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.
First I sautéed some fresh garlic, sliced scallions and ginger over medium heat until softened, about 2 minutes. Then I increased the heat to medium high and added the diced chicken and zucchini and sprinkled with sesame seeds and some salt and pepper, sautéing for about 4 minutes until browned.
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, 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.
Increase the heat to medium high and add the chicken thighs and zucchini, sprinkle with sesame seeds and some salt and pepper, to taste, sautéing for about 5-6 minutes until chicken is browned and cooked through.
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.
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.
There’s nothing I love to eat more in the summer than some fresh seafood to enjoy with friends for a backyard BBQ, picnic or beach party. Everyone loves Lobster Rolls, but they can get a little pricey, and take a lot of work to make enough for a crowd. If you’re in the mood for seafood, Alaskan King Crab BLT sandwiches are a fresh, healthy and less expensive alternative, and a fun addition to your next outdoor BBQ party or picnic. And, they’re a breeze to make with the help of the new KitchenAid Pro Line® Series 4-Slice Automatic Toaster.
This gorgeous candy apple red beauty is a new product in the KitchenAid’s Pro Line® Series engineered and designed for culinary pros (and is no ordinary toaster at that!) It’s not only a beautiful addition to your kitchen appliance collection, but also smart as a whip with plenty of options to make the perfect piece of toast in a snap. And it even comes in three sleek colors to choose from: black, white or red. Isn’t it pretty?
These delicious Crab BLT’s are made with fresh lump Alaskan King crab meat (you can find it in your local grocery market in the seafood section or buy it fresh from a seafood market). They have tons of flavor from all the fresh veggies and herbs inside: minced red bell peppers, jalapenos, fresh cilantro, scallions and chives. For some extra kick, I add a dash of spicy Sriracha (hot chile pepper sauce), a little bit of mayonnaise, fresh lemon juice and capers, and a few breadcrumbs to bind them all together. Simply make the crab cakes by patting them into medium size patties, then coat them in some Japanese Panko breadcrumbs and lightly fry them to perfection in some oil and drain. Rest the crab cakes on a gorgeous bed of lettuce and juicy tomatoes, garnished with crispy bacon and a light and refreshing coleslaw for crunch. The crowning touch is a homemade Sesame-Sriracha Mayo on a beautifully toasted (or grilled) sesame hard roll. Let the fun begin!
I don’t know about you, but Thai food is one of my favorite foods ever. I love the harmony of flavors and textures in Thai food that all play together like a perfect symphony. One of my all time favorites is Thai Peanut Noodles – similar to Pad Thai, but with a smooth peanut sauce with a hint of heat. I decided to kick it up a notch by adding some Spicy Thai Chicken that pairs perfectly with the creamy peanut-y noodles.
This dish is a gorgeous combination of spicy, savory and sweet with a marinade base for the chicken made with sesame, honey, soy sauce, garlic, and chile sauce, mixed with acidic notes of rice vinegar. It’s the perfect marriage of varying textures from the chewy noodles, crunchy peanuts and water chestnuts, all bathed in a smooth and luscious damn-good-peanut-sauce. Then to perfect it even more, it’s topped with fresh bright flavors of cilantro, lime and scallions. It’s so good, it just might be illegal. And don’t be ashamed to dig in right out of the pan. Grab some chopsticks, a pal or two and go to town. It’s rustic Asian comfort food at its best. Serve with a sweeter wine such as a Riesling, which pairs nicely with the spicy Asian flavors in this dish.
2 pounds chicken breast cutlets, sliced into thin strips
1 can water chestnuts, diced
1 package Thai Rice Noodles (flat, wide or Pad Thai)
Instructions
Prepare Spicy Chicken Marinade:
In a large mixing bowl, add all nine ingredients (sesame oil through dried ginger) along with sliced chicken breast and mix together thoroughly, coating chicken well. Top with plastic wrap and let chicken marinade in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes up to 2 hours.
Once chicken is done marinating, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook Thai noodles according to package directions, drain and rinse in cold water to stop cooking. Set aside.
Meanwhile, heat a large saute pan over medium heat, spray with cooking spray and saute chicken for approximately 8 minutes until cooked through and no longer pink. Add diced water chestnuts and saute for another minute or two until soft and heated through. Note: Make sure to drain and discard extra marinade off the chicken before sauteing to allow the chicken to brown in the pan and not steam. Reduce heat to low, cover and keep warm.
Make the peanut sauce: combine soy sauce, peanut butter, broth, garlic-chile sauce, honey, salt and lime juice in a medium saucepan over medium heat, mixing and stirring well until sauce is smooth and blended. Toss noodles together with peanut sauce.
Add the peanut noodles into the large pan with the cooked chicken and water chestnuts, toss together well with tongs to blend the flavors and ingredients. Squeeze fresh lime juice over the top, and garnish with chopped peanuts, cilantro, and sliced scallions. Add additional red pepper flakes or garlic-chile sauce for extra heat, as desired.
Notes
A sweet German Riesling wine would pair well with the spicy acidic flavors in this Asian dish.
The holidays are here, and what better way to celebrate by throwing a holiday cocktail party with friends and family? I’ve teamed up with Colavita this season to celebrate with all of you, by creating some delicious Holiday Appetizer recipes using their World Selection andPrivate SelectionExtra Virgin Olive Oils and Flavored Cooking Oil blends.
Colavita Olive Oil Giveaway!
*THIS GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED – Congratulations to Manda Kay, the winner of our Colavita holiday giveaway! Hope you cook up lots of goodies with your EVOO & Balsamic Glace! Happy Holidays 🙂
I’ve teamed up with Colavita this holiday season and giving away some of their delicious olive oils and balsamic vinegars so you can celebrate the season by cooking up some holiday goodies of your own! The winner will receive: one (1) 3/4 liter of Colavita Private Selection Fruttato EVOO, one (1) 32 oz Roasted Garlic EVOO plus one (1) 29.5 oz bottle of their Balsamic Glace.
All you have to do to enter the giveaway is leave me a comment at the end of this post telling me what your favorite Holiday Appetizer to make with olive oil is.
*For extra entries, just follow me on twitter, facebook, pinterest, google+, tumblr or sign up for my newsletter (at the top right hand side of this page) and tell me you did so in the comments section. **As an added bonus, Colavita is also offering a 25% discount to all of my readers on any purchase in their online store. Simply enter the code ‘AG25’ to receive the discount upon checkout!
**This giveaway begins on Sunday, Dec 9th and ends Sunday Dec 23rd at midnight EST, where one person will be selected by random from the comments section below.**
Colavita World Selection Olive Oils are a new collection of extra virgin olive oils exploring the tradition in countries outside of italy from estates and farms in Australia, Argentina, California, Greece, Spain and Portugal as well as other prime olive oil growing nations. Read more about a few of my favorites that I used in my recipes below!
Colavita 100% Californian EVOO
The warm climate in the “Golden State” of California fosters both grape and olive cultivation perfect for wines and olive oils. The Colavita 100% Californian EVOO is pressed from olives grown in the Sacramento and San Joaquin valleys of California. The mild flavor makes this oil perfect for all culinary applications. Enrich your favorite meal with a drizzle of EVOO and a glass of wine.
Colavita Roasted Garlic EVOO is a product originally created exclusively for BJ’s Wholesale Stores. To many it has become the “gateway product” that exposes customers to the entire Colavita family of products. It is raved about on their online store so we wanted to share it with all of you! It’s the perfect finishing oil and wonderful for enhancing garlic already present in your dish. Try it on Garlic Bread or my Homemade Pita Chips (recipe below).
The Argentina EVOO was a hands-down favorite at this year’s New York Wine and Food Festival. Arbequino, Coratina and Manzanilla olive cultivars grown in the Catamarca and Mendoza regions of Argentina give this EVOO and intense, fruity aroma and taste. Pair this EVOO with soups, roasted fish, grilled vegetables and red meat for an unbeatable duo.
Colavita’s Fruttato Oil has recently been inducted into the Colavita “Private Selection” line. This line was created to highlight the products which have received the honor of being marked a Colavita family favorite. It is made by cold pressing new harvest olives just before their peak ripeness. The result is a full bodied EVOO which is slightly pungent with peppery flavor notes.
This Colavita Premium Blend is an all-purpose cooking, frying, and salad dressing oil which combines the delicate hint of roasted garlic in a light Canola Oil and Virgin Olive Oil Blend. It is a versatile oil that is naturally low in saturated fats and has no trans fats.
These yummy sweet and spicy Asian Chicken bites combine honey, soy sauce, orange and Sriracha to make a fun bite-sized appetizer with a delicious glaze.
This is a lovely tart recipe that combines sweet and savory flavors. The caramelized onions give it a sweet flavor with a hint of fig balsamic vinegar, balanced out by creamy ricotta, nutty Gruyere cheese, fresh herbs and crispy pancetta.
Ingredients
1 package pancetta (8 thin slices)
3 tablespoons Colavita Fruttato EVOO
2 sweet Vidalia onions, halved lengthwise and sliced thin
1 tablespoon brown sugar
Kosher salt
Fresh ground black pepper
1-1 1/2 tablespoons Fig balsamic vinegar (Tavern Direct brand)
1 cup fresh ricotta
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoons dried Fines Herbes (or 2 tablespoons fresh herbs)
1/2 cup shredded Gruyere cheese
1 frozen pie shell, defrosted, or homemade tart dough
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Heat a saute pan over medium heat and cook pancetta until browned but not fully cooked, about 5 minutes. Drain fat from pan and place pancetta on paper towels to drain to the side. Once cooled, chop pancetta into small pieces.
Peel onions, remove top and bottom stems and cut in half lengthwise.
Slice onions thin (about 1/8" thick or desired thickness).
In the same saute pan, add 3 tablespoons olive oil and heat over medium high heat.
Add onions and cook over medium high for about 10 minutes.
Sprinkle brown sugar, salt and pepper over onions and stir well, cook another 10-20 minutes, reducing heat to medium low if onions start to brown too quickly.
Continue cooking and stirring onions over medium low for another 15 minutes, add a few teaspoons of water if desired.
Add the fig balsamic vinegar to the onions, turn heat down to low and let cook until they are caramelized, soft and sweet, up to an hour total.
Combine the ricotta, egg yolk and Fines Herbes together in small mixing bowl.
Spread the ricotta mixture over the pie shell in a 9" tart pan with removeable bottom.
Sprinkle Gruyere cheese over ricotta.
Top with caramelized onions and pancetta.
Bake the tart in the oven for approximately 30-45 minutes until pastry and filling are golden brown, and pancetta is crispy.
Let tart cool on a cooling rack for 10-15 minutes before serving.
Serve tart cut into wedges.
Notes
If you prefer to make your own tart dough rather than using a frozen pie crust, Martha Stewart has a great recipe for Flaky Tart Dough on her website at http://www.marthastewart.com/319448/flaky-tart-dough
Hot Artichoke dip is one of my all time favorite holiday dip recipes, and this one is extra special, using Colavita's California EVOO, lemon zest and minced garlic with lots of gooey cheese. Instead of using mayonnaise, I substitute a light sour cream to cut some of the fat and calories. Serve with my homemade baked pita chips or crackers.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons Colavita California extra virgin olive oil
1 package frozen artichokes, defrosted
1 tablespoon minced garlic
zest and juice from 1/2 lemon
Garlic salt with parsley (to taste)
Fresh cracked black pepper (to taste)
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1 cup shredded light monterey jack cheese, plus 1/2 cup for topping
1/2 cup light sour cream
dash of cayenne (optional)
dash of paprika (for garnish)
1 green onion, sliced thin (for garnish)
Instructions
Heat oil in a saute pan over medium high heat. Add artichokes and minced garlic, saute about 5-7 minutes until heated through.
Add lemon juice, zest, garlic salt and pepper, mix well and cook another few minutes, set aside.
Meanwhile, add shredded cheeses and sour cream together in a mixing bowl.
Add sauteed artichokes, garlic and lemon to cheese and sour cream.
Sprinkle with a dash of cayenne (if desired), mix well and transfer to a casserole dish.
Sprinkle additional monterey jack cheese over the top and bake in the oven for about 20-30 minutes until bubbly and cheese is melted on top.
Let cool a few minutes, sprinkle with paprika and green onions. Serve with homemade baked pita chips (recipe follows), crackers or crudites.
Making homemade pita chips is super easy and way better than buying the storebought kind for your holiday party. Mine are made with whole wheat pita bread, drizzled with EVOO, and sprinkled with garlic salt and cumin for some extra flavor. So delicious and crispy straight out of the oven and so addicting you'll never buy them again! Serve with Hot Parmesan Garlic Artichoke Dip or any of your other favorite party dips.
Ingredients
6 whole wheat pita rounds
2 tablespoons Colavita California EVOO
1 tablespoon garlic salt
1/2 tablespoon cumin
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Cut pita rounds into triangles (6 wedges per pita).
Lay out pita wedges on a baking sheet and brush each wedge with olive oil.
Sprinkle garlic salt and cumin on top.
Flip over pita wedges, repeat coating with oil, salt and cumin.
Place baking sheet(s) in oven and cook pita wedges for about 15 minutes (checking to make sure they don't burn!)
Let cool, and serve with Hot Parmesan Garlic Artichoke Dip.
Everyone loves cocktail meatballs at holiday parties! These lovelies have a hint of lemon and sage and are light and fluffy, made with ground pork or chicken. They are first browned on the stovetop and then finished in the oven until golden brown. They're delicious alone, or dipped in a hot pepper jelly (Williams-Sonoma brand is great), balsamic pear jam (there's one by Academia Barilla that is to die for) or simply dipped in balsamic vinegar glace.
Red Pepper jelly, for dipping (Williams Sonoma brand)
Balsamic Pear jam, for dipping (Academia Barilla brand)
Colavita Balsamic Glace, for dipping
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Remove crusts from bread and tear into small pieces in a large mixing bowl, add milk and let soak for 10-15 minutes.
Mix in ground pork or chicken, sage, garlic, onion, lemon juice and zest, cheese, pepper flakes, egg, salt and pepper with soaked bread crumbs with your hands in a claw-like motion to keep meatballs light and fluffy.
Roll meat mixture into small to medium size meatballs (small makes approximately 36, medium makes approximately 18).
Heat olive oils in a large saute pan over medium heat (if not using cooking oil blend, mix EVOO with a tablespoon of butter to avoid temperature from getting too high and splattering).
Cook meatballs in batches in the oil for about 5 minutes each batch until meatballs are browned on all sides, drain on paper towels.
Once all meatballs are browned, place them on a large rimmed baking sheet coated with cooking spray to avoid sticking.
Bake in the oven for approximately another 15 minutes until cooked through and to keep warm.
Top with additional garlic salt (if desired), fresh chopped sage, and serve with red pepper jelly and balsamic pear jam, and Colavita Balsamic Glace for dipping.
These zucchini sticks are a great appetizer for any holiday party. They have a light crunchy coating of Japanese Panko seasoned bread crumbs and are finished with a splash of lemon and sprinkling of sea salt. They go perfect with the cool and creamy yogurt dill sauce or even a ranch dressing for dipping.
Ingredients
CRUNCHY ZUCCHINI STICKS
Colavita Roasted Garlic Cooking Oil Blend
4 medium zucchini, cut into half, into long strips
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cups Panko Japanese-style seasoned breadcrumbs
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
2 large eggs
Sea salt, for sprinkling, to taste
Lemon wedges, for garnish
Fresh minced dill, for garnish
YOGURT DILL SAUCE
1 cup of Greek yogurt
2-3 tablespoon minced dill
Sea salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
CRUNCHY ZUCCHINI STICKS
Heat olive oil over medium high heat in a large deep saute pan, about 2 inches high.
Trim ends off zucchini, cut in half and then in half again lengthwise.
Cut zucchini into large strips about 1/2 an inch thick.
Pour the flour and Panko breadcrumbs into one large bowl and season with salt and pepper.
Beat eggs in a separate bowl.
Dip zucchini sticks in egg, shaking off excess, then dip in bowl to coat with flour and breadcrumbs.
Place coated zucchini on a baking sheet.
Fry in batches until golden brown, draining excess oil on another baking sheet lined with paper towels.
Squeeze some fresh lemon juice on top of zucchini and sprinkle with fresh dill and additional sea salt to taste.
YOGURT DILL SAUCE
In a medium bowl, mix together greek yogurt, dill, salt and pepper to taste.
*This is a sponsored post by Colavita, but as usual, all opinions expressed are my own. I received 5 bottles of Colavita olive oil samples to create the recipes for this article and holiday promotion. Winners of the giveaway will receive the prizes directly from Colavita by mail and should expect 2-3 weeks delivery time due to the holidays.
**All photographs, recipes and copy are copyrighted by Kristen Hess/The Artful Gourmet 2012 and cannot be republished without my permission or credit on the reposted original material from this article or website.
I love Chinese food. Especially when it’s raining outside and there’s nothing else to do but cozy up under the covers and watch a movie or two like I did last weekend. I was craving some stir fry that day but instead of ordering the usual from my favorite place on 3rd Avenue, I decided to whip up my own dish with some steak, sugar snap peas, water chestnuts and scallions that I had on hand. I thought I would spice it up a little bit with a 5-spice powder I found in my pantry that I have to admit, have never used.
5-spice powder has a slightly sweet and spicy flavor to it that should be used very sparingly, as it is quite potent! It’s a mixture of cinnamon, anise, fennel, ginger, clove and licorice root and the smell actually reminds me of those little German holiday cookies flavored with anise and covered in powdered sugar that my Mom is obsessed with. You really only need a sprinkle of it in the steak marinade so it doesn’t overwhelm the stir fry dish with its intense flavoring. You might even want to try 5-spice on duck, spare ribs or pork as it complements these meats quite well when prepared as an Asian Barbecued Char Siu dish.
Super easy to make and super tasty to eat.. it definitely hit the spot for my lazy, rainy Sunday when I would have rather ordered an egg roll and some Won Ton soup and analyzed my fortune or learned a new word in Chinese. And yes, the leftovers tasted even better the next day.
Ingredients
1 lb. Angus Steak, sliced thin
1/4 c. Soy Sauce
1 1/2 tbsp Rice Vinegar
1 tbsp Brown Sugar
1 tbsp Cornstarch
1/2 tbsp Sesame Seeds
1/2 tsp Five Spice Powder
1 can of water chestnuts, diced
4-6 oz. Sugar Snap Peas, Ends Trimmed
3 Scallions, sliced
1 1/2 tbsp Sesame Oil
Crushed Red Pepper
Brown or White Rice, cooked
Preparation
Mix together the soy sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, cornstarch, sesame seeds and five spice powder in a large mixing bowl. Add the sliced steak and let marinate at room temperature for at least 30 minutes up to an hour.
Heat one tablespoon of oil in a heavy cast iron or nonstick skillet or wok over high heat. Add sugar snap peas and cook, stirring often for about 1 minute. Remove peas and set aside. Add water chestnuts and cook for another few minutes and remove from pan, adding to reserved sugar snap peas.
Add the additional 1/2 tablespoon of oil to the pan and allow pan to heat up again to high. Add half of the steak and scallions, reserving marinade in bowl, and cook for about 1 minute (don’t stir to allow a nice golden browning of the steak). Turn the meat over and cook for about another 30 seconds (don’t overcook as you don’t want the steak to get tough). Remove steak and scallions from the pan and reserve on a plate to the side.
Let the pan heat to high again, and then add the rest of the uncooked steak and scallions. Cook for another minute and turn steak over, adding the first batch of steak and scallions, sugar snap peas, water chestnuts, and reserved marinade to the pan. Stir everything together over high heat for about 30 seconds, then turn off the heat. Let sit in the pan for another minute so the sauce has a chance to thicken a little.
Serve the stir fry mixture over the rice, sprinkling some crushed red pepper and additional sesame seeds for garnish.