Baked Chicken Boneless Wings with Orange Chili-Curry Sauce

I don't know why I don't make breaded chicken more often. Every time I do I always regret that I didn't make more. And this sauce only exacerbated that feeling!

It's too good!

Yes, I know it's been awhile, and a pretty crazy past few months.

I went on a trip over winter break (Turkey and Spain in a kind of whirlwind Islamic and Roman art tour that was absolutely amazing and so beautiful! And the food! I am all about mezes and tapas.)

And more news! I changed majors! I am now a chemistry major and loving every second. Design, while I met a lot of nice people (and don't worry, I still hang out with my DAAPers), was definitely not my cup of tea. Or my sauce dipped chicken ;)

The sauce has this spicy-sweet flavor that is perfectly balanced with the mildness of the chicken and breading.

"It's Alright" Matt and Kim

Adapted from Half-Baked Harvest

Ingredients

• 1 pound boneless chicken tenderloins or breasts, cut into nugget-sized pieces or strips
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 1 1/2 cups Panko (or crushed corn flakes)
• 2 tablespoons whole wheat flour or cornmeal

Orange Chili-Curry Sauce

• 1 cup tablespoon orange juice
• 1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons jerk seasoning
• 2 teaspoons Thai red curry pate
• 2 teaspoon of chili powder
• 1/2 cup water
• juice of 1 limes
• zest of 1 orange
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Directions

Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray or brush it with the olive oil.

Add the chicken to a large bowl and pour the buttermilk overtop. Mix well and set aside. In a shallow pie dish or large bowl add the Panko, whole wheat flour and a pinch of salt and pepper. Mix well.

Remove each piece of chicken from the buttermilk, and dredge through the crumbs, pressing gently to adhere. Place on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat until all the chicken has been used. Make sure not to crowd your pan, if necessary use two baking sheets. Spray each chicken "wing" with non-stick spray or a mist of olive oil. Bake for 10-12 minutes, then gently flip using kitchen tongs and spray the other side. Bake for 10-12 minutes more, then remove from oven. Reduce the oven temp to 400 degrees F.

While the chicken is baking make the sauce. In a small-medium saucepan, combine the orange juice, soy sauce, jerk seasoning, curry paste, chili powder, pinch of pepper and water. Bring the sauce to a boil and then reduce the heat. Simmer 5 minutes or until the sauce has thickened slightly. Remove from the heat and stir in the lime juice and orange zest and the cilantro.

Gently dip each piece of chicken into the sauce, draining the excess sauce back into the bowl. Place the chicken back on the pan and repeat until all the chicken is coated in the sauce. When ready to serve, place the pan of chicken back in the oven for 5 minutes to warm throughout and to help the sauce coat the chicken.

Serve with any extra sauce for dipping.

Spring Quinoa Salad

 This salad was a bit of reprieve from the sugar, and the basily-lemony flavor is mouthwatering to recall! I feel like I haven't been cooking anything except baked goods and even those are few. 

I've been doing college visits, prepping for the SAT, and school stuff. But at least I took the SAT yesterday so that's done! 

I felt aweful for this girl. She drove to the wrong school for the test and only had twenty minutes to get to a school that's probably thirty minutes away from where we were. On top of that, she as a senior needed the score to get into some schools, so she couldn't wait for the May test. Hopefully she made it and could take the test.

Anyway, here's the recipe from Two Peas and their Pod.

Glen Miller - "In the Mood"

Ingredients:

 Dressing:
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon honey or agave nectar
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh basil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Salad:
2 cups water
1 cup quinoa
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 small bunch asparagus, about 15 spears, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 cup frozen peas
1 avocado, chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/4 cup chopped basil

Directions:

In a small bowl or medium jar, combine the dressing ingredients. Whisk to combine or shake with the jar lid on tight. Set aside.

Add water, quinoa, and salt to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil for 5 minutes. Turn the heat to low and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until water is absorbed. Remove from heat and fluff with a fork.

While the quinoa is cooking, cook the asparagus. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the asparagus and fresh lemon juice. Cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the peas and cook for an additional 2 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine quinoa, asparagus, peas, and avocado. Pour the dressing over the salad and stir until well coated. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Stir in the fresh basil and serve.

Calzones

My family is in love with Dewey's calzones. I've only had them as leftovers, since I'm more of a pizza gal.

So what do you do with left over ravioli filling? Make calzone filling.

All this dough rolling is going  to give me gorilla arms before break is over!

Bright Eyed Youth- "Pretty People Diamonds"

Ingredients 

Dough:

• 3 cups all -purpose or bread flour
• 2 teaspoons instant yeast
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 tbsp olive oil

Calzone:

• 2 cups of ricotta cheese
• 1 cup of stuffing for the calzone  such as sausage, ham, spinach, chard, broccoli raab, artichokes, olives, tomatoes, etc.
• 1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
• 1 cup grated Parmesan

Directions

Dough:

Combine the flour, yeast, and salt in a food processor. Turn the machine on and add 1 cup water and the oil through the feed tube. Process for about 30 seconds, adding more water until hte mixture forms a ball and is slightly stick to the tough. If it is still dry, add another 1 to 2 tablespoons of water and process for another 10 seconds. Turn the dough onto a floured work surface and knead the dough by hand for a few seconds to form a smooth, round dough ball. put the dough in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap; let rise until the dough doubles in size (it should take 1-2 hours but you can cut it short if you're in a hurry or let it rise for up to 6 to 8 hours in a refrigerator) At this point you can freeze the dough if you want to store it for up to a month. When the dough is ready, form it into two balls and sprinkle with flour. Cover with a towel or plastic wrap and let rest until the balls puff slightly (around 20 minutes).

Calzone:

Combine the cheeses and other ingredients you plan on putting in the calzones. Taste and add salt and pepper, if necessary. Heat oven to 350 degrees F.

Roll each dough ball into a flat round, lightly flouring the work surface and the dough as necessary (use only as much flour as you need to) Let the rounds sit for a few minutes; this will relax the dough and make it easier to roll out. Roll or pat the dough into an 8 to 10 inch round on a lightly oiled baking sheet.

Put half the filling into the middle of each dough round. Moisten the edges with a little water. Fold one edge over onto the other and press closed with a fork or your fingers.

Bake the calzones on a baking sheet or baking stone for 30 to 40 minutes or until nicely browned.

Autumn Sweet Potato Soup

 The first weeks of schools have started, and temperatures are finally starting to reflect the month.

 I am proud to announce: fall has arrived! 

And what better way to welcome it than soup is there?

 "Everyday Superhero" Smash Mouth

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 large brown onion, peeled and diced
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 1/2 lbs orange sweet potatoes (yams), peeled and cubed
• 1 lb zucchini, sliced
• 2 qts (8 cups) yellow vegetable stock or chicken stock
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• Pinch of cayenne pepper (or more to taste)
• 3 medium tomatoes, peeled and diced (or 1 14 oz. can diced tomatoes)
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• Salt and pepper
• Chopped roasted peanuts or fresh thyme leaves for garnish (optional)

 Directions

Heat olive oil over medium till hot (not smoking). Sauté onion in the oil till it begins to turn golden, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and continue to sauté for 3 minutes more.Add sweet potatoes, zucchini, chicken or vegetable stock, thyme leaves, cumin, ginger, and cayenne to the pot. I like to use ¼ tsp of cayenne, which gives a nice spicy kick to the soup. If you’re sensitive to spice, start with 1/8 tsp. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce to a light simmer for 20 minutes. Add diced tomatoes to the pot. Simmer for 5-10 minutes more until all the vegetables are tender. Stir the peanut butter into the broth until it dissolves. Remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add more cayenne for heat, if desired. Soup may be served as-is (chunky with texture), or you can puree the soup with an immersion blender till smooth. Serve garnished with chopped roasted peanuts or fresh thyme leaves.

Strawberry Salad with Walnuts and Red Onion

 I'm always a bit skeptical of salad "recipes" because, let's face it, a salad is just tossing a bunch of things together.

Why the need for a recipe?

This one is a personal favorite of mine, and though it's usually done with my despised raw spinach, with lettuce it steals number one.

 So I guess with Labor Day weekend, end of summer strawberries might be hard to come by but salivating at the pictures is almost as good!

 "Ordinary Day" Vanessa Carlton

Ingredients:

• stawberries, sliced
• feta cheese, crumbled
• red onion, chopped
• walnuts, chopped
• spinach or lettuce
• balsamic vinegar

Directions:

Toss ingredients in balsamic vinegar.

Red-Pepper Pasta

I made this at the beginning of the week when I wanted something for real for dinner.

(You know not just cracker's and cheese) and my parents were away for the weekend.

So I had that moment of realization when the red peppers just touched the flour mixture that I needed to make them less solid somehow, so they'd mix with the pasta. 

Not so fun to pick chopped red pepper bits from the dough!

"Everybody Wants To Rule the World" Tears for Fears

Ingredients:

• 2 cups flour
• 2 extra large eggs
• 2 teaspoons olive oil or water if needed
• 1/4 teaspoon of salt 
• 1 medium red pepper, chopped
• olive oil

 

Directions:

Saute pepper in olive oil. Once tender, blend until smooth. Combine ingredients in medium sized bowl. Roll out the dough with a rolling pin until the dough is 1/16 of an inch thin (the thinner the better). Cut out the dough into whatever type of pasta you desire (linguine is easiest). Bring a pot of water to boil and add pasta. Cook until pasta is al dente (8-10 minutes). 

Carrot and Broccoli Lo Mein

 I made this for lunch and to use my super cool plates.

"Lollipop"

Ingredients:

• 1 carrot, chopped
• 1 head of broccoli, chopped
•  1 cup pasta
• 3 tbsp. soy sauce
• 1 tbsp. hosin sauce 

Directions:

Heat pan on high heat with soy sauce and hosin sauce. Add carrots and broccoli and cook until tender. Add pasta and cook until crisp. Serve immediately.

Japanese Restaurant-Style Salad with Carrot Ginger Dresssing

I got this from Gwyneth Paltrow and Julia Turshen's It's All Good. It's a pretty great cookbook with loads of ideas for recipes and healthy living. I made it for a cross country pasta party.

Oh and for the dressing when it says add salt. It means add salt.

"You're the One That I Want" 

Ingredients

For the salad:

• 1 head of lettuce, torn
• 1 ripe tomato, sliced
• 1/2 cucumber sliced
• 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
• 2/3 cup Carrot-Ginger dressing

For the dressing (Makes 2 1/2 cups):

• 1 large carrot, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 large shallot, peeled and roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh ginger
• 1 tablespoon sweet white miso
• 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon roasted sesame seed oil
• 1/4 cup grapeseed oil
• 2 tablespoons water

Directions 

For the salad:

Put the lettuce into a salad bowl and top with the tomato, cucumber, and red onion. Drizzle with plenty of the dressing, serve immediately.

For the dressing:

Pulse the carrot, shallot and ginger in a blender until finely chopped. 
Scrape down the sides, add the miso, vinegar and sesame seed oil and whiz together. While the blender is going, slowly drizzle in the grapeseed oil and the water. It will keep for up to a week in the fridge and works well as a dip.

Tofu Meatballs and Beef Meatballs

This is taken verbatim from this recipe. It was so good; there wasn't a need to change it at all!

This is a beef one.

This is a tofu one.

"I Think We're Alone Now" Tommy James and the Shondells

Heard this while driving late at night, and it's still pretty catchy.

Curried Vegetables

 So this is basically sauted veges with curry power and chili powdet

 I didn't like it that well, but my grandma did. So here it is.

And here is my grandma's amazing presentation skills: 

(choclate almond icecream with blueberries)

 

"Leaving On A Jet Plane" John Denver

Ingredients:

• 1 medium green pepper, chopped and seeded
• 1 large carrot, juliennd 
• 1 medium summer squash
• 1 small onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• 3/4 cup halved green beans 
• curry powder and chili powder to taste 

Directions:

Heat olive oil in frying pan. Saute garlic, curry powder, and chili powder and onion until fragrant. Add carrot and green beans. Cook for 3-4 minutes. Add squash and green pepper. Cook until tender. Serve over rice.

Guest Cook: My Dad Cooks Pasta with Peppers, Tomatoes, and Greenbeans

 While in Rhode Island visiting my grandma, my dad actually cooked something different!

He usually can cook two things: spaghetti or fried noodles with cayenne pepper that isn't edible.

So for him, this was a serious improvement.

 Plus it was actually really good for anybody.

Especially since he made it while I was showering seaweed and sand.

So here it is: the miracle meal.

Breathe (2 AM) by Anna Nalick

Ingredients:

• 1 medium green pepper, chopped and seeded
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 1 medium sized carrot, chopped
• 2 cups cooked pasta
• 1 small onion
• olive oil for sauteing
• 1/2 cup of shredded cheese

Directions:

Heat oil in large fry pan. Add carrots cook for 3-4 minutes. Add pepper, tomato, and onion. Cook until veges are tender. Add pasta, mix with vegetables for 1-2 minutes. Add cheese and stir around pasta until melted. Serve immediately.

Pasta Primavera

 Wow, I'm getting hungry just looking at these photos.

I got this recipe from the Pioneer Woman.

 This was so good, but probably high in calories and fat because of the cream and pasta.

What can I say? I'm a sucker for cream, pasta, and cheese.

 

Musical fix:

I first heard it while "studying" watching this video

 

 

"Take On Me" a-ha

Ingredients

• 1 cup Bite-sized Broccoli Pieces (up To 1 1/2 Cups)
• 1/2 whole Onion, Diced Finely
• 3 cloves To 4 Cloves Garlic, Chopped Finely
• 2 whole Medium To Large Carrots, Sliced On The Bias (diagonally)
• 2 whole Medium Zucchini, Sliced On The Bias (diagonally)
• 1 whole Medium Yellow Squash (optional)
• 1 container (about 5 Oz.) White Button Or Baby Porcini Mushrooms, Roughly Sliced
• 1 whole Red Bell Pepper, Sliced Into Strips
• 4 Tablespoons Butter
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 1 pound Pasta (I Like Penne)
• FOR THE SAUCE:
• 1/4 cup Dry White Wine (up To 1/2 Cup), Optional (replace With Additional Broth If Not Using)
• 1/2 cup Low Sodium Chicken Broth
• 1 cup Whipping (heavy) Cream
• 1 cup Half-and-half
• 1/2 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
• 5 leaves Basil (or More To Taste), Plus Extra For Garnish
• 1/2 cup Frozen Peas

Directions

First, prep the vegetables. Chop the broccoli into bite-sized pieces, about 1 to 1 ½ cups worth. Dice half a yellow onion. Chop 3 to 4 cloves of garlic. Slice carrots on the bias (diagonally), and do the same for the zucchini and yellow squash. Roughly slice the mushrooms and slice the red pepper (seeded) into strips.
Heat 2 tablespoons butter with 2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion and garlic together and cook for a minute or two, until they start to turn translucent. Then throw in the broccoli. Stir, and add in the carrots.
Stir it around, and cook it for only a minute, tops. Transfer the mixture to a plate. Add in the red pepper strips to the skillet. Stir them around for a minute or so, then transfer them to the plate.
Add pasta to slightly salted boiling water and cook to al dente.
Add a tablespoon of butter to the skillet. Add squash and zucchini, cook for less than a minute, then transfer to plate. Cook mushrooms for a minute or two (add salt to taste), and again transfer to the plate.
FOR THE SAUCE
To make the sauce, pour ¼ to ½ cup dry white wine into the skillet (see note below). Add ½ cup low-sodium chicken broth, a tablespoon of butter and scrape the bottom of the skillet to pull up the flavor left behind by the veggie cooking. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes until the liquid starts to thicken.
Add 1 cup whipping cream and 1 cup half-and-half. Measure out ½ cup grated Parmesan; add to the skillet. Add salt and pepper to taste. Chiffonade 5 to 6 fresh basil leaves and add that to the sauce; stir.
Dump veggies and mushrooms into the sauce along with ½ cup frozen peas right out of the freezer. Add pasta al dente and stir. If the sauce seems a little thick, or if there doesn’t seem to be enough sauce, add a good splash of chicken broth and a little more half-and-half. Top with more Parmesan, salt, pepper, and basil to taste.

Curried Vegetable Pot Pie

 The last time I made something from Savory Baking by Mary Cech I spent the night vomiting up pine nuts. Therefore, I was understandably hesitant about trying another recipe from the book.

This just goes to show you can't judge a book by a single recipe because this pie was fantastic.

 I had a bit of trouble fitting the crust over the pan, but that was because I was using a single large dish for what was meant to be several small ones.

 My family finished this off for lunch, while I was out, which is pretty rare.

Here's  your music fix:

"Ca Plan Por Moi" by the Plastic Bertrand

  Pastry Dough

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/3 cup cold water

Vegetable Filling

2 1/2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
1/2 large red onion, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
2 carrots, peeled and sliced
1 small red bell pepper, trimmed and seeded, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1 tablespoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon dried ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for taste
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
3 cups water
2 cups cauliflower florets (1 small cauliflower)
2 cups peeled and chopped yams (1 large yam)
1/3 cup currants
12 dried figs, stemmed and halved
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 egg, lightly beaten

Directions

1. To prepare the dough, put the flour, salt, and butter in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a blade attachment. Pulse until the butter is the size of peas, about 10 seconds. Drizzle the water into the flour and continue pulsing until the dough starts to come together. Put the dough on a lightly floured work surface and knead once or twice. Wrap the dough in plastic film, pat into a 1-inch disc, and refrigerate for 30 minutes before using (see note).

2. Meanwhile, prepare the filling. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots, and red peppers. Stir to coat them in the oil. Add the salt and saut
the vegetables for 3 minutes. Add the garlic, curry powder, ginger, 1/4-teaspoon pepper, cinnamon, and allspice, and saute for 1 minute. Stir in the water, cauliflower, yams, currants, and figs. Bring the mixture to a simmer. Partially cover the pot with a lid, and simmer until the yams are tender, about 20 minutes (see note).

3. Put the cornstarch in a small bowl and stir in 2 tablespoons of the simmering liquid to make a smooth paste. Pour the cornstarch into the hot vegetables and gently stir to combine. Simmer for 3 minutes to thicken the liquid, and then add the lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove the pot from the heat and divide heaping cups of the curried vegetables between six 12-ounce (1 1/2-cup) ceramic baking dishes or ceramic crocks.

4. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Remove the chilled dough from the refrigerator and place it on a floured work surface. Dust the top with flour and roll into a large disc about 1/8 inch thick. Cut out 6 circles slightly larger than the top of each baking dish. Place a pastry disc over the top of each vegetable dish and push down gently to adhere the dough to the edges of each dish. Lightly brush the pastry with a little beaten whole egg and puncture the tops in three spots with a sharp paring knife to allow the steam to escape. Place the baking dishes on a baking sheet. Place into the oven and bake until the crust is deep golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Serve hot from the oven.

Note: Wrap freshly made dough airtight in plastic film and refrigerate for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw frozen pastry in the refrigerator overnight, and then roll the dough as directed above. The filling can be made 2 days ahead and gently reheated just before pouring into the ceramic dishes.

Grilled Vegetable Sandwich

I've loved this song, "Us" by Regina Spektor, for a while. Its just so bouncy! I'd also recommend "Fidelity" by her, though that one is a little repetitive for me.

 (I had it stuck in my head all week).

 

"Us"

 

"Fidelity"

 

I don't like mushrooms or zucchini, but I did like this sandwich. These were not actually grilled. They were broiled. (Sorry, I don't grill when it's 30 degrees outside)

 

Inspired by California Grilled Vegetable Sandwich

Ingredients:

• 1/2 a zucchini
• 2 portabella mushrooms
• 1/4 medium red onion
• 1/4 cup of sliced cheddar cheese
• 2 lettuce leaves
• Italian salad dressing
• 2 slices of bread

Directions:

1. Soak chopped veggies in oil and set on aluminum foil under the broiler (or directly on the grill)
2. Spread Italian dressing on bread and layer lettuce on top.
3. Place cooked veggies on sandwich
4. Put cheese on top of that.

Tortilla Soup

I first heard this on a Pandora station for Regina Spektor.

New Soul by Yael Naim

 

This was so good. 

You know when a soups really thick?

Yeah. 

So warm. So good. So thick.

   

Inspired by Pioneer Woman's Chicken Tortilla Soup

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup chopped carrots
• 8 oz. mixed beans (pinto, black, chili, kidney)
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• small onion
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 1 can (8 oz) diced tomatoes
• 3 cups canned tomato sauce
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 2 tbsp. vegetable oil

Directions:

1. Heat oil. Saute onion. Add two tablespoons of chili powder and 1 tsp. of garlic powder.
2. Add carrots and celery.
3. Once the veggies are cooked, add tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, vegetable broth, frozen corn and beans.
4. Simmer for 20 minutes
5. Garnish with Parmesan cheese and tortilla chips. 

 

Lettece Wrap Filling/ Stir Fry

Got peppers? 

Got carrots? 

Got broccoli?

Got mushrooms?

Get stirfrying!

It's been a rough two weeks, so I'm only now getting to posting this. I first heard of lettuce wraps in January. We buy those huge four heads of lettuce pack from Costco, so it seemed like an ideal way to get rid of the stuff. It's a bit like a taco- if you can imagine lettuce as the shell. It's a little strange, but really good. I've been meaning to try it with re-fried beans, olives and salsa, but for now it's stir fry.

 Alice's Restaurant by Arlo Guthrie

 

I was driving, and my dad was in charge of the radio. I'm not sure if this is truly a song, but it is hilarious. 

 

Chop carrots, peppers, celery, broccoli, and mushrooms. In a medium frying pan (or a wok),

 heat oil and soy sauce. Add chopped carrots, broccoli, and celery to pan. When broccoli florets are bright green, add mushrooms and peppers

 

Add chopped carrots, broccoli, and celery to pan. When broccoli florets are bright green, add mushrooms and peppers

 

When the veggies are done, you can take whole lettuce leaves with a little bit of rice in them and add the veggies. You eat it like a taco.

Ingredients:

• 4 portabella mushrooms
• 1 head of broccoli
• 1 whole carrot or 8-10 baby carrots
• 2 bell peppers
• 1 head of lettuce  

Directions:

1.  Chop carrots, peppers, celery, broccoli, and mushrooms.
2.  In a medium frying pan (or a wok), heat oil and soy sauce. 
3. Add chopped carrots, broccoli, and celery to pan. When broccoli florets are bright green, add mushrooms and peppers.
4. When the veggies are done, you can take whole lettuce leaves with a little bit of rice in them and add the veggies. You eat it like a taco.

Vegetable Lo Mein

                                     Warning! Very catchy, I listened to this on Monday while 
                                        making the Lo Mein and I've had it stuck in my head all week!


This is what I made on Monday to go with a non-existent orange chicken. I've made this a few times and still haven't bought hoisin sauce. If you were thinking of making this without it, I'll clue you in that it makes the meal. I used peanut butter since its more readily available, but you can use beans. I used honey instead of molasses. 

 

Cook noodles in salted water per instructions. Drain and mix with the sesame oil. Combine the hoisin and soy sauce together in a small bowl then set aside. 

 

Add the mushrooms, carrot, bell pepper, red onion, and green onion, and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 2-4 minutes. Add the ginger and garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.

  

Remove from the skillet into a bowl and set aside.

Add the other 1/2 tablespoon of canola oil to the skillet and add the noodles. Cook, stirring often, for 3-5 minutes or until light brown. Pour the hoisin mixture onto the noodles followed by the veggies, sprouts, and half of the cilantro. Stir until evenly coated and well combined. Pour into the serving dish and sprinkle with the remaining cilantro. Serve immediately. Enjoy.

 HOUSIN SAUCE adapted from CDKitchen

 INGREDIENTS:
4 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons peanut butter or black bean paste
1 tablespoon honey or molasses or brown sugar
2 teaspoons white vinegar
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons sesame oil
20 drops chinese hot sauce, habenero or jalepeno
1/8 teaspoon black pepper

DIRECTIONS:

Simply mix together. At first, it does not appear like it will mix but if you use a funnel to put it in a bottle and shake it, it mixes well.

Vegetable Lo Mein adapted from For the Love of Cooking

Yield: 4

Prep Time: 15 min.

Cook Time: 20 min.

Total Time: 35 min.

Ingredients:

8 oz Whole wheat spaghetti noodles, cooked per instructions
1/2 tsp sesame oil
2 tbsp hoisin sauce
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp canola oil (divided)
1 cup of mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup of shredded carrots
1/2 cup of baby bell peppers, sliced
1/4 red onion, sliced
2 green onions, chopped
1/2 cup of mung-bean sprouts
1/2 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
3-4 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped (divided)

Directions:

Cook noodles in salted water per instructions. Drain and mix with the sesame oil. Combine the hoisin and soy sauce together in a small bowl then set aside.
Heat 1/2 tbsp into a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the mushrooms, carrot, bell pepper, red onion, and green onion, and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 2-4 minutes. Add the ginger and garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Remove from the skillet into a bowl and set aside.
Add the other 1/2 tablespoon of canola oil to the skillet and add the noodles. Cook, stirring often, for 3-5 minutes or until light brown. Pour the hoisin mixture onto the noodles followed by the veggies, sprouts, and half of the cilantro. Stir until evenly coated and well combined. Pour into the serving dish and sprinkle with the remaining cilantro. Serve immediately. Enjoy.