A New Twist On A Chinese Classic

A New Twist On A Chinese Classic

So, we had a repeat of Chinese "Make-In" the other night. Dusty had sweet and sour chicken with steamed rice. I had picked up a cabbage to make Chinese veggies with, but completely forgot to prepare it.

So, I took down some of the frozen veggies I had left in the freezer and made a medley with them. I have to say, they were fabulous! Tangy, thanks to the Teriyaki sauce, sauteed with a tad bit of almond oil, and topped off with a little sweet and sour sauce when it was time to eat!

Give this Southern-style mix of veggies a try with your next Chinese "Make-In" dinner one night soon:

A Twist on Chinese Veggies

• Combine 1/2 c of frozen green beans and black eyed peas, 1/4 c of frozen peppers and onions, a good handful or two of shredded carrots, and bring to a boil. You want to make sure you boil them long enough to help them soften up.
  
• Heat a small saute pan over high heat with 1/4 tsp almond oil in it. Once the oil has heated, move the pan around a little so that it coats the entire pan. Reduce the heat to low or med-low.
• Strain your vegetables and transfer to the saute pan.
• Cover with a cap full of Teriyaki sauce (again, a little bit goes a long way because this is loaded with sodium).
• Saute for 5-10 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft and have had time to simmer with Teriyaki sauce.
• Add a small spoonful of your Sweet and Sour Sauce just before you take your first bite for added flavor.

This is a great way to enjoy Chinese style veggies without added fats or sodium. By using 1/4 tsp almond oil you save added fats, and by using the cap of the Teriyaki bottle to add it in, you reduce the amount of sodium.

Feel free to use this cooking method with the typical vegetables found in Chinese restaurants such as cabbage, carrots, broccoli, water chestnuts, and more.

Always remember, you can have fun, eat great, and stay healthy all at the same time! :)