Sesame-Crusted Tuna Sushi Bowl

If I could snap my fingers and be instantly transported to another country, I’d visit Japan. For as long as I can remember, I’ve been fascinated with this country and its incredibly rich culture. Be it art, architecture, food, landscapes and gardens… everything is aesthetically pleasing! From the outside, it is refinement at its finest. It is perfection and sophistication in every detail, and it is incredibly interesting to me.

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Carrot and Parsnip Soup with Sweet Hungarian Paprika

“I said Brrrr, it’s cold in here!”…

…is all I can think about as soon as I step outside of my house. It is very cold here in Philly, and as always when winter comes around, I get sick and I get pale. Now when it’s cold or if I’m sick, my favorite thing to eat is homemade soup, and when I’m pale I stock up on carrots to soak up all that beta-carotene and (hopefully) get a nice halo. So without further due, please welcome: carrot soup! aka. my favorite kind of “cure”!

4×4 Veggie Rolls

One of my favorite things to do when I’m home with a lot of time on my hands, and little to do, is to take cooking classes. I love to go to this place called “Atelier des Chefs”, meaning “Chef’s Workshop”, for their 30-minutes lunch formula. You learn how to make a recipe from start to finish and get to eat what you cooked at a communal table with the rest of the class. It’s a fantastic format! A few years back, I took a sushi/maki class there, where I learned how to “roll” for the first time.

Tuna Rice Salad with Balsamic Tomato Vinaigrette

Spring is finally here in Philly! And for real this time! The weather is getting so much nicer, that I’m finally able to go to class without a puffy winter coat. Food wise, one of my favorite things about Spring season, is that I get to eat salads at every single meal. I crave fresh, tasty and healthy lunch options, which brings me to experiment with a ton of veggies and dressings. Since I get bored quite easily with the typical “mixed greens and tomatoes” type of salad, I love to add several types of grains, or other add-ins to my go-to recipes. Among “mixed salads,” rice ones are at the top of my list. Once you have the base, you can add whatever your heart desires and make a tasty dish in no time. This brown rice tuna salad is very easy to make, and adaptable so you can let your creative “kitchen juices” flow. All you need to remember is that simpler is better, and you’re in for a great new dish. Bon appétit!

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Prep Time: 15 min

Ingredients:

• 1/4-1/2 cup brown rice
• 1 small can of tuna
• 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes
• 1/2 carrot
• 1/2 medium cucumber
• 1/4 shallot
• a bunch of fresh parsley
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• salt, pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Bring salted water to a boil, and cook the rice for the time indicated on the packaging. Mine takes about 15 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, grate the carrot and the cucumber, and set aside. Using a fork, flake the tuna in its can.
3. Next, make the “balsamic-tomato vinaigrette.” Roughly chop the cherry tomatoes, shallot, and parsley, and put them in a food processor. Pulse until the mixture is still slightly chunky, but starting to get homogeneous. Add the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper, and pulse again. Set aside as well.
4. When the rice is cooked, put it in a colander and let cold water run over it. As soon as the grains are at room temperature, drain thoroughly and place them in a bowl.
5. Toss the rice with the flaked tuna, grated veggies, and “balsamic-tomato vinaigrette”. Enjoy!