Special hot dogs in a wrap

I seriously can’t wait until Dr. Tae Yun Kim‘s cook book comes out!  It’s not going to be just a cook book, but will go into detail about all the health benefits of recipes and food preparation methods.

When the weather is cold and rainy, and you want hot and satisfying food, yet you don’t really feel like having another bowls of soup or stew for a while – well, then this will certainly make you happy.  These are great with dinner, as snacks, when you watch TV, or have any gathering – you can make them as small pieces for snacks, or leave the hot dogs hole and serve for dinner, with a nice big salad.

Dr. Tae Yun Kim came up with this tasty and crispy and absolutely delicious version of hot dogs in a blanket.

She started out with yeast dough, gluten-free, consisting of 1/2 almond flour and half gluten free mixed flour, that already had xantham gum in it.  She also added sea buckthorn flour, about 1/4 cup of it to a total of 4 cups of the other flours.

Dr. Tae Yun Kim is using a lot of sea buckthorn powder – check out its benefits below! It’s worth the effort of ordering it and using it in breads, cereals, tea, dessert, and others.

After you let the yeast dough rise (and this particular one stays well contained overnight in the fridge and rises beautifully the next morning) roll it out very thin and place your ingredients on top, like this:

The little red round things are Madrone berries, also very healthy for you.  These particular ones used in the picture had been infused in alcohol for several months and were scrumptious.  You press the berries into the dough after you rolled it out.

Then you use your (gluten-free) hot dogs, dab a little mustard in the middle, insert a slice of kosher dill pickle, and sprinkle with shredded cheese of your choice – Dr. Tae Yun Kim likes mozzarella and cheddar, but smoked gouda or other meltable cheeses are great too.

Let rise for 20 minutes and bake for 25-30 minutes and enjoy!

 

Health Benefits Of Sea Buckthorn

Sea buckthorn has multiple uses due to its protein building amino acids, vitamins B1, B2, K, C, A, E, and folic acid, over 60 antioxidants, at least 20 minerals, and healthy fatty acids. The fruit is full of carotenoids, xanthophylls, phenolics, and flavonoids, too. It’s an absolute power house of nutrients!

The leaves, berries and roots can all be used in different forms. It is a complete food that can support the body in all the following ways:

• Treats gastrointestinal disorders including ulcers
• Reverses gout
• Eliminates skin rashes
• Cures infections
• Improves sight, lessens eye soreness
• Promotes colon health
• Contributes to proper brain and nervous system functioning
• Reduces inflammatory response in the body
• Improves mental clarity
• Treats asthmatic symptoms
• Reduces skin markings associated with measles or mumps
• Reduces illness associated with cancer
• Lowers cholesterol
• Boosts lymphatic circulation and immunity
• Reduces hunger (due to Omega 7s)
• Improves the look of skin and hair (also due to Omega 7, 3, 6, and 9s)
• Neutralizes free radicals in the body
• Slows the aging process
• Supports internal organs
• Boost health of the mucous membranes lining the digestive and respiratory tracts
• Supports urogenital system
• Reduces the condition of a fatty liver
• Helps to increase cellular vitality

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Spice in your life – stuffed Korean Jalapeno peppers

Cooking is definitely a creative process.  Whether you follow a recipe exactly as is, or whether you develop your own recipes, or whether you are somewhere in between, creativity is needed!

And what does Dr.  Tae Yun Kim say about creativity?  Here is a little gem:

“You can have whatever you can think.  Because we have such great freedom to create, we must take responsibility to use our power constructively!” (Seven Steps to Inner Power, page 32)

Korean food is highly creative and its hard to get exact recipes.  I have had these stuffed peppers in several restaurants, and usually they are dipped in egg and fried.  I try to minimize my fried food intake, and I thought I would do some experimentation in re-creating this delicious and gluten-free dish.

First, I cut a few Jalapeno peppers in half, lengthwise, and baked them in the oven just enough to make them a little soft, at 350.  This will probably take about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, I cleaned some leaks and cut them fine

I sautéed some hamburger meat (from grass-fed beef) with a liberal amount of garlic and chopped onions, and then added the leeks.

At this point you can add spinach if you like, or any other veggies, although, if you decide to add carrots and other “hard” vegetables, pre-cook them to make sure they are cooked.

Salt and pepper to your taste, and if you want to make sure you get the Asian flavor, put in some gluten-free soy sauce and/or gluten-free hot bean paste called “Goju-jang.”  Go easy at first, until it’s hot enough to your liking.

Then, stuff the pre-cooked peppers, and heat them up in the oven.

Enjoy one of Dr. Tae Yun Kim‘s favorite dishes!

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Healthy Almond Snack

So, a while ago, I learned there is such a thing as National Almond day. It was February 16th.

And while I didn’t post it on that day, I did make these great almond snacks, totally healthy and very delicious!

Dr.  Tae Yun Kim wants all her students to live a healthy life, and eat the best healthy foods, and will give advice to those that seek it.

In today’s world, it’s hard to find good, healthy, gluten-free snacks.  Not that they aren’t easily available – far from it!  But it’s just that there is so much else out there that is competing with the healthy and wholesome items!  So, to make it easy, here is a very simple recipe for outstanding almonds.  We all know that nuts, especially almonds, are good for us – they contain the good kind of fats and lots of minerals, so, here we go!

Do give these a try – they are one of  Dr.  Tae Yun Kim s favorite snacks!

First, get some whole almonds.  If you can get them already blanched, great. But if you want to go the extra mile, get almonds with the skin still on, and soak them in cool water until the skin comes lose.  (Yes, it’s a lot easier if you pour hot water on the almonds and peel immediately. However, it alters the consistency of the almonds and they turn mealy rather than light, crunchy, yet almost fruity if you take the time to soak them in cool water.

Once peeled, dry them and put them in a pan with hot olive oil.  Lightly sprinkle with Himalayan Salt, or any salt you like, and garlic powder.  (Fresh is ok too, but tends to burn too easily).  Add finely chopped fresh rosemary, or dried rosemary to your liking, and roast thoroughly.  At this point, feel free to experiment with other spices, but this is my original recipe.

Arrange them nicely, offer them, and watch them disappear in a hurry!  Now, it’s time to feel good about a naturally gluten-free, very healthy, and most delicious snack!

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Corny Creativity with tomatoes and zucchini

By this time, you probably have had your fill of zucchini and tomatoes.  Gardens and markets alike are full with the freshest of produce, and just yesterday a dear fellow Jung Suwon warrior brought me some more homegrown zucchini and tomatoes.

Of course I am always grateful for homegrown veggies, however, you need a lot of creativity to keep coming up with new ways of cooking and serving them .   I just so happened to pick up Dr. Tae Yun Kim‘s book “The First Element” and find this little gem:

“Remember, when you wish to create or manifest any aspect of your life, you do not have to invent anything.  All you have to do is open your awareness wider and wider, and your infinite capabilities and richness will become more and more visible.  Jung Suwon doesn’t teach you something new.  It teaches what you already have – what you can open to as you become more aware.”

Using this creativity, I really wanted to make something incredibly delicious, yet easy to put together, and very healthy – and good-looking too.

Here is the result:

If you want to try it, here are the very easy instructions:

Pre-heat oven to 350.

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, and grease the foil.

Cut up a one-foot long zucchini (that’s what I had, you can use smaller ones too, for appetizers.) into rounds, not too thick

Cut a pre-packaged tube of Polenta (or make your own if you prefer) into slices, again, not too thick.

Now cut up tomatoes, and let the fun begin!

Lay out the zucchini rounds on the foil, brush with some olive oil, and put in oven for about 15 minutes.

Cover the zucchini slices with the polenta slices and then with the tomato slices.  Drizzle with olive oil and garlic, and add salt and pepper and bake until heated through and vegetables are cooked.

If you can have dairy, it’s very tasty with some cheese melted in.

Of course, from here, do as Dr. Tae YunKim  suggests, and let your creativity flow – you can add herbs to your liking, you could try different cheeses, or even add some pastrami.

Have fun with this recipe!

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Possibly the best chicken salad that I have ever made/tasted

Don’t go by the picture please and trust me on this.  Ok?  This is really really good!

I was going to insert an appropriate quote from Dr. Tae Yun Kim, something to the effect of “don’t be fooled by your 5 senses” but then I read the end of her book, “The Silent Master,” and it is simply beautiful, and I wanted to share it with you, so bear with me please.

“We live in a wonderful time called now.  In this moment, everything true about you is waiting to be recognized and expressed.  Everything in the past is gone. Tomorrow will never come.  There is always only now.  You can take charge, take action, and create freedom for yourself.

Right here and right now let’s start celebrating!  Freedom is real.  Freedom is possible.  You have power, truth, beauty, and potential within you alway waiting to be discovered, always waiting to be expressed.  Brighter and more precious than diamonds, warm as the spring sun and beautiful like spirals of galaxies sprinkled over this vast universe, your Silent Master awaits your return, so that together you will come forth as one radiant being in charge of your destiny.  What is stopping you?  What is holding you back?  You are free to be free!  Spread your wings!  Fly and be free!”

So, now, back to making an awesome chicken salad!  We had some very hot days last week, and cooking wasn’t on my mind.  Yet, with a summer-time Jung Suwon potluck in the backyard, something had to be done!  This was one of those dishes that came together simply using what I already had at home.  Luckily that included an organic, roasted chicken, from Whole Foods!  I quickly boiled about 6 – 7 eggs and chilled them.

I started by taking all the meat off the chicken and chopping it (several of our Jung Suwon warriors have to watch their cholesterol, so I didn’t use the skin.)  into bite size pieces.  NORMAL bite sized pieces please, not hulk, and not ant sized either!

After that, I chopped up the eggs, again, not too fine and not too huge, and add to the chicken.  Chop some celery (washed and peeled) maybe a handful, and add, and also add a handful of chopped tomatoes (firm ones, and take out the liquidy part.)  Chop some olives fine, and add, as well as a good handful of green onions, both white and green parts, chopped finely.  Add some marinated artichoke hearts, chopped into small pieces, a total of a good handful ( 😉 ), and a handful of marinated mushrooms, also cut into pieces.

Now, gently mix it all together, and add gluten-free, organic, olive oil based mayonnaise, just enough to make it moist.  Add salt (I use Himalayan salt) and garlic pepper to taste, and let sit in refrigerator for a couple of hours, to let the flavors do their thing.

Of course, there are hundreds or even thousands of ways how to make a chicken salad.  This one just happens to be my current favorite.  With  Dr. Tae Yun Kim’s own words, “it is your life, and your world!  Don’t let anyone stand in your way!”

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Quick, very healthy and gluten free lunch sandwich

It’s Memorial Day weekend, and we practically live outdoors now, especially since the temperatures are wonderful, around 65 degrees!  Perfect!

Great Grandmaster Tae Yun Kim has invited us to all kinds of great outdoor activities, including a BBQ.  But until then, hungry warriors are storming Jung Suwon, and something has got to be done about that!

It can’t take too much time to make food either, so here is a very healthy and very fast sandwich idea to keep Jung Suwon warriors going!  This can be made with regular bread, or, like I do, with your favorite gluten free bread.

Asparagus sandwich:

Pre-heat oven to 400 F.

Wash, and thinly slice lengthwise a handful of asparagus spears (about 6 or so spears per 2 sandwiches).  Sautee in one tablespoon of oil, with freshly crushed garlic, and add a tablespoon of chopped cashew nuts.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Saute until the asparagus is crip/tender.

While you saute the asparagus, toast 2 slices (per serving) of your favorite (gluten free) bread, and spread thinly with mustard.  Put on a layer of thinly slices avocadoes.  Heap the asparagus mixture on top of the avocado slices, and top with a sprinkling of parmesan cheese.  Broil for a few minutes until cheese is melty.

If you have really ravenous Jung Suwon warriors knocking at your door (or anyone else for that matter), you could also add a basted egg on top.  Either way, it’s delicious!

Happy Memorial Day to all, and please take a minute or two and think of all our service members and the great sacrifices they make to make the world a better place to live in!

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Bringing joy through cooking

A dear blogging friend that lives on the East Coast somewhere, is going through a great loss in her family right now, and we are saying lots of prayers for Shirley and her family.

Great Grandmaster Tae Yun Kim emphasizes the importance of helping others, especially when they are going through hard times.  And not just in word but also in deed.  “When someone is down,” Great Grandmaster Tae Yun Kim says, ” extend a helping hand!  Show your support through actions!  Bring some food if possible – the last thing you want to do is to think about what to feed everyone.  When you lose a loved one, Great Grandmaster Tae Yun Kim continues, you need some time to go through the grieving process. ”

While unfortunately I can’t be there other than through prayer, I did think about what I would make if I lived closer.  “Energy doesn’t have any distance,” Great Grandmaster explains, ” if you think great thoughts about someone, that someone will feel that one way or another.”

It would need to be some sort of easy to eat finger food.  You wouldnt’ want to task a grieving person with too much prep work and dish washing!  It also needs to be super easy to reheat.  And it should be fast to cook so you can run on over and deliver.

I started with the leftover cooked chicken – deboned it and chopped it up.  Sautéed some chopped onions and garlic in olive oil and added the chicken, and then added some mixed greens – a combination of spinach, chard, and Bok choy, but don’t limit yourself – use what you have!  I also added some oriental mushrooms in this version, but really, only your creativity will decide.  Add lots of love to the mix!

After the vegetables are about 3/4 done, turn off heat and let them cool off.  During that time, put a couple of eggs in a blender, add some sort of milk, whether dairy, soy, or coconut is up to you.  Add some salt and pepper and any herbs or spices you feel like putting in.  (I kept it simple and just did salt and pepper.)  I added a handful of grated cheese as well.

Prepare your favorite gluten-free pie crust, or use pre-made if you like.  You can also use some leftover mashed potatoes if you have any, or you can also bake without any kind of crust, which is what I did for myself.

Line cupcake pans with paper or foil liners.  If you are using pie crust, cut out rounds big enough to be patted into the muffin or cupcake pans.  Bake until light brown in pre-heated oven, then let cool off.

Take a small amount of the chicken-vegetable mixture and put into the crust or cupcake form.  Squeeze out the liquid, and put in enough to fill about 2/3 of the cup cake pan. Spoon or pour in the milk/egg mixture, leaving about 1/2 inch from the top.  Repeat until all cup cake liners are full.   Bake about 10 minutes at 350  or until a nice light brown.  They taste delicious hot out of the oven, or cooled off.

Enjoy, dear Shirley, wishing you all the best and may God pour out His blessings on you.

And for all other readers, go ahead and make these for someone you love!

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Simply delicious brunch

This is Easter weekend, and there are so many recipes out there for wonderful and filling foods, desserts, candy and such.  So I am offering you something really tasty and healthy from Great Grandmaster Tae Yun Kim’s “tool box.”  Sometimes you need to get ready in a hurry for a Jung Suwon class, even during Easter weekend, and you don’t want to feel stuffed and heavy !

So here is what teacher Great Grandmaster Tae Yun Kim recommends: a light and healthy version of quiche.  If you are on a gluten free diet, like I am, you can use any recipe gluten free pie crust, or, like I do, leave out the crust altogether.

You will need:

Pie crust, either store bought or home made, or none at all

fresh spinach, a couple of bunches, well washed

fresh kale (or if you don’t like the taste, just use more spinach)

half a yellow onion, finely chopped

handful of sliced mushrooms

one cup organic, low fat cottage cheese (make sure it’s made from certified organic milk)

2 eggs

salt, pepper,

Pre-heat oven to 400, line small ramekins, or any small dish that withstands the heat in the oven, with the crust, and bake for about 10 minutes or until light brown.  Lower heat to 375 or 350, depending on your oven.

To make the filling, heat some olive oil in a pan, sautee a couple tablespoons chopped garlic.  Add the onions, sautee until see through, then add spinach, kale and mushrooms.  Lightly sautee, add salt and pepper, lemon juice if you like it more tangy.

In a blender, mix together the eggs and cottage cheese.  Squeeze out the sauteed veggies (you can save the juices to add to some soup later) and add the veggies to the egg/cottage cheese mixture.  Adjust seasoning, fill the baking dishes, and bake until set, around 15 minutes.

Let it set for another 10 or so minutes, then decorate with parsley and cherry tomatoes, or any garnish to your liking!

Now, sit back and enjoy the fruits of your labor, and know that Great Grandmaster Tae Yun Kim’s recipe will contribute to your health and well being.

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Jung SuWon Style healthy appetizer

 

Sometimes, like right now, the weather is really really hot, and you don’t feel like cooking – especially after a hard Jung SuWon sparring class.  You are too hot, still sweating, but you want something substantial to eat. 

Devoted Martial Artists, such as Grandmaster Tae Yun Kim, take care of body, mind and spirit.  She teaches that you need to keep your body healthy and happy, so that your soul is excited to live in it! 

So, here is something she taught me how to make, a food that is well balanced and will make you feel good inside and out.

As for quantities, well, I’ll have to follow the directions of a funny, cute old Jewish cook book I ran across recently:  “you want a lot – you make a lot.  You don’t want so much, you don’t make so much.”

With this in mind, have the following ready:

1. Thin slices of a beef roast (any leftovers will do, but in a pinch you can use the stuff you get at the store
2. a good brand spicy mustard
3. avocado
4. kosher dill pickles, or any pickles to your liking
5. cheese, cut into thin strips (this will depend on what you have at home, or what you prefer and come to think of it, usually you only have at home what you want anyhow.. 🙂  )
6. leaf lettuce

Spread the mustard generously onto the beef slices, add avocado and cheese “sticks”, add thinly cut pickly strips, sprinkle a little vinegar, roll up and serve on a bed of lettuce, and with some (homemade) bread.

You can, of course, vary this quite a bit.  Instead of, or in addition to, the avocado, you can also put in refried beans.  You can cut olives into slices and add, or slices of tomatoes. 

This was just the basic recipe, which in itself is very good and very satisfying.  It will restore and rebuild your muscles, and get your body machine going again.  If you like this, go ahead and start experimenting wtih your favorite ingredients.  I hear it’s really really good with Kim chi…….

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