Chicken Stir Fry with Mixed Vegetables

 

I used frozen prepared vegetables for this.  Very convenient.  I don't have a long story to scroll past.  That's my story.  I'm done now.  My recipe follows.

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs chicken tenders, chopped into bite-sized pieces
• 7 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 1-1/2 pounds frozen mixed vegetables
• 1/4 cup oyster sauce
• 1 Tablespoon sesame oil
• 1Tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
• olive oil for cooking
  

Instructions:

1. Prepare ingredients as listed above (chop).
2. Heat pan.  Add olive oil, garlic, onions. Stir fry until fragrant.
3. Add frozen mixed vegetables. Stir fry until defrosted. Remove from pan and set aside.
4. Add olive oil to pan.  Add chicken.  Stir fry until no pink is left.
5. Add vegetables back in pan and stir so chicken is evenly distributed.
6. Add oyster sauce, sesame oil, and sesame seeds. Stir to combine flavors well.
7. Enjoy!

IG: @abundanceofvegetables
IG post of this video: Chicken Stir Fry with Mixed Vegetables (sped up for IG)
YouTube post of this video:  Chicken Stir Fry with Mixed Vegetables (full video with captions) 

Fried Rice with Bacon and an Abundance of Vegetables

This is one of those dishes where you clean out your fridge and use whatever you have on hand.  I do that a lot and included an entire bag of frozen vegetables.  Frozen vegetables are not my favorite, but I purchased it about a month ago in anticipation of the possibility of food being scarce, due to covid-19.  Certain store shelves (paper goods) have been cleared, but I'm glad food is not scarce.  Here's how my dish was made.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 package bacon, chopped
• 1/2 block tofu, chopped into cubes
• 3 cups pak choy, chopped
• 2 heaping spoonfuls minced garlic
• 2 cups chopped celery
• 1 bag frozen mixed veggies
• 1/4 c oyster sauce
• 1 Tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 Tablespoon hot chili oil
• 1 cup cooked brown rice (it was a little less than one cup)
• 1/2 cup chopped green onions.

Instructions:

1. Prepare ingredients as described above (chop, mince).
2. Stir fry bacon until cooked.
3. Add garlic, celery, pak choy, mixed veggies, tofu, soy sauce, sesame oil, hot chili oil. 
4. Stir fry.
5. Add rice and stir fry, mixing well.
6. Add green onions.  Mix well.
7. Enjoy.

IG: @abundanceofvegetables
IG post of this video: Fried Rice with Bacon and an Abundance of Vegetables (short clip, sped up for IG)
YouTube post of this video: Fried Rice with Bacon and an Abundance of Vegetables (full video with captions) 

Pinakbet (Filipino Vegetable Medley with Pork)

When I was younger, we'd have pinakbet for dinner from time to time.  The simplest way for me to describe pinakbet is a medley of vegetables and pork, simmered in a fish broth.

It always had bittermelon in the mix.  I felt like the bitterness always seeped through to the other vegetables. I hated bitter melon, so didn't like pinakbet. 

As I grew older, I became more open to new flavors and health benefits of various foods.  I learned that both the bitter melon leaves and fruit had health benefits for a variety of ailments.  I don't exactly know what the benefits are, but a quick internet search will return a lot of results.

I actually tried bitter melon tea and will eat a piece or two if it's already in the pinakbet.  But ultimately, it will never be my favorite.

Anyway, here is the recipe for my version.  I didn't add any bitter melon and it was delicious!

Ingredients:

• 1 kabatiti (gourd), peeled and sliced
• 1 eggplant, cut into 3-inch segments
• 10 long beans, cut into 3-inch pieces
• 4 small tomatoes, cut into wedges
• 1 cup water
• 1/4 cup patis (fish sauce)
• 5 cloves roasted garlic
• 1/4 large onion, sliced
• 3 ounces chicharron, sliced

Instructions:

1. Prepare ingredients as indicated above (i.e. slice, cut, etc.)
2. Bring water and patis to a boil.
3. Add everything else, except the chicharron.
4. Cover and let simmer until vegetables cooked through (about 15 minutes), stirring halfway through.
5. Add chicharron.
6. Cover and let simmer to let the flavors mingle together (about 5 minutes), stirring halfway through.
7. Serve.

IG: @abundanceofvegetables
IG post of this video: Pinakbet

Brussels Sprouts with Caramelized Onions and Parmesan Cheese

I recently saw someone post a picture on Instagram of brussels sprouts with caramelized onions and wanted to try something like that.  This experiment was quick, easy, and delicious and I had all the ingredients on hand.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons garlic, minced
• 1/2 large onion, sliced
• 4 cups brussels sprouts, rinsed and trimmed
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Instructions:

1. Prepare ingredients as described above (trim, slice, etc.)
2. Melt butter in large saucepan.
3. Add garlic. Stir until fragrant.
4. Add Brussels sprouts.
5. Add onions.  
6. Stir.
7. Cover and let cook for about 3 minutes.
8. Add Parmesan cheese.  
9. Stir, cover, and let cook for 3 more minutes or until tender.
10. Serve.

IG: @abundanceofvegetables
IG post of this video: Brussels Sprouts with Caramelized Onions and Parmesan Cheese 

Tomato Onion Salad with Balsamic Dressing

Tomato Onion Salad with Balsamic Dressing

Mmm, this was tasty.

I bought a box of tomatoes in bulk for a stuffed tomatoes recipe.  I didn't stuff all of them and had a couple left.  I didn't want to let them go to waste so I thought of this.  It's like a bruschetta without the bread and garlic.  But of course you can have it on bread rubbed with garlic if you prefer.  I'm sure it would be absolutely delicious.

I have also tried this recipe with cherry tomatoes and it's just as good.

Do you like the shibori tea towel under my dish? You can get one too. Visit Sandy Feet Hawaii on Instagram @sandyfeethawaii for details on where you can purchase.

Ingredients:

• 2 beefsteak tomatoes, chopped
• 1 small onion, sliced
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 Tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated
• 2 Tbsp parsley, chopped
• 1 dash of ground black pepper

Instructions:

1.  Prep all ingredients as described above (chop, slice, grate).
2.  Combine all ingredients and toss well.
3.  Serve. 😋

IG: @abundanceofvegetables

IG post of this video: Tomato Onion Salad with Balsamic Dressing

Chicken and vegetables stir fry

Chicken and vegetables stir fry

I would’ve liked this dish with more broccoli, but that’s all I had left.

I love ingredients that make weeknight cooking more quick and convenient.  Pre-cut, pre-rinsed broccoli florets, pre-frozen, portions of chicken, and pre-chopped garlic are so convenient.

As far as garlic goes, I personally prefer the flavor and aroma of fresh garlic and I like a lot of it.  It's not hard to prepare it, but sometimes I would just rather take the shortcut of pre-chopped, preserved garlic to save some time.  I get it in bulk because it's just cheaper if you use a lot of garlic.  The brand of garlic I used in this recipe was Kirkland Signature, the one from Costco.
  
My measurements are approximate.  I usually "eyeball" it and taste if it needs more of anything.

Ingredients:

• 4 chicken tenders, defrosted and sliced
• 4 carrots, chopped into matchsticks
• 2 cups broccoli florets
• 1 cup bell peppers, chopped
• 2 Tablespoons garlic, minced
• 2 Tablespoons onions, chopped
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 2 Tablespoons oyster sauce
• 1 Tablespoon Sesame oil
• Dash of Sesame seeds

Instructions:

1.  Prep all ingredients as described above (chop, mince, measure).
2.  Heat large pan.
3.  Add olive oil.
4.  Add garlic.  Cook and stir fry until fragrant.
5.  Add chicken. Stir fry making sure there is no pink left. Remove chicken from pan.
6.  Add onions, carrots, broccoli, bell peppers. Cover and let cook until color brightens, about 5 minutes.
7.  Add oyster sauce and stir well.
8.  Add chicken back to pan and stir well.
9.  Add sesame oil and stir well.
10.  Garnish with a sprinkle of sesame seeds.

IG: @abundanceofvegetables

IG post of this video: Chicken & Vegetables Stir Fry

Veggie Skull Platter

The inspiration for this platter came from a post I saw on Pinterest while browsing through Halloween themed food.

The original post was made on a blog by Kristi who is a vegan mom.  Her websites are https://www.therightonmom.com/ and mommyonthemoney.com.

I have to say that I am not a vegan and don’t intend to become one in the future. But I like to view vegan and vegetarian content for inspiration to keep vegetables exciting. I recently wrote a post  about why I try to eat more vegetables.  You can read it here: Inspiration

I went to the grocery store to purchase a variety of vegetables for my platter.  The most important thing was the cauliflower, which is the star of the platter. I got a head of cauliflower, baby carrots, broccoli, tomatoes, and peppers.

I rinsed all the vegetables and got them ready to assemble.  I needed to see the picture again and did an internet search for "skull vegetable platter".  I found out that Kristi actually had step-by-step instructions on how to put the cauliflower skull together. Wonderful! But she used two heads of cauliflower and I only bought one.  So I winged it!

Here is the link to Kristi's page for the Halloween Veggie Platter - Cauliflower Skull tutorial with step-by-step pictures and instructions: https://www.therightonmom.com/2013/10/halloween-veggie-platter-cauliflower.html

Kristi's original looks amazing! My version doesn't compare.  Thank you for the great idea!

IG: @abundanceofvegetables

IG post of the video for my version: Veggie Skull Platter

Pictured above and below are my version.

Cucumber Avocado Tomato Salad

Cucumber Avocado Tomato Salad

I first tried this salad at a cooking class that I took in Puerto Rico.  I don't know if it's necessarily a Puerto Rican salad or if our instructor just put some things together that were in season.

I booked the cooking class through Airbnb. It was hosted by a woman named Nivea, who met us at the local market called Plaza del Mercado de Santurce.

She gave us some history of how this market became the meeting place for the people of the area, provided an extensive explanation of the different fruits and vegetables, and treated us to some frozen Puerto Rican limber treats. 

She took us back to her apartment, where she showed us how to make this fresh cucumber, avocado, tomato salad, chicken with beans and pumpkin stew, and tostones with a mayo ketchup pique sauce. Everything was delicious. 

Nivea served dessert, which was espresso and preserved sweetened papaya with a fresh local goat cheese crumble. The cheese was yummy, but the papaya was way to sweet for my taste.

Overall, I would recommend this tour. We had a great time and it was an authentic experience.

If you're interested, here's the link to the class I took: Farmer's Market & Cooking With Nivea 

Ingredients:

2 Cups of Tomatoes

1 Cucumber

1 Avocado

Olive Oil (to taste)

Ground Pepper (to taste)

Salt (to taste)

2 Tablespoons Fresh Parsley

Instructions:

1) Chop tomatoes, cucumber, and avocado into bite size pieces. Toss.

2) Add olive oil, ground pepper, salt to taste. Toss.

3) Chop Parsley and toss. Toss.

4) Serve.

IG: @abundanceofvegetables

IG post of this video: Cucumber Avocado Tomato Salad

Dehydrated Flaxmeal Crackers

Dehydrated Flaxmeal Crackers

Both of my parents and all of my grandparents have high blood pressure.  It is hereditary and I have this issue myself.  Before trying medication, I asked my doctor, who is a Naturopathic physician, to recommended things that I could change with my diet and lifestyle.  I used to smoke cigarettes and quit so that was one less thing to worry about.  

Amongst other things, my doctor recommended that I have a couple tablespoons worth of flax meal daily as it helps regulate blood pressure.  I was told that having the meal is better than the whole seeds. This allows your body to better absorb the nutrients.

A couple of ways to have flaxmeal are to sprinkle it over your food or put it in your smoothie.  I wasn't drinking many smoothies, so that didn't work for me.  I tried sprinkling it over my food, but that made it feel like I was eating saw dust.

That's when I thought of crackers.  This idea is not new.  It has been around for a long time.  So when I did an internet search, it returned many different versions.  I liked this one the best.

You can also modify this recipe by adding other seeds such as chia, substituting nutritional yeast for the Parmesan or adding in some additional spices. Create a variation that suits you.

Ingredients:
1 cup Flaxmeal
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 teaspoons Garlic powder
1 dash of Dried parsley
1/2 cup Water

Instructions:
1) Mix dry ingredients well
2) Add water and mix well
3) Set a sheet of plastic wrap on your workspace
4) Place a few spoonfuls of mixture on the plastic wrap and cover with another sheet of plastic wrap.  This helps when transferring the cracker mix to your dehydrator. Work in small batches, it's easier to manage.
5) Dehydrate at 115 degrees for about 18 hours or until dry and crispy.

IG: @abundanceofvegetables
IG post of this video: Dehydrated Flaxmeal Crackers

Air Fried Ranch Panko Chicken Tenders

This is my most popular cooking video to date. As I am typing, my post of this video on my Instagram account is at 3,438 views.

Air Fried Ranch Panko Chicken Tenders

Ingredients:
Chicken tenders
Ranch dressing
Panko (japanese breadcrumbs)
Avocado oil spray

Instructions:
1) Defrost the desired amount of chicken tenderloins.
2) Toss chicken in ranch dressing.
3) Pour panko into a pan.
4) Roll ranch coated chicken in panko.
5) Arrange panko rolled chicken into air fryer pan, making sure not to overlap for even cooking.
6) Cook at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.

IG: @abundanceofvegetables
IG post of this video: Air Fried Ranch Panko Chicken Tenders

My Inspiration for Abundance of Vegetables

Updated: May 2024

I enjoy food and being creative with it. I am NOT a cooking professional. I do it for fun and love sharing my joy for it.

I started my focus on eating an abundance of vegetables in mid 2019 after a recommendation by my doctor, who is a Naturopathic physician.

I had an alarming triglyceride cholesterol reading over 200 points. It was 217 to be exact.  To give you some perspective, the normal healthy level should be a reading of 150 or less. My Dr. recommended that I eat an abundance of vegetables with some protein, avoid processed foods, gluten, dairy and alcohol. I didn't completely follow the rules, but I did make a conscious effort to increase my vegetable intake. A month later, my cholesterol was normal. 

Although my cholesterol readings have fluctuated up and down over the years, I am happy to report that as of May 4, 2024, I no longer have to medication to regulate it. Yay!

I have taken the following hands-on cooking classes:

• Farmer's Market & Cooking with Nivea - Santurce, Puerto Rico
• Tostones
• Adobo chicken and beans
• Cucumber, avocado, tomato salad
• Candied papaya with goat cheese
• House of Taste Cooking School - Bangkok, Thailand
• Pad thai with shrimp
• Thai chicken salad
• Green coconut curry with chicken
• Mango with sticky rice
• Culinary Institute of the Pacific - Honolulu, Hawaii (Seed to Table course)
• Kale smoothie
• Pesto with pasta and grilled chicken
• Salad with pears, cheese and toasted walnuts 

 I have attended the following cooking demonstrations:

• McCully Shopping Center Test Kitchen - Honolulu, Hawaii
• Scone making demonstration with baker Pieter Vliet, Ohia Bakery, LLC

• New Orleans School of Cooking - New Orleans, Louisiana
  
• Cooking demonstration with Ms. Harriett
• Gumbo
• Chicken Creole
• Pralines
• Abita Amber lager (this was not prepared for us, but served along side the meal)
  

   I have completed the following academic courses:

• National Nutrition Certification Program, Utah State University 

So much fun! I love!

May and July 2019 - My cholesterol is out of control.

Update - December 2019: My cholesterol is elevated again. 😐👊  Perhaps this is due to all the holiday gorging and drinking, etc.  I need to try harder, I know.

 Update - January 2020.  Triglycerides elevated.

Update - February 2020: My cholesterol is back to normal.  I have been taking a red rice yeast supplement.

 

Update - September 2020: My overall cholesterol is good at 176.  However, my triglycerides are elevated.  I don’t normally eat a lot of sweets or fruits and had issues with this before. My doctor thinks it’s because it’s hereditary and prescribed a high quality fish oil supplement to assist me with this.

Update - October 2020: My overall cholesterol is excellent at 169.  Additionally, my triglycerides, HDL, LDL , and non-HDL are all in check and in healthy ranges.  Fuck yah!  I've had a horrible October, but at least I have some good news now here. 👌

 

Update - April 2021: My overall cholesterol is still excellent at 157. Fantastic!

  

 

 

Update - November 2021: Triglycerides elevated.  Dr. increased my fish oil supplement.

 

Update - January 2022: All within normal levels.  LDL is right at the border, but my Dr. is okay with keeping my medications as is.

 

 

 Update - June 2022: All within normal levels. 

 

 

Update - March 2024: My triglycerides are fantastically low.  My doctor recommended to reduce my cholesterol medication by half and revisit in a month.

 

Update May 2024: Looks good.  My doctor has recommended for me to stop my cholesterol medication.  Yay! Success!

IG: @abundanceofvegetables 

YouTube: www.youtube.com/@AbundanceOfVegetables