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Hong Kong Style French Toast

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Hong Kong Style French Toast

Happy New Year!! :) Last year was an incredible one for me. Moving abroad in 2015 was the wisest choice I've ever made. I'm incredibly grateful for all of the challenges, growth, travel, work, and fear that has pushed me closer to my authentic Self. I hope you all had a really fantastic year as well :) 

If you're nursing a hangover, I've got the perfect recipe for you. Here in Hong Kong, we have a ton of Cha Chaan Tengs, or tea houses that serve a crazy variety of HK comfort food. Cha Chaan Tengs have super late hours, making it convenient to enjoy French Toast, eggs, baked spaghetti, or even steak at any time of the day. HK style French Toast is a classic. Plain white bread and peanut butter sandwiches, dipped in a simple egg mixture and deep fried. It's then served with butter, condensed milk, and maple syrup - making it a completely decadent breakfast item. Today I'm taking a cue from this HK dish and showing you how to make Hangover French Toast! Let's get cookin :)

Watch the recipe below:  

What You Need: (Serves 2)

  • 4 slices of bread (traditional white bread, or milk bread as I'm using)

  • 2 eggs

  • splash of vanilla extract

  • splash of milk

  • salt

  • peanut butter

  • butter (for cooking and serving)

  • maple syrup or agave

What To Do:

  1. Slice up your favorite bread.

  2. Spread peanut butter on each slice of bread.

  3. Sandwich 2 slices of bread together and put aside.

  4. In a shallow dish, whisk together 2 eggs, a splash of vanilla, a dash of salt, and splash of milk.

  5. Dip each sandwich in the egg mixture. Don't forget the sides!

  6. Pan-fry each sandwich in 1 tbsp butter until both sides are golden brown. I like to stand the sandwich up on its ends to get them nice and crisp, too.

  7. Serve the HK French Toast with butter and maple syrup (You can add condensed milk if you like ;)

Hong Kong Style French Toast Recipe by Broke and Cooking - www.brokeandcooking.com
Hong Kong Style French Toast Recipe by Broke and Cooking - www.brokeandcooking.com
Hong Kong Style French Toast Recipe by Broke and Cooking - www.brokeandcooking.com
Hong Kong Style French Toast Recipe by Broke and Cooking - www.brokeandcooking.com
Hong Kong Style French Toast Recipe by Broke and Cooking - www.brokeandcooking.com
Hong Kong Style French Toast Recipe by Broke and Cooking - www.brokeandcooking.com
Hong Kong Style French Toast Recipe by Broke and Cooking - www.brokeandcooking.com
Hong Kong Style French Toast Recipe by Broke and Cooking - www.brokeandcooking.com
Hong Kong Style French Toast Recipe by Broke and Cooking - www.brokeandcooking.com
Hong Kong Style French Toast Recipe by Broke and Cooking - www.brokeandcooking.com
Hong Kong Style French Toast Recipe by Broke and Cooking - www.brokeandcooking.com

Warm, delightfully eggy bread filled with ooey gooey peanut butter is so delicious - you can start your diet tomorrow. :) 

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Cinnamon Sugar Pita Chips

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Cinnamon Sugar Pita Chips

One thing I actually do really miss about the States are Trader Joe's snacks. They have the best snacks!! One of my favorites are Cinnamon Sugar Pita Chips!! TJ's and Stacy's make them, and now you can make them at home for much less :) I can inhale an entire bag of these, which can definitely get expensive lol! Cinnamon Sugar Pita Chips are so easy to make and taste just like the store-bought ones. All you got to do is brush fresh pita (or tortillas) with butter or coconut oil, and sprinkle them with cinnamon-sugar. Bake them for 10 minutes, and you're in holiday snack heaven. These are amazing on their own, or served with other sweets like ice cream, yogurt, or baked fruit. Watch the recipe video below and let's get baking! 

Honey Baked Pears with Walnuts

Honey Baked Pears with Walnuts

These baked pears are the quickest way to indulge in some holiday goodness. Anyone can make them - just 5 minutes of prep and 25 minutes in the oven (I made them in my toaster oven!). Beautiful fresh pears are drizzled with a quick mix of honey and vanilla extract, and sprinkled with cinnamon, your favorite granola, and crushed walnuts. There is nothing quite like the smell of warm cinnamon filling your home to remind you how close we are to Christmas! 

Feel free to add your own homemade granola - I love using Nature's Path Organic Pumpkin Flax Granola on my morning yogurt and on treats like this. I also love adding a sprinkle of hemp seeds for an extra boost of nutrition - they're packed with amino acids, Omega-3s, fiber, and more. Once the pears bake up in the oven, they transform into tender, spoonable desserts that are warm with holiday flavor. Top the baked pears off with plain yogurt or your favorite ice cream. These are simple to make and are easy on the wallet - ideal for entertaining :) Let's get baking!

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Pumpkin Pie Chia Pudding

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Pumpkin Pie Chia Pudding

PSL Season! Are you about that Pumpkin Spice Life? Seemingly everyone becomes obsessed with everything Pumpkin Spice this time of year, and I can't complain. My not-so-secret indulgence is Costco Pumpkin Pie (it's so freaking good), and I really do enjoy certain things with a lil added pumpkin spice. (Check out the easiest Pumpkin French Toast here :) 

My girl Tracy roasted off some beautiful Kurobuta Pumpkin this weekend and made me some homemade pumpkin puree! What else to do but make the easiest dessert/snack in the world? Chia pudding! Adding pumpkin spice, maple syrup, and pumpkin puree (you can absolutely use canned pumpkin!!) makes a wonderful Fall treat that's actually packed with nutrients, dairy-free, and vegan ;) Watch the recipe that takes literally 5 minutes below, and let's get cookin! 

Holiday Roasted Pumpkin with Cranberries

Holiday Roasted Pumpkin with Cranberries

Speaking of the holidays, this week's recipe is a simple and cozy side dish that is wonderful for this time of year. Roasting vegetables brings so much depth of flavor to the party, and also gives each piece of pumpkin a nice toasty edge. Adding pumpkin seeds for crunch, and dried cranberries for a tart contrast makes this the easiest dish to bring to your holiday parties this year. 

This recipe is completely adaptable. Don't have pumpkin? Try butternut squash or sweet potato. I like adding cinnamon, pumpkin seeds and dried cranberries, but roasting the veg with trimmed Brussels sprouts, bacon, prosciutto, shallots, pecans, kale, ginger, chili, or cumin is wonderful as well. In this recipe, I finish off the dish with a drizzle of honey or maple syrup, and flaky sea salt, but fresh parsley, feta, or even tossing it with pasta is delicious, too! Watch the video recipe below and let's get cookin! 

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Apple Pie Overnight Hemp Oats

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Apple Pie Overnight Hemp Oats

I love Fall!! Hoodie weather, the holidays...and food. Roasted veg, casseroles, pie, roasts, baked fruit...mmm!! Some of my favorite comfort food is made during the Fall and Winter months. Overnight Oats are a Pinterest favorite, and make busy weekday mornings a little easier. Today we're adding a Fall twist to Overnight Oats by adding cinnamon-spiced apples and a nutritional boost from hemp seeds :)

Hemp seeds are a nutritional powerhouse that actually do not cause any psychotropic reaction. They are packed with tons of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, amino acids, calcium, iron, magnesium, and tons of Vitamins. Adding hemp seeds to your diet is a complete bonus. Watch the recipe below! Let's get cookin :) 

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Dairy Free Red Bean Ice

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Dairy Free Red Bean Ice

Hong Kong is a food paradise - a mix of world class high end restaurants, modern fare, and local eats. Cha Chaan Tengs (tea-houses) are where Hong Kongers can satiate their appetites at virtually any hour of the day. Known for their incredibly affordable and eclectic menus, cha chain tengs serve food that came about after the Second World War, when Hong Kong culture was influenced by British culture. The menus are endless and barely have parameters, including everything from wonton mein to curry, Hong Kong style French toast, and steak. Besides Hong Kong-style milk tea, one popular drink is the Red Bean Ice. 

I am a huge fan of red bean desserts, in all forms. The Red Bean Ice is so refreshing; especially in the humid HK summers. Crushed ice, tender red beans in a sugar syrup, and coconut milk are the most delicious cool-down treat on a hot day. Adding a scoop of ice cream makes it a popular dessert. Stirring it all together makes a sort of slush that is enjoyed with a long spoon and straw. 

Another wonderful thing about the Red Bean Ice is that it's dairy free! It's nice to be able to enjoy a sweet treat without sacrificing any flavor. In this version of Red Bean Ice, you'll be combining red beans cooked in coconut sugar, layered with creamy, rich coconut milk, and ice cold almond milk. Top it off with ice and a scoop of your favorite dairy free ice cream! I'm using Happy Cow Dairy Free Ice Cream, made from coconuts. I've tried this with recipe with both their Vanilla and Red Bean ice cream, and it's amazing either way. It adds the perfect creaminess to the drink. Watch the recipe video below to learn how to make your own Red Bean Ice at home! 

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Beef Enoki Rolls

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Beef Enoki Rolls

Ooooh these are little rolls of magic! Lately I've become obsessed with enoki mushrooms. The bouncy texture, how easy they are to cook, and the way they soak up whatever flavors surround them. They are dirt cheap, and you can toss them into virtually any dish. Growing up, I think I've only really eaten enoki mushrooms when I've gone out to eat hot pot with friends. I always enjoyed them, but they were definitely an afterthought. (Hello, beef!) Recently, however, I've been eating enoki with everything - stir fries, soup, noodle dishes, even salads. Their sweet, mellow flavor is so yum. 

I was inspired by these Japanese Beef Enoki Rolls that I had as part of a lunch set the other day, and couldn't get enough of them. They are simple to prepare and the marinade is actually super versatile and can be used for cooking other protein. Beef Enoki Rolls are tender, juicy, and almost taste like beef jerky - a harmonious blend of soy, ginger, garlic, sake, and sesame oil create an incredibly savory marinade for the thinly sliced beef. Soaking the enoki mushrooms in warm, salted water allows them to soften and gain some flavor. Finally all you've got to do is wrap small bundles of mushrooms in the marinaded beef and pan fry. Searing the meat takes a few minutes, and then you're in flavor heaven. Let's get cookin!

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Low Carb Cheesy Cauliflower Breadsticks

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Low Carb Cheesy Cauliflower Breadsticks

Garlicky, cheesy bread is pretty undeniable. Cauliflower crust is one of the most surprisingly delicious low carb, gluten free substitutes for bread. The cauli crust comes out fluffy and flavorful, and will wow your family - they won't know the difference :) I love dipping these cheesy breadsticks into marinara. Seriously so satisfying!