Stir-Fried Beef with Bean Sprouts and Chives

Stir-fried bean sprouts is a good dish and fast to implement, and also it is a nutritious and delicious as a complement to vegetables. Bean sprouts are very much used in the cuisines of Vietnam because it is inexpensive for most of the Vietnamese people from both the cities to country. I still remember that in my family’s kitchen back in Vietnam there was always a jar with pickled bean sprouts with chives for meals served in the family. Usually, these pickled bean sprouts were always a side dish for pork stew with eggs (thit heo kho trung) or fish stew (ca kho).  Bean sprouts can also be mixed with other raw vegetables and served as a salad (dia rau song), or to be a side dish for noodle soups, such as crab, tomato soup, etc.… My favorite use for bean sprouts is the stir-fry with meats or shrimp. Other times, I like to use bean sprouts to stir-fry with rice noodles and tofu to make a wonderful vegetarian dish. Bean sprouts and chives always go together and form integral delicacies on the menu of the family, much like the lyrics of the fun song, “Love and Marriage" (go together like a horse and carriage). I prepare this dish more often during the spring and summer because in my garden, the chives are growing very well, and I constantly grow my own bean sprouts inside, so there is no excuse for me not making this dish.


Ingredients:
1/2 lb. beef sirloin, thinly sliced
Marinade ingredients:
1 tsp oyster sauce
1 tbs soy sauce
1 shallot, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tbs cooking wine
Spices:
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp sugar
1/8 tsp black pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
1 shallot, chopped
Vegetables:
8 oz. bean sprouts
6 oz chives, cut into 3 inch lengths
1/4 cup carrots, julienned
1/4 cup red onions, sliced
 
Enough oil for stir frying (about 2 tbs peanut oil)
 
Directions:
Combine the marinade ingredients in bowl. Add beef and marinade in the refrigerator for a few hours. Add 1 tsp oil to the meat so meat separates easily during cooking.
Combine salt, sugar, and black pepper in bowl and set aside.
In a wok over high heat oil, add beef and quickly stir the beef until just about medium rare. Remove beef onto a platter.

In same wok, add a little more oil. Add shallots and garlic. Stir until fragrant. Stir in carrots and cook for a 1 minute.

Add red onions and bean sprouts. Add bean sprouts and spice mixture (save a few little chives for garnish).

Return beef to join with bean sprouts and chives. Quickly mix well with high heat. 

 Pour onto platter and serve with hot cooked rice. 

Lowfat Potato & Corn Fish Chowder

Chowder or creamy soup contains rich cream or flour. However, for lowfat chowder, it is not necessary to add rich cream or flour; instead, some other rich ingredient, such as almond milk, may be substituted.  Also, the soup can be thickened with potato as this recipe has potato added to enrich the soup for better nutrition. Using assorted white fish is perfect for this recipe. Nothing is better than a bowl of healthy chowder.

Ingredients:
1 lb. potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch chunks
3 cups chicken stock
1 cup clam juice
1 cups almond milk
2 cups corn kernels
10 oz. any kind of white fish, cut into cubes
1 white onion, chopped
2 tbs olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Fresh parsley for garnish

Directions:
In a large sauce pan, add oil and turn heat to medium. Add onion and potatoes. Stir and cook until onion is soft and potatoes are lightly brown (about 7 to 10 minutes).

Add chicken stock and clam juice. Bring to boil, and then simmer until the potatoes are just tender.

Add corn and cook for another 5 minutes.

At this point you can use about 2 cups of soup blend in the blender until smooth. This will make the chowder thicker. Add fish and milk.

 Season with salt and pepper. Cook further for 5 more minutes. Ladle soup into a bowl and garnish with fresh chopped parsley and serve.

 

 

Classic Oatmeal Chocolates Raisins Cookies

I like to make this cookies is a gift to friends. These cookies can be made with any kinds of dry fruits other than raisins. Also coconut flakes can be added as well. The only thing I changed to this recipe is cutting the amount of butter in half and replacing with coconut oil. This simple cookie dough is a must keep recipe because it is never fail and produce excellent taste.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups All-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon 
2 cups rolled oats(not the instant kind)
2 tsp baking powder
1 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 cup milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1/2 stick butter, unsalted room temperature
1/3  cup coconut oil
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°
In a stand Kitchen aid mixer cream together the butter, coconut oil, both sugar; add egg one at a time and beat well

Combine flour, oats, cinnamon, salt and baking powder in a bowl.

 Alternate with milk add flour to the batter by hand, a little a time, stirring to blend. Stir in the vanilla extract, chocolate chips and raisins.

Drop by teaspoon or tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets and bake until lightly browned, 12  to 17 minutes.

Cool on a baking sheet about 5 minute and transfer cookies to a rack to finish cooling. Store in cookie jar with lid.

Rhubarb Lentil Vegetable Soup

The first sign in spring is when the rhubarb and parsley appear in my garden. I was not a fan of rhubarb at first, but the beauty of rhubarb leaves reminds me of an elephant ears plant. The stalk of rhubarb is frequently used to make a good pie. I posted a rhubarb pie recipe on my blog last spring when I first grew this plant. Having this plant in my garden is not just for the looks anymore because I found that I can create many recipes from it. Starting today, I will make rhubarb lentil soup. This soup is very much a vegetarian soup when using water instead of chicken broth. I have leftover roasted chicken from the other night and is perfect to add into this soup before serving. This warm bowl of soup has earned the title of comfort food.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup lentils, soaked in water for a few hours
1 cup freshly cut rhubarb
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup chopped onions
1 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tbs olive oil
5 cups chicken broth

Directions:
To prepare the rhubarb, I like to wash and remove the tough outer veins of rhubarb before slicing into 1/2 inch thick chunks.

Drain lentils and set aside.
In a pot, add oil and heat until hot. Add onions, garlic, carrots, and celery. Stir and cook until soft.

Add rhubarb, half of the parsley and all the lentils. Stir for a few minutes. Season with salt and black pepper (some cayenne can be used if you like a little kick). Add broth and bring to boil.

 Simmer for 20 minutes or until the lentils are soft. Add roasted chicken, if using in the last minute and heat through. Ladle soup into a serving bowl and sprinkle with the other half of fresh parsley.

Rhubarb Bananas Quick Bread

Here is another rhubarb recipe that is easy to master and very good to serve for breakfast.

Ingredients;
Dry ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
Wet ingredients:
2 eggs
1 cup mashed ripened bananas
1 cup fresh rhubarb – washed, tough veins removed, and finely chopped
1/3 cup stuff fashion coconut oil melted and then cooled
1/2 cup applesauce
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup sugar
Other ingredients:
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts – your choice
1/2 cup shredded coconut flakes.

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°. Grease a 9” x 5” loaf pan with coconut oil.
Mix the dry ingredients.
Cream the eggs, sugar, and oil. Add bananas ..

 Stir this mixture into the dry ingredients (do not mix more than necessary). Gently stir in nuts, rhubarb ,coconut flakes, and vanilla.

Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until nicely brown.

A toothpick inserted into the center of the bread will come out fairly clean when the bread is done baking. Cool on a rack for 15 minutes before removing from pan.

Stir-Fried Noodles with Chicken (Singapore Style)

Singapore stir fried rice noodles with curry and turmeric flavor is one of my favorite noodle dishes, other than Pad Thai. The sauce is a combination of soy sauce, mirin, and chicken broth with a balanced taste of sweet and salty. As for the vegetables, the main vegetables for this dish are sweet bell peppers and bean sprouts. However, I always add different kinds of other vegetables that I have available– just to suit my own taste. For a fast and healthy stir-fried noodles dish, this is the recipe. The curry and turmeric are the two spices that give this recipe its outstanding flavor.

Ingredients:
6 oz. fresh rice noodles
Marinade ingredients:
10 oz. chicken breasts, sliced
1/4 tsp curry powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp sugar
1 tsp oil
Sauce ingredients:
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 tsp mirin
1 tbs soy sauce
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp Sriracha sauce (Vietnamese hot sauce)
Other ingredients:
2 tsp vegetable oil
1 tsp curry powder
2 shallots, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 to 2 cups total combination of  red, green, and yellow sweet bell peppers, julienned
1 cup button mushrooms, sliced
1 cup bean sprouts
 
Garnish with  chopped cilantro

Directions:
In a bowl with warm water, soak the noodles until soft and pliable (about 15 to 25 minutes) and then drain.
In another bowl, add chicken with all the marinade ingredients. Add half of the shallots and garlic. Let marinate for a few hours.
In a small bowl, combine the sauce ingredients and set aside.
In a wok over medium heat, add 1 tsp oil until just smoking. Add chicken and stir until brown (about 2 minutes). Remove chicken and place on the platter.
Add the remaining oil into the same wok. Add the other half of shallot, garlic, curry, and mushrooms. Cook for a couple of minutes. Stir in bell peppers and cook until all the vegetables are soft and tender. Stir in noodles, chicken, and sauce. Toss gently until everything is well coated with sauce (about 2 to 3 minutes). Stir in bean sprouts and chopped cilantro before serving. Enjoy!!

Happiness Is the Most Important Thing in Life

What is the most important thing in life? If asking a hungry person, it will be food. For the one who is cold, it will be warm place. And if someone is doomed to loneliness, surely, the reply would be to be close to other people. "For those who have ever read the historical fiction of Jostein Gaarder's philosophy, "Sophie's World", they would remember the author’s answer for the problem that everyone needs to be concerned by the assertion of the philosophy: "Man does not live only by bread. Naturally, people need food as the same as love and affection. But there is something else that we all need: knowing who we are and why we live ". 
Do you ever sit alone in silence and think about the question: Why are we here in this world? What is most important in our life?. The answer depends on what your purpose in life is. If the purpose of your life is wealth, the accumulation of money is most important. If your purpose is to achieve high status in life, the advancement in a career is the most important thing. If it is happiness, then family love is the most important.
One thing you should know is that one should emphasize spiritual values. Interest in spiritual values ​​will make you happier than the most respected wealthy individuals. Gaarder commented: "Most wealthy businessmen and prominent, illustrious others begin their careers with passion and enthusiasm to create unique new values for society rather than being ambitious to become enriched with wealth. Becoming wealthy seems to be a consequence rather than a primary motivation for their efforts to become so.
The happiest person is known to bring happiness to those around him. I think the most important thing in life is the life of every person knowing how to be happy and for doing what they need to bring happiness to the family, friends, and colleagues. Also, do not forget to bring happiness to yourself by experiencing the pleasure of entertaining the people around you more. Life is diverse and rich. Always be concerned about all these things.

Source from internet