With a fridge almost empty because I long to go shopping at the countryside farmers market, I’m using up my stock of seeds, beans, lentils… and just add some fresh blanched vegetables and raw sprouts. It perfectly suits the super warm weather toeat some light and fresh meals, just seasoned with salt, curcuma and olive oil. For this one plate meal I used French green lentils cooked al-dente, blanched baby spinachs and peeled and blanched horse beans. I topped the lentils with fresh sprouts and added some sunflower seeds to add some some crispy texture. So very simple and delicious!
Vegan burger
A. is always asking for burgers so I prepared him a special vegan burger with homemade vegan patties, avocado spread and plenty of salad, really plenty, as he lives salad a lot. I guess what he really wants when he says burger is a bloody steack and fries… but I tried to be inventivd and to have a very tasty combination and if worked cery very well. Beware, contrarily to most of the recipes I post this one takes a bit more time, but is very simple. I used what I had in the fridge for that so yoocan adjust easily with yours!
For the patties, inspired by Prunellia’s recipe of pancake seeds:
- 1 cup of quinoa, mind was black, but red or white works well, can be replaced by bulgur, red beans, rice…
- a handfull of pumpkin seeds
- a handfull of sunflower seeds
- 1/2 cup of flax seeds, here I used brown, but blond work too,
- 2 large sato/taro imo, can be replaced by boiled chickpeas, boiled red beans…
For the filling:
- 1 ripe avocado
- lemon juice
- salt and pepper
- green beans sprouts or any other sprouts: brocoli, alfalfa…
- a lettuce
First grill the sato/taro imo in the oven with the skin until soft and creamy inside. In the mean time boil the quinoa until slightly softer than usual and drain if needed. Peel the sato/taro imo and cut in pieces, add to the quinoa. Add all the seeds, stir well to obtain a thick paste. In a frypan greased with olive oil make 1-1.5cm thick patties of about 8-10cm diameter and cook them until golden on both side. I prepared 2 per person. They are good cold or warm. You can rheat them in the oven if needed. Manipulate with care because they can break easily.
Chop the lettuce, smash the avocado and add lemon juice, salt and pepper. Wash the sprouts. Now you are ready to make the burgers. I used half of the avocado spread per person. I spread a thick layer on on patty, added the sprouts and flipped over the other patty. Served on top of the lettuce, finish with a little of olive oil. Et voila!!!
The sato/taro imo give a very good texture to the patties and help them to keep their shape, the creamy avocado it perfect with the crunchy patties, and the sprouts add freshness. I’ll do it again!!!!
Simple one-bowl dinner
Since we’ve had guests for dinner several times last week, I’ve decided we would start the week fresh and light with a bowl of brown rice topped with baby spinach, avocado, sunflower seeds and grilled mackerel. A bit of olive oil, salt and pepper and ready to eat. Have a nice week!
Improvised dinner for friends
Our friends visiting from Germany spent the weekend with us in Tokyo with daytime busy visiting the city, museums, flea markets, and kabuki, trying some nice cafes too, and evening at home, I’ve cooked for them Japanese as much as possible but not only, in particular for an improvised late dinner at home after a long day out and a fridge almost empty. So I opted for a potatoes and baby spinach salad with tofu and poached egg and topped with sunflower seds and flax seeds. Simple, ready in 10min and delicious!!
Sunny Japanese autumn – 秋晴れ
I love these autumn days when the skies are so blue and the light is so bright, these “akibare” days. This is an invitation to wake up early and be outside all day long . So I spend little time cooking during the day and we need some quick fix for lunch, yet full of energy to enjoy a few more other hours out gardening, hiking, playing tennis or whatever. Pasta provide a perfect base, and since temperature are still warm if not hot at this time of the day, acold salad is perfect: penne with avocado, radish, cucumber, sesame seeds and sunflower seeds, olive oil and ready!
Enjoy the autumn! It’s so beautiful outside!
Healthy and easy breakfast
You know how we like seeds with Gentiane, we use them all the time and can put some of them everywhere.
For this quick breakfast, I need yogurt (or creamy fromage blanc), a drop of brown sugar, blackberries, raspberries and of course many different kinds of seeds. I use goji berries, sunflower seeds, pine seeds. You can add some homemade granola. And tada!
Breakfast is ready.
Spring salad
With all the new vegetables and the sunny days I’m preparing more and more cold salads this year. This one is really taking advantage of spring green peas, little radish, lettuce, cucumber, tofu and spelt, all with a little of olive oil, sesame seeds and sunflower seeds. Fresh, colorful, tasty, perfect!
Sandwich for lunch
Recently a lot of my lunches at work look like this! I really love whole grain bread or bagels, I spread cream cheese or cottage cheese, then top with sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, leaf of salad, rucolla, sprouts, and my lunch is ready! When it’s not cream cheese it’s avocado slices. Super simple, tasty, crunchy-creamy and easy to make and eat in a very short time.
