Instant Kimchi Noodle Soup

There are few recipes that I walk away from saying, "man, was that good?!" But, this was one of them. Straight out of Hannah Kaminsky's Real Food, Really Fast, this kimchi soup is pretty unique. It's fairly easy to make, but has so much flavor, it'll taste like something you'd get in a fancy restaurant. Layers of kimchi, soba noodles, cremini mushrooms, zucchini, scallions, and wakame all hit your mouth at the same time and the result is happiness. Share this with a friend or keep it all to yourself. This isn't your mother's noodle soup.

Instant Kimchi Noodle Soup
Serves 4-6

Ingredients

• 4 ounces dry soba noodles
• 2 cups drained vegan kimchi plus 1/2 cup brine
• 4 scallions, sliced
• 2 Tbsp soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp wakame flakes
• 1/2 cup sliced cremini or button mushrooms
• 1 small zucchini, halved and thinly sliced
• 3/4 pound firm tofu, diced
• 6 cups mushroom or vegetable broth

Instructions
Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil over high heat. Add the soba noodles and cook until just tender, about 3-4 minutes. Drain and immediately rinse with cold water to prevent them from getting mushy. Set aside.

Meanwhile, pile the kimchi, all the vegetables, soy sauce, wakame flakes, and tofu into a large pot along with the broth. Cover and set over high heat on the stove. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to keep the liquid at a lively simmer, and cook just until the vegetables are tender, and the tofu has been absorbed by the flavorful stock.

Divide the noodles evenly between 4 to 6 bowls. Ladle the soup on top and serve right away. The soup itself can be made in advance and kept in the fridge for up to three days as long as the noodles are kept separate. Buckwheat isn't as resilient as plain wheat and will become gummy as it sits in the broth.

Nature's Table, Orlando

As I was on my way home from a skydiving event in Florida, I had few hours to kill in the Orlando airport. After walking around for a while, I found Nature's Table. I think it was the word "nature" that drew me to it as I was expecting to see healthy food.

There were a variety of salads, but as it was late in the day, it all looked a little old and sad--like it made you wonder how long all of it had been sitting out. But, I was hungry and I needed something hearty. I asked if the Chili-cado protein bowl was vegan and they assured me it was.

Then, they informed me they were out of chili, which was the heart of the meal. They said they could give me black beans instead. Fine. It ended up being a pretty boring bowl of brown rice, black beans, corn, spinach, and quinoa and no flavor. I doused it with some cheap hot sauce they had and ate it. It felt like five pounds of food!

After I looked into it, I found that Nature's Table has been in business since 1977 and there are now more than 75 franchises across the U.S.

Based on this experience, I don't know if I'd ever go back. I have to assume the chili was tastier than the bowl I got, so maybe it is worth a try.

Nature's Table

Orlando International Airport
(407) 851-1334

Hilary's Millet Meals

Hilary's, best known for their burgers, is branching out to make other healthy, vegan foods. The key here is really "healthy" because their latest meals aren't mindblowingly good, but they are healthy and good and that's what I love.

The Millet Medleys are four flavors of meals made with millet--a grain not typically used in frozen foods. The Traditional Herb Millet Medley, for example, is made with all good stuff: millet, white beans, carrots, peas, quinoa, roasted onions, olive oil, roasted garlic, parsley, salt, thyme, black pepper, and rosemary. I found this one to be lightest on flavor so a little hot sauce with it goes a long way!

My favorite is the Fresh Greek Millet Medley made with whole grain millet, garbanzo beans, Kalamata olives, and a burst of lemon, parsley, and mint.

The Golden Curry Millet Medley has chunky peas and lentils with lots of wholesome, curry taste.

And the Savory Mushroom Millet Medley is a simple, hearty mushroom mix with white beans, collard greens, and sun-dried tomatoes.

I'll be honest, when I first tried them, I was thinking that they were pretty plain, but after eating all of them, I really began to appreciate their simplicity--whole meals made with real, unprocessed food in just minutes. All you do is throw it all in a saucepan and heat it for a few minutes and voila! you have a meal for two!

They also have some great recipes for what to do with these meals online. You can find Hilary's products in natural grocery stores nationwide. To find one near you, click here.

Vino Volo, Salt Lake City

I spend much of my life in airports--it's true. And when I can't find a lounge, I go straight to Vino Volo for their awesome wine pairings. On this particular day though, it was early in the morning at Salt Lake City airport and I was looking for breakfast. I laughed when I saw some people drinking beer at Vino Volo--I mean it's happy hour somewhere, right?

But, I also noticed people eating breakfast so I asked for a menu. I was so delighted to see an item called "Vegan Breakfast," which was scrambled tofu with tomatoes and avocados served with an English muffin.

I wasn't really in the mood for that though so I asked if the Hummus Wrap was vegan. After a lot of back and forth, I was assured it was. I ordered it to go so I could eat it on the plane. It was rather uninspiring to look at, but it was a good hummus wrap. Made with mixed greens, tomato, kalamata olives, and hummus, I enjoyed it. But, for $10, I guess I thought it would be fancier looking. That's airport prices for you.

The manager was telling me about how this location was different because it was owned by a brewery and had a more extensive food menu. Good to know! Check it out when you are in SLC!

Vino Volo
Salt Lake City International Airport

Jamaican Jerk Chili

I feel like I deserve chili on a cold winter night. After having suffered through a long, cold day, there's nothing like coming home to a warm, steaming bowl of chili. And this recipe for Jamaican Jerk Chili couldn't be any easier or more flavorful. Straight out of Hannah Kaminsky's Real Food, Really Fast, you will have this entire dinner prepared in less than 15 minutes. With browned tempeh to give it a meaty texture, black-eyed peas filled with protein, and fire-roasted tomatoes, indulge in as much of this good-for-you dinner as you'd like. Serve with bread and/or fresh avocados.

Jamaican Jerk Chili
Serves 6-8

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 8 ounces tempeh, crumbled
• 1 habanero pepper, seeded and finely minced
• 2 14-ounce cans black-eyed peas
• 1 14-ounce can fire roasted diced tomatoes
• 1 6-ounce can tomato paste
• 2 Tbsp molasses
• 2 Tbsp soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp dehydrated onion flakes
• 1 Tbsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp ground allspice
• 1 tsp hot paprika
• 3/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/4 tsp ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2-3/4 tsp salt

Instructions

Set a large saucepan over medium-high heat and add the oil and crumbled tempeh. Saute for a minute or two, until lightly browned, before adding in the minced habanero. Cook for a minute longer to release the volatile oils of the pepper that contain all its fiery flavor.

Simply incorporate all the remaining ingredients, starting with 1/2 tsp of the salt, and stir thoroughly to combine. Cover and bring to a full boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 3-6 minutes, stirring periodically, until slightly thickened and hot all the way through. Add the remaining salt to taste, if needed.

98 Center, Moab #2

After my first experience at 98 Center, I had to go back for more. I was in Moab for a big BASE jumping event and after a full day of jumping off cliffs, I was so hungry--to 98 Center we went!

This quaint little restaurant has a lovely atmosphere and lovely staff as well.  Even the water they brought us had character with it's candy cane straw!

The last time I was here, I made the mistake of ordering a small pho and a big salad. I mean, it wasn't really a mistake except that it was way too much food. This time, I wanted to try the large order of Vegan Pho and no salad. Loaded with shiitake mushrooms, lemongrass tofu, housemade roasted vegetable broth, and rice noodles and topped with green onions, bean sprouts, basil, serranos, and lime, this pho has so much good, rich, umami flavor. It was really good.

My friend ordered the Bahn Mi Tofu Salad with lemongrass braised tofu, cilantro, pickled daikon and carrot, and serranos in a housemade vinaigrette. He loved it.

We did not get dessert this time, but were so tempted to order the huge vegan cookie we saw up in the case in the front. Next time! I can't wait to keep coming back to try more!

Previous review
September 26, 2017

98 Center
98 E. Center Street
Moab, UT 84532 

Singha Thai, Moab #2

I love Thai food, but the problem is I love this one dish too much and I tend to order the same thing every time I go to a Thai restaurant. That may not normally be an issue, but it is if you have a blog because then you are always writing about the same damn thing! So, on this visit to Singha Thai in Moab, Utah, I decided to order from their Indian menu. Who knew they had Indian?

On this particular visit, there were loud children and it was very crowded. With only a few Thai restaurants in this small town, I've found it is best to go during off hours. Luckily, we arrived for an early dinner and got a table before the line started forming. Yay!

An order of Diamond sake was in order as we recounted the day's BASE jumping activities.

This was the first time I noticed that there are Indian dishes at this Thai restaurant. So, I ordered the Vindaloo made with broccoli, peas, fried tofu, potatoes, and lots of ginger. I ordered it spicy--4 out of 5. It was pretty good except that the potatoes weren't fully cooked through and hard potatoes are never a good thing. But, oh, was it spicy! Overall, I enjoyed it.

The service was a bit slow this time, but it was also very busy. Regardless of the loud children and slow service, Singha remains one of my favorite restaurants in Moab. :-)

Previous review

May 18, 2017

Singha Thai
92 E Center Street
Moab, UT 84532
(435) 259-0039

Odd Provisions, DC

Who knew Columbia Heights had such a cool grocery store?!  Well, I teach yoga in Columbia Heights now and I happened to come across Odd Provisions as I was walking down the street. It's a totally cool, vegan friendly grocery store, with tons of unique food products, so it was like hitting the jackpot for me! Inside, there is vegan mac and cheese, Hodo Soy tofu products (the best!), unique hot sauces and spaghetti sauces, and an awesome selection of drinks. Not to mention, there's a great prepared food section. After buying dinner there for several weeks, I thought that it would be nice to write about the food I was enjoying!

I'll start by saying that everything in their prepared food area is delicious. I really have not gone wrong yet. My favorite thing to grab and go is the VegItalian sandwich. It may not photograph well, but what it lacks in unphotogenicism is made up by its flavor.  Layers of eggplant "salami," roasted peppers, caramelized fennel and onion are topped with "feta" and olive tapenade. The olive flavor is probably the boldest of all, but they all mesh together in the fresh bread for near perfection.

Next up is the Brussels Sprouts and Apple Salad. Shaved brussels sprouts are tossed with diced apples and walnuts. A dressing made with walnut oil, cider vinegar, salt, and whole grain mustard gives it its flavor and the fresh parsley is the icing on the cake. I love the flavor and crunchiness.

The Lentil Salad is another fantastic salad simply made with lentils, tomato, onions, fresh dill, and a dressing. I could eat this for dinner and be completely satisfied.

The Carrot and Radish Salad may not have the sexiest name, but it was one of my favorites to try. Why? Because of the spicy harissa, which I love. Half the carrots are pan-seared and the other half are raw making a nice balance of crunchiness along with chickpeas, radishes, and a delicious dressing of olive oil, lemon juice, cider vinegar, coriander, and salt. Yum!

Lastly, the Ginger Sesame Noodles are just as solid as they seem. With crunchy broccoli, red peppers, carrots, and celery, this sesame noodle dish is simple, yet tasty.

Items in this store are not cheap with small salads like the Lentil Salad selling for $3.95 and the VegItalian sandwich for $8.50, but know you are getting quality food for that price. I have also confirmed with one of the owners, Jess, that although all ingredients are not currently listed on the packages, there is no honey in anything labeled vegan.

Other items they sell that are fantastic include their hummus, Hummus Bialy sandwich, and Garlicky Kale salad. This store is simply awesome. Go support your local vegan friendly grocery and leave the rest up to them.

Odd Provisions
3301 11th Street NW
Washington, DC 20010
(202) 232-4050

Full Disclosure: Although the products were provided to me at no cost to review, that in no way influenced my veracious opinion.