Sammy Wong's Kitchen

My cooking and baking style is "HUGE with healthy and a dab of decadence!" I love living a healthy lifestyle which includes exercising, eating healthy and cooking well.  I aslo enjoy eating delicious food.  I don't believe in crash diets, but I do believe in conscientious and conscious eating habits.  Some amazing food recipes are worth their weight in calories, but others can be tweaked to be healthier! Through much of my own experimentation and research, I've gleaned a multitude of "inspired" recipes and cooking hacks such as...not everything good has to be made from scratch and not everything good needs to be made with tons of butter! It is my pleasure to share my and selective guest contributors' baking or cooking recipes and findings with you all.

Michelle Sam profile

Many of my recipes are "ethnically" inspired as a result of my upbringing as a Chinese in South Africa and my travels around the world where I love to "live and eat like the locals".  After being diagnosed with pre-diabetes a few years ago, I started researching the wonders of sourdough and am on a mission to create recipes that are healthier while keeping them interesting and delicious.

Check out my recipessourdough digesttips & tricks as well as my helpful tools section.  So, tie on an apron and come join me in my kitchen!  Also,  please send me requests, questions or comments in the comment section.  I'd love to hear from you. Lastly, I would love and appreciate a follow on social media.  Thanks!



My Latest Recipes


I was introduced to this refreshing beet limeade a year ago when visiting Nantucket.  I went to this restaurant that was called none other than "The Beet".  Everyone was ordering this beautiful red drink that looked so delicious and appetizing, especially when the weather was hot.  One person at our table ordered the drink.  We all tasted it and then READ MORE

GLUTINOUS RICE BALL SOUP (TANG YUAN)

Savory glutinous rice ball soup (tang yuan) is usually served during lunar new year.  I learned this recipe from my GET THE RECIPE

EASY ROASTED BACON BRUSSEL SPROUTS

When I was young, there were a very few foods that I disliked.  One of them was brussel sprouts. At GET THE RECIPE

ROSEMARY SMASHED POTATOES

Having grown up in South Africa with a British influence, Saturday lunches consisted of a pot roast, roast potatoes and GET THE RECIPE

EASY GRILLED SPATCHCOCK CHICKEN

Many years ago, I bought this utensil that allowed me to cook a whole chicken, almost like the popular beer GET THE RECIPE

WALNUT AND CITRUS SOURDOUGH BREAD

Having grown up in South Africa with the British influence of marmalade, I love the infusion and addition of citrus GET THE RECIPE

SOURDOUGH ALMOND BUTTER COOKIES

I enjoy peanut butter cookies.  However, I wanted to take advantage of the health benefits of almonds, almond flour and GET THE RECIPE

ROTISSERIE CHICKEN POT PIE with PUFF PASTRY

Coming from South Africa with a British influence, this rotisserie chicken pot pie with puff pastry combines the best of GET THE RECIPE

HOMEMADE GARLIC BLACK BEAN SAUCE

This homemade garlic black bean sauce is one of the staples in my household.  It's delicious steamed with any type GET THE RECIPE

SOURDOUGH BLUEBERRIES AND CREAM PANCAKES

Shrove Tuesday or Mardi Gras is coming up.  When Americans think of Mardi Gras, they immediately think of the festive GET THE RECIPE

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Cooking Tips & Tricks


Environment It took me a while to figure out how my environment was a huge (Read more)

Understanding sourdough: adapting to the environment

Baker's percentages and hydration percentages are two math concepts that are helpful when baking bread. (Read more)

Bread Math: Baker’s Percentages

Here are some essential utensils and tools for sourdough baking.  These basic necessities that will (Read more)

Essential utensils and tools for sourdough baking

Cooked spaghetti squash sounds simple, but there are some tips for cooking perfect spaghetti squash (Read more)

Cooking perfect spaghetti squash

What is proofing? What does proof your sourdough mean and what is the best way (Read more)

Proof your Sourdough

My daughter recently asked me how to make a chocolate drizzle for her chocolate covered (Read more)

How to make a chocolate drizzle

Vegetable selection and the way they are cut play an important part in stir fry. (Read more)

Selecting and cutting vegetables for stir fry

Chinese stir fries can be very versatile, using any protein available.  However, the types and (Read more)

Selecting and cutting meat for stir fry

Stir frying is one of the most popular ways to cook Chinese food.  Here are (Read more)

Essential cookware & utensils for Chinese cooking

Need some quick meal ideas?

EASY, HEALTHY, DELICIOUS!

GRILLED CHICKEN SALAD SANDWICH
MAPO TOFU
CHICKEN AND VEGETABLE SOUP
TUNA TATAKI SALAD WITH JALAPENO SOY DRESSING
SHRIMP WITH SIZZLING RICE

About Michelle Sam

Michelle was born in Johannesburg, South Africa and has been a passionate eater since birth and cook since age 7. She later started experimenting in the kitchen, recreating and tweaking dishes she discovered on vacation and her travels to countries around the world. Michelle currently lives in Irvine, CA and manages a tech company that she founded ten years ago. When she isn't working with her engineers to write code, she can be found in her kitchen absorbed in a new project. When Michelle's two daughters moved to the East Coast, she filmed a few cooking tutorial videos to help guide her girls to make their favorite "Mom dishes" on their own. To Michelle's dismay, it appeared that thousands of anonymous viewers enjoyed her tutorial videos...but not her daughters! They would still call her for instructions. Michelle also started The OC Supper Club, a group of foodies that get together for member-lead cooking class meals, potluck competitions, and tastings through the many hidden culinary gems of Orange County.


Update:  I recently posted a very silly video that has nothing to do with cooking.  My girls apparently watch it almost every day!

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