Chow Mein!

 I have been obsessed with Chow Mein since trying my local vegan restaurant’s version.  I was craving it, but they are not open today, so I tried my hand at it.  This recipe is quick and delicious!

You need:

Fistful of noodles - I used spaghetti, but you can also use ramen

1/2 bag of shredded cabbage and carrot from Trader Joe’s, or make your own

1/4 cup diced onion

Cubed tofu, I used about 1/2 cup

Scallions

For the Sauce:

4 tbsp soy sauce

2 tbsp peanut butter 

1 tbsp blackstrap molasses 

2 tsp seasoned rice vinegar 

1 garlic clove, finely minced

2 tsp sesame oil

First, boil the water for the pasta.  Begin to mix the sauce in a jar - whisk until fully immersed.  As soon as the water is ready, toss it in to cook and begin to heat up a pan. Throw a couple of dashes of water in the pan to cook onions first.  Once the onions are translucent, toss in the vegetable mix and tofu to the pan.  Mix until slightly wilted, cooking on medium heat.  

Once the noodles are cooked, drain and add them to the pan, turning up the heat to high.  Stir around for 30 seconds or so, and slowly add the sauce to the pan to reach desired consistency (I only used about half for 2 servings).  Let it begin to boil, so you can scrape the glazed bits off the pan as you fervently stir the mix.  Remove from heat and garnish with scallions.  Serve immediately.

If you make this, let me know!

 

Roasted Veggies

Delicious and super nutritious.

Idaho Potatoes, sliced
Carrots, sliced
Onions, diced
Parsnips, sliced
2 tbsp Oil
Dash of salt
Dash of pepper
Italian herbs, dried
Chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1/2 tbsp cumin
Jasmine rice
Broth, vegetable

Begin by cooking the rice in broth.  Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.  Slice veggies, and then throw into a bowl.  Cover the veggies with oil, salt and pepper, plus spices.  In another bowl, toss chickpeas with cumin, oil and salt.  Spread vegetables and chickpeas evenly on baking sheet and place in oven.  Cook for 22 minutes, flipping vegetables half way through.  Vegetables should be lightly brown, and chickpeas crunchy (some should have split already).  Lay rice on plate, and cover with chickpea and vegetable mixture.

Earthy Spinach and Lentils

I had a huge craving for spinach and lentils last night.  I created this recipe, and it was delicious!

1/2 cup diced onions
1 clove garlic, minced
1/3 cup dry rice
1/2 box of frozen spinach, thawed
1/4 cup brown lentils, dry
1/2 tbsp ground cumin
1 cup water
Salt, to taste
6-8 cherry tomatoes, sliced
Parmesan, to taste

Cook rice in small pot.  Over medium heat, sauté onions in olive oil until golden, about ten minutes.  Add garlic, cook about 5 more minutes.  Add water, toss in lentils.  Simmer until tender; about 20 minutes.  Add thawed spinach, cumin and salt, and cook until water is absorbed.  Add rice to mixture, stir and serve immediately.  I like to top it with tomatoes and Parmesan to add earthy flavor.

Healthy Lentils!

Our mother is constantly asking me to give her this recipe - it is a favorite! Yummy, soul-satisfying, and pure comfort food - this recipe is simple to make.

You Need:
1/2 cup brown rice
1/2 tsp. vegetable bouillion and 1 cup water, or 1 cup vegetable broth
olive oil or butter
1/2 cup red lentils
1/4 large onion, chopped
1 garlic clove
1 carrot, minced
2 celery stalks, minced
tomato, chopped
Italian seasoning, to taste
salt and pepper to taste
parmesan, optional

Cook rice in bouillion. In a separate pot, simmer lentils until soft. In a pan, liberally covered in butter or olive oil, cook onions over medium heat until translucent. Add garlic, and keep stirring. Add carrots and celery to the mix, and cook over medium heat. Once lentils are finished cooking, add to the rice. Finish cooking the rice, and add vegetables from pan to rice mixture. Simmer to eliminate excess water, about ten minutes (keep stirring!). Once reduced, add tomatoes, seasoning, salt and pepper. Just before serving, add parmesan. Enjoy!

Grilled Lemon Shrimp in Mole Sauce

Yes, you know it -- in my kitchen the fresh taste of citrus plays a major role in much of my cooking.  This is recipe is no different.  I use the bold taste of fresh lemon zest and juice to give the mole sauce a new life.

This dish is great as the basis for fajitas, served with mexican rice with salsa fresca, or rolled up into a tortilla with a nice helping of tahini slaw.

INGREDIENTS
1 bag of raw frozen shrimp (I use 41-50 count), thawed and peeled
4-5 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
2 T chopped cilantro leaves
zest from one lemon
extra virgin olive oil
pinch of course grey salt, freshly ground pepper to taste
juice from one lemon to deglaze
2 cups mole sauce

RECIPE
Thaw and peel the shrimp, removing tails. (The shells may be reserved and frozen to include in a homemade seafood broth if you like).  Rinse and drain them, squeezing out water and set in a clean bowl.  Add enough extra virgin olive oil to coat the shrimp.  Add the sliced garlic, lemon zest, cilantro salt and pepper and set aside in the refrigerator to marinate for 30 minutes.  Juice the lemon and set aside for later use.

Bring about 1 1/2 - 2 cups mole sauce to a gentle simmer in a large sautee pan.  In a separate sautee pan, heat olive oil over medium heat.  Add the shrimp and marinade 8-10 pieces at a time, without over crowding.  Sear on one side and then move the shrimp to the mole sauce to continue cooking.  Continue until the entire batch is cooked.  When you are finished searing the shrimp, there will be a nice glaze on the pan.  Reduce the heat and pour in the reserved lemon juice.  Quickly scrape the bottom of the pan to remove the residue.  Add a splash of water if you don't have enough liquid.  Turn off the heat at add the remaining marinade.  Pour the released glaze and the marinade into the simmering mole with shrimp.

This is great served in a multitude of ways.  Enjoy using your own creativity.  I love to garnish it with a few sprigs of fresh cilantro!

Saffron Rice with Lemon

This simple dish is a great complement to any spicy, rich Moroccan dish.  The rice is steeped with subtle nutty flavor of saffron while the lemon provides a wonderful contrast.  Leftover rice is wonderful mixed into an herbed egg scramble the next day for breakfast (I usually make a chive-parsely scramble for this). 


INGREDIENTS
2T extra virgin olive oil
Small pinch of saffron threads (maybe 10-15)
1 cup basmati rice
1T lemon zest
water
--..--..--..--..--..--..--..


Rinse rice in cold water and drain multiple times until water becomes clear.  Drain thoroughly and set aside.  Heat oil in a heavy saucepan on medium until a drop of water sizzles in it.  Add drained rice and saffron; sautee, stirring occasionally, until the rice is very dry and sticks to the bottom of the pan (without burning).  pour water over the rice to cover by about an inch.  Release rice from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon.  Add lemon zest.  Cover, and bring to a gentle simmer.  Simmer until water has evaporated (about 15 minutes).  Let stand for 5 minutes and fluff with a fork prior to serving. 

Mexican Rice with Salsa Fresca

Red Rice

2 T canola oil (or other high heat oil)

1T annato (achiote) seeds

1 sweet yellow onion (diced)

2/3 cup brown rice

Salsa Fresca

1.5 -2 cups diced fresh tomatoes (whichever variety look best t you)

4 scallions, sliced

1/2 cucumber, seeded and sliced

3 cloves garlic, finely minced

2-3 hot peppers, finely minced (option: if you cannot eat spicy food, mince 1/2 red pepper)

2 T cilantro, finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

pepper to taste

Garnish

Very thin lemon slices

Avocado slices

sharp cheddar cheese

The Rice

In a small sauce pan (the smallest one you own) add the oil and annato on medium high heat. You do want the oil to be deep. Add a bit more, need be. Watch carefully as the oil turns a very dark bright red, but doesn't burn. After about 5-7 minutes of cooking, it will be done. Take the mixture off the heat and carefully strain the annato out of the oil through a small metal sieve into a pyrex measuring cup.

Once drained, transfer the very red oil into a saucepan big enough to cook the rice. It can be the same saucepan you used before. On medium heat add the diced onion. Once cooked, add the rice and turn the heat up to high. Continuously stir and sear the rice for 3-5 minutes. Add two cups of water, bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 25 minutes or until thoroughly cooked. Remove from heat and set aside until room temperature.

The salsa

Chop tomato, cucumber and onion and place in a big bowl. Add a pinch of salt and mix thoroughly. Salt will cause this vegetables to weep and create a beautiful liquid. Add the remaining ingredients and mix at each addition. Refrigerate for 1/2 hour if you have time or allow to sit at room temperature depending on your preference.

Place the rice into a casserole dish or large bowl. Add the salsa and mix through. Top with your favorite garnish.

For a complete protein, add a can of black beans or a cup of reconstituted dried black beans to the rice.

Yogurt Coriander Sauce

Strain 1 cup of yogurt through a coffee filter for 1/2 hour. Add the zest and juice from 1 lime. Add 1 tablespoon of freshly crushed coriander seed. Top this or any chili, indian or mexican style dish with this yogurt sauce.

Vegetable Biryani

2 Tbsp light olive oil

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 carrot, diced

1/2 onion, diced

1 tsp turmeric

3/4 tsp garlic, minced

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp ginger

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

1 cup uncooked Basmati rice

2 cups water

1/2 cup frozen peas

1/2 cup raisins

salt to taste

3/4 cup whole roasted, salted cashews

In a 3-quart saucepan, saute the onion, carorot and bell pepper in the oil until tender. Reduce heat to low. Add the garlic, turmeric, cinnamon, cumin, ginger, and cayenne. Saute for 2 more minutes. Add rice and water. On medium high heat, bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 25 minutes or until rice is tender. Add peas and raisins. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Add salt to taste. Garnish with cashews.