Recipe: Vegetarian Pancit

 This recipe is one that I converted to vegetarian in 2009. Chicken Pancit was a favorite when my children were growing up.

When I was stationed on Guam, I learned to make a delicious dish called “Chicken Pancit.” Because I was a cook in the Air Force, the recipe I learned made enough for about 250 people. A few years later, while working for a trophy company in Massachusetts, I processed an invoice for a customer on Guam. I snuck a note in there asking for a smaller version of the recipe…and got it! This dish from the Philippines has been a favorite at my house and potlucks for years now. This is my newly created vegetarian version. No chickens.

1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 or 4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 brick extra firm tofu, chopped into small pieces
Sea salt & black pepper to taste
3 large celery stalks, angle sliced
3 carrots, angle sliced
½ head cabbage, chopped
3 cups vegetable broth
1 tsp “poultry seasoning” (thyme, sage, marjoram, rosemary, black pepper & nutmeg)
1 pkg rice noodles (Bihon or Maifun)

Brown onion & garlic in olive oil for about 5 minutes. Stir in tofu and brown for about 5 more minutes. Salt & pepper to taste. Add vegetables. Stir fry for 3 or 4 minutes. Add 2 cups vegetable broth. Stir in “poultry seasoning.” Bring to boil then turn down to simmer for 10 minutes. Open package of rice noodles and separate into halves (the noodles are dried together, usually in two pieces). Place noodles flat over top of vegetables. With a spoon, baste vegetables and broth over noodles. Add last cup of broth, wetting noodles. Bring back to a boil then turn down to simmer. Stir often as it simmers until all noodles are moist and hot. Disperse vegetables as evenly through the dish as possible. May be served with soy sauce, if desired.

Recipe: Simple Portabella Mushroom Stroganoff

This recipe is one I created in 2009, when I was a vegetarian.

This is a vegetarian alternative to beef stroganoff that I made up as I shopped. It is not vegan, however, as I used plain yogurt. The beef version that I learned to make uses sour cream. I thought yogurt was at least a little healthier. Here's what I ended up with:

2 medium onions, peeled and chopped
1 tbl olive oil
8 medium to large portabella caps, chopped into bite-size pieces
garlic powder, sea salt & black pepper to taste
Broth from 1 1/2 tbl "Better than Boullion" vegetarian base, dissolved in 1 quart of water
1 tbl cornstarch, dissolved in 1/4 c. water
1 cup plain yogurt
1 16-ounce bag farfalle pasta or other non-egg pasta as preferred - cooked, drained & rinsed

Brown onions in olive oil until they begin to carmelize. Add mushroom caps and stir. Add garlic, sea salt & black pepper. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring regularly for about 5 minutes. Stir in broth mixture. Bring to a boil. Stir in cornstarch mixture. Return to boil, then reduce to a simmer for a few minutes until thickened. Stir in yogurt just prior to serving. Serve over pasta.

Recipe: Big Green Meanie Smoothie

Okay, so I have this tendency to call these things "shakes," but they aren't usually as thick as a shake should be, in my mind. So let's go with "smoothie."

I created this new one this morning. Again, I'm sure it isn't all that original, but I did make it up as I went along, so I get to name this version of it. It's really, really green, so as I watched it all blend together, the name "Big Green Meanie" popped into my head. So that's what it is.

This time, I took the time to look up the calories in all the ingredients. This recipe basically filled my blender to the top, and I split the results into three servings - one for my breakfast, one for my lunch, and one for my son to have whenever he chooses to drink it. Each serving has less than 200 calories, and it's extremely filling. So, here it is:

Big Green Meanie Smoothie

2 cups ice cubes

2 cups chopped kale

1 cup broccoli tops (aka florets)

1 cup water
1/3 package tofu

1/4 cup Garden Salad (various lettuces & shredded carrot)
1 large peach, sliced

2 large bananas
Stevia to taste (always optional)

Blend ice cubes, kale, broccoli, and water until the greens are liquified. Continue blending as you crumble in the tofu. Add Garden Salad and peach. When all is blended together, add bananas, about 1/3 banana at a time. Add Stevia to taste, if desired (I like it a little sweeter). Pour into as many containers as desired.

Total calories in the blender = 507, so just divide that by how many containers you choose to fill to get the calories per serving. As I divided it into three equal servings, each serving was 169 delicious, refreshing, and filling calories.

I have been asked if the tofu should be silken, soft, firm, or extra-firm. I happen to be using firm, because that's what was on sale. However, I honestly don't think it makes any difference. I'd say, experiment - see what consistency you like best, and go with that. Or, if you're like me, you'll just go with the better deal.

One serving of my Big Green Meanie Smoothie
Yum! Lunch...

Recipe: Mexican-Style Cabbage Fry

This is a dish I created to meet the criteria of a three-week diet that I’m on.  The Vegetarian options for the diet protocol leave me a little hungry, so I decided to mix and match a little bit.  I’m not allowed rice, so I used cabbage as an alternative.  It may go a little over the calories I’m allowed for this diet, but surely is far below the calorie count of an equivalent meat and rice dish.

Mexican-Style Cabbage Fry

1/2 cup red wine vinegar

½ onion, chopped

1 can diced green chilis

½ head cabbage, chopped to noodle or rice size

3 – 4 mushrooms, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 cup Texturized Vegetable Protein (TVP)

Water (to cover TVP)

1 cup vegetable broth

1 tsp Cumin

1 – 2 tsp chili powder

1 tbl cilantro

Salt

Pepper

Cover TVP in water and stir in cumin and ½ chili powder; let sit until reconstituted

In large skillet, heat ¼ cup red wine vinegar.

Add onion & garlic; stir-fry until translucent

Stir in green chilis and cilantro

Add TVP and “brown” it off, like hamburger

Stir in red wine as the pan gets dry

Add mushrooms and cabbage

Stir fry for a until all vegetables are mixed together

Add vegetable broth

Add salt, pepper, chili powder to taste

Cook until cabbage feels “al dente”

Serve with tortilla chips, if desired

Serves about 4