Soy Stir Fry Bean Thread Noodles

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Noodles > rice, always, but what noodles to pick?? In the summer time, I always want a noodle, but don’t want to have to boil an entire pot of water. One versatile noodle, perfect in a soup or stir fried, is the bean thread noodle. These skinny noodles can be made from mung bean starch or sweet potato starch, and really soak up whatever liquid they’re cooked in. They’re popular in hot pot since they soak up that tasty broth without making the liquid cloudy. They’re also perfect for a summer noodle stir fry since the noodles don’t need to be pre-boiled. These noodles also don’t tend to clump much, so they can be eaten hot or at room temperature.

Ingredients

Mung bean noodles – The skinny kind! You could also make this recipe using a Korean style glass noodle, but those noodles will need to be boiled and cooked in advance.

Vegetables – Use what your heart desires! I had some greens, onions, and mushrooms on hand, but this would also be delicious with broccoli, kailan, celery and carrots. Remember to only partially cook your vegetables before adding the noodles so that they don’t overcook.

start with onions
diced mushrooms
soaked noodles
wilt the greens
add noodles
sauce
put on the lid
gently toss

Soy Stir Fry Bean Thread Noodles

Print Recipe
A no-boil required recipe using those skinny bean thread noodles.
Course Main Course
Cuisine Asian
Keyword bean thread noodles, noodles, stir fry

Equipment

  • large pan with lid

Ingredients

  • 1 sweet onion sliced
  • 2 cups diced mushrooms
  • 2 cups greens spinach, chard, kale
  • 2 tbsp sugar
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp water
  • 2 tbsp sesame oil
  • 2 tbsp chicken bouillon powder
  • 8 ounces bean thread noodles dried
  • 1/2 cup green onions sliced

Instructions

  • Up to 4 hours in advance of cooking, soak bean thread noodles in warm water, ensuring all noodles are submerged.
  • In a pan on medium heat, add sliced onions to start.
  • While onions are getting started, mix together the sauce by adding sugar, soy sauce, water, chicken bouillon, and sesame oil.
  • Add diced mushrooms to pan and stir, cooking until onions and mushrooms start wilting.
  • Add in your greens on top without stirring.
  • Drain noodles and add on top of the other vegetables.
  • Pour sauce over noodles and put lid on the pan.
  • Allow noodles and vegetables to steam for another 5-10 minutes. Remove lid halfway to gently toss, and continue cooking covered until noodles are completely done.
  • Gently toss green onions throughout noodles and serve hot or at room temperature!

Have some other noodles like 10-Minute Soy Ginger Noodles or make some Soy Marinated Soft Eggs to put on top of these ones!

Carrot Top Pesto

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Carrots in the summer are so beautiful. Every farmer’s market stand has them on display with their frilly, green tops still attached. They’re just too pretty to get rid of! Carrot tops have a light carrot-y flavor, but are a little pepper-y like arugula. The green tops are perfect blended into a sauce like a carrot top pesto. Carrot top pesto is great for some hot, long noodles or mixed into a smaller pasta for a pasta salad.

I used mine with some capellini pasta. The pesto was thinned out with some pasta water and some frozen peas were added! You can also just make a Basil Pesto if you aren’t feeling too adventurous to try carrot tops. 🙂

Ingredients:

Carrot tops: I think the carrot tops here can really be substituted with a multitude of herbs to make a beautiful sauce. Sub with basil for a more traditional pesto or go wild with parsley and cilantro.

Pine nuts and walnuts: I like the combination and flavor of both! If you could only pick one, I would not skip the pine nuts.

Pecorino romano: my favored salty hard cheese!

Lemon juice: You can substitute this with any acid! I used a Meyer lemon vinegar too and it was lovely.

Olive oil: I got a coupon to try this new one, Colive, that is very tasty but also has a beautiful mission.

so beautiful!
toasted nuts
blitzed
add greens
olive oil
pesto!

Carrot Top Pesto

Print Recipe
Minimal waste pesto using green carrot tops for a carrot-y, pepper-y sauce.
Course Main Course
Keyword carrot, pasta, pesto

Equipment

  • 1 blender or food processor

Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup pine nuts
  • 1/3 cup walnuts
  • 2 cups packed carrot tops
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1/4 cup Pecorino Romano
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1 tsp lemon juice
  • salt
  • pepper

Instructions

  • Toasted your pine nuts and walnuts in the oven until golden brown and fragrant. They can be toasted in a pan or in the oven at 350F for 3-5 minutes.
  • While toasting, wash your carrot tops and trim off any leafy bits that are wilted or dry. Cut into smaller chunks to more easily fit into a food processor or blender.
  • After nuts have toasted, add nuts, garlic, and cheese to blend first until into a smaller grit.
  • Add carrot tops and pulse until mostly blended.
  • Continue blending and drizzle in olive oil. Reduce or add additional as necessary until achieved desired consistency.
  • Add lemon juice, salt, and pepper to taste.
  • Mix into some pasta or serve alongside some bread or crackers!

Try this pesto with Pesto Roasted Potatoes

Steamed Kailan (Chinese Broccoli)

Posted on by Amanda Leave a comment

I miss the days of dimsum where the push carts would come out and you could see the hot steamer baskets coming around with yummy treats. In the past year, I’ve only been to one dimsum restaurant with carts in Vancouver, B.C., but nothing in the Seattle area. My dimsum must haves include the classics like siu mai, har gow, and of course a vegetable, the steamed kailan (Chinese broccoli). Outside of dimsum, kailan is one of my favorite vegetables to eat as a side.

This summer was the first time I had seen kailan at a farmer’s market, so I had to get some. I would think kailan is not as popular of a vegetable for the general public, so the local farmers might not opt to grow it. Kailan is usually served in its full stalk typically with plain oyster sauce drizzled over the top of it, but sometimes it’s a little too thick or a little too salty, so I like to make my own sauce, sans oyster sauce! This sauce can also be made vegan for our plant-based friends.

Ingredients

Hoisin sauce – Use a vegan hoisin sauce to make this vegetarian recipe entirely vegan!

Sesame oil – This is toasted sesame oil! The dark, fragrant oil not the light version used for cooking.

fresh kailan
sauce
into the steamer
lid on
steamed!

Steamed Kailan

Print Recipe
A dimsum classic to make at home.
Course Side Dish
Keyword chinese broccoli, dimsum, kailan, vegan, vegetarian

Equipment

  • 1 steamer

Ingredients

  • 1 lb kailan
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp hoisin sauce
  • 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil

Instructions

  • Clean and cut any tough ends off kailan.
  • Steam kailan 15-20 minutes depending on thickness of the stalk until tender. You could also microwave them for 4-5 minutes.
  • Mix together soy sauce, hoisin sauce, and sesame oil.
  • After kailan is removed from the steamer, drizzle sauce over top and toss to mix.

Have some with Shrimp & Snap Pea Stir Fry and some 10-Minute Soy Ginger Noodles.

Horseradish Potato Salad

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Now that summer is in full swing, it’s officially barbecue season! A barbecue is really defined by your grilled main dish and then an absolute excess of side dishes. One of my favorite side dishes in the summer is potato salad. A cold side is so refreshing on a summer day. This potato salad is made a little more exciting with the addition of horseradish. It adds a little bit of a tangy kick that has you reaching for a little bit more.

Ingredients

Potatoes – I think russet potatoes or red potatoes would work best with this potato salad.

Eggs – hardboiled!

Horseradish – I recommend using a horseradish cream instead of just plain horseradish. I find the prepared horseradish cream to be less bitter while still having great horseradish flavor.

potatoes
start in cold water
onions
pickle stack
eggs
mix!

Horseradish Potato Salad

Print Recipe
The perfect side for a summer barbecue.
Course Salad, Side Dish
Keyword potato salad, potatoes, vegetarian

Ingredients

  • 6 russet potatoes medium sized
  • 6 hardboiled eggs
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 2 tbsp horseradish cream
  • 1 tsp dijon mustard
  • 1/4 cup chopped pickles or relish
  • 1/2 cup yellow onions chopped
  • 1/4 cup scallion greens chopped
  • salt
  • pepper

Instructions

  • Peel potatoes and chop into large cubes, ensuring all pieces are around the same size. Do not cut them too small as they will break into smaller pieces as the potato salad is mixed.  
  • Put chopped potatoes in cold water and bring mix to a boil. When potatoes come to a boil, add 2 tbsp of salt and mix. Boil potatoes under fork tender.
  • While potatoes are boiling, chop yellow onions into a small dice, and add to a boil.
  • Drain potatoes and add to the top of the yellow onions to cool. The hot potatoes will help steam the onions a bit so they have less of a sharp bite.
  • If not already peeled, peel hardboiled eggs while potatoes are cooling. Chop hardboiled eggs into 8 pieces each and add to the potatoes.
  • If using pickles, chop them into the same size as onions and add to the mixture.
  • At this point, potatoes have cooled significantly. Add in mayonnaise, horseradish, and mustard, and mix together.
  • Add salt and pepper to taste and mix in chopped scallion greens last.
  • Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving.

Looking for more sides for your next barbecue? Try Pasta Salad or Shrimp Cocktail.

Puff Pastry Danish

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After visiting a bakery that had such amazing pastries, I was craving some fresh, buttery, flaky pastries at home. I still had puff pastry leftover from making Asparagus Puff Pastry Twists, so I figured I would use the rest to make puff pastry danish. Danish pastries typically use a yeasted laminated dough to give it extra springy layers, but frozen puff pastry is so much more accessible!

Most sweet Danishes I’ve encountered are typically just cheese or a cheese topped with some fruits. I love the creamy fruity mix, but feel free to opt out of the fruit if that doesn’t interest you.

Ingredients

Puff pastry – any store bought works great, but be sure to defrost your sheet of puff pastry in the refrigerator overnight to ensure it’s easier to work with

Fruit – I used my Strawberry Rhubarb Jam to top this off, but you can use pieces of fresh fruit or any other fruit jam or preserve you have your hands on. I think some fig jam or strawberry preserves would be divine.

cheese mix
cut
stab
cheese
fruit
baked

Puff Pastry Danish

Print Recipe
Quick & easy at home fruit & cheese danish for a satisfying home-baked pastry
Course Breakfast, Dessert, Snack
Keyword danish, puff pastry
Cook Time 15 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 sheet puff pastry
  • 4 ounces cream cheese softened
  • 2 tbsp sugar
  • pinch salt
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1/3 cup fruit jam/preserves optional
  • 1 tbsp heavy cream
  • 1 egg

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 400F
  • Make your cheese mix by mixing cream cheese with sugar, salt, and vanilla. Set aside.
  • Unroll your puff pastry from the packaging and lay flat.
  • Cut into 6 even pieces.
  • Using a fork, stab the center area of each plank of puff pastry to prevent the center filling area to puff too much and risk your filling oozing out.
  • Divide cheese filling among 6 puff pastry planks. Leave about a 1/2 inch border along each puff plank.
  • Top the cheese with~1 tbsp of fruit jam/preserves.
  • Brush the edges of the puff with heavy cream to help browning, egg for shine, or a mix of both for browning and shine.
  • Bake for about ~15 minutes, until puffed on the edges and golden brown.
  • Allow to cool for about 10 minutes and enjoy!

More baking? Try Blackberry Rhubarb Muffins or Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies

Strawberry Rhubarb Jam

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Spring is rhubarb season! My usual rhubarb plug unfortunately dug up all their rhubarb so now I have to go to the grocery store for rhubarb. Last year featured a Blueberry Rhubarb Jam, but this year I’m really into the strawberries. It doesn’t feel like strawberries should quite yet be in season yet, but it seems every grocery store has them on sale.

One of my favorite uses for strawberry rhubarb jam is to swirl it into my breakfast bowl of yogurt and granola for a perfect start to the day.

Ingredients:

Rhubarb – I know there are a lot of people that don’t like rhubarb, but honestly I don’t think you can “taste” rhubarb here. It’s really just adds color and tartness to the jam.

Strawberry – I used an entire pound of strawberries for this, but feel free to reduce the recipe down for a smaller quantity. I kept the strawberries large (I only quartered them) to leave more fruit texture in the final jam.

strawberries
strawbs & rhubarb
jammy

Strawberry Rhubarb Jam

Print Recipe
Vibrant sweet, yet tart jam full of yummy rhubarb and strawberry.
Course Dessert, Side Dish, Snack
Keyword jam, rhubarb, strawberry

Equipment

  • heavy bottom pot

Ingredients

  • 2 cups rhubarb diced
  • 16 ounces strawberries quartered
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice

Instructions

  • In a heavy bottom pot, add all ingredients on medium heat and gently stir.
  • Rhubarb and strawberries will begin to cook and sugar and salt will dissolve.
  • When mixture begins to simmer and all fruits have wilted, continue simmering for 30 minutes, stirring every few minutes.
  • Allow mixture to reduce about half-way.
  • Allow to cool completely and transfer to storage container.

Looking for more rhubarb? Try Cinnamon Apple Rhubarb Loaf or Blackberry Rhubarb Muffins.

Scallion & Chili Crunch Focaccia

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Summer is here and that means that farmer’s market season is in swing! I’ve been traveling quite a bit already this year with more travel plans in the future, so it didn’t make sense to commit to a CSA for the summer. I’ll be bopping around the city to all the different markets to find all the seasonal farm fresh goodies.

The other week I went to my first farmer’s market of the summer, the Snohomish Farmer’s Market! It’s located right in the downtown Snohomish area and there are so many vendors there that I circled multiple times. Spring onions were wildly large and I ended up with a lot more than I thought I could eat. These spring onions were Walla Walla sweet onions, the Washington competitor to the South’s Vidalia onion. These ended up being so fragrant and tasty mixed into a focaccia.

Ingredients

Spring onions – I used the Walla Walla ones I found at the farmer’s market, but this bread would still be lovely with onions that you may find at the grocery store.

Chili crunch – I’m loyal to what I think is the OG crunchy chili sauce, the Lao Gan Ma Spicy Chili Crisp, but this could be substituted for any other chili oil. The Momofuku sauce is delicious (and expensive) and I’ve also heard the Trader Joe’s variation is lovely. If all else fails, mix together some chili oil with red pepper flakes and that works too!

big onions
i made a double batch
sliced scallions!
overnight rise
stretch + drizzle
looks so pretty!

Scallion & Chili Crunch Focaccia

Print Recipe
Course Appetizer, Snack
Keyword bread, chili oil, focaccia, onion, scallion, spring onion
Cook Time 25 minutes

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 cups warm water
  • 4 1//2 tsp yeast dry active
  • 2 tsp honey
  • 4 tsp salt
  • 5 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup sliced green onion
  • 4 tbsp chili crunch
  • 4 tbsp olive oil + extra for pan/bowl

Instructions

  • Bloom yeast in warm water and honey. Mix together and allow to sit until mixture begins to foam.
  • Add flour, salt, and slice scallions. If using a stand mixer, use the hook attachment.
  • After mixing, I usually will leave the dough in the same bowl, pour some oil into the mixing bowl, targeting the sides of the bowl, making sure to coat the ball of dough. I use the spatula to separate the dough from the sides of the bowl to ensure that the oil has a chance to drip between all parts of the dough and the bowl.
  • When ready to bake, generously coat a sheet pan in olive oil and empty dough onto sheet pan.
  • Let come up to room temperature ~30 minutes.
  • Using hands, spread and stretch dough to cover entire sheet pan. Dimple dough with fingers.
  • Mix together chili crunch & olive oil and drizzle over the top of the dough.
  • Sprinkle top with flakey salt.
  • Bake for 20-30 minutes at 450F until crispy and browned.
  • Enjoy!

My classic breads: My Favorite Focaccia or Sourdough

Cranberry Walnut Loaf

Posted on by Amanda Leave a comment

When I lived in Arizona, there was a chain-ish bakery nearby where I would love to go for lunch and grab a sandwich on their fresh baked focaccia or ciabatta. They would sell their breads by the loaf and I’d always pick up a loaf of the cranberry walnut bread while I was there. I probably haven’t been back there since high school, but I still think about the tasty breads and pastries that I had there. Here’s my easy version of the cranberry walnut loaf I used to get there.

toast walnuts
yeasty!
leave to proof
doubled!
floured and scored

Cranberry Walnut Loaf

Print Recipe
Crusty bread with sweet cranberries and crunchy walnuts
Cook Time 1 hour

Ingredients

  • 2 tsp dry active yeast
  • 2 tsp honey
  • 1 1/2 cup warm water
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries
  • 1/2 cup toasted walnuts

Instructions

  • In a large bowl, mix together yeast, honey, and warm water, ensuring that the yeast starts to bloom.
  • Add flour and salt and mix until fully combined.
  • Fold in dried cranberries and toasted walnuts.
  • Allow to proof for ~2 hours, until dough has doubled.
  • Preheat oven to 450F.
  • Line a dutch oven with parchment and dust lightly with flour.
  • Shape dough into a ball and place in the dutch oven.
  • Dust the top of the dough with flour and score the top.
  • Bake covered for 20 minutes and then uncovered for another 40 minutes.
  • Allow loaf to cool at least 30 minutes before slicing.

More bread snacks: Cinnamon Apple Rhubarb Loaf & My Favorite Focaccia

Spiced Pickled Red Onions

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Acid is one of the items in a complete dish that can be easy to miss. Some fresh citrus isn’t always handy and it weird be a little weird to toss some vinegar into something. I find that an acidic, pickley side is perfect for keeping a bite fresh. It helps balance flavors and keeps you wanting to eat more. When I have an excess of red onions, I love to make a batch of pickled red onions that are a little sweet, a little sour, a little spiced, and extra crunchy to be a side dish or a topping. Even better, this is great to add some acidity and color to a cheese or charcuterie board.

Ingredients

Red onions – the red onions marinate long enough to turn the entire slices of onion a beautiful pinky fuchsia color

Cinnamon – skip the cinnamon if you don’t want them spiced

sliced
add spices
add water

Spiced Pickled Red Onions

Print Recipe
Add a little bit of acid with this spiced side
Course Side Dish, Snack
Keyword onion, pickled

Ingredients

  • 1 red onion
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
  • 1 1/2 cup boiling water
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp black peppercorns

Instructions

  • Slice onions thinly, into about 1/4" pieces.
  • Put all onions in a heat safe container.
  • Add brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, peppercorns, vinegar, and boiling water.
  • Mix all ingredients together, ensuring sugar has all dissolved and all onions are submerged in the liquid.
  • Allow to come to room temperature and then refrigerate overnight.
  • The next day, use it to top toast, bagels, salads, or have it as a side with your favorite stir-fry or noodles.

These would be perfect on the The Work From Home Salad or with 10-Minute Soy Ginger Noodles!

Asparagus Puff Pastry Twists

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It’s still a little rainy in Washington and Arizona has already jumped into the upper 90s for summer, so if I average the weather in both places, can we call it spring? Spring leads to summers of outdoor parties and gatherings. I love a snacky handheld that can hold up outside! Asparagus season is peaking so this is the perfect time for this asparagus twists. They’re so fun and fancy looking that people will think you spent a lot more time cooking than you actually did.

Ingredients:

Asparagus – pick a bunch of asparagus that is more “mid-sized”. Larger asparagus may not fully cook through and thinner asparagus will shrivel up into nothing.

Puff pastry – store bought, please! who has time for lamination?

Seasoning sprinkle – this one is parmesan & pepper, but feel free to mix up the flavor variations to maybe lemon & butter, italian seasoning, onion & red pepper flakes, or goat cheese & chive.

puff pastry thawed
cut into strips
milk ready
brush
baked
sprinkle

Asparagus Puff Pastry Twists

Print Recipe
A fun spring/summer handheld appetizer that is perfect for any gathering.
Course Appetizer, Side Dish
Keyword asparagus, puff pastry
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 pound asparagus
  • 1 sheet puff pastry thawed
  • 1 tbsp milk
  • 2 tbsp Parmesan
  • 1 tbsp black pepper

Instructions

  • The evening before, put your puff pastry into the refrigerator to thaw overnight.
  • Wash & break the hard ends off the asparagus pieces.
  • Using a knife or pizza cutter, cut the puff pastry into long strips that are about the same width as the pieces of asparagus.
  • Holding the base of the asparagus, squish one end of the puff pastry around the base of the asparagus and wrap the remaining piece of the puff pastry up the stalk of the asparagus. Don't worry about wrapping too tightly, as the puff pastry will be entwined into the asparagus when it bakes.
  • Ensure that the pieces of puff pastry aren't touching on the baking sheet.
  • Brush milk over puff pastry pieces to help with browning.
  • Bake for 20 minutes at 400F.
  • Remove from the oven after baking, and immediately sprinkle Parmesan and black pepper on each piece.
  • Serve after briefly cooling or at room temp!

More asparagus? Have some Savory Asparagus Galette

Need to bring a dessert? Make some Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies