replace the classic

It may be totally vegan (…well…it can be…), but this sandwich is honestly amazing, with so much flavor!

Even my family agreed, this sandwich KILLS it. Ok, not any of the brothers, but the parents more than approved. Although, I’m sure if Brendan had been around when I made this sandwich he would have totally agreed, this sandwich tops all others. And please, true BLT lovers, do not hate me for this IPS. You have to understand that this sandwich is not meant to replace the classic.

Honestly, I would not have even called this a BLT, but then I just couldn’t think of a better name to describe it. It’s just like a BLT, but minus the bacon and + the most awesome crispy coconut. Some people call it coconut bacon, but I don’t know if I can do that. It just seems, well weird, you know IPS??

I mean, bacon is bacon…it comes from a pig…it’s bacon.

But coconut?? It’s just not bacon…but it is still INCREDIBLE. Personally, I would eat this salty, sweet and slightly smoky coconut over real bacon any day, but I have never been one of those crazed bacon lovers like some people (AKA all my brothers, yeah, and pretty much all the guys I know…except my dad, but even he still likes it IPS!).

And since we are on the subject of fake-ish bacon, have you guys read about this seaweed bacon?? I mean, what?!?! It’s all over the internet and you know, I’m not so sure about it. Seaweed bacon??? Huh?? I’ll try it of course, but I’m definitely skeptical. Thoughts? Comments You beauty?

Anyway, this sandwich, BLT or whatever you want to call it, is something you just gotta make. It’s healthy, colorful and seriously SO good.

And it’s also easy to make, that right there is a pretty big bonus, easy AND delicious!!

SIDENOTE: I was hiking Saturday and someone recognized me from the blog. WEIRDEST thing ever….but totally cool!!

Vegan BLT (…minus that egg) with Chipotle Tahini “Mayo”-9

As for what is actually in the “coconut bacon” it’s just a simple mix of pure maple, soy sauce or tamari, coconut oil and apple cider vinegar or liquid smoke. I used apple cider vinegar because the idea of the liquid smoke creeps me out a little + I cannot find a good brand in my grocery store. So apple cider it was, I thought it worked great, but if you are into it, go ahead and try the liquid smoke!

Ok and the mayo?? Well, it is not really mayo, but I swear it’s better, and it’s what I will be using in place of mayo from here on out. Mayo has never been my favorite, so I am loving this alternative. It’s just tahini (sesame seed paste) mixed with chipotle chile peppers, but it’s the best sauce. And it is actually super healthy too. Soooo…you can REALLY lather it on.

Yummers.

And the rest is all the basic BLT stuff. Heirloom tomatoes (the best, I will be so sad when they are gone), lettuce (I actually used dandelion greens from my yard) and umm an egg because I cannot do a BLT without an egg. I just can’t.

Oh, and if you are not vegan, I HIGHLY recommend adding a slice or two of brie to the bottom piece of bread and then melting it under the broiler before adding your lettuce + tomatoes + coconut. I maybe did this after the photos and it was maybe completely the best decision I ever made.

mashed broad beans

The vegetable gardens are now starting to bloom again as I got the first batch of harvests from my colleagues, this time it’s quite different because before I usually have fruits and pumpkins California Fitness, now it was broad beans. It’s nice to receive these fresh and organic crops as it becomes a challenge to me on what shall I do with them, especially when it’s given to you on the start of the week after you finished your weekly grocery, how do I incorporate this with our weekly menu Beverly skin refining center.

Broad beans is not a usual vegetable in the Filipino cuisine so it adds complexity to the challenge, luckily we dine out a lot in some good restaurants so I am exposed to some dishes I don’t usually cook at home English Private Tuition. Like this post which I got the inspiration from a restaurant I tried not long ago, a simple dish of grilled lamb racks topped with some mashed broad beans.

Before we go on to the recipe Ang Sarap and Tuttle Publishing is giving away 3 books which contains Singapore Cooking plus your choice of 2 books (worth US$20.00 and below) from the Tuttle Publishing range. Competition is open for 2 weeks and we accept entries worldwide, just fill in your details on this competition page to join..

What are you waiting for join now to win the book of your choice!

linguine noodles

On her dinner rotation night, my sister made this simple creamy linguine and shrimp. And miracle of all the big family miracles: dinner was served and the table fell silent except for forks twisting noodles and carrying them up to hungry open mouths. Twist, eat, repeat. After three hundred hours of eating these creamy noodles with fresh herbs and delicate and buttery shrimp, we all entered the Post-Food Happy Zone.

And could she please please please make it again for all the remaining cabin dinners? Like yum.

So good news for everyone who wishes they were at the cabin but is actually just here in their normal life right now (meeeeee).

This recipe is BOTH a quick weeknight meal and something that you might feel like you’d order at a restaurant. That’s a one-two punch, friends. It’s my favorite thing ever.

Whole wheat linguine noodles cook up in a pot of hot broth for a really extra yummy flavor, and then they get tossed with a generous handful of Parmesan, parsley, and shrimp that has been sautéed in a garlic butter sage white wine bath of delicious. You heard me. You’re tossing the shrimp with the noodles, herbs, and cheese, and pouring a bit of cream over the whole thing to make it almost resemble an Alfredo, except more delicately light and creamy in a way that lets all of the cheese, herbs, garlic, and white wine shine through in each bite.

the sausage balls

My absolute favorite appetizers are cheese and sausage balls – they always have been and they will always be. That recipe will go up in next few days but that’s not what we’re discussing here. Today’s subject is the Buffalo Chicken Ball!

The idea for these buffalo chicken balls came to me when I was prepping buffalo chicken dip and sausage balls for a party. I figured I could use the same technique as the sausage balls with buffaloey chickeney ingredients and create a tasty new snack. I had to add a few more seasonings but in the end, I think they turned out pretty good!

Make sure you serve these with ranch for dipping. It really rounds out the flavor.

The perfect team

Since I just recently learned how to cook (I’m still learning…I probably shouldn’t write that in the past tense!), I never realized I had such a love for grilling! Pat and I received a gorgeous gas grill as a gift for our wedding (thanks to some amazing friends), and it was been getting some amazing use this summer! Some of my favorite recipes I’ve ever posted on The Cookie Rookie have been from the grill. This recipe is one of those favorites.  Healthy, flavorful, quick, and easy. And SO delicious California Fitness.

The Cookie Rookie As always, Scout was on hand to supervise the cooking process.  She is the absolute best sous chef…except if left alone she would eat everything in sight.  So she supervises the grill and I supervise her California Fitness.
The perfect team.

The Cookie RookieSee what I mean? She’s always around.  My Cookie Rookie mascot.
 The Cookie RookieThese are so packed with flavor, you won’t believe they’re so healthy! Its nice to feel good about eating delicious meals California Fitness.

I’m slowly but surely learning to cook healthier meals!Chicken Fajita Kebabs with Cilantro Pesto. So yummy on the grill! The Cookie RookieI love basil pesto, but had never tried, or even tasted cilantro pesto. YUM! I love cilantro on my salsas and in Mexican recipes, so it was the perfect compliment to these Chicken Fajita Kebabs.  All the flavor of Chicken Fajitas on one healthy stick.  Perfection.

The Cookie RookieChicken Fajita Kebabs with Cilantro Pesto. So yummy on the grill! The Cookie RookieA dinner without cheese that I actually adore!! I’m making progress .  Enjoy!

I am mightily motivated

There are quite a number of Vietnamese main dishes that use caramel. The word “caramel” often put me off; I am not an enthusiast for sweetness in my main dishes. I tend to favour hot, hot and spicy dishes; not to set the tongue on fire though. But most Asians do have a sweet palate; the Chinese are famous for sweet and sour dishes, Japanese have their teriyaki sauce and the Vietnamese with their caramel dishes. Of course a little sweetness is nice and it is all about the right balance thermal tea cups.
Now, the brilliant thing about home-cooked food is that I can control the amount of sweetness. As Indochina is the theme this month, I have chosen to make a caramel main dish. After all, I am not cooking for myself only. I definitely need to increase my cooking repertoire to make more friends . Especially after my bò lúc lắc experience, I am mightily motivated Adon jewelry.

Caramelised pork spare ribs is another easy everyday recipe that you can cook at home. Make sure that the caramel colour is the right deep brown colour and you will get a nice glistening sheen at the end of the cooking. The sauce is also naturally thickened without any flour, cornflour or starch-like product.

Although the pork ribs are cut into bite-sized pieces, I cannot resist using my fingers. If you want to avoid the messiness, you can use pork belly. A leaner cut perhaps. I also doubled the amount of liquid because simmering for the time the original recipe suggested it tends to dry up much quicker. Plus, I wanted a bit of sauce to have with the rice Web Vulnerability Scan.

A well-balanced caramel dish, I will definitely make this again.

Lemon Fingerling

Coincidence, fate, or sheer luck – how do you know which one is why things fall into place so nicely? Could it be a combination? Perhaps it is certain events were destined to happen. It doesn’t necessarily have to be a big event. Even the smallest or things can line up and make your day. Such is the case with another Holiday Food Party. We are celebrating Bastille Day and all fell into place for me to make Meyer Lemon Fingerling Potato Salad.
It all began with a simple question: What holiday should we celebrate next? Suggestions rolled in and the group decided on the one that meant all things French. This was a challenge I could really sink my teeth into. I’m a big fan of French food however I don’t make it often enough. Oh what a great excuse indeed. So off to the internet I went for inspiration and got sidetracked. The internet has a way of doing that you know.

An email arrived in my inbox about a week or so later. It was from the kind folks at Frieda’s. Wouldn’t you know they have produce to celebrate Bastille Day. Oh what great luck for me! Soon a box filled with meyer lemons, fingerling potatoes, shallots, and a few other items arrived at my door. Now was the final decision on what to make. I headed straight for the bookcase and pulled out Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking (affiliate link to Amazon). I decided to do an adaption of the Pommes de terre à l’huile (French Potato Salad).
How is the Meyer Lemon Fingerling Potato Salad? The nutty flavor of the fingerlings is brightened with lemon’s citrus accent. Shallots mildness enhances a simple vinaigrette. A touch of white wine combined with chicken stock is soaked in by warm potatoes. Then the potatoes are gently tossed with the dressing and served. I suggest waiting about an hour before serving to let all those flavors come together and for the potatoes to soak up some of the dressing.