END-OF-THE-WEEK FRIED RICE

The half-Chinese in me always knew I could make really great fried rice.  Yet, when I made fried rice, the rice would either be too wet or gummy, or too greasy.  Finally, after years of trying, I figured out a way to make delicious fried rice where the rice pellets don't stick together and the dish is not greasy.

AND..... you can use whatever leftover vegetables you have in your refrigerator at the end of the week.  It's also one of those easy dishes where you don't need to measure everything.  It doesn't matter if you have too much rice or too many vegetables; it still tastes great.  A delicious, filling comfort food for all.  My husband, who has always preferred white rice, says this is the best fried rice he's ever eaten, and it's made with brown rice.

This dish uses about 3 - 6 cups of cooked leftover brown rice. But don't be afraid of using whatever you have leftover and just adjust the vegetables and sauce to what you have on hand.

UNGUMMY, UNGREASY FRIED RICE:

In a large wok or pan, scramble eggs (I use 3-5 eggs depending on how many people are eating over).  When just done, break apart into pieces and set aside on plate or bowl.  Saute cubes of tofu, if using, with a little soy sauce until browned, about 5 minutes.  Set aside with eggs.

Using the same pan, saute a medium diced onion in 1 tablespoon of oil until just translucent.  Then add chopped or sliced vegetables (broccoli, bell peppers, mushrooms, asparagus etc) until just tender, but try not to overcook.  Set aside separate from eggs.

Using the same wok, now empty and quickly wiped clean, heat 3 tablespoons of olive or canola oil on medium-high.  When you see wisps of smoke coming from the pan, quickly add the leftover rice.  Coat the rice with the oil in the pan for about a minute or two, then slowly add about a cup of vegetable stock until absorbed.  If you don't have stock, no need to add anything.  Next, add frozen peas (if using), then add the sauteed vegetables and combine for another minute.  Add the tofu and eggs and stir fry for another minute.  Turn down heat to low.

For the sauce, use about 1/3 cup soy sauce, 2 tablespoons rice or regular vinegar, 1 teaspoon sugar (optional), 2 tablespoons sesame oil and 1 teaspoon of ginger (optional).  You can also put in my secret ingredient, about 1 teaspoon of Miso.  Whisk before putting on your fried rice.  Adjust seasoning depending on how much fried rice you have.  Stir to combine and serve immediately.  Have some hot sauce on hand for those who like it spicy.

Enjoy!

SIMPLE COUNTRY BROCCOLI PASTA WITH SHAVED PARMESAN

This dish is well-loved by children (well, the ones who like broccoli once in awhile).  The beauty is in the simplicity of this dish.  Even if you think your children don't like broccoli, this might be a good dish to try.  My children ate the broccoli first.  The shaved cheese entices children to wrap the slivers around the broccoli.

This dish is also easy.  The broccoli is cooked with the pasta, so you use less pots.  Make sure that you buy real and good Parmesan cheese in a block if possible.  The stuff in bags that is already grated tends to be more processed.  Good Parmesan is better for you and has tremendous flavor.

One pound of whole wheat spaghetti, cook in large pot with more water than needed;
5 - 6 cups of broccoli florets;
4 tablespoons olive oil ;
5 garlic cloves, minced;
dash or more hot pepper flakes;
1 tablespoon salt
Block of good Parmesan.

 Here, I add the broccoli 2 minutes before the pasta is done al dente.

Cook the pasta and broccoli together for 2 minutes.

Before you drain the pasta and broccoli, take a cup and reserve some of the water for later.  Drain.

In a large wok or pan, saute garlic and hot pepper flakes on low for 1 minute.  Make sure not to burn the garlic.  Add salt and mix.

Turn heat to medium/medium-high and add about a cup of the broccoli and pasta. Toss.  Keep adding about a cup or so of the broccoli and pasta and toss well until you've used up the pasta and broccoli.  (You may need to do this in batches if your pan or wok can't hold all the pasta and broccoli.  A large wok usually works well to hold the ingredients in this dish)

Add the reserved water, a little at a time, and toss until the pasta is loose and not sticking.   Place in large bowl.

Shave the Parmesan cheese with a vegetable peeler into a plate or bowl.

The Parmesan will look like beautiful delicate curls and strands.

Serve immediately.  Each diner can place an individualized amount of Parmesan on her plate.

This is what we had for dinner tonight:  Spaghetti with broccoli, mixed salad with asparagus and olives, and sweet and sour brussel sprouts.

Buon appetito!

EASY POTATO LEEK SOUP

Soup is filling and wholesome.  It's one of those comfort foods that is actually good for you.  My recipe for potato leek soup is easy to make, and I have one secret ingredient, miso (a secret ingredient I use in many of my recipes), that gives the soup a depth of flavor.  Make sure you slice the leek lengthwise and wash each section well to get rid of the dirt.  To serve my family, I use about 4 leeks.


SECRET INGREDIENT:  Organic, no MSG, no GMO miso!

* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* equal amounts of: (1) cleaned chopped white and light green parts of leek,
     (2) thinly-sliced potatoes, and
     (3) water
* about one tablespoon of organic red miso
* milk or heavy whipping cream to taste, about 1/2 cup (optional)

In dutch oven or soup pot, saute chopped leeks in olive oil over medium until just wilted, about 5 minutes.  Add potatoes and saute for a couple minutes more.  Add water and bring to boil.  Simmer until potatoes are cooked (where you can easily put a fork or knife through the potatoes), about 10 - 20 minutes, depending on how large the potato pieces are.  Let the soup cool enough to put into a blender (or use a handheld blender in the pot).

Mix until somewhat smooth, but don't over-blend as the soup can become gummy.  Return to pot and mix in miso.  If you are using milk, whisk together miso and milk before mixing into the soup.  Bring to simmer, and serve. 

Ith gu leòir! (Eat plenty!)

END-OF-WEEK VEGGIE "STIR-FRY"

At the end of the week, I usually have a bunch of vegetables left over in my fridge.  In order to put those to use, an easy stir-fry of leftover veggies is always easy and delicious.  However, because there are six in our family (and usually guests over on Friday nights), there are so many requests for "more of this" and "less of that" and "not too spicy please" that I've come up with a way of granting each individual's gastronomical wishes by baking each person's stir-fry in packets (something I gleaned from watching friends make meals in parchment paper and from cookbooks).

Stay with me here.  So, it's not technically a "stir-fry," but maybe best described as a "stir-bake."

I put chopped leftover veggies in a big bowl.  I then put whatever sauce I'm using to season the veggies (usually I use soy sauce, ginger, garlic, sesame oil mix).  Today I used my leftover peanut sauce, and just added a bit more water and soy sauce to it to make it more runny so that it could coat the vegetables.

Then I place an individual-sized portion of veggies on a large rectangle of heavy duty aluminum foil (about 12" x 18").  I add whatever the eater wants ("more sauce," "less tofu," "add cilantro") to that person's packet and wrap it up tightly.


 

 For me, I love spicy food, so I include many slices of fresh jalapeno in my packet.

When I've finished a packet, I write the person's name with a permanent marker right on the aluminum foil, lest my toddler gets my capsaicin by accident.







Put the packets on a baking sheets on the middle-lower rack at 400 degrees for 15 minutes, and you'll have individual stir-bakes for each person.  Serve on a pile of brown rice.  How easy is that?  吃！

TIPS:
*For people who don't want to use too much fat, this is a great option for the flavor of a stir-fry without the oil.

*Make sure you wrap the foil tightly by crimping and folding at least a couple of times.

*No need to measure the vegetables.  Just estimate a portion per person when chopping vegetables and include at least one more portion just in case.  Remember, the veggies cook down a bit too.

*You can also put in precooked meat.  For shrimp, you can actually put in uncooked shrimp, and they will come out cooked in the packet.

*You can use whatever sauce your little heart desires.  Asian (soy sauce), French (dijon and tarragon), Italian (capers and tomatoes), Mexican (salsa).

Tofu Peanut Sauce Wraps

TOFU PEANUT SAUCE WRAPS 

Homemade peanut sauce is so delicious and pretty easy to make.  You can use any peanut butter you want, including crunchy, but I beg of you to puh-leeze buy organic.  No Jiffy - that stuff is mostly sugar that you and your kids do not need.  Check the ingredients on peanut butter.  There should be no more than 3 ingredients and not one of them should be sugar.

Homemade peanut sauce:

* 1 Tablespoon vegetable or olive oil

* 2 garlic clove minced

* 3/4 cup organic peanut butter

* 1 cup unsweetened coconut milk

* 1/4 cup vegetable stock or water

* 1 Tablespoon sugar

* 3 Tablespoons soy sauce

Heat oil in a saucepan over medium-low heat.  Add garlic until aromatic, around 30 seconds.  Whisk in all remaining ingredients and turn heat to medium.  Once the ingredients are combined, let the sauce simmer until sauce is thick but still pourable, about 5 minutes.  This sauce can be stored for 2 days in the refrigerator.

Tofu Wraps:

* 2 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil

* 1 container of organic extra-firm tofu (14 oz.), tofu cut into strips (about 1"x1"x3")

* 2 cups chopped Napa cabbage

* 1 cup baby spinach

* 1/2 cup shredded carrots

* 3 radishes, julienned

* 3 tablespoons rice vinegar

* 1 tablespoons soy sauce 

* 1 tablespoon canola oil

* Sriracha or other spicy sauce to taste (optional)

1 package of wraps, burrito-sized (about 10-inch).  Use whatever wraps you want, but again, I'm going to suggest whole wheat.  Look at the ingredient list!

Saute tofu in heated oil until brown on both sides, about 10 minutes.

Mix cabbage, spinach, carrot and radishes in a medium bowl.

Whisk together rice vinegar, soy sauce and canola oil in a small bowl.  Pour over the cabbage mixture and let stand for 5 minutes.

For each wrap, spread about a tablespoon of peanut sauce.  Lay about 1/2 cup of the cabbage mixture and 2 - 4 tofu strips on top of the peanut sauce.  Fold the edges and wrap.  You can also warm the wrap with peanut sauce in the microwave before laying the cabbage and tofu.  Serve with a side of peanut sauce for dipping.

Where's the real food?

I am almost disheartened to see what people in America eat.  Fast food reigns as the go-to food for our children.  Most of us don't even look at the ingredients of packaged foods.  Additives and chemicals in foods have become the norm, while fruit and vegetables have been changed so much that they have an extra long shelf life, but have lost their flavor (when was the last time you ate an orange from the supermarket that tasted, well, like an orange?).  And don't even get me started on public school lunches (that's for another blog post).

But I figured instead of being disheartened, why don't I just put up recipes that are easy to follow and healthful instead of continuing to complain?  (Well, I will be doing some complaining interspersed between the recipes).  Complaining is much easier, but I also have four children who need to learn healthful cooking to last them a lifetime.  And I just learned to cook a few years ago, and only because I was so disgusted with what was being sold and offered in supermarkets.  So if I can learn to cook, you can too.  It's worth just the little extra time to make a home-cooked meal than it is to get yet another drive-thru burger.

And, don’t worry.  I won’t get too crazy.  No need to churn your own butter.  You can use canned tomatoes or pre-made pie crusts.  I will always try to give you shortcuts, because in this day and age, we’re all busy.  But every dish you decide to make from real ingredients and from scratch will make the meal much healthier.

This is a blog to help you try to make more homemade meals.  And make better food choices.

And also a place where you can forgive yourself for making bad choices.  Then to pick yourself up, dust yourself off,  and try again.