Category: peanuts

Fresh Kimchi Spring Rolls

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!

overhead view of kimchi spring rolls on a platter with a bowl of sauce in the middle.

What Are FRESH KIMCHI SPRING Rolls?

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!

Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to make these fresh kimchi spring rolls:

  • Dipping Sauce: A sweet, savory, and tangy combination of soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, sriracha, green onion, garlic, and fresh ginger.
  • Kimchi: This gut-friendly, probiotic-packed superfood is tangy, spicy, and a little bit sour. Opt for a mild kimchi if you’re not a fan of spice.
  • Peanuts: Roasted unsalted peanuts work perfectly in place of my original cashews to create a thick and creamy filling.
  • Peanut Butter: Enhances the peanut flavor and helps create a creamy filling.
  • Maple Syrup: Adds a touch of sweetness to balance out the spiciness and richness of the filling.
  • Sesame Oil: Toasted sesame oil adds a hint of nuttiness to the filling.
  • Veggies: Bell peppers, carrots, and cucumber make up the fresh and crunchy veggie filling of these spring rolls.
  • Lettuce: Green leaf lettuce helps create a barrier between the saucy filling and the spring roll wrappers.
  • Spring Roll Wrappers: Also called “rice paper wrappers,” these light and translucent wrappers are dry and firm until you soak them. Then, they become pliable and will stay chewy and soft.

What’s the Difference Between A SPRING ROLL, A SUMMER ROLL, and An Egg Roll?

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!

Summer Roll Tips

  • You don’t need to use all of the spring roll wrappers… just keep rolling until all filling ingredients are gone!
  • Don’t overfill your spring rolls. Trying to pack in too much filling will surely make a mess!
  • Try to make a bed with the veggies and lettuce for the kimchi filling to lay on top of so your rice paper can firm up.
  • They are less likely to tear if the finished spring rolls touch if you sprinkle some sesame seeds on the sides. The rice paper remains sticky for a few minutes after rolling.
  • The spring rolls don’t keep particularly well for more than a day, but any extra kimchi filling and veggies will take any salad to the next level!
holding a kimchi spring roll to show the filling.
overhead view of kimchi spring rolls on a platter with a bowl of sauce in the middle.
Print

Fresh Kimchi Spring Rolls

These creamy, tangy, and fresh kimchi spring rolls are the ultimate chilled appetizer for any party or potluck!
Course Appetizer
Cuisine Asian
Total Cost $15.26 recipe / $1.90 serving
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 0 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 8 (1 spring roll each)
Calories 377kcal
Author Jess – Budget Bytes

Equipment

Ingredients

Dipping Sauce:

  • 1/3 cup soy sauce $0.26
  • 1/3 cup rice wine vinegar $1.44
  • 1 Tbsp sesame oil $0.32
  • 1 Tbsp sriracha $0.25
  • 1 minced green onion $0.10
  • 1 minced garlic clove $0.05
  • 1 inch ginger, peeled and grated $0.15

Summer Roll Veggies + Kimchi Filling:

  • 1 cup kimchi $2.99
  • 1 cup roasted unsalted peanuts $1.24
  • 2 Tbsp peanut butter $0.12
  • 1 Tbsp maple syrup $0.31
  • 2 Tbsp toasted sesame oil $0.64
  • 2 bell peppers, julienned $2.96
  • 2 carrots, julienned $0.18
  • 1 cucumber, seeded and julienned $0.82
  • 1 head green leaf lettuce, cut into 2-inch pieces $1.97

To assemble:

  • 1 package spring roll rice paper wrappers $1.46

Instructions

  • Combine the soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, sriracha, grated ginger, and garlic in a mixing bowl. Whisk together and stream sesame oil in very slowly while whisking to emulsify. Stir in green onions and set dipping sauce aside.
  • Add kimchi, peanuts, peanut butter, maple, and 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 bell peppers, carrots, cucumber, and cut 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.
  • Transfer to your clean work surface and carefully 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 finished rolls from sticking together and tearing.)
  • Repeat steps 5-8 until all of your filling is used up.
  • Serve fresh kimchi spring rolls cut in half with dipping sauce. Enjoy!

See how we calculate recipe costs here.

Notes

*If you are vegan, make sure to check that the kimchi you are buying does not list fish as an ingredient. If you are not vegan, no worries!
**Don’t let the kimchi filling touch the spring roll paper. It won’t firm up and is more likely to tear or stay mushy. You want the spring roll/rice paper wrapper to firm up as the finished spring rolls sit out for a bit.

Nutrition

Serving: 1summer roll | Calories: 377kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 17g | Sodium: 1008mg | Fiber: 4g
side view of kimchi spring rolls on a platter with a bowl of sauce in the middle.

how to make FRESH Kimchi SPRING Rolls – step by step photos

dipping sauce in a white bowl.

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.

kimchi, peanuts, peanut butter, and oil in a food processor.

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.

kimchi filling in 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.

julienned veggies and lettuce on a cutting board.

Julienne 2 bell peppers, 2 carrots, 1 cucumber, and cut 1 head of green leaf lettuce into 2-inch pieces.

dipping rice paper in water.

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.

filling a rice paper wrapper with kimchi and veggies.

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.*

rolling a kimchi spring roll.

Gently wrap each spring roll, tucking in the sides to keep all of the filling from falling out.

kimchi spring rolls on a cutting board.

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!

dipping a kimchi spring roll into a vat of sauce in the center of a platter.

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.

Caramelized Peanut Coffee Cake

Whenever I’m looking through a new cookbook, what never fails to make me bookmark a recipe is when I come across something that has caramelized nuts on it, or in it. Whether it be Honey-Almond Squares or Swedish Almond Cake, you can be sure you’ll find me in my kitchen within the next 24 hours, and baking it. This Caramelized Peanut Cake that takes very…

Whenever I’m looking through a new cookbook, what never fails to make me bookmark a recipe is when I come across something that has caramelized nuts on it, or in it. Whether it be Honey-Almond Squares or Swedish Almond Cake, you can be sure you’ll find me in my kitchen within the next 24 hours, and baking it. This Caramelized Peanut Cake that takes very little effort to make, but yields big rewards. Big, crunchy, peanutty ones, with a bonus of moist, buttery cake underneath, holding it all together.

The good thing about this cake (aside from it being covered with a generous pile of caramelized salted peanuts, as if it can get any better than that) is that you likely have most of the ingredients already on hand. That was my case, so I was able to make it right away. The only ‘technique’ you need to master is boiling butter, honey, cream and sugar, then stirring in the roasted peanuts. The topping couldn’t be easier.

This recipe is adapted from The Joys of Baking, an unabashedly sweet ode to baking by Samantha Seneviratne that riffs off stories and situations in her life, ones that inspired the recipes. Gingered Cashew Nut Brittle showered with sesame seeds, a Roasted Plum Cloud Cake topped with swirls of snowy meringue, bittersweet Amaro Stracciatella Ice Cream, and Salted Chocolate-Covered Chocolate Caramels are the kinds of things that I’d agree are a joy to bake, and to eat.

So how could I resist cake topped with SALTED CARAMELIZED PEANUTS? Sorry for shouting, but this cake is something to shout about. I mean, just look at it…

The only difficulty you might encounter is getting the cake neatly out of the pan. Mine got a little dark around the edges (why, oh why, wasn’t I born a food stylist, to make mine as neat as the one in the photo in the book?) I found that letting the cake rest for about 5 to 10 minutes after it comes out to the oven, then using a sharp paring or utility knife that’s either sprayed with a bit of non-stick spray, or lightly greased, to separate the sides from the cake pan while it’s still warm, is your best bet for easy (or easier) removal of the ring of the springform pan. Any pieces that fall off can be reaffixed to the cake.

Or let them cool…and eat them yourself.

Which is what I did with the missing chunk in the photo, above. (Why, oh why, wasn’t I born with photo editing skills?) But honesty is the best policy, and I hope you’ll trust me when I say this cake is as good as it looks. And if a few pieces go missing, here and there, well – you only have yourself to blame. But unlike me, you don’t have to tell anyone about it.

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Caramelized Peanut Coffee Cake

Adapted from The Joys of Baking: Recipes and Stories for a Sweet Life by Samantha Seneviratne One tip: If you have low-fat milk on hand, you don't need to go out and buy whole milk just to make this cake. Since the topping only calls for 1/4 cup (60ml) of cream, you'll likely have some leftover cream if you've gone out and bought a carton or bottle. So you can mix some of that cream in 50:50 proportions with low-fat milk to approximate whole milk. Another tip from a reader, who used a silicone cake mold (which I don't own) and said the cake slipped out of the mold easily and the sides didn't get too dark.
Servings 8 servings

Ingredients

For the peanut topping

  • 6 tablespoons (3 ounces, 85g) unsalted butter cubed
  • 1/3 cup (65g) sugar
  • 3 tablespoons (60g) honey
  • 1/4 cup (60ml) heavy cream
  • 1 1/2 cups (7 ounces, 195g) roasted, salted peanuts

For the cake

  • 6 tablespoons (3 ounces, 85g) unsalted butter cubed, at room temperature
  • 2 cups (280g) flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder preferably aluminum-free
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
  • 1 cup (200g) sugar
  • 1 large egg at room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cup (180ml) whole milk at room temperature

Instructions

  • Butter the sides and bottom of a 9-inch (23cm) springform pan very well. Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC).
  • To make the peanut topping, warm the unsalted butter, sugar, honey, and heavy cream in a small saucepan, stirring occasionally until the butter is melted. Bring the mixture to a boil and let it cook at a low, but steady boil, for 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the peanuts. Set aside, stirring every once in a while to cool it down, while you make the cake batter.
  • In a small bowl, sift or whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl mixing by hand with a spatula or wooden spoon, beat the butter and sugar until light and creamy, about 3 minutes. Reduce the speed to low and add the egg and vanilla extract, stirring to combine. (You may want to stop the mixer during the step, and scrape down the sides if using a stand mixer, to make sure all the ingredients are well incorporated.)
  • Stir half of the flour mixture into creamed butter (with the stand mixer set on low speed), then add the milk, then mix in the rest of the dry ingredients.
  • Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Spoon the peanut mixture over the top of the cake. It will have thickened up but do your best to make sure it's relatively even, and avoid pushing it right up to the sides of the pan, as it'll stick to the pan and make it a little difficult to release later.
  • Bake the cake for 50 to 55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Do not touch the top of the cake to check for doneness as the caramel is hot and sticky, and it can burn. (Trust me...) Let the cake stand 5 to 10 minutes, then lightly grease a paring or utility knife and run it around the outside of the cake to release it from the sides of the pan. Then remove the outside ring of the springform pan. If any bits of caramelized peanuts stick or come off when removing the outside ring, either reunite them with the cake, or let them cool and eat them yourself.

Notes

Serving: Serve the cake just as it is, or with lightly whipped cream or a favorite flavor of ice cream.
Storage: The cake is best the day it's made but can be kept at room temperature for up to three days either well-wrapped or under a cake dome.

5-Ingredient Snickers Chocolate Bark

Introducing our DREAM dessert for Halloween (and beyond)! A peanutty, caramelly, vegan chocolate bark studded with flaky salt. It’s like a sophisticated Snickers bar (!!), but words can’t prepare you for the magic of the first bite!
Even better? Minima…

5-Ingredient Snickers Chocolate Bark

Introducing our DREAM dessert for Halloween (and beyond)! A peanutty, caramelly, vegan chocolate bark studded with flaky salt. It’s like a sophisticated Snickers bar (!!), but words can’t prepare you for the magic of the first bite!

Even better? Minimal prep time, just 5 ingredients, and it keeps well in the freezer for easy snacking for weeks (or so we think…good luck keeping it around that long!). Let’s make candy, friends!

5-Ingredient Snickers Chocolate Bark from Minimalist Baker →

Chicken Lettuce Wraps

These Chicken Lettuce Wraps are full of freshness and bold flavor, easy to prepare, and satisfying in every bite!

The post Chicken Lettuce Wraps appeared first on Budget Bytes.

Of all the small plate recipes, one of the easiest to prepare and one of my personal favorites is Chicken Lettuce Wraps. The crisp lettuce leaves hold a saucy ground chicken and vegetable mixture and every bite is full of freshness and bold flavor! If you love to make Asian-inspired recipes as much as I do, then you might already have a lot of these ingredients at home, which makes this recipe simple, easy to prepare, and satisfying in every bite!

Overhead shot of chicken lettuce wraps with a small bowl of chopped peanuts and a small bowl of peanut lime dressing served on the side.

Ingredients Needed For Chicken Lettuce Wraps

This recipe includes 3 simple elements: a sauce, the chicken and vegetable filling and a dressing drizzled on top. The dressing is optional, but highly recommended :)

  • Ground Chicken – ground chicken is a very lean meat with not a lot of fat, but it comes to life with this delicious sauce poured on top. You can easily sub the chicken for ground turkey or ground pork if you prefer.
  • Vegetables – I kept things simple with some chopped water chestnuts and a diced red bell pepper. You can find the water chestnuts usually in the International food aisle.
  • The Sauce – the sauce is the star of the show in these lettuce wraps! It’s made with a simple mixture of asian sauces, sesame oil, rice vinegar, and a little bit of fresh ginger and garlic.
  • Peanut Lime Dressing – when you order chicken lettuce wraps in a restaurant it’s often served with a dipping sauce, but we decided to pair ours with a half portion of our fav creamy Peanut Lime Dressing! You only need a little bit drizzled on each lettuce wrap and it adds great depth of flavor to these tasty wraps.

What Lettuce Is Best For Lettuce Wraps?

You can use a variety of different types of lettuce for chicken lettuce wraps including bibb lettuce, butter lettuce, green leaf lettuce or even romaine lettuce. We opted for these cute iceberg lettuce boats that we caught on sale, and the chicken filling fits perfectly inside each one. Bibb lettuce will wrap nicely around the filling and looks beautiful plated, but it can also be on the pricier side.

Ingredient Substitutions

I love recipes that you can easily customize with ingredients you already have in your fridge or pantry. Here are few suggestions:

  • Ground turkey – ground turkey also works well in these lettuce wraps. It’s leaner than beef and tastes great with the sauce! Just make sure you buy 93% lean ground turkey and not ground turkey breast which has almost zero fat in it. You definitely don’t want to make that mistake.
  • Vegetables – you can easily add or swap out the vegetables with some of your own favorites like diced onions, green bell peppers, or chopped baby bella mushrooms. Just make sure to dice them up into smaller bite size pieces so they fit nicely in the lettuce wraps.
  • Dressing & Toppings – we paired these lettuce wraps with our creamy peanut lime dressing, which worked beautifully, a few green onions and peanuts for extra texture; but feel free to skip the dressing and top with a sprinkle of sesame seeds or a little sriracha if you wanna add some spice!
Very close up shot of chicken lettuce wraps being drizzled with peanut lime dressing.

What to Serve With Chicken Lettuce Wraps

You can have chicken lettuce wraps as an appetizer or your main dish, but they also taste great paired with some coconut rice, a quick & easy vegetable lo mein, sesame cucumber salad, crispy rice noodles, or this simple cold peanut noodle salad. The noodle salad uses the same sweet & tangy peanut lime dressing so you can easily just make a full batch of the dressing and drizzle it on both!

How To Store Leftovers

If you’re lucky enough to have any leftovers, be sure to store the chicken filling and the lettuce separately. You can store the chicken filling in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Then store any extra lettuce in a food storage bag in the fridge for up to 4 days as well.

Side angle shot of chicken lettuce wraps
Overhead shot of chicken lettuce wraps with bowls of chopped peanuts, chopped green onions and peanut lime dressing on the side.
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Chicken Lettuce Wraps

These Chicken Lettuce Wraps are full of freshness and bold flavor, easy to prepare, and satisfying in every bite!
Course Appetizer, Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine Asian
Total Cost $12.94 recipe / $3.23 serving
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 4 3 lettuce wraps each
Calories 496kcal
Author Marsha – Budget Bytes

Equipment

Ingredients

Chicken Lettuce Wraps

  • 1/4 cup hoisin sauce $0.42
  • 2 Tbsp soy sauce $0.14
  • 1 Tbsp rice vinegar $0.10
  • 1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil $0.30
  • 1 Tbsp fresh grated ginger $0.60
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced $0.16
  • 1 lb ground chicken $4.49
  • 1 Tbsp cooking oil $0.04
  • 1 red bell pepper $1.25
  • 8 oz canned water chestnuts, drained $1.69
  • 2 green onions $0.22
  • 1/4 cup peanuts $0.12
  • 12 lettuce leaves $2.20

Peanut Lime Dressing

  • 1.5 Tbsp natural style peanut butter $0.11
  • 1/2 Tbsp brown sugar $0.02
  • 1 clove garlic, minced $0.08
  • 1/4 tsp fresh grated ginger $0.05
  • 1 lime $0.50
  • 1 tsp soy sauce $0.04
  • 2 Tbsp neutral oil $0.41

Instructions

  • First, make the sauce for the chicken lettuce wraps. In a small bowl combine the hoisin sauce, soy sauce, rice vinegar, toasted sesame oil, fresh grated ginger and minced garlic. Set the sauce aside.
  • Next chop the red bell pepper and water chestnuts into similar size pieces. Then slice the green onions and give the peanuts a rough chop. Set veggies and nuts aside.
  • Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the cooking oil. Once oil is heated, add the ground chicken, crumble and cook until browned.
  • Add the red bell pepper and water chestnuts to the skillet. Saute for two minutes.
  • Pour the prepared sauce mixture into the skillet and mix well. Cook for two more minutes to allow the sauce to soak into the chicken and vegetables.
  • Remove from heat and top with green onions and chopped peanuts. Serve 1/3 cup of the chicken and vegetable mixture inside each lettuce wrap and drizzle a little of the peanut lime dressing on top. Enjoy!

See how we calculate recipe costs here.

Nutrition

Serving: 3lettuce wraps | Calories: 496kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 32g | Sodium: 966mg | Fiber: 6g

How To Make Chicken Lettuce Wraps – Step By Step Photos

Overhead shot of a bowl of asian sauce mixture.

Start by making the sauce for the chicken. In a small bowl mix 1/4 cup hoisin sauce, 2 Tbsp soy sauce, 1 Tbsp rice vinegar, 1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil, 1 Tbsp fresh grated ginger, and 2 garlic cloves minced. Stir well and set aside.

Chopped bell pepper, water chestnuts, green onions and peanuts on a wood cutting board.

Dice one red bell pepper. Drain and dice one 8oz. can of water chestnuts. Slice 2 green onions and give the peanuts a rough chop. Set these ingredients to the side.

Cooked ground chicken in a large stainless steel skillet.

Add 1 Tbsp cooking oil to a large skillet and heat over medium. Once oil is hot, add 1 lb ground chicken, crumble, and cook until browned.

Cooked ground chicken with red bell pepper and water chestnuts.

Mix in diced bell pepper and water chestnuts into the skillet and saute for 2 minutes.

Asian sauce mixture being poured over cooked chicken and vegetables.

Pour the sauce mixture into the skillet and mix well. Continue to cook and stir for 2 minutes.

Finished chicken and vegetables with green onions and chopped peanuts sprinkled on top.

Remove from heat and add 2 sliced green onions and 1/4 cup chopped peanuts. Feel free to reserve some of the green onions and peanuts to add on top of the individual lettuce wraps.

Overhead close up shot of peanut lime dressing.

Next, make the peanut dressing. In a small bowl combine 1.5 Tbsp natural style peanut butter, 1/2 Tbsp brown sugar, 1 minced garlic clove, 1/4 tsp grated fresh ginger, 1 lime, 1 tsp soy sauce, 2 Tbsp neutral oil. Mix well.

Chicken and vegetable filling being added to chicken lettuce wraps.

Serve chicken filling inside lettuce with a drizzle of the peanut lime dressing and enjoy!

close up shot of chicken lettuce wraps with peanut lime dressing being drizzled on top.

More Asian Inspired Recipes

The post Chicken Lettuce Wraps appeared first on Budget Bytes.

Easy Vegetable Panang Curry (with Tofu or Chicken)

Curry that’s faster to make than it is to get it delivered? We’re in. We’ve done green, red, yellow, and Massaman curries, but we were missing another Thai classic: panang curry! Never had it? It’s like red curry’s richer, milder, peanutty cousin, and …

Easy Vegetable Panang Curry (with Tofu or Chicken)

Curry that’s faster to make than it is to get it delivered? We’re in. We’ve done green, red, yellow, and Massaman curries, but we were missing another Thai classic: panang curry! Never had it? It’s like red curry’s richer, milder, peanutty cousin, and it’s SO good!

This is our inspired, veggie-packed version made with easier-to-find ingredients and your choice of chicken or tofu for protein. It’s SO rich and comforting, you won’t believe it only takes 30 minutes.

Easy Vegetable Panang Curry (with Tofu or Chicken) from Minimalist Baker →

Trail Mix

Making homemade trail mix is a quick and easy way to make a delicious snack AND use up leftover ingredients in your pantry.

The post Trail Mix appeared first on Budget Bytes.

Trail mix is a great way to clean out your pantry and make a quick and easy snack out of your leftover forgotten-about ingredients. Because I don’t know if you’re like me, but small amounts of random ingredients tend to collect in the back of my pantry just like half-used bottles of sauces in my fridge. If you don’t stay on top of them it can quickly get out of control and result in a LOT of food waste. Instead of letting those ingredients get lost in the pantry, let’s do some Spring cleaning and make trail mix! Reduce waste and make a delicious snack? YES PLEASE.

Close up overhead view of a bowl full of trail mix.

What iS Trail Mix Made Of?

Trail mix (also known as scroggin) is simply a mix of nuts, seeds, fruit, and sometimes other ingredients. With every handful of this simple snack mix you get a nice combination of sweet and savory flavors, protein, carbs, and fat, plus tons of texture and color, making it fun to eat. It’s an easy snack to eat on the go (no heating or utensils required) and is a great source of energy during activities where you don’t want a super full stomach, like hiking.

Everyone makes trail mix a little bit different, but the classic mix that you’ll find in stores is usually peanuts, raisins, M&Ms, and sometimes a second nut like almonds or cashews. I love how flexible trail mix is because it allows you to make any combination of ingredients that fits your budget, the ingredients you have on hand, and the flavors you prefer.

Other Ingredients for Trail Mix

If looking in your pantry for trail mix ideas is a little overwhelming, here are some ingredients that are perfect for trail mix:

  • Nuts: peanuts, almonds, cashews, pecans, walnuts, coconut, hazelnuts, pistachios, mixed nuts
  • Seeds: sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
  • Dried Fruit: raisins, cranberries, banana chips, apple, pineapple, ginger, dates, apricots, freeze-dried strawberries
  • Chocolate: chocolate chips, carob chips, M&Ms, white chocolate chips, butterscotch chips
  • Snacks & Candy: pretzels, granola, popcorn, Chex, Cheeze-its, chocolate or yogurt covered raisins, marshmallows, licorice, rice crackers, Reece’s Pieces
Overhead view of bowls of ingredients for trail mix.

Make Trail Mix Budget-Friendly

Nuts and dried fruit can be expensive, which is why I like to just use random leftover ingredients that I find in my pantry. BUT you can also tweak the ratios of your trail mix to keep the total cost low. Make sure to bulk up your trail mix with less expensive ingredients and then add in just a small handful of the more expensive ingredients.

Low Cost: peanuts, cereal, raisins, pretzels, marshmallows, coconut, popcorn

Expensive: most nuts, pumpkin seeds, dried fruit (other than raisins), brand name snacks (M&Ms, Cheeze-its, etc.)

Trail Mix Flavor Combinations

I’ve included a very basic trail mix recipe below, but if you still need a little inspo for your own homemade mix, here are some fun combos that I’ve made in the past:

  • Fruit & Nut Trail Mix: peanuts, cashews, almonds, raisins, dried cranberries, dried apricots
  • Tropical Trail Mix: banana chips, cashews, coconut, dried pineapple, dried cranberries
  • S’mores Trail Mix: peanuts, mini marshmallows, chocolate chips, graham crackers (broken into pieces) or golden grahams cereal
  • Snack Trail Mix: popcorn, pretzels, chocolate chips, peanuts
Overhead view of a bowl of fruit and nut trail mix.
Overhead view of a bowl full of S'mores trail mix.
Overhead view of a bowl full of tropical trail mix.
Overhead view of a bowl full of snack trail mix.

How to Store Trail Mix

Because trail mix is made out of all dry, shelf stable ingredients, you’ll want to store it the same way you store the individual ingredients–in an air-tight container away from sunlight and moisture. I highly suggest keeping the trail mix in something clear, like a glass jar or zip top baggies, so you’ll see and remember that you have the trail mix on hand. Even better yet, divide it into small single-serving containers so you’ve got snacks ready to grab and go for the day!

Overhead close up view of a bowl full of trail mix.
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Trail Mix

Making homemade trail mix is a quick and easy way to make a delicious snack AND use up leftover ingredients in your pantry.
Course Snack
Cuisine American
Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Servings 4 ½ cup each
Calories 372kcal
Author Beth – Budget Bytes

Ingredients

  • 1 cup peanuts $0.70
  • 1/4 cup raisins $0.39
  • 1/4 cup pepitas (pumpkin seeds) $0.50
  • 1/4 cup chocolate chips $0.49
  • 1/4 cup shaved coconut $0.42
  • 1/4 cup dried cranberries $0.31

Instructions

  • Combine all ingredients in a bowl or resealable container and stir to combine. Enjoy one handful at a time!

See how we calculate recipe costs here.

Nutrition

Serving: 0.5cup | Calories: 372kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 27g | Sodium: 13mg | Fiber: 6g

What’s your favorite ingredient or ingredient combination for trail mix? Let us know in the comments below!

More Snack Recipes

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Peanut Butter Cookie Granola (Naturally Sweetened)

Cookies for breakfast? We’ve done it before and we’re doing it again. And this time it’s all the goodness of a classic peanut butter cookie in a chunky, snack-able, and crunchy granola. YUM — it’s just as good as it sounds!
This quick and easy gr…

Peanut Butter Cookie Granola (Naturally Sweetened)

Cookies for breakfast? We’ve done it before and we’re doing it again. And this time it’s all the goodness of a classic peanut butter cookie in a chunky, snack-able, and crunchy granola. YUM — it’s just as good as it sounds!

This quick and easy granola is perfect with milk, yogurt, or just by the handful, friends. Bonus? Just 10 ingredients required! Let us show you how it’s done!

Peanut Butter Cookie Granola (Naturally Sweetened) from Minimalist Baker →

Peanut Noodles with Chicken

These Peanut Noodles with Chicken are an easy meal with a rich, creamy, sweet, and savory flavor that is completely addictive.

The post Peanut Noodles with Chicken appeared first on Budget Bytes.

Are you looking for a quick, creamy, lusciously rich, and easy dinner? I got you. These Peanut Noodles with Chicken are straight-up addictive with their sweet-savory-spicy-rich sauce and tender chunks of chicken breast. Plus, the whole recipe comes together in a cinch, so this is a great last-minute meal for those days when you just need something easy and GOOD. I think you’re going to love this one!

Overhead view of peanut noodles with chicken in a skillet with tongs.

What Are Peanut Noodles

This dish features noodles (any kind) and small bites of tender chicken breast drenched in a creamy sauce that’s inspired by Thai peanut sauce. The sauce is a rich mix of creamy coconut milk, savory peanut butter, spicy sriracha sauce, fresh garlic and ginger, a little soy sauce and brown sugar, and a splash of lime juice to keep everything bright. This easy sauce is absolutely divine and you’re going to want to spoon it over everything!

Can I Sub the Chicken?

Absolutely! If you’re not a chicken fan you can easily substitute it with shrimp, cubed tofu, or even just leave it out and enjoy the noodles plain. It’s all about that sauce, anyway. ;)

What to Serve with Peanut Noodles

I would consider these peanut noodles a meal in and of themselves, but if you’re a side dish kind of person I would suggest pairing these rich noodles with something super light. Try Sesame Cucumber Salad, Sesame Slaw, or Roasted Broccoli Salad with Almonds.

How Are the Leftovers?

This dish is definitely the best when eaten right away because the creamy, luscious sauce tends to get soaked up by the noodles when it’s stored in the refrigerator. That being said, I probably wouldn’t turn down a plate of these noodles after reheating, but I also wouldn’t expect them to be as saucy and creamy. So if you’re big on texture making a half batch might be a better option than counting on eating the leftovers.

Peanut noodles on a plate with a fork twirled in the noodles.
Close up overhead view of peanut noodles in the skillet with tongs.
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Peanut Noodles with Chicken

These Peanut Noodles with Chicken are an easy meal with a rich, creamy, sweet, and savory flavor that is completely addictive.
Course Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine American, Thai
Total Cost $9.20 recipe / $2.30 serving
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 727kcal
Author Beth – Budget Bytes

Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup smooth natural-style peanut butter $0.40
  • 2 Tbsp sriracha $0.23
  • 2 Tbsp brown sugar $0.08
  • 1 fresh lime (2 Tbsp juice) $0.59
  • 1 Tbsp soy sauce $0.06
  • 1 clove garlic, minced $0.08
  • 1 tsp grated fresh ginger $0.10
  • 1 13.5oz. can coconut milk $2.99
  • 1 boneless, skinless chicken breast (about ⅔ lb.) $3.33
  • 1 Tbsp cooking oil $0.04
  • 8 oz. noodles* $0.89
  • 1/4 cup chopped peanuts $0.19
  • 1/4 cup chopped cilantro $0.22

Instructions

  • Prepare the peanut sauce first. In a medium bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, sriracha, brown sugar, soy sauce, 2 Tbsp lime juice, soy sauce, minced garlic, and grated ginger.
  • Add the coconut milk to the peanut sauce and whisk until smooth again.
  • Cut the chicken breast into small ½ to 1-inch sized pieces.
  • Heat a large skillet over medium-high. Once hot, add the cooking oil and swirl to coat the surface of the skillet. Add the chicken and cook until browned on all sides. Be careful not to overcook the chicken.
  • Add the prepared peanut sauce into the skillet, turn the heat down to medium-low, and stir to dissolve any browned bits off the bottom of the skillet. Let the chicken simmer in the sauce over low, stirring occasionally, while you cook the noodles.
  • Cook your noodles according to the package directions, then drain in a colander.
  • Add the cooked and drained noodles to the skillet with the peanut sauce and chicken. Toss until everything is evenly mixed and coated in sauce.
  • Top the noodles with chopped peanuts and cilantro, then enjoy!

See how we calculate recipe costs here.

Notes

*We used fettuccine for this dish but you can use any type of long noodle like spaghetti, rice noodles, or ramen noodles. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 727kcal | Carbohydrates: 56g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 43g | Sodium: 632mg | Fiber: 4g
Close up overhead view of peanut noodles in the skillet with tongs.

How to Make Peanut Noodles with Chicken – Step by Step Photos

Peanut sauce ingredients in the bowl, not mixed together.

Make the peanut sauce first so the ingredients have a few minutes to mingle and the sauce is ready to go when you need it later. Add ⅓ cup smooth natural-style peanut butter, 2 Tbsp sriracha, 2 Tbsp brown sugar, 1 Tbsp soy sauce, 1 clove of garlic (minced), 1 tsp grated fresh ginger, and 2 Tbsp lime juice to a bowl.

Coconut milk being poured into the peanut sauce.

Whisk the ingredients together until smooth, then add in one 13.5 oz. can of coconut milk. Whisk until smooth again and then set the sauce aside.

Chicken cut into chunks on an orange cutting board.

Cut one large boneless, skinless chicken breast (about ⅔ lb.) into small ½ to 1-inch chunks.

Cooked chunks of chicken in a skillet.

Heat 1 Tbsp cooking oil in a large skillet. Once hot, add the chicken and cook until browned on all sides. It’s okay if the chicken isn’t cooked through at this point. Avoid overcooking the chicken or it will become tough.

Peanut sauce being poured into the skillet with the chicken.

Pour the prepared peanut sauce into the skillet with the chicken. Turn the heat down to low and stir to dissolve any browned bits off the bottom of the skillet. Let the chicken simmer in the sauce over low, stirring occasionally, as you cook the noodles.

Cooked linguine added to the skillet.

Cook 8 oz. noodles according to their package direction, then drain in a colander. You can use linguine, spaghetti, rice noodles, ramen noodles, or any kind of long noodle.

Finished peanut noodles in the skillet without toppings.

Add the cooked and drained noodles to the skillet and stir to combine.

Peanut noodles in the skillet topped with chopped peanuts and cilantro.

Top the peanut noodles with ¼ cup chopped peanuts and ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro.

Overhead view of a plate full of peanut noodles with a fork on the side.

Enjoy the peanut noodles hot. If you have any leftover lime, cut it into wedges and squeeze a bit over top just before eating.

Overhead view of peanut noodles in the skillet with open tongs.

SO GOOD.

More Recipes with Peanut Sauce

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