stir fry

I”m so bad at serving sides with dinner. For some reason it”s just not on my radar while I”m menu planning. Only once I”m finished making supper do I think, “huh, maybe I should have made something to serve along with this”. Oh well, the good thing is we don”t over eat very often. ;)

I have made this Parmesan Walnut Broccoli many times though. It”s so quick and easy that even if I think to make it last minute it doesn”t put off dinner. Besides my family loves broccoli so I know there”ll never be any complaints when I serve it. Especially when it”s tossed with toasted walnuts and parmesan. Mmm.

This year I even had some broccoli growing in my garden. Nothing”s more satisfying than going outside, cutting some broccoli and whipping up a quick and, virtually free, side dish. “It was me! I did that!”

(That was a Madagascar reference for those who can”t hear my bad imitation. I heart King Julien.)

Parmesan Walnut Broccoli

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 heads broccoli (or 1 large), cut into florets

salt and pepper, to taste

1 garlic clove, sliced

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/4 cup grated parmesan

Cook broccoli in oil over medium-high heat until it begins to soften, season with salt and pepper. Add garlic and walnuts; cook until broccoli is crisp tender and walnuts are toasted. Toss with lemon juice, red pepper flakes and parmesan to serve.

Serves: 4

Adapted from Martha Stewart.

In exactly two weeks my mom will be getting on a plane to come and help us with the new baby. I could not be more excited! It’s been over a year since I last got to hug her. That’s far too long! Thankfully I’ve been able to see her beautiful face on Skype almost every week. I don’t know what I would do without Skype!

I’m already dreading when she’ll be leaving but I’m so thankful that we’ll get to spend this time with her. I wish my dad could come too and I know he wishes he could be here as well. Maybe we’ll just have to kidnap my mom and keep her for ransom. ;)

I’m now spending far too much time worrying over whether the baby will make it’s appearance on time. Not too early. Not too late. But, right when Grandma is visiting please!

I’ve reached the mark where the baby could arrive at any moment, so if there’s a sudden lull in my posting with no explanation you can send up a prayer and give me a big push!

But, enough baby stuff. That’s not really the reason you came here is it? :)

This is a healthified version of General Tso’s Chicken. Normally the chicken is coated in the egg white/cornstarch mixture and deep fried till golden brown. This version however is pan fried in a drizzle of oil until crisp and tender, making it not only quick enough to eat on a weeknight, but healthy enough to eat as often as you like.

The fact that it requires no special ingredients, pastes or sauces makes it a great last minute dinner too. You could swap out the snow peas for whatever veggies you have on hand in your fridge or freezer. I like to store some fresh ginger in the freezer as well so that it’s there when I need it.

We generally like having some sort of stir-fry one night a week because it’s a healthier meal and we love Asian flavours. With it’s sweet and slightly spicy sauce, this one has definitely become a favourite.

What are some of your favourite stir-frys?

One Year Ago: Fresh Berry Crisp with Brown Sugar Cream

Healthier General Tso’s Chicken

adapted from Martha Stewart

Sauce

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1/2 cup water

2 cups snow peas, trimmed and halved diagonally

4 garlic cloves, sliced

2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger

3 tablespoons light brown sugar

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Chicken and Coating

2 large egg whites

3 tablespoons cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 pound chicken, cut into bite-size pieces

For sauce: Mix together water and cornstarch until smooth. Stir in remaining ingredients. Set aside.
For chicken: Whisk together egg whites, cornstarch, salt and pepper. Stir in chicken.
To cook: Heat skillet over medium-high heat. Add a small amount of oil. Add half of chicken to pan, dripping off excess coating. Cook, stirring occasionally until golden brown and cooked through. Remove from pan, add more oil if necessary and repeat with remaining chicken. Set the chicken aside.
Add sauce to skillet and cook until snow peas are tender and sauce is thickened. Add chicken (and any collected juices) to skillet.Toss to coat.
Serve with rice.

Serves: 4

*Make sure to use gluten-free soy sauce if cooking for those who cannot handle wheat.

* Feel free to add as many veggies as you like.

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