I was recently invited to participate in a great blogger recipe challenge for Karoun Dairies to help develop new recipes for some of their popular dairy products. I absolutely love their Mediterranean-style Labne Spread and Dip, which is is a centuries old Mediterranean style spreadable kefir cheese. It has a distinctive tangy flavor and is smoother and thicker than yogurt. and it has a lovely creamy texture with a slight tang that pairs perfectly with spicy dishes.
Since I’m now in San Antonio TX I am obviously obsessed with all things Tex-Mex and spicy food, so I decided to make these Nashville Hot Chicken Tacos for the contest. And I’m so glad I did!!
They’re made with juicy chicken thighs that are marinated in the labne, along with Nashville hot sauce and Nashville chicken seasoning for a few hours.
Then they are grilled to perfection, and drizzled with more hot sauce, fresh lime, shredded Mexican cheese, cilantro and a generous dollop of labne on top, all assembled in a warm, toasted, buttery tortilla that will melt in your mouth!
Spicy, creamy, crunchy, tangy and totally satisfying! These Nashville Chicken Tacos will tantalize your tastebuds and you'll never be the same, I promise!
Ingredients
3.5 lb boneless chicken thighs, fat trimmed, sliced into strips or bite sized pieces
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 cup Karoun Dairies Original Labne Sauce + Dip, plus extra for garnish
1 cup Frank's Red Hot Sauce
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp cayenne
1½ tsp salt
1 tsp fresh ground pepper
vegetable oil
1 cup shredded Mexican cheese, for garnish
Fresh cilantro, for garnish
Fresh limes
6 butter flour tortillas
Instructions
Add buttermilk, labne, and chicken to a large freezer bag.
Mix together the hot sauce and spices in a separate bowl, reserving extra for garnish.
Add the Nashville hot sauce to the chicken in the bag and toss well to coat the chicken.
Place in the fridge for a few hours to soak up the marinade and tenderize the chicken.
Remove the chicken pieces from the bag, shaking off excess marinade and transfer to a large clean plate.
Heat oil over medium to medium-high heat in a large skillet or grill pan; cook 8-12 minutes until chicken is nicely browned and cooked through. Set aside.
Prepare toppings by chopping the cilantro, slicing limes and getting the Mexican cheese ready.
Make the tacos by topping the warmed tortillas with the spicy Nashville chicken, additional Nashville hot sauce, shredded cheese, a drizzle of fresh lime juice, chopped cilantro, and a dollop of labne topped with additional Nashville hot seasoning, if desired.
I recently was invited to participate in another fun #Blogger Recipe contest, this time held by Big Mountain Foods… they sent me a few of their tasty #vegan products to play with and use to create a new #recipe. I absolutely LOVE spicy Asian food and noodle dishes and had a craving for it, so I decided to create these Vegan Kung Pao Noodles for the contest and oh my GOODNESS. They are super delish you guys!
Hey, it’s a New Year, so why not try to lighten up a little with some healthier recipes that are meat-free and dairy-free but still have tons of flavor? There’s so many good things in this dish that you won’t even miss the meat, I promise.
Big Mountain Foods is an all women-owned company based out of Vancouver, BC. They offer a superb lineup of fresh, vegan, #plant-based products that are flavorful, #gluten-free and #non-GMO/#organic. I used their Lion’s Mane Mushroom Crumbles in this recipe which has a blend of organic lion’s mane, portobello and shiitake mushrooms along with a mixture of other healthy ingredients like carrots, pea protein, yellow split peas, hemp seeds, sunflower seeds and coconut oil. They are absolutely delicious and a perfect substitution for ground beef, or ground chicken, with a great umami flavor and nice texture.
Add the Lion’s Mane Mushroom Crumbles to the pan and cook a few minutes more until heated through.
Stir in the Kung Pao sauce and let it simmer on low heat for a few more minutes to infuse all the delicious flavors together. Add a little corn starch slurry to thicken the sauce even more.
Toss in the cooked soba noodles and stir to coat. Add in the sesame seeds, peanuts and crispy garlic; mix together into a big pot of sweet and spicy, crunchy goodness.
Serve immediately and enjoy with a glass of white wine (like a Sauvignon Blanc).
Feel free to substitute other pasta for the soba noodles: rice noodles, spaghetti or linguine noodles work great. You can also add an extra teaspoon of chili garlic sauce or drizzle Sriracha sauce on top to kick the heat up a notch…(I absolutely did!!)
If you want to experiment with some other veggies, try adding broccoli, carrots, snow peas, or sliced green onions to the stir fried noodles.
If you add more veggies, you may need to make a little extra sauce depending on how much you add, so the noodles don’t get too dry. Just play with it and get it to the consistency and flavor you like.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the soy sauce (or tamari), sesame oil, apple cider (or rice) vinegar, coconut palm sugar, chili garlic sauce and pour into the skillet with the Mushroom veggie mixture, stir and toss to coat.
Whisk the corn starch and water together and pour into the wok/skillet and mix together well. Let mixture cook for an additional minute or so until the sauce thickens.
Toss in the peanuts, sesame seeds and fried garlic, stir together.
Serve hot immediately, top with additional peanuts and crispy garlic if desired, for garnish.
Notes
Feel free to substitute other pasta for the soba noodles: rice noodles, spaghetti or linguine noodles work great. Add extra tablespoon of chili paste to kick the heat up a notch. You can also add extra vegetables to the stir fried noodles but you may need to make extra sauce so the noodles don't get too dry if adding them.
Any way you make these Kung Pao noodles they are absolutely delish and a #healthy vegan dish to kick off the New Year with!
You can find all of Big Mountain’s products online and also in the fresh section of the grocery store, as well as specialty food stores (Sprouts, Whole Foods, etc.) And check out @bigmountainfoods social media pages and website for more info, a store locator and more great recipes!
This dish is an absolute flavor bomb!!! Featuring spicy grilled shrimp, served over rice noodles sauteed with baby kale and cilantro bathed in a sweet chili sauce.
First I sprinkled the spice rub on the shrimp and let it sit in the fridge for about 15 minutes to infuse the flavors. I grilled the shrimp in a grill pan for about 5 minutes until the shrimp were cooked through and had nice grill marks.
To serve I added some pomegranate seeds for some juicy fruity flavor, and some chopped macadamia nuts for extra crunch, and additional cilantro and chopped chives for garnish.
Serious Foodie, based in St Pete Florida, has a great line of other sauces and rubs too. They created each of their sauces and rubs based on places they have traveled to; featuring the flavors and ingredients from the regions and from the chefs that have shared their secrets with them. You can find their product at over 500 stores in the U.S and online! Check out their website for more info and great ideas for more recipes!
Sooooo easy and so delish… only serious foodies will understand!
The dish is an absolute flavor bomb featuring spicy grilled shrimp, served over rice noodles sauteed with baby kale and cilantro bathed in the sweet chili sauce.Â
To serve top with pomegranate seeds for juicy, fruity flavor, chopped macadamia nuts for extra crunch, additional cilantro and chopped chives for garnish.Â
Ingredients
Cooking spray
1 pound jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 tablespoon Serious Foodie Spice rub
1 package Shirataki noodles, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup Serious Foodie Sweet Chile Sauce
2 handfuls baby kale
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, divided
1/4 cup macadamia nuts, chopped
1/4 cup pomegranate arils
1 teaspoon minced chives
Instructions
Spray a grill pan with cooking spray and heat to medium-high heat.
Sprinkle Serious Foodie rub on the shrimp and cook on the grill for 6 minutes, flipping halfway. Remove from the grill and set aside.
Heat a large saucepan over medium heat and add shirataki noodles, stir fry for a minute.
Add the Serious Foodie Sweet Chile Sauce and stir to coat.
Mix in the baby kale and 1 tablespoon of cilantro and cook until the kale is slightly wilted.
Stir the shrimp back in to the noodle mixture and add additional sauce if desired.
Serve on a platter and garnish with additional cilantro, macadamia nuts, pomegranate arils, and minced chives.
Notes
Feel free to sub glass noodles, rice noodles, soba noodle or spaghetti in place of the Shirataki noodles. You can also serve over quinoa or brown or white rice too!
This is such an easy recipe, and perfect for a weeknight at the end of Summer; especially when you have lots of zucchini left over! This Garlic Basil Parmesan Chicken and Zucchini Bake features chicken breasts seasoned with garlic, basil, Trader Joe’s Italian Soffrito, salt and pepper.
Then drizzled with melted butter (or ghee) and Basil Parmesan olive oil (I love Harry and David’s brand!) and sprinkled with Parmesan cheese over the top.
The chicken is roasted together in one pan with chunks of zucchini that get super tender and caramelized in the oven, especially with the baked crunchy Parmesan cheese on top. You guys… this recipe is soooo good…and it’s healthy, #lowcarb and gluten-free too…(bonus!)
To serve, I topped the chicken and zucchini with some fresh parsley, red pepper flakes (optional) and a squeeze of lemon juice to give the dish bright, tangy flavors with a little extra heat just before serving.
It’s perfect served with some crusty bread, mashed potatoes or cauliflower, or pasta to soak up the savory juices, (but just as good served alone!) and you’ve got a delicious end-of-Summer meal that’s fresh, full of flavor and super easy to make!
This is such an easy recipe, and perfect for a weeknight at the end of Summer; especially when you have lots of zucchini left over! This Garlic Basil Parmesan Chicken and Zucchini Bake features chicken breasts seasoned with garlic, basil, Italian soffrito and Parmesan cheese, drizzled with melted butter and Basil Parmesan olive oil and topped with Parmesan cheese; which are roasted with chunks of tender caramelized zucchini.
Ingredients
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 medium zucchini, sliced into 1-inch chunks
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
2 teaspoons dried basil
1 teaspoon Trader Joe’s Italian Style Soffrito Seasoning
2 tablespoons Harry and David Basil Parmesan olive oil
2 tablespoons melted butter or ghee
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
½ cup torn fresh parsley, for serving
2 tablespoons lemon juice, for serving
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, for serving
Instructions
Heat oven to 425 degrees. Pat chicken dry with paper towels, and season all over with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Place zucchini on a rimmed baking pan, and season with a little more salt and pepper.
In a small bowl, combine garlic, dried basil and Italian Soffrito.
Place chicken on the baking pan with the zucchini pieces and brush the melted butter/ghee and olive oil over the top. Sprinkle evenly with garlic, basil, soffrito mixture then top with Parmesan cheese.
Roast in the oven until chicken is cooked through and zucchini is browned and caramelized, 30 to 40 minutes.
Remove the pan from the oven, and drizzle lemon juice on top. Garnish with fresh parsley and red pepper flakes.
Notes
You can substitute chicken thighs if you wish and also do bone-in chicken, adding an extra 10 minutes to the cooking time.
This recipe serves four people, so just double the ingredients for a larger crowd (making it on two sheet trays instead of one). Feel free to use chicken thighs if you prefer, or bone-in chicken (just add a little extra cooking time to the recipe).Â
Happy Friday friends! I can’t believe this Summer has flown by and we are almost going into Labor Day! Speaking of, I was thinking of some fun appetizers and things to make for the occasion and wanted to try making something with this Kalbi Korean BBQ sauce I received from Lucky Foods for their #Blogger #Recipe challenge.
Kalbi Sauce is a traditional Korean BBQ Marinade and staple in Korean cooking. It has a combination of sweet and savory flavors, with a little extra zingy kick of ginger and sweetness from pineapple juice. It’s often used to marinate short ribs but also good on steak and ground beef.
And because this sauce is so versatile and tastes great you can also use it with short ribs or steak, shredded or grilled chicken and pork… or try tofu, seitan or meatless chicken if you are #vegan/#vegetarian and play with the toppings! Any way you make them I guarantee they’ll be amazing…they’re like crunchy deconstructed Korean BBQ tacos with ALL THE FEELS 🙂
These Kalbi BBQ Beef Tostadas are the perfect mashup of Korean flavors!
The tostada shells are baked and ready in only 15 minutes and then topped with savory BBQ beef, green onions and charred corn with some crispy fried onions and Kimchi Gochujang for extra crunch and a kick of heat!
Ingredients
Olive oil cooking spray
8 corn tortillas
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 pound ground beef
3 green onions, sliced
1/2 cup cooked corn kernels (fresh or frozen, defrosted)
2 tablespoons Lucky Foods Gochujang Chili Paste
1/4 cup Lucky Foods Kalbi BBQ Sauce
1 cup shredded Cheddar or Mexican blend cheese
Extra corn, for garnish
Extra green onions, for garnish
Crispy fried onions, for garnish
Kalbi BBQ sauce, for drizzling
Instructions
Make the tostadas:
Preheat oven to 400 F. Spray two large baking sheets with cooking spray.
Lightly spray both sides of the tortillas with cooking spray and place in a single layer on prepared baking sheets. Lightly season with salt.
Bake for 5 minutes, flip them over and bake for another 5 minutes until the tortillas are crispy and golden brown. Remove from oven, sprinkle with sea salt and let cool for a few minutes; set aside.
Add the ground beef and half the green onions; season with salt and pepper and cook for about 5-7 minutes until no longer pink. Drain fat and return to the pan.
Stir in half the cooked corn kernels and cook for another minute.
Add the Gochujang chili paste and Kalbi BBQ sauce and stir together until heated through.
To serve:
Top the tostadas with the BBQ beef mixture, shredded cheese, additional corn, green onions and crispy fried onions. Drizzle with extra Kalbi Bbq sauce and serve immediately.
Notes
These are so delicious and the BBQ sauce actually goes with any protein so feel free to sub shredded chicken, or pork, or even tofu!
I was recently invited to participate in another great blogger recipe challenge– this time for Lucky Foods, a family-owned business and premiere Asian food brand. For the contest, I decided to make some Spicy Korean Chicken Lettuce Wraps made with two of their popular sauces – Gochujang chili paste and Kimchi Mayo.
These delicious spicy chicken lettuce wraps are full of flavor, light on carbs and the perfect mixture of sweet and spicy, crunchy and creamy all in one bite! The gochujang chili paste gives it a nice kick of heat and the kimchi mayo rounds out the flavor with some creamy tangy goodness to top it all off.
Gochujang is a Korean chili pepper paste made from fermented red chili peppers and it has a nice spicy bite with a subtle sweetness and umami flavor from the fermented soybeans.. It’s great on noodles, in fried rice, as a marinade, or drizzling on soups, stews and salad bowls.
Their Kimchi mayo is also a delicious condiment made with spicy fermented kimchi (cabbage) and vegan mayonnaise.
To make the spicy sauce, I whisked together the Gochujang chili paste, hot honey, soy sauce and rice vinegar, then added it into the pan with the chicken and zucchini. Then I tossed in the cooked cauliflower rice, honey roasted peanuts and sliced carrots and let the mixture cook for another 4-5 minutes until the sauce thickened and liquid was reduced.
To serve, I spooned the spicy chicken mixture inside the lettuce leaves, then garnished the wraps with more grated carrots, cilantro, sesame seeds, Â and a drizzle of spicy Kimchi Mayo with extra on the side.
You guys – this is the most delicious thing I have ever tasted! The balance of spicy / sweet / umami flavors along with the crunchy and creamy textures is absolutely DIVINE.  And these sauces will go great with any protein you choose – try it with tofu or shrimp or beef. And it’s low carb, paleo and keto-friendly too!
These delicious spicy chicken lettuce wraps are full of flavor, light on the carbs and the perfect mixture of sweet and spicy, crunchy and creamy all in one bite! The gochujang chili paste gives it a nice kick of heat and the kimchi mayo rounds out the flavor with some creamy tangy goodness to top it all off.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon sesame oil
3 scallions, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 teaspoons finely chopped fresh ginger
1 medium zucchini, sliced into half-moon wedges
1 pound chicken thighs, fat trimmed, cut into 1-inch chunks
2 teaspoons sesame seeds, plus additional for garnish
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 teaspoons Lucky Foods Gochujang chili paste
2 tablespoons hot honey
1/3 cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 package frozen cauliflower rice, cooked
1 cup honey roasted or spicy peanuts
6 baby carrots, sliced
Butter lettuce leaves, for serving
Grated carrots, for garnish
Cilantro leaves, for garnish
Lucky Foods Kimchi Mayo, for drizzling/dipping
Instructions
Heat vegetable and sesame oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the fresh garlic, sliced scallions and ginger and cook over medium heat until softened, about 2 minutes.
Whisk together the Gochujang chili paste, hot honey, soy sauce and rice vinegar to make a spicy sauce, then add it into the pan with the chicken and zucchini. Stir to coat with the sauce.
Add in the cooked cauliflower rice, peanuts and sliced carrots and stir; let mixture cook for another 5 minutes until the sauce thickened and liquid mostly evaporated.Â
To serve, scoop the spicy chicken mixture inside the lettuce leaves, then garnish the wraps with more grated carrots, cilantro, sesame seeds, and a drizzle of spicy Kimchi Mayo with extra on the side for dipping.
Notes
Feel free to substitute tofu, shrimp or beef for the chicken or use chicken breasts instead of thighs.
To get more info on Lucky Foods products, check out their website. Their product line ranges from traditional and gluten-free spring rolls to Asian fusion sauces and BBQ sauces, kimchi and Korean pancakes. All of their products are free from MSG, GMOs, and added colors and preservatives. Their products only feature wholesome produce and fresh, aromatic spices, which is something I absolutely love!
They have more great recipe ideas on their Instagram & Facebook pages, and you can buy their products online or find them locally at Whole Foods, Giant, Acme and Food Lion.
#luckyfoodsrecipechallenge #eatluckyfoods
Note: I received complimentary products to use and try out for this Blogger recipe challenge. All opinions, writing, recipes and photos are my own.
Summer is in full swing and there’s nothing I love better than some fresh seafood and grilling outside with friends and family. Living in St Pete, Florida, I am spoiled with all of the fresh seafood options here – and one of my favorites is Blackened Scallops, (and any blackened seafood really!). This inspired my recipe  Blackened Scallops with Grilled Basil Butter Corn + Watermelon Jicama Salsa for the Sam’s Salsa Recipe Challenge… and it’s full of fresh, bright, tropical flavors and summertime goodness.
Sam’s Fresh Salsa started in the 70’s on a family farm in New Jersey, and is still going strong making delicious homemade salsas with only the freshest fruits, vegetables and ingredients.
Their salsas have no preservatives or artificial ingredients, and are free of additives too. And they taste just like homemade; the kind you would find in an authentic Mexican restaurant or made fresh at home. They also have several other delicious salsa flavors such as Cantina Medium Salsa and Salsa Verde, and a variety of fresh salsas ranging from Mild to Extra Hot.
I blackened the sea scallops in a hot cast iron pan in some clarified butter for a few minutes on each side to get them nice and browned.
I plated the Blackened Scallops on top of the Grilled Basil Butter Corn and topped the dish with some lovely Watermelon Jicama Salsa and more green onions, fresh basil and a few pieces of chopped watermelon for garnish.
You guys..this dish is a FLAVOR BOMB!!! The spicy scallops over the savory, buttery corn with basil and shallots mixed with a hint of sweetness from the Watermelon Jicama salsa is absolutely SPECTACULAR!!!
Summer on a plate, really. And totally delightful.Â
Sam’s Fresh Watermelon Jicama Salsa, for garnish
Instructions
To make the Grilled Basil Butter Corn, cream the butter (room temp) with fresh basil, lime juice and cayenne pepper/creole seasoning; cover and let sit for 30 mins to let the flavors meld together.
Preheat grill over medium heat and lightly oil the grates. Place the corn on the grill and cook with the cover on for about 20-25 minutes until the corn is charred and tender. You can also grill the corn in a grill pan on the stove or buy frozen pre-grilled corn kernels.
Once corn is done, slice off the corn kernels with a large knife into a large mixing bowl. Toss the corn with the basil butter and sauteed shallots; season with salt and pepper to taste, set aside. Rinse the scallops and pat dry.
To cook the blackened scallops, raise the heat on the cast iron pan to high until it begins to smoke. Brush the scallops on both sides with butter/ghee or oil and season with sea salt. Dredge each side of the scallops in the blackening seasoning in a medium shallow bowl. Place them in the hot pan spice side down. (You may want to have your windows open and fan on because you’ll get some smoke while blackening.)
Cook for 1-2 minutes to get a nice browned crust, then flip scallops over and continue to cook for another 2-3 minutes. You can also finish the scallops in the oven for 4-5 minutes at 350 degrees F.
Serve scallops over the Grilled Basil Butter Corn and top with the Watermelon Jicama Salsa, green onions, fresh basil and diced watermelon for garnish.
Notes
This would also be delicious made with blackened shrimp or fish (like grouper!)
for another layer of flavor, serve the grilled basil butter corn and scallops over some mashed cauliflower or mashed potato puree.
Spring is finally here! I love this season because everything starts coming to life again and with all the fresh produce available I’m so motivated to cook some fresh and healthy food that’s low carb and #keto friendly too.
I usually make a big batch of these #Keto Bacon + Cheese Egg Muffins in a 12-muffin tin, and then I have a healthy breakfast for the rest of the week that’s great for on-the-go and days I don’t want to cook.
They’re loaded with lots of healthy protein with #organic #eggs, applewood smoked #bacon, cheddar #cheese, grated Parmesan cheese and a little half and half. And they’re loaded with lots of antioxidants with veggies like #garlic, onions, and chives and some hot pepper flakes for a little kick.
They should pop right out of the muffin tin and they’re ready to eat! I usually eat mine with some hot sauce too. Oh, and some extra crispy bacon on the side never hurt either. Feel free to add any other veggies you want to the mix (bell peppers, zucchini, tomatoes and mushrooms are all good #lowcarb options). Serve with a side of fresh mixed berries or greens if you like, too.
These Bacon Egg and Cheese Muffins are a great low carb / keto breakfast on the go! They're loaded with lots of protein with organic eggs, applewood smoked bacon, cheddar cheese, grated Parmesan cheese and a little half and half. And  they're loaded with lots of antioxidant veggies too like garlic, onions, and chives and some hot pepper flakes for a little kick.
Ingredients
Cooking spray
5 slices applewood smoked bacon
1 tablespoon olive oil or butter
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons minced chives
8 large eggs
3 tbsp. half and half
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
Himalayan pink sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 c. shredded Cheddar
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350º and spray a 12-cup muffin tin with olive oil cooking spray.
Place the bacon on a wire rack over a foil lined baking sheet and bake until crispy, about 15 minutes. Drain the bacon on a paper towel-lined plate, then chop or crumble into small pieces.
Add chopped onion to a skillet with some olive oil or butter, and cook over medium heat until soft, 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more. Remove from heat and set aside.
In a small bowl, whisk the eggs, half and half, red pepper flakes and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Fold in cooked vegetable mixture, bacon, chives, Cheddar and Parmesan cheeses. Pour mixture into prepared muffin tin.
Bake until cooked through and golden, about 25-30 minutes.
Let the muffins cool for a few minutes before serving.
Store in the fridge in an airtight container until ready to eat.
Notes
Feel free to substitute any veggies you like as well as cheeses. This is a great flexible recipe you can make your own and switch up easily.
Hey all! Happy Friday! And Happy Chinese New Year 2021 – year of the Ox! To celebrate, I wanted to share my Beef and Mushroom Dumplings with Asian Dipping Sauce recipe that I created for my client (Steakhouse Elite) recently. They are super easy and fun to make, and the perfect way to celebrate the occasion!
They’re filled with a savory mixture of juicy grass-fed ground beef, baby bella mushrooms, water chestnuts, scallions, cilantro, ginger, white and red pepper, and soy sauce. I chopped all the fresh ingredients and seasonings together in a mini-food processor to make it easier and get a fine mince, then mixed it in with the ground beef and an egg to make the filling.
Then I started filling the dumpling wrappers (about a tablespoon in the center of each) and then brushed some water around the edges and pressed and sealed them in a dumpling maker. First I pan-fried them in a little bit of oil for about a minute to brown them, then added about an inch of water into the hot pan and covered it to steam them for a couple of minutes to give a crispy, soft and juicy finish on the dumplings.
They are served with a delicious Asian dipping sauce I made with soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, a little bit of brown sugar, and sriracha garnished with chives and sesame seeds for extra flavor and texture. It’s tangy and salty and sweet and just the right amount of umami to complement the beef and mushroom dumplings. So good!! I could seriously eat a whole plate of these myself, you guys 😉
And be sure to check out my other recipes below that would also be great to celebrate the Chinese New Year with – some of my absolute favorites and a couple of them are award-winning! (The Kung Pao Beef and Black Pepper Caramel Chicken)
Beef + Mushroom Dumplings with Asian Dipping Sauce
Yield: 30-40 dumplings
These Beef and Mushroom Dumplings with Asian Dipping Sauce are super easy and fun to make and perfect way to celebrate the Chinese New Year! Filled with grass-fed ground beef, baby bella mushrooms, water chestnuts, scallions, cilantro, ginger, white and red pepper, and soy sauce and first pan-fried then steamed for a crispy and juicy finish on the dumplings. They are served with a delicious Asian Soy Dipping sauce and garnished with chopped chives and sesame seeds for extra flavor and texture.
Ingredients
Dumplings:
3/4 pound Steakhouse Elite Grassfed Ground Beef
3/4 cup sliced baby Bella mushrooms
3/4 cup water chestnuts
4 green onions
1/2 bunch cilantro leaves
1/8 cup soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon white pepper
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
1 egg, beaten
1 package pot sticker or gyoza wrappers (30-40)
Canola oil, for frying
Asian dipping sauce:
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon sriracha or hot garlic chile sauce
1 teaspoon minced chives (fresh or dried)
1 teaspoon sesame seeds
Instructions
Place mushrooms, water chestnuts, green onions, and cilantro in a food processor and blitz until finely minced.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, mushrooms, scallions, cilantro, soy sauce, ginger, sesame oil, white pepper, red pepper flakes and egg. Mix well with a large spoon or hands.
Set up a work area with the dumpling wrappers and a small bowl of water; lay out the dumpling wrappers on a large cutting board or baking sheet. Place a 1 tablespoon of filling in the center of each wrapper.
Moisten wrapper edges with water with your finger or pastry brush, and fold the wrapper over filling to make a half circle. Seal edges, pleating the front side several times to form a pleated pouch. (You can also use a dumpling maker to seal the dumplings to make it easier and faster to assemble.)
Heat a skillet over high heat until very hot. Add 1 tablespoon oil and coat the sides. Place dumplings in a single layer to line the pan, pan fry for about 30 seconds, then carefully and slowly pour in 1/2 cup of water so the dumplings are covered by 1/2-inch. Cover the skillet with a lid and cook dumplings until all the water is absorbed. Remove the cooked dumplings with a spatula and set aside on a plate. (You can also carefully flip the pan over on to a plate with a hot pad, and scrape the dumplings off the pan). Repeat cooking the remaining dumplings.
To make the dipping sauce, whisk all ingredients in a small bowl. Serve the sauce with hot dumplings, garnish with additional sliced scallions.
Notes
You could also substitute ground chicken or pork or even shrimp using the same ingredients and these dumplings will turn out absolutely delicious!
The #Superbowl is only a couple days away and I’m so excited it’s in #Tampa this year! To celebrate game day, I decided to make these Keto Nashville Hot Chicken Sliders and oh my gosh, they are deeeeelish.
On FIRE, actually! (no pun intended).
My recipe is inspired by the famous Nashville Chicken invented by Prince’s Hot Chicken in #Nashville, Tennessee. Their hot and spicy fried chicken is breaded with lots of cayenne pepper incorporated into the batter and is topped with a fiery-hot spiced oil served with two slices of white bread and kosher dill pickles. You can also get it as a Spicy Chicken Sandwich, which is served on a freshly baked bun with coleslaw, pickles, and either Kickin’ Ranch or Sweet Heat sauce. Their heat levels range from mild, to medium, to XXX hot! Hattie B’s also has an amazing Nashville Hot Chicken sandwich too except they use a Southern Comeback Sauce which is made with ketchup, mayo, chili sauce, lemon, Worcestershire sauce, garlic and spices.
My version is #keto-friendly and #lowcarb due to the fact that I decided to pan-sear the chicken with the spices and oil, instead of breading it and frying it (You could also grill the chicken as well). I used a handcrafted, small batch Nashville Hot Chicken seasoning by The Spice Lab, (which I found in Publix and they also sell online at Amazon). You can also make your own by mixing 6 tablespoons cayenne pepper, 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar, 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder and 1 teaspoon paprika.
I also made these delicious homemadeKeto Slider Buns that are made with almond flour, mozzarella and cream cheese, a little salt and baking powder, topped with melted butter and baked to a crispy perfection. They are so good and buttery, they taste like biscuits! Which is perfect with some spicy chicken, of course.
The sliders are topped off with Buffalo mayonnaise, dill pickle slices, Buffalo sauce, and broccoli slaw mixed with Blue Cheese dressing and each one is only about 2 carbs total which is the best part! So here’s how I made these bad boys…
First, I sprinkled the chicken with the Nashville Hot Chicken seasoning on both sides,
added  some buttermilk and hot sauce in a resealable large bag in the fridge to let marinate for a few hours . This lets all the flavors meld together and the buttermilk breaks down the proteins in the chicken to make it super juicy.
Then I made the keto buns by melting the mozzarella and cream cheese together with three eggs, almond flour and baking powder and salt, mixing it together into a dough.
I separated the dough into six balls, and then flattened them a little on a parchment-lined baking sheet and brushed them with some melted butter. Then I baked them for about 12 minutes until lightly browned, and let them cool on a wire rack before slicing.
I made the broccoli slaw by mixing in about 1/2 cup of Marie’s creamy blue cheese dressing and letting it stay cool in the fridge while I made the chicken. You could also use ranch dressing here if you prefer, but I love the tangy, cooling blue cheese with the fiery hot sauce and spices on the chicken.
Next, I took the chicken out of the marinade and discarded that. Heated up some oil over medium-high in a large skillet and sprinkled more Nashville Hot Chicken Seasoning on both sides of the chicken, cooking about 8 minutes per side.
Then I sliced the chicken into pieces, and added them back into the pan with some additional oil to coat the chicken with all the delicious spices and brown bits in the pan.
Once the chicken was done, i built the sliders by spreading some Buffalo mayo on the bottom bun, topping it with a few slices of the spicy chicken. Drizzled more Buffalo sauce on top of the chicken, then topped with sliced dill pickles, and blue cheese broccoli slaw.
And you have my friends, a total masterpiece, guilt-free! And perfect for game day on Sunday! Bet you can’t eat just one 😉
These Nashville Hot Chicken Sliders are totally delicious and served on Keto-friendly, low carb buns! Pan-seared spicy buttermilk chicken topped off with Buffalo mayonnaise, dill pickle slices, Buffalo sauce, and broccoli slaw mixed with Blue Cheese dressing. They are so delicious and each one is only about 2 carbs total which is the best part!
4 tablespoons Nashville Hot Chicken Seasoning, divided
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/4 cup light olive oil or canola oil, divided
Keto buns:
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
4 ounces cream cheese
3 large eggs
3 cups fine almond flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons melted butter
Garnishes:
1/4 cup Buffalo sauce
1/4 cup Buffalo mayo
12 pickle slices
2 cups broccoli slaw
1/2 cup blue cheese dressing
Instructions
Nashville Chicken:
Sprinkle the chicken on both sides with 2 tablespoons Nashville Hot Chicken seasoning. Combine the chicken, buttermilk, and hot sauce in a large resealable plastic bag or dish covered in plastic wrap. Let it marinate in the refrigerator for a few hours, up to overnight.
Heat half the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Remove chicken breasts from the buttermilk marinade and discard.
Season the chicken with additional 2 tablespoons Nashville hot Chicken Seasoning and cook until golden brown on both sides, about 7 minutes per side.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large microwave-safe bowl, add the mozzarella and cream cheese. Heat on high for 2 minutes until melted.
Add the eggs and stir to combine, then mix in the almond flour, baking powder and salt.
Form the dough into 6 balls, and slightly flatten on to the parchment paper.
Melt the butter and brush over the tops of the slider buns.
Bake for 10-12 minutes until buns are golden brown; let cool slightly before slicing in half.
Make the broccoli slaw by mixing the blue cheese dressing in with the slaw in a medium mixing bowl.
To assemble the sliders, spread the Buffalo mayo on the bottom buns. Top with a few pieces of the Nashville chicken, 2 pickles, drizzle with Buffalo sauce. Add 1/4 cup broccoli blue cheese slaw mixture and the top halves.
Serve immediately with additional hot sauce on the side, if desired.
Notes
I used Nashville Hot Chicken seasoning from The Spice Lab, which you can find on Amazon or at Publix, or feel free to make your own. You could also use ranch dressing on the broccoli slaw if you prefer, and grill the chicken breasts instead of pan-searing them for extra char and flavor.