Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Veggie Hand Rolls

I love Japanese food and hand rolls are so much easier to make than sushi, and I love Nori seaweed. It's an acquired taste, I know...but it is so good for you. Chock full of minerals, vitamins (including vitamin B12) and iron--it's the perfect wrap for just about any Asian meal.
I make this with varying ingredients, depending on what is in season and what I have in the house. It always includes a green, leafy, cooked vegetable, a protein, and rice. It should only take 30 minutes to make from start to finish. I start with cooking the rice, my vegetable, and then the toppings. I made this tonight with the following ingredients:

-- 2 C Cooked Rice--white or brown
--Sauteed Kale (recipe follows)
--1 Avocado, sliced
--Pan-Grilled Tofu (recipe follows)
--Nori seaweed sheets, cut in 1/2 with scissors--they sell this at HEB under the sushi table--otherwise in the Asian section or an asian supermarket.

I sometimes add:
--Thinly Sliced carrot, jicama, cucumber, or shredded cabbage, or any cold veggie.
--Smoked Salmon or shelled edamame or Pan-Seared Teriyaki Tofu (recipe follows).

I assemble all the veggies on a separate plate and place in the middle of the table. I put a plate of Nori sheets on the table as well. I use whatever veggies I have in the fridge, and what is in season. Tonight I used kale sauteed with peppers, and avocado. I put the hot items on the person's individual plates: rice, kale, and tofu slices. Then let the assembly begin! Take a piece of Nori, and put some rice, kale, 1/2 of a tofu slice, and a slice of avocado. Roll in a cone like fashion so that nothing comes out the bottom, and voila--delicious! My husband likes soy sauce on the final product--he's a salt lover. The smoked salmon or shelled edamame versions are also his favorites. A little sesame dressing, or peanut sauce is good too for a more gourmet touch.

Sauteed Kale: This is my favorite way to eat kale. I saute 1 small to med. onion in 2-3T olive oil 3 minute (till transluscent). I add 1/2 teaspoon salt, and sometimes appx 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes, or a anaheim or serrano pepper. Then add 3-6 cloves of garlic, minced, and saute one additional minute. Then add 1 bunch of washed, coarsely chopped kale, and 1 C water. I cook on med to med/low setting for 20-30 minutes, until water is gone and kale is tender. I cover partially, with lid cracked to allow steam to escape and kale to maintain it's color. If the kale is not done when water is evaporated, add 1/4 to 1/2 C more and cook an additional 5-10 minutes, and retry. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Pan-Grilled/Seared Tofu: Slice a block of firm tofu into 10 slices (about 1/2 inch each). Pour some homemade or store-bought teriyaki marinade (Central Market brand is good), or soy sauce over 1/2 inch slices of firm tofu. Heat a grill pan or frying pan with 2 T olive oil or wok oil, and lay tofu on pan when it hot and tofu sizzles when hitting pan. Cook on each side until brown--about 5-7 minutes on each side.

The Beginning

I can't believe I'm starting a blog. I have so enjoyed visiting my friends blogs, and food blogs, that I decided I have to start one myself. I hope someone enjoys it besides myself, and gets some useful information as well. I think since it's November and we are coming into cold and flu season, I will share my secrets, many which I have learned from my midwife, my mom, and my schooling.

So I got my first cold in over a year. It was the result of stress and lack of sleep. Since I have a 3 month old, and woke up feeling so miserable with body aches, a low-grade temperature, and sore throat and stuffy nose (I know...all the symptoms of a common cold), I went to get tested for the dreaded "swine flu" at Minute clinic. I came up negative for influenza A & B (A is most commonly associated with H1N1)--but these tests are only 50% positive. I was thinking if I were positive I would start Tamiflu in hope of saving poor Siena from the illness. But since I was negative initally, I decided to start my "fighting any virus or bacterial infection concoction" of echinacea, grapefruit seed extract, and oil of oregano, mixed in a shot glass with some grapefruit juice, or other juice. I also started drinking more water, taking E-mergency, and sleeping--a three hour nap. A little Sambucal for my cough and stuffy nose and I was good to go. Low and behold, I was feeling 90% better by Saturday, and 100% better by Sunday. I breastfed throughout the sickness, and Siena has been relatively perfect. She is a bit more clingy, and sleeping a little bit less soundly, nursing a bit more, and has an occasional cough, but I think we got off so easily. Hooray to a good immune system, and nursing a baby--she got all my antibodies and didn't even get sick.