Lunch: Hobakjuk minus the rice cakes (Korean Pumpkin/Squash Porridge) with Kimchi and Kongnamul Muchim as my side dishes! 

A very yummy and light Korean themed lunch!

Korean Soy Bean Sprout Soup (Kongnamulguk)!

Here's my veggie filled spin on the Korean Kongnamulguk which is Soy Bean Sprout Soup! I love this soup and I think the shiitake mushrooms add some depth of flavor that isn't there if you only use the kelp to make the broth. This soup tastes even better the next day because the flavors really meld together beautifully overnight. Another thing you can do is add some fresh ramen noodles and it'll be a delicious variation on ramen. I hope you enjoy! Eat it with some tasty banchan and rice!

- Alexis ♥

Kongnamulguk (콩나물국)

• 1 package Soy bean sprouts (3 ½ cups)
• 2 strips of dried Kelp
• 4 gloves garlic
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 4 carrots, julienned
• 6 green onions, sliced
• 8 cups water
• 2 cups veggie broth
• 2 cups shiitake mushrooms (I used frozen but you can definitely use whatever variety you have)
• 1 ½ tablespoons low sodium soy sauce (or gluten free tamari)
• 1 tablespoon hot pepper flakes (optional)
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil (more or less depending on taste)
• ¾ teaspoon salt

Optional

• Shredded dried seaweed for garnish
• Flax meal (I used this instead of ground sesame seeds but you can use that)

Directions

Place the white onion, soy sauce, salt, garlic, kelp, soy bean sprouts, water and veggie broth and bring to a boil. Once it is boiling, let it boil for 10 minutes and then lower the heat and let simmer for another 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and then take out the kelp, add in the green onions, sesame oil and hot pepper flakes if using.

Garnish with some shredded seaweed and some flax or sesame and enjoy!

Kimchi Fried Quinoa!

I love this Kimchi Fried Quinoa which is inspired by the traditional Kimchi Fried Rice (김치 볶음밥)! It’s a super healthy version of the classic that tastes just as good! Make sure to use good kimchi and make sure there’s no seafood in your kimchi either. I make my own but a good brand that I have tried is the one they sell at Trader Joe’s for only $2.00. This recipe is quick and simple and takes only five minutes to come together!

If you’re looking for a healthy alternative to Kimchi fried rice try it with quinoa next time! 

- Alexis ♥

Kimchi Fried Quinoa

• 1 cup leftover cooked Quinoa
• 1 cup Kimchi, chopped
• 1 Green Onion, Chopped
• 2 Tablespoons Kimchi Broth (the leftover juice)
• A drizzle of Sesame Oil

Optional

• Sliced dried Kim (sushi paper) for garnish
• ½ tablespoon gochujang for extra spiciness

Directions

Sautee the chopped Kimchi for two to three minutes over medium flame until heated through and then add the green onion and quinoa. Cook all the ingredients for another two to three minutes and then add in the kimchi broth and cook for another minute. 

Drizzle everything with sesame oil and transfer to a plate.

Enjoy!

Yachaejeon! Korean Vegetable Pancakes!

Hey guys! Here’s a delicious recipe for Yachaejeon which is a Korean Vegetable Pancake! They’re fast and easy to make and are completely versatile.You can definitely add more vegetables to them a ½ cup of whatever you plan on using, I just used what I had on hand. The chives are important to the taste so don’t skip out on those!They’re traditionally served with a dipping sauce made up of soy sauce, sesame oil and vinegar. I haven’t made up a recipe for that yet but you can mess around with the proportions until you find something that suits your taste. My boyfriend just eats them with ketchup, haha.

Starting March 1^st, most of my recipes will be smoothie/juice based, refined sugar free and gluten free because I’m forcing myself to try out a more gluten free lifestyle. There will be sweets though so don’t worry! I’ll try to make the recipes using easily accessible ingredients because I hate when I see recipes that feature tons upon tons of ingredients that are all hard to get.

I hope you enjoy the yachaejeon! 

- Alexis♥

Korean Vegetable Pancakes (Yachaejeon)

• ¾ cup flour
• 2/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon cold water
• ½ cup chopped carrots
• ½ an onion, sliced (you can switch out for a ½ cup of green onions)
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• ½ cup assorted peppers, chopped
• 1 ½ tablespoons dried chives (I’m sure fresh asian chives would be amazing in this! About ½ cup)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• Pepper to taste

Optional

• ½ - 1 teaspoon of hot pepper powder

Directions

Chop all the vegetables you plan on using into thinly sliced matchsticks and set aside.

Mix the flour and water and whisk until smooth and lump free.

Pre-heat a good sized pan with a tablespoon of olive oil on medium heat.

Using a 1/3 cup measurement (depending on the size pancake you want), pour the mixture in the pan and spread out as thinly as possible. The thinner the pancake, the more crisper it will get. Cook until you see the edges of the pancake start to crisp up and the batter is almost fully cooked. This can take anywhere from 5-8 minutes.  Flip the pancake and cook an additional 5 minutes or until the other side has cooked and started turning a golden brown. You can place them on a napkin lined container to drain any excess oils but be careful of it sticking to the napkin.

Between frying eat pancake make sure there is at least a tablespoon of oil in the pan.

These should be served immediately because when they cool they lose all of their crispiness.