Obesity’s Answer

I’m in heaven!!  These are WONderful!

1/4 cup water
1 tbsp ginger root, minced
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups celery, minced
1 cup bamboo shoots, minced
1 cup water chestnuts, minced
1/2 cup shiitake mushrooms, minced
1/2 cup button mushrooms, minced
3 cups cabbage, finely sliced
1 cup onion greens, minced
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp rice wine
1 tbsp honey
24 egg roll skins (rice paper)
small bowl of water
2 tbsp dark sesame oil

1.  The key to doing Chinese cooking well, is to prepare all the ingredients ahead of time.  Don’t even THINK about starting to cook until all the veggies are chopped up and ready in small bowls.
2.  Heat 1/4 c water in wok.  Add ginger root, garlic, celery, water chestnuts and bamboo shoots.  Stir fry for about 3 to 4 minutes.  Add mushrooms, cabbage and chives. Stir fry until vegetables are tender, about another 3 to 4 minutes.
3.  Remove from heat.  Add soy sauce, rice wine and honey to the wok.  Toss well.  Place veggies in colander over a bowl to drain and save the liquid.  Allow to cool about 10 minutes in the colander.
4.  Stack egg roll skins on a flat surface in front of you so that it looks like a diamond.  Have a small bowl of water ready.  Spoon 1/4 cup of drained
filling into the center of each  rice paper wrapper.  Brush edges lightly with
water.  Fold side corners to center, covering filling.  Bring bottom
corner to center of fold, tuck under slightly and continue to roll
into a cylinder. Seal top corner by moistening slightly and pressing
down.  The egg rolls may be frozen at this stage for later use.
5.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Before cooking, brush surface lightly with sesame oil.  Bake, seam side down, on a nonstick baking sheet until golden and crispy, about 20 minutes. Serve immediately.

Cherry Sauce to use as a dip or sauce for Baked Egg Rolls (just a very little bit for the diabetics, please)

1 cup  pitted bing cherries, frozen
1/4 cup honey

1.  Defrost cherries. 
2.  Blend together in a food processor or blender until smooth.

Makes 8 Servings

8 chicken breast halves, skin removed
8 oz sliced water chestnuts
1 large red bell pepper, sliced
3/4 cup stir-fry or teriyaki sauce
1/4 cup finely chopped green onion
4 strips fresh orange peel
1 tsp. fresh grated ginger
cashews

1.  Mix all ingredients except cashews in slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6 to 7 hours. 

2.  Carefully lift chicken out onto serving platter with slotted spoon. Top with sauce and veggies.  Sprinkle with nuts.

4 cup homemade chicken broth (remember, NO MSG!)
salt to taste (depending on how much is already in the chicken broth)
1/2 tsp honey
1/2 cup water chestnuts, diced
1 tsp arrowroot
1 egg
1/4 cup chives, chopped for garnish

1.  In a medium saucepan, add broth, salt, honey and water chestnuts.  Bring broth to a boil over medium heat.  Take out a tablespoon of the broth into a small cup, mix in the arrowroot until it is creamy in consistency, then return it to the saucepan, stirring constantly until the broth is slightly thickened, just a few minutes.
2.  In a separate bowl, beat the egg until frothy.
3.  Remove the broth from heat.  Add in the egg VERY slowly, drop by drop, stirring constantly.
4.  Top with chives and serve hot!

*gluten-free

Makes 5 generous servings

1 1/2 cups brown rice
3 3/4 cups water

3 pounds boneless chicken thighs (about 10)
2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1/4 cup soy sauce (gluten-free brand if you need it)
2 tbsp ginger root, peeled and grated
1/4 tsp Chinese 5 Spice* (see note below)
1 tbsp minced garlic

1 bok choy, sliced (separate in two bowls, one for the fleshy thich pieces and the other for the mostly leafy sections)
2 8oz cans of sliced water chestnuts
8 oz fresh mushrooms, sliced
2 cups green beans, cut in 1-2″ sections, fresh or frozen
2 cups bean sprouts
2 tbsp coconut oil (or sesame oil if you wish a stronger Chinese flavor)
2 tbsp arrow root

1. Start the brown rice first.  Combine brown rice and pot.  Heat on high until it starts to boil, stir, cover and simmer on low heat for about 45 minutes.  By the time it�s done, the rest of the meal will be close to ready too.
2. The trick to Chinese cooking is getting all the parts and pieces ready ahead of time.  Yes, this requires using several bowls.  Next work with the chicken.  Slice the chicken thighs in long strips cross grain (horizontal to where the bone would be).
3. Put the chicken in a large bowl along with next 5 ingredients.  Mix together.  Let it marinade while you prepare the vegetables.
4. Prepare the rest of the vegetables in seperate bowls.
5. Heat a large wok or skillet with 1 tbsp of the coconut oil.  Add in about half the chicken.  Stir-fry until done, then put in a clean bowl, juices and all.  Cook the second batch of chicken the same way, starting with heating the coconut oil.  Put the remaining chicken with the first batch.  SAVE the juices for frying the vegetables and making the sauce.  There should be about a cup.
6. Put about 1/4 cup of juices into the wok, then stir-fry the fleshy bok choy sections until soft and tender, about 5 minutes.  Set aside.
7. Next, add in some more of the juices, stir-fry the water chestnuts, mushrooms and green beans for about 5 minutes.  Add in the bean sprouts and leafy parts of the bok choy.  Stir-fry until they wilt.  Mix the bok choy back in.  Put the whole vegetable mix into a large heat-resistant serving bowl (enough to also hold the chicken), collecting whatever juices you can.
8. Briefly reheat the chicken in the wok, then combine it with the vegetables.
9. Check on the rice.  Take the rice off the heat when done.
10.Put about a cup of the collected juices into the wok and reheat.  Add water, if you need to, to make up a cup.  As you sprinkle in the arrowroot, beat the mixture with a wire whisk.  Heat until bubbly and thick.
11.Serve the chicken over the rice.

*Chinese 5 Spice is mixture of 5 spices common to chinese cooking, usually including star anise, Szechwan pepper, cinnamon, fennel and cloves.  It has a very pungent and strong flavor so use it sparingly.  You may want to increase to 1/2 tsp of it in this recipe if you like stronger flavors.  This recipe is very mild, but my family just loved it and gobbled it up!

*gluten-free if you use gluten-free soy sauce, available at larger health food stores