Raw Summer Cold Noodle

July 25, 2013

In the summer, it's hard to eat, sleep and even breathe. Salads have always been my escape on hot summer days when I don't have much of an appetite, but recently I've been looking for some new cold & delicious alternatives. I love playing around with no-bake or raw recipes and am always overjoyed with the low prep and delicious results. I find that simplicity & allowing the natural flavors shine through is the key in raw 'cooking'.

Cold sesame noodles is one of my favorite summertime dishes and I was excited when I saw a method for making noodles out of zucchini. With my new favorite kitchen toy, a julienne peeler, whipping up this simple summer recipe was a breeze (around 10 minutes total!) and a great way to eat raw. There are many benefits to eating vegetables in their raw state, most being that none of the nutrients is lost during the cooking process. Raw Zucchini has high levels of Potassium and Fiber as well as impressive values of Vitamin C (58%!) and Vitamin A, B-6 and Magnesium.

When I received 4 gigantic zucchinis in my farm share this week, I was determined to make zucchini noodles. I julienned 2 of them and made the sauce out of some peanut butter, though I suspect that any and all nut butters would be delicious. This recipe is mostly a guideline, experiment with different preparations, customizing it to your taste. This one, of course, is on the spicier side. if you prefer milder version, nix the sriracha and chili powder and take it easy on the ginger and onion. Get out there and get your raw on!

Raw Summer Cold Noodle

Sauce

1/4 cup nut butter or sesame paste

2 cloves garlic

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon sesame oil

2 teaspoons grated ginger

2 tablespoons of lime

1 tablespoon sriracha

1 dash chili powder

Combine all ingredients in bowl and stir till smooth. If mixture is thicker than you'd like add more soy sauce or water. Set aside

Noodles

2 large zucchinis, shredded with a julienned peeler

1 cucumber, shredded with a julienned peeler

1 cup bean sprouts

1 onion, diced

Garnish

1/2 cup peanuts, chopped

2 tablespoons sesame seeds

Cilantro to taste, chopped

Toss together ingredients in a large bowl . Slowly add sauce, dressing as much as you'd like. Do be aware that the zucchini will release liquid over time. Chill or serve immediately. Enjoy!

Dad's Caesar Dressing

February 6, 2013

Few things have lived in such acclaim as my father's Caesar salad dressing. Any dinner we were ever invited too, we were asked to bring 'Charlie's Caesar'. Salad dressing was one of my first loves in savory 'cooking' simply because when I was younger I never knew you could make it yourself. My favorite thing about homemade salad dressings is you know exactly what's in it, none of that high fructose corn syrup or fillers, which ruins Caesar and you can customize it to your liking!

Tomatoes: A Love Story

July 8, 2012

On hot summer days like the past few weeks have seen; its to hot to cook, to move, or to do just about anything. Philadelphia, Like the rest of the Northeastern seaboard, has been enveloped by a hot, sticky, humid, mess of a summer; however, for me, this can only be made acceptable by the promise of a delicious tomato season. These lycopene rich fruits generally come to Pennsylvania in July and are around until roughly September. If you are lucky enough to be able to pick up some tomatoes at a local farm stand in season, you can truly taste the vast difference between heirloom and local tomatoes, as opposed to their bastardized GMO and off season sisters available year round at many super market chains.