My Sugar Journey is Ending Soon [Addicting Spicy Warm Egg & Nut Salad]

Recently, I've been consuming ice cream, cakes, cookies, and sweets throughout my week. My lowest point was eating a Nestle Drumstick for breakfast, which I didn't even enjoy. I only ate it, because it was in my refrigerator. It's time for a sugar intervention. Starting on May 1, I will be committing myself to a No Sugar Challenge for the month. I will be posting rules in another post closer to my start date.

I'm not sure how I will handle a month without sweets since my blog is 95% dessert based. It will be a challenge, but it will force me to practice photographing savory foods, which means more savory recipes for you! I can honestly say that JSB will be happy with that change, because she is always complaining that I make too many sweets. In honor of her, I finally wrote down the recipe for her favorite Warm Egg & Nut Salad.

Addicting Spicy Warm Egg & Nut Salad

Note: I love multipurpose recipes. As a salad, it's a great snack in the afternoon or an appetizer in a multiple course meal. When the egg is omitted, it turns into a lovely bowl of spicy nuts to munch on during the day. In the past, I have used mixed nuts (from Trader Joe's) and almonds. Any type of nuts work. I prefer my nuts chopped into smaller pieces, but feel free to keep them whole.

Serves 1

Ingredients
1/3 cup nuts
1 egg
1/8 tsp sea salt
pinch of sugar
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp cayenne
1/8 mustard powder
1/4 heaping tsp cheese powder
1/4 of a green onion, thinly sliced

Directions

1. With an egg in a pot, fill it with water until the egg is submerged. Cover. Put over high heat until the water boils. Turn off the heat, leave the cover on, and set the timer for 15 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, add sea salt, sugar, garlic powder, cayenne, mustard powder, and cheese powder. Stir.
3. In a skillet set over medium heat, add the nuts. Shake occasionally. When the nuts are hot to the touch and toasted, spray with olive or canola oil with an oil sprayer. Sprinkle seasoning onto the nuts and shake the skillet  until nuts are evenly coated. Turn off the heat when the nuts are dry to the touch.
4. The egg should nearly be done. When the timer goes off, pour out the hot water and run cool water over it. Take the shell off the egg and cut into 6 - 8 chunks.
5. In a bowl, toss the nuts and egg together until mixed. Taste and add more salt as needed. Enjoy while warm.

For my Sis. [Fresh & Simple Guacamole]

The Ingredients + Cilantro

I was on the a roll in the kitchen today and boy does it feel good to be back! I made guacamole and had time to photograph it. Woah, right? I also made layered jello and lunch for tomorrow. Now that the fun part is over, it's time to get back to writing papers.

Fresh & Simple Guacamole

Servings: 1 to 2 people

Ingredients
1 ripe avocado, diced
1/2 of a small tomato (approx. 2.5 inches), diced
1/4 of a small red onion, diced
a small handful of cilantro, chopped
1/2 lime, juiced
3 - 7 slices of jalapeno, depends on spice preference
salt to taste

Directions

1. Put the diced avocado in a medium sized bowl and use a fork to gently mash until only some small chunks remain.
2. Add the diced tomatoes, onion, cilantro, lime, jalapeno, and salt. Mix and taste. Add more salt as necessary. Put it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes so the flavors develop. 

Light Winter Snack [Honey Wheat Pizza Dough]

A new year with new goals. After my trip from Hong Kong and Taiwan this past December, I am suddenly motivated to learn to read Chinese. My other goal is to engage in a healthier lifestyle, which includes more water intake, exercise, and a better diet.

On a different note, it's been cold in San Francisco. (Yes, it's not freezing temperatures, but us Franciscans have a low tolerance for "cold".) The best way to deal with it is to cook a dish that will keep me warm and warm up the kitchen as well. The idea: homemade pizza.

For my pizza, I made a honey wheat pizza dough. I used mozzarella cheese, fennel, fuyu persimmon, and Italian sausages for toppings. The lovely light licorice flavor flavor mingled with sweet ripen persimmon with spicy sausages was the perfect combination.

If a pizza stone isn't available, use a cast iron skillet to bake a pizza for the perfect crispy crust.

Note: The secret to a crispy crust without a pizza stone is to use a cast iron skillet. It handles the heat extremely well and is nonstick once seasoned so it's perfect for pizza making!

Honey Wheat Pizza Dough
Serves 1 for a meal or a snack for 2

Ingredients
1/4 cup water
1/2 heaping tsp active dry yeast
1/4 tsp honey
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup all purpose flour
3/4 tsp olive oil
1/4 tsp salt

Directions

1. Add honey into the water and microwave for 40 seconds. Dip a finger in and if it feels like a hot shower then it's at the correct temperature or 110°F if you're OCD about precision.
2. Add yeast and let it sit for 5 minutes.
3. In another bowl, add flour, olive oil, and salt. Make a hole in the middle and pour water in. Use a spoon and mix everything together.
4. Knead by hand for 7 to 10 minutes until smooth. Grease a bowl, place dough in bowl, and cover with saran wrap. Let it rise for 1  to 1 1/2 hours until it doubles in size.
5. Preheat oven to 500°F and place cast iron skillet in oven (pizza stone or baking sheet).
6. Roll out dough and add desired toppings.
7. Bake for 5 to 10 minutes until crust is golden brown and cheese is bubbling.

Light Winter Pizza

Toppings
4-5 cloves of garlic, finely minced
1 persimmon, diced
half a fennel, sliced thinly
1 hot Italian sausage, cooked and sliced
olive oil
sea salt
Mozzarella cheese, grated

semolina flour

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 500°F and place cast iron skillet in oven.
2. Divide into 4 pieces, which will make 3.5 inch pizzas. Sprinkle semolina flour on counter to prevent dough sticking to the surface. Roll out dough.
3. Brush with olive oil and a couple shakes of sea salt. Sprinkle on garlic, persimmon, fennel, and sausage evenly on pizza. (Remember: less is more. Too many toppings and the pizza will get soggy). Last step, sprinkle a thin layer of cheese.
4. Transfer to cookie sheet with semolina flour to prevent sticking. Go to oven and tilt the cookie sheet so the pizza slides onto the heated cast iron skillet. Bake for 5 to 10 minutes or until crust is browned.  Use a metal spatula to retrieve the hot pizza. Slice and enjoy.

Delicious, but Ugly Series #2 - [Cheese Pancakes]

I like simple and quick when I'm craving for a snack. Ever since I discovered Vanilla Garlic and his damn posts about delicious cheese he consumes, I've been craving cheese. I specifically wanted crispy melted cheese and these pancakes satisfied my craving.

Aiiiyaaah. Overexposed image. [insert sad face]

Cheese Pancakes

adapted from Use Real Butter

Note: This is based on Use Real Butter's green onion dough and instructions. The best part, no measurements are needed and you can health it up with whole wheat flour.

Ingredients

1:1 ratio of whole wheat to all-purpose flour (or only all-purpose flour)

water

sea salt

pepper

grated cheese (Mozzarella, Cheddar, or Parmesan. Or a mix of the three)

crushed garlic (I used a garlic press)

Directions

1. Put desired amount of flour in a bowl. For one, I use about 1/2 cup of flour. Start with 2 tablespoons of water. Mix and if it's still too dry. Add more water by teaspoons and continue mixing. If too much water is added, simply mix in a bit of flour. It's the right consistency when the dough is slightly sticky to the touch. Knead for 5 to 10 minutes until is soft and smooth. Let it rest for 20 minutes.
2. Take 1 1/2 to 2 inches ball of dough and roll out as thin as you can. Sprinkle a bit of garlic evenly on top. Then add salt, pepper, and cheese evenly on surface as well.  Leave about 1/2 inch of untouched dough along the edge. 
3. Start from the bottom and roll upwards so it forms a long cylinder. Start with one end and roll inwards so it starts looking like snail or cinnamon roll. Press down with the palm of your hands so it flattens the snail. Roll the dough as thin as you can. This is important, because if it's too thick you'll get burnt cheese and raw dough.
4. Sprinkle cheese on top and press into the dough with palms of your hand. (Scroll to bottom to see visually what I'm referring to)
5. Heat skillet over low heat. It's ready when water is sprinkled and immediately sizzles. Don't add oil to the skillet. Once the pancake is added to the pan, the cheese will release enough oil to prevent it from sticking. Place a  pancake in skillet, you know it's ready to flip when the cheese on top begins to melt. Flip pancake. Wait 40 seconds  and check to see if the bottom is nicely browned. 
6. You're done. Serve with apple slices. A different form of cheese and crackers!

Step #4 Sprinkling cheese and pressing into pancake

Thanksgiving 2011 + A Simple Pasta Dish to use up Leftover Turkey [Turkey Pesto Linguine]

With both kitchen doors closed, I turned on the heater and let the warm air wake me up in the gloomy kitchen on Thanksgiving Day. I didn't mind waking up early to make my Boston Cream Pie. I started with the pastry cream, followed by the sponge cakes. While the cakes were baking, I moved a table next to the window in the living room to get what light I could from our cloudy SF morning to take photos of the pumpkin truffles I made last night. Mid session, a high pitched beep-beep distracted me. My timer. I ran from the living room to the kitchen to check on the cakes. Perfect: lightly browned and a flat surface. After getting the cakes on the cooling rack, I packed up six shiny round truffles, grabbed my purse, and ran out the door.

Thirty minutes later, I arrived at my boyfriend's work place and shoved the truffles into his hand. Rambled about how it's pumpkin and to ask his coworkers to taste test for me. He tried asking me some questions, but I cut him off and said I need to get going and finish my cake and mashed potatoes for dinner.

After I arrived home, I immediately made ganache and assembled the Boston Cream Pie. Peeling potatoes was my next task. I managed to get the potatoes in boiling water and set up my next photo shoot: a mini Boston cream pie. Done. Time to return to the kitchen and finish mincing shallots, and squeezing and zesting a lemon. Another beep went off and it's time to drain the potatoes. Done. Time to mash and add warm milk and butter. Fold in shallots and lemon juice and zest. Glancing over at the clock, I realized it was 4:30 PM and I didn't eat anything all day except for a cup of milk in the morning

Strangely enough, I didn't feel hungry. I felt relaxed and happy, because I created dishes that I was proud of. I love hectic days centered around preparing food for people that I love. Later that night, my family and I brought pumpkin truffles, a Boston cream pie, candied yams, and lemon shallot mashed potatoes to my Auntie's house. She had roasted turkey, a side of nuo mi fan, and crab salad waiting for us.

A confession: My favorite part about Thanksgiving Day isn't the actual dinner, but the next day when my mom makes jook (rice porridge) with the turkey carcass. Oh god, orgasm in mouth. Another way to use up leftover turkey is to make a simple and easy turkey pesto pasta dish.

Turkey Pesto Linguine

Note: You can easily replace ground turkey with leftover turkey from Thanksgiving. Simply shred 2 handfuls of turkey, add the seasonings, and heat it up in the skillet. Set aside and continue with Step #2.

Serves 1

Ingredients
2 handfuls of ground turkey
1/2 tsp dried minced onion
1/4 tsp garlic powder
pinch of salt
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp fish sauce

1 serving of linguine/spaghetti, cooked
4 to 5 handfuls of baby spinach, washed
3 to 4 TBSP pesto

Directions

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a skillet over medium heat. When oil is hot, place ground turkey in the skillet and flatten with a spatula. Wait 2 - 3 minutes until it's brown and crispy. Flip the turkey meat over onto the other side and wait another 3 to 4 minutes. When it is cooked thoroughly, break into smaller pieces with a spatula and transfer it to a bowl. 
2. In the same skillet over low heat, add 3 to 4 tablespoons of pesto to warm up. 
3. When it's sizzling and you can smell the pesto, add the spinach and pasta. Add the cooked turkey when the spinach is semi-cooked. Toss the ingredients together and serve. Garnish with some grated Parmesan cheese.