"I am trying to cook a little more healthfully for my kids," she said, "so I am trying to get these vegetable recipes."
The first recipe comes from Ann Criswell of the Houston Chronicle. Houston resident Sue Hedger, a native of Korea, lightly blanches fresh, iron-rich spinach and "marinates" it in green onion, sesame seeds, sesame oil and garlic.
The second recipe is for bean sprouts pickled Japanese sanbaizuke style, with vinegar and soy sauce. Each Japanese household took pride in creating its own tsukemono (the art of pickling) recipe for available vegetables, such as cucumber, daikon, eggplant, squashes and white-stem cabbages, according to "The Legacy of the Japanese in Hawaii: Cuisine" cookbook.
2 bunches fresh spinach, stems removed and washed well in several changes of waterDrop spinach leaves into a pot of rapidly boiling water. When spinach turns bright green, remove from heat and drain in a colander; rinse several times in cold water.
2 large green onions, finely chopped (white part only - reserve green tops for another use)
2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds
1/4 teaspoon crushed garlic
Dash monosodium glutamate (MSG, optional)
1-1/2 teaspoons sesame seed oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
Squeeze out all the water and chop spinach to 2-inch lengths. Stir in onions, sesame seeds, garlic, MSG, oil and salt.
Good warm or at room temperature.
Makes 4 to 6 servings.
Approximate nutritional analysis per serving, based on 4 servings: 50 calories, 3 grams total fat, 0.5 gram saturated fat, no cholesterol, 360 milligrams sodium.*
2 cups boiling waterBoil bean sprouts for 3 to 4 minutes. Drain and cool in ice water, then drain again.
1-1/4 pounds bean sprouts, rinsed
1 to 2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 to 2 tablespoons sesame oil
To make dressing, mix together sugar, vinegar, soy sauce and sesame oil. Pour over bean sprouts and toss. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Note: Use low-sodium soy sauce to lower sodium content.
Approximate nutritional analysis per serving: 80 calories, 2 grams fat, no cholesterol, 266 milligrams sodium.*
