Wonton Happiness Salad (inspired by Souplantation)

Souplantation has always been one of my favorite places to eat. Even though they basically just serve soup, salad, and lots of carbs, something about it was just so good and I have so many memories there. I’ll never forget eating there every single time we would visit the mainland since they don’t have Souplantation in Hawaii. As I grew older, of course I became a club veg member so I could receive all the coupons and special offers. I ate there at least once a month, always looking forward to their new menu items and of course always sneaking an extra blueberry muffin in my purse on my way out.

When I found out Souplantation was permanently closing due to the Covid-19 pandemic, I was devastated. The thought of never having the tuna tarragon pasta or those fat noodles in the chicken noodle soup ever again broke my heart. My friends and I were all equally distraught so we decided to recreate some of the dishes at home for a (social distancing) potluck. I was in charge of creating the famous Asian Wonton Happiness salad which I put my own healthy twists on, of course, and surprisingly it turned out so good! Dare I say possibly better than the original? I wouldn’t go that far but I have been craving it for lunch every day since which definitely says something.

This salad is basically a Chinese chicken salad (I added chicken but souplantation’s version doesn’t have chicken) but what makes it so good is the sesame ginger dressing and the air fried wonton chips. All the yumminess of fried wonton strips without all the oil / deep frying for less guilt! I hope you guys give this recipe a try and pay homage to the great salad and soup buffet that we all love and will miss greatly. Enjoy :)

Air fried wonton strips

Souplantation potluck featuring homemade versions of their famous dishes!

Recipe: (makes about 6 servings)

1. Ingredients:

   • 4 cups romaine lettuce, cut into bite size pieces

   • 3 cups cabbage, shredded

   • 1 cup carrots, shredded

   • 4-5 wonton wrappers (for air fryer version) OR can buy pre-made wonton strips

   • 1/4 cup cilantro, stems removed

   • 1/4 cup green onions, chopped

   • 1 tbsp sesame seeds

   • 2 chicken breasts (optional)

   • optional toppings / ingredients:

     • sliced almonds

     • avocado

   • Dressing:

     1. 2 tbsp avocado oil

     2. 1/4 cup Rice vinegar

     3. 1 tbsp Sesame oil

     4. **1 tbsp soy sauce

     5. 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated

     6. 1/4 cup hoisin sauce OR see below for healthier alternative

        1. Healthier hoisin sauce (makes 1/4 cup)

           1. **1/8 cup light soy sauce

           2. 1 tbsp natural peanut butter (read ingredients, should just be made of peanuts)

           3. 1 tbsp honey

           4. 1 tsp rice vinegar

           5. 1 tsp sesame oil

           6. 1/2 tsp miso paste

           7. 1 clove garlic, grated

              **sub tamari or coconut / liquid aminos for gluten free

2. Instructions:

   1. For chicken:

      1. Bring a pot of water to a boil.

      2. Once boiling, add chicken in and cook on medium high heat for 20-25 minutes.

      3. Once time is up, place chicken in cold water immediately to stop cooking and let sit for about 5 minutes, until cool.

      4. Pat chicken dry and place in large bowl. Use two forks to shred the chicken into small bite size pieces.

   2. For dressing:

      1. Combine all dressing ingredients in a bowl and whisk until well combined.

   3. For air fryer wonton strips:

      1. Take about 6-8 wonton wrappers from package, keeping them stacked together. Cut entire square into 16 pieces so each strip is about 1 1/2” x 1/2”

      2. Separate all strips from each other and place into a bowl (it’s okay if some are still stuck together, they will separate in the air fryer.)

      3. spray a little avocado oil (option to omit oil, it will still work.) Mix well until all strips are evenly coated.

      4. Place strips in air fryer basket and set air fryer to 350 degrees F for about 8 minutes or until golden brown and crispy.

      5. Once done, let cool

   4. For salad:

      1. Place all salad ingredients except avocado, if using.

      2. Pour dressing over salad mixture and toss well to combine (start with a little dressing and add more as needed by preference)

      3. Top with avocado (if using) and serve immediately!

Crispy Eggplant Tofu (vegan)

One of my guilty pleasures and favorite places to get a quick meal is Panda Express. I know it’s not authentic Chinese food, but man is it good. My two favorite entrees at Panda would have to be the orange chicken and the eggplant tofu. However I will admit their eggplant tofu is extremely oily so I aspired to make a somewhat healthier version and add my own touch to it.

This version of the dish gives you nice crispy eggplant and tofu pieces (not deep fried!) covered in a yummy garlic and ginger soy sauce glaze. Enjoy :)

Ingredients: (makes about 2-3 servings)

• 2 small or 1 large Chinese long eggplant (regular eggplant will work too, but not as well)

• 1 tsp sea salt

• 1 tbsp cornstarch

• 1/2 block firm tofu

• Avocado oil (or any neutral vegetable oil)

• 3 cloves of garlic, minced

• 1 teaspoon of ginger, minced

• green onions, chopped (optional, for topping)

• Sauce:

  1. *1 tbsp light soy sauce (or regular soy sauce)

  2. *1/2 tsp dark soy sauce (regular soy sauce fine if you don’t have this)

  3. 1 tbsp water

  4. 2 tsp sugar (I use monk fruit sweetener or coconut sugar as a healthier alternative)

  5. 1 tsp cornstarch

     *substitute tamari for gluten free

Instructions:

1. cut eggplant into bite size pieces and then **place into a bowl of water (enough water to cover eggplant) then add sea salt to water and mix. Cover with something heavy (I use a smaller bowl of water) so that eggplant pieces are completely submerged in water. Leave for 15 minutes.

   1. **This step is very important to get rid of the bitterness of the eggplant! You could also add sea salt to the eggplant pieces and let them sit out for about 45-60 minutes, but i like the submerged water method because its faster haha.

2. While waiting for eggplant, press your tofu. Grab your half block of tofu and place in between a dish towel or 2 paper towels. Place something with some weight (not heavy enough to break the tofu, I usually use a small plate) on the top towel layer. Leave for 10-15 min to let most of the moisture out of the tofu. After 10-15 minutes, cut tofu into 1/2” thick pieces and set aside.

3. Combine ingredients for sauce in a bowl and mix well.

4. After 15 min for eggplant is up, empty water and pat pieces dry with a dish towel or paper towel.

5. Sprinkle eggplant pieces with about 1 tbsp cornstarch and mix by hand, until each piece of eggplant is evenly coated with with a thin layer of cornstarch.

6. In a non-stick pan on medium-high heat add about 2 tbsp of avocado oil and add the eggplant pieces without them touching. Cook pieces one side at a time until all sides are lightly golden brown and eggplant is soft (about 3-5 minutes per side.) Transfer eggplant from pan to a plate and set aside.

7. In same pan or another non-stick pan at medium heat, fry your tofu (I usually do this step at the same time eggplant is cooking in another pan.) You can also coat your tofu with cornstarch to make it extra crispy if you would like, but i find it’s not necessary. Spray or lightly drizzle avocado oil into pan and place tofu pieces with largest sides down, not overlapping. Flip when nice and dark golden brown, about 3-5 minutes per side. Transfer from pan to a plate and set aside.

8. Add about 1/2 teaspoon of avocado oil, minced ginger, and garlic into the same pan on medium high heat. Once fragrant, add the eggplant and tofu back into the skillet. Mix the sauce again until cornstarch is fully dissolved and then pour it over the eggplant and tofu. Immediately stir a few times, until the eggplant and tofu pieces are all evenly coated and the sauce thickens.

9. Transfer everything to a plate, top with green onions, and enjoy! :)

**This dish is best served fresh! I’ve tried to save leftovers and eat it the next day, but it is not nearly as god since it loses its crispiness.

My Everyday Salad

I used to despise salads. I thought they were boring, predictable, unfulfilling, and worst of all didn’t keep me full or satisfied. Turns out it was because I was only eating salads with iceberg lettuce, some dry chicken breast, cheese, and a store bought dressing that was probably 75% canola or soybean oil. Yum.

About a year ago I discovered how to actually make salads taste good and now I eat a salad for lunch pretty much every single day. I actually find myself craving it and the best part is that it keeps me full until dinner time and I never get tired of it. Here’s the secret.

The ingredients in my salad vary depending on what I have in my fridge but I always make sure I have something within these categories:

1. Leafy green(s):

   1. Typically I like to use arugula or spinach, but kale, romaine, or spring greens (or mix and match) would also work great. This serves as the bed for all your other toppings.

2. Sweet Potatoes (roasted / air fried):

   1. My favorite part of this entire salad. It adds a nice sweet touch and also adds more substance. Don’t be afraid to add starches & grains to your salads and meals! Good carbs aren’t bad. Refined carbs are bad. Better to eat a whole sweet potato in your salad then to have a small piece of garlic bread or bag of chips ;)

3. Grain (optional)

   1. I like to add some quinoa if I have it in my fridge for extra protein, nutrients, and sustenance. This isn’t necessary since the sweet potato will act as your starch for this meal, but with this salad the more the merrier!

4. Texture: something with a crunch like cucumbers or radish

   1. Since everything else in the salad has a softer texture, its nice to offset that with a crunch in every bite.

5. Avocado:

   1. So important! This is what is going to keep you full since it is a healthy fat and will also make your salad creamy. Use a lot, like half a medium sized avocado minimum.

6. Extras: whatever other vegetables you have in your fridge to add more nutrients

   1. I usually like to add cherry tomatoes, beets, sprouts, etc. You could really add whatever you want. Anything goes in this salad.

7. Protein:

   1. I’m sure you all know by now that veggies are packed with protein already, but I like to add even more because why not. Some good options:

      1. chickpeas (my favorite)

      2. baked or air fried tofu

      3. salmon

      4. chicken

8. Dates

   1. adding a sweet touch to your salad makes sure that every bite will never be boring. I usually either like to dice up 2-3 dates. You can add maple syrup instead if you don’t have any dates, but dates are so good for you (packed with antioxidants and nutrients) so definitely would choose that as your first choice.

9. Olive oil + lemon juice

   1. This will serve as your “dressing.” I literally just drizzle some olive oil and squeeze half a lemon directly onto the salad. No blender or extra salad dressing containers required.

10. Himalayan / sea salt & pepper to taste

11. toppings (optional)

    1. I like to add toppings for extra protein / nutrients or too add some texture. Some examples:

       1. cilantro adds a nice flavor profile and is packed with vitamins and antioxidants

       2. hemp seeds, chia seeds, sunflower seeds, nuts

As you can see this salad is definitely not boring and sooo good for you. It’s basically all the nutrients you need for the day in one big bowl that will fill you up and make you feel so freaking good. The best part is that you can adjust this recipe to whatever you have in your fridge at the time. I hope after you guys try this recipe that you change your mind about salads like I have.

*Recipe (pictured):

*these measurements will make a GIANT salad… because why worry about portion size when you’re eating this good ;) Also all measurements were estimated. Feel free to adjust measurements according to your preference!

• 1 cup arugula

• 1/4 cup cooked quinoa

• 1 medium sweet potato (diced & roasted / air fried)

• 1/4 cup diced cucumbers

• 1/4 cup diced cherry tomatoes

• 1/3 cup chickpeas

• 1/4 cooked diced beets

• 1/2 medium avocado, sliced

• 3 dates (diced) or 2 tbsp of maple syrup

• 2-3 tbsp olive oil

• juice from 1/2 small lemon (or 1/4 large lemon)

• cilantro (couple leaves)

• 1/2 teaspoon hemp seeds

• 1/4 teaspoon himalayan or sea salt

• 1/4 teaspoon fresh black pepper

Instructions:

1. roast / air fry sweet potatoes until they’re cooked all the way through (I prefer them a little crispy, so good)

   1. I do 15 minutes in the air fryer at 375 with a little coconut oil spray and garlic powder on top.

2. Add ingredients 1 to 9 to a nice big salad bowl

3. Top w/ lemon juice, olive oil, salt / pepper, and toppings

4. Mix together well (avocado should be mixed thoroughly to get that creamy texture)

5. Enjoy! :)

Dalgona Matcha (vegan, refined sugar free)

If there’s one thing that has been going crazy viral during this quarantine it’s the dalgona coffee trend. Everyone and their mother is making it and as someone who doesn’t drink coffee, I was getting a little jealous. After doing some research I found out that there is a way to create a dalgona matcha and boy was I excited because matcha lattes are my absolute favorite drink.

For the dalgona coffee, the whipped texture is created by using instant coffee. Since matcha powder won’t yield the same effect, you need to first create a whipped base. There are 3 options for the whipped base: heavy cream, egg whites, and aquafaba which is the liquid from a can of chickpeas. Being that aquafaba was the only vegan version, I decided to give it a try. Turns out aqufaba is literally LIQUID GOLD. Apparently it is used as a vegan replacement for egg whites, typically for the egg white froth at the top of cocktails (who knew?!) After whipping it up for the first time, I couldn’t believe that I had been dumping that liquid gold down the drain every time I used a can of chickpeas! It whipped up so quickly and looks and feels exactly like whipped egg whites. It also surprisingly doesn’t taste like chickpeas at all, and isn’t salty even if the chickpeas are salted.

Okay enough of me raving about chickpea water… let’s get to the recipe:

DALGONA MATCHA (vegan, refined sugar free)

• Ingredients

  1. aquafaba (liquid from chickpea can)

  2. *1 tsp matcha powder (culinary or ceremonial grade)

  3. *add more or less depending on how strong your matcha powder is / how strong you like your matcha

  4. refined sugar free sweetener of choice:

     1. liquid stevia: 1 full droplet

     2. stevia: 1 serving size (1 packet of stevia)

     3. maple syrup: 1 teaspoon

        **(or more or less depending on how sweet you like it)

  5. 3/4 cup plant based milk of choice (oat milk tastes best in my opinion)

  6. ice (optional)

  7. a nice, clear glass that will display your beautiful creation. Mason jars work great!

• Instructions

  1. Pour the *amount of aquafaba you are going to use out into a large bowl (big enough so you can mix vigorously and not splash)

     1. *I find that one chickpea can produces enough aquafaba to make 2-3 drinks (3 being generous), so pour out about 1/3 to 1/2 of what you got a from the chickpea can

  2. Either using an electric hand whisk or portable frother (what I use) whisk the aquafaba until it becomes a fluffy whipped texture. You can also use a regular handheld whisk but it will take much longer.

     1. The time for this depends on what tool you are using but will at least take about 3-5 minutes. Keep mixing until it reaches a nice foamy whipped consistency like in the picture.

  3. Once aquafaba is the consistency you’re looking for, add in matcha powder and liquid sweetener of choice

  4. using either a electric hand mixer or hand whisk (portable frother not strong enough for this step) mix in the matcha powder and sweetener until completely mixed in

  5. taste mixture to make sure it is too your liking. If it needs more matcha or sweetener, add it now

  6. put ice into your glass (if using) and then add plant based milk

  7. carefully spoon whipped mixture into your glass (if not all of it fits, don’t worry. You can add more later after you drink some)

  8. Take a picture of your beautiful creation (because half the point of making this is to post on instagram obviously) and then mix and enjoy! :)

Hope you enjoy this recipe! I seriously make it at least 3x a week now and find myself looking for any excuse to use chickpeas to get the liquid haha. Don’t think i’ll be spending money on expensive matcha lattes anymore even after this quarantine is over. Being your own barista is fun ;)

Ancient Grains Bowl (Inspired by True Food Kitchen, Vegan)

One of my favorite places to eat is @TrueFoodKitchen who is famous for their Ancient Grains Bowl. This bowl is essentially a plant based buddha bowl that is comprised of grains, sweet potatoes, veggies, and topped with a delicious vegan pesto sauce, avocado, and hemp seeds. You can also add on a protein (tofu, salmon, or chicken) if you would like.

I could eat this bowl every single day but unfortunately my wallet doesn’t agree. Just one bowl which isn’t too large of a portion will cost you $15.50 and another $5 if you want to add a protein. So in order to keep my bank account and my stomach happy, I decided to recreate this recipe at home and I’m so glad I did! It’s one of my favorite recipes and I find myself making it at least every other week. It’s definitely a lot of steps and different parts but it is definitely worth it. My advice is to make a large quantity of everything and eat it as your meal prep throughout the week! You can also take bits and parts of this recipe to use for other meals (i.e. the pesto!)

Ancient Grains Bowl (makes 2-4 servings)

1. Turmeric quinoa & farro blend

   • 1/2 cup quinoa

   • 1/2 cup farro

   • 1 1/4 cups of water

   • 1/2 tsp turmeric

   • 1/2 tsp sea salt

   • Instructions:

     1. rice cooker: place all ingredients in rice cooker and cook as normal! (My favorite way to cook any grain because it is so easy!)

     2. Pot:

        1. Add all ingredients to pot. Stir until combined and cover. Increase heat and bring to a boil.

        2. Reduce heat, allow to simmer 15-20 minutes, or until liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat and allow to sit for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork before serving.

2. Charred mushrooms and onions

   • 1 cup sliced portobello mushroom (or whatever mushrooms you have)

   • 1 small white onion, sliced

   • olive oil

   • pinch of sea salt

   • Instructions:

     1. preheat oven to 375 degrees F

     2. place sliced onions and mushrooms into a bowl, add a little olive oil and salt and mix evenly

     3. place mixture onto sheet pan

     4. place in over for 30 minutes or until onions slightly charred, stirring halfway through

     5. lazy option: saute all ingredients on a pan on the stove! You won’t get the charred flavor but it will still taste good and be done in 1/4 of the time

3. any green veggie of your choice

   • recipe calls for snow peas, but I usually use steamed kale. Other green veggies that would go well with this recipe would be broccoli, string beans, or bok choy

   • Instructions:

     1. cook your veggie(s) however you like it best! I usually prefer to boil or steam my vegetables to use less oil

4. miso glazed sweet potatoes (the star of this recipe!)

   • 1 large sweet potato

   • avocado oil or coconut oil to coat sweet potatoes (spray works best but not necessary)

   • 2 tbsp of white miso paste

   • 1 tbsp + 1 tsp maple syrup

   • 1/2 tsp soy sauce or tamari

   • 2 tsp lemon juice or rice vinegar

   • 1 tsp water

   • 2 tsp white sesame seeds

   • Instructions:

     1. peel and dice sweet potatoes into 1/2” cubes

     2. oven:

        1. preheat oven to 450 degrees F

        2. toss diced sweet potatoes in a bowl w/ a little coconut oil spray or avocado oil spray

        3. place sweet potatoes on a sheet pan, spread out evenly

        4. bake for 30 min or until sweet potatoes are tender, tossing halfway

     3. air fryer (my favorite method):

        1. toss diced sweet potatoes in a bowl w/ a little coconut oil spray or avocado oil spray

        2. place into air fryer 375 degrees for 15 minutes, tossing halfway through

     4. while potatoes are cooking make the sauce.

     5. Sauce:

        1. Mix all ingredients except sesame seeds together in a bowl and mix until well combined

        2. add sesame seeds at end and mix again

     6. Once sweet potatoes are done, move to a bowl big enough to mix and add sauce

     7. Mix well until evenly coated

5. vegan basil pesto* (recipe by Minimalist Baker)

   *this recipe will make a large portion. Great to use for other recipes throughout the week!

   • 2 cups packed fresh basil

   • 3 Tbsp pine nuts

   • 3 large cloves of garlic

   • 2 tbsp lemon juice

   • 3 tbsp nutritional yeast

   • 1/4 tsp sea salt

   • 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

   • 3 tbsp water

   • Instructions:

     1. Mix all ingredients together in a blender or food processor

6. Optional protein

   • I did air fried tofu, but you could add any protein you want! It actually doesn’t need a protein though, tastes so good without it. Between the quinoa, farro, veggies, and hemp seeds you already have a very high protein packed meal!

7. Avocado slices

8. hemp seeds

Once all your parts are assembled, put however much of each item you want into a bowl, top with avocado slices and hemp seeds and enjoy! :)