To be honest .. This series is forcing me to really switch things up and it's been well taste changing.
Just the other day we were driving and I said to Si, “I think I want Thai.. I miss those flavors.. Let’s order out soon, yeah?” He looked at me and simply with a smile said “Sure Babe”. A few days later Chef Si whipped me up some peanut chicken with this new sauce from whole foods..
Which then inspired me for my next salad for this series.. It can be a tad bit intimidating when trying to imitate cuisines from cultures you are unfamiliar with, but trust this was super easy and deLishhh!
The Summer UNROLL..
What you need:
Thin Rice Noodles
Bean Sprouts
Cabbage
Bean sprouts
Carrot Ribboned
Cumber
Lime
Mint
Thai Basil
Chilled Chicken
For Dressing:
Peanut Sauce ( I like this one from WF )
½ a Lime
Sarracha
Braggs
Directions:
Bake Chicken earlier in the day or night before.. This simple recipe for chicken is my go to.... For noodles, thin rice noodles are in almost every grocery store..( follow directions on package) I like to also make these ahead of time and drizzle with sesame oil while cooking, to really max out the flavor .. chill overnight. Slice cucumbers as thinly as possible, I like to use my mandoline, it does all the work. Ribbon your carrot. I also use my mandoline to finely shred my cabbage, but a nice chop will do too. I personally enjoy my herbs whole, so I can really bite into them for max flavor, plus they look pretty as a garnish. The presentation really makes this dish fun, so you can use a red leaf lettuce to lay on the plate first, then later it's nice to use & make a fun crispy wrap of the salad. A handful of bean sprouts for some crunch and a squeeze of ½ a lime.
For Dressing:
In a small mixing bowl combine equal parts Peanut Sauce, Braggs, a squeeze of ½ a lime and Siracha. This dressing is like the best, my mouth is watering as I type..I simply “eyeballed” because I love Sriracha and its truly to desired thickness.
This was exactly what I needed to flare up my taste buds. To be honest I was pretty impressed with myself, so was Si- which is always a plus.
A BOAM Twist On Giada’s Orzo Mint Feta Tomato Salad
You can throw this salad together in a matter of 10 mins. The original recipe called for Orzo, but you know me - Cauliflower Rice with errrrythanggg..
What you’ll need:
Cauliflower Rice ( chilled, I usually use leftover from the night before )
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil divided
1 clove garlic peeled and smashed
1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
1 cup crumbled feta
1/2 cup freshly chopped mint leaves
3 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar or regular is fine
1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup arugula
Directions:
Place the oil in a large saute pan over medium low heat. Add garlic and saute until the the garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and warm through, about 1 minute. Add the warm tomato mixture to a large bowl along with the feta, arugula, mint, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. Top with chilled cauliflower rice. Drizzle with the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil and serve.