Cold soba noodles are easy to prepare and cook faster than your regular pasta/noodle. This is a very simple and delicious recipe for the summer…just toss soba noodles with a spicy sauce made with peanut butter and lots of fresh vegetables.

Have you ever heard of soba noodles? Soba noodles were originated in Japan and it is made from buckwheat. They are thinner than the usual noodles and sold in the market like your dry pasta. In Japan soba noodles are served cold during summer and hot in winter, and traditionally dipped in a sauce (cold) or hot broth.

My mom used to cook soba instead of the regular pasta; one, because is faster to cook and second, because it is healthier as compared to the wheat pasta. So now I do the same…often I cook soba noodles and serve with meat sauce.

During summer I like to make it cold, almost like salad…I cut all kind of raw vegetables into Julienne or chiffonade add a protein like shrimp or chicken and top with a creamy peanut sauce which is a mix of lightly sweet, salty, spicy and citrusy. This peanut sauce really challenge all your palate senses…I know, sounds weird until you try it…and then you will be totally in love with the sauce.

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons peanut butter
• 3 tablespoons water
• 1 ½ teaspoons sugar
• 3 tablespoons Ponzu sauce
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 to 2 teaspoons yuzu hot sauce, depending on how spicy you want
• Soba noodle
• Fresh basil leaves, cut into thins strips
• Cucumber, cut into thinly Julienne
• Carrot, cut into thinly Julienne
• Shredded chicken

Method:

Cook the soba noddle according to the instructions of the package.  Rinse well under the cold water and make sure that the noddle is well drained. Set aside or in the refrigerator while you are preparing the dressing.

In a small bowl, add the peanut butter and water, whisk until smooth, add all the remaining ingredients.  Whisk until all the ingredients are incorporated into the dressing.

When ready to serve, add in a bowl the soba noodle, vegetables, chicken and the peanut sauce. Toss all together making sure the noddle is coated with the sauce.

Serve cold.

If you enjoy this Asian inspired noodles, you might want to take a look at Squash Noddles with Peanut Sauce recipe.

Did you know that buckwheat does not contain gluten? Buckwheat is a very nice substitute for wheat for the ones that have an issue with gluten. Buckwheat is a fruit seed and contain more mineral and antioxidants than other grains.

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Have you ever tried black rice?  Black rice has a nutty and slightly chewy texture as compared to regular rice and it is packed with nutrients…

I had black rice once in a local restaurant, since the black rice was mixed with white rice and quinoa, I could not tell the “real” texture of it. Well, I got very curious and it is when the search for the black rice started…after checking into a few stores I finally found it at Sprouts, one of my favorite places to buy organic vegetables and fruits.  I was so happy to find organic black rice selling by the bulk and yes, it is a bit more expensive than your regular white rice, but so worth the extra cost.

Nothing especial needed to cook the black rice, the ratio that I used was 1:2, 2 cups of water or any liquid for 1 cup or rice.  I used the rice steamer and it was super easy.

It was weird…first because the rice is really black, second, when rinsing it, the water came out pretty dark and slowly changed to somewhat purplish.  Once cooked, the rice has a mix of black and dark purple color, super interesting. Now the texture it was what got me hooked to it…mild nutty and slightly chewy…a great combination of texture…not to mention that black rice because of the color is rich in antioxidant anthocyanin, the same antioxidant found in berries such as blueberries, raspberries and cranberries.

For this recipe you will just need a few ingredients…I went with Kielbasa sausage just because I was in a hurry and it was just there… please feel free to use whatever vegetable you have in your refrigerator such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, etc…

Ingredients:

• 2 Kielbasa sausages, sliced
• 1 red onion
• 1 head cauliflower, cut into small pieces of approximately 1 ½ in
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

In a wok or frying pan under medium heat place and sausage and stir fry until both sides of the sausage as lightly browned. Set aside.

In the same pan stir fry the onion until soft, do not overcook, set aside together with the sausage.

Add vegetable oil to the pan and the cauliflower, stir until desire consistency. Once cooked, return the sausage and onion to the pan.  Mix well and serve over rice.

I hope you enjoy this simple and yet so tasty rice bowl using black rice.

Did you know that black rice is also known as forbidden rice or purple rice? The dark purple color is due to the high content of anthocyanins.  Black rice contains more protein when compared to other rice varieties and is a good source of iron.

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Have you ever tried Trader Joe’s gnocchi? Well, if you like gnocchi you should give it a try…I must confess it was better than I expected. As a matter of fact, this is my second time cooking it and this time I dressed it with peas, roasted sugar tomatoes and sous vide chicken.

This is particular great especially if you are pressed for time (like now getting ready for the holidays…), in a short time you are ready for an almost “gourmet” dinner, considering that you have in your refrigerator roasted sugar tomatoes and in the freezer green peas, sous vide chicken and a bag of Trader Joe’s gnocchi. Don’t panic if you do not have the ingredients listed…you can add fresh spinach, mushroom, roasted garlic, bacon, sausage, you can literally add whatever you like…just search your refrigerator…and you will be able to mix and match…

Did I tell you about sous vide chicken? I always have it in my freezer, it is so convenient, you can use the individually frozen chicken breast in hot dishes like this one or cold ones like salad and sandwiches…they are always moist and tender and loaded with flavors. You can marinate the chicken with any kind of spice you want. Please check here for the sous vide chicken recipe.

How to freeze sous vide chicken:
Before placing the sous vide cooked chicken breast, simply drop the bags of chicken breasts into an ice water bath after the cooking time and let them chill completely.

Ingredients:

• 1 Trader Joe’s Gnocchi
• ½ to ¾ cup frozen green peas
• ½ cup roasted sugar tomatoes (recipe here or here)
• 1 sous vide chicken breast

Method:

Defrost the sous vide chicken breast in the refrigerator overnight or in the counter for an hour. Quickly sear both sides in a cast iron pan, just enough to produce a golden color. Slice and set aside.

In a cast iron pan add the gnocchi from Trader Joe’s and follow its instructions. When it is almost ready add the frozen green peas and roasted tomatoes, mix gently. Add the sliced chicken breast, mix and serve hot.

If you enjoy sous vide method, you might want to take a look on Flank Steak or Butter Lemon Swai recipes.

Did you know that gnocchi is a variation of pasta? It is usually made with the same ingredients as for pasta and it is eaten as a main dish.

Thank you for visiting Color Your Recipes…have a colorful day!

This is a recipe for a traditional glutinous rice known as sticky rice which is an staple in the Chinese cuisine which sausage, chicken or pork can be added.

Have you ever had glutinous rice? In spite of the name “glutinous” it does not contain gluten at all, like all the other varieties of rice. Glutinous rice is grinded to make mochi flour which is a very popular ingredient in many Asian desserts and even savory ones.

I grew up with glutinous rice and its derivatives…I love all the “chewy” food that you can make with it. Recently I shared the “pearl meatballs” recipe which the meatball (any of your choice) is coated with a layer of glutinous rice. Today, I am sharing with you another savory dish, somewhat like fried rice and risotto…not as dry as fried rice and not as creamy as risotto. Instead of the Chinese sausage, you can substitute for chicken or pork. The secret is the amount of water added while cooking the rice…if added too much you will end up with“glue” like mess…not pretty. So in order to prevent, I like to soak the glutinous rice overnight after rinse it thoroughly and cook under steam. When done right, each rice grain is intact, semi translucent, and chewy…oh…so good! Therefor if you like chewy texture you are for a great treat.

Ingredients:

• 1½ cup glutinous rice
• 3 to 4 dry shiitake mushroom
• 4 Chinese sausages cut into small slices (or marinated chicken or pork with soy sauce and garlic)
• 1 small shallot, diced
• 2 stalks scallion or green onion, chopped
• 2 ½ tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon cooking wine
• ¼ teaspoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper (preferably white pepper)
• Cilantro for garnish

Method:

One day before cooking the rice, wash the glutinous rice until the water runs clear. Soak in water overnight at room temperature.

On the day, drain all the water from the rice in the colander.

Soak the mushrooms in warm-hot water for approximately ½ hour until softened. Squeeze the water from the mushrooms and cut into small cubes. Save the soaking water from the mushroom.

In a small bowl add the soy sauce, sugar, cooking wine, salt, pepper and sesame oil. Mix well until all the sugar is incorporated into the sauce.

In a wok, under medium heat fry the sausage. Once the sausage are golden both sides, remove from the pan and set aside.

On the same pan, with the remaining fat from the sausage, sauté the scallion and the green onion until fragrant. Next, add the mushroom and continue to stir-fry for a minute, make sure to stir continuously to not burn.

Add the rice and the sausage. Stir well until all the ingredients are very well incorporated. Add the mixture of sauce and continue to stir. Sprinkle with the mushroom water and continue to stir under medium heat.

After a couple of minutes, transfer into a steam bowl. Cook under steam until the rice is semi translucent. If necessary sprinkle with more of the mushroom water or plain water.

Garnish with cilantro and/or scallion and serve hot/warm.

Leftover rice can be warmed under steam, water-bath or microwave.

Did you know that glutinous rice is also known as sticky rice? The reason that glutinous rice is sticky is because this kind of rice contains very little amount of amylose and high levels of amylopectin, which is responsible for its stickiness.

Thank you for visiting Color Your Recipes…have a colorful week!

This is a recipe for a very healthy salad…it can be served as a side dish or as a main dish.  The combination of the nutty farro and roasted tomatoes is just amazing.

This is such a simple and yet tasty salad, farro is used as a base grain. It is loaded with delicious oven roasted grape tomatoes marinated with olive oil, garlic and thyme. This can be served as a meal by itself or as a side dish.

I love the idea of adding roasted grapes tomatoes; they are naturally sweet which gives this farro salad a touch of sweetness. I think this salad will be very suitable during summer months along with any BBQ.

Now back to farro…farro is a kind of wheat, it was a staple food in ancient Rome and it’s believed that this was a grain of choice for the Roman soldiers thousands of years ago. In spite of having low gluten content, farro is chewy and has a nutty flavor.

Oh! Before I share with you the recipe, I just want you to know that I will be off for a couple of weeks…

Ingredients:

• 1 cup farro
• 2½ cup water
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 16 oz grape tomatoes, washed and cut into half
• 3-4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Fresh thyme to taste, finely chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 8-12 oz of mixed frozen vegetables, I used Trader Joe’s soycutash (mixture of edamame, corn and red pepper)

This is a recipe for a very healthy salad…it can be served as a side dish or as a main dish.  The combination of the nutty farro and roasted tomatoes is just amazing ~ Color Your Recipes

Method:

Place the water in a medium pan and bring to boil with salt. Add farro and lower the heat to low and let it cook for approximately 15 minutes. You can cook it more or less depending on how soft or chewy you like.

Drain all the water once the farro is cooked. You can cook it more or less depending on how soft or chewy you like.

In the meantime, preheat oven to 375F. In a medium bowl toss together the tomatoes, garlic, thyme, salt, pepper and olive oil. Mix gently until all the tomatoes are cover with oil.

In an oven safe tray, lay the tomatoes cut side down in a single layer. Roast for 40 minutes, and then increase the temperature to 425F if you want to caramelize them.

Turn off the oven and leave the tomatoes inside the oven until completely cool.

Follow the instruction on the package of the frozen vegetables.

When all the ingredients are ready and cool, toss them together. Drizzle more olive oil and taste for salt and pepper and add as necessary.

Serve slightly warm or cold.

Did you know that farro is high in fiber and a very good source of protein and iron? Half cup of farro has more fiber and less calories than brown rice.

Thank you for visiting Color Your Recipes…have a colorful week!