1-Pan Tempeh Bolognese

This hearty, 1-pan tempeh bolognese is a plant-based take on a classic that pairs perfectly with pastas, eggplant parmesan, lasagna, and more! Plus, it comes together in just 30 minutes. Let me show you how it’s done.

This bolognese starts with sautéed onion, mushrooms, and garlic for a flavorful base. Then comes finely grated tempeh, which cooks in the pan until seared. It’s important to use a pan large enough that the tempeh has room to sauté.

1-Pan Tempeh Bolognese from Minimalist Baker →

* This article was originally published here

36 Hours in Ghent

By SETH SHERWOOD from NYT Travel https://ift.tt/2TkzhSp

Tsukemono – Misozuke (Miso Pickling) 味噌漬け

Do you know you can pickle fresh seasonal vegetables and fish with miso? Known as Misozuke, these Japanese miso pickles are one of the easiest Tsukemono you can make at home. The result is unmistakably umami, and so good with plain steamed rice! 

Misozuke (味噌漬け), literally Japanese soybean paste (miso) pickling (zuke), is one of the easiest Japanese pickles known collectively as tsukemono (漬物). Miso pickles can easily be made at home with miso paste and it preserves the ingredients for a long time.

This topic is part of the tsukemono series that I’m introducing on Just One Cookbook. For a detailed introduction, please read Tsukemono: A Guide to Japanese Pickles.

Tsukemono has several types based on the pickling agent:

• Shiozuke (塩漬け) – salt
• Suzuke (酢漬け) – vinegar
• Amazuzuke (甘酢漬け) – sugar and vinegar
• Misozuke (味噌漬け) – miso
• Shoyuzuke (醤油漬け) – soy sauce
• Kasuzuke (粕漬け) – sake kasu (lees)
• Shiokojizuke (塩麹) – rice koji/mold-cultured rice
• Nukazuke (糠漬け) – nuka (rice bran)
• Karashizuke (からし漬け) – Japanese hot mustard karashi
• Satozuke (砂糖漬け) – sugar

I will be covering each one of them at a different time, but today we’ll focus on Misozuke. In this recipe, we will pickle two types of vegetables: radishes and carrots.

What is Misozuke?

Misozuke (味噌漬け) is to pickle ingredients in miso or miso-based mixture, or it also refers the miso-pickled food. The common ingredients for misozuke include:

• Vegetables (cucumber, carrot, burdock root, daikon, eggplant, celery, etc)
• Meat
• Fish or seafood
• Tofu
• Cheese
• Egg yolk

After pickling, the vegetables are eaten as they are (raw) while meat and fish are baked/cooked.

How to Pickle in Miso

The pickling “marinade” is called Misodoko (味噌床) and the mixture is made of miso, sake, mirin, and sugar. It’s very easy to make Misodoko: all you need is to mix all the ingredients together. You can also include the following flavor-boosters if you like:

• Kombu
• Red chili pepper
• Garlic
• Ginger (grated)

After you put your ingredients in the misodoko, refrigerate. If you don’t plan to eat misozuke with meat or fish in the same week, you can also freeze it, but recommended to cook it soon.

For any ingredients with lots of moisture, excess moisture should be extracted prior to pickling to prevent mold growth.

• For fish, it is best to sprinkle salt and draw out excess moisture.
• Vegetables such as daikon radish, carrot, burdock, cucumber, and ginger, should be sun-dried, dried under shade, or salted. 

Best Pickle Time for Misozuke

In general, the recommended pickling time varies from 2-3 hours to half day to 2-3 days. Why such a big range? The “perfect” timing for each misozuke varies depending on 1) salt content in the miso you’re using, 2) the type of ingredient you pickle, and 3) how you eat it.

1. Salt Content: White miso has less salt, so you may need to pickle for a longer time than red miso, which has a higher % of salt.
2. Ingredient: Thin and softer vegetables can pickle really fast as opposed to thick and tough vegetables. If you cut the vegetable into smaller pieces, pickling is faster.
3. Eat With Rice: Japanese often prefers to eat something salty when eating plain steamed rice. It’s entirely up to you how ‘salty’ you want your misozuke to be.

Considering the above factors, I recommend tasting your misozuke to decide on the pickling time.

Helpful Tips for Making Misodoko

1. Separate the misodoko

Make sure to separate the pickling mixture/ marinade for vegetables (eat them raw) and meat/fish (need to cook). Or you can use new/newer misodoko for vegetables, and when it’s about to expire, use it for marinating meat and fish.

2. Use a glass container or resealable plastic bag

A glass container works great if you plan to use the misodoko for a long time. It is easy to put in or take out the ingredients and to transfer the misodoko out of the container if you need to cook off the moisture (see next). It also keeps the shape of fragile ingredient (such as a thin fillet of fish) intact.

A resealable plastic bag is good for a small amount of misozuke. Use just enough amount of misodoko to coat your ingredient and rub it against each other from outside the bag.

3. You can re-use misodoko for up to 1 month

The great thing about misodoko is that you can re-use it for up to a month! When the misodoko becomes watery from moisture released from the ingredients, all you need to do is to reheat in the pot over the stove and let the moisture evaporate. Let the misodoko cool before you use it to make Misozuke again.

4. Don’t throw away misodoko

When you’re done with misodoko, you can use the marinade for seasoning your stir fry dishes or as a sauce for your dish. You just need to make sure to cook the sauce.

5. Remove excess misodoko (important!)

When you finish pickling meat/fish, make sure to remove any excess misodoko from the meat/fish before cooking. Miso will burn easily and you do not want your dish to be charred.

What Type of Miso to Use

Although it might be common to use the bold-flavored of red miso for misozuke, any type of miso can be used. Even red miso varies in flavors and some regions use white miso for misozuke. If you are new to misozuke, use the miso you have in your fridge to start. It’s the perfect way to use up the leftover miso in the tub, too. You can read all about miso to be familiar with different types of miso.

For this recipe, I used my favorite miso, Kodawattemasu by Hikari Miso®, that I’ve been using for over a decade in my kitchen. Thank you Hikari Miso® for sponsoring this post!

This slow-aged red koji miso is actually the #1 selling miso from Hikari Miso®. It is free of additives and preservatives, is made of organic soybeans and rice, and has a rich and mature flavor with the full-bodied umami of soybeans and the sweetness of the rice.

Where you can buy Kodawattemasu by Hikari Miso®: 

• Japanese grocery stores (Nijiya, Mitsuwa, Marukai, local mom-pop shops, etc)
• Asian grocery stores (including Chinese/Korean grocery stores)
• Tokyo Central Online ($7.48)

On a side note, “Kodawattemasu” (こだわってます) in Japanese means “I’m particular (about the quality of miso and the miso-making process).” It may be hard to memorize, so just remember the green label with No.1 on the package!

How to Enjoy These Miso Pickled Vegetables

The beauty of misozuke is you could simply enjoy the pickled foods with steamed rice. The miso pickled radishes and carrots are perfect for anyone who follows a vegetarian or vegan diet. You’ll love it with this Vegan Miso Soup. Otherwise, you can serve it alongside with another protein dish such as Saba Shioyaki (Grilled Mackerel) or Seared Scallops.

Japanese Ingredient Substitution: If you want to look for substitutes for Japanese condiments and ingredients, click here.

Sign up for the free Just One Cookbook newsletter delivered to your inbox! And stay in touch with me on Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, and Instagram for all the latest updates.

Tsukemono – Misozuke (Miso Pickling)

Do you know you can pickle fresh seasonal vegetables and fish with miso? Known as Misozuke, these Japanese miso pickles are one of the easiest Tsukemono you can make at home. The result is unmistakably umami, and so good with plain steamed rice! 

Misodoko

• 1 cup miso ((300 g))
• 2 Tbsp mirin ((30 ml))
• sugar ((optional))

Optional Add-ins

• 10 cm kombu
• garlic
• red chili peppers
• grated ginger

Ingredients to Pickle (Read blog post)

• 2 carrots ((5-6 cm))
• 5 radishes ((250 g))

1. Gather all the ingredients.
   

Make Misodoko

1. We make 2 bags. For radish misozuke, we make a plain misodoko. In a medium bowl, combine ingredients for misodoko and mix well. 

   

2. For carrot misozuke, I add kombu and garlic cloves for additional flavors. Cut the kombu into thin strips and mix all together. Other optional add-ins include red chili and grated ginger, etc.

   

3. Transfer each misodoko into a resealable bag or glass container with a lid.

   

Prepare Vegetables

1. Rinse the radish under water nicely. Peel the carrot and cut it in halves lengthwise.
   

Pickle the vegetables in the Misodoko

1. For the radish misozuke, add the radish in the plain misodoko, remove the air, and seal the bag. Rub with the miso from outside the bag.

   

2. For the carrot misozuke, add the carrot and several cloves of garlic (peeled) to the bag with kombu strips in it. Rub the vegetables with miso from outside the bag.

   

3. Store in the refrigerator. Depending on the ingredients, misozuke is ready from 2-3 hours to 2-3 days.

   

4. Remove the radish from misodoko, wiping off any excess miso. Cut it in half and serve.
   
5. Remove the carrot from misodoko, wiping off any excess miso. Cut it into smaller pieces and serve.
   

Reuse of Misodoko

1. When you find your misodoko has some liquid in it, transfer it to a saucepan. Cook it on a low heat and let the liquid evaporate. You can re-use misodoko for up to a month. Please read the blog post for more details.

   

Japanese Ingredient Substitution: If you want to look for substitutes for Japanese condiments and ingredients, click here.

 

Recipe by Namiko Chen of Just One Cookbook. All images and content on this site are copyright protected. Please do not use my images without my permission. If you’d like to share this recipe on your site, please re-write the recipe in your own words and link to this post as the original source. Thank you.

Foolproof Shakshuka

Shakshuka! Ever had it? Shakshuka has more than a few things going for it. It’s fun to say, fun to make and fun to eat. The word shakshuka comes from Arabic, meaning, “a haphazard mixture” or “all mixed up.”

Shakshuka features poached eggs in a hearty, spiced tomato and pepper sauce. I top mine with tangy feta cheese and fresh cilantro or parsley.

Sometimes you’ll find artichoke or olives in shakshuka, but I left those out in this version. The spices vary somewhat as well. I settled on a combination of garlic, cumin and smoked paprika.

Shakshuka is a popular Middle Eastern and North African dish that may date back all the way to the Ottoman Empire. You’ll find it in Libya and Tunisia, and it’s become a staple dish in Israel. If you’ve ever had Italian “eggs in purgatory” or Turkish menemen, the dishes are all quite similar.

You can’t go wrong serving shakshuka for breakfast or brunch. It’s also great for lunch and dinner. Shakshuka is a simple one-pan meal that makes a statement, and it’s a great recipe to keep in your back pocket. Want to learn how to make it?

Continue to the recipe...

The post Foolproof Shakshuka appeared first on Cookie and Kate.

* This article was originally published here

When in Venice, Eat Like a Venetian

By STEVEN RAICHLEN from NYT Travel https://ift.tt/2tENmf9

How to Become a ‘Digital Nomad’

By KRISTIN WONG from NYT Travel https://ift.tt/2Xt7Y7C

Spinach Namul and Bean Sprout Namul ほうれん草ともやしのナムル

The Korean Spinach Namul and Bean Sprout Namul are two popular side dishes among meal prep menus in Japan. Enjoyed in a bento box or as a side to your dinner, these vegetable side dishes are not only appetizing but also very easy and quick to prepare. 

Budget-friendly, quick to make, and delicious, these Korean side dishes called Namul are the winners of meal prep in Japan. Almost every Japanese meal prep cookbook and online recipes include Namul, and that tells how popular they are in Japan.

I personally love these seasoned side dishes because they are the best way to include vegetables in your everyday meal. They are also fresh tasting with a slight crunch and incredibly aromatic from the fragrant sesame oil.

Today I’m featuring two most familiar namul recipes you often see on the table: Spinach Namul and Bean Sprout Namul.

What is Namul?

Namul (나물) refers to a wide variety of Korean side dishes. The most common namul is made of blanched vegetables that are seasoned with salt, sesame oil, soy sauce, doenjang, gochujang, etc. In a typical Korean meal, you often see them being served together as part of a colorful array of sides, Banchan (반찬), that complement the main meal, or as a component of Bibimbap (Korean mixed rice).

In Japan, we call it Namuru (ナムル), a more direct translation of the original dish in Korea, but pronounce in the Japanese way. We call Spinach Namul “Horenso no Namuru” (ほうれん草のナムル) and Bean Sprout Namul “Moyashi no Namuru” (もやしのナムル).

All You Need for Namul is Just 4 Ingredients!

The reason why I love Namul so much is that it includes ONLY 4 ingredients to make a simple side dish:

• Sesame oil
• Salt
• Garlic
• Vegetables (spinach/ bean sprouts)

Not to mention, it’s SUPER easy to make. Just blanch the vegetables, and mix with seasonings. And imagine all the possibilities with different choices of vegetables!

Preparing Namul for Your Meal Prep

With the rise of Korean influence in Japanese cooking, these side dishes became popular very quickly in our daily meals. When home cooks started to do meal prep more often in recent years, all kinds of Namuru (Namul) appear regularly as Jobisai (常備菜), the Japanese meal prep dishes.

Both the Spinach Namul and Bean Sprouts Namul can be cooked in a big batch for later use throughout your week or bento menu. If you cook them on the same day, you can certainly save time by using the same pot. Once they are cooked, set aside the portions you need and keep them in separate containers before you store them in the refrigerator. They can be kept well for up to 3-4 days. You can serve both namul dishes alongside each other to complement a bento lunch or with other sides you prefer.

More recipes for Japanese Meal Prep (Jobisai 常備菜):

• Bean Sprout Salad (Namul); prepared with the same method but with slightly different seasonings.
• Japanese Spinach Salad
• Seafood Salad
• Ramen Egg

Japanese Ingredient Substitution: If you want to look for substitutes for Japanese condiments and ingredients, click here.

Sign up for the free Just One Cookbook newsletter delivered to your inbox! And stay in touch with me on Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, and Instagram for all the latest updates.

Spinach and Bean Sprout Namul

The Korean Spinach Namul and Bean Sprout Namul are two popular side dishes among meal prep menus in Japan. Enjoyed in a bento box or as a side to your dinner, these vegetable side dishes are not only appetizing but also very easy and quick to prepare. 

• 6 oz spinach ((170 g))
• 9 oz bean sprout ((255 g))
• ¼ tsp salt (kosher or sea salt; use half if using table salt) ((for blanching spinach))

Seasonings (make it for each ingredient)

• 1 Tbsp sesame oil
• ½ tsp salt (kosher or sea salt; use half if using table salt)
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 red chili pepper ((optional))

1. Gather all the ingredients.
   

Bean Sprout Namul

1. Remove the brown parts and stringy roots because bean sprouts taste much better without them, especially in simple seasonings.

   

2. In a medium mixing bowl, combine 1 Tbsp sesame oil, ½ tsp salt, and crushed garlic from 1 clove.

   

3. Add remove the seeds from 1 chili pepper and chop it into smaller pieces. You can keep the seeds if you want to make it spicy.

   

4. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, add ¼ tsp salt and add the bean sprout.

   

5. Cook for 60 to 90 seconds and take out the bean sprouts with a fine mesh skimmer or spider strainer. Drain water very well. If you make Spinach Namul as well, keep the water.

   

6. Coat the bean sprouts with the seasonings, transfer to the meal prep container with a lid, and let it marinate for at least 1 hour before serving. The bean sprouts will keep for up to 4 days in the refrigerator.

   

Spinach Namul

1. In the (same) medium mixing bowl, combine 1 Tbsp sesame oil, ½ tsp salt, and crushed garlic from 1 clove.

   

2. Hold the spinach upright, keeping the stems on the bottom and leaves on the top. Blanch the stem part for 15 seconds while you hold the leaves. Stem takes slightly longer to cook, so you cook from the stem side first. Then let the leaves submerged and cook for an additional 30-45 seconds.

   

3. Remove the spinach from the water and soak in iced water to stop cooking with remaining heat. Alternatively, drain and run the spinach under cold running water until cool. 

   

4. Collect the spinach and squeeze water out. 

   

5. Cut the spinach into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces and add into the bowl with the seasonings.

   

6. Mix well together, transfer to the meal prep container with a lid, and let it marinate for at least 1 hour before serving. The spinach will keep for up to 5 days in the refrigerator.

   

Japanese Ingredient Substitution: If you want to look for substitutes for Japanese condiments and ingredients, click here.

 

Recipe by Namiko Chen of Just One Cookbook. All images and content on this site are copyright protected. Please do not use my images without my permission. If you’d like to share this recipe on your site, please re-write the recipe in your own words and link to this post as the original source. Thank you.

Healthy Braised Short Ribs with Polenta

These creamy and rich Braised Short Ribs with Creamy Polenta make the perfect romantic meal for Valentine’s Day or any special occasion!

Now that Dustin and I have been together for so long, I’ve learned a lot of great lessons about life, love, and happiness.

Since food is such a big part of our lives (duh), we’ve shared many, many memories during those past years around food – making it, eating it, planning it, preparing it, and so on.

It may surprise you to know that Dustin was actually the main “chef” in our home when we first started dating.  I had helped my mom here and there in the kitchen while growing up, but Dustin had a passion for recipe planning and savoring food that I had never seen before.

Over time, though, especially with the help of this blog, I have become the main cook in our home, but Dustin still helps out quite a bit.

My introduction to recipe creation and getting comfortable in the kitchen all started back in 2009.

While I was home on maternity leave with Jordan, I would plan out our family’s dinners and make them for when Dustin came home from work… you know… all domestic like.

It was pretty awesome.

I discovered a whole new way of being creative and artistic with food, all the while sharing something special with my family.  It was amazing.

Back then, I followed a lot of Ina Garten, Alton Brown, and Giada De Laurentiis recipes from the Food Network, as I had yet to discover the world of food blogs and amazing people, like The Pioneer Woman, Steamy Kitchen, Cookin’ Canuck, and Joy The Baker.

There was a lot to learn.

About food.

About blogging.

About life.

About myself.

In fact, it was over a delicious Valentine’s Day dinner of homemade Braised Short Ribs with Creamy Polenta that both Dustin and I realized I could start a food business.

This conversation, as we both swooned over creamy polenta, slightly tart with goat cheese and smooth like butter, topped with tender, moist, and rich red wine braised short ribs, turned into starting a personal chef service, called Sweet Pea Chef, that would later transform into this blog. Yay.

This short ribs and polenta meal was the beginning of a lot of great stuff and we could feel it.

Fast forward to 2019.

The blog’s now been up for years and I’ve shared all sorts of recipes – even prepared food LIVE on television, over the internet, and have had my recipes and videos shared millions of times across the world. Holy smokes – that makes my heart race just thinking about it!

But, you know what? It all started with this amazing meal I’m sharing with you today.

This braised short ribs recipe with creamy polenta started everything. It showed me I could make amazing food and that it wasn’t even that difficult.  It showed me how deep the flavor could become from braising meat in red wine – that a tough short rib, over time and with a little love, could be the most delicate, rich, and amazingly flavored thing you’ve ever tasted.

Combine that with the creamy goat cheese polenta and you’ve got yourself one amazing meal.

It gets me thinking about this amazing short ribs recipe and the story and journey it started.

Try out this recipe yourself, see how amazing it is, and get started down your own journey with the ones you love, wherever it may lead.

Pair it with a glass of red wine and some candlelight, and it’s the perfect romantic dinner.

WHAT ARE BEEF SHORT RIBS?

Short ribs are a cut of beef. They are basically a small portion of the rib bone taken, usually, from brisket or plate. Beef short ribs are similar to spare pork ribs but they are typically larger and they have more meat.

I find that short ribs in the oven is the way to go with short ribs if you want the meat to be tender, juicy, and delicious.

MAKING SHORT RIBS HEALTHY

To make the red wine braised short ribs, I used:

• low sodium beef broth
• and Garbanzo flour instead of all-purpose flour.

Believe it or not, these simple changes make the braised short ribs with red wine healthy. They are still delicious comfort food though. Because yes, comfort food can be healthy. Yahoo!

WHAT IS BRAISING?

Wondering what is braising? Don’t worry, I have the answer. Braising is a cooking method that basically involves a combination of 2 cooking methods – sautéing or searing the meat at high temperature then covering the meat with liquid and allow it to finish cooking at a low temperature.

Sound familiar? That’s because braising is similar to stewing. Similar but not the same.

The difference between braising and stewing is that stewing involves more liquid than braising.

For stewing, you want to fully submerge the meat and vegetables. And the end result is meat and veggies covered by a dense but still liquidy sauce.

For braising, you can use enough liquid to cover the meat and veggies but not to fully submerge them. And the end result is meat and a dense, creamy sauce surrounding it.

HOW TO BRAISE SHORT RIBS

We’ve got the what is braising part covered but we’re still not sure how to braise short ribs.

First of all, let me tell you that if you were to ask me how to cook beef short ribs, I would always recommend braising. Because braised short ribs are amazeballs. So flavorful, juicy, melt-in-your-mouth tender, and tasty.

Here are the steps for how to cook beef short ribs:

1. start by seasoning the short ribs with salt and pepper and coat them with garbanzo flour;
2. then heat olive oil in a dutch oven;
3. brown the short ribs on both sides and set aside;
4. in the same dutch oven, add onion, shallots, and carrots and cook until they soften a little bit;
5. add wine and bring to a boil;
6. then add beef broth and stir;
7. time to add the beef short ribs now;
8. also add thyme and rosemary;
9. place in the oven and braise the short ribs for 2 hours at 350 degrees F;
10. reduce the heat to 325 degrees F and cook for additional 30-45 minutes.

CAN I USE BONELESS SHORT RIBS?

I know I already answered the what are short ribs question but I think it’s important to tell you if you can use boneless short ribs or not.

Despite their name, short ribs and boneless short ribs are not cut from the same section. Boneless short ribs are not true ribs, they are cut from the chuck or shoulder and, while it is technically the same muscle, the texture of the meat is different.

So, if you want to make this short rib recipe, I’d say you should stick to in bone short ribs.

HOW TO MAKE HEALTHY POLENTA

As a side dish for my yummy braised short rib dish, I chose polenta. During the last couple of years, I tested a few healthy polenta recipes. Some were good, some were not that good.

If you’re just now learning how to make polenta, you’ll probably be tempted to stick to the classic recipe that involves cornmeal, water, and salt. It’s simple and easy, not gonna lie. But it’s not as creamy and delicious as mine unless you add cheese or butter after you finish the polenta. But if you do that, it’s no longer a healthy polenta recipe. However, if you follow my recipe, you get creamy and healthy polenta without butter. Woo!

Here’s how to make polenta my way:

1. bring water, almond milk, and salt to a boil over medium-high heat in a saucepan;
2. stir frequently to prevent the milk from sticking to the saucepan;
3. pour the cornmeal into the water slowly, stirring constantly;
4. whisk until polenta thickened;
5. lower the heat and cover the saucepan;
6. cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring every 2-3 minutes;
7. once the polenta is done, remove from the heat and add garlic powder, pepper, and goat cheese.

P.S. Another ah-mazing polenta recipe can be found here, too!

HOW TO REHEAT BRAISED SHORT RIBS

Believe it or not, braised short ribs actually taste better after a day or 2. So you can make them ahead and reheat them when you’re ready to enjoy the deliciousness.

How to reheat braised short ribs? Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, place the short ribs in the oven and let them sit there for approximately 30 minutes or until warmed through.

3 MORE HEALTHY BEEF RECIPES

I don’t know about you but these beef short ribs made me want to prep and cook other healthy, flavorful, and yummy beef recipes. And I will. But until then, I have to share my faves with you.

HOW TO MARINATE TRI TIP + 3 TRI TIP MARINADE RECIPES

Learn How To Marinate Tri Tip + 3 Tri-Tip Marinade Recipes and make tender and tasty tri-tip steak!

Marinating tri-tip steak is how you make delicious tri-tip. You have 3 flavors to choose from – Balsamic, Santa Maria, and Sesame Ginger. Get the recipes.

HOW TO MEAL PREP SALISBURY STEAK RECIPE

Speaking of steak, you should learn How To Meal Prep: Salisbury Steak Recipe too. It’s a such a great weeknight dinner! Healthy too!

Typically, Salisbury steak is not very healthy, I know. But this one is! And, if you want more good news, let me tell you that this recipe is great for meal prep too. Get the recipe.

HEALTHY SLOW COOKER BEEF STEW – PERFECT MAKE AHEAD DINNER IDEA!

In this short rib recipe, you learned how to braise short ribs but I think you should learn how to make beef stew as well. With this Healthy Slow Cooker Beef Stew – Perfect Make Ahead Dinner Idea!

Hearty, rich, comforting, flavorful and delicious – the Healthy Slow Cooker Beef Stew is everything you want in a stew. Get the recipe.

Braised Short Ribs with Creamy Polenta

 

Braised Short Ribs with Creamy Polenta

These creamy and rich Braised Short Ribs with Creamy Polenta make the perfect romantic meal for Valentine’s Day or any special occasion!

For The Braised Short Ribs:

• 8 beef short ribs
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 cup chickpea/garbanzo flour
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 yellow onion (diced)
• 2 lg. carrots (diced)
• 2 shallots (diced)
• 2 cups red wine
• 2 cups low sodium beef broth
• 4-6 sprigs fresh thyme
• 3-4 sprigs fresh rosemary

For The Creamy Polenta:

• 2 cups unsweetened almond milk
• 2 cups water
• 1 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1 cup coarse ground cornmeal
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/8 tsp garlic powder
• 4 oz goat cheese (crumbled)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Sprinkle the sea salt and pepper all over the short ribs, then dredge until coated with the chickpea flour. Set aside.
3. In a large dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium-high heat.
4. Brown the short ribs on all sides, about a minute per side. Once nicely browned, remove and set aside. (If you need, you can do this step in batches so as not to overcrowd the ribs in the pot.)
5. Now, add the diced yellow onion, diced carrots, and diced shallots to the same pot and cook for a few minutes until they begin to soften.

6. Pour in the wine into the pot and stir to combine, scraping the bottom of the pan to release any bits that have stuck.

7. Bring this mixture to a boil.
8. Add in the low sodium beef broth and stir together.
9. Add the short ribs to the pot. They should be almost completely submerged by the liquid.
10. Toss some fresh thyme and rosemary sprigs to the pot.
11. Cover and place into the oven.
12. Braise the short ribs at 350 degrees F for 2 hours, then reduce the heat to 325 degrees and cook for an additional 30 to 45 minutes, until the ribs are fork-tender and the meat is falling off the bone.
13. Remove the pot from the oven and allow to sit, covered, for another 20 minutes, before serving. This will allow us to make the creamy polenta.
14. To do this, heat unsweetened almond milk or any milk of your choice, water and sea salt in a deep sauce pan over medium-high heat.
15. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring frequently to keep the milk from burning on the bottom of the pan.
16. Once boiling, slowly add the coarse cornmeal, stirring or whisking constantly to avoid causing clumps.
17. Now that the cornmeal is all mixed in, lower the heat, cover, and cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring every 2-3 minutes or so.
18. Once the polenta is smooth, thick, and creamy, remove from the heat and add the pepper, garlic powder, and goat cheese, stirring to incorporate. A whisk may be necessary if mixture is too clumpy.
19. To serve, add the creamy polenta to the bottom of a bowl and then top with a couple braised short ribs, spooning a little juice and fresh thyme leaves over the top.

This post contains affiliate links for products I use regularly and highly recommend. 

The post Healthy Braised Short Ribs with Polenta appeared first on A Sweet Pea Chef.

* This article was originally published here

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Meal Prep Bento Recipes Ideas: 3 Dollar Bento Challenge

These 3 easy and budget-friendly meal prep ideas for bento prove that eating healthy can be delicious and fun! A little prep work on Sunday will set you up to eat healthier, save money, and reduce your stress through the week.

Many of us including myself struggle to prepare our children’s lunch. We want them to eat healthy homemade lunch at school, but how do we do that when our morning is hectic as it is?

A few hours on meal prepping for bento lunch box on a Sunday might be a solution to consider. Today I’ll show you an example of meal prepping and how I pack 3 days of bento using the ingredients I meal prep on a Sunday morning. As a bonus, I made it a challenge to make each bento box under $3.

How to Meal Prep Bento: $3 Bento Challenge

These 3 easy and budget-friendly meal prep ideas for bento prove that eating healthy can be delicious and fun! A little prep work on Sunday will set you up to eat healthier, save money, and reduce your stress through the week.

 

Plan Your Bento Schedule

Before the week start, plan your bento schedule and visualize what each bento should look like. If you’re new to bento making, you can even draw the bento box and write down each dish or ingredient name in the section of bento you want to pack. Eventually, you’ll be able to do this process in your head.

Planning ahead will help you check on colors of ingredients so your bento won’t look all same color, cut down on frequent trips to grocery stores, and save money by using the same ingredient but using it differently.

Here’s my plan:

• Saturday – Shopping Day
• Sunday – the Meal Prep Day
• Monday – Bento #1: Karaage Bento
• Tuesday – Sandwich Day
• Wednesday – Bento #2: Soboro Bento
• Thursday – Sandwich Day
• Friday – Bento #3: Onigirazu Bento

On Sandwich Day, you can make your children’s favorite sandwiches (my kids love grilled cheese sandwich). I have some sandwich recipes here:

• Tamago Sando
• Wanpaku Sando
• Crispy Chicken Sandwich
• Katsu Sando (coming this Friday)
• Menchi Katsu Sandwich
• Korokke Sando
• Yakisoba Pan

Sunday – The Meal Prep Day

This is the most important day. I set aside 2-3 hours for meal prepping as you will need to make several dishes at the same time.

For the meal prep recipes and ideas I share on Just One Cookbook, I make sure they have a minimal/simplified ingredient list and cooking process (but it doesn’t mean less tasty!).

Here is the list of dishes I need for the week:

• Ajitsuke Tamago (Ramen Egg)
• Grated Carrot Salad
• Korean Spinach Salad (Spinach Namul)
• Chicken Karaage
• Chicken Soboro
• Scrambled Egg
• Tuna Salad

Other food to prepare:

• Wash vegetables (carrot, snow peas, spinach, green leaf lettuce, cherry tomato)
• Blanch snow peas and spinach
• Cook steamed rice (and freeze individual portions)

A Quick Breakdown of The Meal Prep Process

In general, I prepare EVERYTHING ahead of time, and this means the food that keeps well in the refrigerator. I cook and wash everything, and place each dish or ingredient in an airtight container and put in the refrigerator. I even cook rice ahead of time and freeze the individual portions of the rice in a container.

In the morning of the day I pack bento, I reheat everything and let cool before I pack each dish into the box (Please read my Food Safety Tips for Bento).

To get everything ready in the most efficient way, I first separate my tasks into working stations and then tackle the tasks that require marinating/cooking or take the longest first, and I work backward from there.

Washing Stations

1. Rinse rice and soak for 20 minutes  <<< Step 1
2. Wash vegetables (carrot, lettuce, tomatoes, snow peas, and spinach) <<< Step 2

Cutting Stations

1. Cut carrots into julienned pieces >>> Step 4
2. Cut spinach after blanching <<< Step 9
3. Cut chicken before marinating <<< Step 12

Cooking Stations

1. Bring water to boil and boil eggs <<< Step 3
2. Bring water to boil and blanch snow peas <<< Step 7
3. Blanch spinach <<< Step 8
4. Cook ground chicken for Soboro <<< Step 16
5. Cook scrambled eggs <<< Step 17
6. Deep (shallow) fry the Chicken Karaage <<< Step 18
7. Cook rice on rice cooker or stovetop <<< Step 6

Work Stations

1. Make the marinade for Ajitsuke Tamago, peel the eggshell, and marinate eggs <<< Step 5
2. Make the marinades for Carrot Salad and mix with julienned carrots <<< Step 10
3. Make the marinade for Spinach Namul and mix with blanched spinach <<< Step 11
4. Make the marinade for Chicken Karaage and marinate the chicken for 30 minutes <<< Step 13
5. Measure the seasonings for Soboro <<< Step 14
6. Measure the seasonings for scrambled eggs and beat eggs <<< Step 15
7. Make the tuna salad <<< Step 19

Meal Prep Check List (8 containers)

Pack each dish and ingredient in a separate container and refrigerate/freeze. <<< Step 20

• Ajitsuke Tamago (Ramen Egg)
• Grated Carrot Salad
• Korean Spinach Salad (Spinach Namul)
• Chicken Karaage
• Chicken Soboro
• Scrambled Egg
• Tuna Salad
• Washed vegetables (lettuce, tomatoes, blanched snow peas)
• Steamed rice (freezer)

I hope this meal prep plan is helpful to you. If you have any questions, please leave a comment below and I’ll try my best to answer you.

Monday – Karaage Bento (#1)

You will need the following item to pack in Karaage Bento:

1. Rice
2. Lettuce
3. Chicken Karaage
4. Grated Carrot Salad
5. Korean Spinach Salad (Spinach Namul)
6. Ramen Egg
7. Cherry tomatoes
8. Blanched snow peas

Wednesday – Soboro Bento (#2)

You will need the following item to pack in Soboro Bento:

1. Rice
2. Chicken Soboro
3. Scrambled egg
4. Blanched snow peas
5. Red pickled ginger

Friday – Onigirazu Bento (#3)

Onigirazu (おにぎらず) is a rice sandwich that has been popular for the past decade in Japan. Similar to rice balls, it consists of rice, nori seaweed, and filling. The only difference is that you can stuff more fillings in Onigirazu. Here are 3 kinds of Onigirazu I packed in the bento lunch box.

For each onigirazu, you will need a half sheet of nori seaweed, rice, and lettuce.

1. Karaage Onigirazu
   • Grated Carrot Salad
   • Korean Spinach Salad (Spinach Namul)
   • Chicken Karaage
2. Soboro Onigirazu
   • Chicken Soboro
   • Scrambled egg
3. Tuna Onigirazu
   • Tuna salad (a mixture of drained canned tuna, Japanese mayonnaise, salt, and pepper)

To learn how to make Onigirazu, please watch the video above or check out one of the following onigirazu post for detail instructions. If you like the idea of Onigirazu, here are other onigirazu recipes you can try on Just One Cookbook.

• Spam Onigirazu
• Bulgogi Onigirazu
• Teriyaki Salmon Onigirazu
• Ginger Pork Onigirazu
• Chicken Katsu Onigirazu

Japanese Meal Prep (Jobisai 常備菜)

• Japanese Spinach Salad
• Seafood Salad (coming this Friday)

Japanese Ingredient Substitution: If you want to look for substitutes for Japanese condiments and ingredients, click here.

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Seared Tuna: A 5 Minute Dinner

Looking for 5 minute recipes? Seared tuna is a super quick, nutritious and filling 5 minute recipe; serve with leftover veggies and rice.

Alex and I get a lot of questions about fast meals. And there is nothing quite like seared tuna as an easy dinner idea. Seared ahi tuna is one of the most delicious foods on the planet, and it literally cooks in less than 5 minutes! Put it together with leftover veg or rice and you’ve got a quick dinner. When we started this website, we mainly posted vegetarian and vegan recipes. However, most of you know that Alex and I are flexitarian: meaning that we eat mostly veggies but also flex once in a while to eat fish and good quality meats. So, we felt like it was time to share this trick that we love for one of our favorite easy dinner ideas. Keep reading for the recipe, and how to make it into a quick dinner!

How to sear tuna

Seared tuna is one of the first quick dinner ideas Alex and I used to make when we first started cooking together! If you’ve never had ahi tuna, it’s time to start. NOW! Search ahi tuna does not tasty fishy at all. So if you’re looking to convince someone ambivalent about seafood, seared tuna is a great place to start. The flavor? Seared tuna is so, so delicious. It tastes buttery on the inside and salty savory on the outside. It’s one of both Alex and my favorite foods and contains a ton of nutrients, especially for people who eat mostly vegetarian and vegan like us.

How to sear tuna? It’s so quick and simple: just heat a skillet to medium high heat with a small drizzle of olive oil. Add the tuna and cook for about 1 to 2 minutes per side. Remove the tuna and slice it against the grain into half-inch thick slices. After it’s cut you’ll see that the inside is a beautiful pink color (raw) and and just the edges are browned. That’s what you want! Because our tuna was sashimi grade and intended for sushi or sashimi, it was pre-cut–which was helpful.

What tuna to buy for seared tuna?

If you’re like us, you might be interested in buying high quality fish and seafood. Here’s a post we wrote about How to buy sustainable seafood with recommendations from our expert friend JD. For this seared tuna recipe, we were able to find wild-caught salmon that was caught in the US (part of his guidelines). Also, in that post he mentions frozen seafood is good too! If a fish is frozen on board the boat on which it was caught and stays frozen until it gets to your kitchen, it will be a much higher quality than a raw fish that has taken a week to get to your plate.

Alex and I were able to find frozen sashimi grade ahi tuna at our local grocery store. It was sold in a little box and intended for making sushi or sashimi at home. But it is perfect for making seared tuna! If you buy frozen ahi tuna, just pull it out of the refrigerator and let it thaw in the refrigerator the day of serving. You can also find ahi tuna at your local fish counter.

How to serve seared tuna

Searing tuna is truly a 5 minute recipe! However, to make it a 5 minute dinner it’s easiest to have a bunch of leftovers on hand for serving it. For our seared tuna dinner, Alex and I used up some of the components we had on-hand. We had just made Cauliflower Tacos with Yum Yum Sauce, so we realized that many of those components could be reworked to make a seared tuna bowl. Turns out Yum Yum sauce is perfect as a seared ahi tuna sauce too! Here’s how we accessorized our seared tuna:

• Instant Pot rice (shown here is red rice; Quinoa is fast and easy too)
• Crispy breaded cauliflower (from the tacos, reheated using the instructions in the recipe)
• Pickled red onions (that happened to be in our fridge)
• Spinach that we sauteed for 2 minutes until wilted, mixed with a few pinches salt and a drizzle of toasted sesame oil
• Yum Yum sauce (from the tacos)

Of course, you could serve your seared tuna with all sorts of things: with rice, over a greens as a salad, and with any of our sauces as a drizzle.

Looking for more quick & easy dinner ideas?

We love creating quick and easy dinner ideas like this seared tuna recipe! Here are a few of our other favorite easy dinner ideas (with one or two 5 minute recipes):

• All easy dinner ideas
• 5 Minute Pesto Breakfast Sandwich
• 5 Minute Romesco Gnocchi Sauce Recipe
• 5 Minute Instant Oatmeal
• Easy Chickpea Salad Sandwich
• Loaded Quinoa Tacos
• Best Stir Fry Vegetables with Teriyaki
• Loaded Veggie Quesadilla Recipe

This recipe is…

This seared tuna recipe is pescatarian and gluten-free.

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Seared Tuna: A 5 Minute Dinner

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(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 1)

5 from 1 reviews

• Author: Sonja
• Prep Time: 1 minute
• Cook Time: 4 minutes
• Total Time: 5 minutes
• Yield: 2
• Category: Main Dish
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: Asian Inspired

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Description

Looking for 5 minute recipes? Seared tuna is a super quick, nutritious and filling 5 minute recipe; serve with leftover veggies and rice.

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Ingredients

• 6 ounces high quality ahi tuna (sashimi grade recommended; wild caught if you can find it. Frozen is okay, just thaw it in the refrigerator before serving)
• 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
• Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
• For serving: we used leftover Crispy Breaded Cauliflower, Pickled Onions, sauteed baby spinach with toasted sesame oil, rice, and Yum Yum Sauce

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Instructions

1. Pat the tuna dry. Sprinkle liberally with kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper on both sides.
2. Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium high heat. Add the steak and cook 1 to 2 minutes per side, until lightly browned on the outside but still rare the inside. Slice the tuna against the grain into 1/2 inch slices. Serve immediately.

Keywords: ,Seared tuna, How to sear tuna, Seared ahi tuna, Seared ahi tuna sauce

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* This article was originally published here