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Crispy Rice Paper Cups with Chickpea Salad aka "Chuna"

These rice paper cups are literally an explosion of flavor and texture. The popped rice paper is insanely crispy, crunchy, and melts in your mouth, which is then followed by the creamy, savory, refreshing chickpea salad "chuna" mash. It's almost a raw, no-cook meal - with the only exception being the rice paper and it's perfect quick lunch, snack, or party appetizer. Have you ever had some of those prawn crackers usually served at a Thai restaurant before your meal arrives? Well these rice paper cups are really similar to that! I don't know the science behind this process but it is truly some kind of food magic, the very second rice paper hits hot oil, it starts to curl, pop, and crisp up! The frying process is done within 3 seconds, literally, it shouldn't take longer than that. And this chickpea salad mash is my absolute go-to whenever I need a quick but still nourishing meal. It is reminiscent of a canned tuna salad that we all know too well but so much bet
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Air Fried Vegan Crab Rangoon with Jackfruit

These vegan "crab" rangoon are a veganized and healthier version of a classic Chinese-American dish. They are air-fried till golden crispy on the outside, filled with a young jackfruit and vegan cream cheese mixture that's creamy, moist, and "stringy" just like crab meat, and finally dipped in a sweet, spicy, and tangy Thai chili sauce. Crab Rangoon is such a perfect example of cultural integration and how a diversity of cultures can bless us with never-before-seen creations. It takes the form of traditional Chinese wontons but is filled with crab meat and cream cheese, which is never used in Chinese cuisine but is very common in the US. And this love child of two cultures has proven to be widely loved ever since its invention.  In this vegan version, I used young jackfruit instead. And they have just the perfect texture to mimic crab meat - tender, moist, and naturally have layers and grains that can be easily pulled apart just like crab. Granted, it's not

Miso Glazed Eggplants - Umami and Addicting

These miso eggplants are seared, glazed, and finally baked to perfection. They're literally bursting with umami, juicy, savory, tenderer than a baby's cheek, and just melt in your mouth. They're definitely a rice-killer - meaning so much rice is gonna be devoured up with this flavorful and addicting dish. But they're also lovely just on their own. Eggplant is one of my absolute favorite vegetables growing up, even during my fussy eating teenager years I never ever turned my back on eggplants. And rightfully so. They have such an amazing texture plus a unique aroma. Scoring the eggplant really helps release the yummy potential of them, the texture will get cooked tender and soft easier and the scored patterns will soak up the sauce and glaze all the way from top to the skin. And if being downright delicious is not enough, eggplant is also a very humble and easy ingredient to use, I can't even imagine how eggplants can ever go wrong. When I was little, sometimes my mo

Quinoa Crepe Roll with Vegan Cream Cheese and Oreo Fillings

Calling all my Barbies and Kens! These adorable pink crepes are made of only THREE ingredients, naturally gluten-free, high-protein, and sweet without any added sugar! And they taste just like crepe cake! But in an even more fun and swirly shape. Quinoa is indeed a superfood, not only does it contain all 9 essential amino acids, making it a source of complete protein, but it's also so incredibly versatile! It works in savory and sweet recipes. I've made this green version of sweet quinoa wrap before and this time, I just gotta make it pink for the Barbie summer! All you need is 3 ingredients - quinoa, water, and beetroot powder . And technically you only need TWO since the powder is optional! It is very important to soak the quinoa for at least 4 - 6 hours, or just overnight, this soaking and rinsing step removes any bitter taste from the quinoa, makes it a lot easier to digest and absorb, and also softens the grains so they are easier to blend and form a smooth batter. For fi

One Pan Roasted Vegetable Quinoa Salad

Next time you have a fridge full of scraps of ingredients but no idea what to make with them - make this ONE pan meal! It's super quick and easy, absolutely adaptable for whatever ingredients you have on hand, colorful and visually pleasing, and packs full of flavors and nutrients - truly an "all-purpose" super salad! See this is what I want when I order a "salad" from a restaurant - well-balanced, nourishing, consisting of many different flavors and textures. Seriously, can we start a petition for all the restaurants to REDEFINE salads? Salads can be so much more than just bare veggie leaves with nothing substantial, those kinds of old school "salad" gives all salads a bad name. And this is a perfect example that eating healthy and vegan can be as simple or as elaborate as you want it to be. People often ask me, "Isn't it difficult or expensive to eat healthy and stay vegan?" No, not at all. Some of the cheapest, most accessible, and at

Vegan Tofu Salmon Rice Bowl with Homemade Vegan Mayo

This mind-blowing tofu "salmon bowl" is my favorite lunch bowl ever and I myself make it at least once a week. Perfectly seasoned and slightly charred tofu "salmon", broken apart and mixed into a bowl of steamy rice, topped with sweet chili sauce and creamy homemade vegan kewpie mayo, and finally all wrapped in a piece of crispy seaweed - it's land and ocean, nutrition and flavor, all in one bite. You might know this bowl as an internet "trend" but for me and I believe many other Eastern Asian kids, it's a childhood memory. I grew up in a coastal city right on the beach and crispy seaweed is a snack our household always had in abundance, they're just so delicious, available, cheap, and actually healthy. And before anyone even had to teach me, I started using crispy seaweed to pick up steamed rice, I’d even skip the chopsticks and just use my fingers to pinch up the rice and whatever I mixed in it for that meal with the seaweed. I love the feeli

Air Fryer Sweet Potato Tater Tots in Bunny Shapes!

Golden crispy, sweet AND savory tots ready in under 30 minutes from scratch! These adorable bunny-shaped sweet potato tater tots are going to be your next favorite snack, side dish, picnic food, or lunch box addition... or just whenever you need an extra boost of serotonin.  I remember reading this somewhere, that tater tots are the best form of potatoes - they've got the golden crispy crust on the outside, yet still maintain the fluffy pillowy softness on the inside. I have to agree and the same can be said for this sweet potato version! But even better, because on top of the savory flavor, you also get the natural sweetness in the mix and sweet + savory is just an irresistible combo for me.  This recipe is super low fuss and easy, all you need is sweet potatoes, some spices, and some kind of starch - I used arrowroot powder, but cornstarch will work just as well. And I personally love Japanese sweet potatoes, which have a pale whiteish flesh instead of orange and they're much