THE YUMMIEST AHI TUNA ALOHA POKE!

Did you know that one of the last few trips Adam and I took before the pandemic was to The Big Island of Hawaii, Kona? It was an extended family trip that consisted of 13 of us staying at a house we rented for a few weeks over Christmas and it was a BLAST! It wasn’t my first trip to Hawaii but it is where I fell in love and really indulged in authentic Hawaiian Poké for the first time! It’s such a staple Hawaiian dish that you will find amazing Tuna Poké in grocery stores and small family owned stores all over the islands!

If you have never heard of Hawaiian Tuna Poké, it is a traditional Hawaiian raw fish salad that consists of raw tuna (although I have used salmon and it taste just as great) marinated in soy sauce, sesame oil, and onions. Ahi Poké may appear complicated or intimidating to recreate at home but let me assure you it is actually super easy to make Hawaiian Tuna Poké at home as long as you buy sushi grade fish. Unfortunately, not all fish will work for making a Hawaiian Poké recipe at home. Since the fish is not cooked it has to have been ‘flash frozen’ in order to kill any parasites that may exist inside the flesh. Because of this, it’s easier and safer to buy sushi grade fish when making not only this Tuna Poké recipe but any Hawaiian Poké.

In terms of accompaniments, a few essentials include sticky rice, edamame, and sliced carrots but I love eating this Tuna Poké Recipe with avocado, cucumber, a few pieces of nori (dried seaweed), and radishes. Sometimes I’ll even include a little pickled ginger as a little extra salty profile addition to the dish! Alternatively, a simple addition of popular poké sauces can turn this recipe into a Spicy Tuna Poké Recipe like the addition of some spicy mayo (ingredients to which I have included below)! The best part, you can make it as spicy or as mild as you wish and use whatever mayo you have in the fridge (full-fat, light, paleo, etc).

Before you begin, it is vital to note that you must marinate your Ahi Tuna Poké for a minimum of 2 hours prior to eating in order to get the full flavor. The marinade really only takes 10-15 minutes to prepare and is super easy (just combined everything in a bowl). If you are thinking of making this for dinner you may want to start the marinating process first thing in the morning or over your lunch break to ensure it is ready for dinner! Although the best time to eat this Tuna Poké recipe is the same day you marinate it, it will keep in the fridge for up to two days.

* Please Note - Some links in this post may be affiliate links *

INGREDIENTS:

SERVES 4

- Tuna Poké Marinade -

2 Lbs of Sushi Grade Ahi Tuna
3 TBSP of Soy Sauce
2 TBSP of Sesame Oil
1 TSP of Fresh Ginger - grated
1.5 TSP of Hawaiian Salt
1/2 Cup of Onion - sliced thinly
1 TBSP of Sesame Seeds - toasted
2 TBSP of Macadamian Nuts - toasted and chopped
1 CUP of Green Onion (green parts only) - chopped
1/4 TSP of Chili Pepper

- Accompaniments -

2 CUPS of Steamed Sticky Rice - can be substituted for short grain brown rice for a healthier choice
Dried Seaweed - cut into 2 inch strips
1 CUP of Edamame - steamed and than chilled
Cucumber - thinly sliced
2-3 Radishes - thinly sliced
1 Carrot - shaved
Pickled Ginger

- Poké Sauce - Spicy Mayo can be added to this dish to turn it into a Spicy Ahi Poké recipe

4 TBSP of Mayonnaise
4 TSP of Sriracha - can be altered to your desired spice level

---

LOVE SEAFOOD? CHECK OUT THESE OTHER RECIPES!

---

HOW TO MAKE POKÉ:

Using a sharp knife, skin your filet of tuna and cut away any tendon before cutting the remaining meat into 1 inch chunks.

In a large bowl, mix your marinade ingredients together with the tuna very well before wrapping and placing in the fridge to marinate for 2 hours.

30 minutes prior to eating, prep your accompaniments and steam your sticky rice.

When ready, assemble your tuna poke bowl and garnish with a few additional sesame seeds.

---

FOLLOW ME ON INSTAGRAM @ISTHATSOH

---

I hope you enjoyed this Tuna Poké recipe with avocado recipe as much as I do. If you have any comments please leave them below and I'll be happy to answer them as soon as I can! Happy eating!!!

---

PIN THIS POST

KOREAN KIMCHI PANCAKES (KIMCHIJEON) WITH DIPPING SAUCE - A YUMMY KOREAN STREET FOOD RECIPE

Korean kimchi pancakes (often referred to as kimchijeon in Korea) are a delicious street food dish often enjoyed as a snack or after a night out, that is so easy to make at home! To tell you the truth, it’s just like making traditional pancakes where you add everything together in a bowl and fry it up except Korean Kimchi Pancakes are way more savory than your traditional North American pancake thanks to the addition of green onions and some spicy kimchi! If you enjoy Korean food and want to learn how to make delicious kimchi pancakes at home, check out this foolproof recipe with dipping sauce below!

IS KIMCHI VEGAN?

It all depends on the brand you buy! Traditional kimchi does contain fish sauce but depending on the brand you buy you can also find it without, so make sure to check the ingredient list. Additionally, Kimchi is not difficult to make, so if you want to try making it at home you can just leave out any animal products to make it vegan.

In my opinion, the best kimchi brand is Myungga Mat Kimchi however, I did recently do a Whole 30 cleanse and found a plant-based kimchi brand called LIVE at Ambrosia that I very much enjoy. It doesn’t have any added fish sauce and uses apple for sweetness instead of sugar. *NOTE: This recipe is not whole 30!

WHAT ARE SOME KIMCHI BENEFITS?

Kimchi is so good for your gut! It aids with digestion and is packed full of great probiotics. It is also said to help with inflammation, aid with weight loss, strengthen your immune system and support heart health!

DOES KIMCHI GO BAD

Yes! I recently had to throw out the remnants of a jar of kimchi that was a month or so old. You could tell by the way it smelled that it had ‘over fermented’. It smelled like a bottle of wine that has been sitting out for a few days. If you open your jar and it smells kind of sour with a pungent alcohol smell - it’s most likely gone bad.

* Please Note - Some links in this post may be affiliate links *

INGREDIENTS FOR KIMCHI PANCAKES:

Makes 2-3 Pancakes

3-4 Green Onions (chopped diagonally) - set a little aside for garnish
1/2 a CUP of Kimchi (chopped) *Use a plant-based Kimchi if you want this recipe to be vegan!
1/2 a CUP of Korean Pancake Mix
2-3 TBSP of Kimchi Juice and/or Korean Chili Paste
About 1 Cup of Water (to be added a 1/4 CUP at a time)
1-2 TBSP of Vegetable Oil

- Garnish -
1 TBSP of Seasame Seeds (roasted)
Dried Seaweed (cut into 2-inch strips)

- Dipping Sauce -

2 TBSP of Soya Sauce
1 TBSP of Water
2 TSP of Rice Vinegar
1 TSP of Sugar
2 TSP of Sesame Oil
1 TSP of Sesame Seeds

---

CHECK OUT THESE OTHER ASIAN INSPIRED RECIPES

---

HOW TO MAKE KIMCHI PANCAKES:

In a small bowl, add all your dipping sauce ingredients, and using a fork mix it together before setting it aside.

In a bowl add in your green onions (making sure to put some to the side for a garnish later), Korean pancake mix, kimchi, and kimchi juice/ Korean chili paste in a bowl. Stir in a 1/4 cup of water at a time until a batter starts to form. You want it to be the same consistency as a regular pancake mix so keep adding water until you achieve this desired consistency.

Heat up 1-2 TBSP of vegetable oil in a pan and pour in your Kimchi pancake batter when hot. Allow the Kimchi pancake to cook on one side for 2-3 minutes before flipping - same as you would a regular pancake.

When ready, remove from heat, garnish with sesame seeds, more green onion, and dried seaweed strips.

Serve with dipping sauce.

---

FOLLOW ME ON INSTAGRAM @ISTHATSOH

---

I hope you enjoyed this easy vegan kimchi pancake recipe with dipping sauce as much as I do. If you have any comments about how to make kimchi pancakes, please leave them below and I'll be happy to answer them as soon as I can! Happy cooking!!!

---

PIN THIS POST

EASY KENTUCKY BUTTER CAKE RECIPE WITH CARAMEL ICING

I remember the first time my mom made me this Kentucky Butter Cake with Caramel Sauce. It was a warm summer day, we had just finished dinner, and she brought out this freshly baked and still warm, Kentucky Butter Cake with a Caramel Icing. Although outside, you could smell the cake’s sweetness and I instantly noticed how moist and spongy it was as soon as I dove into it with my fork. It didn’t take long for me to request every cake have this amazing caramal glaze on it and ask for the recipe for my blog!

Why is it called Kentucky Butter Cake?

Funny you should ask because from what I have read, no body is really sure. I came across a story about it being a Pillsbury bake-off winner and then another story that debunked that so the real story behind this cake is stil unknown. If i had to guess though, I’d bet the cake originated from Kentucky, and since it has lots of butter, it’s called a Kentucky Butter Cake! One thing I do know though is that this cake is usually found with a butter sauce or icing not a caramel glaze. In my opinion though, the caramel glaze can’t be beat!

Since my first introduction i’ve already baked it nemerous times and everyone I’ve introduced it instantly seems to fall in love with this Kentucky Butter Cakes recipe too. I’m sure after you try it, you will too what caramel frosting on just about everything you eat as well! The best part about this Kentucky Butter Cake and Caramel Icing Recipe is that it is SUPER easy to make so you don’t have to be an advance baker to yield good results or enjoy this recipe!

I’ve created a quick tutorial video for you below for this Kentucky Butter Cake with Caramel Sauce recipe, so make sure to check it out below!

Happy baking!

* Please Note - Some links in this post may be affiliate links *

INGREDIENTS:

Serves 10
- Kentucky Butter Cake -

3 cups of All-Purpose Flour
1 TSP of Salt (Kosher is preferred)
1 TSP of Baking Powder
1/2 a TSP of Baking Soda
1 Cup of Unsalted Butter (cubed and brought to room temperature)
2 Cups of Granulated White Sugar
4 Eggs
1 TBSP of Vanilla
1 Cup of Buttermilk

- Caramel Frosting -

1 Cup of Brown Sugar
2 TBSP of All-Purpose Flour
3 TBSP of Butter (softened)
1/4 Cup of Milk
1 TSP of Vanilla Extract

You will also need:

A 10” bundt pan
Hand Mixer
Saucepan

---

CHECK OUT THESE OTHER DESSERT RECIPES

---

KENTUCKY BUTTER CAKE DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees and butter your bundt pan before dusting it with flour - I used a 10” pan!

In a medium bowl, mix all your dry ingredients (flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda) together with a whisk until well incorporated.

Next, in a separate, larger bowl add your butter, sugar, vanilla, eggs, and buttermilk, and mix together on low for 30 seconds using a hand mixer before slowly incorporating your dry ingredients in 2-3 portions.

When the dry ingredients are fully added to the wet ingredients, increase the hand mixer speed to high and continue to beat for 3 minutes until the batter texture becomes smooth. Make sure to scrape the sides of the bowl to get the excess flour that likes to get trapped there!

Pour batter into your buttered bundt pan and bake for 65-75 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

When the Kentucky Butter Cake is ready, remove it from the oven and set it aside to cool. I like to allow the cake to cool for 10 minutes before inverting it onto a serving plate.

CARAMEL ICING RECIPE DIRECTIONS

After the cake has cooled you can get to work on the caramel glaze!

Combine brown sugar and all-purpose flour in a bowl - whisk together until well incorporated.

Using a saucepan, add in your brown sugar/flour mixture, butter and milk. Bring ingredients to a rolling boil on medium-high heat, stir continuously.

Once boiling, allow it to continue to boil for 1.5 minutes before removing from heat and setting it aside to cool for about 5 minutes.

When the caramel icing has cooled, use a wooden spoon to beat the mixture so that it thickens. Add in your vanilla as you continue to beat the mixture (about 1-2 minutes) until it becomes a similar consistency to honey.

Pour the caramel frosting over the cooled Kentucky Butter Cake using the back of the spoon to help spread it around evenly. Set aside to cool as the caramel glaze will harden after a few hours.

This cake can be stored at room temperature in a cake stand for 3 days or in an airtight container!

---

FOLLOW ME ON INSTAGRAM @ISTHATSOH

---

I hope you enjoyed this Kentucky Butter Cake recipe with Caramel Icing as much as I do. If you have any comments please leave them below and I'll be happy to answer them as soon as I can! Happy baking!!!

---

PIN THIS POST

ESPRESSO MARTINI'S - AN EASY COCKTAIL RECIPE FOR COFFEE LOVERS

Espresso Martini’s - An Easy Cocktail Recipe for Coffee Lovers

Last weekend my little at-home-bar got a BIG upgrade with the addition of a new Nespresso Vertuo Next Espresso Machine! I was so excited about my new addition that I couldn’t wait to shake up some coffee cocktails and since (N)espresso Martini are one of my all time faves, I thought I’d share a little tutorial with you!

Legend has it that the espresso martini originated in London, England when a young future supermodel walked into a famous Soho Brasserie in 1983 and asked bartender Dick Bradsell to make her something that would ‘wake her up and then fuck her up’. He mixed her a drink using vodka, coffee liqueur and a shot of espresso, and that is how the espresso martini came to be!

Today, espresso martini’s are very popular especially as a digestive after a big meal and although originally made with coffee liqueur, I have also seen menus showcasing espresso martini's with Baileys and even Tia Maria espresso martini’s! I prefer my espresso martini’s with Kahlua but no matter your preference, the steps are always the same so I thought I’d share this simple cocktail recipe with you along with a quick tutorial video I made below!

Enjoy!

* Please Note - Some links in this post may be affiliate links *

ESPRESSO MARTINI INGREDIENTS:

Makes 1 cocktail

3/4 oz of Espresso (I used my Nespresso Vertuo Next machine)
3/4 oz of Kahlua Coffee Liquor (you can also use Baileys or Tia Maria if you don’t have Kahlua or want to try something different)
1.5 oz of Vodka
Ice
A few whole coffee beans for garnish

You will also need a cocktail shaker and espresso martini glasses!

---

CHECK OUT THESE OTHER DRINK AND COCKTAIL RECIPES

---

HOW TO MAKE ESPRESSO MARTINI’S:

Making espresso martini’s is super easy!

First, add ice to a cocktail shaker followed by your espresso coffee, vodka, and liquor (Kahlua, Baileys or Tia Maria)

Place lid on cocktail shaker and shake well! The cocktail shaker should turn cold and the more you shake the thicker the foam will be for the cocktail!

Pour cocktail into a martini glass making sure to strain out the ice.

Garnish with a few whole coffee beans.

---

FOLLOW ME ON INSTAGRAM @ISTHATSOH

---

I hope you enjoyed this espresso martini recipe as much as I do. If you have any comments please leave them below and I'll be happy to answer them as soon as I can! Happy bartending!!!

---

PIN THIS POST

THREE SKINNY COCKTAILS USING NUDE BEVERAGES VODKA SELTZER!

Happy Victoria Day long weekend to all my fellow Canadians!

To help you kick off this weekends celebrations, I wanted to share three skinny cocktail recipes using Nude Beverages Vodka Seltzer.

If you are not familiar with Nude Beverages they are hard seltzer company from Britsh Columbia, Canada that uses clean alcohol bases along with all-natural flavors. All Nude Hard Seltzer beveraegs have 100 calories and 0 carbs per serving. In addition to Nude Vodka Soda, they also offer Nude Tequila Soda and Nude Gin Soda however only the Nude Vodka Soda (which comes in three flavours, Peach, Raspberry Lemon, Classic Lime, and Black Cheery) is currently available at the LCBO in Ontario.

I have been having a lot of fun experimenting with all the different flavours and making delicious vodka seltzer cocktails so that I can share it with you including a nude ice tea! Which vodka seltzer skinny cocktail would you make?

* Please Note - Although the video below was sponsored, this post was not! *

INGREDIENTS:

Skinny Cucumber Basil Gimlet
2-3 Mini Cucumbers - Shaved
A handful of fresh basil
Lime Juice (1/2 oz Per cocktail)
Nude Vodka Soda in the flavor ‘Classic Lime’

Mix Berry & Mint Caipiroska

A mix of muddled berries (blueberries, strawberries, blackberries and raspberries
A handful of fresh mint
Lime Juice (1/2 oz Per cocktail)
Nude Vodka Soda in the flavor ‘Raspberry Lemon’
Whole strawberry for garnish

Twisted Georgia Peach UnSweetened Ice Tea

Ice Tea (brew the night before for maximum flavour)
Nude Vodka Soda in the flavor ‘Peach’
Slices of Peach for garnish

---

CHECK OUT THESE OTHER COCKTAIL RECIPES

---

DIRECTIONS:

Skinny Cucumber Basil Gimlet Vodka Seltzer Skinny Cocktail

Add cucumber shaves, torn up fresh basil and 1/2 oz of Lime Juice to your glass and muddle together.

Next, decorate the Glass with more cucumber shavings

Add Ice (i used crushed ice which I made by putting ice in a plastic ziplock bag and hitting it with a meat mallet!)

Top it off with Nude Hard Seltzer using the Nude Vodka Soda in the flavor ‘Classic Lime’

Garnish with Basil

Mix Berry & Mint Caipiroska Vodka Seltzer Skinny Cocktail

Add one or two spooms of your berry smash to a glass (I literally just muddled a few different kinds of berries together), followed by 1/2 an Oz of lime juice and a few sprigs of fresh mint. Muddle together.

Add ice (I used crushed ice which I made by putting ice in a plastic ziplock bag and hitting it with a meat mallet!)

Top it off with Nude Hard Seltzer using the Nude Vodka Soda in the flavor ‘Raspberry Lemon’

Garnish with a strawberry

Twisted Georgia Peach UnSweetened Ice Tean Vodka Seltzer Skinny Cocktail

Add Ice Tea (I brewed mine the night before for maximum flavour)!

Add ice

Top it off with Nude Hard Seltzer using the Nude Vodka Soda in the flavor ‘Peach’

Garnish with a slice of peach!

---

FOLLOW ME ON INSTAGRAM @ISTHATSOH

---

I hope you enjoyed these three skinny cocktails using new beverages vodka seltzer as much as I do. If you have any comments about nude hard seltzer please leave them below and I'll be happy to answer them as soon as I can! Happy bartending!!!

---

PIN THIS POST