JaPancakes? JaPancakes!

When I was searching through ideas for the Kitchen Star contest, I came across Okonomiyaki, which is the Japanese version of pizza. Really, it is nothing like pizza, with its cabbage and leek base, but the word "okonomiyaki" means "as you like it", and is traditionally topped with whatever the customer chooses, whether it be octopus or squid, or some vegetables. I decided this would be a fun dish to sweeten up for kids, using an apple, some raisins and some sunflower seeds. It is absolutely terrific! And it hardly takes any time at all to make.

JaPancakes! from rebecca eichenberger on Vimeo.

2 cups cabbage, finely shredded
1 cup leek, well washed and chopped
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
a couple pinches of salt
2 eggs, beaten
1+ tablespoon olive oil
1 large apple, peeled and shredded
1 cup raisins

Garnish
1 tablespoon sunflower seeds
1 tablespoon raisins
1 tablespoon cilantro
(optional: a sprinkle of cinnamon on top)

Combine cabbage, leeks, flour, salt, apple and all the raisins (reserving a small handful) in a bowl. Toss until everything is coating with a dusting of flour. Stir in the eggs and mix until everything is evenly coated.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add half of the oil. Scoop the cabbage mixture into the pan and form little pizzas. Use a metal spatula to press it into small pancake shapes, as flat as you can get it. Cook for 4-5 minutes, or until the bottom is golden. Flip and add more oil if needed, and cook for another 3-5 minutes. (You can also form one giant "pizza" round. To flip this, slide it on to a plate, and then in one quick motion, flip it back into the pan.)

When it is finished cooking, cut into wedges and garnish with sunflower seeds, raisins, cilantro (unless green frightens your child) and cinnamon. This is delicious hot, cold, or room temperature.

Fabulous Kale Salad!!

It's true! This salad is most fabulous! I can't take all the credit here; my little sister Jessica was the one who introduced me to this fantastic recipe...so thank you Jessica!

This is not the kind of salad you will eat because you "should" eat salad...you will eat it because you LOVE it! Because you are CRAVING it!! And when you bring it to a potluck, your friends will know that you love them, because you won't be filling their bellies with empty calories, clogging their arteries, or messing with their blood sugar. Instead, you will be sharing a dish of pure deliciousness, that is packed with super-foods! I mean it! We are talking kale, avocado, shiitake mushrooms...this dish has got it all!

But don't reserve this for potlucks. We make this our entire dinner some nights. It's quite satisfying, and contains ample amounts of protein, carbs and good fat to keep you happy until the morning.

As planned, I have a video for this recipe. My cameraman was busy, so I had to get it done on my own in a single shot, which of course, I messed up, so everything I had said and done went unheard. So then I recorded again, and this is the end result. When this contest is over I will get back to more entertaining versions of my recipes...I just want you to be able to make this right now! Today! So get cracking!!!

Fabulous Kale Salad from rebecca eichenberger on Vimeo.

I'm in!! I'm in!!

They picked me out of 36 submissions to come be on their show. I'm so excited and nervous!! So here's the breakdown of the week...
Feb. 15 - Potluck challenge (create a recipe designed to share at a potluck together, using at least 1 cub store brand in the dish)
Feb. 16 - Lunchbox challenge (sandwich for kids)
Feb. 17 - International challenge (create a recipe using 3 ingredients from cub's international foods aisle)
Feb. 18 - Seafood challenge (create recipe using 1 ingredient from cub's seafood counter)
Feb. 19 - Ingredient challenge (create a main course dinner using 5 ingredients or less)

Right now my brain is spinning, and my mind is like a blank slate. I have no idea what I should make. Oh, and all of the ingredients need to be purchased this Thursday, on camera, (they will be filming me) and be under $100 total.

Hmmm...what to do, what to do. Feel free to remind me of anything I have made that you have loved that fits in any of these categories! : )

I will keep you all posted...maybe when I start figuring it out, I'll put it to a vote, and then when I win it will be because of YOU!

I've entered a contest!

Who's going to be the Twin Cities Live Kitchen Star? Me! (I hope.) I am waiting with nervous anticipation to hear the results. There are 36 entries, and only the top 6 will be selected for an appearance on the Twin Cities Live show. From there, it will be a routine elimination-formula contest. Each day, for one week, one person will be eliminated, until Friday, when the ultimate champion will be announced.

Here's my video:

Lemony Lentil Soup from rebecca eichenberger on Vimeo.

Can whole, real, natural food stand up to rich animal fats, sugars and salt? I really don't know. In my house they do. If the palate is used to experiencing certain tastes, how will it react to wholesome goodness?

You know, the whole point of this isn't necessarily to win. (I wanna win, I wanna win!!!) The reason I entered this contest is to promote an awareness to our food selection, and how those little every day choices have a cumulative effect on our overall health. The top killers of Americans (heart disease and diabetes) are completely preventable and reversible by diet alone. Did you hear that? Yes, we've all heard that. People want to change. As a counselor in a weight loss center, I quickly realized that everyone agrees that they should eat better, everyone wants to eat better. But how do we do that? Making the change is where we get stuck. We have our routines, our habits, the things we know. The good news is these things can easily be replaced with new routines, and new habits, as our knowledge expands.

I am taking steps towards change. I am taking my family with me. By trial and error, we are blazing a trail to vibrant, happy health. We want to live long and strong. And I want to bring you with me.

Love,
Rebecca

P.S. Enough with the serious stuff. Let's get cooking!