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Posts Tagged ‘asian’

  1. Crock Pot Honey Sesame Chicken

    March 11, 2013 by erinRD

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    I was really excited when I got my assignment for Secret Recipe Club this month. I have been following Heather over at Fit Mama Real Food since before she had her adorable son Hunter. Our little boys are just about a month apart so it’s fun to see how he is growing and changing compared to my little guy and of course, I love seeing her recipes! They are always easy and healthy which is exactly what I’m looking for while trying to wrangle a crawling baby who is more interested in the dog, the outlets and the computer wires than his 1573180 toys! :)

    1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
    Salt and pepper
    1/2 cup honey
    1/4 cup soy sauce, low-sodium
    1 onion, small, diced
    2 Tablespoons ketchup
    1 Tablespoon sesame oil
    2 cloves garlic, minced
    1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
    1 Tablespoon cornstarch
    2 Tablespoons sesame seeds

    Directions:
    1. Season both sides of chicken with lightly with salt and pepper, put into crock pot.
    2. In a small bowl, combine honey, soy sauce, onion, ketchup, oil, garlic and pepper flakes. Pour over chicken.
    3. Cook on low for 3-4 hours or on high 1 1/2 – 2 1/2 hours, or just until chicken is cooked through.
    4. Remove chicken from crock pot, leave sauce. Whisk in the cornstarch to combine with sauce. Replace lid and cook sauce on high for ten more minutes or until slightly thickened.
    5. Cut chicken into bite size pieces, then return to pot and toss with sauce before serving. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve over jasmine or brown rice (not included in nutritional info). Serves 4.

    Taste Test: Easy and super delicious! This is one recipe that I am saving for a quick and healthy weeknight meal!

    Enjoy!



    Category Chicken, Crockpot | Tags: ,,,,,,,, | 11 Comments

  2. Meatless Monday: Tofu Pad Thai

    September 24, 2012 by erinRD

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    My husband makes fun of me because when we go to a Thai restaurant, I usually end up ordering Pad Thai. This is the closest I have gotten to recreating it at home!

    Adapted from Import Foods

    Sauce:
    1/4 cup sugar
    1/4 cup fish sauce
    1 Tablespoon Tamarind
    2 Tablespoons Sriracha
    Noodles:
    2 eggs lightly beaten
    1 Tablespoon shallot
    1 clove garlic, minced
    1 cup diced firm tofu
    8 ounces rice noodles
    1/4 cup plus 2 Tablespoons water
    1 cup fresh bean sprouts
    1/4 cup green onions
    1 Tablespoon sugar
    2 Tablespoons chopped roasted peanut
    2 Tablespoons peanut oil, divided
    1 lime, cut into slices
    Directions:
    1. Soak the rice stick noodle in hot tap water for about 15 minutes, leave in water until you are ready to use.
    2. Heat 1 Tablespoon of oil in a wok at medium-high heat. Add egg and cook it quickly, scrambling into small pieces. Remove and set aside.
    3. Add 1 Tablespoon of oil to the wok. Add shallot, garlic and tofu and fry until aromatic.
    4. Increase the heat of your wok. Add a handful of soaked noodles followed with water. Stir-fry this mixture for about 5-6 minutes. The noodles will start to get soft.
    5. Add 1/4 cup of Pad Thai Sauce and mix well. Add sugar, cooked egg, bean sprouts and green onions. Stir well for another 1-2 minutes until everything blends together.
    6. Turn off heat, transfer to serving plate with lime, roasted peanuts, and more bean sprout on the side. Serves 4.
    Taste Test: Delicious! This is the first time I made Pad Thai with Tamarind and it gives the dish a fantastic flavor. I could not find this in stores so I searched online for it.
    Enjoy!

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  3. Asian Pork with Mushrooms (Crockpot)

    February 10, 2012 by erinRD

    Adapted from Gina’s Skinny Recipes

    1 lb lean boneless pork sirloin roast
    kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper
    Non-stick oil spray
    1 cup low-sodium fat-free chicken broth
    1/2 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
    1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
    3 Tablespoons sugar
    1 teaspoon sesame oil
    pinch red pepper flakes
    1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
    1/4 teaspoon cloves
    3 cloves crushed garlic
    1 Tablespoon fresh grated ginger root
    8 oz sliced mushrooms
    1/2 cup carrots, shredded
    1 cup baby spinach
    1 box Soba noodles

    For topping:
    1/4 cup chopped scallions
    1/4 cup chopped cilantro
    2 Tablespoons Sesame seeds

    Directions:
    1. Season pork on all side with salt and fresh cracked pepper. Heat a skillet on medium-high heat, spray with a little oil and brown the pork on all sides for about 7 – 8 minutes.
    2. In the crock pot, combine the broth, soy sauce, balsamic, sugar, sesame oil, red pepper flakes, spices, garlic and ginger; add the pork and set the slow cooker to 8 hours on low.
    3. Thirty minutes before the timer goes off, remove the pork and set aside to rest a few minutes; add the mushrooms and carrots to the crock pot, cover and cook on low for 30 minutes.
    4. Meanwhile, shred the pork using two forks.
    5. Add the shredded pork to the crock pot and mix well. If adding baby spinach, add at the end and cover a few minutes until it wilts. Garnish with toppings. Serves 6.

    Taste Test: So delicious! The meat was so tender and juicy! Wholesome Husband made a comment that we eat a lot of Asian and Mexican food – nothing wrong with that! He also thought this was one of the best crockpot recipes that I’ve made!

    I tried these new crock pot liners. This box was about $1.50 for 4 liners. They really make clean up easy! Love it!

    Enjoy and Happy Weekend!!

     

    Category Uncategorized | Tags: ,,,, | 1 Comment

  4. Asian Slaw

    September 12, 2011 by erinRD

    Wholesome Husband and I frequently go to this amazing restaurant and winery called Coopers Hawk. They have the most delicious Asian Slaw there and it’s usually the highlight of the meal! For a Labor Day BBQ, I thought I could try to recreate it and bring it to the BBQ!

    Ingredients

    Slaw
    1 small red cabbage, thinly sliced or shredded
    1 small Napa cabbage, thinly sliced or shredded
    2 carrots shredded
    1 red bell pepper, sliced thinly
    1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
    1/4 cup red onion, minced

    Dressing
    1/4 cup sesame oil
    2 Tablespoons rice vinegar
    1 1/2 Tablespoon sugar
    1 1/2 Tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
    2 cloves garlic, minced
    1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
    1 lime, juiced
    4 green onions, chopped
    1/4 cup slivered almonds
    2 Tablespoons sesame seeds

    Directions

    1. In large bowl, toss together the slaw ingredients.
    2. In a separate bowl, whisk together dressing ingredients. Stir into slaw ingredients. Garnish with green onions, peanuts and sesame seeds and serve, or allow a couple hours for flavors to marinade before garnishing. Serves 12 at 1/2 cup each.

    Taste Test

    Delicious! The sesame seeds and almonds gave it a great crunch and the dressing was fantastic! Perfect for a BBQ, side salad or add chicken if you want this for a main dish! Yum!

    Category Uncategorized | Tags: ,,,,,, | 2 Comments

  5. Soba Noodle Veggie Stir-Fry

    June 20, 2011 by erinRD

    I hope everyone had a wonderful Father’s Day and weekend! We went to my parents house for a BBQ on Sunday.20110619-071558.jpg

     

    Of course my Dad is being his silly self.

    We tried to go visit Ed’s Dad but they were gone for the day when we arrived but we are going on a weekend long camping trip with them next weekend! Can’t wait!

    Soba Noodle Veggie Stir-Fry
    Adapted from Brown Eyed Baker

    12 ounces buckwheat soba noodles
    2 Tablespoon sesame oil
    2 red bell peppers, seeded and thinly sliced
    2 cup shredded napa cabbage
    1 cup broccoli florets
    1/2 cup carrots, shredded
    1 sweet onion, diced
    2 sticks fresh lemon grass, diced
    2 garlic cloves, minced
    2 Tablespoons minced fresh ginger
    4 scallions, sliced thinly
    ½ cup almond slivers
    2 Tablespoons sesame seeds

    For the Sauce:
    3 Tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
    2 Tablespoons soy sauce
    1 Tablespoon cornstarch
    2 Tablespoons Thai chili sauce

    Directions:
    1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add a pinch of salt. Add the soba noodles and cook until just tender, about 10 minutes. Drain, rinse with water and set aside.


    2. In a large sauté pan or wok, heat a splash of sesame oil over medium-high heat. Add the cabbage, red pepper, carrots and broccoli and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the garlic, onion, lemon grass and ginger and continue to sauté for an additional 1 to 5 minutes, until desired crispness.
    3. Remove vegetables from heat, add the noodles, and toss with the scallions, slivered almonds and sesame seeds.
    4. To make the sauce, whisk the ingredients together. Pour over the stir fry mixture, and toss to coat. Serve immediately. Serves 6.

    Nutrition Notes: This dish is vegan and gluten free if you sub out the soy sauce for liquid aminos or another substitute. I used fresh lemon grass for the first time in this recipe and it was delicious! Chinatown in Chicago is not too far from where I work and so the grocery stores in the area sell a lot of traditional Chinese, Thai and Asian foods!

    Lemon grass looks a little scary at first (1 foot + stalk!) but it’s really easy to use. Just peel off the tougher outer layers. They peel away easily. These are usually more bitter and not as soft. Cut off about 1 1/2 – 2 inches at each end and then cut into little pieces – the size of scallions – if you were to use those in a recipe.

    Super easy and adds a lot of flavor to the dish, not to mention health benefits! In traditional Chinese medicine, they used lemon grass to treat cold and flu symptoms, fevers, headaches, abdominal pain and other stomach conditions, arthritis, fungal conditions. Pretty interesting!

    Taste Test: This is one of my favorite stir fry’s! You could easily add in tofu or chicken if you wanted to add some protein. The almond slivers are a must in this dish – gives a perfect crunch! So yummy! The soba noodles were also delicious!

    Happy Meatless Monday!

    Category Uncategorized | Tags: ,,,,,,,,,, | 1 Comment

  6. Coconut Chicken Curry (Slow Cooker)

    April 22, 2011 by erinRD

    TGIF!

    Wholesome Husband is a curry fanatic. Every time we go out to an Indian or Asian restaurant, he orders Chicken Curry. I had never made curry until I met him and now I am in love with curry too. This recipe uses fresh veggies and all the classic Indian spices to result in a fantastic dish!

    Coconut Chicken Curry (Slow Cooker)
    Adapted from Tasty Kitchen

    1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into large cubes
    1 whole onion, peeled and halved
    2 cloves garlic, peeled
    1 whole small green bell pepper, seeded and quartered
    1 can (8 ounces) tomato paste
    1 can (15 ounces) light coconut milk
    1 ½ teaspoon salt
    1 Tablespoon curry powder
    1 Tablespoon garam masala
    2 whole dry red chili peppers (optional for extra heat)
    2 Tablespoons water
    1 ½ Tablespoon cornstarch
    1 bunch cilantro

    Directions:
    1. Place chicken cubes inside the slow cooker.
    2. Place the rest of the ingredients (except, cornstarch, water and cilantro) in a food processor bowl or blender and process together until the mix is smooth.
    3. Pour sauce mix on top of the chicken, mix well and close the lid. Cook on low for 6 hours.


    4. An hour before serving, mix together water and cornstarch until the cornstarch is completely disolved. Add to the chicken curry and mix well. Place the lid back on for the rest of the cooking time.
    5. Serve on top of steaming brown jasmine rice. Decorate with lots of chopped cilantro. Serves 4. (nutritional info does not include rice)

    Nutrition Notes: Garam Masala is a mixture of a bunch of different spices that is used in Indian dishes. These spices include ground cumin seeds, coriander seeds, cardamom seeds, black peppercorns, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and sometimes saffron. But the spices in a garam masala vary according to region and personal taste.

    Taste Test: Homemade curry sauce is the way to go! It’s so simple and much better than some stuff you get already prepared. This one is definitely going in the recipe rotation!

    Have a wonderful Easter weekend!

    Be Well,

    Category Uncategorized | Tags: ,,,,,, | No Comments

  7. Tofu Pad Thai

    April 18, 2011 by erinRD

    Wholesome Husband and I didn’t do much this weekend and it was nice. The colder weather returned to Chicago and it was sooo windy. It’s hard to believe that a week ago it was nearing 90 degrees and I was ready to whip out my swim suit and read on the beaches of Lake Michigan.

    But soon enough (2 weeks from Wednesday!!) I’ll be on the beaches of Riviera Maya, margarita in hand with my best friend Patti. We are staying in this paradise of a resort for FREE! Her company sends all of the employees who have been there for 5 years on an all-inclusive trip to Mexico with a +1! So since she’s not romantically involved with anyone at the moment– I’m her date! ;)

    So now that I’ve made you all jealous (hehe :) ) I have another yummy Meatless Monday recipe for you guys!

    Pad Thai is probably one of the most popular Thai dishes in America. It’s really easy to make at home and you can control the amount of oil used and veggies in the dish, so it’s much healthier. All of these ingredients can be found at your local grocery store – just look for the Asian products section!

    Tofu Pad Thai
    Adapted from Eat Drink and Be Merry

    13 ounces brown rice noodles
    4 Tablespoons sesame oil, divided
    2 cloves garlic, minced
    4 shallots, thinly sliced
    14 ounce package firm tofu
    2 eggs, lightly beaten
    1 cup bean sprouts
    2 Tablespoons cilantro, roughly chopped
    3 Tablespoons peanuts, chopped
    3 Tablespoons, green onion chopped
    1 lime, cut into wedges

    Sauce:
    2 limes, juiced
    1/4 cup fish sauce
    1/4 cup soy sauce
    1/4 cup sugar
    2 Tablespoons Asian chili sauce

    Directions:
    1. Cook rice noodles according to packaging directions. (Try to time it so it’s done around the time of the sauce, they tend to clump without a sauce).
    2. Meanwhile, combine all the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl, stir well, and set aside.
    3. Heat 2 Tablespoons oil over high heat. Add the garlic and tofu and transfer to a plate once cooked.
    4. Add remaining 2 Tablespoons oil and eggs, cooking through. Break into small pieces.
    5. Reduce heat to low, add the sauce, noodles, and tofu back to the pan. Toss well to combine.
    6. Add the bean sprouts, scallions, and cilantro. Toss well. Garnish with the chopped peanuts and lime wedges. Serves 4.

    Nutrition Notes: Rice noodles or sticks are a gluten free substitute for traditional pasta for those with gluten intolerances or Celiac disease. But in this traditional Thai dish, rice noodles are always used. Rice noodles don’t have much flavor (kind of like pasta) but they are used more for texture and a medium to soak up all that delicious sauce and bring the veggies to your mouth! Ounce for ounce, regular pasta and rice noodles have the same number of calories and similar carbohydrate measures. Rice noodles are made out of rice flour and water so they don’t have much nutrient content to them but the brown rice version adds more fiber — just like whole wheat pasta!

    Taste Test: This version tastes just as good as the dishes at any Thai restaurant! I used tofu but you could easily use chicken, beef or leave out the main protein altogether – it does include two eggs anyway!

    Enjoy!

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