Oatmeal Zucchini Nut Bread

Craving delicious bread without the guilt?  Say hello to your new favorite loaf!  Traditional flour can sometimes elevate blood sugar levels, but this recipe swaps it out for nutrient-packed oatmeal and wholesome ingredients, creating a healthy, delectable alternative. Whether you're starting your day with a fried egg or indulging in a slice topped with your favorite fruit jam, this bread is sure to satisfy your cravings while nourishing your body.  Enjoy every bite without a second thought!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups oatmeal
• 1 zucchini, grated
• 1 cup total mixed nuts (almonds, walnuts, pecans)
• ½ cup coconut oil
• ⅓ cup nonfat Greek yogurt
• ¼ cup chopped figs (or your preferred dried fruit)
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup honey

Directions:

1.    Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).  Line a 9” x 5” loaf pan with parchment paper.

2.    Blend the oatmeal and nuts in a blender or food processor until finely ground.

3.    In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, blended oat-nut mixture, coconut oil, Greek yogurt, honey, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

4.    Stir in the grated zucchini and chopped dried fruit until well combined.

5.    Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

6.    Let the bread cool before slicing.  Enjoy!

Tip:

You can add 2 tbsp cocoa powder and others dry fruits that suit your taste 

Spam and Egg Fried Rice

 Spam and egg fried rice is a popular dish in many Asian countries, especially in Japan.  It’s a clever way to use leftover rice and Spam.  This fried rice appeals to children and adults, offering a quick and delicious meal option.  It is a versatile and satisfying dish. It is perfect for utilizing leftovers and providing a hearty meal in a short amount of time.

Ingredients:

• 4 cups of day old, cooked rice
• 2 eggs
• 6 oz. Spam, cut into cubes
• 1 cup mixed vegetables (such as carrots, peas, corn, or any available)
• 1/4 cup diced white onion
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic clove
• Salt, black pepper, sugar, and soy sauce (to taste)
• 3 tablespoons cooking oil (plus extra if needed)
• 2 green onions, diced (for garnish)

Directions:

1.    Preparing the eggs: Beat the eggs in a bowl.  Heat one tablespoon of cooking oil in a pan over medium heat.  Pour in the beaten eggs, spreading them thinly across the pan.  Once cooked, break the eggs into small pieces and set aside.

2.    Cooking the Spam: In the same pan, add the cubed Spam and fry until crispy.  Add the diced onions and minced garlic; sauté until fragrant.  Then, add the mixed vegetables and stir until they're cooked through.  Remove this mixture from the pan and set aside.

3.    Frying the rice: Add another tablespoon of cooking oil to the pan. Add the cold, cooked rice and stir to separate the grains. Season with salt, black pepper, sugar, and soy sauce to suit your taste.

4.    Combining the ingredients: Return the Spam, vegetables, and eggs to the pan with the rice.  Mix everything thoroughly, ensuring the ingredients are evenly distributed.  Drizzle a bit more soy sauce if desired.  Continue to stir-fry for about 5 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld and the rice to absorb the seasonings.

5.    Garnishing and Serving: Sprinkle the diced green onions over the fried rice as a garnish.  Serve hot.

Steamed Pompano with Vermicelli in a Rice Cooker

The combination of steamed pompano with ginger, onions, and vermicelli makes it both light and flavorful.  Using a rice cooker is a smart way to prepare it easily without needing extra kitchen equipment.  This easy and nutritious dish is perfect for college students looking to save time and money while eating well.  The combination of tender steamed pompano, fragrant ginger, and savory Korean vermicelli makes for a satisfying one-pot meal—no extra rice needed!  This dish is flavorful, nutritious, and easy to prepare—all in one rice cooker. It's perfect for a quick and satisfying meal!

 

Ingredients:

Main Ingredients:

• 1 whole pompano, cleaned and gutted
• 6 oz. Korean vermicelli (sweet potato noodles), soaked until soft
• 2 green onions, chopped
• ½ cup white onion, cut into wedges
• 1 piece ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 cup mixed bell peppers (yellow, red, and green), sliced

Sauce Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tsp honey
• ¼ tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp oyster sauce
• 1 tsp mushroom seasoning
• ¼ tsp turmeric powder
• ¼ cup water
• 1 tbsp sesame oil

Directions:

1.    Preparing the fish: Wash the pompano thoroughly and pat dry.  Score the fish with a few shallow cuts to help it absorb flavors.

2.    Soaking the vermicelli: Place the Korean vermicelli in warm water and let it soften for about 10 minutes.  Drain and set aside.

3.    Making the sauce: In a small bowl, mix fish sauce, honey, black pepper, oyster sauce, mushroom seasoning, turmeric powder, water, and sesame oil.

4.    Assembling in the rice cooker:

·         Line the bottom of the rice cooker with onion wedges, crushed garlic, and ginger slices.

·         Place the pompano on top.

·         Spread the soaked vermicelli and sliced bell peppers over the fish.

·         Pour the sauce evenly over everything.

5.    Steaming the dish: Close the lid and turn on the rice cooker. Let it cook for about 20 minutes or until the fish is fully cooked and the flavors are well absorbed.

6.    Serving and enjoying: Carefully transfer the fish and vermicelli to a serving plate.  Garnish with chopped green onions, and enjoy as a complete meal!

Kung Pao Chicken

Have you ever found yourself craving the bold flavors of Chinese takeout but hesitating to try it in your kitchen?  You’re not alone. Many people think authentic Chinese cooking is complex and best left to the experts, but I'm here to show you that it's easier and more rewarding than you might think.

Today, we're diving into the world of Kung Pao Chicken, a classic Chinese dish that's a symphony of flavors and textures.  The beauty of making this dish at home lies in your control over the ingredients, especially the amount of oil used to cook the chicken. You can recreate this delicious stir-fry right in your kitchen by mastering a few basic techniques and understanding the importance of key ingredients and equipment.

Once you get the hang of it, Chinese cooking is manageable and an exciting culinary adventure.  Join me as we explore how a few simple ingredients can create a dish bursting with flavor and rich in texture.

 

Ingredients:

Chicken & Nuts:

• ½ lb boneless chicken thighs or legs, diced
• ¼ cup roasted peanuts

Marinade Ingredients:

• ¼ tsp salt
• ⅛ tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp cooking wine
• 1 tsp cornstarch

Sauce Ingredients:

• ¼ cup water
• 1 tsp chicken powder
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp sugar
• 1 tsp cooking wine
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp dark soy sauce
• 1 tsp cornstarch
• 1 tsp sesame oil

Vegetables (Total: 2 cups):

• Diced zucchini
• Red bell pepper
• Red onions

Aromatics & Stir-Fry Ingredients:

• 1 tsp minced garlic cloves
• 1 tsp minced ginger
• 3 dried hot chilies, halved
• 2 green onions, sliced
• 2 tbsp oil for stir-frying

Directions:

1.    Marinating the Chicken: Wash and dice the chicken, then mix it with the marinade ingredients.  Let it sit for at least 10 minutes.  Before cooking, add 1 tbsp oil to separate the meat.

2.    Preparing the Sauce: In a bowl, combine all sauce ingredients and mix well.

3.    Cooking the Chicken: Heat 1 tbsp oil in a wok over medium-high heat.  Add chicken and cook undisturbed for about 2 minutes per side until golden brown.  Remove and set aside.

4.    Stir-Frying the Vegetables: Add the remaining oil to the same wok.  Sauté ginger, garlic, and dried chilies until fragrant. Add diced vegetables and stir-fry for 5–7 minutes until slightly wilted.

5.    Combining & Finishing: Return the chicken to the wok, add roasted peanuts and red onions, and pour in the sauce.  Stir well and cook until the sauce thickens.

6.    Final Touch: Turn off the heat, toss in green onions, and mix gently.  Serve hot.

Enjoy your flavorful stir-fried kung pao chicken with peanuts and vegetables!

How to Boil Chicken in a Rice Cooker

With our busy lives, time-consuming recipes are often replaced by simpler, more efficient cooking methods.  The rice cooker, once used only for making rice, has now become a versatile kitchen tool for preparing quick and budget-friendly meals.  Today, I’ll share a simple method for boiling chicken in a rice cooker—a dish that can be enjoyed on its own, added to soups, salads, or even wrapped into spring rolls.

Ingredients:

• 3 pieces of chicken thighs or breasts
• 3 Thai kaffir lime leaves (optional but recommended)
• A few thin slices of ginger
• 4 green onions
• 1 bunch of cilantro
• Salt, pepper, and powdered sugar (for seasoning)
• ½ cup of water

Directions:

1.    Soak the chicken in a mixture of salt water and vinegar for 15 minutes, then rinse thoroughly.

2.    Lay the green onions and cilantro at the bottom of the rice cooker.  Arrange the chicken on top, then spread the ginger slices, and Kaffir lime leaves over the chicken.

3.    In a small bowl, mix water with salt, pepper, and sugar to taste.  Pour this mixture into the rice cooker.

4.    Close the lid and cook as you would for rice.  Once the liquid starts boiling, allow the chicken to cook for about 15 minutes or until fully done.

5.    Remove the chicken and let it rest before serving.

This quick and easy method ensures tender, flavorful chicken with minimal effort—perfect for busy days!

Japanese Salmon in Miso Sauce

When it comes to Japanese cuisine, we often think of Miso and seaweed. Japanese recipes always have very few ingredients and are in tiny quantities.  Japanese people are voted as a country with many over 100 years old, so Japanese nutrition is worth learning from.  Today I want to share a straightforward recipe.  This recipe, a one-pot meal, is not only simple but also packed with all the necessary nutrients for our body.  It is salmon marinated with Miso and cooked with mushrooms, a delicious and nutritious dish.  This recipe will be used with a rice cooker, and you can increase the amount of ingredients you need if you have to make it for many people.

Ingredients:

1 cup jasmine rice

8 oz. salmon fillet

12 oz. total assorted mushrooms, such as:enoki, oyster, white or brown beach,  or shitake

1/2 cup edamame

Sauce ingredients:

2 tsp miso paste

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 tsp mirin

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp cooking wine

1 tsp minced garlic clove

1 tsp minced ginger

Other items:

Water according to the ratio for the type of rice you are using. 1 to 1/2 cup water for jasmine

2 green onions, cut 3 inches long

Directions:

Wash the rice and set aside.

If the mushrooms you are using are too long or large for your rice cooker, cut off the stems and cut them into bite-sized pieces.

If using frozen salmon fillets, let them thaw.

Mix all the sauce ingredients.  Season to taste.

Line the bottom of the rice cooker with green onions.  Add the rice, then mushrooms, edamame, and salmon.  Pour in the water and sauce.  Close the lid of the rice cooker and press the cook button.  The cooking process will take approximately 20 minutes, depending on your rice cooker.  Once the rice is cooked, you may need to season it with salt or a little sesame oil.

Japanese Grilled Eggplants (Vegan-Friendly)

This dish is one of my favorite vegan recipes, featuring a delicate yet satisfying flavor.  Unlike many Asian eggplant dishes that are deep-fried or heavily stewed, this recipe keeps things light while still delivering rich umami notes from mirin, soy sauce, and sesame oil.

Ingredients:

Eggplants:

• 2 Japanese eggplants

Sauce Ingredients:

• ¼ cup water
• ¼ cup mirin
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp honey (or maple syrup for a vegan option)
• ½ tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp sesame oil

Garnish:

• 1 tsp roasted sesame seeds
• Chopped cilantro

Directions:

1.    Preparing the Eggplants:

·         Cut each eggplant into three equal sections.

·         Bring a pot of water to a boil and steam the eggplant pieces for 7 minutes.

·         Let them cool, then slice each piece open lengthwise.

2.    Making the Sauce:

·         Whisk together water, mirin, soy sauce, honey, sugar, and sesame oil in a small bowl until well combined.

3.    Grilling the Eggplants:

·         Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat and add 2 tbsp of oil.

·         Place the eggplants cut-side down and cook for a few minutes until they develop a golden, slightly charred surface.

·         Flip the eggplants, cook for another minute, then pour in the sauce.

4.    Simmering and Finishing:

·         Let the sauce simmer on medium heat until it thickens and coats the eggplants, about 2-3 minutes.

5.    Garnishing and Serving:

·         Sprinkle with roasted sesame seeds and chopped cilantro.

·         Serve hot over steamed rice for a wholesome meal.