Spicy Thai Peanut Butter Pasta
PIN IT!So, how’s this for irony. I write a huge blog post on how I’m going to gear this blog to be more about my life and my stories and less about food, and the first post after said declaration is a recipe. So, there’s that. In all honesty though, I’ve been staring at my computer screen for a week, a blank post glaring back at me, trying desperately to find the right words to sum up my time with The Giving Lens in Thailand. Writing about such a life-changing trip is harder than you think it would be, because no matter what I say, it won’t do any of it justice. No matter what I say, I feel like I’ll never be able to tell you how much every second with the girls in COSA, every photograph I took of the sad, lonely girls in the Hill Tribes, completely changed my entire outlook on the world. But I promise I will, if not for you guys, for those girls who deserve to have their stories change more lives than just mine.
And they will. I know I’ll find the words. I just need to give myself the chance to. I need to stop putting so much pressure on myself and just write. That’s one of the hardest things about being a writer when you have a real story to tell, you are so scared it won’t be enough that you sometimes forget to write it.That’s what happened when I tried to write about the Philippines, and I won’t let that happen here. So, friends, just be patient with me while I find my words.
I haven’t really been in a huge cooking mood lately, but yesterday it just hit me like a sack of flour. It was 9am, I was sipping my coffee and an insatiable craving for Thai food hit me. It was so powerful, I could actually taste the spicy thai peppers and soft rice noodles in my mouth. I’ve been going through such strong withdrawal from my trip and this was the only way I could actually pretend like I’m still there. When I closed my eyes and took a bite, I could feel like I was still sitting in a bustling Chiang Mai restaurant with my 8 amazing travel companions, laughing about something Anna said.
Even though this was exactly what I wanted and was insanely delicious, it didn’t taste quite like Thailand. Which, makes sense, since I don’t have access to all of the amazing ingredients they do. But that’s not really it. The best meals we had were made by Thai matriarchs, women who held their families and their groups together through the power of their cooking. There was so much love in every meal I could actually feel myself closer to them with each bite. I’m not saying I don’t have the same passion for cooking that they do, because I do. It’s just different. Maybe it’s because food is my job now, and I don’t have the same drive that they do. I don’t cook just to feed my family, and maybe that’s my problem.
Another sort of goal for myself is to cook more for US and less for work. The meals I make for work are fun, trendy, very pinterest-worthy. But they never taste quite like the ones I make for this blog or the ones I make when there’s no promise of photographs or a blog post. One of the best meals I made for El and I was in early January. It was 7:30pm and was completely pitch-black outside. Instead of pizza or a frozen dinner, I made three-cheese homemade gnocchi mac n’ cheese. It was so incredibly cheesy and decadent we actually ate the entire casserole dish in one sitting. I think I need to make more meals like that because they always taste even better than you can imagine.
Who said this can’t be one of those dishes for your family? This pasta has everything you could want in a dish, spice, creaminess, incredible flavor and crunch. Maybe this will be the one dish your kids will tell their friends about for months to come?
Spicy Thai Peanut Butter Pasta
Serves about 8.
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: About 20 minutes
Ingredients:
- About 10 ounces thin Thai rice noodles
- 2 1/2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 3/4 cup shredded carrots
- 1/4 cup chopped leek
- About 1 1/4 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into thin slices
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/4 cup extra crunchy peanut butter
- 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 1/2 tablespoon crushed red pepper
- 1 1/2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 tablespoon Thai chili paste
- Fresh cilantro for garnish
- 1/4 cup chopped peanuts
Directions:
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Remove from heat and add in the rice noodles. Using a spatula, break them apart and let sit for about 4 – 5 minutes. Pour into a colander and set aside.
- Heat the sesame oil in a large skillet or wok over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until just softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in carrots and leeks, heat another 2 -3 minutes. Add chicken and cook until browned on all sides, about 6 – 8 minutes. Mix in the noodles.
- In a small bowl, whisk the soy sauce, peanut butter, honey, lime juice, chili paste, crushed red pepper, vinegar and salt and pepper together. Pour the sauce over the chicken and noodles and whisk to combine.
- Remove from heat and cover with chopped cilantro and peanuts.
Nutritional information per serving:
Calories: 380
Fat: 13 grams
Carbohydrates: 40 grams
Fiber: 6.2 grams
Protein: 22.5 grams
Weight Watchers Points: 9
Claire
Tags:easy pasta recipes, pasta recipes, peanut butter recipes, spicy thai recipes, thai peanut butter pasta
A New Beginning
I’ve never been good handling my emotions. Which is rather funny given the fact that I’m an overly emotional person. At any given time I’m feeling 15 different & clashing emotions and am always trying to figure out just how to get through an average day. Despite this, I don’t like to confront them. I don’t like to sit down with a mug of tea and discuss why I’m feeling the way I am. I don’t like to tell people that I’m sad, angry, happy, stressed, uncomfortable, lonely, scared or tired. Part of this is because I don’t like to admit that I’m faulty and the other part is I’m terrified of how they will see me once they know.
That doesn’t mean I’m not trying to change this, though. Last week, I was on a photography based trip in northern Thailand. I was with 8 incredible women who are all amazing photographers. They each came with very expensive cameras and lenses, polarizing filters, tripods and fancy backpacks. When I first met them, with my sad little camera in hand and my two lenses, I immediately felt intimidated. When the instructor started talking about metering and back button focusing and the other girls seemed to completely understand, I pretended like I did too. Truth be told, I had no clue what that meant. And instead of asking what it was, I put on a happy face and tried to act like I belonged there, when deep down, I felt like the biggest phony.
The next morning, after another night of not sleeping and a swing of homesickness, I started crying. And I cried for about 2 hours. When we got to the location of our workshop and I was asked what was wrong, I finally broke down. I flat out said “I don’t feel like I belong here because I have no freaking clue what I’m doing.” And you know what they said? “Yes you do.” They didn’t look at me any differently. They didn’t laugh, snicker or judge. Instead, each one of them told me that I’m exactly where I should be, and that it’s normal to feel overwhelmed and scared. That I have everything it takes in me to take incredible photos and follow my dreams. They really have no idea how much that meant to me because it came at a time when I was almost out of hope for my future.
I haven’t been honest with you guys about something, primarily because I haven’t really been honest with myself. Like I did those first few days in Thailand, I’ve been walking around with a fake, slapped on smile for months because I’ve been too scared to actually face what I’ve been feeling. The truth is, this blog is more of a stranger to me than the people I pass by in the grocery store. When I look at my blog and read what I write, I don’t recognize any of it. I’m not a food blogger, and I don’t think I ever really was.
Sure, I have loved sharing recipes with you guys and growing in food photography, but that’s not what I love anymore. When I sit down to write about a recipe, I find myself at a complete loss for words. Instead of telling you about my day, the fight I had with my husband or the life-altering trip I just went on, I find myself blabbing on about cookies and faking almost every word that I type. I don’t have the passion that I once did for this blog. I don’t get excited to tell you about a recipe I made. And I can’t keep hacking it like I’ve been doing. It’s not fair to you guys and it’s definitely not fair to me. I’ve changed so much in the past few years, especially this year, and this blog no longer represents who I am.
I don’t feel comfortable calling this a food blog or calling myself a food blogger. I have so many incredible friends who are food bloggers and I see the passion, excitement and love they have for what they do. And guys, I don’t have it anymore. They are food bloggers, I’m just someone who shares recipes every now and then. I’m telling all of you this because there are going to be some major changes on this site. For one, it’s not going to be just a “food blog”anymore.
Now, before you all freak, that doesn’t mean I won’t share recipes. Cooking is my love, it’s the light at the end of the tunnel, the ray of sun on a cloudy day. It’s as big a part of me as my finger print or my heart. But that’s not going to be all my blog is about, because really, it’s not all I’m about. I want to share every aspect of my life with you guys, not just the recipes I make. I want to tell you about my trips, my ups and downs, my struggles with weight, money and love. I want to share every part of my life with you and I don’t want to feel bad about that.
So, like the title alludes, this is a new beginning. For me and my blog. I’m in the process of a big redesign, complete with a new name, new photos and a new logo. This blog is finally going to be a real representation of who I am as a person, a wife, a traveler and a cook. I know I’m going to lose some of you, and I’m sorry to see you go. But for those who stay with me during this transformation, I hope you’re in for a bumpy, hectic and ever-changing ride. Because I know I am.
Mexican Fiesta Rice Bowls
These Mexican fiesta rice bowls are the perfect weeknight dinner since they are easy, delicious and healthy!
…I almost have no idea what I’m supposed to say here. Uh, apple? I feel like I haven’t typed or written anything from the heart since I got to Southeast Asia. Which is crazy because I’ve had the most eye-awakening, life-changing, gut-wrenchingly emotional past few weeks, all I can think about is how excited I am to put down how I’m feeling on paper. To pour my feelings, every single one of them, into these stories I post for you all to read. I’ve never gone through so many different emotions in such a short time. I’ve never challenged, scared or surprised myself more in my life. I feel like I left pieces of myself on each portion of this journey with The Giving Lens. I’ve left a chunk of my heart with the girls at COSA, with the humble and beautiful people of the hill tribes in Thailand who served us lunch from their own kitchens and with every single hard-working woman, man and child who allowed me to take their photo.
I’ve left pieces scattered around the stunning landscapes, in the bright aqua sea and oceans and in the rolling hills of Northern Chiang Mai.
This place has changed me, my friends, and I’m dreaming of the stories I’ll tell you when I’m home. I have this vision that all of you will join me for a glass of wine as I regale you with my adventures. Sometimes, I look at myself in the mirror and can’t believe who I’ve become. I’ve experienced so much in this short 28 years of my life and if you told me 8 years ago that I’d be here, I wouldn’t have believed you. To see how far my life has come and how many more journeys and stories I have to tell renders me almost speechless. I’m so blessed beyond measure to have this life and to have such amazing people who read and encourage me.
Now, none of this has anything to do with mexican fiesta rice bowls. I guess my transitions are a little rusty. Well, I guess the bright, beautiful and vibrant colors in this dish can represent the people, food and experiences I’ve had here in Southeast Asia. If you really wanted to break it all down symbolically like that. Or I could just tell you that I haven’t cooked in 3 weeks and this recipe is one I’ve been saving for a rainy day. Or a day when you realize you haven’t blogged in over a week and can literally see the tumble weeds rolling over your neglected website. I guess we can go with any of those answers.
One thing I can tell you is I love this dish. Like the fiesta rice bowls at Taco Bell, these amazing bowls are incredibly easy and are perfect for those days when you want something fresh, something Mexican and something that takes almost no time to prepare. And it’s great when you’re craving Taco Bell and just can’t stomach buying it. Which, for me, is like all-the-time.
Mexican Fiesta Rice Bowls
Serves about 4.
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: About 8 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 cup uncooked short-grain brown rice
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 15 ounces chicken broth
- 1 cup water
- 2 tablespoon lime juice
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup arugula, chopped
- 1/3 cup diced tomatoes, drained
- 4 teaspoons chopped red onion
- 1/4 cup black beans, drained
- 1/4 cup canned corn, drained
- Shredded cheddar for garnish
- Fresh cilantro for garnish
- 1 avocado, sliced
- Fresh lime juice
For the complete directions on how to make this, check out the post here on SheKnows.com!
Nutritional information per serving:
Calories: 300
Fat: 10.5 grams
Carbohydrates: 21.5 grams
Fiber: 2.5 grams
Protein: 5 grams
Weight Watchers Points: 5
Claire
Tags:fiesta recipes, fiesta rice bowl recieps, healthy recipes, low fat recipes, Mexican recipes
Lemon, Chicken and Green Tea Soup
This amazing lemon, chicken and green tea soup is the perfect flu and cold remedy, or a great at home meal for these last few freezing winter days!
It’s sort of weird to be writing about soup when I’m sitting in a maxi dress and flip flops next to a sun-filled window in Chiang Mai, Thailand. It’s close to 90 degrees here and, as much as I love me some soup, it’s probably the last thing I want to be eating.
But, to my lovely friends at home (who probably hate, despise and loathe me right now), it’s still snowing and a mere 25 degrees. So to my friends stuck in the snow, this soup is right up your alleyway.
The idea for this soup came as I was dazing off into my backyard at home with a warm cup of green tea resting nicely in my hands. With each sip of warm tea, I felt more relaxed. Not only that, I also felt more energized. My husband came down and said “hey, it’s a good night for soup!” And really, that quickly, it hit me. Why don’t I mix the two together? Chicken soup, like green tea, has it’s own healing powers, and the two together can only create something incredible, right?
RIGHT-O. The broth is so flavorful and earthy. You truly can’t help but feel at ease with each bite. The addition of the lemon also gives each bite a powerful punch of awesome citrus and antioxidants. I’m pretty sure this soup can heal any and all remedies, from the common cold to heartbreak. I mean, it made me calm down and “smell the roses”, persay, so I’m positive it’s magic.
Because, for those who know me, know “relaxation” and “at ease” are not two words I’m familiar with.
Lemon, Chicken and Green Tea Soup
Serves about 4.
Prep time: >15 minutes
Cook time: 35 – 45 minutes
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1-1/2 medium carrots, sliced
- 1-1/2 medium parsnips, sliced
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, diced
- 1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas, drained
- Zest from 1 lemon
- About 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 large leek, chopped
- 2 quarts reduced-sodium chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons loose green tea
- 1/2 pound rice noodles
- 1/4 cup chopped parsley and dill
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Pumpkin seeds for garnish
FOR THE DIRECTIONS ON HOW TO MAKE THIS, CHECK OUT THE RECIPE HERE ON SHEKNOWS.COM!
Nutritional information per bowl:
Calories: 376
Fat: 14.5 grams
Carbohydrates: 39.75
Fiber: 6 grams
Protein: 20 grams
Weight Watchers Points: 9
Oatmeal Raisin Muffins & A Giveaway
These oatmeal raisin muffins are the perfect snack or treat when you’re craving a cookie but want something a little lighter!
It’s currently 4:45 am here in Singapore and, welp, you guessed it, I’m wide awake. And I’ve been wide awake since 2 am. Jet lag is no joke, especially when you’re facing a 13 hour time difference.
I thought, given the fact I’ve been to this side of the world before, I’d be able to handle this time lag easily and effortlessly. But no, I hit me harder than it did last time and, much to my dismay, I fell asleep for two hours before my dinner engagement. If there’s one thing you should never do, it’s nap the you arrive to an exotic local with a vast time difference. That’s when you wake up with wide eyes and a racing mind at 2am unable to fall back asleep.
Oddly enough, my current exhaustion is the perfect segway to today’s giveaway item, a Nespresso Essenza! Oddly enough, this exact machine is the one that’s currently keeping the caffeine flowing through my veins in my hotel room. And honestly, it’s absolutely perfect. It brews two sizes of espresso and is the perfect size for just about any kitchen, even the very small ones you find in studio apartments in NYC. It’s compact, cute and absolutely necessary when you’re trying to make it as a writer.
But that’s not the only thing I’m giving away! I’m also including a bundle (80 capsules!) of HiLine coffee. I got a box of this less than 2 months ago and sadly (and shamelessly), we’re completely out of them. My husband went on a Hi-Line spree a few weeks ago and drank the entire box (10 capsules) of Broadway Dark Roast in 4 days. Besides the high quality coffee, I love that each box is named after an iconic NYC neighborhood. My favorite is the Chelsea Light Roast because it’s the perfect mix of Colombian, Costa Rican and Kenyan coffee beans in a very smooth, very creamy taste. The light, easy drinkability of the roast pairs wonderfully with a moist and fluffy breakfast snack, like an oatmeal raisin muffin!
If you think these look familiar, it’s because I’ve actually made them before. And by before, I mean BDSLRC (before DSLR camera). As much as I love to see how my photography has grown over the years, those iPhone 3g photos were not cutting it anymore and these beauties deserved a reboot. Each muffin is packed with your favorite oatmeal raisin cookie flavor, only in a slightly lighter, healthier and lower fat body. These are what the cookies would look and taste like if they went on a juice cleanse for 3 days. Plus, they are completely egg-free, making them a fantastic breakfast option for those who suffer from egg allergies.
I think I’ll go have another espresso, these words are starting to blur together.
Oatmeal Raisin Muffins (Egg-free)
CLICK HERE FOR THE PRINTABLE VERSION OF THIS RECIPE!
Yields about 12 muffins.
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: About 17 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups quick-cooking rolled oats
- 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2/3 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup 1% milk
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
- 1/2 cup raisins
- Optional: Walnuts or hazelnuts
*If you want to use eggs, sub in one egg for the 1/4 cup of applesauce.
Directions:
- Heat oven to 400 degrees. Line a 12 cavity muffin tin with paper liners and set aside.
- In mixing bowl, combine flours, baking soda, salt, oats and pumpkin pie spice. In the bowl of a standing mixer, beat the butter, sugar, vanilla and applesauce until fluffy. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, alternating with the water and the milk, ending with the dry ingredients. Stir until just moistening. Fold in the raisins.
- Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, filling 2/3 full.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean and immediately remove from pans. Let cool and enjoy!
Nutritional information per muffin:
Calories: 160
Fat: 5.25
Carbohydrates: 27.25
Fiber: >1 gram
Protein: 3.08 grams
Weight Watchers Points: 4
To enter the giveaway, be sure to fill out the prompts below! Giveaway goes from February 23, 2014 at midnight until March 8th, 2014 at midnight. Good luck!
