Flowfit

Daylight savings.  Why do they call it that?  Do you feel saved?  Does it feel like you’re saving day light?  HARRUMPH!  I feel tired, a little grumpy and definitely out of sorts, including in the kitchen.  It’s amazing what a difference an hour can make – I want to fall asleep during dinner and wake up at 5am ready to go!  How is that possible?!

When slumps like this hit and infect my kitchen and culinary abilities, I turn to the easiest, quickest methods possible.  Where most people would do take out, I revisit the past – past recipes that is.  Flipping through my recipe folders, cook books and favorite blogs I realized I’m not alone.  Comfort foods always come up at this time of year.  Cravings such as cheesy, meaty and hearty are common.  I get those cravings too, but still, I needed something quick and easy.  Something I didn’t really need to think about.  This is what I call half cooking…. using something ready made and making it your own.  Thankfully there are some decent prepared foods out there.  This time it was in the form of Chinese Pot Stickers (from Costco – gasp!!) and wok fried veggies.  Two pans, 20 minutes and dinner is served!!

The Pot Stickers are Ling Ling All Natural and are available in large frozen bags at Costco. The ingredients are simple – (see below for specifics) and directions easy to follow.  Simply steam until water evaporates and gently brown in same pot – just leave them alone, they do all the work for you.  The nice thing is, you can control the amount of oil unlike the take out ones that can feel oh so greasy!  I have to say these were really good.  They had a clean taste, almost as good as my own!

I served them with Wok Fried Veggies:

• 2 cups chopped Chinese lettuce
• 1 cup snow peas
• 1 red pepper
• 1 yellow pepper
• 4 small bok choy
• 1 small red onion
• handful fresh cilantro rough chopped
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped or pressed
• 1 tbsp grated ginger
• 2 tbsp peanut oil
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 2 tbsp soya sauce
• sea salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste

Wash and prep veggies.  Set aside.  To hot wok add oils, garlic and ginger.  Stir fry for about 30 seconds.  Add onion.  Stir fry for 1 minute.  Add remaining vegetables.  Using two spoons, keep veggies moving in wok.  Cook for 2 minutes or until greens of bok choy look bright green and wilted.  Add in soy and cilantro.  Salt and pepper to taste.

YUM!

FILLING: CHICKEN, CABBAGE, GREEN ONIONS, EVAPORATED CANE JUICE, VEGETABLE OIL (SOYBEAN AND/OR CANOLA), SALT, CHICKEN BROTH, GINGER, SESAME SEED OIL, GARLIC, SPICE.

WRAPPER: ALL NATURAL WHEAT FLOUR, WATER, CORN STARCH, VEGETABLE OIL (SOYBEAN AND/OR CANOLA).

This recipe was created in an attempt to send something for lunch that actually gets eaten!! Lately, my kids have decided that lunches are “yucky”. They are typically great eaters, so I wasn’t worried, just didn’t like the waste! This tortellini breaks away from the traditional Italian flavours and instead adopts more of an Asian flair.  It is super simple and hearty and best of all, makes enough to create a great quick and easy dinner too.

My kids are fine eating it at room temperature and love it if I send a little extra soy sauce on the side.  For dinner, I add steamed broccoli, bok choy and some of my Li Ju An Dipping Sauce!

Easy Breasy Tortellini

• 1 package frozen Tortellini (I use spinach and cheese)
• water for boiling
• good quality soy sauce or tamari sauce
• peanut or olive oil
• sesame oil
• 3 green onions, chopped on a diagonal
• 2 generous handfuls fresh sugar snap or snow peas, rough chopped
• sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper

Cook tortellini according to package directions.  Drain.  While tortellini is still hot, add green onions, snow peas, soy sauce and oils.  Gently combine.  Add pepper.  Easy breasy!! Serve immediately or refrigerate for ready made lunch or dinner.  YUM!

At our house, we LOVE soup!  I think it’s the easiest way to throw together a meal that’s hearty and easy to eat.  This recipe is an old stand by for me… it’s slowly replaced chicken noodle as our all time favorite.

Asian Vegetable Noodle Soup:

Serves 6

• 1 carton Vegetable Stock (or 3 cups water with 2 tbsp Vegeta seasoning)
• 3 cups water (1 boiling)
• 1 mushroom bullion
• 1 tbsp vegeta seasonings
• 1 tbsp peanut oil
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 2 cloves garlic, grated
• 1 tbsp grated ginger
• 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 1 cup mushrooms (whatever your favorite is fine)
• 2 green onions, chopped
• handful chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 handfuls fresh sprouts
• 1 cup fresh snow peas
• 1 package firm tofu, cut into bite sized pieces
• 2 cups dried noodles

Combine mushroom bullion with one cup of boiling water.  Set aside.  Heat oils in soup pot.  Add yellow onion and carrots and cook on med heat for about 3 minutes.  Add grated garlic and ginger.  Stir to combine.  Add broth, mushroom water and additional 2 cups of water to pot.  Bring to boil.  Reduce heat to medium  and add mushrooms, tofu, noodles and snow peas.  Cover and cook until noodles are done – about 2-3 minutes.

Top each bowl with fresh sprouts and green onions.

YUM!

TIPS – Use any veggie you like…. broccoli, bok choy, green beans, squash, anything really goes!  Play with it and enjoy – you really can’t go wrong…

This is also another place to use my “Li Ju An Dipping Sauce“…. really spices this soup up!

GINGER ASIAN GREENS:
Serves 4-6

No real recipe here – get a bunch of greens of your choice – I like a mixture of whole spinach (stems intact), snow peas or sugar snap peas and bok choy. You can use any greens you like – green beans, asparagus, brussel sprouts, broccoli, etc. Just a couple good handfuls of each. Add some red pepper for colour.

Mixed asian greens in a wok

Wash veggies well under cold running water. Rough chop into bite sized pieces. Set veggies aside in bowl of cold water.

Heat wok or large fry pan and add:

• 2 tbsp peanut oil
• 1 tsp dark sesame oil
• 1 tbsp grated ginger
• 2 cloves of garlic – grated
• 1 tbsp soy sauce

Strain water from veggies and add to wok. Stir fry on med/high heat for approx 2-3 minutes. Serve immediately. Veggies will be crisp tender and BRIGHT green.

YUM!