Quick & Easy Stir Fry Dinner

I really file this one under the category of "Too Easy to Need a Recipe", however, I've been reminded repeatedly that to people who don't cook as often and/or do not have the level of experience & confidence that I do in the kitchen, this dish does not appear easy. In light of that, here's my favorite stir-fry with a few variations.

This does require some Asian ingredients. These can often be found at your "regular" market, however, if you have an Asian community it is worth the trek to an Asian market for these ingredients so that you have them on hand. They will be far less expensive and you'll also have the chance to shop for lovely things like steamed rice buns stuffed with mustard greens (or pumpkin, tofu & celery, etc.), delicious Asian veggies & fresh herbs including bamboo shoots in water (as opposed to canned/pickled), dried tofu skin, and other great things you won't find in an American market.

The Shopping List

• Hoisin Sauce (often mistakenly referred to as "plum sauce", this is a must-have)
• Mushroom Sauce (a.k.a. "vegetarian oyster sauce")
  
• Sweet Chili Sauce
• Mirin (a sweet cooking wine)
  
• White Miso
• Rice Vinegar
• Seasoned Rice Vinegar (a.k.a. "Sushi Vinegar")
• Sriracha (a.k.a. "Rooster Sauce")
• Peanut Oil
• Tomato Paste in a Tube

The Stuff

This is where you can truly be creative. Stir-fries and soup are the best way to use up the veggies you have on hand. Some work better than others, but if you just choose an assortment of what you have on hand and know you enjoy, the dish will be delicious.

Plan on having 3 or more cups of vegetables sliced or diced into relatively small, bite-size pieces. If you are using a kind of green that will cook down you will want to use at least 3 cups of the fresh greens cleaned that have been shredded/tore roughly. Consider using some of the following:

• carrots
• celery
• beets (roots & greens)
• chard (stems removed, diced and sauteed ahead of the greens)
• kale
• spinach
• broccoli (crowns & stems)
• rapini
• rabe (broccoli, Brussel sprouts, etc.)
• snow peas with pods
• green beans
• cauliflower
• bell peppers
• daikon
• winter squash
• summer squash
• bok choi
• ...getting the idea here?
  
  
• Add some aromatics:
  
  • onion
  • leek
  • garlic
  • shallot
    
  • ginger
  • Thai basil (e.g., Siam Queen basil)
  • Shiso leaves
  • Kefir lime leaves (for a very Thai flavor)
  • fresh coriander (cilantro)
  • fresh chilies
    

• Then pick one of the following:
  
  • 8 oz firm or extra firm tofu, cubed
  • 8 oz tempeh, cubed
  • 8 oz aduki beans, chick peas or other legume
    

The Making

Several variations here for you to experiment with. All, variations start by heating a tablespoon each of canola and peanut oils in a wok on medium high (use all canola if you have a peanut allergy). When oil is hot and forms ribbons on the bottom of the wok add in the onions. As the onions start to soften, about 3 minutes, add in garlic and/or shallot. If you are using leeks instead of onions saute the garlic and/or shallots first and add leeks when the garlic starts to soften. If you want to use fresh ginger, add it a minute after the garlic/shallot. If you are using tofu or tempeh, add it in next and stir-fry until some of the sides turn slightly golden.

Add in vegetables to onions and stir-fry at medium high for a few minutes. Reduce heat to medium low, add 2 tablespoons of water, and cover with lid. If you are using greens, do not add these in yet. Let the vegetables cook for 5 minutes, remove lid and stir. If they have brightened and have started to soften any greens can be added in next. If you are using legumes like aduki or chick peas, add them in too. Toss well and then add one of the sauce variations below:

Basic Stir-fry

Add 2 tablespoons each of hoisin and mushroom sauces and a dash of vinegar. Toss well with vegetables, cover and let cook on low for 5 more minutes. Nice served with Thai basil or fresh coriander as a garnish.

This variation reminds me a little of the basic brown sauce seen in some Vietnamese dishes, particularly if I caramelize the onions & garlic a bit first.

Sweet & Sour

Whisk together a tablespoon each of hoisin, mirin, vinegar, sweet chili sauce, water and tomato paste, add to vegetables, toss well, and cook on medium-low heat for 5 additional minutes. Toss vegetables in sauce often to help reduce liquid in sauce.

This has a more distinctly SE Asian flavor than a standard American/Chinese dish.

Thai-Style

*Kefir lime leaves should be added to the stir-fry when the vegetables are first added to any onion or garlic. Once the vegetables are tender, add 2 tablespoons each hoisin and mushroom sauces, a tablespoon sweet chili sauce, and the juice from half a lime. Toss well with vegetables, cover and let cook on low for 5 more minutes. Remove lime leaves before serving with Thai basil as garnish.

If you want to go extra crazy, chop up a stalk of lemongrass, smash with side of knife and add that in at the beginning as well. Remove chunks when the lime leaves come out.

Japanese Style

Whisk together a tablespoon each of tamari, mirin and white miso. Toss well with vegetables, cover and let cook on low for 5 more minutes. Garnish lightly with shiso leaves cut into very fine ribbons and furikake.

Kind of a sweet stir-fry as well. Also nice with a very small dash of sesame oil.

Serve stir-fry with brown rice, quinoa, steamed buns, rice noodles or just by itself. For 3-4 people.

Simple Split Pea Soup

This is another installment of the 'Ode to an Inexpensive Pressure Cooker' series. One of our favorite, in fact. Yes, this can be made without the pressure cooker, but I highly recommend one. I haven't bought canned beans since we purchased it.

So, here's the soup. There's comments about doing stove top, some variations, etc. below.

The Materials

• 2 cups dried split peas (yellow or green)
• 1 onion* diced
• 2 large cloves garlic, minced (or one enormous clove)
• 4 medium carrots, diced
• 4 large stalks of celery diced (or equivalent)
• 2 T nutritional yeast
• 1/4 - 1/2 t garam masala
• 1/4 - 1/2 t ground cumin
• 1/4 - 1/2 t sweet, smoked paprika
• 2 T olive oil
• Salt & Pepper to taste
• 6 cups water

In the pressure cooker heat olive oil and saute onions until translucent, then add garlic. Continue cooking until these begin to caramelize a little then add carrots and celery. Cook together until carrots & celery brighten in color and are more aromatic. Add cleaned, rinsed peas and water. Stir together all ingredients then lock down the lid. Bring pressure cooker up to locked, when the valve begins to rock cook for 7 additional minutes. Remove from heat and let sit for several minutes before releasing the valve. Remove lid when lock releases then add yeast and spices. Let sit several minutes for the spices to blend into the soup before serving.

What else can you do?

• Add curry powder and additional garam masala - more like a Indian dish then
• Add some squirts of Siracha when serving
• More smoked paprika will give a much smokier flavor
• Add some chopped veggies, like cauliflower
• Add diced potatoes to this
• We like to serve it with a little quinoa & some nice bread
  
• Give it a drizzle of Bragg's Aminos instead of salt at the table
• Yes, you can make this without the magical pressure cooker. You just need to cook everything about 45 minutes

Garbanzo Stew

Last Sunday, February 9th, the dinner request was, "Some kind of tomato-y garbanzo stew..."

Here are the delicious results!

2 cups cooked garbanzos (yes, canned is fine, just drain & rinse first)
3 cups diced winter squash (like butternut)
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 "cloves" of shallot, chopped small
1 15oz can diced tomatoes
1/4 cup tomato paste
3 c water
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon herb mix (I was using "21 Seasoning Salute from Trader Joe's)
1 teaspoon tamari (shoyu, soy sauce, whatever...)
1/2 teaspoon Sriracha
1 Tablespoon nutritional yeast

You can use some olive oil to sauté the shallot & garlic or, instead of sautéing in oil, you can use water, tamari or broth for an ultra low-fat dish. Once they start to soften add the rest of the ingredients, bring to a boil then reduce heat to low. Simmer until squash is cooked through, about 40 minutes, and serve. We served this with some quinoa for an even more hearty dish.

This makes a good size pot of soup (about 8 servings?) - enough to have leftovers for lunch during the week! I'm tagging this "Quick" because it is easily thrown together and set to simmer while you can get other things done.

Quickie Lentils

This dish is made extra quick and easy since it uses lots of canned items. In fact, this is such a quickie I'm feeling a smidge guilty for posting it. However, since Amy's asked for more lentil ideas and Christie asked me to jot down what I did, here it is!

2 15oz cans of lentils drained and rinsed
1 7oz can of diced green chilies
1/4 cup tomato paste
1/2 - 1 teaspoon cumin powder
1/4 teaspoon sweet, smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Sriracha sauce to taste

Put all ingredients into a saucepan and simmer for at least 20 minutes for the flavors to "marry". Yep, that's it. Put this in tortillas with salsa and greens for tacos or burritos. Serve as a topping to steamed grains, potatoes or yams.

Yes, I suggest Sriracha to give some heat to this dish, just add as much or as little as you like. I find in small amounts it adds a brightness and just a little heat to any dish, plus sometimes seems more easy to control than using powdered, hot chilies.

Except for the lentils you can really wing it with this recipe (really more a "suggestion" than a "recipe"). Heck you could even wing the legumes and use garbanzos, pintos, red beans... you get the picture. By all means, if you don't want to use canned legumes, don't. Just make the legumes first and use them drained -- about 3 cups or so.

Add more or use less cumin if you want. A squeeze of lime would be great in this. Fresh coriander (cilantro) leaves chopped up and added on top would be lovely (our's had gone nasty in the fridge... ooops). Leave out the green chilies if you don't have them. Add some mustard seed, powdered coriander, tumeric, ginger and black pepper (or just some garam masala) to start taking this more of an Indian dal direction.

Pumpkin Quinoa

File under, "I love quinoa!"

This is so simple I hate to call it a recipe, but so yummy I wanted to share it! It really came out of some of the leftover stuffed pumpkin from Thanksgiving and my need for a quick-to-make lunch to take with me to yoga teacher training.

1 cup qunioa
2 cups broth
1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper
1 cup cooked, diced pumpkin (or other winter squash)

Bring broth to boil and add quinoa and lemon pepper. Reduce heat and simmer until liquid is mostly absorbed, about 20 minutes. Add pumpkin, mix well into quinoa and continue to simmer until any remaining liquid is absorbed.

Serve immediately as a hot, nutritious side dish or chill then mix with chopped veggies, legumes and dressing for a protein-rich salad.

Quinoa & Carrot Salad

This salad has no pictures because I just threw this together out of what I found in the house one afternoon while foraging for lunch between conference calls. We had a bag of grated carrots from Trader Joe's that had been picked up for the veggie sushi and needed to be used up! I was kind of wanting a macaroni salad, but really wanted something with more protein. With those two things in mind I came up with something that was tasty, heartier than many salads as it uses high-protein quinoa in addition to legumes, and Andy & Devon both raved about how good it was as a wrap with some lettuce.

1 cup quinoa
2 cups broth
12 oz grated (large grate or julienned) carrots
1 15 oz. can red kidney beans
1 15 oz. can white kidney beans (cannellini)
1/2 sweet onion, small dice
2 large stalks celery, small dice
1 Tablespoon whole grain mustard
3 Tablespoons Vegenaise
2 Tablespoons Balsamic vinegar

Cook quinoa in broth and set aside to cool while dicing vegetables. Drain and rinse kidney beans. Toss vegetables, beans, and quinoa with mustard, Vegenaise, and vinegar.

Christie's Quick Late Summer Veggie Pasta

Yummy!  I should let her post about it!  Lots of Trader Joe's stuff in tonight's dinner!    I believe everything came from TJ's unless it came from the garden.

We had sprouted wheat parpadalle pasta tossed with some artichoke antipasto stuff, topped with a Middle Eastern zucchini from our garden sauteed with garlic paste, spinach, and lemon juice.  Add some diced tomatoes from the garden and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar and that's dinner!

Dinner was very quick, hence Christie's name for the dish, and a lovely way to appreciate more of the tasty things we planted this summer.  I especially enjoyed her use of "quick" and "late" following one another in the dish name.

Impromptu Sweet & Sour

Since Andy & Kate went out to the cinema and dinner tonight and Christie decided to join me for dinner.  I had some stuff from the CSA box AJ brought over (they're house sitting and ended up with a second box to spare), namely broccoli and patty pan squash, and over ripe tomatoes from the garden.  There was spicy tempeh in the fridge, but I thought Andy was going to use it for something so I was opting for some of the super-firm tofu instead.  There was also some leftover brown rice in the cooker from yesterday, we set that to reheat right away.

I'd thought I'd sear the tofu in olive oil and balsamic, reducing the tomatoes to sauce, however, Christie finds tofu to be so intrinsically Asian that going the pan-Italian route with it wasn't going to work.  She suggested something gingery with all the stuff.  I didn't really feel like peeling ginger and wasn't entirely sure the hunk on the wooden block was very fresh, but I remembered we've got a jar of ginger & garlic paste from one of the Desi shops we visit for ingredients.  I described it to Christie and sent her to the fridge to hunt it down.

Peanut oil into the pan and then the tofu for a good fry, white pepper on top.  I let that fry, even stick a little until I could see some golden color on the pieces.  Then the broccoli florets and sliced up patty pan went in along with one and a half large diced, over ripe tomatoes.  I poured in about a tablespoon and a half of soy sauce, at least two tablespoons of sweet chili sauce (the stuff you dip spring rolls in), and a tablespoon the garlic & ginger paste. 

Popped the lid on and let the tomatoes cook down, which didn't take much time at all.  We hung out and chatted.  After stirring things around a bit we tasted and I then added a teaspoon of sugar, the juice from half a lime, and a couple of pinches of coarse sea salt.  A little while longer and we got warmed rice from the cooker and dished up.

It was great!  I was hoping for "good", just something quick and nourishing after yoga practice and a ride home.  It turned out so much better than I'm writing about it here!   I don't think I'll be able to think of standard, syrupy sweet & sour the same, this was so easy.