5185492705 a435f6f40a b A Few Beet Recipes Im Crushing On

I am teaching my second cooking class in a few weeks with a couple of my colleagues. I am equal parts anxious and excited. Will the participants have fun? Will they like the recipes? Will they learn something new?

The class is on Valentine’s Day so we’re trying to work in some red/pink dishes. Of course I immediately thought of beets. Here are some beet recipes that caught my eye. Don’t they sound yummy?!

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Asian Noodle Salad

January 5, 2012 · 9 comments

6624437635 1c172e7976 o Asian Noodle Salad

A good friend of mine kindly had me over on New Year’s Day. She prepared a delicious Asian salad that I tried to replicate and slightly tweek. I opted not to use ramen noodles and its flavor packet (which was sinfully delicious) and instead used some rice noodles I had in my cupboard and just broke them up and cooked them al dente for a minute or two. Feel free to substitute the honey for whichever sweetener you fancy. Likewise with the oil and vinegar.

The only thing I think it’s missing is a few sesame seeds sprinkled on top. I was all out of sesame seeds, otherwise I would have toasted them for a minute and sprinkled on top. yum…

I didn’t have my camera handy so I snapped a few photos on my iPhone using Instagram. So I apologize for the quality. Bon apetite!

6624433979 3be459f4b9 o Asian Noodle Salad

Asian Noodle Salad

1 1/2 ounces rice noodles, broken up and cooked al dente
1/2 medium Napa cabbage, thinly sliced
1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup slivered almonds (unsalted)
2 tablespoons raw sunflower seeds
1/4 cup grapeseed oil
2-3 tablespoons rice vinegar (unseasoned)
2 tablespoons raw honey
1 teaspoon soy sauce or shoyu (reduced-sodium)

Cook the rice noodles according to package but al dente. Make sure you break them up into small pieces before cooking. Allow noodles to cool. In a large bowl, combine cabbage, onion, almonds, and noodles. Toss to combine. In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, honey and soy sauce. Add the dressing to the salad and toss until well combined. Serve chilled or room temperature. Enjoy!

Serves 4 to 6.

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P.S. Look at how my citrus tree is coming along. My baby has come a long way…

6623906109 7cddea9cda o Asian Noodle Salad

 

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6608213819 c8a078f089 b Top 5 Resolutions for 2012

I thought about which picture I should post here to represent 2012 for me. So here it is. The lovely Golden Gate Bridge. I’ll be moving to the heart of San Francisco soon, after living in the South Bay suburbs for two years. San Francisco and I will be spending a great deal of time getting to know each other this year. I am looking forward. Another year, another chapter.

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6607491833 57eb4e4732 z Another Year, Another Chapter

Wishing you all good things for 2012!

To health,

happiness,

and fun!

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Christmas Gifts: Top 5 Picks Under $30

Thumbnail image for Christmas Gifts: Top 5 Picks Under $30 December 12, 2011

Immersion Blender Probably among my top 3 most useful kitchen tools. I use mine to make soups, hummus, smoothies and more. Highly recommend. Makes clean up easier. $29.95

4 comments [continue]

Wild Mushroom Risotto with Sundried Tomatoes

Thumbnail image for Wild Mushroom Risotto with Sundried Tomatoes December 9, 2011

This is one of my favorite wintertime dishes. It’s hearty, flavorful and comforting. The wild mushrooms I tend to use for this recipe are either shiitake or porcini. This time I used shiitake. Not only do I love the flavor of these mushrooms but their nutrition profile as well. Did you know the shiitake mushroom [...]

9 comments [continue]

Coconut Almond Macaroons (healthy recipe makeover)

Thumbnail image for Coconut Almond Macaroons (healthy recipe makeover) December 1, 2011

A recent holiday potluck inspired me to drag out an old recipe because I needed to bring a dessert that was gluten-free and dairy-free. So, out came the Coconut Almond Macaroon recipe that I blogged about here. This time, however, I wanted to do a healthier version. I managed to seriously cut down the sugar [...]

7 comments [continue]

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thumbnail image for Happy Thanksgiving! November 24, 2011

Wishing you a warm Thanksgiving filled with love, gratitude and good company.   Cultivating an attitude of gratitude has been linked to better health, sounder sleep, less anxiety & depression, higher long-term satisfaction with life & kinder behavior toward others. Read more about how gratitude brings healthy dividends here. Have a wonderful day!

3 comments [continue]

Red Chard & Goat Cheese Frittata

Thumbnail image for Red Chard & Goat Cheese Frittata November 19, 2011

Chard is such a lovely green vegetable. The vibrant colors of the stems are so rich. The flavor so subtle and versatile. And its incredibly nutrient-dense as an excellent source of vitamin C, A, and K. This simple frittata makes a great main dish for lunch and dinner served with a green salad. Or, of [...]

11 comments [continue]

6 Things to Do When Life Throws You a Curveball

Thumbnail image for 6 Things to Do When Life Throws You a Curveball October 21, 2011

Hi friends. I know- I’m a terrible blogger. But you know, where blogging lies, inspiration lies. I have temporarily lost my cooking mojo. It’ll resurface soon Although this post is not about food it is about wellness, particularly stress management. Life is funny sometimes. I am currently undergoing some life changes. In the midst of [...]

11 comments [continue]

World Food Day – this Sunday!

Thumbnail image for World Food Day – this Sunday! October 14, 2011

Did you know that 1 in 7 people go to bed hungry? This Sunday, October 16th, is World Food Day. Oxfam is encouraging people around the globe to take a simple yet profound action—hold a Sunday Dinner Conversation about where our food comes from, who cultivates it, and how we can make the food system more [...]

1 comment [continue]

Plate by Plate, a food + wine tasting benefit

Thumbnail image for Plate by Plate, a food + wine tasting benefit September 14, 2011

Photo by Kenneth Yeung Sip on exceptional wines and savor San Francisco’s savory cuisine prepared by San Francisco’s top chefs at this year’s Plate by Plate this Friday, September 16 at The Bently Reserve. Net proceeds to benefit OASES, an organization dedicated to serving low-income youth through education, mentorship and service. Visit http://bit.ly/pbpsf11 to buy your tickets and enter pbpmedia to get $15.00 [...]

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The 100-Mile Diet

Thumbnail image for The 100-Mile Diet July 19, 2011

The following post is by James Kim. James is a writer for Food on the Table, a company that provides online budget meal planning services.  Their goal is to help families eat better and save money. I was excited when James approached me about writing a short post because Food on the Table is a [...]

16 comments [continue]

Mixed Veggies with Tamarind

Thumbnail image for Mixed Veggies with Tamarind July 15, 2011

I have a special treat. It’s a guest blogger. Her name is Purabi and she’s got an amazing tamarind mixed veggie recipe for you. She manages a lovely blog called Cosmopolitan Currymania, home to a plethora of delicious Indian recipes. Here she is. Have a great weekend, friends Hi, I am Purabi Naha. Let me [...]

9 comments [continue]

SF Chefs ’11. Food. Wine.

Thumbnail image for SF Chefs ’11. Food. Wine. July 10, 2011

I went to SF Chefs last year and it was a blast. Delicious food and drinks. Great ambience. All your favorite chefs. You can read about my fabulous experience last year here. SF Chefs this year will be held at Union Square in San Francisco on August 1st – 7th. It will celebrate the local flair and [...]

8 comments [continue]

Parsnip Chips

Thumbnail image for Parsnip Chips June 11, 2011

This recipe caught my eye over the winter as I was paging through one of my Irish cookbooks. I meant to post the recipe during the winter months but these lovely bites are great any time of year. I added a little side of vinegar to give the chips a little kick and that boardwalk [...]

16 comments [continue]