Noodles with Mushrooms

Sometimes I just really want a big old bowl of noodles. Ramen used to fill the bill. But lately I've been trying to avoid MSG and processed stuff as much as a can. I thought I'd try a big batch of this recipe and freeze portions for when the mood hit for a bowl of noodles, or to take out and let thaw until lunchtime. The noodles actually hold up well in the freezer!

I adapted the recipe from Mark Bittman. His recipe called for a whole pound of pasta, but I found that even using 12 oz the first time was too much pasta for mushroom. Since the brand of soba noodles i use comes in 9.5 oz packages, I decided from now on that is how I will make it. I can get four or five servings out of this. I divide it right after it's cooled into serving size containers. I saved the water from soaking the dried mushrooms and put a little in each lunch container, so that it would have some extra moisture for reheating. Fresh cilantro is soooo good on top!

Noodles with Mushrooms
Ingredients

1/4 to 1/2 c. dried porcini or shiitake mushrooms
1 c. hot water
salt
1 pound fresh mushrooms (shiitakes are nice, but any will do; remove the stems)
3 T. peanut oil, 1 T. toasted sesame oil
freshly ground black pepper
9-10 oz soba noodles

1. Soak the dried mushrooms in the hot water for 20 minutes.

2. Boil the noodles according the package directions, drain, reserving some of the liquid. Rinse with cold water and set aside.

3. While soaking and boiling, chop mushrooms to desired size. Warm the oils in a large skillet or wok over medium heat, then add all the mushrooms (scoop the dried mushrooms out of their soaking water with a slotted spoon, reserving liquid). Sprinkle with salt and pepper and raise heat to medium high. Cook, stirring occasionally, at least 10 minutes.

4. Add 1/2 c. of pasta cooking water OR mushroom soaking water to the mushrooms, then dump in the cooked noodles. Toss everything together well, adding a little more sesame oil if desired. Add more liquid if the noodles seem too dry.

5. Season with soy sauce (I use a spray bottle of Bragg's liquid aminos) and cilantro, and enjoy! I get 5 generous lunch servings out of this!

Moo Goo Gai Pan

We love our Chinese takeout, and I know full well that it is terrible for us! This recipe tastes so much like takeout, but it is definitely healthier. We used fresh peas from the garden, which was an added bonus! I'll be using this recipe a lot, using various veggies I have on hand.

*Could become a vegetarian or vegan meal if I took out the chicken. Use marinated tofu or tempeh if desired, or just extra veggies!

Moo Goo Gai Pan 
teamgulley via

www.lowfatlifestyle.com 

12 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (omit if going vegetarian)
1/2 cup chicken broth (use veg. broth if going vegetarian)
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice wine or dry white wine
4 teaspoons cornstarch (I used arrowroot powder)
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon cooking oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 medium carrots or one cup, thinly bias sliced
8 ounces whole small fresh mushrooms or 3 cups sliced
2 cups fresh pea pods or one 6-ounce pkg. frozen & thawed
1/2 of an 8-ounce can sliced water chestnuts, drained (I used whole can)
3 cups hot cooked rice (used mix of barley and brown rice, yum!)

Cut chicken into thin bite-size strips. For sauce, in a small bowl stir together the chicken broth, soy sauce, rice wine or white wine, cornstarch, and sugar. Set aside.

Pour cooking oil into a wok or large skillet. (Add more oil as necessary during cooking.) Preheat over medium-high heat. Stir-fry garlic in hot oil for 15 seconds. Add carrots; stir-fry for 3 minutes. Add mushrooms and, if using, fresh pea pods; stir-fry about 1 minute more or until carrots and pea pods are crisp-tender. Remove the vegetables from the wok.

Add the chicken to the hot wok. Stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes or until no pink remains. Push the chicken from the center of the wok. Stir sauce. Add the sauce to the center of the wok. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly.

Return the cooked vegetables to the wok. Add water chestnuts and, if using, thawed pea pods. Stir all ingredients together to coat with sauce. Cook and stir about 1 minute more or until heated through. Serve immediately over hot cooked rice.

Per serving: 439 calories, 7g fat, 54mg cholesterol, 685mg sodium, 62g carbohydrate, 29g protein

Master Formula Veggie Lo Mein

This is a very flexible recipe, and so tasty! I have to fight my kids for the leftovers . No, I'm kidding, I always let them have their share. Okay....I usually share. I would never push the leftovers to the back of the fridge to ensure they were all mine. Let's just move on, shall we?

Pretty much any ingredient, goes. I like how the recipe is set up so you can make choices according to what is needing used up in your veggie drawer, and you can use meat, or not. The sauce is delicious and it's nice to have measurements (though I always end up throwing in more) for the veggies. I found this 'master formula' in an awesome book called Cook Without a Book.

Master Formula Veggie Lo Mein 
Source: adapted slightly from Cook Without a Book

Ingredients:
Optional: 8 oz extra firm tofu, drained and pressed, cut into bitesized pieces
                Or shredded seitan Or shredded cooked pork/chicken/beef

8 oz Firm Vegetables (pick one from list below)
8 oz lo mein or soba noodles
1 T. soy sauce
2 T. vegetable oil (I like to use peanut oil)
1 medium-large onion (or two if you like onions) cut into wedges
8 oz Tender Vegetables (pick one from list below)
1 T. minced garlic (about 3 or 4 cloves)
1 T. minced fresh ginger (i usually skip this, my family dislikes ginger)
Lo Mein Sauce (recipe follows)

Bring 2 quarts of water and a generous sprinkling of salt to boil in a large pot. Add the Firm Vegetable and cook until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate with a slotted spoon. Add the noodles to the pot and cook, stirring frequently, until just tender; drain and set aside.

If using, toss the tofu with the soy.

Meanwhile, heat a 12-inch non-stick skillet (I use a large wok) over medium-high heat until very hot. Add 1 T. of the oil and the onion; stir-fry until crisp and spotty brown. Add the Tender Vegetable and stir-fry until just cooked, about 2 minutes. If using tofu or meat, add next and stir-fry until browned. Add the cooked firm vegetable and stir-fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Transfer everything to a plate.

Add the remaining 1 T. oil to the empty skillet (wok) and heat until shimmering. Add the noodles and stir-fry until heated through, about 2 minutes. Reutrn the vegetable mixture to the wok, along with the Lo Mein Sauce, stirring to coat. Serve hot.

Firm Vegetable Ideas
asparagus-   tough ends snapped off, spears cut into 1-inch lengths
snow peas or sugar snap peas-   strings removed if necessary
broccoli or cauliflower-   cut into small florets
carrots-   peeled and thinly sliced or julienned
white turnips or rutabaga-   peeled and cut into small dice
butternut or other winter squash-   peeled and cut into small dice
thin green beans-   cut into 1 1/2 inch lengths

Tender Vegetable Ideas
succhini or yellow squash-   halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise
baby bella (cremini) mushrooms-   sliced
bell peppers-   stemmed, cored, and cut into bite-size strips
eggplant-   quartered lenthwise and thinly sliced crosswise
fennel-   stalks discarded, bulb halved, cored, and thinly sliced
cabbage or bok choy-   cored and finely shredded
bean sprouts

Lo Mein Sauce
1/4 c. vegetable broth
1/4 c. soy sauce
2 t. rice vinegar
2 t. toasted sesame oil
1 t. red pepper flakes
1 t. sugar

Whisk all ingredients together and set aside until ready to use.

There are a few steps, but if you lay everything out, it will all go very smoothly.

Wild Mushroom and Greens Soup

This is a simple mushroom soup that is great if you need to use up some greens. I had a bunch of chard from my CSA that needed a home, and this is where it went! I was able to find each type of mushroom needed at Meijer. The different mushrooms add such nice texture. I halved the recipe and froze portions for myself for lunches, because although I find it filling and good, my family is not crazy for greens in their soup. One of these days I WILL convert them!

WILD MUSHROOM, WHITE BEAN AND GREENS SOUP

Souper Jenny

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 large yellow onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced

4 cups shiitake mushrooms, cleaned and quartered

4 cups oyster mushrooms, cleaned and quartered

8 ounces button mushrooms, cleaned and sliced

1 cup dry sherry

4 cups white beans (canned), rinsed

2 bunches of your favorite winter greens, chopped (kale, Swiss chard or broccoli leaves)

4 quarts low-sodium vegetable broth

Preparation

Heat olive oil in soup pot. On medium heat saute onion and garlic until soft. Add all mushrooms and saute until soft. Add sherry and broth and bring to a boil. Lower heat, add greens and white beans and simmer 45 minutes. With a hand blender, pulse soup a few times. If too thick for your taste, add more broth.

Mushroom Barley

I love, love, LOVE barley. This is a great side for just about any meal. Or if you love barley like I do, it's a great lunch all by itself. No matter how hard I keep trying, one of the littles still does not enjoy mushrooms at ALL...but I can tell you first hand that the mushrooms in this recipe are easy to pick out. So that mommy can steal them and add them to her share. ;)

Mushroom Barley (Serves 4) 

2 T. Olive Oil
1 Small Onion, diced
1/4 t. Sugar
1 c. mushrooms, chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 t. Salt, divided
1 c. pearl Barley, rinsed
3 c. chicken or veggie stock

1. In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat.

2. Add the onions and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Add the sugar and cook for another 5 minutes or until onions start to caramelize.

4. Remove the onions to a plate and add the mushrooms, garlic and 1/2 tsp salt to the pot. Cook for 3 minutes or until the water from the mushrooms start to evaporate, then remove to a plate and set aside.

5. Add the chicken stock into the same pot and bring to a boil, add the barley, 1/2 tsp salt, reduce to a simmer and cook for 45 minutes or until tender.*

6. Add the onions and mushrooms to the pot to combine and cook until heated through.

7. Serve.

*Cooking in the same pot allows all of the flavors to combine.

Source: www.weelicious.com

Tuna Noodle Casserole II

While this recipe takes a little longer than my Tuna Casserole I, it avoids canned soups as a binder. It uses a roux to hold the ingredients together (I first heard that term just months ago and had NO idea what it meant...but as you'll see it's simple). The original recipe uses tons of mushrooms, which sounds awesome to me..but one of my little guys can't stand mushrooms right now, so I obliged to his tastes (nice mom, huh?), and substituted 2 cups of fresh green beans (chopped in 2 inch pieces). If I'd had frozen peas on hand I would have used those, because peas really just GO with tuna and noodles, don't you think? I omitted the bread crumbs, but still used cheese, which is my topping of choice for WAY too many foods. ;)

Tuna Casserole

·
Ingredients

1 11 medium onion, finely chopped

4 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter (I cut it down to 3)

10 oz mushrooms, trimmed and sliced 1/4 inch thick (I used green beans, you could try other veggies)

2 teaspoons soy sauce

1/4 cup Sherry

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1 cup whole milk

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 (6-oz) can tuna in olive oil, drained (I used tuna in oil, and two cans)

6 oz dried curly egg noodles (preferably Pennsylvania Dutch style; about 3 1/4 cups)

1 1/2 cups coarse fresh bread crumbs (from 3 slices firm white sandwich bread)

4 oz coarsely grated Cheddar (1 cup)

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 375°F. Butter a shallow 2-quart baking dish.Cook onion in 1 1/2 tablespoons butter with a pinch of salt in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately low heat, covered, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Increase heat to moderately high and add mushrooms, then sauté, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms begin to give off liquid, about 2 minutes. Add soy sauce and continue to sauté mushrooms, stirring, until liquid mushrooms give off is evaporated. Add Sherry and boil, stirring occasionally, until evaporated. Remove from heat.

Melt remaining 3 tablespoons butter in a 2- to 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderately low heat and whisk in flour, then cook roux, whisking, 3 minutes. Add broth in a stream, whisking, and bring to a boil, whisking. Whisk in milk and simmer sauce, whisking occasionally, 5 minutes. Stir in mushroom mixture, lemon juice, and salt. Flake tuna into sauce and stir gently. Season sauce with salt and pepper.

Cook noodles in a 5- to 6-quart pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Drain noodles in a colander and return to pot. Add sauce and stir gently to combine. Transfer mixture to baking dish, spreading evenly.

Toss together bread crumbs and cheese in a bowl. Drizzle with oil and toss again, then sprinkle evenly over casserole. Bake until topping is crisp and sauce is bubbling, 20 to 30 minutes.

source: epicuriuos.com