BBQ Beef Lo Mein

This dish was originally meant to have a Chinese-esque flair to it... but this Midwest girl didn't exactly have all the unique ingredients that go into an Asian dish... shocker right? ;)
So it turned into a dish that is having a real identity problem...
"Am I Asian? Or from the country? Do I consider myself BBQ or Teriyaki?"

Let's just go with DELICIOUS!

...So, like any girl would do - I threw stuff in here, little bit there, substituted 'til the cows came home, and thankfully it turned out pretty darn tasty!

This dish has more of a smoky/BBQ flavor... if it was going to be any sort of Asian dish it would definitely be the closest relative of teriyaki if anything...

But no matter what family tree, or country of origin this recipe may or may not fit into - one thing is for certain... IT'S DELICIOUS!
And easy, very very easy to throw together in no time at all!

What you're gonna need~

4oz pasta
6 oz steak (cooked and sliced)
2 cups frozen veggies (California Blend is delish)
1 tbsp each:
-Soy sauce
-BBQ sauce
-Worsheier
-Chicken stock
-Brown sugar
pinch of salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper (if you like spice!)
1 tsp. oil of choice (for sautéing garlic and onions)
Garlic (depending on how much you enjoy, my family doesn't really enjoy garlic too much so I used about 1 tsp. minced)
Onions chopped (again, to your liking)
Sesame seeds (opt.)

The drill~
1. Bring a pot of water to boil - add pasta and cook until nearly done, while that is going-mix up your "sauce" aka-the soy, BBQ, chicken stock, brown sugar, salt and pepper (and red pepper if using)

~After pasta is nearly done, drain almost all the pasta water

2. Saute your garlic and onions in a small sauce pan

3. Add sliced steak as well as veggies and cook for a minute or two

4. Add veggies after thawing in microwave if need be
5. Stir fry those all up for another minute or so

6. Add the sauce, pasta and remaining pasta water (I found it easier to add meat/veggies to pasta instead just because I was worried about it all fitting in my baby sized sauce pan!)

7. Let cook a few minutes (about 4 or 5)
8. When everything is hot and mixed together well, and the sauce has thickened and soaked into noodles you're all set!

9. Serve piping hot, and sprinkle with sesame seeds (if you're feeling all sorts of fancy!)

Broccoli Raisin Salad

As I was beginning to write this recipe post, I kind of felt bad... I don't really understand why this salad has always been called 'Broccoli Raisin Salad' ..what? Did the other ingredients get the short straws and not get the recipe named after them? (I am aware this is extremely neurotic-but still!) I mean, the cashews are probably my favorite part, and the cauliflower is awesome too! So I think they should get a part in the name, but alas...since most people know it by this name I will keep it!

Alright, on to the actual recipe-I am a HUUUUGE fan of this amazing salad... but I pulled up the first recipe I found when I googled 'Broccoli Raisin Salad' and the nutritional stats were jaw-dropping! 1 serving had 447 calories and 33 grams of fat!!! :O I couldn't believe it, I mean I know salads aren't always the figure friendly food some people assume them to be but really... calling something a salad and then having over 400 calories in it?! That should be a felony somewhere!

So I set off to create something a bit more "Blissful" on the nutritional front-and not to brag, but Boy Oh Boy did I succeed! This salad really does have it all: crunch, sweetness, creamy, and just a hint of salty flavor... and the best part- not even 100 calories per serving (and believe me, it's a BIG serving!)

If that wasn't enough to get you to make this, it also has over 130% of you recommended intake of vitamin C, some fiber and a healthy dose of protein!

What are you waiting for?! Go make this delicious side dish!

and there ya have it! Simple, delicious and healthy... what more could you ask for?

Ingredients:

Dressing:

-1/4 cup non-fat Greek yogurt

-1/4 cup fat-free sour cream

-1 TBSP. vinegar

-1 TBSP. Ranch dressing mix

Salad:

-6 cups broccoli/cauliflower (chopped)

-1/4 cup cashews

-1/4 cup raisins

Directions:

1. Mix dressing ingredients in a large bowl

2. Chop broccoli, cauliflower and cashews

3. Add chopped veggies, cashews and raisins to your bowl with dressing and stir to coat

4. Let refrigerate at least 2 hours for dressing's flavors to mature

~Makes 6 (GOOD sized) servings

Nutritional Info (about 1 cup)