Fall Miso Soup

It's that time of year, FALL! Aren't you excited to smell the apple ciders, pumpkin spices, and savor the flavor of pumpkins, acorns, and squashes?! During this time of the year, when the weather is getting chillier and we have lots of orange veggies it is best to make soup. A few years ago when we were browsing through HULU, we found an interesting clip featuring Miya's restuarant's chef/owner Bun Lai. He made a winter miso soup that is still available through ABC, called "Warm You Up Miso Soup".  My human tried this original version with regular seaweed before, and it is SO DELICIOUS. So she decided to make it again this year using fall vegetables (squash) instead of sweet potatoes.

FALL MISO SOUP

Ingredients

• 1 Onion, chopped in chunks
• 1 Medium Squash, chopped in chunks
• 3-4 Garlic, crushed
• 2 Medium Potatoes, chopped in chunks
• 1/2 tablespoon crushed pepper flakes
• 4-5 Dried Shiitake Mushroom, sliced
• Please be sure to soak in water first
• 6 oz. Sliced Portabella Mushroom, sliced
• Please be sure to wash first
• Bunch of Dried Seaweed, chopped 
• Please be sure to soak in water first
• 1/2- 1 cup Miso Paste
• Hon Dashi (for taste) 
• Sesame Oil

Instructions

1. Bring 6 cups of water to boil. Add in the first 5 ingredients. Let it cook for about 10 minutes so onions are translucent. (Please remember to reduce heat once it boils).
2. Add mushrooms and seaweed and simmer for another 10 minutes. You will see that the seaweed turns bright green.
3. Turn off the heat and wisk in miso paste.  Add in some Hon Dashi for taste and then add Sesame oil. Bon Appetite!

You can watch the winter soup version from Bun Lai here....
http://abcnews.go.com/US/video/miya-chef-sushi-bun-lai-miso-soup-food-15452937 
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Easy Watercress Soup

Happy Friday Everyone! Not sure about you, however this week feels like a drag. Typically my human plan meals in advance, but today she doesn't know what to make for lunch. I feel like that too, I don't know which position  would be better for my nap.

After contemplating a few times, she finally decided to make something easy and healthy. Watercress soup! Have you had it before? It's so amazingly delicious. Might I add, easy to make?

Watercress Soup     

Ingredients
1 bunch Watercress
8 cups Water
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 tablespoon Hondashi 
2 teaspoon sugar
salt and pepper to taste

Pork Marinade
1/3 lb ground pork
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon ginger powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 scallion stalk, chop (save some to add on top of your soup)
1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper





Instructions

    1. Prepare the Pork Marinade, mix everything together and let sit for 15 minutes.
    2. Heat water in a pot. Once it starts to boil, lower the heat to medium and put the pork marinade in the water. Make sure you break it apart so it's ground chunks . It typically easy to do this with chopsticks but you can definitely use other utensils.
    3. Add soysauce, hondashi, sugar, salt and pepper. Once the meat is almost fully cooked, add watercress. Leave for 3-5 minutes. Don't over cook it. Devour it by itself or eat over rice. The choice is yours.

NOTE- If you are vegetarian, you can opt the Pork Marinade and simply add tofu instead.

Mango Blueberry Chia Pudding

Sometimes, whenever we open the fridge we find interesting things that we can put together for a quick bite. Today, was one of those days....and blueberries just happen to be the case. If it was up to me, I would just eat it as it is and I'll still be happy. However, my human always wants to create some weird concoction.

Today, we bring you.......







Mango Blueberry Chia Pudding
(Also, leave some fresh blueberries for your pup)

Ingreditents

3 tbsp. Chia Seeds(does not need to be Organic)
1 cup Mango Nector
Handful of Blueberries

Instructions

1. Mix Chia Seeds and 3/4 Mango Nector in a small cup. Put in the fridge for about 10-15 minutes. You can leave over night as well for next day's breakfast. 
2. Take mixture out and add the remaining 1/4 cup of Mango Nector. (We don't like it to be dry so adding extra liquid makes it taste better)
3. Top with blueberries and enjoy!

NOTE-Make sure you MIX the mixture really well or it will clump up and some seeds will not have the luxury to absorb the flavors. 

Sweet and Spicy Chicken Dishes!

Hi Everyone! It's me, K. : ) It has been a while huh? My owner has been so busy so she decided to neglect her blog. Tsk tsk tsk.....

Well we have finally moved to a new place! I'm excited because the squirrels here are so plumpy, especially the black ones...heh heh. Due to the weather being so cold as of late, my owner was in the mood for something sweet and spicy so she made 2 chicken dishes! These are the best since it usually last for a couple of days (or leftover for office lunch). Also since it's two dishes, you won't be bored with the taste the next day!

Without further ado, here is the recipe for Honey Walnut Chicken and Curry Chicken!

HONEY WALNUT CHICKEN (Right Side)

2 Chicken Breast
1/2 cup Walnut Halves
4 tablespoons Mayonnaise
1/2 tablespoon Honey
1/2 tablespoon Brown Sugar
1 Egg White
1/2 cup Corn Starch
1 cups Broccoli, blanche
Oil

Caramel Glaze:
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water

Cut the chicken breasts into large chunks and put into a large bowl. Add the egg white to the chicken, stir to combine well (you may need to use your hands, it's messy but who said food isn't messy?).

Rinse the walnut halves with water, drain and set aside. 

Heat up 1/2 cup of water until it boils to prepare for the Caramel Glaze. Lower heat until it simmers, add in the sugar and keep stirring until it turns a bit yellow. Turn off heat immediately and continue stirring, it will eventually become golden. Try not to leave in heat too long or else there will be a burnt taste. Add the walnut halves into the caramel. Remove the walnuts and place them on a piece of parchment paper to dry.

In another bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, honey, and brown sugar.  Mix well and set aside.

Heat up the oil in a dutch oven or pan. Once the oil is heated, add corn starch to the chicken to coat it for the frying process. Shake off the excess corn starch from the chicken and slowly put in the into pan. When the chicken is cooked, remove them from the oil and drain on paper towels.

Arrange cooked/blanch brocolli in a plate.

Add the chicken to the mayonnaise sauce mixture and toss well. Transfer the honey walnut chicken to the broccoli  plate and top the chicken with the candied walnuts and serve immediately with a warm cup of jasmine rice.

***If you are allergic to nuts, you can opt the walnut part

CURRY CHICKEN (Left Side)

1 Chicken Breast
1/2 Medium Onion
1/4 water
1/2 tablespoon Curry Powder (I use Badia brand)
1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder
1/2 tablespoon Soy Sauce
1/2 tablespoon Olive Oil
 Salt and Pepper to taste

Cut the onion into wedges and put aside.

Butterfly the chicken breast and cut into small thin slices.

Heat up the olive oil in a pan. Add the onions and stir for 1 minute then add the small chicken bits and cook for another 1 minute.

Add the water, curry powder, garlic powder and soy sauce. Sir until chicken is completely cooked. Add salt and pepper and taste.

***If you want this dish to have more sauce, add more water, vice versa****