Cheesy Thai Red Curry Pork Stuffed Paratha

Date Published: August 19th, 2020 | Last Updated: August 19th, 2020
Author: Abby |Category: snacks, asian
Serves: 8 slices | Prep time: 15mins + resting time | Cook time: 30mins

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Have you ever made too much filling for the amount of wrappers you have and didn’t know what to do with it but don’t want to throw it away? This happens to me more often than I would like to admit. Dumplings. Spanakopita. Curry puffs. Ravioli. Well get ready for the solution to all your leftover fillings: stuffed parathas! I got this idea from El Mundo Eats where I’ve had their Chicken Keema Paratha recipe saved on my “to make” list for ages. I didn’t have any chicken mince on hand, but I did have some leftover pork mince from making spring rolls last week and also homemade Thai red curry paste that I’ve been meaning to experiment with more. An hour later, this delicious creation was born! The pork filling tastes just like a Thai red curry with the use of my homemade red curry paste and coconut milk. I also added cheese to mellow out all the flavours and to help everything stick together more. I wish I took more photos of the process but I was just playing around in the kitchen and didn’t actually expect this to turn out sooo good! It’s kind of like a quesadilla but with more bread and less messy to eat. You can serve it with any kind of dipping sauce you like or eat it on its own. You could even make a sweet version!

Any filling should work with this dough as long as it’s not too saucy (it will leak when you roll it) and cooked. You’re not cooking the parathas for very long, so raw filling most likely won’t cook enough before the parathas are ready. I’ve made one giant paratha with this recipe but you can definitely split the dough and make multiple smaller stuffed parathas if you like – you’re only limited by the size of your pan. The dough is super easy and doesn’t require any yeast or proofing. You only need a few ingredients and minimal kneading to make the dough.

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:

Paratha dough:
- 2 1/4 cup (290g) all purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 2/3 cup (160ml) water
Filling:
- 3 Tbsps homemade Thai red curry paste
- 250g pork (or chicken) mince
- 1/4 cup coconut milk
- 1/2 Tbsp fish sauce (or more to taste)
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

*Note: In the photos I added half a cup of chopped black fungus because I had some on hand that I needed to use up. It doesn’t add much flavour to the dish, just an extra texture. I didn’t include it in the recipe list because it’s not a common ingredient many people have and isn’t essential to the flavours, but feel free to add it in if you like.

Directions:

Make the paratha dough: combine all the ingredients together in a bowl and mix with your hands until you get a rough loose dough. Turn the contents of the bowl out onto a flat surface and knead the dough until all the flour is incorporated and you get a smooth ball. Cover the dough with a clean kitchen towel and let it rest for 30 minutes.

Make the filling: While the dough rests, warm a skillet on medium heat and add the red curry paste to the dry pan to toast for a few minutes until some of the water evaporates and it becomes fragrant (~2 minutes). Add in the pork mince and sauté with the curry paste until the pork is nearly cooked, then add in the coconut milk and fish sauce. Continue to sauté until the pork is fully cooked and liquids evaporate. Taste and adjust flavours as needed. Place the filling in a bowl and set aside to cool.

Place all the filling into the centre of the dough

Assemble: Once the filling has cooled and the dough has rested, assemble the paratha. Make sure you have a large pan 30cm wide that the paratha will fit in. If not, divide the dough into half or quarters and make multiple small stuffed parathas. Roll out the dough into a flat circle about 7mm thick. Mix the shredded cheese with the pork filling and pour the contents into the centre of the dough. Bring the edges of the dough together over the filling to form a ball, try to squeeze out any air pockets before you seal it. Make sure the top is sealed well. Gently press down on the dough ball to flatten it and then use a rolling pin and carefully flatten the ball in all directions until roughly 1cm thick. You may be able to see the filling just under the dough.

Cook: Heat a large skillet on medium heat. Add a drizzle of olive oil to the skillet and swirl it around. Place the stuffed paratha onto the pan and cook until the underside is toasty and golden brown (~5-8mins). Brush a bit of olive oil on the top of the paratha then flip and cook on the other side until golden. Remove from heat and slice into pieces and serve immediately. Enjoy!

Summarized Recipe:

Cheesy Thai Red Curry Pork Stuffed Paratha

Ingredients:

Paratha dough:
- 2 1/4 cup (290g) all purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 2/3 cup (160ml) water
Filling:
- 3 Tbsps homemade Thai red curry paste
- 250g pork (or chicken) mince
- 1/4 cup coconut milk
- 1/2 Tbsp fish sauce (or more to taste)
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

Make the paratha dough: combine all the ingredients together in a bowl and mix with your hands until you get a rough loose dough. Turn the contents of the bowl out onto a flat surface and knead the dough until all the flour is incorporated and you get a smooth ball. Cover the dough with a clean kitchen towel and let it rest for 30 minutes.
Make the filling: While the dough rests, warm a skillet on medium heat and add the red curry paste to the dry pan to toast for a few minutes until some of the water evaporates and it becomes fragrant (~2 minutes). Add in the pork mince and sauté with the curry paste until the pork is nearly cooked, then add in the coconut milk and fish sauce. Continue to sauté until the pork is fully cooked and liquids evaporate. Taste and adjust flavours as needed. Place the filling in a bowl and set aside to cool.
Assemble: Once the filling has cooled and the dough has rested, assemble the paratha. Make sure you have a large pan 30cm wide that the paratha will fit in. If not, divide the dough into half or quarters and make multiple small stuffed parathas. Roll out the dough into a flat circle about 7mm thick. Mix the shredded cheese with the pork filling and pour the contents into the centre of the dough. Bring the edges of the dough together over the filling to form a ball, try to squeeze out any air pockets before you seal it. Make sure the top is sealed well. Gently press down on the dough ball to flatten it and then use a rolling pin and carefully flatten the ball in all directions until roughly 1cm thick. You may be able to see the filling just under the dough.
Cook: Heat a large skillet on medium heat. Add a drizzle of olive oil to the skillet and swirl it around. Place the stuffed paratha onto the pan and cook until the underside is toasty and golden brown (~5-8mins). Brush a bit of olive oil on the top of the paratha then flip and cook on the other side until golden. Remove from heat and slice into pieces and serve immediately. Enjoy!

August 19, 2020August 19, 2020

AbbyLeave a comment

Taiwanese Cheese Egg Crepe 起司蛋餅 (Cheese Dan Bing)

Date Published: August 7th, 2020 | Last Updated: August 7th, 2020
Author: Abby |Category: asian, snacks
Serves: 4 crepes | Prep time: 5 mins | Cook time: 30 mins

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I’m SO excited to share this recipe with you guys! This is my ALL TIME FAVOURITE Taiwanese breakfast item. I would eat this dish nearly every day in Taiwan for breakfast from Hong Ya Hamburger which is a breakfast shop just outside the alleyway of our home. There are many varieties of dan bing, but NOTHING beats the cheese dan bing. I remember when I was a kid, this one time my mom accidentally ordered a dan bing without the cheese and the shitty younger me threw a hissy fit and refused to eat breakfast that morning (sorry mom, love you!). I also remember my mom trying to make dan bing for us in Canada from pre-packaged wrappers that she found at the Asian grocer, but unfortunately it just wasn’t the same. Trying to recreate a cheese dan bing on my own seemed like a daunting task. I had never had a good dan bing outside of Taiwan. Dare I challenge the Taiwanese street food gods and try it myself where far better cooks have failed? And from scratch?? I guess this is why they call it quarantine cooking. What have I got to lose? After a few attempts from different recipes and many failed gloopy bings, I came across ChooChoo-ca-Chew‘s recipe and it came out near perfect! This recipe is going straight into the top 10 list. I owe this recipe to her blog and I’ve rewritten it with tweaks and notes from my experience cooking these so they can come out perfect for you every time – and of course, lots of pictures to guide you through the process. It’s actually pretty quick and easy to make, but the tricky part is getting your crepe spread out evenly to the right thickness. Once you get the hang of it, it’s a breeze.

A typical quick breakfast for me in Taiwan

What is a cheese dan bing? The direct translation is cheese egg “crepe”. It’s essentially an egg with melty cheese wrapped up in a crepe-like wrapper topped with soy sauce paste. Kind of like a cheesy omelette wrapped in a ‘bing’. Chinese people use the term “bing” as an overarching word for pretty much anything round and flat. Whether it’s cakes, pastries, sweets, or savoury spring onion pancakes, as long as they’re that shape it’s a bing! I’ve used the word “crepe” in the title translation to replace “bing” because in this recipe, this version of a bing is most similar to a crepe. However when I think of crepes, I think of sweet french crepes with chocolate, fruit and whipped cream which, although delicious, just doesn’t fit in here so I’ll continue to call them “bings” for the rest of this post.

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

Bing Batter:
- 110g (3/4 cup) all purpose flour
- 30g (1/4 cup) tapioca flour (or potato starch)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 egg
- 280ml (1 cup + 2 Tbsps) water
2 spring onions, chopped
Assembly:
- shredded cheese (~1/3 cup per crepe)
- 1 egg per crepe
- ground white pepper
- soy sauce paste to drizzle
  - Soy sauce paste is CRUCIAL to this dish. Soy sauce paste is essentially a thickened and sweeter version of soy sauce that pairs beautifully with the cheesy egg. I always ask for extra sauce when I order dan bing. You should be able to find it from most Asian grocers. It’s on my to-do list to try and recreate soy sauce paste at home, so keep a look-out for the recipe when it’s uploaded!

Directions:

Make the batter: in a bowl, mix the all purpose flour, tapioca flour, salt and egg in a bowl. Add in 1/4 of the water and mix until there are no clumps then add the rest of the water and continue to mix. Set aside.

Note: you can add the spring onions to the batter as well, but I always have trouble having them distribute evenly when cooking so I choose to keep it separate and sprinkle it on instead.

Cook the Bing: Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat and add 1 tsp of oil and swirl your pan around to coat it in oil. Once your skillet is hot enough, add 1/3 cup of batter into the middle of the pan and quickly swirl your pan around to let the batter distribute around the pan evenly. Sprinkle spring onions over the batter.

Once the edges of the bing are lifting from the pan edges (see second photo), flip it over and cook the other side. Continue to cook until you get small toasty brown spots on the bing on both sides. You can use your spatula to compress down areas that are taking longer to cook. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Repeat this step to finish cooking the rest of the bings. Don’t worry if they’re not perfectly round or if your spring onions aren’t perfectly distributed – you’re rolling them up in the end anyway!

Note: Like pancakes, the first one might be a dud to get the temperature of the pan right. Don’t get discouraged!

Tip: If you’re making multiple dishes for a meal, you can make the bings first and set them aside until you’re ready for the next step. The next step goes fairly quickly (roughly 1-2mins each to assemble) and you want to serve these hot so I suggest not starting this next step until all your other dishes are ready.

Assemble the Dan Bing: In the same skillet (still on MED heat), pour in one lightly beaten egg into the centre then quickly place one bing ontop of the egg while it’s still undercooked (it’s very important you put the bing on the egg while it’s still undercooked so it sticks together. If you let the egg fully cook, the egg will separate from the bing). Let it cook for about 30 seconds until you’re able to lift and flip the egg with the bing together without it falling apart.

Once flipped over, add shredded cheese in a line in the middle of the egg, then top with a small drizzle of soy sauce paste then a dusting of white pepper. Fold up both sides of the dan bing towards the middle. Press it down lightly for the cheese to stick the layers together then transfer to a plate. Repeat to make the rest of the bings.

Slice into 1 inch pieces and serve with extra soy sauce paste for dipping if needed. Enjoy!

Tip: You can also add additional toppings other than the cheese. Some popular options in Taiwan: corn, ham, pork floss…etc.

Summarized Recipe:

Taiwanese Cheese Egg Crepe 起司蛋餅 (Cheese Dan Bing)

Date Published: August 7th, 2020 | Last Updated: August 7th, 2020
Author: Abby |Category: asian, snacks
Serves: 4 crepes | Prep time: 5 mins | Cook time: 30 mins

Ingredients:

Bing Batter:
- 110g (3/4 cup) all purpose flour
- 30g (1/4 cup) tapioca flour (or potato starch)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 egg
- 280ml (1 cup + 2 Tbsps) water
2 spring onions, chopped
Assembly:
- shredded cheese (~1/3 cup per crepe)
- 1 egg per crepe
- ground white pepper
- soy sauce paste to drizzle

Directions:

Make the batter: in a bowl, mix the all purpose flour, tapioca flour, salt and egg in a bowl. Add in 1/4 of the water and mix until there are no clumps then add the rest of the water and continue to mix. Set aside.
Cook the Bing: Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat and add 1 tsp of oil and swirl your pan around to coat it in oil. Once your skillet is hot enough, add 1/3 cup of batter into the middle of the pan and quickly swirl your pan around to let the batter distribute around the pan evenly. Sprinkle spring onions over the batter.
Once the edges of the bing are lifting from the pan edges, flip it over and cook the other side. Continue to cook until you get small toasty brown spots on the bing on both sides. You can use your spatula to compress down areas that are taking longer to cook. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Repeat this step to finish cooking the rest of the bings.
- Note: Like pancakes, the first one might be a dud to get the temperature of the pan right. Don’t get discouraged!
Assemble the Dan Bing: In the same skillet (still on MED heat), pour in one lightly beaten egg into the centre then quickly place one bing ontop of the egg while it’s still undercooked. Let it cook for about 30 seconds until you’re able to lift and flip the egg with the bing together without it falling apart.
Once flipped over, add shredded cheese in a line in the middle of the egg, then top with a small drizzle of soy sauce paste then a dusting of white pepper. Fold up both sides of the dan bing towards the middle. Press it down lightly for the cheese to stick the layers together then transfer to a plate. Repeat to make the rest of the dan bings.
Slice into 1 inch pieces and serve with extra soy sauce paste for dipping if needed. Enjoy!

Tip: You can also add additional toppings other than the cheese. Some popular options in Taiwan: corn, ham, pork floss…etc.

August 7, 2020August 23, 2020

Abby1 Comment

Curry Tuna Salad

Date Published: August 6th, 2020 | Last Updated: August 6th, 2020
Author: Abby |Category: snacks, easy, <15mins
Serves: 4 | Prep time: 10 mins | Cook time: 30 secs

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This is by far my favourite version of a tuna salad. The addition of dill and curry with the crunch of the pickle all infused into the creamy mayo brings this to the next level. You’ve got to try it. It’s packed with flavour and so easy and quick to put together for a quick snack or lunch. Serve it in a sandwich, in a tuna melt, or even as a dip with some crackers. (Recipe adapted from Allrecipes with changes to ingredients and proportions.)

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:

200g (~2 cans) tuna in springwater , drained very well (the drier the tuna the better, otherwise you’ll have a sludgy tuna salad)
1/3 – 1/2 cup mayonnaise (depends on how creamy you prefer it)
3 Tbsps parmesan cheese
5 Tbsps (36g) pickles, finely chopped (or 3 Tbsps sweet pickle relish)
1/2 tsp curry powder
1 Tbsp dried parsley
1 tsp dried dill weed
1/2 tsp garlic powder
Fresh ground pepper to taste
1/4 tsp dried minced onion flakes (optional)

Directions:

Mix everything together and taste. Adjust salt and pepper as needed. If you prefer a creamier tuna salad, add more mayonnaise. If you want it crunchier, add more chopped pickles or even some cucumber or red bell peppers/capsicums.

Chill for 20 minutes before serving to let the flavours infuse. Done!

Summarized Recipe:

Curry Tuna Salad

Date Published: August 6th, 2020 | Last Updated: August 6th, 2020
Author: Abby |Category: snacks, easy, <15mins
Serves: 4 | Prep time: 10 mins | Cook time: 30 secs

Ingredients:

200g (2 cans) tuna in springwater , drained
1/3 to 1/2 cup mayonnaise (depending on how creamy you like your tuna salad)
3 Tbsps parmesan cheese
5 Tbsps (36g) pickles, finely chopped (or 3 Tbsps sweet pickle relish)
1/2 tsp curry powder
1 Tbsp dried parsley
1 tsp dried dill weed
1/2 tsp garlic powder
Fresh ground pepper to taste
1/4 tsp dried minced onion flakes

Directions:

Mix everything together and taste. Adjust salt and pepper as needed. If you prefer a creamier tuna salad, add more mayonnaise. If you want it crunchier, add more chopped pickles or even some cucumber or red bell peppers/capsicums.
Refrigerate for 20 minutes before serving to let the flavours infuse. Done!

Serve in a sandwich, as a tuna melt, or with crackers!

August 6, 2020September 6, 2020

AbbyLeave a comment

Za’atar Manakish (Lebanese Flatbread)

Date Published: August 2nd, 2020 | Last Updated: August 2nd, 2020
Author: Abby |Category: breads, easy, snacks, vegetarian
Serves: 8 (or 4 large ones) | Prep time: 1.5hrs (from start of dough) | Cook time: 10 mins

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This is mine and Toby’s go-to snack. We divide a batch of basic dough and freeze them ahead of time and when we feel like snacking, we’ll defrost it for a couple hours, roll it out then spread za’atar over it and bake. It’s so quick and simple – in under 15 minutes we have freshly baked za’atar manakish. If we’re feeling a little more indulgent, we’ll sometimes use our defrosted dough to make halloumi cheese pies out – which is also super easy (click here for the recipe)!

If you’re unfamiliar, Za’atar is a blend of Lebanese spieces that usually include oregano, sumac, thyme, and sesame seeds. It’s packed full of earthy flavours with a lemon-y acidity from the sumac. I’ll admit when I first I tried it, I didn’t think too much of it, but Toby kept buying the manakish and after a few sneaky bites here and there over time, now I can’t get enough! Lots of shops sell za’atar but everyone has their own ratios of spices so they can taste vastly different depending on the brand. Our favourite brand is called “Za’atar extra” (pictured above) where we buy from A1 bakery in Dandenong. It’s on my to-do list to try and recreate their spice mix just incase we move and can’t find this brand anywhere else (I’ll post it if I’m ever successful).

Side story: This dish has sentimental value to me. When I first started dating Toby (my now fiancé), he took me to a small Lebanese bakery shop in Werribee called A1 bakery and ordered two cheese pies and an “oregano pizza” as he called it. Between the two of us, I’m usually the one introducing him to good restaurants and new foods. This is the first place he took me to that really impressed me. The halloumi cheese pies were to die for but the “oregano pizza” was just okay for me. As time went on, we’d keep going back to the bakery and the “oregano pizza” really grew on me (which we later learned the proper name was: za’atar manakish). After we moved out of the Werribee area, we had to drive 40mins to the closest A1 bakery in Dandenong to get the cheese pies and manakish, but it was worth it. It was magical every time. At our last trip, Toby surprised me with a packet of za’atar seasoning that the bakery sold and suggested we try making it at home during quarantine for some fun. After reading through a handful of recipes online, I made a compilation of them all and combined it into this recipe. We made it for the first time a few months ago and it came out A-MAZING! We’ve made it countless times since.

Back in 2018: Toby would take me to A1 Bakery for Za’atar Manakish and cheese pies all the time when we lived near Werribee

The recipe is a bit word-y but it’s actually super easy once you make it. The dough is made from the basic dough recipe which gives it a beautiful fluffiness if you roll it out thick and a nice crispy crunchy texture if you roll it out thin. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do! If za’atar isn’t your jam, you can always turn the dough into halloumi cheese pies :D.

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

One dough ball from the basic dough recipe (click link to follow recipe)
1/2 cup za’atar (Lebanese spice mix)
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

Make one dough ball from the basic dough recipe and let it proof for 1 hour until doubled in size (click here for tips on how to proof your dough in the oven). Once risen, punch the dough and knead a couple times on a floured surface to get rid of any air pockets. Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces (or bigger if you prefer your manakish larger) and let it rest for 10 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 200˚C.

In a bowl combine the za’atar with the olive oil and mix.

After the dough has rested, knead each ball a couple times on a floured surface then roll it out to 5mm thick (or to preference – the thinner you roll it, the crispier your flatbread and the thicker it is, the more fluffy it will be). Transfer the dough onto a greased baking tray. (It’s important to transfer the dough to the tray FIRST before spreading the za’atar otherwise it may get a little messy!)

I prefer mine a little crispy so I roll it out thinner here. If you want it fluffier, roll it thicker.

Mix and spread your za’atar mixture over the dough and bake in the oven at 200˚C for 7-10 minutes until the edges are golden. Let it sit for 5 minutes before serving so the olive oil gets soaked into the bread. Enjoy!

Tip: If you don’t want to make an entire batch, you can freeze the divided dough balls by wrapping them in cling wrap and just defrost the dough a few hours before you want to use it. You don’t need to rest it, just roll it out and spread za’atar over it (use roughly 2 Tbsps of olive oil + 2 Tbsps za’atar per flatbread). This makes a quick and easy late night snack!

Did you try this recipe? I’d love your feedback or any comments on what you thought! Leave a message below and follow me on facebook and instagram (@polyphagicabby). 🙂

Watch the Video Tutorial!

Summarized Recipe:

Za’atar Manakish

Date Published: August 2nd, 2020 | Last Updated: August 2nd, 2020
Author: Abby |Category: breads, easy, snacks
Serves: 8 (or 4 large ones) | Prep time: 1.5hrs (from start of dough) | Cook time: 10 mins

Ingredients:

One dough ball from the basic dough recipe (click link to follow recipe)
1/2 cup za’atar spice mix
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

Make one dough ball from the basic dough recipe and let it proof for 1 hour until doubled in size (click here for tips on how to proof your dough in the oven). Once risen, punch the dough and knead a couple times on a floured surface to get rid of any air pockets. Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces (or bigger if you prefer your manakish larger) and let it rest for 10 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 200˚C.
In a bowl combine the za’atar with the olive oil and mix.
After the dough has rested, knead each ball a couple times on a floured surface then roll it out to 5mm thick (or to preference – the thinner you roll it, the crispier your flatbread and the thicker it is, the more fluffy it will be). Transfer the dough to a greased baking tray.
Mix and spread your za’atar mixture over the dough and bake in the oven at 200˚C for 7-10 minutes until the edges are golden. Let it sit for 5 minutes before serving so the olive oil gets soaked into the bread. Enjoy!

August 2, 2020August 7, 2020

AbbyLeave a comment

Good For You Chocolate Peanut Butter Granola

Date Published: July 30th, 2020 | Last Updated: July 30th, 2020
Author: Abby |Category: healthy, < 30mins, quick & easy, snacks
Serves: 8 cups (16 servings) | Prep time: 10 mins | Cook time: 20 mins

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Ohhh granohhhhla! I love making my own granola. I love the smell that fills the kitchen as it bakes and I love that I can put in whatever I want and feel good about it. I’ve adapted this recipe from Erin Lives Whole which and changed it up to better accommodate my taste (read: making it chocolate!) – don’t worry, I’ve kept all the good stuff in there so I can still enjoy this relatively guilt-free. I’ve also doubled the recipe because Toby and I go through it so quickly.

In the vet world you don’t always get to have your lunch break, so I usually pack a small container in my bag just in case and sneak in bites here and there between consults. It’s perfect to keep me satiated for the rest of the day and I don’t have to worry about heating it up or taking time to prepare it – just add milk! This recipe has saved so many people from a hangry vet 😜.

What makes this granola good for you? The natural and wholesome ingredients! Like most granolas, the bulk of this recipe is rolled oats. Oats is chocked full of fibre and has benefits in lowering cholesterol. It’s also made with coconut oil, chia seeds, honey, and natural peanut butter. Depending on the brand of peanut butter you use, each serving (1/2 cup) is roughly 220 calories. This granola makes a wonderful quick breakfast on the go when topped with some fresh fruit, or a filling snack throughout the day. You can change it up and add extras like nuts, dried fruit, chocolate chips…etc. Have it with milk (regular, almond, soy…etc.), greek yogurt, or even sprinkled on top of ice cream. Mmmmmmm.

This recipe is super simple and quick to put together. I’ve added in the weights of each ingredient so if you’re feeling lazy and have a kitchen scale, you can just pour everything in one bowl to the correct weight and mix!

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

1 cup (280g) natural chunky peanut butter (unsalted and unsweetened)*
2/3 cup (220g) honey
1/2 cup (100g) melted coconut oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
6 cups (620g) rolled oats (also called old fashioned oats)
1/3 cup (26g) cocoa powder
1/2 tsp salt
4 Tbsps (47g) chia seeds
2 tsp cinnamon

*If you’re struggling to locate natural peanut butter or find it too $$$, you can use regular peanut butter but skip the salt and half the amount of honey (110g instead of 220g).

Directions:

Preheat oven to 165˚C (~325˚F). Line a baking sheet with a baking mat or parchment paper.

In a large bowl, mix together the wet ingredients: peanut butter, honey, coconut oil, and vanilla.

Then add in the rest of the ingredients except for the oats: cocoa powder, salt, chia seeds, cinnamon.

Then add in the oats and mix until fully combined.

Press the mixture into the tray and compress it down (this will help you get chunky clusters).

Bake until golden brown (about 15-20mins).

Let it COMPLETELY cool before breaking apart (~20 minutes). If you try to break it apart too early, it will be very crumbly.

Enjoy! Store in an airtight container for 3 weeks.

Summarized Recipe:

Good For You Chocolate Peanut Butter Granola

Ingredients:

1 cup (280g) natural chunky peanut butter (unsalted and unsweetened)*
2/3 cup (220g) honey
1/2 cup (100g) melted coconut oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
6 cups (620g) rolled oats (also called old fashioned oats)
1/3 cup (26g) cocoa powder
1/2 tsp salt
4 Tbsps (47g) chia seeds
2 tsp cinnamon

*If you’re struggling to locate natural peanut butter or find it too $$$, you can use regular peanut butter but skip the salt and half the amount of honey (110g instead of 220g).

Directions:

Preheat oven to 165˚C (~325˚F). Line a baking sheet with a baking mat or parchment paper.
In a large bowl, mix together the wet ingredients: peanut butter, honey, coconut oil, and vanilla.
Then mix in the cocoa powder and chia seeds.
Finally, add in the oats and mix until full combined.
Press the mixture into the baking pan and compress it down with your spatula.
Bake until golden brown (about 15-20mins).
Let it COMPLETELY cool before breaking apart. Enjoy! Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 weeks.

July 30, 2020September 6, 2020

AbbyLeave a comment

Classic Simple Guacamole

Date Published: July 24th, 2020 | Last Updated: July 24th, 2020
Author: Abby |Category: sauces/dips, easy, < 15mins, snacks, vegetarian, healthy
Serves: 1 large bowl | Prep time: 10 mins | Cook time: 5 mins (not including refrigeration)

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I love guacamole. LOVE. Seriously. The creaminess of the avocados with the freshness of the tomatoes and lime juice is pure happiness in a bowl. I could easily devour a whole bowl of it myself while binge-watching something. It’s quick and easy with no actual cooking required – just chop some ingredients and mix it all up. Try to make it a little ahead of time because it tastes so much better after a few hours in the fridge to let the flavours infuse. Trust me.

Avocados are quite fatty by nature so the bad news is that the calories tend to stack up when you have too much. However the good news is that it’s good fat and has numerous health benefits so it’s actually quite good for you (as long as you don’t pair it with too many chips 😅).

My favourite way to eat guacamole is to simply have it as a dip served with tortilla chips. It’s a simple, quick and filling snack – but of course it goes amazingly on so many other things such as nachos, fajitas, tacos, burritos…etc.

I think my guacamole obsession started back in my university years in Canada with my old roommate Taryn. We’d frequently go to Gryph’s Sports Lounge/Campus Bar above the hockey rink and always order nachos with a side of guacamole. I don’t know what they put in their nachos, but it was so simple and satisfying. No fancy meats or sauces – just good ol’ nachos, cheese, sour cream, salsa and guacamole. Even after we graduated we met up a couple times at Gryph’s just to get the nachos and catch up (although from memory the last time we went there they had changed their nachos 😞).

Anyways, without further ado, here’s the recipe!

Happy Cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

3 large hass avocados – a tip on how to choose avocados: gently squeeze them. You want them to be firm but with a slight give. If they squeeze in too much then they’re over ripe. If you don’t plan on using them for a while, then buy them more firm and leave it out on your counter to ripen. Hass avocados work best in guacamole.
1 clove garlic, minced
2 cups tomatoes, diced (~2 tomatoes)
1 1/2 cups red onion (~1 medium onion), diced – you can use regular yellow onions instead but the red ones give a bit more sweetness
1 Tbsp lime juice (or more to taste) – different limes will have different sourness, so taste as you go and add more if you need (if you accidentally go overboard, add some sugar or more salt)
1/2 tsp salt (or more to taste) – salt enhances the flavour of the ingredients. If you’re not sure whether you need more salt, I’d recommend letting the guacamole sit in the fridge for an hour after the flavours marinate together and then taste it to adjust flavours
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper (or more to taste)
1 pinch ground cayenne pepper (optional for a bit of heat)
Optional: chopped cilantro/coriander

Directions:

Peel, pit and mash the avocados in a large bowl. I find it easiest to mash avocados by using a whisk as a masher. If you prefer your guac more chunky, stop mashing when you get to your desired consistency.

Mix in the rest of the ingredients to the mashed avocados (garlic, tomatoes, onion, lime juice, salt, pepper). Taste and adjust ingredients as needed. I find that different limes have different degrees of sourness, so start with a small amount (like half a tbsp) and then add more as needed – I’ve had to add up to 2 Tbsps of juice before. It’s better to start with a small amount rather than overdo it. If you’re having some trouble adjusting the flavours, you can let it chill for a few hours first to let the flavours blend together and season it afterwards.

Ideally refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving (overnight is better) to let the flavours marinate together, then taste and adjust ingredients as needed. The difference between letting it chill in the fridge for a few hours or overnight vs serving it right away is night and day. Trust me.

Enjoy! Serve on the side of burritos, fajitas, nachos, or even just with some chips and crackers as a snack.

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!

Summarized Recipe:

Guacamole

Ingredients:

3 large hass avocados
1 clove garlic, minced
2 cups tomatoes, diced (~2 tomatoes)
1 1/2 cups red onion, diced
1 Tbsp lime juice (or more to taste)
1/2 teaspoon salt (or more to taste)
1/2 tsp ground black pepper (or more to taste)
1 pinch ground cayenne pepper (optional)
Optional: chopped cilantro/coriander

Directions:

Peel, pit and mash the avocados in a large bowl.
Mix in the rest of the ingredients (garlic, tomatoes, onion, lime juice, salt, pepper). Taste and adjust ingredients as needed.
Ideally refrigerate for 1 hour before serving to let the flavours marinate together then taste and adjust flavours again as needed.

July 24, 2020September 6, 2020

AbbyLeave a comment

Spinach Balsamic Blueberry Grilled Cheese

Date Published: July 24th, 2020 | Last Updated: July 24th, 2020
Author: Abby |Category: snacks, quick and easy, < 30mins
Serves: 2 | Prep time: 15 mins | Cook time: 25 mins

Jump to recipe |

Blueberries and spinach in a grilled cheese makes this sandwich healthy, right?? This sandwich works with a lot of different types of cheeses but my favourite would have to be white cheddar or havarti. The syrupy blueberries paired with the ooey-gooey cheese is just too good to not try.

Grilled cheese (or toasties in Australia), are THE ultimate comfort food. It’s quick, easy, and indulgent. Nothing beats the ooey-gooey cheesiness of a good crisp grilled cheese.

This post is a continuation of the grilled cheese lunch marathon we had last week. You can read more about it in yesterday’s sriracha butter apple grilled cheese post.

We made:

Sriracha butter apple grilled cheese
Bacon Brie and Apricot grilled cheese
Goat cheese caramelized onions and fig grilled cheese
Spinach Balsamic Blueberry grilled cheese (this recipe)

I came across this recipe back nearly 5 years ago from Amanda k. by the Bay and it’s still as delicious as ever! I’ve since experimented with different cheeses and my favourites so far are a sharp white cheddar or havarti. I tried it with mozzarella recently and although still good, I felt that the bold flavours of the balsamic blueberry overpowered the subtlety of the mozarella.

Unlike my other recipes, I didn’t make a video for these sandwiches since the instructions are fairly straightforward (let me know in the comments if you’d like me to make a video). I was also a little too excited when making these sandwiches and forgot to take some photos of the process 😅. I’ll update this post with more photos the next time I make them again (which probably won’t be long).

Anyways, without further ado, here’s the recipe!

Ingredients you’ll need:

1 cup blueberries
2 Tbsps balsamic vinegar
3 Tbsps brown sugar
Mayonnaise for spreading – this is the secret to a crisp golden grilled cheese! Mayo gives a nicer crisp and colour compared to butter.
4 slices of white bread (I like to use sourdough, but whatever white bread you’ve got works)
1 cup of baby spinach leaves
Enough cheese for 2 sandwiches – white cheddar, coon, havarti…etc

Directions:

In a small saucepan on medium heat, combine the blueberries, balsamic vinegar and brown sugar. Let it come to a slow simmer and cook until the blueberries have started to soften. Gently crush some of the blueberries with your spatula (don’t crush all of them too flat or else you’ll lose some of that delicious blueberry flavour). When finished, strain your mixture through a sieve and set aside to cool. Keep the drained juices as an option to drizzle with later.

Spread mayonnaise on one side of each slice of bread (this will be the outside of the sandwich that you will toast to get that crisp golden colour).

Please use more spinach than in this photo. I forgot to buy some and scrounged up these ones from the garden last minute 😦

Assemble your grilled cheese with the mayonnaise side facing the outside. Add a layer of your cheese, then top it with the balsamic blueberries, spinach, more cheese, and then the other slice of bread (again, mayo on the outside).

(Incase that sentence was confusing, your layers should be: mayonnaise + bread + cheese + balsamic blueberries + cheese + bread + mayonnaise).

Make sure you grill this sandwich right away or else you risk the bread going a little soggy from the blueberry mixture.

Get a pan on the stove on medium heat and once your pan is heated, place your sandwich in the pan (you don’t need any oil in the pan because the mayonnaise on the outside of your sandwich will act as your oil base).

Toast your sandwich until the bread is a beautiful crisp golden brown and the cheese is melty (~3-5mins), then carefully flip your sandwich over and toast the other side. (Tip: if your sandwich is quite tall, you can gently flatten your sandwich as your cheese melts. This will help compact your sandwich and make it less messy to eat.) Once your second side is toasted and your cheese is melted, repeat with your second sandwich and serve immediately! Optional: drizzle your sandwich with a bit of that reserved juices strained from the balsamic blueberries. Enjoy!!

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!

Summarized Recipe:

Spinach balsamic blueberry grilled cheese

Date Published: July 24th, 2020 | Last Updated: July 24th, 2020
Author: Abby |Category: snacks, quick and easy, <30mins
Serves: 2 | Prep time: 15 mins | Cook time: 25 mins

Ingredients:

1 cup blueberries
2 Tbsps balsamic vinegar
3 Tbsps brown sugar
Mayonnaise for spreading – this is the secret to a crisp golden grilled cheese! Mayo gives a nicer crisp and colour compared to butter.
4 slices of white bread (I like to use sourdough, but whatever white bread you’ve got works)
1 cup of baby spinach leaves
Enough cheese for 2 sandwiches – white cheddar, coon, havarti…etc

Directions:

In a small saucepan on medium heat, combine the blueberries, balsamic vinegar and brown sugar. Let it come to a slow simmer and cook until the blueberries have started to soften. Gently crush some of the blueberries with your spatula (don’t crush all of them too flat or else you’ll lose some of that delicious blueberry flavour). When finished, strain your mixture through a sieve and set aside to cool. Keep the drained juices as an option to drizzle with later.
Spread mayonnaise on one side of each slice of bread (this will be the outside of the sandwich that you will toast to get that crisp golden colour).
Assemble your grilled cheese with the mayonnaise side facing the outside. Add a layer of your cheese, then top it with the balsamic blueberries, spinach, more cheese, and then the other slice of bread (again, mayo on the outside).
Get a pan on the stove on medium heat and once your pan is heated, place your sandwich in the pan. Toast your sandwich until the bread is a beautiful crisp golden brown and the cheese is melty (~3-5mins), then carefully flip your sandwich over and toast the other side. Once your second side is toasted and your cheese is melted, repeat with your second sandwich and serve immediately. Enjoy!!
Optional: drizzle your sandwich with a bit of that reserved juices strained from the balsamic blueberries.

July 24, 2020July 23, 2020

AbbyLeave a comment

Caramelized Onions Mushroom and Fig Goat Cheese Grilled Cheese

Date Published: July 23rd, 2020 | Last Updated: July 24th, 2020
Author: Abby |Category: snacks, quick and easy, < 30mins
Serves: 2 | Prep time: 20 mins | Cook time: 25 mins

Jump to recipe |

This grilled cheese is insane. It’s PACKED with flavour. I love pairing savoury and sweet flavours together and this sandwich does just that. The sweet syrupy caramelized onions and mushrooms sandwiched between fig jam and goat cheese is ridiculously good. Although the goat cheese won’t give you that ooey-gooey grilled cheese texture, the flavours of this sandwich will blow you away that you won’t even miss it!

Grilled cheese (or toasties in Australia), are THE ultimate comfort food. It’s quick, easy, and indulgent.

This post is a continuation of the grilled cheese lunch marathon we had last week. You can read more about it in the sriracha butter apple grilled cheese post.

We made:

Sriracha butter apple grilled cheese
Bacon Brie and Apricot grilled cheese
Goat cheese caramelized onions and fig grilled cheese (this recipe)
Spinach Balsamic Blueberry grilled cheese

Don’t worry, I’ll be posting the recipe to all 4 grilled cheeses above – just give me a little time 🙂

Anyways, without further ado, here’s the recipe!

This recipe takes a little more effort than the other grilled cheeses posted so far because caramelizing onions and mushrooms can be a little time-consuming – but definitely worth it for those flavours!

Ingredients you’ll need:

50g unsalted butter
1 small onion (~1.5 – 2 cups), sliced
2 cups mushrooms, sliced
Mayonnaise for spreading – this is the secret to a crisp golden grilled cheese! Mayo gives a nicer crisp and colour compared to butter.
4 slices of white bread (I like to use sourdough, but whatever white bread you’ve got works)
4 Tbsps fig jam (2 Tbsps per sandwich) – you can replace it with most jams that aren’t too overly sweet. I’ve tried it with apricot jam before and it worked really well.
Goat cheese, enough to spread on two slices of bread – you can either keep it as a slice or if your goat cheese is soft and crumbly, then use it as a spread. My favourite is Meredith Dairy goat cheese in olive oil.

Directions:

In a skillet on medium heat, melt the butter. Once the butter is melted, add in the onions and mushrooms. Cook until the onions become brown and syrupy (~5-8 mins). Set aside.

Spread mayonnaise on one side of each slice of bread (this will be the outside of the sandwich that you will toast to get that crisp golden colour).

Assemble your grilled cheese: spread mayonnaise on two slices of bread. On the other side of these two slices of bread, spread one with fig jam and the other with goat cheese. Sandwich caramelized onions and mushrooms between the fig and goat cheese bread slices (with the mayo on the outside).

(Incase that sentence was confusing, your layers should be: mayonnaise + bread + fig jam + caramelized onions and mushrooms + goat cheese + bread + mayonnaise).

Toast your sandwich until the bread is a beautiful crisp golden brown (~3-5mins), then carefully flip your sandwich over and toast the other side. (Tip: if your sandwich is quite tall, you can gently flatten your sandwich as your cheese melts. This will help compact your sandwich and make it less messy to eat.) Once your second side is toasted, repeat with your second sandwich and serve immediately! Enjoy!!

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!

Summarized Recipe:

CARAMELIZED ONIONS MUSHROOM AND FIG GOAT CHEESE GRILLED CHEESE

Date Published: July 21st, 2020 | Last Updated: July 21st, 2020
Author: Abby |Category: snacks, quick and easy, <30mins
Serves: 2 | Prep time: 20 mins | Cook time: 25 mins

Ingredients:

50g unsalted butter
1 small onion (~1.5 – 2 cups), sliced
2 cups mushrooms, sliced
Mayonnaise for spreading
4 slices of white bread (I like to use sourdough, but whatever white bread you’ve got works)
4 Tbsps fig jam (2 Tbsps per sandwich)
Goat cheese, enough to spread on two slices of bread

Directions:

In a skillet on medium heat, melt the butter. Once the butter is melted, add in the onions and mushrooms. Cook until the onions become brown and syrupy (~5-8 mins). Set aside.
Spread mayonnaise on one side of each slice of bread (this will be the outside of the sandwich that you will toast to get that crisp golden colour).
Assemble your grilled cheese: spread mayonnaise on two slices of bread. On the other side of these two slices of bread, spread one with fig jam and the other with goat cheese. Sandwich caramelized onions and mushrooms between the fig and goat cheese bread slices (with the mayo on the outside).
Get a pan on the stove on medium heat and once your pan is heated, place your sandwich in the pan. Toast your sandwich until the bread is a beautiful crisp golden brown (~3-5mins), then carefully flip your sandwich over and toast the other side. Once your second side is toasted, repeat with your second sandwich and serve immediately. Enjoy!!

July 23, 2020July 24, 2020

AbbyLeave a comment

Bacon Brie Apricot Grilled Cheese

Date Published: July 22nd, 2020 | Last Updated: July 24th, 2020
Author: Abby |Category: snacks, quick and easy, < 30mins
Serves: 2 | Prep time: 15 mins | Cook time: 10 mins

Jump to recipe |

Ohhhhh boy. Does it get any better than bacon in a grilled cheese? This sandwich is a must-try. The savoury salty bacon with the sweetness of the apricot jam, all brought together by the ooey-gooey brie.

Grilled cheese (or toasties in Australia), are THE ultimate comfort food. It’s quick, easy, and indulgent. Nothing beats the ooey-gooey cheesiness of a good crisp grilled cheese.

This post is a continuation of the grilled cheese lunch marathon we had last week. You can read more about it in yesterday’s sriracha butter apple grilled cheese post.

We made:

Sriracha butter apple grilled cheese
Bacon Brie and Apricot grilled cheese (this recipe)
Goat cheese caramelized onions and fig grilled cheese
Spinach Balsamic Blueberry grilled cheese

Don’t worry, I’ll be posting the recipe to all 4 grilled cheeses above – just give me a little time 🙂

Anyways, without further ado, here’s the recipe!

Like the sriracha butter apple grilled cheese recipe, this one is also quick and easy to put together, but it does take a little more time because you need to fry up the bacon – but it’s definitely worth it.

Ingredients you’ll need:

4 slices of bacon (2 slices per sandwich) – you can use whatever type of bacon you like. In Australia it’s a little harder to get the typical fatty bacon like from back home (called ‘streaky bacon’ here) so I used short cut bacon here. It’s not as fatty or crispy as streaky bacon, but it’s still delicious.
Mayonnaise for spreading – this is the secret to a crisp golden grilled cheese! Mayo gives a nicer crisp and colour compared to butter.
4 slices of white bread (I like to use sourdough, but whatever white bread you’ve got works)
4 Tbsps Apricot jam (2 Tbsps per sandwich)
Brie cheese, sliced (you can choose a different cheese if you like. Brie takes a bit of a backseat in this sandwich and lets the bacon and apricot takeover but still provides the ooey-gooey goodness)

Directions:

Fry up your bacon on a skillet on medium heat. If you’re using streaky bacon, you won’t need any oil and just cook on both sides until crispy and set aside on some paper towel to absorb extra grease. If you’re using the less fatty short cut bacon, then you might need a little oil in your pan so your bacon doesn’t stick. Cook on both sides until fragrant and you get some light brown colour. Set aside.

Spread mayonnaise on one side of each slice of bread (this will be the outside of the sandwich that you will toast to get that crisp golden colour).

Assemble your grilled cheese with the mayonnaise side facing the outside. Spread apricot jam on the other side of the bread, then layer with brie, two slices of bacon, a little more brie, the other slice of bread (again, mayo on the outside).

(Incase that sentence was confusing, your layers should be: mayonnaise + bread + apricot jam + cheese + bacon + cheese + bread + mayonnaise).

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!

Summarized Recipe:

bacon brie apricot grilled cheese

Date Published: July 21st, 2020 | Last Updated: July 21st, 2020
Author: Abby |Category: snacks, quick and easy, <30mins
Serves: 2 | Prep time: 15 mins | Cook time: 10 mins

Ingredients:

4 slices of bacon (2 slices per sandwich)
Mayonnaise for spreading
4 slices of white bread (I like to use sourdough, but whatever white bread you’ve got works)
4 Tbsps Apricot jam (2 Tbsps per sandwich)
Brie cheese, sliced (see the notes above)

Directions:

Fry up your bacon on a skillet on medium heat until cooked (see notes above depending on which kind of bacon you use).
Spread mayonnaise on one side of each slice of bread (this will be the outside of the sandwich that you will toast to get that crisp golden colour).
Assemble your grilled cheese with the mayonnaise side facing the outside. Spread apricot jam on the other side of the bread, then layer with brie, two slices of bacon, a little more brie, the other slice of bread (again, mayo on the outside).
Get a pan on the stove on medium heat and once your pan is heated, place your sandwich in the pan. Toast your sandwich until the bread is a beautiful crisp golden brown and the cheese is melty (~3-5mins), then carefully flip your sandwich over and toast the other side. Once your second side is toasted and your cheese is melted, repeat with your second sandwich and serve immediately. Enjoy!!

July 22, 2020July 24, 2020

AbbyLeave a comment

Sriracha Butter Apple Grilled Cheese

Date Published: July 21st, 2020 | Last Updated: July 24th, 2020
Author: Abby |Category: snacks, quick and easy, < 15mins
Serves: 2 | Prep time: 10 mins | Cook time: 10 mins

Jump to recipe |

Grilled cheese (or toasties in Australia), are THE ultimate comfort food. It’s quick, easy, and indulgent. Nothing beats the ooey-gooey cheesiness of a good crisp grilled cheese. Nearly a decade ago I came upon an article on gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches – this was before I had an interest in cooking and was still in the world of processed Kraft cheese for my toasties. My world was forever changed when I read about the different types of cheeses and flavour combinations that people use with sweet and savoury ingredients. It amazed me how many different ways you can make a grilled cheese! I’ve since been experimenting with different ingredients for different types of grilled cheese and also stumbled across some really great recipes.

Since being in lockdown (thanks to ‘rona), Toby and I have been making lunch everyday for ourselves and his parents. Last week after a few big laborious cooks, we decided to take it easy and make a simple lunch with grilled cheese. Of course knowing me, if given the opportunity I always like to go all out and make everything ‘extra’. So instead of a quick and easy lunch, we ended up making 4 different flavours of gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches served with a roasted pumpkin soup (which also turned out amazing and I should remind myself to post the soup recipe later). We all stuffed ourselves silly, but there’s no room for regrets when eating grilled cheese.

We made:

Sriracha butter apple grilled cheese (this recipe)
Spinach Balsamic Blueberry grilled cheese
Goat cheese caramelized onions and fig grilled cheese
Bacon Brie and Apricot grilled cheese

Don’t worry, I’ll be posting the recipe to all 4 grilled cheeses above – just give me a little time :). Our grilled cheese marathon made me think that I should have a separate section on this website just for grilled cheeses because there’s no doubt going to be a lot recipes on them here – thoughts?

Sheldon stalking us in hopes of some food falling on the floor

Anyways, without further ado, here’s the recipe! I’m starting off with the sriracha butter apple grilled cheese because it’s the easiest (and my favourite) out of all 4 of them and you can quickly put it together.

This grilled cheese is one of my favourite and most frequently made fancy grilled cheeses because not only does it packs a punch, it’s also so easy with minimal “cooking” required. The heavy cheese and kick of the sriracha butter is offset by the refreshing crisp apple to balance it out. If you’re a fan of sriracha and grilled cheese, you’ve got to try this sandwich!

Ingredients you’ll need:

1 Tbsp (14g) butter, softened – you can use melted butter as well, but be sure you toast the sandwich soon after or else the bread might get a little soggy
1 Tbsp sriracha hot sauce – or to taste. I aim for a 1:1 ratio with the sriracha and butter, but occasionally I like a stronger kick and will ramp it up. Make it to your preference.
Mayonnaise for spreading – this is the secret to a crisp golden grilled cheese! Mayo gives a nicer crisp and colour compared to butter.
4 slices of white bread (I like to use sourdough, but whatever white bread you’ve got works)
Cheddar cheese – shredded or sliced (I prefer a stronger tasting cheese in this sandwich like an aged cheddar or parmesan so it’s not lost amongst the other strong flavours in this sandwich compared to a lighter tasting white cheese like mozzarella)
1 apple, sliced and cored – I usually slice them into 2mm thickness so I’m not overwhelmed by too much apple crunch vs cheesiness.

Directions:

Make the sriracha butter: combine the butter and sriracha together. Adjust to your taste, but I prefer a 1:1 ratio. Add more sriracha if you want a stronger sriracha flavour in your sandwich. If you’re unsure, you can also add sriracha to your sandwich after you make it. Set aside.

Spread mayonnaise on one side of each slice of bread (this will be the outside of the sandwich that you will toast to get that crisp golden colour). Spread the sriracha butter on the other side of the bread.

Assemble your grilled cheese with the mayonnaise side facing the outside and sriracha butter on the inside. Layer with cheese, then sliced apples, then more cheese, then your other slice of bread. (Incase that sentence was confusing, your layers should be: mayonnaise + bread + sriracha butter + cheese + apples + cheese + sriracha butter + bread + mayonnaise).

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!

Summarized Recipe:

Sriracha Butter apple grilled cheese

Date Published: July 21st, 2020 | Last Updated: July 21st, 2020
Author: Abby |Category: snacks, quick and easy, <15mins
Serves: 2 | Prep time: 10 mins | Cook time: 10 mins

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp (14g) butter, softened
1 Tbsp sriracha hot sauce – or to taste
Mayonnaise for spreading
4 slices of white bread (I like to use sourdough, but whatever white bread you’ve got works)
Cheddar cheese – shredded or sliced (or any strong cheese – see notes above)
1 apple, cored and sliced to 2mm thickness

Directions:

Make the sriracha butter: combine the butter and sriracha together. Set aside.
Spread mayonnaise on one side of each slice of bread (this will be the outside of the sandwich that you will toast to get that crisp golden colour). Spread the sriracha butter on the other side of the bread.
Assemble your grilled cheese with the mayonnaise side facing the outside and sriracha butter on the inside. Layer with cheese, then sliced apples, then more cheese, then your other slice of bread (again mayo side facing out).
Get a pan on the stove on medium heat and once your pan is heated, place your sandwich in the pan. Toast your sandwich until the bread is a beautiful crisp golden brown and the cheese is melty (~3-5mins), then carefully flip your sandwich over and toast the other side. Once your second side is toasted and your cheese is melted, repeat with your second sandwich and serve immediately. Enjoy!!

July 21, 2020July 28, 2020

AbbyLeave a comment