Tom Ka Gai (Coconut Chicken Soup)

Ready in 35 minutes. A broth of coconut milk and lime juice is seasoned with ginger root and cayenne pepper, with strips of white chicken, fresh cilantro, and chopped scallions.

Ingredients

• ¾ pound boneless, skinless chicken meat

• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil

• 2 (14 ounce) cans coconut milk

• 2 cups water

• 2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger root

• 4 tablespoons fish sauce

• ¼ cup fresh lime juice

• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

• ½ teaspoon ground turmeric

• 2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onion

• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

• Mushrooms

Directions

• Step 1

  Cut chicken into thin strips and saute in oil for to 2 to 3 minutes until the chicken turns white.

• Step 2

  In a pot, bring coconut milk and water to a boil. Reduce heat. Add ginger, mushrooms, fish sauce, lime juice, cayenne powder and turmeric. Simmer until the chicken is done, 10 to 15 minutes.

• Step 3

  Sprinkle with scallions and fresh cilantro and serve steaming hot.

Baked Oatmeal Breakfast Bars

These are an on-the-go oatmeal bar without the artificial ingredients of commercial bars. This is the base for the bars, a recipe easily modified to suit your own tastes.

Ingredients

• 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

• ⅓ cup packed brown sugar

• 1 tablespoon white sugar

• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

• ½ teaspoon salt

• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1 cup milk

• 2 eggs

• 2 tablespoons canola oil

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

• Step 1

  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease an 8-inch square pan.

• Step 2

  Combine oats, brown sugar, white sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon together in a bowl. Whisk milk, eggs, canola oil, and vanilla extract together in a separate bowl. Stir egg mixture into oats mixture until well combined; set aside until flavors blend, about 20 minutes. Spread oats mixture into prepared square pan.

• Step 3

  Bake in the preheated oven until edges are golden brown, about 30 minutes.

Roasted Cauliflower Soup

Easy and delicious, low-carb, no-dairy, cauliflower soup. Hit that thing with some hot sauce, if you like.

Ingredients

• 1 medium head cauliflower, cut into florets

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

• 1 small onion, diced

• 2 cloves garlic, sliced, or more to taste

• 4 cups chicken broth

• 1 sprig fresh rosemary, leaves removed and chopped

• salt and ground black pepper to taste

• ¼ cup raw cashews

• 1 tablespoon tahini

• ¼ avocado

Directions

• Step 1

  Place cauliflower florets into a bowl of lightly salted water and soak for 20 minutes.

• Step 2

  Set an oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source and preheat the oven's broiler.

• Step 3

  Broil in the preheated oven until brown on top, 20 to 30 minutes.

• Step 4

  Meanwhile, heat remaining oil in a soup pot over medium-high heat. Saute onion and garlic in the hot oil until translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Add broth, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Let simmer until cauliflower is ready.

• Step 5

  Stir cauliflower into the broth with cashews and tahini. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and let simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes. Add avocado and blend using an immersion blender. Serve.

Restaurant Style Fried Rice

A quick fried rice like you get at your favorite Chinese restaurant. A couple of eggs, baby carrots, peas and soy sauce is all you need.

Ingredients

• 2 cups enriched white rice

• 4 cups water

• ⅔ cup chopped baby carrots

• ½ cup frozen green peas

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

• 2 eggs

• soy sauce to taste

• 2 tablespoons sesame oil, to taste

Directions

• Step 1

  In a saucepan, combine rice and water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes.

• Step 2

  In a small saucepan, boil carrots in water about 3 to 5 minutes. Drop peas into boiling water, and drain.

• Step 3

  Heat wok over high heat. Pour in oil, then stir in carrots and peas; cook about 30 seconds. Crack in eggs, stirring quickly to scramble eggs with vegetables. Stir in cooked rice. Shake in soy sauce, and toss rice to coat. Drizzle with sesame oil, and toss again.

Greek Chicken Skewers

Greek-inspired chicken skewers with lots of flavor! Marinade is also wonderful on grilled vegetables.

Ingredient Checklist

• ¼ cup lemon juice

• ¼ cup wok oil

• ⅛ cup red wine vinegar

• 1 tablespoon onion flakes

• 1 tablespoon minced garlic

• 1 lemon, zested

• 1 teaspoon Greek seasoning

• 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning

• 1 teaspoon dried oregano

• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

• ½ teaspoon dried thyme

• 3 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, or as needed, cut into 1-inch pieces

• 8 bamboo skewers, or as needed, soaked in water for 30 minutes

Directions

• Step 1

  Whisk lemon juice, oil, vinegar, onion flakes, garlic, lemon zest, Greek seasoning, poultry seasoning, oregano, pepper, and thyme together in a bowl and pour into a resealable plastic bag.

• Step 2

  Add chicken, coat with the marinade, squeeze out excess air, and seal the bag. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

• Step 3

  Preheat the oven to 350 F.

• Step 4

  Remove chicken from the marinade and shake off excess; thread onto skewers. Discard the remaining marinade. Place the skewers on a baking sheet.

• Step 5

  Roast in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 20 minutes.

Cook's Note:

The skewers can also be cooked on the grill. Preheat an outdoor grill for medium heat and lightly oil the grate. Cook skewers on the preheated grill, turning occasionally, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center reads at least 165 F.

Christmas Stollen

This recipe comes from London's Dorchester Hotel. It's packed with dried fruit and filled with a marzipan surprise.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon active dry yeast

• ⅔ cup warm milk (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)

• 1 large egg

• ⅓ cup white sugar 

• ½ tablespoon salt

• ⅓ cup butter, softened

• 2 ½ cups bread flour

• ⅓ cup currants

• ⅓ cup sultana raisins

• ⅓ cup red candied cherries, quartered

• ⅔ cup diced candied citron

• 6 ounces marzipan

• 1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar

• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

• Step 1

  In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm milk. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.

• Step 2

  In a large bowl, combine the yeast mixture with the egg, white sugar, salt, butter, and 2 cups bread flour; beat well. Add the remaining flour, 1/4 cup at a time, stirring well after each addition. When the dough has begun to pull together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead in the currants, raisins, dried cherries, and citrus peel. Continue kneading until smooth, about 8 minutes.

• Step 3

  Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl, and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.

• Step 4

  Lightly grease a cookie sheet. Deflate the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll the marzipan into a rope and place it in the center of the dough. Fold the dough over to cover it; pinch the seams together to seal. Place the loaf, seam side down, on the prepared baking sheet. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise until doubled in volume, about 40 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

• Step 5

  Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C), and bake for a further 30 to 40 minutes, or until golden brown. Allow loaf to cool on a wire rack. Dust the cooled loaf with confectioners' sugar, and sprinkle with the cinnamon.