Greek Raisin Almond Cake

Are you looking for an easy cake recipe?  You have come to the right place because this is a blog that has many easy recipes for making cake for people that baking is not their strong suit. I am one of them, so I have been looking for easy recipes to make muffins, etc..that don't require professional skills but are still delicious and that will surely bring a lot of compliments.  If you already have yogurt and milk that are nearing their expiration dates, instead of having to throw them away, this recipe will solve this problem.

 Ingredients:

Wet ingredients:

2 eggs

1/2 cup nonfat Greek yogurt

1/3 cup oil

1/4 cup nonfat milk

3/4 cup to 1 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

Dry ingredients:

2 cups self-rising flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 cup raisins

1/3 cup sliced almonds

Directions:

Cut a piece of parchment paper to fit the bottom of an 8” x 8” baking dish and spray the paper with vegetable oil. 

Preheat oven to 350°.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine all the wet ingredients and use a handheld beater to beat them well.

Sift the flour and baking soda into the wet mixture and use the beater on low motion to combine them well.

Add the raisins and mix well.

Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan. Top with almond slices.

Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

Let cool and enjoy.

Easy Soy Sauce Chicken

Chicken is one of the easiest foods to prepare; it can be combined with many spices and vegetables that can transform it into many delicious dishes, especially steamed chicken. Today, I will introduce you to a new recipe - steamed chicken with soy sauce and simple ingredients, but it is extremely easy to make. The steamed chicken is a Chinese dish that uses the whole chicken. However, the sauce, which is also called the master sauce, used to marinate the whole chicken will be reused many times in the Chinese restaurant. In the home kitchen, the soy sauce chicken should be much easier to prepare, so everyone can make it in a small kitchen. It is also fairly simple. Just marinate the chicken with soy sauce and then steam it to have a very attractive dish with tender meat and a rich taste for your family meal. However, to make it simpler, chicken thighs can be used as a substitute for a whole chicken for a small group of your family members. Even though, with a smaller version of this recipe, the results are also very delicious. This dish can be steamed, baked in the oven, or boiled in a small pot. Sauce after steaming or boiling can be used with this chicken as a dipping sauce.

Ingredients:

3 chicken thighs

1 tbs blackstrap molasses*

1 tsp salt

Sauce ingredients:

1 cup water

2 tbs sugar

1 tbs oyster sauce

1 tbs cooking wine

2 garlic cloves, sliced

1 small piece ginger, peeled and sliced

3 stalks of green onion, cut into 2 inch lengths

2 star anise

1 small cinnamon stick

2 bay leaves

Directions:

Wash and rinse the chicken well and pat dry.

Rub the chicken with salt and molasses and let the chicken marinate for 1 hour.

Combine the sauce ingredients in a bowl and set aside.

In a large sauce pan, grill the chicken on both sides (about 3 minutes on each side).

Then pour the sauce into the pan and bring to a boil. Turn the heat to simmer; cover the pan with the lid and cook for 30 minutes or until the chicken is done. 

You can try to poke a sharp knife into the meat, and a liquid should come out clear.

Serve with cooked rice.

One Pot Chicken with Yellow Rice and Herbs

Chicken rice and herbs is a recipe that I think even when busy is a recipe for a delicious and nutritious dish for the family. In this recipe, you can use chicken breasts or thighs, but leave out the bones and skin to make sure the dish doesn't have a lot of fat. I often use the herbs that I have in my garden.  However, not many people can grow a lot of herbs, so you can use herbs that can be easily purchased in supermarkets. More or less herbs will not change the taste of this dish. 

 

Ingredients:

2 cups basmati

Rice or long grain rice

1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1 inch cubes

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

Herbs:

1 cup total combination of herbs that you can find, such as oregano, dill, mints, sage, parsley, roughly chopped

Vegetables:

1 carrot, diced

1 chayote, peeled and diced

1 cup button mushrooms, diced

Seasonings:

Salt, pepper, and mushroom seasoning

1 tsp yellow food color 

Other ingredients:

Chicken broth or water (less than 2 cups because of the vegetables that you are using)

Directions:

In a rice cooker, heat the olive oil. 

Cook the onions until soft and translucent (about 5 to 7 minutes).

Add the garlic and cook until fragrant (about 30 seconds additional).

Add the cubed chicken and seasonings to taste and cook until the chicken is cooked (about 5 -7 minutes). Stir in chopped herbs (save some for garnish).

Add the rice and cook with the chicken to lightly toast (about 1-2 minutes).

Add the vegetables. Season with salt and pepper again, then pour the chicken broth on top. Add the yellow food color. 

                                         

Close the lid and turn to cook function.

Fluff the rice when the the cooking process is done.

Serve with fresh herbs 

Tip:

You can choose the vegetables of your choice. I am Vietnamese so I like to use chayote for this dish.

Easy, Healthy Coconut Sugar Cookies

According to many scientists, there is an incredible health benefit in the unique group of saturated fats found in coconut oil. The coconut and coconut oil are used in many medical areas especially for skin care products. Some other studies have shown that the coconut oil's direct effect onto blood cholesterol has generally been shown to be neutral, it may indirectly lower the LDL (bad) cholesterol and increase HDL(good) cholesterol. You are here to find an easy recipe to make, so I will not waste your time to discuss scientific matters. Many web sites introduce the coconut oil as a new miracle food for this century; you can do some research before making this recipe as a snack for your family.  I like butter sugar cookies, but adding butter and sugar for these cookies does not make a healthy snack. When I try to use coconut oil for this recipe, I like it because it is the most important ingredient in this recipe. I add some other dried fruits into this recipe as well. The result is perfect.

Ingredients:

Dry ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flower

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

3/4 cup powdered sugar or granulated sugar

1/2 cup dried fruits, roughly chopped into small chunks

Wet ingredients:

3/4 cup coconut oil

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1 egg

Equipment: 

Baking sheet, parchment paper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°.

In a mixing bowl, combine all the dry ingredients and mix well.

In a blender (any brand is acceptable), add the wet ingredients and blend well.

Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and mix well to form the dough.

Use an ice cream scoop to form the dough into 1 inch balls and place onto the baking sheet 1 inch apart. Flatten the balls to about 1/2 inch thickness. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven until becoming a golden pale tan. Transfer to wire rack to cool.

Stir-Fried Chayote and Carrot with eggs

Chayote is one of the foods that are often used in daily meals because of its delicious taste and is also very good for health. Also a carrot adds to the sweetness to this dish. Combining these two vegetables with catchy colors to the scrambled eggs will make this dish attractive and delicious. In today’s busy life, this is the dish that can easily accompany with everyday meals because it is simple and nutritious for everyone.

Ingredients:

2 chayote

1 carrot

 3 eggs

 4 scallions, about 4 branches

2 shallots, thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 tbs peanut oil or canola for stir frying

Stir-fried sauce ingredients:

1/4 cup water

1 tbs oyster sauce

1 tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp mushrooms seasoning or chicken powder

2 tbs soy sauce

1/4 tsp black pepper

Directions:

Peel the chayote. Then cut in half, remove the seeds, slice, and then shred.

Peel the carrot. Then cut into 2 pieces, slice, ​​and then shred.

Wash the scallions. Cut into small pieces. Separate the white and green parts of the scallion and set aside the onion heads and onion leaves.

Break eggs into a bowl. Whisk well and season with salt and pepper. Add the white scallion with the eggs.

In a pot, bring water to boil. Blanch chayote and carrots, and then soak them in ice cold water. This method will keep them crispy.

Combine the stir-fried sauce ingredients and set aside.

Heat a wok over high heat; stir in shallots and garlic. 

Add eggs and crumble eggs.

 Add blanch chayote and carrot. 

Make a quick stir to combine with eggs and stir in the sauce. Adjust the seasonings to suit your taste. Cook further for 2 minutes and stir in the rest of the green onion. Turn the heat off.

Serve with cooked rice

Tip for buying chayote:

How to choose to buy fresh chayote

Chayote is delicious when the stalk is fresh, the skin is glossy, and there are many spines. The fruits of chayote are much greener and if you click on them, they will feel soft, and the young fruit will taste better. You should choose chayote fruit with few notches to make it easier to process.

Do not choose the chayote that is wilted, deformed, or has stinging bees.

Because chayote has a certain amount of latex inside, to avoid getting pus onto your hands and causing discomfort during preliminary processing, prepare a bowl of water. When peeling, you must soak the chayote in a bowl of water for about 1-2 minutes to let the latex inside out, so it won't stick to your hand anymore.

After soaking the chayote, take it out and split it in half. If chayote still has latex on your hands, continue to soak for 1-2 minutes and then cut the chayote into small pieces or your choice of shapes.

Use glove to avoid the pus on your 

Shaking Tofu

Tofu, or bean curds, is made by pressing curdling soy milk into a solid block. Some tofu is firm while others are more soft and smooth. It can be sliced into different shapes and cooked in lots of ways.

People in Japan have made tofu for more than 2,000 years. It’s gotten popular in other places more recently. Some people complain that it's bland, but it nicely takes on the flavor of the sauce or seasonings you prepare it with. Also, it’s got a lot of health benefits going for it. Tofu is almost an indispensable food in vegetarian dishes besides vegetables, beans, and mushrooms. This is a healthy plant-based protein source made entirely from soybeans. Vegetarian dishes made with ingredients from tofu are quite diverse, rich in flavor, delicious, and nutritious for vegetarians.  I will introduce you to a very simple recipe to make a very interesting and delicious dish from tofu. Shaking tofu with a combination of tofu and bell peppers will surely bring you a unique experience.

Ingredients:

16 oz. firm tofu

1/2 cup cornstarch

Vegetables:

1 white onion, cut into big chunks

Combination of red, green, and yellow bell peppers (about 2 cups)

Green onion and cilantro for garnish 

Sauce ingredients:

2 tbs soy sauce

1 tbs vegan oyster sauce

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 tbs honey or sugar

1 tbs vegetarian seasoning

Serve with rice

Directions:

Have all the ingredients ready,

Cut the tofu into small cubes and place into a small bowl. Then add the cornstarch and mix well. Immediately afterwards, empty the mixture into a sieve, which will help to remove excess cornstarch.

In a small bowl, combine the sauce ingredients and mix well.

Put the pan on the stove, add the cooking oil, and heat it up. In the hot oil, fry the tofu over medium heat until the tofu is golden, then take it out.

Remove the oil from the pan and then add ½ of the red onion to the pan and fry until fragrant. Add bell peppers and stir well. Season with ½ tablespoon of vegetarian seasoning and stir-fry for 2 minutes, then turn off the heat and scoop out.

In the same pan, add 1 tablespoon of cooking oil. When the oil is hot, add the rest of the minced shallots and sauté until fragrant, then turn off the heat. Add the sauce and ground pepper and stir well.

Put the fried tofu in the pan and stir over low heat so that the tofu clings to the spices, then add the bell peppers. Continue to stir a little. Then sprinkle green onions to taste and turn off the heat.

Serve with hot rice and enjoy.

With only a few ingredients that are easy to buy and a little time to prepare, we have a delicious shaking tofu dish for vegans. I hope that with this delicious dish, you will have one more entry to include in your family's vegetarian menu. 

Stir-fried Chicken with Cashew Nuts

Cashews for many people are thought of as a snack. However, cashews are also a popular ingredient of many exotic dishes, contributing to the deliciousness. One of these dishes is Stir-fried Chicken with Cashew Nuts - a famous delicacy of many Asian street food vendors. Each Asian country will have slightly different ways to make a sauce, but the method is very much the same. If spicy taste is your choice, then choose the Thai style. For this recipe, I like to use the sauce balanced between the Chinese and the Thai sauce. I am Vietnamese, but I think this dish is originally from China. The roasted cashew nuts recipe is such a combination, bursting with flavors and adding more protein for this dish. Of course, this dish can be easily turned into a vegetarian dish by using tofu instead of chicken. Because we live in America and not in other countries, such as Vietnam or other Asian countries, we can use the already roasted cashew nuts sold in the supermarket to save time for making this dish . This dish is rich in nutritional value and not only favored for its delicious taste.  The effects of cashews are extremely diverse. They are not only rich in protein, cashews are also a rich source of fiber that is effective in improving constipation. The fiber in cashews helps you feel full for a long time, thereby reducing the amount of starch and hunger pains, which is good support for the weight loss process. What's better than when a meal is both delicious and healthy?

Ingredients:

1 chicken breast, washed and diced

1/2 cup roasted cashew nuts

Marinade ingredients:

1 tsp. cornstarch

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. sugar

1/4 tsp white pepper

1 tbs oil

Vegetables:

1 carrot, sliced into 1/2 thick coins (about 1/2 cup)

Red and green bell pepper diced same size as chicken (about 1 cup)

Spices:

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 piece fresh ginger peel and smashed

1/2 cup diced white onions

2 green onions separate the white part and sliced.

Sauce ingredients:

1/3 cup water

1 tsp cornstarch

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp white pepper

1 tbs soy sauce

1 tsp black strap molasses

1 tsp black vinegar

1 tsp cooking wine

1 tsp mushroom seasoning or chicken powder

Other requirements:

Chopped cilantro and oil for cooking

Cooked rice

Directions:

Add the chicken with the marinade ingredients and mix well. Let the mixture marinate for 30 minutes.

Bring a pot of water to boil and blanch the carrot in the boiling water for 1 minute. Drain.

In a wok, add 1 tbs oil and heat until hot. Add chicken and cook for 5 minutes or until the chicken is no longer pink or gets brown. Remove and set aside.

In the same pan, add 1 tsp oil and add spices. Stir and cook until fragrant (about 1 minute).

Stir in carrots and bell pepper. Cook for 2 minutes. 

Return the chicken to the wok and add the sauce. Stir and cook until the sauce has thickened; Stir in the cashew nuts. Adjust the seasoning to your liking. Turn off the heat and add the green parts of scallion and cilantro.

Serve with rice.