Green Curry Mussels

Date Published: Sept 21st, 2025 | Last Updated: Sept 21st, 2025
Author: Abby |Category: mains, Asian, <15mins, <30 mins, easy
Serves: 2 | Prep time: 10 minutes | Cook time: 10 minutes

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This Green Curry Mussel recipe has been on the back burner since I started this website during COVID. I’m glad to finally be able to publish it! Back during the lockdown pandemic era (seems like so long ago now!), like many, I was really into experimenting in the kitchen and I had just recently discovered how to make my own Thai Green Curry Paste from scratch! From that recipe, I became more and more adventurous in ways I could use up that curry paste. Toby’s favourite recipe from that adventure is the fried prawn toasts (see the posts below). Mine is this recipe. I would have never thought to pair green curry and mussels together until I saw it on the menu at the mussel stand in Queen Victoria Market one day and it was mind-blowingly delicious!

This is my take on green curry mussels. This recipe uses the bold and rich flavours of a traditional Thai Green Curry paste, cooked together in coconut milk, then tossed together with fresh mussels to give an aromatic and creamy mussel dish. I hope you enjoy!

Thai Green Curry Paste

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Green Curry Fish Soup

This healthy green curry soup uses soy milk and fresh green curry paste for maximum flavour and minimum calories and fat. It’s so quick and easy to whip this up…

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Thai Green Curry (Chicken, Beef, Fish or Veg)

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by Abby August 5, 2020February 15, 2025

This recipe is easy and cooks up quickly!

Anyways, without further ado, here’s the recipe! If you have any comments or suggestions, I’d love to hear from you in the comment section! You can follow me on instagram, youtube and facebook to see all the recipes I post!

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

1kg live mussels, cleaned and pot-ready
1/2 cup homemade green curry paste
1 can (400ml) coconut milk

Directions:

Heat a large pan or wok on MED heat and sauté the green curry paste in a drizzle of oil until the paste dries out a bit and turns slightly brown (2-3 minutes). Add in the can of coconut milk and mix it all together. Let the sauce simmer until you get a thickened sauce.

Add in the mussels and stir. Put the lid on and let the mussels steam for 4-5 minutes until they all open up. Turn off the heat and serve!

Summarized Recipe:

Green Curry Mussels

Ingredients:

1kg live mussels, cleaned and pot-ready
1/2 cup homemade green curry paste
1 can (400ml) coconut milk

Directions:

Heat a large pan or wok on MED heat and sauté the green curry paste in a drizzle of oil until the paste dries out a bit and turns slightly brown (2-3 minutes).
Add in the can of coconut milk and mix it all together. Let the sauce simmer until you get a thickened sauce.
Add in the mussels and stir. Put the lid on and let the mussels steam for 4-5 minutes until they all open up. Turn off the heat and serve!

September 21, 2025September 9, 2025

AbbyLeave a comment

Creamy Pistachio Spread

Date Published: March 31st, 2025 | Last Updated: March 31st, 2025
Author: Abby |Category: dessert, easy, quick, snacks
Serves: 2-3 cups | Prep time: 15 mins

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This recipe for pistachio spread came from my own attempt at trying to recreate the Pisti Pistachio Cream – which became my new obsession when I discovered it while having a go at making the viral Dubai Chocolate Bars. Although I haven’t been successful at making a duplicate, the end result was still fantastic inside the chocolate bars and I figured I’d share the recipe here incase I can’t get my hands on the Pisti Pistachio Cream in the future. You can use this spread on toast, in baked goods, or filled in a Dubai Chocolate Bar!

Although this recipe is pretty basic and there’s not many ingredients you need, but one important piece of equipment is a good high speed blender such as a Vitamix to get the smoothest results.

Pistachio Butter vs Pistachio Cream vs Pistachio Spread?

Pistachio butter is just pistachios blended until you get a paste. This is the same way you’d make any kind of nut butters such as peanut butter. The consistency tends to be a bit more grainy and with or without added sugar.

Pistachio cream is blended pistachios (pistachio butter) with added milk products and sugar to give it a creamy and smoother consistency.

Pistachio spread is a broad term that can be used interchangeably with any spreadable pistachio product. Since my recipe is neither that creamy nor as simple as just blended pistachios, I’ve elected to label mine as a ‘pistachio spread’.

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

450g pistachios, shelled, unsalted, unroasted
1.25 cups whole milk powder
2 Tbsps granulated sugar
7 Tbsps neutral oil (ie. canola or a light tasting olive oil)
1/2 tsp kosher salt
115g condensed milk

Directions:

In a high speed blender, add in the pistachios. Blend on HIGH until you get a paste.

Add in the rest of the ingredients: 1.25 cups milk powder, 2 Tbsps sugar, 7 Tbsps oil, 1/2 tsp salt, 115g condensed milk. Continue to blend on HIGH until you get a smooth paste. Drizzle in more oil if your paste is becoming too thick and difficult to blend.

Taste and adjust salt or sugar as needed. Store in an air tight container until ready to use. Done!

Summarized Recipe:

Creamy Pistachio Spread

Date Published: March 31st, 2025 | Last Updated: March 31st, 2025
Author: Abby |Category: dessert, easy, quick, snacks
Serves: 2-3 cups | Prep time: 15 mins

Ingredients:

450g pistachios, shelled, unsalted, unroasted
1.25 cups whole milk powder
2 Tbsps granulated sugar
7 Tbsps neutral oil (ie. canola or a light tasting olive oil)
1/2 tsp kosher salt
115g condensed milk

Directions:

In a high speed blender, add in the pistachios. Blend on HIGH until you get a paste.
Add in the rest of the ingredients: 1.25 cups milk powder, 2 Tbsps sugar, 7 Tbsps oil, 1/2 tsp salt, 115g condensed milk. Continue to blend on HIGH until you get a smooth paste. Drizzle in more oil if your paste is becoming too thick and difficult to blend. Taste and adjust salt or sugar as needed. Store in an air tight container until ready to use. Done!

March 31, 2025February 15, 2025

AbbyLeave a comment

Avocado Salsa Verde

Date Published: March 2nd, 2025 | Last Updated: March 2nd, 2025
Author: Abby |Category: dips, vegetarian, easy, healthy, snacks
Serves: 3 cups | Prep time: 15 mins | Cook time: 15 mins

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Since moving to the US 2 years ago, Toby and I have had a lot more exposure to Mexican/Latin cuisine. There’s a severe lack of good Mexican food in Melbourne and Toby’s mind has been blown away by all the amazing choices within arms reach. Our South Slope neighbourhood is full of so many authentic Mexican restaurants that sometimes we need a Spanish translator app just to order our food (seriously, once we asked one of our Spanish-speaking co-workers to order our food for us 😅). We joke that every new shop is either going to be a cannabis dispensary, bodega, or Mexican restaurant.

We have had more than our share of amazing burritos, tacos, and empanadas in this neighbourhood and it often comes with a red, green, and sometimes orange sauce. These sauces tend to be a house-made chilli salsa in varying degrees of spiciness and no two sauces are the same between restaurants. I usually gravitate towards the green sauce which is made with a green chilli but on one occasion the green sauce had hints of avocado flavour and took me by surprise. It was so good that I went right back and ordered a large container of it just to keep in the fridge. This avocado salsa verde recipe is a result of that sauce. Although I haven’t been able to recreate it to exactly the same sauce, this end result came out so good that I’ve decided to share it anyway. I hope you enjoy!

What are Tomatillos?

A tomatillo is also known as a Mexican husk tomato. To me it looks exactly like a green tomato, but with a papery shell/husk on the outside. You must remove the shell/husk before using them and the underlying skin can have a slightly sticky residue that comes off with a quick rinse. Tomatillos can be used raw or cooked. The flavour of a tomatillo is a bit unique in that in can have a tartness to it when eaten raw, but it mellows out when cooked.

Avoiding a bitter salsa verde

A common complaint when making salsa verde is that it can turn out a bit bitter. I came across this in my first few batches and it took a bit of research to figure out why – the tomatillos! Before this recipe, tomatillos were foreign to me and I had to learn how to use them. They are the most common cause for a bitter salsa verde due to a number of reasons:

Unripe tomatillos – a ripe tomatillo should be:
- Bright green under the husk
- Have a tight husk (the fruit fills up the husk rather than a small and shrunken fruit within which can indicate that it was harvested too early)
- Have some firmness but not too hard (under-ripe) nor mushy (over-ripe)
Overcooked tomatillos – tomatillos should be cooked until they just turn colour from a bright green to a more pale/army green colour. Overcooking your tomatillo is one of the most common causes for bitterness.
Remove the ribs and stem base – The stem base can be a cause of bitterness so I like to remove it before blending it in my salsa. Some people also claim that the seeds and ribs can also cause the bitter flavour and will scoop it out as well.
Taste! The best way to avoid a bitter salsa verde is to taste your tomatillos and its components after its cooked before blending it with the rest of your ingredients so you know if you need to make any corrections.

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

2-3 (200g) tomatillos
1 medium (100g) avocado, deseeded and peeled (weight is after deseeding and peeling)
1 large (90g) red shallot (or a quarter of a red onion)
7g cilantro, leaves and stem
1/2 (10g) fresh jalapeño, deseeded, for mildly spicy. Add more to your liking, you can also use serrano chili
2 large (7g) garlic cloves, peeled
1/2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1 tsp salt, or more to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400˚F/200˚C.

Remove the outer husks of the tomatillos, rinse off the sticky residue, remove the rib/stem base, then place it on a baking tray. Add a drizzle of oil over the tomatillos and bake in the preheated oven for 10-15 minutes, or until soft with a light golden brown on top (the colour will turn from a bright green to a lighter/army green).

Not pictured: remember to remove the rib/stem base before using in your sauce

While the tomatillos are roasting, prepare and add the rest of the ingredients to a blender: avocado, red shallots, cilantro, jalapeño, garlic, lime juice, and salt.

Once the tomatillos are done roasting, add them to the blender with the rest of the ingredients and blend on HIGH until smooth. Taste and adjust salt, lime juice, and jalapeños to your liking. Done!

Tip: If it’s too spicy, add more avocado.

Summarized Recipe:

Avocado Salsa Verde

Ingredients:

2-3 (200g) tomatillos
1 medium (100g) avocado, deseeded and peeled (weight is after deseeding and peeling)
1 large (90g) red shallot (or a quarter of a red onion)
7g cilantro, leaves and stem
1/2 (10g) fresh jalapeño, deseeded, for mildly spicy. Add more to your liking, you can also use serrano chili
2 large (7g) garlic cloves, peeled
1/2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1 tsp salt, or more to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400˚F/200˚C.
Remove the outer husks of the tomatillos, give it a rinse, then place it on a baking tray. Add a drizzle of oil over the tomatillos and bake in the preheated oven for 10-15 minutes, or until soft with a light golden brown on top (the colour will turn from a bright green to a lighter/army green).
While the tomatillos are roasting, prepare and add the rest of the ingredients to a blender: avocado, red shallots, cilantro, jalapeño, garlic, lime juice, and salt.
Once the tomatillos are done roasting, add them to the blender with the rest of the ingredients and blend on HIGH until smooth. Taste and adjust salt, lime juice, and jalapeños to your liking. Done!
- Tip: If it’s too spicy, add more avocado.

March 2, 2025December 24, 2024

AbbyLeave a comment

How to make horseradish from scratch

Date Published: Jan 26th, 2025 | Last Updated: Jan 26th, 2025
Author: Abby |Category: basics, how-to, <15 mins, easy, sauces, vegetarian
Serves: 1 jar | Prep time: 5 mins | Blend time: 1 minute

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I’m not a fan of horseradish, but recently I needed a small amount for a new recipe I was trying out and for whatever reason I couldn’t find any jarred horseradish at the bodegas near me. Surprisingly, I did manage to find fresh horseradish root instead. I’ve never used fresh horseradish before (I thought the shop worker was giving me a parsnip 😅), but a quick google search showed how easy it was to make my own prepared horseradish. So here I am, sharing another recipe with everyone on what I’ve learned and to document it incase I’m ever in the same situation again in the future. Preparing your own horseradish is actually super easy and you can tailor it to how spicy, mild, or salty you like. The best part is that it keeps in the fridge for months, which perfect if you go through a jar of horseradish super slowly like me.

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

240g horseradish root, peeled and chopped
1/4 cup water
1 Tbsp white vinegar
Pinch of salt

Directions:

1. Wash, peel, and chop up the horseradish root.

2. Add the horseradish root (peeled and chopped) to a small blender or food processor and add enough water to blend the horseradish into a smooth purée (I added about 1/4 cup). Be careful when opening the blender lid. Horseradish can be pretty pungent and can sting your eyes like an onion if you get a big enough whiff.

3. Once blended, strain out any excess water, then add in 1 Tbsp of white vinegar and a pinch of salt to offset the spiciness. Done!

Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a month.

Summarized Recipe:

How to make horseradish from scratch

Ingredients:

240g horseradish root, peeled and chopped
1/4 cup water
1 Tbsp white vinegar
Pinch of salt

Directions:

Wash, peel, and chop the horseradish root.
Add the horseradish root (peeled and chopped) to a small blender or food processor and add enough water to blend the horseradish into a smooth purée (I added about 1/4 cup).
- Be careful when opening the blender lid. Horseradish can be pretty pungent and can sting your eyes like an onion if you get a big enough whiff.
Once blended, strain out any excess water, then add in 1 Tbsp of white vinegar and a pinch of salt to offset the spiciness. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a month.

January 26, 2025December 22, 2024

AbbyLeave a comment

Garlic Soy Sauce Paste/Dressing

Date Published: April 16th, 2024 | Last Updated: April 16th, 2024
Author: Abby |Category: easy, Asian, quick, Taiwanese, <15 mins, sauces
Serves: 1.5 cups of sauce | Prep time: 5 mins | Cook time: 5 mins

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Soy sauce paste is one of the most popular sauces you’ll find in Taiwanese street food, often drizzled over a wide variety of dishes including fried fish cake tempura, century egg with silken tofu, dan bing, sautéed vegetables…the list goes on! It’s so versatile, yet so difficult to find outside of Taiwan.

Soy sauce paste is more than just thickened soy sauce – it’s lightly sweetened but still maintains the umami profile. It’s a little similar to oyster sauce – in fact, some people use it interchangeably with vegetarian/mushroom oyster sauce if soy sauce paste is not readily available.

This recipe is a garlic version of the classic soy sauce paste which in my opinion makes it even better! It’s quick and easy, and the sauce will keep in the fridge for up to a week – just give it a shake each time you’re about to use it!

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

Garlic puree:
- 4 cloves (25g) garlic, peeled with fibrous ends cut off
- 1/2 cup (120ml) water
Soy sauce paste:
- 1/4 cup (60ml) soy sauce (ie. kikkoman)
- 1/4 cup (60ml water)
- 2 Tbsps (25g) granulated sugar
- 1.5 Tbsps cornstarch
- 2 Tbsps water
2 Tbsps (25g) granulated sugar

Directions:

Make the garlic purée: Add the garlic with 1/2 cup of water into a high speed blender. Blend until you get a smooth paste. Set aside.

Add the soy sauce paste ingredients to a saucepan

Make the soy sauce paste: In a small saucepan on MED heat, add in the soy sauce, 1/4 cup water, and sugar. Stir until the sugar has dissolved. Let the sauce come to a light simmer. While you’re waiting, in a separate bowl, mix together the cornstarch and 2 Tbsps of water. When the sauce has come to a simmer, add in the cornstarch/water mixture and continuously whisk for about 1 minute or until the mixture comes to a gloopy paste. Turn off the heat and set aside to let cool.

Once the soy sauce paste has slightly cooled, add in the garlic purée (from step 1) and 2 Tbsps of sugar. Mix it all together and taste to adjust salt or sugar. Done! Keeps well in the fridge for up to 1 week.

Summarized Recipe:

Garlic Soy Sauce Paste/Dressing

Ingredients:

Garlic puree:
- 4 cloves (25g) garlic, peeled with fibrous ends cut off
- 1/2 cup (120ml) water
Soy sauce paste:
- 1/4 cup (60ml) soy sauce (ie. kikkoman)
- 1/4 cup (60ml water)
- 2 Tbsps (25g) granulated sugar
- 1.5 Tbsps cornstarch
- 2 Tbsps water
2 Tbsps (25g) granulated sugar

Directions:

Make the garlic purée: Add the garlic with 1/2 cup of water into a high speed blender. Blend until you get a smooth paste. Set aside.
Make the soy sauce paste: In a small saucepan on MED heat, add in the soy sauce, 1/4 cup water, and sugar. Stir until the sugar has dissolved. Let the sauce come to a light simmer. While you’re waiting, in a separate bowl, mix together the cornstarch and 2 Tbsps of water. When the sauce has come to a simmer, add in the cornstarch/water mixture and continuously whisk for about 1 minute or until the mixture comes to a gloopy paste. Turn off the heat and set aside to let cool.
Once the soy sauce paste has slightly cooled, add in the garlic purée (from step 1) and 2 Tbsps of sugar. Mix it all together and taste to adjust salt or sugar. Done! Keeps well in the fridge for up to 1 week.

April 16, 2024April 16, 2024

AbbyLeave a comment

French Onion Spinach Dip ‘Cob Loaf’

Date Published: Jan 15th, 2024 | Last Updated: Jan 15th, 2024
Author: Abby |Category: snacks, appetizer, <15mins, easy, sauces/dips, snacks, vegetarian
Serves: 4-6 | Prep time: 10 mins + chill overnight | Cook time: 20mins

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Toby has a bad habit of leaving the microscope on at work and the nurses kept calling him out on it. Eventually they started a tally and if he left the microscope on 5 times, he had to make the clinic a cob loaf. He actually lasted a good few weeks until he reached five 😂. We had no idea how to make a cob loaf and came upon this recipe from Taste.com.au when we were looking it up for the first time. The recipe was ridiculously easy and the results were SO GOOD. We’ve made it 5 more times since and it has become a part staple for us! I guess you just can’t beat a classic.

What is a Cob Loaf?

A “cob loaf” is a round loaf of bread. I had never heard the term ‘cob loaf’ until I came to Australia. The term cob loaf is used interchangeably here as the definition of the round bread loaf but also as a dish where a dip is served inside the round loaf of bread. So when someone says they’re bringing a “cob loaf” to the party, they mean that they’re going to bring a dip that is served inside a carved out round loaf of bread. It took me so much longer than I’d like to admit to figure all of this out 😂😂😂. Upon further research for this post, I’ve learned that a cob loaf has been consistently the most popular party food in Australia and has been around for 100 years! 😮

The traditional and most popular “cob loaf” dip is a spinach dip consisting of cream cheese, spinach, and french onion soup mix. The other common type I’ve seen is a bacon and cheese cob loaf. Cob loaves have evolved over the years and pretty much any type of dip served in a round bread bowl is considered a cob loaf. This recipe is a traditional cob loaf.

You can either buy the pre-made French onion soup mix powder from the shops, or make your own. I’ve done a blind taste test trial with Toby and he couldn’t tell the difference between the two. So if you’re feeling extra lazy, just buy the prepackaged mix. I prefer making my own mix for a number of reasons: A) more cost-effective if you already have all the pantry ingredients, B) there aren’t any preservatives or synthetic ingredients when you make the mix yourself, C) the flavour will be consistent time after time in case you can’t find your favourite french onion mix or if you’re travelling and it’s not a commonly available item in the shops, and D) you can tweak the ingredients easier for a personalized flavour.

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

Spinach Dip:
- French Onion seasoning mix (or you can buy a 40g packet pre-made French onion soup mix):
  - 1/4 cup onion flakes
  - 1/2 tsp onion powder
  - 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  - 1 beef bouillon cube, crushed into a powder
  - 1/2 tsp dried parsley
  - 1/4 tsp celery salt
  - 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 250g frozen spinach, thawed
- 250g cream cheese, softened
- 300ml sour cream
- Salt and pepper to taste
1 cob loaf (any round bread loaf)

Directions:

Defrost the spinach and squeeze out all of the water.

Put all of the ingredients in a mixing bowl and stir until completely mixed through, making sure you get rid of any clumps: french onion soup mix (or spice blend), spinach, cream cheese, and sour cream. You can put it all in a food processor to make it easier.

Place the mixture into an airtight container and chill for 4 hours, or best if overnight.

The next day, pre-heat oven to 180˚C (or 160 fan-forced).

Prepare the cob loaf by cutting the top 1/4 off and slicing it into large pieces. Then cut a hole into the remaining bread bowl and remove the bread inside. Tip: if you have a particularly large bread, don’t remove as much bread from the inside or else your dip won’t fill up the bowl nicely and it’ll look too ’empty’ when serving.

Pour the spinach dip into the bread bowl. Serve cold or warmed in the oven (I personally prefer it warmed so the flavours come out better).

To serve it warmed: Place the bread bowl with the dip inside on a baking tray and the sliced bread pieces around the bowl and bake for 15-20 minutes until the edges are golden brown. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

Summarized Recipe:

French Onion Spinach Dip ‘Cob Loaf’

Ingredients:

Spinach Dip:
- 40g packet French onion soup mix OR:
  - 1/4 cup onion flakes
  - 1/2 tsp onion powder
  - 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  - 1 beef bouillon cube, crushed into a powder
  - 1/2 tsp dried parsley
  - 1/4 tsp celery salt
  - 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 250g frozen spinach, thawed
- 250g cream cheese, softened
- 300ml sour cream
- Salt and pepper to taste
1 cob loaf (any round bread loaf)

Directions:

Defrost the spinach and squeeze out all of the water.
Put all of the ingredients in a mixing bowl and stir until completely mixed through, making sure you get rid of any clumps: french onion soup mix (or spice blend), spinach, cream cheese, and sour cream. You can put it all in a food processor to make it easier.
Place the mixture into an airtight container and chill for 4 hours, or best if overnight.
The next day, pre-heat oven to 180˚C (or 160 fan-forced).
Prepare the cob loaf by cutting the top 1/4 off and slicing it into large pieces. Then cut a hole into the remaining bread bowl and remove the bread inside.
- Tip: if you have a particularly large bread, don’t remove as much bread from the inside or else your dip won’t fill up the bowl nicely and it’ll look too ’empty’ when serving.
Pour the spinach dip into the bread bowl. Serve cold or warmed in the oven (I personally prefer it warmed so the flavours come out better).
To serve it warmed: Place the bread bowl with the dip inside on a baking tray and the sliced bread pieces around the bowl and bake for 15-20 minutes until the edges are golden brown. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

January 16, 2024

AbbyLeave a comment

Hot or Cold Creamy Cucumber Soup

Date Published: Jan 1st, 2023 | Last Updated: Mar 7th, 2024
Author: Abby |Category: starter, appetizer, main, healthy, vegetarian, < 30mins, easy, low-cal
Serves: 6-8 as a starter, 4 as mains | Prep time: 15 mins | Cook time: 20 mins

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Happy New Year everyone!

Summer is upon us which means the Homolka farm is once again in full swing with an array of fresh home-grown veggies! Of these veggies, zucchini and cucumber seem to always be in abundance with Toby’s dad at least harvesting 4-6 per day! There’s only so much cold cucumber salad you can make, so I was on the hunt for cooked cucumber recipes. I’ve always been a sucker for soups so when I came upon a hot cucumber soup recipe from EatingWell.com, I just had to try it! It was delicious right from the start but I made a few little adjustments and doubled the recipe amount so I can have this as a main dish instead of a small appetizer portion. This recipe can be served hot, warm, or chilled – cold soups never seem satisfying and hearty for me, so I always like to have it hot.

This is only part of the cucumber mania on the farm! ❤️

This soup is so quick and easy to make. It’s also fantastic for using up an abundance of cucumbers and best of all it’s creamy and low in calories at the same time! Sounds too good to be true, eh?

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

4 cloves garlic, minced
1 large onion, diced
2 Tbsps lemon juice
4 large (~8 cups) cucumbers, peeled, deseeded, and sliced
3 cups chicken stock (or vegetable stock)
1 tsp cooking salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 avocados, diced
1 cup Greek yogurt

Directions:

In a medium sized pot on MED-HIGH heat, add a drizzle of oil and sauté the garlic and onion until the onion is very soft, translucent, and slightly browned (~5 mins).

Add the lemon juice and sauté for another minute, scraping up any bits on the bottom of the pot.

Set aside a large handful of sliced cucumbers for garnish at the end and add the rest into the pot. Mix around for 30 seconds then add in the chicken stock, salt, and black pepper. Bring the soup to a boil then simmer gently for 10 mins, until the cucumbers are soft.

After 10 minutes, turn off the heat and add the diced avocados to the pot. Use a stick blender and blend until smooth. Alternatively, you can pour the soup into a blender instead of using a stick blender.

Stir in the greek yogurt and taste to adjust salt and pepper as needed. Garnish with the reserved cucumbers when serving. Enjoy hot, or chilled!

Summarized Recipe:

Hot or Cold Creamy Cucumber Soup

Date Published: Jan 1st, 2023 | Last Updated: Jan 1st, 2023
Author: Abby |Category: starter, appetizer, main, healthy, vegetarian, < 30mins, easy, low-cal
Serves: 6-8 as a starter, 4 as mains | Prep time: 10 mins | Cook time: 15 mins

Ingredients:

4 cloves garlic, minced
1 large onion, diced
2 Tbsps lemon juice
4 large (~8 cups) cucumbers, peeled, deseeded, and sliced
3 cups chicken stock (or vegetable stock)
1 tsp cooking salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 avocados, diced
1 cup Greek yogurt

Directions:

In a medium sized pot on MED-HIGH heat, add a drizzle of oil and sauté the garlic and onion until the onion is very soft, translucent, and slightly browned (~5 mins).
Add the lemon juice and sauté for another minute, scraping up any bits on the bottom of the pot.
Set aside a large handful of sliced cucumbers for garnish at the end and add the rest into the pot. Mix around for 30 seconds then add in the chicken stock, salt, and black pepper. Bring the soup to a boil then simmer gently for 10 mins, until the cucumbers are soft.
After 10 minutes, turn off the heat and add the diced avocados to the pot. Use a stick blender and blend until smooth. Alternatively, you can pour the soup into a blender instead of using a stick blender.
Stir in the greek yogurt and taste to adjust salt and pepper as needed. Garnish with the reserved cucumbers when serving. Enjoy hot, or chilled!

January 1, 2023May 7, 2024

Abby4 Comments

Czech Steak Tartare (Tatarský Biftek/Tatarák)

Date Published: Sept 13, 2022 | Last Updated: Sept 13, 2022
Author: Abby |Category: <15 mins, appetizers, mains, easy, quick, low cal, snacks
Serves: 2 (as an appetizer/snack) | Prep time: 10 mins | Cook time: 0! No cooking required.

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Steak tartare is a dish served in many different countries and in many different ways. I’ll admit I was never a fan of raw meat, but Toby grew up with it when he would visit Czech Republic to see his grandparents. It became a nostalgic dish and watching him enjoy this dish with such excitement of course tempted me to give it another try. We spent 3 weeks in Czech a couple months ago and during that time the dish really grew on me. A Czech steak tartare is traditionally served with slices of crispy rye bread that is panfried in lard and a garlic clove. You’re meant to rub the garlic on the crispy rye bread for that extra garlicky flavour and spoon the steak tartare over the bread and eat it together. Yum! The basic ingredients are usually steak, mustard, salt, pepper, and onion, but you’ll find many different variations. This dish can be found everywhere in Czech Republic, from basic rural pubs to fancy high-end Michelin-guided restaurants. You can request to have it served with the ingredients all mixed together, or unmixed and you can mix it yourself to adjust the flavours to your liking (see photo). However you have it, it’s always best served with a cold Pilsen beer!

What’s the best cut of beef to use?

Since you’ll be eating the beef raw, it’s very important to choose the best and freshest cut, and of course you also want to get it from a reputable clean butcher that knows their stuff. Usually when I buy my meats I get it either from the regular supermarket or a nearby butcher, however we went specifically to a higher end fancy butcher shop specifically for a steak tartare. It might be a bit more expensive, but it’ll be worth it.

You want a lean piece with little to no fat and connective tissue. The most popular choice is usually a tenderloin (or eye fillet/fillet steak) which is the most tender cut of meat available, but you can also use sirloin/porterhouse as well. If you’re not sure which cut to use, ask the butcher and let them know you’re intending on eating the steak raw for a tartare and they should be able to point you in the right direction.

How to prepare the beef?

Once you’ve selected your perfect cut of beef for the tartare, it’s time to prepare it to your desired consistency. If you like the texture chunkier with more bite, you can finely dice it into cubes. Put your steak in the freezer for 15 minutes to firm it up prior to dicing – this will make it much easier to cut. For a softer texture, you can put your steak through a meat grinder or ask your butcher to grind it for you. I get a little weary of getting someone else to grind it for me since I’m not sure how well the grinders are cleaned between each order. I like my texture somewhere inbetween so I prefer to chop it up finely with a knife. The texture isn’t quite as mushy as a ground beef and has a little more bite to it.

This recipe is easy and cooks up quickly!

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

200g high quality lean steak (ie.tenderloin/eye fillet), trim off any fat and connective tissue
- If you’re unsure which cut to get, ask your butcher for the freshest cut and let them know you’re intending on eating it raw for a tartare. Buy one a little heavier to equate 200g after trimming
1 large egg yolk
1/4 cup (1/4 of a large) yellow onion, finely minced
1 large clove of garlic, minced
1 tsp ground paprika
2 Tbsps Dijon mustard (or more to taste)
1/2 tsp salt (or more to taste)
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper (or more to taste)
2 dashes of Worcestershire sauce
To serve:
- 2 slices of rye bread, either panfried in lard or toasted and buttered
- 1 garlic clove, cut in half

Directions:

Finely chop the beef until desired consistency. You can also put it through a grinder if you’ve got one.

Add in the rest of the ingredients (egg yolk, onion, garlic, paprika, Dijon mustard, salt, black pepper, and Worcestershire sauce) to the chopped steak and mix. Taste and adjust flavours to personal taste. You can also serve it pre-mixed and lay out the ingredients separately on a plate (see photo).

Toast the slices of rye bread and spread on butter, or alternatively you can pan-fry it with some oil or lard.

Serve the steak tartare with toasted bread and a garlic clove sliced in half. When eating, rub the garlic over the toasted bread and spoon the steak tartare over the bread. Enjoy!

Summarized Recipe:

Czech Steak Tartare (Tatarský Biftek/Tatarák)

Ingredients:

200g high quality lean steak (ie.tenderloin/eye fillet), trim off any fat and connective tissue
- If you’re unsure which cut to get, ask your butcher for the freshest cut and let them know you’re intending on eating it raw for a tartare. Buy one a little heavier to equate 200g after trimming
1 large egg yolk
1/4 cup (1/4 of a large) yellow onion, finely minced
1 large clove of garlic, minced
1 tsp ground paprika
2 Tbsps Dijon mustard (or more to taste)
1/2 tsp salt (or more to taste)
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper (or more to taste)
2 dashes of Worcestershire sauce
To serve:
- 2 slices of rye bread, either panfried in lard or toasted and buttered
- 1 garlic clove, cut in half

Directions:

Finely chop the beef until desired consistency. You can also put it through a grinder if you’ve got one.
Add in the rest of the ingredients (egg yolk, onion, garlic, paprika, Dijon mustard, salt, black pepper, and Worcestershire sauce) to the chopped steak and mix. Taste and adjust flavours to personal taste. You can also serve it pre-mixed and lay out the ingredients separately on a plate (see photo).
Toast the slices of rye bread and spread on butter, or alternatively you can pan-fry it with some oil or lard.
Serve the steak tartare with toasted bread and a garlic clove sliced in half. When eating, rub the garlic over the toasted bread and spoon the steak tartare over the bread. Enjoy!

September 13, 2022February 10, 2024

Abby1 Comment

Copycat KFC Gravy (so easy and quick!)

Date Published: Sept 5th, 2022 | Last Updated: Sept 5th, 2022
Author: Abby |Category: easy, <15mins, quick, healthy, low-cal, sauces
Serves: 4-6 | Prep time: 2 mins | Cook time: 5 mins

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KFC is one of the first fast foods I remember having when we first moved to Canada, and of course you HAVE to get the gravy when you have KFC. We were all obsessed with the gravy but my brother was the biggest fan of all. As the years went on and my older siblings moved away to uni, it was just my mom and I and we would occasionally get the Tuesday KFC deal at the food court in the mall near our house and the gravy has always been a staple. Now every time I have KFC gravy I’m transported back to the good ol’ family days of us huddled around a bucket with popcorn chicken. These days when Toby and I get KFC together, I always get a large popcorn chicken with not one, but TWO gravies because there’s only one gravy size in Australia and it’s never enough.

When I first came across this gravy recipe from RecipeTinEats, I was amazed by how quick and easy it was to make a copycat version of the KFC gravy and it’s also surprisingly low in calories. I’ve made it a bunch more times since with a few small tweaks. It goes amazing on everything, including these Healthy French Onion Meatballs.

Without further ado, here’s the recipe! If you have any comments or suggestions, I’d love to hear from you in the comment section! You can follow me on instagram, youtube and facebook to see all the recipes I post!

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

4 Tbsps plain flour
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 beef stock cube (concentration 1 cube = 1 cup)
1 chicken stock cube (concentration 1 cube = 1 cup)
2.25 cups (560ml) hot water
4 Tbsps (60g) unsalted butter
Salt to taste

Directions:

In a small bowl, combine the flour, onion powder, garlic powder, and black pepper. Set aside. In another bowl dissolve the beef stock cube and chicken stock cube in 2 cups of hot water. Set aside.

Put a saucepan on MED heat and dissolve the butter. Add in the flour mixture from step 1 to the butter and mix until combined. Add in a quarter cup of the stock at a time to the pan and mix thoroughly between each addition, making sure there are no clumps. Once you’ve finished adding all of the stock, taste and add salt if needed. Add more hot water if you prefer a runnier gravy. Turn off the heat and serve!

Summarized Recipe:

Copycat KFC Gravy (so easy and quick!)

Ingredients:

4 Tbsps plain flour
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 beef stock cube (concentration 1 cube = 1 cup)
1 chicken stock cube (concentration 1 cube = 1 cup)
2.25 cups (560ml) hot water
4 Tbsps (60g) unsalted butter
Salt to taste

Directions

In a small bowl, combine the flour, onion powder, garlic powder, and black pepper. Set aside.
In another bowl dissolve the beef stock cube and chicken stock cube in 2 cups of hot water. Set aside.
Put a saucepan on MED heat and dissolve the butter. Add in the flour mixture from step 1 to the butter and mix until combined. Add in a quarter cup of the stock at a time to the pan and mix thoroughly between each addition, making sure there are no clumps. Once you’ve finished adding all of the stock, taste and add salt if needed. Add more hot water if you prefer a runnier gravy. Turn off the heat and serve!

September 5, 2022

AbbyLeave a comment

Grilled King Oyster Mushrooms

Date Published: Sept 5th, 2022 | Last Updated: Sept 5th, 2022
Author: Abby |Category: easy, <15mins, appetizer, asian, sides, healthy, low-cal, snacks
Serves: depends on how much you make | Prep time: 5 mins | Cook time: 5 mins per batch

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This recipe is simple, so easy, and cooks up quickly! King Oyster mushrooms are perfect for grilling due to its texture and also has a great chew. It makes a super quick appetizer, side dish or a snack. There’s not much to this recipe other than slicing the mushrooms and grilling or pan-frying with some salt and pepper. Done!

You can make as much or as little as your want. The mushrooms shrink a little when you cook them so keep that in mind. I always double the amount I plan to serve because I snack on them as I wait for the next batch to cook because they’re so damn delicious.

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

Olive oil
King oyster mushrooms, sliced lengthwise to 1.5cm thickness (in any amount you want)
Salt & pepper

Directions:

In a large skillet or grill top on MED-HIGH heat, add a small drizzle of olive oil. Make sure the pan is very hot. Add the sliced king oyster mushrooms to the pan in a single layer (you may have to do this in multiple batches if you have a lot of mushrooms). Sprinkle salt and pepper over the top. Cook each side for 1-2 minutes until slightly golden brown. Remove from pan and repeat with the remaining mushrooms, adding in another small drizzle of olive oil each time. Serve immediately.

Summarized Recipe:

Grilled King Oyster Mushrooms

Ingredients:

Olive oil
King oyster mushrooms, sliced lengthwise to 1.5cm thickness (in any amount you want)
Salt & pepper

Directions:

In a large skillet or grill top on MED-HIGH heat, add a small drizzle of olive oil. Make sure the pan is very hot. Add the sliced king oyster mushrooms to the pan in a single layer (you may have to do this in multiple batches if you have a lot of mushrooms). Sprinkle salt and pepper over the top. Cook each side for 1-2 minutes until slightly golden brown. Remove from pan and repeat with the remaining mushrooms, adding in another small drizzle of olive oil each time. Serve immediately.

September 5, 2022

Abby1 Comment