THE CHINA STUDY QUICK & EASY COOKBOOK (29 page)

I make a batch of Date and Soy Stir-Fry Sauce once a week so I can make stir-fry whenever I want a quick healthy meal. Sometimes I use fresh vegetables and sometimes I pull a bag of veggies from the freezer. Either way, I’ve got a healthy meal full of flavor, without a lot of effort.

1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced

1 medium red bell pepper, thinly sliced

2 cups frozen broccoli florets

¾ cup Date and Soy Stir-Fry Sauce (
p. 61
)

2 cups cooked brown rice

1 cup mung bean sprouts

1.
Heat a large skillet over high heat. Add the onion and red bell pepper and cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring frequently.

2.
Add the broccoli and cook for 1 minute, adding water 1–2 tablespoons at a time to keep the vegetables from sticking.

3.
Add the stir-fry sauce and cooked brown rice, and cook for 2–3 minutes, until the broccoli is heated through. Add the mung bean sprouts and remove from the heat.

MAKES 4 SERVINGS    

I love the sweet, savory, and pungent flavors in this dish. They all balance each other nicely. The list of ingredients looks long in this curry, but you can make it easier by purchasing frozen chopped onions and peppers. You’ll need about 1 cup of each. Serve this over cooked brown rice, quinoa, or your favorite grain.

1 large onion, chopped

1 large sweet potato, peeled and cubed

¼ cup water

2 cups unsweetened apple juice or vegetable stock

1 large zucchini, coarsely chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 large Granny Smith apple, chopped

¼ cup golden raisins

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons curry powder

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

sea salt and black pepper to taste

1.
Sauté the onion in a large saucepan over medium heat for 5 minutes.

2.
Add the sweet potato and water and cook for 5 minutes, until the sweet potatoes are just tender.

3.
Add the remaining ingredients and cook for 10 minutes. Season with sea salt and black pepper to taste, and cook for 5 minutes more.

TIP

Ripe pears work well in place of the apples, and feel free to use your favorite dried fruit in place of the raisins (chop larger fruits like apricots).

MAKES 4 SERVINGS    

I am still surprised by the number of people I feed at events or in my own home who have never tried quinoa. It is a delicious, nutty grain packed with vitamins and minerals and it’s easy to cook. This recipe used to be one of those Mediterranean rice dishes I liked to make until I realized I could get dinner on the table more quickly if I used quinoa instead. So I guess that makes this version a fusion dish (since quinoa is native to South America).

1½ cups quinoa, rinsed

3 cups low-sodium vegetable stock

1 large yellow onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons dried basil

1 15-ounce can navy beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup pitted kalamata olives, coarsely chopped

juice of 1 lemon

sea salt and black pepper to taste

1.
Combine the quinoa and vegetable stock in a medium pot and bring to a boil. Cover with a tight-fitting lid, reduce the heat to medium, and cook the quinoa for 15 minutes until tender.

2.
While the quinoa cooks, sauté the onion in a large skillet for 8 minutes. Add water 1–2 tablespoons at a time to keep the onion from sticking.

3.
Add the garlic, basil, navy beans, and olives and cook for 5 minutes. Add the cooked quinoa and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste and cook for 5 minutes more.

MAKES 4 SERVINGS    

Quinoa has a mild nutty flavor and unusual texture, almost like tapioca. It also cooks quickly. These cakes are great for company, especially when you are pressed for time.

¾ cup quinoa, rinsed

1½ cups water

1 medium yellow onion, diced small

1 poblano pepper, diced small

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 10-ounce package frozen corn

¼ cup arrowroot powder

sea salt and black pepper to taste

1 cup No-Queso Sauce (
p. 67
) or your favorite salsa

1.
Add the quinoa to a medium saucepan with the water. Bring the pot to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium, cover the pot, and cook for 15 minutes or until the quinoa is tender.

2.
Preheat the oven to 375°F.

3.
While the quinoa cooks, sauté the onion and poblano pepper over medium heat in a skillet for 5 minutes. Add water 1–2 tablespoons at a time to keep the vegetables from sticking.

4.
Add the cumin and corn and cook for 2 minutes. Add the cooked quinoa and the arrowroot powder and mix well. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

5.
Shape the quinoa mixture into cakes by using a small ice cream scoop or tablespoon and place them on a nonstick baking sheet or one lined with parchment paper. Gently flatten the cakes until they are ½-inch thick.

6.
Bake the cakes for 20 minutes. Serve with No-Queso Sauce or salsa.

MAKES 4 SERVINGS