Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup of soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon of gochujang or another type of chili paste
• 1 tablespoon of rice wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon of lime juice
• 2 teaspoons of sesame oil
• 1-inch piece of ginger
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1 8 oz package of tempeh
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil

Instructions:

1. Start by mixing together the soy sauce, chili paste of your choice, vinegar, lime juice, and sesame oil in a bowl.
2. Take a grater and grate the ginger and the garlic into the bowl with the other ingredients. Mix well.
3. Then, cut the tempeh into wedges, cubes, planks, or any type of shape you like. If you cut them into planks or wedges, make sure to cut them in half so they’re thinner and fry better.
4. Then, marinate the tempeh in the marinade in the fridge for at least 30 minutes or several hours.
5. Heat up a pan over medium-high heat and then add in the olive oil.
6. Drop in the pieces of tempeh, but not the marinade yet.
7. After cooking on the first side for 5-7 minutes, flip them over, and pour over the marinade.
8. Cook for another 5-7 minutes and serve with brown rice, quinoa, or anything else you like!

The post You Will Love the Asian Flavors in This Tempeh Recipe! appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

Instructions

1. Soak the beans overnight. For every pound of beans you use, put in 10 cups of water. The trick to making them really soft and delicious is to switch out the water every few hours if you have the time.
2. After the beans have been soaked, drain and rinse them a few times to get rid of the chemicals that came out overnight.
3. Put them in a pot with another 10 cups of fresh water and 1 tablespoon of salt and bring to a boil.
4. Bring it down to a simmer and continue to cook for 45 minutes, or until soft.
5. Drain and enjoy!

Dishes

Once the beans are cooked, you can use them for Tex-Mex dishes like burritos or tacos, red beans, and rice, bean chili, or mash them for a dip.

The post How to Make Dry Kidney Beans From Scratch appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

Canned Tomatoes

Tomatoes are used as the base to so many dishes in Italian cooking. Although using fresh is always best, cooking with canned tomatoes is usually just as good. However, the kind you buy is very important. The best to get are whole peeled tomatoes, which have more flavor because the tomato is kept intact.

Olive Oil And Balsamic Vinegar

Not only do these two liquids come together to make a fabulous salad dressing, they are also crucial to the cooking and marinading process in the Italian kitchen. Olive oil is probably the number one ingredient used in cooking any type of meal, and balsamic oil is the key to most marinades.

Spices

There is no Italian food without the signature spices. Ground sage, rosemary, thyme, oregano, basil, and red chili flakes are the absolute basics that you must have in your pantry at all times.

The post You Must Keep These Ingredients in Your Pantry to Make Any Italian Meal appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

Toffee is such a nice treat and it tastes even better when you put them into a cookie! This recipe is a very basic cookie recipe but has a lot of flare.

Ingredients

• 1 cup of unsalted butter
• 2 cups of flour
• 1 teaspoon of baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon of salt
• 1 cup of packed brown sugar
• 1/3 cup of white sugar
• 2 room temperature eggs
• 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
• 3 oz of toffee bars
• 1 1/2 cups of chocolate wafers

Instructions

1. Start by cooking the butter until it foams, stirring until it starts to brown, about 6 minutes or so, on medium heat. Put it into a big bowl to the side.
2. In another bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, and salt.
3. Add the sugars with an electric hand or stand mixer to the butter on medium. Beat for 1 minute.
4. Put the eggs and vanilla into the mixer and put up the speed to medium-high for 1-2 minutes. Then, turn it back down to low and add in the dry ingredients. Finally, mix in the toffee and wafers in by hand.
5. Leave out the dough for 30 minutes, use a scooper and space the cookies apart by 2-3 inches on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
6. Bake at 375 F for 9-11 minutes cool and enjoy!

The post Bake These Toffee Cookies For a Delightful Treat appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

Ingredients:

• 4 oz of ginger
• 1 cup of molasses
• 1 cup of white sugar
• 1 cup of vegetable oil
• 2 1/2 cups of flour
• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon of cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper
• 1 cup of water
• 2 teaspoons of baking soda
• 2 room temperature eggs

Instructions:

1. Start by peeling the ginger and either grating it or finely mincing.
2. Mix the molasses, sugar, and oil in a large bowl until they’re well incorporated.
3. In a medium-sized bowl, sift the flour, cinnamon, cloves, and black pepper. Whisk further to incorporate.
4. Pour the water into a small pot and bring it to a boil. Once boiled, stir in the baking soda, turn the heat off, and pour this into the molasses bowl and mix. Add the ginger too.
5. Slowly whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, and then the eggs one at a time.
6. Pour the batter into a parchment-lined cake pan and bake at 350 F for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
7. Let the cake cool for 30 minutes before removing for the pan and enjoy!

The post This Ginger Cake is the Ultimate Celebration of Winter appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups of black beans
• 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup of oatmeal 
• 1/4 teaspoon of salt
• 1/3 cup of maple syrup or agave
• 2 tablespoons of sugar of any kind
• 1/4 cup of any kind of oil 
• 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
• 1/2 cup or more of chocolate chips

Instructions:

1. Drain and rinse the black beans very well so they have none of the canning liquid on them. 
2. Put all the ingredients except the chocolate into a food processor and blend it until the mixture becomes very smooth and batter-like.
3. Then, drop in the chocolate chips and stir it with a spoon by hand to evenly mix them but not break them up.
4. Take an 8×8 pan and grease it with any kind of oil and pour the brownie batter in there. 
5. Top the brownies with more chocolate chips if you like, or leave it as is. 
6. Bake at 350 F for 15-19 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
7. Occasionally you will find that even after 19 minutes the brownies look and feel underdone, but by then, they are definitely cooked, so take them out of the oven, allow them to cool, and then chill them overnight to fully set. 
8. If you do feel like they’re fully set after they’ve cooked, still cool for 15 minutes before cutting, and enjoy!

The post You Would Never Know the Secret Ingredient in These Vegan Brownies is Black Beans appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup of orange juice, fresh or from a bottle 
• 1 tablespoon of soy sauce 
• 1 packed tablespoon of brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon of rice wine vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon of sesame oil 
• 1 clove of minced garlic 
• 1 teaspoon of grated or minced ginger
• Pinch of salt
• Pinch of red pepper flakes
• 2 tablespoons of +1 teaspoon of cornstarch 
• 4 egg whites
• 4 boneless skinless chicken thighs
• Peanut or vegetable oil 

Instructions

1. Cut the chicken up into cubes. 
2. Whisk the egg whites and 2 tablespoons of cornstarch in a large bowl and add the chicken into it. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes.  
3. Use a non-stick pan to make the sauce. Add in the orange juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, vinegar, oil, garlic, ginger, salt, and red pepper flakes, whisk, and turn the heat on medium. 
4. Combine the remaining cornstarch with 1/4 cup of water and add 1 tablespoon of the slurry at a time to the sauce until it’s thick. 
5. In a heavy-bottomed pot, heat up the oil of your choice to 350 F. Fry the chicken for 3-4 minutes, drain with paper towels, and put into the sauce and coat for few minutes. 
6. Serve with rice or any other grain and you have dinner!

The post Sticky, Delicious Orange Chicken is at Your Fingertips! appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

Saving Money

Buying all new kitchen tools is a really expensive way to fill your kitchen with happiness. While some items like high-end Dutch ovens or stand mixers can cost several hundred dollars, buying them new you’ll be sure to be getting a hefty discount. Also, things like cast iron and Dutch oven last a lifetime or beyond, so you don’t have to worry about spending money on something that won’t last.

Sustainable

When you buy second-hand, you are stopping the process of creating so much waste, both physical and chemical. Because the item is already produced, you don’t need to go through packaging, and since it’s probably close to you, you cut down on carbon emissions from transportation.

The post Buying Second-Hand Kitchen Items is More Beneficial Than You Think appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

Ingredients

• 3 cups of flour
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 1 teaspoon of baking powder
• 1 teaspoon of baking soda
• 1 tablespoon of cinnamon 
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup of vegetable oil
•  2 1/4 cups of white sugar
• 3 teaspoons of vanilla extract
• 2 cups of grated zucchini 
• 1 cup of chopped walnuts 

Instructions

1. First, take the grated zucchini and put it into a cheesecloth or a clean dish towel and wring out as much water from it as possible. 
2. Grease two 8×4 inch pans, and then lightly flour them. 
3. Sift all the dry ingredients together into a bowl. 
4. In a separate bowl, mix the eggs, oil, vanilla, and sugar together using a hand or stand mixer. 
5. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet and beat for a few minutes on medium speed. 
6. Fold in the zucchini and walnuts and pour half the batter into one pan, and the other half into the other. 
7. Bake at 325 F for 40-60 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. 
8. Cool in pans on top of a cooling rack for 20 minutes and then cool out of the pans completely. 
9. Enjoy!

The post Zucchini Bread is a Healthier Way to Enjoy a Sweet Treat appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

Ingredients

• 4 radishes 
• 3-4 Persian cucumbers 
• 2-3 tomatoes
• Half a bell pepper
• Half a red onion
• 1 lemon 
• 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil 
• A handful of parsley, or more if you like the flavor!
• Salt and pepper to taste

Recipe

1. First, start by washing all of the vegetables. 
2. Then, cut the radishes in half and then cut into thin half-moons. 
3. Dice up the cucumbers, tomatoes, bell pepper, and red onion. 
4. Put all the vegetables into a bowl and squeeze the lemon right over everything. 
5. Pour over the olive oil and then toss to combine. 
6. Season with salt and pepper, toss and taste to make sure all the seasoning is right.
7. Chop up the parsley and then pour it on top of the salad, and serve!

The post Israeli Salad Will Make You Believe in Salads Again appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup of soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon of gochujang or another type of chili paste
• 1 tablespoon of rice wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon of lime juice
• 2 teaspoons of sesame oil
• 1-inch piece of ginger
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1 8 oz package of tempeh
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil

Instructions:

1. Start by mixing together the soy sauce, chili paste of your choice, vinegar, lime juice, and sesame oil in a bowl.
2. Take a grater and grate the ginger and the garlic into the bowl with the other ingredients. Mix well.
3. Then, cut the tempeh into wedges, cubes, planks, or any type of shape you like. If you cut them into planks or wedges, make sure to cut them in half so they’re thinner and fry better.
4. Then, marinate the tempeh in the marinade in the fridge for at least 30 minutes or several hours.
5. Heat up a pan over medium-high heat and then add in the olive oil.
6. Drop in the pieces of tempeh, but not the marinade yet.
7. After cooking on the first side for 5-7 minutes, flip them over, and pour over the marinade.
8. Cook for another 5-7 minutes and serve with brown rice, quinoa, or anything else you like!

The post You Will Love the Asian Flavors in This Tempeh Recipe! appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

Instructions

1. Soak the beans overnight. For every pound of beans you use, put in 10 cups of water. The trick to making them really soft and delicious is to switch out the water every few hours if you have the time.
2. After the beans have been soaked, drain and rinse them a few times to get rid of the chemicals that came out overnight.
3. Put them in a pot with another 10 cups of fresh water and 1 tablespoon of salt and bring to a boil.
4. Bring it down to a simmer and continue to cook for 45 minutes, or until soft.
5. Drain and enjoy!

Dishes

Once the beans are cooked, you can use them for Tex-Mex dishes like burritos or tacos, red beans, and rice, bean chili, or mash them for a dip.

The post How to Make Dry Kidney Beans From Scratch appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

Canned Tomatoes

Tomatoes are used as the base to so many dishes in Italian cooking. Although using fresh is always best, cooking with canned tomatoes is usually just as good. However, the kind you buy is very important. The best to get are whole peeled tomatoes, which have more flavor because the tomato is kept intact.

Olive Oil And Balsamic Vinegar

Not only do these two liquids come together to make a fabulous salad dressing, they are also crucial to the cooking and marinading process in the Italian kitchen. Olive oil is probably the number one ingredient used in cooking any type of meal, and balsamic oil is the key to most marinades.

Spices

There is no Italian food without the signature spices. Ground sage, rosemary, thyme, oregano, basil, and red chili flakes are the absolute basics that you must have in your pantry at all times.

The post You Must Keep These Ingredients in Your Pantry to Make Any Italian Meal appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

Toffee is such a nice treat and it tastes even better when you put them into a cookie! This recipe is a very basic cookie recipe but has a lot of flare.

Ingredients

• 1 cup of unsalted butter
• 2 cups of flour
• 1 teaspoon of baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon of salt
• 1 cup of packed brown sugar
• 1/3 cup of white sugar
• 2 room temperature eggs
• 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
• 3 oz of toffee bars
• 1 1/2 cups of chocolate wafers

Instructions

1. Start by cooking the butter until it foams, stirring until it starts to brown, about 6 minutes or so, on medium heat. Put it into a big bowl to the side.
2. In another bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, and salt.
3. Add the sugars with an electric hand or stand mixer to the butter on medium. Beat for 1 minute.
4. Put the eggs and vanilla into the mixer and put up the speed to medium-high for 1-2 minutes. Then, turn it back down to low and add in the dry ingredients. Finally, mix in the toffee and wafers in by hand.
5. Leave out the dough for 30 minutes, use a scooper and space the cookies apart by 2-3 inches on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
6. Bake at 375 F for 9-11 minutes cool and enjoy!

The post Bake These Toffee Cookies For a Delightful Treat appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

Ingredients:

• 4 oz of ginger
• 1 cup of molasses
• 1 cup of white sugar
• 1 cup of vegetable oil
• 2 1/2 cups of flour
• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon of cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper
• 1 cup of water
• 2 teaspoons of baking soda
• 2 room temperature eggs

Instructions:

1. Start by peeling the ginger and either grating it or finely mincing.
2. Mix the molasses, sugar, and oil in a large bowl until they’re well incorporated.
3. In a medium-sized bowl, sift the flour, cinnamon, cloves, and black pepper. Whisk further to incorporate.
4. Pour the water into a small pot and bring it to a boil. Once boiled, stir in the baking soda, turn the heat off, and pour this into the molasses bowl and mix. Add the ginger too.
5. Slowly whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, and then the eggs one at a time.
6. Pour the batter into a parchment-lined cake pan and bake at 350 F for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
7. Let the cake cool for 30 minutes before removing for the pan and enjoy!

The post This Ginger Cake is the Ultimate Celebration of Winter appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups of black beans
• 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup of oatmeal 
• 1/4 teaspoon of salt
• 1/3 cup of maple syrup or agave
• 2 tablespoons of sugar of any kind
• 1/4 cup of any kind of oil 
• 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
• 1/2 cup or more of chocolate chips

Instructions:

1. Drain and rinse the black beans very well so they have none of the canning liquid on them. 
2. Put all the ingredients except the chocolate into a food processor and blend it until the mixture becomes very smooth and batter-like.
3. Then, drop in the chocolate chips and stir it with a spoon by hand to evenly mix them but not break them up.
4. Take an 8×8 pan and grease it with any kind of oil and pour the brownie batter in there. 
5. Top the brownies with more chocolate chips if you like, or leave it as is. 
6. Bake at 350 F for 15-19 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
7. Occasionally you will find that even after 19 minutes the brownies look and feel underdone, but by then, they are definitely cooked, so take them out of the oven, allow them to cool, and then chill them overnight to fully set. 
8. If you do feel like they’re fully set after they’ve cooked, still cool for 15 minutes before cutting, and enjoy!

The post You Would Never Know the Secret Ingredient in These Vegan Brownies is Black Beans appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup of orange juice, fresh or from a bottle 
• 1 tablespoon of soy sauce 
• 1 packed tablespoon of brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon of rice wine vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon of sesame oil 
• 1 clove of minced garlic 
• 1 teaspoon of grated or minced ginger
• Pinch of salt
• Pinch of red pepper flakes
• 2 tablespoons of +1 teaspoon of cornstarch 
• 4 egg whites
• 4 boneless skinless chicken thighs
• Peanut or vegetable oil 

Instructions

1. Cut the chicken up into cubes. 
2. Whisk the egg whites and 2 tablespoons of cornstarch in a large bowl and add the chicken into it. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes.  
3. Use a non-stick pan to make the sauce. Add in the orange juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, vinegar, oil, garlic, ginger, salt, and red pepper flakes, whisk, and turn the heat on medium. 
4. Combine the remaining cornstarch with 1/4 cup of water and add 1 tablespoon of the slurry at a time to the sauce until it’s thick. 
5. In a heavy-bottomed pot, heat up the oil of your choice to 350 F. Fry the chicken for 3-4 minutes, drain with paper towels, and put into the sauce and coat for few minutes. 
6. Serve with rice or any other grain and you have dinner!

The post Sticky, Delicious Orange Chicken is at Your Fingertips! appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

Saving Money

Buying all new kitchen tools is a really expensive way to fill your kitchen with happiness. While some items like high-end Dutch ovens or stand mixers can cost several hundred dollars, buying them new you’ll be sure to be getting a hefty discount. Also, things like cast iron and Dutch oven last a lifetime or beyond, so you don’t have to worry about spending money on something that won’t last.

Sustainable

When you buy second-hand, you are stopping the process of creating so much waste, both physical and chemical. Because the item is already produced, you don’t need to go through packaging, and since it’s probably close to you, you cut down on carbon emissions from transportation.

The post Buying Second-Hand Kitchen Items is More Beneficial Than You Think appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

Ingredients

• 3 cups of flour
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 1 teaspoon of baking powder
• 1 teaspoon of baking soda
• 1 tablespoon of cinnamon 
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup of vegetable oil
•  2 1/4 cups of white sugar
• 3 teaspoons of vanilla extract
• 2 cups of grated zucchini 
• 1 cup of chopped walnuts 

Instructions

1. First, take the grated zucchini and put it into a cheesecloth or a clean dish towel and wring out as much water from it as possible. 
2. Grease two 8×4 inch pans, and then lightly flour them. 
3. Sift all the dry ingredients together into a bowl. 
4. In a separate bowl, mix the eggs, oil, vanilla, and sugar together using a hand or stand mixer. 
5. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet and beat for a few minutes on medium speed. 
6. Fold in the zucchini and walnuts and pour half the batter into one pan, and the other half into the other. 
7. Bake at 325 F for 40-60 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. 
8. Cool in pans on top of a cooling rack for 20 minutes and then cool out of the pans completely. 
9. Enjoy!

The post Zucchini Bread is a Healthier Way to Enjoy a Sweet Treat appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

Ingredients

• 4 radishes 
• 3-4 Persian cucumbers 
• 2-3 tomatoes
• Half a bell pepper
• Half a red onion
• 1 lemon 
• 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil 
• A handful of parsley, or more if you like the flavor!
• Salt and pepper to taste

Recipe

1. First, start by washing all of the vegetables. 
2. Then, cut the radishes in half and then cut into thin half-moons. 
3. Dice up the cucumbers, tomatoes, bell pepper, and red onion. 
4. Put all the vegetables into a bowl and squeeze the lemon right over everything. 
5. Pour over the olive oil and then toss to combine. 
6. Season with salt and pepper, toss and taste to make sure all the seasoning is right.
7. Chop up the parsley and then pour it on top of the salad, and serve!

The post Israeli Salad Will Make You Believe in Salads Again appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.