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 moreTomato Eggdrop Zoodle Soup { gf , paleo option }
I have a dichotomous personality when it comes to food. I avoid processed food in the house, go to great lengths to find products with no added color, flavors, preservatives or emulsifiers (like that insidious soy lecithin). I make a conscious effort to ensure our meals are not heavy with refined carbs and that vegetables & leafy greens are well-represented in general. All measures to eat more clean and healthy.
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 moreEasy Beef Stroganoff
Beef Stroganoff is a Russian dish and I'll be the first to admit to know nothing about Russian cuisine or whether my version is authentic. Probably isn't? I use flank steak in mine which deviates from the sirloin, tenderloin or chuck I typically see in recipes. After having tried all of those cuts for Stroganoff at some point in the past, I stand by flank steak as the ideal cut to use in this recipe. When sliced uber thin, the melt-in-your-mouth flank pieces are at harmony with the sauteed soft mushrooms and tender egg noodles.
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 moreCrispy Chicken Cutlet Sliders { Lightened Up! }
[ October 2018 ] This recipe was updated with improvements! I switched to using roasted chickpeas for an amazing gluten-free alternative for the breading! (see image above) Note the use of store-bought, snacking kind of roasted chickpeas (like Watusee Foods roasted organic chickpeas; not sponsored) which I blitz into a coarse crumb in a blender or food processor. They also have ready-made chickpea crumbs if you can find it (I don’t have access to that in Canada). Home-roasted chickpeas would likely be too moist to achieve the same results.
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This one's a home run at my house! And I am willing to bet it would be at your's too, if your peeps like crispy little chicken sandwiches on warm soft brioche buns served with a good schmear of creamy tartar-y sauce goodness. The best part about it is, it's a lightened up (healthier) version that is EASY to make (less than 30 minutes) with NO COMPROMISE in taste! What is this voodoo magic, you ask? Read on friend…
Read moreJapanese Cold Summer Noodles aka Hiyashi Chuka (cold ramen)
JAPANESE COLD SUMMER NOODLES, or HIYASHI CHUKA in Japanese, is a cold ramen dish made with fresh ramen noodles topped with a variety of toppings dressed in an easy sweet and tangy soy based sauce. It is one of the tastiest and most refreshing meals to enjoy during the hot summer months!
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 moreChinese Chicken Rice (Easy Weeknight Version)
This is, hands down, one of our favourite dinners of all for adults and kids. The aromas of ginger, garlic and scallions permeate every component of the dish, resulting in something far more than the sum of its parts. It is really, really spectacular. I'm talking about CHINESE CHICKEN RICE. Made simpler and easier for a weeknight hit.
Read morePappardelle with Pulled Pork & Wilted Spinach
This recipe is a supplement to my previous post "Simple Beer Braised Pork" as one of a few ways to transform a single braised pork shoulder into several different meals that can be made in less time, by freezing portions of pork to defrost and use as needed on busy weeknights. See also my recipe for "Pulled Pork & Brussels Sprouts Fried Rice", another versatile dinner idea that can be assembled in a jiffy once you have portions of the braised pork tucked away in your freezer.
Read morePulled Pork & Brussels Sprouts Fried Rice
You need a good fried rice in your weeknight repertoire. You really do. I wrote up this recipe as a supplement to my previous post "Simple Beer Braised Pork" as one of a few ways to make a single braised pork shoulder and turn it into multiple delicious meals by freezing portions of it to pull out as needed on busy weeknights. (See also my post "Pappardelle with Pulled Pork & Wilted Spinach" for another scrumptious meal idea).
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 moreNo Fail Pierogies with Cheddar Potato Filling + Sweet Potato Filling
Making your own dough can seem pretty intimidating. I have had my fair share of dough failures. Lucky for you, my kitchen flops can become your culinary successes :)
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 moreBraised Beef Shortribs, Korean-style {gf}
In Korean, this is called Galbijjim. Since I am not Korean, I do not have a "mom's best" recipe passed to me for these Korean-style braised shortribs. So I did the next best thing and adapted my recipe from David Chang's mom's recipe posted on the GQ site. After I made his version a couple of times I wanted to simplify the ingredients and cooking method for more practical home cooking, so I can make and enjoy it more often of course!
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 moreAvocado Veggie Rainbow Rolls + Tangy Tahini Dipping Sauce
I generally abhor salad prep. I love to eat salad. But the prep, no. So much washing and spinning and trimming and seeding and cutting. But these rolls and the dipping sauce. Oh I'll do it for them. They are one of my favorite ways to eat a load of vegetables in one sitting. The filling can be quite versatile. The only 'formula' (for me) is the inclusion of buttery avocado + crunchy carrots + refreshing cucumber + something leafy. Beyond that, almost anything goes.
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.
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