JUNE RECIPES

Every month we will be adding new tried and true recipes to this page. We love to eat and when we’re not crazy busy, we enjoy cooking. We believe it is extremely important to have a healthy relationship with food and represent that here on our recipe page. Some recipes might be slightly more indulgent than others (#moderationnotdeprivation), but the common theme is that they are delicious and good for you. Lots of color, lots of flavor and good for your soul. 

We love these recipes and really hope you will too! Let us know what you think!

SUMMER SALAD

VIETNAMESE SHRIMP AND QUINOA SALAD RECIPE

INGREDIENTS:

Salad

1/2 pound cooked shrimp, peeled and de-veined
1 cup quinoa, rinsed (or pre-washed)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 red bell pepper, cored and cut into thin bite-sized strips
1 carrot, peeled and shredded
1 small cucumber, peeled, seeded and finely diced
2 scallions, finely chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Dressing

6 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
1 tablespoon Asian fish sauce
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1-1/2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, plus more if desired

Directions: Add walnuts, brown sugar and butter to a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Once the butter and sugar melt, stir to coat walnuts, reduce to medium-low and cook for seven minutes as the product thickens. Stir constantly. Add salt and instant coffee, stir and use a rubber spatula to pour onto parchment paper on a pan to cool in a single layer. Once cooled, break apart walnuts. 

Candied Oranges

1/2 large orange
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water

DIRECTIONS:

Add quinoa, salt and 1-2/3 cups water to a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 15 minutes, until the water is absorbed and quinoa is cooked. Transfer to a serving bowl and let cool.

In the meantime, make the dressing by combining the lime juice, Asian fish sauce, vegetable oil, sugar and crushed red pepper flakes in a medium bowl. Whisk until the sugar is dissolved. Add shrimp to the dressing and let marinate until ready to assemble the salad.

Once quinoa is cool, add red bell pepper, carrot, cucumber and scallions to the bowl. Right before serving, add the dressing, shrimp and cilantro and toss well. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt, sugar or crushed red pepper flakes if necessary. Serve cold.

https://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2012/01/serious-salads-vietnamese-shrimp-and-quinoa-salad-recipe.html

VIETNAMESE CHICKEN SALAD

INGREDIENTS:

Marinated Chicken:
1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 Tablespoon fish sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tablespoon maple syrup
1 Teaspoon avocado or olive oil

Dressing

1/4 cup fish sauce
2 Tablespoons maple syrup
1/4 cup avocado or olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1/4 cup thinly sliced serrano chilis, see notes

Salad Ingredients

10-12 cups shredded savoy or napa cabbage, 1 pound
1 bunch carrots, 12 ounces, peeled and grated
1 cucumber, thinly sliced 2-3 cups, 9 ounces
1/2 red onion, thinly slice, 1 1/2 cups, 5 ounces
1 cup freshly chopped herbs, 1/3 cup each, cilantro, mint, and basil, see notes
1 cup of bean sprouts, rinsed and dried
1 cup toasted cashew pieces
Lime wedges for serving

DIRECTIONS:

Place the chicken thighs in a glass container with a lid, and mix the thighs together with the marinade ingredients called for. Seal the container with the lid, and place the chicken thighs in the refrigerator to marinate for 8 hours, (1 hour minimum).

While you have the marinade ingredients out, make the dressing by placing all the ingredients into a jar and shaking the dressing together. If time is short, you can make this later when you’re grilling the chicken. Refrigerate the dressing until serving time.
When you’re ready to eat, prep all the salad ingredients, and place everything but the cashews into a large serving bowl.

Then preheat the grill over high heat until it reaches 400º-450ºF. When the grill is heated place the marinated chicken on the grill and lower the heat to medium-high, maintaining a temperature around 400º. Cook just until the chicken loosens from the grill, 6-8 minutes depending on the size of your chicken thighs. Then turn them over and cook for an additional 6 minutes, or until done and no longer pink.
When the chicken is done, remove it from the grill, and let it cool slightly on a cutting board. Then cut the chicken into slices, or cube into bite sized pieces. Add the chicken to the salad bowl, and serve with the dressing, toasted cashews, and lime wedges for squeezing over the top.

ENTREE

VIETNAMESE STYLE BAKED CHICKEN

INGREDIENTS:

2 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
¼ cup soy sauce
¼ cup Asian fish sauce
¼ cup palm or dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
2 teaspoons hot chili-garlic paste (sambal oelek)
1½ tablespoons fresh juice from 1 lime
1 teaspoon finely grated zest from 1 lime
3 medium cloves garlic, minced or grated (about 2 teaspoons)
2 packed tablespoons (1/4 ounce) fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems, finely chopped
2 tablespoons grapeseed or other neutral oil
Sliced limes and cilantro leaves, for garnish

DIRECTIONS:

Place thighs in a large zipper-lock bag. In a medium bowl, whisk together soy sauce, fish sauce, sugar, ginger, chili-garlic paste, lime juice, lime zest, garlic, cilantro, and oil. Pour marinade into bag with chicken, seal bag, and toss to coat well. Let chicken marinate for at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours.

Preheat oven to 425°F (218°C) and set oven rack to middle position. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and place a wire rack on top. Remove chicken from bag, allowing marinade to drip off, and set on wire rack skin side up, making sure to leave space between thighs. Discard marinade. Bake until thighs register 155 to 160°F (68 to 71°C) on an instant-read thermometer, about 35 minutes. (Be sure to measure temperature in the center of the thickest part of the thighs, but not directly against the bone.) If chicken skin is not brown and crisp enough by the time the thighs are cooked through, turn on oven broiler and broil until browned and crisp, about 1 minute, being careful not to burn the skin. Transfer chicken to a platter and let rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with lime slices and cilantro, then serve.

DESSERT/DRINKS

VIETNAMESE COFFEE

INGREDIENTS:

1-2 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk 
1/3 cup coffee* strong-brewed (the stronger the better!) – if using a traditional french filter, use 20g of fine grounds to steep
milk to taste or half & half
enough ice to fill a tall glass

DIRECTIONS:

Fill sweetened condensed milk into a tall glass and top with ice.
Pour in strong coffee and stir vigorously to combine and cool the coffee.

Add (dairy-free) milk or half & half to taste. Enjoy!

*If you can get your hands on some Vietnamese roasted coffee such as Trung-Nguyên (a blend of 4 dark roast beans), you’ll achieve a more authentic flavor profile.

VIETNAMESE CREME CARAMEL

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/4 cup milk (can use mixture coconut, cream or normal milk)
3 egg yolks
1 egg white
3 tsp sugar white or brown
1/4 cup sugar

DIRECTIONS:

Get 2-3 ramekins ready in a steamer.

Add sugar to 4 tsp water and bring the pot the boil. Slowly stir over the low heat. Bring it to deep caramel stage. Pour over the ramekins. Careful this is very hot.

Combine milk, sugar, vanilla pod in to a pot and heat the pot to boiling and take it off from the heat.

Break eggs into a bowl and whisk slowly the milk mixture into the egg. Take care not to get too fast at first as the egg would cook and become scramble eggs.

Pour the mixture over the ramekins with sugar stick on the bottom.

Steam them 10 minutes until the egg mixture is set.

Cool and enjoy.