Ginger Garlic Miso Sauce

I'm giving away a big secret today, so we've got to keep this on the down low. This, my friends, is the most important sauce to ever happen to steamed vegetables. You see, I used to work at a magical place that served something very similar to this. I was never one of the sauce preppers, so I can only guess the recipe -- I've been trying (and failing) since I left to recreate it, and I've had a breakthrough.

You must keep in mind: This is not the original sauce. I wish I could deliver up all of its secrets, but I literally cannot. Plus, my favorite sauce was actually a mix of two sauces, so that's what I've recreated below. I feel like that's a nice legal disclaimer.

(Gee, lots of build-up, amirite?)

Ginger Garlic Miso Sauce

You will need:

2 garlic cloves
2-3 inches of fresh ginger, juiced (peeled will work too, but the consistency will be off)
1 tablespoon of sesame oil
1.5 tablespoon of soy sauce, nama shoyu sauce, or tamari sauce (any of these will do)
1.5 tablespoon of lemon juice (bottled is better than fresh here, folks)

2 tablespoons of olive oil (you can add more if the sauce is too thick)
1 tablespoon of honey
1 tablespoon of red miso paste (if you can't fine red, another miso paste will still do it)
1/2 teaspoon of curry powder

Throw all of this into a blender (I use a KitchenAid Diamond blender -- it's no Vitamix, but it gets the job done) until all of the elements are well mixed. The sauce should be smooth as silk, unless you used peeled ginger.

This stuff goes on top of everything. It's great on salads and salad wraps, it's great on rice, it's great mixed in with lentil soup. It's best on steamed vegetables (kale, carrot, beats) with rice, quinoa, avocado, some crushed almonds, and a little bit of cheddar cheese. I could literally eat this everyday (and I did, actually, when I worked at this restaurant). Boyfriend loves it too, so we make a bunch of this and keep it in the fridge to use all week. This sauce will last all week, but its best in its first few days. You will definitely have to re-mix the sauce as you go.

If you try it out, let me know what you think.

Indian Butter Paneer from Half Baked Harvest

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Haven't tried out this recipe yet, but I'm saving it here for future use. The tikka masala leftovers in the fridge are calling me....

All credit goes to Half Baked Harvest for this recipe! I'll update with comments once I've had a chance to make it a few times. 

Recipe link HERE. 

Vanilla & Fruit Chia Breakfast Pudding

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I know, I know. Chia-anything is too trendy right now.

I was introduced to these goopy seeds a few years ago when I worked at Life Alive (an amazing "organic oasis and cafe" in Cambridge, MA -- seriously, if you're ever near a Life Alive, you should go). Life Alive uses chia seeds in their smoothies, but the texture of the seeds is perfect for pudding (think tapioca). This recipe has been posted all over the internet with countless variations; what I'm posting here is my go-to office breakfast when I'm feeling productive the night before.

PREP TIME: as long as it takes you to pour liquid in a bowl and cut fruits

INGREDIENTS:
1/4 c chia seeds
1 c vanilla almond milk (or any almond milk, or any milk at all)
fruit (e.g., peaches, plums, raspberries, blueberries)

PREPARATION:
Pour the almond milk in a breakfast-sized bowl (I usually use something with a lid so I can bring it to work). Then, add the chia seeds and stir until most of the seeds aren't clumped together.

You're basically done at this point. This mixture needs to sit for about an hour to allow the chia seeds to absorb the almond milk. Once it's "set", you can add chopped fruit, and then you're fully done. Easy, right?