Warm Salad of Spring Vegetables with Buckwheat

Spring is here! I decided to shop for spring veggies to make a salad and this is what I found: snap peas, spring onions, sweet petite peppers and white asparagus. I wanted to add more consistency to the salad with the buckwheat. Because all of these ingredients are sweet I added some Greek feta cheese to provide contrast with its tangy flavor. I added some salt flakes, freshly ground black pepper, extra virgin olive oil and a splash of cream of balsamic and here you have a healthy, colorful and delicious seasonal salad.

For those of you with dieting restrictions this salad is gluten-free and grain-free. As I explained in another post buckwheat is not related to wheat, nor it is a cereal grain. It is a fruit seed related to rhubarb and sorrel, making it a suitable substitute for grains for people who are sensitive to wheat or other grains that contain protein glutens. The advantage of buckwheat is that it cooks in just 10 minutes!

Buckwheat before cooking

Snap peas are edible-pod peas, they are sweet and really tender. For this recipe I stir-fried them in a wok together with the spring onions. The white asparagus where boiled in salted water and added to the salad. The sweet peppers where roasted in the oven.

Now let's go with the recipe which is simple and healthy as usual! It will also make a great vegan salad by substituting the cheese for tofu.

WARM SALAD OF SPRING VEGETABLES WITH BUCKWHEAT

Serves 4

1 cup buckwheat
3 spring onions (quartered)
1 lb snap peas
1 lb sweet petite pepper medley
1 bunch white asparagus
6 oz. feta cheese
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
cream of balsamic
salt and pepper

Sweet peppers: Preheat oven to 350ºF. Drizzle peppers with one tablespoon of olive oil and place in an oven safe sheet. Bake until tender and slightly browned (about 30 minutes).

Buckwheat: Put buckwheat and two cups of water in a medium saucepan, bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Drain and rinse over cold water.

Snap peas and spring onions: Heat a skillet or wok over high heat, add one tablespoon of olive oil, snap peas and spring onions. Cook over medium heat stirring occasionally until tender, about 8-10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

White asparagus: Peel the bottom two-thirds of each spear. Boil asparagus in salted water until tender (about 8-10 minutes)

Assemble buckwheat, veggies and feta cheese on a plate or bowl and drizzle with remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil and cream of balsamic. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve warm or room temperature.

Enjoy!

Frittata with Asparagus, Scallions, Shiitaki Mushrooms and Fontina Cheese

Frittata is an egg based dish similar to an omelette or crustless quiche enriched with veggies, cheese and dairy. It is delicious hot or cold, for breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner. It is a low-difficulty dish and all the equipment you will need is one skillet that will go from the stovetop to the oven.
In this frittata I am using spring vegetables together with crème fraîche and Fontina cheese. You may substitute the veggies or the dairy for the ones you have handy.

Tips: It is important to use the right pan. You will need an oven-safe non-stick skillet since your frittata will finish cooking in the oven. I used a 12 inch skillet; however, if you are using a smaller pan your frittata will be thicker and might take longer to cook. On the contrary, if you are making a smaller frittata it will cook quicker, just keep an eye on it.

The frittata will appear to be mostly liquid on top when you transfer it to the oven, but as long as the edges start to sit, the eggs will finish cooking evenly.

Never overcook your frittata. Check your frittata 5 minutes before it is supposed to be done. Frittata should be trembling and barely set.

For a crispy top, run the frittata under the broiler for a minute or two at the end of cooking.

FRITTATA WITH ASPARAGUS, SCALLIONS, SHIITAKI MUSHROOMS AND FONTINA CHEESE

Serves 4-6

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
10-12 shiitaki mushrooms (sliced)
1 bunch green asparagus (sliced)
2 bunches scallions (sliced)
8 large eggs
1/2 cup crème fraîche or sour cream
2 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley (chopped)
3/4 cup Fontina cheese (shredded)
Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a 12-inch nonstick ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and cook for 4 minutes stirring occasionally; transfer to plate.
Add one tablespoon of olive oil and cook asparagus and scallions over medium heat stirring often until tender (about 6 minutes). Add mushrooms to the pan. Season with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile whisk eggs, crème fraîche, parsley and 1/2 cup of shredded Fontina in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper.

Add remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pan and pour the egg mixture over veggies, shaking the pan to evenly distribute mixture. Reduce heat to low and simmer, without stirring, until edges begin to set, about 5 minutes.

Sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup Fontina over eggs and transfer skillet to oven. Bake frittata until golden brown and center is set, about 20 minutes.

Enjoy!

Soba Noodles with Spring Vegetables and Teriyaki Sauce

Soba noodles are made of buckwheat flour and can be prepared in various hot and cold dishes. Soba dishes are very popular in Japan, available from specialty restaurants to fast food places at railway stations. Soba noodles are available in dried form in U.S. supermarkets.

Contrary to its name, buckwheat is not related to wheat, nor it is a cereal grain. It is a fruit seed related to rhubarb and sorrel, making it a suitable substitute for grains for people who are sensitive to wheat or other grains that contain protein glutens. Therefore, it is both gluten-free and grain-free! Always check the packaging on soba noodles to make sure no other flours are added if you follow a 100% gluten or grain free diet.

Since spring is finally here, I prepared this dish with spring veggies and then added a homemade teriyaki sauce. This dish is extremely easy to make and will be ready in 20 minutes or less. Your homemade teriyaki sauce will take a little longer to cook, but you can make it ahead and refrigerate until ready to use.

SOBA NOODLES WITH SPRING VEGETABLES AND TERIYAKI SAUCE

Serves 4

For noodles with veggies:  1 tablespoon canola oil
2 garlic cloves (peeled and sliced)
5 slices fresh ginger
1 bunch green asparagus (washed and cut into 1-inch pieces)
2 bunches scallions (washed and cut into 1-inch pieces)
1/2 cup peas
8 oz. soba noodles

For teriyaki sauce:
1 cup mirin (Japanese rice wine)
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup soy sauce

Cook noodles in a pot of salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, about 8 minutes. Drain and  rinse noodles under cold water. Drain well.

Heat a deep sauté pan or wok over high heat and add canola oil, ginger and garlic. Cook for 1-2 minutes until garlic is golden brown; remove using a slotted spoon; reserve garlic and discard ginger.

Add asparagus, scallions and peas and cook over medium-high heat until tender (about 4 minutes). Season to taste with salt.

Add cooked noodles and toss to combine. Transfer to a bowl and add teriyaki sauce.

For the teriyaki sauce: Combine all ingredients in a small sauce pan, bring to a boil and gently simmer, stirring occasionally until slightly thickened (about 40 minutes). Let cool.

Enjoy!!