Chinese Sesame Kale

Part of my lack of blogging lately is that I haven't really been doing anything adventurous in the kitchen because I don't have to. Fresh, local, seasonal produce just doesn't require a lot. For example, for Sunday's dinner, I ate roasted kale and a microwaved sweet potato, and it was amazing. With the produce from our CSA and a stockpile of lean proteins (tofu, beans, chicken sausages, etc.), our meals have been pretty simple.

Another summer change to our lifestyle is that we've been having mini-dinner parties on weekdays. We'll have a friend or two over, partially to visit and partially to have someone else help us eat our CSA produce. With the longer, slower days, chatting and lingering on our patio over wine as the fireflies come out doesn't seem quite as indulgent as it does during the rest of the year. It just feels like part of the summer pace. So last night we had a friend, newly moved to Nashville, over for Spicy Asian Marinated Flank Steak, Asian slaw salad, and some of this kale. The recipe for this came from our CSA newsletter from Delvin Farms, and it was a flavorful accompaniment to the rest of the meal.

Chinese Sesame Kale
source: Delvin Farms CSA Newsletter

Ingredients
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bunch kale (I used Red Russian kale.)
2 teaspoons sesame seed oil
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds (I misread and used 2 tablespoons.)
Salt and pepper, if desired

Preparation
Mince the garlic cloves. Wash kale. Remove and discard the stems from the kale and tear it into bite-size pieces. Save the stems for another use, such as vegetable stock.
Heat the sesame seed oil in the skillet over medium-low heat. Add the minced garlic to the hot oil and sauté for about 20 seconds. Add the kale and water to the garlic and oil, and cover the skillet.
After 1 minute, stir the kale, then re-cover. After 1-2 more minutes, when the kale is wilted, stir in the soy sauce and sesame seeds. If desired, add salt and/or pepper to taste.

Aromatic Noodles with Peanut-Lime Sauce

My file of saved vegetarian recipes is overrun with pasta dishes, which is problematic since I try to only eat pasta one day a week to save myself from carb-overload. But when Joe asked for some type of peanut noodle dish, it gave me an excuse to dig through the file and pick one out that I had saved a long time ago, preferably one with lots of vegetables. I simplified the recipe a bit, blanching the vegetables in the pasta water rather than steaming them in a separate pot. This mixed everything together. Also, just a note of warning, check your nuts. I had these peanuts in the cupboard for WAY too long, and the fats had become rancid. Not tasty.

Aromatic Noodles with Peanut-Lime Sauce
source: Ellie Krieger via Apple a Day

Ingredients
3/4 pound spinach linguine or whole-wheat spaghetti
2 cups (about 9 ounces) broccoli florets
2 cups (about 6 ounces) snow peas, trimmed
2 cups (about 6 ounces) sugar snap peas, trimmed
1/2 cup natural creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 scallion, cut into pieces
3/4 inch fresh ginger, finely grated
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 cup shelled unsalted peanuts

Preparation

1. Cook the pasta in a large pot of water according to the directions on the package. Drain and rinse with cold water.

2. While the pasta is cooking put the broccoli in a steamer basket over a large pot of boiling water and steam it for 3 minutes. Add the snow peas and sugar snap peas and steam for 2 minutes more.

3. Toast the peanuts in a dry pan over a medium heat until they become fragrant, about 3 minutes. Set them aside to cool.

4. Make the sauce by pureeing the peanut butter, soy sauce, water, vinegar, lime juice, scallion, ginger, and red pepper flakes in a food processor or blender until smooth.

5. Right before serving, toss the pasta with 3/4 cup of the peanut sauce. Divide into serving bowls and top each serving with the vegetables. Drizzle the remaining sauce over the vegetables. Coarsely chop the peanuts, sprinkle them on top and serve.

Mongolian Tofu

Some kind of tofu stir-fry is a standby during these meatless Lent months, and I'm always looking for different sauces to approximate that greasy Chinese food that we hardly ever eat. Actually, a good (good being relative) Chinese take-out place is the one thing around us that we don't have. We've got Turkish and Neapolitan pizza and sushi and Mexican and Vietnamese not too far up the road but no Chinese (save for the sketchy buffet right across the street. I'm not counting it.)

Anyway, this sauce had that great sweet and salty combination going on here. It made a ton of sauce, so I threw in a package of frozen Asian-style vegetables. I also needed another tablespoon of cornstarch to get it to thicken as much as I wanted it to. Joe commented on the nice caramel flavor from the brown sugar. You could certainly use this with a beef stir-fry as well.

Mongolian Tofu
source: Mary Ellen's Cooking Creations

Ingredients

• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 block firm or extra firm tofu, with the water pressed out and cubed
  
• Cornstarch, approximately 2-3 tbsp
• 1/2 tsp minced ginger
  
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 c low sodium soy sauce
• 1/2 c water or broth
  
• 3/4 c brown sugar
• 1 green onion, chopped

Preparation

• Toss tofu with cornstarch to coat
• Heat olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat
• Add the tofu and cook until browned on all sides, about 6-8 minutes
• In the meantime, mix the soy sauce, water (or broth) and brown sugar in a bowl
• Once the tofu has browned, add the garlic and ginger; saute 1 minute
• Add the soy sauce mixture and stir; bring to a steady simmer and then reduce to low. Let simmer for several minutes to thicken the sauce.
• Add half of the green onions
• Serve over rice and garnish with green onions

Malaysian Lime-Coconut Swordfish

This weekend, Joe and I accomplished a seemingly impossible and challenging task for us. We ate every single meal at home. Granted, we painted the town red on Wednesday night for his birthday, thus somewhat necessitating some nutritional and fiscal recoup. But I don't know if we've ever gone a whole weekend without going out for a meal. I also branched outside of my norm, preparing not one but two new foods in this meal: swordfish and bok choy. I've eaten both of them before but never prepared them myself. I simply stir-fried the chopped bok choy with some garlic and sesame oil. The other side consisted of curry-roasted potatoes.

But the fish was the star of the show. The meaty swordfish steaks, grilled perfectly by Joe, were complemented by a phenomenal sauce. The sauce had multiple notes: citrus, sour, sweet, and spicy. The coconut milk gave the sauce body without being too heavy. I found myself dipping the bok choy and potatoes in some of the extra sauce. This sauce would go with any firm-fleshed fish or even chicken. The recipe originally calls to broil the fish, but we chose to grill.

Malaysian Lime-Coconut Swordfish
source: Cooking Light July 2000

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup light coconut milk
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon Thai chili paste (I doubled)
  
• 2 shallots, peeled
• 1 garlic clove, peeled
• 1 (1 1/2-pound) swordfish steak (about 1 inch thick) (I had 2 steaks totaling about 1 lb.)
  
• Cooking spray
• Cilantro sprigs (optional)
• Lemon wedges (optional)

Preparation

Preheat grill.

Combine coconut milk, cilantro, lemon zest, fish sauce, sugar, lime juice, chili paste, shallots, and garlic in a food processor; pulse 3 times or until coarsely chopped. Spread 1/2 cup shallot mixture evenly over fish. Grill, flipping once, until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. Serve the fish with the remaining shallot mixture, and garnish with cilantro sprigs and lemon wedges, if desired.

Mongolian Beef

Making Chinese food dishes at home is surprisingly easy and tasty without all of the grease once you get some of the ingredients. I know I put off buying hoisin sauce for quite a while, but now it's so easy to throw something like this together knowing that I already have most of the ingredients on hand. Besides, the two things I miss most when I'm eating healthfully are pizza and Chinese food. I doubled the amount of chili-garlic paste, which made it quite spicy. If you use the original amount, it will still have some heat. I served this on top of lo mein noodles, but next time, I think I will add some broccoli and serve it over brown rice.

Mongolian Beef
source: Cooking Light December 2009
Yield 4 servings

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 2 teaspoons dry sherry (I subbed dry vermouth)
  
• 2 teaspoons hoisin sauce
• 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon chile paste with garlic (I doubled.)
  
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons peanut oil
• 1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
• 1 pound sirloin steak, thinly sliced across the grain
• 16 medium green onions, cut into 2-inch pieces

Preparation

1. Combine first 8 ingredients, stirring until smooth.

2. Heat peanut oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add minced ginger, minced garlic, and beef; sauté for 2 minutes or until beef is browned. Add green onion pieces; sauté 30 seconds. Add soy sauce mixture; cook 1 minute or until thickened, stirring constantly.

Crockpot Red Curry Chicken with Butternut Squash

Somebody recently stated that they don't "get" crockpots. What's not to get? With often minimal preparation, the crockpot makes dinner for you, yielding blended flavors and moist, tender meat. This crockpot meal is relatively prep-heavy, even if you skip browning the chicken like I did, so it's better for a weekend meal, or you could prep it the night before and keep it in the refrigerator. Either way, coming home to a delicious, healthy curry makes any day better.

Next time, I would follow Cara's steps instead of trying to make it faster. I definitely missed some flavor, though the texture was deliciously creamy due to the squash. As an alternative to the fat-laden curries that I like from Thai restaurants, this does the trick. I served it on top of jasmine rice that I cooked using the rest of the coconut milk.

Crockpot Red Curry Chicken with Butternut Squash
source: Cara's Cravings

Ingredients
1 medium onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1lb butternut squash, peeled and chopped (or substitute another winter squash)
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, about 6oz each
1/2-1 tsp each cinnamon, ginger, and cumin
salt & pepper
2 tsp red curry paste
2 cloves of garlic
1 tbsp fish sauce
juice from 1/2 lime
1 cup coconut milk
1 cup chicken broth
1 tbsp cornstarch
fresh basil or cilantro, for garnish

Preparation

Place the onions, peppers, and squash in the bottom of the crockpot.

Cut the chicken into small pieces and toss with the cinnamon, ginger, cumin, salt and pepper. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat, and saute the chicken for a few minutes on each side, until browned.

Place the chicken in the crockpot. Combine the curry paste, garlic, fish sauce, lime juice, coconut milk, extract, and broth in a blender and process until smooth. Pour over the chicken and vegetables.

Cover and cook on low for 6 hours. Stir cornstarch into 2 tbsp of water until no lumps remain and gently stir into the liquid in the crockpot. Increase heat to high and cook for another 20 minutes to thicken. Garnish with basil or cilantro.

Portobello-Broccoli Stir-Fry

This stir-fry is chock full of nutrients, which makes up for the white rice. Mushrooms offer a lot of selenium, and red bell peppers have a ton of vitamin C, as does broccoli. I felt healthier after eating this! The sauce is a fairly standard brown stir-fry sauce, and I felt that it could've used some more hoisin sauce. I also added Sriracha for a bit of a kick.

Portobello-Broccoli Stir-Fry
source: Eat Better America

Ingredients

1 1/3	cups uncooked regular long-grain white rice
2 2/3	cups water
1/4	cup water
2	tablespoons soy sauce
1	tablespoon hoisin sauce
2	teaspoons cornstarch
1	teaspoon honey
1	(6-oz.) pkg. portobello mushroom caps
1	medium onion, cut into thin wedges
1	small red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1	garlic clove, minced
3	cups fresh broccoli florets (about 6 oz.)
1/4	cup water

Preparation

1.	Cook rice in 2 2/3 cups water as directed on package. Cover to keep warm.
2.	Meanwhile, in small nonmetal bowl, combine all sauce ingredients; blend well. Set aside.
3.	With small metal spoon, scrape underside of mushroom caps to remove dark gills and stems. Cut mushroom caps into 3/4-inch pieces.
4.	Spray large nonstick skillet with nonstick cooking spray. Heat over medium-high heat until hot. Add mushrooms, onion, bell pepper and garlic; cook and stir 3 minutes.
5.	Add broccoli and 1/4 cup water; cover and cook 3 to 5 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender, stirring occasionally. Add sauce; cook and stir 2 to 3 minutes or until bubbly and thickened. Serve over rice.

Asian-Marinated Flank Steak

Maybe my iron is low or maybe it's the fact that I live behind an O'Charley's and can smell their hamburgers every time I leave the house, but I've been craving red meat. And besides the 24-hour marinating time, this meal came together in about 20 minutes. The nutmeg infuses the meat with a lot of warmth, and I was pleased that I could actually taste it. I also figured out the key to perfectly done meat on the grill - use the meat thermometer!

The recipe said to reserve 1/4 cup of the marinade as a sauce for the meat, but since my flank steak was larger, I went ahead and used it all as a marinade and didn't miss it during the meal. I served this with the rest of the fiery slaw and steamed sugar snap peas.

Asian-Marinated Flank Steak
source: Cooking Light March 2009

Ingredients
3 tbsp hoisin sauce
2 tbsp water
2 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
2 tsp grated peeled fresh ginger
1 tsp dark sesame oil
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (1 lb) flank steak, trimmed (Mine was the smallest I found at 1.75 lbs)

Preparation
1. Combine hoisin sauce through garlic cloves in small bowl. Put mixture into a large freezer bag, along with steak, and seal. Marinate in the refrigerator for 24 hours, turning the bag occasionally. After 24 hours, remove steak from bag, and discard marinade.

2. Prepare grill to medium-high heat.

3. Coat grill rack with cooking spray, and place steak on it. Grill approximately 4 minutes on each side or until meat thermometer registers 145-degrees for medium-rare (or desired degree of doneness). Let steak stand, covered with aluminum foil, for 5 minutes. Cut steak at a 45-degree angle across the grain into thin slices and serve.

Crispy Skin Salmon with Fiery Asian Slaw

I'm back! My absence was due to something very exciting: purchasing and moving into our first house. I'll take pictures of the kitchen once it's a little more set up, but it's got a lot more counter and cabinet space than the house we were renting. The downside is that I'm back to using an electric range instead of gas. We also were without internet for about a week, so I actually had to draw on my cooking magazines and cookbooks for meal planning, which ended up being an unexpected boon and something I hope to do more often.

Cooking Light recently re-designed their magazine, and it looks amazing. I love the changes, and this month's issue has a bunch of recipes that I look forward to trying. This one was very fast and full of flavor. The slaw was quite spicy, and if you are sensitive to spicy foods, decrease the amount of Sriracha. I made the full amount of slaw and served it with the next night's dinner. It makes a lot though.

Crispy Skin Salmon with Fiery Asian Slaw
source: Cooking Light, September 2009
Yield 4 servings

Ingredients

• 4 (6-ounce) salmon fillets
• 3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• Cooking spray
• 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 teaspoons Sriracha (hot chile sauce)
• 1 teaspoon bottled ground fresh ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon honey
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 (16-ounce) package cabbage-and-carrot coleslaw
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

Preparation

1. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Sprinkle 1/4 tsp salt and pepper over salmon fillets. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add salmon, skin-side down, to pan and cook 4 minutes. Turn salmon and cook an additional 3 minutes. Add orange juice to the pan, cooking until it almost evaporates and fish flakes easily with a fork.
2. Meanwhile, combine rice vinegar and next 5 ingredients in a large bowl, and stir with a whisk. Add remaining salt, cilantro, and coleslaw, tossing well to coat. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
3. Serve salmon with slaw.

Asian Ground Beef Lettuce Wraps

Everyone who loves P.F. Chang's or Pei Wei sings praises about their lettuce wraps. When I ended up with a lot of ground beef in the freezer, I knew, for my own sake, I was going to need to find something besides chili, spaghetti sauce, and tacos in which to use it. Lo and behold, this recipe arrived from The Cynical Chef just as I was racking my brain for ideas.

Of course, the recipe underwent some changes. Joe had used up the rest of the soy sauce without telling me, and I tend to eyeball ginger and put in much more than the recipe calls for. It still turned out great. Much better and healthier than P.F. Chang's and a lot cheaper too! This would also make a tasty appetizer and could be easily doubled for a larger crowd.

Asian Ground Beef Lettuce Wraps
source: AllRecipes via The Cynical Chef

Ingredients

• 16 Boston Bibb or butter lettuce leaves
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
• 2 teaspoons minced pickled ginger (I used fresh minced ginger.)
  
• 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
• Asian chile pepper sauce to taste (like Sriracha)
  
• 1 (8 ounce) can water chestnuts, drained and finely chopped
• 1 bunch green onions, chopped
• 2 teaspoons Asian (dark) sesame oil

Preparation

1. Rinse whole lettuce leaves and pat dry, being careful not tear them. Set aside.
2. In a medium skillet over high heat, brown the ground beef, stirring often and reducing the heat to medium, if necessary. Drain, and set aside to cool. Cook the onion in the same pan, stirring frequently. Add the garlic, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, ginger, vinegar, and chile pepper sauce to the onions, and stir. Stir in chopped water chestnuts, green onions, and sesame oil, and continue cooking until the onions just begin to wilt, about 2 minutes.
3. Arrange lettuce leaves around the outer edge of a large serving platter, and pile meat mixture in the center. To serve, allow each person to spoon a portion of the meat into a lettuce leaf. Wrap the lettuce around the meat like a burrito, and enjoy!

Shrimp and Spring Vegetable Fried Rice

My freezer is currently stuffed to the gills: shrimp, frozen fruit, spaghetti sauce, vegetables, and meat. I can hardly open it without something tumbling out, which means I need to start cooking from the freezer. These peeled, deveined, tail-less cooked shrimp made for an easy protein addition to an old clean-out-the-fridge standby. You can adjust amounts to your liking.

Shrimp and Spring Vegetable Fried Rice

Ingredients
2 tsp peanut oil
1 tsp fresh ginger, minced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups brown rice, cooked and chilled
16 oz shrimp, cooked and peeled and deveined
1/2 cup chopped scallions
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup asparagus, cut into 1" segments
1 egg scrambled
a few shakes of soy sauce
1 tsp oyster sauce
1 tsp Sriracha

Preparation

Heat oil on high heat in a large skillet or wok.
Add garlic and ginger and stir until browned.Turn the heat down to medium-high and add rice and vegetables, stirring until vegetables are cooked, about 5 minutes.
Make a well in the center of the rice mixture and pour the egg into the well. Let it sit for one minute and then mix into the rice until cooked.
Add shrimp, stirring to combine.
Add soy sauce, oyster sauce, and Thai chili garlic sauce and stir until mixed thoroughly.
Serve immediately.

Asian Short Ribs

It's been pretty cold around here lately (though today it's almost 60 degrees!), and there's nothing better for me than coming home late from school, not having to cook, and still enjoying a warm, hearty meal. This winter I have a new appreciation for my slow-cooker since it's my first real winter since I lived in Michigan. I also love how moist it keeps meat. The ribs were falling apart at the touch of a fork, but the carrots weren't mealy or floppy at all.

I didn't use a head of cabbage, but I had some leftover bagged coleslaw, which I used in its place. I ate this meal plain, but you could serve it over a bed of brown rice if you wanted more complex carbohydrates. This is a great slow-cooker meal for those who eschew processed foods but still want the convenience of coming home to a fully-cooked meal.

Asian Short Ribs
source: Real Simple

Ingredients
1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup rice vinegar
2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
8 beef short ribs (about 4 pounds)
4 medium carrots, peeled and halved crosswise
1 small green cabbage (about 1 pound), quartered
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon sesame oil
4 scallions, thinly sliced (optional)

Preparation

In a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker, combine the soy sauce, sugar, vinegar, garlic, ginger, and red pepper. Add the short ribs and carrots and arrange in a single layer. Lay the cabbage on top.

Cook, covered, on high for 5 to 6 hours (or on low for 7 to 8 hours), until the meat is tender and easily pulls away from the bone.

Transfer the cabbage, short ribs, and carrots to plates. With a large spoon or ladle, skim the fat from the cooking liquid and discard.

If the slow cooker is on the low setting, turn it to high. In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of water until smooth. Whisk into the cooking liquid and cook until thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the sesame oil. Spoon the sauce over the short ribs and vegetables and sprinkle with the scallions (if using).

Soba Salad with Feta and Peas

As a 21st-century woman living in the South, my life is often a study of contrasts. I lift weights while listening to gospel bluegrass, and last night I realized I was eating soba salad with feta and peas while listening to Merle Haggard and writing a paper on the impact of the Black Plague on personal piety. I had also been in quite a funk, and this dish may have actually lifted me out of it since it seems to have restored my appetite and mood.

I kept returning to this recipe on Bridget's blog, and I finally put it on my meal plan for this week. It is so good and takes practically no time to make. I could and will be eating this for days. The taste of the soba noodles and the feta and the lemon and the soy sauce is so interesting and complex that I completely forgot to add the green onions. I don't think I'm going to tell Joe how good it is because I want all the leftovers for myself! I just cannot say enough good things about this. Go make it for yourself!

Soba Salad with Feta and Peas
source: The Way the Cookie Crumbles
Yields 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients
1 (10- to 12-ounce) package soba noodles
1 (10-ounce) package frozen baby peas
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
¾ teaspoon salt
¾ teaspoon black pepper
6 oz feta, crumbled (¾ cup)
4 scallions, finely chopped

Preparation

1. Cook noodles and peas together in a 6- to 8-quart pot of lightly salted boiling water until noodles are tender, 4 to 6 minutes.

2. While noodles cook, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, soy sauce, sugar, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.

3. Drain noodles and peas well in a colander, then rinse under cold running water to stop cooking. Drain well again, then add to dressing along with feta and scallions. Grind more black pepper to taste over salad.

Ma Po Tofu

I've been wanting to make Ma Po Tofu for quite some time now, and when I realized I had both ground pork and tofu in the refrigerator waiting to be used, I knew it was the perfect time. Because Joe had started the tofu draining while I was on my way home and because I used leftover rice from another dish, I had dinner on the table within 30 minutes, just in time for our favorite (and only) TV show, Scrubs.

And it was SO good. I love how the texture of the meat off-set the creamy texture of the tofu. I added in some broccoli for some color and as a vegetable. I will definitely be making this again.

I'm also submitting this dish to Joelen's Wine & Dine: Chinese New Year Adventure.

Ma Po Tofu
adapted from: Cooking Light

Ingredients

• 1 (1-pound) package reduced-fat firm tofu, cut into 6 slices
• 1/2 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
• 1 tablespoon chili garlic sauce (You can moderate the heat to your own taste.)
  
• 4 ounces lean ground pork
• 1 tablespoon grated peeled fresh ginger
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cups hot cooked long-grain brown rice
• 1/3 cup chopped green onions
• 2 small heads of broccoli
  

Preparation

1. Drain slices of tofu between paper towels, pushing down occasionally or weighting down with a dinner plate for 30 minutes. Discard paper towels and slice tofu into 1/2 inch cubes.
2. Combine broth, cornstarch, soy sauce, oyster sauce, and chili garlic sauce and whisk together.
3. After heating a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the ground pork and cook until no longer pink, about 4 minutes. Add ginger and garlic and cook for about 1 minute. Add tofu and broccoli, cooking until tofu is golden-brown and broccoli is bright green, stirring frequently. Add broth mixture to pan. Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat and let simmer for a few minutes until thickened. Remove from heat.
4. Serve over rice and sprinkled with onions.

Yield: 4 servings

Chicken and Broccoli Stir-fry

Sundays seem to have become stir-fry nights by default. I work from 3-7 pm on Sunday evenings, so I need something quick when I finally get home. This is actually adapted from a Broccoli Beef recipe, but I had an extra chicken breast and two chicken thighs floating around my freezer so I used them instead. This is what Rachel Ray would call MYOTO or Make Your Own Take-Out. It's not quite as good as the chicken and broccoli that I get from our local Chinese place, but it probably is quite a bit healthier.

Chicken and Broccoli Stir-Fry
source: Sisters' Cafe

¼ c. low sodium soy sauce
1 T. chunky peanut butter (I used natural creamy peanut butter.)
½ c. water
1 T. cornstarch
2 tsp vinegar
¼ tsp pepper
1/8 tsp powdered ginger
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp onion powder
2 T. oil
½ lb (or more) diced or cubed beef, chicken, or pork (I probably used 3/4-1 lb of meat.)
2 c. broccoli cut into small pieces
steamed rice

In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, peanut butter, water, cornstarch, vinegar, pepper, ginger, garlic powder, and onion powder. Mix well and set aside. In large skillet or wok, heat the oil. Add beef and cook, stirring constantly, for 2-3 minutes. Add the broccoli, and cook for another 3-4 minutes (or until meat and broccoli are almost done), stirring constantly. Add the sauce and mix thoroughly, then continue to stir until the sauce thickens. Serve over steamed rice.

Thai Chicken Cashew Stirfry

Please bear with me. I seem to have gotten a little behind on blog updates while I was studying for an Early Church History exam that I took today. This was actually last Thursday's dinner, and it was truly delicious. I had prepped the ingredients in the morning, so it came together quickly when I got home. Good for a night where we wanted to watch the VP debate!

I'm not normally a dark meat person, but the chicken thighs were so moist and juicy. The fresh ginger takes this to the next level. I also love the texture of the warmed cashews. The only change I would've made had I had some on hand would've been to replace the dried red pepper flakes with chili-garlic sauce.

Thai Chicken and Cashew Stirfry
source: Gourmet via Liz's Cooking Blog

Ingredients:
1 bunch scallions
1 pound skinless boneless chicken thighs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 red bell pepper, chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped peeled fresh ginger
1/4 teaspoon dried hot red-pepper flakes
3/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup salted roasted whole cashews

Preparation:
Chop scallions, separating white and green parts. Pat chicken dry, then cut into 3/4-inch pieces and toss with salt and pepper. Heat a wok or 12-inch heavy skillet (not nonstick) over moderately high heat until a drop of water evaporates immediately. Add oil, swirling to coat, then stir-fry chicken until golden in places and just cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate with a slotted spoon. Add bell pepper, garlic, ginger, red-pepper flakes, and scallion whites to wok and stir-fry until peppers are just tender, 5 to 6 minutes.

Stir together broth, soy sauce, cornstarch, and sugar, then stir into vegetables in wok. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in cashews, scallion greens, and chicken along with any juices accumulated on plate.

Kira's Veggie Fried Rice

Joe was on-call Monday night, so I had been trying to figure out what I was going to eat for dinner when I remembered that I had some leftover brown rice from our tofu dinner the night before and a whole bunch of vegetables that I could add to it. This is the perfect way to use up bits and pieces of vegetables from another dish and make it into something new.

Almost any sort of vegetables that you have on hand can work and you can adjust the soy sauce, chili garlic sauce, garlic, and ginger to taste or add other ingredients altogether. I wasn't terribly concerned about authenticity. I haven't entered it into a recipe calculator, but I imagine this is pretty healthy with the brown rice and all of the vegetables. The amount of oil could conceivably be reduced even further.

This was such an easy and flavorful meal that I can't believe I hadn't tried something similar before. I was able to get home from work and have dinner on the table within 20 minutes with minimal preparation. Casual Kitchen has a great blog post on How To Use Leftover Ingredients and the different incarnations they can take. Check it out!

Kira's Veggie Fried Rice
serves 1 with a leftover lunch portion

Ingredients
2 tsp peanut oil
3 tsp fresh ginger, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 cups brown rice, cooked and cooled
3 scallions, chopped
4 cups spinach, chopped
1/2 cup mushrooms
1/2 cup frozen peas
1 egg, scrambled
2 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp Thai chili garlic sauce

Directions

Heat oil on high heat in a large skillet or wok. Add garlic and ginger and stir until browned.

Turn the heat down to medium-high and add rice and vegetables, stirring until spinach is wilted and vegetables are cooked, about 5 minutes.

Make a well in the center of the rice mixture and pour the egg into the well. Let it sit for one minute and then mix into the rice until cooked.

Add soy sauce and Thai chili garlic sauce and stir until mixed thoroughly.

Serve immediately.

Tofu with Peanut-Ginger Sauce

After my success with the Ground Pork with Spicy Peanut Noodles, I knew anything with similar ingredients would be a big hit with Joe and me, plus I still had a large part of a knob of fresh ginger that I love working with because it smells so good. Still aiming for our one vegetarian night a week, I decided to try a recipe with tofu.

Personally, I've always liked tofu, mostly because the first time I had it was in Whole Foods' Pesto Tofu. Joe, however, is iffy about tofu because he's had bad experiences with how other people have prepared it. This was actually my first time to prepare anything with tofu at home.

Not surprisingly, we really liked this dish, and I plan on cooking with tofu more frequently.

I am also submitting this entry to August's Tasty Tools Event featuring whisks, held by Joelen over at Joelen's Culinary Adventures. You probably recognize the name since she comments here frequently, and I recently made a delicious tilapia recipe adapted from her.


Tofu with Peanut-Ginger Sauce
adapted from Eating Well

Ingredients

5 tablespoons water
4 tablespoons smooth natural peanut butter
1 tablespoon rice vinegar (see Ingredient note) or white vinegar
2 teaspoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons honey
2 teaspoons minced ginger
1 teaspoon Thai chili garlic sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
14 ounces extra-firm tofu, preferably water-packed
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 cups baby spinach
1 1/2 cups sliced mushrooms
4 scallions, sliced

Instructions

To prepare sauce: Whisk water, peanut butter, rice vinegar (or white vinegar), soy sauce, honey, ginger, chili garlic sauce, and garlic in a small bowl.





To prepare tofu: Drain and rinse tofu; pat dry. Slice the block crosswise into eight 1/2-inch-thick slabs. Coarsely crumble each slice into smaller, uneven pieces.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add tofu and cook in a single layer, without stirring, until the pieces begin to turn golden brown on the bottom, about 5 minutes. Then gently stir and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until all sides are golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes more.

Add spinach, mushrooms, scallions and the peanut sauce and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are just cooked, 1 to 2 minutes more.

Yield: 4 servings (Note: Between the two of us, we polished this off.)

I served this on a bed of brown rice.