what's for dinner tonight: Chinese vegetarian dumplings

Ingredients:

Filling:

1 package of dumpling wrappers (wonton wrappers will work as well)

2 packages of vegetarian ground beef (14 oz. each)

4 cups of Napa cabbage (about 4 big leaves), finely chopped

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1/4 of an onion, minced

1 inch piece of ginger, minced

1/4 cup of green onion, finely chopped

1/16 cup of cilantro, finely chopped

1 large egg

1 tbsp. of sesame oil

2 tbsp. of rice wine

2 tbsp. of soy sauce

1/4 tsp. of ground white pepper

1/4 tsp. of ground black pepper

1 big pinch of salt

Dumpling sauce:

Half soy sauce

Half black vinegar

Add chili oil, sesame oil, minced raw garlic or chopped Thai chili peppers, depending on your preference. I usually add Sriracha chili paste, along with some sliced chili peppers, soy sauce, vinegar and sesame oil. YUM.

Empty the vegetarian ground beef into a large mixing bowl. Set aside.

Chop and mince the ginger, garlic, onion, green onion and cilantro. Add to the veggie meat.

Add in the egg, sesame oil, wine, white pepper, black pepper and salt.

Use a large flat spoon (I prefer digging in with my hands), and mix everything evenly. It may be easier to just mush it with your hands and knuckles, the filling can get clumpy otherwise!

Prepare a baking sheet by sprinkling flour, to prevent sticking. Use a small spoon and add a spoonful of filling to each dumpling wrapper. Fold the wrapper in half, and coat the outter inside with warm water (using your fingertips). Gently close the wrapping by squeezing together the two opposite sides.

This recipe made 60, which is enough to feed a party of hungry people!

Boil the dumplings for about 5 minutes. They'll float when they're done!

Enjoy! Nom, nom, nom....



what's for dinner tonight: pan-fried tofu with spicy, stir-fried vegetables

Thanksgiving break is quickly approaching (and thank goodness for that), meaning I've got to rid my fresh ingredients. I dug up some random vegetables for this yummy, sweet and tangy stir fry.

1 1/2 cup of rice

1 container of firm tofu cut into cubes

1 cup of mung bean sprouts

1 can of corn

1/2 of a bell pepper, diced

1/2 of an onion, diced

1 chili pepper, seeded and diced

3 cloves of garlic, diced

1/16 cup of soy sauce

2 tsp. of sesame oil

2 tsp. of Thai fish sauce

1 tsp. of black vinegar

5 tsp. of brown sugar

Chopped green onion

Olive oil

Pepper

1/2 tsp. of basil

Make the rice, according to the package.

In a small bowl, mix together the soy sauce, fish sauce, black vinegar, sesame oil, and sugar. Set aside.

With a paper towel, wrap the tofu to absorb excess water. Cut the tofu into cubed pieces.

In a large skillet, heat one tbsp. of olive oil on medium-high heat until it starts to simmer. Add the tofu cubes, allowing space in between, or they will stick together!

Using tongs, flip the tofu after 3-4 minutes, or until each side is golden. Set on a paper towel to absorb excess oil.

In either a large skillet, or wok, heat 2 tbsp. of olive oil on medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion, garlic, chili, and a handful of chopped green onion with the black pepper and basil.

Add the bell pepper, corn, and sprouts. Stir fry until the vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Mix in the sauce and tofu and toss.

Serve on a plate with rice!

Enjoy! Nom, nom, nom...



what's for dinner tonight: Vietnamese pho with vegetables

I have been craving pho for the longest time. However, I had such a difficult time finding any restaurants that actually served a vegetarian version that I just decided to make it myself. I had a sous chef help me tonight, and towards the end of our meal, we were both groaning from the massive amount of noodles we had consumed-- it was that good.

Ingredients:

1 onion

Ginger root (about 3 inches)

1 stick of Vietnamese cassia cinnamon

1 star anise

1 tsp. of ground corriander

2 cloves of garlic

4 large carrots, cut into small pieces (I ended up using 12 baby carrots, sliced diagonally in half)

1 lbs of banh pho noodles

4 cups of vegetable stock

2 tsp. of soy sauce

Toppings:

This is based on preference. We used broccoli, snow peas, tofu and carrots. Some other toppings that would go well are napa cabbage, bok choy, mushrooms or bean curd skin.

Garnishes:

This is also based on preference. We had Sriracha sauce, lime wedges, sliced chile pepper, bean sprouts, sliced onion, green onion and cilantro. A few other garnishes that could be used are Thai basil, mint, different types of peppers, or a spoonful of Hoisin sauce.

Peel both the onion and ginger root, and cut in half. Set these onto a baking pan, lined with aluminum foil, and broil until it is slightly blackened, about 10 minutes on each side. Peel off any burnt edges and wash with water.

In a large pot, dry roast (absolutely do not add any water or oils and do not cover), on medium-low, the cinnamon stick, cloves, star anise and corriander. Star anise and the Vietnamese cinnamon stick, along with the pho noodles were found at 888 International Market (aisle 11, I had a hard time finding it!) Stir frequently in order to avoid burning. We ended up doing this until the onion and ginger finished broiling, about 20 minutes.

Your kitchen will start to smell very aromatic!

Stir in the vegetable stock, soy sauce, and carrots, along with the charred onion and ginger. Bring the liquid to a boil, and then lower the heat to simmer for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, set the pho noodles into a large bowl. Boil about 8 cups of water and pour onto the noodles. Let this sit for 20-30 minutes, until the noodles are soft and chewy.

When there are only a few minutes left, lightly cook your toppings in the broth.

Drain the noodles and add into a bowl. Strain out your toppings and add these into the bowl along with any garnish. Ladle the soup into your bowl.

There it is! A yummy meal with a ton of delicious vegetables. You can add as many vegetables, or as little vegetables, depending on your taste. I went ahead and pan-fried some tofu, which is also a delicious alternative. Squeeze the lime onto your pho and you are ready to eat. If you're into spicy food, I recommend using Sriracha sauce.

Enjoy! Nom, nom, nom..

what's for brunch: mango and guava mimosas, bell pepper ringed eggs, spinach and egg quiche, and blueberry pancakes

This afternoon, I hosted a Mary Kay facial party and brunch for a few deserving girls. It was a great way to relax on a beautiful Sunday afternoon.

The following recipes are very easy to make!

Mango and guava mimosas

Ingredients:

Flavored juice (I used guava and mango)

Champagne (Barefoot, pink sparkling moscato)

Frozen blueberries

Fill a pitcher with half champagne and half juice. Add the frozen blueberries into a serving cup and pour desired amount. The blueberries will act as ice and as a garnish for the mimosa!

Bell pepper ringed eggs

Ingredients:

Bell peppers

Eggs

1/2 tbsp. of olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Chopped green onion

Cut the bell peppers into 1/2 inch rings.

Coat a small frying pan with 1/2 a tbsp. of olive oil on medium heat. When the oil starts to simmer, drop one ring into the middle of the pan, along with one cracked egg. I found it much easier to crack the egg into a small bowl, and then transfer it into the bell pepper ring. Season the egg with salt and pepper, along with some chopped green onion.

If you like sunny-side up eggs, take the egg off of the heat once the white is mostly cooked. If you don't, flip it over after 4 minutes, and cook for another 4 minutes on the other side.

Spinach and egg quiche

Ingredients:

3/4 cup of cheese

1/4 cup of diced bell pepper (any color)

1/4 cup of diced onion

10 ounces of frozen chopped spinach

3/4 cup of egg whites (about 6 egg whites for me)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a cupcake pan with 12 muffin liners. Spray the liners with cooking spray.

Microwave the spinach for 2 1/2 minutes, until thawed, and completely drain. Squeezing the spinach in your hand, and then transferring it onto paper towels always does the trick for me.

In a mixing bowl, combine the spinach, cheese, bell pepper and onion. Measure out 3/4 cup of egg whites. You can separate the egg white with ease by sliding the egg over from one half of the shell to the other. Mix this into the bowl.

Distribute evenly into the muffin liners.

Bake for 20 minutes.

Blueberry pancakes

Ingredients:

1 cup of milk (I used 1/4 cup of heavy cream, 3/4 cup of water)

1 1/4 cup of flour

1 tbsp. of baking powder

1/2 tsp. of salt

1 1/4 tsp. of brown sugar

1 egg

1 tbsp. of butter, melted

1/2 cup of frozen blueberries

Combine all dry ingredients into a mixing bowl (flour, salt, sugar, baking powder). In a separate bowl, wisk the egg into the milk. Add this into the mixing bowl, along with the melted butter and wisk.

Fold in the blueberries into the mix with a spatula.

Heat a griddle or a frying pan to medium heat and pour the batter into the pan, using 1/4 cups each.

Cook until both sides are brown and serve with maple syrup.

Enjoy! Nom, nom, nom..

what's for dinner tonight: penne with oven roasted asparagus in a creamy, balsamic butter

A late dinner for me tonight! Here's a really yummy recipe, penne with roasted asparagus in balsamic butter.

Ingredients:

1 lbs of penne

1 lbs. of asparagus

2 tbsp. of olive oil

2 tsp. of salt

2 tsp. of ground black pepper

1/2 cup + 2 tbsp. of balsamic vinegar

1/2 tsp. of brown sugar

1/3 cup of butter

Parmesan cheese

Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut off the ends of the asparagus and cut to 1 inch pieces. Toss with olive oil, 1 tsp. of salt and 1 tsp. of pepper. Set it into the oven for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, boil the penne in salted water until al dente, according to the box.

In a skillet, on medium-high, reduce the balsamic vinegar by simmering until there is 3 tbsp. left (about 10 minutes). Be prepared to choke on the vinegar aromas. I suggest wearing a scarf over your face until this process is complete, and turn the stove fan on too.

Mix in the remainer of the pepper, brown sugar and butter until the sauce is smooth.

Drain the penne. The next part may be tricky. Add the penne in, bits at a time, while stirring. You have to act fast, or the penne will not be evenly coated. Continue stirring until all the noodles have been covered. Add the roasted asparagus and toss with the remaining salt.

Serve with Parmesan cheese.

Enjoy! Nom, nom, nom...

what's for dinner tonight: pad-tunia (veggie pad thai with rice noodles)

Here's a yummy recipe with all fresh ingredients. Thanks to Andy, my BSW co-intern at Practicum for the wonderful play on words for this recipe. I have a kitty named Petunia; I'm obsessed with her and cats in general. It's a cross between pad Thai and Petunia!

I dug up the wok my Grams gave me from a few months back. You can cook this either in a skillet or a wok. I had never used my electric wok prior to this, but it all worked out wonderfully.

And another night of yummy cooking begins! The list is a bit long, but you can substitute the veggies I used with any veggies in your fridge. This is a medium-hot dish. Do not add the chili powder or chili flakes if you are a mild-heat, food eater.

Ingredients:

8 oz. of pad Thai noodles, or in my case, rice noodles

2 tbsp. fish sauce (this can be purchased at any Asian market. I bought mine from the Asian section of Dillions).

2 tbsp. of soy sauce

2 tbsp. of brown sugar

1 tbsp. of Sriracha chili sauce

2 tbsp. of ketchup (my secret ingredient)

1/4 tbsp. of chili powder

1/4 tbsp. of chili flakes

1/2 a lime

1/4 cup of green onion, chopped

4 cloves of garlic, minced

1/2 an onion, chopped

1 cup of brocoli

1 cup of baby carrots, chopped

2 cups of bean sprouts

1/4 cup of olive oil

Chopped walnuts and cilantro to garnish

Take your rice noodles (or pad Thai noodles) and soak in a bowl of hot water for 10-15 minutes.

In a small mixing bowl, combine the soy sauce, fish sauce, brown sugar, chili powder, chili flakes, Sriracha, ketchup and lime juice. Set aside.

In your wok (or deep skillet!) heat to medium-high and add the oil. Once the oil simmers, stir fry the green onion, onion, and garlic until they start to soften (about 2 minutes).

Add your vegetables to the wok and stir fry for 3 minutes, until they start to soften.

Mix the sauce into the vegetables, stir fry and set the lid on the wok for 5 minutes, to fully cook the veggies.

This next step may involve tongs. Add the noodles into the wok and toss it into the veggies. Apply the lid to let the noodles absorb the liquid for 3 minutes.

Prepare the noodles on a plate and add the crushed walnuts and chopped cilantro as garnish!

If you're into spicy foods, keep the bottle of Sriracha nearby...I do. :)

Nom, nom, nom.

Enjoy!

what's for dinner tonight: coconut curry with onion, potato, and carrots

Thanks to Dana for requesting this! This recipe makes hot curry. If you enjoy eating foods that are mild, do not add the chili powder or chili flakes.

Ingredients:
3 cups of long grain, Jasmine rice
1/2 of a small onion
3 potatoes
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 cup of baby carrots
1 jar of curry paste
1/2 cup of coconut milk
1/2 tsp. of chili powder
1/2 tsp. of chili flakes
1/4 tsp. of ground cumin
1/4 cup of chopped parsley
1/4 cup of olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Make the Jasmine rice according to the package. Thankfully, we have rice cookers around the apartment, making this step extra easy for me.

Cut up the potatoes in cubed pieces, cut the carrots at an angle, and cut the onion in small pieces.

In a skillet, heat the olive oil on medium-heat. Add the garlic and onion and season with salt and pepper. Add the carrots and potatoes when the garlic and onion start to soften, about 2 minutes.

Include the cumin, chili powder, chili flakes and parsley to the vegetable medley. Cover with a lid, stirring occasionally until the potatoes and carrots have softened (about 10 minutes).

(I was tempted to just serve this on rice, it looked and smelled so yummy!)

Mix in the curry paste-- this can be found in the Asian section of Target or Dillions. I usually get tikki masala paste, the taste is much milder-- and the coconut milk. Lower the heat and bring to a simmer.

Serve on top of some rice!

Enjoy!! Nom, nom, nom..