Tuesday, October 28, 2025

Pad Thai


Ingredients

14 ounce flat rice noodles
6 Tablespoons oil
6 cloves garlic, minced
1.5lb uncooked chicken, cut into small pieces
4 eggs
2 cups fresh bean sprouts
2 red bell peppers, thinly sliced
6 green onions, chopped
2 cups shredded cabbage
1 cup dry roasted peanuts
4 limes
1 cup Fresh cilantro, chopped

SAUCE:
6 Tablespoons fish sauce
2 Tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
7 Tablespoons light brown sugar
4 Tablespoons rice vinegar
2 Tablespoon Sriracha hot sauce, or more, to taste
6 Tablespoons creamy peanut butter

Instructions
  1. Cook noodles according to package instructions, just until tender. Rinse under cold water.
  2. Make sauce by combining sauce ingredients in a bowl. Set aside.
  3. Stir Fry:: Heat a few tablespoons of oil in a wok or large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the chopped chicken, garlic and bell pepper. Cook chicken until just cooked through, about 3-4 minutes, flipping only once.
  4. Push everything to the side of the pan. Add a little more oil and add the beaten eggs. Scramble the eggs, breaking them into small pieces with a spatula as they cook.
  5. Add noodles, sauce, bean sprouts, cabbage, and peanuts to the wok (reserving some peanuts for topping at the end). Toss everything to combine.
  6. Garnish the top with green onions, extra peanuts, cilantro and lime wedges. Serve immediately!
  7. Store leftovers in the fridge and enjoy within 2-3 days.

Sunday, October 26, 2025

Julia Child's Clafoutis



Ingredients
  • 1.25 cups milk
  • 2/3 cups sugar, divided
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 tbsp vanilla
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup flour (for GF: half almond, half GF)
  • 3 cups blueberries or pitted cherries
  • Powdered sugar for garnish

Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Using a blender, combine the milk, 1/3 cup sugar, eggs, vanilla, salt and flour, and blend.
  3. Lightly butter an 8-cup baking dish, and pour a 1/4-inch layer of the blended mixture over the bottom. Set remaining batter aside.
  4. Place dish into the oven for about 7-10 minutes, until a film of batter sets in the pan but the mixture is not baked through. Remove from oven (but don’t turn the oven off, yet).
  5. Distribute the pitted cherries over the set batter in the pan, then sprinkle with the remaining sugar. Pour the remaining batter over the cherries and sugar.
  6. Bake in the preheated oven for 45 to 60 minutes, until the clafouti is puffed and brown and a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.
  7. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve warm.
  8. Servings: 6-8 for dessert, 4 for breakfast.

Thursday, September 4, 2025

lettuce wraps

https://damndelicious.net/2014/05/30/pf-changs-chicken-lettuce-wraps/


Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound ground protein (pork, chicken, or turkey)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, diced
¼ cup hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
1 tablespoon sriracha, optional
1 (8-ounce) can whole water chestnuts, drained and diced
2 green onions, thinly sliced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 head butter lettuce
Brown rice as side

Instructions
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. 
Add ground protein and cook until browned, about 3-5 minutes, crumble as it cooks; drain excess fat.
Stir in garlic, onion, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, ginger and Sriracha until onions have become translucent, about 1-2 minutes.
Stir in chestnuts and green onions until tender, about 1-2 minutes
season with salt and pepper, to taste.

To serve, spoon several tablespoons of the mixture into the center of a lettuce leaf, taco-style.
Serve with rice


Tuesday, September 2, 2025

Lemon Cookies

https://www.sweetestmenu.com/easy-lemon-cookies/#tasty-recipes-12221
These adapted beautifully with gluten free flour


Makes about 20 cookies

INGREDIENTS
1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 3/4 cup all purpose flour OR Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1:1 flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed
Zest of 1 lemon, freshly grated

Lemon glaze:
icing sugar
lemon juice


INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 350
In stand mixer beat butter and sugar on medium speed until pale and creamy
Add vanilla and egg, beat again
Sift in flour, baking soda, salt
Add lemon juice and zest
Beat briefly to combine
Use cookie scoop to make into balls
Bake at 350 for 15+ minutes, when edges just start to change color . . . they crisp up fast so check them early if you want them softer
Transfer to wire rack to cool

Lemon glaze: Sift icing sugar into mixing bowl then add lemon juice until desired consistency




Thursday, August 21, 2025

Coconut rice instant pot


https://littlespicejar.com/5-ingredient-instant-pot-coconut-rice/

Ingredients

2 cups jasmine rice
1 cup unsweetened (full fat) coconut milk
1 ½ cups water
½ - ¾ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
toasted coconut, optional (for topping)


Instructions
RINSE: 
Rinse the rice thoroughly under cold running water until the water runs completely clear, drain; set aside.
PREP: 
In a bowl, combine the coconut milk, water, salt, and sugar, mix well.
COOK: 
Add the jasmine rice to the pressure cooker. 
Pour the prepared liquid over the rice, close the lid and make sure the vent is sealed. 
Cook the rice on manual ‘high’ pressure for 5 minutes and allow the rice to have a 10-minute natural pressure release. 
After the 10 minutes of natural pressure release, release any remaining steam by turning the knob to 'vent' and fluff the rice using a fork. 
Top with toasted coconut flake and serve warm!

Peanut tofu with coconut cilantro rice

https://www.noracooks.com/peanut-buddha-bowl/

Also see NYTimes variation HERE (adds green onions, red peppers, arugula)


Crispy Baked Tofu
▢(2) 14-ounce blocks extra-firm tofu, pressed
▢3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce (tamari for gluten free)
▢2 tablespoons cornstarch

Coconut Rice (instant pot recipe here)
▢2-3 cups uncooked white basmati or jasmine rice
▢1 can full fat coconut milk
▢add whatever water equals 1:1 ratio with rice (plus a little extra water)
▢1/2 tsp salt
▢1-2 tbsp sugar

Peanut Sauce
▢1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
▢1 cup full fat coconut milk
▢2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce (tamari for gluten free)
▢2 tablespoons maple syrup
▢2 teaspoons fresh grated ginger
▢2 garlic cloves, minced
▢2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (about 1 lime)

Optional for serving
▢chopped cilantro, peanuts, red bell pepper
▢steamed kale or broccoli

Instructions

TOFU:
Press the tofu by wrapping in paper towels. Place a plate or pan on top of the wrapped tofu, and put a couple of heavy books on top of that. Let the tofu press for at least 30 minutes if possible and up to an hour. (Skip this step by purchasing firm tofu in a vacuum pack.)
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. 
Slice the tofu into 2 inch squares or rectangles and place in a large bowl. 
Drizzle on the soy sauce and toss gently to combine. 
Sprinkle on the cornstarch and toss to combine, gently (I always use my hands.)
Spray/brush the parchment paper with oil. 
Arrange the tofu pieces evenly on the pan, brush/spray the tops lightly with oil and bake for 25 minutes until crispy and lightly golden brown.
 
RICE: 
See recipe here
RINSE:
Rinse the rice thoroughly under cold running water until the water runs completely clear, drain; set aside.
PREP:
In a bowl, combine the coconut milk, water, salt, and sugar, mix well.
COOK:
Add the rice to the pressure cooker.
Pour the prepared liquid over the rice, close the lid and make sure the vent is sealed.
Cook the rice on manual ‘high’ pressure for 5 minutes and allow the rice to have a 10-minute natural pressure release.
After the 10 minutes of natural pressure release, release any remaining steam by turning the knob to 'vent' and fluff the rice using a fork.


PEANUT SAUCE:
In a large pan, add all the sauce ingredients and turn the heat to medium. 
Stir constantly, until smooth and creamy, about 5-10 minutes.
When the tofu is done baking, carefully add it to the pan with the sauce, and stir to coat the tofu pieces.
Serve immediately over the coconut rice, sprinkling peanuts and cilantro on top, if desired.

Thai peanut noodles

https://www.noracooks.com/peanut-noodles/
Peanut sauce
▢1/2 cup natural peanut butter
▢1/2 cup water
▢1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce or tamari for gluten free
▢2 cloves garlic, minced
▢2 tablespoons fresh lime juice or rice vinegar
▢3 tablespoons agave or brown sugar
▢1 teaspoon Sriracha hot sauce

The rest
▢8 ounces rice noodles
▢optional: 1 cup shelled edamame
▢1/2 cup chopped cucumbers 
▢1 cup shredded carrots
▢1 red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
▢2 green onions, chopped
▢1/4 cup chopped cilantro
▢1/4 cup chopped peanuts


Instructions
Peanut Sauce: In a small/medium bowl, whisk together all sauce ingredients until smooth. Set aside.

Prepare the noodles: Cook your noodles of choice according to the package instructions, then drain.

Combine: To a large bowl, add the cooked noodles, along with the edamame, vegetables and peanuts. Pour in the peanut sauce and stir well. Serve immediately with lime wedges, hot sauce, more chopped peanuts and cilantro, as desired. Enjoy!