Peanuty Coconut Noodles (vegan)

Recipe from bosh.tv
Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen
Makes 2 generous servings

There's something about this peanuty coconut sauce, creamy and rich with a little heat from the sriracha and a pop of lime, that just hits the spot and makes the hubster very happy. This comes together in about 30 minutes and the whole thing feels way more impressive than the effort involved. The sauce keeps well for 3 days in the fridge. The sauce can be frozen. Next time I make this, I’ll prep several batches of the sauce, use one batch and freeze the other batches for quick busy-night meals. 

50 g peanut butter (about 3 Tablespoons)
4 Tablespoons soy sauce
3 Tablespoons coconut milk
1-2 Tablespoons Sriracha
1 Tablespoon maple syrup
1 lime, juiced
2 portions of rice noodles**
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cm piece of fresh gingered, julienned
3 spring onions, sliced or 1 small shallot, minced
1 red bell pepper, cored and thinly sliced
3 heads of bok choy
3 Tablespoons coconut oil
1 Tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

In a small bowl, combine the peanut butter, soy sauce, coconut milk, sriracha, maple syrup, and juice from the lime. Stir until you have a velvety sauce.
Cook the noodles as per instructions on the packet. Rinse and set aside.
While the noodles are cooking, prepare the vegetables.
Peel and finely chop the garlic. Peel the ginger and slice in matchsticks. Trim the spring onions and finely slice. Slice the red pepper and cut the bok choy in half lengthwise and then cut into large slices.
In a large pan over medium to low heat, add the oil. Once hot, gently fry the garlic and ginger for a couple of minutes, taking care not to burn it. Increase the heat, add the spring onions and red pepper and bok choy and cook for another minute. Tip in the cooked noodles into the pan then stir through the sauce. Allow the sauce to bubble.
Divide the noodles, vegetables and sauce into two bowls, top each bowl with a sprinkle of sesame seeds.

Notes:
**Swap the noodles: Rice noodles work brilliantly here for a gluten-free version, and soba noodles give it a slightly nuttier flavor that works really well with the peanut sauce. 
Bulk it up: Add in some crispy baked tofu or a handful of edamame to make it a bit more substantial. Just toss the tofu in a bit of soy and bake at 200C for 20 minutes while you get everything else ready.
 

Ginger-Sesame Bok Choy

Serves 4

Recipe from Everyday Food Magazine

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Here’s a low calorie delicious side dish that’s very quick to make.  You’ll need a large skillet with a tight-fitting lid.

5 thin slices peeled fresh ginger

1 cup water

4 heads of baby bok choy, each halved or quartered lengthwise

1 Tablespoon rice vinegar

1 Tablespoon soy sauce

¼ teaspoon toasted sesame oil

In a large skillet with a tight-fitting lid, bring 1 cup of water and the ginger slices to a boil.  Add the bok choy; reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook until the leaves are vibrant green and the stems are fork-tender, 3-5 minutes.  Drain well; discard the ginger.  Transfer to a platter.

While the bok choy is cooking, whisk together in a small bowl the vinegar, soy sauce and sesame oil.  Drizzle over the cooked bok choy.  Serve immediately.

Nutritional Info per Serving:

22 calories; 0.5 grams fat; 2.1 grams protein; 3.5 grams carbohydrates; 1.1 grams fiber

Here we have Ginger-Sesame Bok Choy served with Easy TastyCouscous;
leftover Vegetarian Stuffed Acorn Squash; and SpicyPaprika Roasted Chicken.

Soba and Greens Soup

Recipe from Janabai Raymundo

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

My good buddy and cooking demo partner invited my mother and me to her house to watch old movies.  She prepared a fabulous luncheon, which began with this soup.  She shared the recipe with me and then I made it for my hubby the following week.  You can find all the ingredients at Lost River Market & Deli.

1-quart vegetable broth

1-cup water

1 inch ginger root, peeled and sliced

1 Tbs. tamari or soy sauce

1 Tbs. Thai fish sauce

1 Tbs. brown sugar

8 uncooked shrimp, peeled, deveined

Sheet of Chinese rice noodles or soba noodles, cooked according to package directions

12 oz. tilapia, shrimp, salmon, trout or tofu

Fresh spinach or bok choy

Cilantro

Put the stock in pot with ginger. Add everything except for fish and shrimp and noodles. Cook 20 minutes. Then add fish, shrimp or tofu. Cook 5-8 minutes. Be sure to adjust cooking times so shrimp doesn’t get tough. Add the cooked noodles. Add the spinach and cook just until the greens wilt and turn bright green, about 1 minute or so.  Garnish with cilantro.

Stove-top Portobello Pizzas

Serves 2
Husband-Tested Recipe by Alice Wootton

It was one of those cloudy, wet, dreary late winter days when only comfort food would do. Jim had requested a pizza, but I didn’t have any dough prepared. Lost River Market & Deli had just gotten in some lovely portobello mushrooms, kale and bok choy, so I added those to my cart. Then I bought some fresh mozzarella for the comfort part and decided to make a pizza with those ingredients. The other ingredients I already had in my fridge, including Local Folks Pizza Sauce. Feel free to substitute other veggies, nuts and cheeses. This dish had all the flavors of a pizza without using the oven or dirtying up a bunch of pans. The small amount of vegetable broth keeps the mushrooms perfectly moist. Needless to say, this dinner hit the spot! Serve this for a very satisfying Meatless Monday dinner.

4 portobello mushrooms (use a pastry brush to clean mushrooms)
3 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
3 leaves of kale, discard stems and roughly chop leaves (broccoli florets would be a good substitute)
2 cups, chopped bok choy leaves (spinach would be a good substitute)
¼ of a red bell pepper, chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
¼ cup pine nuts (walnuts or pecans would be good substitutes)
¼ cup vegetable broth
¼ cup Local Folks Pizza Sauce (or other pizza sauce)
½ cup fresh mozzarella cheese, shredded or cut into small pieces
½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

Remove the stems from the mushrooms. Trim the stems and roughly chop. Set aside the mushrooms. Heat 2 Tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet. Add the garlic, kale, bok choy, red pepper and the chopped mushroom stems. Sprinkle with Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste. Sprinkle in the pine nuts. Sauté until vegetables are wilted but still brightly colored and nuts are toasted. Pour contents of skillet into a bowl and set aside. Add the remaining 1 Tablespoon olive to the skillet. Add the mushrooms. Sprinkle with just a bit of Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Heat the mushrooms about 1 minute per side. Add the vegetable broth to the skillet. Turn the mushrooms so that the undersides of them are up. Spoon equal amounts of pizza sauce into each mushroom cap. Spoon equal amounts of the vegetable mixture into each cap. Top each mushroom pizza with mozzarella cheese and then parmesan cheese. Place a lid on the skillet. Heat mushroom pizzas until the cheeses are melted. Serve hot. Drizzle the pizzas with the hot vegetable broth, if desired.

Storing Portobello Mushrooms:
Select plump firm and solid mushrooms. Avoid limp or dried looking ones. They should not be shriveled or slippery (which indicates decomposition). The mushroom should have a nice earthy smell.
Remove the mushrooms from any wrapping and spread on a tray and cover with paper toweling. Don't moisten the toweling or the mushrooms and place them in the refrigerator in an area that allows the air to circulate. Avoid placing any other items on top of them. The mushrooms should keep about 5 - 6 days.

Pork (or Chicken) and Bok Choy Stir-Fry

Recipe from Pillsbury Cook Light Eat Right May 1990
Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen
Serves 4

I make this quick, low calorie dinner often because it's a favorite with the man of the house. If pork tenderloin is not available, substitute boneless skinless chicken breasts. Serve this dish over brown rice.

2 Tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce
2 Tablespoons vinegar
½ teaspoon ginger
1 garlic clove, minced
1 lb. pork tenderloin, thinly sliced or boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized chunks
No-stick cooking spray
6 stalks bok choy, sliced in 1 inch pieces (If stalks are really wide, slice them in half lengthwise and then cut them into 1 inch pieces.)
1 medium pepper, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 Tablespoon water
¼ cup water
2 teaspoon cornstarch
1 Tablespoon toasted sesame seeds*

In a bowl, combine soy sauce, vinegar, ginger & garlic.
Place pork slices in bowl and marinate at least 10 minutes.
Spray large skillet with cooking spray. Drain pork and then add to skillet.
Stir-fry 3-5 minutes until no longer pink.
Add bok choy, red pepper & water; cover & steam for 5 minutes or until vegetables are crisp tender.
In small bowl, combine ¼ cup water & cornstarch. Add mixture to skillet.
Cook until thickened, stirring constantly.
Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Serve with brown rice.

Per Serving: Calories 200; Carbohydrates 6 gm; Fat 6 gm; Sodium 250 mg. Dietary Fiber 2 gm

*To toast sesame seeds, place sesame seeds in a dry skillet. Turn heat to medium low. Watch carefully and stir until the seeds are toasty color. Remove from skillet.

Chicken Tortellini Soup

Chicken Tortellini Soup

When it's cold outside there's nothing better to eat than this soup. And when I've got a cold, I always wish my mother will rush over to my house and fix me this soup while I'm in my jammies! Tortellini is a cheese filled pasta and can be found in the freezer section at the Lost River Market & Deli. Bok Choy or Chinese (Napa) cabbage is found in the produce section. This would be a great way to introduce yourself to this healthy vegetable. The trick is not to overcook it. It's perfectly cooked when it's bright green and still a bit crisp.

Recipe by Alice Wootton

Coarsely chop:
1 onion
3-4 peeled carrots
2-3 cloves garlic
2-3 stalks of celery

Peel:
1-2 inch piece of ginger

Sauté the above ingredients in a soup pot using:
1-2 Tablespoons of peanut or vegetable oil

Add:
6-8 cups chicken stock or broth
2-3 Tablespoons soy sauce
2-3 Tablespoons rice vinegar

Cover and bring to a boil.

*** Can be prepared in advance up to this point.

Add:
3-4 cups cooked chicken, cut up
Allow chicken to heat through.

Add:
1 package of refrigerated or frozen cheese filled tortellini (Cook in soup approximately 3-5 minutes or according to package directions.)

Before the pasta is completely done, add:
4-6 cups cut up fresh bok choy, Chinese or Napa cabbage or spinach leaves

Cover and cook until pasta is done and greens are bright green and still a bit crisp.
Ladle into big bowls.

Top with:
Freshly ground pepper
Fresh beans sprouts, if desired
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese or Romano cheese