Category Archives: Recipes

Pork Loin Cooked in Caramelized Onion and Pepperoncini

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Pork Loin Caramelized Onion Pepperoncini

Pork is something I haven’t yet featured. Nevertheless, earlier this week, my grocery store was promoting some lean pork loin, and I couldn’t resist it. As I was contemplating what to do with it, I remembered my favorite pork rice dish from back in my school-lunch days. I remember the flavor, but I never learned the recipe. So, I experimented. After the third time trying to reproduce the dish from my memory, I finally got something that was bursting with flavor.

Pork Loin Cooked in Caramelized Onion and Pepperoncini
 
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Try using caramelized onion and pepperoncini to spice up some lean pork loin
Author:
Recipe type: Entree
Cuisine: American
Serves: 4

Ingredients
  • 1 tbsp canola oil
  • 1 medium onion
  • 12 oz pork chop
  • ¼ cup flour
  • 8 oz Chardonnay Blanc
  • 2 tbsp ketchup
  • 2 tbsp dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp lemon juice
  • 6 oz baby carrots
  • 1 cup edamame
  • 3 pepperoncini
  • ½ cup water
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tsp agave syrup

Instructions
  1. Slice the onion into long threads.
  2. Slice the loin into ½ inch slices.
  3. Put the loin slices in a plastic bag, add flour, and shake to evenly coat the loin with flour.
  4. Add canola oil to a 10 to 12 inch frying pan, wider for larger quantity
  5. Heat pan to medium heat.
  6. Add onion to saute for about 5 minutes, then push the onion toward the side of pan.
  7. Remove pork loin from bag, and shake off excess flour.
  8. Place floured loin in the center of pan to brown for about 10 minutes, turning once at about the halfway point.
  9. Add Chardonnay Blanc to deglaze the pan.
  10. Add ketchup, dijon mustard, lemon juice, baby carrots, edamame, and water.
  11. Cut the pepperoncini in half and uadd to pan, letting the juice release into the pan.
  12. Cover and cook for 20 minutes.
  13. Check thickness of the sauce and add more water to adjust.
  14. Add salt and agave.

Nutrition Information
Serving size: 4 Calories: 448 Fat: 20.2 Saturated fat: 5.3 Carbohydrates: 24.4 Sugar: 5 Sodium: 1100 Fiber: 4.9 Protein: 33.4 Cholesterol: 68

 

The smell is going to be amazing and the taste – out of this world! Pair it up with some rice or quinoa to make it a comfy meal.

I hope you enjoy making this recipe as much as I did. Give it a star rating, or leave me a comment.

Things you may want to know about cooking lean pork loin

When cooking a lean meat like the pork loin, you may wonder how to keep it moist and tender. For this recipe, I surrounded the loin with liquids and tried not to overcook the meat. Another way is to use some bacon, especially when you are making a roast. It’s weird – I know. Check out Stuffed Pork Loin Roast by Jan’s Sushi Bar

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Garlicky Soy Eggplant

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Garlicky Soy Eggplant

 

I am always on the lookout for easy recipes. Recently, one of my readers allowed me to share this easy eggplant recipe. I was surprised how tasty the eggplant turns out. This is her family recipe, and she recalls growing up eating eggplant this way.

 

Garlicky Soy Eggplant
 
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Try this low-cal eggplant recipe that can be made in a flash.
Author:
Recipe type: Entree
Cuisine: Chinese
Serves: 8

Ingredients
  • 1 ½ tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 3 medium size Chinese eggplants
  • 2-3 cloves of garlic
  • A pinch of salt
  • 2 tablespoons of dark soy sauce
  • About ½ cup of regular tap water

Instructions
  1. First cut the top of the eggplant off where the stem is, then cut the eggplant into ½ inch pieces.
  2. Drop the pieces of eggplant into a bowl of regular tap water. You want to soak the eggplant for a minute or two, and then drain the water.
  3. Peel and mince the garlic.
  4. Heat a pan, and add about 1 and ½ tablespoons of vegetable oil.
  5. Add the garlic and wait till it turns a slightly golden color, then add the eggplant.
  6. Sprinkle the eggplant with a pinch of salt.
  7. Add the soy sauce and about ¼ cup of water.
  8. Put the lid on so that the steam will help cook the eggplant faster. Check in a minute or two to see if the water has all evaporated. Then add another ¼ cup of water.
  9. If there’s still water left,wait till it’s gone before adding more water.
  10. When the eggplant is soft, that means it’s done. This should take about 8 minutes.

Nutrition Information
Serving size: 8 Calories: 35 Fat: 0.2 Carbohydrates: 8.1 Sugar: 3.7 Sodium: 599 Fiber: 3.9 Protein: 1.5

 

What do you think? Give it a star rating or leave me a comment!

For more eggplant cooking ideas, check out these recipes too.

  • Persian-Italian Eggplant Stew – Recipe (Vegetarian, Vegan, Gluten … – Welcome to Herbivoracious! If this is your first visit, please start here. I was looking for some sort of moist eggplant dish to serve with Persian rice (a wonderful basmati pilaf with a crunchy crust; I’ll tell you about that soon). I came across several recipes for a Persian dish named Fesenjan-e Bademjan, which is eggplant braised in a sauce of walnuts, pomegranate, and honey.
  • Eggplant Parmesan – Sometimes when I make a recipe, I like the whole recipe pretty well, but a certain component strikes me as so awesome that I almost want to give it its own post. Such was the case with the eggplant cutlets in this eggplant …

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Super Quick Hamburger Beef Stew in French Oven

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Hamburger Beef Stew in French Oven

This hamburger stew is fast.

It is time for holiday shopping and like most holiday shoppers, you may come home with lots of shopping bags but an empty stove. You need an easy ground beef recipe fast. But before you reach for the can opener or frozen packages, make this quick ground beef stew. Most of the ingredients should be sitting in your kitchen waiting for you. Your family will love it, and you will have scrumptious leftovers for the next day. So let’s get cooking.

Ingredients

Recipe serves 6 to 8

  • 2 Tablespoon canola oil
  • 3 lb (1¼ kg) hamburger 80% lean
  • 1 medium yellow onion
  • 1 cup baby carrots
  • 1 portobello mushroom, cubed (include gills and stems, see kitchen notes)
  • 1 cup celery, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic from jar
  • 2 cups yellow potato, diced in one-inch pieces, Yukon–unpeeled
  • 1 pack (1 oz/ 30 gm) Au Jus gravy mix
  • 2 Tablespoon flour
  • 2 cup (480 ml) Pinot Noir (optional, see Things you may want to know)
  • 1 cup (240 ml) water (3 cups/720 ml  if skipping wine, see Things you may want to know)
  • 1 pack (1 oz/ 30 gm) brown gravy mix
  • 2 Tablespoons ketchup
  • 1 cup fresh parsley, leaves only, chopped
  • Salt and pepper

Directions

Heat a French oven or Dutch oven to medium heat. Add canola oil and hamburger. Brown hamburger thoroughly for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove ground beef. Pour beef juice into a fat-separator. Re-heat oven to medium heat again. Add onion, carrots, mushroom, celery, garlic and saute for 5 to 10 min. Then reduce heat to warm. Add Au Jus gravy mix and flour. Mix powder into vegetables. Mix Pinot Noir, water, beef juice (fat removed), ketchup. Add the mixed liquids in portions while scraping off any brown bits from the pot. Return ground beef to the liquid. Add potatoes. Add brown gravy mix. Bring to a boil. Then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 30 minute with the lid off. Stir occasionally. As the liquid thickens to a stew consistency, the hamburger beef stew is ready. Season with salt and pepper. Serve this easy beef stew while it’s warm. Enjoy it with some nice crusty bread or fibrous crackers if you have it. Sprinkle chopped parsley on top.

Make enough for seconds.

I am pretty sure your family will ask for seconds. Mine did. Make extra servings if you can.

Things you may want to know

Why French oven?

A French oven goes directly from stove to table and keeps the food warm without additional heat. It is available at Amazon.

Why do you need portobello mushrooms?

Adding portobello mushrooms enhances the meaty flavor of the stew. If you do not have portobello, you may switch to 1 cup fresh shiitake or porcini instead.

Why add Pinot Noir?

Adding Pinot Noir enriches the flavor but it is optional. If you are making the hamburger stew for kids, you may skip the wine and use 3 cups (720 ml) of water instead.

How do you reheat the stew the next day?

To reheat the stew the next day, add some fresh baby carrots and about 1 cup (240 ml) of chicken stock. Then store it in a thermos. You will have a convenient and hearty lunch for work or school.

To explore my other recipes, enter the keywords in the search box to the right.

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Three Easy Turkey Leftover Recipes

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Happy Thanksgiving MyHLI fans! Got to say thanks to my loyal readers for all the support to my blog! I hope you guys have a wonderful time with your families surrounded by love and lots of yummy foods. I hope the turkey came out just the way you wanted it.

How to enjoy the Thanksgiving leftovers

After the big bird has been carved and consumed, follow these easy leftover turkey recipes to turn your thanksgiving leftovers into some great food, and continue to enjoy that great Thanksgiving flavor.

How to help your local food bank

Hope you have a great time with your family and food. As the holidays intensify, and everyone is stepping into a shopping mode, don’t forget to share your love for food with people who may not be as fortunate. Helping out your local food bank is a great way to do that. Find out more about your nearby food bank and contribute. Here is a list of what they are constantly looking for.

Have a good time! Cheers!

Explore my other recipes and food articles! Click on the tag words below to see more articles that you may be interested in. You can also click on the tag cloud on the right to find out more about my recipes and other food articles.

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Low-carb Oxtail Stew in Pinot Noir Made With a Pressure Cooker

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Oxtail Stew with Pinot Noir

As the Bay Area cools, I can’t help but think of making some hearty beef stew. An oxtail stew just fits the bill as a rich comfort food. So, I visited my butcher and got some high quality oxtail.  (By the way, this cut is beef.  Don’t let the name fool you.)

Pressure cooker tenderizes the oxtail fast

As we chatted about the best way to stew my oxtail, he  recommended using a pressure cooker

“A pressure cooker?” I remained skeptical.

“Put them in the cooker for an hour and they are mostly done. Add another 15 minutes if you like. That’s it!” he reassured me.

So, I dug out my pressure cooker for this oxtail recipe.

Making it low-carb with grapes and olives

Besides the great, warming flavors of an oxtail stew, I wanted to create a high-protein, low-carb dish. So even though I largely followed the classic method, I boldly replaced the classic potatoes with some red grapes and green olives.  It was a risk I’m glad I took. I was pleasantly surprised by the added dimension from the sweetness of the grapes and saltiness of the green olives. Meanwhile, the rich, beefy taste, invigorated by Pinot Noir, was irresistible. To fit my work schedule, I prepared this recipe in two stages as follows.

Ingredients

This recipe serves 4 to 6

  • 2 Tablespoon canola oil
  • 2 lb (1.8 to 2 kg) oxtails
  • 4 cups chopped onion
  • 2 teaspoon butter
  • Salt and pepper, a fair amount
  • 2 Tablespoon flour
  • 2 C (480 to 500 ml) Pinot Noir
  • 1 quart (946 ml) beef broth
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • ⅓  cup fresh rosemary leaves
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
  • 3 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 2 C carrot, roughly cut
  • 2 C celery, chopped
  • 2 C red grapes
  • 1 C green olive
  • Parsley, leaves only, roughly chopped

Directions

Bring the pressure cooker to medium heat, add canola oil and oxtails to brown, making sure the pieces are turned periodically such that the oxtails are browned evenly, about 10 minutes. To avoid overcrowding the pot, you may need to brown the oxtails in batches. While the oxtails are browning, pound garlic, rosemary and thyme with 1 teaspoon of salt in a mortar to form a paste. Remove the oxtails. Add 2 cups chopped onion and 2 teaspoon of salt and saute for 5 minutes. Add flour and butter to make a roux. Cook flour for 3 minutes. Add the pounded mixture of rosemary, thyme and garlic. Then add tomato paste. Slowly add beef stock and wine, scraping off the brown bits from the bottom as you go. (Oh,those heavenly bits of flavor.) Return the oxtails to the pot. Add extra water to cover the tails if necessary. Add bay leaves. Secure the lid on the pressure cooker. Build up pressure and cook for 1 hour. Turn off heat. Quickly reduce the pressure according to the quick-release instructions of your pressure cooker. I ran cold water directly over the cooker (see Things you may want to know). Check the tail for tenderness. Add 15 minutes if necessary but make sure the oxtails are cooked slightly under. Skim off all the fat. Take your time as you will find a lot of it. This is where you can stop. Store the meat and sauce away. When you are ready to finish making the stew, heat up a soup pan, saute 2 cups of chopped onion, celery, and carrots for 3 minutes. Add 2 cups fresh Pinot Noir, oxtails and their sauce and cook for 30 minutes. Add red grapes and green olives at the 15-minute mark. The stew is finished when the vegetables are fork tender. At the final 5-minute mark, add parsley. Season with salt and pepper.

Things you may want to know

  • The oxtails that you will find in the market are actually cow’s tails. No ox is involved.
  • The pressure cooker used in this recipe allows me to quickly release the pressure by running tap water over the cooker in my sink. I do this to keep my timing accurate. Different cookers may have different instructions. The one used in this recipe  is the Fagor Splendid 6-quart. It is available at Amazon.
  • If you prefer to finish making the stew at once, after removing the fat from the oxtails, you can add the vegetables directly into the pressure cooker.  Then cook them without pressure for about 30 minutes.
  • Many people enjoy oxtail stew with bread. However, if you are concerned about carbs in your diet, you can switch to quinoa as a side.
  • As for wine pairing, I recommend Fogdog Pinot Noir 2007 from Freestone Vineyards, Freestone, CA.

My other stew recipes

Explore my recipes and food articles! Click on the tag below to see more articles that you may be interested in. You can also click on the tag cloud on the right to find out more related recipes and food articles. Here are two other stews that came to my mind.

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Chinese Pumpkin Rice Flour Pancake – A gluten-free snack

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Gluten-free Pumpkin Rice Cake

Rice flour pancake was my childhood snack

One of my first memories of these gluten-free rice flour pancakes is from an after-school visit with my late uncle when I was a child.  He was a quiet, gentle man, but he knew what school boys like after school.

“Are you hungry?” he asked.
“Got any snacks?” I inquired.
“Let me see.” he replied.

We did a quick search of his cupboards. All we found was a small bag of glutinous rice flour and some rock sugar.

“Let me show you what to do.” he continued.

He began adding water to the rice flour, mixing it with chopsticks. Then he heated up a saucepan with a little oil. Like magic, he presented me with some delightful sweet rice cakes, something like mochi–but better,  that I enjoyed with afternoon tea.

My uncle has since passed on, but the memory of those rice cakes lives on.

To highlight Fall, I added pumpkin.

As Fall sets in, I have decided to turn his recipe for those afternoon tea cakes into fast pumpkin rice cakes by adding can pumpkin. Have fun making this Chinese pumpkin recipe that is also gluten-free.

Ingredients

This recipe makes 6 rice cakes

  • ¼ C can pumpkin puree
  • 1 teaspoon minced ginger, pre-made from jar (not ginger powder)
  • ⅛ teaspoon allspice
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ¼ C brown sugar
  • ¾ C glutinous rice flour (sweet rice flour)
  • Extra flour to adjust the dryness of dough and dusting the kneading board
  • Extra water to adjust the dryness of dough during kneading

 

Directions

In a mixing bowl, combine can pumpkin puree, ginger, allspice, nutmeg, and brown sugar.  Then mix in glutinous rice flour a portion at a time. As a mixture begins to dry up, compress the dough together to form a ball. Then pick up the semi-firm dough ball and begin throwing it back into the bowl as if you are throwing a baseball from one hand into a baseball glove on the other hand. Repeat this process until you see a dough ball uniform in color and firmness.

Sprinkle extra rice flour onto a wooden board. Roll out the newly formed dough ball to form a tube about ¾ to 1 inch (2 to 3 cm) thick. Using a dough cutter, divide the tube into even nuggets (about 6 to 8 pieces). Roll out each nugget into smaller balls. Then flatten the balls into discs about 1.5 to 2 inches (4 to 5 cm) wide.

Spray non-stick cooking spray onto a saucepan. Then heat the pan to low-med heat. Cover and fry only a few discs at a time. Do not overcrowd the pan. Fry the discs for about 8 to 10 minutes, flipping them once mid-way.

Other holiday leftover recipes

What a fun way to use up some of the pumpkin puree during the holidays! To learn how to use up your other holiday foods, like turkey leftovers, pumpkin pie, and stuffing, check out my earlier recipes.

I hope I got your attention on these pumpkin sweet rice cakes! Check here to see if there are coupons for pumpkin puree or sugar that you can use, and start shopping.

Kitchen notes

  • Glutinous rice flour, or sweet rice flour, can be an alternative to wheat flour for a gluten-free diet. However, if you are concerned about gluten in your diet, you should also choose the products that state that they are not processed at the same facility that makes flours that contain gluten.
  • To fully enjoy these chewy pancakes, pair them up with tea, especially Pu-erh (a Chinese dark aged tea), and vanilla ice-cream.
  • You may make a larger quantity and store them in a refrigerator. If so, undercook them a little and wrap them up with food wrap. Reheat them with a frying pan set to low heat for a few minutes and they will soften up and cook to perfection. You can also microwave them covered with a moist napkin for about 10 seconds.

Reference

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Chicken Wings with Goji Berries and Ginseng in Clay Pot- A dish supercharged with antioxidants and energy.

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When it comes to eating chicken wings, what is your style? Buffalo or honey BBQ? Would you tried the claypot style that is invigorated with goji berries and ginseng? I have been thinking about an unique chicken recipe so keep reading, you may be in for a big surprise.

Adding goji berries and ginseng kicks these chicken wings into a savory high-octane, nutrient-packed chow that may give you the wings you need to zoom through your hectic day.

“What are they?” More details are in kitchen notes below.

As the temperature dips, claypot is very popular on many Chinese menus. These Chinese chicken wings are easy and comforting. Since clay pot dishes are fast to prepare, mastering them may save you lots of time in the kitchen this fall and winter.

 

Recipe serves 4

  • 1 ½ Tablespoon (25 ml) canola oil
  • 5 garlic cloves, gently smashed and peeled
  • 1 lb (450 to 500 gm) chicken wings
  • 1 cup (240 ml) shao hsing wine or rice wine
  • 2 teaspoon (10 gm) salt
  • 1 Tablespoon (15 gm) cornstarch
  • 1 cup (250 ml) green onion, separate white and green parts, cut white parts into ½ inch sections, finely chop the green parts
  • Optional, A few pieces of dried tangerine peel (Chen Pi), pre-soaked for at least 1 hour
  • ¼ cup (60 gm) dried goji berries, pre-soaked for at least 1 hour
  • ¼ cup (60 gm) dried American ginseng root, sliced, pre-soaked for at least 1 hour
  • 6 dried shiitake mushrooms, pre-soaked with 2 cups of water for at least 1 hour, stems removed, save 1 cup of soaking liquid.
  • ¼ cup (60 ml) soy sauce
  • ¼ cup (60 ml) oyster sauce

Heat a wok to medium heat. Add canola oil, 3 garlic cloves, chicken wings, wine and salt to brown for 10 to 15 minutes. Toss or stir the wings vigorously every 5 minutes or so. As the wings caramelize and turn golden, toss wings with corn starch. Remove from wok and set aside. Discard garlic.

Heat a clay pot to medium heat, brush in ½ tablespoon canola oil. Saute white parts of green onion, 2 garlic cloves, goji berries, tangerine peel and ginseng for 30 seconds. Add chicken wings, soaking liquid from the shiitake mushrooms. Cover and stew for 30 to 40 minutes. Add salt to season. Sprinkle the green parts of the green onion and the dish is ready to serve. Pair this up with some Kimchi fried rice to make a satisfying meal.

Kitchen notes

  • To save time, you may pre-soak some of the ingredients and fry the chicken wings ahead of time.
  • Many herbalists believe that goji berries can improve blurred vision and promote longevity. Recently, they have been found to be rich in antioxidants. Some believe that they may be useful in diabetes, high blood pressure and poor circulation, but more studies are needed.
  • These berries are gaining popularity in the West. They are now available as raisin snacks, chocolate covered, extract in capsules, juice and powder. You will find them in an Asian grocery store, or Chinese medicine shop. Also, click here to see the type I used in this recipe from Amazon.
  • American ginseng is used for stress and as a general tonic and stimulant. Some evidence suggests that it can be used to fight colds and flu. For people with type 2 diabetes, it may lower blood sugar after a meal. American ginseng have different medicinal purposes from Siberian and Asian (Panax) ginseng. Therefore, don’t get these varieties confused.
  • These roots are available as whole root, sliced and capsules. They are also found in tea bags and energy drinks. You will find them in a Chinese herbal store. Also, you can click here to order from Amazon.

As this unique chicken recipe gets your attention on goji berries and ginseng, explore them! Check here for some grocery coupons and go shopping. I hope you have a lot of fun making this chicken wings dish.

Reference

Subscribe, subscribe, subscribe! Follow my blog via RSS is easy. Simply click here. If you prefer to get an email update on my blog, just enter your email address to the right and click the subscribe button. Also, follow me on Facebook/LunchSmart. There, you can get a weekly dose of funky food news, food places I have been and food jokes.

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Homemade Kung Pao Stir Fry Sauce

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Have you ever wondered why your Chinese take-out tastes so good? One of the secrets lies within the sauce. Chinese chefs usually train hard to master the making of sauces. At home, if you can master some of their tricks, you can also prepare some very good stir fry. Needless to say you can control the sauce, you can control the amount of oil, and you make sure that there is no MSG.

Therefore, I have decided to expose the secret formula of one of the most popular stir fry sauces, the Kung Pao Stir Fry sauce. You usually find it in bottles, but let’s take a look at how this mysterious sauce is made.

 

Recipe, yields 1 cup
1 garlic
2 dried hot peppers, seeds removed, cut into ¼ inch (0.5 cm) length
2 Tablespoon (30 ml) canola oil
1 cup (240 ml) soy sauce
1 cup (240 ml) water
1 Tablespoon (15 ml) agave
2 Tablespoon (30 ml) Shao Hsing wine or sherry
1 ⅓ Tablespoon (20 ml) vinegar
1 ⅓ Tablespoon (20 ml) cornstarch
½ Tablespoon (7 ml) sesame oil

Use a pestle to mash garlic and dried hot peppers together in a mortar to form a rough paste. Using a hand beater, mix together soy sauce, water, agave, wine vinegar, cornstarch and sesame oil. Next, add canola oil to a heated wok. Cook pepper-garlic paste in the wok and until fragrant. Then add the wet mixture to the garlic and cook until it thickens.

There you have it! Refrigerate the sauce until you are ready to make some serious Kung Pao stir fry. Try this sauce on these recipes.

Kitchen notes

  • Adjust the heat level of your Kung Pao sauce by choosing different kinds of hot peppers – fresh or dried. Fresh peppers are generally hotter.  So, have fun experimenting.
  • Once prepared, this Kung Pao sauce can be refrigerated for about 4 days.
  • Use this sauce to create spicy stir fry dishes with most meats, such as chicken or beef.

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I hope I got your interested in making this sauce. If yes, click here to find some coupons and go shopping. I hope you have a lot of fun making this Kung Pao stir fry sauce.

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Spaghetti Squash Stir Fry with Green Bean and Tofu – A stir fry so skinny that you can feast on it while watching your weight.

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This weekend, the Chinese all over the world are celebrating the mid-autumn festival. As I was hunting for delicacies in my grocery store for this occasion, the produce section was already filled with lots of winter squash. Among them, I found one that I am particularly fond of: the spaghetti squash. I usually cook it with a marinara sauce, top it with cheese, and enjoy it like spaghetti.

This time, I decided to play around with this squash to find new ways to prepare it. Eventually, I have decided to turn it into a true vegetarian stir fry.

If you crave for some stir fry but are watching your weight, this dish is for you.

 

 

 

 

 

Recipe serves 4

  • 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 ½ teaspoon (7 gram) cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon (5 gram) salt
  • 1 teaspoon (5 ml) sesame oil
  • 1 Tablespoon (15 ml) agave syrup
  • 1 Tablespoon (15 ml) soy sauce
  • 1 Tablespoon (15 ml) Shao-hsing wine, or sherry
  • 1 cup (240 ml) water or vegetable broth
  • 2 Tablespoon (30 ml) canola oil
  • 3 cloves garlic, whole
  • 1 cup (240 ml) water or vegetable broth
  • 6 oz (180 gm) green beans, cut into 1 inch (2 to 3 cm) length
  • 6 oz (180 gm) spaghetti squash strings, sprinkled with ¼ teaspoon of salt, see kitchen notes on how to prepare a spaghetti squash
  • 6 oz (180 gm) marinated tofu, sliced
  • Cilantro to garnish
  • Salt to season

Start with mixing a classic Chinese stir fry sauce. Mix chopped garlic, corn starch, salt, sesame oil, agave, soy sauce, Shao-hsing wine/ sherry, water/ vegetable broth. Set aside.

To make the stir fry, heat a wok until it is smoking hot. Add canola oil. Drop in whole garlic and flavor the wok for 30 seconds. Discard the garlic. Then add spaghetti squash strings. Stir or toss the wok a few times to heat it evenly. Add ⅓ cup (80 ml) water/ chicken broth, cover and let the squash steam for 1 to 2 minutes. Remove the lid, lift the spaghetti squash onto a plate to form a bed that resembles a bird’s nest, or in an S-shape like a river. While keeping the wok very hot, add green beans and tofu. Stir or toss the wok a few times. If the content gets dry, add a little more water/ vegetable broth. Cover and steam for 2 minutes. Lift the lid, add stir fry sauce, stir or toss until the sauce thickens and the contents are well-coated by the sauce. Lift the stir fry onto the bed of spaghetti squash, garnish it with cut cilantro and there you have it.

Kitchen notes:

  • To learn how to safely and quickly prepare a spaghetti squash, watch this video by Anita’s A 2 Z
  • Spaghetti squash is prized for being low in calories (42 cal per cup), yet high in vitamins, fiber and minerals. For example, each cup of cooked squash (240 gram) contains mostly water (143 gram), 5.4 gram of vitamin C, and 2.2 gram of dietary fiber.
  • Stir frying cooks very fast. Therefore, you should have all the ingredients ready-to-go and near the wok.

Reference
Nutrient data for 11493, Squash, winter, spaghetti, cooked, boiled, drained, or baked, without salt (2012). Retrieved September 30, 2012 from, USDA National Agricultural Library Nutrient Data Laboratory Web site: http://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/foods/show/3262

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If I got your attention on making this dish, print some coupons here and go shopping. I hope you have a lot of fun making this spaghetti squash stir fry.

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Eggplant Grilled Cheese Sandwich – The sandwich you long to come home to

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For many people, nothing says “home-sweet-home” as well as a grilled cheese sandwich. Whether you just want a quick lunch or returning home after a hard day of work. A grilled cheese sandwich and a cup of tomato soup usually fit the bill perfectly. As the weather cools, they can bring warmth to a lunch.

But, how could I make this sandwich even more special?

In the last article I showcased eggplant by turning it into a delicious ratatouille. I am still savoring its meaty texture, and so I wanted to combine it with the favorite grilled cheese sandwich.  Of course, there are flavorful additions.

 

 

 

Recipe

  • 1 eggplant
  • 2 tablespoon salt
  • ¼ cup sage-thyme-cilantro pesto, OR combine the following three
  • ¼ cup sage, chopped
  • ¼ cup thyme, leaves only
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 1 to 2 slices cheddar cheese
  • 2 slices thick cut sandwich bread
  • ½ teaspoon butter, or olive oil

To grill the eggplant ahead
Cut eggplant horizontally into ¾ inch (2 cm) discs. On the bottom of a casserole dish, sprinkle some salt. Place the discs onto the salted dish and sprinkle more salt on top. Cover the dish and leave it in the refrigerator for at least one hour. As you return to the eggplant, you will notice some liquid being extracted by the salt. Drain the liquid, rinse the eggplant, and lay it flat on a cutting board.

Prepare the herb-flavored olive oil by adding sage and thyme into the olive oil and let them flavor the oil while the eggplant are being salted. A simpler way is to reach for my sage-thyme-cilantro pesto.

Brush the salted eggplant with olive oil or herb pesto. Place the eggplant in a 400°F (200°C) oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes. The eggplant is ready as it begins to brown, becoming soft to the touch.

To assemble the sandwich
Store the grilled eggplant in the refrigerator until you are ready to make the sandwich. To make one sandwich, lay down 1 to 2 eggplant on a slice of sandwich bread. Slice cheese and place it atop the eggplant. Top it off with a second slice of bread. Brush the outside of the sandwich with olive oil or butter. Grill the sandwich in a 400°F (200°C) oven until the outside turns golden brown (5 to 10 minutes).

Pair the finished sandwich with a cup of tomato soup. Enjoy it and leave your cares behind.

Kitchen notes:
Grill the eggplant ahead of time. You can freeze some so that you can prepare a sandwich quickly. Use these fat-free options often to replace your spam or cold cuts.

Therefore, print some coupons and do some shopping. I hope you will have fun with this comforting sandwich.

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