missdish

Citrus Beet Salad

Citrus Beet Salad

This month's @missbish #MISSDISH is the quickest salad ever and will turn even the most stubborn eater into a beet lover! Refreshing citrus (use oranges, mandarin oranges, blood oranges,or my favorite, Cara Cara oranges!), beets, and whatever you've got in the fridge! Never worked with beets before? No worries, use canned! Nowadays supermarkets also carry pre-roasted in the refrigerated section. I love them chopped up and tossed into my salads. 

There's no blueprint to this - use what you've got! This salad has a base of citrus and beets, and can be tossed with other root veggies like carrots, butternut squash, fennel, or even brussels! Throw in leftover feta or goat cheese and use your favorite dressing - a dash of balsamic vinegar, citrus vinaigrette, or even poppyseed dressing. I love to throw a few spoonfuls of quinoa in all my salads (Cook up a huge batch on Sunday night!) Beef up the salad by serving it all on a bed of greens. Avocado is obviously a perfect addition :) Let's get cookin!

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Crack Almonds

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Crack Almonds

These almonds are crack. Crunchy, cinnamon-sugar roasted nuts are so comforting and delicious! I've been poppin em in my mouth all day :) They're easy to make - simply toss them in fluffy egg whites and a mixture of sugar, cinnamon, brown sugar, and a dash of salt and throw them in the oven. What's even better about this recipe is that you can make them in a toaster oven just like I did! I don't have an oven in my apartment here in Hong Kong, and these babies were easy enough to slow roast in my handy toaster oven. You can use this recipe with your favorite nuts - they're super addicting and make for great gifts! Let's get roasting! 

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Hiyashi Chuka (Cold Ramen)

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Hiyashi Chuka (Cold Ramen)

This dish is a great way to cool down in the Spring/Summer! Hiyashi Chuka can be made with a variety of toppings, but popular ones include: pickled ginger, cucumbers, ham, shrimp, strips of egg crepes, imitation crab, nori strips, wakame seaweed, and sesame seeds. Some other great ideas are carrots, shredded steamed chicken, and tomatoes! The options are endless, and the dressing is so yummy that it'll pull any combination together. This recipe is super simple - shred and julienne all your toppings, whisk up the dressing, and toss the chilled noodles together. You know how certain foods taste even better when eaten cold? The flavors of the sesame, soy, and rice vinegar dressing bring all the toppings to life :) Let's get cookin!

One Pan, No Bake 20 Minute Lasagna

One Pan, No Bake 20 Minute Lasagna

This is of my favorite recipes since it's so easy, delicious, and straightforward. The results are great every time. A nice cheesy crust, tender lasagna noodles, creamy ricotta, savory Italian sausage, and zesty tomato sauce simmer on the stove for a mere 20 minutes and magically become the world's easiest lasagna. Once you've got all the ingredients prepped, the actual cook time is a breeze. Throw everything in one pan and impress your loved ones. I generally have a bunch of these ingredients on hand in my pantry so it's a great dish to make for last minute dinners. Find out how next...let's get cookin! 

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Cranberry Jalapeño Cream Cheese Dip

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Cranberry Jalapeño Cream Cheese Dip

I really wanted to come up with a fun appetizer that involved deliciously tangy cranberries. This dip is unexpectedly tasty. A blend of fresh cranberries, lemon juice, sugar, jalapeño, green onions, cumin, and cilantro is served over softened cream cheese...yes a block of cream cheese! Honestly, what's better than a good dip? All you've gotta do is throw all the ingredients together, let it macerate a bit in the fridge, and pulse it in a blender. The result is a vibrant cranberry relish that is perfectly sweet, tangy, earthy, and with a slight spicy kick. This dip is festive, flavorful, easy on the wallet, and perfect for potlucks. Let's get cookin!  

Baked Apple Crisp

Baked Apple Crisp

Fruit crisps are heaven–rustic desserts that are the perfect way to show off seasonal fruits. The best part about fruit crisps is that they are simple to make, only needing fruit and few other ingredients. I thought about how to put a little twist on the classic Apple Crisp. What else makes classic dishes more fun than making them self-contained, individual servings? Top em off with a scoop of good vanilla ice cream, and enjoy the tender, cinnamon-bathed apples and crumbly crisp topping. So today I'm going to show you the fast and simple way to a delicious dessert that will impress all your holiday guests. Let's get baking :) 

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Shrimp and Grits

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Shrimp and Grits

There are a ton of nights where you simply don't want to leave the house for groceries. It's nice to have some staples on hand for lazy evenings. Frozen shrimp are so versatile and easy to cook with! Shrimp and grits sounds intimidating but is incredibly easy to throw together. You'll be surprised by how little effort it takes to gain so much flavor. You can, of course, use fresh shrimp. The only difference between the two is giving the frozen ones a little rinse in cold water to defrost them. When you're shopping for shrimp (I prefer tail-on, there's so much flavor in the shells!) it is sold by size and the sizes are expressed in counts per pound. For example, jumbo shrimp is expressed as 21/25, meaning that there would be an average of 23 shrimp per pound. Grits is a type of maize, or corn porridge. These two are a traditional pairing that is often eaten during breakfast :) We're adding a little cream and cheese to the grits to make them extra tasty. The creamy grits are a perfect canvas for the saucy shrimp, kielbasa, tomatoes, onions, and peppers! Let's get cookin :) 

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Sambal Minced Beef with Fried Egg and Bok Choy

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Sambal Minced Beef with Fried Egg and Bok Choy

This month's #MISSDISH recipe is the perfect dish for the start of Fall. Savory, comforting, and bursting with flavor. Ground beef becomes the most satisfying dish when it's cooked in an amazing combination of Sambal, soy, a little sugar, and fish sauce. Fish sauce adds tons of umami to this dish. The minced beef is amazing with an egg on top. I personally love a sunny-side-up egg, which is cooked on one side until the white is set, but the yolk is still runny. Mixing the runny yolk with the minced beef is BOMB. Let's get cookin :)

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Quinoa Crusted Chicken Nuggets

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Quinoa Crusted Chicken Nuggets

One of my favorite "junk food" indulgences has always been chicken nuggets. The options out there aren't that healthy; most of them are deep-fried, and heavily breaded. Sometimes we don't even know if the nuggets are made of actual chicken! Chicken nuggets are easy to make at home, and with this recipe, I'll show you how you can replace extra breading with yummy quinoa!

Quinoa is actually a seed that is very high in protein, fiber, magnesium, iron, zinc, potassium, and more. It's also gluten free. Quinoa has a sweet, nutty flavor and is delicate in texture. In recent times, it's been known as a substitute, but quinoa is so versatile, it can easily be a main! 

Making Quinoa Crusted Chicken Nuggets is as easy as a 3 step breading process and throwing them in the oven! They're baked, not fried. I love putting a twist on classic junk food by simplifying the ingredients and making them more straightforward. It's important to know what you're putting in your body. These nuggets get a little superfood boost from quinoa, while tasting just as good as your favorite fast food joint. Let's get cookin :) 

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Ahi Poke & Wonton Crisps

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Ahi Poke & Wonton Crisps

Poke is something you crave. Something you daydream about. Tender chunks of raw ahi tuna, marinated in shoyu, sesame oil, and any combination of chili pepper and sriracha. Other variations of ingredients may include seaweed, green onion, maui or red onion, toasted sesame seeds, furikake, garlic, or tobiko. If you’ve been lucky enough to travel to Hawaii, most likely you’ve tried authentic poke and you’ll know why it’s something I crave constantly.