Steak and veggies mix (to use on noodles or pasta)

A basic meat and veggies mix that can easily be added to pasta, noodles, even pizza (flat bread rocks with this). Use what you have, get rid of those 2-3 tiny tomatoes, everything goes!


The trick with this recipe is two-fold.
Cook the foodstuff in batches, and use a non-stick pan for the veggies (and noodles if you're adding noodles).
(You cook the stuff in batches, especially the meat, so you don't cool your wok/pan too quickly.
If the end-result sauce is too thick, just add 1/2 cup water at a time until its to your liking. Here's what the extra thick sauced mix looks like on Kimchi noodles (I added water for the other portions ^_^)

I used the noodles ONLY - NO SEASONINGS!

Ingredients


Beef marinade:

1 tsp granulated sugar
2 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp sesame oil
2 tbsp oyster sauce
2 tbsp mirin (sweet cooking rice seasoning - Kikkoman)
1 tsp sodium reduced soy sauce
dash of pepper (optional)

Final Sauce:

1 dash (1/8 tsp) black pepper
2 tbsp oyster sauce
2 tbsp Mirin (sweet cooking rice seasoning - Kikkoman)
2 tbsp sodium reduced soy sauce
2 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 cup of water

Thickener for final sauce:
1 tbsp cornstarch mix with 1/2 cup cold water

Ingredients:
4-5 tbsp Peanut oil, divided
2-4 tbsp Sesame oil, divided (I use 2 tbsp peanut, 1 sesame oil)
2 cloves minced garlic
1/2 tsp grated fresh ginger root
6 medium mushrooms, sliced evenly
2 1/2 cups of zuchinni, sliced same width as mushrooms (I used 3 small ones)
2 tbsp sesame seeds (optional)
2 lbs blade steak (or whichever cut is on sale)
4 grape tomatoes (or more if you wish) quartered

Directions

This is a many-steps recipes. The results are worth it. You will end up with a large batch of meat and veggies mix that can be added to almost anything.
As usual, prep all your ingredients ahead of time. I have ONE exception to this rule. I slice the steak, prep the marinade, mix in the steak, and as the steak sits and tenderizes, I prep the rest of the goodies.

In a large bowl, prepare the meat marinade as follows:

add 2 tbsp oyster sauce, 2 tbsp mirin, 2 tbsp cornstarch, 1 tsp sugar, pepper, 1 tsp soy sauce.

Mix well, making sure there are no lumps.

Add sliced steak, mix well. If you will cook right away, put it aside on the counter, and give it a stir every once in a while.

Prep final sauce (see ingredients list)
Prep veggies.

In non-stick pan, heat 1 tbsp oil and stir-fry zucchini until its starting to brown around the edges. I used 3 small zuchinnis, and cooked this part in 3 batches.

In hot wok, heat 2 tbsp oil, add garlic and ginger, and stir fry until lightly brown (do not overcook)

Add beef (again work in batches, I did 3 batches for this recipe), adding a bit more oil if needed. Stir fry each batch until browned, returning all beef to wok for on last round of frying. Remove and set aside.

In hot wok, heat 1 tsp of sesame oil, and stir fry mushrooms until soft, about 3 minutes.

Add Zuchinni and tomatoes, stir fry another 2 minutes.

Add beef stir well, and heat it through.

Add sauce mix, bring to a boil.

Add cornstarch thickener, and boil to thicken. Remove from heat.

Add sesame seeds, and stir well.

Serve on bed of noodles (its even better the next day!)

Number of Servings: 9-12

A healthy dessert! Apples, cheese and dill weed.

HEY! don't knock it til you've tried it! This may sound a bit weird, but its actually really good. :)

***This recipe was added to the SparkPeople website which calculates all the nutrional settings for it, you can click on "ladybugcyn" in the left column to be taken to the site***
Here is the direct link to the recipe (its kinda hard to find on there) http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=1562384

A forgiving dessert when one needs crunch and cheese. The Dill Weed adds a slight tang to the whole affair. A lady I knew once had me try apples with cheese. Its been a favorite ever since. In moderation, its even healthy :) Its almost like eating apple sauce in an apple with a bit of cheese on top.

A quick and satisfying dessert. mmmmmmm.....

1 medium apple of your choice (except Granny Smith)- I use Royal Gala


3 tbsp Skim Milk Mozzarella Cheese

Dash Dry Dill Weed.

~*~*~*~*~ 
Slice apple evenly, about 1/4" thick.


Place in a microwave safe plate so that no slices sit atop each other.

Sprinkle with Dill Weed (optional)

Sprinkle cheese evenly over apples

Add another dash of dill weed

(you can add as much dill weed as you like, whatever your preference is).



Cook in microwave for 20 seconds. Check to see if cheese has melted, or is starting to.

Cook in 15 seconds increments until cheese starts to melt and be bubbly (see picture).

Take out, and enjoy.



Please be careful, some of the apples will be piping hot!

This is awesome with a glass of ice cold milk, and I enjoy this little treat when I am missing for that elusive "something" that keeps me from being satisfied, even after a full meal. The crunch of the apple, the sweetness of it, along with the slight saltiness of the cheese and tang of the dill weed always put my tastebuds to rest.

A little update of sorts

So, Friday, I went to see the doc. I'd been waking up with, and getting dizzy spells during the day. I'd been taking my blood sugar (I'm not diabetic but I do have a meter), and it varied, from 4.2-8 (once 10) but it still averaged my normal 5.3. Also for a few months, I've felt "bad", like something was wrong. So, I narrowed it down to either blood sugar, or blood pressure. Since I'm not a doctor, I went to see one. And the results were... well, good and not good. (lol!)

Blood sugar is ok, but since diabetes DOES run in my family, I need to be MUCH more careful.
I have ear congestion, which apparently, can't be "fixed" and is partly the cause for the dizzy spells.
Blood pressure was a little high (Stage 1).

The verdict - I need to lose weight, and more importantly, EXCERCISE!

I'll be VERY honest and candid here... I'm relieved, relieved that its OUT in the OPEN! I'm totally serious. Its like this HUGE weight came off my shoulders, and somehow, someway, I'm more determined than ever to do just that, lose weight and excercise. I believe that the fact that my (beloved) neighbor and I prayed over this helped a great deal. See? I know I'm not going through this alone. I have fantastic friends who are backing me up, who even offered to kick my butt (right Lorna? LOL!) and who actually want to go THROUGH this with me (talk about WOW!) But see, here's the kicker, I'm not alone, never am, because the Lord is walking with me. My Lord Jesus, promised that He would never leave, nor forsake me. So I asked Him for help, for gumption, for ... what is the word.... I need to STICK with this.

Dewey (my dog) is thrilled. (giggle).
He can stand to lose weight too. Too bad I can't walk the cats too (they'd spazz... I know, I tried ;)

So, what does this mean for the blog? Well, nothing but good, the way I see it. You see, this is a journey of a million days, one that I will be on for the rest of my life. I know others out there are struggling, and I plan on taking my new and old recipes and converting them to be as healthy as I know how to make them, and posting them for others to use/share/enjoy.  I will post updates, and maybe even little things I've tried that worked (or did not). I know I'm not alone, but I know I have a big mouth, and I figure, if someone -just ONE- person can benefit from my spreading it out wide in the open, then mission accomplished.

The appointment was Friday. I'd waken up with a nasty NASTY migraine, but I had 4 dogs to puppy sit (2 at each house), and well, a promise is a promise. My friends were not home, and having pets myself, I know what its like to know someone will look in on your babies. When I got home (at last) Friday night, I had a chocolate bar - I KNOW I KNOW! The cool part was, it was so freaking GROSS I will NEVER buy a "processed" bar again (I normally eat ONLY black chocolate (70% or higher). WHY I bought that stupid thing, I don't know. I know this, when I woke up Saturday morning, it was a throw up migraine that greeted me (those are the worst for me). I was soooooo sick (serves me right. I KNOW. I agree!) The pain meds I'd taken the night before kinda did a rebound, and that did NOT help (sigh). So, I set myself up for that one. The meds I take (Cafergot) were NOT working - the migraine was beyond that, and so, in order to take the really expensive meds that REALLY work (Imitrex/zomig and the like), I had to NOT take ANY migraine meds for 36 hours. Meaning, I've been coasting the migraine scene for 1.5 days now, and tomorrow morning, I'll be allowed to take one tablet, if its needed. Lord willing, it will not.

All this to say, I could barely keep anything down today, an apple, then some edamame beans (Japanese baby soy beans that they serve at sushi restaurants. YUM!) I'd made some stir fry yesterday, and didn't want to waste it, (had a full plate left of it). So, I ate it, but I cut it in thirds first.

I surprised my neighbor by asking HER "Wanna go for a walk?" (lol! Poor Elaine, she's been after me for 2 years LOL!) I went twice on Saturday, not long walks, but long enough that I'm short of breath and the dog has done his duty.

So, I'm going to be posting recipes, upgrades, and not all will be "healthy", if you will. I believe you can have everything, in moderation (moderation and sushi do NOT mix in my world - well, not always) ^_^. I will maybe post updates too... I don't know if anyone cares, but I figure, maybe it will help ONE person. Just one.

I refuse to say, I'm on a diet. I hate that word. Its so... depressing. I'm looking at it more like, I'm renovating my eating habits. I hope you'll read on, and keep coming back. I know I write "novels", can't be helped. And if YOU have recipes you'd like to share, by all means, email me (sales(AT)ladybughugs.ca) (change the (AT) for an @). Or msg. me on Facebook. I hope to see you around, and hope someone can somehow post a comment.

I've had it with the crappy days, feeling like being the thing the cat dragged in (after its been run over by a transport truck and then used as bear bait). Tired. I'm tired of being TIRED! Tired of missing out, on SO much! I have complete faith in God, that He will help me through this. That He will kick MY butt if I don't ;) Maybe through this, I can share a bit of my faith with the World at large, so that they too may come to know the One who sent His only Son to die for me, and you, on the cross. Salvation... its so easy to receive it, and its a free gift, no strings attached. Email me, if you want to know more. I won't shove it down anyone's throat however. ^_^

So, ready for the journey? The timing is awesome, my fridge is pretty much empty, its clean (oooooh!) and its almost end of month. Lets get this party started, shall we?

Cyncerly, Cyn

About knives...

I have a knife fetish. I won't lie about it... Apparently, I was wittling at age 4. I don't quite remember it, but I DO remember being very fond of wood... (shrugs).

That being said, do yourself a favor...

Sharpen your knives, properly. There is nothing more dangerous than a dull knife!
I bought a samurai knife sharpener at Canadian Tire, (because I don't know how to use a stone/the other long thingy properly).
When you've sharpened a knife, rinse it under running water, and dry it carefully. This will remove any tiny metal bits that might be stuck on it.
When you wash your knives, wash them last, in warm water, soapy if need be, and rinse them immediately thoroughly, and dry them, very very very well.
When putting your knives in a drawer, try to spread them out. Its better for them to be in a block, or even better, on a magnetic strips which makes for easy reach. If they bang against one another in your drawers - uh, drawer... ahem, they will dull and even dent/chip.
When buying a knife, buy the BEST you can afford. It can be a lifetime investment.
Never buy or give a knife as a gift. Its bad luck. :)

The best knives I've found, that were VERY affordable were made by the Kiwi knives company. Wow those things ROCK! But, they do chip/dent easily if not treated well. You will probably find these in Asian foodstores.

When you are about to buy a knife, wield it, pretend-chop with it, see how it handles. The knife should be an extension of your arm/hand. Not a "tool".

And remember, sharpen ... :) and don't leave in dishwasher otherwise, they'll most likely rust (in fact they should not even GO in dishwasher!)

Cyn

Tips and tricks I've learned...

For the record, I am NOT a (professional) chef, and certainly NO expert.... I've learned things over the years and figured, they save me time, and when I learned these things, it sure wasn't obvious! :) So here they are...

Chopping an onion, without tears..

Take your onion, chop off the top (NOT the root part)
Take a peeling knife and make about 6-8 thin very shallow slits all the way from root to top.
This will make it a snap to remove the dry skin part, and the first thin outer layer.
Take your knife, and cut onion in half, from root to top (not in two) - see pics.
depending how fine of a mince/chop you need, make 1 or 2 more slices, from root to top, on either side of first slice.
turn onion so that the slices you just made are parallel to the counter/cutting board. repeat the slices above.
holding onion by root end firmly, chop "slices" starting at the top, and your onion will fall off your blade, already chopped!
please be careful, and no injury to self! :)

A LAST trick. To avoid crying over spilled onions (or was it milk?) here's a quick trick I've found helps a little bit... rinse your blade (knife), your cutting board, AND the onion (after you've chopped its top off) in cold water. When you are done chopping, rinse ALL utensils/board/plates immediately in cold water. Trust me on this one.

notice how my knife is finishing the first slice.

I'm going for grossly chopped onions. you can actually get pretty finely chopped onions doing it this way.

I've turned the onion, and am starting on the other side.

The onion will have a tendency at this point to kind of separate. so you may want to carefully hold the root end and a little bit of the body with your fingers.



I've left this picture larger, so you can see the actual slices. At this point, you'd start slicing from left to right (top to root) (I'm a lefty) and the picture below would be your result.



TADAAAA!

Migraines? Triggered by foods?

If like me you get migraines that are lovingly triggered by foods, know you are not alone. I've kept track over the years, and analyzed what I ate, especially when I got slammed with a migraine. To my surprise, about 15 years ago, I realized that onions were one of the culprits. Actually, the sulphur, the juice stuff, which is more concentrated in the super thin layers on the inside of the peel is the culprit. bad BAD onion! BAD! BADBADBAD! Why the spazz-out you ask? I like onion sandwhiches, with either red or green onions, with salt. Weird I know. Back to our little discovery... I was heartbroken, when I realized, most of my foodstuffs would have to be made without onions, which I love! So, I read up on things, and researched the net, and when I read the part about the sulphur... it dawned on me. The most concentrated part is the center of the onion. Short of removing the super-thin skin on each layer (which would promptly get anyone committed), how about.... so I tried it. I removed the center rings, and used the outer rings to cook. and the migraines diminished GREATLY, when I ate onions. It won't work ALL the time, but, most of the time is better than nothing no?

I also noticed that if I eat massively processed chocolate (like bars, candy etc.,) I can easily get nailed by a migraine. Problem is, I LOVE chocolate (I love food. nuff said). My favorite is black chocolate. So, again I researched, and lo and behold, there is less added stuff in the black chocolate. So, I decided to try eating ONLY black/dark chocolate, and never mind anything that's below 60% black. (I actually like the 85%... weird I know). and you know what? the only time I get a chocolate triggered migraine, is when I eat the bars/processed ones... Food for thought.

Some foods will give me migraines, BUT, if I behave and not have nasty food for say, a year or whatever, I can pretty much safely have it ONCE and enjoy it oh so thoroughly... without getting slammed. Its different for everyone I'm sure... and maybe there are foods that make you or someone you know react that are fine with me. We're human :) Cheese for the most part does not always bother me (only if I REALLY overdo it and I'm right on the edge here!) I rarely eat the old stuff however, and when I do, its in TINY portions, and I savor it.

Lastly, Pepsi, if consumed in huge amounts, gets me a free migraine! (I used to drink that stuff like tap water!) so now, I occasionaly treat myself to ONE can, and that's it. BUT, I can drink gingerale, no problem. Its weird, and interesting I find, what triggers and does not trigger migraines.

Some people are sensitive to wine (and pork). I don't drink so I would not be able to tell you. As for pork, the ONLY time I eat it, is in wonton soup. I really don't care for it, especially since it does not agree with me. But that is for another day.

Cyncerely, Cyn