My absolute favorite way of preparing salmon is broiling. I only recently discovered this method over this past year or so. As my kitchen in my Hong Kong apartment is simply equipped with a hot plate, microwave, and toaster oven, I have really learned some new cooking techniques. For the first 4-6 months I had been living here, I didn't touch the toaster oven. I grew up with a toaster oven but we only really used it for well, toasting things. English Muffins, melting cheese, etc. I don't know why it took me so long to realize that a toaster oven can do everything a real oven can. Bake, roast, broil. It's incredible and the reason why there have been so many toaster oven recipes on the blog this year, lol!
Broiling salmon sounds so...aggressive. However, once you've got the timing down pat, you are in for the flakiest, butteriest (is that a word?), moist, and tender salmon ever. The amount of time needed to broil a piece of salmon simply depends on its size (and thickness). I find that a normal fillet takes between 5-8 minutes. The finished fish will be firm but still bounce back to the touch. Any time I have broiled it beyond 8 minutes, the flesh will lean towards rubbery and over-cooked. Again, play with timing for yourself.
My favorite preparation for salmon is simply salt and pepper, and then served with tons of lemon juice after it's cooked. I feel like simple seasoning allows the real flavor of the fish to come out, especially when it's perfectly cooked. And of course, you need a ton of acid with fish. Today I'm sharing a simple classic marinade for salmon that you can enjoy with brown rice and veggies. Simply whisk it together and marinade the fish for at least half an hour. Of course, the longer the better. When it comes time to cook, prepare everything else in the meal first, since the fish will only take 5-8 minutes. You can prepare more marinade on the side, to warm and thicken for serving if you'd like.
Today I'm sharing a really fun way to get hemp seeds into your families' diet. I am never one to turn down a chicken tender. Seasoned almond flour and hemp seeds are the perfect crust for baked chicken tenders - they turn out deliciously crisp on the outside and are great for dipping. Watch the video recipe below and let's get cookin :)
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!
I'm going to let you in on one of my tried and true 'recipes', which is totally just a little trick I've been doing since high school whenever I'm really lazy and REALLY hungry. I love chicken wings - and here in Hong Kong, grocery stores sell bags of frozen mid-joint chicken wings. These are my favs - don't get me wrong, I like drumsticks too, but I really love just the wings. In my little HK kitchen, I don't have a proper oven (just a toaster oven). This method of cooking chicken wings on the stove-top is quick, fail-proof, and super flavorful.
Sometimes you don't have time to go grocery shopping, but you can bet that there'll be some frozen chicken wings in your freezer. You can make these wings with virtually any sauce or marinade that you have in the kitchen, making this the perfect lazy meal! There are simply 2 steps, and 3 ingredients. Simmer the chicken in chicken broth until they're nice and plump (my trick to knowing when they're finished is when the blood clots come out :) and then tossing them in sauce in a skillet.
Eggplant pizza is the easiest way to satisfy your pizza cravings when you're trying to cut down on carbs! Using fresh eggplant as a "pizza crust" is a quick and tasty substitute; not to mention how cute they are!! Pizza is such a fun, hands-on meal to make with kids, and what better way to get some extra veggies into your families' diets than to use eggplant slices instead of dough :)
This is a protein-packed version of good ole fried rice that is the easiest way to use up leftovers in the fridge! Fried rice is a one of my favorite indulgences - there's something so easy and lazy about it. A one-stop-shop that has carbs, protein, and veggies all in one. I've been trying to cut down on carbs (lol so hard) and switching out rice with quinoa is the perfect for doing this. You can probably tell from the influx of quinoa recipes on the blog lately lol!
I regularly make a variation of this dish every week, depending on whatever I've got in the fridge. Pan-fried tofu and quinoa are the mainstays; anything else is just a bonus! I love tossing in fresh broccoli, onions, and carrots, but you can use frozen veggies, chicken, shrimp, even leftover steak. The options are endless! I love using plum sauce as a little twist in my stir-fries. It's a viscous, light brown sweet and tangy sauce that is amazing with fried tofu, chicken, pork, etc. A mix of fresh ginger, oyster sauce, and plum sauce makes a wonderful sauce that clings to all the great ingredients in this dish. Let's get cookin :)
Pasta salad is perfect for Springtime! This recipe is an easy and delicious way to stretch out fresh seafood. Tender orzo pasta, roasted salmon, cherry tomatoes, asparagus, and salty feta are tossed with a zesty citrus dressing for a beautifully hearty salad. There's something about the texture of orzo pasta that makes me crave it all the time! This Spring salad is great for emptying the fridge - don't have asparagus? Use peas, spinach, or beans! Sub shrimp for salmon or leftover chicken and feel free to use Parmesan instead of Feta :) If you're cutting carbs, toss all these ingredients with crispy Romaine or kale.
This dish is a great way to cool down in the Spring/Summer! Hiyashi Chuka can be made with a variety of toppings, but popular ones include: pickled ginger, cucumbers, ham, shrimp, strips of egg crepes, imitation crab, nori strips, wakame seaweed, and sesame seeds. Some other great ideas are carrots, shredded steamed chicken, and tomatoes! The options are endless, and the dressing is so yummy that it'll pull any combination together. This recipe is super simple - shred and julienne all your toppings, whisk up the dressing, and toss the chilled noodles together. You know how certain foods taste even better when eaten cold? The flavors of the sesame, soy, and rice vinegar dressing bring all the toppings to life :) Let's get cookin!
This is my go-to. My Smashed Avocado Salad is the perfect base salad for any time of the day. Top it off with your favorite protein and you have a filling meal that's easy on the calories. Who would have thought that dressing-free salad could be so delicious? Smashed avocado, lime juice, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper are all you need to cut out those crazy calories that come from just a drizzle of bottled dressing.
The yummiest twist on the classic grilled cheese - Pesto Caprese Grilled Cheese! Caprese-anything is already delicious and really hard for me to resist, so I put that combo in between two slices of crisp, rustic bread? Perfect for Spring. I have a great toaster oven in my apartment and grilled cheese sandwiches have never been easier :) Hot, crisp edges and gooey cheese in minutes. Add a smear of pesto for an added kick - or make it your own and add sundried tomatoes, some spice, a drizzle of balsamic, or even an egg :) This is an easy one, let's get cookin!
This combo is so yummy! The tiny quinoa pops in your mouth, and the gentle flavors of sesame and ginger are perfect with the moist, flakey salmon. The sauce brings just enough salt and acid to the protein, and the quinoa soaks it all up. What I love about dishes like these is learning new techniques. Now you can poach other fish, or incorporate quinoa into your meals! :)
There are a ton of nights where you simply don't want to leave the house for groceries. It's nice to have some staples on hand for lazy evenings. Frozen shrimp are so versatile and easy to cook with! Shrimp and grits sounds intimidating but is incredibly easy to throw together. You'll be surprised by how little effort it takes to gain so much flavor. You can, of course, use fresh shrimp. The only difference between the two is giving the frozen ones a little rinse in cold water to defrost them. When you're shopping for shrimp (I prefer tail-on, there's so much flavor in the shells!) it is sold by size and the sizes are expressed in counts per pound. For example, jumbo shrimp is expressed as 21/25, meaning that there would be an average of 23 shrimp per pound. Grits is a type of maize, or corn porridge. These two are a traditional pairing that is often eaten during breakfast :) We're adding a little cream and cheese to the grits to make them extra tasty. The creamy grits are a perfect canvas for the saucy shrimp, kielbasa, tomatoes, onions, and peppers! Let's get cookin :)
So that got me thinking. Avocado Toast. Is it just a California thing? And if it is, I can't see why...because it's delicious. Simple food that is easily elevated with the addition of one or two more ingredients...like prosciutto. And vibrant heirloom tomatoes; each one with their own vibrant color, flavor, and texture. This recipe isn't hard-fast - more like a simple guide for a visually beautiful, flavorful open-faced sandwich/toast that can inspire you to build your own. Sometimes the best meals come from throwing whatever you have in the fridge together.
This month's #MISSDISH recipe is the perfect dish for the start of Fall. Savory, comforting, and bursting with flavor. Ground beef becomes the most satisfying dish when it's cooked in an amazing combination of Sambal, soy, a little sugar, and fish sauce. Fish sauce adds tons of umami to this dish. The minced beef is amazing with an egg on top. I personally love a sunny-side-up egg, which is cooked on one side until the white is set, but the yolk is still runny. Mixing the runny yolk with the minced beef is BOMB. Let's get cookin :)
There's nothing like a classic grilled cheese. And I think we can all agree that we've been waiting on a taco emoji since forever. So what happens when you combine the two? Pure heaven. This week's recipe for Grilled Cheese Tacos is an incredibly easy way to appease your biggest junk food craving in minutes. Toss together some fresh pico de gallo and slice up some creamy avocado to top it all off. These tacos are perfectly warm and gooey, salty and savory; and the pico adds a nice fresh punch. Let's get cookin :)
Indian Summer is here and the weather is gorgeous out here in San Francisco. I have been craving a big bowl of cool soba noodles with tons of junk inside! The junk is often the best part of any dish. My favorite thing about this one is how bright and colorful it is. I'll show you how to whip up an absolutely delicious sesame dressing that is savory, with a kick from freshly grated ginger and lemon zest. All the veggies can be substituted with your family's favorites, but edamame, carrots, Shiitakes, and Persian cucumbers are full of nutrients and keep this dish nice and light. I love adding thin strips of fishcake and slivers of green onion to finish it all off. Let's get cookin :)
One of my favorite "junk food" indulgences has always been chicken nuggets. The options out there aren't that healthy; most of them are deep-fried, and heavily breaded. Sometimes we don't even know if the nuggets are made of actual chicken! Chicken nuggets are easy to make at home, and with this recipe, I'll show you how you can replace extra breading with yummy quinoa!
Quinoa is actually a seed that is very high in protein, fiber, magnesium, iron, zinc, potassium, and more. It's also gluten free. Quinoa has a sweet, nutty flavor and is delicate in texture. In recent times, it's been known as a substitute, but quinoa is so versatile, it can easily be a main!
Making Quinoa Crusted Chicken Nuggets is as easy as a 3 step breading process and throwing them in the oven! They're baked, not fried. I love putting a twist on classic junk food by simplifying the ingredients and making them more straightforward. It's important to know what you're putting in your body. These nuggets get a little superfood boost from quinoa, while tasting just as good as your favorite fast food joint. Let's get cookin :)
Crispy, seasoned skin, and tender, flavorful meat. One of my favorite indulgences is simple fried chicken. However, I find that sometimes fried chicken has really yummy skin, but is dry and flavorless inside. So I set out to come up with the perfect recipe for flawless homemade fried chicken with the following criteria in mind: easy, not too time-consuming, and yielding a great golden crust with well seasoned meat. I’ve been experimenting with different recipes and techniques and have come up with a recipe that I’m really happy with. The steps are simple and there’s little hands-on time in the kitchen. I learned the secret of using Old Bay Seasoning from Melissa Gilbert of what else but Little House On The Prairie, and incorporated a really important step - brining the chicken overnight.
The other night I used the same recipe on lil nuggets of chicken and tossed them in Chinese white pepper right out of the frying oil. Fantastic. I love a good base recipe that makes it easy to doctor up and experiment with. Read on to find out how to make the best fried chicken you’ll ever make.
I love experimenting with fun, seasonal ingredients, but sometimes learning to make a classic is just as great. Pesto can be made with tons of different ingredients; it’s a game of mix and match. A great pesto only requires a few fresh ingredients. The most important part is using fresh basil (or your favorite herbs) and good quality extra virgin olive oil.
This recipe is simple and delicious. Pesto is incredibly versatile - once you have a fresh batch, you can use it on way more than pasta! Make homemade pizza, eat it with eggs, spread it on bread or a sandwich, or use it as a salad dressing. This recipe is for a classic basil pesto. A quick pulse in a food processor and you have a fresh, garlicky sauce that is way better than a jar from the store. Let’s get cookin :)
Prosciutto & melon is one of the most glorious classic flavor combinations ever. The perfect blend of sweet and salty, refreshing and savory…not to mention so easy to throw together. These little BFF’s are usually served as a delicate piece of prosciutto wrapped around a ripe piece of cantaloupe. This beautiful salad steps it up a bit without being super pretentious. Peppery arugula serves as the base, but you can totally use whatever greens you’ve got in the fridge. Grilling fruit is such a great way to elevate any dish. It brings out the natural sugars in the fruit and makes everything taste even more vibrant. A mix of sweet melon balls, creamy mozzarella, grilled peaches, thin, salty prosciutto, a bite from slivers of raw red onion, sea salt & a crack of black pepper make the most delicious summer salad. Let’s get cookin!
My cravings for chicken are often and they are strong. Forget Tuesday, I’m down for Popeye’s any day of the week. Fried, braised, roasted, pan-fried… all of it is good in my book but sometimes there is nothing like some good ole BBQ Chicken. The problem is, there aren’t a ton of spots where you can just get BBQ chicken… so the last time I was having crazy cravings, I decided to just wing it and make my own. The problem with BBQ chicken is that you generally need a grill. Let’s face it, not everyone has a grill, and even the people with a grill don’t always want to fire it up. With #MemorialDay coming along soon, I’ve got a great solution for yummy BBQ chicken without the grill! I loooove Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ Sauce - SO cheap and really great balance of sweet and tangy. You can get a huge bottle for about $1.99. I love making drumsticks (for some reason it screams the epitome of BBQ chicken to me haha) and what’s awesome about that is that drumsticks and dark meat in general is so affordable. This recipe is so easy - takes a bit of attentiveness, but makes the juiciest, most delicious chicken ever.
How gorgeous is this salad?! I found that putting together this recipe was so therapeutic…almost like creating a piece of art. Not only are the colors stunning, but the flavor combinations in this salad are unreal as well. Beautiful curly tendrils of peppery arugula are tossed with bright, crisp slices of watermelon radish. Sweet Cara Cara orange supremes and the slight saltiness of crumbled feta are the perfect addition. Drizzle a little homemade Sesame Lime Ginger Vinaigrette and you have the most beautiful spring salad to celebrate upcoming Earth Day…or any day. This salad would be the perfect base of a grilled piece of fish or even with chicken..but for now, let’s just marvel at how simple this dish is…because the ingredients are so naturally beautiful, any way you toss them together, it looks like a gourmet meal.
Watermelon radishes’ flesh is white closest to the exterior and becomes bright, with circular striations of pink and magenta toward the center. The flesh is tender crispy, succulent and firm. It has a mild, slightly peppery yet mostly sweet flavor. They come in a variety of sizes, from golf ball to soft ball size. They can be used fresh or cooked, and pair really well with fennel, apple, cheeses such as feta or chevre, white fish, vinaigrettes, citrus…the list goes on. They’re also wonderful when pickled! With that said, here is a recipe for a wonderfully simple salad that according to my taste-testing friend was like “an explosion of flavor in your mouth” :) Let’s get cookin!
These suckers went fast in my house. A zesty marinade of lime juice, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, salt, and pepper is a quick way to inject a ton of flavor into any cut of chicken. It’s baked in the oven, which helps cut down on extra oil, and comes out tender and juicy, ready to be finished off with fresh lime zest and chopped cilantro. Because this recipe is really for a simple marinade, it can be used to dress up chicken in almost any dish… chop it up for over a salad, serve it over pasta, rice, quinoa, or throw some pieces into some tacos for a fun weeknight meal.
This marinade is made of ingredients that are super affordable, and often, all you need to head to the store for is for fresh limes and cilantro. Limes are often on sale at produce markets for fairly cheap prices - this week Safeway had them on sale at 3 for $0.99! You can use this marinade on any cut of chicken - breasts, thighs, or drumsticks. I prefer thighs, even though breasts are healthier and have more protein. If you’re just starting to play with different chicken recipes, I’d suggest cooking up some chicken thighs! You can hardly mess them up :) So let’s get cookin, this one’s a fun one.
We all love carbs - they’re delicious and magical, and yes; not that great for you. “Everything in moderation” is a great mindset, but is often difficult to actually apply to our daily lifestyles. I often try my hardest to make most of my meals #Paleo, short for the Paleolithic Diet, which basically consists of lean proteins, fruits and vegetables, and healthy fats from nuts, seeds, avocados, olive oil, fish oil and grass-fed meat. It cuts out dairy, grains, processed food & sugar, and starches. I have learned to substitute rice for more veggies, zucchini noodles, or a big salad. I’m not on a strict Paleo diet at all, but try to incorporate it into my meals as much as possible.
I love lettuce wraps. They’re so easy to make and are so low in carbs that you can indulge without feeling guilty. My version is a twist on the typical lettuce wraps that use hoisin sauce. This recipe is packed with flavor, simple to throw together during the week, and will be a nice mix into your family’s meals. And on top of that, it’s budget friendly! What more could you ask for :) Let’s get cookin :)
I’m not going to claim that I know how to make authentic enchiladas, or hell, Mexican food. These Enchilada Stacks are a great way to satisfy your craving for Mexican food without the extra work that comes with rolling each enchilada. The recipe is delicious - it tastes just like I remember, and is so easy to throw together. It might not look like the traditional thing, but trust me, it tastes just like the classic. Top off each serving with fresh Queso Fresco, tomatoes, avocado, lettuce, olives, and cilantro - the whole enchilada.
Believe it or not, this recipe is also #GlutenFree! Traditional yellow corn tortillas keep this nice and simple. I also used ground turkey instead of ground beef, and made my own taco seasoning. This is such a fun dish for entertaining or for a weeknight meal with your family. Chop up all the toppings and set up a little enchilada bar! That way everyone can customize their own :) Let’s get cookin :)
I’ve been on this never ending quest for delicious meatballs that aren’t dry. I’ve tried turkey and beef, and never quite get the flavor and consistency I am craving. I think I’m chasing this dreamy little meatball I had while overseas in Hong Kong…it was tender, packed with flavor, and so juicy. The elusive meatball, if you will :)
These meatballs turned out really great, and satisfied my craving for the slow heat of ginger, balance of sweet and saltiness from a homemade teriyaki sauce, and the tender texture of ground chicken.
I frequent a variety of supermarkets for different needs. My local Asian markets for most produce and some protein, Safeway and Whole Foods for organics, chicken, and seafood, and TJ’s for when I’m cooking just for myself. I love their small serving sizes. I have never really cooked with ground chicken before, but was delighted to find ground dark meat at my local Asian market, Sunset Super. A pound and a half was an alarming $3.49. I mean, you can’t really beat that. If your local butcher doesn’t have ground chicken readily available, feel free to ask the butcher to grind up 1 ½ lb of chicken breast for you. It’s actually best to always have a butcher grind your meat in front of you. I happened to use dark meat because it was available, but this works with ground chicken breast as well.
Anyways, these meatballs are super easy to throw together. The secret is a ton of minced ginger and crushed pineapple, which give it the kick it needs, while staying moist! Let’s get cookin :)
The holidays are my favorite time of the year. Despite cold weather and much needed rain, some of my favorite fruits and vegetables are in season, and it’s an overall cozy time :) I love sweet potatoes. They’re sweet, of course, packed with Vitamin A, and are really versatile. They can be used in both sweet and savory dishes, and are actually really easy to deal with in the kitchen.
I’d like to share a few of my favorite sweet potato recipes with you all this winter. I usually have a stash in the pantry year round; I love to cook them in the microwave for the quickest Sweet Potato Mash you’ll ever have. I’ll be sharing that recipe soon!
For today’s recipe, I am sharing a yummy dish that can be eaten at any time of the day: a sweet potato hash, bulked up by tender chicken thighs and seasoned to perfection. You can, of course, top it all off with an egg, as any dish always gets better with the addition of runny yolk. This dish is the perfect comfort food, made healthier. The sweet potatoes become slightly crisp on the outside, filled with steamy sweetness, and the chicken is the perfect partner. Fresh parsley brings brightness and a pan-fried egg melds it all together into the most delicious and satisfying meal. Now let’s get cookin! :)
I admit, I skipped the #quinoa craze a few years ago. I thought it would be very similar to couscous, which I don’t have the taste for. Over the years I have of course, come to love quinoa, and its adaptability. So what is quinoa (keen-wah)? Well, officially, it’s a seed. However, it can be prepared just like whole grains such as rice or barley. It tastes great on its own, but is delicious when tossed in salads, stir-fries, or even to coat protein. It provides all 9 essential amino-acids, making it a complete protein. It’s also gluten-free and cholesterol free.
Cooking quinoa is super simple. Just remember that it’s a two-to-one ratio, just like rice. For every cup of quinoa, you will need 2 cups of water or broth. This will yield 3 cups of cooked quinoa. Rinse raw quinoa in cold water, and then bring the 1 cup of quinoa and 2 cups of water to a full, rolling boil. Once it reaches a boil, turn the heat down to a gentle simmer. Cover and let it cook for 15-20 minutes, depending on the package instructions. Once your timer is up, fluff with a fork. Simple!
Summer’s winding down, but here in San Francisco, it’s Indian Summer. The weather is beautiful and the overlap of really great postseason baseball and football season brings up a need for a great steak marinade! There are so many different ways to marinade beef. I wanted to put together a marinade that was made up of things that I already had around the house, and of course, a nice lil Jack Daniels marinade came to mind. Also, for those of you who want to achieve perfect grill marks, I taught myself to make a gif! See below!
I decided on a nice flank steak, which when marinaded and sliced really thinly against the grain, is wonderfully tender and flavorful. It’s best to let the meat marinade for a few hours to overnight. You can even use this on pork or chicken..or if you’re a vegetarian, try marinating some portobello mushrooms! Let’s get cookin :)
I love the earthy, warm spice of curry. This week’s recipe satisfies any curry craving while remaining light and summery. Fresh, crisp corn, silky golden Yukon potatoes, plump seared shrimp, and sweet chunks of mango are quickly tossed with curry powder, a splash of coconut milk. This versatile dish can be mixed with your favorite pasta or eaten on its own! There aren’t any exact measurements for this recipe, I love to simply toss things in and adjust to taste.