all things food
Friends, today we’re sharing the ULTIMATE salmon burger of all salmon burgers! Inspired by our go-to order at Café No Sé, this burger is SO satisfying and full of flavors you wouldn’t expect to go together but are truly meant to be.
Our inspired versio…
Friends, today we’re sharing the ULTIMATE salmon burger of all salmon burgers! Inspired by our go-to order at Café No Sé, this burger is SO satisfying and full of flavors you wouldn’t expect to go together but are truly meant to be.
Our inspired version is equally hearty and comes together in just 30 minutes! Or, if 10-minute dinners are more your style, you can prep and freeze the patties in advance.
The Ultimate Salmon Burger (30 Minutes!) from Minimalist Baker →
This saucy Honey Garlic Chicken is a quick & easy recipe with lots of chicken and an irresistible sweet & tangy honey garlic sauce.
The post Honey Garlic Chicken appeared first on Budget Bytes.
After a busy day I love being able to whip up a quick dinner meal like this Honey Garlic Chicken recipe. I almost always have all of the ingredients at home and saucy chicken recipes happen to be my family’s favorite! This dish includes lots of tender chicken that gets covered in a super delicious sweet & tangy honey garlic sauce. It’s simple enough to make for lunch or dinner, and is so good you might get a special request to make it every week!
It doesn’t take much to make this easy honey garlic chicken recipe. Here’s what you’ll need:
I served this honey garlic chicken with a side of white rice and some sliced green onions on top. But you can also enjoy it with brown rice, vegetable fried rice or even cauliflower rice. Sautéed green beans or a side of this sesame cucumber salad would also taste great!
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Start by making the sauce. Combine the 1/3 cup honey, 2 Tbsp soy sauce, 1 Tbsp rice vinegar, 1 tsp sriracha, 2 tsp toasted sesame oil, and 1 Tbsp cornstarch together in a small bowl. Set the sauce aside.
Cut 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts into 1/2 inch sized pieces. Season with 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper and 1/2 tsp garlic powder. Then toss the chicken pieces in 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour until each piece is evenly coated.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add 2 Tbsp of oil. Swirl to coat the surface of the skillet. Once the skillet is hot, add half of the chicken and cook until browned on all sides and cooked through. Remove the chicken from the skillet onto a separate plate and set aside. Add the remaining 1 Tbsp of oil and repeat with cooking the 2nd batch of chicken until cooked through. Set all of the chicken aside.
In the same skillet add 2 Tbsp of butter and lower the heat down to medium-low heat. Add four minced garlic cloves and sauté for 30-60 seconds until fragrant.
Next give the sauce another brief stir, then pour the sauce into the skillet with the garlic. Stir the sauce and scrape up any browned bits that are stuck at the bottom of the skillet.
Let the sauce simmer for about 2 minutes to allow the cornstarch to activate and thicken the sauce.
Now add the cooked chicken back to the skillet and stir with the honey garlic sauce until all of the pieces are evenly coated. Continue to cook for 1-2 more minutes to allow the chicken to heat through.
Remove the skillet from the heat and top with sliced green onions. Enjoy with fluffy white or brown rice!
The post Honey Garlic Chicken appeared first on Budget Bytes.
For the perfect bring along to the next BBQ, potluck, or picnic, try this impressive seafood salad. Made with imitation crab and shrimp tossed with a creamy and tangy dressing, this salad has flavor in every bite.
If you’re looking to fire up a Meatless Monday tradition, this Air Fryer Tofu is super easy and tastes great.
The post Air Fryer Tofu appeared first on Budget Bytes.
This budget-friendly protein-packed tofu is begging to be the center of attention at your dinner table. If you’re looking to fire up a Meatless Monday tradition, or you’ve been on the tofu train for a long time, this Air Fryer Tofu is super easy and tastes great. I toss extra firm tofu in a simple soy sauce marinade and then drizzle with honey, sesame seeds, and green onions after it’s crisped up in the air fryer. The texture comes out perfect and the flavor profile is an easy hit with tofu experts and novices alike!
I remember when my relationship with tofu first started about 20 years ago. Tofu could be found in a big bucket of water in the bottom of a cooler at the health food store, and I had to fish it out with tongs. I remember thinking, “What IS this stuff?!” The various options for firm, extra firm, soft, or silken were hard to come by back then, but now tofu is experiencing a much-deserved Renaissance!
You can find tofu everywhere– and the variety! (Swoon.) Already marinated, soft, extra firm, cut into chicken-like shapes, you name it. Even your local Walmart or Aldi probably has it. We don’t have to break the bank at luxury grocery stores to find it any longer and thank goodness that container full of tofu and water is a thing of the past.
Delightfully crispy on the outside with a delightfully chewy center, this Air Fryer Tofu is good enough to convert anyone into a tofu lover. The freezing step of the tofu is one you won’t want to skip! It gives it a dense texture that holds up great with all kinds of sauces. I attempted many different recipes for Air Fryer Tofu, trying to keep things as easy and inexpensive as possible. This recipe yielded the best result every time!
You can add whatever herbs or seasonings you like to this recipe, but the soy sauce and sesame oil are keepers; they add umami and savory notes to otherwise bland tofu. Tofu is so versatile and easy to add flavor to with whatever marinade ingredients you like best.
Here’s what you’ll need to make crispy air fryer tofu:
My favorite way to serve this crispy air fryer tofu is over this delicious coconut rice! The slightly sweet and nutty flavor pairs so well with the savory, crispy tofu! For dipping, I love this sweet chili sauce (pictured) or homemade sweet and sour sauce.
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Pat dry and freeze 1 (16-oz.) block of extra firm tofu for 1 hour, minimum.* Remove the tofu from the freezer and allow it to thaw to the point where it can be cut with a knife. (Notice the difference in texture with the frozen tofu on the left and the unfrozen on the right.)
Dice the tofu into 1/2-inch cubes. Gather 1/4 cup soy sauce, 1 Tbsp sesame oil, and 1 Tbsp cornstarch.
Toss the cubed tofu with soy sauce and sesame oil. Then, lightly dust the dressed tofu with cornstarch, tossing or stirring until each piece is lightly covered.
Transfer to an air fryer basket and fry at 400°F for 10 minutes, shaking halfway through.
Garnish with 1 tsp honey, 1/4 tsp sesame seeds, and 1 sliced green onion. Serve with your favorite dipping sauce or over a bed of white rice.
Wonderfully chewy and crisp, this air fryer tofu is sure to be a hit!
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This vegan crab cake recipe is easy to make, bursting with flavor and has the perfect crab meat texture and consistency. Dollop with our homemade vegan tartar sauce and fresh dill and enjoy as a delicious vegan seafood appetizer!
The post Easy Vegan Crab Cakes with Tartar Sauce appeared first on Sweet Simple Vegan.
This vegan crab cake recipe is easy to make, bursting with flavor, and has the perfect crab meat texture and consistency. Dollop with our homemade vegan tartar sauce and fresh dill and enjoy as a delicious vegan seafood appetizer!
Over the years we’ve gotten very creative when it comes to mimicking the texture of seafood. To date we’ve made Vegan Calamari and Vegan Scallops from oyster mushrooms, Vegan Tuna from chickpeas, and Smoked Salmon from carrots.
Today we’re recreating the flaky texture of crab meat with chickpeas and hearts of palm…say what?! It may sound obscure, but we promise this trio of ingredients works so well to recreate crab cakes you won’t be missing the real thing!
We serve these crab cakes most often as a delicious vegan appetizer with Vegan Tartar Sauce, or other dipping sauces like Vegan Aioli or Cilantro Dill Cream Sauce.
If you prefer to enjoy them as a main dish, turn them into vegan crab cake sliders or pair them with a simple green salad, pan fried asparagus, and/or roasted vegetables.
Vegan crab cakes are best enjoyed fresh while they’re hot and crispy, but leftovers will keep for up to 5 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Gluten Free
Breakfast
Appetizers and Sides
Make sure you tag us on Instagram @sweetsimplevegan and @consciouschris and hashtag #sweetsimplevegan if you make this recipe. We love to see your photos!
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Total Time: 20 minutes 
Yield: 8 crab cakes This vegan crab cake recipe is easy to make, bursting with flavor and has the perfect crab meat texture and consistency. Dollop with our homemade vegan tartar sauce and fresh dill and enjoy as a delicious vegan seafood appetizer!
Prep Time: 10 minutesCook Time: 10 minutesNutrition facts label provided by Nutri Fox.
Disclaimer: This page may contain affiliate links, which simply means that we earn a commission if you purchase through those links, but your price remains the same. Thank you for supporting Sweet Simple Vegan!
The post Easy Vegan Crab Cakes with Tartar Sauce appeared first on Sweet Simple Vegan.
These creamy, tangy, and spicy kimchi spring rolls are the ultimate cold appetizer for any party or potluck!
The post Fresh Kimchi Spring Rolls appeared first on Budget Bytes.
When I opened my former restaurant, AVO, in Nashville, I knew this Kimchi Spring Roll appetizer would make it onto the menu. Not only did it make it onto the menu (and it’s still on the menu with a new chef at the helm and under new ownership!) but it was our best-selling item. The flavor balancing act is perfectly executed in the kimchi filling, so if you follow this recipe to a T, you will be the star at the next book club or potluck you attend, I promise!
This recipe is the ultimate crowd-pleaser, whether you’re typically a fan of kimchi or not. Who doesn’t love a fresh spring roll?! The spicy, tangy, creamy filling in a soft wrapping is a great bite to share when you have company over and the filling alone makes a great healthy topping on salad in place of the same old tuna salad. The flavors and textures balance so perfectly in this one.
My original recipe uses raw cashews instead of peanuts, but subbing the peanuts totally worked; they are a great budget-friendly substitute. The sauce packs a flavor punch as well but lets the kimchi filling really shine. I hope you love this recipe as much as I do. This one’s near and dear to my little veggie-loving heart!
Here’s what you’ll need to make these fresh kimchi spring rolls:
While all these tasty bites are wrapped and rolled, spring rolls may be fresh, baked, or deep fried, where summer rolls are always served cold. An egg roll is a variation on a spring roll that is made with dough that has been enriched with eggs, typically fried. Technically, these fresh kimchi spring rolls could also called a summer roll. They are so refreshing!
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Combine the 1/3 cup soy sauce, 1/3 cup rice wine vinegar, 1 Tbsp sriracha, 1 inch of peeled and grated ginger, and 1 minced clove of garlic in a mixing bowl. Whisk together and stream 1 Tbsp sesame oil in very slowly while whisking to emulsify. Stir in 1 minced green onion and set dipping sauce aside.
Add 1 cup kimchi, 1 cup roasted unsalted peanuts, 2 Tbsp peanut butter, 1 Tbsp maple, and 2 Tbsp toasted sesame oil to a food processor.
Pulse until a thick, chunky, well-combined paste forms. Texture is a good thing, so don’t process it to the point of being smooth. Set aside in the fridge.
Julienne 2 bell peppers, 2 carrots, 1 cucumber, and cut 1 head of green leaf lettuce into 2-inch pieces.
Fill a shallow cookie sheet with warm water next to a clean cutting board or other suitable, clean work surface. Dip the edible spring roll wrapper in the shallow warm water until soft and pliable, but not overly mushy.
Then, fill the spring roll wrapper with lettuce on the bottom, a 1-2 Tablespoon scoop of kimchi filling in the middle, a few julienned veggies and another piece of lettuce on top.*
Gently wrap each spring roll, tucking in the sides to keep all of the filling from falling out.
Sprinkle each spring roll with sesame seeds (optional, but they add a nice texture and help keep the summer rolls from sticking together and tearing.) Repeat steps 5-8 until all of your filling is used up. Serve spring rolls cut in half with dipping sauce. Enjoy!
These fresh kimchi spring rolls were a smash hit at AVO for a reason, and I’m confident this budget-friendly version will be a hit for you at home as well!
The post Fresh Kimchi Spring Rolls appeared first on Budget Bytes.
Tofu and eggplant just teamed up to create one EPIC appetizer, friends! These lettuce wraps feature SUPER flavorful crispy tofu and caramelized eggplant with fresh, crunchy veggies, vibrant herbs, and a savory-sweet sesame dipping sauce. If you’re thin…
Tofu and eggplant just teamed up to create one EPIC appetizer, friends! These lettuce wraps feature SUPER flavorful crispy tofu and caramelized eggplant with fresh, crunchy veggies, vibrant herbs, and a savory-sweet sesame dipping sauce. If you’re thinking WOW now, just wait until the first bite!
These 10-ingredient flavor miracles make a crowd-pleasing appetizer for four or light spring or summer meal for two. Let’s get to it!
We’ve done tofu lettuce wraps before, but this time eggplant joins in on the fun!
Crispy Tofu & Eggplant Lettuce Wraps from Minimalist Baker →
Make your broccoli taste amazing in just 10 minutes! This easy sauteed broccoli highlights its fresh flavor and comes out…
Make your broccoli taste amazing in just 10 minutes! This easy sauteed broccoli highlights its fresh flavor and comes out perfectly crisp tender.
In need of a healthy and easy side dish? Here’s a “recipe” that’s more of an idea than anything: sauteed broccoli! It might sound basic, but you’ll be surprised at the amount of flavor it’s possible to get from perfectly cooking this vegetable!
Why we love this recipe: Broccoli is often overcooked, leaving it soggy and without flavor. Here Alex and I will show you our go-to simple sauteed broccoli recipe: how to cook it so it’s lightly browned but perfectly crisp tender and flavorful!
Other favorite ways to cook broccoli? Try our steamed broccoli, roasted broccoli, and roasted broccoli and carrots recipes, or head to How to Cook Broccoli for more!
Broccoli is basic, right? But so many home cooks cook it way beyond the point of no return. Overcooked broccoli is the worst: it’s limp and lifeless. Instead, you’ll want to cook it just to the point where it’s tender, but still bright green and crisp. Even better: it takes less time! There’s no reason to spend the time extra overcooking it (ha!). Here are our tips on how to make the best sauteed broccoli:
Step 1: Chop into medium-sized florets. Try to leave a good amount of the stem to make a lovely shape, so the broccoli doesn’t look stubby! Chop them into medium-sized pieces: not so small they disintegrate, but not so large they’re too tough to cut.
Step 2: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the broccoli and sauté for 5 minutes. Watch the pan and stir so the broccoli doesn’t get too browned. Stir in the seasonings (salt, spices, etc).
Step 3: Cover and cook 2 minutes more. Covering the broccoli at the end locks in the moisture and steams it, helping it to get fully cooked through and tender instead of more browned.
And that’s it! Perfectly seasoned sauteed broccoli in just 10 minutes.
The key to great tasting sauteed broccoli is the seasonings! First and foremost, make sure to salt it perfectly to taste. Then to accessorize, we used sliced green onion, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder (see the recipe below). If you have a lemon, topping with lemon zest gives it the perfect zing! Here are a few more ideas for flavoring:
Broccoli is a super nutritious cruciferous vegetable! It’s high in fiber (with 2.4 grams per 1 cup), which is helpful for keeping you full and helping with digestion. It also has relatively high protein for a vegetable (2.5 grams per 1 cup), and is high in Vitamin C, K and iron. Read more broccoli nutrition facts here.
Of course, there’s no end to dishes to pair with this sauteed broccoli! It’s so versatile that it literally goes with anything (like a perfect pair of jeans!). Here are a few ideas for mains that would pair nicely:
This sauteed broccoli recipe is vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free, and gluten-free.
Fresh broccoli florets are ideal. Look for firm, deep green florets with tight buds. Avoid broccoli with yellowing florets or a mushy texture.
We don’t recommend it. Frozen broccoli florets have a softer texture and may release more water during cooking.
Steaming broccoli preserves its vibrant green color and slightly more nutrients. Sautéing allows for browning and caramelization, developing a deeper and more complex flavor.
Blanching (briefly boiling) broccoli florets for a minute or two before sauteing can help soften them slightly and ensure even cooking. However, it’s not essential, especially if you prefer your broccoli with a bit of a bite.
The possibilities are endless! Popular additions include garlic, shallots, ginger, red pepper flakes, soy sauce, lemon juice, toasted nuts, or even a sprinkle of parmesan cheese.
Prep Time: 3 minutes
Cook Time: 7 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes 
Yield: 4 Make your broccoli taste amazing in just 10 minutes! This easy sauteed broccoli highlights its fresh flavor and comes out perfectly crisp tender.
Category: Side Dish
Method: Sauteed
Cuisine: VeganKeywords: Sauteed Broccoli
These Chorizo Stuffed Bell Peppers are packed with southwest flavor, perfectly portioned for meal prep, and freezer-friendly!
The post Chorizo Stuffed Bell Peppers appeared first on Budget Bytes.
We’re in love with stuffed bell peppers here at the Budget Bytes kitchen, so I decided to make a new variation just so I could have an excuse to eat stuffed bell peppers again. These Chorizo Stuffed Bell Peppers are full of super flavorful Mexican chorizo, hearty rice, and a rich sauce, then topped with melty mozzarella cheese. They’re SO filling, perfectly portioned for meal prep or freezer cooking, and quite flexible if you want to change up the ingredients to make them even more budget-friendly! Put this one one your to-cook list because I know you’re going to love them!
These stuffed bell peppers are packed with flavorful herbs and spices and a rich tomato-y sauce so that every bite is deee-licious. Here are the ingredients for chorizo stuffed bell peppers:
This recipe is pretty flexible, so if you want to change it up or make it more budget-friendly, here are some other ingredients you can add:
It’s really important to use the correct type of chorizo for this recipe. You’ll need Mexican chorizo, which is a fresh (uncooked & uncured) sausage. You’ll find Mexican chorizo in the fresh meat department, usually near bratwurst and other fresh sausages. Spanish chorizo is a cured, sliceable sausage that you’ll usually find near cheese, pepperoni, or other charcuterie-type foods.
These southwest-inspired peppers are really filling on their own, but if you want to serve something on the side they pair really well with Cumin Lime Roasted Sweet Potatoes, Cowboy Caviar, Sweet Potato Cornbread, or Warm Corn and Avocado Salad.
I love making stuffed bell peppers for meal prep, so this is how I store and reheat them. The cooked bell peppers can be stored in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. I like to reheat them quickly in the microwave (about 2 minutes each).
Or, once chilled in the refrigerator, you can transfer them to the freezer. I suggest packaging them individually in a freezer-safe, air-tight container, so you can reheat one at a time as needed. Frozen stuffed bell peppers can be thawed in the refrigerator overnight and then reheated the next day in the microwave, or thawed straight from the freezer in the microwave using the defrost function, then heated through on full power.
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Begin by preheating the oven to 350ºF. Cut three bell peppers in half to create a top and bottom piece for each pepper. Scoop out the seeds and ribs. You can either cut out the stem from the top half of the peppers, or eat around them later. Place the halved peppers in a baking dish and par-bake them for 15 minutes in the fully preheated 350ºF oven.
Meanwhile, cook 1 lb. of Mexican chorizo in a large deep skillet over medium heat until browned. The chorizo has plenty of fat, so you likely won’t need to add any additional to the skillet. Dice one yellow onion and mince 2 cloves of garlic. Add the onion and garlic to the skillet with the chorizo, and continue to cook until the onions are softened.
Add one 4oz. can of diced green chiles, 2 Tbsp tomato paste, 2 tsp chili powder, ½ tsp cumin, ½ tsp garlic powder, ¼ tsp cayenne pepper, and ¼ tsp salt to the meat and onions. Stir to combine.
Add ½ cup of uncooked long grain white rice and 1 cup of chicken broth to the skillet. Stir well to combine, then place a lid on top, and turn the heat up to medium-high. When the broth reaches a full boil, turn the heat down to low and allow it to continue to simmer over low (without removing the lid or stirring) for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, turn the heat off and let it rest for 5 more minutes.
After simmering for 20 minutes the broth should be absorbed and the rice should be tender. Gently stir the rice and chorizo mixture with a spoon.
Divide the rice and chorizo mixture between the six par-baked bell pepper halves, then top with shredded mozzarella cheese (about 1 cup). Cover the dish and bake in the 350ºF oven for 20 minutes.
Top the chorizo stuffed bell peppers with sliced green onions and serve!
Enjoy the cheesy chorizo-y goodness!!
The post Chorizo Stuffed Bell Peppers appeared first on Budget Bytes.
This Buffalo Chicken Pasta recipe is the perfect combination of creamy, tangy, and spicy flavors. It’s a must-try for spicy food lovers.
The post Buffalo Chicken Pasta appeared first on Budget Bytes.
One thing I’ve learned over the years is that most dips can also double as an amazing pasta sauce, and this Buffalo Chicken Pasta is a great example. I took all of the creamy, tangy, spicy goodness of buffalo chicken dip and made it into a deliciously cheesy one-pot pasta. So gather around all of my spicy food friends, you’re going to want to make this easy, creamy, and addictive Buffalo Chicken Pasta ASAP!
This cheesy buffalo chicken pasta starts with all of the same ingredients as buffalo chicken dip, then we add a few more to make it a little saucier and give the dish just a touch more flavor and texture. Here’s what you’ll need to make buffalo chicken pasta:
If you have a little extra wiggle room in your budget, you can add even more goodies to this buffalo chicken pasta to make it ✨extra✨. Try topping the pasta with crumbled blue cheese, or stirring in some bacon crumbles. If you love a crunchy topping, try crushing some butter crackers or tortilla chips and sprinkling them on top of the pasta just before serving. And while it is totally unconventional, I think some small broccoli florets would be awesome in this, kind of like broccoli mac and cheese!
This buffalo chicken pasta is pretty rich, so you’re going to want something light and refreshing to serve on the side. You can opt for a super Simple Side Salad, a classic Caesar Salad, or maybe a simple Cucumber Tomato Salad. Or just go with the theme and serve up some carrot and celery sticks with blue cheese dressing for dipping!
One-pot pasta can be tricky for some because the pasta is cooked in a much smaller amount of liquid than traditional pasta cooking methods. Here are a few tips to make sure your one-pot pasta cooks evenly and to the right texture:
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Dice one boneless, skinless chicken breast (about ⅔ lb.) into small ½-¾ inch pieces. Combine ½ tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp onion powder, ½ tsp cayenne pepper, and ¼ tsp salt, then sprinkle it over the chicken. Toss the chicken until it is evenly coated in spices.
Heat 1 Tbsp of cooking oil in a large deep skillet over medium-high until very hot. Once hot, add the chicken and allow it to brown on all sides. The chicken does not need to cook through here, just let it brown on the outside.
Add 8 oz of uncooked pasta, one 15oz. can of petite diced tomatoes (with the liquid), and 1.5 cups of chicken broth to the skillet with the chicken.
Stir everything well, making sure to dissolve all the browned bits off the bottom of the skillet. The broth will not fully cover the pasta, but that’s okay. Do not add extra liquid at this point.
Place a lid on the pot and allow the broth to come up to a strong simmer. Once simmering, give the pasta a quick stir to loosen it from the bottom, replace the lid, then turn the heat down to medium-low. Let the pasta simmer over medium-low for 10-12 minutes, or until the pasta is tender and only a small amount of saucy liquid remains.
Once the pasta is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed, it’s time to make the buffalo sauce. Add 4oz. of cream cheese (cut into chunks), 2 Tbsp butter, ¼ cup hot sauce, and ½ tsp Worcestershire sauce. Continue to stir and cook over medium-low until the cream cheese is fully melted into the sauce.
Add ½ cup of shredded Monterey Jack cheese to the skillet and stir until it has melted into the sauce.
Top the buffalo chicken pasta with sliced green onions and serve hot!
The post Buffalo Chicken Pasta appeared first on Budget Bytes.
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