Eating Fresh, Frugal and Fabulous…

Lemongrass Pork Spring Roll… With leftover lemongrass pork; julienne and sprinkled w/rice powder, vermicelli noodle, Granny Smith apple, carrot, herb mix of mint, cilantro and pennywort and Nuoc mam cham (fish sauce dip).

Instructions:
In a large bowl filled with warm water, soak 1 rice paper wrapper for about 20 seconds or until soft. Lay wrapper out on a tea towel to absorb excess water. Transfer wrapper to a flat surface or plate. About 1/3 from the bottom of the wrapper, create a 3-inch long row by placing some vermicelli noodle, followed by carrots, apple, pork, cilantro, mint and pennywort leaves. Carefully fold the bottom of the rice paper wrapper over the ingredients. Turn in the sides and continue rolling up from the bottom. To serve, slice the roll in half on a bias. Serve with Nuoc mam cham (Vietnamese fish sauce dip).

Eating fresh and healthy doesn’t have to be boring… This was my Top Chef quick-fire challenge to myself. Using leftovers and what was immediately available in my fridge and cupboard. It is also my good parenting duty to teach my very picky 5 year old and his not so picky 3 year old little brother to eat healthy, to try everything at least once and to be mindful about wasting food.

One of my secret ambitions is to be a one of those “cheftestants” you see on Top Chef. I grew up in the kitchen and one of my first cooking experiences was at the tender age of 5. It was my duty to make the daily rice for dinner. In my mama’s kitchen we didn’t have many modern conveniences, certainly not a rice cooker so it was a tedious chore… Measure the rice, wash the rice until the water runs clear, then let it soak– “this will result in tender fluffy grains” –I can still hear her words echo in my ear. When it was time to cook rice, her instructions were to “use your ears to listen for the bubbles to recede, then turn it down; after that use your nose to smell when it is done”. I didn’t know it at the time, but she was teaching me how to use my senses around food. However tedious I thought my job was at that time, I now take pleasure in performing this ritual of prepping rice. Even though I own a rice cooker, I still often make it the old fashioned way on the stove, using my senses as my guide.

Speaking of senses, one of my favorite stalls at the farmer’s market is the herb and produce stall. Instantly I am excited as I lift the varied bunches of green and purple basil to inhale their pungent familiar smell, reminding me of a steaming hot bowl of beef Pho (rice noodle soup). The smell of fresh mint tickling my nose makes me want to have a frosty Mojito and the curly Asian cilantro with flowering leaf-tops would go great in a tarot soup. Fresh and raw herbs add seasonal bursts of flavor and color to any dish, as well as provide you with great health benefits. I invite you to visit the herb stall at your local farmers market and become inspired.

Finally, I know not every cook will stock their larder with ingredients like rice paper, fish sauce and pennywort. Don’t let that discourage you from getting into your kitchen and letting your creativity and taste buds be your guide. Why not introduce that tin of tuna to the lonely jar of capers and the ripe Meyer lemon just waiting for a squeeze? A healthy, tasty treat is waiting to be discovered.

-Nicki
Ice Chamber Office Girl