Chicken Lo Mein

Let's see if I can become a food blogger again! I have admittedly not been blogging for a very long time, but I do miss it! I really give a lot of credit to the blogging world for my love of food, and that love of food and experimentation has led to my loss of 20 pounds in the last year, even if I haven't been blogging about any of the fantastic food that I've been eating. This recipe for Chicken Lo Mein comes from Elly Says Opa by way of Annie's Eats and I've been using the sauce (with some adaptation) as my standard homemade stir fry sauce. I never used Oyster Sauce before, but now it is a staple in my pantry. It really brings the Asian flavor to stir fries and does not add any fishy flavor. The picture below is shown with whole wheat spaghetti noodles, which I do not recommend. The sauce doesn't get absorbed well enough over Italian noodles, so you either need Asian noodles or rice. I have substituted in all sorts of veggies with this recipe, it really goes great with everything.

Chicken Lo Mein
6 oz. lo mein noodles
1 tbsp. oyster sauce
2 tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup chicken broth (I sometimes omit and use 2 Tbs Oyster Sauce and 2 Tbs Soy)
I add 1 Tbs Brown Sugar
Pinch red pepper flakes (I sometimes omit and add 1-2 tsp chili garlic paste)
1/2 tbsp. canola oil
1 medium chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
1/2 small onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, seeded and sliced thin
1 cup snow peas
4 oz. sliced mushrooms (I used 2 julienned carrots instead)
3 cloves garlic, minced (I use less if I'm using chili garlic paste)
1 tsp. sesame oil (I usually only use if I'm serving with the noodles, not with rice)

Bring a pot of water to boil. Cook the lo mein noodles according to the package directions. Drain and set aside. In the meantime, make the sauce by combining the oyster sauce, soy sauce, chicken broth, brown sugar and red pepper flakes in a small bowl. Whisk well and set aside.
Heat the canola oil in a large nonstick skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the chicken to the pan and cook until browned and cooked through. Add in the vegetables, each a few minutes apart, starting with the onion and ending with the bell pepper (or whatever veggie takes the least amount of time to cook). Cook just until tender-crisp. Add in the garlic and saute just until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the sauce to the pan, and then the cooked lo mein noodles. Toss the mixture well to coat everything. Drizzle with the sesame oil and toss once more. Serve immediately.

Scallops and Asparagus with Sake

Yay, another scallops dish! I had a pretty crummy day on the day I made this (I bruised my knee so bad I could barely walk, simply because I'm a clutz!), and scallops make everything better! I found this recipe in one of my weight watchers recipe books that I hadn't even really looked at since buying it (bad me). This came out so well, it really surprised me. Lots of crisp veggies, the scallops kept their color nicely, and the sauce complemented it all very nicely without overpowering the dish or making it too sweet, like some Asian sauces can. I've also been trying lately to cook more clean (ie: cutting out processed foods, keeping the ingredients simple) and this recipe fit into that plan quite well. I will definitely make this one again, and might try it with chicken next time.

Scallops and Asparagus with Sake (from Weight Watchers "Take Out Tonight" cookbook)

2 tsp canola oil

1 lb sea scallops, muscle removed

2 tsp minced peeled fresh ginger

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 pound asparagus, cut diagonally into 1 1/2 inch pieces

1 red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced

1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced

1 carrot, cut into matchsticks

2 Tbs sake

1 Tbs reduced sodium soy sauce (I used Tamari)

1 tsp seasoned rice vinegar

4 scallions, thinly sliced diagonally (I omitted)

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Swirl in 1 tsp oil. Add scallops. Cook, turning, until golden brown and just opaque in the center, about 1 minute per side. Transfer to a plate and keep warm. Return the pan to the heat. Swirl in remaining oil, then add ginger & garlic. Cook, stirring until fragrant, about a minute. Add asparagus, peppers and carrot. Cook, stirring until veggies are crisp tender, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in the sake, soy and vinegar. Bring to a boil. Cook over high heat, stirring, until flavors are blended. Return scallops to pan, stir in scallions. Cook until just heated through. Serve immediately with rice.

Fried Rice - that I like!

If you asked my sister and me what our most hated meal was when we were little, the answer would have been "Tuna" (also known as tuna casserole, a meal you will never see on this blog). In second place for me was "Fried Rice." My family's interpretation of fried rice consisted of leftover rice, scrambled egg, a bunch of soy sauce and a ham steak from the refrigerated section of the grocery store (you know, those thin, pressed into shape things?) diced up. Pretty much, this was all just mixed together in a wok and topped with chopped green onion. It still makes me a little sick to think of it. The difference between this gross childhood meal and icky tuna is that I knew all along that fried rice has potential of being quite tasty with the right treatment, and I've even had some at a local teppanyaki place that I really liked. So I recently decided to try out chicken fried rice at home. I used Joelen's recipe as inspiration, but as Joelen says in her blog entry about it, the best part about fried rice is that it is so adaptable. You can use whatever leftovers and veggies you have on hand, and measuring isn't something that is all that important. This turned out great - the ginger that I used brought a delicious brightness to the dish (although ginger is generally more known for Japanese cuisine than Chinese, it worked here). I also loved the fresh veggies and will probably use more veggies the next time I make this. I also used tamari style soy, which is a little richer than regular soy, and I thought it was great, since the soy flavor is so key to this dish. This definitely blew the childhood ham steak version out of the water!

Chicken Fried Rice (inspired by Joelen)
2 small boneless skinless chicken breasts, diced into 1 inch pieces
4 Tbs soy sauce
1 tsp ginger
2 cloves garlic
Marinate chicken in soy with garlic & ginger for about 20 minutes

1 1/2 cups leftover white rice (day old works best)
2 Tbs + 1 tsp vegetable or canola oil
1/2 medium onion, diced
1 cup mixed vegetables, chopped (I used 2 diced carrots)
1 egg
1 clove garlic
2-3 Tbs Soy Sauce (this is where I used the Tamari)
1 green onion, chopped into 1/4-1/2 inch pieces (green part only)
Heat 1 tsp oil in large wok or pan over medium high heat. Add chicken and stir fry until cooked through, about 5 minutes. Remove from pan, add 1 Tbs of oil and add onion & clove garlic and stir fry until just soft, about 1-2 minutes. Push to the sides of the wok and add scrambled egg, cooking until thoroughly cooked through. Add vegetables and cook for about one minute. Add remaining Tbs oil and crumble rice into the wok, stirring to keep the rice "unclumped." Add chicken back in, then drizzle soy into the mixture, stirring constantly until desired color/flavor is achieved. Serve immediately and top with green onion pieces.

Peanut Tofu

I have a lot of friends who celebrate Lent, and although I am not technically Catholic, I did go to a Catholic elementary school, and my mom was raised Catholic. I have given something up for Lent for the last several years, but I have yet to give up meat on Fridays. I realized at the end of Lent this year that it might be because my vegetarian repotoire is lacking a bit. I decided to try a couple new vegetarian recipes so that I can attempt meatless Fridays sometime soon. I started with Peanut Tofu because I realized while eating Peanut Chicken recently that the flavorful sauce would be great for tofu, which doesn't have much flavor on it's own. This was the best tofu recipe I have had, and I would highly recommend this for someone interested in experimenting with tofu, but is afraid of bland or weird textured food. I followed my standard tofu practices for this recipe - sliced into 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch slices, then press between cutting boards with lots of paper towels to dry. Then, sautee in a completely dry non-stick pan until very light golden and dry. Allow to cool before dicing into squares.

Peanut Tofu

1/2 package extra firm tofu, dried and diced into 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch cubes

1 medium red bell pepper, diced into 3/4 inch pieces

4 Tbs Low Sodium Soy Sauce

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tsp grated ginger

1/2 cup Picante Sauce (I use Pace Medium, and I double the sauce)

2 Tbs creamy peanut butter (I use reduced fat)

2 tsp canola oil

1/2 tsp sesame oil

Marinade tofu in soy, garlic & ginger 20-30 minutes. Heat oils in stir fry pan over medium high heat. Add bell pepper and stir fry until fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove, reserving as much oil as possible. Add tofu and stir fry until most of the marinating liquid has cooked off and become carmelized. Remove. In separate bowl (important!), combine picante and peanut butter and stir until mostly combined. Cold sauce will have a stringy consistency, sauce will blend as it cooks. Add sauce to hot stir fry pan. Cook & stir until thick and bubbly. Return peppers and tofu to the sauce. Stir well and cook until heated through. Serve over hot rice. Makes 3 servings when sauce is doubled.

Delicious & Easy Mongolian Beef

This recipe might be one of my favorites so far in the food blogging world. It is not only tasty, it is super easy to make. It is restaurant quality, but with simple ingredients, and even uses flank steak, which is about as lean a beef cut as you are going to find. You might be able to tell from this blog that I really enjoy Asian dishes, so this is definitely going to be added to our list of regulars. The source for this (and I swear, I didn't plan this) is once again, Elly Says Opa. I think it is funny that the last three recipes I've blogged about have all been Elly's, but her recipes are just calling my name lately! I'm such a blog stalker!

Mongolian Beef (from Elly Says Opa)

2/3 lb. flank steak, sliced across the grain

3 Tbsp. corn starch

3 tsp. canola oil, divided

1/2 tsp. grated ginger

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce

1/3 cup water

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 tsp. (heaping) red pepper flakes (I might add more next time)

2-3 large scallions, sliced

Pat the steak pieces and make sure they’re dry; then, toss the steak and cornstarch together. Be sure all pieces are fully coated, but shake off excess corn starch. Mix together the soy sauce, water, brown sugar and red pepper flakes. Heat half the oil in a wok at medium-high heat and add the ginger and garlic. Once fragrant (30 seconds or so), add the soy sauce mixture. Cook for about 2 minutes and transfer to a bowl. Turn the heat up on the wok and add the remaining oil. Add the beef and cook, stirring until just browned. Pour the sauce back in and let it cook with the meat. Let the sauce thicken to your liking, and then add the green onions in just before plating.

Kicked Up Ramen

Early in my days of cooking real meals for my husband and me, I came across a recipe in a Pampered Chef pamphlet that I was surprised to see there. It was a ramen noodle stir fry. As a child, I adored Top Ramen and would eat it daily whenever I was home from school (seriously, it's scary how much of this stuff I ate!). I couldn't believe that Pampered Chef had a grown up recipe that I could make that would still count as cooking dinner! I promptly cooked it up, and when a guy from my office wanted to know what I had for dinner the night before, I told him "Ramen." Then I described it and he said, "Wow, that's not just ramen, that's kicked up ramen!" Since then, that is what I've called this dish. If you don't like ramen or are watching your sodium intake, this isn't for you. But it is so easy and really, really good, and brings back memories of all those summer days when I was eating hot soup!

Kicked Up Ramen (adapted a lot from a very old Pampered Chef booklet)

1 package beef flavored ramen noodles

3/4 lbs sirloin steak, sliced very thin

1/4 Cup Light Soy Sauce

2 tsp fresh ginger, grated

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 package frozen vegetable mix, thawed

1 cup water (1/2 of what the package calls for)

1 Tbs olive oil

Marinate beef in Soy, ginger and garlic for at least 20 minutes. Stir fry in oil in wok over medium high heat. Remove from pan. Add 1 cup water, ramen noodles & seasoning (add the seasonings now, not at the end). Cook for 3 minutes or until noodles are soft. Add the vegetables and simmer for about 1 minute until just softened. Add the beef back in and toss well to incorporate all ingredients. Makes 2 servings.

Nutrition Info: Calories: 638.8, Fat: 27.9g (9.5 Sat, 1.7Poly, 12.75 Mono), Carbs: 37.1g, Fiber: 2.8g

Oh My God I Made Tofu!

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I have conquered my fears. Tofu has always been the scariest food out there for me. Even as a foodie, the first time I have ever tried tofu was only a few weeks ago at a Thai restaurant, and even then, I wasn't so sure about it (I only had a bite). So talk about risk when today, after 9 days of houseguests, looking for something simple for just the hubby and me, I decided to run to the store and grab something for dinner and decided I would try to cook tofu in honor of the Catholic part of my "mutt" religious upbringing. Folks, this is the 1st time I have ever eaten an entire meal of tofu, and this was really good. I had some tips from some nest posts I had seen, plus I did as much internet research as I could to get the best texture (I fear weird textures). The results are below and even my husband, who does not fear tofu and so has tried many dishes enjoyed this dish. Aside from the process of getting the tofu really dry, the recipe itself is simple and quick.
Teriyaki Tofu (My recipe, which is more technique than recipe)

1/2 of a 12 oz tub of Extra Firm Tofu, sliced very thin (1/4 inch) and then into diagonal triangles

4 Tbs Teriyaki Sauce (we used a Spicy & Sweet style)

1/2 bag frozen mixed veggies (we used California Style, pick your favorite mix)

1 1/4 cups hot cooked rice

Place tofu triangles between 2 cutting boards layered with towels (lots of paper towels or a couple dish cloths). If you are using lighter cutting boards, add a couple of cans to the top of the boards to weigh everything down into a good press (but not too heavy). Allow to press for about 20 minutes. Heat a nonstick pan over medium high heat (no oil or cooking spray). Add tofu and cook until as dry as possible (press down periodically with a spatula to remove as much water as possible). Tofu will be golden (not browned) when done. Allow to cool and then add to a bag with Teriyaki Sauce to marinate for about 30 minutes. Steam veggies until cooked but still firm. Stir fry tofu triangles over medium high heat (no oil) until sauce begins to carmelize on the tofu, about 5-7 minutes. Add remaining marinade (or more from the bottle if desired) and bring to a boil. Add steamed veggies and mix well. Serve over hot rice. Makes 2 servings.

Nutrition Info for Rice & Tofu mixture: Calories: 335.8, Fat: 7.7g (1.2 Sat, 4.2 Poly, 1.6 Mono), Carbs: 49.2g, Fiber: 3.3g

Weeknight Beef & Broccoli

Let’s face it – sometimes it isn’t about cooking a gourmet meal, it's more about just getting dinner on the table. I got the beef for this recipe marinating before we left for gym night, so all I had to do when we got home was heat up the stir fry pan and cook everything up – less than 10 minutes. We don’t eat beef very often, but this stir fry is easy and tasty. I steer away from the precut strips in the store. They aren’t as tender, so I just look for a sirloin piece that is the right size. The trick to really tender stir fried meat is to cut the beef into really thin slices, and the trick to that is to use partially frozen beef (either freeze for 20 minutes or so when you get home if you are cooking that night, or time your defrost in the fridge to be a little less time than normal). This recipe was originally from the back of a Campbell’s can from so long ago that it isn’t even on Campbell’s Kitchen website. As long as you are fans of Tomato Soup and don’t mind the extra sweet sauce, this is a great, quick weeknight option for just getting dinner done.

Beef and Broccoli
12 oz Lean Top Sirloin, sliced into very thin strips, fat removed
2 cups broccoli florets, steamed
4 Tbs Soy Sauce
1 Clove Garlic
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
2 tsp olive oil
1 10.5 oz can Campbell's Tomato Soup
2 cups steamed rice (white or brown)

Marinade beef in soy and garlic for at least 10 minutes. Stir Fry with oil on medium high until cooked, about 5 minutes. Remove. Mix Tomato Soup into the remaining juices in the pan, cook until bubbly. Add beef & lightly steamed broccoli to the pan. Mix well. Serve over hot steamed rice. Makes 3 servings.

Nutrition Info for entire meal: Calories: 503, Fat: 13.1g (4.3 Sat, 1.2 Poly, 6.5 Mono), Carbs: 54.1g, Fiber: 3.1g

Teriyaki Pork Tenderloin

Pork tenderloin can be really good for you (it is the other white meat, right?), but I find it hard to find tasty unusual recipes for it. All I ever see are loins coated in barbeque sauce or smothered in dijon. I searched the internet high and low and combined the best of about 5 recipes I found to come up with this baked Teriyaki Tenderloin. My husband is not a huge fan of pork, but loves this recipe.

Teriyaki Pork Tenderloin

3/4 lbs pork tenderloin, trimmed of fat and silver skin

5 Tbs Lite soy sauce

2 Tbs Olive Oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp fresh grated ginger (I use the jarred stuff)

1 tsp freshly ground pepper

1 Tbs honey

Combine all ingredients except pork in a gallon size storage bag and combine well to create marinade. I stuff the bag into a tall cup so that I can use both hands for pouring/measuring (see picture). Add tenderloin to the bag and marinade at least 8 hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 425. Line 11x7x2" pan (or closest available) with aluminium foil (don't forget this step or whoever is on dish duty will hate you). Place tenderloin in pan, reserving marinade. Bake, uncovered, for 25-35 minutes or until internal temp. reaches 160-170, remove from oven, then allow to rest for at least 5 minutes. Meanwhile, bring marinade to a rapid boil in a small saucepan. Reduce heat to low and simmer until reduced to a syrup consistency. Slice tenderloin and serve topped with marinade sauce.

One tenderloin serves 2-3 people, but the marinade can easily be used for 2 tenderloins (just a little less sauce to go around).

Nutrition Info for 1 serving of pork and marinade sauce: Calories: 330 g, Total Fat: 15.9 g (3.7 Sat, 1.4 Poly, 9.4 Mono), Carbs: 11.6 g, Fiber: .3 g

Peanut Chicken

This is a family recipe from my side of the family that has turned into one of our favorite recipes. Everyone who I've shared this with seems to love it. The combination may sound weird, but it is so tasty. I especially like that it is a no oven required meal, which makes it appropriate for summer when I don't want to heat up the house.





Peanut Chicken


2 chicken breasts (about 3/4 lbs)
4 tsp low sodium soy sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tsp shredded ginger (I get mine in a jar)
1 large red bell pepper diced into 3/4 inch pieces
1 Tbs olive oil
1/2 cup picante sauce (we use medium heat)
2 Tbs creamy peanut butter

Marinate chicken in soy, garlic and ginger for 10 minutes. Heat oil in stir fry pan over medium high heat. Add bell pepper and saute until fragrant. Remove pepper and add chicken. Saute until no longer pink. Meanwhile, mix picante sauce with peanut butter until mostly smooth. Add sauce to pan and heat until bubbly. Add to chicken with bell pepper and heat through. Serve with rice. Makes 2-3 servings.

Nutritional Info for Chicken (rice not included): Calories: 300, Fat: 10.6 g (2 Sat, .9 Poly, 3.8 Mono), Carbs: 10 g, Fiber 1.2