asian slaw, y'all...

i love food! making it, eating it; trying different things, fine tuning my palette…that’s food network talk, folks, & i love being in my kitchen creating. are you seeing a correlation here? now, the hubs is wonderful about expanding his horizons among cuisines…in restaurants; but i think i worry him a bit when i “try” something that he’s either not had, thinks he doesn’t like, or sounds unappealing. to this, i say, “pish posh!” i have to sow my mad (scientist) cooking oats…is that a crime?! (to his credit, he does eat what i present on the plate & even when it’s questionable, i still get his appreciation.)

so, i’m familiar with the faves (staples), including, but not limited to: spaghetti, a type of fish dinner with veggies of some sort, sloppy joes, salmon patties/burgers, taco-ish/mexi dinner, eggplant parmesan, etc…et cetera. oh, & did i mention that half the time spent in the kitchen (that i love) is spent either disguising something or making 2 separate meals or making some 3 people = one thing, but extra sides for an anti-“aw mom” dinner together. & i know, it’s my fault, but i just don’t want to fuss over food with the monkey (if i can help it).

to deviate from the usual suspects, i often add a little flair to mix it up. this week was no different. in an effort to stray slightly away from the sloppy joe-esque scene, but still be met with happy faces, i enlisted the help of some rice vinegar that was calling my name. i love me some vinegar, ya’ll & for some reason spring/summer weather reminds me of this taste (i adore it with cucumbers & tomatoes). & who would’ve thought a simple thing like vinegar would be the basis for an entire meal? but it did. & it goes a little something like this…

i had some chick strips (meat sub protein) in the fridge. saute onions & bell peppers in a tablespoon of evoo (extra virgin olive oil). meanwhile, i threw together some asian inspired slaw to serve with my “chicken sammies.”

bear with me (like always) as i don’t traditionally measure anything, but i tried my best to share:

in a small mixing bowl

4 tbsp seasoned rice vinegar

1 tbsp canola oil

kosher salt (just in case you trip adding it…not as potent as iodized or regular) & pepper to taste

1 tsp garlic salt

stress ball squeeze of lemon or 1-2 tsp lemon juice (taste between tsp for your preference…or the level of stress you might be experiencing)

¼ cup of green onion, chopped

a sprinkle of sesame seeds

whisk together & pour over:

½ lb of mix (red & green cabbage, shredded  & carrots, julienned) or about half a bag of the pre ”washed” slaw…i always wash again!

*& taste, taste, taste…important. if it’s too oily, add a hint more vinegar; too vinegar-y, a bit more lemon juice…experiment.

i gave the “chicken” & veggies (out of pan & in a separate bowl) a flick of the wrist in a korean style sweet & spicy sauce, to keep my asian theme going (& because i'm fancy) ta-da...the sammie-sam was ready to build.

eggplant lunch!

this will accommodate 2-4 people. we (2 of us) had leftovers, so on day 2 i piled it on top of sauteed onions & eggplant slices for a quick lunch.

but you don’t have to put it on a bun. you can put it on top of a hot dog, or use as a side; double or triple recipe for an outdoor family get together. i think i will pair it with fried green tomatoes next time…yum!

just get creative. make it fun! & if you find yourself stumbling upon a new favorite, please share with me. i will gladly try it out!

ps…if anyone is wondering…i do feed the hubs real meat! i swear, i do…more often than not. oh, & monkey...he had whole grain wheat chick nuggets that night (don't judge me :) ) happy experimenting!!