oh how i love a taco tuesday. and a taco monday, or sunday, or any day that ends in y.

lately i’ve been coloring outside the taco lines. instead of just using more traditional, south of the boarder flavors and ingredients, i’m mixing things up. living in southern california we are exposed to so many different flavor profiles and ingredients, and why not put those delicious combinations into our favorite vessel?

korean bbq chicken tacos

serves: 10-12 tacos

prep time: 15 minutes

active time: 45 minutes

inactive time: 1 hour

total time: 2 hours

ingredients: 1.5 lbs chicken breast. 1 large yellow onion, diced. half a pink or green apple (gala, fuji, pink lady, granny smith, honeycrisp are all good options). 5 garlic cloves, minced. 1 tbs finely chopped ginger. 2 large green onions, white and light green parts chopped. 2 limes, sliced into wedges. 4 cups chicken stock. 1 cup brown sugar. .5 cup soy sauce. .25 cup mirin. .25 cups vegetable oil. .25 cup rice wine vinegar. 2 tbs sesame oil. 1 tbs honey. 2 cups sliced cabbage (i like to buy the pre sliced mix because i never use the whole cabbage). 1 tbs sesame seeds. handful of cilantro seeds. 12 medium sized flour tortillas. 1 tsp kosher salt. .5 tsp freshly ground pepper.

start by making the vinaigrette for your cabbage slaw. combine your two oils. reserve 4 tbs of the oil for cooking your chicken. combine the remaining oil with the vinegar, 1 tsp of your minced garlic, juice from two of your lime wedges and half the salt and pepper.

whisk well till the vinaigrette is combined. drizzle 3-4 tbs of vinaigrette over your cabbage and add your sesame seeds.

toss well to combine and set the cabbage aside.

then heat your remaining oil in a heavy, large pot. season the chicken with the remaining salt and pepper. cook your chicken until golden brown on both sides. about 4-6 minutes a side. do not over crowd your pan. you may need to cook the chicken in batches. DO NOT worry about cooking the chicken through. you are going to continue cooking it in the liquid. you are worried about getting a really nice golden brown on each side to add flavor to your chicken and your pan. when you have cooked all your chicken, set it aside.

add in the onion and apple and stir well, scraping up any tasty brown bits you can. cook until the onions are translucent, about 5-7 minutes.

add in the ginger, remaining garlic and the green onions. cook until the garlic is fragrant. about 1 minute. pour in the mirin, scraping up any remaining bits of flavor off the bottom.

cook until all the liquid has evaporated. stir in the soy sauce and the brown sugar.

add the chicken back to the pan and pour in the chicken stock. squeeze in the juice of two more lime wedges and throw the wedges in with the liquid. if your chicken isn’t completely covered,

add in some water until the chicken is covered. bring the liquid to a boil. reduce the liquid to a slow simmer and cover the pot.

allow the chicken to continue cooking until it is pull apart tender. about an hour. once your chicken is pull apart tender, remove it from the liquid.

use two forks to pull apart each chicken breast and add the chicken back to the liquid.

when you are ready to assemble your tacos, lay out your tortillas. top with a large spoonful of pulled chicken. top with cabbage slaw and a few cilantro leaves. garnish with a lime wedge and serve.

xo, a

korean bbq chicken tacos

serves: 10-12 tacos

prep time: 15 minutes

active time: 45 minutes

inactive time: 1 hour

total time: 2 hours

ingredients: 1.5 lbs chicken breast. 1 large yellow onion, diced. half a pink or green apple (gala, fuji, pink lady, granny smith, honeycrisp are all good options). 5 garlic cloves, minced. 1 tbs finely chopped ginger. 2 large green onions, white and light green parts chopped. 2 limes, sliced into wedges. 4 cups chicken stock. 1 cup brown sugar. .5 cup soy sauce. .25 cup mirin. .25 cups vegetable oil. .25 cup rice wine vinegar. 2 tbs sesame oil. 1 tbs honey. 2 cups sliced cabbage (i like to buy the pre sliced mix because i never use the whole cabbage). 1 tbs sesame seeds. handful of cilantro seeds. 12 medium sized flour tortillas. 1 tsp kosher salt. .5 tsp freshly ground pepper.

start by making the vinaigrette for your cabbage slaw. combine your two oils. reserve 4 tbs of the oil for cooking your chicken. combine the remaining oil with the vinegar, 1 tsp of your minced garlic, juice from two of your lime wedges and half the salt and pepper. whisk well till the vinaigrette is combined. drizzle 3-4 tbs of vinaigrette over your cabbage and add your sesame seeds. toss well to combine and set the cabbage aside. then heat your remaining oil in a heavy, large pot. season the chicken with the remaining salt and pepper. cook your chicken until golden brown on both sides. about 4-6 minutes a side. do not over crowd your pan. you may need to cook the chicken in batches. DO NOT worry about cooking the chicken through. you are going to continue cooking it in the liquid. you are worried about getting a really nice golden brown on each side to add flavor to your chicken and your pan. when you have cooked all your chicken, set it aside. add in the onion and apple and stir well, scraping up any tasty brown bits you can. cook until the onions are translucent, about 5-7 minutes. add in the ginger, remaining garlic and the green onions. cook until the garlic is fragrant. about 1 minute. pour in the mirin, scraping up any remaining bits of flavor off the bottom. cook until all the liquid has evaporated. stir in the soy sauce and the brown sugar. add the chicken back to the pan and pour in the chicken stock. squeeze in the juice of two more lime wedges and throw the wedges in with the liquid. if your chicken isn’t completely covered, add in some water until the chicken is covered. bring the liquid to a boil. reduce the liquid to a slow simmer and cover the pot. allow the chicken to continue cooking until it is pull apart tender. about an hour. once your chicken is pull apart tender, remove it from the liquid. use two forks to pull apart each chicken breast and add the chicken back to the liquid. when you are ready to assemble your tacos, lay out your tortillas. top with a large spoonful of pulled chicken. top with cabbage slaw and a few cilantro leaves. garnish with a lime wedge and serve.

it is always just a little bit easier to get on the health train in january. that post holiday bloat has set in. suddenly, you have time in your schedule now that you aren’t racing to buy presents or attend holiday gatherings. you just came off the lost weeks post holiday where no one knows what to do or what day it is.

but now, the motivation is kicking in. healthy, balanced, bright food is starting to look real good. and i am here to help.

through out the earlier years of my cooking, it’s pretty much a blur of over cooked chicken and the fact that i could never get all dishes done at the same time (time management has never been my strong suit, but i’m working on it). but i did make a version of this fish dish a few years in and it was such a hit with everyone that it stuck with me. and i’ve been making it over and over again in different versions since then and THIS version has become my fast favorite. the colors are gorgeous and it has a beautiful contrast of flavor and textures.

roasted salmon + pea purée & lemon broth

serves: 4

prep time: 10 minutes

active time: 30 minutes

total time: 40 minutes

ingredients: 1.5 lbs salmon. 4 tbs olive oil, divided. 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes. 2 shallots, finely chopped. 3 garlic cloves, minced. 4 cups chicken stock. .25 cup lemon juice (about 2 juicy lemons) and the zest of the lemons. 8 oz frozen peas, thawed. 20 mint leaves. .5 cup freshly grated parmesan. 1 tbs salt kosher salt. .5 tsp freshly ground pepper. food processor/blender. baking sheet. aluminum foil. fish turner (or other metal spatula). medium pot.

start by preheating your oven to 375 degrees f. heat 2 tbs of your olive oil over medium heat. and when the oil has warmed, add in the shallots and garlic and season with a few pinches of salt. and a pinch or two of pepper. sauté the shallots and garlic over medium heat, stirring ever so often until the shallots are translucent and the garlic is fragrant. about 3-5 minutes.

pour in the chicken stock and bring the liquid to a boil.

add in half the lemon juice and all but a couple pinches of the lemon zest.

bring the liquid back to a boil and reduce the heat so the liquid begins to simmer. line your baking sheet with aluminum foil.

slice your salmon into 4 equal pieces, and place them, skin side down onto the baking sheet. add the tomatoes to the sheet. season the fish and tomatoes with half the remaining salt and pepper and drizzle with the remaining olive oil. roast the fish for 12-15 minutes until it is cooked through.

while the salmon cooks, combine the peas, mint, parmesan cheese, remaining lemon zest and juice and the rest of the salt and pepper in the bowl of your food processor or blender.

blend until smooth and well combined.

spread a few spoons of pea purée along the bottom of your serving plate or bowl.

when the fish is cooked, use your fish turner or metal spatula to gently remove the fish from it’s skin and place a fish piece on the bed of pea purée. top each piece with some of the blistered tomatoes.

pour about .5 cup of the lemon broth over your fish.

serve hot and enjoy.

xo, a

roasted salmon + pea purée & lemon broth

serves: 4

prep time: 10 minutes

active time: 30 minutes

total time: 40 minutes

ingredients: 1.5 lbs salmon. 4 tbs olive oil, divided. 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes. 2 shallots, finely chopped. 3 garlic cloves, minced. 4 cups chicken stock. .25 cup lemon juice (about 2 juicy lemons) and the zest of the lemons. 8 oz frozen peas, thawed. 20 mint leaves. .5 cup freshly grated parmesan. 1 tbs salt kosher salt. .5 tsp freshly ground pepper. food processor/blender. baking sheet. aluminum foil. fish turner (or other metal spatula). medium pot.

start by preheating your oven to 375 degrees f. heat 2 tbs of your olive oil over medium heat. and when the oil has warmed, add in the shallots and garlic and season with a few pinches of salt. and a pinch or two of pepper. sauté the shallots and garlic over medium heat, stirring ever so often until the shallots are translucent and the garlic is fragrant. about 3-5 minutes. pour in the chicken stock and bring the liquid to a boil. add in half the lemon juice and all but a couple pinches of the lemon zest. bring the liquid back to a boil and reduce the heat so the liquid begins to simmer. line your baking sheet with aluminum foil. slice your salmon into 4 equal pieces, and place them, skin side down onto the baking sheet. add the tomatoes to the sheet. season the fish and tomatoes with half the remaining salt and pepper and drizzle with the remaining olive oil. roast the fish for 12-15 minutes until it is cooked through. while the salmon cooks, combine the peas, mint, parmesan cheese, remaining lemon zest and juice and the rest of the salt and pepper in the bowl of your food processor or blender. blend until smooth and well combined. spread a few spoons of pea purée along the bottom of your serving plate or bowl. when the fish is cooked, use your fish turner or metal spatula to gently remove the fish from it’s skin and place a fish piece on the bed of pea purée. top each piece with some of the blistered tomatoes. pour about .5 cup of the lemon broth over your fish. serve hot and enjoy.