What's Cookin' Wednesday!

Stir Fry!

Good evening! I hope everyone's week is going well! Mine is going surprisingly fast, and I'm a-ok with that. But it's mid-week and, while I'm here blogging away, boyfriend is making dinner. I don't know about all of you, but once it hits Wednesday, dinner better be easy. I am in no mood to stand in the kitchen for a good hour or so. If you share my feels, save this recipe for a day you feel like putting a little effort in, and chopping veggies for a good amount of time. If you're looking for something easy, check out this easy tomato basil soup.

However, this is delicious and healthy and packed full of veggies and protein. I'm all about trying new meat substitutes. So, when I found Trader Joe's "Chicken-Less Strips" I was really excited. Tossed these babies in with all the veggies and fooled two meat eaters. Take that!

Ingredients:

3 T olive oil

1/2 a bunch of broccoli, cut into florets

1 stalk celery, chopped

1/2 cup carrots, chopped

1/2 orange pepper, sliced

1/2 red pepper, sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 green onions, sliced thinly

1 can water chestnuts

1/4 cup cashews

1 package Trader Joe's Chicken-Less Strips (or chicken)

2 cups quinoa, cooked

Sauce

2 T soy sauce or tamari

3 T teriyaki

1 t. rice vinegar

1 1/2 t. brown sugar

How To:

In a large skillet, or wok, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Sauté the garlic and whites of the green onions until fragrant. Toss in the package of Trader Joe's Chicken-Less Strips, and sauté with the onions and garlic for a couple minutes. Add in the carrots and celery, and sauté for another 5-7 minutes. Add in the peppers and broccoli, sauté for about 3 minutes, then cover the pan. Allow this to sit for about 10 minutes. Add in any extra olive oil as needed while sautéing. While you're letting that sit, combine all the ingredients for the sauce in a bowl. I alway recommend tasting sauces as you go. Keep in mind that although the sauce is a bit salty, when it's combined with the other ingredients, it won't taste as salty. Add the water chestnuts, cashews, and sauce to your veggies. Stir to combine well, and allow the mixture to heat through. This also let's the flavors combine. I typically let mine sit for around 10-15 more minutes. Usually, I'm finishing up the quinoa. Put the quinoa in your serving bowls and top with a generous amount of stir fry! 

I'd just like to inform you all that this tasted just like Chinese take-out for me, and it was so good. You know when your Chinese is almost better the next day? Yep, just like that.

What's your favorite healthy take-out!? I'd love to know in the comments below! (:

What's Cookin' Wednesday

Orange Chikin'

I am so excited. I don't know why, after making the Vegan Wings, that it didn't dawn on me that I could now make a ton of chicken dishes that I used to love. HOORAY! This was so. freaking. delicious.

Ingredients:

1 medium head of cauliflower, chopped

3/4 c. flour (I used whole wheat)

1 tsp. curry powder

1 tsp. garlic powder

1/4 tsp. red pepper

2 Tbsp. nutritional yeast

3/4 cup milk of choice

2 green onions, chopped

1/2 green pepper, diced

1/2 red pepper, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 c. fresh orange juice

3/4 c. vegetable broth

2 tsp. soy sauce

2 Tbsp. sugar

2 Tbsp. corn starch

1/4 c. water

How To:

Preheat your oven to 450ºF. Chop your cauliflower into florets. In a large bowl, combine flour, curry powder, garlic powder, red pepper, and nutritional yeast. Dip your florets in the milk and toss in the flour mixture. Transfer the florets to a greased baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes, flip and broil with the door open for 5 minutes, until golden brown. While all this is happening, you should probably go on to the next stuff.

In a skillet, heat 2 Tbsp. of olive oil. Sauté the onions until fragrant, then add the peppers. Sauté for 3-4 minutes, then remove from heat. I transferred mine to a bowl.

In the same skillet, heat 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil. Sauté the 2 cloves of garlic, until golden. At this point, add the broth, juice, soy, and sugar. Stir to combine well. In a separate bowl, whisk the corn starch with the 1/4 cup of water. Add this mixture to your sauce and let this thicken.

This is what your "chikin" will look like when it comes out of the oven. (:

Toss your veggies and "chikin" in the sauce you've made, and let this heat for about 2 minutes.

Serve with brown rice and garnish with an orange and green onions.
ENJOY!