Edamame & Mint Sesame Soba Noodles + My Near & Far Cookbook Review

A quick and very easy sesame soba recipe featuring fresh mint, raw almonds, and protein-packed edamame with a hint of smokiness, crisp lemon, and pepper. Adapted from the cookbook Near & Far.

Hey there. It's Katie. I know it's been a long time since I've made an appearance over here but things have been straight-up crazy busy 'round these parts. When people exasperatedly drone on about how busy they are and how stressful their lives are, my heart secretly smiles inside knowing that I don't have or want a life like that. Who truly does?! It's seems as if being busy is an honor badge that showcases how demonstrably important you are and that infact, yes, your life is very important indeed.

If it was not so important as it obviously is, then I'd have any time to read, or relax, or cook, or go for walks. Did you hear? I'm so busy I don't even have time to read. Reading is such a luxury. You're so lucky, I can't even pick up a book what with everything that I have to be doing. My life is very important, indeed. People depend on me, the world depends on me. The bags under my eyes are my proof. Pity me. 

That's not me. I freaking enjoy leisure and revel in its nothingness. I would rather be doing nothing than something. I'd rather be home, on a slow walk, curled up reading, or baking, or cooking. I actively seek out ways to reduce my stress level and try not to feel bad about doing what most people consider "nothing". Society encourages always doing something. The more somethings you can fit into one day, the better. You are American and if you aren't stressed to the gills with a full daybook, your life is worthless. 

Unfortunately, my life has been stressful lately. And very busy. It's exciting stuff and Todd and I are exceptionally grateful for our good fortune...but between you and me? I hate it. If one more bastardly little "agenda" or "event" sneaks it's way onto my calendar (yes I have one of those now) and imprints itself to it, unremovable as much as I try to scrub it away...I'll lose it. So, for now, I'm trying to keep everything corralled and under control. I think I'm doing a pretty good job as a Stress Cowgirl. Besides the occasional rant. Thank you, for allowing my rant. I am now done. 

Okay, now that you have heard my excellent excuse for abandoning you (I also left the state for awhile) it's time for a cookbook review. Huzzah! I've also included a super quick and easy recipe (because, you know) that I've adapted from said cookbook, Near & Far by Heidi Swanson.

Because I received a black and white, paperback, advance uncorrected proof to review I cannot qualify the appearance or feel of the book. I can tell you that this vegetarian cookbook is filled with recipes inspired by Heidi's travels all across the world. Inspired by various cultures and cuisine, her recipes transport the home chef and invite you to join her in her worldly adventures. If only we could be so lucky to actually accompany her! This is the next best thing. 

I found her recipes to be surprisingly simple (which was appreciated) and inspired by whole-foods. This got me excited. However, after flipping through the book I found many recipes to be a little too fluffy for my more utilitarian flair regarding recipes. I am, if nothing else, all things practical when it comes down to it.

Take the recipe Lucques in Grapefruit Juice. Olives soaked in grapefruit juice is just something I would never consider bothering to make. I'll just take those olives straight from the jar! Wine-Washed Arugula begs to be a "recipe", with no actual measurements to be found at all! Arugula, wine, and olive oil. I confess this is not a recipe I would be super pleased to discover in cookbook worth $30. The recipe for Miso Oat Porridge is a recipe for plain oats with 1-3 tbsp of miso paste mixed in...no joke. I wish some of the recipes were a bit a bit more fleshed out, more well-rounded.

Am I being nit-picky? Perhaps I was so excited for this book and so eagerly anticipated its recipes that I decidedly set myself up for disappointment...but I suspect not. Many of the recipes included ingredients I'd never heard of or are unavailable to me in Alaska. Yet, this was to be expected. Bottom-line: this book didn't thrill me as I dreamed it would.

Use this mixed review as you will, but for me, I foresee that this cookbook won't make an appearance too often in my kitchen. However, the recipe below is quite good. It was actually for a spread, which I turned into a noodle dish per Heidi's recommendation to pair it with soba noodles (I realize this doesn't make a lot of sense). I doubled the garlic and added my own amount of lemon juice. I also included liquid smoke. Who just has smoked almonds lying around anyway? I thought sesame seeds would make a lovely garnish as well. It was the perfect meal to use up all of my fresh mint on the porch before the frost claimed it. 

Learn more about Heidi and pre-order Near & Far, available September 15th.

Edamame & Mint Sesame Soba Noodles

Recipe by Kathleen Henry @ Produce On Parade

A quick and very easy sesame soba recipe featuring fresh mint, raw almonds, and protein-packed edamame with a hint of smokiness, crisp lemon, and pepper. Adapted from the cookbook Near & Far.

Yield: 4

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups shelled edamame
• ½ cup raw almonds
• 1 cup fresh mint leaves, lightly packed
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 2 large garlic cloves
• juice from ½ lemon
• splash of liquid smoke, to taste
• dash of kosher salt
• dash of fresh ground black pepper
• 9 oz soba noodles, dry
• 2 tbsp sesame oil
• sprinkling of sesame seeds, for garnish

Cooking Directions

1. Bring a large pot of water to boil for the soba noodles.
2. In a food processor, combine the edamame through the black pepper. Pulse until the pieces are no bigger than a pencil eraser. Transfer half of the mixture into a large serving bowl. Pulse the remaining mixture about 6 more times. Add to this mixture to serving bowl as well.
3. Boil the noodles for 3 minutes. Reserve ¼ cup of the cooking liquid and add to the serving bowl along with the drained noodles and the sesame oil.
4. Toss well to combine and garnish with sesame seeds.

I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.

*DISCLAIMER*  PRODUCE ON PARADE IS A PERSONAL BLOG WRITTEN AND EDITED BY MYSELF ONLY, UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED. MY REVIEWS ARE COMPLETELY BASED ON MY OWN OPINION OF THE PRODUCT REVIEWED. THESE PRODUCTS WERE SUPPLIED TO ME AS GIFTS TO TEST AND REVIEW. OTHERWISE, IF I MENTION A COMPANY BY NAME AND THERE IS NO DISCLAIMER AT THE BOTTOM OF THE POST, I AM MERELY WRITING ABOUT SOMETHING I LIKE, PURCHASE AND/OR USE. THE FACT THAT I DO RECEIVE A PRODUCT AS A GIFT TO TEST AND REVIEW, WILL NEVER POSITIVELY INFLUENCE THE CONTENT MADE IN THIS POST.

Cranberry & Mint Cream Scones

This weekend was magical. Scones were involved, for one. Lovingly made with lowbush cranberries handpicked here in the valley forest. Even the rain held off long enough for us to get outside for a delightful walk through the damp woods. Heavily scented with tart and pungent highbush cranberries and the unmistakable aroma of yellowing leaves. 

Autumn light is decidedly the most beautiful light of the entire year and is not to be squandered. I think my friend Nate really said it best. 

“I cannot endure to waste anything so precious as autumnal sunshine by staying in the house.”

— Nathaniel Hawthorne

We even encountered a sleepy bunny friend on the trail. Don't worry bunny, you're safe with us.

Regarding scone and muffin making, I only ever consult one source. America's Test Kitchen. Those folks know their stuff and scones are not to be trifled with. My recipe is veganized and adapted from their blueberry scone recipe.

I have a love/hate relationship with baking. Making these scones was no exception. Tortured with fits of frustration from holes in my dough...being a perfectionist can be burdensome when it comes to making pastries. However, even with a couple openings where tiny cranberries menacingly dared to escape, these scones turned out wonderfully. They're really quite easy and I wouldn't say they take more patience than any other scone recipe. 

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Cranberry & Mint Cream Scones

by Katie @ Produce on Parade September-15-2014

These flaky, mildly sweet, and deliciously creamy scones are filled with fresh mint and tart cranberries. NOTES: Feel free to use almost any berry in place of the cranberries. Larger berries will need to be cut and if they’re frozen instead of fresh be sure not to thaw them. Try to work with the dough as little as possible and keep all ingredients chilled thoroughly the process. America’s Test Kitchen consulted.

Ingredients

• 9 Tbsp. vegan butter (1 stick + 1 Tbsp. ), frozen
• ½ cup coconut or soy milk
• ½ cup vegan sour cream
• 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus additional for working (10 oz.)
• ½ cup vegan sugar, plus additional for sprinkling (3 ½ oz.)
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. grated lemon zest
• ½ tsp. table salt
• ¼ tsp. baking soda
• scant ¼ cup fresh mint, minced
• 1 ½ cup fresh cranberries (7 ½ oz.)

Instructions

Grate one stick of butter into a bowl and place in the freezer until ready to use.Whisk together the milk and sour cream in a small bowl and place in fridge until ready to use. In a large bowl whisk together the flour through and including the mint.Add the frozen, grated butter to the flour mixture and toss with fingers. Slowly add the wet mixture to the dry mixture while stirring until just combined. Flour a work surface and hands. Knead the dough about 8 times, until it forms a ragged ball. You’ll need to keep adding flour to prevent sticking, as the dough is quite sticky. Roll the dough into a 12 inch square. Fold it like a business letter by bringing the bottom 1/3 up and folding the top 1/3 down over the bottom. Next, grab the left side and fold inwards, folding the right side over the left to form a perfect 4 inch square. Place on a plate and put in the freezer for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425 F. Melt the one tablespoon of butter in a small bowl in the microwave for about 10-20 seconds. Layer a baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper. Remove the dough from the freezer and roll into a 12 inch square again, keeping your work surface dusted in flour. Evenly scatter the berries among the square, pressing them into the dough gently. Now, tightly roll the dough away from you into a 12 inch long log. Gently flatten the top with the rolling pin, so it’s 4 inches high. Cut into 4 rectangles. Cut those in half diagonally. You should have 8 scone triangles. Transfer the dough triangles to the parchment paper lined baking sheet ensuring enough space between them for expansion. If they happen to be a bit wonky, reshape them as necessary. Coat with melted butter, then sprinkle well with sugar. Bake at 425 F for about 20 minutes until the tops are just barely golden. Cool on a wire cooling rack for 10 minutes once done. Store in an airtight container.

Details

Prep time: 25 mins Cook time: 20 mins Total time: 45 mins Yield: 8 scones

I adore Bailey's spotted mouth! We rang in Autumn, officially, with this Alaskan pumpkin porter on our playful walk. 

German Word of The Day

Scones --> Teegebäck (tea-geh-beck)

Good Deed of The Day

Beyond Meat is offering a free pallet of their brand new Beast Burgers to burger joints that agree to offer them. You can ask your local or national burger chain to serve them by tweeting #beastme at them! Pretty cool huh? It'd be great to see more (or any) vegan burger options around!

Teriyaki Mint Soba Noodles

“My body will not be a tomb for other creatures.”

— Leonardo da Vinci

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Soon, Todd and I will be departing to the states for a wedding. This translates to a mishmash of catch-all dishes forged together with the idea of using up any food items that could potentially fall victim to neglect and rot while we're gone. I'm also on a self-inflicted store embargo, per pre-departure protocol. The days spent before a trip are always woeful, due to my particular affection for the grocery store...and food in general.

Instead of just roasting random, forgotten, lurking vegetables to make Buddha bowls, I decided to make a proper dish. There were two specific food items in our fridge that had been...somewhat forsaken. Tofu and broccoli. It's funny, I always have these two guys on hand (I like to sort of stash them away), because I use them so often that I know I'll need them for a recipe eventually. 

Alas, from time to time this can equate to limpy wimpy carrots, yellowing broccoli, and seriously questionable, rather funky-smelling tofu. Luckily, I got to them before that. Well, not the tofu. The tofu was kind of past it's prime, but I used it anyway. And the carrots had seen better days.

Hey, I'm not sick so there's that! Waste not want not, is what my Grandma always says. But honestly, don't be like me. Use legit, happy carrots, broccoli, and tofu. 

I also have an epic bounty of herbs right now. Our Alaskan summer thus far has been alternating blisteringly hot weather, with a hearty dousing of rain. My plants are loooving it. Oh yea, and take a gander at that strawberry. I've been pining to eat that little bastard for a month! Note to self: Buy more than one strawberry plant next spring. I might get four strawberries, if I'm lucky.

This is an especially fitting dish to introduce to picky vegetable haters, tofu skeptics, and boring, bland food conformers. An Asian teriyaki sauce coats sauteed broccoli and carrots, baked tofu, and soba noodles. Garden-fresh mint lends green, vibrant, earthy notes. This is an easy noodle dish that will impress and satisfy...and maybe even rescue some insipid veggies (or tofu) from your fridge!

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Teriyaki Mint Soba Noodles

by Katie @ Produce on Parade July-8-2014

Asian teriyaki sauce coats sauteed broccoli and carrots, baked tofu, and soba noodles. Garden-fresh mint lends green, vibrant, earthy notes. This is an easy dish that will impress and satisfy.

Ingredients

• 2 small broccoli heads, chopped florets only
• 7 medium carrots, julienned
• 1 Tbsp. sesame oil
• 20 oz. extra firm tofu, diced
• 1/4 cup liquid amino acids or soy sauce
• 3 large garlic cloves, minced
• 2 Tbsp. brown sugar
• 2 Tbsp. finger ginger, minced
• 1 Tbsp. agave nectar
• 1 Tbsp. corn starch
• dash crushed red pepper
• 6-9 oz soba noodles, dry
• handful fresh mint, chopped
• sprinkling sesame seeds, for garnish

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 F. Chop the broccoli and carrots.Heat the sesame oil in a large rimmed saucepan over medium-low. Add the broccoli and carrots. Saute about 8 minutes. Meanwhile, pat the tofu dry and dice. Scatter evenly on a baking sheet and roast at 400 F for 30 minutes. Whisk together the remaining ingredients except for the mint and sesame seeds. Pour over the vegetables and continue to saute for about 5 minutes. Then cover, reduce to low and cook for about 10 minutes, until the carrots are tender. Remove from heat. Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the noodles. Add the soba noodles and boil for 4 minutes. Then strain and stir into the vegetables. When the tofu is done, stir into the vegetables along with the fresh mint. Serve hot, topped with additional fresh mint and sesame seeds.

Details

Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 30 mins Total time: 40 mins Yield: 6

German Word of The Day

Mint --> Minze (mins-eh)

Good Deed of The Day

From The Simpsons

Did you read this New York Times article about the depression and anxiety of zoo animals? "Scientists often say that we don't know what animals feel because they can't speak to us...But the thing is, they are reporting their inner states. We're just not listening."

 I've always hated zoos. Please don't support zoos.