Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken

This Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken recipe is made with the best citrusy lemongrass marinade, and can be grilled, baked or sautéed. New favorite marinade alert! We’ve been on a major Vietnamese food kick lately, trying to master some of our favorite dishes here at home (especially since good Vietnamese is hard to find here in Barcelona).  And I […]

This Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken recipe is made with the best citrusy lemongrass marinade, and can be grilled, baked or sautéed.

Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken

New favorite marinade alert!

We’ve been on a major Vietnamese food kick lately, trying to master some of our favorite dishes here at home (especially since good Vietnamese is hard to find here in Barcelona).  And I have to say that our most recent attempt mayyy have even better than the restaurant version that inspired it — lemongrass chicken!  Or, if you’re not into chicken, this marinade could just as easily be used to make lemongrass beef, pork, shrimp, scallops, fish, roasted veggies and more.

Basically, this marinade is going to make you want to lemongrass everything. 

Fresh lemongrass, with its signature delicate, tangy, lemony, minty, slightly-gingery flavor, is the starring ingredient here and somehow transforms a simple garlic-soy marinade into one that tastes fabulously fresh and light.  And once it’s paired with lightly-charred juicy chicken — either grilled, baked or sautéed — I’m telling you, this slightly-sweet, savory, citrusy combo is downright irresistible.

Bonus?  I’ve saved us a bunch of chopping with this recipe and in favor of just blitzing the marinade ingredients together in the blender, making this recipe a bit quicker and easier to prepare.  And I can vouch that the lemongrass marinade recipe also holds up well in the fridge for a few days if you would like to prep it in advance.  (Or do what I do and make a double batch of the marinade, so that you can have it again for dinner later in the week!)  Once you do cook up the lemongrass chicken itself, it can be served with everything from rice to rice noodles, salad, veggies and more.  And of course, makes for fantastic leftovers itself.

If you’re new to working with lemongrass, don’t worry — it’s a really simple ingredient to use and I will walk you through everything you need to know.  So scout out a few stalks the next time you’re at the grocery store, and let’s make some lemongrass chicken together!
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Easy Cochinita Pibil

This 5-ingredient cochinita pibil recipe is extra-easy to make in the Instant Pot or slow cooker, it’s full of the best savory citrusy flavors, and it can be served in everything from tacos to burritos, nachos and more.  (This post contains affiliate links.) We ate approximately 1 million tacos during our trip to Mexico City this summer.  Which […]

This 5-ingredient cochinita pibil recipe is extra-easy to make in the Instant Pot or slow cooker, it’s full of the best savory citrusy flavors, and it can be served in everything from tacos to burritos, nachos and more.  (This post contains affiliate links.)

Easy Cochinita Pibil

We ate approximately 1 million tacos during our trip to Mexico City this summer.  Which meant that, naturally, I came home with approximately 1 million new recipe ideas to try.  (I hope you’re ready for lots of Mexican food this fall!)  But amongst all of the amazing dishes we tasted, this trip officially convinced me that my first priority upon arriving back home needed to be finally learning how to make one of my favorite classic pork recipes that we saw offered at just about every street taco stand in Mexico City…

cochinita pibil.  ♡

Also known as puerco pibil or cochinita con achiote, this traditional Mexican pulled pork originally hails from the Yucatán Peninsula, but is now widely popular all over Mexico and beyond.  The pork itself is flavored with a super-simple marinade of tart citrus juice and achiote paste (<– our bright-red starring ingredient that looks super-spicy, but actually tastes quite mild and delicious).  Once the pork has been marinated in the achiote mixture, it is traditionally wrapped in banana leaves and cooked underground pit-bbq-style until it is ultra juicy and fall-apart tender and crazy delicious.  It’s then shredded and served with pickled red onions and fresh cilantro, plus maybe a few sliced habañero peppers if you’re looking for an extra kick.  Basically, think of cochinita pibil as carnitas’ more colorful, citrus-y, achiote-y, slow-cooked, cousin from down south.  Muy típico, y muy delicioso.

Similar to pork carnitas, there are about a million ways to serve up cochinita pibil — loaded up into street tacos, tucked into burritos, sprinkled on nachos, or whatever else may sound good.  Also, as is the case with most pulled pork recipes, I’m also pleased to report that cochinita pibil cooks up beautifully in the pressure cooker or slow cooker too!  I know, we’re officially veering from tradition here.  But if you’re like me and don’t currently have easy access to banana leaves or an underground bbq pit, this recipe provides an accessible way to make a quick batch of cochinita pibil that still tastes absolutely amazing.

Oh and bonus?!  With pressure cooking or slow-cooking, there’s also no need to let the pork marinate for hours and hours in advance before cooking.  So all you need for this recipe is about ten minutes of prep time, plus about 1 hour in the Instant Pot (or 4-8 hours in the Crock-Pot).  Then the most delicious batch of authentic-tasting cochinita pibil can be yours to enjoy in time for dinner.

Let’s make some!

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Gambas Al Ajillo (Spanish Garlic Shrimp)

This authentic gambas al ajillo (Spanish garlic shrimp) recipe is quick and easy to make in just 10 minutes and tastes irresistibly delicious. ¡Hola todos!  I’m back today with another authentic Spanish tapas recipe that is one of our favorites to eat here in Spain — gambas al ajillo.  Or in English — shrimp with […]

This authentic gambas al ajillo (Spanish garlic shrimp) recipe is quick and easy to make in just 10 minutes and tastes irresistibly delicious.

Gambas Al Ajillo Recipe (Spanish Garlic Shrimp)

¡Hola todos!  I’m back today with another authentic Spanish tapas recipe that is one of our favorites to eat here in Spain — gambas al ajillo.  Or in English — shrimp with garlic. ♡

These irresistible little gambas can be found on just about any tapas menu in Barcelona.  And we especially love ordering them when friends come to visit because these garlicky shrimp are served with quite the dramatic flair, brought to your table in the same piping hot clay bowls in which they have been cooked, bubbling and sizzling all the way.  And they taste like pure, garlicky heavenAlso delicious?  The slices of toasted bread that usually accompany the shrimp that you absolutely must use to mop up every last drop of that garlicky, herby, rich sauce.  Buenísimo.

That said, as fun as this dish is to order out, it’s also incredibly easy to whip up gambas al ajillo on your own at home.  All you need are a few simple ingredients, including lots of good-quality olive oil (because — fun fact — Spain is the world’s #1 producer of olive oil).  And in just 10 or so minutes, your own piping hot batch of garlicky shrimp can be ready to serve up and enjoy.

Let’s make some gambitas!
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Healthier Broccoli Chicken Casserole

This healthier Broccoli Chicken Casserole recipe is made with your choice of pasta, tender chicken and broccoli, and the most delicious creamy cheddar mushroom sauce. Raise your hand if you grew up eating broccoli chicken casserole!  Make that two hands if yours always included a can of cream of mushroom soup!  Ah, what can we say, […]

This healthier Broccoli Chicken Casserole recipe is made with your choice of pasta, tender chicken and broccoli, and the most delicious creamy cheddar mushroom sauce.

Healthier Broccoli Chicken Casserole

Raise your hand if you grew up eating broccoli chicken casserole!  Make that two hands if yours always included a can of cream of mushroom soup!  Ah, what can we say, it’s what all of the cool kids were doing back in the 80s. ♡  For those of you who still crave a good throwback chicken casserole every now and then nowadays, I have a modern version today that I think you are going to love.

Meet my 100%-from-scratch, lightened-up, still-ultra-creamy-and-cheesy, comforting chicken and broccoli casserole recipe!

It’s made with all of the classic components from the broccoli chicken casserole recipes of my childhood, just freshened up a bit to bring us into 2019.  We’re talking lots and lots of broccoli (you can use fresh or frozen), tender chicken (feel free to use a rotisserie as a shortcut), your choice of pasta (I used whole-wheat, but any kind will do), and lots of sharp cheddar cheese (get the good stuff!).  Then in lieu of canned cream of mushroom soup, this broccoli chicken casserole recipe features an easy homemade creamy mushroom sauce instead, made with lots of fresh mushrooms and zesty seasonings to ensure that this casserole is anything but bland.

It’s modern, creamy, cozy comfort food at its best.  And get ready, because it disappears in a flash.

Let’s make some chicken casserole!

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Greek Salmon Salad Bowls

These Greek Salmon Salad Bowls are packed with delicious, feel-good ingredients and easy to make in just 20 minutes! Barclay and I have been making classic Greek salads on repeat this summer, especially now that all of those colorful fresh bell peppers, red onions and cucumbers are back in season.  (Yum, yum, and yum.)  But lately, we’ve […]

These Greek Salmon Salad Bowls are packed with delicious, feel-good ingredients and easy to make in just 20 minutes!

Greek Salmon Salad Bowls

Barclay and I have been making classic Greek salads on repeat this summer, especially now that all of those colorful fresh bell peppers, red onions and cucumbers are back in season.  (Yum, yum, and yum.)  But lately, we’ve gotten on this kick of adding some zesty pan-seared salmon, creamy avocado, and peppery arugula into the mix as well, in order to transform our usual side salad into more of a hearty entrée.

And guys, we are hooked. 

I owe the inspiration for this one to my Insta-friend, Amy from VeggieBellie, who recently posted about a Greek salad she made with flaky tuna and arugula.  It looked so good that I instantly went out to shop for the ingredients to make one for myself for lunch.  But our little neighborhood market only happened to be carrying salmon that day.  So I brought it home and gave it a quick pan-sear on the stove (because who wants to turn on the oven in August), diced up a big ripe avocado to add in (because what salad isn’t better with some avo), and dressed everything as the Greeks do with just a quick drizzle of olive oil and vinegar (because isn’t that really all we ever need anyway?!).  And in less than 20 minutes, this gorgeous, hearty, healthy salad was ready for lunch.  And we loved it — ha, so much so that we’ve continued to make it a half dozen times since!

We’ve discovered that if we tag-team this one — with me on salmon duty while Barc chops the veggies — it can literally be ready to go in less than 10 minutes.  And as delicious as it is with warm salmon fresh outta the skillet, we’ve found that the leftovers hold up great in the fridge, making this salad a great healthy meal prep recipe as well.

Bottom line, it’s delicious and I have a good feeling you’re going to get hooked on this one too.  Let’s make some salad!
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Roasted Broccoli and Farro Bowls

These Roasted Broccoli and Farro Bowls are loaded up with hearty whole grains, avocado, veggies, greens, crispy almonds, and the dreamiest lemon-tahini dressing.  Naturally vegan and delicious! Meet the yummy grain bowls that I’ve been living on these past few weeks. ♡ These initially came about as an impromptu clean-out-the-fridge sort of meal after vacation, when […]

These Roasted Broccoli and Farro Bowls are loaded up with hearty whole grains, avocado, veggies, greens, crispy almonds, and the dreamiest lemon-tahini dressing.  Naturally vegan and delicious!

Roasted Broccoli and Farro Bowls

Meet the yummy grain bowls that I’ve been living on these past few weeks. ♡

These initially came about as an impromptu clean-out-the-fridge sort of meal after vacation, when I decided to roast up a bunch of broccoli that was on its last leg and make use of the farro that I recently realized I have been hoarding in the pantry (ha, whoops and yum).  But holy cow, once I added in some fresh avocado and arugula and toasted almonds, then tossed everything together with my favorite dreamy tahini dressing, both Barclay and I agreed that these farro bowls was a total home run.

Mostly, we love it because it’s full of nutritious ingredients that we love and that make us feel great.  It just so happens to be naturally vegetarian and vegan, although you’re welcome to add in some crumbled feta or goat cheese (or even some chicken) if you’d like.  It holds up really nicely in the fridge, making it a great meal-prep recipe for easy lunches or dinners for the week ahead.  It can be served as either a main course or as a side dish.  It’s super-easy to customize with whatever grains/rice/lentils, veggies, greens, beans, and nuts that you happen to have on hand.  And did I mention that the dressing is one of my favorites in the world?!  Yep, you should definitely make a double batch while you’re at it to drizzle on any other meals you’re cooking during the week ahead.

Bottom line — I think you’re going to love them.  Let’s make a batch!

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