Broccoli Stir-Fry with Peanut Sauce

This recipe is a perfect example of how simple, satisfying and delicious an all-veggie meal can be. Stir-fried broccoli, red peppers and garlic get tossed in a peanut sauce and served over rice.

1 cup dried rice, rinsed

1/3 c. peanut butter

1 T. brown sugar

2 T. soy sauce, divided

1 T. rice wine vinegar

2 T. coconut, peanut or other oil with a high smoke point

1 lb. broccoli florets

1 large red bell pepper, cubed

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 c. chopped peanuts

Red pepper flakes or hot chili sauce, to taste

Cook rice according to package instructions.

Make peanut sauce by combining peanut butter, brown sugar, 1 T. soy sauce, rice wine vinegar and 1/4 cup water. Set aside.

Heat oil over medium-high heat in a wok or large skillet. Add broccoli and stir continuously for 3 to 5 minutes or until the broccoli begins to turn bright green.

Add remaining 1 T. soy sauce and 1/4 cup water to the wok along with red pepper and garlic. Bring to a boil and stir fry all veggies until lightly steamed and liquid has evaporated some. 

Remove from heat and stir in peanut sauce. Divide rice and veggies among four plates and top each with 1 T. chopped peanuts. Serve with hot pepper flakes or hot chili sauce, such as Sriracha.

Red Curry with Vegetables

Add a good curry paste and coconut milk to your pantry and you'll be all set to make a delicious Thai curry any time you have a bunch of vegetables you're looking to do something different with. You can use any vegetables, but the only one I always want to be sure I include (aside from the onion) is potato. Since this is a vegetarian dish, the potato makes it more filling. And it absorbs the curry sauce, reminding me a little bit of tofu.

1 1/2 cups long-grain white or brown rice

1 T. vegetable oil

1/2 cup chopped onion

1-2 T. curry paste

1 small can coconut milk

1 cup water

1 cup diced carrots

1 large white potato, peeled and cut into 1/2" cubes

1 crown of broccoli, chopped into florets

1 red pepper, diced

salt to taste

Rinse your rice. In a medium saucepan, bring 3 cups salted water to a boil and add rice. Stir and cover, reducing the heat to medium so the water slowly simmers. Let cook undisturbed (do not open the lid) for 45 minutes. Check rice and remove from heat once the rice has absorbed all the liquid.

While rice is cooking, chop your vegetables. When the rice has 25 more minutes to cook, heat vegetable oil in a large skillet or with a lid. Saute onion 5 minutes or until tender but not brown. Add curry paste (amount depends on how spicy you like it) and stir until fragrant. Mix water and coconut milk and add to the pan along with carrots and potatoes (or any hearty vegetables).

Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer over medium to medium low. Cook covered for 8 minutes and then add broccoli and pepper (or other more tender vegetables). Cook for another 5-7 minutes or until tender. If using greens, like kale, Swiss chard or spinach, add those 2-3 minutes before you remove the skillet from the heat. Add salt to taste and serve over the rice.

Risotto with Mushrooms and Peas

What makes risotto so creamy is the starch in the rice breaking down as you add your cooking liquid and continually stir. This is also why it has a reputation for being tedious to prepare. If you heat your chicken broth in advance, it will make the process go a bit quicker. The finished product is well worth the effort you put into stirring. Add a side salad and call it dinner!

6 cups chicken broth, preferably homemade

1 cup frozen peas

1/4 cup olive oil, divided

2 lbs fresh mushrooms, sliced (or 2 cups dried mushrooms)

1/4 t. dried thyme

1/2 cup chopped onion or shallots

1 1/2 cups Arborio rice

1/2 cup dry white wine

2 T. butter

1/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

2 T. chopped fresh parsley

salt and pepper to taste

Heat chicken stock in a medium saucepan. If using dried mushrooms, boil your broth and add the mushrooms. Cover and let sit off the heat for 10 minutes or until reconstituted. Remove mushrooms from broth, press the liquid out and sauté them in less oil and for less time than if yo were using fresh.

Return the broth to the heat and keep it warm until you're ready to add it to the recipe. Add frozen peas to the broth to thaw them.

Meanwhle, in a large pot, heat 2 T. olive oil over medium heat. Add mushrooms and stir to coat in the oil, adding more oil if needed. Add thyme and cook mushrooms until they soften and reach desired brownness. Season with salt and pepper and remove mushrooms and their juices from the pan. Remove peas from chicken stock and add them to the mushrooms. Season the stock with salt, to taste.

Add another 1 T. of oil to the large pot and sautee onion for 2 minutes. Add Arborio rice and coat in oil. Cook for another 2-3 minutes to toast the rice. Add wine and stir to deglaze the pan. Continue stirring until wine is absorbed. Gradually add warm chicken stock (1/2 cup at a time), and continue stirring, adding more stock as it is absorbed by the rice (about 20 minutes).

Once the rice has absorbed nearly all of the stock, add mushrooms and peas and warm the mixture through. Remove from heat and add butter, Parmesan cheese, parsley and salt and pepper to taste. Stir to combine and serve hot.

BEV NOTE: Enjoy with a buttery California Chardonnay

Fried Rice

This recipe puts leftover rice to good use, and is great for clearing out veggies from the fridge and freezer. Leave the bacon out and make it vegetarian.

1 cup uncooked (or 2 cups cooked) long-grain rice

1/4 lb. bacon, chopped (or 2 T. canola or coconut oil)

1 cup onion, chopped

1 T. garlic, minced

2 t. fresh ginger, minced

2 carrots, cut into matchsticks

2 cups shredded cabbage

3 cups other fresh, frozen or pre-cooked vegetables (peppers, zucchini, mushrooms, broccoli, cauliflower, peas, green beans, corn, etc.)

1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce

2 eggs

1 T. toasted sesame seed oil

salt and pepper, to taste

Rinse rice and prepare according to package instructions. While it cooks, heat a large skillet over medium heat and cook bacon until just shy of being crisp, tossing occasionally. Remove bacon, reserving grease, and add onion, garlic and ginger to the pan. Cook two minutes and add carrots, cabbage and any other hearty fresh vegetables (broccoli, zucchini). Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables begin to soften. Add remaining fresh (pepper, mushrooms), frozen or pre-cooked vegetables and salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 5 more minutes. Add rice and soy sauce and stir to combine. Whisk eggs with sesame seed oil andd 1/4 t. salt and add to hot pan, stirring until eggs are cooked. Return bacon to the pan and stir in. Serve hot with additional soy sauce.