Edamame Spaghetti with Kale Cilantro Pesto

Edamame Spaghetti with Kale Cilantro Pesto, Carrot, Coconut, Ginger

Edamame Spaghetti with Kale Cilantro Pesto
Carrot Ribbons, Toasted Coconut, Fried Ginger

Compare this Edamame Spaghetti to common pasta and you will be amazed. Generally, dried pastas have 5 to 7 grams of protein and 2 to 3 grams of fiber per serving. This spaghetti – made exclusively of organic edamame (green soybeans) and water – has 24 grams of protein and 11 grams of fiber per serving.

The nutritional facts are hard to believe, until one realizes that this spaghetti really isn’t pasta at all, but soybeans masquerading as noodles. And as it turns out, beans make a super substitute for wheat flour to make those noodles. Edamame spaghetti’s taste and aromas are mild and pleasantly vegetal in nature, and the tooth is delightfully chewy. Love the natural green color, too.

Edamame Spaghetti with Kale Cilantro Pesto, Carrot, Coconut, Ginger

I dress the noodles with kale cilantro pesto – the kale and almonds in the pesto adding their fair share of nutrients. Inspired by edamame and its Asian roots – I add toasted coconut for a little crunch and its toasty exotic flavor and a few shards of one of my favorite garnishes – fried ginger – which brings an unexpected zing to the dish. Raw carrot ribbons add color, texture, and more nutrients. This is definitely a feel-good pasta dish – one that is organic, naturally lower in carbs, and gluten-free to boot. Win.Win.Win.

Edamame Spaghetti with Kale Cilantro Pesto Recipe

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Savory Korean Breakfast Pancake {Breakfast Bindaetteok}

Savory Korean Breakfast Pancake {Breakfast Bindaetteok}

Savory Korean Breakfast Pancake
Breakfast Bindaetteok

Mung Bean Pancake (Gluten-Free, Low-Carb)
Nappa Cabbage Kimchi, Scallion
Topped with a Sunny-Side-Up Egg
Gochujang Sauce

It’s those savory caramelized bits of kimchi that make this pancake so irresistible. Dried-peeled-split mung beans are soaked overnight in water, then pureed in a blender to produce a pale yellow batter that yields a tasty low-carb, gluten-free pancake with an interesting slightly chewy texture.

The pancake is topped with a sunny-side-up egg. Gochujang sauce made from fermented red chilis, is spicy and slightly sweet and makes the perfect condiment for this breakfast which is a twist on the popular Korean appetizer called bindaetteok.

Savory Korean Breakfast Pancake Recipe

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Bison Chili with Heirloom Cranberry Beans, Poached Egg

Bison & Heirloom Bean Chili with Poached Egg

This recipe was loosely adapted from the Chasen’s Recipe, the famous chili that was shipped to Elizabeth Taylor when she was filming in Italy back in 1962. Heirloom cranberry beans and flavorful wild bison make this chili one that could be a contender in the next chili cook-off!

Smoked paprika and chili de arbol powder balance the chili with sweet smoke, earth, and heat notes. And I eschew the ubiquitous shredded cheese and diced onion topping for a silky poached egg. The runny yolk adds richness to the spicy stew.

Bison Chili with Poached Egg

Bison Chili with Heirloom Cranberry Beans & Poached Egg

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Korean Macaroni and Cheese with Beef, Kimchi, Cheddar

Korean Macaroni and Cheese with Beef, Kimchi, Cheddar

Korean Macaroni and Cheese with Beef, Kimchi, Cheddar

One stellar food pairing is kimchi plus cheddar. So when it came time to create a macaroni and cheese dish for Food Network’s Comfort Food Feast event, I immediately thought of kimchi. Funky tangy kimchi partners with sharp creamy cheddar, ground sirloin, and gochugaru, a Korean red chili powder that is definitely spicy – but also has a balanced fruitiness, slight smokiness and depth of flavor from the sun-dried red peppers. The resulting fusion dish is an irresistible grown-up full-flavored mac and cheese.

Korean Macaroni and Cheese with Beef, Kimchi, Cheddar

Beef & Kimchi Mac ‘n Cheese Recipe

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Pretty Little Cast Iron Skillet Pizzas

Irresistible Mini Cast Iron Skillet Pizzas

Pretty Little Cast Iron Skillet Pizzas

Ricotta & Mozzarella
with
Roasted Butternut Squash, Agave Syrup, Fried Sage, Violas
and
Arugula, Toasted Hazelnuts, Hazelnut Oil, Borage

I just couldn’t put them away, not just yet. Those mini cast iron skillets in which I served Shrimp & Grits last week were still hanging out on the counter…ready for the next irresistible presentation.

Inspired by my borage plant which is thriving in January and my violas which are still hanging on (condolences to my Chicago peeps), I set out to make some really pretty little pizzas.

Borage Arugula Pizza

Pretty Little Cast Iron Skillet Pizza Recipes

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