Monday Night Stir Fry
with
Almonds, Sprouted Legumes, & Edamame
OK, ok, it's been a long time since I've blogged. I'm sorry that I've neglected this aspect of my life. I keep meaning to blog but then I get caught up in other things. Plus, we were gone most of August on vacation and then taking our daughter to College for her freshman year! So exciting.
This is Maddie the bulldog mascot for Gonzaga University! Go Zags! Isn't she cute?
Last Monday was my first full day home after teaching a yoga retreat with my good friend and co-retreat leader, Kelly Blaser. I knew there was good stuff in the fridge and cabinets so I didn't stop at the grocery on the way home from work and walking Lilly in the forest.
It was hot on our hike so at the top we rested and Lilly panted. Doesn't she have an amazing tongue!?
When I walked into the kitchen, after giving a big love session to the two brown dogs who didn't get to walk with us, I did three things right off the bat.
1. I put a bunch of brown rice in the rice cooker. See, the rice cooker is this wonderful machine that takes care of everything once you've put the stuff in!
2. I also put a small pan of water on the stove to boil so I could cook the edamame.
3. I also put a bunch of pinto beans in a bowl of water to soak overnight so I could crock pot cook them on Tuesday while I was teaching my College classes.
1. I put a bunch of brown rice in the rice cooker. See, the rice cooker is this wonderful machine that takes care of everything once you've put the stuff in!
2. I also put a small pan of water on the stove to boil so I could cook the edamame.
3. I also put a bunch of pinto beans in a bowl of water to soak overnight so I could crock pot cook them on Tuesday while I was teaching my College classes.
I pulled kale, bok choy, carrots, almonds, sprouted beans and red peppers out of the fridge. I pulled onion and garlic out from the pantry drawer (noticing that I have some yams to cook up pretty soon in that same drawer!) Then I set about to some serious chopping. Chopping takes some time and I know this is why more people don't cook for themselves from scratch. I try to use the chopping/cutting part of cooking as a meditation to be here now. (and I can always use the "be here now" thing)
Bowls of ingredients: chopped kale, chopped bok choy, chopped onion, chopped red bell pepper.
Chopped carrots and plain almonds.
Sprouted beans (I did it myself and it's really really easy!) and toasted sesame oil.
Bowls of ingredients: chopped kale, chopped bok choy, chopped onion, chopped red bell pepper.
Chopped carrots and plain almonds.
Sprouted beans (I did it myself and it's really really easy!) and toasted sesame oil.
Here is most of everything except the chopped garlic and the edamame.
I have a large very expensive wok (it was a gift!). I don't, though, really know how to use a wok. I use mine to make giant stir frys but I don't think I probably make it hot enough to be actually "woking". That's ok because really I'm pretty confused about how hot is ok with most oils!
I begin by pre heating the wok and then carefully adding 1 - 2 tablespoons of oil. I used toasted sesame oil for this particular meal because I like the richness of the toasted sesame flavor in stir fry.
I have a large very expensive wok (it was a gift!). I don't, though, really know how to use a wok. I use mine to make giant stir frys but I don't think I probably make it hot enough to be actually "woking". That's ok because really I'm pretty confused about how hot is ok with most oils!
I begin by pre heating the wok and then carefully adding 1 - 2 tablespoons of oil. I used toasted sesame oil for this particular meal because I like the richness of the toasted sesame flavor in stir fry.
Here is the wok with oil, onions, garlic and red bell.
After I heat the oil I layer things in one at a time:
1/2 onion chopped
2 cloves of garlic chopped
2 small red bell peppers chopped
Cook for a bit until everything begins to soften and then:
Add many carrots, chopped
Cook for a bit more and then:
Add chopped kale (1/2 bunch or more because it cooks down like nothing else!)
Cook for a bit more and then:
Add almonds - just dump them in and let them cook with everything else
Cook for a bit more and then:
Add bok choy (or any of the lighter greens like chard or spinach), sprouted beans, and edamame
I let it cook, stirring it all around until it looks ready. I like to cook the kale before adding greens like bok choy or chard or spinach because kale does take a bit longer.
After I let it all cook, I push it up around the edges of the wok and add 2 - 3 cups of cooked brown rice (yes, right out of the rice cooker! It was cooking while you were!) and about 2 tablespoons of soy vay which is a nice sweet soy kind of sauce. I stir it all around and then pile it into big bowls for us.
There was a lot lot more in that bowl - my husband's second serving! It is so yummy!
This is one of our standard meals. There is no real recipe. I always use some kind of onion and then any vegetable that I have on hand from the Farmer's Market or from my own garden. There is so much protein in this meal....protein from all the veg and rice and then edamame, sprouted beans, and almonds. There is also an abundance of fiber and because of all the vegetables an amazing amount of micronutrients!
Enjoy yourself a stir fry as soon as you can.
After I heat the oil I layer things in one at a time:
1/2 onion chopped
2 cloves of garlic chopped
2 small red bell peppers chopped
Cook for a bit until everything begins to soften and then:
Add many carrots, chopped
Cook for a bit more and then:
Add chopped kale (1/2 bunch or more because it cooks down like nothing else!)
Cook for a bit more and then:
Add almonds - just dump them in and let them cook with everything else
Cook for a bit more and then:
Add bok choy (or any of the lighter greens like chard or spinach), sprouted beans, and edamame
I let it cook, stirring it all around until it looks ready. I like to cook the kale before adding greens like bok choy or chard or spinach because kale does take a bit longer.
After I let it all cook, I push it up around the edges of the wok and add 2 - 3 cups of cooked brown rice (yes, right out of the rice cooker! It was cooking while you were!) and about 2 tablespoons of soy vay which is a nice sweet soy kind of sauce. I stir it all around and then pile it into big bowls for us.
This is one of our standard meals. There is no real recipe. I always use some kind of onion and then any vegetable that I have on hand from the Farmer's Market or from my own garden. There is so much protein in this meal....protein from all the veg and rice and then edamame, sprouted beans, and almonds. There is also an abundance of fiber and because of all the vegetables an amazing amount of micronutrients!
Enjoy yourself a stir fry as soon as you can.
