Easy Mixed Berries Muffins

Even though I posted many recipes for easy muffins, I like to improve to even easier and healthier muffins. I got many compliments for this recipe, so it is time for me again to share it with my entire frequent visitors to my blog or also to new comers.

Ingredients:
Dry ingredients:
1 cup cake mix or muffin mix
1/4 tsp of pumpkin spice
Wet ingredients:
1/2 cup skim milk*
3 tbs melted butter, margarine, or vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1/3 cup sugar

Filling:
1 cup mixed berries (blue berries, raspberries, Black berries, a piece of apple chopped)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°.
Line 4 paper liners in a medium-size muffins tin.

Place dry ingredients in a mixing bowl.

 

In a Vitamix or other blender container, add the wet ingredients and blend for 30 seconds.
Pour the egg-mixture into the dry ingredients. Whisk the batter until smooth (about 20 strokes or stir).

 Do not overmix the batter. Add berries. Make quick stir to combine.

Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin liners. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until well risen or firm to the touch.

Let the muffins cool in the muffin tin for 7 minutes. Serve warm.

Tip;   Add different filling as you wish. You can double or triple the ingredients to make more muffins for a church bake sale or other gatherings. This is small batch of muffins to serve 2 to 3 people. To create a muffin dome, is not to overfill the batter

* Skim milk, coconut milk or whole fat milk (your choice).

Roasted Eggplants with Noodles

Delicious and healthy food is the standard I always set for each of my recipe. Usually, I always pay attention to the nutritiion of the food because it is meal that I eat every day. Healthy eating is a  main thing, my dishes are also easy to make to help improve the quality of quick cooking but maintain good quality protein. To prove this, today I will share a creamy dish with noodles. I think soba, wheat or rice noodles will work . The eggplant is a main ingredient for this dish with it nutty flavor after roasting and simple dressing to finish this meal . Also, if you know that sesame seeds are the live-forever  food in Hindu with tremendous source of vitamin, calcium to protect against bad cells. Sprinkle this tiny seeds over it to make this dish even straight to the top for healthy eating.

Ingredients:
2 Japanese eggplant
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp peanut oil, coconut oil
4 oz noodles (your choice)
Sauce:
2 tsp oyster sauce
1 tsp miso paste
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp hot chili paste
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp honey
2 tsp sake
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 garlic minced
Garnish with:
1 tsp roasted sesame seeds
Chopped cilantro, green onions
Directions;
Preheat oven to 400°.
Wash eggplant and cut into 1 inch pieces.

Line the baking sheet with aluminum foil for easy cleaning.

In a bowl place eggplant with soy sauce and oil. Toss well. Spread eggplant on the prepared baking sheet.

 Roast until well browned and tender for 30 minutes or more. The temperature each oven is vary.

To make sauce;
In a sauce pan combine the sauce ingredients and simmer for 2 minutes, Adjust the seasoning for your liking.

To cook noodles;
Follow the instruction on the package of the noodles you like to use. Use some of the cooking noodle water, if the starchy noodles such as soba, wheat .
To serve:
Place noodles on the serving bowl toss with roasted eggplant; Sprinkle with sesame seeds and cilantro-onions.

 

On the side grilled fish or cooked shrimp. I like to cook a hard boil eggs for this dish

Peanuts Sweet Rice

Peanuts are the oil seeds being used in all Asian cooking. These little nuts have amazing health benefits.  They are rich in energy and minerals, antioxidants, and vitamins that humans need. For years, many studies have been found for the many health benefits to those who consume peanuts as snack or main meal. Peanut kernels are a good source of reservation, another polyphenolic antioxidant. It could prevent against cancers, heart disease, degenerative nerve disease, Alzheimer’s disease, etc...I am not here to explain how beneficial it is to eat peanuts every day. I just want to share one of my favorite breakfasts that is easy to prepare using peanuts with all the excellent health benefits come with this dish. Several months ago, I bought a pressure cooker, and it has become an amazing kitchen gadget. I posted a few recipes using this tool and today is another easy recipe with make everyone smile. 
 
Ingredients:
2 cups raw peanuts
2 cups sweet rice
1 cup coconut milk
1 cup water
1 to 1/2 tsp salt
Equipment:
Pressure cooker
Rice cooker

Directions:
Soak raw peanuts with plenty of water overnight.

Drain peanuts in the morning and place in the pressure cooker.

Add about 2 cups of water to the peanuts and 1 tsp salt. Follow the instructions of the pressure cooker. Cook for 10 minutes. Drain

Wash and drain the sweet rice.

Mix the rice and 1 tsp salt and cooked peanuts in a mixing bowl well.

 Place them in the rice cooker. Add milk and water to the rice-peanuts mixture. Close the lid and follow the instructions of your rice cooker.

Fluff the rice with a fork and serve with roasted sesame seeds and shredded coconut meats.

 

My rice cooker has a function of sushi rice and quick rice. I use the sushi action first and then the quick rice. It comes out perfectly. Use your own adjustment because each equipment has some pros and cons.
 
 
 

Easy Cupcakes

My mom always told me do not waste any food because many poor children in the world do not have food to eat. Therefore, I apply this philosophy to my cooking. I use most of my leftovers to create recipes that work. Yesterday, I made coconut macaroons, and it left me with two egg yolks. Today, I will introduce an easy cupcake recipe to finish with those two yolks. The filling or frosting is very much your choice. Life is better with a cupcake, I like this slogan.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup of self-rising flour or cake mix
1/4 to 1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup soft butter or margarine
2 yolks
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350°.
Line 3 muffin tins with paper liners.
In a small bowl, lightly beat egg yolks with milk.
In a mixing bowl use the hand held beater to beat the sugar and margarine until fluffy.

Add egg-milk mixture with flour. Start with flour and end with flour. Stir in chocolate chips and vanilla

Spoon the batter into the paper liners (do not overfill them).

Bake cupcakes in the preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until cupcakes are golden brown

 

Let cool in a pan for 10 minutes and serve or cool completely on a wire rack if frosting them first.

Seafood & Winter Melon Soup

Asians in general love winter melon. It is actually a squash because it looks like a squash, not a melon. This is a summer season for this squash. In many places, winter melon can grow up to 20 lbs., and the green skin cover appears to be powdered with snow. I did not see this big melon sold in American supermarkets. In Korean stores, it is sold in 1 to 2 lbs packages. This recipe is for a kind of classic summer soup in Asia that will keep your body cool. In the Asian world, food enters the body before the medicine. We try to consume healthy food and even when we are sick, we eat some kinds of food to get rid of the illness before seeing the doctors. With this healthy, easy recipe, one can substitute seafood for any kind of meat, such as chicken or pork or go with the vegetarian version using a vegetarian broth and tofu. It is a hot soup for summer, but for Asians, it is a balanced recipe to be healthy.

Ingredients:
1 to 2 lbs. winter melon

2 pieces of dry fungus, soaked and diced
1 oz. fresh oyster mushrooms, sliced
5 cups chicken broth
2 cups seafood combo mix
Seasonings:
1 tsp salt
1 tsp fish sauce
1/8 tsp black pepper
1 tsp mushroom seasoning
 1 tsp minced fresh ginger
Garnish with chopped green onions, cilantro

Directions:
Remove the skin and seeds from the winter melon. The skin can be used to flavor the broth. Cut melon into 1/2 inch cubes.

 

With this amount of melon skin, add 1 cup of chopped white onion and daikon. Put them in a pot with 3 cups of water. Bring to boil and simmer for 1 hour. Drain and discard the solids. Use this vegetables broth to add with the chicken broth.

In a pot with broth, add both mushrooms, ginger and winter melon to the broth.

Bring to boil for 3 minutes and simmer for 5 minutes or until melons are tender and crisp. Season the soup with salt, fish sauce, and mushroom seasoning.

 Add seafood mix and let seafood mix cook through for 2 minutes. Garnish with green onions and cilantro. Serve.

 

Gluten-Free Stir-Fried Chicken with Snow Peas and Mushrooms

I like to stir-fry because it is fast and easy to accomplish. With just a few ingredients, the stir-fried dish is done. This is also a dish for one who lives with celiac disease. Just use salt and gluten-free soy sauce to make stir-fry sauce at home. Others can buy ready-made stir-fry sauces that are now available to all grocery stores. Life is too fast these days and it is becoming dizzying to catch up with it. Therefore, if possible, cooking should be fast and compact but can still produce delicious and healthy meals, and this recipe proves it can be done.

Ingredients:
6 oz. chicken breast or thigh, sliced
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp cornstarch
1 tsp cooking wine
Vegetables:
4 oz. fresh mushrooms, sliced
1/2 lb. snow peas, ends trimmed and washed
4 green onions, cut into 2 inch lengths (separate the white and green)
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp fresh mined ginger

Stir-fry sauce ingredients:
1/4 cup chicken broth or water
1 tbs lime juice
1 tsp salt
2 tbs soy sauce
1 tsp sugar or honey
Other ingredient:
2 tsp peanut oil for cooking

Cooked rice to serve
 
Directions:
Place chicken in a mixing bowl. Add salt, sesame oil, cornstarch, and cooking wine. Stir well and marinate for few hours. Drain and reserve the marinade.

Heat 1 tsp of oil in wok over medium-high heat. Add chicken, Cook chicken until brown or no longer pink. Remove on a plate.

Add another tsp of oil in a wok. Add mushroom, ginger, garlic, and the white part of onions.

 Stir and cook for 2 minutes or until fragrant. Stir in snow peas and sauce.

Cook for 1 minute or until the vegetables are tender and crisp. Return chicken back to join with vegetables. Make a quick stir and add green onions. Cook through and serve with cooked rice.

Stir-Fried Bean Sprouts with Chives and Ground Turkey

This easy, stir-fried dish can be prepared with or without meat. Fresh seafood, such as mussels, clams, or fish can be used with this dish, as well. Serve with rice or noodles.

Ingredients:
1 lb. bean sprouts or about 5 cups
1 bunch of chives cut into 2 inch lengths
4 oz. ground turkey
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp fresh ginger
1 shallot, slice
1 tbs peanut oil
Stir-fry sauce ingredients:
1/3 cup chicken broth
1 ½ tsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbs soy sauce
1 tbs vinegar
1 tsp honey
1 tsp sugar

Directions:
Combine the sauce ingredients and mix well. Set aside.

Heat oil on a nonstick skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add shallot, ginger, and garlic. Stir fry for 30 seconds or until fragrant.

 Stir in ground turkey. Cook for 5 minutes or until no longer pink.  

Add sauce and make a quick stir. Add bean sprouts and chives.

 Cook for 1 minute. Serve immediately.