Banana Pancake with Almond Flour

Recently I’ve been watching my carb intake so I have been on the lookout for low carb recipes. I discovered almond flour which gives the pancake texture without carbs or gluten.

I’ve been making them for breakfast and for a snack before the gym. So yummy!

Banana Pancake with Almond Flour

  • Servings: 2
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients:

  • 1 banana
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 cup almond flour
  • Coconut oil spray

Directions:

  • In a bowl, mash the banana with a fork
  • Add egg
  • Add baking powder
  • Add almond flour
  • Heat a non stick pan and spray with coconut oil (or butter)
  • Pour half the mixture into pan
  • Cook on low heat until browned on each side. (be careful to flip as the mixture will still be runny)
  • Serve hot

 

Vegan Peanut Sauce Noodles

Recently I have had a few of my vegan/vegetarian friends ask me for some modified recipes so they can enjoy some of my recipes too. This is a simple noodle salad packed full of flavor and you can make it ahead of time and enjoy on a hot day.

Vegan/Vegetarian Peanut Sauce Noodles

  • Servings: 4-6
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients for peanut sauce:

  • 1 can coconut milk
  • 1/4 can Thai red curry paste
  • 1 tablespoon of  fresh lemon juice (more to taste)
  • 2 teaspoons sugar or palm sugar
  • 1/2 cup hot water
  • 1/2 cup chunky peanut butter
  • 1 teaspoon of peanut oil
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Ingredients for noodle salad:

  • 1 package of rice vermicelli noodles – see picture below for type (cooked and washed in cold water to cool). You can also use thick spaghetti if you are in a pinch or experiment with other noodles. You need a thicker noodle to hold up the peanut sauce so it doesn’t get too mushy.
  • 2 seedless cucumbers sliced into chunks (I like Persian)
  • 3 carrots julienned
  • 1/2 cup green onions (chopped)

Directions:

  • In a medium sauce pan, mix the curry paste with a teaspoon of peanut oil and stir until hot, add coconut milk and bring to a boil.
  • Add peanut butter, sugar, salt and lemon. Bring to a boil for 5 minute stirring the entire time so it doesn’t burn.
  • Add hot water to make the consistency looser and not to thick
  • Taste and make sure there is enough salt and sour taste.
  • Add more sugar if its too spicy.
  • Toss the peanut sauce 1/2 cup at a time to make sure you don’t over dress the noodles
  • Add cucumber, carrots and onions
  • Chill and serve cold or room tempurature

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Egg and Scallion Fried Rice

This recipe was inspired by the fried rice in Din Tai Fung. I love being able to use my fresh eggs from my hens for this dish! You can serve this dish with any meat, vegetables or curry dishes.

Egg and Scallion Fried Rice

  • Servings: 4
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients:

  • 3 cups cooked short grain rice (cooled on a plate for at least 5 hours)
  • 1 – 2 tsp salt
  • 1- 2 tsp soy sauce
  • 3/4 cup green onions (use entire stem, chopped)
  • 4 eggs (beaten)
  • 4-5 cloves garlic (grated fine)
  • 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
  • 2 tbsp soy oil or vegetable oil

Directions:

  • In a large skillet or wok heat oil
  • In the bowl with the beaten egg add garlic, soy sauce, salt and pepper
  • Drop into hot pan and stir quickly until halfway cooked
  • Add cold rice and combine until there are no rice clumps
  • Add scallions
  • Taste and adjust with salt or soy sauce until you have reach the flavor you like
  • Serve hot

 

Dairy Free Pancakes

Recently I have one of my daughters friends over for a sleep over. Her friend is allergic to dairy products and requested I make pancakes for breakfast. I was able to get the recipe from the mom who graciously brought over the soy milk and Earth’s Best butter to use to substitute for the milk and butter. I was pleasantly surprise on how good this tasted and honestly I couldn’t tell the difference!

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Dairy Free Pancakes

  • Servings: Fourteen 4 inch Cakes
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 3/4 teaspoon double acting baking powder
  • 2 eggs (beaten)
  • 3 tablespoons melted (earth best butter)
  • 1 to 1 1/4 cups of soy milk

Directions:

  • Sift before measuring flower
  • Resift with salt, sugar and baking powder
  • Add dry ingredients to a medium bowl
  • Combine with eggs, butter and milk
  • Mix the liquid ingredients quickly into dry ingredients
  • Cook on hot griddle or pan

 

Vegetarian / Vegan Thai Green Curry

I’ve been cooking Thai food for almost 30 years and one of my go to dishes is green curry. I don’t have time make the paste from scratch so I opt to make it with canned paste. If you sauté in heated peanut oil it helps bring out the flavor and wake up the spices.

Typically this is made with two types of Thai Eggplant, one that is shown in this recipe and the other that looks like peas. I had some fresh yellow squash I picked up from the farmers market that made the curry more colorful and tasted great!

I adapted this recipe from my chicken curry and omitted the chicken, fish sauce and chicken stock. Replacing them with vegetable stock and salt makes this dish vegan.

Vegetarian / Vegan Thai Green Curry

  • Servings: 6-8
  • Difficulty: medium
  • Print

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Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon of peanut oil
  • 1 can of green curry paste (I prefer Maesri brand)
  • 1 can of heavy coconut cream (not milk)
  • 1-2 Kaffir lime leaves
  •  Large handful of Thai Basil (remove from stems)
  • 3 cups of vegetable broth
  • 1-2 tablespoons of sugar or palm sugar
  • 1-2 teaspoons of salt (to taste)
  • 1 can of bamboo shoots (I prefer Chaokoh brand)
  • 10-15 Thai eggplant (if you can’t find this use green Zucchini cut into quarters)
  • 2 yellow squash (cut into quarters)
  • 1 handful of fresh green beans (cut into one inch pieces) (optional)

Directions:

  • In a large pan or dutch oven heat the peanut oil and add the entire can of green curry paste (a little less if you don’t like it too spicy)
  • Sauté for 1-2 minutes
  • Add coconut cream and stir until combined with curry paste
  • Let boil on high for 5-8 minutes. The aroma should be strong and make you want to sneeze.
  • Add vegetable stock
  • Add Kaffir leaves and a handful of basil
  • Add sugar
  • Add salt
  • Add bamboo shoots, eggplant and squash
  • Bring to a boil then reduce heat to simmer for about 15 minutes
  • Add green beans and let cook for 15 more minutes
  • Serve over rice or rice noodles

Green curry paste and coconut milk
Green curry paste and coconut milk

Kaffir Lime Leaves and Thai Basil
Kaffir Lime Leaves and Thai Basil

Thai Eggplant, bamboo shoots and yellow squash
Thai Eggplant, bamboo shoots and yellow squash

cut Thai eggplant into quarters
Cut Thai eggplant into quarters

Green Curry!
Green Curry!

Thai Chicken with Basil (Gai Pad Khapow)

This is my favorite Thai dish of all time. I love eating it with rice, cool cucumbers and some fish sauce and chilies for extra heat. I relearned this recipe when visiting Thailand last month. I like to use dark ground turkey for extra flavor. Try to coarsely ground your chicken or turkey yourself instead of store-bought if possible.

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Thai Chicken with Basil (Gai Pad Khapow)

  • Servings: 2
  • Difficulty: medium
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Ingredients:

  • 1 tbsp. oil
  • 1 cup ground chicken (dark ground turkey is ok too)
  • 1 tsp. Thai chilies (less if you don’t like spicy)
  • 1 tbsp. minced garlic
  • 2 tbsp. chicken stock
  • 1 tsp. oyster sauce
  • 1 tsp. sugar
  • 1 tsp. fish sauce
  • 1 tsp. light soy sauce
  • 1 tsp. dark soy sauce
  • 1 handful Thai basil
  • 1 tsp. ground white pepper

Directions:

  • In a heated wok add oil
  • Add chicken
  • Add garlic and chilies
  • Add chicken broth
  • Add oyster sauce
  • Add sugar
  • Add fish sauce
  • Add light soy sauce
  • Add dark soy sauce
  • Add pepper
  • Add basil
  • Serve with rice, sliced cucumber and fried egg (optional)

 

Pork Wontons

I love eating wontons, especially when I’m sick. To me it’s the asian version of chicken noodle soup. They are super easy to make and delicious!

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Pork Wontons

  • Servings: 15
  • Difficulty: medium
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Ingredients:

  • 1/2 pound (package) fresh organic ground pork
  • 1 package wonton wrappers
  • 2 scallions (chopped)
  • 1 handful cilantro (chopped) – save some for garnish
  • 1 tsp grated fresh ginger
  • 2 tsp sesame oil
  • 2 tsp soy sauce
  • Pinch of pepper
  • 1 egg (beaten)

Directions:

  • In a medium bowl mix pork, soy sauce, ginger, sesame oil, cilantro, green onions
  • Lay out one wonton wrapper
  • Using a pastry brush coat it with egg wash
  • Using a teaspoon measure out pork mixture and place in the center of wonton
  • Fold over into a triangle
  • Pinch all sides of wonton so it is sealed tightly
  • Assemble all wontons
  • In a pot of boiling water drop wontons and cook for approximately 5 minutes
  • Serve with fresh chicken broth or soy sauce mixture
  • Garnish with fresh cilantro

 

Pad Thai with Shrimp

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Pad Thai

  • Servings: 2
  • Difficulty: medium
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Ingredients:

  • 1 tbsp oil
  • 1 egg
  • 1 handful of fresh rice noodles
  • 1 tbsp dried shrimp
  • 5 large shrimp
  • 2 tbsp chopped shallots
  • 1 handful scallions
  • 2 tbsp tamarind juice mixed with 1 tbsp palm sugar
  • 1 tbsp firm tofu cubed (deep fried)
  • 1 handful bean sprouts
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • 1 tsp fish sauce

Directions:

  • In a heated wok add oil
  • Add shrimp and cook until pink, remove from wok
  • Add egg and scramble with noodles
  • Add onions and scallions
  • Add water
  • Add tamarind sauce
  • Add fish sauce
  • Add cooked shrimp and dried shrimp
  • Reduce heat add bean sprouts and cook for 30 seconds
  • Add fried tofu
  • Garnish with crushed peanuts and lime wedge

 

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Stuff Shells with Organic Turkey Sauce

I love making dinner for my friends and family but most of the time I get stuck in the kitchen cooking and not enjoying their company. I like this recipe because I can make it ahead of time and pop it in the oven for 45 minutes before I want to serve it.

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Stuff Shells with Organic Turkey Sauce

  • Servings: 6-8
  • Difficulty: medium
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Ingredients for sauce:

  • 1 package of organic dark ground turkey meat
  • 1 handful of fresh basil (chopped)
  • 1 tbsp fresh parsley (chopped)
  • 1 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes
  • 2 cloves garlic (chopped)
  • 1/2 sweet onion (chopped)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • Salt and Pepper

Directions:

  • In a large pot add olive oil, onions and garlic. Cook until translucent.
  • Add ground turkey and cook until no longer pink
  • In a food processor, pulse meat into smaller chunks and return back to pan
  • Add basil, parsley and tomatoes
  • Cook on simmer for 30-40 minutes
  • Add salt and pepper to taste

Ingredients for pasta filling:

  • 1 box of large shell pasta
  • 2 handful of spinach (chopped)
  • 1 handful of fresh parsley (chopped)
  • 1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
  • 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
  • 1 cup fresh mozzarella cheese (grated)
  • 1 tsp fresh grated nutmeg
  • 2 cloves garlic (chopped)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • Salt and Pepper

Directions:

  • In a large pot boil water and add salt
  • Cook pasta until al dente
  • Remove pasta and place on a cookie sheet to cool
  • In a pan, cook the garlic and spinach together until wilted. Set aside to cool
  • In a medium bowl mix together ricotta, parmesan, mozzarella, parsley, salt and pepper and nutmeg
  • Add spinach and garlic and mix well
  • Stuff each shell with the mixture
  • In a rectangle casserole dish, add half the sauce on the bottom and line up the stuffed shells
  • Top with remaining sauce and cover with foil
  • Bake for 45 minutes

 

 

Brioche French Toast

Recently I discovered a new vendor at our local farmers market that sells French pastries. I was inspired by their brioche bread and decided to make breakfast for dinner. I like to add orange zest and nutmeg to my egg mixture, it makes the a great flavor for the french bread. The corn starch creates a crunchy texture to the french toast.

 

Brioche French Toast

  • Servings: 8
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients:

  • 8 slices of brioche bread (cut into one inch slices)
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 cup half & half or heavy cream
  • 1 tbsp orange zest
  • 1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 2 tsp sugar
  • 2 tsp corn starch
  • 2 – 4 tbsp salted butter  (to be used in the pan)
  • Pinch salt

Directions:

  • In a square shallow bowl beat the eggs and add the half and half
  • Add orange zest, nutmeg, cinnamon, sugar, corn starch and salt
  • Place bread into mixture one at a time to coat the bread
  • Place on a heated grill or pan with the melted butter
  • Cook until golden brown and crispy
  • Sprinkle powdered sugar and serve with warm maple syrup