Search Results for: thai

Craving > Pad Thai Plus the Vegan Black Metal Chef

During high school, my sister Holly chose to ditch the trappings of senior year—prom, football games, college-prep drama—and instead crossed half way across the globe on a school exchange program to a very different place than the white-bread town we grew up in. A place where the locals would unabashedly touch the light, blonde hairs on her suntanned arms and where she towered over the tallest of the adult men.

When her year of schooling was up and it was time for her to come home, my mom, dad and I were lucky enough to take a month long trip to visit her temporary home and host family.

And that is where my love for Thai food and its culture was born.

photo > foodiecrush

While living in Los Angeles, there were a few note-worthy Thai restaurants like my favorite —right next door to my offices on Larchmont Blvd. that served the BEST spicy garlic tofu EVER—but there were also tons of delicious Thai restaurants on nearly every corner. It was way too easy to order delivery at least once a week thanks to the Thai menus we’d find strapped to the front door or slyly slipped under the weathered welcome mat. And it was cheap, cheap, cheap. And good, good, good.

But where we live now we have a far more limited supply of Thai joints, and they’re more fancy than funky.

So when my husband found a link on his Facebook page from his friend Tom for Vegan Metal Chef’s Pad Thai recipe, we were inspired. And we laughed. And we were totally impressed by his original take on food blogging and using his sincere—yes, sincere—approach to promote veganism. And of course the awesomeness of his swarthy knife.

If you’re looking for a few options that aren’t vegan, check out the list of spicy coolio noodle recipes below.

photo > Koko Cooks

So we were in the mood for Pad Thai thanks to above-said Vegan Metal Chef, but most recipes call for tamarind, which we had none of. After doing some searching on the www., we found Koko Cooks’ recipe for Pad Thai and thanks to Suzanne, we didn’t miss the tamarind at all. We did add some fried tofu and sliced chili peppers, just cause we could.

photo > Savory Sweet Life

Averting the amateurish and probably American-inspired move of using ketchup in pad thai recipes, Alice’s recipe for Savory Sweet Life ‘s Pad Thai shares the secret of adding just a couple of tablespoons of sauce at a time to avoid a gloppy mess of rice noodles.

photo > Yogi Studio/Jasmine Tea

Jasmine’s recipe for Pad Thai on Jasmine Tea uses a little wider noodle and her recipe for sweet mango smoothie is a nice foil to the spicey hits of the pad thai.

photo > Use Real Butter

Jen’s version of Pim’s Pad Thai makes for super easy assembly thanks to her step by step photos on Use Real Butter, making the stir-fry part of the recipe (in a frying pan instead of a wok) super simple to put together.

Thanks for reading. If you liked this post, please subscribe to foodiecrush and follow me on twitter.

Thai Coconut Chicken and Rice

This easy Thai Coconut Chicken and Rice dinner has just the right amount of spice from jalapeño and ginger to flavor this creamy coconut sauce for a simple all-in-on meal.

Thai Comfort Food: Thai Coconut Chicken and Rice

“Make it with extra sauce!” my husband always says.

Those are the words I hear ringing in my ears every time I cook any of my Thai recipes made with coconut milk like Shrimp in Thai Coconut Sauce or Slow Cooker Thai Chicken Soup. He’s a saucy kind of guy and simply can’t get enough of the Thai flavor-infused coconut flavors. And since every month those two recipes are in the top 10 recipes readers make from my site, it’s obvious you love them too.

The sauce is one reason why this creamy ginger and coconut chicken recipe has been a favorite of ours literally for years. I originally tore it out of a 2006 issue of Real Simple magazine, and like any magazine addict who also has a penchant for ~~saving~~ hoarding, I’ve kept it all these years.

The recipe page is now a little kitchen war-torn and splattered so it was high time to add it to the blog so I could refer to it more easily. See, this blog isn’t just a place for me to make recipes for you, it’s a place for me to keep track of my many favorites.

And hopefully like this Thai chicken recipe, you’ll love ’em and make them all as much too.continue to the recipe… about Thai Coconut Chicken and Rice

Thai Chicken and Cucumber Salad

My favorite Thai flavors are lightened up in this chicken and cucumber salad with almond coconut blend almond milk subbing in for full-fat coconut milk.

This post is in partnership with Almond Breeze

When my sister was in high school she spent her season year on a year-long foreign exchange school program with a host family in Thailand. She was just 17. And ready to expand her horizons. That’s only five years from how old Smudge is right now. Looking back I wonder if I could let Smudge go to a foreign land like my mom did with my sister?

My mom made it through that year (barely) and since then we’ve all been back to Thailand with my sister Holly, and thus the whole family has become enamored with Thai food. So this year when my sister and her family came home to spend the holidays with all of us, it was far from shocking that one very important item on the agenda was going out for Thai food.

My mom has a favorite restaurant she frequents for her favorite Thai chicken salad. After “borrowing” just one bite, I was a fan too. And I knew my version of that chicken salad was destined for you here on le bloggity blog.continue to the recipe… about Thai Chicken and Cucumber Salad

Thai Coconut Noodle Salad

Almond Breeze Almondmilk Coconutmilk is my secret to a lower calorie instead of canned coconut milk for dressing this flavorful, Thai-inspired noodle salad.

This year I’m partnering with Almond Breeze to create and share recipes using almond milk. This noodle salad recipe takes full advantage of this flavored almond milk’s ability to infuse the distinctive Thai taste of coconut milk, but is a lighter alternative that cuts the calories and keeps the taste.

I’m sure I’ve shared here on the blog that during my sister’s senior year of high school she spent the year as a foreign exchange student in Thailand. Growing up in Utah, the geography, culture and certainly the food was worlds away from what she was used to. And she loved every single minute of her year-long immersion there.

When it was time for her to come home, my parents and I traveled to her adopted land to explore her new world. We quickly became fans, too. The beaches. The kindness of the Thai people. The vibrant heart of the culture. And for a food lover like me, the sumptuous and exotic dishes simply sealed the deal.

Ever since, when I’m craving dishes with a balance of spicy and sweet, Thai flavors are at my cooking epicenter. When you search my recipe archives it’s proof in the pudding, the Thai pudding so to speak. Hey, now! There’s a recipe idea I haven’t tried out yet…

continue to the recipe… about Thai Coconut Noodle Salad

Thai Quinoa Salad

This power salad combines protein-packed grains with the healing nutrients from fresh veggies, for a lime-infused flavor bomb with crunch in each bite.

I think I’ve just been stung. By the looks of the welt beginning to swell, I’d have to affirm that I indeed I just did.

It’s what happens every year in spring. Wasps circle as the dogs try and nip them in mid air. This one got away from them, and headed straight to me.

I suppose that’s what I get for writing this post in the warmth of this spring afternoon on my deck instead of hunkered in front of my computer in my office.

I’ll take the sting. Sitting in the sun makes it worth it.

continue to the recipe… about Thai Quinoa Salad

Shrimp In Thai Coconut Sauce

Coconut milk flavored with peanut butter makes a classic Thai-inspired, creamy sauce for bell peppers and sautéed shrimp for an easy dinner any night of the week.

I feel that I’ve led you astray. That I didn’t deliver. That I was just a being a big tease.

Actually, there were a plethora of you who said that’s exactly what I was, when you e-mailed me in droves asking where the recipe was for the photo of this dish in my Friday Faves without sharing the recipe.

You’re right. I owe you this recipe. And I’m delivering it in two different versions, one that was the original from a cereal cooking challenge I was part of and the other version minus the cereal for those of you looking for a simpler version.

continue to the recipe… about Shrimp In Thai Coconut Sauce

Thai Coconut Cauliflower

Spinach, I love. Broccoli, bring it on. But cauliflower? I can usually leave it at the kitchen door.

I’m DEFINITELY a late convert to this cruciferous’ fan club. So what made me cross the picket line? Well, it has to do with a favorite flavor addition which totally made my Thai Coconut Cauliflower a new fave.

Lately I’ve been in a Thai state of mind thanks to my Slow Cooker Thai Chicken Soup. But then any dish with coconut milk? Hello, lovely.

So when my husband pulled this recipe out of his…um…thin air, I was like, WHA? WHA?

Me eat cauliflower? Okay, maybe. If its coated with melted cheese.

continue to the recipe… about Thai Coconut Cauliflower

Thai Curried Salmon

photo > foodiecrush

Salmon season is upon us and I…am…ready…

Considered a top Superfood and packed with Omega 3’s (yes, that one-liner is a hangover from my days working for a natural health magazine) one of my favorite recipes for preparing salmon is simple: a fresh filet of firm, rich Copper River salmon, seasoned with a large grind of fresh peppercorns, a generous sprinkling of kosher salt that’s seared on a hot grill then topped with a yogurt-cucumber-dill sauce.

My husband is pretty much the king of grilling salmon, so when he declared he wanted to try a different recipe, something with a little more flavor-flav, I was curious to see what he’d come up with. And the search was for curry recipes was on.

photo > What Did You Eat?

While I usually search the internet via tried and true foodie search resources, my husband Jeff casts a wider net with the ever-expanding-so-keep-on-digging-googlemachine. The result is blog finds that are off the beaten path. So when he found the recipe that inspired this post from What Did You Eat? for Kona Kampachi With Thai Red Curry Sauce, Cabbage Salad and Jasmine Rice. We figured it would adapt just fine to salmon thanks to the fish’s sturdiness and the sauce’s perfect combo of curry, coconut milk and the royal topper of a fresh cabbage and cucumber salad. Oh my, delicious!

And then we read the blog’s final entry made just a few short months after Sherry posted this recipe. It was a not so gentle, but lovely reminder of how quickly things can change.

Thank you and cheers to Sherry for continuing to share her legacy of recipes, photography and stories with those of us searching for the deliciousness in life.

photo > The Perfect Pantry

A spicy asian fish “stew” made with red curry paste, lovely fresh veggies and a sweetness thanks to coconut cream and pineapple chunks, Lydia’s Salmon Choo Chee is a quick and easy one pan—or wok—salmon dish. The Perfect Pantry is a mini-wikipedia of foodie ingredients and her list of additional recipes at the end of each post gives the reader more tasty options from fellow foodie bloggers. Now that’s foodie love!

photo > Bonbini

Prepared as a composed appetizer or small plate, blogger and Thai pastry chef Thip’s adaptation of her childhood Fish Curry from Bonbini is a pretty sample of red curry, fresh kaffir lime and the essential flavor of Thai fish sauce. If you can’t find kaffir lime leaves, substitute with finely grated lime zest for that fresh citrus flavor.

photo > The Weather in Cascadia

A seasoned traveler and Thai curry lover, Christine of the blog The Weather in Cascadia adds shitake mushrooms and swiss chard to her take on Red Curry Salmon and Rice Noodles. Although she doesn’t note which noodles to use, I’d recommend rice noodles cooked for just a minute or two in the sauce to soak up some of the coconuty-goodness.

Thanks for reading. If you liked this post, please subscribe to foodiecrush and follow me on twitter.

5 Favorite Recipes for Flavored Compound Butters

Herbs, citrus, and even cheese flavor these 5 recipes for easy-to-make homemade compound butters to use on everything from hot veggies (roasted corn is a favorite!) to chicken, fish, pasta, and steaks, and it’s one of my secrets for jazzing up a gooey grilled cheese sandwich.

More butter, more better. And when it’s of the infused-flavored variety, there’s always room for even more better butter.

Compound butters are something I like to keep on hand to effortlessly boost the flavor of meats, chicken, and burgers, or slither into pasta with a little cheese, or mix into scrambled eggs and omelets. And of course, it’s absolutely the best slathered on sweet summer corn.

While it would be easy to mix these flavor combinations together and set out in a bowl to serve from there, I like rolling them into logs and then cutting into slices to melt on just about anything for added flavor.

And because these buttery flavor bursts freeze well, it’s simple to pull them out on a whim and use to suit the tastes of everyone at the table. continue to the recipe… about 5 Favorite Recipes for Flavored Compound Butters

5 Ingredient Thai Pumpkin Soup

With just 5 simple ingredients, my Thai Pumpkin Soup delivers a curry and coconut flavor combination more often expected from a pumpkin soup recipe with far more ingredients than 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Bonus: It’s ready to eat in under 10 minutes.

My Smudge has been losing her mind this year with anticipation of Halloween, dressing up herself, the house and of course, the dogs. Oh those poor dogs.

She’s carved 172 pumpkins and has even planned out what container she’ll be storing her “free” candy in after she roots through her haul (these from OXO make her feel like she has a candy store right at home.) As long as that stash is close to me, I like her plan.

I love Halloween too. But man, when Halloween is on a weeknight, the rush of getting her home from school, then getting us all into costumes, rounding out the candy and then either hosting the annual Halloween party (woo-hoo I got a pass on that this year) or sailing off to one of her friends’ house to do the trick or treat routine (yea for friends!) takes TIME.

And time is always a precious commodity since its usually a rarity.

That’s why with just 5 ingredients as the sum total of deliciousness, my Thai Pumpkin Soup is the perfect last minute fare.

It’s a savory time saver. You don’t have to pay me extra for the jokes folks.continue to the recipe… about 5 Ingredient Thai Pumpkin Soup

Thai Zucchini Noodle and Quinoa Salad

Spiralized zucchini is the base of this crunchy raw vegetable salad that features a creamy, flavorful Thai peanut dressing for a healthy lunch or dinner.

I’ve been on a bit of a Thai kick lately, as witnessed by last week’s Shrimp in Thai Coconut Sauce.

Okay, I’ve been on a Thai kick, for, like, forever, as witnessed by this lengthy list of recipes here on le bloggity blog.

And after I ate the original version of this spiralized zucchini noodle aka zoodle recipe, I knew I had to add one more to the lineup.

Most likely, it won’t be the last. continue to the recipe… about Thai Zucchini Noodle and Quinoa Salad

Slow Cooker Thai Chicken Soup

Here’s the thing about cooking with slow cookers. It’s convenient. But only if you’re creating a recipe where you don’t have to dirty more than the slow cooker. Like this Slow Cooker Thai Chicken Soup.

I’m all about time management. I eat breakfast while I do the dishes, I brush my teeth while I tie on my running shoes. In other words, I’m a multi-tasker who isn’t terribly efficient at getting much of any of my laundry list of daily to-dos completed because my mind thinks I have to do more than six things at at time. Why? Oh why?

So these days, unless its a lazy day weekend, my to do list doesn’t always necessitate spending an hour and a half making dinner. I don’t mean letting it cook, I mean MAKING dinner.

Enter the genius invention that has been on every wedding registry since 1973. The slow cooker. And this Slow Cooker Thai Chicken Soup. continue to the recipe… about Slow Cooker Thai Chicken Soup

Thai Chicken Larb Lettuce Wraps

With the release of her latest cookbook, Steamy Kitchen’s Healthy Asian Favorites, Jaden Hair once again shows us why she’s one of the top dogs in the world of food blogging with her recipe for Thai Lettuce Wraps.

Food blog author Jaden Hair of Steamy Kitchen is like Wonder Woman. She’s a food columnist, television chef (ABC’s Recipe Rehab, Daytime Show), cookbook author (The Steamy Kitchen Cookbook, Steamy Kitchen’s Healthy Asian Favorites), and a wife and mom to two little boys, Andrew and Nathan.

If all that weren’t enough, she helps run “the homestead,”—a five-acre plot she and her family occupy. It’s fully equipped with a small fruit orchard, a pond with tilapia and blue gill, and a chicken coop with ten plucky residents. Their latest endeavor? A homemade aquaponic herb and vegetable garden (growing vegetables and plants over water).

It’s a juggling act but one that Hair seems to have managed with ease. She’s driven, but her priority is her family and she puts their health and happiness at the forefront.

I first discovered Jaden thanks to my husband. While trolloping among the www for Asian inspired recipes, he discovered Steamy Kitchen. In fact, he was a follower of her blog well before I even had a nugget of a thought of creating a food blog myself. Or a magazine that features food bloggers. You could say his discovery pretty much set us on this tract of foodie crushes.

In fact, my very first recipe on the blog? One of Jaden’s.

You could say I have a soft spot for this oh so very talented lady.continue to the recipe… about Thai Chicken Larb Lettuce Wraps

Stuffed Artichokes with Thai Shrimp Salad

Eat seasonal! Eat fresh! Eat good food! In my world that’s the mantra to live by.

While I crave ultimate comfort foods like blackened seafood pastas, the perfectly cooked steak and grilled cheese sandwiches, you’ll never find me shying away from super fresh, in-season fare that’s light on the palate but heavy on flavor.

I’ve always been a big artichoke fan. Heck, it was my second post ever on this little bloggity blog. And now…my how things have changed. I didn’t even realize I needed to post my own recipes back then, and just look at how Smudge was just a smudge!

When it comes to the green leafy orb, you could eat it the traditional route. Melted butter for tender leaf dipping. Another swath of mayo (nay to the Miracle Whip on my side of the table) and into the mouth. That’s the way most artichoke dipping begins and ends.

But we’re going lighter this time around with a rice wine vinegar seasoned Thai flavored shrimp salad to top every tender tooth-scraping artichoke leaf. We’re just going with the seasonal flow.

continue to the recipe… about Stuffed Artichokes with Thai Shrimp Salad

How to Make an Asian-Inspired Cheese Board

Whether you call it a cheese board or a cheese plate, all that matters for this twist on the loaded appetizer platter is that it’s piled high with a variety of Asian-inspired bites.

This recipe is brought to you by Kettle Brand®.

I’m on a day date with my man, ordering lunch at one of our favorite Thai restaurants. While we’re almost always game for a killer Moochie’s Philly Cheesesteak sandwich, our go-to lunch spots are usually of the Asian variety: ramen, sushi, bulgogi, pho and bun are all invited to our table.

“Okay, G.,” I say to my husband as we look over the menu, only to order the same thing we always get because when you’ve got a craving, you’ve gotta feed the fire. “I need to come up with an appetizer idea to serve with potato chips.”

“You could do a dip,” he obviously replies. I look at him with a totally bored, blank stare. Oh, reallllly? Novel idea there Chef Jeff.continue to the recipe… about How to Make an Asian-Inspired Cheese Board

Chicken Satay with Lighter Almond Dipping Sauce

These flavorful skewers of thinly sliced marinated chicken need just a few minutes on the grill to absorb that wonderful smoky, charcoaled flavor, and are ready for dipping in this lightened-up, spicy coconut almond milk with almond butter dipping sauce for a true taste of Asian flavors.

This post is brought to you by Almond Breeze

One of the sights that struck me most while traveling through the streets of Bangkok and throughout Thailand was the abundance of street food and the fact that it was being cooked, right there, on the sidewalks. Men and women crouched down at makeshift grills made of bricks and grill grates, encouraging their charcoal flames and flipping skewers of meat, or chopping fresh veggies for stir fries and dishing out noodles and soups to customers who moments before were simply passing by.

But even more, it was the smells (oh the smells!) of food cooking, and bubbling, and sizzling, around each and every corner, serving snacks (and entire meals) to every walk of life, no matter how rich, or how poor. Southeast Asia isn’t necessarily unique in that respect. It seems that street food in every culture serves our most humble cravings. It just seems far more common there.

Naturally, the food memory of one of my favorite snacks during my two visits to Thailand came home with me. Chicken Satay, or Chicken Saté, because depending on the region depends on your spelling of the snack. Either way, this favorite appetizer on a stick is all good. And in this recipe, it’s also lightened up with a bit of an almond-y twist. continue to the recipe… about Chicken Satay with Lighter Almond Dipping Sauce

Crunchy Asian Cucumber Watermelon Salad

All it takes to make this super simple, totally fresh, cucumber, watermelon and red bell pepper salad is a few minutes of chopping and an easy sesame and lime-flavored Asian dressing for a totally crunchy bite.

“But wait, I was going to make my Mediterranean panzanella salad…”

My recipe making plans were foiled once again. I had my heart set, but when my husband told me he was making his favorite Asian chicken lettuce wraps to take with us for our outdoor concert picnicking with the Drive By Truckers at SLC’s Red Butte Gardens, I said, “Hey, no big deal, I can switch things out to go with that.”

So with a simple pivot and a few ingredient swaps, I created a salad the fit right into my husband’s Asian-inspired menu plans.

That’s what I love about super simple recipes like this one: it doesn’t take much to change it to fit any ethnic flavor profile, creating something totally fresh and totally new that fits into whatever you’re craving now. Plus,because it’s sturdy ingredients, this one is a great salad for potlucks or brunch, lunch, or dinners, and it holds up in the fridge, even for a few days.continue to the recipe… about Crunchy Asian Cucumber Watermelon Salad

Sweet and Sour Asian Pickled Cucumbers

These tangy and oh-so-simple-to-make sweet and sour Asian cucumbers take only about 5 minutes to make, and are one of our favorite pickle snacks. They’re also oh so good served as a cooling side or a crunchy, puckery salad all on their own.

I’ve never met a pickle I didn’t like. And when a pickle recipe does double duty as a tangy salad or a puckery snack, I look like that little emoji girl with my hand held high 🙋. Actually, my hand is more likely IN the pickle jar instead of being raised even though my mom ALWAYS told me, “USE A FORK!”

When will I ever learn to listen? Asking for my mom, because, you know, she’s still wondering.

This easy cucumber pickle is exactly one of those recipes I will disregard all of my mom’s Emily Post etiquette teachings for. It’s the perfect topping on a sandwich or burger (like my Korean BBQ Burgers), or served alongside my Grilled Chicken Satay, or for simply snagging from the fridge for a little afternoon cure-all snack. Fork, or no fork, it’s totally your choice but I bet you know how I’ll be digging for them.continue to the recipe… about Sweet and Sour Asian Pickled Cucumbers

Baked Chicken Wings with Thai Peanut Sauce

These chicken wings may be skinless but they still bake up nice and crispy in the oven, and are served with a creamy Thai peanut sauce that’s to die for.

I had a hunch chicken wings might fill the bill.

A hunch that these skinless, baked wings (say what? healthy-ish even?) might fit right into a round of lounging about with friends and family who are perfectly positioned with beverage in hand while the big game rambles on in the background because we’re all ignoring the commentators and waiting for the commercials anyway.

The commercials. And the food. It’s all about the food.

I say I had a hunch, but I really wanted to know, so I asked you what you craved on Facebook and here’s what you had to say.

This is a recipe that begs for the reach-in. Where there will be no penalties or unfair, uncalled for whistles, except for that holy-cow-show-me-more-low-slow-whistle that you only hear on construction sites when a hot chick ambles by.

Woot-twoo. Whistle away. These Baked Chicken Wings with Thai Peanut Sauce deserve every pursed lip.continue to the recipe… about Baked Chicken Wings with Thai Peanut Sauce

Fish Chowder With Copper River Salmon

This thick and creamy, perfectly chunky, and easy to make chowder made with the best Copper River salmon gets a Thai makeover with flavors of coconut milk, fresh lemongrass, ginger, and kaffir lime, for a unique spin on a comfort food favorite.

This fish chowder, if it could talk, would have a long story to tell about a very short trip I was on that ended in minutes with a very quick fall.

This soup and I met on a rainy Alaskan night. There were no walks on the beach but we did get caught on the rain. The piña coladas were on an entirely different continent and man oh man, how I wished I had champagne to kill the pain. But this soup from Cordova, Alaska’s local Fishwives, and it’s subtle Thai-inspired flavors saved me instead.

continue to the recipe… about Fish Chowder With Copper River Salmon