After a long hiatus without using the air fryer, we have been going to it now about once a week for the last month. I had forgotten what a neat tool this is, and how it can save so many calories without really altering the desired flavor. Two examples below:

The first is Trader Joe’s Taiwanese scallion pancakes. They actually have two versions, the first of which is a Korean style that also contains carrot and mushrooms. I tried these years ago, and while they were good, it was not exactly what I was looking for. These Taiwanese ones, though, are the real deal and what you would find in most Chinese restaurants. I love a good scallion pancake, but whenever I order them takeout, they are usually soggy by the time they get to the house. Even when dining in, they never seem to be crispy enough. Well, I tossed a couple of them in the air fryer for 15 minutes (spray with cooking spray, 8 minutes, rotate the racks, and then another 7 minutes) on 400 degrees and they came out perfect.

Next up was turning leftover risotto into Arancini bites. The rice was so thick and starchy that I did not even have to add an egg. Had I been frying these, it would have been a grave mistake as they would have fallen apart. These, however, held up pretty good. No flavor was sacrificed in the reduction of calories.