Ever since my family moved to a diet with limited dairy, my girls have been begging for mac & cheese. This is a dairy-free version which satisfies all the cravings for the real thing. They love it so much I literally have to cut them off before they gorge themselves silly on it.
Read moreMiso Gochujang Braised Pork Roast
I have been looking forward to sharing this recipe for months...I just had to make it a second time to make doubly sure it was a winner. IT IS. If you know miso's intense brininess and gochujang's savory pungency, then you might hesitate to believe me that using both of these together in this recipe results in a braised pork roast that is deeply flavorful, yet mellow. Wonderfully mellow. Believe.
Read moreTamarind Chicken Banh Mi Tacos { gf, dairy free, paleo }
I'm so happy to kick off the new year with a recipe I'm rather excited about as it uses an amazing and wildly flavorful ingredient that is a relatively recent discovery for me - tamarind. I didn't grow up with tamarind, but I have made up for that lost time by how much I love it now. Are you thinking what even is tamarind anyway?
Read moreNYC Chicken & Rice with 'Secret white sauce' { inspired by 'The Halal Guy's' food cart ! }
If you've been the New York City, then you've seen the plethora of street food carts selling pretzels or nuts or bagels that fill the streets with their amazing aromas. But I don't waste my money there.
Read moreCauliflower + Corn Soup with squash 'croutons' & crispy sage { dairy free }
I got coerced to join my friend in renting a table at a 'mom to mom' sale this weekend where dozens of of us will set up in a school cafeteria to sell used baby and kid stuff to other parents. I spent the better part of yesterday and today collecting, sorting and pricing out the things my girls have outgrown. Actually I had to price everything TWICE after I realized I was inflating the price of everything due to emotional value.
Read moreRoasted Sockeye Salmon + Pineapple Basil Sauce { made in 20 minutes! }
Here's a tasty and healthy option for a quick weeknight meal. Did I hit all the right words...tasty...healthy...quick?! Not lying, this meal can be made in 20 minutes flat. We all need more of those in our busy lives.
Read moreSimple Beer Braised Pork
What if I told you that all you need is half an hour of active prep time (excluding oven time) for this beer-braised pork, which can then be turned into 3 or 4 different dinners? Do the work upfront say, on a Sunday and reap the rewards on hectic weeknights. I think you maybe definitely should read on.
Read morePerfectly Crispy Sheet Pan Chicken { No Oil! }
I have been making this crispy chicken forever but it never occurred to me to blog it because it is just so simple. I finally decided it is less about a 'recipe' and more about the method. One that is tried and true and results in the crispiest chicken to come out of an oven without a single drop of added oil.
That is correct. Crispy. No oil. Skeptical? Let me explain.
Read moreBlack Sesame Raw "Cheesecake" Bars {gf, v, dairy-free}
Sweetened black sesame paste is a mega-superstar in desserts. This is well known in east asian countries like Japan and China where it is a quintessential staple in sweet treats like ice cream, pastries, cakes and glutinous rice balls. In western culture we know how well nuts like pistachios, almonds and pecans work in all sorts of sweet applications, too many to list really. Black sesame lends a similar nuttiness to desserts although for some reason has not enjoyed the same ubiquity. The color maybe? Perhaps now is the time to give yourself to the Dark Side!
Read moreBraised Beef Shortribs & Glutinous Rice Shumai
Are these not the cutest little parcels you want to treat your family and friends to? I came up with this recipe when I had leftover Korean-style braised beef shortribs in the freezer that wasn't enough for a full meal so I had to think of a way to stretch it into one.
Read moreStuffed Sweet Potatoes & Portobellos with a Crunchy Walnut Breadcrumb Topping
I most frequently make this with sweet potatoes and portobello mushrooms because they are my family's favorites, and that is how I wrote this recipe. However it is also wonderful using acorn squash, baking potato, eggplant, sweet pepper, heck hot pepper even. Once you make the stuffing and walnut breadcrumb topping, you can personalize the meal by putting it into everyone's respective favorite veggie vessel, adjusting time in the oven based on it.
Read moreTurkey Sausage, Butternut Squash & Turmeric Chili
When the weather is cold, I turn to hearty chilis and stews to warm up. I'm also lazy. And stews and chilis are wonderful one-pot meals loaded with meat, beans and lots of veggies! This recipe has no actual heat (spiciness) so who knows if it should still be called a chili. Feel free to enlighten me on this in the comments. Regardless, if you are unlike me and have no young children to worry about, by all means add a tsp of chili flakes when the turmeric goes into the pot.
Read moreShanghai Pork + Bok Choy Wontons / Dumplings
Che vey! That's shanghainese for "eat rice" which is like saying "bon appetit" before you begin a meal. These words were most frequently uttered around my grandmother's dinner table. She was the one who created the shanghai wonton loving monster that I am. Sometimes when we are feeling decadent (not lazy), we also add a tiny morsel of raw white shrimp in with the filling. Homemade dumplings are a labor of love but so very worth it. Put some great music on and make them asap!
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