Lemongrass Pork Spring Roll… With leftover lemongrass pork; julienne and sprinkled w/rice powder, vermicelli noodle, Granny Smith apple, carrot, herb mix of mint, cilantro and pennywort and Nuoc mam cham (fish sauce dip).

Instructions:
In a large bowl filled with warm water, soak 1 rice paper wrapper for about 20 seconds or until soft. Lay wrapper out on a tea towel to absorb excess water. Transfer wrapper to a flat surface or plate. About 1/3 from the bottom of the wrapper, create a 3-inch long row by placing some vermicelli noodle, followed by carrots, apple, pork, cilantro, mint and pennywort leaves. Carefully fold the bottom of the rice paper wrapper over the ingredients. Turn in the sides and continue rolling up from the bottom. To serve, slice the roll in half on a bias. Serve with Nuoc mam cham (Vietnamese fish sauce dip).

Eating fresh and healthy doesn’t have to be boring… This was my Top Chef quick-fire challenge to myself. Using leftovers and what was immediately available in my fridge and cupboard. It is also my good parenting duty to teach my very picky 5 year old and his not so picky 3 year old little brother to eat healthy, to try everything at least once and to be mindful about wasting food.

One of my secret ambitions is to be a one of those “cheftestants” you see on Top Chef. I grew up in the kitchen and one of my first cooking experiences was at the tender age of 5. It was my duty to make the daily rice for dinner. In my mama’s kitchen we didn’t have many modern conveniences, certainly not a rice cooker so it was a tedious chore… Measure the rice, wash the rice until the water runs clear, then let it soak– “this will result in tender fluffy grains” –I can still hear her words echo in my ear. When it was time to cook rice, her instructions were to “use your ears to listen for the bubbles to recede, then turn it down; after that use your nose to smell when it is done”. I didn’t know it at the time, but she was teaching me how to use my senses around food. However tedious I thought my job was at that time, I now take pleasure in performing this ritual of prepping rice. Even though I own a rice cooker, I still often make it the old fashioned way on the stove, using my senses as my guide.

Speaking of senses, one of my favorite stalls at the farmer’s market is the herb and produce stall. Instantly I am excited as I lift the varied bunches of green and purple basil to inhale their pungent familiar smell, reminding me of a steaming hot bowl of beef Pho (rice noodle soup). The smell of fresh mint tickling my nose makes me want to have a frosty Mojito and the curly Asian cilantro with flowering leaf-tops would go great in a tarot soup. Fresh and raw herbs add seasonal bursts of flavor and color to any dish, as well as provide you with great health benefits. I invite you to visit the herb stall at your local farmers market and become inspired.

Finally, I know not every cook will stock their larder with ingredients like rice paper, fish sauce and pennywort. Don’t let that discourage you from getting into your kitchen and letting your creativity and taste buds be your guide. Why not introduce that tin of tuna to the lonely jar of capers and the ripe Meyer lemon just waiting for a squeeze? A healthy, tasty treat is waiting to be discovered.

-Nicki
Ice Chamber Office Girl

You’re thinking the sun has got to me; that if I’m putting up Chicken Soup (a decidedly winter meal), and one with noodles in it, something must be batty in the belfry. But check me out:

First, there’s nothing like summer carrots and peas to remind you of what vegetables taste like. These particular orange babies are from 0600 Julie’s garden, and they were pure heaven. Second, because the flavor of vegetables is so much more intense than in the winter, this soup can be made in less than an hour from bird to bowl. Third, those aren’t just any noodles… these babies are made in quinoa, which is extremely rich in manganese. Manganese helps to regulate the fat and carbohydrate metabolism rate. It also helps with calcium absorbtion, and contains the amino acid lysine. And by the way, there are a total of 7 noodles per serving (1/4 cup). Any questions?

Soup is also a good hydrator in summer months, when you need extra fluids. Most importantly, for your waist-watchers, liquid fills you up without filling you out.

QUICK SUMMER CHICKEN SOUP

1 red onion, diced
2 stalks celery, sliced
3 tbl olive oil
1.5 lbs boneless chicken breast, cut into chunks
2 tsp dried tarragon
4 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 cup fresh peas, shelled
6 cups chicken or vegetable broth

1 cup dried quinoa pasta

Garanish:
2 tbl chopped fresh dill
salt and pepper to taste

Saute onion and celery in olive oil 5 minutes on medium heat. Add the chicken and cook 5 minutes more. Add remaining ingredients, up to the noodles, and simmer 25 minutes. Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to directions.

Once the vegetables and chicken are cooked through, add the the cooked noodles, stir in the fresh dill, and add salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy. Serves 4.

-Dish It Out Tsan!

Prior to becoming a legal goddess, Tsan worked in the food industry, both as chef (in Cambridge and New Hampshire) and as an event planner (in Vail). She also ran the Culinary, Hospitality and Restaurant Management Certificate Program at UCLA Extension.

Green beans are hitting their summer stride. When you’re at the market, don’t look for the biggest, but rather the greenest. Snap one and taste it raw. if there’s lots of flavor in them, even before you cook them, you’ll have a tasty side dish.

The absolute best way to cook green beans is in rapidly boiling salted water (drop the beans in after the water is boiling). This method seals the pores, brings out the color, and enhances their flavor. Two preparations are provided since most people are loathe to lug out the big pot in the summer.

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb green beans
2 tbl extra virgin olive oil mixed with 2 tbl lemon juice
1 meyer lemon
1/2 tsp clay salt
pepper to taste

Clean and snip your green beans, rinse them with water and shake off excess, but do not dry completely.

BOILING METHOD: Drop beans in rapidly boiling salted water (make sure the pot has LOTS of room and the beans are not over-crowded), and cook for 6 minutes, until beans are al dente. Drain the beans in a colander and blanche under hot water. Transfer to a large bowl and toss with olive oil/juice mixture. Arrange them on a platter, sprinkle with extra clay salt (or your favorite salt), add pepper, and garnish with fresh lemon slices.

MICROWAVE METHOD. Arrange cleaned beans on a heatproof non-plastic cooking dish, add some lemon slices, and cover the beans with wax paper or parchment.

Microwave beans and lemon on high for 3-4 minutes under the wax paper, until bright green and al dente. Remove paper and cooked lemons. Toss with olive oil//juice mixture, pepper and clay salt. top with more lemon slices and serve.

These can also be served at room temperature with hummus or fava bean dip. Makes a great substitute for chips.

-Dish It Out Tsan!

Prior to becoming a legal goddess, Tsan worked in the food industry, both as chef (in Cambridge and New Hampshire) and as an event planner (in Vail). She also ran the Culinary, Hospitality and Restaurant Management Certificate Program at UCLA Extension.

Today it’s called being vegan, but long before there was a cool term for it, it was called Chinese food. If you’re trying to eat healthy and stay out of the kitchen, dust off that old wok (it’s probably behind the 8-track), and get ready to stir your way to health.

There are a couple of tricks to making this method of cooking a Wok in the park. First, combine vegetables that have roughly the same cooking times. If you prefer a collection of vegetables that have different cooking times, it’s all good, but you’ll have to make your food in batches.

Second, use an oil with a high burning temperature. The trick to getting crisp, cooked vegetables is to keep the oil from absorbing into the food; that means it has to be hot! Go for peanut oil, if you can, and shelve the olive oil for your salad.

Third, don’t overcrowd your vegetables. Make sure there is plenty of room to cook them, otherwise the vegetables will give off moisture and you’ll effectively steam-fry your veggies (which, as Steven would say, “is OK, but is not the exercise we’re doing today”).

Heat your wok until it just begins to smoke, then slowly drizzle the peanut oil down the side until you have a few tablespoons in the bottom. Add your vegetables (whatever you like), and stir them rapidly in the hot oil for a few minutes. Reduce the heat, and add the liquids (soy sauce, hoison, whateve…). You’re on your way.

-Dish It Out Tsan!

Prior to becoming a legal goddess, Tsan worked in the food industry, both as chef (in Cambridge and New Hampshire) and as an event planner (in Vail). She also ran the Culinary, Hospitality and Restaurant Management Certificate Program at UCLA Extension.