Udon Noodles with Vegetables

I found a packet of Udon noodles at Costco one day and decided to make them for dinner that day. It turned out so well that we eat it 3-4 times a month! The chewiness of the udon goes very well with the crunchiness of the vegetables.The ingredient list seems long, but apart from what you use for the sauce, the rest (mainly vegetables) can be swapped around to what you prefer. You can even add tofu or chicken if you wish to increase the amount of protein in the dish.

Makes: 6-8 servings

Calories: About 400-450 in each serving

Ingredients:

2 tsp vegetable oil
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tbsp ginger, finely chopped/minced
2-3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 1/2 cup scallions/green onions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup soy sauce (low sodium variety)
3-4 tbsp rice vinegar
1-2 tbsp schezuan sauce
Vegetable broth, IF needed to thin out sauce
1 tbsp brown sugar
2-3 carrots, thinly sliced/julienned
1 head broccoli, thick stem removed and florets separated
1 watermelon daikon/radish, sliced (optional)
2-3 cups bok choy, roughly sliced
2-3 cups mushrooms (preferably fresh, not canned), sliced
24 oz udon noodles (=4 Costco individual packets), loosened apart by hand
1 cup cilantro, chopped
2 tbsp sesame seeds, roasted (optional)
Any other vegetables you may want to add (e.g. sugar snap peas, water chestnuts, edamame)

Heat the vegetable oil in a wok over medium-high heat and then add the sesame oil. Heat only till the oil becomes slightly fragrant otherwise you will burn it. Add the ginger, garlic and half of the scallions and saute for a few minutes. Then add the soy sauce, rice vinegar, schezuan sauce and brown sugar. Cook for 1-2 minutes. Add 1/8 cup of vegetable broth if you feel that the sauce is too thick and cook for 2 minutes.

Now, add the carrots and broccoli and stir fry for 2 minutes before adding the mushrooms and bok choy. Stir fry for 2-3 more minutes and then add the noodles. Stir for one more minute and then add the remaining scallions, cilantro and sesame seeds. Mix well so that the thick sauce completely coats all the noodles and vegetables. Serve hot.

Note: If you are buying the noodles from Costco, they are in one of the cold food aisles and are precooked. The name of the company is O'Hana House and the color of the package is pink. They are made from water, organic wheat flour, organic tapioca starch, sea salt and lactic acid. It has 6 individual packets in it (6oz each) and each packet is about 2 servings (about 120 calories in each serving, 0 from fat and 3g of protein).
If you are not buying from Costco, your local grocery store or asian store will have some brand of precooked udon noodles. If you can not find udon, you can use thick egg noodles (just boil them before hand).

Roasted Butternut Squash and Bean Chili with Swiss Chard

What a fun recipe this turned out to be! I had one butternut squash that had been sitting in the fridge for a week and I didn't want to make a typical soup. I surfed through the internet and found a few recipes, altered and combined some of them and came up with this. The chili has a 'comfort food' feeling, yet its super easy to make. Each serving is low in calories, high in fiber and very high in vitamin A and has a considerable amount of potassium. Hopefully the kids will love it because of all the colors they see in a bowl. My 5 year old loved it!

Makes: 6-8 servings

Calories: About 350 per serving


Ingredients:

3-4 cups Butternut squash (1/4" cubed)
1 large jalapeno (split lengthwise through the middle)
1 tbsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 can roasted, diced tomato
1 can black beans
1 can white beans
1 cup vegetable broth (more if needed/desired)
Chili seasoning powder, as desired
1 bunch swiss chard, roughly chopped (can be substituted with spinach)

Preheat oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with a cooking spray (like PAM). Add the butternut squash in a single layer and put it in the oven. Let it roast till squash is soft (but not mushy) and lightly brown, about 20 minutes. Try and flip the squash on the baking sheet half way through. Take out of the oven.

Take a small piece of aluminum foil, form it into a cup and put in the jalapeno. Wrap the foil around it and put that into the oven as well. Take it out 10 minutes later, open the foil and put the opened cup under the broil setting to slightly char the jalapeno. Remove from oven and let it cool. Chop roughly and put aside.



In a saucepan, heat the olive oil and add the chopped garlic and then the onions. Saute for a few mins, till soft and slightly golden. Add the rest of the ingredients except for the squash, jalapenos and chard. Cook for 15-20 minutes on medium heat (add more vegetable stock if it seems too thick). Add the squash and jalapenos and cook for 5-7 more minutes. Now add the chard and cook for another 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat.






Serve hot in a bowl (with some shredded cheddar cheese on top if you want to entice children to eat it).

Note: I added some extra cumin and salt despite using the chili seasoning. If you cannot find chili seasoning, use the seasonings in one of my previous recipes for chili. You can also use any combination of beans you like.

It's been a while....

Apologies for being completely MIA for over a year. I moved to California a year back, which is great to begin with, but to make it more exciting the state has really changed my culinary life. It has made me a much more conscious eater, both environmentally and nutritionally.

I love eating delicious and healthy food but living here has opened my eyes about how 'healthy' not only means using healthy and nutritious ingredients but also making sure you know where your ingredients are coming from. Are the fruits, vegetables, meats and dairy that you purchase grown naturally in a safe environment or are they genetically modified or raised inhumanely? I highly recommend watching two documentaries that contributed to this alteration in my definition of 'healthy'; 1) Food, Inc (which looks at where our food really comes from and what that means for the health of our future generations if it remains this way) and 2) Forks over Knives (which is based on the claim that we can drastically reduce, or even reverse, degenerative diseases if we decrease or eliminate animal based and processed products from our diet). Don't get me wrong...I do not believe in completely eliminating anything from my diet. However, these two documentaries have made me realize that getting my ingredients from authentic farmers' markets or other trusted outlets (mainly organic meats and produce) can make a big difference on one's health. I have also cut down my consumption of meat quite drastically and have noticed that my energy levels have gone up and I feel lighter and healthier.

My blog, as always, will provide you with a healthy twist on recipes from all over the globe. I will try and concentrate a little more on vegetarian/vegetable dominant methods. You are welcome to alter the recipes to your liking and preferences. In fact, please do let me know if you change it and like the outcome so that everyone can benefit from your experience. And, of course, be healthy but never stop eating...! :)