Tag Archives: broccoli

Asian Recipes, Recipes, Vegetables & Salads

Meatless Asian Stir-Fry is Yummy

Photo: Broccoli and Mushroom Stir Fry

An Asian stir-fry is a great way to make a vegetable dish that is full of flavor and satisfying. Since meatless Monday allows seafood, you could add shrimp or white fish to this easy stir-fry, but I made it strictly vegetarian.

The biggest part of making a stir-fry dish is prepping all the food before hand. With this many vegetables, you need to get them all cut and ready to go. I split mine into groups — the onions, garlic, and ginger first, then the bell peppers. The next group has the vegetables that take longer to cook, broccoli, carrots, and Daikon. The last group is zucchini. Then add the liquid and thickener and cook before adding the mushrooms to cook a bit before adding the bean sprouts.

I used an Asian Chile paste for a spicy bite, but it is optional. Omit if you prefer a milder dish. You can serve this over riced cauliflower or lightly sauteed angel hair cabbage if you wish.

If you want a non-meatless version, add chicken, pork, beef, or shrimp to the recipe. Cook the meats either before cooking the vegetables or mid-way through the cooking, before adding the zucchini, by shoving the vegetables to the edges of the pan, adding a little more oil and putting the meat into to middle to quickly sear. Stir them in and continue the recipe. If adding shrimp, wait until you add the mushrooms as the shrimp will cook in about five minutes.

Broccoli and Mushroom Stir-Fry

Photo: Stir-fry in the pan

1 cup fresh Broccoli, chopped
1/2 cup Portobello Mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup Onions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup Bell Peppers, sliced into strips
1 cup Bean sprouts
1/2 cup Daikon Radish, cut into small cubes
1/2 cup Zucchini, sliced or chopped
1 tablespoon Soy Sauce
1 tablespoon Asian Chile Paste (optional)
1/2 tablespoon Corn Starch
1 tablespoon Sesame Oil
1 tablespoon Ginger, shredded or use paste
2 tablespoons Garlic, minced
1 cup Low Sodium Vegetable Broth
1/4 cup Carrots, sliced into strips

Cut all vegetables as indicated and have them ready to go. Stir-fry comes together quickly.

In a wok or a deep skillet, add 1 tablespoon to heat, then add the minced garlic and onions. Stir and cook until they are fragrant, then add the sliced bell peppers and ginger, and cook a couple of minutes longer.

Add broccoli, carrots, and Daikon and stir to mix well. Cook and stir for about five minutes. Add the zucchini and cook for a few minutes. Add the vegetable broth and soy sauce and stir into the vegetables. Lower the heat to a simmer and cook the vegetables until almost tender.

Meanwhile, add about 1/4 cup boiling water to the corn starch and stir to dissolve. Add to the skillet and stir it around then add the mushrooms. Cook a few more minutes, then add the bean sprouts last along with the chile paste (if you are using). Cook about two more minutes.

Serve with riced cauliflower if you wish. Makes four servings.

Photo: Nutrition Information

Recipes, Vegetables & Salads

Tastes of the Season: Crustless Brussels Sprouts Pie

Depending on how you feel about baby cabbages, as we tend to call Brussels sprouts around our house, this could be a great recipe or one to avoid. I will mention here that you can substitute other vegetables, such as broccoli, cauliflower, and kohlrabi, for the sprouts and it will make a very taste quiche.

I served this with prime rib for Christmas dinner and it was a hit with even someone who wasn’t that crazy about Brussels sprouts. So, for the adventurous, here’s a different side dish for the holidays or any time. This is based mostly on a recipe I got from 12Tomatoes.com and adapted a little bit. I eliminated the crust since most of the carbs are in it, which leaves a much lower carb’d dish. I also added a little ricotta to tone down the eggs and add more texture.

My Christmas dunner with prime rib, cranberry sauce, Brussels sprout pie, creamed cauliflower, and Harvard beets; all low-carb.

Crustless Brussels Sprouts Quiche

2 cups of Brussels Sprouts, trimmed and outer leaves removed
1 cups Heavy Cream or half-and-half
1 cup Gruyere or Swiss cheese, grated
2 Eggs
2 tablespoons Ricotta Cheese
1/8 teaspoon Nutmeg
Salt and freshly ground Pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees (F.) Coat a pie plate with butter or cooking spray.

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook Brussels sprouts for about five minutes until fork tender.

Arrange the sprouts in the bottom of the pie plate, standing them on end if possible. I used frozen sprouts and they refused to stand up. Sprinkle the grated cheese over the top.

In a medium bowl, add eggs, cream, ricotta cheese, and seasonings. Whisk together until blended, then pour carefully over the sprouts.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool a few minutes before servings. It will deflate some.

Makes 6 to 8 servings depending on appetite.

Nutrition Information per serving (6 per pie):
Calories: 263 Fat: 23 Net Carbs: 3.8 g Protein: 10.2 g

Nutrition Information per serving (8 per pie):
Calories: 197.3 Fat: 17.3 g Net Carbs: 2.9 g Protein: 7.6 g

Have you tried this recipe? Let me know how you like it.

Crock Pot Recipes, Main Dish, Poultry, Recipes

Slow Cooker Honey Chicken is easy

Looking for something simple to put together and put in a slow cooker while you’re busy with other things, like work or playing golf or swimming? You can come home to a delicious meal with only a little effort to get it going in the morning. This recipe for Honey Cooked Chicken came in my news feed and I thought it sounded great and only needs a couple of adjustments to make it a low carb delight.

I use sugar-free Honey that I order from Netrition.com because I can’t find a brand in my local stores, but you may find one at your market or a health food store. Let your fingers do the walking and check via phone or an online web site before running around town. In a pinch, I think sugar-free Pancake syrup can substitute, but it will give it a slight maple flavor rather than honey. You can also order a honey substitute from Amazon.com.

Honey Chicken and Vegetables

8 skinless large Chicken Thighs or Breasts
1 pound Cauliflower flowerets
1 pound Broccoli flowerets
1/2 lb Baby Carrots
1 pound Green Beans

Sauce:
1/2 cup sugar-free Honey,
1/2 cup Reduced-Sodium Soy Sauce,
4 cloves Garlic (minced),
1 teaspoon Basil,
1 teaspoon Oregano,
1/2 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
1/2 teaspoon of Black Pepper

Mix the sauce ingredients in a bowl.

In a regular-sized slow cooker, put four chicken thighs to make the bottom layer. Pour 1/2 of the sauce over the chicken.

On top of this add the cauliflower, broccoli and carrots. Top with the other four chicken thighs. Pour the remaining sauce over the top. Put on the lid and cook on low for 8 hours or cook on high for 4 hours.

Add the green beans for the last 30 minutes of cooking, put the lid back on and continue to cook on high.

To add a little crispiness to the chicken, you can remove it from the pot and broil for about 3 minutes on each side.  Serve with the vegetables from the cooker.

Makes 8 servings.

Nutrition Information per serving:
Calories: 154 Fat: 3 g Net Carbs: 8.8 g Protein: 18.2 g

Asian Recipes, Pork, Recipes

Taste of the Orient in Broccoli Pork Stir Fry

1 Comment

Chinese food, Thai food, Indian food– I love it all.  The flavors are just so satisfying.  I had just seen a post for Broccoli Beef on the Chinese Quest website the day before I made this and I thought, “Why not use the pork I had on hand instead of beef?”  So, I did,  This recipe isn’t exactly like the one at Chinese Quest, so be sure to check out that recipe as well.

I served this over Cauli-rice, which is a simple to make and very tasty alternative to rice.  It makes a great and satisfying meal.

Broccoli Pork Stir Fry

12 oz. Pork Ribs, country style
2 cups Broccoli, frozen or fresh
1 1/2 teaspoon Garlic, minced
1 teaspoons Ginger Paste
1/2 cup Mushrooms, sliced.
1/4 cup Onions, sliced or chopped
1/2 large Sweet peppers, sliced
1/4 cup Baby Corn, cut into pieces
1 teaspoon Chicken bullion or 1/2cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon Soy Sauce
1/2 tablespoon Sherry, dry
1 teaspoon Vinegar
1 tablespoon Cornstarch
2 tablespoons Oil

Cut pork into bite-sized cubes. Mix together soy sauce, sherry, and 1 teaspoon vinegar with one tablespoon oil Add the pork and mix it around. Cover with plastic wrap and put in the ‘fridge to marinate for at least 30 minutes.

In a wok or slope-sided deep skillet, heat the oil, then add the minced garlic and onions and stir until they begin to brown. Remove from pan or slide it to one side and add the marinated pork. Brown the pork, then add the onions and garlic back in along with the ginger paste, broccoli, and sweet peppers.

Cook and stir until the broccoli is hot and still a little raw. Add the mushrooms and baby corn and stir them in. Mix the cornstarch with 1/4 cup of water and mix the chicken bullion with 1/4 cup hot water. Add the bullion and mix into the wok. Stir and cook the vegetables about three more minutes, then add the cornstarch mixture. This will thicken the sauce a little. Cook until the broccoli is just fork tender, then serve over cauli-rice.

Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition Info per serving (without cauli-rice):
Calories: 308 Fat: 18.7 g Net Carbs: 6.9 g Protein: 23.9 g

Be sure to ask any questions you might have about this recipe or share your thoughts on it or if you’ve made other changes.