Sriracha-cha: Poser Thai Peanut Noodles & LowCal Spring Rolls

Courtesy of Google Shopping & Breadenfish Media

What does Sriracha sauce, broccoli slaw, rice vermicelli, peanut butter, bean sprouts, spaghetti noodles,  soy sauce, jicama, rice vinegar, spring roll wrappers, sesame seed oil, an apple and a lime have in common?  They are all in my world renown, low calorie, kid friendly dinner ... not sure about the "world renown", but my family and friends REALLY like it!  My good friend Emily, creator and writer of Running Like A Mother blog, and I even had a spring roll wrapping party this week and got to munch on the goods with our kiddos.  Emily steamed edamame that we ate on the side for extra protein and nutrition.  It was probably the most flavorful meal I had all week!

Courtesy of runninglikeamother.com

Here's what you need to make Poser Thai Peanut Noodles and LowCal Spring Rolls:

~ Shopping List ~

Fresh Ingredients

1 lime or lime juice concentrate
1 tbsp garlic paste (or 2-3 garlic cloves, crushed into paste)
1 bag Dole broccoli slaw
1/2 cup bean sprouts, fresh or canned
1/2 cup Dole carrot shreds
1 Gala or Fuji apple, peeled and cut into spears
1/2 Jicama, peeled and sliced (optional)
1 - 12 oz bag Spring Roll Wrappers

Pantry Ingredients

1 tbsp Sriracha sauce (or to taste)
1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
3/4 cup rice vinegar
1/2 tsp sesame seed oil
1/2 cup peanut butter (or more!)
2 tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp ginger powder
4 oz Rice Vermicelli noodles (also known as cellophane noodles)
8 oz Whole Wheat Spaghetti noodles


LowCal Spring Rolls
Prep Time: 10 min
Cook Time: 28 min
Yields 12-14 Rolls

1) Heat oil in a frying pan on medium-high, then toss 1/3 cup broccoli slaw, carrot shreds and bean sprouts in to quickly stir-fry.  Don't overcook - make sure it stays crunchy!  2) Use instructions on the bag of vermicelli to prep the noodles (usually involves soaking the noodles in warm water.)  3) Add 1/4 cups rice vinegar, 3 tbsp soy sauce and 1/2 tbsp garlic paste to the frying pan.  Stir and turn heat to low-medium.  4) Stir prepped noodles into frying pan and turn off heat.  5) Prep your spring roll wrappers per package instructions, set your oven on 400 degrees, and spray a baking sheet with non-stick spray.  6) Now the rolling of the spring rolls!  Place a small amount of the veggie/noodle mix onto the spring roll wrapper and fold away.  Secure the seams with a paste made of 1 tbsp water and 1 tbsp flour.  Optional: brush each roll with a little olive oil. (See folding instructions below.)  7) Once you fill your baking sheet, place rolls in the preheated oven for 15 minutes.  After 15 minutes, turn the rolls and leave in for another 10-12 minutes or until browned on both sides.  8) Serve hot and dip in sweet & sour sauce or my Thai Cucumber Sauce (see recipe below).

Watch to learn how to wrap your spring rolls, but bake instead of fry :D

Poser Thai Peanut Noodles

Prep Time: 15 min

Chill Time: 30 min

Yields 6-8 servings

1) Prep spaghetti noodles per package instructions for al-dente, drain immediately after cooked.  2) Mix the dressing in a small bowl: 1/2 cup rice vinegar, 1/4 cup soy sauce, 1/2 cup peanut butter (or more if you like a thicker dressing), 2 tbsp brown sugar, 1/2 tsp ginger powder, 2 tbsp boiling spaghetti noodle water, 1/2 tbsp garlic paste, 1/2 tbsp sriracha sauce, and 1/2 tsp sesame seed oil.  3) Peel your apple and  jicama, cutting both it into bit-size spears.  Place spears in a large bowl and toss in about 1/4 cup lime juice, which will preserve their color and crunch.  4) Add the rest of the broccoli slaw (a little over 1 cup), jicama spears and whole wheat spaghetti noodles.  5) Toss everything in the peanut sauce really well.  6) Place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes and serve chilled .... kids LOVE it!

Thai Cucumber Sauce
1/2 cup rice vinegar
1/2 clear corn syrup
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp Sriracha sauce (or to taste)
1/2 cucumber, peeled and diced
Heat vinegar and salt in a saucepan until boiling.  Stir in syrup and boil for 2-3 minutes.  Remove from heat, stir in Sriracha sauce and pour over diced cucumber.  Place in fridge 30-45 minutes.  Serve chilled.

French country brunch on a budget

Surprisingly, a French brunch is easier, healthier and cheaper to create than you might think ... and can quickly become a weekend favorite for your family.  About a year ago, a friend of mine introduced me to crêpes.  Versatile and simple, crêpes are a great alternative to the run of the mill pancakes or waffles.  Although my first few attempts at making a crêpe weren't very successful, I've finally found my niche and now enjoy how easy and affordable they are to make!  

Here are a few things you need to know about crêpes:

1)  They really only require four ingredients: flour, milk, eggs and butter

2)  They aren't just for breakfast ... savory crêpes are just as good as sweet ones!  Take some inspiration from the Atlanta-based crêpe specialty restaurant, Crêpe Revolution

3)  Although whole eggs are traditionally listed as an ingredient, you can also make them with just the fluffy whites (at least, to my taste!)

4)  Don't let pictures fool you - there is no perfect crêpe!  

5)  Chemistry is truly what achieves this French delicacy ... so your recipe is everything!

Have a country, French breakfast with your family or girlfriends this weekend!  And here are some ideas to set the table:

Abbey's Perfect Crêpe

makes 10-12 medium size crêpes

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups 2% or whole milk

6 tbsp melted butter (or about 4 tbsp canola oil)

2 dashes of salt

2 tbsp sugar (optional)

8 eggs, whites beaten until foamy (tip: save the yokes and cook separately for added protein)

In a medium size mixing bowl, combine the flour, salt and sugar.  Stir in the milk and melted butter or oil.  In a separate bowl, separate the egg whites from the yolks.  With a fork or small whisk, rapidly whisk the egg whites for about a minute ... you'll know they are ready when they begin to feel like a liquid (rather than separated and lumpy) and a thick foam will settle on the surface.  With a spatula, fold the foamy egg whites into the main bowl with the flour, milk, and butter mixture.  I gently fold it in, letting the foamy egg whites achieve a light, airy mixture.  Although there are really nice, expensive crêpe pans, I just use a rounded edge non-stick pan over medium-low heat.  Cook the crêpe almost as you would a pancake, and remember that crêpes are supposed to be nearly paper thin, light and a little stretchy.  Once cooked, glaze with yogurt, sprinkle with fresh cut fruit, roll, and serve! (For a really good visual tutorial, check out the Summer6676 video on Youtube)

Lemon & Honey Yogurt

Mix the following ingredients to make a zesty yogurt topping for your crêpes

2 - 7 oz containers of Fage 2% Greek Yogurt

Zest from two lemons

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

4 tbsp honey

Strawberry Iced Tea

2 Celestial Seasonings strawberry herbal tea bags 

2 cups boiling water

4 tbsp honey

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

4 cups ice

Bring water to a boil and add tea bags.  Use tea package instructions to achieve a strong brew of tea.  Add tea brew, honey and lemon to a half gallon pitcher and stir.  Add ice and then fill with cold water about an inch from the brim.  Serve over ice and with a sprig of mint for garnish.

Note to Reader: This recipe is one that I've created to my taste and preference.  For a more traditional crêpe, go to the Food Network website ... Alton Brown has a really good crepe recipe and a great tutorial on Youtube.

My growing love for coconut ...

Coconut can be an acquired taste, but most of the time you either love it or you hate it.  I have to admit that my taste for coconut has matured along with me throughout the years.  From about three years old until middle school, I always associated the commercially reproduced smell of coconut with sunscreen ... that is, until I just stopped wearing sunscreen altogether (a poor decision that I truly regret).  Post middle school and sunscreen era, I would periodically buy a coconut scented body spray, use it for a few weeks, and then would inevitably toss it aside for a more multi-dimensional fragrance.  The common freezer item, shredded coconut, was just as easily tossed aside ... you could throw it into muffins, candy and cakes or you could skip it completely with no loss!  It wasn't until I was "of age" that coconut took on a new meaning for me in the form of the piña colada, but that ended when I learned that the fun, little cocktail was costing me almost 650 calories a pop ... which was more than half a day's calorie intake for me at that point.  All that time, I never realized was that the water was the good stuff!

Now nearing my thirtieth birthday, I am pumped when I see coconut water on sale at Target!  As a confession, I am just short of hoarding coconut water when I find a good sale ... and for good reason!  Coconut water is high in potassium, antioxidants and minerals.  According to Dr Oz, coconut water can help reduce high blood pressure and can be used to help combat inflammation.  Not to mention, coconut water contains cytokinin, a plant hormone that assists with cell growth and some believe to be an untapped fountain of youth.

Some of my favorite coconut water infused drinks are Zico, SoBe's Lifewater Pacific Coconut, and LaCroix Coconut Sparkling Water.  100% pure coconut water, Zico contains the most coconut water out of the three and is marketed as a sports drink.  SoBe is definitely a treat because it has the most flavor and contains 20 grams of sugar in each bottle.  LaCroix is more of a sipper.  Although it is low calorie, it can also be a little low on flavor ... but it puts some extra zing in a fruit smoothie.  Try my recipe out!  With added antioxidants from the cocoa powder and strawberries, the 60 calories, 12 carbs, 1 gram of fat and 2 grams of protein per serving make a really healthy snack or treat!

Strawberry Coconut Smoothie

8 oz LaCroix Natural Coconut Sparkling Water (about 3/4 a can)

1 cup fresh or frozen strawberries

3-4 tbsp Hershey's Cocoa Special Dark Powder (or to taste)

2 packets Purevia Stevia

6-8 ice cubes

Toss everything in a blender, blend it, add some ice, and blend a little bit more.  Should serve two with a little bit leftover.  

Confession of an Involuntary Spicer

For reasons often beyond my control, I keep accidentally spicing my food with the wrong seasonings!  First of all, I'm a cheapskate and have failed to find a spice rack that suits my taste and budget.  Consequently, if you spend any time in my kitchen you can't miss the eyesore of a spice shelf that sits above the stove ... it's completely atrocious, but it seems to work for me most of the time!  

Due to my lack of spice organization, I have stumbled upon some unlikely flavors while cooking under pressure (aka - hungry, cranky toddler and husband).  I'll admit that most of my involuntary spicings have caused my poor husband to dry heave; however, on the brighter side, I have discovered spice pairings that are out of this world, awesome!  I'm a glass is half full type of girl, so let's concentrate on the awesome involuntary spicing incidents:

1)  The "Nutmeg In Chicken Salad" Incident

In a late lunch, crying toddler tizzy, I grabbed for the paprika to finish off my chicken salad dish.  Unbeknownst to me, I had previously placed the identical bottles of paprika and nutmeg beside each other with the labels facing the wall.  I shook a pretty hefty sprinkling over my gourmet chicken salad before I took in the distinct aroma of pumpkin pie.  Let me tell you, this was a happy accident!  Try it and you'll never go back to paprika in your chicken salad!

2)  The "Cumin In Rice Pudding" Incident

I love using leftover rice to make pudding for breakfast.  Most of the time, I cook a few tablespoons of quinoa into my rice for added nutrients and protein, so our version of rice pudding for breakfast isn't exactly junk food!  Same situation this time: identical spice containers + haphazard shelf + labels facing the wall = involuntary spicing!  To my surprise, a dash of cumin along with cinnamon creates a pleasingly smoky flavored rice pudding.  Who would have thought?!   I'm just thankful that the dill container has no resemblance to the cinnamon container ... we would have had a much different result, by far!

Try out an unlikely spice pairing today!  It's oddly freeing to a by-the-book cook!  One of my favorite unlikely pairing is adding a pinch of cayenne pepper to chocolate.  Try making hot fudge sauce for ice cream and add a little zing with cayenne, or hot chocolate with a punch.  

Hamanteschen Cookies

This is a picture of the fruits of my labor on Purim Thursday.  Cookies are just not one of my favorite things to make, so when I say "labor" it's oddly accurate!  I used the recipe posted earlier last week, but had to make some revisions.  Also, the altered version, which was supposed to render 36 cookies, turned out to be a smaller batch than I had anticipated.  I tweaked the recipe as follows to suit my taste:

3 large eggs

5/8 cup sugar (I'm just making it a rounded 1/2 cup)

2 tsp lemon zest

3/4 cup butter, melted

3 cups all-purpose flour

Strawberry Preserves

Guava Jelly

In a nutshell: 1) grease the cookie sheets, 2) Beat eggs, 3) Add sugar, lemon peel and melted butter, beating mixture until light and fluffy, 4) Add flour and mix well, 5) Cover and refrigerate for 1.5 hours, 6) Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees, 7) On a floured surface, roll dough to a 1/8-inch thickness, 8) Cut with a floured 3-inch round cookie cutter or cup, 9) Place an inch apart on cookie sheets, 10) Spoon a teaspoon of fruit filling onto each circle, alternating flavors, 11) Moisten edges of dough circles with water, 12) Folding 3 sides in, shape into triangles and pinch corners to seal, 13) Bake for 8-12 minutes or until edges are light golden brown, 14) Remove, cool, enjoy!

Purim: Morbid Cookies and a Reminder of God's Faithfulness

Although I grew up in a gentile, Christian home, I have always been intrigued by the Jewish feasts, festivals and traditions.  In the 1980's, one of the first video tapes my family ever owned was of The Fiddler On The Roof.  I practically wore holes through the film tape, as I watched it at least twice a week.  While the song and dance prone Tevye may not have been the best representation of Jewish tradition, watching his wife in the film lead the Shabbat Prayer was the closest connection I had to a Siddur. However, as I've grown older, I am finding that the heart of reverence which is poured out during these Jewish observances is just as meaningful to me as a Christian.  One particular Jewish custom that is often overlooked by Christians is Purim.

Purim is coming up this year on March 8th, which is just a few days away.  There are practical and fun ways to observe the festival, but there are also more introspective ways to observe its significance and symbolism.   Purim is the Jewish observance of the story of Esther.  While some scholars view this book as simply an excerpt of history to bridge the 400 Silent Years, I see so much significance within the parallels and symbols of God's faithfulness and unfailing love.  

image property of US government

When I read stories from the Bible, I love to read between the lines into the context and ramifications of the story.  Honestly, I hadn't read the full Book of Esther since Bible College, so it was good to look at it with refreshed perspective.  First of all, I find it interesting that Xerxes "ruled over 127 provinces stretching from India to Cush," as mentioned in the first chapter of Esther and in the first verse.  Right off the bat, the writer wants you to know that King Xerxes ruled over basically all of ancient Persia, which currently consists of Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Israel, Lebanon, and Yemen.  In fact, his throne sat in what is now the city of Shush in Iran.  This fact alone sets the stage for the ensuing  irony in the story.

attribution: Forest & Kim Starr

After Queen Vashti displeased the king, he vanquished her and sought to replace her with a commoner.  This is where Esther enters the picture.  In Esther 2:7, we find out that her Hebrew name is Hadassah, meaning myrtle.  In Jewish tradition, the Feast of Tabernacles uses the flowering branches of myrtle to represent "those who have good deeds to their credit despite not having knowledge and study of the Torah."  The fragrant flower also represents the Garden of Eden (BhM II: 52; Sefer ha-Hezyonot 17). It's really amazing how strongly the parallel between Esther and Eve is displayed in this story.  Symbolically, we witness the character of Eve defeating death by the deliverance of a King.  Beautiful!

The most famous quote throughout this whole book is undoubtedly Esther 4:14, where Mordecai appeals to Esther, his niece, a Jew, and the queen:

"For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish.  And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this." 

Essentially, Esther would have to sacrifice her own life in order to ensure the salvation of her people.  My NIV Study Bible commentary states that this verse outlines "the relationship between divine sovereignty and human responsibility."  This relationship between divine sovereignty and human responsibility is seen similarly in the Bible as Jesus prepares himself to take on the cross.  As He prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, He prayed, "Abba, Father, all things are possible for you.  Take this cup away from Me; nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will."  Peter alludes to God's sovereignty and Jesus act of sacrifice in Acts 2:23-24, saying, "Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God ... whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it."

I find it so beautiful that Purim, a celebration of God's deliverance and faithfulness, would prepare us for the Passover and Resurrection Sunday.  The story of Esther is not just a bridge in Biblical history, it a vital piece within the story of God's salvation and redemption of His creation.  We are loved and desired by God, our Creator and Redeemer.

Now, Let's Make Haman's Ears!

If you skim through my food articles, you will probably noticed I'm big on savory cooking and not so big on making desserts.  While I love sweets, I dislike the preparation steps, mess and hassle. However, Hamantaschen Cookies look simple enough that even I should enjoy making them.  Hamantaschen translates from the Yiddish as "ears of Haman," but I've also seen the cookies called "Haman's Hat."  I found a recipe on Food.com which I'll be using to bake my Haman's Ears (yum?) this Thursday, so be sure to check back for pictures.  I've altered the measurements in order to only make 36 cookies: 

3 large eggs

5/8 cup sugar (I'm just making it a rounded 1/2 cup)

1 1/2 tsp orange zest

3/4 cup butter, melted

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 (9 oz) can poppy seed filling (substitute with prune or apricot filling)

In a nutshell: 1) grease the cookie sheets, 2) Beat eggs, 3) Add sugar, orange peel and melted butter, beating mixture until light and fluffy, 4) Add flour and mix well, 5) Cover and refrigerate for 1.5 hours, 6) Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees, 7) On a floured surface, roll dough to a 1/4-inch thickness, 8) Cut with a floured 3-inch round cookie cutter or cup, 9) Place an inch apart on cookie sheets, 10) Spoon a teaspoon of filling onto each circle, 11) Moisten edges of dough circles with water, 12) Folding 3 sides in, shape into triangles and pinch corners to seal, 13) Bake for 8-12 minutes or until edges are light golden brown, 14) Remove, cool, eat!

Christmas in Retrospect

I had actually planned to post this the day after Christmas, but I totally forgot.  So, here it goes ... My Christmas Eve Chocolate Pie and Vietnamese Coffee!!!  Unfortunately, my husband and I were the only ones able to enjoy the fruits of my labor due to a visit to the ER (unrelated to the pie or cooking of the pie).

Not being much of a pie person, I surprisingly adopted this pie recipe just recently.  And, I have to tell you, for not being a pie person - I love this pie!  I've made some changes to the original recipe I found online, so this one is definitely an Abbey Original.  Instead of using evaporated milk, I use sweetened condensed milk, which also allows me to cut out the granulated sugar ingredient from the original recipe. I feel this brings out the semi-sweet chocolate better, while also making a creamier pie.  Plus, I usually have some leftover condensed milk, so I use it to make Vietnamese Coffee.  My Vietnamese Coffee has a holiday twist - I add cinnamon to the coffee grounds before brewing.

Chocolate Pie
Prep time: 20 min, Cook time: 30

1 - 9 in. Pillsbury pie crust
1/2 cup butter
4 oz dark chocolate
6 oz sweetened condensed milk
3 eggs
1 tsp imitation rum extract (substitution: pure vanilla extract)
1 tbsp flour

1) Blind bake pie crust for 8 minutes at 400 degrees (perforate the sides and bottom of the crust in your pie dish with a fork before baking).  2)  Once crust is done, remove and lower oven temp to 375 degrees.  3) In a nonstick frying pan or sauce pan, melt the butter and chocolate on low heat (I use level 3 or 4 on my stove).  4) Meanwhile, whisk together eggs, rum extract and sweetened condensed milk. (I use a hand-held mixer for this step)  5) In a small bowl, combine flour and a few tablespoons of the melted chocolate together (this will keep your pie from getting lumpy when you add the flour later).  6) Also combine a few tablespoons of the melted chocolate to the egg mixture (this will gently pre-heat the eggs so that they won't fry when you add them to the melted chocolate).  7)  Add flour and egg mixtures to the melted chocolate on the stove, increase heat to medium, and stir constantly for about 10 minutes.  8) Using a spatula, scrape the mixture into your pre-baked pie crust.  9) Bake the pie for 25-30 minutes.  If you notice bubbling as it bakes, you can stick a few toothpicks into the pie to keep it down, or just let it bubble up - whichever you prefer!

Vietnamese Coffee
Prep time: 5 minutes

coffee grounds
water
1 tsp ground cinnamon
6 oz sweetened condensed milk

In a coffee maker, add 1 tsp cinnamon to your coffee grounds, and brew enough coffee for two.  While the coffee brews, divide the leftovers of your sweetened condensed milk evenly between two tall glasses.  Add 4-5 ice cubes to each cup.  Once your coffee is brewed, pour into your over the ice and milk.  Each person gets a spoon to stir the mixture.

How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good tidings, who publishes peace, who brings good tidings of good, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, Your God reigns!

Isaiah 52:7 (AMP)