[Food Series] Sesame Soba Noodle Salad

Ok, so in an effort to be more mindful of what I put in my body, I decided to give buckwheat (soba) noodles a try. Buckwheat isn't derived from a grain, it's actually a seed that is hulled in the same manner as wheat, then milled into flour to make soba noddles. Not only does it have way more protein than plain old pasta, it also sits very low on the glycemic index, which keeps your sugar levels more even and it's packed full of unique amino acids, minerals and vitamins. So, needles to say, saying goodbye to traditional pasta was a no-brainer for me! This pasta salad takes a flat 10 minutes to make, is chocked full of nutrition and keeps in the fridge for days! Enjoy!

Ingredients

1 8oz package of 100% Buckwheat Soba Noodles

1 cup raw Shredded Carrots

2 cups raw Sugar Snap Peas

2 tablespoons Sesame Oil

Juice of 2 Limes

1/4 cup of freshly chopped Cilantro

Salt & Pepper

Watch how easy this is....cook the soba noodles per the directions on the package. Drain them and rinse them very gently in cold water until they are cool to the touch. Gently toss the soba noodles in a bowl with the shredded carrots, sugar snap peas, sesame oil, lime juice, cilantro and a dash of salt and pepper. Enjoy it all week! That's IT!

[Food Series] A Summer Picnic at The Hollywood Bowl

The Hollywood Bowl is a beloved LA landmark whose cultural and musical history has been delicately woven into the very fabric of our lives for over a decade. It will be featured in an upcoming MommyHiker.com article, but today I wanted to showcase a few quick, easy and nutritious summer picnic ideas, perfect for mad-dashing out to a concert or just to the neighborhood park!

Caprese
1 Heirloom Tomato
Fresh Mozzarella Cheese
Fresh Basil
Red Onion
Olive Oil
Balsamic Vinegar
Salt & Pepper

Thinly slice the tomatoes, mozzarella and red onions then lay them on a plate, alternating tomato, mozzarella, basil leaf. Once you have used up all of the sliced ingredients, sprinkle red onions on top, lightly salt and pepper, then drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar!

Roasted Broccoli & Fennel
2 heads of Broccoli
1 Fennel Bulb
Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper

Cut the heads of broccoli into florets and slice the fennel. Toss everything lightly in olive oil, salt and pepper and roast at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Fruit Salad
2 Large Apples
1 small container of Blueberries
3 Persian Cucumbers
1/4 pound of Grapes

Core and slice 2 apples. Remove grapes from stem. Peel and chop cucumbers. Toss everything into a bowl and serve!

[Food Series] Fresh Shrimp Spring Rolls

I've been itching to try my hand at Shrimp Spring Rolls for months now and I finally motivated myself to do it! Why did I wait so long?? It's the perfect delicious and nutritious summer finger food and SO fast and easy to prepare! I can tell you it has already become a new family favorite!

Fresh Shrimp Spring Roll

Ingredients

1 package of Rice Paper Wrappers

1 cucumber

1 carrot

1 bunch of Radish

1 bunch of cilantro

1 bunch of thai basil

1/2 pound of cooked Shrimp

1 tablespoon freshly-grated Ginger

1 teaspoon of Sesame Oil

1 teaspoon of Rice Vinegar

Salt and Pepper to taste

Julienne all of the veggies, thinly slice the radish and cut your shrimp in half length-wise, then toss everything in the rice vinegar, freshly-grated ginger, salt and pepper. To prepare the Rice Paper Wrappers simply soak them in water for about a minute until they become pliable. Place a small handful of the mixture in the center of the rice paper (I double up the rice paper per roll so they are a bit more sturdy in the hand), fold in the two sides at the ends, then roll up and devour! SO easy, SO yummy, SO healthy! Enjoy!

Side Note: The great thing about Spring Rolls is that the rice paper wrapper can be a conduit for anything you want to stuff it with, so feel free to get creative! Experiment with different herbs, veggies and proteins and I can't wait to hear how yours turn out!

And One Little Reminder: We will be on vacation next week, totally unplugged, camping and hiking, exploring and discovering in Sequoia National Park, but we'll be back Monday, July 22nd excited to tell you all about our trip!!

[Food Series] Cold Cucumber and Yogurt Soup (Cacık)

This is, hands down, my favorite Turkish soup and a staple in our house, especially in the summer months. Since I have been asked by so many friends for the recipe, I figured you guys might enjoy it too! It takes less than 15 minutes to make, not to mention it's really low cal and nutritious! My two year old devours this by the gallon. Win, Win, Win!

Cold Cucumber and Yogurt Soup (Cacık)

Ingredients:
6 Cups of Plain Yogurt
2 Cloves of Garlic
4 Persian Cucumbers
1 Cup of Water

Into a large bowl, grate the peeled cucumbers and use a zester or microplane to add the garlic. Dump the yogurt and water in and blend until it is smooth. I usually use a fork because it easily breaks up all of the lumps, but doesn't aerate the yogurt. Chill and serve! That's it, literally!

In our house, we usually prefer it on the thicker side, but feel free to add more water, in very small increments, to get it to the consistency that works for you. This dish is also delicious with finely chopped mint or dill, a drizzle of olive oil or served as a side dish with any yummy protein!

[Food Series] Heirloom Tomato Gazpacho

Summer is HERE in Southern California and in honor of the fact that it will be 95 degrees today, I made Gazpacho! I had every intention of doing an Asiago cheese crostini on the side, but we were so hungry that I just tore off a piece of rustic bread and called it a day! HA! This recipe is SO easy, there's no reason you can't have this staple in a pitcher in your fridge all summer long! Enjoy!

Heirloom Tomato Gazpacho

Ingredients:
4 large tomatoes
4 celery stalks
4 small persian cucumbers, peeled

1/4 red bell pepper

1 clove of garlic
2 tbsp red onion
1 avocado
1/3 cup of olive oil
juice of 1 lime
salt and pepper to taste

Finely dice the first 6 ingredients and toss them into the food processor and top it off with the juice of 1 lime and a bit of salt and pepper. Pulse the processor just a few times while adding olive oil. Chill, then serve with a garnish of sliced avocado (and feel free to add any fresh herbs you have on hand! Cilantro or Basil are two of our favs!) Voila! That is literally it! 10 Minutes, TOPS! Enjoy with a great Sauvignon Blanc!

A few side notes:
I prefer my gazpacho chunky, so I truly only pulse my processor for about 5 - 10 seconds, but if you like a creamier consistency, feel free to puree it, then you can add a variety of chunky garnishes on top!

Also, I know many gazpacho recipes call for some sort of heat, whether it's jalapenos or tabasco, but my hubby does not do well with spicy food, so we leave that part out. Feel free to add heat to your liking!

A great variation on this recipe that we love is roasting the tomatoes and red bell peppers! It adds a smokier flavor to the soup. If you want to try this way, I would recommend adding a tablespoon or two of sherry vinegar to balance the heightened sugars from roasting.

[Food Series] Easy & Healthy Homemade Chicken & Mushroom Calzones

I am always trying to come up with quick, easy and healthy ideas for a toddler on the go! One that can be thrown in the bag and eaten on the trail. As I was perusing the Trader Joe's refrigerated section a few weeks ago, I came across their homemade whole wheat pizza dough and it hit me! I could make calzones stuffed with anything! Freeze them and pop them in the oven whenever I didn't feel like cooking! Of course, you could make your own pizza dough, if you're good at that kind of thing, but I don't have the patience for it. Ha! Enjoy!

Ingredients

1/4 cup chopped Onions

1/2 cup steamed Lentils

1/2 cup roasted Chicken

1/2 cup steamed Broccoli

1 tablespoon Olive Oil

1 ready-made Whole Wheat Pizza Dough

Take the whole wheat pizza dough and roll it out, then cut it into evenly-shaped rectangles. In a pan, saute the onions, lentils, chicken, mushrooms and broccoli in the olive oil. Place about 2 tablespoons of the mixture in the center of each rectangle. Fold the dough over and sealed the edges with a fork. To freeze them, place the calzones on a plate, making sure they don't touch, and put them in the freezer. Once they are frozen solid, you can transfer them to a freezer-safe container or ziploc bag! Then, whenever you feel the desire, pull one out and place in a preheated 400 degree oven for about 15 minutes! Quick. Easy. Healthy Food. Enjoy!