Asian Glazed Sea Bass with Bok Choy

My favorite fish is Chilian sea bass. I don’t have it often obviously because it’s also about the most expensive fish. But it was on sale this week so I had to buy some and of course, then I had to find a new way to cook it. I’d also bought some Bok choy so this recipe popped out at me when I did a search. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did. It’s pretty quick and easy, just be careful making the glaze since it should be brushable, not gloppy.

First, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Next, clean:

4-6 baby Bok choy (remove ends, wash thoroughly and dry)

Place the Bok choy on the baking sheet. Heat over medium high heat in a 10″ oven-safe skillet:

1 tablespoon olive oil

When the oil is shimmering add:

2 sea bass fillets, about 6 ounces each (be sure to scale the fish, wash and dry the fillets, remove the bones if desired)

Sear in the oil for about 6-8 minutes until skin easily separates from the pan. Flip over to flesh side and place in the oven for approximately 12-15 minutes until almost cooked (flesh flakes easily when cooked). Sprinkle the Bok choy pieces with:

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Add to the oven and roast for about 15-18 minutes. While the bass and Bok choy cook, make the glaze. In a small saucepan add:

1/2 cup soy sauce substitute

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

2 tablespoons honey (or maple, agave or date syrup)

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1 tablespoon sesame seeds

1/2 tablespoon arrowroot mixed with 1 tablespoon water (a slurry)

Cook until just thickened. Don’t overcook! Set aside until the fish is just about cooked. Remove the fish and Bok choy from the oven. Brush each with a generous amount of the glaze and return to the oven for another 3-4 minutes. Serve immediately. Garnish with the greens from the scallions.

TIP: I had some glaze left over and the next day cooked some green beans (saute in a little olive oil until tender). When thy were cooked, I poured over the 1/4 cup of remaining gaze. Oh succulent and full of umami!

Honey Garlic Chicken Wings

I’ve posted other wings recipes. This one is slightly different because it mixes a little tomato paste into the soy sauce substitute base along with some pureed garlic (find it in grocery store next to minced garlic in the Ethnic Foods aisle; Emperor’s Kitchen has an organic one). It also omits any coating, other than spices, on the wings themselves so no extra carbs from flour or breadcrumbs. Added to the delicious flavor and the fact that they take only a couple of minutes to prepare and a half hour to 40 minutes to bake, they can’t be beat!

In a gallon food storage bag combine:

up to 3 pounds split chicken wings

1 teaspoon paprika (sweet or smoked, whichever your family prefers)

1 teaspoon onion powder (NOT salt)

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper)

Press the air from the bag before sealing, seal the bag and then massage the spices into the wings. In a small bowl mix together:

1/4 cup soy sauce substitute (see recipe under sauces)

2 tablespoons honey

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1/2 teaspoon sesame oil*

1 teaspoon pureed garlic

1/8 teaspoon Garlic Chili Sauce (OPTIONAL)

Add half to two-thirds of the sauce to the bag and shake to coat all the wings. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (be sure there’s room between each wing) and bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Remove and brush with the remaining sauce and turn the wings over so that they brown on both sides. Bake for another 15-20 minutes (depending on size, larger may need a few more minutes) and serve. Garnish with sesame seeds, sliced scallions or chopped parsley.

*TIP: This can be omitted for totally oil free wings. Pour your 1/2 teaspoon of sesame oil into the tablespoon (or quarter cup measure) that you’ll use for the honey and swish it around to coat. This will let the honey slip right out.

You can find the recipe for my Cole slaw under Soups and Salads.

Carolina Mustard Barbeque Sauce

I’ve recently found that tomatoes and tomato-based sauces bother my stomach so I’ve been searching for alternatives, especially since my favorite foods are ribs and wings. Here’s one that’s very tasty and easy to make. I used a jar of dill pickle mustard that I had in my cupboard and wow, that a great taste! Only takes a couple of minutes to mix and can be frozen if you don’t use it all. I made a batch of chicken wings with it.

In a small bowl (about 2 cups) combine:

1/2 cup mustard – any mustard will work – I’ve used the dill pickle mustard as well as my usual stone ground and both made very delicious sauce

1/4 cup honey (date sugar, coconut or agave nectar, maple or date syrup would also work)

1/4 cup avocado oil

1/4 cup white vinegar (rice or apple cider vinegar would also work)

1 small can green chilis (about a 4-ounce size; I used mild but feel free to use a hotter variety if your family likes them)

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Using an immersion blender, blend until smooth. Brush on ribs or wings or serve on the side once the meat is cooked. Makes about 1 3/4 cups of sauce. If you don’t have an immersion blender, use a regular blender.

I brushed the sauce on the wings before baking them for 40 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

Honey Barbeque Sauce

I gave you a recipe for barbeque sauce when I made the Barbeque Beans side dish a while ago (see recipe under side dishes). That one included some oil so here’s an oil free, spicy recipe that I just love and I hope you will too. I’m making some pork Ribbletts tomorrow and since my usual Organicville Barbeque Sauce isn’t available at my local store at the moment, I decided to try making my own. I’ll pass on the recipe for the ribbletts tomorrow.

In a small saucepan combine:

1 cup tomato sauce

1/4 cup honey (maple or date syrup, coconut or agave nectar)

1/4 cup white vinegar (or apple cider)

2 tablespoons molasses

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon chili sauce (in the Asian section of your market just be sure to purchase one without any sugar) (Optional)

1/2 teaspoon sriracha (Optional)

1/4 teaspoon cumin

Stir or whisk together and taste. Just remember that all these flavors will be accentuated as the sauce reduces. Heat over medium heat until it just starts to bubble then reduce to low and simmer for about 15-20 minutes until thickened. Add additional salt, etc., if needed per your taste. Makes about 1 1/2 – 1 3/4 cups of sauce.

Kohlrabi Slaw

Most cole slaws are pretty easy to make especially if you buy a pre-sliced bag of cole slaw mix which usually includes green and red cabbage along with shredded carrots. I’m always looking for new types of cole slaw and a cooking show I watched recently added kohlrabi to it and I remembered the kohlrabi from my childhood. My sister, brothers, and I would be weeding the garden and see the kohlrabi bulbs, cut them off, and eat them like apples. So delicious! And my mother would be so angry with us because she’d planned on cooking them for supper.

This reminds me of that because they’re raw. If you don’t like kohlrabi or can’t find it in your supermarket, jicama would work just as well. Some thin slices of apple or pear would be great in this as well.

Combine in a large bowl:

1 1/2 cups thinly sliced kohlrabi

1 cup shredded carrots

1 1/2 cups thinly sliced red cabbage (I sliced it thin and then cut the slices in half)

1 1/2 cups thinly sliced white cabbage (I used Chinese but any white or green cabbage works)

In a glass jar combine:

1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 cup rice vinegar (white or apple cider would also work)

2 tablespoons honey

1 teaspoon celery seeds

1 tablespoon sriracha (optional)

Put the lid on the jar and shake vigorously for about a minute or until emulsified. Pour over the vegetables and stir to mix the vegetables and dressing (I used tongs for this). Serve chilled. Makes 6 servings.

Millet and Vegetable Salad

I don’t know about you but the recipe for Spicy Millet and Carrot was way too much for my household. I had about three-quarters of it left over. Now what should I do with this, I thought? Why not make a cold salad with it! It came out so good, I think I’ll use that recipe now as a basis for a salad all the time, it was so delectable. I used what I had on hand but feel free to use whatever vegetables you like – some cooked summer squash, diced avocado, chopped mushrooms, or peas would be great in this salad.

In a medium mixing bowl combine:

1 to 1 1/2 cups of the spicy millet with carrot, cold*

10-12 grape tomatoes, sliced in half or quarters

1 stalk celery, diced

1 small cucumber, peeled and sliced

1 scallion, sliced

Mix to combine the vegetables then add a simple vinaigrette of:

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup rice vinegar (use less if you use a stronger vinegar such as white or cider)

2 tablespoons honey

1/2 tablespoon mustard

1 teaspoon siracha (optional)

Whisk to combine. I actually always use a small jelly jar to mix my vinaigrette – add ingredients, screw on the lid and shake for a minute or two. Mix the vinaigrette into the millet mixture and serve. Makes 2-3 servings.

*If you haven’t made the Spicy Carrot Millet, see the recipe under side dishes. You could use cooked millet and simply add some of the spices to the vinaigrette along with some julienned carrots to the salad.

Vegan “Cream Cheese” Frosting

One just has to have cream cheese frosting on carrot cake! I’ve tried several nut-free, tofu-free recipes for vegan cream cheese and none of them worked very well until I found this one, delicious! Of course, if you don’t care for sweet potatoes, it may not be your cup of tea. It uses white flesh sweet potatoes which are starchier and not as sweet as the ones we’re used to here in the U.S. They can be called Japanese, Hannah, or Batata.

Wash, peel and dice:

2 medium-sized white flesh sweet potatoes

Since we don’t want to add any liquid to the sweet potatoes, it’s very important that they are steamed rather than boiled. Steam until fork tender. Place in a small to medium bowl. Using a potato masher, mash and then measure out 2 cups.

Transfer the 2 cups to another medium bowl (or the same one if it used all the mashed potatoes). Add:

1/3 cup avocado oil (coconut would also work)

Juice from one lemon (about 2 tablespoons)

1 teaspoon white vinegar

1/8 teaspoon salt

There’s the basic recipe for vegan “cream cheese”. To make it into frosting, whip in using a hand mixer:

1/4 to 1/2 cup maple syrup, agave nectar, honey, etc. (or more to taste)

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Will frost two layers of a naked cake (no frosting on the sides).

Honey Ginger Sesame Noodles

This umami filled dish of noodles takes some preparation in slicing the vegetables but otherwise is very easy to put together. The seeds or nuts add a little protein so if additional protein is desired, some fried tofu, chicken, beef, or pork can be added. And the vegetables can be changed to fit your family’s likes and what you have on-hand. Mushrooms, bell pepper, bean sprouts all would work well.

First, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a small baking pan with parchment and sprinkle with:

1/2 cup raw seeds such as pepitas or sunflower, or nuts if you can have them (peanuts, cashews, almonds, etc.)

Bake for 5 minutes and then toss with:

2 teaspoons sriracha

1 tablespoon soy sauce substitute

2 teaspoons honey

2 tablespoons sesame seeds

Bake for an additional 5 minutes. Remove and set aside. Following package directions, cook:

6-8 ounces rice noodles

When cooked, drain, rinse and set aside. In a 12″ skillet with high sides, over medium high heat:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon sesame oil

When the oils are hot, add:

1/2 large (or medium) onion, thinly sliced

3-4 stalks celery, sliced on an angle

3/4 cup chopped or shredded carrots

2-3 baby bok choy, sliced, including greens

Stir to combine and cook approximately 5 minutes until tender but not mushy. Add:

1-2 teaspoons minced garlic

1 small can diced or sliced water chestnuts

1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger

Cook an additional minute or two. In a small bowl combine:

1/2 cup soy sauce substitute

2 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

1 tablespoon tahini (or seed butter like sunflower or pumpkin)

1 tablespoon molasses

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Whisk to incorporate ingredients and then add to pan of vegetables. Let the vegetables simmer with the sauce for several minutes, 2-3 before tossing in the noodles and, if more heat is desired, add:

1 teaspoon garlic chili sauce

Separate into four serving dishes and top with the seed mixture and:

2 scallions, greens only, sliced

Top with sliced, sauteed meat if desired and enjoy!

Easy No-Bake Carob Quinoa Bites

If you’re looking for a delicious, easy to make snack, this just might work for you. It’s very easy to put together and has a wide variety of possible flavors. I made carob bites but mocha, coffee, vanilla, pumpkin, etc., etc., etc., would work. It’s very easy to do.

First, line a small baking sheet with waxed paper. In a medium bowl combine:

1 cup cooked quinoa (I packed my 1 cup measure like one would brown sugar)*

1/4 cup carob powder (or other powder of choice, see variations below)

1/4 cup date syrup (agave, coconut, maple or honey all would work depending on the flavor desired)

1/4 cup seed or nut butter (again can vary depending on flavor)

1 tablespoon whole chia seeds

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/8 teaspoon sea salt

Mix all the above together until well combined. Using a small cookie scoop (mine was 1 tablespoon), scoop out the mixture and drop on the prepared baking sheet. Freeze for 1-3 hours depending on size. My 1 tablespoon scoop produced 24 bites and they froze within 1 hour.

*Quinoa is very quick and easy to cook. For this recipe combine 1/2 cup quinoa, a pinch of salt, and 1 cup of water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to low. Cook for approximately 15 minutes or until water is gone and quinoa is translucent.

VARIATIONS:

COFFEE: Use 1/4 cup instant coffee and delete the vanilla extract, add coffee extract or a little water if mixture is too tight

MOCHA: Use 2 tablespoons instant coffee and 2 tablespoons carob powder (or cocoa if possible)

PUMPKIN: Use 1/4 cup pumpkin flavored protein powder (not pumpkin seed protein powder which has no taste)

VANILLA: Use 1/4 cup plain or vanilla protein powder; I would suggest using white quinoa and white chia seeds for vanilla as well as agave nectar

ALMOND: Use 1/4 cup almond butter, a 1/4 teaspoon almond extract and plain protein powder

MAPLE: Would probably work best with 1/4 cup maple syrup, maple extract instead of vanilla and the mildest of butters, perhaps tahini or cashew with plain or maple flavored protein powder

Use your imagination! As many combinations as we can think of would be possible for these bites.

Glazes

I made some pear donuts this morning, fried a couple of fritters from the dough as well. While I found them sweet enough without a glaze, I know my daughter-in-law and grandson will prefer them with one. Took me several tries to find the glaze I wanted on my blog so I thought putting the several I’ve used in my blogs in one place might be a good idea. So here they are – ones used cold after baking and the Honey Bee Glaze that’s baked on the dough.

Maple Glaze

In a small bowl whisk together:

1/4 cup vegan margarine (I use Earth Balance soy free)

1/2 cup powdered monkfruit sweetener (Lakanto makes one that Whole Foods or Amazon carries)

2 tablespoons maple syrup

1 teaspoon non-dairy milk

1/2 teaspoon vinegar

2-3 shakes of salt (or a dash!)

When the donuts are still warm, dip one side into the glaze.

Standard Confectioner’s Sugar Glaze

Whisk together for a thin glaze:

1/3 cup sugar free confectioners’ sugar (Lakanto has a monkfruit based powdered sugar)

2 tablespoons non-dairy milk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

OR for a thicker glaze:

6 tablespoons vegan margarine

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup sugar-free confectioners’ sugar

1-2 tablespoons non-dairy milk

If you don’t care for the taste of monkfruit sweetener, mix together 1/2 cup agave or coconut nectar with 2 tablespoons of non-dairy milk and 1 tablespoon of ground chia seed (white). Pour over or dip donuts in glaze.

Honey Bee Glaze

In a small bowl whisk:

1/2 cup agave nectar (or date syrup or coconut nectar)

1/4 cup non-dairy milk

1/4 cup avocado oil

1/4 cup honey

1/2 cup crushed nuts, sesame seeds, or hemp hulls (Optional)

Pour over unbaked dough and bake per recipe directions.