When Elise asked me to be a guest writer for Simply Recipes, we decided to take Chinese favorites and make them better, lighter and easier to cook at home. So, I grabbed a take-out menu from the local Chinese restaurant and I will be working my way around those recipes for you. The first dish that popped out was Sweet and Sour Chicken.

If there’s one thing that I detest, it’s greasy fried food covered in goopy Chinese take-out sauce. Okay, so sometimes I like that stuff, but it usually those cravings come at 3 o’clock a.m. during a certain time of the month.

But, I digress.

This recipe for Sweet and Sour Chicken doesn’t deep fry, but instead uses a method for creating a delicate, smooth and succulent chicken that goes perfectly with a lighter sweet and sour sauce. The secret is in the chicken marinade, specifically using egg white and cornstarch, which creates a super-light coating all around the chicken. It won’t be a crunchy, deep fried coating, but I think it’s a nice alternative, both texture-wise and weight-wise! Read the full story

I’m a guest writer over at Martha Stewart Everyday Food! Have you been to their website? They’ve got thousands of recipes, all of them simple and perfect for dinner tonight.

My kids made Thai Curry Beef Skewers and Grilled Banana with Dark Chocolate for them. Come on over to Martha Stewart Everyday Food’s website and take a look. The recipe for the MUST MAKE dessert inspired by the lovely Andreaa is over there.

I love it when my two young sons — 3 years old and 5 years old — help me in the kitchen. It’s good to nurture an interest in responsible nutrition and teach them correct food pairings, like how super-thin, shatter-crisp Lay’s potato chips are much better stacked between a hamburger bun and patty than something big and smushy like a chocolate Ho-Ho. Read the full story

As you know, I’m doing all the cooking, writing and photographing for the Steamy Kitchen cookbook.

Today, I’m taking a photo of Grilled Pineapple with Chocolate Coconut Rum Sauce for the book, and I thought I’d let you take a peek into one of the most idiotic things I have to do in order to get the most perfect shot for the book.

Read the full story

Tropical Rice makes you feel like you’re on vacation…coconut, pineapples, macadamia nuts. When I want to serve something a little fancier than just plain rice, but don’t to dirty my wok to make fried rice, this is what I make.

Tropical Rice

2 cups jasmine rice
1 1/4 cups chicken broth
1 cup good, thick coconut milk
1 cup crushed pineapple
2 tablespoons soy sauce (or Tamari on a gluten-free diet)
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1/4 cup finely chopped green onion

Optional toppings: macadamia nuts, almonds, toasted coconut flakes

Rinse the rice several times until the water runs clear. Drain the rice. In a medium pot, add the rice, broth and coconut milk and bring to a boil on high heat. Once boiling, immediately turn the heat to low, cover with tight fitting lid and let cook for 20 minutes. Turn off heat and do not open lid. Let sit off the heat for 10 minutes to finish steaming.

With a fork, fluff up the rice and mix in crushed pineapples, soy sauce, brown sugar and sesame oil. Top with chopped green onion and any of the delightful toppings.