Three Tasty Recipes

I can't recall if I mentioned it or not, but I have lost nearly 15 pounds. In honor of my success, I thought I'd share some recipes that I've come up with in the last three weeks.

Veggie "Stir-Fry"
2 Tb olive oil
2 cups onion, sliced in thin strips
1 cup carrot, julienned
1 cup red bell pepper, sliced in thin strips
1 Tb water
4 Tb soy sauce, divided
4 cups broccoli florets
5 cups mushrooms, sliced
6 cups spinach, chopped (the leafy green parts of bok choy or napa cabbage work well in this too)
3 cloves garlic, pressed
1 tsp fresh ginger puree

Add oil, onion, and carrots to pan. Cook until onion starts to soften, add red bell pepper. Cook until carrots are somewhat soft. Using slotted spoon, remove vegetables from pan and place in a covered container so that they can steam a little bit. Add water, 1 Tb soy sauce, and broccoli to pan. Cover, allowing the broccoli to steam. Using slotted spoon, remove broccoli from pan when it is tender and add to the covered container with the other cooked vegetables. Add remaining 3 Tb of soy sauce, mushrooms, and spinach (or other greens) to pan. Turn heat to high and toss mushrooms & spinach well. After the spinach & mushrooms have reduced by nearly half, add garlic & ginger to pan. When mushrooms are tender, add all of the cooked vegetables back to the pan and toss well with a sprinkling of crushed red pepper flakes.


Ground Beef "Stir-Fry"
1 lb. 4% ground beef
2 Tb olive oil, divided
4 Tb soy sauce, divided
1 medium onion, sliced in thin strips
1 cup red bell pepper, sliced in thin strips
2 cups shredded carrots
1 Tb water
2 cups broccoli florets
4 cups spinach, chopped (the leafy green parts of bok choy or napa cabbage work well in this too)
3 garlic cloves, pressed
1 tsp fresh ginger puree

Brown ground beef in pan until no longer pink. Drain grease off meat - there won't be very much. Add 1 Tb olive oil, 1 Tb soy sauce, onion, and red bell pepper to pan. When onion softens, add shredded carrots. Cook until red bell pepper is somewhat soft. Using slotted spoon, remove from pan to a covered container so they can steam a little bit. Add 1 Tb soy sauce, water, and broccoli to pan. Using slotted spoon, remove from pan to covered container when broccoli is tender. Add remaining olive oil, soy sauce, and spinach to pan. When spinach has reduced by half, add garlic & ginger. When garlic is fragrant, add meat and other vegetables back to the pan and toss well with a sprinkling of crushed red pepper flakes.


Pasta Sauce (a chunky-textured sauce for whole wheat pasta, of course!)
1 lb 4% ground beef
2 Tb olive oil
1 cup red bell pepper, chopped
1 1/2 cups onion, chopped
2 cups zucchini, sliced as rounds
1 head of garlic, minced or pressed
2 cups shredded carrots
2 cans diced tomatoes
4 cups spinach, chopped
3/4 can of water
Seasonings: oregano, salt, pepper, crushed red pepper flakes

Brown ground beef in pan until no longer pink. Drain grease off meat - there won't be very much. Add olive oil, red bell pepper, and onion to pan and cook until onion softens. Add zucchini and cook a few minutes longer. Add garlic and carrots and cook for a couple more minutes. Add tomatoes, spinach, water, and seasonings. Turn heat to high and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally for about 30 minutes or so.