by : Reiko Pasta/Noodle/Rice, Vegan, Vegetarian

Zoodles with Eggplant Tomato Sauce
ズードルの茄子トマトソース和え

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My first zoodles!

I wanted to make zoodles for a long time, so I was so excited.

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A friend of ours brought us this huge zucchini from his garden and I though it would be perfect.

This was large but it was firm and very fresh.

Just the way I like it.

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I always thought I needed the special device to make zoodles, but then I saw other people simply using a peeler to make wide noodles.

So I thought I would try that.

Then, I realized that I didn’t even have a peeler, so I used a mandoline.

I was a bit nervous, but I think it worked perfectly fine.

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And I thought this roasted eggplant tomato sauce from Trader joe’s would be perfect to serve my first zoodles with.

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I’m a big noodle fan, and I was intrigued by the veggie noodle concept, but I was also a bit skeptical.

I wasn’t sure if it could really satisfy a noodle lover.

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Well, now I’m convinced!

This was absolutely delicious and I really loved the zoodles.

It definitely felt like noodles to me and the unique lightness was wonderful.

I’m sure I’ll be making zoodles a lot this summer.

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Zoodles with Eggplant Tomato Sauce

sauce
– Trader Joe’s Eggplant with Tomatoes and Onions
– 1 teaspoon suagr
– salt and pepper
– a few splashes hot sauce
1 small to middle sized zucchini (or 1/4 giant zucchini like the one I had!), sliced
olive oil
salt and pepper
chopped fresh herbs

1. Make sauce. Empty the Eggplant with Tomatoes and Onions in a pan. Add sugar, salt, pepper, and hot sauce. Heat up over middle heat.
2. Sautee zucchini slices with olive oil for a few minutes. Do not overcook. Salt and pepper.
3. Serve the sauteed zucchini with the eggplant sauce and fresh herbs.

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by : Reiko Breakfast, Nuts, Vegan, Vegetarian

PB&J Pancake Sandwich Bites
PB&J 一口パンケーキサンド

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I like the general idea of PB&J sandwich, but I always felt it could be better.

The rich, thick, and slightly salty peanut butter does go well with the sweetness of the jam, but it felt something is missing for some reason.

So I decided to add some fresh fruit to my PB&J, and it made the sandwich 100% better!!

I think that was exactly what was missing. The fresh juiciness.

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These almond mini pancakes were used to hold the peanut butter, lingonberry jam (one of my favorite jams), and fresh fruit (I used bananas, strawberries and nectarines).

You can eat these with one or two bites and these are absolutely wonderful for breakfast, brunch, or a snack.

I’m not a mom, but I would approve these as my kid’s quick snack.

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This morning I saw these beautiful flowers on my shamrock plant and it brought me such a joy.

These white flowers are so simple yet beautiful.

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This is definitely one of the strongest plants I’ve ever had. (because it’s surviving under my care!)

PB&J Pancake Sandwich Bites

almond pancakes: it makes a lot of bite sized ones, a lot more for 2 servings
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup almond meal
1 tablespoon flaxseed meal
3 tablespoon cane sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup unsweetened apple sauce
1 1/2 cup almond milk
1 tablespoon canola oil
canola oil for cooking

peanut butter
lingonberry jam
fruit (I used bananas, strawberries, and nectarines)

1. Make pancakes. Combine all the ingredients. Lightly coat the griddle surface with oil. Cook pancakes for a few minutes each side.
2. Spread peanut butter on one pancake, and spread jam on another pancake. Sandwich fruit.

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by : Reiko Pasta/Noodle/Rice, Seaweed, Vegan, Vegetarian

Veggie Sushi Rolls
ベジ巻き

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I make sushi rolls with anything everything.

Mango Rolls, Italian Rolls, Fried Soy Curd Rolls, and Beet Rolls are some of the examples.

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These are beautiful veggies from the local farmers market.

I was gonna say green beans are my favorite, but then I like the other veggies as well and it’s hard to pick a favorite.

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Load as much as you can.

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It’s always fun to make sushi rolls.

I get such a feeling of accomplishment from this (lol).

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Bon Appetit!

Veggie Sushi Roll

sushi rice
– 1 cup cooked rice, warm
– 1 tablespoon white vinegar
– 1/2~1 tablespoon sugar
– salt
1 sheet nori roasted seaweed
vegetables

1. Make sushi rice. Combine all the ingredients. Mix well. Do not mash rice. Let it cool.
2. Spread the rice on nori roasted seaweed.
3. Place vegetables on the rice. Roll it. Cut into bite size pieces.

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by : Reiko Uncategorized

Raspberry White Chocolate Cookies
ラズベリーホワイトチョコレートクッキー

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After making these toasts and eating them fresh, I still had some raspberries from our friends left.

With Terry’s request, I decided to make raspberry cookies.

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I was planning to freeze the raspberries before adding to the dough, but I didn’t have enough time, so the raspberries were still soft.

So when I tried to form cookies, the raspberries would lose their shape and they were getting messy, which made me want to cry.

But I persevered!

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The cookies turned out to be DELICIOUS!

Okay I forgot to add lemon zest; Terry’s original request was “raspberry white chocolate lemon cookies”.

But hey, they still tasted fabulous.

Terry likes his cookies soft and gooey.

I like mine chewy but not too soft.

I think I achieved the best texture for the both of us this time!

And the mashed raspberries were not an issue at all.

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Raspberry White Chocolate Cookies adapted from this recipe

1 1/4 sticks salted butter, softened
9 oz packed brown sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
4 1/4 oz bread flour
4 1/4 oz all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
2/3 tsp kosher salt
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
1/2 cup raspberries (frozen preferebly)

1. Mix all the ingredients except for chocolate chips and raspberries.
2. Add chocolate chips and raspberries.
3. Scoop dough onto a pan lined with parchment paper. Flatten slightly.
4. Bake in 350F oven for 10~15 minutes.

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by : Reiko Leaf Vegetabes, Pasta/Noodle/Rice, Root vegetable, Vegan, Vegetarian

Chirashi Rice Salad
ちらし風ライスサラダ

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A big bowl of rice and salad for lunch.

I call it “Chirashi” because all the veggies are “scattered (chirashi in Japanese)” over the rice.

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A perfect lunch for a rainy Saturday.

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I’ve wanted to make a big salad like this since I got these chioggia (or candy cane) beets.

Our neighbor casually gave us these, and they didn’t say anything, so I assumed that they were regular beets.

But when I cut the edge off, I noticed the beautiful pink stripes!!

I’ve seen them in pictures, but never in person.

These beets are absolutely beautiful.

I wonder how you make them.

Or is it one of the wonders created by nature.

All the vegetables you see in this bowl are either from the local farmers market or from our friends’ garden.

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Fresh vegetables were served with this interesting rice, “smoked Basmati rice” from Trader Joe’s.

Yes, I said “smoked”, and it definitely smells “smoky”, more so before cooked, but it still has a nice flavor when cooked as well.

The rice looks like regular rice, but when it’s cooked it gets so big, or I should say “long”.

They almost looked an inch long when cooked.

Terry likes balsamic dressing, but you can’t eat salad with the same dressing every single time everyday.

I like variety.

So this salad was served with ginger mustard soy dressing. Yum!

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Rice and Salad with Ginger Mustard Soy Dressing

ginger mustard soy dressing
– 1 tablespoon soy sauce
– 1 tablespoon white vinegar
– 1 tablespoon canola oil
– 1 tablespoon sugar
– 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
– 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
– salt
fresh vegetables; I used beets, cucumber, yellow squash, radish, bell peppers, cabbage, peach, and kale.
1 cup cooked rice; I used smoked Basmati rice from Trader Joe’s

1. Make dressing. Mix all the ingredients well.
2. Serve rice and vegetables with dressing.

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by : Reiko Breakfast, Dessert

Earl Grey Peach Galette
桃アールグレー田舎パイ

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Galette is one of my favorite desserts to eat and make.

It’s easy to make, you don’t have to worry about making it perfect, and I love the rustic look.

Exactly my kind of baking.

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First you make the crust.

I wanted to flavor my crust, but I didn’t know exactly with what.

When that happens, I often go to my tea bar for inspiration.

And it came to me. Earl Grey!

I ground earl grey leaves finely and added a good amount to the crust.

It smelled amazing!

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The crust was filled with sweet yellow peaches with a sprinkle of currants.

Isn’t this pretty?

I know I said this many times, but I LOVE currants.

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Earl grey flavored buttery crust, sweet peaches, and tart currants,

This is absolutely delicious!

 

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It’s also super tasty when served with slightly sweetened Greek yogurt.

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Earl Grey Peach Galette adapted from this recipe

crust
– 1 and 1/3 cup all purpose flour
– 1 tablespoon ground earl grey
– 1 tablespoon sugar
– 1/2 teaspoon salt
– 1 egg
– unsweetened yogurt enough to make 1/3 cup with an egg
– 1 stick butter, cut into small pieces
– cold water
filling
– 2~3 cups sliced peaches
– 1/2~2/3 cup sugar
– pinch of salt
– lemon juice from 1/2 lemon
– 3~4 tablespoons cornstarch
– 1/4 cup currants
egg wash (1 part egg + 1 part yogurt)

1. Make crust. combine all the ingredients except for butter and cold water. Add butter and then water and process in a food processor. Take it out. Form a disk. Refrigerate for a few hours.
2. Make filling. Combine all the ingredients except for currants.
3. Roll out the dough. Place the filling mixture. Fold the edges. Sprinkle currants. Brush egg wash on the crust.
4. Bake in 400F oven for 40~45 minutes or until the crust is golden.

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