All posts tagged: gluten free

Courgette and Aubergine Stuffed Mushrooms

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Nature alone is antique, and the oldest art a mushroom – Thomas Carlyle Growing up, everyone in my family always ate the exact same thing for dinner, whether it was shepherd’s pie or lasagna. The only exception to this was mushrooms. I’ve two sisters who absolutely detest them. As a result, my mother would end up making two pizzas or two stuffings. Over the years, I’d gotten used to having a few less mushrooms in my life than I would like; however, once I moved away from home and started cooking for myself, I’d find myself adding mushrooms to salads, sandwiches, scrambled eggs, etc. You name it, I probably added mushrooms to it. So it may surprise you to learn that I’ve never before made stuffed mushrooms. Well, I had a ton of mushrooms recently and I was trying to figure out what to make with them. A little bit of research later (here, and  here), and I knew the basics of making stuffed mushrooms. Since then, I’ve been experimenting and I’ve come up with some lovely choices. This recipe is the first …

Dinners at Maggie’s: Egyptian Rice and Lentils

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“Food is our common ground, a universal experience.” – James Beard A couple of years ago, we had a big family get together. Ostensibly, it was a celebration for my mom’s birthday but in reality we were celebrating a time of change and celebration. My mother and two of my sisters had birthdays that needed recognition. As it was the beginning of the summer, it was a last opportunity for everyone to enjoy each other’s company. We bid adieu to my brother as he left for a year of travel and work in Italy and Korea. Another sister, plus her family, was moving to Minnesota for 6 months as her husband was going to work at the Mayo Clinic. And the youngest member of our family was going too. Taking the opportunity to work in Minnesota for the summer and help our sister with the move. It was a fun but emotional day as everyone chopped, sliced, diced and came together. While we ate many incredibly dishes, most of which were from Extending the Table by Joetta Handrich Schlabach, one …

Burrito-less veggie salad bowl

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A burrito is a delicious food item that breaks down all social barriers and leads to temporary spiritual enlightenment.  – Monster High, Lisi Harrison I love burritos. One of my favourite restaurants at home is this little pokey restaurant called Boojum, near Jervis Street Shopping Centre, where you can build your own burrito. Delicious (please forgive me if I ever overuse the word “delicious”.  It is not intentional, but in Korea that is the main word used to describe anything that is really tasty) aromas assail the senses as you walk in, and, for me at least, it’s hard not to just jump over the counter and devour everything I see. When I came to Korea, my brother and I found a place in Itaewon that was of a similar style. Sadly, it did not compare, and since then I’ve been quietly lamenting the lack of a decent build your own burrito place.  Over time I’ve found several other restaurants in Seoul (and Daejeon) that have tasty burritos. However, memories of that delicious  burrito at Boojum must have …

Stir-fried Lentils And Vegetables

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“Lentils are friendly—the Miss Congeniality of the bean world.” – Laurie Colwin Lentils are one of my absolute favourite kind of legumes. I love the texture, the taste, the versatility and the heartiness. I had never (knowingly) had lentils until I was in my mid-late 20’s when my sister cooked them for me at one stage, and I was absolutely hooked. From salads to curries, I actively try different ways of incorporating them into my diet frequently. A couple of weekends ago, I had spent one afternoon wandering around Homeplus (Tesco) in Jochiwon (조치원) with one of my friends. I had come with a list that I was diligently following, however, as my friend and I started talking about how much we love shopping for food, I ended up abandoning my list and choosing random things. Amongst other things, I picked up kale, spinach and red cabbage. When I got home, I was trying to think of how I could incorporate the above veggies with the lentils I’d already made into a dish with all the other veggie goodness that …

Roasted Pork Chops and Sweet Potato

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“If you want a subject, look to pork.”   – Great Expectations, Charles Dickens I have been trying to prepare my food in advance. On Saturdays, Sundays and/or Mondays, I tend to do a ton of cooking (vegetables, salads, soups and curries) to get me through the week. However, the very first week I tried this I had a huge appetite. I had demolished all my tuna for the week by Monday (I made it Sunday night!) and all my veggies by Wednesday. This was annoying because I ate out on Tuesday and I’d made 5 days worth of food. I wish I could say that I only ate healthy that entire week but unfortunately I also supplemented every little gap with something sweet like cake and chocolate! So, come Thursday, I needed to cook something else. I had some pork in the freezer which I’d defrosted the night before. A glance around the kitchen, and next thing I knew I had created a lovely, simple midweek meal. I liked it so much that I made …