Wicket is Back!

Poor Wicket (the wok) was feeling a bit neglected this summer. That means it's time for a stir-fry! We haven't been super healthy this summer (but not totally disgusting either!) so all the veggies were an added bonus. This is a solid recipe. It didn't blow our minds but it wasn't bland. The sauce had a nice subtle flavor but there wasn't a ton of it and you know I like it saucy! My favorite part was the bits of browned onion.

Stir-fried Broccoli, Mushrooms, and Onions with Tasty Sauce

(Fast, Fresh, & Green Cookbook)

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1.5 teaspoon hoisin sauce
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon rice wine (I used Mirin)
1/4 teaspoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons peanut oil
1 small onion, diced
1 small broccoli head, cut into florets
6-8 ounces mushrooms, depending on taste
1 tablespoon garlic, finely chopped
Directions:
1. Whisk together oyster sauce, hoisin, soy, rice wine, and cornstarch in a small bowl. Set aside.
2. Heat up peanut oil in a large wok. Add the onion and stir-fry until it's turning brown.
3. Add the broccoli and mushrooms. Stir occasionally until the veggies are cooked/turning brown.
4. Add in the garlic and stir-fry for 30 seconds.
5. Remove from heat and stir in sauce until all the veggies are coated. Serve with rice.

FIESTA!

Broccoli Candy

This is what 20 bucks gets you at the Market.

And the only reason it was that high was due to the stupid 6.99 Cuties.

We have been eating a ton of fruits and veggies this week but that is for another post! This post is for that huge one dollar bag of broccoli in the upper right hand corner. Half of it went into our Spicy Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry and I needed to use up the rest of it. We're going to a friend's school fund raiser tonight so I figured we'd be munching on some less than healthy food, this inspired me to make a super healthy lunch snack: roasted broccoli! Throw in the fact that it was an Alton Brown recipe (who the Mr. Lawyer has a huge man crush on) and we may have been fighting over the last pieces. Who ever thought we'd be fighting over broccoli?!

It was like broccoli candy: a little bit sweet, a little bit salty. The panko added a nice little crunch. I even shaved a few calories off and didn't use the whole amount of cheese. After about 1/8 cup everything looked pretty coated so I stopped adding it. I served it up with some whole wheat pitas from Feders.

Oven Roasted Broccoli

(from Alton Brown, Food Network)

Ingredients:
1 pound broccoli, rinsed and trimmed
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan or sharp Cheddar
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
2. Cut the broccoli florets into bite size pieces. Cut the stalk into 1/8-inch thick, round slices. Place the broccoli into a mixing bowl and toss with the olive oil, garlic, kosher salt and pepper and set aside.
3. Spread the panko into a 13 by 9-inch metal cake pan and place into the oven for 2 minutes or until lightly toasted. Remove the panko from the oven and add to the bowl with the broccoli mixture. Toss to combine. Return the mixture to the cake pan, place in the oven and roast just until the broccoli is tender, 8 to 10 more minutes.

4. Remove from the oven, toss in the cheese and serve immediately.

Spicy Stir Fry

Only one Valentine's flower left so I moved it to a new vase, recycling at it's finest!

Tonight Wicket and I got busy and whipped up some stir fry. I'm guessing it was good because there aren't any leftovers. I used the Szechuan sauce I had in the freezer from my sauce making party. I was worried it was going to be too spicy because when I tasted it it was all POW! But once it was mixed with the meat and veggies the spice dissipated. It would slowly build instead of being all in your face. 

Spicy Beef and Broccoli

Ingredients:

1 1/ 2 teaspoons sesame oil
1/ 2 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
1/ 2 teaspoon minced garlic
1/ 2 cup chicken broth
1 1/ 2 teaspoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/ 2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon hoisin sauce (didn't have, so I added a spot of honey)
1/8 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
1/ 8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/ 4 teaspoon pepper
1/ 8 teaspoon 5 spice powder
2 teaspoons cornstarch dissolved in 1 Tablespoon water

Beef, cut in strips

Broccoli

Directions:
1. Heat the oil in a small saucepan. Add the ginger and garlic and saute 1 minute until softened but not browned.
2. In a bowl combine the remaining except for the cornstarch mixture. Add them to the saucepan and bring to a simmer, covered, for 10 minutes.
3. Whisk in the cornstarch mixture and let boil 1-2 minutes.

4. Meanwhile heat your wok and add beef, 4-5 minutes until cooked.

5. Remove beef, set aside. Stir fry broccoli. 

6. Return beef to wok with broccoli and add sauce. Stir till coated. Serve!