More than ever, Americans are preparing their meals at home. It’s easy to get bored with the same old dishes, but with a few simple adjustments, you can make the traditional standbys fresh again with some flavor fusions. Today I shared simple tips to update your summer menu with Asian-inspired meal ideas on affiliates across the country.
My number 1 secret ingredient is Nakano rice vinegars
You can use them as part of a recipe or to simply add a delicious splash of Asian inspired flavor. They come in different delectable varieties that are crafted to perfection and allow you to personalize and infuse flavor into your favorite dishes. I used the NAKANO Natural rice vinegar in Spicy Korean Sheet-Pan Chicken Fajitas . It adds a slightly tangy yet subtle flavor boost to the sauce which lightly coats the peppers, onions and chicken. The sauce is scalable in spice level depending on how much gochujang and chili flakes are used.
In my Hawaiian-Inspired Seasoned Stir-Fry and I’ve used NAKANO Seasoned Rice Vinegar which adds adds zest and subtle sweetness along with bell peppers, sugar snap peas and riced cauliflower. Rice Vinegar is also great for bringing a boost of flavor to salad dressings, marinades and sauces.
In my pantry, I keep a variety of herbs and spices – they are a great way to add a lot of flavor for not a lot of calories.
Sesame seeds are also a great pantry staple and very common in Japan. They add vitamins, minerals and healthy fats to meals. And just like Rice Vinegar, they add a little Asian flair to almost any dish.
In-season fruits and veggies spends less time from farm to table, so they maintain much of their nutrition and flavor unlike out of season produce that undergoes early picking, cooling, and heating.
Right now, there are so many deicious fruits and veggies in season like berries, peaches, zucchini, cucumbers and of course watermelon. So whenever you can, buy in-season produce.
These food prep tips will make your life easier –
I recccomend having chopped veggies, prepared lean proteins and cooked whole grains stored in the fridge, ready to incorporate into balanced meals throughout the week. It makes your life easier and ensures you are getting the nutrition you need.
Spicy Korean Sheet-Pan Chicken Fajitas in a Gochujang Sauce
Ingredients
Sheet Pan
- 8 oz. chicken breast, cut into strip
- fresh cilantro to taste
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1/2 red onion, sliced
- 1 medium red bell pepper, cut into strips
- 1 medium yellow bell pepper, cut into strips
- 4-6 small corn tortillas
Spicy Gochujang Sauce
- 2-3 tbsp Gochujang paste *can adjust for desired spiciness
- 2 tbsp NAKANO Natural Rice Vinegar
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp ginger, minced
- 1/4-1/2 tsp chili flakes *can adjust for desired spiciness
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 F.
- Whisk together sauce ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Add sheet pan ingredients except tortillas, lime juice and cilantro, to the mixing bowl and toss to combine and coat in sauce.
- Transfer sheet pan ingredients to a large sheet pan and spread out in an even layer. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and veggies are tender.
- While sheet pan is baking, warm tortillas in a large skillet on both sides and divide between two serving plates.
- Serve sheet pan ingredients with tortillas one two serving plates.
Hawaiian-Inspired Seasoned Stir-Fry
Ingredients
Sir-Fry
- 1/2 cup Carrots, chopped
- 1/2 medium red bell pepper, chopped
- 1/2 medium orange bell pepper, chopped
- 1/4 cup yellow onion, diced
- 1/2 cup sugar snap peas
- 1 pineapple
- 8 oz. boneless, skinless chicken breast, chopped
- 2 tsp sesame seeds
- 2 tbsp green onion, chopped
- 1/2 cup riced cauliflower
Pineapple Teriyaki Sauce
- 2 tbsp tamari
- 2 tbsp NAKANO Seasoned Rice Vinegar
- 1/3 cup pineapple juice
- 1 tsp garlic, minced
- 1 tsp ginger, minced
- red chili pepper to taste
Instructions
- Whisk together sauce ingredients and set aside.
- Slice pineapple in half, height wise and hollow out both halves with a spoon. Reserve hollowed out pineapple, chop up and set aside for the stir-fry.
- Add oil to a large skillet and sauté chicken until cooked through and no longer pink, about 5-7 minutes. Add in remaining stir-fry ingredients except green onion and sesame seeds, and sauté until everything cooked and tender. Add in sauce and continue cooking for another 2-3 minutes. Divide mixture between pineapple "bowls" and top with green onion and sesame seeds.
