Thai Basil Udon

4 Servings
Carb: Udon Noodles
Protein: Chicken Breast
Veg: Bell Pepper and Mushrooms

I had some Thai Basil and some Udon noodles I wanted to use so I just threw this together. I hadn't intended for it to become a noodle soup but I didn't realize the soup base would be so salty. I hadn't thrown out the water I used to boil the noodles and I used that to dilute the soup base. This turned out great becuase the gluten in the water helped to thicken the soup a bit.




Ingredients:
3 Udon noodle packets (7 oz each), boiled and drained
Water (about 3-4 cups), reserved from boiling udon noodles
1 lb Chicken breast, diced
1 Bell Pepper, sliced
4 oz white Beech Mushrooms, stem trimmed
4 oz brown Beech Mushrooms, stem trimmed
4 Scallions, sliced on diagonal
2 Tbsp Canola Oil
1 tsp Ginger, thinly sliced
2 cloves Garlic, thinly sliced
1 cup Thai Basil leaves
1 tsp Chili Garlic Sauce
1 Tbsp Thai Fish Sauce
2 Tbsp Japanese Soup Base
1/8 tsp Ground Coriander
1/8 tsp Chinese Five Spice Powder
Salt to taste

Recipe:
1. In nonstick wok, heat oil on medium-high heat.
2. Sprinkle ground coriander, Chinese five spice powder and salt on chicken(I just put the diced chicken on a plate and sprinkle enough to lightly coat 1 side of all the chicken pieces). Mix chicken around to coat.
3. Add chicken pieces to oil. Don't move chicken for about 20-30 seconds - just leave it where it lands. Lightly stir for 3 minutes.
4. Add Bell Pepper and a pinch of salt. Lightly stir for 1 minute.
5. Add Ginger and Garlic. Lightly stir for 1 minute.
6. Add Fish Sauce, Chili Garlic Sauce and Japanese Soup Base. Stir and add Scallions.
7. Mix in mushrooms and cover for about 1-2 min.
8. Add 2 cups reserved Water and then Udon Noodles. Mix to combine and turn off heat.
9. Taste and add more water 1 cup at a time if the soup is too salty.

Plating:
1. Using tongs or chopsticks lift noodles, chicken and vegetables into a bowl.
2. Ladle Soup over noodles.

Shallot topped Tilapia and Parsley Rice with Broccoli and Carrots.

4 Servings
Carb: Parsley Rice
Protein: Tilapia
Veg: Shallots, Broccoli and Carrots

This was just a midweek dish that I wanted to be quick, filling and nutricious. I got the inspiration for it when I was flipping through the channels on Saturday afternoon and came across a show where they were cooking tilapia and topping it with carmelized shallots.

It turned out quite nice! I wasn't expecting it to be quite so tasty so that was a nice surprise. The seasoning I used for the fish turned out to be a bit like a mild (very mild) version of Blackened Spice. Also, the rice was sooooo tasty! Probably because the flavor of the oil was built from the shallots and the tilapia - ooo it was sooo good!



Ingredients:
2 cups Cooked Uncle Ben's Rice
4 Tilapia fillets, rinsed and patted dry
2-3 Shallots, thinnly sliced
3 Broccoli crowns, cut into bite-size pieces
1.5 cup Baby Carrots
1/4 cup fresh Parsley, finely chopped
1/2 cup Chicken Broth
3 cups Water
3 Tbsp Canola Oil (for shallots and tilapia)
2 tsp Canola Oil (for broccoli and carrots)
1.5 Tbsp Butter, unsalted
2-3 cloves of Garlic,
1/8 tsp of each - Cumin, Paprika, Coriander Seed
Salt & Pepper to taste

Recipe: Carmelized Shallots, Tilapia and Parsley Rice
1. Season both sides of tilapia with Cumin, Paprika, Coriander Seed, Salt & Pepper. Set aside.
2. In a non-stick skillet, on medium heat 1 Tbsp of Canola oil and 1/2 Tbsp of Butter.
3. Add shallots to oil. Season with a pinch of salt and lightly stir until sofened. Transfer to a plate.
4. Return pan to stove-top. On medium-high, heat remaining 2 Tbsp of Canola Oil and 1 Tbsp Butter.
5. Add tilapia fillets 2 at a time to the pan. Let cook for 3 min or until the edges of are done. Flip fillets and cook another 2 min. Transfer fillets to a plate.
6. Return pan to stove-top. Turn pan down to medium low and add cooked rice. Stir in parsley and turn off heat.

Recipe: Broccoli and Carrots
1. Boil water and add Baby Carrots.
2. In a non-stick wok, on medium heat 2 tsp Canola oil.
3. Add Garlic, Broccoli and a pinch of salt. Stir to coat Broccoli with oil.
4. Add 1/4 cup of Chicken Broth. Stir to coat Broccoli with broth and cover pan. Let steam for 2-3 minutes.
5. Add remaing 1/4 cup of Chicken Broth and another pinch of salt. Stir and cover again for 2-3 minutes.
6. Remove Baby Carrots from water and add to Broccoli.
7. Add another pinch of salt and stir for about 1-2 minutes. Turn off heat.

Plating:
1. Plate rice and top with 1 Tilapia fillet.
2. Top Tilapia with Carmelized Shallots.
3. Plate Broccoli and Carrots next to Rice.