THE REAL CHEF WOO

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...

Keep yourself cool with these easy to make cold spring rolls! They can be made with just about anything you have in your fridge! I had leftover chicken breast, but these can easily be made with any type of protein you have, or make them vegetarian as well!  The peanut sauce is equally easy to whisk together! Here I have cucumber strips, thinly sliced romaine, mint leaves,  cilantro lime sauce , pickled carrots and vermicelli noodles. You can easily use plain shredded carrots, bell peppers, any other type of lettuce, fresh cilantro, and brown rice or spinach vermicelli as well. The best part is the versatility of the stuffing! Simply soak rice papers in cold water until soft. You can double up the rice paper if you like, but it can be a bit chewier than usual. Wrapping them does take a bit of practice, but they taste great no matter how they turn out!  TRCW Peanut Dipping sauce: 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter 1/3 cup hoisin sauce 1  tsp sesame oil 1 tbsp rice ...

I really enjoy making this recipe at home. It was a popular dish at my old job, and I always had extra sauce in a squeeze bottle for drizzling on steamy rice! You can decide for yourself if you want the healthy or non-healthy version by either sautéing the chicken before adding the sauce, or deep-frying the chicken first. Either way is absolutely delicious! TRCW recipe: Ingredients: Sauce 3 tbsp water 3 tbsp soy sauce 3 tbsp rice vinegar 2 tbsp grated ginger 2 cloves minced garlic 2 tsp sesame oil 1/2 tsp paprika 1 tsp sambal oelek (or ketchup for a mild sauce) 2 tsp cornstarch 3 tbsp water 1/2 cup sugar In a small bowl, whisk together the first ingredients. Set aside. In a sauce pan, bring 3 tbsp of water and 1/2 cup sugar to boil without stirring. Simmer till the mixture turns a light amber. Remove from the stove and pour in the soy mixture, being careful as it may splatter. Return saucepan back to medium heat and whisk till caramel is completely dissolved. Do not overc...

Avocado on double-toasted Ezekiel bread with spicy mayo, wasabi fumi furikake and sesame seeds I hadn't had a good avocado toast since leaving my old private chef job at the marketing company. I used to pick up Ezekiel bread for the staff to have as a breakfast option. Admittedly, I thought this was just another fad diet food, and turned my snobbish nose away from it. One day though, I reluctantly gave it a try, and was floored.  This thin, healthy AF bread was like a slice of double-toasted heaven, especially with fresh avocado smooshed all over it! I was hooked!  Fast forward to Covid-19 summer, and I'm placing my weekly Walmart curbside pickup order. I ordered a bag of avocados and it struck me that they have Ezekiel bread in their freezer section! *adds to cart* If you aren't familiar with Ezekiel bread, it is a flourless, low glycemic bread made from organically grown sprouted grains. I'm not going to start selling you this bread like I'm a nutri...

This isn't exactly the meal I thought I'd be craving during a heatwave! However, sweating in front of a barbecue in 35 degree weather was not quite my idea of a fun dinner either! Thank goodness for A/C for keeping the house cool enough to make this meal comfy and cozy! The star of this show are the mashed potatoes! If you don't know me personally, you won't know that I am legit a potato whore. I love potatoes in pretty much any way. I particularly like yellow-fleshed potatoes for their golden colour, sweetness and smooth texture. I always add sliced onions to my potatoes when they boil for a really nice flavour. Make sure you slice the onions along the equator (east to west, NOT north to south) as this will allow them to disintegrate right into the mash! If you want them to stand out, cut north to south so they keep their shape. Golden Mashed Potatoes: 6-8 medium yellow-fleshed potatoes, peeled and halved 1 small onion, halved and sliced along the equator  Milk...

I love making use of the frozen spinach puree I make when I have too much fresh spinach going wilty in my fridge. It is versatile to have on hand for sauces, soups, and our favourite fritattas.  Simply sauté the spinach in some olive oil and chopped onions. Throw it into a blender or processor and add a touch of water to help move it along. Freeze in ice cube trays, and pop out a few cubes every time you need some.  Stay tuned for more spinach recipes!