sweet baked broccoli
when i posted about baked broccoli here before, i guaranteed that baking is the best way to cook broccoli. it yields soft, tender stems and crunchy, flavorful florets. and they are easy to toss in some olive oil and a few seasonings before roasting for less than a half an hour. even better than the curry powder i flavored it with before, is a little agave, spices and sesame seeds. this sweet and savory broccoli recipe has quickly become a favorite... Read More
toasted sesame sticks
my latest vice is oriental snack mixes. i could eat a whole bag in one sitting, what with the crispy rice crackers, wasabi peas and – my favorite – the toasty tasting sesame sticks. i love the stuff so much i decided to try my hand at making them myself. and it’s easier then i thought. a simple combination of flour, spices, sesame seeds, oil and water, toasted for a few minutes in the oven and enjoyed in copious amounts. great... Read More
sesame-fried shishito peppers
like the daikon radish or momotaro tomatoes, shishito peppers are special japanese treats that – lucky for us – are easily grown in california. and lucky for me, the local japanese family farm i work for carries them. most of these miniature peppers are very mild, almost like a bell pepper with just the tiniest bite of spice that is not at all hot. one in every 20 or so might be spicier, but cooking helps reduce the heat of the... Read More
daikon coleslaw
daikon is a mild japanese radish. for a radish it’s pretty huge–usually at least a foot long and about 3 inches wide–and way less spicy. it almost reminds me of jicama but a tad less sweet. i like to use it in salads, either julienned or shredded, to add a little freshness. it’s especially refreshing in the summer when your taste buds crave something to cool you down. so i whipped up this little dish, and added some seeds... Read More
extra seedy peanut butter granola bars
chia was a staple of the ancient aztec diet. i remember trying it at an anthropology museum in middle school, we put out our hands and they dropped a few tiny little seeds in our palms. they didn’t taste much like anything but we were told the aztecs ate them because you only need a little bit to get full. they absorb water and expand in your stomach, how cool is that? they also gained popularity as the seeds that sprout hair for chia pets... Read More