• Sesame Apricot Tofu

    This is a unique crispy tofu preparation. The shape of the tofu was reminiscent of chicken pieces.

    Recipe from Pinch of Yum.

    Ingredients:

    Crispy Tofu:

    • 1 block of extra firm tofu (high protein tofu works really well in this recipe, if you can find it!)
    • 2 TBSP cornstarch
    • 1 TBSP soy sauce
    • 2 TBSP olive oil

    Apricot Sauce:

    • 1/3 c. apricot preserves
    • 1 TBSP soy sauce
    • 1–2 TBSP rice vinegar
    • 1/2 tsp. cumin
    • 1 tsp. paprika
    • 1 tsp. onion powder
    • 1–2 cloves garlic, grated 
    • 1/4 tsp. salt + more to taste

    Extras for Serving:

    • Toasted sesame oil to taste (I like about 1-2 TBSP)
    • Steamed green beans
    • Green onions, chopped
    • Cooked rice

    Directions:

    1. Cut the tofu block in half horizontally (like a hamburger). If using extra firm high protein tofu, it helps to cut it in half again horizontally. Press the water out of the tofu by wrapping it in paper towels and setting a few heavy books on top of it. Let it stay like that for a few minutes while you prep the sauce.
    2. In a bowl, whisk the sauce ingredients together. 
    3. In an other bowl, take each piece of tofu and gently pull it into small chunks with your hands (this just gives the tofu pieces a unique shape and texture that holds onto the sauce really well). Toss with soy sauce and a teaspoon or two of olive oil; then sprinkle with cornstarch and give it a few gentle tosses to coat.
    4. In a nonstick skillet over medium high heat, heat the olive oil and then add the cornstarched tofu. Leave it undisturbed for a few minutes on each side, letting it get really nice and brown and crispy – this can take 10-15 minutes. Flip and repeat until the whole batch is browned and crispy.
    5. While it’s browning, you can start up your rice and/or sides! 
    6. Finally, add the sauce to the tofu and remove from heat – the pan will still be hot, so it’ll be sizzly and smell really good from the garlic. The sauce will coat the tofu right away.
    7. Top with the sesame oil and green onions. Serve with rice and green beans, and finish with more salt and lots of black pepper to taste. The tender crunch of the beans with the steamy rice and sticky tofu! SO good.

    Sesame Apricot Tofu:

  • Chicken Lettuce Wraps

    So quick and easy. Absolutely delicious!

    Recipe from Damn Delicious.

    Ingredients:

    • 1 TBSP olive oil
    • 1 lb. ground chicken
    • 2 garlic cloves, minced
    • 1 onion, diced
    • 1/4 c. hoisin sauce
    • 2 TBSP soy sauce
    • 1 TBSP  rice wine vinegar
    • 1 TBSP  freshly grated ginger
    • 1 TBSP Sriracha, optional
    • 1 8-oz. can water chestnuts, drained and diced
    • 2 green onions, thinly sliced
    • Kosher salt black pepper, to taste
    • 1 head butter lettuce or iceberg lettuce

    Directions:

    1. Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium high heat. Add ground chicken and cook until browned, about 3-5 minutes, making sure to crumble the chicken as it cooks; drain excess fat.
    2. Stir in garlic, onion, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, ginger and Sriracha until onions have become translucent, about 1-2 minutes.
    3. Stir in chestnuts and green onions until tender, about 1-2 minutes; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
    4. To serve, spoon several tablespoons of the chicken mixture into the center of a lettuce leaf, taco-style.

    Chicken Lettuce Wraps:

  • Egg Roll in a Bowl

    Recipe adapted from Recipe Runner.

    Ingredients:

    • 1/4 c. soy sauce
    • 2 tsp. honey
    • 1 TBSP rice vinegar
    • 1 1/2 tsp. sriracha or to taste
    • 1 TBSP grated fresh ginger
    • 2 tsp. grated or minced garlic
    • 1 TBSP toasted sesame oil
    • 1 lb. ground chicken or turkey
    • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
    • 12-16 oz. bag of broccoli slaw
    • 1/2 c. grated carrots
    • 1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced
    • Serve over rice or noodles
    • Top with Yum Yum sauce

    Yum Yum Sauce: 1 c. mayo, 1 TBSP sugar (or to taste), 3 TBSP rice wine vinegar, 3/4 tsp. smoked paprika, 1/2 tsp. garlic powder, and sriracha, if desired; mix and adjust to your taste.

    Directions:

    1. In a bowl whisk the soy sauce through garlic.
    2. Heat the sesame oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add in the ground chicken and crumble with a wooden spoon. Season with salt and pepper and sauté until mostly cooked through.
    3. Add the broccoli slaw, carrots, and green onions to the ground chicken. Stir everything together and continue to cook until the broccoli slaw is tender and softened, about 4-5 minutes.
    4. Pour in the soy sauce mixture and stir everything together. Cook for several more minutes until the sauce has thickened and absorbed into the chicken and broccoli slaw. Taste for seasoning.
    5. Serve over rice or noodles and top with Yum Yum sauce.

    Egg Roll in a Bowl:


  • Chicken Lo Mein

    Recipe adapted from Dinner then Dessert.

    Ingredients:

    • 10 oz. Chinese egg noodles, chow mein noodles, or lo mein noodles
    • 1 tsp. sesame oil
    • 2 TBSP vegetable oil
    • 2 chicken breasts, thinly sliced
    • 1 red bell pepper, sliced
    • 1 tsp. minced ginger
    • 2 garlic cloves, minced
    • 3/4 c. water
    • 1/4 c. soy sauce
    • 2 TBSP cornstarch
    • 1 TBSP oyster sauce
    • 1 TBSP vegetable oil
    • 1 carrot, thinly sliced or julienned
    • 1/2 onion, sliced
    • 1/2 bag cole slaw mix
    • 1 bunch green onions, thickly sliced

    Directions:

    1. In a bowl, combine the water, soy sauce, cornstarch, oyster sauce, and vegetable oil and mix.
    2. Cook the egg noodles one minute shy of the directions.
    3. Drain and toss with sesame oil in a bowl to coat.
    4. Heat 2 TBSP vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
    5. Cook the chicken 3-4 minutes on each side until cooked through.
    6. Remove chicken from the pan and add in the red bell peppers, ginger and garlic and cook them for 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently until just softened.
    7. Add the sauce, carrot, onion, and cabbage and cook for 1-2 minutes before adding back in the chicken, egg noodles, and green onions.
    8. Toss all the ingredients together well and serve.

    Chicken Lo Mein:

  • Slow Cooker Teriyaki Chicken

    This chicken is so flavorful! Carlsbad Cravings calls it Mongolian chicken, but I definitely get teriyaki vibes. Would make a delicious filling for teriyaki tacos (tortillas, pineapple salsa, and maybe some cabbage)!

    Recipe from Carlsbad Cravings

    Ingredients:

    • 1.5-2 lbs. chicken breast
    • 1/2 c. soy sauce
    • 1/2 c. water
    • 1/3 c. brown sugar
    • 4 TBSP Asian sweet chili sauce
    • 2 TBSP sweet Japanese rice wine (or dry Sherry)
    • 1 TBSP hoisin sauce
    • 2 tsp. grated ginger
    • 1/4 tsp. pepper
    • 1 tsp. Sriracha
    • 1.5 TBSP cornstarch
    • Serve over rice and with broccoli

    Directions:

    1. Add chicken to the bottom of your slow cooker.
    2. In a bowl, whisk together the soy sauce through the Sriracha and pour 1/2 c. over chicken. Refrigerate the rest of the sauce. Cook on LOW for 4 hours or on HIGH for 2 hours, or until chicken is tender enough to shred.
    3. When chicken is tender, remove to a cutting board and let sit for 5 minutes and then shred.
    4. After you remove the chicken from the slow cooker, place your cooker insert (if insert is stovetop cooking approved, otherwise remove sauce from cooker and place in a small saucepan) on your stovetop over medium high heat.
    5. Whisk in the 1.5 TBSP of cornstarch to the remaining sauce from the refrigerator and add to the sauce on the stove. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer until thickened. Add shredded chicken back to slow cooker along with thickened sauce. Toss to combine.
    6. Let cook an additional 30 minutes (can add broccoli for the last 30 minutes, if desired) on LOW to absorb sauce. Add salt to taste. Add additional Asian sweet chili sauce for more sweet heat, Sriracha for spicier, brown sugar for sweeter if desired. Serve over rice.

    Slow Cooker Teriyaki Chicken:

  • Apricot Chicken

    Recipe adapted from Carlsbad Cravings.

    Ingredients:

    Chicken

    • 1 ½ lbs. chicken breasts cut into 1″ pieces
    • 2 eggs
    • 1/2 c. flour
    • 1/4 c. cornstarch
    • 1 tsp. salt
    • 1 tsp. garlic powder
    • 1 tsp. onion powder
    • ½ tsp. ginger powder
    • ½ tsp. smoked paprika
    • ½ tsp. pepper
    • 3 TBSP olive oil plus more as needed
    • Serve over rice

    Apricot Sauce

    • 2/3 c. apricot preserves/jam
    • 3 TBSP Asian sweet chili sauce
    • 1-2 TBSP hot sauce (I used Frank’s Original Hot Sauce) more or less to taste
    • 2 TBSP balsamic vinegar
    • 2 TBSP soy sauce
    • 1 tsp. cornstarch

    Directions:

    • Bread Chicken: Combine chicken and eggs in a freezer bag and turn to coat. In a separate large freezer bag, combine flour, cornstarch, and seasonings. Remove chicken and dab off excess egg with paper towels and add to flour bag. (To quickly remove excess egg, I plop the chicken on a wad of paper towels using a slotted spoon.) Shake chicken until well coated, pressing coating into chicken from outside of the bag.
    • Cook: Heat oil over medium-high heat in a nonstick skillet (medium if your stove runs hot). Working in two batches, shake off excess breading from chicken and add to the skillet in a single layer. Cook for about 4-6 minutes, or until cooked through, flipping halfway. Remove chicken to a paper towel lined plate. Add another drizzle of oil to the skillet if needed and repeat with remaining chicken. Remove chicken and wipe out skillet.
    • Add Sauce: Whisk the cornstarch with the soy sauce until completely smooth. Add to the skillet along with all of the Apricot Sauce ingredients. Bring to a simmer, stirring often until thickened, about 2 minutes.
    • Combine: Add the chicken and toss to coat. Serve over rice.

    Apricot Chicken:

  • Vietnamese Spring Roll Bowls

    Recipe adapted from Pinch of Yum.

    Dressing/Sauce Ingredients:

    3 garlic cloves
    2 TBSP rice wine vinegar
    1/4 c. brown sugar
    1/4 c. fish sauce
    1/3 c. lime juice
    1/3 c. vegetable oil

    Bowls:

    Rice noodles or egg noodles
    Basil, chopped
    Cilantro, chopped
    Mint, chopped
    Jalapenos, chopped
    Cucumbers, julienned
    Carrots, julienned
    Red bell peppers, julienned
    Tofu, crispy baked
    Mixed greens

    Directions:

    1. SAUCE PREP: Pulse the sauce ingredients together in a blender or food processor.
    2. VEG PREP: Chop the herbs and jalapenos, julienne cut the vegetables, prepare crispy baked tofu.
    3. NOODLE PREP: Cook your noodles according to package. Run under cold water to stop the cooking. Transfer to large serving bowl.
    4. BOWL PREP: Toss the noodles with the dressing and all the herbs and veggies; then add mixed greens to your bowl and top with the noodle mixture and tofu.

    Vietnamese Spring Roll Bowl:

  • Thai Basil Chicken

    This is restaurant quality deliciousness!

    Recipe adapted from Brian Lagerstrom.

    Ingredients:

    • 1 lb. of ground chicken or turkey
    • 3 shallots, rough chopped
    • 5 cloves garlic, minced 
    • 3 TBSP ginger, grated or minced
    • 2 c. green beans, cut into 1/2inch pieces
    • 6 oz. bag of baby spinach
    • 1 c. fresh basil, chiffonade(d)
    • 1 egg per person
    • High smoke point oil (peanut, canola, grapeseed, etc.)
    • Salt 
    • Pinch red chili flakes

    Sauce:

    • 1 1/2 TBSP soy sauce
    • 1 1/2 TBSP fish sauce
    • 3 TBSP oyster sauce (or hoisin if you can’t find it)
    • 3 TBSP water
    • 2 TBSP brown sugar

    Directions:

    1. Prep/cut veg and mix sauce. 
    2. To make the sauce, stir the following together until dissolved: soy sauce, fish sauce, oyster sauce, water, and brown sugar.
    3. Preheat a large saute pan over high and add a glug/long squeeze of oil. Add cut green beans and a pinch of salt and stir to combine. Cook for 3-4 mins, stirring until they’re charred on the outside and slightly softened. Remove green beans from the pan and set aside. 
    4. Add another glug/squeeze of oil and add the chicken to the pan with a pinch of salt, breaking up the chicken while you cook for about 3 minutes until beginning to brown. Add chopped shallots and continue to cook for another 2 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, and pinch of chili flake. Continue to cook for about 30 seconds. Add back in cooked green beans and raw spinach. When spinach is wilted in, stir in sauce. Cook for 20-30 seconds or until sauce has reduced a bit. Remove from heat and stir in basil. 
    5. Heat another pan over medium heat and fry eggs. Season with salt.
    6. Serve over rice and top with fried eggs.

    Thai Basil Chicken:

  • Mango Chile Chicken Rice Bowl

    This dish is amazing and is restaurant quality delicious!

    Recipe adapted from Half Baked Harvest.

    Ingredients:

    Mango Salad

    • 3 mangos, diced
    • 2 Mini Persian cucumbers, chopped
    • 1 Serrano or jalapeño pepper, seeded and diced
    • 1/2 c. fresh cilantro chopped
    • 3 TBSP fresh mint, chopped
    • 3 TBSP fresh basil, chopped
    • 2 green onions, chopped
    • 2 TBSP olive oil
    • 2 TBSP apple cider vinegar
    • 2 TBSP lime juice
    • Salt, to taste

    Chicken

    • 1 1/2 lbs. chicken breasts, thinly sliced
    • 1 1/2 TBSP cornstarch
    • 2 TBSP olive oil
    • 1/4 c. Thai red curry paste
    • 1 TBSP fish sauce
    • 6 TBSP salted butter
    • 3-4 cloves garlic, chopped
    • chili flakes
    • 3-4 cups cooked rice

    Mango Salad Directions:

    1. Combine the mango, cucumbers, serrano pepper, cilantro, basil, and green onions in a bowl. Toss with olive oil, vinegar, lime juice, and season with salt.

    Chicken Directions:

    1. In a bowl, toss together the chicken and cornstarch.
    2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
    3. Add the Thai red curry paste and cook 1-2 minutes, until fragrant.
    4. Add the chicken and toss to coat in the curry paste. Cook until the chicken becomes crispy, about 8 minutes.
    5. Remove from the heat and add the fish sauce.
    6. Meanwhile, in a small skillet melt together the butter, garlic, and a pinch of chili flakes. Cook until the butter is browning and the garlic crisps.
    7. Spoon the chicken over the bowls of rice. Pour the garlic chili butter over the chicken. Top with the mango salad. Enjoy!

    Mango Chile Chicken Rice Bowls:

  • Crunchy Tofu Roll Bowls

    These bowl is absolutely delicious and perfect for summer dinners. It’s also comes together very quickly.

    Adapted from Pinch of Yum

    Ingredients:

    • 1 block of extra firm tofu, for Crispy Baked Tofu
    • 1/2 c. teriyaki sauce, such as Soy Vay
    • 1 c. uncooked white or brown rice
    • 2 c. frozen shelled edamame
    • 1 cucumber, chopped
    • 1 avocado, chopped
    • 1 jalapeno, chopped or sliced
    • 1/2 c. crunchy fried onions
    • Mixed lettuce
    • Spicy mayo (see below) or Yum Yum Sauce (see below)
    • Sriracha

    Spicy Mayo: 1/4 – 1/2 c. mayo plus 2-3 TBSP of sriracha, mix and adjust to your taste.

    Yum Yum Sauce: 1 c. mayo, 1 TBSP sugar (or to taste), 3 TBSP rice wine vinegar, 3/4 tsp. smoked paprika, 1/2 tsp. garlic powder, and sriracha, if desired; mix and adjust to your taste.

    Directions:

    1. Tofu: prepare Crispy Baked Tofu and then toss with teriyaki sauce (if you want a thicker sauce, simmer the sauce for a few minutes before tossing with the tofu).
    2. Rice: prepare rice according to package.
    3. Edamame: prepare edamame according to package.
    4. Assemble: in a bowl/plate, add mixed lettuce and rice; top with tofu, edamame, cucumber, jalapeno, avocado, crunchy onions, and add spicy mayo or yum yum sauce and top with additional sriracha, if desired.

    Crunchy Tofu Roll Bowls: