Category: dinner

Miso Soup Recipe

The Wild Gems2 Comments

What You Need:

4 cups water

1 teaspoon hondashi powder or can use onion powder

¼ cup seaweed cut or broken into smaller ½ inch pieces

8 ounces tofu drained and cut into ½ inch cubes or smaller

4 tablespoons of miso paste

1 stalk green onion thinly sliced (optional)

Steps:

  • Heat the water to a boil and add the hondashi powder, wakame seaweed, and tofu cubes. 
  • Bring the soup back up to a boil, then reduce the heat to a high simmer. Let the soup simmer for about 3 minutes or until the wakame seaweed is rehydrated.
  • Turn off the heat and use a strainer to dissolve the miso paste into the soup.*If you don’t have a strainer, you can scoop out a small amount of soup to dissolve the miso paste, then add it back into the soup.*
  • Add the sliced green onions and serve the miso soup while hot and enjoy!

Teriyaki Sauce Recipe

The Wild Gems2 Comments

What You Need:

  • 1 tbsp corn starch
  • 2 tbsp cold water
  • 1/4 cup low sodium chicken broth
  • 3 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1 tbsp toasted sesame seed oil
  • 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

Steps:

1. In a medium size bowl, whisk together corn starch and water. Add remaining ingredients (chicken broth, soy sauce, honey, and toasted sesame oil, red pepper flakes) and whisk to combine.

2. Warm up in medium sized skillet. Once warmed up add your chicken and vegetables.

So yummy and easy!

Note: I roast broccoli, chopped onion, and carrots in the oven with olive oil, salt, and pepper.

I cook the chopped chicken on the skillet, seasoning with just a little bit of salt and pepper.

Then I add all of the meat and veggies to the sauce and serve with white rice.

Coconut Milk & Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce

The Wild Gems2 Comments

This sauce is creamy, slightly tangy, and works really well with pasta, chicken, shrimp, gnocchi, or even over roasted vegetables.

What You Need:

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 3–4 cloves garlic, minced
  • ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped plus 2-3 tablespoons of the oil from jar
  • 1 can (13.5 oz) full-fat coconut milk
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning or oregano
  • ½ teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional for heat)
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste (optional for a richer flavor)
  • 2 cups fresh spinach (optional)
  • Fresh basil for serving

Instructions

  1. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.
  2. Add garlic and cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
  3. Stir in the sun-dried tomatoes and cook for 1–2 minutes to release their flavor.
  4. Add tomato paste if using and cook for another minute.
  5. Pour in the coconut milk and stir well.
  6. Add Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.
  7. Simmer gently for 5–8 minutes until slightly thickened.
  8. Stir in spinach and cook until wilted.
  9. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

Delicious Add-Ins

  • Chicken: Add cooked sliced chicken breast.
  • Shrimp: Add shrimp during the last 4–5 minutes of cooking.
  • Chickpeas: Stir in a can of drained chickpeas for a vegetarian meal.
  • Mushrooms: Sauté with the garlic for extra depth.

Serving Ideas

  • Toss with fettuccine or penne.
  • Spoon over grilled chicken or salmon.
  • Serve with gnocchi.
  • Use as a sauce for baked vegetables or stuffed peppers.

Enjoy!

Potato, Broccoli & Carrot Soup

The Wild Gems2 Comments

Ingredients

  • 4–5 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
  • 2 cups broccoli, chopped
  • 2 carrots, peeled and sliced
  • 1–2 celery stalks, diced
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 2–3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 4-6 cups chicken or vegetable broth
  • 1 cup milk or cream (optional)
  • 1 stick of salted butter
  • Salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, paprika for seasoning + one bay leaf

Optional:

  • Parmesan cheese (optional)

Steps

1. Build your base
In a large pot, melt the butter or heat the oil over medium heat.
Add the onion and celery, letting them soften for a few minutes.
Stir in the garlic and cook just until fragrant. (5 minutes)

2. Add the vegetables
Add the potatoes, carrots, and broccoli. Stir gently, letting everything coat in the warmth of the pot.

3. Let it simmer
Pour in the broth.
Add salt, pepper and additional seasonings. Season lightly and taste.
You can also drop the bay leaf here for a deeper flavor.

Bring it to a boil, then lower to a gentle simmer.
Let it cook for about 15–20 minutes, until the vegetables are soft.

4. Blend to your liking
For a creamy soup, blend all or part of it.
For something more rustic, leave it chunky.

( I blended half of it)

5. Make it creamy
Stir in the milk or cream (optional) Let it warm through gently. I placed the cream in a little glass so others could add it if they wanted to or not when I served it.

6. Taste and adjust
Add more salt, pepper, or cheese if you’d like.

Serve with delicious French bread with butter or garlic bread.

Easy Ratatouille (with Jarred Sauce)

The Wild Gems1 Comment

Sometimes the best meals aren’t complicated—they’re just made with what you already have, a little intention, and a whole lot of ease. This ratatouille is exactly that. Simple, nourishing, and quietly beautiful.

What You Need:

  • 1 jar marinara sauce
  • 2 green zucchini
  • 2 yellow squash
  • 1 small eggplant (optional)
  • 2–3 tomatoes (optional)
  • 2–3 cloves garlic (jarred minced garlic works)
  • Olive oil
  • Salt + pepper
  • Italian seasoning
  • Optional: parmesan or mozzarella

And:

  • A ceramic pie dish (or any baking dish you have)
  • A knife + cutting board
  • A little time to slow down

Steps:

  1. Start with your base
    Pour your jarred marinara into a sauce pan and mix in:
  • Garlic
  • A splash of olive oil
  • Salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning

This is where you quietly turn something store-bought into something that feels like your own.

  1. Slice your vegetables
    Thinly slice:
  • Zucchini
  • Squash
  • Eggplant
  • Tomatoes

There’s no rush here. Let this part feel calm.

  1. Build your dish
  • Spread a layer of sauce on the bottom of your dish
  • Arrange your veggies in a spiral or rows
  • Sprinkle a little seasoning on top
  • Drizzle with olive oil

It doesn’t have to be perfect to be beautiful.

  1. Bake
  • Cover with foil
  • Bake at 375°F for 40–45 minutes
  • Remove foil and bake another 10–15 minutes

Your kitchen will start to smell like comfort.

  1. Finish with intention
  • Add a little more olive oil
  • Sprinkle fresh herbs or cheese if you’d like
  • Let it sit for 10 minutes before serving

This is where everything comes together.

A gentle reminder:

This dish isn’t about perfection—it’s about creating something warm, simple, and nourishing with what you already have.

Just like most things in life.

‘Caldo De Pollo’ – Chicken And Veggie Soup

The Wild Gems2 Comments

What You Need:

– 6–8 chicken drumsticks

– 2 corn cobs, cut into 3–4 chunks each

– 2–3 zucchini, sliced thick

– 3 potatoes, peeled + cut into chunks

– 3 carrots, peeled + sliced

– 2 tomatoes, diced

– ½ onion, chopped

– 4 cloves garlic, minced

– 1–2 bay leaves

– 1 bunch cilantro

– 1-2 tsp salt (to taste)

– 1 tsp chicken bouillon

– 1 tsp garlic powder

– 2-3 tablespoons of vegetable oil

Steps:

1. In a large pot, heat 1–2 tsp oil on medium. Add chopped onion, sauté 2 minutes until soft. Add minced garlic and cook 30 seconds. Add diced tomatoes and cook 2–3 minutes until they begin to soften and release juice. Then blend in blender with some water.

2. Pour the mixture into the pot. Add the chicken drumsticks on top of the sautéed mixture. Add bay leaves + 1/2 of cilantro bunch. Pour in 10–12 cups of water. Stir in salt and bouillon. Bring to a boil → then reduce to medium-low and simmer for 45 minutes with lid partially on.

3. Add:

potatoes carrots corn

Simmer 15 minutes until potatoes are almost tender.

4. Add:

zucchini

Simmer 10 more minutes.

Taste broth → adjust salt and add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil. (You can also add chili powder, dried herbs like oregano)

Serve with:

Lime wedges, Fresh cilantro, Avocado, Corn tortillas Salsa or jalapeños.

Enjoy!

Lemon Baked Butter Chicken

The Wild Gems2 Comments

Ingredients

For the chicken:

– 1.5–2 lbs chicken breast or thighs (cut into chunks or leave whole)

– 1 tsp salt

– 1 tsp paprika

– 1 tsp garam masala (optional but delicious)

– 1 tsp garlic powder

– ½ tsp onion powder

– ¼ tsp black pepper

For the sauce:

– 4 tbsp butter

– 3–4 garlic cloves, minced (or 1 tsp garlic powder)

– 1 cup heavy cream

– 1 tsp honey

– 1 tsp curry powder or garam masala ½ tsp turmeric (optional for color)

– ½ tsp salt (taste and adjust)

Optional: ¼ cup chicken broth to thin it out

1 tbsp lemon juice

Serves well with roasted broccoli and rice.

Enjoy!

Easy Chicken Pot Pie

The Wild Gems1 Comment

What You Need:

1 recipe of shredded chicken

1 bag of frozen peas and carrots

1 can of cream of chicken

Pepper

1/4 cup of milk (give or take)

1 package of premade pie crust

Olive oil or butter for sautéing

Egg wash (one egg white with a splash of milk mixed)

Steps:

  1. Remove pie crust from package and allow to sit out for 15 mins.
  2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet sauté your frozen veggies with butter or olive oil for ten minutes or until soft.
  3. Add the cream of chicken, milk, a few dashes of pepper, and shredded chicken to the veggies. Mix until warm, doesn’t need to be super hot this will be going into the pie and into the oven.
  4. Lay one pie crust in the bottom of a glass or ceramic large pie dish. Then place the filling from the skillet. Next place the second pie crust on top of the filling.
  5. Use a fork to seal the edges, and create 4 slits in the middle (like an X that doesn’t connect in the middle) .
  6. Brush egg wash over the entire pie and bake at 400 for 25 to 30 mins or until golden brown. If the edges are becoming brown too quickly place foil over the pie.

Enjoy!