Peanut Sauce with Vegetables

January 19, 2011 5 Comments

I was starving after a hard workout and a peanut sauce sounded fab. I made up a package of tiny eggrolls to go with it so we went sans protein in the main dish. If I were to make it again I would add in a package of my favorite pre-cubed tofu and pan-fry it up crisp with the vegetables! I served it over Jasmine rice but it could be easily tossed with cooked spaghetti just the same (say 12 ounces worth).

Peanut Sauce with Vegetables

Ingredients:

Sauce -

  • 2 cups lower sodium vegetable broth (non-veg’s can use chicken, beef, etc)
  • 1/2 cup natural peanut butter, chunky style (such as Adam’s)
  • 2 Tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 Tbsp cornstarch
  • 1/2 tsp granulated garlic
  • 1/2 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (or more for extra spice)

Vegetables -

  • 1 Tbsp canola oil
  • 1 14-ounce bag stir fry mix (example here)
  • 1/2 bag frozen sweet peas (8 ounces)
  • Hot rice or pasta (see above notes)

Directions:

In a medium bowl whisk the sauce ingredients together. In a large non-stick skillet heat the oil over medium high heat, add in the vegetables and cook till tender. Stir in the sauce and turn down to medium-low. Stir often until it pulls into a creamy sauce.

Serve over hot rice or toss with cooked pasta.

Serves 3 to 4 (a true 4 if you add in a protein such as tofu).

~Sarah

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Chickpea Potato Curry

December 9, 2010 1 Comment

The idea for this recipe came from a similar “curry” we had often as kids, from the Red Plaid cookbook. It had chicken in it so I wondered it I could make it vegan and it turned out great. That Kirk enjoyed was a good feeling! It is a gamble every time I try to change an old recipe so when I have a success, woo!

Chickpea Potato Curry

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 cups Jasmine rice
  • 3 cups water
  • 1 1/2 cups diced onion (1 large)
  • 1 cup peeled, cored and diced apple (I used a Braeburn)
  • 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
  • 3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 2 Tbsp mild curry powder (start at 1 Tbsp and add more as you like it)
  • 4 tsp dry parsley
  • 1/2 tsp granulated garlic
  • kosher salt to taste (I used 1/2 tsp)
  • 1 cup lower sodium vegetable broth
  • 2 cups light plain soymilk
  • 14.5 ounce can potatoes, drained and chopped
  • 14.5 ounce can garbanzo beans (chickpeas) rinsed and drained

Directions:

In a heavy medium saucepan bring the water to a boil, add in the rice stirring well. Turn the heat down to low, cover tightly and let cook for 20 minutes.

In a large non-stick skillet heat the oil over medium-high, add in the onion and apple, cook for 10 minutes stirring often. Turn down to medium and add in the flour and spices, stirring for a couple of minutes. Add in the broth and milk, stirring till thickened. Stir in the potatoes and garbanzo beans, heat through on low till warmed. Add more curry powder if desired, salt to taste.

Serve over the rice and top with grated coconut if desired.

Serves 3 to 4.

~Sarah

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Hummus Soup

November 11, 2010 Leave a Comment

We had this two ways, first as soup last night with salad on the side and then this afternoon for lunch. For the lunch I reheated the leftovers and served it as a sauce over freshly cooked Jasmine Rice. I’d say that I preferred it as a sauce, it tasted great with nuttiness of the rice. I made the recipe vegan but chicken broth can be substituted in as well. On the hummus? Use whatever you have on hand, really most flavors would work well. You needn’t use plain unless that is what you have. It was a great way to use up a couple tubs I had in the frig of various flavors (plain, garlic, etc).

Hummus Soup

Ingredients:

  • 3 shallots, peeled and diced
  • 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 4 cups lower sodium vegetable broth
  • 1 1/2 cups prepared plain hummus
  • 15 ounce can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
  • 15 ounce can white potatoes, drained and diced
  • 1 Tbsp lemon juice (fresh or bottled)
  • 1 Tbsp dried parsley
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 1/2 tsp ground black pepper

Directions:
In a large saucepan heat the olive oil over medium heat, add in the shallots and cook till golden. Add in broth and hummus, bringing to a boil. Add in the chickpeas and potatoes, heat through on medium-low.
Stir in the lemon juice, parsley, pepper and sesame oil. Add more pepper and salt as desired.

Serves 4. (Or save the leftovers and serve over rice as a sauce!)

~Sarah

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Chicken Satay over Jasmine Rice

November 9, 2010 Leave a Comment

I often make lunch for Kirk and I when Ford is at school during the weekdays. Often it is what Kirk dubs ‘slop on top’ meaning a gravy or sauce over a carb choice. Maybe not the most appetizing way to describe the recipes but it is a funny way to classify them ;-)

This sauce pulls together in the time the rice cooks and has 2 hearty servings.

Chicken Satay over Jasmine Rice
Ingredients:
1 cup Jasmine rice
1 cup onion, diced
1 Tbsp olive oil
2/3 cup plain light soy milk
1/2 cup plain non-fat yogurt
1/4 cup natural style chunky peanut butter
2 Tbsp lite/low-sodium soy sauce
2 tsp granulated sugar
1 tsp dried sliced garlic
1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
5 ounce can chicken breast, drained
Directions:
In a heavy medium saucepan bring 2 cups water to a boil, add in the rice and cover tightly. Turn down to low and let cook for 20 minutes.
Turn off the heat and let sit for at least 5 more minutes, then fluff up.
Heat the oil in a non-stick skillet over medium. Add in the onion and cook till browned. Meanwhile whisk the sauce ingredients together in a bowl. Add into the skillet, stirring well. Mix in the chicken.

Turn to low and let heat through but do not boil. Serve the sauce over the rice.
Serves 2.

~Sarah

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Quick Rice For a Busy Evening

October 22, 2010 Leave a Comment

- Digging through my archives I found this entry from back in February when I was 8 months pregnant. I am guessing I forgot about it and never hit publish. -

 

This was a pot of rice that I pulled together as the broth came to a boil. I needed dinner quickly, I had been busy all day. 20 minutes later I was fluffing it up and serving it with some mini egg rolls on the side!

Quick Rice

Ingredients:

2 cups lower sodium chicken broth

12 1/2-ounce can chicken breast, drained

1 cup frozen broccoli florets

2 Tbsp lower sodium soy sauce

2 Tbsp all natural hoisin sauce

1 Tbsp sesame oil

1 cup jasmine rice

Directions:

In a large heavy saucepan bring everything but the rice to a boil. Add in the rice, stir well and lower the heat to low. Cover tightly and let simmer gently for 20 minutes. Fluff up and serve.

Serves 3.

~Sarah

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Chicken Satay with Orange Jasmine Rice

August 23, 2010 Leave a Comment

Chicken Satay with Orange Jasmine Rice

Ingredients:

2 cups Jasmine rice

2 tsp dry orange zest (2 Tbsp fresh)

3 3/4 cups water

2 Tbsp vegetable oil

1 1/2 lbs chicken breast, cubed

1 medium sweet onion, peeled and chopped

2 cups bell peppers, chopped

1 tsp diced dried garlic

9 ounce jar satay sauce (I used Trader Joe’s)

1/2 cup orange juice

1 tsp dry cilantro (1 Tbsp fresh)

Directions:

In a heavy larger saucepan bring the water and orange zest to a boil, add in the rice, stirring well. Turn down to low, cover tightly and let cook for 20 minutes.

In a large non-stick skillet or wok heat the oil over medium high. Add in the chicken and cook for a couple of minutes, add the onion, peppers and garlic. Cook till the chicken is golden brown and the vegetables are sizzling. Turn the heat down to low, add in the satay sauce and orange juice, stir through, let heat and stir in the cilantro.

Serve over the rice. Sprinkle on shredded coconut if desired.

Serves 3 to 4.

~Sarah

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Sweet and Sour Chicken with Oven Baked Jasmine Rice

January 24, 2010 Leave a Comment

I recently came across the recipe that my mom had used for sweet and sour sauce years ago. The recipe was out of a Better Homes and Garden Plaid cookbook, from a 1960′s era version. She would take the base recipe and use it in the oven to bake boneless pork cubes smothered in it till they fell apart. Looking at the basic recipe for the sauce I realized it was a solid recipe – back in the late 60′s it would have been ‘exotic’…we have come far, no? The original recipe called for corn syrup which had me thinking…there was a time in America when corn syrup was found in most every home, but not honey. Ouch. With a few changes and additions it became a thick sauce ready in under 30 minutes! Yum!

I served the sauce over the baked rice with mini egg rolls on the side. Tasty and quick!

Oven Baked Jasmine Rice
Ingredients:
3 cups boiling water
1 1/2 cups Jasmine white rice
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp kosher salt, if desired

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350°.
In a 2 quart oven proof baking dish combine all the ingredients. Tightly cover with foil and bake for 35 minutes.
Fluff with a fork as soon as it comes out.
~Serves 4.

Sweet and Sour Sauce

Ingredients:
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
4 tsp cornstarch
1 cup lower sodium chicken broth
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1 seeded and chopped bell pepper (red or green)
2 Tbsp lower sodium soy sauce
2 Tbsp honey
1 1/2 tsp fresh grated ginger, peeled first
1 clove garlic, minced
1 8-ounce can pineapple wedges packed in juice
1 8-ounce can sliced water chestnuts, drained and chopped
1 12.5-ounce can chicken breast, drained

Directions:
In a medium saucepan combine brown sugar and cornstarch. Whisk in the chicken broth, vinegar, soy sauce, honey, pineapple juice from the can, ginger and garlic till smooth. Add in the bell pepper, water chestnuts, pineapple and chicken and bring to a gentle bubbling over medium heat, stirring often. Once it comes to the simmer, drop the heat to medium low and let cook covered for at least 20 minutes to cook the peppers. Check and stir often, lowering the heat as needed.
~Serves 4 over the rice above.

~Sarah

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Pumpkin Bacon Rice

October 22, 2009 2 Comments

The curse of large cans of pumpkin would be using them up….so this dinner came out of a tub in the fridge glaring at me to use it up ;-)

Pumpkin Bacon Rice

Ingredients:
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp butter
1 yellow onion chopped
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
2 tsp cornstarch
1 1/4 cups lower sodium chicken broth
2/3 cup canned pumpkin
4 cups cooked white rice
4 thick strips bacon
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
To cook rice:
Bring 3 cups water to a boil. Add in 1 1/2 cups of white rice (I used Jasmine as I prefer the taste). Stir
well. Lower to low, cover tightly and let cook for 20 minutes. Take off the heat and let sit till needed.

Meanwhile cook the bacon in a large skillet till crispy. Drain the bacon on a layer of paper towels and
press out as much bacon grease as you can. Shred into small pieces.

In a large saucepan, melt the olive oil and butter together over medium heat. Add onion and nutmeg
and cook, stirring often, until the onion is turning golden.

In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and a little of the chicken broth until there are no lumps.

To the saucepan with the cooked onions, add the remaining broth, pumpkin and the cornstarch
mix. Let heat through and thicken. Add in the rice and bacon, stirring well.  Add in the Parmesan cheese
and 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper, stirring well. Put the lid on the saucepan and remove from heat,
then let sit for 5 minutes to meld flavors.

Add more cheese and salt, if desired.

Serves 3 to 4.

~Sarah

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