Beef and Broccoli

Today is the day I learned to tenderize beef with baking soda (velveting), and oh man does it make a difference!  Velveting is how Chinese restaurants are able to turn cheap cuts of beef into soft tender bites.

The amount of broccoli may seem like too much, but it's really not.

Beef and Broccoli

Ingredients

1 lb beef, such as petite sirloin
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 1/2 cup broccoli (about 2 stalks), cut into florets, and stalks cut into small pieces
Toasted sesame seeds, for garnish

Sauce
1 tsp fresh ginger, grated (loosely packed)
2 tsp garlic, grated (from 3 cloves)
1/2 cup hot water
6 Tbsp low sodium soy sauce, (or GF Tamari)
3 Tbsp packed light brown sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp corn starch
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 Tbsp sesame oil

Directions

Cut beef into thin, bite sized slices.  In a bowl, mix with baking soda.  Let sit for 45 minutes in refrigerator.

Meanwhile, mix sauce ingredients and set aside.

Rinse beef well to remove baking soda: Add cold water to the bowl and agitate well, then drain in a strainer and repeat, until the slick baking soda texture is gone. Dry well, patting dry with a towel. Lightly season beef with salt and pepper and set aside.

Place a large skillet over medium heat and add 1 Tbsp oil. Add broccoli florets and sauté 4-5 minutes, partially covered with lid, stirring or tossing several times until broccoli is bright green and crisp-tender then remove from pan. Tip: If you prefer softer broccoli, add 2 Tbsp water before covering with the lid and it will steam cook the broccoli.

Increase heat to high heat and add 1 Tbsp oil. Add beef in a single layer and sauté 2 minutes per side or just until cooked through. Quickly pull out a piece to test for doneness.

Add the sauce, reduce heat to medium/low and simmer 3-4 minutes. It will thicken. Add broccoli and stir to combine. Stir in 1-2 Tbsp water to thin the sauce if desired. Top with sesame seeds. Serve over white rice.

Original link:

https://natashaskitchen.com/beef-and-broccoli/

Summer Shrimp Bowls

This dish came together quite nicely. It was light, yet full of nutritious ingredients. Perfect for summer. They're like yum bowls, but better.

Once again I was playing around with a couple of different recipes, and I really like how it all turned out.

The shrimp is a nice touch, but also unnecessary in a pinch. They are hardly the star of the show.

If you can, try to mix the sauce early in the day so the garlic flavor has time to settle.

For the brown rice, I first sauteed the rice in butter until brown before cooking.

Summer Shrimp Bowls

Ingredients

Garlic Cilantro Lime Sauce

1/4 cup oil
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1/2 cup cilantro leaves
3 cloves garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
juice of 2 limes
1/2 cup sour cream or full-fat Greek yogurt
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 tsp coriander


Shrimp

16-20 shrimp

1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp sea salt
dash of cayenne


Bowl base

1 1/2 cup brown rice, cooked according to package directions
Black beans, cooked in garlic and onion (if using canned, use garlic and onion powder and other spices to taste)
Pico de gallo
Shredded cabbage, mixed with some of the garlic cilantro lime sauce above to make a slaw


Additional optional ingredients

Avocado
Cilantro, roughly chopped
Green onion, sliced
Shredded cheddar cheese
Sour cream

Directions

Garlic Cilantro Lime Sauce

Mix ingredients in a food processor until well blended.  If you do not have a food processor, use a mortar/pestle or other similar method to crush the cilantro, green onion, and garlic before mixing with the remaining ingredients. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Shrimp

Heat oil in a heavy bottom pan on medium to medium high heat until shiny. Mix together shrimp seasonings in small bowl. Add shrimp to the pan and top with mixed seasonings (you may still have some seasoning leftover). Cook for 6-8 minutes until shrimp are fully cooked through. Set aside.

Bowls

In each bowl add a large scoop of brown rice.  On top of the rice, in separate quadrants, add black beans, pico de gallo, and cabbage slaw.  Top with shrimp.

Lay out optional ingredients on the table, including additional garlic cilantro lime sauce, to be added to taste.