Chinese Beef & Broccoli

Chinese food is one of those things that I think everyone loves, and I don't know anyone who doesn't! However, it is terrrriibbblllleeee for you. Beef & Broccoli is one of my favorites, as well as crab rangoons, egg drop soup, orange chicken, mmmmmm! But, I'll save those for another day. This Beef with Broccoli recipe is only around 330 calories too.

Ingredients
~3/4 lb round steak, cut into 1/4 in strips (sometimes I'll use sirloin if it's on sale..it's more tender)
~1 lb broccoli, cut up into florets
~1/3 cup oyster sauce
~2 tsp sesame oil
~1/3 cup white wine
~2 tsp soy sauce
~1 tsp sugar
~1 tsp cornstarch
~About 3 Tbsp vegetable oil
~1 slice ginger root
~1 clove of garlic peeled and smashed

1. Stir together the oyster sauce, sesame oil, white wine, soy sauce, sugar, and cornstarch. Add beef strips to the marinade/sauce and let marinate in the fridge for about an hour.

2. Heat the vegetable oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat, and stir/toss around the garlic and ginger for about 2 minutes to flavor the oil. Then, pull out the ginger and garlic clove and throw it in your compost pile :)

3. Stir the broccoli around in the oil, and toss & stir it until it's nice and green to your desired doneness (I like mine still crunchy but where the heads are JUST starting to get soft) right around 5-7 minutes. Remove the broccoli and set aside.

4. Add a little more oil to the wok if needed. Stir and toss the beef WITH the marinade in the wok until the beef is cooked and the sauce turns into more of a glaze (about 5 minutes).

5. Return the broccoli to the wok and toss with the beef for about 3 minutes to heat through and thoroughly coat. Makes 4 servings. Serve over rice if desired!

Let me know what you think! 

Vegetable Lo Mein

I love chinese food!! Especially veggie lo mein! So, I decided to try to make some...I'm super picky and it was good! The hubby ate 3 bowls full...so much for his end of our "diet". Oh well, y'all try it! Let me know what you think! 

Ingredients

-1 lb vermicelli or chinese noodles

-1 package tofu, extra firm, cubed

-1 cup fresh mushrooms, sliced

-8 oz can of bamboo shoots (I sliced them thinner than they were sliced in the can)

-1 cup celery, chopped

-1 cup bean sprouts

-1 tsp chopped garlic

-1 tsp salt

-1 cup vegetable broth (I used my handy vegetable broth ice cubes)

-1 tsp sugar

-1 cup water

-2 Tbsp soy sauce

-2 Tbsp oyster sauce

-1 Tbsp flour

1. Cook noodles according to directions. Drain, and set aside. 

2. Add mushrooms, bamboo shoots, celery, bean sprouts, and garlic to a bowl on the side. 

 3. Take a wok or a large skillet, and add a small amount of oil. Brown the tofu in the skillet/wok over medium-high heat.

 4. Dump your bowl of veggies into the wok/skillet and saute until your preferred amount of doneness.

5. Add the salt, vegetable broth, sugar, water, soy sauce, and oyster sauce. Stir fry to heat through.

6. Add flour to thicken a little. Then, toss the noodles with the sauce/veggie mixture. Enjoy!

This recipe boasts only about 400 calories a serving. YUM!!! 

Hunan Chow Mein

Serves: 6
Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients
-1 medium onion, chopped
-3 cloves of garlic, minced
-2 tablespoons of peanut oil
-2 tablespoons of soy sauce
-1 teaspoon dried mustard
-2 stalks of celery, sliced diagonally
-2 cups of bok choy, chopped
-1 red bell pepper, sliced
-8 oz can water chesnuts, sliced
-1 cup vegetable stock
-1 cup mushrooms, sliced
-4 cups white rice, cooked

1. Cook onion & garlic in oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat until onions begin to soften (about 3 minutes).
2. Stir in the rest of the ingredients (except the rice).
3. Continue cooking, stirring frequently until all the veggies are almost tender, but still a little crispy (about 5 minutes).
4. Serve over rice!

This was really yummy! Dean added a little extra soy sauce to his, but to me it had enough flavor. I tried to take a picture, but by the time we finished eating and I went over to take a picture (I do this, because Dean always saves one serving for him to take to work the next day for lunch) the "rest" had already been eaten!! Oh well, I guess I'll get a picture next time. But, either way this definitely turned out better than my experimentation with Thai food earlier in the week which wasn't even worth documenting...

Anyway, try this one!! It's delicioussss!! Feel free to add or take out any veggies and substitute for your favorites! Just make sure you get all your veggie food groups!! :)

Tortilla Soup

Serves: 12
Time: 50 minutes

Ingredients
-2 TBSP vegetable oil
-1 lb pkg of frozen pepper and onion stir fry mix
-2 minced cloves of garlic
-3 TBSP cumin
-28 oz can crushed tomatoes
-3, 4 oz cans chopped green chile peppers drained
-4, 14 oz cans vegetable broth
-11 oz can of whole kernel corn
-12 oz tortilla chips

1. In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat. Stir in the stir fry mix, cumin, and garlic. Saute for 5 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.
2. Mix in the chile peppers and tomatoes. Then, pour in the broth.
3. Taste, and season with salt and/or pepper.
4. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
5. Mix in the corn and cook for 5 more minutes.
6. Serve in bowls over equal amounts of tortilla chips. Top with cheese and avocado!


Nutrition Facts: 315 calories

Lentil Tacos

Serves: 6

Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

- 1 finely chopped onion

- 1 minced garlic clove (I use the organic "pre-minced" squeeze bottle, so if you use that, it's roughly 1 squeeze)

- 1 tsp canola oil

-1 cup dried, rinsed lentils

-1 Tbsp chili powder

-2 tsp ground cumin

-1 tsp dried oregano

-2 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable broth

-1 cup of your favorite salsa

-12 corn tortillas

-taco toppings (lettuce, tomato, sour cream, etc.)

1. In a large, non stick skillet saute the onion and garlic in canola oil over Medium-High heat until tender.

2. Add lentils, and chili powder, cumin, and oregano, and stir for about a minute.

3. Add broth, bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for about 30 minutes until lentils are tender (mine took about 35). Spoon a couple out, taste, and if you need extra seasonings add them. ( I added a little more cumin).

4. Mash lentils. I found a fork to be the best method, and if they're tender enough it's pretty easy.

5. Stir in salsa for about a minute until heated.

6. Add about 1/4 cup of lentil "meat" to each warmed tortilla, and top with your favorite toppings.

Nutrition Facts: One Serving = 2 Tacos, 364 calories (this is calculated WITH all the toppings :) )

The lentil taco "meat" is absolutely DELICIOUS the next day on some nachos too!! 

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