Honey Sriracha Shrimp Bowl with Roasted Purple Cabbage

& my new 'tude for the new year

Hi! Welcome to “good mood food” from Kale Me Maybe’s Carina Wolff. If you’ve made it here and aren’t yet a subscriber, come join! You can expect recipes, musings, and faves in your inbox every Wednesday! Paid subscribers get even more! Learn more about the paid tier of my newsletter here. You can also try a week for free!

CATCH UP!

Hello!!! I am so, so sorry for getting this out so late. The holiday this week messed me up timing wise, and then I thought I would be done writing this before my first ever therapy appointment, but alas, I was not. So it’s late, and this newsletter is going out, but I have a feeling you will all forgive me!!

Although I am still bogged down by some of the same frustrations as 2023, I am choosing my 2024 word to be “reframing.” Instead of sitting here stewing about how I feel about what I’m seeing online, I’m stopping my scrolling and looking to do other things instead. Like, read. Listen to a podcast. Create, so I can stop complaining about what I’m consuming and actually bring to life the type of stuff I want to see. I need to clear my head of all of the noise, and also, detach from all the discourse happening. People always talk about being “chronically online,” and I started to realize I was becoming close to becoming that. Reframing, intentionality, perspective… all themes I’m leaning into to start the new year.

Part of the reason the internet has been on my mind so often is because my job is so tied up in it. It’s hard for me to be able to log off, but the amount I have been consuming has not been in alignment with how I want to live my life. Additionally, I feel like my creativity has been zapped, and that is probably my biggest frustration. I am DROWNING in other people’s content, and it really has taken a toll on how I’m able to create.

But I am taking steps! First step, scroll a LOT less. Detach from what I’m seeing (no comparing, no getting annoyed at content, no reading negative comments and thinking that’s how everyone’s attitude is). A cognitive refresh. I pulled out a big stack of cookbooks and started flipping through them, which always gets me fired up. I made a vision board last night, and just the act of making it felt soothing to my nervous system.

I am trying very hard to get back to my best self, to my most motivated and creative side. And sometimes just the act of trying is motivation enough.

What are you working on in 2024?? Share in the comment section here if you feel like it! One thing I would love to see in this newsletter this year is lots of conversations!

THINGS I’M LOVING

I got this denim shacket from Anthropologie so I could have a lightweight shirt jacket to wear on our trip to Japan, but I have actually been wearing it a ton at home buttoned all the way up as a shirt! I love how sturdy the fabric feels, and it’s a piece that can be worn in all seasons!

As I mentioned in my catch-up, I’ve been leafing through lots of cookbooks to give me cooking inspiration. I felt particularly moved by the Eat Cook LA cookbook, which I bought years ago but hadn’t picked up much. It includes a variety of dishes from popular LA restaurants, including places like Hatchet Hall, Jon & Vinny’s, Sqirl, and more!

If you’ve followed along on my Instagram stories, you’ve probably seen what an obsessive freak I am when it comes to bone broth hot chocolate. I’m not sure why, but I am completely and totally addicted to this beverage. I figured it would be time to write my recipe down somewhere. Here’s what I’ve been doing:

Add 2 tbsp dark chocolate (I’ve been using Hu Gems) and 1/3 cup coconut milk to a small pot on medium heat. Stir constantly until the chocolate has melted completely into the coconut milk, scraping the bottom of the pot to make sure no chocolate is getting stuck. Mix in about 1/2 cup beef bone broth, and heat until warm. Hot tip: try to get a low-sodium broth

RECIPE!

I have decided I need more cabbage in my life, especially roasted cabbage. I bought some purple cabbage this week with no plans, and on a whim, this shrimp bowl was born. Honey sriracha is a great combo that I usually reserve for salmon, but dang it works well with shrimp too!

Because I was developing more of a health conscious recipe, I didn’t go super heavy on the sauce because I wanted to keep this dish lower in sugar, but you can always double the sauce! I think it would taste delicious to have extra honey sriracha coating the shrimp and dripping into the bowl. The original recipe includes a few dashes of coconut aminos/soy sauce at the end which gives it that extra flavor and moisture in the rice.

Speaking of sugar… I actually used the Seasoned Rice Vinegar from Nakano, which yes, has a little bit of sugar added to it but tastes great with the cucumbers. You can do something like this or just stick to regular rice vinegar. If you do want that additional sweetness and flavor, just add a pinch of salt and sugar (which I included in the recipe instructions).

Honey Sriracha Shrimp Bowl with Roasted Purple Cabbage

Ingredients (serves 2)

Bowl

• 1 1/2 cups cooked brown rice (about 3/4 cups uncooked)

• 1/2 head of purple cabbage, cut into 1-inch pieces

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 1 large Persian cucumber, cut into half-moons

• Rice vinegar (enough to lightly) submerge the cucumbers

• 2 carrots, shredded

• Salt & pepper

• To top: coconut aminos or soy sauce; sesame seeds; cilantro

Honey Sriracha Shrimp

• 1/2 lb peeled and deveined shrimp

• 1 tbsp honey

• 1 tbsp sriracha

• 2 cloves minced garlic

1. Preheat oven to 425 F. Cook your rice according to package. While rice is cooking, add chopped cabbage pieces to a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Add the olive oil and a pinch of salt, and toss with your hands to evenly coat. Bake for 20-25 minutes until cabbage is caramelized and just starting to get crisp around the edges, flipping once halfway through.

2. While cabbage is roasting, marinate your cucumbers. Add the cucumber half moons to a small bowl and add rice vinegar until the cucumbers are about halfway submerged. Add a pinch of salt and/or sugar here if you want a little extra flavor. Mix together to get everything coated, andn then let marinate while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

3. Prepare your honey sriracha sauce by adding honey, sriracha, and garlic to a small saucepan and whisk together. Heat the mixture on medium low heat until it thickens, and then set aside while you cook your shrimp.

4. Pat your shrimp dry. In a large skillet over medium heat, add a small drizzle of oil. Add the shrimp, and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side until they are pink and opaque. Mix in the honey sriracha sauce, and then remove from heat.

5. When everything is ready, add the rice to the bottom of your bowls, followed by the cabbage, carrots, cucumbers (you can include the marinade for more flavor), and shrimp. Top with some coconut aminos/soy sauce to give the dish a little bit more flavor and moisture, and finish off with some sesame seeds and cilantro. Serve warm!

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT!

At the end of last month, my paid subscriber bbs got an exclusive recipe for butternut squash dumpling soup with chili crisp! I know it has been a squash BONANZA, but you can also make this soup with a tomato base! It uses frozen gyoza for an easy-peasy hack!

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