How Did You Cook That

How Did You Cook That

Prepping and Storing Cilantro

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Cilantro has a love it or leave it reputation. It is a highly fragrant herb that is a defining ingredient in many Latin and Asian dishes. Those who turn their nose at it will tell you the fragrance and taste remind them of dish soap. I, for one, love cilantro, but I acquired the taste.

Cilantro is a very affordable, abundant and tender herb. In the market it looks a lot like flat leaf parsley. (I still have to take a nibble of it every time to be sure it is cilantro and not parsley)  Cilantro will wilt quickly once you bring it home from the market so you need to have a plan to keep it fresh until you use it. I have opened the fridge enough times, ready to whip up a batch of tacos, only to find a soggy mess of wilted and yellow cilantro in the crisper drawer.

  • Rinse it well to get the dirt and sand out of it.
  • Place it in a jar of water like you are putting flowers in a vase for your table, stems in the water and leaves blooming out the top.
  • Cover with a paper towel. (In an effort to reduce plastic consumption I use a paper towel to cover it rather than plastic.)
  • Refrigerate.
It’s that easy. The life of your cilantro will be extended by about 3 days using this method.
 
If you have a tried-and-true way of storing cilantro that works for you, please share your tips with us. 

Creamy Acai Bowls

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No need to stop on your way to work to pick up an Acai Bowl for breakfast when you can whip this tasty bite up faster than you can pack your messenger bag.

Stock your freezer with all the pre-prepped ingredients and you will only need to toss them into your blender in the morning and rejoice.

It’s also a perfect summer treat for chilling out on a hot day.

There are dozens of options for toppings or mix ins with these bowls, so don’t limit yourself to just the ingredients in the recipe below.

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Creamy Acai Bowls

Creamy, nutritious açaí bowl with banana, berries, coconut milk, and nuts. A healthy breakfast or yummy snack that tastes dessert.
Course Breakfast, Snack
Cuisine Gluten-Free, Vegan
Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Servings 2
Author How Did You Cook That
Cost $6

Ingredients

  • 1 pouch frozen Acai fruit pack
  • 1 cup coconut yogurt (plain or flavored) whole milk or goat milk yogurt can be used as well
  • 1 banana
  • 1 cup fresh or frozen berries, divided reserve half of berries for topping
  • 1/2 cup granola
  • 1/4 cup nuts or seeds

Instructions

  • Blend acai, yogurt, banana and berries in blender or Magic Bullet until smooth. (It will be VERY thick)
    Spoon out half of mixture into bowl or to-go cup. Layer in half of remaining berries, granola, nuts, sliced banana, chia seeds, etc. Cover with remaining acai blend and top with the rest of the berries, granola, nuts and seeds.
    Dig in and feel the love.

Berry Fruit Crumble

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Warm days of summer are already here in Southern California. I love wandering the Farmers Market and grabbing a basket of plump juicy blueberries to gobble down before I even get to the parking lot.
This recipe is perfect for bringing out the delectable sweet and tart combination of these perfect summer berries.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Potato Leek Soup

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In season October through May, but grown year round in California, this mellow vegetable reaches its peak in January. Leeks are closely related to onions, shallots, and scallions, most resembling the latter—though much larger, typically twelve inches in length and around two inches in diameter.

I usually find the best leeks for my recipes on Sundays at the local farmers market. When choosing leeks, look for firm, straight, dark green leaves and white (not yellow) necks.

Store them unwashed and untrimmed in the refrigerator. Leeks keep fresh in the refrigerator for between one and two weeks.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Leeks store an enormous amount of sand and grit between their tightly-nested layers. Leeks are buried in dirt and they grow in layers, so each new layer catches some dirt inside as it forms. Here’s how to clean leeks the easy way:

  1. Chop off the root of each leek with a sharp knife and discard. Use the tough greens tops to make stock later.
  2. Make a shallow slit, down the length of the leek, just through the outer layers and not cutting all the way through. 
  3. From the slit, peel away the fibrous, tough outer layers, until you reach the lighter, more tender ones inside.
  4. Chop off the super tough dark green tops. Set aside to make vegetable stock later or toss into the compost. Peel away the green as you go to reveal any light and tender, usable leeks that you can cook with.
  5. For this recipe we’re chopping the leeks, which can actually be done before washing them. Chop the white and light green parts crosswise into 1/4-inch thick slices and dump them into a bowl of cool water. Use your hands to agitate the leeks to rinse all the sand away. Pour out the sandy water and rinse again in cool water. Rinse and repeat as necessary until water in bowl is clear.

Pair a bowl of this creamy garden soup with a baby spinach salad, and a glass of Pinot Grigio.

Try reheating any leftover soup over the stove and toss in a bunch of fresh chopped broccoli florets during cooking. It’s a delicious way to shake up your leftovers routine.

Potato Leek Soup
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Potato Leek Soup

Creamy, one-pot potato leek soup. Quick and easy soup recipe, made with simple vegetarian ingredients.
Course Main Course, Soup
Cuisine Soup
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 4
Author How Did You Cook That
Cost $10

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds Yukon Gold or Russet potatoes diced into ½ inch pieces
  • 4 cups vegetable broth or chicken broth
  • 3 large leeks cleaned VERY well and chopped
  • 1 medium shallot thinly sliced
  • 2 Tbsp butter
  • 2 sprigs fresh thyme or ½ tsp dried thyme
  • 1/2 cup cream, half and half or nut milk
  • ⅛ cup shredded parmesan cheese optional
  • ⅛ cup fresh parsley or green onions
  • Kosher salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Heat butter in a large stock pot or dutch oven.
    Add the leeks and shallot and cook, covered, over medium heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until leeks are soft and slightly golden and very fragrant.
  • Add the broth, diced potatoes and thyme and bring to a simmer. Add salt and pepper to taste. Reduce heat to low and simmer for about 20 minutes until potatoes are tender.
  • Spoon in batches into blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Returning in batches to stock pot.
  • Turn heat to low and stir in cream and parmesan cheese.
  • Top with parsley or a handful of scallions or chives.

Zach’s Chocolate Chip Cookies

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Cookies Bake Recipe

This recipe is dedicated to it’s Number 1 fan, Zach. He requests the ingredient list more often than anyone, and for good reason. Most of the ingredients are usually on hand in your fridge or pantry and, if not, they are readily available at most local markets. Whipping it together and dropping the dough onto a cookie sheet is simple and only takes minutes. Not to mention how much it really impresses the roommates.

Cookies Bake Recipe
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Chocolate Chip Cookies

Satisfy your chocolate chip cookie craving with minimal effort and few ingredients.
Course Dessert
Cuisine Cookies
Keyword Baking
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 12 people
Cost $12

Ingredients

  • 2 sticks butter softened
  • 2 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 3/4 cup light brown sugar lightly packed
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 egg lightly beaten
  • 8 oz bittersweet chocolate chunks I use chunks. Chips have wax as an ingredient.

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350º.
    Using a mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat softened butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla on medium-high speed until super light and fluffy, 3–5 minutes.
 (You can also do this by hand with a wooden spoon and a large mixing bowl.)
    Blend in beaten egg.

    Using a spatula, scrape down sides of bowl. With mixer on low speed, slowly add flour and baking soda, followed by chocolate chunks, and beat just to blend.
    Drop dough in ping pong sized balls onto cookie sheet and bake in 350º oven for 15-20 minutes.
    Pour yourself a cup of hot tea and enjoy!

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