Spicy Asian Noodles with Chicken

We had decided to go out and have dinner at a local Vietnamese restaurant we all enjoy, but the snow was falling heavily and we chose to have dinner at home instead.  I searched the fridge and pantry and whipped up this delicious and quick dinner which was delicious and MUCH cheaper than going to a restaurant!!!

SPICY ASIAN NOODLES WITH CHICKEN

Ingredients:

1 tbsp sesame oil

1 tbsp grated fresh ginger

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 cups chopped cooked skinless, boneless chicken breasts

1/2 cup chopped green onions

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

3 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce

2 tbsp rice vinegar

2 tbsp hoisin sauce

2 tsp sambal oelek

150g package rice vermicelli noodles

2 tbsp chopped cashews (or peanuts)

• Heat sesame oil in a skillet over medium high heat.  Add ginger and garlic to the pan and stir constantly for less than a minute.   
• Mix soy sauce, rice vinegar, hoisin sauce, and sambal oelek together in a small bowl.  Stir into skillet with chicken and green onions.  Saute for a minute.  Remove and place into large serving dish.
• Meanwhile, cook noodles according to package directions.  Drain and rinse under cold water.  Add noodles to chicken and toss well to combine.  Sprinkle with cilantro and cashews.
• Serve and ENJOY! 

   

Asian Glazed Chicken Thighs

I was appalled to see that my last blog post was in September?!  What the heck have I been doing?? LOL!  I've actually been cooking a lot of the foods that are already posted on this blog (AKA being lazy and not very inventive in the kitchen!)
Last night I decided to try something a little bit different with the boneless, skinless chicken thighs that I had defrosted - and they were a hit with the entire family (PHEW!)  This recipe is easy and tasty, and paired with roasted root vegetables that can be baked in the oven at the same time and temperature as the chicken thighs, you have one super tasty dinner!

ASIAN GLAZED CHICKEN THIGHS

Ingredients:

1/2 cup rice vinegar

5 tbsp honey

1/3 cup of soy sauce

1/4 sesame oil

3 tbsp Asian chili garlic sauce

3 tbsp minced garlic

Salt, to taste

8 skinless, boneless chicken thighs

• Whisk together all the ingredients before the chicken thighs.  Pour half of the marinade into a large freezer bag and add chicken thighs.
• Place bag in fridge and allow to marinate for at least 1 hour or up to 12 hours, turning often.
• Pour the other half of the marinade into a small saucepan and place over medium high heat stirring often to thicken.
• Preheat oven to 425F
• Remove chicken thighs from the bag and discard used marinade.  Place chicken thighs into a 9x13 baking dish.  Brush thighs with 1/3 of the thickened marinade
• Bake in the oven, uncovered for 30 minutes.  Brush with another 1/3 of the marinade and bake for another 5 minutes.  Check temperature of the thighs with a thermometer - it should read 165F.  Remove thighs from oven and let stand.
• Meanwhile reheat the remaining 1/3 of marinade.  Place thighs on plate and drizzle marinade over top.  
• Serve and ENJOY!      

Soba Noodle Salad With Pea Shoots & Shiitake Mushrooms

Although I made this for a friend's baby shower and posted it three years ago, I recently had a request for it from another friend.  Therefore, I decided to separate it from the blog post entitled "A Sweet Pea Baby Shower" (although check this post out for some other delicious recipe ideas!!!)

SOBA NOODLES WITH PEA SHOOTS AND SHIITAKES

Ingredients:

1 pkg of soba noodles (8oz) - Japanese buckwheat noodles

1 tbsp each, of sesame & vegetable oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

10 oz (300g) of shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced

12 oz snow pea shoots (375g)

1/3 cup light mayonnaise

1/4 cup sodium-reduced soy sauce

1 tbsp rice vinegar

1 tsp granulated sugar

• In a large pot of boiling water, cook soba noodles until tender (5 mins). Stir gently and reduce heat because they tend to boil over. Drain and rinse under cold water.
• In a large skillet or wok, heat half of the sesame and vegetable oils over med-high heat; saute garlic until fragrant (15 seconds), add mushrooms and saute for another 4 mins, or until tender. Add to noodles.
• In the skillet heat the remaining oils and stir-fry the pea shoots until wilted and tender (5 mins). Add to noodle mixture.
• Whisk together mayonnaise, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and sugar. Pour over noodles and stir well. Serve at room temperature, or cooled.

Better Than Take-Out Lemon Chicken!

 

In a quest to find something fast, easy and tasty to create for our busy Thursday nights, I found this recipe in amongst my pile of recipes torn from magazines.  Served with basmati rice and steamed broccoli, it makes a complete and VERY tasty meal!!!

BETTER THAN TAKE-OUT LEMON CHICKEN

Ingredients

  1 1/2 pounds chicken breast or chicken tenders, cut into chunks

1/4 cup all-purpose unbleached flour*

1/4 tsp garlic powder

Pinch ground ginger

1/4 tsp coarse salt

1 tbsp sesame oil

1 tbsp coconut oil

1 tbsp rice wine vinegar

1/2 cup chicken broth or stock

8 ounces (1 cup) prepared lemon curd**

1/4 cup hot water

1 lemon, zested

2 green onions, thinly sliced

• Coat the chicken cubes lightly in flour, seasoned with a little salt, the garlic powder and ginger. 
• Heat a large skillet or a wok-shaped nonstick pan over high heat. Stir fry chicken until golden in the oils for 3 or 4 minutes. Remove chicken from the pan and return pan to heat. Reduce heat to medium.
• Add a splash of vinegar to the pan and let it evaporate. Add stock or broth to the pan and scrape up any drippings with a whisk. 
• Thin curd by stirring in a little hot water. Add curd to broth and whisk to combine. 
• Add chicken back to the pan and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes to thicken sauce and finish cooking chicken pieces through. 
• Remove the pan from heat, add the green onions and zest, and toss chicken pieces well to combine zest and green onions evenly throughout the sauce. 

*Since we don't eat wheat flour, I dusted the chicken in brown rice flour which made them really crispy!
**Lemon curd can be found in the jam and jelly aisle in your local grocery store.

Hot and Sour Soup with Bean Sprouts

I was feeling like I was coming down with a cold today, so I decided some healthy hot and sour soup would be perfect.  Having never made it before I headed out to the local grocery store and picked up the ingredients (as I live in a smaller rural community I didn't expect to find everything, but surprisingly I did!)  The complex flavours of this soup epitomize Chinese cooking as they include spice, sweet, sour and savoury...absolutely delicious, easy and I must say, I am feeling tons better after eating a bowlful!!!

HOT AND SOUR SOUP WITH BEAN SPROUTS

Ingredients:

1 cup thinly sliced shiitake mushrooms (I bought a pre-sliced package)

1/2 cup enoki mushrooms***

1/2 cup finely sliced bamboo shoots

4 cups miso stock (I bought cubes as there wasn't miso paste available at the store, but you can also use a chicken stock, the soup will just appear lighter in colour)

1/2 package of firm tofu, finely diced

1 tbsp soy sauce

1/2 tsp granulated sugar

1 tsp white pepper

1 tsp salt

2 tbsp seasoned rice vinegar

2 tbsp cornstarch

3 tbsp water

1 tsp sesame oil

1 egg, beaten

2 green onions thinly sliced

1 large handful of bean sprouts

• Place the bamboo shoots and mushrooms into a large pot with the stock.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 5 minutes.
• Add the soy sauce, sugar, vinegar, pepper, salt and tofu.  Simmer for 3 to 5 minutes.  Mix the cornstarch and water in a separate bowl until well combined.  Add some of the hot stock and stir well.  Gently pour the cornstarch into the soup stirring well.
• Turn the heat off, add the sesame oil, green onions and bean sprouts.  Gently pour the beaten egg into the soup and stir.
• Serve and enjoy!

*If you want a little more heat in your soup, Add 1 tbsp of sambal oelek or dried chili flakes!

** If you are using dried shiitake mushrooms, place them in a bowl, cover with boiling water and leave to soften for 20 minutes.  Drain and use.

***Enoki mushrooms are miniature button mushrooms that grow in fibrous clumps.  Simply pull off the desired amount, trim the ends and use!

Chinese Five-Spice Chicken

I'll admit it - I run out of dinner ideas and sometimes just don't want to cook dinner.  These are the times that I go to my library of cookbooks and see what inspires me.  Tonight I really didn't know what to make for dinner and with the clock showing 4:30pm, I decided that I better hurry up and decide!  I grabbed my "Looneyspoons" cookbook and  happened to have everything for this recipe in my fridge and pantry.

CHINESE FIVE-SPICE CHICKEN

Ingredients:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into 1" cubes

1 tsp of Chinese five-spice powder*

1 cup trimmed and halved snow peas

1 cup thinly sliced sweet red pepper

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp grated ginger root

3 cups low-sodium, reduced-fat chicken broth

1 1 /2 cups uncooked long grain white rice

1/2 cup chopped green onions

2 tbsp lime juice

2 tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce

1 tbsp honey

2 tsp sesame oil

1/4 tsp each crushed red pepper flakes and black pepper

• Combine chicken and five-spice powder in a large bowl.  Toss or stir to coat chicken evenly with spice.
• Spray a large saucepan with non-stick spray.  Add chicken and cook over medium-high heat, stirring often, until no longer pink.
• Add snow peas, red pepper, garlic and ginger root.  Cook and stir over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes.
• Add all remaining ingredients and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium-low.  Cover and cook for 20 to 25 minutes, until liquid is absorbed by rice and chicken is very tender!

*Five-spice powder is a seasoning commonly used in Chinese cooking.  It is a blend of cumin, cloves, fennel, Szechuan peppercorns, and star anise.  You can find it in most supermarkets and of course, Asian specialty stores!
 

Asian Squash-Noodle Salad

Just like everyone at this time of year, I received quite a few zucchini in my CSA box from Cooper's.  I was wondering what to do with them (make brownies?  make a lasagna?) and then I found this recipe that I had torn out of a magazine ages ago.  I am SO glad I made it because all of us loved it ~ my son couldn't stop eating it!  It comes out better with a mandolin, but cutting it finely like I did is okay too!

ASIAN SQUASH-NOODLE SALAD

Ingredients:

4 zucchini, each about 10" long

2 tbsp minced green onions (I used garlic scapes!)

3 tbsp soy sauce

2 1/2 tsp sugar

2 tbsp dry Sherry or Scotch

1 tbsp rice vinegar

1 tbsp toasted sesame oil

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

1 tbsp finely grated ginger

• If you have a mandolin, cut the zucchini lengthwise into shoestring 'noodles'.  Otherwise, using a chef's knife, cut into 1/8" thick slices.  Stack the sliced, and cut them lengthwise into 1/4" strips.
• Steam the zucchini noodles for 5 mins or until tender.  Immediately rinse them under cold water to stop them cooking.  Drain well and put into a large bowl.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients and drizzle over the zucchini noodles, tossing gently to coat.
• Serve and enjoy! 

Thai Cashew Turkey and Broccoli on Quinoa

As I have said in previous blog entries concerning quinoa, it is a perfect superfood!  It is high in vitamins and minerals such as riboflavin, calcium, vitamin E, iron, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, folic acid, and beta carotene.  It is not from the same family as wheat and is therefore, gluten-free which makes it the perfect food for those with celiac disease, Crohn's disease, or colitis.  It has also been identified as ideal for autistic children or those with ADD.  Quinoa is rich in the amino acid histadine, which cannot be formed by combinations of nutrients and instead must be provided directly in the diet.  Histadine is considered an essential amino acid in children because it is necessary for human development....and lastly, it is always organic because the saponin (or bitter coating on the quinoa grain) is a natural pesticide!!!

THAI CASHEW TURKEY AND BROCCOLI ON QUINOA

Ingredients: 

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or turkey!)

1/4 cup soy sauce or gluten-free tamari
2 tbsp oyster sauce (I used seasoned rice vinegar)

1 tsp minced fresh garlic

2 tsp minced fresh ginger

2 cups water

1 cup quinoa

4 tsp sesame oil

2 cups broccoli florets

1 cup thinly sliced onion

3/4 cup water

3 tbsp peanut butter

1 tbsp honey (I used maple syrup)

1 cup unsalted, toasted cashews (I didn't have any so I used pistachios)

• Slice the chicken into thin pieces and place in a large, sealable plastic bag.  Combine the soy sauce, oyster sauce, garlic and ginger in a bowl and pour into the bag with the sliced chicken.  Place in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour (and up to 24 hours) to marinate.
• Bring the water and quinoa to a boil in a medium saucepan*.  Cover.  Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes.  Turn the heat off and leave the covered saucepan on the burner for another 6 minutes.  Fluff with a fork and set aside
• Place 2 tsp sesame oil in a large frying pan over medium heat.  When the oil is hot, add the broccoli and onion and cover the pan.  Stir frequently and add 1 tbsp of water if the saucepan appears dry.  Cook until the onion is opaque and the broccoli tender, about 8 to 10 minutes.  Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
• Remove the chicken, reserving the marinate.  Place the remaining sesame oil and the chicken into the frying pan on medium-high heat and cook until the chicken is no longer pink, about 7 to 8 minutes.  
• Reduce the heat to medium and add the marinade to the pan.  Stir in the water, peanut butter, and honey and cook for 1 minute.  Toss in the broccoli and onion mixture and stir thoroughly.
• Divide the quinoa among individual serving plates.  Top with the chicken and broccoli mixture.  Sprinkle with toasted cashews**and serve!

*Check on your bag of quinoa to see if it is prewashed or not.  If it doesn't say it has been washed, place the quinoa in a fine sieve and rinse with cold water.  Quinoa has a bitter coating on the outside of it and rinsing it removes this bitter coating (saponin).  I find no matter if it is washed or not, it improves the taste!
**To toast cashews, place in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and put into a 350F oven for approximately 5 to 10 minutes - keep an eye on the nuts as the oils can cause them to burn quite quickly!  Shake the pan occasionally to ensure even toasting!

Sesame Chicken with Green Beans & Scallion Rice

Since it has been such a great year for green beans, we have received tons in our CSA baskets from Cooper's CSA Farm & Maze. I have dilled some, steamed some, frozen some, and given some away...and then I discovered this recipe and all of us fell in love with it! Tonight I am making it again, but omitting the chicken (simply because I haven't thawed any out!), and I know it will still be a big hit!

SESAME CHICKEN WITH GREEN BEANS & SCALLION RICE
Ingredients
3 tbsp vegetable oil
1 cup white rice
2 cups chicken broth
salt, to taste
1/2 lb fresh green beans
1 lb chicken breast, chicken cutlets, or tenders, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
3 tbsp tamari (dark soy sauce)
3 tbsp honey
1 tbsp hot pepper sauce
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 tsp sesame oil
1 bunch of green onions (scallions) finely chopped
2 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted

• In a large saucepan heat 1 tbsp oil over medium-high heat. Add the rice and toast, stirring often, for a minute or two. Add 1 1/2 cups chicken broth, lower the heat and cover. Simmer until tender - approx. 17 mins.
• In a large skillet, bring enough water to reach a depth of 1" to a boil, salt it, add the green beans and cook for 2 mins. Drain and rinse with cold water. Set aside.
• Heat the remaining 2 tbsp oil over high heat until rippling. Add the chicken and cook until golden - 3 to 4 mins. Add the bell peppers and cook until softened, 3 mins. Add the green beans and cook, tossing for 1 minute.
• In a bowl, mix together the tamari, honey, hot sauce, mustard and remaining 1/2 cup chicken broth. Pour the sauce over the chicken and the vegetables; toss. Drizzle the sesame oil over the chicken.
• Stir the green onions into the rice and fluff with a fork. Serve the chicken over the rice and top with the toasted sesame seeds.
• ENJOY!