, about 10 minutes. Stir in BBQ sauce and keep on warm.
4. In bowl, combine diced avocado, diced tomato, lime juice, cilantro and a pinch of salt. Stir and set aside.
5. Preheat oven to 350'. Spray both sides of tortillas with cooking spray. Stack tortillas on top of each other and cut into 6ths. Forming 6 stacks of chips. Arrange on baking sheets and sprinkle with a touch of blackening seasoning and salt. 
6. Bake 10-15 minutes until crispy, turning over chips and rotating trays half way through. Remove from oven.
7. Heat large non-stick pan or cast-iron grill pan. Coat with cooking spray. Spray tofu slices with cooking spray and sprinkle liberally with blackening seasoning. Flip over and coat other side.
8. Put tofu slices on grill and grill on each side until crisp and blackened, about 5 min per side.
9. Melt swiss atop tofu, if desired and lightly grill sandwich thins or buns.
10. To assemble, put tofu slices atop the buns and garnish with lettuce, mushroom/onion mixture and extra BBQ sauce. Top with the avocado/tomato salsa or serve alongside with the chips.
11. Enjoy!

Mushroom Egg Foo Young - The Healthy Way!

The first time I had Egg Foo Young, it was part of a post-drinking Chinese food binge. Adam un-boxed a deep-fried monstrosity that supposedly contained eggs and bean sprouts, smothered in an unidentifiable brown gravy. I was overwhelmed and, honestly, a little grossed-out.

While brainstorming for Vegetarian Week, Adam insisted we make Egg Foo Young the healthy way. I couldn't see how such a thing could possibly exist, and I admit to trying to knock it off the menu with a dozen other ideas. Part of teamwork is compromise, and his persistence kept it on the menu.

Once Adam detailed his recipe, I was immediately on-board. Despite the atrocity I had witnessed (from the only local Chinese food place that offers delivery), Egg Foo Young is really just an omelet with a savory sauce. Our sauce uses three different mushrooms for extra flavor, and our egg foo young is packed with crunchy bean sprouts and green onions. It's light, healthy, and satisfying, without the guilt and abhorrent calorie count of the deep-fryer! This dish is very low-calorie, but you could reduce the fat by using a few more egg whites and less yolks in your egg mixture. For those not worried about the extra calories, serve over rice!


Per Serving: Cal: 300, Fat: 20g, Protein:14.5g

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 large green onions, sliced (whites separated from greens)
• 4 large shitake mushrooms, diced
• 2 handfuls oyster mushrooms, chopped
• 2 portabello mushrooms, gills scraped out and stemmed, diced into 1" cubes 
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 Tbsp peanut oil
• 1 Tbsp sesame oil
• 2 Tbsp mirin
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 16 oz chicken-less broth
• 2 Tbsp cornstarch
• 1/3 cup cold water
• 9 eggs
• 4 cups bean sprouts, rinsed

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 250'
2. Heat peanut oil and sesame oil in wok over medium high heat. Add garlic, white part of green onions and mushrooms.Saute until softened and golden, 5-8 minutes.
3. Add mirin and soy sauce and simmer on medium-high 5 minutes. Reduce heat and simmer.
4. In large bowl combine 9 eggs, 2/3 of green parts of green onions and 4 cups bean sprouts. Toss with hands! Do not beat!
5. Bring sauce back to a boil. Mix cornstarch with 1/3 cup water, stir with fork until milky. Slowly drizzle the mixture into the mushroom sauce, stirring to blend. Simmer on low.
6. Heat grill pan or skillet with cooking spray or oil.
7. Drop ladle-ful of egg/sprout mixture into skillet and cook until bubbling and golden on the bottom. Gently flip and cook on the other side.
8. Remove from pan and place on baking sheet in oven to keep warm while you do the rest.
9. To serve, arrange egg on plate, top with mushroom gravy and green onion slices.

Summer Corn Soup with Black Bean Sweet Potato Quesadilla

Day 2 of Vegetarian Week brings another delicious meat-free (and easily vegan-ized) recipe! Nothing says summer  like the sunny taste of sweet corn right off the cob! Pureed then strained, this soup is a clean corn extract that explodes with flavor. Incidentally, corn isn't just a summer treat, it's exceptionally high in fiber, contains protein (who knew?! over 5g in 1/2 cup!), and is a significant source of vitamins and minerals (especially B6, thiamin and magnesium). It is very high in carbohydrates (as a percentage of total calories), but the serving size of this soup is a small cup, so don't sweat it!

Quesadilla with no queso? Yup, I said it! What's wrong with us? We worship dairy cows here at the BMK, and despite cheese not returning that affection, we love the stuff passionately. This queso-less-dilla satisfies that gooey-stuff-between-two-tortillas-sensation that we're pretty sure everyone enjoys. Sweet potato, roasted then mashed, fills in for melted cheese while a spicy black bean salsa adds texture, protein, and dietary fiber. Quickly crisped in a pan, then sliced and served alongside the soup, this dish is a dipper's delight!

Vegan? Omit the crumbles of goat cheese!

Recipe from The Chubby Vegetarian Serves 4


INGREDIENTS:

Corn Soup

• 8 ears of corn (broken in half)
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 chipotle pepper
• 4 cloves garlic, smashed
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• chili salt (equal parts chili powder and cracked salt)
• cilantro leaves, diced
• 4 Tbsp Goat Cheese, crumbled
• 1, lime in 4 wedges

Black Bean Sweet Potatoe Quesadillas

• 4 large or 8 small whole wheat tortillas
• 1 large sweet potato
• 1 large handful black beans (soaked overnight and cooked till tender) or 1 can low salt black beans
• 1 handful cilantro leaves and stems, chopped
• 1/2 small onion, chopped
• 1/2 lime, juiced
• 3Tbsp of jarred or fresh jalapenos, diced
• spray olive oil

DIRECTIONS:

1. Slice sweet potato into 1.5" thick rounds. Spray with cooking spray. Place on baking sheet and bake in oven at 375' until fork tender (about 45 minutes). Remove flesh and mash. Set aside.
2. Combine quesadilla ingredients from black beans through jalapenos. Toss gently and set aside.
3. Begin soup by bringing a large pot of water to boil.
4. Add corn ears and boil until tender 5 minutes. Remove from boiling water and run under cold water.
5. Slice kernels off cob by holding cob vertically and slicing downwards.
6. In pot, heat 1 Tbsp olive oil. Add onion and garlic and saute until golden about 6-8 minutes.
7. Add all but 1/4 of the corn, chipotle pepper, and broth. Bring to a simmer.
8. Puree in blender or with immersion blender until as smooth as possible - 5-7 minutes.
9. Strain soup through sieve. Discard solids.
10. Add soup back to pot and add remaining corn.
11. Ladle soup into bowls, sprinkle with chili salt, cilantro leaves, a squeeze of lime and some goat cheese.

Poblano Tamales with Homemade Enchilada Sauce

Welcome to Vegetarian Week!

All this week on the BMK you will see delicious and inventive vegetarian recipes from vegetarian food blogs and our own test kitchen! I know what you're thinking, but I swear vegetarian food doesn't have to be boring! Mapping out our menu required extra thought to conjure something exciting and new, and it all had to support our rigorous exercise regimens. We both train hard all week, and I'm training for a triathlon! Off we went, pedaling our beach-cruisers to the new Mother's Market to load up on various grains, legumes, organic produce, and seasonings.

Vegetarianism requires exploration into foods uncommon in the American diet: kale, sea vegetables, quinoa, wheatberries, flax seeds, pumpkin seeds, and seitan make excellent substitutions for the protein you lose when going vegetarian. It's more than just avoiding meat and eating iceberg lettuce salads! You can get all the vitamins, minerals, and protein your body needs from plant-based sources, but it takes education. As a nation, Americans have become lazy about our diets. We want convenience, little or no preparation, long shelf-life, and low cost. Any diet worth eating takes imagination, creativity, preparation, and forethought. This week is about super-clean, real, unprocessed, unpackaged, wholesome, nutritious food that happens to be meat-free.

This dish is incredible. You must make the homemade enchilada sauce. It's worth the little work that it takes and makes enough for a second meal (freeze for later)!

* This meal can be vegan if you omit the sour cream garnish!*

Recipe from The Chubby Vegetarian    Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:
Enchilada Sauce:

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium onion, roughly chopped
• 2 dried anaheim peppers (we used guajillo) stemmed & seeded
• 4 chipotle peppers (2-3 if you're sensitive to heat)
• 1-28oz can diced tomatoes
• 4 cloves garlic, smashed
• 1/2 green bell pepper, roughly chopped
• 2 cups water
• 1 Tbsp agave syrup

Poblano Tamales

• 1 cup hot water
• 1 not-beef bouillon cube
• 1 cup masa harina (masa flour)
• 1/2 Tbsp baking powder
• 1/3 cup vegetable shortening
• 1 can black beans, drained
• 1 ear corn, kernels removed
• 1/2 green bell pepper, diced
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 large poblano peppers (also called pasilla)
• sour cream and cilantro for garnish

DIRECTIONS:

1. Begin with the enchilada sauce. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in large pot over medium heat. Add dried chilies and toast in oil until translucent and fragrant. 
2. Add onion and cook 1-2 minutes.
3. Add chipotle peppers, tomatoes, garlic, and bell pepper.
4. Add enough water to cover the vegetables. Stir.
5. Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer. Simmer, uncovered for 45 minutes.
6. Use an immersion blender to blend sauce until smooth. 
7. Add agave syrup, stir to mix.
8. Keep on low heat (freeze extra!)
9. In small bowl, dissolve bouillon cube in hot water. 
10. In another bowl, whisk shortening until it's fluffy.
11. In larger bowl, mix masa and baking powder. Add shortening and cut in with spatula or fork. Add broth. 
12. Mix gently, do not overwork!
13. Add corn, beans, onion, green pepper and garlic to masa and mix in.
14. Cut off the top of each poblano pepper and set aside, remove seeds and tap out any extra with your hand. 
15. Fill each pepper with masa-veggie mix. Pack it in as tight as possible, you want no air bubbles!
16. Pack filling into any holes in pepper tops. Place tops back on peppers and wrap tightly in foil.
17. Place a metal colander in a large soup pot with enough water (do not let water get into colander)!
18. Place foil wrapped poblanos in steamer. Steam for 1 hour.
19. Remove from pot. Preheat oven to 400'.
20. Unwrap peppers (just open the packets up) and place on baking sheet. Brush with a touch of olive oil. 
21. Bake for 10-15 minutes until peppers are slightly colored and wrinkled.
22. Serve with sauce, sour cream, and cilantro!

* Note: If you have more filling than peppers, you can pack a round ball onto a square of parchment paper. Fold the parchment paper over to form a "tube". Then twist the ends to make a pinched log. Twisting the ends compacts the tamale into a firm cylinder. Wrap in foil and steam/bake the same way!

Profiteroles with Green Tea Ice Cream & White Chocolate

My passion for pâte à choux is no secret! It's hard to bungle, and can be made in roughly 30 minutes; perfect for last-minute gatherings. Did I mention that pâte à choux can be made into savory appetizers or sweet desserts? It's a delicious blank canvas just waiting for artistry!

I craved something light and unique to end an Asian-influenced dinner with friends. Anything too sweet, too heavy, or overwhelming would conflict with the theme of the dinner. Japanese matcha green tea ice cream compliments airy pâte à choux beautifully. Slightly sweet, slightly bitter green tea flavor is balanced nicely by a tiny drizzle of sugar-laden white chocolate.

Enjoy!

Makes about 20-30 pate choux
INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 4 large eggs
• 1 large egg yolk 
• Green tea ice cream (matcha, preferrably)
• 1/2 cup white chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. 
2. Line 2 large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. 
3. Bring 1/2 cup water, milk, butter, sugar, and salt to boil in heavy large saucepan. 
4. Stir in flour; cook over medium-high heat, stirring vigorously, until dough is smooth and pulls away from sides of pan, about 1 minute. 
5. Transfer hot mixture to standing mixer (or bowl and use an electric hand-mixer). 
6. Beat dough with paddle attachment at medium speed until slightly cool, about 3 minutes. 
7. Add 3 eggs, a little at a time, beating until blended after each addition. Beat in egg yolk until blended.
8. Scoop batter into a zip-loc bag and snip a small triangle of the corner off. Squeeze rounds of batter about the size of small eggs onto prepared sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart. 
9. Beat remaining egg in small bowl to blend. Brush tops of profiteroles lightly with beaten egg. 
10. Bake 15 minutes. Reduce oven to 375°F. Continue baking until puffed and dark golden brown, about 15 minutes longer.  
11. Reduce heat to 325 and continue to cook until they sound hollow when tapped on the bottom. Check often and slice one open as a test. it should have plenty of airy hollows, but not be wet inside. 
12. Transfer to rack to cool completely. (Can be made 1 week ahead. Store in airtight container in freezer. Remove from freezer a few hours before continuing.)
13. Melt white chocolate in microwave by heating in small bowl at 30 seconds, stirring and then 30 more seconds, until smooth.
14. Slice profiteroles in half. Top bottom half with a scoop of ice cream. Place top half of profiterole on ice cream and drizzle with white chocolate.

Pizza with Morels, Asparagus and Prosciutto

The other night after dinner, we stopped by the brand-new Mother's Market on 19th Street to check out what the new, larger store had to offer. For those of you outside Orange County, Mother's is a local grocery store that caters to special diets and healthy eating. Eat raw food only? Vegan? Gluten-Free? Looking for hard-to-find vitamins/supplements? Need a gift for your hippie friend? It's all under one roof at Mother's! Each store also contains a healthy-eating restaurant; we're looking forward to dining at the new one. While browsing the towering aisles, we found a whole section of dried exotic mushrooms. Dropping a reasonably-priced bag of morels in our cart, we talked about its journey from the bag to the plate.

I wanted a dish that would showcase this unique fungus, instead of losing it in a mushroom sauce. A bit of digging led me to this recipe (courtesy of the always amazing Zen Can Cook). Caramelized onions, thin diagonals of asparagus, torn pieces of prosciutto and, (of course) re-hydrated morels.

The result was one of the most elegant and sumptuous pizzas we've made! Slightly smoky, a touch salty, with  a balance between rich mouth-feel and a light taste, this pizza is definitely morel-worthy!

I am awful at transferring an assembled pizza to the pizza stone, so my technique below is a bit different. Feel free to get your pizza in the oven whatever way works for you!

Makes 1 pizza
INGREDIENTS:

• Pizza dough, for 1 pizza (it was a weeknight so we used Trader Joe's ready made!)
• 4 thin slices of prosciutto, torn into pieces
• 1 package dried morels, about 4 oz (about 15 mushrooms)
• 7 stalks asparagus, trimmed and sliced into thin diagonals
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 1 cup+ mixed Fontina and Parmesan (we used Trader Joe's Quattro Formaggio blend)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Check pizza dough instructions (or make your own)
2. Rehydrate morels by placing in a small bowl and covering with 1 cup water. Cover and allow to rehydrate 15-20 minutes. Strain and reserve liquid for another use! (Don't throw away! Make risotto, quinoa, cous cous, pasta ...)
3. Heat olive oil and 1 Tbsp butter in medium pan over high heat. Add onions and saute until softened, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-high and continue to cook until golden and caramelized.
4. Remove onions from pan. Add garlic, morels and 1 Tbsp butter. Saute 5 minutes until fragrant. Remove from heat.
5. Preheat oven to 450', dust pizza stone with flour or cornmeal and place in oven.
6. Remove pizza stone and place on trivets. Quickly transfer the round of pizza dough to stone and continue to stretch out to fit the stone.
7. Quickly top with caramelized onions and oil from the onions.
8. Sprinkle with half of the cheese
9. Add asparagus, prosciutto and morels. Top with last half of cheese.
10. Bake until crust is golden brown and bubbly.
11. Remove from oven and rest 5 minutes before cutting. Enjoy!

Sweet Potato (Satsumaimo) Pancakes

Sweet potato pancakes have been popping up all over the blogosphere recently and I, for one, am intrigued. I woke up hungry on Sunday and discovered we didn't have all the necessary ingredients for a cohesive breakfast. We had eggs, but no toast or omelet fixings. There were pancake ingredients, but no fruit for topping. Then I spied a gigantic sweet potato perched in our vegetable basket.

After getting to know the roasty-sweet Japanese sweet potato, Satsumaimo  hold special place in our hearts (and bellies). I usually associate potato pancakes with the latke variety: shredded, fried until crisp, then topped with savory delights; but this pancake, dear readers, is completely different. Think pumpkin pie meets pancake: a pancake simultaneously rich and light. Sweet without syrup. Fluffy yet substantial. Whole wheat, milk and sweet potatoes? I can almost convince myself they are downright nutritious, but it's Sunday, and that means butter and brown sugar are invited to the table.

Enjoy!

Serves 4
INGREDIENTS:

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 3/4 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp salt
• Pinch nutmeg
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 3 teaspoons melted butter, plus more for greasing skillet
• 1 1/2 whole eggs
• 1 large sweet potato, cooked until tender, peeled and pureed 
• butter, syrup
• toasted coconut for topping

DIRECTIONS:

1. Roast potato! Poke a few holes in the potato, wrap in foil, bake at 400' for 40-60 minutes.
2. Once tender, remove from foil, slice in half, scoop out flesh and mash with a fork.
3. Whisk flours, baking powder, sugar, spices and salt. 
4. In separate bowl, whisk milk, eggs and butter.
5. Mix both bowls along with sweet potato until everything is evenly mixed (no dry parts).
6. Heat a touch of butter or cooking spray in flat skillet or pan over medium heat. 
7. Add pancake batter in 1/4 cup scoops
8. Bake until bubbles appear and bottom (peek under!) is golden brown. Flip and cook until golden brown on underside.
9. Serve with toasted coconut on top of each pancake and stack! 

Tom Kha with Cabbage Dumplings

In our kitchen, everything edible, even the unfamiliar and perplexing are granted the opportunity to shine! With a little research and creativity, new dishes emerge from old favorites. We've never cooked with savoy cabbage, so when Adam came home with one, we had a task before us: To make something with this cabbage outside the sleepy realm of, well, cabbage.

Boiled cabbage. Braised cabbage. Steamed cabbage. Yawn, yawn, yawn. Then I found a recipe with one of  our favorite words: dumpling. Well, hello, bright idea! Satisfying, yet light, Tom Kha (Thai coconut, lime, galangal, spicy soup) with ground chicken and shrimp cabbage-wrapped dumplings. The delicately flavored soup base lets the dumplings shine. Extremely nutritious and full of tasty goodness, this soup can also be entirely vegetarian if you use vegetable stock and tofu/mushroom instead of ground meat. See asterisks* for substitutions.




Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 cans coconut milk
• 1 quart chicken stock (or vegetable stock*)
• 5 (1/4" thick) slices galangal root (if you can't find, use ginger)
• 3 stalks lemongrass, bottom third only. Bruise stalks with back of knife or heavy object
• 5 kaffir lime leaves (or use zest of 2 limes, peeled thickly for easy removal or wrapped in cheesecloth)
• 2 Tbsp+ red curry paste
• 1 can straw mushrooms
• 1 small can bamboo shoots
• juice of 2 limes
• handful cilantro leaves
• 1 green onion, thinly sliced
• red or green thai chilis (birds eye) thinly sliced (or small hot chilis)
• salt, to taste
• fish sauce, to taste (or use a dash of light soy sauce*)
• 1 head savoy cabbage, leaves removed
• 1/2 lb ground chicken
• 1/2 lb shrimp, minced 
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 shitakes, minced
• 1 bunch of green onions (dark green parts only), thinly sliced for dumpling ties

DIRECTIONS:

1. In large pot, combine broth, coconut milk, galangal (or ginger), lime leaves (or zest), lemongrass, and curry paste. Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer.  Add fish sauce to taste (or soy sauce). Simmer 40 minutes.
2. Combine chicken, shrimp, garlic, and shitakes in bowl. Season with pepper.
3. Prepare cabbage leaves by cutting each leaf into two pieces, by removing the center rib.
4. Bring medium pot of water to boil. Blanch cabbage leaves 2-3 minutes until softened and bright green.
5. Remove from pot and allow to cool to touch.
6. Quickly blanch green onion strips in same hot water 30 seconds. Remove and cool.
7. Lay out one cabbage leaf, fill with a small spoonful of filling (about the size of your thumb-tip length).
8. Fold once lengthwise, tuck in ends, then fold over lengthwise again (like a burrito). Tie carefully with green onion strip and knot.
9. Repeat until all dumplings are completed.
10. Remove galangal root, lime zest and lemongrass from soup. Add mushrooms, bamboo shoots and salt, to taste. Gently bring back to a high simmer.
11. Add dumplings and cook about 5-6 minutes, check one to make sure meat is done.
12. Ladle soup and dumplings into bowls, garnish with chilis, cilantro and green onions.

Balsamic Chicken Portobello Sandwiches

Anyone who's explored the realm of healthy eating has experienced the culinary hell known as chicken breasts and steamed vegetables. Yawn. Snore. Kill. Me. Now. When on a health-push, Adam is good at convincing himself that he likes plain chicken breasts and steamed broccolini. I can make it through maybe two days of that before I go off the deep end and wind up rolling around in` tater tots and dirty martinis.

To avoid such downward spirals of gluttony, I task myself to create healthy meals that trick my senses; making them think I'm eating something sinful. I'll admit, I was dubious about this recipe. Plain old chicken drizzled with balsamic and herbs? How exciting could this get? Surprisingly, it was outstanding! Oven-roasted portabellos are the key to keeping this sandwich from being dry and boring. Who knew a healthy chicken sandwich could be so delicious?!

Serves 4 (2 dinners, 2 lunches next day)
Recipe from Clean Eating

INGREDIENTS:

• 16 oz boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 2 portabellos (about 8oz)
• 3 Tbsp fresh rosemary
• 3 tsp fresh thyme 
• 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2-3 tsp balsamic vinegar
• 4 whole wheat foccacia (about 4x5 inches each), halved
• 2 large tomatoes, sliced
• 2 small green onions, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup basil, thinly sliced
• 8 oz part skim mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 400'. Line a sheet pan with foil and spray with cooking spray. 
2. Slice chicken into 1/2" strips and arrange around outsides of baking sheet
3. Slice mushrooms in thin strips and place in center of baking sheet.  
4. Whisk rosemary, thyme olive oil and vinegar and drizzle over chicken and mushrooms. Roast for 15 minutes, flipping stuff over halfway through.
5. Toast foccaccia until crisp. Top bottom halves with mozzarella, chicken, portabellos, tomatoes, basil and scallions. Cover with top half, slice in half and enjoy!

Bourbon Glazed Salmon with Wild Mushroom Risotto

Like that quiet girl you know who's actually a closet party animal, this healthy meal hides a dirty little secret. Instead of the usual white wine, this sinful sliver of salmon is bathed in bourbon and honey. A quick flash under the broiler yields a sticky-sweet surface that gives way to succulent, flaky salmon.

To call the side wild mushroom risotto is a little misleading. You probably think you're signing up for soft, melty rice, but like that quiet, whiskey-gulping librarian in the glasses, I also have a secret: I'm lazy and risotto takes time. Thankfully, my laziness resulted in a healthier side dish! Quinoa and couscous are cooked separately in the broth of wild mushrooms then tossed with a dash of butter, shallots, and fresh shitakes.

Finish the plate with oven-roasted asparagus tossed with high-quality olive oil, sea salt, and fresh-cracked pepper and you're done! This meal is easy. You can prepare it in advance. You can cook it in 10 minutes. You can drink whiskey on the side, and I won't say a word.

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 pcs of wild Atlantic salmon (preferably sustainably caught)
• 1" knob of ginger, peeled and grated finely
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 2 spoonfuls of honey 
• juice of 1 lime
• 2 Tbsp bourbon
• 1 green onion, thinly sliced
• 1 bunch of asparagus

• salt and cracked pepper
• olive oil (high quality)

• 1/2 cup couscous
• 1/2 cup quinoa
• handful of mixed dried mushrooms (4 oz) 
• 1 1/2 cups boiling water
• 1 shallot, diced
• 1 Tbsp butter
• Sesame seeds
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh wild mushrooms or shitakes
• 1/2 cup reserved mushroom broth (you will make above)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Place 4 oz dried mushrooms in a glass or non-metal bowl. Pour boiling water over and cover. Let steep 20 minutes.
2. Place salmon in ziploc bag. In bowl, whisk ginger, garlic, soy sauce, honey, bourbon and lime juice. Pour over fish and allow to marinate in zip loc bag while you prep everything else.
3. Snap bottom ends off asparagus and discard. Toss with 1 tsp olive oil, salt and pepper and set on foil lined baking sheet. Set aside.
4. Chop fresh mushrooms into 1" segments.  Chop shallot and set aside.
5. Strain  mushrooms out of boiling water (mushroom broth) and finely mince. Mix with fresh mushrooms.
6. Place 1/2 cup quinoa in small pan with 3/4 cup reserved mushroom broth. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce to simmer and cover until fluffy and tender about 15 minutes.
7. Also, bring 1/2 cup reserved mushroom broth + 1 tsp olive oil to boil in small pan over high heat. When boiling, turn off heat. Add 1/2 cup couscous, cover and cook until fluffy, about 5-7 minutes.
8. Heat butter in large pan over medium heat. Add shallot and mushrooms and saute 2-3 minutes. Add couscous, quinoa, salt and pepper and stir until heated through. Keep warm. Add mushroom broth if dry, by the tablespoon.
9. Preheat oven to 400'. Place asparagus in oven and roast 5-7 minutes, turning occassionaly.
10. Place fish on foil lined baking sheet and place in oven. Nearest to heat source. (We used a small convection oven, so we placed it on the top rack with the top burner on).
11. Bake 6-10 minutes, turning sheet once. Keep an eye on the asparagus and remove once tender. 
12. To serve, plate quinoa/couscous mix, asaparagus and salmon. Garnish salmon with sesame seeds and top 'risotto' with green onion slivers.

Soba Noodle Salad with Cashew Dressing - Vegan!

It's gearing up to be a hot summer and that means cool, crisp salads will be coming your way here at the BMK! Varying the texture and flavor of each bite is a great way to keep your salads interesting, and this nutty-veggie-noodle salad has plenty of everything to spare. Tons of vegetables! Buckwheat noodles! Protein! Healthy-fat-rich nuts! Tastes great hot, delicious cold, and it's only a dollar! STEP RIGHT UP! (Any Tom Waits fans out there? Helllloooo?)

For our more carnivorous readers, add any meat you choose or leave as it is for a perfect summer meal.

Simple. Nutritious. AMAZING.

Note: If you don't have a food processor, purchase cashew butter (unsalted) instead of the cashews and whisk ingredients together.

Serves 2
 
INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 cup cashews
• 2 Tbsp Braggs Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1-2 Tbsp sambal oelek, chili garlic paste or sriracha
• 2 Tbsp sesame oil
• 2 Tbsp mirin
• 2 Tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 clove garlic
• 2 green onions, sliced diagonally
• 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 carrot, shredded
• ½ head nappa cabbage, thinly sliced
• Optional Items: sliced mushrooms, snap peas, seared tofu, seitan, etc…
• 2 servings of soba noodles (if you can’t find, sub with any whole grain noodle)
• Sesame seeds, to garnish

DIRECTIONS:

1. Place cashews, apple cider, chili paste, sesame oil, mirin, rice vinegar, and garlic in food processor and blend until smooth.
2. Prepare all vegetables and set aside.
3. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add soba noodles and cook according to directions. Ideally you want to boil soba until it’s firm but tender, not soggy or soft. Drain into a colander and run hot water over the noodles.
4. Return noodles to pan. Add sauce. Toss. Stir in vegetables. Serve with additional items such as tofu and garnish with sesame seeds.

Miso Black Cod with Roasted Japanese Sweet Potatoes

Who knew fish could be sexy?! Before you think I've lost my mind, you should try black cod. It's a sustainable fish from Alaska that is high in protein and polyunsaturated fats and vital minerals. The Black Cod's fat content yields an unbelievably delicate, rich, luxurious bite after bite after bite.Instead of flaking when done, this fish simply separates the moment your fork touches it into smooth shards of deliciousness.

Traditionally over-complicated by overnight marinade and rare ingredients, miso-glazed black cod can be made in weeknight time and with very little effort. I laughed when I came across Mark Bittman's article on the subject. Sometimes recipes can be fussy, pretentious, and just plain obnoxious. Multi-day recipes can be fantastic, but you should know that you can get fantastic results without all the fuss.

Warm local honey perfectly compliments miso's subtle brine. Snappy, diced green beans and freshly-shelled spring peas add a splash of color and are the perfect palate-cleanser. Satsumaimo (Japanese sweet potato) is a new (and permanent) addition to the BMK! We love them, and you should get your hands on some ASAP! On weekends outside our local Japanese market, they sell these deliciously sweet and starchy Asian spuds. For your dollar (or two) you get a freshly roasted tater in a brown paper bag. The smell intoxicates and they taste remarkably like roasted chestnuts. If you see them - give them a try, you won't be disappointed!

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 pc Black Cod (1/3 lb ea)
• 1/4 cup miso paste (ideally white miso)
• splash of white wine, sake or mirin (whatever you have handy), enough to make the miso creamy
• big spoonful of honey
• handful of green beans, blanched in boiling water 1 minute, sliced on the diagonal
• handful freshly shelled peas, blanched in boiling water 1 minute
• 1 green onion, green part only, sliced on the diagonal
• 2 small Japanese sweet potatoes, cut into 1" thick rounds

DIRECTIONS:

1. Pat cod dry. 
2. Whisk miso, wine (or sake or mirin) and honey. Brush over cod and seal in plastic bag. Leave on counter while you prepare everything else.
3. Preheat oven to 400'. Brush cut surfaces of potato with cooking oil, place on baking sheet and bake for 15-20 mintues until tender, turning once.
4. Preheat broiler (we used our toaster oven), remove fish from plastic bag and place on foil lined baking sheet. Broil or cook on high heat until surface of fish is slightly caramelized. Watch carefully so that it doesn't burn!
5. Cooking time is approximately 8 minutes, depending on thickness of fish. Check center for doneness.
6. Serve fish over beans and peas, garnish with sliced green onions and serve potatoes alongside. 

Lean Meatball Sub!

The words lean and meatball sub aren't from the same part of town, but that doesn't mean they can't meet occasionally for a good time! From the wrong side of the health-food tracks, meatballs are traditionally made with fattier ground meat, mixed with breadcrumbs and egg, then pan-fried. That doesn't mean they can't be dressed up for polite company. Hometown meets uptown with this against-the-grain hero!

Smaller meatballs (about 1" in diameter) cook quickly, and less time spent on weeknight cooking equals more time relaxing after your day! This recipe makes more than enough for 2 servings, so you can use the remaining meatballs, sauce, and roasted vegetables over whole wheat pasta the next day.

Buon Appetito!

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 lb lean ground beef
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• handful, minced onion
• 1/4 cup rolled oats
• 1 Tbsp Oregano
• salt and pepper
• Cooking spray
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced zucchini
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced onion
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced bell pepper
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan
• 2 whole wheat foccacia baguettes (roughly 4"x5" ea), sliced in half
• 1/2 cup+ low sodium, low fat organic Marinara Sauce

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 400'
2. In bowl, combine beef, garlic, minced onion, rolled oats, oregano, salt and pepper. Combine with hands.
3. Line two baking sheets with foil (or parchment paper) and spray with cooking spray.
4. Form ping-pong size balls of meat and place (not touching) on baking sheet.
5. Toss zucchini, onion and bell pepper with 1 Tbsp olive oil. Spread on second baking sheet.
6. Bake both sheets in oven for 5 minutes.
7. Remove meatballs, turn them over. Cover with tomato sauce.
8. Bake both sheets another 10 minutes.
9. Turn heat down to 350'. Toss vegetables. Cook until done about 5-8 minutes more. Remove both sheets from oven.
10. Scoop out a little of the center of each baguette. Toast until warm and crisped.
11. Top bottom half of bread with veggies, meatballs and a sprinkling of parmesan.
12. Serve!

Curry Beef Biryani with Mango

Clean Eating Magazine is getting a lot of stove-play lately. If you haven't heard of it, check it out. Fresh, unprocessed, nutritious meals that can be made in weeknight time! I first heard about Clean Eating through Oxygen Magazine's columnist, Tosca Reno. Her approach to food is a breath of fresh air in a world where trendy, fad diets seem to rule the magazine stands.

Curry Beef with Wheatberries and Mango!? What's not to love??? This recipe has you making your own curry powder (a unique blend of spices), but you can use pre-made curry powder as well. Thin slices of beef, tender peas, fresh cherry tomato halves, sweet diced mango, and protein-rich wheatberries make an excellent dinner that reheats well for tomorrow's lunch!

As always, be creative! If you don't eat beef - try chicken, tofu, or seitan. Can't find mangos? Use nectarines or papaya! Don't let the exact ingredients limit you!

Serves 4
INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 cup wheatberries
• 1 medium onion, sliced into rounds
• 5 cloves garlic, sliced thinly
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1-2 mangos, peeled and diced
• 1/2 cup fresh (or frozen) peas
• 16 oz bison sirloin or grass-fed beef sirloin, cut into thin strips
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon 
• 1 tsp coriander
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 2 tsp ginger (ground)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Place wheat berries in a pot. Cover with 1" water. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cover. Simmer until tender, 30-40 minutes. Drain and cover to keep warm.
2. Heat olive oil over medium high heat. Saute onion for 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook 2 more minutes, stirring frequently.
3. Stir in spice mixture, salt, and meat. Saute until meat is thoroughly cooked. Stir in mangos & peas, cook until coated in spice mixture and softened.
4. Stir wheat berries into curry mixture. Stir to coat. 
5. Serve and garnish with tomato halves.