Wonton Soup

It's cold here in Washington and this wonton soup is EXACTLY what I needed to warm up today. It's light and filling at the same time, and you know what??? You won't feel like a complete COW after you've devoured and slurped each and every tiny drop of that delicious broth. Give this soup a try...you won't be sorry. :)


For the broth you will need:

(3) 32 oz boxes of low sodium chicken broth plus 2 more cups of water(3.5 quarts total)
2 T of sugar
1/2 tsp of freshly grated ginger
1 1/2 tsp of salt
3 packets of wonton soup base mix( I use the brand dynasty)
1/8 tsp of white pepper(or more if you like spicy)
1 tsp of sesame oil

For the filling you will need:

1/2 pound of finely chopped shrimp(peeled and deveined)
1/4 of a pound(or 4 oz) of ground pork(give your pork a few quick chops on cutting board before mixing w/ shrimp)
3 T of finely chopped green bartlett pear(or water chestnut/celery if you wish)
1 green onion finely chopped
1 tsp of sugar
1/4 tsp of salt
1/4 tsp of white pepper
1/2 tsp of garlic powder
some freshly grated ginger

You will also need:

chopped green onion for garnish
1 to 2 pkg's of wonton wrappers
1 egg lightly beaten

To make the broth:

Bring your chicken broth and water to a boil. Grate in your ginger. Add your salt and sugar. Add in your wonton soup mix. Stir to combine. Turn heat down(or off) and add in your white pepper and sesame oil last. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Don't make the broth too salty. You don't want it to overpower the taste of the wonton.

How to make the filling:

Place all of your ingredients into a mixing bowl and thoroughly mix it with clean hands. Once mixed, cover and let refrigerate for 1 hr to overnight.

How to assemble wontons:

Place 1/2 tsp to 1 tsp of filling onto the middle of wonton wrapper. Using a pastry brush, lightly dab on some egg wash on all four sides of wonton wrapper. Fold over to create a triangle. Press the sides down gently and fold using technique shown in my video. Remember to have a damp cloth over filled wontons and wonton wrappers at all times to prevent drying out.

Place filled wontons in boiling water and cook for 5 minutes or until they all float to the surface. I recommend cooking ONE WONTON FIRST to taste for seasoning. Sometimes, I end up adding a touch more salt, sometimes more sugar. Once all cooked, using a slotted spoon, place in colander to drain excess water. Place wontons in pretty serving bowl, ladle on some warm broth, and garnish with chopped green onion.

Notes:
You may freeze any leftover filling that you don't use. You may also cut the broth recipe in half. If using baby bok choy and mushrooms, I recommend boiling them separately(not with the broth), drain them, and add them into individual bowls as needed. Pouring broth over some noodles is also optional.

Watch the video here on how to fold the wontons. Don't laugh at the video guys, it's old and was probably my 3rd video that I posted on my channel! LOL.

Carrot Cake Cupcakes

These carrot cake cupcakes are to die for! They are super moist and not too sweet. The addition of apple sauce in the batter make this cupcake slightly healthier than most. Because Halloween is approaching, I've colored some cream cheese frosting and piped some creepy spiders on top of the cupcakes. :)


Ingredients for the batter(makes about 2 dozen):

2 cups of all purpose flour(I recommend King Arthur Flour)
1 1/2 cup of sugar(use 1 1/4 cup if using sweetened apple sauce)
8 ounces of unsweetened apple sauce
1/2 cup of vegetable oil(no substitutions)
2 teaspoons of baking soda
2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon
1 tsp of salt
4 large eggs
3 cups of grated carrots
1 cup of chopped pecans or walnuts(optional)

Ingredients for the cream cheese frosting:

2 (8 ounce) packages of softened cream cheese
1 stick of softened SALTED butter
1 tsp of vanilla extract
1 1/3 cup of powdered sugar(or more if you like it sweeter)
tip #829 by Ateco to pipe the frosting(optional)
*You may want to double the frosting if you plan on piping spiders onto the tops.

For the spiders:

Black gel food coloring(I recommend Americolor)
2 piping bags
Tip #3 by Wilton
*You can also omit the tip altogether and just snip a tiny hole in the bag and then proceed to pipe out your spiders that way.


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Instructions:

In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda, sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Add eggs, apple sauce and vegetable oil. Using a hand mixer, blend until combined. Scrape the sides as needed but be careful not to over mix. Add in shredded carrots and pecans/walnuts, if using.

Using an ice cream scoop, fill your cupcake liners and bake for about 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Remove cupcakes from the pan and allow them to cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.

While your cupcakes are cooling, make your cream cheese frosting. Add all of the above ingredients into a large mixing bowl, and beat until fluffy. Add more powdered sugar as needed. Reserve some frosting for the spiders. Add in your black food coloring and mix well.

Frost your cupcakes(I use tip #829 by Ateco in the tutorial). Then, using tip #3 by Wilton, pipe your spiders. Practice piping your spiders out on a flat surface first before piping them out onto your cupcakes.

Acai Bowls

My husband and I were recently in San Diego and we absolutely fell in love with acai bowls. If you love yogurt parfaits topped with fresh fruit and granola, well then...this recipe is right up your alley!

The acai berry is a Brazilian berry packed with tons of antioxidants, amino acids, and omega fatty acids. You cannot get it fresh here, so your best bet is to locate the frozen smoothie version(by Sambazon)in your healthy frozen foods aisle.

Ingredients for 1 serving:

1 packet of frozen acai berries
1/2 of a banana
1-2 Tbsp. of apple juice(add more as needed)
6 frozen grapes(optional)
1/4 cup of frozen blueberries(optional)

For the toppings:

granola
fresh fruit
honey or agave nectar
coconut flakes
crushed peanuts/walnuts

Instructions: Throw all of the ingredients into your blender and puree until smooth. Only add enough apple juice to get your motor running. Pour it into a small bowl and top with granola, fresh fruit, honey and coconut flakes.

NOTES: For the full health benefits of the acai berry, I would recommend only adding a little bit of apple juice and then omitting everything else. Also, don't use granola with dried fruit in it. The texture doesn't fit in well with the acai bowls.

Lemongrass and Chili Oil Infused Edamame Beans

These edamame beans are the perfect game day snack. They are also the perfect thing to snack on while watching Korean dramas...just sayin'.

So easy to make but even more, they are DELICIOUS! My husband and I can eat a whole 1 pound bag of it, in one sitting. These beans will also have you licking your fingers dry, so please remember to wash your hands before consuming.

Ingredients:

1 pound of cooked edamame beans
3 cloves of chopped garlic
2 Tbsp of finely minced lemongrass
1/2 tsp of chili flakes
1 Tbsp of soy sauce(or more)
2 pinches of salt
1/2 tsp of sugar
1 tsp of sesame oil
1 tsp of chili oil
roasted sesame seeds

*You will also need some olive oil.

Instructions:

1. In a small bowl, combine your soy sauce, salt, sugar, and then set aside.
2. On medium heat, pour in some olive oil. Add in your minced lemongrass and cook for 3-4 minutes or until softened.
3. Add in your garlic and chili flakes. Continue to cook until fragrant.
4.Stir your reserved soy sauce mixture and then add it into the skillet. Mix well with the lemongrass and garlic.
5. Toss in your cooked edamame beans. Turn up the heat a little bit and continue to cook until all of the beans are evenly coated with the sauce, or until heated through.

Notes: Feel free to add a little bit more soy sauce or salt if you want it saltier. If you have some ginger, grate some of that in too for another kick of flavor! YUM!!