What I Eat In A Week – From Leftovers to Date Night

Today, I’m sharing what I eat in a typical week, plus a Valentine’s date night meal! A goal I have for this channel for 2024 is to be more authentic when it comes to what I actually eat on a day-to-day basis. Much of my week is taken up by creating and testing new recipes, and making other dishes based on what’s leftover during the week. This week is also Valentine’s day, so Dom and I decided to do a home-cooked date night! So, I decided to change things up and show you a peek of what a typical week looks like in my apron!

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Cleaning Out Fridge Leftovers with Monday Brunch

Mondays are my grocery days. Before heading out for new ingredients, I love cleaning out my fridge of all the leftover ingredients from the previous week. Today, with some leftover cold rice and tofu, I make an easy and nutritious Taiwanese cabbage fried rice and spicy cold tofu. What a way to start my week!

Easy Taiwanese Cabbage Fried Rice

This dish is a real game-changer for those “clean out the fridge” days. It’s simple, packed with flavors, and oh-so-satisfying. It’s also SUPER HEALTHY! You can use any proteins, from spam to pork belly! Today, I’m using some leftover bacon.

Cabbage Fried Rice Ingredients

• Bacon (can substitute with spam or pork belly)
• 1 bunch of green onions, white parts pressed and greens sliced
• Sliced carrots
• Chopped cabbage
• White pepper
• Soy sauce
• Leftover cold cooked rice

1. Start by pan-frying the bacon until it’s crispy and golden brown. The aroma itself is a treat!
2. Next, add the pressed white parts of the green onions and the sliced carrots into the pan. Sauté everything for 2 to 3 minutes to let the flavors mingle.
3. Season chopped cabbage with a sprinkle of white pepper and a generous splash of soy sauce.
4. Cover the pan and let it all cook together on medium heat for about 4 to 5 minutes. You’ll notice the cabbage getting softer and releasing its juicy flavors.
5. Stir in the leftover cold cooked rice. Sauté everything on high heat for another 2 to 3 minutes, then garnish with the remaining green onions.

Spicy Garlic Cold Tofu

Since I found some leftover tofu in the fridge, I thought, why not make it a feast? This spicy garlic sauce is the perfect companion to the silky cold tofu, adding a kick of heat and flavor that’s hard to resist. It literally takes less than 5 MINUTES!

Spicy Cold Tofu Ingredients

• 1 package of Silken Tofu
• Chili oil
• Green onion
• Sesame seeds
• Soy sauce
• Vegetarian oyster sauce

1. In a bowl, mix together chili oil, chopped green onion, sesame seeds, soy sauce, and vegetarian oyster sauce to create your spicy garlic sauce.
2. Put your tofu on a plate or in a bowl, and Drizzle the sauce generously over the tofu.
3. Garnish with some extra green onions for that fresh crunch.

Tasty Weeknight Dinner With A Kick: Mala Mix Pot

Dinner rolls around, and I’m craving something with a kick. So I’m making my FAVORITE easy dinners: Mala Mix Pot (麻辣香鍋). This dish is essentially a stir-fried version of hot pot that you can tailor to your taste buds with various veggies and proteins. It’s the ULTIMATE mix and match. I went shopping right before, and grabbed ALL of my favorite Mix Pot ingredients.

Mala Mix Pot doesn’t just make a great dinner; it’s also perfect for packing up for lunch the next day. It’s one of Dom and I’s favorite easy dinner to share together with a hot bowl of rice, and makes a normal dinner feel like date night!

Spicy Mala Dry Pot Ingredients

• Your choice of veggies, proteins, and Noodles
  • Veggies: shimeji, oyster, and enoki mushrooms, celery, lotus roots, Napa cabbage
  • Protein: Fish Cakes, Sliced Beef
  • Noodles: Instant Noodles
• Green onions
• Garlic
• Dry red chili
• Sichuan peppercorn
• Spicy bean paste (Dou Ban Jiang)
• Your favorite spicy hot pot soup base

1. Start by blanching your chosen veggies and proteins until they’re about 80% cooked.
2. In a separate bowl, mix green onions, garlic, dry red chilies, Sichuan peppercorns, and spicy bean paste. Sauté this mixture for 2 to 3 minutes or until fragrant. Prepare for a wonderfully spicy aroma to fill your kitchen.
3. Add your spicy hot pot soup base to the aromatics and stir until everything is well combined.
4. Add back all the blanched ingredients and sauté everything together on high heat for another 3 to 5 minutes.

MALA BAN (Spicy Mix)

20 minutes minutes

Think of Mala Ban as a love child between hot pot and spicy garlic noodles. The numbing and spicy sauce tastes good with literally EVERYTHING. The best part about Mala Ban is that everyone can customize their sauce and ingredients, so it is vegetarian-friendly!

Get the Full Recipe & Ingredients

Hearty Traditional Japanese Breakfast To Start Tuesday

For brunch on Tuesday after an intense Pilates session, I need a meal thats nourishing and filling ahead of a busy day of filming. I’m making simple yet profoundly satisfying Japanese-inspired brunch that not only nourishes the soul but also brings back the delightful memories of the breakfasts I enjoyed on my recent trip to Tsukiji.

My brunch includes air-fried mackerel, a vegetable-packed miso soup, cold tofu with grated daikon. For the sides, some kimchi and natto (fermented soybeans) with an extra dollop of mustard and a hint of wasabi for that extra kick.. It’s an acquired taste, but ever since trying it for the first time in Japan with Kimono Mom Moe, I’ve been hooked!

Air-Fried Mackerel

Mackerel is a staple in my diet for its rich flavors and health benefits, but the traditional pan-frying method can leave a lingering smell, which I REALLY HATE. My recent fix? Air-frying the mackerel! It eliminates all that hassle and odor while achieving the CRISPIEST skin. It’s a game-changer!

Air-Fried Mackerel Ingredients

• 2 pieces of Mackerel, skin-on
• Salt and pepper to taste

1. Slice some cuts on the skin side of the mackerel
2. Season the mackerel with salt and pepper on both sides.
3. Cook in the air fryer at 400°F for 10 minutes, flipping halfway through. The result is perfectly crispy mackerel without the mess or smell.

For those who don’t have an Air Fryer, check out this Pan-Fried recipe!

Pan-Fried Mackerel (Healthy 10 Minute Recipe)

15 minutes minutes

Here is my go-to quick and easy Pan-Fried Mackerel meal that is super healthy and affordable! All you need is mackerel fillets, and a little bit of salt and pepper. You'll have a healthy meal packed with umami flavor and healthy fats ready to go in less than 10 minutes. There's nothing better than a steaming bite of pan-fried mackerel with white rice to start your day.

Get the Full Recipe & Ingredients

Easy Miso Soup

To complement the mackerel, I whip up a miso soup loaded with veggies and silken tofu. It’s a warm, comforting start to the day that packs a nutritious punch. Miso soup is a STAPLE when it comes to traditional Japanese breakfast!

Miso Soup Ingredients

• 1/2 Daikon
• Napa cabbage
• 1/2 pack Silken tofu
• Dashi powder
• Miso paste
• Green onion

1. Combine daikon, napa cabbage, silken tofu, and dashi powder in a pot. Let it simmer for about 5 minutes.
2. Stir in miso paste and continue to simmer for another 5 minutes.
3. Add chopped green onions just before serving.

Refreshing Grated Daikon Silken Tofu

Using the other half of the daikon and tofu, I create a refreshing cold tofu dish to pair with the mackerel, embracing the balance of flavors and textures that Japanese cuisine is known for. This week is really about cold tofu!

Daikon Cold Tofu Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon grated daikon
• 1/2 pack silken tofu
• Dashi soy sauce
• green onions

1. Grate the remaining daikon and squeeze out all the excess water.
2. Place cold tofu on a plate, top with grated daikon, drizzle with dashi soy sauce, and garnish with green onions.

Tuesday Dinner: Mushroom Risotto and Chili Oil Pasta

Today is a filming day, which means for dinner, I get to eat what I filmed during the day! This week, I filmed my creamy mushroom risotto as well as my Chili Oil Pasta for my new cookbook launch. These new videos are UP on my Youtube and my Tiktok channels, so check them out!

Interested In these recipes?

This Baked Mushroom Rice recipe is part of the first section of my cookbook featuring easy everyday recipes with easy to find ingredients!

My cookbook is NOW AVAILABLE, featured on People, ABC’s Good Morning America, and more!

Order Now!

Wednesday Brunch: Recipe Testing with Fluffy Pancakes

I’ll be the first to admit: I’m not the best at desserts. From the precise measurements to the mountains of dishes, it’s just not my forte. But a craving for pancakes got me experimenting today, and I think I might have struck gold. I think I’ve got JUST the recipe that’s easy for ANYONE, even someone who hates making desserts.

After experimenting with various ratios and ingredients, tweaking the amounts of baking powder here, substituting cream for milk there, I was deep in the trenches of recipe development. It’s a funny thing about making desserts; you don’t really know what you’ve got until the very end. The result? A dorayaki-like pancake that’s not just a morning treat but a cake-like delight you can enjoy any time of the day!

I’m seriously considering filming a video to walk you through each step of this PERFECT pancake recipe. If you’re as excited about this as I am (or even just a little bit curious), drop a comment below. Let me know if you’d like to see this recipe come to life in a video!

Wednesday Dinner: Home Cooked Valentine’s Date Night

This Valentine’s Day we decided to stay in and cook together for date night. Cooking is my love language, and sometimes the best moments often happen right at home, in the warmth of the kitchen. I just love cracking open a bottle of wine, and cooking a meal together! It’s both relaxing, and brings us closer together in celebration of us! Today, we’re making Japanese Mushroom Risotto, Crispy Air Fryer Brussel Sprouts, Zesty Air Fryer Shishito Peppers, Mussels with white wine, and Dom’s special steak!

Impress On Date Night: Easy Creamy Mushroom Risotto

This mushroom risotto recipe is SO EASY, your date will be impressed. I’ve got a few quick tips for you to make sure you knock it out of the park EVERY DATE NIGHT!

1. Warm Your Stock: Starting with hot stock is crucial to avoid interrupting the cooking process.
2. Choose a Wide Pot: This ensures even cooking.
3. Mushrooms in Soy Sauce: Sauté your mushrooms in soy sauce alone to enhance their flavor.
4. Ladle by Ladle: Add stock gradually, maintaining the perfect consistency.
5. Al Dente Finish: Cook your risotto until it’s just about 95% done for that perfect texture.

Japanese Mushroom Risotto Ingredients 

• 1.5 lb of sliced Shiitake Mushrooms 
• 1 Shallot, minced 
• 1.5 cup of Arborio Rice 
• 6.5 cup of Dashi Stock 
• ¼ cup of Sake (optional) 
• 2 tbsp of Soy Sauce 
• ½ cup of Heavy Cream 
• Black Pepper 
• 2 tbsp of Butter 
• Fresh Chives 
• Fresh Parmesan Cheese 

Japanese CREAMY Mushroom Risotto

35 minutes minutes

The long-awaited Japanese CREAMY Mushroom Risotto is finally HERE! This mushroom risotto is rich, creamy, savory, and packed with umami flavors that will have you craving more. I know risotto may seem intimidating, but we will make it easy with a few simple ingredients and some secret tips. Are you ready for my vegetarian-friendly Japanese-inspired CREAMY Mushroom Risotto? Warning, you may need to make extra because it is THAT good.

Get the Full Recipe & Ingredients

Super Easy Sides: Air Fryer Crispy Brussel Sprouts and Shishito Peppers

I decide to make a side of crispy Brussels sprouts. For a pop of color and flavor, we couldn’t resist adding shishito peppers to the mix. Both recipes were made effortlessly in the air fryer, and takes SO LITTLE TIME to prep!

Ingredients

• Brussels sprouts
• Oil
• Salt and pepper
• Garlic powder
• Parmesan cheese, grated
• Lemon zest

1. Toss the Brussels sprouts with the salt, pepper, garlic powder, grated parmesan cheese, and lemon zest.
2. Air fry at 400°F for 15 minutes.
3. Finish with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.

Shishito Peppers Ingredients

• Shishito peppers
• Oil
• Salt
• Zesty Sauce
  • Soy sauce
  • Honey
  • Sesame oil
  • Lemon zest
  • Yuzu extract

1. Toss the peppers in oil and salt
2. Air fry at 400°F for 7 minutes.
3. Whip up the sauce and drizzle over the peppers for a tangy kick.

Mussels in White Wine

I wanted a little bit of seafood in the mix, so we decided cook some mussels. They’re an easy go-to when I find them at the supermarket. The mussels were a spontaneous addition, but oh, what a delightful choice! As long as your mussels are fresh, they turn out so delicious EVERY SINGLE TIME!

White Wine Mussels Ingredients

• Butter
• Garlic and shallot
• Red chili
• Thyme
• Mussels
• White wine
• Lemon zest

1. Melt butter with garlic, shallot, and chili.
2. Add thyme and mussels, pour in white wine.
3. Cover until the mussels open up.

The Date Night Finale: Dom’s Homemade Steak

Dom took the reins for the steak, proving that sometimes, the simplest dishes are the most satisfying. Cooking for each other is our love language, a way to share our affection through every slice, simmer, and sear. I do get asked sometimes why Dom doesn’t cook as much, but that’s because I just LOVE to cook for the people I love. Even though I’m the one cooking more often, his steak is proof that Dom’s also got some great tricks up his sleeve in the kitchen!

Hope You Enjoyed This Week’s Eats!

I know this post is a little bit different from my normal what I eat in a day but I hope to share a little bit more of my life and be more authentic. I’ve gotten so many kind words about my cookbook and its launch. I’m so happy that this labor of love has come to fruition, and THANK YOU SO MUCH for your support!

Become An Expert on Date Night! Here’s a few recipes to IMPRESS YOUR LOVE!