Yum Yum In my Tum Tum

Referring back to one of my very first blog posts, Egg-actly What I Needed, I talked about the benefits of probiotics and once again I will reiterate the wonders of these live bacterias.

Probiotics are live bacteria and yeasts that are good for your health, especially your digestive system. We usually think of bacteria as something that causes diseases. But your body is full of bacteria, both good and bad. Probiotics are often called “good” or “helpful” bacteria because they help keep your gut healthy.

Because this blog post is about showcasing Kimchi and the different ways one can eat this ingredient, it is important to point out the type of bacteria that Kimchi has.  Lactobacillus, the most common probiotic, can be found in yogurt and fermented foods like Kimchi.  Different strains can help with diarrhea and may help with people who can’t digest lactose, the sugar in milk.

For those of you that have never really had Kimchi or are not that big of a fan of eating it in its natural state, this recipe is for you! After seeing a similar version of this dish on Buzzfeed, I figured I would make my very own take on the dish.  By making a Kimchi quesadilla and accompany it with a Sriracha tomato soup, this dish is quick and easy and perfect for the cold weather.  Below is the recipe.

Kimchi Quesadilla 

2 tablespoons butter
1 cup cabbage kimchi, drained and chopped
4 fresh perilla or shiso leaves (optional)
2 (8-inch) flour tortillas
2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted
1 cup grated Sharp Cheddar
1 cup grated Monterey Jack
1 tablespoon Canola oil

Add the butter to a large skillet over medium-high heat. When melted, and the kimchi. Cook fo about 6 minutes, stirring occassionally, until the edges of the kimchi start to turn a little golden brown. Transfer to a bowl and let cool for a few minutes.  Divide the kimchi, cheese, sesame seeds, and perilla leaves (optional) between the two tortillas. Fold each tortilla in half.  Pour the oil into a large skillet set over medium heat. Add both folded tortilla to the skillet, cover, and cook for about 2 minutes per-side, or until they are golden browned and the cheese has melted.
Slice into serving portions, and serve.

Cook’s Notes : While I sometimes do make my own Kimchi, to make this recipe simple I opted to use Mother In Law’s Kimchi.  In addition, I wanted to make this dish a little healthier as well and used La Tortilla Factory Low Carb, High Fiber Tortillas.

xoxo Sarah

November 9, 2015November 9, 2015 by Sarah Hoski Categories: Asian, Easy, Healthy, kimchi, Lunch Dinner, Mexican, probiotics, quesadilla, Recipes, Simple, snack, VegetarianTags: Asian, Easy, Healthy, Kimchi, Lunch, Mexican, probiotics, quesadilla, Recipe, Simple, snack, Vegetarian Leave a comment

Egg-actly What I Needed

There are exactly three foods that I can think of off the top of my head that I cannot live without, bacon, eggs and Asian food.  Now I know that Asian food is a rather large category, but there are so many foods from different Asian cultures that I am love with that I just cannot narrow it down to one specific type.  I love anything from Vietnamese Bahn Mi sandwiches to Korean Bulgogi.  Thus, today’s blog post is about two of my favorite foods, eggs and Asian food.

Just a few weeks ago my mom asked me to go to a Korean cooking class with her at this local establishment in Asheville called Dough, where we were going to be taught the basics of Korean food.  I learned that Korean food always incorporates ingredients such as fish sauce, garlic, red chili powder, and sesame seeds.  More importantly, I learned how to make Kimchi. Kimchi is a traditional Korean fermented side dish made from a variety of vegetables and seasonings.  It is a low-carlorie, high fiber and nutrient packed side dish that has a range of vitamins such as vitamin A, B1, and C.  Kimchi is also rich in amino acids and minerals such as iron, calcium, and selenium.  Most importantly, because Kimchi is a fermented dish it has the benefits of probiotics.

Now I know shopping at an Asian market can be intimidating.  However, almost every experience that I have had at an Asian market has been a complete success and the people working there will be more than willing to help you locate an ingredient if you do not know what you are looking for.  Plus too, the products are generally very inexpensive and good quality! The recipe for Kimchi is as follows:

Kimchi

1/2 Napa cabbage, large dice

8 ounces daikon radish, peeled and cut into matchsticks

6 scallions, cut into 1 inch pieces

Korean red pepper powder, about 1/4 cup or to taste

1/3 cup fish sauce

1/4 cup ginger, minced

6 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon sugar

1/4 cup rice wine vinegar

Combine all ingredients thoroughly.  Cover and let sit on counter for 24 hours (letting food sit on counters speeds up the marinating process).  Then put in refrigerator for at least 48 hours.  Kimchi lasts indefinitely, thus the longer it ferments the better.

After having my Kimchi sitting in my refrigerator for about 2 weeks I could not resist from opening the can up and trying some!  However, it was morning time and I was craving some eggs. Thus I thought why not still make my eggs for breakfast and incorporate my kimchi into the dish.  Thus I thought of making a Kimchi omelet, which you will soon find out is not all that uncommon!

Kimchi Omelet

2 teaspoons sesame oil

2 Tablespoons Kimchi

3 eggs, beaten

1/2 avocado, sliced

1 Tablespoon soy sauce flavored seaweed with shiitake mushrooms

Add 1 teaspoon of sesame oil to skillet over medium heat and add Kimchi to brown for 2 minutes. Once browned, remove from heat and set aside. In a bowl, whisk 3 eggs.  In another skillet, add the other 1 teaspoon of sesame oil until hot and add eggs.  Brown the eggs a little on one side until they start to form a firm outer crust.  Add kimchi to eggs and cover for 2 minutes or until the eggs start to become less runny.  If you like your eggs to be drier cover a little longer.  Once cooked to your liking, fold the omelet in half and plate.  Top with sliced avocado and seaweed.  Sriracha on the side is a must!

While the omelet is visually stunning, I must say that it tastes just as good as it looks! This simple dish supplies you with protein and all different vitamins that are essential to having a good day! I hope you enjoy this dish just as much as I did!

xoxo Sarah

June 23, 2015July 27, 2015 by Sarah Hoski Categories: Asian, Breakfast, Eggs, VegetarianTags: Asian, Avocado, Breakfast, Eggs, Kimchi, Koren, Vegetarian 1 Comment