Tag: Portland

Soba Noodles with Summer Squash and Mango

July 1, 2014February 10, 2017

Soba noodles have become a staple in my kitchen. I have always liked them, but as the weather has been slowly getting warmer, and there’s lovely produce all around, they have been appearing more often in my kitchen. I love them with a light sauce made of rice vinegar and lime juice. But the true beauty of soba noodles, to me, is that they are delicious cold. The day after you make them, and they’ve been sitting in whatever sauce you’ve tossed them with, they become ultra flavorful and refreshing. I am a big fan. And I think you should be too.

Jonah came home this week, on Monday actually, and I had a feeling that cooking might not be exactly what he wanted to do the moment he stepped of the plane. So on Sunday night I made a big batch of soba noodles tossed with roasted zucchini, fresh mango, and a light citrus-y sauce. I ate a small bowl, and threw the rest in the fridge, knowing that it would be delicious the next day for dinner with some roasted green beens (also in the fridge).

I love how colorful this dish is, how summery it is, and how packed with flavor. I think it’d make a great cold side dish for a summer party (4th of July, anyone?), and it makes great leftovers to take to the office for lunch. You can add some seared tofu, or maybe even some grilled chicken.

Soba Noodles with Summer Squash and Mango

Ingredients

2 zucchini, julienned
2 summer squash, julienned
olive oil
salt
1 9-oz package buckwheat soba noodles
3/4 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 tsp salt
2-3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 jalapeño, finely chopped (and seeded, if you’re not feeling the heat)
juice and zest of 1 lime
1 Tbl sesame oil
1 ripe mango, peeled and julienned
~1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
~1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped
optional but recommended: chopped peanuts to top (I used about 1/4 cup), lime wedges

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Toss the julienned zucchini and squash with olive oil and salt. Spread on a parchment lined baking sheet. Roast for 20-30 minutes, until lightly browned, tossing halfway through. Set aside to cool.

Cook the soba noodles as instructed on the package. Usually, this means boil them for about 4 minutes, drain them, rinse them with cold water, drain them, and spread them out on a dish towel to try.

While boiling the water for the noodles, combine the rice vinegar, sugar, and salt in a small pot over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and add garlic and jalapeño. Allow to cool, then add the lime juice and zest as well as the sesame oil. Whisk to combine. Put the soba noodles in a bowl, and toss with the dressing. Add the squash, mango, herbs, and nuts to the noodles, tossing to combine. Garnish with a sprinkle more of chopped peanuts and a lime wedge. Enjoy with a light beer on a hot day.

Weekend Finds 6:29:14

June 29, 2014February 10, 2017

Dang. It’s almost July. I apologize for my absence of late. Things have been a little busy lately, and Jonah hasn’t been here to cook me dinner, so I haven’t had as much time for writing and recipe researching as I’d like. Yesterday I was able to hit up the Organic Beer Festival here in Portland, and it was lovely, despite the clouds. Here are the weekend finds.

1. Bicycle Pizza Slicer

Fixie Bike Pizza Cutter // Weekend Finds on Serious Crust — For the biking, cooking hipster in your life.

I found this pizza cutter via Food Republic, and it immediately made me think of Jonah (who makes pizzas and rides bikes). I think it would make an adorable little gift. You can find it for sale on this website. I also like their salami sticky notes.

2. How to cut a cake. Better.

Cut Cake Better // Weekend Finds on Serious Crust — The new and improved cake cutting technique.

This video has been circling the internet (at least, in my food-centric newsfeeds). It’s pretty great, and teaches us a new, much more sensible way to cut a cake. Keep that pastry fresh and moist longer.

3. Pancake in a rice cooker…?

Rice Cooker Pancake // Weekend Finds on Serious Crust — Don’t you want to punch a hole in this pancake? I do.

Jonah discovered this method for making basically a large, thick pancake in your rice cooker. I’m not sure I believe that it will work, but I’m willing to give it a shot. Because how hilarious does that thing look?

4. Green Rice Salad with Corn and Nectarines

Green Rice Salad from Not Without Salt // Weekend Finds on Serious Crust — I love the bright colors in this salad from Not Without Salt.

I’ll be honest, as far as summer salads go, this one from Not Without Salt has officially skyrocketed to the top of my list. Rice with cilantro, parsley, and jalapeño, topped with nectarines, grilled corn, and queso fresco? This is going on my July 4th menu.

5. Car Trunk Organizers

Trunk Organizer // Weekend Finds on Serious Crust — Trunk organizers even come in pretty patterns like this, with a cooler in the middle.

You know that feeling when you go to the grocery store, grab a 6 pack of beer, a bag of apples, maybe some chips, etc. You pack it all into the car and as you’re pulling out of the parking lot, you hear the sound. The sound of your apples falling onto your chips, crushing every one of them, the apples roll out into your trunk, and the beer bottles tip over out of their little cardboard case, and then spend the next 10 minutes clinking around in your trunk, no doubt bruising some apples. There is a thing that can stop all of that from happening. Read all about it here.

Weekend Finds 6:15:14

June 15, 2014February 10, 2017

My summer craziness has begun! How about yours? Hopefully these weekend finds can help us slow down a bit and remember to enjoy the summer season.

1. Romesco Sauce

Romesco Sauce // Weekend Finds on Serious Crust — Romesco is made with roasted bell peppers, toasted almonds, tomato paste, garlic, oil, and spices.

I’ve had romesco sauce plenty of times, but it was really last summer when my dad put it over some roasted cauliflower that it won my heart. I think grilling season is a perfect time of year to keep a batch of the stuff in your fridge, as it makes a really flavor packed topping for those lightly charred vegetables.

2. PedalPalooza 2014

PedalPalooza 2014, PDX // Weekend Finds on Serious Crust — Get your pedal on!

So Portland, being the bike-centric city we are, has this month-long event called Pedalpalooza, with all these themed bike rides around the city. Jonah’s co-worker even led a Beyoncé themed ride last week! But there are a few rides for foodies: today there’s a homebrews and community gardens ride, tomorrow there’s a food cart ride, on Wednesday there’s a bees vs. Monsanto ride (yes, you dress up as bees and farmers and stop at the offices of food influencers in the city), and on Friday there’s both a coffee and carousing ride as well as breakfast on bridges (a stand set up with coffee and donuts where you can stop on your way to work). And of course, Friday night, there’s a champagne ride. So what else do you need? Get riding!

3. Warm-weather Whiskey Drinks

Warm Weather Whiskey Drinks // Weekend Finds on Serious Crust — Whiskey in the morning, whiskey in the evening, whiskey at bath too! (Ok, maybe not in the morning or at bath time.)

I’ll be honest, when I think of whiskey, I often think of being in a cozy bar on a cold night. But that shouldn’t really be the case. You can drink whiskey year round, and Saveur is going to give you a little help. Check out these refreshing whiskey cocktails, perfect for a hot day.

4. Time Magazine says “Eat Butter.”

Time: Eat Butter // Weekend Finds on Serious Crust — Let’s learn about fats!

Have you seen the new Time Magazine cover? I’m glad my roommate subscribes, because I’ll admit I’m looking forward to reading this article about how fat isn’t really the bad guy everyone thinks it is.

5. Jamaica

Jamaica // Weekend Finds on Serious Crust — I love the ruby hue of this cold refreshing hibiscus tea!

I gotta say, if you’ve never had jamaica, you’re missing out. It’s a refreshing, tart, fruity drink, a la lemonade, and is perfect for summer time. I love hibiscus tea, and this is really just a cold version of that. I found bulk hibiscus at my grocery store, but you can usually find bags of the petals in the latin foods section. In case you needed another reason to make this beverage, it’s also a great mixer for cocktails.

The Waypost: Restaurant/Bar Review

June 12, 2014February 10, 2017

When we moved to NE Portland, we were a little sad that we were losing our neighborhood bar, C Bar. The food was great, the beer list was awesome, and it was about a 10 minute walk from our old house. Little did we know that the Waypost was down the street from our new house.

Actually, we did know. But we didn’t realize what an amazing little spot it was. When you walk into the Waypost, it feels like you’ve just walked into your friend’s living room. Except that their living room has awesome infused liquors and music/entertainment/activities all the time, and the bartenders are always super friendly, and people are easy to talk to, and it’s simply comfortable. The owner hails from Tucson, AZ, and has brought a touch of that desert vibe to the northwest in this little space.

Speaking of bartenders, let’s talk about Antonio. Antonio is the bartender you’ll see probably the most often, as he shakes up drinks, introduces bands, and hosts songwriters workshops. He’s also just the friendliest guy. We visit the Waypost frequently, but even if we haven’t been there in a while, he greets us like old friends. He’s always up for a chat, especially when it comes to conversations about what liquors they’re infusing and cocktails they’re creating. Listen to his suggestions.

One place where the Arizona influence is perhaps most evident is the menu. Tacos abound! They’ve got some delicious chicken and carnitas tacos, but they also have breakfast tacos (yum) and Colombian tacos (YUM). They serve weekend brunch too, and it looks delicious, though I haven’t tried it yet. As far as drinks go, I always rely on their house infused liquors. In the fall, they have a tasty pumpkin infused bourbon, which is great on its own or in a hot toddy concoction. On a recent visit, Antonio made me a cardamom gin & tonic. The cardamom was powerful without being too strong, and I loved how refreshing and spiced it was.

There are a wide range of events happening at the Waypost on a regular basis. Music? Check. On our most recent visit we saw Wildish, a band we’ve enjoyed a few times around Portland. Wednesdays are trivia (it’s really fun, but pretty hard). They have games in the front room. One night we happened upon a group of violas and violins playing classical music. I love that the Waypost welcomes all kinds. It’s cozy and friendly, and I definitely recommend a visit.