Cooking: Vegetable Stir Fry with Noodles

Shalom shalom!   Here is something fairly quick and easy to make for dinner.   It's also very delicious and healthy.  Since I've been with my Ish, I've been experimenting with some Asian or Asian-inspired dishes.   I think part of the reason is to give him a little taste of Chinatown that I'm sure he misses.   I  say that because in 2010, my Ish had a stroke--thus leaving him paralyzed on his left side (hemiplegia).  Pre-stroke, he was heavily into fitness--namely in Kung Fu (he practiced martial arts since the age of six.   He was active in it for about 40 years). The Kung Fu school that he attended for over 30 years was located in Chinatown,  so he would hang out there quite often.   If not the Kung Fu school, then the restaurants.   We get down there when we can, but it is limited at this time.   Because of this, I am making greater attempts to get into his "world", and I hope certain foods reflect that...hence the stir fry.   You don't have to go to a noodle house in Chinatown to enjoy this dish,  but I hope it gives you a little taste of one.

What you'll need for this dish is :

*10 cloves of garlic,  minced, about 1/4 cup 

*Small piece of fresh ginger,  minced,  about 1/4 cup

*Two carrots,  cut into matchstick pieces (julienne) 

"One head of broccoli,  florets cut off of stem/plant

*One bunch of scallions,  sliced (reserve some of the green tops for garnish) 

*One head of bok choy, sliced. 

*1/2 cup of soy sauce (I use low sodium) 

*red pepper flakes 

*1/2 tablespoon of cornstarch 

*One box of rice noodles 

Heat some oil in a wok (or large pot or skillet if you don't have a wok) over medium heat.    Add your garlic and ginger.   Gently fry and stir constantly until fragrant, no more than one minute. 

 (NOTE :  I must emphasize the importance of medium heat when frying these aromatics.   If fried on high heat, they can (and will) burn easily and will negatively alter the taste of the dish)

(NOTE 2:  It would also be best to prep your rice noodles at this time.   You would do so by removing the noodles from its packaging and putting  into a bowl of hot water.   Leave there for about eight to ten minutes.  When this time is up, the rest of the stir fry should be done.    I told you this dish was quick!) 

Next , increase the heat to medium high and add the carrots,  broccoli, and scallions.  Mix thoroughly by stirring constantly and cook for about two or three minutes.  The  carrots should slightly soften but still be crisp, and the broccoli should be slightly deeper in its green color.   Also at this stage, add a little salt for seasoning. 

Add the bok choy.   Stir constantly and cook until the greens part is wilted and the stem parts are still crisp,  yet tender--about two or three minutes. Also, add more salt at this stage--s bit more than what you added to the previous ingredients.   This is both for seasoning and to help wilt the green part of the bok choy. 

(NOTE :  There will be liquid at the bottom of the wok,  mainly due to the water coming from the bok choy.  That is absolutely fine.   That'll help for the sauce,  so that it distributes more evenly in the dish.)

It's sauce time!   Take your soy sauce (remember,  I used low sodium soy sauce.   Also,  remember the salt added to the bok chop?   We want our dish seasoned but not overly salty),  some dashes of red pepper flakes, and the cornstarch.   Mix together to make a slurry (a slurry will help thicken the sauce,  thus doing something with the liquid at the bottom of the wok).  

Add the soy sauce mixture and incorporate thoroughly. 

Next, drain and add the pre-soaked rice noodles to the rest of the stir fry.   Mix thoroughly and cook for another minute or two. 

Vegetable stir fry...done!

And ready to serve! Garnish with reserved green tops of scallions and sesame seeds. 

I hope you make this dish for your family.   It is absolutely delicious!   Did I also mention that it was quick (well, the prep of the vegetables took a little time,  but you know what I mean...lol).  If you make this,  please let me know how it turned out for you.   I look forward to hearing from you.   So until then,  shalom shalom. 

Bathshua 

Cooking: Potato Corn Soup

Shalom shalom.  It's been a while.   With trying to upkeep a garden, a home,  and dealing with certain timing issues, I couldn't get here sooner.  I'm still trying to get used to being a homemaker, so please bear with me.

Another reason for this current comeback is because I have been posting pictures of foods that I've made on Facebook, and have been asked for recipes.   I've told the inquiring individuals to stay tuned to this blog,  so I am delivering on a promise.

Anywho,  potato corn soup.   I initially made something similar the day before Yom Kippurim.   Unlike the first one,  the corn is an addition as suggested by my Ish (before me, he would make potato corn chowder for dinner). I also thought soup for dinner because it's getting cold and I thought it fitting for such.   So without further ado, here is the recipe.

What you'll need is... 

 *Six medium sized potatoes

* Two onions (I only had one yellow onion and four red onions at the time, so I used one of each.   I'd figure it would give the soup an interesting twist. Use whatever onions you have.)

 * Five cloves of garlic

  

*three strips of bacon cut crosswise (IMPORTANT :  Because this is a blog for those who are Torah observant, pork bacon is NOT an option.   This is vegan bacon (my Ish is a vegan).  If you choose to use bacon from animal sources, then that's fine.   Turkey and beef bacon are acceptable choices)

*Thyme (dried or fresh.   I used a bit of both,  but keep in mind that the flavor of the dried is more concentrated.)

*Two and a half cups of vegetable broth 

Peel and cut the potatoes into medium sized pieces.   Put pieces in a bowl of water to keep them from discoloring. 

Peel and chop the onions in medium sized pieces and roughly chop the garlic. 

In a large pot under medium heat, cook the bacon until crispy (Because my bacon is from a non-animal source, I added a little bit of olive oil--as the bacon will stick to the pot and it will dry out without the oil).   

Remove bacon and set aside.  Keep the drippings in the pot.   This will impart extra flavor to the soup. 

Depending on the amount of oil/drippings in your pot, you may need to add a little more oil. Once you added the oil (or if you have sufficient drippings in the pot), add the onions and garlic to the pot.   Cook until translucent--about three to five minutes. While cooking, season with a little bit of salt and thyme (if you've read any of my previous entries for one put meals, you will know that I season in small amounts throughout the cooking process--especially when adding a new ingredient.   This ensures that the dish is well-seasoned). 

Once the onions are cooked, drain and add the potatoes.   Cook until they soften slightly and get a little color--approximately 15 minutes.   As with the onions and garlic, season slightly with salt and thyme.  

Oops!   I forgot the corn! This is potato corn soup after all...lol.  Add about a half-cup of corn and cook for about two or three minutes. 

Next, add the vegetable broth, season again with a little salt and thyme.  You can also add pepper at this stage.   Cover and let simmer for  about twenty minutes--until the potatoes are really soft and the broth starts to thicken. 

After twenty minutes,  your soup should look like this.   Now, you can eat it like this as a chowder (this looks very similar to what my Ish used to make for himself before I came along).  I, however, am going to take it a step further and puree the contents. 

Puree or blend the soup until smooth.   As you can see,  I am using an immersion (or stick) blender.   If you don't have an immersion blender,  then take the contents and puree it in small batches in a blender.   If you don't have a blender, then a potato masher or electric beater should work.   Whichever tool you use,  make sure that the contents are pureed until smooth.   

Here's what it should look like.  If you still have a few lumps of potato, that's okay.   Those lumps will give the soup added texture.  As long as the majority of the soup is pureed, then you should be fine.   After pureeing,  I've noticed that the soup was a bit too thick for me,  so I added an additional half-cup of vegetable broth (to add or not to add will be your call, depending on how thick or thin you like your soup).

The soup is ready... 

... To serve. As a garnish, place the bacon on top (because I am a cheese fanatic, I added since shredded organic white cheddar cheese to mine (on the left).   My Ish's bowl has no cheese, of course).  If you want to add cheese (like mine), then feel free to do so.   In the first soup before Yom Kippurim,  I garnished  (and added to the soup during the cooking process) with scallions (of course I had none; otherwise, they would've been added).  Enjoy! 

I hope you make this soup for your family.   Please let me know how it turned out for you,  if you added anything extra to it, or just leave a simple comment.  I  look forward to hearing from you.   Until then,  Shalom shalom! 

Bathshua 

Garden Update--5/29/2016

https://youtu.be/gzgWiSpDUMw

Cooking: Curry Lentil Stew

Shalom alechim!

Being that my Ish is a vegan, I am always thinking of different ideas on what to make for dinner. While looking in the cupboards and fridge, the lentils and potatoes came to mind. In addition, I recall seeing a video on YouTube in which lentils and potatoes were used in a curry. That being said, I thought to come up with a version of my own...

 Here are the ingredients--three carrots, three celery stalks, one large onion, two large cloves of garlic, four small potatoes, one cup lentils, three cups vegetable broth, salt, and curry powder. 

Chop the celery...

Peel the outside layer of the carrots for neater presentation (I  put the peelings in my compost)

Then, as with the celery, chop the carrots...

...and onions as finely as possible. Also, mince your garlic cloves. I did that using a garlic press. 

Peel and chop your potatoes in small to medium sized cubes. 

In a large pot, on medium high heat, add three tablespoons of coconut oil. Once heated, add the carrots, celery, onions, and cook for about two or three minutes...

 ...until the vegetables are softened and appear translucent.  In the middle of the cooking time noted above, add a small amount of salt and curry powder (when making stews, soups, or anything in one pot, I like to season in small amounts...in layers. This is two ensure that the dish has flavor throughout).

Next, add the potatoes... And a little more salt and curry powder. Cook for ten to fifteen minutes...

...until color and crispness is on the outside of the potatoes, yet they are soft on the inside.

Add the lentils...

....and mix thoroughly with the vegetables.

Add the vegetable broth--along with another layer of salt and curry powder.  Stir...

...cover and simmer for about thirty minutes--until the lentils are soft, but not mush.  Throughout the cooking process, check the levels of liquid in the stew. Lentils, albeit small, will soak up liquid like you wouldn't believe.  When I see that the stew is getting a little dry, then I would add an additional half-cup of vegetable broth to keep it moist. 

And voila!  Curry Lentil Stew. To accompany the stew was a loaf of White Whole Wheat French Bread--which I made earlier that day (NOTE--I have been obsessed with baking bread lately, so expect bread baking entries in the future).

The stew was absolutely delicious!  It was very flavorful, because I seasoned in layers. In addition, this stew, because of the lentils was, as my Ish notes, full of protein (lentils and legumes (beans) in general, are excellent sources of protein for vegetarians and vegans).

I hope this inspires you to make this dish. Let me know how it turned out for you. I look forward to hearing from you. So until then, shalom shalom. :-) 

I'm back

Shalom alechim!

I know it's been a while since I've added an entry.  A lot has changed in the last couple of months.  For one, I moved from a small city of 50,000 people to a major city of over 1.5 million.  With the move, I also reside with my Ish. We are building our lives together. Job-wise, I quit my job at a health insurance company to work from home and tend to my Ish. With this, this gives me a greater opportunity to do more things as it relates to this blog. I also have the opportunity to support and lift up my Ish--essentially, to be a full-time helpmeet with no distraction's of another employer. Yahuah has definitely answered my prayers--as it was a dream for me to be a full-time keeper at home. 

Please stay tuned for more Teacher Of Good Things--both this blog and an up and coming blog (with the help of my wonderful Ish--who happens to be a filmmaker).  Until then, shalom shalom. 

Bathshua

P.S.  This is me and my Ish Banayahu. This pic was game the day before Pesach. He is a wonderful, loving, patient man--who is also very knowledgeable of Scripture, Hebrew, and history, among other things.  He teaches me something new everyday--as well as stimulate and challenge my mental.  He has me pondering a lot in our conversations, an I absolutely love that!   I love him so much!

Cooking: Vegan Pancakes

Shalum alechim!

Yes, you read the title correctly... VEGAN PANCAKES!

I'm sure you're thinking "Why is she talking about vegan, when her last entry was about Buttermilk Friend Chicken?". While I am (am will remain) a meat eater, my fiancée is a vegan. I saw his version of these pancakes on his Facebook page in the very early part of our relationship. Now, being the pancake aficionado that I am, I was instantly intrigued. His looked so good and fluffy, I was wondering how could this be done when there is no dairy or eggs?  Then one time, we made them together.  I was hooked!  I am now addicted to these, and considering that these come out perfectly!  I have tried to make pancakes the conventional way--using milk and eggs.  FAIL!  They would come out rubbery. Not good.   I will, however, give ultimate credit where it is due--as this recipe is adapted from " Breville presents Make It Vegan: Recipes from the Yiddish Speaking, Nebraska living, post-punk vegan" by Isa Chandra Moskowitz. 

Here are the ingredients for the pancakes. 

In this bowl is 1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour, 3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, 2 tablespoons sugar, and 1 teaspoon salt. The original recipe calls for the dry ingredients to be sifted, but I don't have a sifter.  I find that using a wire whisk to mix everything and break up the big flour clumps works just as well as sifting. 

Here are the sifted, er, whisked dry ingredients. After that, put a well in the center. 

Next, it's time for the wet ingredients. We'll start off with a one cup of non-dairy milk. This is vanilla-flavored almond milk. 

Now, 2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar is added...

...and one tablespoon of ground flax seeds. 

Mix for about a minute, until frothy. Here is your vegan substitute for eggs and dairy

Next, you add the wet ingredients to the dry--along with 3 tablespoons of oil and 1/2 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract. The original recipe calls for canola oil, but I have vegetable oil in the house, and it works well. 

Mix and let rest for about 10 minutes. 

While the batter is resting, I take the time to clean up their dishes used for prepping the batter, and to heat up the griddle.   I also sprayed the surface with cooking spray. 

Here is the batter...rested and ready for the griddle. 

The original recipe calls for 1/3 cup of batter per pancake. I like my pancakes a little bigger, so I used two 1/4 cup scoops. Now you can put up to four pancakes per side of the griddle. I put one per side because it gives me more room for flipping. 

After about 2 to 2 1/2 minutes (or when you see the sides from the bottom dark enough. It all depends on how hot your cooking surface gets and how fast it gets hot), flip.  Allow pancakes to cook on the other side for the same amount of time as the first side. 

Here are the first two. I'm making a stack of four.

Four vegan pancakes...DONE. Don't they look lovely?

Topped with blueberry ginger sauce--which was a part of the original recipe. I too, adapted the sauce recipe--which called for 16 oz blueberries, fresh or frozen (I used 24 oz. or two bags of frozen blueberries. I used frozen over fresh because fresh blueberries are currently not in season. Frozen ones were picked and frozen at the peak of the season), 2 tablespoons water (I used 4 tablespoons because of the extra blueberries used), 1/3 cup sugar to start (I used one cup), one tablespoon organic cornstarch (I had none, so I used flour. It worked well), and 2 tablespoons of fresh, minced ginger (I cut off a sizeable piece of ginger root.  I think I added more because of the extra blueberries).  Mix all ingredients, but ginger in a 4-quart saucepan until cornstarch, er, flour is thoroughly incorporated. Cook until a slow boil. Add ginger and simmer for 7 minutes or until sauce is thickened. I did not make more because I had some left over from my last batch. 

Yum!  Look at that fluffiness!

So, there you have it.  Delicious, light, airy, fluffy goodness!  Perfect for these cold weekend mornings...or for any time you're craving pancakes. Although the love of my life is vegan, he is not requiring for me to be so. He has, however, been inspiring me to eat less meat. Did you know that the average American eats 100 lbs of meat per person per year?  That's a lot. Michael Pollan, one of my favorite authors, says "Eat food.  Not too much. Mostly plants." That's a quote to chew on (pun intended).

I hope you will try them. Let's talk about it with your comments. Until then..Shalum.