Beef Larb (Thai Beef Salad with Herbs)

Click here to print the recipe

The signs of fall have not been seen a lot in my part of the world. Here in sunny northern CA the afternoons are still warm, summer dresses are still making appearance everywhere, and our local farmers market are still keeping with their Saturday schedule. 

Instead of being outside enjoying the last of the summer, I am currently sick with this terrible cough (my chest hurts!). It is very annoying as I can't even finish one sentence without hacking like a mad old woman speaking in tongue. 

Sickness aside, the offspring still need to be fed. Beef larb is one of the dishes that I can whip up quickly, without sacrificing the quality or the flavors of the meal.

It has good balance of heat from the chili, tartness from the lime juice, pungent and saltiness from the fish oil, and nuttiness from the toasted rice powder. And the best part, no trip to the Asian store required.

Side note: 

1. Skirt steak can also be substituted with ground beef. Cook and brown ground beef in a skillet, cool down and mix with the rest of the ingredients.

2. Substitute beef with any meat, like chicken, pork, or turkey.

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoon uncooked sticky rice (regular rice is ok if you can't find sticky rice)
• 1 lb skirt steak
• 1/2 red onion, slice thinly
• 1 cup packed cilantro
• 1 cup packed mint leaves
• 1/2 to 1 tablespoon red chili flakes
• 2 teaspoons fish sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
• Juice from 1 large lime (3-4 tbsp)
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

• To make the toasted rice powder: Heat a small skillet over medium-low heat, toss the rice into the skillet (no oil), stir constantly until the rice turns golden brown and smell fragrant (about 15 minutes). Cool down a little bit and grind using mortar and pestle until rice turns into coarse powder. Food processor works fine, too. Set aside.
• Spinkle salt and pepper on both side of the steak. Grill steak to your liking, let sit for 15 minutes and slice thinly. Transfer to a mixing bowl.
• Add onion, cilantro, mint leaves, fish sauce, lime juice, chili flakes, sugar, rice powder, salt and pepper into the bowl. Toss together to combine, making sure that the beef is well coated with spices and dressing. Dish it out onto a plate, serve with cooked sticky rice and enjoy!

SaveSave

Southwest Style Pasta Salad

Click here to print the recipe

Because if memory serves me right, everybody loves pasta salad. Especially now that the weather is warming up nicely in this good Northern CA. Did I hear someone say picnic?

And to be able to bring fresh, zesty, and healthy dish to the table that can be prepared in 30 minutes or less, now that's just the icing on the cake!

Ingredients:

• 12 ounces dry mini farfalle pasta, cooked al dente per package instructions
• 1 can sweet corn kernels, rinsed and drained
• 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can capellini beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 large red pepper, diced
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 cup packed cilantro, chopped
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
• 2 teaspoons brown sugar
• 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1/2 teaspoon ancho chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin powder
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

• Place the first 8 ingredients in a large salad bowl.
• Whisk together oil, lime juice, brown sugar, garlic, chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper until well incorporated. 
• Pour dressing over pasta and vegetables (you might not want to use all of the dressing), toss to combine, serve and enjoy!

Brown Rice Apple Slaw

Click here to print the recipe

One of the things I learned about food blogging: it takes a lot of time.

I have been doing a terrible job in posting new things lately, but life doesn't always allow me to take my sweet moments with my blog.

My days pass in a blink of an eye. I'm running from one appointment to another, constantly looking at my cellphone to check the boys' schedules, drop them off, pick them up, then brief stops at the grocery store to prepare something quick for dinner.

Taking food pictures? That is not happening very often lately.

But I'm trying.

Taking my time to cook something new and tasty, posing the end results for nice pictures, and sitting in front of the computer to display them, for me, it's therapeutic.

So, kudos to all of food blogger moms out there, who seem to always manage to juggle it all. I don't know how you do it, but I envy you.

What I managed to prepare for dinner (well, side dish is more appropriate, but if you're counting calories, this works great as main dish, too), is brown rice apple slaw with almonds and crispy onion.

And without mayo-based dressing, it means you can enjoy this as much as you want.

Ingredients:

• 1 small onion
• Oil for frying onion
• 1 cup cooked brown rice
• 2 fuji apples, julienned
• 2 cups shredded red cabbage
• 1 cup microgreens (any kind you like)
• 1/4 cup sliced roasted almonds
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon stone ground mustard
• 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 3 tablespoons honey

Directions:

• Peel and slice the onion thinly, fry in the hot oil until brown and crispy. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towel to absorb the excess oil. Cool down completely. If you are not using it immediately, store in the airtight container.
• Combine olive oil, mustard, vinegar, and honey in a bowl. Whisk until well combined. Set aside.
• Mix rice, cabbage, apple, and microgreens in a large salad bowl. Pour the dressing over the vegetables and toss. Store in the refrigerator to chill. Sprinkle with almonds and crispy onion before serving.

Fennel Citrus Salad with Honey Mint Dressing

Click here to print the recipe

Fennel and citrus salad with honey mint dressing.

To me, it's such a great respite from whatever not-so-healthy food I've been consuming lately.

Let's face the fact, I have not paid much attention to my diet. I let things slide from time to time, and indulged in greasy, or sweet goodness more than I care to admit.

And then there was yesterday. An event where little C graduated from Cub Scout and is moving on to Boy Scout, the Blue and Gold dinner.

Where the dinner menu included fried chicken and pulled pork sliders, some pasta and salad. And also the whole array of dessert on the table. I hit my new low. I was no longer holding on for dear life to a healthy wagon, I fell off of it and landed in a fatty puddle. 

My body just can't cope with it anymore. What the heck was I thinking?

The next day I became sluggish. I spent the majority of my day laying down on the coach, soaking in self-loathe. The house was a total mess, but I didn't care.

I dragged myself to get up and tried to do my best to (at least) look alive. I was really forcing myself to take a shower and get dressed.

But I managed to peered into my refrigerator and found 2 fennel bulbs. I also had 2 oranges. And some mint leaves. It took me 5 minutes to make the salad, and that was what I needed.

That. Was. Exactly. What. I. Needed. 

Life, invigorated!

Maybe I will make more of this and it will be my meals for the next 2 days.

Ingredients:

• 2 fennel bulbs, cut vertically in half, then slice thinly
• 2 navel oranges (or use any kind of sweet citrus you want), peeled and sliced
• 1 tablespoon fresh mint, minced
• 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 3 tablespoons lime juice
• 2 tablespoons chopped pistachio 

Directions:

• Whisk mint, ginger, honey, and lime in a bowl until well combined. 
• Arrange fennel and orange slices in a salad bowl. Drizzle the dressing over the salad. Toss to coat.
• Divide salad into individual plates. Sprinkle with chopped pistachio before serving.

Serves 4 - 6

Green Papaya Salad (Som Tam) with Grilled Squid and Shrimp

Click here to print the recipe

So we've been cooking quite a bit of chicken dishes lately, as shown in the last 5 or 6 entries of this blog. Time to move on to something different.

Green papaya salad, as you would suspect, is healthy, light, and refreshing. Add squid and shrimp to the salad, and you got yourself a complete lunch you won't feel guilty about.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups shredded/julienned green papaya*
• 1 medium carrot, shredded/julienned
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1-5 red Thai chiles (depending on how spicy you want your salad to be)
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, plus 1 tablespoons for squid and shrimp
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce (Nam Pla)
• 2 tablespoons palm sugar (use brown sugar for substitute)
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
• 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
• 3 tablespoons fried onions
• 3 tablespoons cracked peanuts
• 10 medium sized shrimp, shelled, tail still intact
• 10 pieces of squid, cleaned
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

• Place shrimp on 2 skewers, and squid on another 2 skewers. Mix olive oil with 1 tablespoon lime juice and brush over squid and shrimp. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill until done (squid will cook very quick, do not over cook), cool down. Remove seafood from skewers. Set aside.
• Place green papaya, carrot, and tomatoes in a large salad bowl. Using a mortar, crush red chile peppers and garlic into a paste. Add lime juice, sugar, fish sauce, and whisk together until combined. Pour the dressing over salad, toss together to combine. 
• Separate salad into individual plates. Sprinkle with cilantro, basil, fried onions, and cracked peanuts. Serve with grilled squid and shrimp.

* I found that the best method to do this is by using a mandolin (which frankly, I both love and hate!). Large cheese grater doesn't produce the beautiful noodle-like look I was aiming for. If your mandolin doesn't have small julienne attachment, simply slice your papaya thinly and proceed to julienne using a sharp knife. It takes time but it's worth the effort.

Make sure you wear hand protection (thick glove, etc) when operating mandolin. This bugger is the most dangerous kitchen item I own. Lost skin on my knuckles many times, no thanks to it!

Serve 4 as main dish

Cucumber Salad with Cilantro Lime Honey Dressing

Click here to print the recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 large cucumbers
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro 
• Juice from 1 medium sized lime, about 4 tablespoons
• 4 tablespoons honey
• 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
• 1 teaspoon whole mustard seeds
• Salt

Directions:

• Slice the cucumber thinly (use a sharp knife or a mandolin). Transfer cucumber slices in a large colander, add about 1 tablespoon of salt, mix thoroughly. Place colander in the kitchen sink and leave it for 30 minutes to allow the excess water from the cucumber to drain. Rinse the cucumber with cold water and lay them on paper towel.
• In mixing bowl, whisk together lime juice, honey, cilantro, red chili flakes, and mustard seeds until well mixed. Add cucumber into the dressing and toss together.
• Keep salad in the refrigerator for about 1 hour to marinate before serving.

Mediterranean Quinoa Salad with Grilled Cumin Chicken

Click here to print the recipe

Our little journey to healthier living continues....

Now that you found this recipe, there is only one thing for you to do: run to the kitchen and start cooking this.

Believe me, you won't be sorry.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup raw quinoa
• 1 large cucumber; quartered lengthwise, remove the soft core, slice each quarter crosswise into 1/2" strips
• 1 large ripe but firm tomato; quartered, remove the core, and slice each quarter crosswise into 1/2" strips
• 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon capers
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 2 boneless chicken breast
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

• Rinse quinoa under running water and drain. Place in a saucepan with 1 cup of water and bring to boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat to the lowest setting, cover the saucepan and continue cooking for about 10 minutes. Turn off the heat, let the quinoa stand covered for about 5 minutes.   Fluff with fork and cool completely.
• Add cooked quinoa, cucumber, tomato, red onion, capers, feta cheese, oregano, garlic, lemon juice and olive oil into a large salad bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Toss until combine and store in refrigerator while you're grilling the chicken.
• Wash the chicken breasts and pat dry with paper towel. Season both sides of chicken breast with ground cumin, salt and pepper. Cook the breasts on the grill, 5-7 minutes on each side, or until the center is no longer pink and the chicken is cooked through. 
• Transfer the chicken breasts to a cutting board and slice. Place salad and chicken slices in individual plates and serve.

Jicama and Grapefruit Salad

Click here to print the recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
• Salt and pepper 
• 2 cup shredded red cabbage
• 1 cup shredded jicama
• 1/2 cup shredded carrots
• 3 tablespoons chopped mint leaves
• Segments from 2 large grapefruits
• 1/4 cup candied walnuts, chopped

Directions:

• In a medium glass bowl, mix together the first 4 ingredients to make the dressing. Set aside.
• In a large salad bowl, combine cabbage, carrots, jicama and mint leaves. Add the dressing and toss until well combined. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to individual salad plates, top with grapefruit segments and chopped candied walnuts.

Frisee Salad with Papaya and Candied Walnuts

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups raw walnut, shelled
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon red chile flakes
• 2 papayas, slightly firm
• 1 big bunch of frisee (curly endive)

Dressing:

• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
• 2 tablespoons minced green onion
• 1 tablespoon minced ginger
• 1/4 cup Japanese rice vinegar, unseasoned
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons dark sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon Sriracha or Sambal Oelek

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Bring 1 quart of water to a boil. Add the walnuts and boil for 5 minutes. Drain. Return the saucepan to the stove and add sugar, 2 tablespoons of water, and the chile flakes. Stir the nuts until all the liquid disappears. Spread the nuts on a lined baking sheet, and place it in the preheated oven. Roast for about 15 minutes, turning them over after 7 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool down. Transfer to a airtight container or plastic bag.
• Using vegetable peeler, peel the papayas, scrape off the seeds, and cut the papayas lengthwise into a 1/4-inch thick slices. Refrigerate.
• Cut off the bottom of frisee, wash and separate the leaves. In a small bowl, combine all of the ingredients for the dressing. Stir until well mixed.
• On 4 salad plates, place the frisee in the center. Arrange papaya slices on top of the leaves. Stir and drizzle the dressing over the frisee and papaya. Top the salad with some candied walnuts. Serve immediately.

Note: Recipe is adapted from Hugh Carpenter and Teri Sandison's Hot Vegetables cookbook.

Spicy Fruit Slaw

Summer a-coming! Fruit slaw is a delightful companion for your summer barbeque without adding too much calories to your meal. The fruits in this recipe can be substituted with any kind of firm fruits.

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar (packed)
• 1 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 teaspoon fish sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 firm mango, peeled and julienned
• 1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded, and julienned
• 1 large Fuji apple, peeled and julienned
• Salt to taste

Directions:

In a large bowl, whisk together the first 5 ingredients; add fruits and toss gently to coat. Season with salt to taste. Serve immediately.

Spicy Jicama and Red Pepper Salad

Ingredients:

• 1 pound fresh Jicama, peeled and julienned
• 5 sweet baby red peppers, seeded and juliened
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Mix together Jicama, red peppers, cilantro, cayenne pepper and salt in a large bowl. Sprinkle lime juice and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.