Sandra's Easy Cooking

You might call them pancakes, hotcakes, flapjacks, or skillet cakes. I must say, they all taste the same it just depends on what region of the country you live in.

If your mama calls them pancakes, then most likely you will stick with that name for the rest of your life. Since mother’s day is approaching, I thought to celebrate it just a little bit early. So I wanted to present delicious, and healthier pancakes.

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I added in the batter whole ground flaxseed meal. I wish I could have these pancakes every morning for breakfast, preferably “breakfast in bed”.

Hey, this is coming from a person who eats early breakfast ones in a blue moon, meaning rarely. These pancakes are sweet, soft, fluffy, with a slight hint of lemon zest and sweet burst from juicy blackberries. Perfect food to serve on Mother’s Day.

However, this is not all. I paired these yummy pancakes with Vanilla Soy Cafe Latte, and of course, the recipe for the simplest latte is included in this post too. 

Happy April 1st My favorite month is finally here.

I love April so I am sharing one my favorite to go lunches-it’s simple, easy, delicious and so colorful: Kimbap or Gimbap!

I had so much fun yesterday with the kids. It was raining, we stayed indoors but I already had a plan in my head how to make my kids entertained.

I set up everything and prepared it on the dining room table- they were so happy when I told them that they will learn how to make kimbap.

Trust me if my 10 years old can do it, you can do it too.
Today they went to school proud of themselves because they prepared kimbap and their school lunch.

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I made Kimbap many times before but always with different filling and they are really versatile. You may use ingredients whatever you or your kids like. They are similar to Japanese Makizushi or Maki Roll (Futomaki-fat roll).

The difference is in rice preparation and any kind of Japanese rolls are usually served with soy sauce, wasabi and pickled ginger (gari). The Kimbap commonly is not.
Kimbap is a Korean traditional Picnic/Finger fast
food.

So let’s get started:

Yield: 4 SERVINGS

Korean Sushi Roll, Kimbap

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Delicious lunch box-kimbap

Prep Time 20 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 4 cups cooked sushi rice
• 1 tbs. Rice vinegar
• Pinch of Salt
• 1 tbs. Sesame Oil + for brushing on the rolls
• Dry Seaweed sheets (kim/gim)
• filling options:
• Plain
• Omelet
• fresh
• carrots, julienned
• peppers
• asparagus
• pickled daikon (white radish)
• American
• cheese
• kimchi
• avocado
• toasted sesame seeds
• tuna/ham/spam/chicken/beef, it can be any meat, or you can keep it vegetarian

Instructions

1. Put about 4 cups of good quality premium sushi rice in the pot with the water. (wash the rice then cook, put water about a finger thick above the rice which is about less than 1 cm/0.4 inches) Once the rice boils, turn it down, stir, cover and let it simmer to the lowest temp for 10 minutes. Take it off and let it be under the closed lid for 5 more minutes; Fluff the rice and place in a large plastic bowl. If you have a rice cooker then follow the instructions. 
2. Make your mixing sauce by mixing up salt, vinegar until the liquid looks clear, then add sesame oil. Mix
3. rice with the mixing sauce and stir it evenly; Set aside!
4. Prepare a large plate to arrange all ingredients for kimbap by slicing it into thin strips-preferably the same size. 
5. Place on the sushi/kimbap mat dry seaweed then put a bit of rice but do not go all the way from one end to the other-try to keep it from the sides and you can adjust the thickness; again don't go too thick because it will be hard to roll. Click Here for better instruction.
6. Put the ingredients on the top side by side that you wish to use and roll it. Brush each uncut roll with sesame oil and cut into bite size rolls, but you can eat them without cutting. 
7. You can store them in an airtight container and in the fridge for up to two days although they are the best when eaten fresh.

Did you make this recipe?

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Spring break is coming up soon…are you going anywhere?

I wish that I can just pack my bags and travel the world. However, when kids arrive in our life, some things such as traveling are just not possible all the time.

I travel through the world with the food that I cook. Well, I know, it is really not even close to a real trip but hey I will take it!

I connect with food very well, indeed. Dieting and losing weight not so much. I simply cannot say “no” to many of my favorite dishes.

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Now that I think about it everything is my favorite!   This time I updated my old recipe, recreated just like I redesigned my blog as you can see.

It is Korean cuisine inspired— I have to feel that you are not shocked! I do add gochujang in most of my dishes, or better said in my plate.

My lovely husband is not a huge fan of spicy food, do not get me wrong he can eat spicily but not overly like me, so I do make extremely spicy portion just for myself.

This is a great marinade for shrimps or any meat instead of the shrimps. You can sear either on the grill or in the pan like I did until it forms a nice caramelized crust.

It is so good, and not even that hot, so that’s why I added in the pan more gochujang and brushed these beauties with the glaze which is of course optional. It was so lip-smacking delicious. Sweet, spicy, garlicky… mmm that good!

Yield: 4 SERVINGS

Sweet and Spicy Shrimps

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Ingredients

• ½ -1 Tbsp Oil
• 2 pounds Shrimps, peeled
• Marinade:
• ½ cup Soy Sauce
• Juice from ½ Lemon
• ½ tbsp. Sugar
• 2 scallions minced + 1 for garnish
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Tbs. Ginger, finely minced
• 1 tsp. dried red pepper flakes
• ½ tsp. Sesame Oil
• Glaze:
• 3-4 Tbsp. Marinade
• 2 Tbsp. Gochujang (Korean Red Hot Chili Paste)
• ½ tbsp. honey
• Garnish:
• Green
• Onions, chopped
• Toasted Sesame Seeds

Instructions

1. Combine all the ingredients for marinade and set aside. 
2. In a large plastic bag for storage, a place already cleaned shrimps, pour the marinade in the bag, shake few times and let the shrimps’ marinade for 15-20 minutes. (same goes for any kind of meat).
3. Pan sear shrimps, turning and basting few times with marinade, for 3-5 minutes. Place shrimps on the plate and starts with the glaze *For meat option cook until meat is well cooked. Serve with salad, over rice, pasta etc. 

For the glaze:

1. In the pan where you cooked shrimps, add 3-4 Tbs. marinade, GOCHUJANG, and honey.
2. Stir until it's the thicker sauce. 
3. Drop shrimps in the sauté pan and let it coat on both sides.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Pinterest