Japanese Style Crispy Chicken Wings (Teba No Karaage)

I love a good crispy chicken wing. Crunchy skin, tender meat and usually greasy was my preference...back in the debaucherous days of college. Now, you could say, I've grown up (a little) and my tastes have gotten a little more sophisticated. Enter, these Japanese Style Crispy Chicken Wings. These are lightly coated in potato starch to give the outside the crispiest crunch without being too over powering. I also fried these in olive oil, making these "better" for you. HAHAHA.   

Japanese Style Crispy Chicken Wings 

What you'll need:

• 2 lbs chicken wings/mini drum sticks
• 2 tbsp gluten free Tamari/coconut aminos
• 1 tbsp mirin/rice wine
• 1 tsp FlavorGod Garlic Seasoning (or garlic powder)
• 1 inch piece of ginger, minced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• Potato starch
• FlavorGod Garlic Herb Salt (or salt/fresh cracked pepper)
• Olive oil, for frying
• Japanese chili powder (optional)

What to do:

1. Prepare the marinade by combining the Tamari/coconut aminos, mirin, garlic powder, minced garlic and ginger, and sesame oil. Pour over chicken wings (placed in bowl) and toss to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and allow the chicken to marinate for at least 4 hours in the fridge.
2. Heat 2" olive oil in a small saucepan over medium until a deep-fry thermometer reads 320°. Alternatively, if you’ve got a mini fryer, fill olive oil to the fill line. In a large bowl, combine 1 cup of potato starch and 1 tsp Garlic Herb Salt/ salt + pepper.
3. Remove the chicken from the marinade and toss wings in potato starch mixture, shaking off excess; working in batches, fry wings until crisp, about 5-8 minutes. Transfer wings to paper towels to drain. Serve with lemon wedges and Japanese chili powder (optional).

Hong Shao Rou (Shanghai Style Red Braised Pork Belly)

Hong Shao Rou or "Red Braised" Pork Belly is one of my favorite ways to prepare and enjoy pork belly.  A little salty and a little sweet, but Oh So Delicious. The pork belly gets browned and crispy first, then braised in a mixture of salty sweet goodness. This is one of those comfort food type meals growing up so I wanted to put my spin on it by making it gluten free and "paleo" friendly (if you can tolerate rice), but also keeping it true in flavor and texture. :) 

Hong Shao Rou

What you'll need:

• 1.5-2lb pork belly, cut into ~ 1 inch pieces
• 2-3 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
• 1 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled
• 5 tbsp coconut aminos/gluten free Tamari
• 1.5 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp mirin/rice wine/dry sherry
• 1/4 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp FlavorGod Garlic Seasoning (or use 1 tsp garlic powder)
• 1 tsp white pepper
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 3 tbsp raw honey
• 1 tbsp maple sugar/1 piece rock sugar (optional)
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tbsp cooking fat

What to do:

1. In a bowl, combine the coconut aminos/Tamari, rice vinegar, mirin/rice wine, paprika, garlic, white pepper, and ground ginger. Whisk to combine and set aside.
2. In a large pot, add 2-3 cups water, smashed garlic cloves and fresh peeled ginger. Bring to a boil over medium high heat. Once boiling, add the pork belly cubes. Bring the water back to a boil and allow the pork to simmer for 5 minutes. Drain the pork belly and remove the garlic and ginger pieces. Pat the pork dry. 
3. Using a heavy bottomed wok or cast iron pot, add 2 tbsp cooking fat over medium high heat. Working in batches, fry each side of the pork belly until browned and crispy. Remove and drain on paper towels. Repeat for remaining pork belly. 
4. Turn the heat down to medium, working with the same wok/cast iron pot, carefully add the raw honey and maple sugar (if using). The mixture will bubble rapidly. Then, carefully add the water. Stir in the coconut aminos/Tamari mixture. Place the pork belly back into the pot, stir to coat and cover. Allow the pork to simmer for 25-30 minutes. Stirring occasionally. 
5. Remove cover and allow the sauce to thicken for 5-8 minutes. Serve with fresh chopped chives and sesame seeds over riced cauliflower or white rice. 

Patacon Pisao (Plantain Sandwich)

So, I stumbled upon this deliciousness while browsing the interwebz. You know how you click on one link, only to find yourself randomly clicking on something else, then you're on some website that's completely unrelated to what you were originally look at? Yea, that happens to me a lot. But anyway, that's how I found out about Patacon Pisao. Patacons are basically the Venezuelan equivalent of giant tostones, used as tostadas or sandwich "buns." Freaking. Genius. There's a restaurant in New York that's tooted as having the most authentic Patacon Pisao, which consists of "shredded beef, special sauce, ketchup, lettuce, tomato, fried cheese, on a double fried plantain bun." I've never actually had one before...but I did a quick internet search and sort of put my spin on it (aka, used whatever I had in my fridge/pantry). I think the flavors would be pretty close, so any of my friends who've had a Patacon Pisao, please let me know if this one is close! 

Patacon Pisao

What you'll need

• green plantains
• salt
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1.5 lb rump roast
• 1/2 large onion (softball size), diced
• 1 medium green bell pepper, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1.5 tsp gluten free Worcestershire 
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tbsp ketchup
• 1 tbsp FlavorGod Chipotle (or 1 tbsp chili powder + 1 tsp smoked paprika)
• 1/2 cup beef broth (I used homemade)
• 1/4 tsp cumin
• 1 bay leaf

For the avocado cream sauce

• 2 medium avocados
• juice of 1/2 lime and 1/2 lemon
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup onion, roughly chopped
• 1 jalapeno, seeds removed, roughly chopped
• 1 tsp FlavorGod Garlic Lovers (or 1/2 tsp garlic powder)

What to do:

1. Make the avocado cream sauce by adding all the ingredients to a blender or food processor. Puree until smooth. Set aside. The cream sauce can be made a day in advance.
2. To make the shredded beef, liberally season the rump roast with salt. Heat 2 tbsp oil over medium high heat in a heavy bottom pot. Sear each side of the roast for 2-3 minutes over medium high heat. Remove and place in the pot of a slow cooker. 
3. To the heavy bottom pot, add the onions and bell peppers. Saute for 3 minutes, then add the garlic. Be sure to scrape the bottom for all the brown bits! Saute for another 2 minutes. Add the Worcestershire, tomato paste, ketchup, chipotle (or chili powder/paprika), and cumin. Cook for an another minute before adding the beef broth. Bring the mixture to a simmer and allow to simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. 
4. Add the sauce mixture to the slow cooker, cover the roast and add the bay leaf. Cook on low for 8 hours. Shred meat and mix with sauce. Set aside to make the fried plantain buns.
5. Cut the ends off of green plantain and remove peel. Cut plantain down the middle, lengthwise. Then cut in half, horizontally. Fry each side of plantain for 2-3 minutes or until slightly browned. Remove from oil and flatten two halves until about 1/4 inch thick. Fry flattened plantains again for another minute on each side. Remove from oil and season with salt. 
6. Assemble the sandwiches with shredded beef, avocado cream sauce, lettuce, and tomato. I omitted the cheese, but if you like, a little fried cheese would be delicious!

Butter Chicken

Piping hot Butter Chicken is like a hug on a plate. I feel the same way about Chicken Tikka Masala. Both dishes require a marinade of chicken in fragrant spices and tangy yogurt and then simmered in a bath of flavorful tomatoes. But Butter Chicken, in my opinion would definitely be classified as a more "luxurious" hug...can hugs be considered luxurious?  There is butter in this dish, but not enough to call Paula Deen over for dinner. I eliminated the yogurt and replaced it with full-fat coconut milk and some apple cider vinegar (lemon juice would work too), for an almost dairy-free dish. You can't call it "Butter Chicken" if there's no butter in it, right?!

What to do:

Butter Chicken Marinade

• ½ cup full fat canned coconut milk
• ½ tsp apple cider vinegar or fresh lemon juice
• 1.5 lbs boneless chicken thigh, cut into 1 inch cubes
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 2 tsp paprika
• ½ tsp cayenne
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger root, finely minced
• 3-4 gloves garlic, finely minced
• 1 tsp FlavorGod Garlic Herb Salt (use sea salt if you don't have this)
• 2 tsp harissa spicy sauce (Moroccan red pepper sauce); optional

Sauce

• ½ cup, mix of red and yellow onion, halved then sliced
• 1/3 tsp garam masala
• 2/3 tsp FlavorGod Garlic Lovers (replace with garlic powder)
• 1 cup canned fire roasted tomatoes, diced
• scant 1 tsp honey (adjust to taste)
• 2 tbsp full fat canned coconut milk
• 2-3 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1-3 tbsp cilantro, chopped for garnish

What to do: 

1. In a small bowl, combine the coconut milk with apple cider vinegar/lemon juice. Stir and set aside. In a large bowl, combine the remaining marinade ingredients and mix until the chicken is evenly coated. Stir in the coconut milk mixture. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate overnight.
2. Preheat oven to 350F. In an oven proof pot, heat 1-2 tbsp of butter over medium high heat. Saute the onions until soft and fragrant (about 2-3 minutes). Add the FlavorGod/garlic powder and garam masala. Stir to combine. Add the canned tomatoes and let cook for additional 2-3 minutes.
3. Add the chicken, with all its marinade to the onion/tomato mixture along with the honey, coconut milk, and remaining tablespoon of butter. Bring the mixture to a soft simmer for 5 minutes. Cover with foil/parchment paper or oven safe lid and bake at 350F for 25 minutes. Remove the lid and continue baking for an additional 8-10 minutes.
4. Serve with fresh chopped cilantro and a side of rice/cauliflower rice.   

Note: This dish can also be made in a slow cooker. Prepare all the way to Step 3, bringing the mixture to a soft simmer for 5 minutes. Pour the butter chicken into the pot of a slow cooker and cook on low for 2-3 hours. 

Matcha Pot de Creme

How vibrant are these colors?! The green comes from matcha green tea powder, something I'm currently obsessed with. Lately, I'll have a matcha green tea latte every morning over a cup of coffee. So much yum! Anyway, these little matcha pot de cremes are simple to make and are a perfect Springtime dessert. I served them with a triple berry compote and some crushed glutenfree shortbread cookies.

Matcha Pot de Cremes

What you'll need:

• 2 large egg yolks
• 1 tbsp Matcha green tea powder
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 3/4 cup full fat canned coconut milk 
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 tbsp raw honey
• 1 tsp gelatin
• 1 cup fresh/frozen berries (for compote)
• 1 tsp lemon juice (for compote)
• gluten free shortbread cookies (I used this recipe), finely crushed (optional)

What to do:

1. In a medium heat proof bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, matcha green tea powder, and vanilla until combined. Set aside. In a sauce pan, heat the coconut milk, water, and honey over medium heat until the honey is melted and the coconut milk just starts to steam. 
2. Remove the milk mixture from the heat. Separate 4 tbsp of the warm milk mixture into a shallow bowl, add 1 tsp of gelatin and let it bloom while you temper the eggs. Slowly temper the egg yolk mixture by adding a little bit of milk at a time while continuously whisking. Once all the milk mixture has been added to the yolks, return the custard back to the pan, then add the bloomed gelatin and heat over medium low heat. 
3. Use a wooden spoon to agitate the mixture (I like to make figure 8s) until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of the spoon. Turn heat off and strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve. Evenly divide the custard mixture into mini glass jars or ramekins. Let it cool slightly before allowing it to set in the fridge.
4. To make the compote, heat the berries and lemon juice over medium heat until fruit is soft and syrupy. Allow to cool before serving. To assemble, top the pot de cremes with the compote and crushed cookies, if using. 

Dairy-Free Creamy Cajun Alfredo Pasta Bake

Every once in awhile, I find myself falling back into the warm comfort of pasta. I don't eat pasta often, but when I do, I find myself just eating the real thing. Spaghetti squash is great and everything, but nothing beats the chewy soft texture of pasta. Thank goodness for brown rice pasta! This sauce is made dairy free by using cauliflower. It's as easy as a quick saute and then a puree. It's great to hide those veggies for the little kidos who might be a little picky. 

Dairy Free Creamy Cajun Alfredo Pasta Bake

What you'll need:

• 1lb brown rice pasta
• 1/2 lb andouille sausage, sliced
• 1 lb large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1/2 cup white onion, chopped
• 1 small shallot, minced
• 3-4 garlic cloves, minced
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• 2 tsp dried parsley
• 1 tbsp Cajun Seasoning (I used FlavorGod Cajun seasoning)
• fresh cracked black pepper

For the sauce

• 5-6 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cauliflower head, roughly chopped
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• 1.5 cups chicken stock (homemade preferred)
• 3 roasted red peppers, roughly chopped
• 1 small shallot, minced
• 3 tbsp Cajun seasoning (I used FlavorGod Cajun seasoning)
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• salt and black pepper to taste

What to do:

1. Prepare the cauliflower for the sauce by removing the green stems and roughly chopping into manageable chunks. Process in a food processor until the size of a grain of rice, one head of cauliflower should yield about 4 cups. Heat a large sauce pan over medium heat with one tablespoon of oil. Saute 1/2 the amount of minced garlic until fragrant. Add the riced cauliflower to the pan and cook for 4-5 minutes. Season with garlic powder. Add 1.5 cups of chicken stock and bring to a boil. Once boiled, turn heat down to medium low, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, pour into a high powdered blender and puree until smooth. Set aside. 
2. In a separate pan, saute the minced shallot and remaining garlic until fragrant. Add 1 tablespoon of Cajun seasoning to the shallot/garlic mixture, stir to coat. Add the roasted red pepper to a blender, along with the sauteed shallot/garlic mixture, tomato paste, and remaining 2 tablespoons of Cajun seasoning. Puree until smooth. 
3. Combine the cauliflower puree and roasted red pepper puree into a sauce pan. Bring to a boil and allow to simmer for 15 minutes. Sauce can be made a day in advance, makes about 4 cups. 
4. Preheat oven to 375F. Prepare pasta, boil for 5-7 minutes and drain. Set aside. Saute the onion, garlic, and shallot in a pan until fragrant. Add the sausage, and cook for 3 minutes. Add the shrimp, juice from 1/2 lemon, Cajun seasoning, dried parsley, and pepper. Stir and cook until most of the shrimp has turned pink.
5. In a 9x13 inch baking dish, layer the bottom of the dish with about 1/4 cup of the cauliflower/red pepper sauce. Toss the pasta and the shrimp/sausage mixture. Add 1 cup of sauce and toss to coat. Bake at 375F for 30 minutes. Then broil for 5 minutes.  

Cajun Eggs Benedict with Crawfish Aioli

So truthfully, this cajun eggs benedict dish is a little involved. But that shouldn't deter you from attempting to make them for someone special...or yourself! It's so worth it. I had actually made the cajun sauce for another recipe and had leftovers. I also had leftover crawfish from the night before from a crawfish boil (I wish backyard crawfish boils were more of a thing in Southern California), which I added to the sauce and turned into an aioli. The sauce makes about 4 cups, it's A LOT, more than enough for this dish (unless you'll be catering Sunday Brunch and plan on making eggs benedict for like 20 people...). I say, make the sauce, use it in a casserole or something, or freeze it in ziplock bags; 1 cup measured out into ziplock bags, air removed, and laid flat.

Okay, on to the recipe. I suck at poaching eggs, I've tried every method out there, but all I would get would be ugly wispy whites that just stuck to the bottom of my pan. Anyway, I came across a video on Serious Eats that details the use of a mesh strainer. It worked! Catch that link and the recipe below.


Cajun Eggs Benedict with Crawfish Aioli

What you'll need:

• 1 cup sweet potatoes, roasted and mashed
• 2 tsp Cajun Seasoning (I used this one)
• 1 tsp dried minced onion
• pinch of salt and pepper
• 2 cups baby spinach
• 1/4 lb andouille sausage, thinly sliced
• 1 lb crawfish, boiled and peeled, save shells
• 2 poached eggs (directions for full proof poached eggs here)
• crawfish aoli (recipe below)

For the sauce

• 5-6 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cauliflower head, roughly chopped
• 2 tbsp garlic powder
• 1 tbsp onion powder
• 1 tsp parsley
• 1 tsp chives
• 1.5 cups chicken stock (homemade preferred)
• 3 roasted red peppers, roughly chopped
• 1 small shallot, minced
• 3 tbsp Cajun seasoning
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• salt and black pepper, to taste
• juice from 1/2 lemon

For the aioli

• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup sauce
• 1 tbsp melted butter/ghee
• juice from 1/2 lemon
• peeled cawfish

What to do: 

1. Prepare the cauliflower for the sauce by removing the green stems and roughly chopping into manageable chunks. Process in a food processor until the size of a grain of rice, one head of cauliflower should yield about 4 cups. Heat a large sauce pan over medium heat with one tablespoon of oil. Saute 1/2 the amount of minced garlic until fragrant. Add the riced cauliflower to the pan and cook for 4-5 minutes. Season with garlic powder, onion powder, parsley and chives. Add 1.5 cups of chicken stock and bring to a boil. Once boiled, turn heat down to medium low, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, pour into a high powdered blender/food processor and puree until smooth. Set aside. 
2. In a separate pan, saute the minced shallot and remaining garlic until fragrant. Add 1 tablespoon of Cajun seasoning to the shallot/garlic mixture, stir to coat. Add the roasted red pepper to a blender, along with the sauteed shallot/garlic mixture, tomato paste, and remaining 2 tablespoons of Cajun seasoning. Puree until smooth. 
3. Combine the cauliflower puree and roasted red pepper puree into a sauce pan. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Add juice of 1/2 lemon. Bring to a boil and allow to simmer for 15 minutes. Sauce can be made in advance, makes about 4 cups. Allow to cool completely before freezing. 
4. Note: This step is completely optional, but it'll definitely impart more "crawfish" flavor into the sauce.  Add the peeled crawfish shells, ~ 1 cup of the cauliflower/roasted red pepper sauce, and about 1/4 cup water to a sauce pan. Bring to a simmer and add juice of 1/2 lemon. Allow to simmer for about 15 - 20 minutes on low heat. Strain through a mesh strainer to collect the sauce and remove any shell pieces. This sauce will be used to make the aioli. Set aside. 
5. Make the sweet potato waffles, by mixing, 1 cup of mashed sweet potato with the Cajun seasoning, dried onion and salt/pepper. Scoop 1/2 cup into waffle iron and make waffles per manufacturer instructions. Repeat with remaining 1/2 cup of mashed sweet potato. 
6. Poach eggs, set aside in a bath of cool water until ready to plate. Meanwhile, saute spinach and sausage until sausage has browned and spinach has wilted. Set aside. 
7. To make aoli, whisk together 1/4 cup mayonnaise, 1/2 cup cajun sauce (with or without the infused crawfish), juice of 1/2 lemon. Slowly add in melted butter/ghee while whisking constantly. Once combined fold in crawfish meat. 
8. To assemble, top each waffle with spinach/sausage mixture, poached eggs (rewarm by removing from cool bath and into soft simmering water for 15-20 seconds), and crawfish aoli.