Author: reggiesoang

This is a delicious, quick, and healthy breakfast all around. This dish offers many other different possibilities; apples and banana are great for complementing peanut butter and honey ricotta. Take out peanut butter and add some smashed up summer berries makes this breakfast even more attractive. The sky is the limit, as long as the flatbread is nicely toasted.

For the latest New Lifestyle Cooking Series:

Flatbread with Honey Ricotta, Peanut Butter, and Pear
Serves: makes 2 flatbread

Prep Time: 5 Minutes
Total Time: 5 Minutes

Ingredients:
2 pieces flatbread, toasted
1/4 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup banana pudding (please click on the link)
2 tablespoons honey
1/4 cup peanut butter
1 pear, sliced to 1/8-inch thick

1. Toast flatbread until nice and warm and little crispy
2. Meanwhile, mix ricotta cheese, banana pudding, and honey
3. Once the flatbread is ready, smear peanut butter over them, put dollops of honey ricotta on the peanut butter. Spread sliced pears around the flatbread. Drizzle the top with more honey if desired. 

Sweet potatoes go very well with beans; both are delicious and nutritious. Sweet potato fries are cut into shoestring size, 1/8-inch by 1/8-inch, and they are baked until crunchy. Sweet potatoes can also be baked whole and they would be just as delicious! Cumin, fennel seeds, and chili powder give the beans the depth of flavor. Crushed tomatoes add bright acidity to the dish. To keep it vegan, skip the sour cream, otherwise, a few dollops of sour cream make this dish more unresistible!

For the latest New Lifestyle:

Mexican Baked Beans and Sweet Potato Fries
Serves: 4

Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Total Time: 40 Minutes

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons cooking oil
1/2 cup diced red bell peppers, medium dice
1/2 cup diced onions, medium dice
1/4 cup slivered garlic
3 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoon ground fennel seeds
2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup cooked pinto beans
1 + 1/2 cup cooked black beans
1 cup crushed tomatoes
3 cups water
2 Pound sweet potatoes, cut into thin strips
3 tablespoons cooking oil
2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Pre-heat oven to 400F
2. In a skillet, cook red bell peppers, onions, and garlic until tender. Add spices and toast until fragrant
3. Add tomato paste, beans, crushed tomatoes, and water to combine. Bring to a boil and put the skillet into the oven and bake until the beans and sauce are nice and sticky.
4. Meanwhile, put a roasting tray into the oven to get it hot for cooking sweet potato fries
5. Slice sweet potatoes to 1/8-inch thick planks, and then cut the planks into thin strips, about 1/8-inch wide.
6. Toss the sweet potatoes with cooking oil and season with salt and chili powder.
7. Once the roasting tray is hot, lay the sweet potatoes on it and spread them out into a single layer. Bake for 20 minutes until nice and crispy. Move the fries around occasionally to prevent burning.
8. Serve the baked beans with a couple dollops of sour cream and sprinkle scallions and sweet potato fries on top. Bon Appétit!

One of my chefs used to make me his version of this sandwich by turning it into a wrap – the flavors were brilliant; salty, tangy, earthy. This open-face sandwich is an easy and quick fix for a weekday lunch. You could also just put everything inside of a pita bread and eat it like a proper sandwich.

For the latest New Lifestyle:

Open Face Flatbread with Yogurt, Olives, and Feta Cheese
Serves: 2

Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Total Time: 20 Minutes

Ingredients:
2 pieces flatbread
2 tablespoons  EVOO
1/2 teaspoons paprika
1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1/3 cup Greek Yogurt
1/3 cup halved Kalamata olive
2 teaspoons chopped parsley
1/4 cup sliced cucumbers, thinly
1/4 cup crumbled Feta Cheese
EVOO, for finishing

1. Brush the flatbread with EVOO and sprinkle on paprika and dried oregano. Put the flatbread in the cold oven and set the temperature at 275F. Once the oven reaches the temp, flatbread will be nicely toasted and still soft.
2. Smear each piece of flatbread with yogurt. Split up the Kalamata olives, chopped parsley, sliced cucumbers, and crumbled feta cheese equally between the flatbreads. Drizzle of a little more olive oil on top to finish.
3. The best way to eat it is to fold it up like a taco. Bon Appétit!

Blending ripe bananas with yogurt is a quick way to make a delicious and healthy pudding. Add a splash of vanilla extract and a few drizzles of honey, this is a guilt-free breakfast! Top off the pudding with fresh fruits and the morning is off to a great start!

For the latest New Lifestyle Cooking Series:

Banana Pudding with Grapefruit
Serves: 2

Prep time: 5 Minutes
Total Time: 5 Minutes

Ingredients:
200g/2 bananas
1 + 1/2 cup/200g Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 grapefruit, sliced into 1/2-inch thick wheels

Blend everything together in a food processor or a blender until smooth. Top off the pudding with grapefruit, or your choice of fruits and nuts. 

Suggested toppings are:

• Toasted pecans and dried apricot
• Pistachios and fresh figs
• Blackberries and granola
• Blueberries, ground flaxseeds, and toasted coconut flakes
• Strawberries, grapes, and walnuts

Minestrone is a simple and crowd-pleasing meal that could stretch for a few days for a family. Use up all the random bits and pieces of vegetables in the fridge and make a delicious and wholesome stew with dried pasta cooked right in it. Finish the soup with a sprinkle of grated Parmesan for extra flavor and richness.

For the latest New Lifestyle Cooking Series:

Minestrone with Parmesan
Serves: 6 to 8 portions

Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Total Time: 1 Hour 10 Minutes

Ingredients:
1 cup EVOO
2 cups quartered button mushroom
2 cups diced celery, large dice
2 cups diced carrots, large dice
2 cups diced onions, large dice
1 teaspoon salt
Half head of savoy cabbage, large dice
2 tablespoons ground fennel seeds
2 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried chilies
2 cups dice potatoes, large dice
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 can/28 oz. whole peeled tomatoes
4 cups water
2 cups diced zucchini, large dice
5 oz. Dried Pasta (spaghetti, linguine, rigatoni)
Grated parmesan
Salt, season to taste

1. Heat up EVOO in a soup pot on medium-high heat. Cook the mushroom first until fragrant and colored. Add celery, carrots, and onions, and season with salt. Cook the veggies until a bit shriveled and colored.
2. Add cabbage and cook until wilted. Add ground fennel seeds, dried oregano, and dried chilies and toast until fragrant.
3. Add tomato paste and stir into the vegetables. Add canned tomatoes and water. Bring the pot to a boil and turn down to simmer. Simmer until the vegetables are almost tender, add in dry pasta and zucchini, and cook for 8 to 10 more minutes until pasta is done.
4. Serve the soup hot and grate Parmesan on top. Bon Appétit!

This is a French-style omelet, but any omelet would work perfectly for lunch. Making eggs is quick, and eggs are nutritious and filling. Serve the omelet with a side of green salad, keep the lunch light and healthy.

For the latest New Lifestyle Cooking Series: 

Omelet with Roasted Onions and Peppers
Serves: Makes 1 omelet

Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Total Time: 15 Minutes

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons cooking oil
1/4 cup diced onions, small dice
1/4 cup diced red bell pepper, small dice
4 eggs, beaten
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
pinch ground black pepper
1/4 cup grated cheddar
2 cups baby arugula
1 piece radishes, sliced thin
1 tablespoon lemon vinaigrette

1. Saute onions and peppers until tender, season with a pinch of salt, and set aside
2. Using a non-stick pan, melt the butter on medium heat until foamy. Pour in the eggs and using a fork to swirl around the eggs quickly and making tiny curds with eggs. When the eggs are halfway done, start gathering the sides and fold the side closest to you towards the front and make the omelet into a moon-shape. Turn off the heat. Sprinkle the cheese along the edge of the first fold. Fold the other side over the cheese and flip the omelet onto a plate, gap facing down. Slit the top of the omelet open and put the peppers and onions into the hole.
3. Dress arugula with lemon vinaigrette with a pinch of salt and plate it next to the omelet. Lay a few pieces of radishes over the arugula and serve. Bon Appétit!

Overnight oats has become a popular breakfast food. Soak the oats overnight with dairy or non-dairy milk, you’d end up with a custardy and creamy porridge the next morning. Top off overnight oats with fresh fruits, dried fruits, nuts, and granola the next day.

For the latest New Lifestyle Cooking Series: 

Overnight Oats, Berries, Almonds, and Honey
Serves: 2 portions

Prep Time: 5 Minutes
Total Time: 5 Minutes

Ingredients:
2/3 cup buttermilk
2/3 cup milk
2/3 cup Oats, split into two bowls

1. Combine buttermilk and milk together
2. Pour 2/3 cup of buttermilk mixture into each bowl. Cover and refrigerate overnight
3. The next day, stir up the oats and add your favorite toppings as you would for a bowl of homemade yogurt

• Toasted pecans and sliced bananas
• Pistachios and fresh figs
• Honey, blackberries, and granola
• Blueberries, ground flaxseeds, and maple syrup
• Toasted almonds, dried apricot, and honey

Dan dan noodles are delicious and easy to make. You don’t need a full pantry of Asian ingredients to make this dish. Dan dan sauce is salty, sweet, vinegary, and nutty. Though soy sauce is a must, there isn’t a specific vinegar to use, and tahini could be replaced with peanut butter in a pinch. For the pork sauce, you could make it spicy or mild. Adding a little Szechuan peppercorn brightens up the flavor and pays homage to the origin of this dish. Szechuan peppercorn lends a bit of floral flavor to the dish when used moderately. I like to grate fresh garlic and add raw scallions at the end to keep the sauce vibrant. Last but not least, drain and rinse the noodles after cooking to avoid clumping. Add the noodles back into the hot water if warm noodles are preferred.

For the latest New Lifestyle Cooking Series:

Dan Dan Noodles:
Serves: 4 portions

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Total Time:

Ingredients:
For the Dan Dan Sauce:
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon black vinegar (could substitute with distill white or rice wine vinegar)
1 teaspoon mirin
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 tablespoon tahini
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
pinch of MSG

For ground pork sauce:
4 tablespoons cooking oil
1/2 cup grated carrots
1/2 cup diced onions, small dice
6 cloves of fresh garlic, split into 2 parts
1 teaspoon ground fennel seeds
2 teaspoons ground Szechuan peppercorn
1# ground pork
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon mirin
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon grated ginger
1 stalk scallion, sliced thin
More salt, soy sauce, and mirin to taste

For the whole dish (makes 1 portion):
3.5 oz. dried Asian wheat noodles
2 tablespoons ground pork sauce, from above
1 tablespoon Dan Dan sauce, from above
1 tablespoon crushed toasted peanuts
1 tablespoon sliced scallions
few sprigs cilantro
1 tablespoon chili oil (optional)

1. To make the dan dan sauce, whisk everything together and set aside.
2. To make ground pork sauce, marinate ground pork with 3 cloves grated garlic, soy sauce, salt, and grated ginger for 10 minutes.
3. When pork is ready, heat the oil on medium-high heat and sauté carrots and onions until slightly caramelized. Lower the heat, add ground fennel and Szechuan peppercorn, toast until fragrant, and then turn the heat back up and add the ground pork.
4. While cooking ground pork, make sure to break up the chunks.  Add a little water to keep to ground pork juicy.
5. When the pork is fully cooked. Turn off the heat and add scallions and grate the rest of the fresh garlic to combine.
6. To cook the noodles, follow the package’s instructions. Strain and rinse the cooked noodles under cold running water until water runs clear. Drain again and toss the noodles in 1 tablespoon of cooking oil to keep them lubricated. If hot noodles are preferred, place the noodles back in the hot water for 30 seconds to warm up.
7. To serve, spoon dan dan sauce into a bowl, place noodles on top. Place pork sauce on top of the noodles and follow by garnishing the dish with peanuts, scallions, cilantro, and chili oil. Bon Appétit!

Roasted squash salad is a quick solid meal for lunch. Roasted squash and soft boiled eggs make the salad substantial. Use toasted flatbread as a vessel to mop up the yolk and vinaigrette that are left behind. This salad will keep you nice and light throughout the afternoon.

For the latest New Lifestyle Cooking Series:

Roasted Butternut Squash Salad w/ Arugula and Baby Kale
Serves: 4 portions

Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Total Time: 20 Minutes

Ingredients:
For Roasted Squash:
5 cups sliced butternut squash, 1/8-inch thick
3 tablespoons EVOO
1 teaspoon chili flakes
1 teaspoon salt

For the Lemon Vinaigrette:
3 tablespoons lemon juice (1 lemon juiced)
9 tablespoons EVOO (1/2 cup + 1 tablespoons)
1/2 teaspoon salt

For the salad (makes 1 portion)
Roasted butternut squash, from above
1 cup baby arugula
1 cup baby kale
1 soft boiled eggs
1 tablespoons toasted sunflower seeds
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
1 piece flatbread
Lemon vinaigrette, from above

1. Pre-heat oven at 500F and take out as many eggs as you need and let them sit out for 30 minutes at room temperature.
2. Toss sliced squash with EVOO, salt, and chili flakes. Roast squash in the oven for 7 minutes until the squash is tender but not too soft. Broil squash for 1 minute to get some char.
3. To make soft boiled eggs, bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the eggs for 6 minutes. Either submerge the eggs in ice water or run them under cold water for 10 seconds and keep them in cold water for 10 minutes until completely cooled, and then peel.
4. When squash is done cooking, cool to room temperature. Lower the oven to 325F. Brush a piece of flatbread with EVOO on both sides and toast them until warm. Cut flatbread into wedges.
5. To make the lemon vinaigrette, put everything in a jar, and close the lid and shake vigorously for 10 seconds.
6. To plate the salad, spread roasted squash around the outer part of the plates. Dress arugula and baby kale lightly with lemon vinaigrette and place them in the middle of the plates. Each plate gets a soft boil egg. Sprinkle toasted sunflower seeds and feta on top. Drizzle salads with more vinaigrette to finish. Serve flatbread on the side and use it to mop up any yolks or sauces that are left behind. Bon Appétit!

Making a delicious and healthy yogurt bowl has to be the least time consuming breakfast item. If you want to get fancy and make your own yogurt, please check out my easy homemade yogurt recipe!

For the latest New Lifestyle cooking series:

Breakfast Yogurt Bowl
Portion: 1 bowl

Prep Time: 5 Minutes
Total Time: 5 Minutes

Ingredients:
1 cup homemade yogurt, or store-bought
1/4 cup sliced banana
1/4 cup whole blackberries
2 tablespoon crushed walnuts
1 tablespoon honey

1. Put yogurt in a bowl and place banana, blackberries, and crushed walnuts on top. Finish with drizzles of honey.

Here are some of my favorite ways to eat yogurt in the morning:

• sliced strawberries with granola and honey
• toasted pistachios with blueberries and ground flaxseeds
• Grapefruit with honey and craisins
• Toasted almonds with bananas and blueberries
• Granola with maple syrup
• Chocolate chips with banana and pecans