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Spinach with Sesame

best spinach ever is asian spinach. You can get this in many different asian cuisine books, this one is credited as a korean recipe.
Post from simplyrecipes.com:

Spinach with Sesame and Garlic

Posted by Elise on Jun 27, 2010

Filed under Gluten-Free, Low Carb, Quick, Side Dish, Vegetable, Vegetarian

  

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Updated, from the recipe archive. First posted November, 2005

This is a fun take on spinach, a Korean version, with the spinach wilted in sesame oil with garlic, and sprinkled with toasted sesame seeds. I found the recipe years ago in Mark Bittman's The Best Recipes in the World. In typical Bittman style, the spinach is quick, easy, and good.

Spinach with Sesame and Garlic Recipe

If you are using bagged baby spinach, the presoaking is not necessary, as that spinach is pretty clean. Also baby spinach does not need to be chopped. The spinach you get in bunches from the farmers market can have a lot of dirt at the root ball that needs to be washed out before you use the spinach.

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INGREDIENTS

• 3 Tbsp dark sesame oil
• 1 Tbsp minced garlic
• 1 lb fresh spinach, soaked in water to clean, drained, excess water squeezed out, large stems removed and discarded, leaves roughly chopped
• 1 Tbsp sugar
• 1 Tbsp soy sauce (use gluten-free soy sauce for gluten-free version)
• Salt to taste
• 1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds

METHOD

1 If you haven't already toasted the sesame seeds, do that first. Heat a stick-free skillet on medium high. Add raw sesame seeds and use a spatula or wooden spoon to stir. The seeds may make a popping noise and jump up, almost like popcorn. They will toast very quickly, so stir constantly until they begin to brown and smell like they are toasted. Remove from pan into a separate bowl as soon as they are done.

2 Heat 2 tablespoons of the sesame oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the garlic. As soon as the garlic begins to sizzle, add the spinach and cook, stirring occassionally, until the spinach is completely wilted. Turn the heat to low.

3 Stir in the sugar and soy sauce. Remove from the heat. Add salt to taste. Serve hot, warm, room temperature, or cold, drizzled with the remaining sesame oil and sprinkled with sesame seeds.

Yield: Serves 2-4.

Vietnamese Steamed Banana Cake with Coconut Sause

I went to Vietnam this easter and this was one of the most amazing desserts I've ever tasted -- plus did a mention healthy?
Got 2 recipes for this one, so ill post both. They're pretty similar.

Recipe 1: from http://learnhowtocookvietnamesefood.wordpress.com/2010/02/02/banh-chu%E1%BB%91i-h%E1%BA%A5p-steamed-banana-cake-with-coconut-milk/

Ingredients:
-1/2 cup tapioca starch
-1/2 cup rice flour
-1/2 cup sugar
-1 ¾ cups water
-4-5 bananas
-yellow coloring

*Mix together flours, sugar, and coloring in water until dissolved. Peel and slice bananas. Grease a baking pan, and ladle in about 4 tbs of ‘batter’ then arrange a layer of bananas. Steam for about 5 mins and add more batter to cover the bananas. Steam again until the batter is clear. Cool and cut into small pieces. Serve with coconut sauce and toasted sesame seeds. Makes about 2 cakes, each cake is about 1/2 inch thick (cakes shouldn’t be too thick).

For the Coconut Sauce:
-1 can coconut milk (400ml)
-1 tbs tapioca starch
-2 tbs sugar
-1/3 tsp salt

*Stir everything together over medium heat until mixture thickens.

Recipe from http://ch3rri-blossoms.blogspot.com/2009/11/steamed-banana-cake-banh-chuoi-hap.html 
Ingredients:
10 ripe bananas
3 cup tapioca starch
1/2 cup rice flour
3/4 cup sugar
3 1/2cup water
1 tsp salt
few drops of yellow color

Method:
1. Mix the starch and flour with water, sugar, salt, and yellow coloring.
2. Slice the ripe bananas into about 1/2 inch. Make sure not too thick or thin. Stir the bananas into the flour mixture.
3. Heat a pot of water for steaming. Oil two large pans and steam the pans. Now stir the banana mixture and pour into the pan. Pour about 1 inch high. You can make the cake thicker but this will take longer to steam. Steam for at least 40 minutes. Remove any extra water on top of cake. Let the cake cool before cutting.

Coconut Dip:
1 can 560 ml coconut cream
1/2 cup water
2 tbsp cornstarch
4 1/2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt

1. Mix everything together and stir constantly over heat. Once the coconut milk become thicken then it's done. Remember to taste and see if you need more sugar.

To serve:

1. Slice the cake side way so it have the diamond shape. Pour coconut milk over and sprinkle some roasted sesame and peanuts. Sesame can be roasted in mini oven on 350F until golden. Same with peanuts. Enjoy!!!

Note: You can cook some tapioca pearl to add into the coconut milk to make sweet soup. For this you do not need the add cornstarch to the coconut milk. The tapioca pearl will thicken the soup. Remember to add more sugar for taste.

Baked Fruit

Ever just have a sugar craving??
One of the best desserts I can possibly think of it baked fruit. They taste incredible and guilty but they're not!

Baked Pears (I find these taste amazing without adding anything, but I love pears in general)

(this one has maple syrup added to it -- which has less cal and more nutrition than honey!!)

Baked Apples (optional adds are to sprinkle brown sugar, cinnamon and/or maple syrup -- add  this before you bake it to make it taste like the inside of an apple pie :) about 90 calories if you add brown sugar and stuff. Less if you just do the apple)

Baked Banana (about 143 calories if you add a little honey and cinnamon)

                                         (pic from skinny taste blog, she adds ice cream but you definitely don't have
to to make it good)

Healthy Sesame Chicken -- about 250 calories

Here's a great meal that doesn't cost much out of your calorie diet -- an asian sesame chicken recipe.
This one is from http://thewaytohisheart.wordpress.com/2012/03/19/healthy-sesame-chicken-2/

Sesame Chicken

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup unbleached flour or 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
•  1/8 tsp ground black pepper
• 4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves, cut into medium sized pieces
• 1/4 cup reduced sodium soy sauce
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp dark sesame oil
• 2 Tbsp sesame seeds, toasted
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh scallions (both green and white)

In a gallon-size plastic bag, combine flour, salt, and pepper. Add chicken, seal bag, and shake well to coat.

Coat a large nonstick skillet with nonstick spray and warm over medium-high heat. Add chicken to skilllet and cook, stirring, for 3 to 4 minute, or until no longer pink. Transfer to a plate.

Reduce heat to medium. Combine soy sauce and sugar in skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves, about 1 to 2 minutes max. Add oil and sesame seeds. Add chicken and scallion. Toss and serve immediately.

Vegan German-Chocolate Fudge Bites -- Only 50 calories each!!

I tried making these just last week and they were amazing!! This recipe comes from one of my favorite blogs -- chocolatecoveredkatie

German-Chocolate Fudge Bites

(Makes 10-14 balls)

Calories:

• Calories: 50
• Fat: 2.5g
• Carbohydrates: 8g
• Cholesterol: 0mg
• Fiber: 1.5g
• Protein: .6g
• Added sugars: 0g

These were inspired by this recipe.

• 3/4 cup pitted dates (I like Sunmaid, because they are softer.) (120g)
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/16 tsp salt
• 2 T cocoa powder (or raw cacao powder)
• 2 T shredded coconut
• 1/3 to 1/2 cup raw pecans
• optional: feel free to add some chocolate chips

Blend all ingredients together very well. (I recommend using a food processor.) Squish the dough together. (I transferred the dough to a plastic bag then smushed it together in the bag. It’s much less messy this way!) Roll into balls, cookie-cuttered shapes, or bars… or you can even use it for a pie crust!