Korean Zucchini Khe Salad

  If you are familiar with Soviet Korean cuisine, this salad is similar to Korean Carrots salad. Humble ingredients and spices are balanced very well in this recipe creating very delicious healthy salad. 

I have used summer squash in place of zucchini this time. I have found out that zucchini or summer squash are equally great for this recipe. Otherwise, for the best result, stick to the recipe precisely. 

Traditionally this dish calls for quite a large amount of oil. I use a little sesame oil instead and don't think it compromises taste in any way.

Keep in mind, that this salad will keep in a fridge for a few days nicely.

Korean Zucchini Khe Salad

• 2 zucchini (or yellow summer squash)
• 1 large onion
• 3 carrots
• 1 tbsp salt
• 1/2 tsp red hot pepper flakes
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 3 garlic cloves, grated or minced
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 2 tbsp white vinegar
• 2 tsp raw cane sugar
• fresh cilantro, chopped

- Slice zucchini into long thin pieces (see pictures). Place in a bowl, add all salt, mix, set aside for at least 15 minutes.

- Meanwhile, prep onion and carrots - cut carrots into thin matchsticks and slice the onion (see pictures below)

- Heat non-stick skillet, add sesame oil and cook your onion, stirring, until it softens slightly, for about 3 minutes. Do not overcook it - it shouldn't change color at all. Add carrots, cook, stirring for another couple minutes until carrots wilts a little but still keeps its bite. Take a skillet from a heat and let it cool down.

- Transfer wilted salted zucchini into colander and rinse thoroughly under cold water. Get rid of extra moisture by wrapping zucchini into clean cotton towel.

- Place all ingredients, zucchini, cooked onion with carrots, spices and all remaining ingredients into large bowl and mix it well.

- Enjoy!



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Double Chocolate Coconut Cookies

 It must be the healthiest recipe for chocolate cookies. It is gluten free, vegan and very delicious!

If you love chocolate desserts than those cookies are definitely for you! They are crunchy on a first day. On a second day they become beautifully chewy, but still delicious! Also it is very easy to make, one-bowl recipe.

Double Chocolate Coconut Cookies

For about 30 cookies :

• 2 cups almond flour
• 1 cup desiccated coconut (dried unsweetened shredded coconut)
• 1/2 cup baking cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup tapioca powder (or cornstarch)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2/3 cup maple syrup
• vanilla (optional)
• 1 cup dark chocolate chips

- Preheat oven to 350F. Lay parchment paper on a two large baking sheets.

- In a bowl, combine all ingredients except maple syrup and vanilla.

- Add maple syrup and vanilla, mix in until stiff sticky dough forms.

- Use a cookie scoop to place dough pieces on a baking sheet. Because dough is very sticky, cover cookies with plastic wrap and flatten dough to about 1/2 inch with your palm.

- Cook in a preheated oven for about 15-20 minutes. 

- Enjoy!



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I actually forgot to add vanilla and it turned out very flavorful anyway. Perhaps next time I won't add it intentionally. What the point? Let's give vanilla a break :)

Place wrap on top of dough scoops - you will have no trouble then to flatten your cookies with your  palm.

Healthy Almond Chia Cookies

This is my own recipe of the healthiest and tastiest cookies ever. Just look at ingredients! You are welcome! Enjoy!

- I like these cookies a lot as it is. They are reasonably sweet to satisfy sweetness craving. Cut sugar in half if you want them lightly sweet. Also you can omit sugar completely and drop a little of your favorite fruit preserves into indentation before baking.

- Refer to a pictures below to see what brands for ingredients I used.

- Freshly baked, these cookies crispy on edges and tenderly moist inside. If they happen to live longer than one day, they will become softer and slightly chewy, with a wonderful crunch from chia seeds still there.

Healthy Almond Chia Cookies

For about 32 cookies :

• 4 cups almond flour
• 3 tbsp chia seeds
• 1/2 cup raw cane sugar
• 1.5 tsp baking powder
• 2 tbsp ground flax seeds + 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• vanilla
• almond extract (optional)

- Preheat oven to 350F.

- In a small bowl mix ground flax seeds with a 1/2 cup of water. Set aside.

- In a large mixing bowl combine together almond flour, chia seeds, sugar, baking powder and salt.

- Add maple syrup, flax seeds with water, vanilla and almond extract. Mix well.

- On a baking sheet with parchment paper, scoop out cookie dough. I used 1.5 inch cookie scoop. Flatten them out a bit or make indentation and bake for about 30 minutes or until edges are golden brown.

- Remove from oven and let them cool completely before transferring from a baking sheet.

- Enjoy!



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English Muffin

Quick and healthy oat English muffin, homemade one. I promise this recipe will surprise you a big time!

- This is a brilliant in its simplicity recipe. English muffin, made exclusively of oats, yet stunningly resembling your usual store bought English muffins. Oh yeah, just without all those funny additional ingredients. 

- The only minor downside to this recipe is you can do just one muffin at a time. 

- It's a gluten-free (if you care), healthy recipe you will love. It's also handy when you suddenly are out of bread. 

Oat English Muffin

For 1 English muffin :

• 1/3 cup rolled oats (any kind)
• 1 tbsp chia seeds
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• pinch of salt
• 2 tbsp unsweetened apple sauce
• 1 tbsp plant milk

- Blend first 4 ingredients in a high-speed blender like Ninja until it resembles course flour. Transfer to a bowl, add remaining ingredients. Mix just until combined.

- Transfer dough into un-greased ceramic ramekin, smooth out with a spoon and cook in a microwave, on a high, for 2 minutes.

- Let it cool until able to handle. Transfer on a cutting board and slice with knife into two halves.

- Carefully place in your usual toaster (vertical one) and toast to your liking. 

- Ta-da!  Isn't it tastier that your regular one? Enjoy!

Notes

- You can play with this recipe using oat flour or whole chia seeds, or adding 1 tsp of ground flax seeds for additional nutritional value, or, perhaps some black cumin (nigella seeds) for surprising bursts of flavor.

- No worry, the dough is not going to stick to ramekin :)

- I bet you will be very surprised when you slice into the cooked muffin - it so close to original English muffins. Only tastier.

- For suggested usage for these English muffins see my pictures below.

- If you don't have apple sauce, finely grate 1/2 of apple instead, or perhaps you have canned peaches or pears, use them! In fact, I'm not even trying to keep apple sauce in a house, I just use fresh apples as they are always on a hands.



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I use fork to get it out carefully.

Bottom is a bit soggy which kept it from sticking to the bottom of ramekin.

Soo much like real bread..

Flip side, just like English muffin is.

I love it with homemade hummus and fresh salsa

Sweet version with almond butter, banana and chia seeds.

These are made using fresh grated apples instead of apple sauce. You might even notice one small apple chunk on a picture :) Below you see my breakfast with these muffin halves smudged with homemade pesto and curry leaves spread, topped with fresh Ox Heart tomato. It was such a yummy meal. I will be posting the recipes for those spreads later.