Spicy Mung Bean Sprouts Salad – Maewoon Sukju Namul


I always need at least one spicy side dish when eating dinner. It’s usually kimchi. It doesn’t matter what type as long as it has a spicy kick. I’ve been making oi sobagi almost on a weekly basis. Unfortunately, we finished the oi sobagi within 3 days of it fermenting. But fortunately, the oi sobagi was so good we couldn’t stop eating it. In either case, we were flat out of kimchi.

So I needed something quick, spicy, and tasty. I decided to try something different and make maewoon sukju namul, which translates directly to “spicy seasoned mung bean sprouts.” It’s not the most traditionally Korean way of eating the sprouts, but seemed the perfect solution to my problem. The dish was so easy and quick to prepare. And it had that spicy kick that I wanted.

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Vegetable Lo Mein


When I was living in Los Angeles, I use to frequent this tiny hole-in-the-wall restaurant where they served the most amazing vegetable lo mein. I have yet to find a place here in New York City that serves up lo mein that gets me as excited.

I’m still searching. In fact, we went to Chinatown to grab lunch today. Sure enough. Not it. But as my search continues, I make due by making my own lo mein at home. It’s actually more than just making due. It’s pretty damn good. My husband says it’s much better than takeout; but my husband is TOTALLY partial. 🙂

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Ham, Cheddar, and Caramelized Apple Sandwich


My mom declared ham, cheddar, and apple sandwich her favorite sandwich ever.

That’s saying a lot. I grew up near Pasadena, arguably the cute café capital of Southern California. During my teenage years, my mom and I used to visit various cafés to partake in the atmosphere and gourmet sandwiches. It was our mother and daughter weekend routine. I felt so sophisticated sipping cappuccinos and nibbling on pretty sandwiches. Little did I know, my mom didn’t really like the sandwiches. She just liked our time together.

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Caramelized Apple Slices


My husband always NEEDS to have something sweet. If I let him, he would finish a gallon of ice cream in a single sitting. Usually, I have to close the carton and put it away for him to stop. So I’m always looking for ways to reduce his intake of sweets or, at the very least, make healthier versions of them.

My caramelized apple slices are one of my attempts to “healthify” my husband’s sweet tooth. No butter. No granulated sugar. But they taste so sweet, rich, and decadent. These caramelized apple slices are husband-friendly and kid-friendly. For adults, you can add liqueurs or liquors to spice up the flavor.

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Oi Sobagi – Stuffed Cucumber Kimchi


Oi Sobaegi or Oi Sobagi – Stuffed Cucumber Kimchi – is one of my favorite things to eat in the whole wide world. I should make it more often. It’s actually quite easy to make. But I’ve been using the excuse that I can’t get Korean or Kirby cucumbers from my local grocers.

Truth be told, you don’t really NEED Korean or Kirby cucumbers; I just wanted them. You just need smaller seedless cucumbers that you can pickle.

So imagine my delight when I found bags and bags of small cucumbers during my last trip to Costco. The bag refers to them as “fancy cucumbers.” I don’t know about fancy, but they were the right size AND seedless. So, no more excuses. I MUST make some cucumber kimchi, right?

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