3-4 lbs boneless short ribs
2 C good red wine
1 28oz can San Marzano tomatoes
1 pkg sliced mushrooms
1 yellow onion diced
6 garlic cloves minced
1 lg or 2 small carrots chopped
1 celery stalk sliced
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp dried oregano
3 sprigs fresh thyme
2 Tbsp Olive oil
2 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp all purpose flour
1 tsp salt + kosher salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Set Instant pot to sauté mode and add olive oil and butter. Generously sprinkle the short ribs with kosher salt and pepper.
Sear the meat on all sides for a couple min until a nice crust appears. Set aside. Add a little more butter if needed to pot then add all your veggies. Cook until slightly soft. Add tomato paste and stir for a min. Pour in your wine and scrape the bottom of the pan (with a wooden spoon) to get all the tasty browned bits at the bottom. Let simmer for about 5 min for the wine to reduce. Add the San Marzano tomatoes, oregano, thyme and short ribs to cover. Put on lid and set for 45 min. Let natural release for 15 min. Take meat out and shred. Set instant pot back to sauté mode, whisk in flour to thicken sauce. Add more salt and pepper to taste. Add meat back to pot. Serve over a thick buttered pasta like pappardelle or fettuccini, sprinkle of Parmesan and a toss of parsley.

• 2 ripe bananas
• 2 C gluten free oats
• 3/4 C nut butter
• 2 Tbsp honey
• 1/4 C cranberries
• 1 C chopped nuts
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• Optional:
• 2 Tbsp chia seeds
• 2 Tbsp hemp seeds
• 2 scoops Collagen Powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet w/ parchment paper.  Mix everything together.  Scoop out cookie size balls onto parchment paper.  These will not spread as they cook, so shape them as you want them to be finished.   Bake for about 15 min and off you go!

This is not a low calorie meal but it’s just too good not to share.

• 1 pkg pasta (I use @jovialfoods GF)
• 2 chicken breasts
• 1 pkg sliced mushrooms
• 3 pieces bacon chopped
• 1 Tbsp roughly chopped tarragon
• 2 Tbsp Dijon
• 1 C chicken broth
• 1/2 C dry white wine
• 1/4 C heavy cream
• 2 chopped shallots
• 6 minced garlic cloves
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• Salt
• Pepper

Bring a pot of heavily salted water to a boil.

Cut your chicken breasts horizontally in half.  Salt and pepper both sides.   Drizzle olive oil and butter in pan and over med high heat cook chicken until done about 3-5 min each side.  Set aside.

In same pan, cook your bacon then half way through add your shallots and garlic.  Cook until soft.  Set aside (you should have some bacon grease still in pan)  then add mushrooms to cook until browned on both sides.

Add bacon, onion and garlic back to pan and add in your chicken stock and wine. Let simmer on med heat for about 5 min to reduce.

Add your cream, dijon and tarragon, stir to combine.   Then add in chopped chicken.   Keep stove on lowest heat and cover if possible.

At this time, add your pasta to your boiling water and cook according to directions minus 1-2 min for al dente.  Drain and save 1 cup of the pasta water to add to your sauce.

Pour in 1/3 c of the pasta water at a time until you get the sauce consistency you want.

Throw in your pasta and keep tossing to combine everything.

Add more salt, pepper and tarragon if needed.

The rice paper and rice noodles can be found at your local specialty Asian store but also Whole Foods may carry as well

Spring Roll Ingredients

• shrimp
• rice paper
• rice vermicelli
• sliced cucumbers
• shredded carrots
• microgreens
• basil and cilantro

Dunk rice paper in shallow bowl of warm water for about 1 min or until it becomes soft and pliable.
Set on plate and add a tiny handful of rice noodles to the middle.  Make a small pile of your protein and veggies on top.   Fold in both sides and roll like a burrito.

Peanut Sauce

• 1/2 C natural creamy peanut butter
• 1 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
• 2 Tbsp soy sauce (Tamari or liquid aminos are great for gluten free)
• 2 Tbsp dark brown sugar (or honey)
• 2 tsp garlic chili or Siracha
• 1 Tbsp grated garlic
• 1 Tbsp grated ginger
• 1 tsp fish sauce (optional)
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• water to thin

Stir everything  together except the water.  Keep adding 1 Tbsp of water at a time until you get a nice thick runny consistency.  Adjust spice or chili to taste

I love and prefer to roast all my veggies first.  It just gives it a nice smokier, richer, deeper flavor to the peppers and really gives a beautiful charred sweet bite to the tomatillos.  All the veggies become smoother which lends itself to a really silky sauce.

I also prefer to use my Instant Pot for this recipe.   It not only cuts down on cooking time by HOURS but it makes large tough pieces of meat just melt into your mouth.  It’s one of the greatest kitchen inventions ever!!!  But you can totally use a Dutch Oven or heavy bottom large pan.  Follow the directions as noted but add 2 hours of simmering time.

• 4.5-5 lbs pork shoulder  (or 3.5-4lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs)
• 3 poblano peppers halved and deseeded
• 3 anaheim peppers – halved and deseeded
• 6 tomatillos – hulled and halved
• 1 jalapeño – halved and deseeded
• 1 large yellow onion – quartered
• 1 whole garlic bulb
• handful cilantro leaves
• juice of 1 lime
• 1 C chicken stock
• 1 Tbsp granulated garlic
• 1 Tbsp granulated onion
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• Kosher salt and black pepper

1. Preheat oven to high broil.  Line a baking sheet with foil.  Place all peppers and tomatillos skin side up, whole unpeeled garlic bulb and quartered onion on it. Broil for about 10 min or until peppers become charred and black.  Set peppers into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap.
2. Peel garlic cloves and add to a blender with the onions, tomatillos with all their juices, cilantro, chicken stock, lime juice, granulated onion and garlic.  Peel charred skin off the peppers and add to the blender.  Blend until well combined.  Set aside.
3. Trim pork of most of it’s fat and cut into 2 inch cubes.  Or leave chicken as is.  Generously salt and pepper meat all over.
4. Set Instant Pot to sauté  mode.  Add 1 tbsp at a time and brown meat on all sides.  Do in a couple batches.  Set all aside.
5. Pour chicken stock in the pot and scrape all brown bits from the bottom with a wooden spoon.  Add the meat and green sauce.
6. Set Instant Pot to 25 min and let natural release for 10 min.
7. Salt and pepper to taste.
8. Top with sour cream, cilantro and avacado.  Sop it all up with a warm, chewy flour tortilla.

• 1  4.5-5 lb organic whole chicken
• 2  lemons
• 2 small or 1 large sweet onion
• 1 large whole garlic bulb
• Small handful sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 C chicken stock
• 1/4 C melted butter (I prefer @kerrygoldusa )
• 1/3 C dry white wine
• 1 Tbsp non GMO cornstarch
• Kosher salt

Preheat oven to 425 degrees

Clean and pay dry chicken

Place chicken in a roasting pan on a rack

Baste chicken with butter all over

Heavily salt chicken all over

Cut 1 lemon and garlic bulbs in half.  Stuff inside cavity of chicken with thyme.

In the pan, pour your stock, squeeze the other quartered lemon juice (along with the whole lemon) and sliced onions.

Bake for about 1 hour 15 min.  Cut between chicken breast and leg to make juices run clear.

Remove from roasting pan and set on a cutting board.  Cover with foil for about 10 min.

Put all juices, lemon and onions from pan into another sauce pan along with your wine.  Over stove, let boil for a few min then add cornstarch. Keep stirring for about 5 min or until it becomes a thick consistency.

Pour into a dish along with the chicken, carve and serve along side potatoes, rice and/ or veggies!

• 3 C full fat Greek yogurt
• 1/2 C raw honey
• 1/4 tsp pure vanilla
• Pinch of pink salt
• Berries
• Granola

Line a quarter sheet pan with parchment paper.

In a bowl mix together the yogurt, honey, vanilla and salt.

Spread evenly on pan. Top with berries and granola.

Freeze until hard, cut and snack away!

Don’t ask me how the greatness of an Instant Pot works… it just does and I’m so grateful for the time saving it gives.  Short ribs are a very tough piece of meat but in less than 45 minutes you will get the most intensely tender, fall apart meat EVER!   

• 4-5 lbs boneless short ribs
• 3/4 C soy sauce or Tamari
• 1/4 C honey
• 2 Tbsp gochujang
• 2 Tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 Tbsp Mirin
• 1 Tbsp dark toasted sesame oil
• 4 minced garlic cloves
• 2 inch grated fresh ginger
• 1/4 C fresh squeeze orange juice
• 1/3 C water
• Kosher salt and pepper
• 1-2 Tbsp neutral oil

Generously salt and pepper all sides of the beef.

Whisk together rest of ingredients.  Set aside.

Set instant pot to Sauté mode adding neutral oil.   Sear all sides of meat and set aside.

Pour sauce mixture into pot while scraping up the brown bits with a wooden spoon.  Turn off sauté mode.   

Lay short ribs in pot, cover and cook for 30 min.   Let natural release for 10.

Take ribs out of pot and shred with 2 forks.

]]> https://www.vb.andrewmanalo.com/instant-pot-korean-short-ribs/feed 0 https://www.vb.andrewmanalo.com/pina-colada-bites https://www.vb.andrewmanalo.com/pina-colada-bites#respond Fri, 22 May 2020 16:44:43 +0000 http://www.vb.andrewmanalo.com/?p=396 I’m pretty sure you need these in your life right about now.  They will transcend you into a tropical island paradise.  The sweet citrus of the pineapple paired with the creamy sweetness of the white chocolate, little warmth of the toasted coconut and that last taste of boozy coconut Rum hitting your lips is heavenly.  Trust me, my Puerto Rican husband approves!  These will be on repeat for all my boozy brunches.

You can totally skip the booze if that’s not your thing but if it is… there’s an extra special drink after the pineapple marinated overnight.  I drain and save the pineapple infused Malibu Rum in a glass jar to enjoy for a later use whipped and blended into frozen bananas.

• 1 Pineapple ripe
• 3-4 C Malibu Rum
• 1 C white chocolate chips
• 1/4 C coconut oil
• 1/4 C coconut unsweetened shredded

Cut pineapple into rings.  Place rings into a ziploc or reusable bag and fill with the Malibu Rum.  Let sit overnight in the fridge.  If not using booze, just cut into rings and use right away.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Toast coconut on a non stick pan, tossing frequently to not let burn.  Set aside.

Over a double boiler (a glass bowl over a pot of simmering water on the stove) melt the white chocolate and coconut oil together.

Remove pineapple rings from Rum (and save liquid for another treat).   Dip one end of the pineapple into the chocolate and set on the parchment paper.  Do about 3-4 of these then sprinkle your toasted coconut over the chocolate before it hardens.  Repeat until all are done.

Refrigerate for at least an hour and enjoy!

These EBTB egg bites are an absolutely perfect way to get a healthy start to your morning!

• 2 C egg whites
• 1/2 C cottage cheese (full fat probiotic is best)
• 1/3 C chopped olives (any kind)
• 1 C packed and chopped spinach
• 1/4 C chopped tomatoes or bell peppers
• Pinch of pink salt or sea salt
• pinch of pepper
• Everything But The Bagel seasoning

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Spray a non stick 12 muffin tin with cooking spray.

Distribute the spinach, olives and peppers or tomatoes evenly into the cups

Combine the egg whites, cottage cheese, salt and pepper into a blender.  Blend for just a few seconds.

Pour egg batter over veggies.

Bake for 10 min.  Sprinkle EBTB seasons over each cup and bake for another 20 min.

You can really do any veggies you want.  I also love artichoke, gruyere and chives!