Recipes Worth Making
Ginger Peanut Chicken with Coconut Rice
Simple but tasty! I recommend doubling the marinade so there is extra sauce to go over the rice. I served with a side of green beans. Next time, I might try it with sautéed zucchini or spinach.
[Update] Since moving to a plant-based diet in 2022, I’ve made this recipe replacing the chicken with both tempeh and tofu. I liked the combination of the two as it gives the dish a lot of texture.
This recipe is quick and easy to make. I sautéed the garlic, ginger, and onion for a few minutes, then added the red curry paste, spices, and lentils and cooked until fragrant (1-2 minutes). If you have time, I recommend following this process as it helps bring out the flavors of these ingredients. If not, no worries! Follow the recipe as written and you’ll still end up with a delicious meal. I served over coconut rice and topped with sautéed zucchini and roasted cauliflower. So yum and Ava (baby) approved!
Update: I made this again with carrots and sweet potatoes. So worth it! I used one small sweet potato and half of a medium-sized yellow carrot, both chopped into quarter inch cubes. I threw them in the pot when I added the tomato sauce and water. They were perfectly tender at the end of cook time and added a little sweetness and texture to the dish. I also added two handfuls of chopped fresh spinach. Instead of serving over rice, I’ve been eating the lentils with pita and hummus. Definitely recommend!
Moroccan Chickpea Quinoa Power Salad
I love this recipe! It’s packed with nutritious ingredients, has the perfect balance of flavors, and is full of texture. The salad works well as a side for any Mediterranean-inspired meal but is also hearty enough to be a main dish. Lately, I’ve been eating it as a dip with hummus and crackers. I’ve also put it over a bed of lightly dressed greens (olive oil + red wine vinegar or Italian dressing) and sprinkled with feta. So many delicious ways to serve!
Black Bean Corn Salad with Chipotle Honey Vinaigrette
This is a super versatile recipe. It can be served as a side dish, dip, or garnish. I most frequently use it as a dip with tortilla chips but have also put it on tacos, chicken, and salads. If serving as a side dish, I like to mix in one cup of quinoa to make it more hearty. I’ve found fresh corn gives the salad the best texture but canned or frozen corn work just fine. I recommend making at least a few hours or even a day before serving to let the flavors meld.
I was looking for an egg and spinach recipe I could serve Ava. I’m always looking for different ways to sneak greens into her diet:) I had leftover quinoa from the Moroccan Chickpea Quinoa Salad I made earlier in the week so this recipe was perfect. I subbed spinach for kale and used 1/4 cup mozzarella plus 1/4 cup feta cheese. They are tasty enough to eat on their own but are also good topped with avocado and/or salsa.
I decided to make chocolate and vanilla cupcakes for Ava’s first birthday. This chocolate cupcake recipe did not disappoint. So scrumptious! I planned to make the chocolate buttercream frosting listed in the recipe but ran out of time. Luckily, I had leftover vanilla buttercream frosting I made for the vanilla cupcakes that I could use. I thought the vanilla frosting actually paired better with the chocolate cupcakes. The frosting is slightly salty, which worked well with the rich chocolate flavor but was a bit overpowering on the vanilla cupcake.
I’m always hesitant to share something I’ve made if I haven’t tried the recipe at least once. Unfortunately, I didn’t have time to test any cupcake recipes before Ava’s birthday party so I was left to trust recipe reviews. This vanilla cupcake recipe has over 3,000 five star reviews so I figured the cupcakes must be good. They most definitely were! For some reason, I used a different vanilla buttercream frosting recipe of Preppy Kitchen’s than the one listed in the cupcake recipe. Next time, I plan to make the frosting listed in the recipe as the one I made was a bit too salty for these cupcakes.
Other recipes I’ve made recently:
Healthy Mac and Cheese with Cauliflower
I made this dish for Ava. The flavors are very mild and there is no added salt (great for baby, not-so-pleasing to an adults palate). I made it with broccoli instead of cauliflower as that’s what I had on hand. It makes a lot of pasta, which is great if you are planning to feed the whole family but this isn’t something I’d choose to make for anyone other than baby. If I made it again, I’d cut the recipe in half and try it with cauliflower.
I’m still deciding how I feel about this recipe. It’s good enough to make again but it needs some tweaking. The recipe calls for “lots” of lime juice and zest, which is very vague. I put 2 tablespoons of lime juice and maybe 1/2 teaspoon of zest. I served it over coconut rice. The flavor of the dish was good but both Skye and I felt like it was missing something. I added a bit more lime juice to my dish, which improved the flavor some. The recipe calls for soy sauce or fish sauce. I used soy sauce so next time I’ll try fish sauce. I’ll also add more lime juice and zest to see if that results in a more balanced flavor profile.
Ideas Worth Considering
Rich Roll: David Choe
As long as I’m helping other people, I never have to help myself.
This mindset leads you to deflect and avoid doing the hardest work, which is loving yourself.
Source: The Rich Roll podcast (episode 626)
Rich Roll: Raghunath Capp
Your primary purpose is to help yourself; the secondary effect is to help someone else.
Source: The Rich Roll podcast (episode 583)
Reflections
The essence of life’s work is to help yourself. To engage in the daily practice of helping yourself is to continually work toward your highest potential, which is the greatest act of service. Taking your best form each day affords you the opportunity to positively impact and serve others.
