Savory Green Onion and Egg Pancakes

I have been sick most of December with a severe cold and persistent cough that kept me awake at night. The sleep deprivation was the worst, caused by the non stop cough which got worse at nighttime. The last time I was this sick must have been over 12 years ago.

My husband was a huge help during the 18 days I was sick. He helped take care of the little man after work, grocery shopped, shopped for Christmas presents, cleaned the house and missed his company Christmas party at an upscale restaurant to take care of us. I am so grateful for his help despite his demanding work schedule.

Given my lack of energy, we had soup and congee on rotation for most of our meals. I aimed for quick, easy and simple during those 18 days. After two weeks of soup and congee, we were all ready for a break. Even though I was sick, I would think dream of foods I could eat when I got slightly better: one of things I craved was prime rib, and the other is Chinese green onion and egg pancakes.

When I was young, I would beg my late grandmother to make this green onion and egg pancake on a regular basis. My grandmother would often indulge me as she took immense pleasure in feeding those she love. Even in her last year of life, she would stand over the stove and make all my favorite dishes every time I went home to visit. Since her death over 8 years ago, I have been trying to recreate some of the recipes she used to make as we never wrote down any of her recipes.

This recipe is incredibly easy to make, with only 5 ingredients that you likely already have on hand. I took a short cut and used my blender to combine all the ingredients but you can combine the ingredients by hand as well.

Ingredients
4 large eggs
1 cup all purpose flour
1-1/2 cups water
1 tsp salt
2 large stalks of green onion, chopped

Canola oil

Directions
1. In a bowl or blender, mix eggs, flour, water and salt. Once the batter is fully combined, stir in chopped green onions.

2. Add half a tablespoon of canola oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Once the skillet is fully heated, pour/ladle in a thin layer of batter. Cook until the surface of the pancake bubbles and the other side is light golden brown.

3. Flip the pancake and cook until the underside is light golden brown. Repeat with the remaining batter. Make sure to lightly coat the skillet with canola oil before ladling in batter each time. Serve as is or with hot sauce.

Source: Slightly adapted from Asia Dish 

Chinese Pork and Shrimp Wontons

My mom and my late grandmother both love wontons. As a child, we had wontons on a regular basis at home during the winter months. As a kid, I can't say I really loved wontons since I usually burnt my tongue trying to eat the little suckers; I am impatient when it comes to food.

I remember watching my mom and my late grandmother spend half a day making a big batch of wontons, most of which were frozen for future meals or for busy nights when dinners needed to be on the table quickly.

I never realized how easy it is to make wontons if you used packaged wrappers. Be forewarned though, making wontons does takes a little effort and time. The batch I made turned out 54 wontons and took me about an hour and half to make from start to finish. I made enough wontons for two meals that fed my family of three. You can also stretch the wontons by adding egg noodles to each serving, which reduces the amount of wontons you have to serve.

I have to say these wontons are absolutely delicious. The shrimp adds a nice texture to the wontons and my husband declared it the best wontons he has ever had. I'm delighted by his comment since my Mother-In-Law makes pretty darned good wontons. Since I spent my life eating wontons, I consider myself a wonton connoisseur, this wontons even met my high expectations. This is definitely a recipe I would remake over and over. I think these wontons would have made my late grandmother proud.

Ingredients
1 lb lean ground pork
1/2 lb finely minced deveined unshelled shrimp
3 green onions, finely chopped
1 inch ginger, peeled and finely grated
2 tbsp light soy sauce
1 egg
1-1/2 tsp sesame oil

1 package of wonton wrappers (look for wonton wrappers that are a little thicker)

Bowl of water
Cutting board
Baking sheet lined with parchment paper

Directions
1. In a large bowl, mix the pork, shrimp, green onions, ginger, soy sauce, egg and sesame oil. Stir until it is thoroughly mixed and the mixture resembles a paste.

2. Line a baking sheet with wax or parchment paper. Set up your wonton wrapping station: cutting board, and a bowl filled with cold water.

Top left clockwise: baking sheet with parchment paper, pork and shrimp filling, wonton wrapper, water, cutting board.

3. With a small teaspoon, spoon a teaspoon of the filling into the center of the wonton. Seal the wonton with water. There are two ways I like to fold my wontons:

Method 1:

Place a teaspoon of filling in the middle of the wonton wrappers. With the tip of your finger, dip it into the bowl of water and paint two adjoining edges with water so it forms a "V".

Fold the wonton in half into a triangle, making sure to squeeze out any air bubbles, press firmly and seal. Create an indent in the middle of the triangle.

Dab a little bit of water on one corner of the wonton, fold and seal. Place the wonton on the parchment paper.

Repeat with the remaining wontons. Wipe up any water from your cutting board with a paper towel.

Method 2:

Place a teaspoon of filling in the middle of the wonton wrapper. With your finger tip, brush half of the edges with water so it forms a "U".

Fold the wonton in half into a rectangle, making sure to squeeze out any air bubbles, press firmly and seal. Create an indent in the middle of the rectangle where the filling is.

Dab a bottom corner with a little bit of water, fold and seal. Place the wonton on the parchment paper.

Repeat with the remaining wontons. Wipe up any water from your cutting board with a paper towel.

4. Place wontons on the baking sheet, making sure to leave a little space between each wonton. Repeat with the wrapping the remaining wontons.

To serve:

Ingredients
Chicken, pork, seafood or vegetable broth
Sesame oil
Wontons
Broccoli, bok choy or other green leafy vegetables
1 package of egg noodles (optional, see note below)
Green onions for garnish (optional)
Hot sauce (optional)

1. In a large pot, bring the broth to a boil. Add wontons to the pot, and reduce heat to medium. Cook the wontons for 3 to 4 minutes before adding in green vegetables (broccoli, shanghai bok choy) or chopped green onions. Add a teaspoon of sesame oil to the broth and cook until the broth comes back to a boil, the vegetables are crisp tender and the wontons float. Ladle some soup and wontons into each bowl. I find that each adult needs about 9 to 11 wontons for a substantial meal and 6 to 8 wontons for a light meal.

If you want to serve egg noodles with the wontons, cook the noodles in a separate pot according to package directions. Drain and divide noodles between each bowl. Ladle soup and wontons into each bowl. If you are serving egg noodles along with wontons, you can serve less wontons for each person. I usually serve 5 wontons per adult if I am also serving egg noodles.

To Freeze:
Freeze wontons in a single layer on a cookie sheet for at least 3 to 4 hours. Once the wontons have frozen completely, you can place them in a Ziploc bag or freezer safe container. The wontons can be frozen in a freezer for up to 2 months. To cook the wontons straight from the freezer: place the frozen wontons directly into boiling broth and allow it to cook 2 to 3 minutes longer.

Source: Slightly adapted from China Sichuan Food

Sloppy Joes

Meals at dinner time can become repetitive for most families, mine especially. We have our usual favorites: Parmesan Crusted Sole Fillets, Hellmann's Parmesan Chicken, Fried Rice, Chow Mein, pasta, homemade hamburgers and pizzas.

Hamburgers were on the dinner rotation until I decided to switch it up and make sloppy joes instead.  Believe it or not, until I made this recipe, I have never had sloppy joes! I had no idea what I was missing out on.

This recipe was a hit with all of us, especially my little man, who loves ketchup or any foods with lots of ketchup. Saucy, hearty and filling, this recipe is sure to please even your pickiest eaters. I served the sloppy joes on a toasted hamburger bun with a salad on the side. You can also serve it with roasted potato wedges if you are feeling rebellious.

Ingredients
1 lb lean ground beef
1/3 cup chopped onion
1 - 1-1/4 cup chopped bell peppers (I used yellow and orange bell peppers)
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp prepared yellow mustard

3/4 to 1 cup ketchup
1-1/2 tsp brown sugar
Salt and pepper to taste

4 to 6 Hamburger buns

Directions
1. In a medium non stick pan, brown the ground beef over medium heat. Drain off any liquids and fat. Add in onion, bell peppers and cook until the onions and peppers are soft.

2. Add in garlic powder, mustard, ketchup and brown sugar. Mix thoroughly. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes. Season with additional salt and pepper.

Source: Slightly adapted from Allrecipes

Grilled Chicken Avocado Wrap

Everywhere you go, everyone is offering low-carb in an effort to court the weight conscious crowd. I find that I rarely buy wraps these days since I can replicate the $8 wrap easily at home, for a fraction of the price.

I kept seeing the same recipe showing up on my Pinterest feed where I pinned the exact same recipe no less than 3 times within a month. I made a mental note to cook some extra chicken breast to make these grilled chicken avocado wraps for a quick weekend brunch.

With only 5 ingredients, this grilled wrap is as simple as it can be. I loved that it took no more than 10 minutes to assemble and heat up on the panini grill. I think the main reason why this wrap tasted so good is because it is grilled. Friends, this wrap actually tastes as amazing as it looks. It is definitely worth a bazillion repins on Pinterest.

Ingredients
4 large flour tortillas
1 large chicken breast, cooked, sliced or diced
1 large ripe avocado, cut into slices
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 fat, juicy lime
2 tbsp cilantro, finely chopped (optional)

Directions
1. Preheat a panini grill.

2. Divide the chicken breast, avocado, mozzarella cheese and cilantro equally among the four tortillas.

3. Squeeze a little lime juice over the chicken breast and avocado.

4. Wrap tightly (like a burrito, tucking in the ends) and heat on the preheated panini grill.

5. Remove from the panini grill once the ingredients have warmed through and the cheese has melted. Serve warm, eat and repeat.

Source: Adapted from Closet Cooking

Classic BLT Sandwich

BLT sandwiches are as ubiquitous in the North American culture as peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Writing a recipe for a BLT sandwich seems wrong as the name, BLT, (which stands for Bacon, Lettuce and Tomato) pretty much indicates what is in the sandwich.

For those of my readers who are not familiar with the BLT sandwich, you are missing out. It's high time you tried this easy and delicious sandwich.

I believe there are a few key things that separates an average BLT sandwich from an amazing BLT sandwich. The most important thing is to use a hearty and thickly sliced bread. Sourcing good quality thick cut bacon and using real mayonnaise are my other two must haves. If you can, buy tomatoes in season as they taste more flavorful. For the lettuce, I like using romaine lettuce but you can use other varieties such as iceberg, butterhead or green leaf.

Quick and ready in under 10 minutes, this sandwich is perfect for those who want lunch in a hurry.

Ingredients
2 slices hearty bread
2 slices of thick cut bacon (can substitute turkey bacon)
2 slices of tomato
1 lettuce leaf, washed and dried
1 tbsp of mayonnaise

Directions
1. Toast the bread in a toaster until golden brown.

2. In a microwave or pan, cook the bacon. Try this tip to cook bacon in 90 seconds.

3. Spread the mayonnaise on both slices of bread. Place lettuce, then tomatoes on one slice of bread. Place the bacon on the other sliced bread. Place the mayonnaise/bacon side down and cut the sandwich in half.

Source: Frugal Allergy Mom

Buffalo Cauliflower Bites

It is no secret my husband and I love chicken wings. We could eat chicken wings by the dozens on a daily basis if it wasn't for the fact it isn't healthy to consume copious amounts of chicken wings or the fact it can become an expensive habit.

For those who are as addicted to chicken wings as we are, I have a healthier and cheaper alternative for you. These buffalo cauliflower bites are healthier, cheaper than the traditional buffalo wings which uses chicken wings. After making this more than half a dozen of times, my husband and I agree that it tastes very similar to buffalo chicken wings. Good for your heart and good for your wallet. I could eat dozens of these!

Ingredients
1 medium head of cauliflower, washed and cut into florets

Batter
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup cold water
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt

Buffalo Sauce
3 tsp butter
1/2 cup Franks RedHot Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

2. In a large bowl, mix flour, water, garlic powder and salt.

3. Coat each cauliflower floret in the batter and shake off any excess batter. I like to put coated cauliflower in a separate bowl and allow the excess batter drip off on their own.

4. Place cauliflower florets on a large greased baking sheet, making sure not to overcrowd the pan. Bake for 20 minutes until golden.

5. In a small saucepan, melt butter. Stir in Franks RedHot Sauce until well mixed.

6. Toss cauliflower florets with the hot sauce mixture until it is evenly coated. Return the cauliflower to the oven and bake for 10 minutes until the cauliflower is crisp.

7. Serve with celery sticks and blue cheese dressing.

Source: Slightly adapted from Franks RedHot

4 Ingredient Microwaved Gluten-Free Bread (Ready in 3 Minutes)

Baking bread in the oven is the last thing I want to do in the summer when it is hot and sunny outside. When I came across this microwaved bread recipe on Pinterest, I was delighted. The best part about this recipe is that it is ready in 3 minutes.

This recipe was incredibly easy to whip up and required only 4 ingredients: melted butter, coconut flour, egg and baking powder. After allowing the bread to cool down a little, I sliced the bread in half and spread a little raspberry jam on each slice of bread. My little man and I both loved this quick and easy microwaved bread as it was soft and fluffy. This bread reminded me of a dense and unsweetened sponge cake both in taste and texture.

For those with gluten allergies, this recipe is effortless, made to order and a delicious alternative to expensive store-bought specialty bread.

Ingredients
1 tbsp butter
1 large egg
1 tbsp coconut flour
1/4 tsp baking powder

Directions
1. Place 1 tablespoon of butter in a small microwavable bowl measuring 4.5 inches across (I used a small Pyrex glass container). Microwave for 10 to 20 seconds until melted. Swirl the melted butter around so that it coats the bowl.

2. To that same bowl, add the egg, coconut flour and baking powder. Mix thoroughly until the batter is smooth and no lumps remain.

3. Microwave on high for 90 seconds until the bread has puffed up and is firm to the touch. The bread will pull away from the bowl once it is cooked. Repeat in 15 second increments if the bread feels soft to the touch or sticks to the bowl.

4. Allow the bread to cool for a minute before loosening it with a knife. Invert the bowl and slice the bread in half. Serve with jam, honey, butter or your favorite seed butter!

Source: Slightly adapted from Healthy Recipes

10 Minute Cold Sesame Noodle Salad

Vancouver, or Raincouver, as it is fondly known by locals is going through a heat wave this summer. We have had sunny skies for more consecutive days than I can count and being the heat wimp that I am, I have my fingers crossed for cooler weather and some rain.

With such intense heat, the last thing on my mind is standing over a hot stove. I aim for quick meals that require little stove action which taste delicious and are quick to prepare. This recipe has become a family favorite and my husband declared this as one my of best recipes.

Thinking back on my childhood, this was one of my mom's favorite go-to meals in the summer as well: easy and delicious. Her version uses peanut butter instead of seed butter, but I would highly suggest using seed butter (that contain sesame) as it tastes much better and more friendly for those with peanut/tree nut allergies!

Ingredients
454 g spaghetti or thin egg (Chow Mein) noodles
1 large cucumber, julienned
2 medium carrots, julienned
2 stalks green onions (optional)
1/2 cup chopped cilantro (optional)
Sesame seeds, for garnish (optional)

Sauce
1/3 cup seed butter (preferably one that contains sesame)
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tbsp rice vinegar
3 tbsp sesame oil
2 tbsp brown sugar
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp freshly grated ginger
1/2 tsp Sriracha hot sauce, or hot pepper flakes (optional)

Directions
1. Boil water in a large pot over high heat. Cook spaghetti noodles according to package directions, drain and soak the noodles in cold water until it is cool to the touch. Drain again.

2. In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, mix the seed butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, brown sugar, black pepper, ginger and hot sauce together. Stir and simmer the sauce until it is smooth.

3. Pour the sauce over the cold noodles and toss with cucumber, carrots, green onions and cilantro (if using). Garnish with sesame seeds. This can be chilled or served at room temperature. Personally, I find this noodle salad taste the best after chilling in the refrigerator for a few hours.

Source: Adapted from Food

Honey Thyme Glazed Ham

I have been seriously addicted to ham lately. One, ham is cost effective as it is one of the cheaper proteins you can purchase. Two, a leg of ham can be used for a variety of different meals, thus saving you time in the kitchen and gives your family a little variety. Three, it's ham! What's not to like about it?

I love trying out new baked ham recipes. This recipe yields in a juicy ham that looks the prettiest as it is speckled with thyme all over. The recipe is similar to the Honey Mustard Glazed Ham where you cover the ham in parchment paper and aluminium foil before baking. Then a glaze is brushed all over for a nice crispy crust.

If you like a sweeter ham, you might like this recipe for Baked Ham With Brown Sugar and Mustard Glaze. Leave me a comment and let me know if you are a ham addict too!

Ingredients
3 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tbsp dried thyme (2 tbsp fresh)
1 (12 to 14 pounds) bone-in ham
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup honey
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Directions
1. Place butter and thyme in a bowl. Cover with a plate or paper towel. Defrost on low in the microwave.

2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

3. Line a roasting pan or glass baking pan with aluminium foil.

4. Discard wrapping and plastic end cap from ham. Using a knife, cut away any rind, fat or skin from the ham. Score the ham in a diamond pattern and place ham on the glass baking pan.

5. Cover the ham with parchment paper then cover with aluminium foil. Bake for 2-1/2 hours.

6. While the ham is cooking, boil vinegar in a small saucepan until it has reduced to 1 tablespoon. (Turn on your exhaust fan so your whole house does not smell like vinegar).

7. Remove the saucepan and stir in the honey, Worcestershire sauce and thyme butter. Set aside.

8. Discard foil and parchment from ham. If there is no liquid in the pan, add 1 cup of water.

9. Brush ham with half of the glaze, bake uncovered for 30 minutes.

10. Remove ham from the oven and brush with the remaining glaze. Bake until the glaze is golden-brown and the ham is heated through (about 30 to 45 minutes).

Source: Slightly adapted from Epicurious

No Bake Nut-Free Granola Bars

The food industry has come a long way for food allergy families. Years ago, I have never seen the peanut-free label anywhere; let alone on granola and chocolate bars. Nowadays, peanut-free snacks are on most store shelves.

When my little man was first diagnosed with peanut and almond allergies, I mistook peanut-free for nut-free until I came across an article which pointed out the flaw in my rationale. Nowadays, even when I see the peanut-free symbol, I make sure to read the ingredients carefully as tree nuts are sometimes in peanut-free snacks. This makes sense since peanuts and tree nuts are two very different things.

Without wanting to shell out a small fortune for allergy friendly granola bars, I decided to make my own and adapt a recipe I had found online. The granola bars I made are just as delicious as the store bought ones and comes together quickly with very little hands on work. Just a fair warning, these granola bars are very sweet especially when you add in the chocolate chips.  Next time I will substitute in some sunflower seeds in lieu of the chocolate chips. Because sunflower seeds are yummy.

Ingredients
2-1/2 cups Rice Krispies (or rice puffs)
2 cups quick oats (or 1-3/4 cup quick oats with 1/4 ground flax, hemp seeds or wheat germ)
1/2 cup dried fruit or seeds (I used Craisins which are nut-free and gluten-free)
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 tsp salt
2/3 cup seed butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup chocolate chips (can substitute Craisins or seeds if you prefer a less sweet granola bar)

Directions
1. Add Rice Krispies, quick oats and dried fruit/seeds in a large container. Mix until combined.

2. In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, stir the honey, brown sugar and salt until it comes to a boil for 30 to 60 seconds.

3. Remove the saucepan from heat and stir in the seed butter and vanilla until smooth.

4. Pour the liquid mixture over the dry ingredients and mix well.

5. Allow the mixture to cool for 10 minutes before mixing in the chocolate chips. (If you mix it in too early, the chocolate chips will melt.)

6. Pour the mixture into a greased 9 x 13 pan, and press firmly with your hands to compact the granola bars. Cover the granola bars with plastic wrap and use a book to weigh it down. Allow the granola bars to set until it is fully cooled. Cut into 16 bars and wrap each granola bar individually. Store the granola bars on the counter top for up to 3 days and freeze the rest.

Source: Slightly adapted from Money Saving Mom