If Popeye were Japanese

My kids are not particularly excited about spinach, except when I make this dish. Then, there's never enough and they fight for the last bits. So easy to prepare -- it is my go-to dish when I want to add some green to our meals.

1 bunch of spinach
1 T soy sauce
1 T sesame oil
1 T sugar (or less)
1 T ground white sesame seeds

Mix all the ingredients for the sauce in a bowl and set aside. Blanch spinach in boiling water for 20-30 seconds until just wilted. Drain. Rinse in cold water until cool. Slice into 1-2 inch long strips. Squeeze out excess water. Mix with the sauce. Serve. Good even when cold.  

Ironmom Bar

I love fruit and nut bars like Raw Bite and Nakd but only get them when they're half-priced. Then I learned how ridiculously easy they are to make. These three-ingredient bars are chewier and more pliable than the commercial bars and I found that I actually like them better that way. You can make your own variations by adding coconut chips, or cocoa, or adding different dried fruits and nuts. We take these on road trips as they keep well. I'll be seeing a lot of these in the next two years as I train for the Ironmom.  

13-15 pieces medjool dates, pitted (deglet dates work fine but I find medjool more moist)
1 cup dried fruit (I love the tartness of dried cherries and cranberries)
1 cup nuts (my go-to nuts are pecans)

Put all the ingredients in a food processor and pulse until everything is broken down fairly well and the ingredients form a ball, pulling off from the sides of the container. Transfer it to an 8x8" pan or glass dish lined with baking paper and press it flat with a spoon. It helps to use a small piece of baking paper to press the bar flat as it can be really sticky. Refrigerate. Slice into bars. 

No Fuss Raspberry Ice Cream

I'm not sure I understand the fuss about ice cream makers/machines.Do I really need yet another equipment for my kitchen? Conclusion: No. I made this amazingly delicious, make-you-swoon raspberry ice cream without an ice cream maker/machine in less than 5 minutes (without the freezing time). The kids like to eat their morning pancake with a scoop of this. 

Half a package of frozen raspberries (I used unsweetened berries. You can put more or less berries)

½-¾ cup sugar

1 cup cream (I used soy cream just because I like that the resulting ice cream is less heavy than with regular cream, plus soy cream is cheaper. Using soy cream makes this dessert vegan)

1 t vanilla

Put everything in a food processor. Pulse a couple of times until well blended. Put in a bowl and freeze. Enjoy later when frozen.