Chew on This | Vegetable Lo Mein

What do you do when you're hunkered down inside all day, for days, because of the bitter cold? Now, you have company because your kids have no school. So you're not alone, or lonely. But, they're looking at you and you're looking at them and you're all wondering who's going to come up with a tolerable plan for the day…the hour…the minute.

Well, I sure wasn't going to go into hyper-plan mode. It didn't feel like the thing to do. So, we haven't strained our brains too much these last few days and we've over indulged playing video games and watching movies. 

Whatever. The kids will be back in school tomorrow and our regular routine will spit and sputter back into shape. 

For now, I'm off to cook something interesting. And to put a book into the hands of each child in this house. 

Cares

Here's our recipe:

I figured, since we've been veg-ing out these last few days, we should probably carry on that theme with our dinner. This Vegetable Lo Mein is delightful - fresh and a bit spicy because of the ginger, and savory because of the hoisin, soy and sesame oil. YUM!!

Vegetable Lo Mein

(serves 4-6)

8 ounces lo mein/thin spaghetti noodles

1 T sesame oil

1 T canola oil

1-2 T canola oil

2 T fresh ginger, minced

1-2 T garlic, minced

3 C broccoli florets

1 medium onion, sliced

3 C mushrooms, sliced

1 - 1 1/2 C bean sprouts

1/4 C hoisin sauce

2 T soy sauce

To start, prepare your lo mein noodles by boiling in salted water until al dente. Drain your noodles and toss with sesame oil to keep from clumping. Set aside.

Next, warm 1 T canola oil, over medium heat, in a large skillet (or wok). Add in your ginger and garlic and cook for a few seconds before adding in your broccoli, onion, and mushrooms. Sauté until slightly softened, but still crisp. Add in another 1 T of canola oil if the pan becomes too dry. Finally, add your bean sprouts and stir to combine.

In a small bowl, mix together your hoisin and soy sauces. Set aside.

Warm another skillet with 1 T canola oil. Toss in your lo mein noodles and sauté until noodles are just starting to brown slightly. Add your noodles to the vegetable skillet and sauté everything together. Pour your sauce into the mixture and stir to coat thoroughly. Plate and enjoy!