Tuscan-style sautéed Swiss chard with bacon and chick peas

This is an easy recipe with surprisingly complex flavors: https://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-swiss-chard-with-garbanzo-beans-249801. The crunch of the Swiss chard steps reminded us of celery without the sharp flavor. Our modifications: first, based on our pantry, we used bacon instead of pancetta. Specifically, we cut frozen, center-cut bacon into matchsticks (3 cross sectional slabs). Second, towards the end of…… Continue reading Tuscan-style sautéed Swiss chard with bacon and chick peas

Filipino sauteed bean thread noodles with vegetables and smoked tofu (pancit)

I first had pancit during college, when a Filipina-American friend made a huge batch for a potluck. Today we had a craving for a plant-forward version, so we decided to try this recipe: https://www.lifesambrosia.com/grandmas-pancit-recipe/ Unfortunately, we found the seasoning (1 Tbsp soy sauce, salt and pepper) too one-note, so we also took some seasoning tips…… Continue reading Filipino sauteed bean thread noodles with vegetables and smoked tofu (pancit)

Peruvian-Chinese fried rice with asparagus and egg whites (arroz chaufa blanco)

We first encountered a dish called chaufa blanco at Pisco y Nazca Peruvian restaurant, and we were blown away. Also called arroz chaufa blanco, it refers to fried rice seasoned without soy sauce. The Pisco y Nazca version featured only asparagus and egg whites, and it was not heavily seasoned except for toasted sesame oil.…… Continue reading Peruvian-Chinese fried rice with asparagus and egg whites (arroz chaufa blanco)

Filipino sour soup with minced pork and vegetables (sinigang na baboy)

We have been in search of recipes to help us clean out our fridge, freezer, and pantry. We followed this recipe, but adjusted the meat and vegetables: https://www.thekitchn.com/sinigang-recipe-23687279. Our modifications: first, instead of 1.5 lb bone-in pork, we used 1/2 lb minced pork. Second, for the tomatoes we used 1/2 cup grape tomatoes, each cut…… Continue reading Filipino sour soup with minced pork and vegetables (sinigang na baboy)

Minced turkey and vegetable soup

We had a craving for a vegetable-heavy soup with minced meat, so we tried this recipe: https://www.sandravalvassori.com/ground-turkey-soup/ For the vegetables, we used: carrots, celery, onion; Yukon potatoes (skin on), fresh tomatoes (see below); and fresh corn off the cob and baby spinach. This was a delicious and relatively healthy soup. Our modifications: first, instead of…… Continue reading Minced turkey and vegetable soup

Roasted beet, orange, and arugula salad

We made this recipe for a BBQ hosted by good friends: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1015857-beet-orange-and-arugula-salad?smid=ck-recipe-iOS-share. It was easy to prepare ahead of time as components (roasted and dressed beets, orange segments, dressing, arugula, and walnuts) that we later assembled at our friends’ home. Our modifications: first, we found the dressing bland and too oily (see Note below). It…… Continue reading Roasted beet, orange, and arugula salad

Vietnamese-style shredded cabbage salad with fried tofu

We decided to make this for a light lunch: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/12372-vietnamese-inspired-cabbage-salad-with-tofu?smid=ck-recipe-iOS-share Our modifications: first, we halved the amount of cabbage (to 3 cups shredded) and the salad dressing. At the same time, we maintained the original amounts of extra firm tofu, carrot, and peanut. Second, for the extra firm tofu, we followed a method from SkinnyTaste…… Continue reading Vietnamese-style shredded cabbage salad with fried tofu

Sheet-pan chicken tikka with bell pepper, cauliflower, and shallots

We found this recipe intriguing and decided to give it a try: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1025554-sheet-pan-chicken-tikka-thighs?smid=ck-recipe-iOS-share This was remarkably flavorful, with great mouthfeel; it’s definitely a keeper. Our modifications: first, 1.25 lb was the smallest unit of boneless chicken thighs we could find, so we slightly rounded up the other ingredients. For the yogurt, we used Fage nonfat…… Continue reading Sheet-pan chicken tikka with bell pepper, cauliflower, and shallots

Filipino sauteed bean thread noodles with vegetables (sotanghon guisado)

We were in search of a vegetable-heavy Filipino dish, so we tried this wonderful, healthy recipe for sotanghon guisado by Filipino-American food blogger Liza Agbanlog. Although her recipe calls for 2 chicken thighs, we used 6 oz smoked pressed tofu (specifically, Kong Kee brand in a red and white label), patted bone dry, and cut…… Continue reading Filipino sauteed bean thread noodles with vegetables (sotanghon guisado)