THE REAL CHEF WOO

I thought it was time to do my Asian products post since I tend to lean towards Asian cooking often (gee, I wonder why?)  I moved away from the heart of Asian markets, and while I love where I live for the most part, the lack of Asian products here puts a huge damper on my cooking. I simply cannot cook without some of my favourite sauces and seasonings.  SOY SAUCE: Topping off my list is the most popular sauce in all Chinese cuisine? Soy sauce! I'll truthfully admit, I've used VH soy sauce since I moved to my non-Asian neighborhood. It does the job, is of a medium quality, gives enough flavour and colour to your food. When in doubt, VH it!  Do NOT use Walmart Great Value soy sauce. This is where no-name brand just plain sucks! It tastes weird... don't do it!  Best one: Lee Kum Kee Light and Dark soy sauce.  I really like this one.  OYSTER SAUCE: Lee Kum Kee hands down is THE best.  Just look for the panda brand.  Get the biggest bottle. Period. ...

Join TRCW Kids with this Banana Chocolate chip scone recipe video! Such a fun activity to do with your kids! Just keep the chocolate chips out of reach!  We'll be posting more kid-friendly videos, so don't forget to subscribe to stay up to date! 

It does NOT get more delicious and easy than this! As I post this, we are going on our third week of an intense heatwave, yet here I am, making a soup! Ermmm... yaaaa.... If you are not a fan of coconut milk, you can simply use heavy cream, and even lactose free versions if you have an intolerance. You can also omit the cream part altogether and enjoy the soup as is. This soup is a great low-carb meal, and can also be paired with a salad or sandwich! I'll be eating this with my favourite avocado toast! TRCW recipe: Ingredients: 1 medium onion, diced 3-4 small carrots, diced 3-4 stalks of celery, diced 1 small head of cauliflower, cut into florets 1 clove of garlic, grated 1-2tbsp curry paste (or curry powder) 1/2tsp ground cardamom 1/2tsp turmeric 1/4tsp cayenne 1L water/broth/or combination of both salt and pepper to taste chopped green onions and/or cilantro Instructions: In a stockpot, heat some butter or olive oil and sauté the onions, carrots and celery till translucent. Grate...

It's been a while I hadn't made beef stroganoff, probably because one of my children whined about not liking it...YUP, that's what it was! I'm a little unconventional when it comes to making beef stroganoff because I don't make a traditional roux when making the sauce. Instead, I use a pack of brown gravy. Hence, CHEATER (and no-fail) beef stroganoff! It always turns out great! For this recipe, I used beef shoulder fillet, or petit tenders. It is not really found in many places, so you can use the usual flank or sirloin steak. You can also make it with ground beef if that's what you have! Feel free to add vegetables to this recipe for extra nutrients! I like to add broccoli most of the time! This recipe is a great time-saver for weekday dinners! Give it a try! TRCW Recipe:  serves 3-4 people Ingredients: 1 - 1.5lbs of flank or sirloin steak, sliced thin dash of  Worcestershire sauce salt and pepper olive oil Marinate beef for at least 15-20mins if poss...

Hot weather = Summer salads! Barley is a great alternative to pasta if you want a healthier carb option. Hulled barley contains many important vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Pearled barley contains less nutrients, but is considered still a healthier option than other carbs.   These make ahead salads are great for hot summer days and speedy weekday meals! They can be made with leftover roasted veggies, or fresh cut! You can also make these low carb friendly, as well as lactose free by omitting the cheese! Greek Barley Salad: 1/2 cup cooked barley English cucumber, seeded and diced Cherry tomatoes, halved 1/2 red onion, diced small kalamata olives green onions, chopped fresh dill, chopped (optional) greek oregano apple cider vinegar salt and pepper to taste feta cheese, crumbled Combine all the ingredients in a bowl. Dress with apple cider vinegar, olive oil, oregano, salt and pepper.  Roasted Brocco-Cauli Salad 1/2 cup barley, cooked 1 crown broccoli, cut i...

Several friends keep asking me to post about some easy marinades for those too-tired-to-think dinners! I often have some go-to recipes that makes things easier, especially with kids who tend to be picky. One child doesn't like overly spiced meat while the other likes flavour. Neither kids like anything too lemony nor peppery.  So here are some of my favourite combinations, with ingredients you should have in your spice pantry and fridge. I did not provide measurements as these are often done optically. Go with dashes, drizzles, squirts, and colour! I wouldn't expect more than 1/2tsp of dry spices, depending on amount of protein.  Trick of the trade is to add oil only after you've mixed the other ingredients into the meat, as this allows the flavours to penetrate the meat instead of creating a grease barrier. Also remember to be careful of your salt levels, as some pre-mixed seasonings have added salt already. Certain sauces also add more salt, like ketchup and dijon musta...

I am just going to tell it like it is. I really hate dry, tasteless lean proteins. In order to avoid this disappointment, I brine my chicken breasts and lean pork chops 99% of the time. When I am too lazy to brine, I am guaranteed to be disappointed with my meal. So, let's talk about brines! Most people already brine their Thanksgiving turkeys, so this is not new news! Some also brine their whole chickens for roast chicken. Also amazing! However, I brine pretty much all my chicken AND pork chops (not together of course!) The process of brining involves soaking your protein in a salty mixture, flavoured with a variety of herbs and spices. The brine penetrates into the protein, absorbing the brine, which ends up making your protein more flavourful and juicy. This trick is particularly useful for lean proteins that generally dry out when cooked (ex. centre cut pork chops, chicken/turkey breasts) Note: brining red meat (beef or lamb) is not recommended, since they can be...