Hawaiian Chicken

The weather here in Southern California is warm and wonderful.  First born Baby Bean is back for the summer from College.  I can't believe the time went by so fast.  Little BeaN is still in school for another month and thinks it's really unfair his older brother gets out so early.  Well maybe we'll have this wonderful Hawaiian Chicken for dinner so Little BeaN can think he's in Hawaii on vacation, then he can finish that homework! In fact, with all my boys under my roof tonight and Chef Azuki's recipe, it will be a special night!

Hawaiian Chicken

1 dozen chicken wings
1 1/2 Cups BBQ sauce
1  20oz. can pinapple slices
1/2 Cup ginger salad dressing
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 tsp garlic powder

Directions

1.  Preheat broiler
2.  Cut chicken wings in half and then cut off tips
3.  Marinate in BBQ sauce, juice of pineapple slices, ginger dressing, soy sauce, and garlic
     powder for 30 minutes.
4.  Boil for 30 minutes turning every 15 minutes
5.  Garnish with pineapple slices


Oh, just reading the recipe is making me hungry.  Ready for my Hawaiian retreat tonight!  I may need to double the recipe tonight so I can linger in my imaginary Hawaiian vacation tomorrow for lunch with leftovers.

BeaNspirations:  Travel anywhere with your imagination!

Azuki Beans Tapioca Pudding

Good morning Monday!  Here’s a great warm or cold treat that can start you out to face your day.  It’s simple to make too, so the little BeaNs can make this for Mama on Mother’s Day. 

Azuki Beans Tapioca Pudding

3 Tbsp Minute Tapioca

2 3/4 Cup vanilla almond milk

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

½ cup canned, sweetened azuki beans

Directions:

1.  Put all ingredients in saucepan

2.  Soak for 5 min

3.  Heat up tapioca mixture

4.  Just before tapioca starts boiling add azuki beans

5.  Boil until it reaches full boil

6.  Take off heat

7.  Let cool and thicken

Scoop the delectable pudding in a bowl and slurp it down.  I loved this comforting pudding warm, but the leftovers were also delicious straight from the refrigerator.  It was thick and almost gelatin-like.  Yummy!

BeaNspirations:  Thank you to the firefighters who helped put out all the fires in Southern California last week!  We really appreciate all you do!

Wasabi Guacamole

 Here’s a new recipe created by Chef Azuki that has you ready for the party!   Whether you’re invited to a Cinco de Mayo celebration or a Children’s Day celebration this weekend, don’t be stressed about what to bring.  Sunday is Cinco de Mayo and the Japanese Boys Day Holiday.   Well, with two reasons to celebrate and a few extra avocados on hand, you too can create this Asian inspired Guacamole.  Grab a bag of Pita Chips or whatever your favorite chips or crackers are and have some fun!

Wasabi Guacamole

 Ingredients:

1 large or 2 medium avocados   

½ tsp. wasabi

½ tsp. soy sauce

½ cup cilantro

½ garlic salt

Put all the ingredients in a food processor and mix to desired consistency.  

Oh it’s so delicious and so easy.  It’s great to find a new twist on something familiar. 

BeaNspiration:  Go out and experience life!

Buckwheat Soba Salad

I love this salad.  There's an earthy flavor that the buckwheat gives you.  Something rich and different than the traditional somen noodles.  I went on a hike recently and discovered California buckwheat.  I don't know if this is the same buckwheat that this soba is made out of, but the visual made me feel like I was eating something wild and somehow healthier than white rice noodles.  Reading up on buckwheat showed me that I wasn't so wrong in my thoughts.  They say buckwheat is a seed and it can be made into flour and noodles.  It's even boasted as a good alternative to wheat noodles.  I remember my mom making these noodles when I was a kid, just eating them with some dashi (soup stock), soy sauce and sesame seeds.  This refreshing buckwheat noodle salad that Chef Azuki made filled me with wonderful memories, new ideas on bringing back other types of seeds and grain, and filled my empty stomach with so many textures and flavors.  Delicious!

Buckwheat Soba Salad

Ingredients:
1 pkge buckwheat soba
2 eggs
1/4 tsp. soy sauce
1/4 tsp. sugar
1 large cucumber
2 cups imitation crab
Green Onions
Garnish with thinly sliced nori
Garnish with pickled red ginger (optional)

Dressing:
1 pkge hondashi (1 Tbsp) (Soup Stock Powder)
1 1/2 cups water
1/3 cup soy sauce
1 Tbsp. mirin (sweet cooking rice seasoning)
1/4 cup sake

Directions:

1.  Prepare soba noodles according to directions on package
2.  Drain and set aside noodles to cool
3.  Scramble together 2 eggs, soy sauce and sugar
4.  Make two thin pancakes with the egg mixture
5.  Slice egg into thin strips about 1 1/2" in length
6.  Julienne Cucumber (thin slices)
7.  Shred imitation Crab
8.  Chop Green Onions
9.  Prepare dressing by putting hondashi, water, soy sauce, miring and sake in a sauce pan
10.  Heat to boiling
11.  Simmer for 3 minutes
12.  Mix together somen noodles and dressing
13.  Soak for a few minutes
14.  Add eggs, cucumber, imitation crab, green onions (reserve a little of each to garnish after)
15.  Gently toss together
16.  Add the rest of eggs, cucumber, crab and green onions on top
17.  Cut nori with scissors into thin strips to garnish
19.  Add pickled red ginger to top if you would like

Wow, she created a beautiful presentation and what delicious flavors!  It really doesn't take long to prepare if you gather some helpers to cut the vegetables and egg pancakes.  If the weather's nice tonight I plan to eat my soba salad out in the patio.  A cool refreshing salad to end a beautiful day.

BeaNspiration:  Listen to your heart and spend some time outside,  reconnecting to the earth.

Turkey Slaw Won Tons

Wow!  These wontons brought back memories of picnics, beach trips, and family parties.  I remember the cousins filling won ton skins and making the triangles while the Aunties fried up the wontons, fried chicken and tempura.  This new version from Chef Azuki uses Ground Turkey instead of beef and even adds some vegetables.  It’s a must try!  The little BeaNs loved them!

Turkey Slaw Won Tons

½ lb. or Ground Turkey

1 C broccoli slaw

3 stalks green onions

1 tsp. oil for stir fry

2 tsp soy sauce

½ tsp sesame oil

6 oz. pkge wonton skins

Oil to fry wontons

Directions

1.     Stir fry vegetables and ground turkey with 1 tsp oil

2.     Add Soy sauce and ½ tsp. sesame oil

3.     Cool

4.     Put turkey and veges in the middle of square wonton skin

5.     Dab water onto edges

6.     Fold into triangles and seal edges by pressing together

7.     Fry in pan with ½” to ¾” of oil until golden and crispy

I would love to find baked wontons that taste this good, but until then this will be my special occasion treat!  Got to have my Wontons before the little BeaNs eat them all up!  Delicious!

BeaNspirations:  A smell, a taste, a feeling...brings happy memories into my heart.

Kale Chips with Sprinkles

Spring has sprung and it’s time to start experimenting.  Today we’re going to try making kale chips and add our favorite flavors again.  Sesame oil and left over furukake (the seasoning for rice).  Questions we asked ourselves:  Will that really be enough oil?  Will they crisp up so quickly?  Let’s see what happens.

Kale Chips with Sprinkles

1 bag of 10 oz kale

1 Tbsp sesame oil

2 Tbsp furukake

1.     Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2.     Mix kale and sesame oil together on a dark baking sheet

3.     Sprinkle on the furukake and gently toss

4.     Bake for 10 minutes

5.     They’re ready to eat once they are cool enough to pop into your mouth

Yes they are crispy! Success! Yummy!  Everyone's oven is a bit different so you may have to adjust.  Have your own kitchen experiments! 

BeaNspiration:  Life is an adventure, a grand experiment!  Get in there and try something new!

Deviled Eggs, Asian Style

What should you do with all those left over hard boiled eggs from Sunday's Easter egg hunt.  Here's a new twist on Deviled Eggs. 

Deviled  Eggs, Asian Style

6 hard boiled eggs
4 small avocados or 2 medium
1/2 tsp. lemon juice
1/4-1/2 tsp. salt
1/8-1/2 tsp. wasabi paste
1/4 tsp. soy sauce
1/4 tsp. soy sauce
daikon sprouts

Direction:
1.  Cut hard boiled eggs in half
2.  Carefully take out egg yolk without breaking whites
3.  Cut avocados and scoop out into a bowl
4.  Mash together avocados and egg yolk
5.  Add lemon, salt, wasabi paste, and soy sauce
6.  Mix together thoroughly
7.  Put wasabi mixture into cookie press and press out into hollowed egg white halves
8.  Add daikon sprouts as a garnish on top of wasabi mixture


It's so easy to make and refreshing!  Enjoy your  Deviled Eggs, Asian style!

BeaNspirations:  As Spring beckons you forward, emerge from your shell!