Fried Rice

I love fried rice, but sadly can't eat it from take away anymore since I doubt they have a gluten free option, SO I make my own. I have combined two of my fave recipes to one I like. You could call this leftover rice, since it's best made with day old rice, meats and with frozen veggies it comes together quickly. I have been making this for a while now and meant to blog it, so after I made this for dinner tonight, I sat my butt down and wrote this for you. (these photos are from last July!! I've been hiding this recipe from you all since then. lol)


Fried Rice
adapted from Cooking with Kai and Steamy Kitchen

4 Cups cooked leftover rice
1/4 lb thinly sliced or diced raw meat/shrimp/tofu/spam (or use cooked leftovers)
1/4 Cup veggies (frozen peas and carrots)
3 eggs, lightly beaten
2 Tbl cooking oil
3 green onions, sliced for garnish

Sauce
3 Tbl low sodium tamari (soy sauce)
1 tsp sesame oil
2 tsp shaoxing rice wine
2 tsp fish sauce
1 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp sugar (optional)

Combine all sauce ingredients, set aside. Add oil to a large hot skillet, cook meat for 2-3 minutes (you could add a little bit of sauce while cooking the meat). Remove from pan and set aside. Add eggs and scramble for about 1 minute. Add in rice, meat and veggies allow to heat through.
Add in the sauce ingredients, allow to heat through. Garnish with green onions.

spam fried rice

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Veggie & Pear Spring Rolls with a Spicy Peanut Butter Dipping Sauce

Here's a great healthy alternative to a sandwich for lunch, veggie spring rolls! Since you make them at home, you can add whatever kind of veggies, and even meat (shrimp) you like. The amounts needed are to your liking, each roll will use a good pinch of pretty much each ingredient. These were delicious, I loved all the flavors together. I love cilantro and the sweetness of the pears with the saltiness of the peanut butter sauce was great.


Veggie & Pear Spring Rolls with Spicy Peanut Sauce
from Spoonful of Sugar Free

Rice Paper Spring Roll Wrappers (found in the ethnic aisle of your grocery store, specialty foods stores, or at Asian markets)
Cabbage slaw mix (I used broccoli slaw)
Carrots, grated or peeled into ribbons
Thinly sliced Fruit (such as mango or pear)
Avocado, thinly sliced
Bean Sprouts
Fresh herbs: cilantro, basil, or mint

Prepare your filling ingredients by thinly slicing, or julienning, the vegetables. Pluck the herb’s leaves.
Fill a shallow pie dish with warm water. Take a Rice Paper and dip the entire sheet into the bowl of water and pull out once it softens.
Place your ingredients on the middle of the rice paper sheet. Put a good amount (good pinch) of the filling in, but make sure there are still a couple inches around the edges to roll.
Fold the top part of the Rice Paper sheet over the ingredients.
Fold the sides over the middle.
Tuck in the fillings, and roll the rest tightly.
Seal the rice paper with a dab of water, if needed. Slice in half and enjoy with a little sauce on it.

Spicy Peanut Sauce
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
2 TBL water
1 Tablespoon Tamari (or Soy Sauce if not gluten free)
1 Tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tsp Sambal Oelek or Sriracha hot chili sauce

Whisk together all ingredients until well-combined and serve as dipping sauce.

lots of assorted veggies with pears {and spicy peanut sauce}

Allow the wrappers to sit in some warm water to soften, just takes a few seconds.

Lay the wrapper on a plate and fill with veggies, then roll up like a burrito/egg roll. I lay mine on plastic wrap so they don't stick to the plate and tear.

enjoy!

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PW's Best Lasagna Ever

I forget how many lasagna recipes I have on my blog, but THIS one will be my go to for now on. I found it at The Pioneer Woman's blog and made one for the family and a smaller portion of their's gluten free for myself. I used a rotelle pasta and sort of layered it in a small baking dish. The flavors were so good and smoky and I liked the cottage cheese in it. That was something new to try for myself, I always use ricotta. It was great!


PW's Best Lasagna Ever
slightly adapted

1-1/2 pound 80/20 Ground Beef
1 pound Hot Breakfast Sausage (Jimmy Dean)
2 cloves Garlic, Minced
3 cans (14 oz ea)Diced Fire Roasted Tomatoes
12 Ounces Tomato Paste
2 Tablespoons Dried Parsley
2 Tablespoons Dried Basil
1 teaspoon Salt
3 cups Lowfat Cottage Cheese
2 whole Beaten Eggs
1/2 cup Grated (shaker can) Parmesan Cheese
2 Tablespoons Dried Parsley
1 teaspoon Salt
1 pound Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
1 package (10 Ounce) Lasagna Noodles (or gluten free pasta)

For directions, click here. I also drained all the grease from the meat.


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Snickerdoodle Cookie Bars

 

Your favorite cookie, in bar form! These are the kind of dessert/treat you can whip up really quick, you probably have all the ingredients on hand too. Snickerdoodle cookies are popular around this home, but I thought I'd try these when I saw them. From what I could smell and from what I heard, these were really goooooood!


Snickerdoodle Cookie Bars
adapted from Betty Crocker

2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla

Cinnamon Filling
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon

Glaze
1 cup powdered sugar
1 to 2 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla



Heat oven to 350° F. Spray or grease bottom only of a 13x9-inch baking pan with cooking spray, line with parchment paper (for easy removal).
In small bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon; set aside.

In a large mixer, beat butter on high speed until creamy. Beat in sugars. Gradually beat in eggs and vanilla into sugar mixture until combined. On low speed, beat in dry ingredients until combined.

Spoon half the batter into pan; spread evenly. Sprinkle cinnamon-sugar mixture evenly over batter.
Dollop teaspoon size amounts of remaining batter evenly over cinnamon-sugar mixture.

Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely, about 1 hour.

In small bowl, stir glaze ingredients until smooth and thin enough to drizzle. Remove cooled bars from pan using the parchment paper as handles, cut into desired bars (I cut mine into 12). Drizzle glaze over bars, allow to dry a little before serving.




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Asparagus Mushroom and Swiss Egg White Omelet

I saw this idea for breakfast in an ad for a bagel shop, so I thought I'd ditch the bagel for a healthier (for me) option. I love the flavors of this and omelets are a great way to eat your veggies in the morning. Yum!


Asparagus Mushroom and Swiss Egg White Omelet
serves 1

2 asparagus spears, sliced, steamed or sauteed
3 Tbl mushrooms, sliced, sauteed
oil, butter or spray (maybe 2 tsp for sauteing)
2 Tbl light swiss cheese, shredded
3 egg whites, mixed up
salt and pepper to taste

In a medium skillet, saute asparagus in a little oil, butter or spray (or steam in a little water) until just tender. Set aside. Add mushrooms and a little spray, oil or butter and saute mushrooms until tender and golden. Set aside.
In the same skillet on low heat, spray pan and add egg whites, season with salt and pepper. Once the egg starts to set, add the veggies and cheese. Once cheese is lightly melted, it's ready to serve.




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enjoy,