recipes

Meal Ideas 26 September 2024

Homemade Meals to Tackle Takeout Cravings

(Family Features) Many busy weeknights come down to one decision for frazzled families: cook at home or give in to takeout cravings. Instead of stressing over a decision, enjoy the best of both worlds and make Asian-inspired dishes from the comfort of your own kitchen.

Featuring a blend of chilled, freshly chopped vegetables; ready-to-eat, pre-cooked noodles; gourmet dressing sauce; and crispy toppings, Fresh Express Hot or Cold Salad and Noodle Meal Kits offer two meal options in every bag – hot or cold – so you can make your salad, your way. Available in Teriyaki, Asian Sweet Ginger and Korean Sesame flavors, they’re the perfect inspiration for making takeout-style dishes at home.

Consider this Marinated Teriyaki Steak with Teriyaki Noodle Salad recipe, which combines juicy steak with crisp vegetables and pre-cooked Udon noodles for the ultimate at-home comfort food in an effortless meal. For a quick and delicious solution that may just become a family go-to, these Teriyaki Tofu Bowls are jam-packed with flavor, noodles and fresh veggies.

These homemade favorites feature a delicious blend of broccoli, red and green cabbage, kale, shredded carrots, radish and green onions in Fresh Express’s Hot or Cold Teriyaki Salad and Noodle Meal Kit. The vegetable blend is tossed with pre-cooked Udon noodles, white sesame seeds and crunchy wontons then finished with a gourmet teriyaki dressing sauce for familiar Asian flavor.

Visit freshexpress.com/hot-or-cold to discover more than 300 fresh recipes and find a store near you.

Marinated Teriyaki Steak with Teriyaki Noodle Salad

Prep time: 1 hour
Cook time: 24 minutes
Servings: 4

  • 1/2 cup dark soy sauce
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon Sriracha sauce
  • 1/2 cup unsalted chicken stock
  • 1 pound flank steak
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 1 bag (16.9 ounces) Fresh Express Hot or Cold Teriyaki Salad and Noodle Meal Kit
  1. In saucepan, add soy sauce, brown sugar, Sriracha sauce and chicken stock; bring to simmer while whisking. Simmer 4 minutes.
  2. Cool mixture down until cool to touch, about 20 minutes.
  3. Slice steak into thin strips and place in bowl. Pour marinade over steak and marinate for 1 hour.
  4. In large pan over medium-high heat, stir-fry steak 2 minutes.
  5. Remove steak from pan and allow to rest.
  6. In same pan used for steak, add oil and cook hot or cold kit according to instructions on bag.
  7. Add steak back to pan and stir to incorporate.
  8. Garnish with toppings from hot or cold kit and serve.

Teriyaki Tofu Bowls

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Servings: 4

  • 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 2 teaspoons white pepper
  • 2 teaspoons Chinese five-spice
  • 1/3 cup neutral oil
  • 1 package (16 ounces) extra-firm tofu, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 1 bag (16.9 ounces) Fresh Express Teriyaki Hot or Cold Salad and Noodle Meal Kit
  1. In bowl, whisk vinegar, dark soy sauce, honey, ginger, garlic, white pepper and Chinese five-spice until combined.
  2. Slowly pour oil into mixture while whisking vigorously. Place cut tofu in mixture and allow to sit 15 minutes.
  3. Bring large saute pan to medium-high heat and place tofu in, turning when crust forms.
  4. When tofu is finished, set aside and prepare hot or cold salad and noodle meal kit.
  5. Serve with tofu on top of hot or cold salad and noodle meal kit.

 Source: Fresh Express

Meal Ideas 11 May 2021

A Truly Memorable Summer Menu

(Family Features) Summer days are often spent with family and friends, soaking in the sun’s rays and enjoying outdoor living with warm-weather activities. Complement this year’s summertime excitement with food that matches your enthusiasm for the season.

Your menu can start with a fruity dip and a salad before diving into steak for the main course and a kid-friendly treat to top it all off. These recipes make the most of what summer has to offer with fresh fruits and veggies, bright and refreshing greens, tender cuts of meat and frozen treats that celebrate those memorable moments together.

Find more summer recipe inspiration at Culinary.net.

Dip Up a Good Time

Whether your summer days include planning extravagant meals or your on-the-go lifestyle calls for quick and easy recipes, simple snacks can fit a wide variety of menus. Dips are a perfect solution for afternoon pick-me-ups or evening appetizers when the whole family comes together.

This Apple Guacamole can be made in mere minutes, making it an ideal shareable among loved ones, by combining mashed avocados and seasonings with chopped Granny Smith apple pieces.

Visit Culinary.net for more snack ideas.

Apple Guacamole

Recipe adapted from the Meredith Corporation
Prep time: 10 minutes
Servings: 8-10

  • 3          ripe avocados, halved and pitted
  • 1/2       cup finely chopped Vidalia onion
  • 1/2       cup snipped fresh cilantro
  • 1          lime, juice only
  • bottled hot pepper sauce, to taste
  • 1          Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and finely chopped
  • kosher salt, to taste
  • tortilla chips
  1. In bowl, use fork to mash avocados, onion, cilantro, lime juice and hot pepper sauce to desired consistency. Stir in apple and season with salt, to taste.
  2. Serve with tortilla chips.

Savor a Bite of Steak

A hearty flavor profile and perfectly prepared, high-quality meat can make a summer meal truly spectacular, especially when paired with fresh veggies in a protein-packed sandwich.

Inspired by Vietnamese tradition, this Steak Banh Mi recipe – which features tender grass-fed flat iron steak, pickled carrots, bright lettuce and crunchy cucumbers – is sure to be a crowd-pleaser at your next summer gathering. Take your taste buds to new heights with Silver Fern Farms natural cuts of 100% grass-fed beef from New Zealand, which is minimally processed with no added growth hormones or antibiotics. There, the animals roam and graze freely over lush green hills and pastures, resulting in lean, flavorful, nutritious meat that tastes just as nature intended.

Visit silverfernfarms.com for more inspiration.

Steak Banh Mi

Prep time: 2 hours
Cook time: 15 minutes
Servings: 2

  • 10        ounces Silver Fern Farms New Zealand grass-fed beef flat iron steak
  • 2          teaspoons hoisin sauce
  • 2          teaspoons soy sauce
  • 2          teaspoons honey
  • 1          teaspoon fish sauce
  • 1          clove garlic, minced
  • 1          teaspoon, plus 1/2 cup, rice vinegar, divided
  • 1/8       teaspoon five-spice powder
  • 2          tablespoons sugar
  • 1          pinch salt
  • 1          small carrot, cut into matchsticks
  • 1          tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1/4       cup water
  • 2          Vietnamese baguettes or dinner rolls
  • 1/4       cup mayonnaise
  • 4          Batavia lettuce leaves
  • 1/4       cup cilantro, chopped
  • 1          Persian cucumber, sliced
  1. Remove steak from packaging and set aside 10 minutes. Once steak reaches room temperature, place steak in deep plate or storage container. In small bowl, combine hoisin sauce, soy sauce, honey, fish sauce, garlic, 1 teaspoon rice vinegar and five-spice powder; pour over steak. Cover and marinate in fridge at least 2 hours, or overnight.
  2. In small pot over medium heat, heat remaining rice vinegar, sugar and salt. Cook and stir until sugar and salt dissolve. Remove from heat and let cool.
  3. Place carrots in deep plate or storage container. Pour cooled pickling liquid over carrots. Set aside to marinate.
  4. Remove steak from marinade and pat dry. Reserve marinade.
  5. Heat oven to 325 F.
  6. Heat heavy-bottomed pan over high heat and add oil. Once oil begins to smoke, add steak. Sear both sides, about 1 minute per side. Lower heat to medium.
  7. Add reserved marinade and water to pan. Cook, covered, 3 minutes, removing lid to flip meat occasionally. Remove lid and let sauce reduce 1 minute, or until slightly thickened.
  8. Transfer steak and sauce to large plate and let rest 10 minutes before slicing.
  9. Toast baguettes in oven 5 minutes. Let cool 5-10 minutes.
  10. Slice baguettes along middle without cutting through.
  11. Slice steak into thin pieces.
  12. Spread mayonnaise on baguettes and add 1-2 lettuce leaves to each. Layer steak on lettuce leaves followed by cilantro, cucumbers and pickled carrots. Slice baguette into two sandwiches.

Go for Satisfying Summer Greens

Many summer meals start with a simple yet satisfying appetizer: salad. This year, make sure you set the table with a bright, delightful bowl of greens that sets the tone for an enjoyable and festive meal with loved ones.

This Apple, Strawberry, Blueberry Salad calls for an array of fruits, including a homemade blueberry dressing, paired with Fresh Express 5-Lettuce Mix for a fresh and flavorful base with pecan halves to add crunch. The salads are thoroughly washed, rinsed and gently dried then sealed in Keep-Crisp bags to maintain freshness.

Find more salad inspiration at freshexpress.com.

Apple, Strawberry, Blueberry Salad

Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 6

Blueberry Dressing:

  • 2          cups fresh blueberries
  • 1/4       cup balsamic vinegar
  • 2          tablespoons honey
  • 1          tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1/2       cup olive oil
  • salt, to taste
  • pepper, to taste

           

  • 2          large apples
  • 2          packages (6 ounces each) Fresh Express 5-Lettuce Mix
  • 1          pint strawberries, cut in half
  • 1          pint blueberries
  • 1/2       cup pecan halves, toasted
  • blueberry dressing
  1. To make blueberry dressing: In blender, process blueberries, balsamic vinegar, honey, lemon juice, olive oil and salt and pepper, to taste, until smooth. Set aside.
  2. To prepare salad: Cut apples into 1/4-inch thick slices. Using 1-1/2-inch diameter star-shaped cutter, cut apple slices into stars.
  3. Place lettuce mix in large bowl; add apples, strawberries and blueberries. Sprinkle with pecans. Before serving, drizzle each salad with blueberry dressing.

Sweet, Summery Treats

After some fun in the pool and time spent in the sun, a cooling treat is often the perfect way to cap off a summer day. Fresh fruits make those sweet eats even tastier and easier by making dessert in the morning and letting it freeze while you enjoy the warmth outdoors.

These Watermelon Berry Frozen Pops make dessert about as simple as possible by blending watermelon, blueberries, raspberries and honey before adding to ice pop molds and freezing throughout the day. With the addition of refreshing watermelon, you’re opting for a flavorful fruit that includes just 80 calories and no fat while providing an excellent source of vitamin C (25%) and higher levels of lycopene (12.7 milligrams per 2-cup serving) – an antioxidant being studied for its role in sun protection – than any other fresh fruit or vegetable.

To find more summertime snacks, meals and treats, visit watermelon.org.

Watermelon Berry Frozen Pops

Servings: 8

  • 6          cups watermelon
  • 1          cup blueberries, divided
  • 1          cup raspberries, divided
  • 3          tablespoons honey
  1. In blender, blend watermelon, 1/2 cup blueberries, 1/2 cup raspberries and honey until smooth. Press through fine mesh strainer to remove pulp and seeds.
  2. Fill ice pop molds 3/4 full with liquid. Add remaining whole blueberries and raspberries to molds. Insert sticks and freeze at least 4 hours, or until completely frozen.

 Photo courtesy of Getty Images (Apple Guacamole)

Source: Beef + Lamb New Zealand
Fresh Express
National Watermelon Promotion Board

Videos 21 September 2020

Chinese Style Bao Buns with Pickled Red Onions

(Family Features) Whether this back-to-school season calls for at-home learning or heading back to the classroom, busy evenings are likely a constant for many families. One way to relieve stress and hit reset on hectic times is by enjoying a meal around the table with loved ones.

For an ethnic twist on mealtime, try these Chinese Style Bao Buns with Pickled Red Onions to add Far East flavor to the menu. One key ingredient: onions, which at just 45 calories per serving boost the flavor of the dish as a source of dietary fiber, vitamin C, vitamin B6, potassium and other key nutrients such as folate, calcium and iron.

Also known as nature’s ninja due to their many “skills,” onions can add abundant flavor to many dishes. They are also rich in heart-healthy nutrients and have been shown to help prevent some cancers.

Find more back-to-school meal ideas at onions-usa.org.

Watch video to see how to make this recipe!

Chinese Style Bao Buns with Pickled Red Onions

Recipe courtesy of Aran Essig on behalf of the National Onion Association

Pickled Red Onions:

  • 1          medium red onion
  • 2/3       cup red wine vinegar
  • 1 1/2    tablespoons sugar
  • 1/2       tablespoon salt
  • 1/4       cup red wine
  • 2          cloves

Beef Bao Buns:

  • 1          pound boneless beef ribs
  • 1          tablespoon five-spice powder
  • 2          teaspoons salt
  • 1          teaspoon black pepper
  • 4          cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1 1/2    cups beef stock
  • 1          cup hoisin sauce
  • 1          tablespoon ginger, grated
  • 12        bao buns (available in most Asian markets in freezer section)
  • 3          green onions, cut on bias
  1. To make pickled red onions: Slice onion in half then slice 1/4 inch. In saucepot, combine vinegar, sugar, salt, wine and cloves. Place onions in liquid. Simmer 3-4 minutes, swirling pan to ensure onions are exposed to hot mixture. Remove from heat and steep 15 minutes. Place in clean container in refrigerator at least 2 hours. Onions should be submerged in liquid.
  2. To make beef bao buns: Heat oven to 350 F.
  3. Rub beef with five-spice powder, salt and pepper. Heat saute pan and sear beef on all sides. Remove and place in baking dish. Add garlic to pan and saute briefly. Deglaze pan with beef stock and bring to simmer, scraping up caramelized bits stuck to bottom of pan. Add hoisin sauce and ginger to simmering stock. Pour stock over beef.
  4. Cover baking dish with parchment and aluminum foil and bake 2 hours, or until beef can be pulled apart with fork.
  5. Remove beef from stock and allow to cool slightly before shredding with fork.
  6. Place remaining stock in saucepan over medium heat. Reduce by half, or until thickened so it can coat back of spoon.
  7. Toss shredded beef with sauce.
  8. Place beef between bao buns and garnish with pickled red onions and green onions. Serve while warm.

Source: National Onion Board

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