Simply Healthy Korean Recipes
I have chickpeas on the brain. I kind of blame it on Amazon. Among other things, I’m addicted to Amazon. I bought 12 cans of garbanzo beans on subscribe and save. That’s a crap load of beans for a tiny family of two. Now why did I do this? Because among other things, I can’t pass up a seemingly good deal. I’m still feeling the high of getting a stainless steel handheld blender at Costco for only $19.99. I probably didn’t even need it. Yes, I have issues.
I’ve been eating clean for the past week or so. No processed foods, no sugar, no red meat, no gluten, and no fried foods. I know. It sounds like a party. 😛 It’s actually not too bad. I don’t crave sweets (except for dark chocolate). I don’t crave anything really, except for french fries. French Fries are my biggest weakness. I would seriously knock an old lady down to get to the last fry in the room.
A girl can’t live on meat and potatoes alone. Well, I can’t anyway. I’ve been running ragged for the past month or so. I’m naturally a healthy eater, because I generally gravitate towards healthier foods. But when I’m running ragged and stressed out, my palate desires nothing short of comfort food. Let me just tell you what I had for dinner this past week: prime rib with a side of mashed potatoes last Friday; buffalo chicken “salad” with a tub of fries last Saturday; fish and chips on Sunday; the greasiest burger you can imagine with a tub of fries on Monday; and two giant chocolate peanut butter cupcakes with soy ice cream on Tuesday. And for that buffalo chicken “salad?” “Salad” is euphemism for batter and creamy dressing with a couple of lettuce leaves. It would be an understatement to say that I feel sluggish.
I hate to generalize. But I will do it anyway. When Koreans cook, size matters. This is especially true when it comes to marinating meats – always 10+ lbs. If a Korean cook doesn’t follow this general rule of thumb, he/she is relentlessly ridiculed by fellow Korean cooks. They’ll say you have a “small hand.” Nope, it doesn’t mean that. 😉 It just suggests that you are not generous; you think too small. Pretty tough, huh? Ok. It may be a slight exaggeration, but not by much. It may just be my family, but I don’t think so.
Kimchi seems to be ubiquitous in the culinary world these days. Celebrity chefs are enamored with it. Small local markets and even the behemoth Whole Foods is carrying it. Suburbanites and hipsters alike are experimenting with it. And of course, food bloggers cook and write about it. It’s hard to believe that not too long ago, many people pinched their nose when in close proximity to kimchi. I think this is just a small part of a larger trend. I see more and more people embracing new experiences and accepting different types of cultures and lifestyles.