Nopales, Chayote, Green Papaya Warm Salad

Nopales -- prickly pear cacti paddles -- was available in the Mexican market nearby, so I decided to cook it up in a quick and simple way.

Nopales is better when boiled in water for 5 to 7 minutes and then drained and rinsed before incorporating in recipes. It can get quite gummy and slimy otherwise.

Chop up the chayote and green papaya and some onions, plus some favorite seasoning and cook in a pan till mostly done. I went with Blazin' Blends New Orleans Seafood Seasoning Mix this time.

Meanwhile, boil the chopped nopales with a dash of salt for 5 minutes or so, drain and rinse to remove stickiness.

Add the drained cooked nopales to the pan and continue cooking till all the veggies are cooked tender but not mushy. Adjust seasoning to taste and serve warm garnished with chopped colorful peppers and spring onions.

Slow-Cooker Chipotle Chicken

Nothing fancy or elaborate, just canned Chipotle in adobo sauce brings the flavor and slow cooker does the rest.

Add the onions, peppers, garlic, and chicken into the slow cooker, season with a dash of salt and brown sugar.

Blend the can of chipotle in adobo sauce and keep it handy. When chicken is part-way cooked, say after an hour or so in the slow cooker, add enough the chipotle sauce (to taste) and slow cook for another hour or till chicken is cooked through and the flavors meld.

Serve with fresh home-made corn tortillas or naan or home-made flour-tortillas or even brown basmati rice.

Stir-fried Portobello Mushrooms

A simple stir fry with some custom-made marinade/sauce. Snap peas, peppers and onions add body and flavor to the meaty texture of the portobello mushrooms.

Ingredients for marinade/stir-fry sauce:
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
½ tsp coconut sugar (or agave nectar)
½ tsp red pepper flakes
2 Tbsp tamari
1 Tbsp lime juice
1 Tbsp sesame oil
1 Tbsp grated ginger
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1 Tbsp water

Stir together the marinade/sauce ingredients and pour over the veggies, allow to marinate for 10 minutes or so. Then, heat a cast iron skillet or wok to high heat, add a tablespoon of sesame oil, then add in the marinated veggies with all the marinade; stir on and off till crisp-tender.

Serve on a bed of arugula, or with brown basmati rice.

Teriyaki Halibut with Sauteed Garlic Gai Lan

Asian grocery store nearby had fresh Gai Lan (aka Gailon aka Chinese Broccoli) which is immensely tasty when sautéed with ginger and garlic and Asian flavors, particularly the stalk which gets tender in texture like steamed asparagus.

A small chunk of halibut caught by the other adult over last summer was handy as well. This time, the other adult requested for teriyaki-flavored fish. The home-made teriyaki sauce is customized with what was handy and what the mood called for.

Ingredients
Halibut 4 to 6 small portioned pieces
some sesame oil

For the teriyaki sauce:
2 Tbsp mirin
2 Tbsp white wine (I had some Sauvignon Blanc handy)
2 Tbsp rice vinegar
2 Tbsp low sodium vegetarian oyster sauce (aka mushroom sauce)
½ tsp brown sugar
4 Tbsp water

For the stir-fried gai lan:
1 lb of Gai Lan, washed and patted dry
a bunch of baby bok choy, washed
5 cloves of garlic
1 Tbsp grated ginger
1 Tbsp sesame oil
1 Tbsp vegetarian oyster sauce (aka mushroom sauce)
1 Tbsp rice vinegar
¼ tsp brown sugar or agave nectar

Preparation

1. Gai lan stir fry: Heat the sesame oil in a wok; add the garlic and allow to brown a bit then add the ginger; stir well then add gai lan, the rest of the flavoring ingredients, cover and allow to wilt and cook till the stalks are tender
2. Teriyaki sauce: combine the sauce ingredients and simmer over low heat and keep handy
3. Halibut: Brush the halibut with some oil and cook in a cast iron skillet, flipping it over till the fish is mostly cooked; then brush generously with teriyaki sauce and broil till fish is fully cooked and the teriyaki sauce forms a rich coating
4. Serve with a drizzling of the remainder of the teriyaki sauce

Green Papaya, Chayote Squash, Jicama, Ginger Thai-Style Salad

Chayote Squash, or "chow-chow" as it was called when I was young, belongs to the Cucurbitaceae family, like melons, squash and cucumbers. It has a distinct texture -- a bit crisp but fleshy like pears, and has a mildly sweet watery flavor, high in fiber and folate. Quite a few savory Indian recipes use this pear-like vegetable.

Jicama, aka "Mexican turnip" is another favorite that has a crisp apple-like crunch and a mild sweet flavor, high in dietary fiber.

Green Papaya, rich in fiber and antioxidants, is treated as a vegetable in Indian cuisine, cooked in curry sauce or with coconut cream and lentils; or in salads raw and fresh.

The three of them together make a perfect combination for crisp fresh salad, dressed lightly with Asian-fusion-inspired flavors. Optionally, I had pickled ginger handy, plus thinly sliced purple onions, colorful mini peppers, and crisp sweet snap peas.

Ingredients
Green papaya
Chayote squash
Jicama
Snap peas
Pickled ginger slivers
Purple onions
colorful mini bell peppers
Scallions

Dressing:
2 tsp Lime juice
1 Tbsp Honey
1 tsp Bragg liquid aminos
1 tsp Mirin
2 tsp Apple cider vinegar

Topping: roasted unsalted peanuts, crushed

Slow Cooker Teriyaki-style Chicken

Chop up a couple of organic free-range chicken breasts and throw them in a slow cooker with just enough marinade/liquids and allow to cook for  about 3 hours.

Marinade this time: tamarind concentrate, Bragg liquid aminos, plus a touch of honey

Then, stir in just the right amount of the warm Teriyaki sauce, top with Hemp Hearts and/or toasted sesame seeds, serve on a bed of kale ribbons, and garnish with julienned baby cucumbers, spring onions, and pickled ginger, if handy.


Teriyaki-ish Sauce:
2 Tbsp cup Bragg Liquid Aminos
2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
¼ cup Mirin
¼ cup Rice vinegar
2 Tbsp Fresh orange juice
1 tsp Honey
¼ cup water

Combine the liquids, simmer and reduce to thicker consistency, store any remainder in fridge.