Packaged rice paper sheets and vermicelli noodles can be found at most Asiangrocery stores. Look for them at 99 Ranch Market, Mitsuwa Marketplace, andThuan Phat Supermarket. Pick up a few dipping sauces and fresh vegetableswhile you are there.and pizzas on a baking stone in a grill or smoker if you have oneand want to do something extra on the weekend. I’ve dressed upa tortilla like a pizza, baked it, and called it a pizzadilla. There’salso no shame in garnishing the frozen family-size organic cheesepizza from Trader Joe’s with radish slices, green onion, andchopped cilantro, and doing so makes it that much better.Tacos are perhaps the most perfect quick fix meal, or at leastI’ve never met a taco I didn’t like. You can get creative with yourtaco shells too, with thin slices of jicama or butter lettuce leafcups in place of tortillas. And we all know you can’t beat theportability of a burrito.Summer Roll or Bowl With ItPrep and cook time 5–30 minutesServes one to manyYou might already be a fan of the fresh rolls at your favoriteVietnamese restaurant. The translucent and chewy rice paperwrapped around variations of fresh veggies, shrimp, pork, tofu,and glass noodles satisfies all cravings for cool and refreshing eats.The technique is thought to have originated in Vietnam, butyou might find the popular menu item offered at other Asianrestaurants. Rice paper is a staple in our house, and we’ve madea habit of rolling up whatever fresh veg we have on hand in ricepaper and dipping it in a quick peanut, almond, or dumplingsauce. Kids especially love having the hands-on opportunity forwater play with their food.Simply soften a sheet of rice paper in room temperaturewater. Some recipes suggest hot water, but I find that can leadto overcooking and breakage. Once wet, rice paper may stillfeel slightly stiff, but it will continue to soften for a couple ofminutes while you arrange the fillingsin the center and should be perfectlypliable once you are ready to roll.Bundle it up like a burrito and becareful not to overstuff it.Cold vermicelli noodle bowls areanother favorite Asian staple, andmaking your own is basically foolproofin under 10 minutes. The thin ricenoodles cook in a three-minute bathof hot water, and while they tastegreat served more traditionally withlemongrass-scented meats and bundlesof fresh mint doused in fish sauce,they’re flexible with whatever else youhave. Japanese soba noodles madewith buckwheat flour also make for arefreshing take on pasta salad with agingery soy and citrus dressing.If you need something hot eventhough it’s warm out, I can tell youthat when I was growing up, we had arice cooker that always kept a hot potof rice. Grab a couple scoops, add afew toppings like tuna salad, pickleddaikon, and furikake and call it a meal.Grazing BoardsPile a variety of nourishing nibbles on a platter like chopped veg,fresh and dried fruits, olives, mini sandwiches, cheese, and nutsand make a meal out of snacks. Assembled and left out midday,it makes it easy for the whole family to grab bites as needed.Prep, Extra Batches, and Leftovers Is KeyReally, we want to think about making food that can stretchdollars, fulfill appetites, and trigger happiness in each day.Pick two to three things to make in a week that you can cooka big batch of and look forward to having in a sandwich, taco,salad, or rice bowl. You get to decide what works best for you;maybe it’s Instant Pot carnitas or one of those savory roastedwatermelons that I am desperate to try. Make the most out of allof it with a rotation of healthy sauces and condiments like salsa,guacamole, and cashew cream.Many of our favorite local restaurants are adapting to currenttimes and making family meals, ready-made items, and kitsavailable for takeout or delivery—which is perfect because itmeans even less cooking. Yay.If and where you can, choose whole foods over processedfoods, eat more vegetables and fruits than meat, and buyorganic when possible—purchasing directly from a local farmer,fisherman, or business is a better way to vote with your fork.Meal planning is about being mindful of our food choices,wasting less, and getting the most joy and nourishment out of it.We live in the best place in the world for food lovers and wehope you find more ways to love it as much as we do.ISTOCK/OKSANAKIIAN8 ediblesandiego.com
SUMMER 2020 | edible SAN DIEGO 9
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