FoodFash

Adventure Begins in the Kitchen

Detox

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I recognize that most people wait until after the new year to get back into the swing of real life, but I just couldn’t wait.  I’ve been off of work since the 23rd and after seven days of acting like a college kid, I’m done.  I was getting lazier by the second, changing out of one pair of pajamas only to jump into another.  It was a problem, this laziness.

I went to Rollin’ Oats last night and stocked up on everything and anything that looked blend-able.  Yup, in pajamas.  Pajamas that I graciously disguised as yoga gear.

Let’s just be thankful that I made it out of the house.

FoodFash Jump Start Smoothie

yield: 32 ounces

2 kale stalks, de-stemmed

1/4 papaya, seeds removed

1/2 lemon, seeds removed

1-2 inches of ginger, skinned and sliced

2 tablespoons honey

1 cup of pure aloe vera juice

1 cup of water

1 cup of ice

I blended the aloe vera, honey, ginger, and lemon (with peels) first to make sure they were completely pulverized before adding the remaining ingredients.  The lemon was definitely potent, but it completely masked any signs of papaya – which is a good thing because I find papaya to be… SO gross.  This smoothie wasn’t delicious by any means, it was merely OK, but with the following health highlights there’s no complaining going on here!

Kale – Contains over 45 flavonoids.  Studies show that flavonoids that have anti-allergic, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, and anti-cancer properties.

Papaya – Contains papain, which is an enzyme that helps digest proteins.  They are also a rich source of vitamin C, flavonoids, folate, pantothenic acid, potassium, magnesium, and fiber.

Lemon – Contains flavonoids that have antioxidant and anti-cancer properties.

Ginger – Has numerous therapeutic properties including antioxidant effects, an ability to inhibit the formation of inflammatory compounds, and direct anti-inflammatory effects.

Raw Honey – Contains phytonutrients that have been shown to posssess cancer-preventing and anti-tumor properties.

Aloe Vera Juice – Aids with digestion.

Source: WHFoods.com

Sriracha Kale Chips

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Watching the incredibly cute video below reminded me that kale chips were on my baking to-do list.

Cute, right?  I love when he says “it seems to me that we can either pay the farmer or we can pay the hospital”.  So true!

Knowing that I’d want a spicier chip, I added a hefty amount of Sriracha.

Foodfash Sriracha Kale Chips

8 ounces of kale, de-spined and broken into bite sized pieces

2 tablespoons of olive oil

2 tablespoons of Sriracha

salt to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix the olive oil and Sriracha in a small bowl.  Dry the kale completely and then drizzle the olive oil and Sriracha mix over the kale.  Use your hands to massage the kale, making sure that every piece has been coated.  Place the kale on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet and bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until the kale is crispy.

The kale chips were exactly what I was expecting taste-wise: crispy, spicy goodness.  However, I did not anticipate how addictive they’d be.  I placed the bowl of chips next to me as I was editing photos and by the time I was finished with the photos, the kale chips were finished as well.  Oops!

Do you find kale chips addictive?  Have you tried any surprisingly good flavor combos?

Vegan Lettuce Wraps

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I must have tofu-ed myself out for a bit because it’s been a while!  I browsed through VegTimes for some inspiration and stumbled upon a recipe for spicy tofu lettuce wraps.  Yum.

I stared at the onion for a few minutes, picturing how badly my eyes were going to burn.  I thought of the Pampered Chef chopper buried somewhere in cabinet land and my eyes began to thank me.  I knew this gadget worked well with onions, but it also saved me some time with the ginger and lemongrass as well.

I smooshed the pressed tofu between my fingers like nobody’s business.

And added one handful of shredded carrots and two handfuls of baby spinach after the tofu was cooking and before adding any seasoning.

It’s amazing how just a tad bit of ginger and lemongrass can transform a dish into something wonderful.

In addition to the above modifications, I also used Bragg’s Liquid Aminos in place of soy sauce and opted for two tablespoons of Sriracha.

I was super satisfied with this recipe and think that it will hold up well for leftovers tomorrow.  The water chestnuts and the carrots added a predictably awesome crunch.  The tofu soaked up flavors from each and every ingredient.  And, in my opinion, this would be the perfect dish to serve someone who is wary of tofu.  Thanks VegTimes!

And… We’re Back!

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Wow.  The past 48 hours have been nuts!  After the whole server/wordpress/blog hack, and subsequent wipe out, I was one big ball o’ stress.  And to add just a dollop of additional (and unnecessary) stress, I thought now would be the perfect time to give FoodFash a makeover.

The first makeover was a total doozie.  Each time I refreshed the screen, I couldn’t believe how much more I had destroyed what I had already considered a disaster.  Luckily, StudioPress has a return policy, so I was able to return the old theme and swap it out for a more vibrant, more girly, more me theme!

With that all said and done, it was time to peel away from my computer screen and get back into the kitchen.  I bought some pho-like ingredients at the market earlier in the week that needed to be used ASAP.

FoodFash Faux Pho

6 cups of water

2 Not Chick’n Bouillon Cubes

1/4 cup Allegro Hot & Spicy Marinade

2-3 heads of baby bok choy, chopped

3.5 ounces of shitake mushrooms, stemmed and quartered

2 handfulls of bean sprouts

4 ounces of ramen noodles

Bring water, bouillon, and marinade to a boil.  Add the ramen noodles, mushrooms, and bean sprouts and boil for 4 minutes or until ramen is fully cooked.  Remove the pot from heat and add the baby bok choy.  Stir until the leaves are wilted and serve.

I had been searching for pho recipes for quite some time and never found the yummy, simple recipe I had in mind.  The hot and spicy marinade gives the soup a bold flavor and a decent kick, while the bean sprouts add crunch and texture to ordinarily soft noodles.  And I recognize that this recipe isn’t technically pho in any shape or form, but shhhh…. My belly doesn’t know the difference.