bulgogi bbq chicken
Welcome to those who were just scanning the web and serendipitously landed on my humble site 👋 whether you are in a rut and don’t know what to make; are in that loop of “sooo, what do you want to eat tonight?”; or have fallen into the infinite black hole of saved recipes from social media (the internet is truly ultimate purveyor of maximalist TL;DR content overwhelm 😵💫🫠🤭). I hope you enjoy — it brings me great joy to sprinkle any ease into your life — cheers to your good health, good love & good fortune!
And per my usual caveat, I do not claim to be a doctor or a chef. I do not dream of being a fancy food blogger. I’m just a gal who enjoys living and eating for optimum well-being. I like to creatively alter, and occasionally create, recipes to make them as balanced as possible, in both taste and health. I’ve come to learn soul-food and body-fueling food are both real and equally important, hence the critical importance and beauty of mind-body-soul eating! ✨ I typically like to begin with a key ingredient or two that I’m hoping to work with, search for a preexisting recipe as a guide, then play with measurements and make swaps to level up nutrient density. Consider this a destination for healthy recipe inspiration, where you’ll never have to scroll through any continuously re-populating ads. One of my primary goals is to add a little simplicity in places I’ve found murky.
MEDICAL DISCLAIMER: THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION IS INTENDED FOR GENERAL INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY AND SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED AS PERSONAL MEDICAL ADVICE. INDIVIDUALS SHOULD ALWAYS CONSULT THEIR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER BEFORE ADMINISTERING ANY OF THE SUGGESTIONS MADE ON THEBALANCEDCALM.COM TO ENSURE THEY ARE APPROPRIATE FOR THEIR SPECIFIC CIRCUMSTANCE.
This recipe is pretty much a mirror from Half-Baked Harvest, with a few of my amendments included below:
INGREDIENTS
1 lb organic pasture raised chicken breast, thinly sliced
2 tbsp oat flour
3 tbsp organic sesame oil
1/2 c low sodium organic soy sauce
3 - 4 tbsp Gochujang (Korean chili paste)
1 tbsp organic unsweetened ketchup
1 in fresh organic ginger, grated
4 - 5 large cloves garlic, minced or pressed
3 scallions, chopped, plus more for serving
3 tbsp grass-fed salted butter
4 ears of organic corn, kernels removed from cob
2 medium shallots, sliced or chopped
1 organic jalapeño, seeded and chopped
1/4 c fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
3 c steamed rice or quinoa
For serving: Half Baked Harvest’s Yum Yum Sauce and sesame seeds
YUM YUM SAUCE
2 tbsp Gochujang
1 tbsp organic unsweetened ketchup
1/4 c plain 100% whole milk grass-fed Greek yogurt, sour cream, or olive oil mayo.
Pink Himalayan salt + fresh cracked black pepper to taste
*Sauce keeps for 1 week in the fridge
INSTRUCTIONS
1. In a medium bowl, toss chicken, flour and 1 tablespoon oil
2. In another bowl, combine soy sauce, 3 tablespoons Gochujang, ketchup, ginger, 2 cloves garlic and 1/4 cup water
3. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium heat and when the oil shimmers, add the chicken and brown until it becomes crispy (about 5 minutes)
4. Pour the Gochujang sauce mix over the chicken and bring the sauce to a boil over medium-high heat, cook until the sauce coats the chicken (about 5 minutes), then stir in the scallions and remove from heat
5. In another skillet over medium heat, add the butter, corn, shallots, remaining 2 - 3 garlic cloves, jalapeño and season with salt and pepper, cook for 5 minutes or until the corn is golden, then stir in the cilantro and remove from heat
6. To serve, divide the rice or quinoa among bowls and top with chicken and corn, sprinkle additional scallions, cilantro, sesame seeds and Yum Yum Sauce
As with everything I make, I love to know the ingredients will fuel not only a beautiful plate, but a beautiful feeling inside. I will again caveat, I’m not a nutritionist, but as holistic health coach, here’s some functional food for thought:
ORGANIC PASTURE RAISED CHICKEN
Similar to buying organic produce, it’s critical to seek out organic pasture raised chicken and eggs. Similar to whole organic grass-fed beef, there’s a major pay off on the nutrient and taste front, as well as on the ethics side — and if we have to realize that the ethics, such as filthy living conditions, cross right over into the quality of our food (and health!). Don’t skim on quality, if anything skim on quantity.
This brings me to my next point on the importance of quality animal protein. As I primarily plant based eater, I personally find it challenging to eat enough high quality animal protein. I can pile on the nuts, beans, tofu and seeds, but I can tell that when my energy level is down at certain moments, it’s typically pointing back to my body’s need for a little more protein. My recommendation is that as long as you’re open to it, give yourself the challenge of making a fun new meat dish once or even twice a week. It really ups the kitchen game and also gives a boost to energy, as well as mood and immunity!
CILANTRO
Also known as coriander, cilantro is very polarizing, but it’s hands down one of my absolute favorite herbs! And thankfully, it’s a true superfood. From lowering blood-sugar levels, to heavy metal cleansing, to preventing cardiovascular damage, to possessing anti-anxiety and mood lifting effects, to improving sleep quality, to acting as an antimicrobial and natural internal deodorant — cilantro is simply a super-powered detox herb! Its strong antioxidant properties should also be highlighted, rich with beta-carotene and lutein, both carotenoids known to reduce damage to cells caused by free radicals.
PINK HIMALAYAN SALT
Since pink Himalayan salt is less processed than table salt, your body has an easier time processing it, as it doesn’t require as much water to clear out the excess sodium! It also contains more than 80 minerals and elements, including potassium, iron, calcium and (naturally occurring) iodine, aiding our body’s natural detoxification process and promoting the removal of bacteria. This can even help lower blood pressure, as iodine supports our body’s electrolyte balance, allowing our intestines to absorb more nutrients.
***important to note, quality is essential — always shop organic, whole, preferably in season, ideally know where your food is coming from and thoroughly wash those fruits + veggies!
