elly says opa!

Chicken with Artichoke Hearts and Avgolemono

nobody@vox.com(Elly) — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 20:04:04 -0500

Sometimes, you don't really know what lurks in the depths of your freezer. I admit I'm a bit of a list-maker (read: crazy person) so I have a list of all the meats and quantities magentized to my freezer door. But, I don't write down the random things in there, like pesto "cubes," walnuts, tortillas, phyllo cups, or in this case...artichoke hearts.

Tom and I have been out of town a decent amount, and we're going out of town again Saturday through Wednesday (which, as you may have guessed, translates to no blogging for me). So, rather than buying tons of groceries like I usually do, I've been trying to use up what's in the freezer and my cabinets, buying some fresh produce when necessary. When I saw the artichokes, I knew they needed to be used up soon.

This Greek dish is most commonly made with lamb. And, of course it's better with lamb because lamb is better than chicken. Duh. But "lamb" was not on my magnetized freezer list, so chicken it had to be. But no worries--this is a really tasty meal with chicken, too. It's sort of like eating an avgolemono stew, rather than a soup, with artichokes in it. I personally prefer using a dark meat chicken for this because 1) it tastes better and 2) it holds up better to poaching/braising/etc. without drying out. We had this with a salad, and some rice to soak up all the egg-lemony goodness.

Have a great weekend and early week, all!

Kota avgolemono (1)

Chicken with Artichokes and Egg Lemon Sauce (Kota Me Aginares Kai Avgolemono)
Serves 2

1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 pieces bone-in chicken (thighs, leg quarters, etc. I skin them because to me, skin is worthless if it's not crispy from roasting!)
1 small onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1.5 cups chicken broth
Dill, to taste
1 cup artichoke hearts
1 egg
1 lemon, juiced
a little cornstarch
salt and pepper

Heat a pan over medium heat and add the olive oil. Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper and then brown in the hot oil. Remove the chicken, and add the diced onions to the pan, cooking until translucent. Stir in the garlic until fragrant. Add the chicken broth, being sure to scrape up all the browned bits as you deglaze, and bring to a boil. Add the dill, chicken, and salt and pepper to taste. Cover and simmer over low heat for 15 minutes.

Add the artichoke hearts and continue to cook, this time uncovered, for about 10 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the artichokes are tender. Season to taste if necessary.

In a large bowl, whisk together the egg, lemon juice and a little cornstarch. Slowly add a couple ladels full of the broth from the pan (I find it easier to plate the chicken first, so you don't have to maneuver around that) to the egg-lemon mixture, whisking constantly so your eggs don't scramble. Then, slowly add that mixture back into the pan, again whisking constantly. Stir until thickened. Pour the avgolemono sauce over the chicken and artichokes (and rice!)

Kota avgolemono

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Tupperware Shrimp

nobody@vox.com(Elly) — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 19:40:15 -0500

If you cook for two frequently, you may be able to pull a bunch of things out of your fridge that look a little like this:

Leftovers

Yep, that would be a random assortment of things leftover from meals this week. There's some chicken broth, about a half can of diced tomatoes, half an onion, half a can of black beans and 2 bell pepper halves--red and green--which I had the smarts to dice the first time I used them so that the next meal they went into would become even easier.

I really hate wasting food. I used to be a card-carrying member of the Oops-I-forgot-to-use-this-so-I-guess-I'll-just-pitch-it Club, but that was when I didn't cook as often and it was definitely before groceries were so damn expensive.

So about once a week or so, I end up peering into my fridge and making use of what's in those little tupperware containers. Tonight, with the help of some shrimp that I always keep in the freezer, this dish came about. I'm not really sure what to call it, so I'll just call it Tupperware Shrimp. It's reminiscent of a jambalaya but it's missing some key ingredients and it has the addition of a few others. Whatever you call it, it's a tasty, healthy way to use up leftovers. Now, I am mindful of the fact that most people don't have this exact combination of ingredients sitting in their fridge, nor do they want to end up with this random assortment of ingredients in their fridge by making a recipe using odd halved measurements. So, in the interest of a cleaner recipe, I have doubled what we ate for dinner below.

Tupperware shrimp

Tupperware Shrimp
Serves 4

1 Tbsp. canola oil
1 onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 (28 oz.) can diced tomatoes
1 bay leaf
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
2 sprigs of thyme
a few good dashes of hot sauce
2/3 cup rice
1-1/3 cup chicken broth
1 lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined

In a large saute pan with a lid, heat the canola oil over medium heat. Add the onions, peppers, & garlic and saute until the onions are translucent. Add the diced tomatoes and spices and simmer for a couple of minutes to combine the flavors. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil before stirring in the rice. Cover and simmer until the rice is almost done. Season the shrimp with salt and pepper. About 2 minutes before the rice is done, stir in the shrimp and simmer until shrimp and rice are cooked.

Tupperware shrimp (2)

Nutritional Info Per Serving: Calories: 405 / Fat: 5.7g / Saturated Fat: .8g / Carbs: 55g / Fiber: 9g / Protein: 31g

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Back with burgers

nobody@vox.com(Elly) — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 20:33:49 -0500

::tap tap tap:: Is this thing on?

Yikes, it's been a while since I've updated. Between the extreme heat, going out of town, eating already-blogged things, going out to dinner and...well, you get the point, poor little vox has been neglected. And, so have the blogs I read because at last check, my google reader had well over 300 new items. Oops!

So with all that said, I knew it was time for an update, and not just an update but a healthy update because of all the bad-for-you food I've been eating lately. I decided to make some healthy chicken burgers. The're good for you, and totally hit the spot. These burgers are reminiscent of chicken shawarma, which is one of my favorite meals on the planet (as the staff at the nearby Lebanese knows all too well).

And, because this burger is some good eats, I am submitting this over to Ivy and Ben who are hosting Fat Chefs or Skinny Gourmets. This meal is packed with protein and lots of nutrition but is low in fat and calories. Like Ivy says, eating healthy doesn't have to be boring or difficult. In fact, that's one of the reasons I made this blog and post nutritional information for the majority of my recipes. I promise you, Tom and I don't eat boring food day in and day out. :)

Lebanese chicken burgers

Lebanese-Inspired Chicken Burgers
Makes 4 burgers

1 lb. ground chicken
1/4 cup bread crumbs
2 heaping Tbsp. fat free plain yogurt
Juice of 1/2 lemon
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/8 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 heaping tsp. allspice
1/4 tsp. ground sumac
salt and pepper
4 mini whole wheat pitas, split and warmed

Tahini Yogurt Sauce
1/4 cup plain fat free yogurt (Greek is best because you don't sacrafice creaminess)
1 Tbsp. tahini
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1-2 cloves garlic, crushed or finely minced/pressed
salt and a just a little pepper

Make the sauce by combining all the ingredients. Allow the sauce to sit as you prepare and cook the burgers, so the flavors can marry.

To make the burgers, combine all ingredients and mix--but don't overmix. Form into 4 patties. Spray your grill or grill pan with some olive oil and grill the burgers for about 5 minutes per side, or until done.

Place the cooked patties in the pita pocket, along with any garnishes you'd like and top with the tahini-yogurt sauce.

Nutritional Information Per Burger (using a combo of white and dark meat will increase the calories by about 100 and the fat by about 10g): Calories: 240 / Fat: 3.3g / Carbs: 23g / Protein: 31g

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Homemade Granola Bars

nobody@vox.com(Elly) — Wed, 28 May 2008 20:16:23 -0500

Ah, the interwebs. They are a wonderful place, aren't they? I have "met" so many great people through food blogs, chat boards and just via email. One of these lovely persons is my friend B over at Bella Lately. We share a love for goat cheese and smoked gouda, great movies and good music. In fact, a couple months ago, I sent B a burned Hem CD because I just knew they were a band she'd enjoy. Let me stress the fact that the CD was burned. And I sent it in this really awful, el cheapo packaging. It was nothing. Just me wanting to share a great band with someone else.

So imagine my surprise last week when I receive a package from B and it's a cookbook! And not just any cookbook but a great one--Ellie Krieger's The Food You Crave. How great is that?! Ellie K cooks great food that's nutritious but also tastes great. Just like me! I am so thankful for B's thoughtfulness. Tom said he thinks I should send B at least one more CD. ;-)

So, I got right to making a recipe from the book--energy bars. I am a bit of a Kashi fanatic and tend to eat a pumpkin flax ot trail mix granola bar on pretty much a daily basis. Granola bars are just such a good, easy treat but I try to make sure I am getting ones that aren't as heavily processed and use "real ingredients." So, when I saw this recipe, I knew I wanted to try it out. It uses all natural ingredients, and doesn't even use any refined sugar. I did change the recipe a bit by totally swapping out the fruits for what I had on hand. I also upped the amount of cinnamon and added a tsp. of vanilla extract.

I thought these bars turned out great! Enough sweetness from the dried fruits and the maple syrup, a great crunch from the nuts, and a nice and filling snack. My changes did increase the calorie count slightly (probably because I used fruits that are naturally higher in sugar) but these are still a great, healthy choice for a snack. I stored a few of these in an airtight container and the rest got wrapped in wax paper and then in a ziplock bag and frozen. This way I can grab one out of the freezer on my way out the door and it will be a great work snack.

Energy bars

Energy Bars
adapted from Ellie Krieger
Makes 20 bars

1 cup oats
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup raw almonds
1/2 cup wheat germ
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup powdered dry milk
1/2 cup dried cherries
1/2 cup dried cranberries
8 dried figs, stems removed
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
2 eggs

Preheat the oven to 350 and coat a 9x13 pan with cooking spray.

Add all ingredients except the syrup and eggs to your food processor, and pulse until the mixture is finely chopped. Add the eggs and then stream in the syrup, until the mixture is well-combined.

Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking pan and press down with a spatula (or your hands) to make sure it is uniformly thick. Bake for 20 minutes. Cool completely and cut into bars.

Energy bars (2)

Nutritional Information Per Bar: Calories: 151 / Fat: 4.9g / Carbs: 23.7g / Fiber: 3/2g/ Protein: 5.1g

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Pineapple and Black Bean Rice

nobody@vox.com(Elly) — Thu, 22 May 2008 19:19:03 -0500

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I am not terribly big on fruit in my dinners. I like salty-sweet combos but something about cooked fruit, especially, turns me off. But, I'm trying to ease my way into more dishes that incorporate fruit and I've been successful a few times so far. I'm still not a pork and cinnamon apples kinda gal, but who knows? Maybe one day I will be.

What better way to include fruit in a dish than with Jamaican jerk shrimp we had last week? Island food often has fruit flavors fused into everything from the main course to the dessert. I decided that pineapples would complement the meal nicely and, as a bonus, pineapples are one of my favorite fruits. I thought the pineapples, spice, and black beans went nicely with this rice side, and paired well with the shrimp. The pineapples definitely don't stay as sweet as they would be if you were eating them alone, even with the addition of the brown sugar. But, I like that because it's more of a mellow sweetness than an overpowering acidic taste. I think I can add this to the fruit-in-a-dish success pile.

Now, the problem with not using a recipe and then not updating your blog for a few days after the meal is that you tend to forget what actually went into the dish. So, in other words, I make no guarantees that these are the exact ingredients and amounts that I used on that fateful fruity day, but they are close enough and of course you can play around with the ingredients and amounts to your liking.

Pineapple black bean rice (2)

Pineapple and Black Bean Rice
Serves 2

2 tsp. canola or olive oil
1/2 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup long grain white rice
2/3 cup water
1/3 cup black beans
1/3 cup diced pineapple, and a couple Tbsp. pineapple juice
1/4 tsp. cloves
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. brown sugar
1 lime, juiced

Heat the oil in a saucepan until shimmering and then saute the onion until translucent. Stir in the garlic, just until fragrant, and then add the rice, stirring it to coat it in the oil and toast it up a bit.

Add the water, black beans, pineapples and juice, cloves, chili powder and brown sugar and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until rice is cooked. Off the heat, stir in the lime juice.

Pineapple black bean rice

Nutritional Information: Calories: 152.5 / Fat: 4.9g / Carbs: 24g / Fiber: 3.7g / Protein: 3.6g

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Jamaican Jerk Shrimp a la Blanchard's

nobody@vox.com(Elly) — Tue, 20 May 2008 12:48:02 -0500

The other day, I was reading Lindsey's blog and came across her post for Jamaican Jerk Shrimp, based on a recipe from the folks over at Blanchard's in Anguilla. As you may remember from my post last year, Tom and I honeymooned in Anguilla and we ate some of the best food of our lives there. Seriously. So good. Blanchard's was Tom's favorite restaurant on our honeymoon (it was a close second for me).

I came across this recipe at a great time, because Tom and I are actually celebrating our second anniversary today! Well, I shouldn't really say we are "celebrating" it today, since we're having a really easy pasta dinner and watching TV tonight. :) But, we will be celebrating it on Saturday at Blackbird!

Neither of us had the shrimp at Blanchard's, but if it comes out of the Blanchard's kitchen, I assume it has to be good. And this was really, really good. Despite what appears to be a relatively long list of ingredients, I had everything on hand except the peppers and scallions (and I ended up omitting the scallions). We had this with some roasted green beans and pineapple-black bean rice. We were just missing a white sandy beach. And a few days off work. And cucumber peels. And rum punch.

blanchard's shrimp

These would also make for some great appetizers!

Jamaican Jerk Shrimp
Blanchard's

1 Tbsp. ground allspice
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 Tbsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 Tbsp. light brown sugar
1 Tbsp. salt
1 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup soy sauce
3/4 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
2 Tbsp. freshly squeeze lime juice
2 scotch bonnet peppers, minced (I used habanero peppers)
1 small onion, minced
3 scallions, thinly sliced (I didn't have this so I omitted)
2 lbs. shrimp, peeled and deveined

Prepare the grill or preheat the broiler.

Make the sauce: combine all the dry ingredients and mix well. Slowly whisk in the oil, soy sauce, vinegar, orange juice and lime juice. Stir in the peppers, onions and scallions and mix thoroughly. Simmer for about 10 minutes over medium heat.

Sprinkle the shrimp with salt and pepper and grill or broil until done, a few minutes. Top (or toss) the shrimp with the sauce and serve immediately.

Nutritional Information (per 1/2 lb. of shrimp): Calories: 204 / Fat: 8.3g / Carbs: 8g / Fiber: 1g / Protein: 24.5g

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Beautiful Bones: Santa Fe Chicken Salad

nobody@vox.com(Elly) — Tue, 13 May 2008 09:39:30 -0500

Susan the FoodBlogga has one of my favorite blogs. Everything is always so fresh, simple, and beautiful. When I saw she was hosting a blog event, Beautiful Bones, I knew I wanted to participate. The event asks bloggers to make a calcium-rich dish to bring awareness to osteoporosis.

I was actually planning on thinking something up and making it next week for the event, since I already had my dinners planned out for the week. But, as I was reviewing the event on Susan's blog (and also inputting my meal into SparkPeople), I realized the chicken salad I was making was mighty high in calcium. Cheese? Check. Sour cream? Check. Avocado? Check. Black beans? Check. Lime? Check. Corn tortillas? Check. Tomatoes? Check. Oregano? Check. Tequila? Okay, that's not high in calcium but it's good to have.

When all is said, calculated, eaten and done for, this salad provides you with a shade under 40% of the recommended calcium intake for the day. w00t! It's good to know I am naturally planning calcium rich foods without really thinking about it.

I suppose this is what is called a "Santa Fe Chicken Salad." Honestly, I have never had one of these concoctions before in a restaurant, but that goes without reason. I love all the components in this salad and it's a nice twist on a boring ol' grilled chicken salad. I haven't calculated the nutritional value for this (other than the chicken itself) because it will really vary based on whether you use full fat cheese, sour cream, ranch, etc. If you don't, this is definitely a light, healthy and filling salad. Take that, osteoporosis!

santa fe chicken salad (2)

Santa Fe Chicken Salad
Serves 2

Tequila Lime Chicken
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 4.5 oz. each)
1 lime, zested and juiced
2 Tbsp. Tequila
2 Tbsp. orange juice
2 tsp. canola oil
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. oregano
1/4 tsp. chili powder
2 cloves garlic, smashed
salt and pepper

Combine the lime juice and zest, tequila, orange juice, canola oil, spices and garlic and whisk together. Pour into a dish or resealable bag along with the chicken and refrigerate for 30 minutes - 2 hours (any longer and the acid in the citrus could start to "cook" the chicken).

Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper and then grill or saute the chicken, basting with the marinade, until cooked through (about 4-5 minutes per side).

Nutritional information per piece, if consuming all marinade (which, you probably won't): Calories: 225 / Fat: 7g / Carbs: 4g / Protein: 29g

Dressing
1/4 cup salsa
2 heaping Tbsp. sour cream
2 Tbsp. ranch dressing
hot sauce (optional)

Combine all ingredients (and a few dashes of hot sauce, if you'd like) and refrigerate as you make the rest of the salad.

Salad
3-4 cups romaine lettuce, chopped
1 large tomato, diced
1/2 avocado, diced
1/3 cup black beans, drained/rinsed
1/3 cup corn
1/3 cup cheddar jack cheese
2 corn tortillas
cooking spray

Cut the corn tortillas into squares and spray with oil. Bake at 350 in your oven (or toaster oven, as I like to use for these small jobs) until crispy.

Combine the remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Toss with the dressing and then stir in the crispy corn tortillas. Top with chicken.

santa fe chicken salad

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Lubyee Bil Lahmi or Lubyee bi Laham or Lubia...

nobody@vox.com(Elly) — Sun, 11 May 2008 18:59:30 -0500

...or fasolakia me arni, if you're Greek :)

I love almost every type of cuisine but if I had to pick a favorite, it would probably be Lebanese. It's probably a bit of a cop out, really, because it's just so similar to Greek food. That's probably why I like it, eh? I could honestly eat Middle Eastern or Mediterranean food every day for the rest of my life and I would be okay with that. Actually, I had Lebanese for 3 meals last week alone.

Lubyee bi laham (or any varation of that spelling) is a Lebanese lamb and green bean stew. Greeks make almost the same thing, with slightly different spices, and occasionally with okra instead of lamb. It is one of my absolute favorite things to eat, no matter who makes it. I grew up in a city with a population that was about 50% Arabic. In other words, I was extremely spoiled with Middle Eastern food. The local restaurants were authentic and the foods my friends' parents made me were, too! There are some great Lebanese joints in Chicago but I haven't found one that is totally up to par with Dearborn. But, that doesn't stop me from getting my fill of shawarma, kofta, pilaf, fattoush and jerusalem salad in a week, apparently.

This recipe is basically a combination of the one from Ally's blog, Culinary Infatuation, and the one from Katie's blog. Good Things Catered. Both have some Lebanese blood in them so I knew it had to be good.

And good it was. So tasty, so comforting. Letting this simmer for a few hours is seriously killer. It smells SO good. I was ready to dive into it before I had even added the green beans. Like Ally, we had this over some Middle Eastern couscous, which I already had in my cabinet. I just toasted it in olive oil and then cooked in a mixture of water and broth.

This was a little too liquidy, so next time I'll simmer uncovered for a few minutes at the end to thicken.

Lubyee (2)

Lubyee bi Laham
Serves 4

1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 lb. lamb stew meat
2 onions, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups water
1 28-oz can crushed tomatoes
allspice (errr, I never know how much because I only have the whole allspice and I throw in quite a few; maybe 1/2--3/4 tsp. if you have it ground?)
1 lb. fresh green beans, ends trimmed
salt and pepper

Heat a dutch oven over medium heat and then add the oil. Sprinkle the lamb with salt and pepper. Once the oil is hot, add the lamb and brown on all sides. Remove with a slotted spoon.

Add the onions and cook until tender. Add the garlic, sauteing until fragrant. Pour in the water and crushed tomatoes, deglazing the pot and scraping up all the browned bits. Add salt, pepper and allspice and bring to a boil. Put the lamb back in. Cover and turn the heat to low, simmering for 1-2 hours.

Add the green beans and simmer covered for an additional hour.

If you need to thicken the stew, simmer uncovered for a few additional minutes at the end.

Lubyee

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 300 / Fat: 10 / Carbs: 26 / Fiber: 5g / Protein: 28.5

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Spanakorizo

nobody@vox.com(Elly) — Wed, 07 May 2008 20:02:06 -0500

Or, a fancy schmancy Greek way of saying spinach-'n-rice. In Greek, "spanaki" is spinach and "rizi" is rice. I hope you're paying attention to some of the Greek tidbits you're learning from my blog because you never know when you may need them. Maybe your next Cranium question is going to ask what a spanakophobe is, and of course you're going to know right away that, obviously, it's someone who fears spinach.

[Okay, I just did about 20 seconds of googling and was not able to confirm that a person who is scared of spinach is called a spanakophobe or anything remotely close to that. So let's not use that example, but it could come into play somewhere, I promise. Maybe not with spanakophobe or rizophile, but some time.]

At any rate, spanakorizo is a very common Greek side dish. The flavors are very typical of other Greek dishes and they taste great when combined. The bonus is that this can double as your vegetable and your starch side. Normally, I am not one to do that (veggies are important and most veggies incorporated into starches tend to be in very small quantities), but here I am giving you the go ahead. About 1.5-2 lbs. of spinach are put into this rice, and the amount of rice you eat is actually less than the serving (how often can you say that about a starch?) but don't worry, the portion is still plenty.

Traditionally, spanakorizo has quite a bit more olive oil to start, but I like to make a healthier version. I suppose using brown rice would make it even healthier but for some things, even I just say no to brown rice. Some Greeks add tomato paste or fresh tomatoes to their spanakorizo but I am not one of them. I don't believe that there's anything wrong with that, but I like the combo of the dill, spinach and lemon as it stands.

In case you're wondering, we had this with a very Greek-flavored pork tenderloin that I quick marinated in fresh lemon juice, garlic, olive oil and oregano and then seared and roasted.

Spanakorizo

Spanakorizo
Serves 4

1.5 Tbsp. olive oil
1 small onion, diced
2/3 cup long grain white rice
1-1/3 cup water
Juice of 1 large lemon
2 bunches or about 1.5-2 lbs. fresh spinach, chopped (and remove any stems that don't seem very tender)
1/3 cup fresh dill, chopped (or about 1 T dried)
salt and pepper

In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil. Once heated, add the onions and saute until tender. Add the rice and stir to coat it in the olive oil, "toasting" it for a minute or two. Add the water and lemon juice and bring to a boil.

Add the spinach, dill and some salt and pepper to taste. Bring the mixture down to a simmer. Cover tightly and simmer about 15 minutes or until rice is cooked.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 205 / Fat: 6g / Carbs: 33g / Fiber: 4.5g / Protein: 7.3g

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Chicken Lo Mein

nobody@vox.com(Elly) — Thu, 01 May 2008 20:38:29 -0500

I love lo mein. It's one of those things I love to eat at a Chinese restaurant (or for take out), but I've never actually made at home. A few weeks ago, I was doing my usual aimless wandering around Whole Foods when I saw some lo mein noodles. I decided to pick some up and, well, here we are.

I made this almost exactly like I make my stir fry and I thought it turned out quite tasty. One of the great things about this is that it's a way to curb your craving for Chinese food without all the fat and oil that is typical of restaurant Chinese restaurant food. In fact, one of my favorite places to get lo mein is SO oily that when I reheat the dish the next day, I usually pour out a good 1/4 cup of grease that has accumulated at the bottom of the container. Ick. Any by "ick" I mean "mmmm tasty, but I really shouldn't eat this."

This is meant to be a healthier version of the dish, so I didn't use a lot of oil but you could definitely add more if you'd like. The addition of the sesame oil at the end gives it a nice extra nutty flavor in addition to making it a little more fatty and luxurious without being horrible :) Some fresh ginger would be great in this, but unfortunately I didn't have any around. And, of course, you can use any vegetables you want, have around, or like.

I am submitting this over to Ruth for Presto Pasta Night.

chicken lo mein

Chicken Lo Mein
Serves 2

4 oz. lo mein noodles
1 Tbsp. oyster sauce
2 Tbsp. low sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup chicken broth
pinch of red pepper flakes
1/2 Tbsp. canola oil
1 medium chicken breast, cut into strips or bite sized pieces
1/2 small onion, sliced or diced
1 large carrot, cut into coins or matchsticks
1 large celery stalk, sliced
4 oz. mushrooms (I used a combo of shiitake and oyster)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup peapods, whole or sliced
2 tsp. toasted sesame oil

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add lo mein noodles and cook, then drain and rinse under cold water. In a bowl, make your sauce by combining the oyster sauce, soy sauce, chicken broth and red pepper flakes. Set aside.

Bring canola oil to just under a smoking point in a large nonstick skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until done.

Add the vegetables and stir fry until tender-crisp, just a couple minutes. (If you want certain veggies more done, just cook them longer and stagger your vegetable additions; I often add onions around the same time as the chicken because I like my onions to be totally sauted and for their flavor to come through the whole dish).

Add the sauce, and then add the noodles. Mix everything together well. If the veggies need to cook longer, cover and steam until done. Drizzle with toasted sesame oil.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 448 / Fat: 9.4g / Saturated Fat: 1.2g / Carbs: 58g / Fiber: 4g / Protein: 29g

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