This sauce is super easy to make and can be used in any stir fry.
Recipe Notes:
Broth: Use any broth that you want! In this recipe I used GoBio! Chicken Bouillon powder but any broth will do.
Soy Sauce: If you don’t have dark soy sauce then this recipe will still work without it! I like to use a little bit of dark soy sauce to add colour. You definitely need low sodium soy sauce or the sauce will be too salty. I always have both in my fridge. The brands I use are the Rooster Dark Soy Sauce and Lee Kum Kee Less Sodium Soy Sauce.
Chili Garlic Sauce: This sauce is pretty spicy so if you don’t want a spicy sauce then omit this. You can also use siracha or crushed red pepper flakes instead of the chili garlic sauce.
Variations: I used this sauce to make stir fried tofu but it can be used in any vegetable, chicken or beef stir fry! It’s great served over rice or noodles.
A super quick & easy way to make shrimp. This recipe is done in as little as 30 minutes. Serve this Thai inspired Coconut Curry Shrimp with rice noodles, rice, or just eat them as is. You could even make it into a soup!
Recipe Notes:
Shrimp: I get shrimp that is already peeled to save time. Dethaw shrimp in the fridge overnight or soak frozen shrimp in cold water to dethaw.
Curry Paste: I prefer to use red curry paste but I had yellow this time so that is what I used in this recipe. I used Thai Kitchen yellow curry paste. It’s very mild and not spicy at all.
Coconut Milk: Make sure it’s unsweetened. Any brand is fine, I personally don’t notice a difference between brands.
Kaffir Lime Leaves: If you can’t find these in your grocery store, you can omit them. I couldn’t get any in my grocery store for the longest time.
Lemongrass: My grocery store doesn’t always have fresh lemongrass so I usually always get the paste. It’s very convenient to have on hand! I love using it in other curries or using it to make a marinade for chicken.
Tomato Paste: I like getting the tomato paste that comes in a tube so that I can easily refrigerate what’s remaining.
Red pepper flakes: Like I mentioned earlier, the curry paste is not spicy at all! If you want a little kick then I recommend adding something spicy. I cooked the shrimp with some red chili flakes, but you can add a pinch of cayenne or a little chili garlic sauce.
Limes: Fresh limes are a must! The bottled stuff is not the same.
For serving: You can eat this shrimp on it’s own or serve it with a side of rice noodles or basmati rice.
Additions: This would be delicious with some added vegetables! I would add sugar snap peas, sliced red peppers, and mushrooms. I have also made this as a soup before by adding some chicken or vegetable broth, veggies and rice noodles.
Dry shrimp with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
Heat olive oil over medium high heat in a large pan.
When the oil is hot, add shrimp, shallots, garlic, and red pepper flakes.
Cook shrimp for roughly 2 minutes on each side. Do not over cook the shrimp, they cook very quickly! It’s ok if some parts of the shrimp are still a little bit translucent because they will continue to cook at the end. Overcooking the shrimp will make them tough and chewy.
After 3-4 minutes, put shrimp in a bowl and set aside.
In the same pan you cooked the shrimp in, add lemongrass paste, curry paste, and tomato paste. Cook for about 2 minutes.
Add in full can of coconut milk, kaffir lime leaves, and fish sauce. Simmer for 5 minutes.
When sauce is done simmering, remove kaffir lime leaves. Taste the sauce and season accordingly. Add chili garlic sauce or red pepper flakes for more spice if needed.
Turn the heat off and immediately add in the shrimp. Squeeze half of a lime over the shrimp and add some fresh cilantro.
Serve with some extra lime wedges, rice noodles, or rice.
The best dipping sauce recipe for your favourite dumplings! This sauce is so addicting. It’s made using only five ingredients and takes no time at all. Use it for wontons, potstickers, gyozas, or any other dumpling. I love making this sauce with wontons from my tofu and vegetable wonton recipe. Once you try your wontons like this you will never go back!
I love making a batch of wontons for the freezer to use in soups or to serve with dipping sauce! They don’t last very long in our house. This is a simple wonton filling recipe made with tofu and vegetables. You can also use this filling recipe for fried rice.
Recipe Notes:
Tofu: I personally like to use a tofu and vegetable filling. Although, wontons are typically made with pork, shrimp or some other ground meat such as chicken. I have a love hate relationship with meat. There were many times that I bought meat at the grocery store, just to get home, open it up and find out its gone bad before its due date. Tofu honestly just saves me the hassle and the money. Plus, it’s delicious!
Vegetables: I always use mushrooms, onions, and carrots as my vegetables. Cabbage is also a great addition. Using a food processor makes mincing the vegetables much easier!
Freezer: This recipe will make roughly 30-40 wontons. You can boil them for 6 minutes from frozen for a quick and easy lunch! If you have any extra filling or run out of wonton wrappers, refrigerate the filling and use it for fried rice. There is only two of us eating these wontons in my house, so we get two meals out of this recipe. If you have more people in your house or would like to have some frozen for a longer period of time, then definitely double this recipe!
Vegetarian: The fish sauce is optional so you can leave that out. Although, be aware that wonton wrappers have eggs in them, in case that is something you are avoiding.
To serve: Add these wontons to noodle soup, vegetable soup or serve with a delicious dipping sauce! See my recipe for the best wonton dipping sauce. My boyfriend’s favourite way to eat these is in soup but I love them with a good sauce.
Folding the wontons: This might take some practice but is actually really easy once you get the hang of it. You don’t want to add too much filling or else it will be hard to fold. About one tablespoon of filling should be lots. I’m sure there are many ways to fold wontons, but this is how I have always done it and it works. This can be a little time-consuming but having homemade wontons for the freezer is definitely worth it!
Wrap tofu in paper towels and place a heavy object on top, I use a cast iron pan. Let sit for at least half an hour to release the liquid. Change paper towel halfway through if needed.
Meanwhile, wash and roughly chop the vegetables.
Add carrots to the food processor first. Pulse a few times before adding the mushrooms, onion, and garlic. Continue to pulse until everything is finely minced.
Heat extra virgin olive oil in a large pan on medium heat
When oil is heated, crumble tofu into the pan, breaking up into smaller pieces with a spatula.
Cook tofu for 2-3 minutes.
Add vegetables to the pan and season with salt, pepper, soy sauce, fish sauce, and a drizzle of sesame oil.
Cook for about 10 minutes, until everything is cooked through, and any liquid has evaporated. Taste filling and season accordingly.
Set filling aside and let cool for a few minutes while you get the wonton wrappers ready.
Assembling the wontons: **See photos above**
If you are freezing any wontons, line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
Fill a small bowl with cold water to use on the edges of the wonton wrappers.
Neatly place one tablespoon of filling in the middle of wonton square.
Wet your finger in the water and use it to wet all edges of the square.
Fold wonton into a triangle, like shown in the picture above, gently pressing edges together. Hold in place for a couple of seconds if needed to help them stick together.
Now wet the two bottom corners with your finger and stick them together, holding in place for a couple of seconds.
If freezing, place wontons on the parchment paper lined baking sheet.
That’s it! Continue with the rest of the wontons.
Place baking sheet in the freezer until wontons are completely frozen, then transfer wontons to a large freezer bag.
Tomato soup has to be one of my favourite soups and it’s so easy to make. The perfect fall or winter lunch. Serve with a classic grilled cheese, crusty garlic bread, or your favourite crackers. Something about a tomato and pesto combo is just a match made in heaven.
Recipe Notes:
Tools you will need: A blender and a fine mesh strainer. I usually use an immersion blender and blend it in a large pot. You can use a blender or food processor if you have a good one.
Tomatoes: I use a combination of cherry tomatoes and regular tomatoes, using cherry tomatoes just makes it easier so that I don’t have to cut and deseed a bunch of tomatoes. I normally use Roma or on the vine tomatoes, but any kind will work.
Roasted red pepper: I buy these in a jar, but you can roast or char them yourself if you like. I used to do this, but it just takes a lot of time.
Tomato skin: I peel the skin off of the larger tomatoes, but I leave the skin on the cherry tomatoes. After the tomatoes are done cooking, the skin easily peels off. I just use a pair of tongs to do this. The skin doesn’t blend well so that is why I strain the soup in the next step.
Fine mesh strainer: Straining the soup in a fine mesh strainer is a must! Especially if you don’t have a high-power blender (which I don’t have). If you don’t strain it, you will need to take all the skin off of the tomatoes. I used to do this but it’s just too time consuming, so I found straining it to be much easier. I love my fine mesh strainer! I use it for lots of other things like rinsing/straining rice, lentils or rice noodles.
Pesto: My favourite pesto brand is Classico Basil Pesto. Tomato soup is just not the same without it.
Dairy free: If you don’t want to use dairy, you can use oat cooking cream or canned coconut milk. I would normally use oat cream, but I had this cream on hand today. You will have to make sure your pesto doesn’t have any parmesan cheese in it if you want to make this completely dairy free.
For serving: I love a good grilled cheese sandwich with my tomato soup but it’s also delicious with garlic toast, which is what I used here. I used rye bread because that is what I had on hand, but you can use sourdough, or any other crusty bread. You could also make little garlic crostini’s with a baguette or make some homemade croutons to throw on top.
Where I live, there is NO Japanese restaurants. Such a bummer because I am obsessed with the cuisine. I had to learn how to make some dishes myself because I just can’t live my life without it!
My boyfriend loves ordering these udon noodles whenever we hit up our favourite sushi spots. This fried udon recipe honestly tastes just as good as the restaurant and is super easy to make! A great lunch idea that is done in 30 minutes.
Recipe Notes:
Veggies: You can use any veggies that you want. My go to combo is mushrooms, carrots, sugar snap peas and red pepper. Some other vegetable ideas are broccoli, cabbage, baby bok choy, or jalapeno.
Protein: I normally make this for lunch when I want something quick, so I don’t usually put any meat. But you can add beef, chicken, or tofu! Bulgogi beef is really good or just some simple fried tofu.
Broth: Use chicken, beef, or vegetable broth. I used chicken broth in this recipe. My favourite broth is GoBio! Organic Bouillon cubes.
Oyster sauce: This is a must! I use the Panda Brand oyster sauce.
Chili Garlic Sauce: Siracha can be used as a substitute or left out if you don’t enjoy spice.
Noodles: My favourite way to eat these udon noodles is in a sauce like this but you can use them for soup too.
Who doesn’t love a good alfredo? Served with fried broccolini, a garlic baguette, and a glass of wine of course. This recipe is made with oat cream but it’s not completely dairy free. Parmesan cheese is a must! This also makes an amazing lobster alfredo during the lobster season 🤤.
Recipe Notes:
Cream: I use oat cream when I want to cut back on dairy a little bit, but I also use heavy whipping cream all the time. Both work and taste great! I use Earth’s Own Oat Cream when I can find it.
Garlic & parsley butter: I buy butter like this from the grocery store to save time, but you can make it yourself or just use regular butter!
Broccolini: Normally I would use regular broccoli, steam it and mix it into the alfredo. When using broccoli just steam it for about 3 minutes, until its bright green.
Vegetarian: To make this meatless, add some mushrooms instead of chicken.
Wine: If you don’t have wine on hand, you can use a splash of white wine vinegar. I always use chardonnay or pinot grigio, but any dry white wine will do.
Chicken filets: These chicken filets are so much easier to cook than full chicken breasts. Just 5-6 minutes on each side and they’re cooked through! Boneless skinless chicken thighs could also be used but would require a longer cooking time. You can add some bacon to this recipe, if that’s your vibe!
Parmesan cheese: You NEED to use freshly grated parmesan cheese. Parmesan cheese is what makes this sauce thicken, and it won’t melt if it’s not fresh. Nothing beats the flavour or fresh parm!
Thickening: I normally don’t have to use corn starch or flour in this recipe, the parmesan cheese is usually enough to thicken it. If the sauce is just not thick enough, mix 1 tbsp of corn starch with 1 tbsp of cold water and stir it into sauce. Simmer for a couple minutes until thickened.
Thinning: This has never happened to me but if the sauce is too thick, for whatever reason, save some pasta water and use it to thin the sauce out.
1/3 cup to 1/2 cup of freshly grated parmesan cheese
1/4 box of fettucine.
5-6 cloves of garlic, minced
1/4 of an onion, minced
Fresh parsley, minced
Garlic, parsley butter or plain butter
Baguette
1 bunch of broccolini or broccoli
Sea salt
Black pepper
Lemon pepper
Pinch of crushed red chili flakes (optional)
Directions:
Pat chicken dry and season with salt, pepper, and lemon pepper.
Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat.
Cook chicken filets for 5-6 minutes on each side.
Mince garlic and onion
When chicken is done cooking, remove from pan and set aside.
Add wine to the hot pan and deglaze with a wooden spoon or spatula. Let the wine cook off for about 4-5 minutes.
Add garlic, onion, and red pepper flakes to the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes.
Add cream to the pan and bring to a simmer. Simmer until it starts to thicken, about 15 minutes.
Season with salt and pepper.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and generously season with salt.
Cook pasta until al dente. About 6 minutes.
When pasta is done, quickly run under cold water and set aside.
When the sauce is done simmering, turn off the heat and stir in fresh parmesan, starting with 1/3 cup. Add more if needed.
Taste the sauce and season accordingly. If sauce is not thick enough, thicken with corn starch (see notes above about how to thicken the sauce).
Cut up chicken and add to the sauce.
Heat garlic butter in a pan over medium heat.
Add broccolini to the pan, season with salt, pepper, and lemon pepper. Fry for 4-5 minutes. If using broccoli, steam it for 3 minutes.
Cut a piece of baguette in half and spread with garlic butter. Toast in the oven or toaster oven.
Stir pasta into the sauce, a little at a time. Garnish with fresh parsley and fresh cracked black pepper. Maybe some more crushed red peppers if you’re feeling spicy.
The best quick lunch recipe that only takes 20 minutes to make! I make this recipe several times a week because it’s so easy to throw together and I always have all the ingredients on hand. You can have the noodles on their own or add any toppings you want.
Recipe Notes:
Noodles: I like using these wide ramen noodles. I don’t know what they’re called I just found them in the Asian section of my grocery store one day. You can also use normal ramen noodles, which I have done many times before! My favourite brand is Shin Ramyun.
Broth: I like beef broth, but it would be good with any broth that you want. I have made this recipe with beef, chicken, and vegetable broth. My go to broth is GoBio Organic Bouillon Cubes.
Soy Sauce: If you use full sodium soy sauce for this recipe it’s going to be way too salty! I made this mistake before.
Garlic & Ginger: Fresh garlic & ginger make such a difference. You can leave ginger out if you don’t have any but it’s best not to skip the garlic!
Chili Garlic Sauce: I always use chili garlic sauce, but you can use siracha, chili oil, or crushed red pepper flakes instead. I actually used a little bit of chili oil to cook the garlic in too because I love it spicy.
Brown Sugar: You can use honey instead. I have made it with honey many times.
Oyster sauce: You can leave the oyster sauce out if you don’t have any, but I love the flavour it adds. I make this recipe without it all the time.
Toppings: You can serve these noodles without any toppings at all. My go to topping is a fried egg and avocado. Some other toppings that I love are kimchi, dried seaweed chips, or cilantro.
I absolutely love pumpkin season! This pumpkin curry is my favourite fall meal of all time. I love how easy curry is to throw together with items that I always have in my pantry. This curry is the perfect blend of sweet, and spicy!
Recipe Notes:
Chickpeas: You can swap the chickpeas for red or green lentils. If you do use lentils, you’ll need to add some water and they will need some additional time to cook. I love the addition of chickpeas in all of my curries! They’re a pantry staple for me so I always have some on hand.
Jamaican Sweet Potato: I love using Jamaican sweet potatoes in this recipe. I personally like the flavour of them better and find that they’re less sweet. You could swap these for normal potatoes or sweet potatoes.
Kale: Kale is totally optional, but I love adding it to stews, soups, and curries! It’s very hearty, it doesn’t wither away like spinach, and adds extra nutrition.
Red curry paste: If you prefer less spiciness, Thai Kitchen red curry paste is very mild. Aroy-D is my current favourite. It’s definitely spicier than Thai Kitchen but I love that! The pumpkin and sweet potato are sweet, so the balance between the two is nice. They’re both good options! If it ends up too spicy for you, just add a little bit of brown sugar.
Kaffir lime leaves: I use dried because I can’t get them fresh. If you can’t find them, you can leave them out. I couldn’t find any for the longest time until my grocery store just recently stocked some. I use these like bay leaves and remove them before serving.
Pumpkin: A pie pumpkin or sugar pumpkin are the small pumpkins, not the large ones that you would carve.
You will love how simple this recipe is! It’s filling and comforting, with simple ingredients. Make it with your choice of biscuits or pie crust. I love making this recipe when I need something quick and easy. Buy your pie crust and cooked rotisserie chicken at the grocery store to save time. When using pie crust instead of biscuits, this can easily be frozen!
Recipe notes:
Pie crust or biscuits: Use your favourite homemade biscuit recipe! I used homemade biscuits here, but I don’t have a recipe up for them yet. You can also use store bought pie crust or store-bought biscuits. If you’re using store bought biscuits, I would recommend cooking them separately because the bottom doesn’t cook on top of the filling like the homemade biscuits do.
Servings: This recipe will feed about six people. If you only need to serve three or four people, you can make one 9-inch pie for the freezer and bake the rest with a few biscuits.
Substitutes: This recipe is pretty forgiving. You can substitute or leave out any of the veggies.
Vegetarian: I have made this recipe vegetarian many times! Just leave the chicken out and use vegetable broth instead.
Wine: I feel like a touch of wine makes everything better, but you can definitely leave it out.
Broth: My go to broth is always the Go Bio! Organic bouillon cubes.
Thickening: I never have a problem with this filling not thickening but, if it doesn’t thicken for you just mix a tablespoon of corn starch with a tablespoon of cold water and stir it into the filling. Then continue to simmer.
Pan: I use an oven proof pan, so I only need one pan from start to finish. If you don’t have one you can pour the mixture into a casserole dish before baking.
Freezer: I have frozen the pie version of this many times! I like to freeze a couple for my boyfriend to take on work trips. This recipe is enough for two 9-inch pies. Prepare them in disposable pie pans, cover with foil, and freeze. To bake them from frozen, preheat the oven to 425ºF with the foil on for about an hour, then remove the foil and continue to bake until the crust is golden, and a knife inserted in the middle comes out warm.
Let me know if you try this recipe. I would love to hear your feedback. Enjoy!
1/4 cup of butter (half of one stick) or 4-5 tbsp.
1/4 cup flour
Salt to tase
Pepper to taste
1 tsp Thyme
1 tsp Smoked paprika
Directions:
Preheat oven to 425ºF
Wash and chop celery, carrots, potatoes and garlic.
Melt butter in a large pan.
Add celery, carrots and potatoes and cook for about 10-15 minutes, until potatoes are still a little firm but almost cooked through.
While vegetables are cooking, cut up the chicken.
Add garlic and seasonings.
Turn the heat off or remove pan from the heat. Sprinkle flour over vegetables to create a roux, stirring constantly. Cook for 1 minute.
With the heat off, slowly add wine, stirring constantly. Slowly pour in chicken broth a little at a time, stirring in between to prevent the flour from clumping.
Return to heat and bring to a simmer. Simmer until thickened, about 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Taste and adjust seasoning to your taste and add a splash of milk or cream.
Stir in frozen peas and chopped chicken.
Assemble homemade biscuits on top of mixture and bake for 12-15 minutes. Brush butter on top of biscuits and broil to brown the top. This only takes about a minute, don’t walk away! If using pie crust, assemble the pie and bake the pie according to package directions. **See recipe notes for pie crust or biscuits**
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