Tartines with Mackerel + Refried Butter Beans { dairy-free, pescatarian }

November 25, 2019 Sonia Wong

The universe has not given canned Mackerel the love it deserves!

Mackerel has long been one of my go-to sushi choices. But as far as shopping in the canned fish aisle of the grocery store, I’m guilty of reaching for tuna most of the time, with sockeye salmon and sardine being my second and third choices. Why? Habit. Little did I know until now, canned mackerel is equally if not even more habit-forming. Case in point: these super simple and suuuper tasty Tartines with Mackerel and Refried Butter Beans are loved by my family and my foodie adult friends. The refried beans are creamy and savoury, and the mackerel fillets flakey and umami-packed. The parsley salad’s acidic and herbaceous freshness perfectly balances the other rich and creamy elements for a seriously delightful bite!

Chilled Noodles with Spicy Peanut Sauce

August 15, 2019 Sonia Wong

This recipe for CHILLED NOODLES WITH SPICY PEANUT SAUCE is a refreshing and delicious recipe featuring bouncy noodles loaded with a variety of crisp veggies and shredded chicken all tossed in a Chinese-style creamy, savoury, spicy and tangy peanut butter sauce. I think of this as the Chinese version of pasta salad! Perfect on warm days as a standalone meal or as a side dish for bbq parties. Great in a packed lunch or as a potluck offering since it keeps and transports so well.

Sugar Snap Pea Salad with Green Goddess Dressing, from No Crumbs Left Cookbook { gluten-free, dairy-free, Whole30, pescatarian }

July 10, 2019 Sonia Wong

To say the recent arrival of Teri Turner’s wonderful new cookbook No Crumbs Left, Recipes for Everyday Food Made Marvelous was highly anticipated by her legion of loyal fans (she calls her “crumbles”) would be a massive understatement. I have been following Teri’s instagram for years. She approaches cooking with the ease and confidence that inspires so many of us. “Don’t be afraid to fail; it’s just food” is what Teri frequently says. Don’t those words alone empower you to tackle almost anything in your kitchen?

Spaghetti with Clams and Shishito Peppers, with pancetta-hazelnut topping { gluten-free, dairy-free }

July 2, 2019 Sonia Wong

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This Spaghetti with Clams and Shishito Peppers with a Pancetta-Hazelnut Topping is one of those dishes you can make rather quickly on any given night for your family but also elevated enough for your most important dinner guests. And everyone will assume you slaved over it all afternoon too 😉

Springtime White Lasagna { gluten-free, dairy-free, vegetarian }

June 3, 2019 Sonia Wong

Are you Team White Sauce or Team Red Sauce? Honestly, I have been Team Red all the way, all my life. BUT, this dreamy creamy Springtime White Lasagna almost made me second guess my lifelong allegiance. Plus, I tricked my whole family into eating THREE whole different kinds of green vegetables in ONE meal because of this luscious, roasted garlic cream sauce. I said roasted garlic cream sauce. I just wanted to make sure you read that. 😉 Can you even imagine??! It’s definitely kinda magical.

Creamy Avocado Pesto Pasta with King Crab (or Shrimp) { gluten-free, dairy-free }

April 19, 2019 Sonia Wong

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This amazing Creamy Avocado Pesto Pasta with King Crab (or Shrimp) is a luxurious, creamy pasta dish fit for royalty but is also pretty perfect for a quick meal because it involves minimal cooking and is ready in less than 30 minutes. There is a reason why king crab meat is so beloved by seafood lovers all over the world. Nothing compares to their succulence and sweetness. If you haven’t yet tried, you should find a good excuse to splurge on it to taste for yourself. But for an everyday, less bougie yet still delicious version, shrimp is the way to go in this pasta. The recipe for either option is nearly identical (and I walk you through both in the recipe).

Tuna and Kimchi Onigirazu aka Japanese Rice Sandwich { gluten-free, dairy-free }

April 3, 2019 Sonia Wong

Here’s an easy, healthy, minimal-cook meal idea for weeknight dinner, not-a-sad-desk-lunch or kid school lunch. This recipe for TUNA AND KIMCHI ONIGIRAZU is a must try…they are simple to make and so, sooo delicious.

Thai Coconut Soup, The Living Kitchen Cookbook { gluten-free, dairy-free, paleo, Whole30, vegan, vegetarian }

January 31, 2019 Sonia Wong

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All it took was a delicious cookie. The kind that is hearty and chunky with all my favourite things like seeds and cacao nibs and cranberries and goji berries and tahini (aka my favourite butter of all time until infinity). The kind that promises to be hearty, healthy AND delicious, and actually delivers on that promise. It’s no wonder that I fell in love with it and have made the recipe more than half a dozen times. And in falling in love with the cookie, I discovered and also fell a little bit in love (not in a creepy stalker way … in a respectful admiration type of way) with its creators, Sarah Grossman and Tamara Green, the duo behind Living Kitchen Wellness blog and now their debut cookbook, The Living Kitchen Cookbook, Healing Recipes to Support Your During Cancer Treatment and Recovery.

Ginger Apricot Chicken

January 22, 2019 Sonia Wong

Do you like the sound of juicy chicken with crispy skin, slathered in a zippy sauce? If so, I have this fantastic 6-ingredient, 30 minutes recipe for you. This easy and flavor-packed GINGER APRICOT CHICKEN recipe came about when I craved a tasty dish to appease my bored taste buds shortly after starting my first Whole30 so this recipe provides options for regular preparation or soy-free / gluten-free versions. This recipe has since become one of our family weeknight favourites!

Thai Red Curry Noodle Soup with Shrimp Balls { gluten free, dairy free }

December 19, 2018 Sonia Wong

Slurp-worthy rice noodles in a creamy, flavourful broth, this easy THAI RED CURRY NOODLE SOUP WITH SHRIMP BALLS is the kind of tasty and nutritious meal to put into your recipe rotation immediately.

Cauliflower Gnocchi with Morel Mushrooms { gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan }

December 13, 2018 Sonia Wong

Any morel lovers out there?! I am so pleased to partner with Green Peace Canada on this blog post to raise awareness about the Boreal forest by way of this wildly delicious Cauliflower Gnocchi with Morel Mushrooms recipe! Easy to make two-ingredient cauliflower gnocchi are tossed simply with sauteed morels, shallots and garlic, and finished with chives and a wee drizzle of nice balsamic vinegar to brighten everything up. This is an elevated dish fit for royalty! Or at least your most favorite dinner guests. The ones who bring very nice wine! ;)

Poached Shrimp + Tomato Salad

August 14, 2018 Sonia Wong

It's mid August which means Toronto is bursting with summer produce. Our local farmer's market is, to me, almost like a candy store to a child. Tables are piled high with an abundance of fresh and colorful fruits and vegetables hitting their peak. I am in heaven! In particular, tomatoes are having their long-awaited moment in the sun, literally and figuratively. :)

Cauliflower Steak Salad with Sambal Matah

June 25, 2018 Sonia Wong

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Remember when I said cauliflower has superpowers? I still stand by that. Especially after this pretty incredible Cauliflower Steak Salad I made. I've made this dish three times in the past 2 weeks and I have had no regrets about it. Not a one. Actually I do have one regret which is that I'm only discovering Sambal Matah now and not sooner. Such a crying shame!

Vegetarian Bulgogi Sandwich with Kimchi Mayo in GF Choux Baguette { gf, vegetarian, easy vegan option }

May 4, 2018 Sonia Wong

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I made a lip-smacking, finger-licking, killer sandwich! I borrowed the flavors of Korean bulgogi to create this meatless version featuring that quintessential combo of soy sauce, garlic, sesame oil and ginger. Instead of marinaded meat, I've used the bulgogi sauce on tofu and loads of mushrooms, two ingredients that soak up all that tastiness.

Black Garlic Soba Noodle Bowls { gluten-free, meatless, ovo-vegetarian or vegan option }

April 23, 2018 Sonia Wong

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"SPRINTER." Urban Dictionary.com: The Canadian season which occurs between Spring and Summer, when Mother Nature forgets that it is supposed to be getting warmer and suddenly reverts to Winter for no apparent reason.

This may sound cheeky and cute but unfortunately, it is tragically true! We are still reeling in disbelief from a massive ice storm last weekend. In the middle of April. APRIL!

Winter Salad with Lentils and Herbs with a Blood Orange Vinaigrette { gluten-free, dairy-free, refined sugar free, paleo, Vegan option }

January 22, 2018 Sonia Wong

I think there is a certain consensus among those of us who are living through Winter right now that citrus fruits are basically the best part about it. The other features of our winter - air so cold it hurts any exposed skin, shoveling and de-icing all the things all the time, extremities that are always cold even while INDOORS, plus a few other things that make you swear under your breath - I can live without!

Roasted Garlic Pumpkin Pasta with Crispy Sage { dairy-free, gluten-free, vegetarian }

December 3, 2017 Sonia Wong

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'Tis the season for winter squashes! I love the variety of pumpkins and squashes in the markets now - my favorites being pumpkin pie pumpkins (those small round guys), buttercup pumpkin and when lucky enough to find them, kabocha squash aka Japanese pumpkin. Good ol' butternut squash is excellent all year 'round too and is particularly loved by my girls. All of these squash varieties can be used in this recipe. Choose your favorite and the flavor of it will shine through in this simple yet delicious sauce.

Shaved Broccoli + Brussels Sprouts Salad with Dried Cherries, Almonds + Hemp Seeds { gf, dairy free, paleo, vegan, rSF }

September 15, 2017 Sonia Wong

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With the start of school and adieu to summer vacation, I begin to accept that Fall is just around the corner. Every year when I spot the first copper-y dried leaf fallen on the sidewalk, I think of (lower your device's volume if you're at work haha) this old KFC commercial where the woman is screaming and pointing at something. The camera then turns to the sidewalk in front of her, showing a single fallen maple leaf on the ground with the voice-over saying "summer can't last forever". She then bolts in the other direction. I feel exactly the same way! Does anyone else (Canadian) remember this one? Best. Commercial. Ever. My favorite. :)

Cauliflower Fried Rice with Flatiron Steak { gluten-free, paleo }

September 6, 2017 Sonia Wong

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Cauliflower has been having quite a moment in the sun.

Have you seen all the clever and creative uses of cauliflower lately? The popular ones that spring to mind are cauliflower steak, cauliflower pizza crust, cauliflower buffalo 'wings', cauliflower tater tots and even using cauliflower as a smoothie ingredient to provide bulk without the added sugars of bananas and other fruits (can't say I'm sold on that one ... yet).

So despite it's pale and unexciting appearance, turns out this cruciferous veggie kinda has superpowers! And cauliflower RICE, for me, is the most super-y-est of them all because of it's ease of preparation (including how much faster it is to cook versus rice), superior nutritional value over rice, it's versatility and above all, how satisfyingly well it stands in for rice.

Peach + Tomato Summer Salad + Taste Canada NEWS!!!

August 25, 2017 Sonia Wong

Hiya! It's been a minute since I posted. How has this month flown by so fast? Oh I remember now. It's because I've had my hands full with the girls who are on summer break. Why even is there a summer vacation? People who work don't get 2 months off their jobs (I mean other than school-related staff). Stay-at-home parents don't stop cooking / dishes / laundry / vacuuming / groceries / chauffeuring and all of that for a couple of months every year. Why do children get 2 months off school? Isn't school basically their job? Seems like a good idea to keep their minds sharp all year round. Maybe next year I will sign the girls up for math camp all summer heh heh. #tigermomgoals

hello, I’m Sonia!

Welcome to my site, where I share recipes I crave and make for my family. I was born in Hong Kong before immigrating to Canada at the age of eight. This blend of East and West cultural upbringing informs my palate and recipes. I love dumplings and lasagne, get weak in the knees for chocolate cake, gag on cilantro, and controversially dislike whole chickpeas (especially in salads) but love them pureed into silky smooth hummus. If you like what you see here, you can find more food things by me on Instagram, Food Network Canada and occasionally on the small screen as a food expert on CTV’s The Good Stuff with Mary Berg. More about me and my food philosophy here…

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