Tired of holiday treats & what not? I’m not, but if you are, this new recipe may brighten up your life or light up your tastebuds. Try out my version of my favorite Korean dish Bibim Naengmyeon, which is anything but winter apropos. The word “bibim” means “mixed” & “naengmyeon” means “cold noodles” – sound like the perfect dish for summer? Pretty much! However, if you want to prepare a post-workout meal, this would be it. We all know y’all get sweaty after hitting up the gym, so cool down with this carbilicious meal. Don’t be fooled by the noodles; sesame seeds, tofu (if you decide to add it), & egg are great sources of protein. You can get a good amount of amino acids & vitamins from this meal, so don’t you dare underestimate the power of the noodle dish! Add more veggies to pack more vitamins, minerals or even mushrooms for Vitamin D. Let’s welcome the brand new Gregorian calendar year with a new noodle recipe under your belt, shall we?
Bibim Naengmyeon
So get on this recipe like desperate on a reality TV star. Having trouble locating some ingredients? If you’re a US resident, try seeing if H Mart delivers to you.
The Evolution of TiffanyBee.com
Since 2009, I’ve had about 5 different themes for TB that were my own creations, averaging a new theme every year. I’m pretty shocked because I feel as though I don’t change my themes that often, yet I have a strong feeling that my current theme will last for quite a while. I deleted my first theme from my server so I forgot to snap a screenshot of it – just know that it was a “meh” theme. You can see the progress I made in terms of web design & photography with each theme, which I think is moderately amusing for people to see. I started off using TB as a simple photo journal that held photos I took from miscellaneous events, but it slowly, but surely evolved toward DIY projects & recipes within the last few years. Sure there are photos of my travels scattered about, but my main focus now more than ever is food. However, I realize how monotonous a plain old food blog can be, thus compelling me to share extraneous projects. Now that I’ve finally made up my mind about my blog, I hope that you follow me on my journey on the road to more recipes (counting 50+ now!) & DIY projects.
Many thanks to those of you who’ve supported me from the start, middle, & to those who just got here. I love receiving notifications on my phone that I received a comment or like on my posts, so thank you. Happy Holidays & have a wonderful New Year’s! I’d self-reflect about this very eventful year, but it’s got too many extreme highs & lows. Also, no need to bore anyone to sleep! I leave you with a bunch of pictures from Boston below.
Recipe + Boston Adventures
- Vegetarian Bibim Naengmyeon
- Boston Brunch
- Dim Sum + Fun
- Boston Common
- Josh Visits
- Brunch
- Steven + Vy Visit
- Autumn
- Buis in Boston
Tara
Yum! I love how you featured a Korean recipe! I am not big on bibim naengmyeon (I prefer mul naengmyeon!), but your version look NOMMY.
Happy 2015 to you, Tiffany! Good luck with everything and I look forward to more blog posts from you in the new year! ^^
Tiff
I love both naengmyeons, but I prefer bibim because I like my Korean food spicy! 🙂
Happy New Year! 🙂 Thanks for the compliments – wishing you a good year!
Alice B
it’s new year but reading this post makes me think of chinese new year instead 😛 because noodle dishes are most likely to be present during chinese new year, at least that’s how it is with my family.
i’m not sure what’s right but i once heard someone said that after working out, we shouldn’t be touching carbs or the workout will be wasted. or maybe they’re referring to heavy carbs like fast food burgers or something. some people also said that best post-workout consumption is chocolate milk? i can’t remember the reason yeah but i remember those sayings vaguely. then again i have stopped exercising so who cares, man… noodles are delicious (though i still restrain myself from eating it often)
so i suppose naengmyeon is like soba in some ways? i assume they have the same texture? correct me if i’m wrong.
is bibim sauce also the one they use for kimchi? …this explains my lack of knowledge of korean dishes haha and i’ve never tried naengmyeon before! the korean restaurants here serve mostly japchae as their noodle dish. no naengmyeon at all 🙁
i absolutely love your current theme best! i’m currently loving full width layout most since it feels like the posts aren’t secluded and trapped in a container – makes me feel restrained. yeah that uh doesn’t make sense, right? i know yours isn’t full width layout since it has sidebar (and no, i’m not complaining!) but i love how it “feels” like it’s full width…you know what i’m saying? haha i like the way you divide the spaces 😉
anyway, happy new year! (and thank you for hosting my blog 😀 i still don’t know why you’d wanna do this for me…i’m touched LOL)
Tiff
Hah! Well you know me, I love me some noodles!! Noodles are pretty important in Asian culture so it’s no surprise to me that this dish reminds you of the Lunar New Year. I don’t really know what Americans eat on NYD to be honest! Don’t think there’s a traditional thing the way Christmas & ham is!
I’m not an expert on nutrition, but I can assure you that you’ve heard is not factually correct. You can do a search on this yourself, but your body needs protein & carbs after you’ve had a hard work out, especially if you were doing cardio. Chocolate milk might have protein in it, but it’s also got tons of sugar, which isn’t really good for you after you work out. Your body needs better sources of energy than just milk & sugar. My sesame peanut noodle dish is actually great for a post work-out meal because it’s packed with protein from the peanut butter, it uses whole wheat noodles, & has great garnishes like mint, cucumber, sesame seeds (also has protein, minerals, & other vitamins you need), & scallions. Of course you shouldn’t eat a burger or fast food (ever really, just don’t eat fast food) after you work out, but eating just an apple after you work out is not enough. It always depends on what you’re doing when you work out. If you’re doing cardio or just weight lifting, what you need afterward varies. Protein shakes & coffee should be consumed before you work out. Chocolate milk? Not so much either before or after. Water, vegetables, some light carbs = good. Fast food = bad. Sushi, so long as it’s not the Americanized rolls, is actually pretty good for you after you work out: minimal carbs, protein, & tons of vitamins.
Naengmyeon is not like soba, although it is also made with buckwheat. Soba has a very soft & thicker consistency, while naengmyeon is thinner & chewier. The noodles are supposed to be very chewy. The red sauce you see in bibimbap is not the same one you find in a jar of kimchi. One sauce is thicker than the other, while the sauce in kimchi is a brine (obviously to pickle the cabbage) with red pepper flakes & other Korean seasonings. It’s hard to find Korean restaurants that serve naengmyeon to be honest. I haven’t found any in Boston yet, though I’m sure it exists somewhere. It’s not very difficult to make it, but I suppose the demand for meat & bibimbap outweigh the demand for cold noodles. Japchae is still very good! However, bibim naengmyeon is my favorite. I enjoy the bold & spicy Korean flavors!
Happy New Year & I’m glad you like my new theme. My sidebar only appears on my blog & single post, disappearing on all other pages because it’s unnecessary to have it on every page (I just was too lazy to program it that way when I coded my last layout – also, it’s cleaner!). I too, don’t like blogs that feel constrained with borders, which is why I don’t have any borders on my content area. I’m not a huge fan of the new direction of one page websites to be honest. I think they look really cool, clean, high-tech, but I wouldn’t personally have it on my own blog. I also think it’s a little frustrating sometimes because there are so few pages on these designs & I’m like, “MORE, I NEED MORE INFORMATION GIMME, WHY DONT YOU HAVE MORE???”
Also, you’re welcome! I was trying to corrupt you into using WP & I did successfully! hahaha. Anything but blogger! I just like seeing your photography & posts, so I didn’t like how irritated I’d feel when I clicked on your blog when it was hosted on blogger. Now though, now it’s all neat & shiny!
Jhanz
This looks wonderful! Ahhhh I feel hungry. x_x
Happy New Year!!!!
Tiff
Thanks! Happy New Year!
Nancy
Can I dub you as Noodle Queen as one of your nicknames?! The only dish I know near “bibim” is bibimbap. I didn’t know you can mix prefixes like that too! – But that makes sense, because bibim means mixed so you can add other suffixes like “beans” for mixed beans. I like your use of the bamboo strainer-thing. Looks 150% more authentically Asian XD. And yes! A Korean dish is incomplete without kimchi! I’ve been wanting to go to H Mart for the longest but I always end up at Marukai since it’s on the way to school but one day I will!!
I can’t believe TiffanyBee has been up for this long! I remembered when you were still on AI and this was your photoblog. I’m glad to see that you transformed this into something bigger :). There’s not a screenshot you can take from the archive website?
Hope 2015 will be a great year for you! Good luck with everything to come :).
Tiff
Josh dubbed me the Noodle Queen a while ago haha. Well, as it goes, every dish has a name because it describes what it is, so bibimbap is broken down as bibim, which means mixed, & bap, which means grains such as rice or barley. I didn’t make up “bibim naengmyeon” though, it’s a real dish, so yeah, if you knew the Korean word for beans & you made a Korean mixed beans dish, it would be bibim + whatever beans is in Korean.
I got the bamboo noodle strainer from a Japanese store (Marukai, actually!) & I’ve found it to be really useful with noodles from pasta to udon. It is also as you mentioned, very Asian & adds authenticity to my photos haha!
I love both H Mart & Marukai. They serve different purposes of course, but you can find a lot of things in H Mart that they carry at Marukai. You’d probably need to only stop by H Mart if you desperately needed Korean ingredients for something though.
I can’t believe it’s been this long either, but I remembered the day I decided to register it & yes indeed, it’s been a long journey. Neglected it for a long time too. Now I’m neglecting AI, hahhh. Damn it. As for the screenshot, it’s not worth the fuss. I didn’t feel like uploading the old theme onto my server to take a SS of it.
Chester
Thank you for sharing this recipe! I remember eating a lot of this back when I was in Korea last 2013. It was winter and naengmyun was perfect. Also, nice photos.
Happy New Year!
Tiff
Thanks for visiting, Chester!! It’s definitely more of a summer dish, but I enjoy it no matter the season. 🙂 Happy New Year to you.
Agent Q
Happy New Year to you! Wow, I didn’t know that your site ran for that long. That is amazing. I can see how your theme has gradually evolved in a good way. I think the first time I stumbled upon your site was when you were on your third theme. Good times. I’m so glad to have “met” you, haha. Perhaps if I get stationed in California and if you end up in a statewide med school, we could finally meet in person! Fancy that. :O
This looks good. I’d always appreciate a good post-workout recipe that’s actually constructive for recovery — especially after doing some heavy lifting.
Tiff
I find it hard to believe it’s been this long too, but now I need to do something with my other site & take it into the direction I want it to go in (centered around photography & what not). I’m glad to have “met” you too. I’ve seen your blog take on many different themes. The first one being a blue one I remember…a corn flower blue…or was it indigo purple? Something like that.
Sounds like both of us will be moving about the country a lot, so don’t count on me being in California. I love it, but I’m done with it. So much of the US to explore & I don’t want to tie myself down to something familiar. Regardless, I’d still love to meet you. 🙂
After some heavy lifting, a full on meal (like this one) would be perfect! Just make sure you also get some protein!
Cat
Yum, those noodles look refreshing and full of flavor! I like that you give tips on how to poach an egg. I’ve never done it before and wouldn’t know how to approach it, haha.
I love seeing past designs and how a site has changed over the years 🙂 I do about a theme a year too, and I think it’s time I changed mine as well. I started visiting your site when the “Dawn” theme was up!
Your photos of the Boston Common are pretty, by the way! The only time I saw it was in March, after it had snowed so… it wasn’t as green as your photos! Awesome food photos as usual too. The dim sum ones look especially tasty 😀 I hope you have a great 2015!
Tiff
Poaching an egg is a science! The egg whites & yolk cook at different temperatures, so it’s always a bit difficult to do if you haven’t failed a couple of times first. Hopefully some of my tips are helpful to you. I’m glad you actually take a look at the recipe, Cat! Always appreciate that. 🙂
You do a new theme a year too? I’ve only seen your current one & I think I’ve known you for…I want to say 3 years now? I’d love to see what you’ll come up with if you decide to design a new one!
Thank you! I’m really excited to see Boston Common when it’s covered in snow, but that won’t be for a little while. Wishing you a great 2015 as well!
Cat
Ah you’re right! For some reason, I thought my current layout was only a year old, but it’s actually 2 years old (Jan 2013). Haha, definitely due for a change 😉
Mija
Holy Yum Yum Batman!!! That looks lovely!!! :9 :9
My husband has been studying korean bulgogi while my sister made some cold noodles for us.
It’s bad looking at yummy food on blogs at night XD;;;
Tiff
Thank you. 🙂 I hope you try out my recipe one day, or at least maybe your sister!
Jessy // @Makeable
That looks OUTSTANDING! Korean pears are unfortunately very hard to get here, but I’m definitely going to try this out with some European or Chinese ones. Love me some cold spicy noodles. And your kitchen aid machine is soo cute! It matches the new layout ghehe. By the way, I’m jealous of your natural lighting lol. Sunlight is very rare these days here in the Netherlands. I also really like the different backgrounds. The different textures make it very professional. Good jobb!!
Tiff
It’s okay! You can use any pear or even an apple that’s very similar to a Korean pear. The fruit is just to add a little extra sweetness to the spiciness of the noodle dish.
Haha thanks! I’m obsessed with all KitchenAid products that are that color. I swear I’m going to collect about 5 more of them before I die. All of my photos turn out to be underexposed when I take them because it’s been gloomy here lately, so I up the exposure to about +2! Not getting so much natural light these days. I need to get a white board or something to bounce the light off. I’m glad you noticed my different backgrounds. 🙂
Joy
Your recipes always look so good! The current layout is amazing too! I love what you did with the place!
I was recently in Boston right after Christmas. I took my husband (also named Josh) there as a Christmas gift because he’s never been. He loved it! We were all over the city that day but we stayed in the back bay area.
Tiff
Thanks, Joy! 🙂 I’m glad to hear that your husband loved his trip to Boston. Back Bay is a beautiful area, but I hope he got to travel around Boston Common!
Carolynne
This recipe looks delicious and spicy!! YUM. Oh and I don’t think posting recipes is boring, so bring on more!!
Tiff
Thank you, Carolynne! Glad you stopped by.
AnneMarie
YAY for noodles for the new year! I ate noodles as soon as it struck midnight. Family tradition. Is that kimchi by the way in that third photo?
And WOW, I didn’t know your old layouts used pink. I’ve always associated blue/green with your site so it’s strange to see the second theme with so much pink. You’ve really come a long way. I’m about to explore your site to see what you meant by responsiveness. I want to recode my site soon but with the help of one of my cousins. The process just takes forever and I’m busy being a senior in college to deal with my online presence at the moment.
Also, I hope my last blog post didn’t make you think I was a whining senior. It was more of a satirical/humor post. It may have also been targeted toward a different audience (fellow seniors, current college students). A lot of my friends who saw the piece seemed to love it simply because they were living the same kind of life. Although I know I can’t avoid those questions, after answering them at 5 different networking events to stranger after stranger who ask because it’s an ice breaker type of a question well… it gets exhausting and it’s the type of conversation that I’m not the biggest fan of: small talk. But it happens and I answer it the same every time (and actually with a lot of passion and interest because this is my future we’re talking about).
By the way, I got rid of the old comment form, so hopefully, you won’t have to send me a million comments to finish your comment. Hahaha. Hope you had a wonderful happy new year and hope this year treats you well!
Tiff
Nice! Yes, it’s kimchi. I list all of my ingredients in the recipes because well…it is a recipe after all.
Regarding pink, yes, my themes were pink from 2009 until 2012. Since I wanted it to be more centered around food, I went with my other favorite colors (mint, celadon, Tiffany Blue, teal, etc) to maintain its femininity, but to also be more neutral. Are you familiar with what it means to be a responsive design? If you change the width of your browser, my theme follows the size accordingly. There are some things I need to fix still, but I’ll get around to it later.
As to the latter half of your comment: keep it relevant! I’m glad you changed your comments form for the better, but you also had a reply button on there so please use it to reply to my comments there, in the same thread rather than writing it about here. It’s kind of like if you posted a Facebook status about your experience in the Philippines & I commented on it talking about how I just went shopping in CVS to get candy. I’d gladly reply to you to continue the conversation on your thread.
Jon
Looks delish. Bibim sauce looks stunning!