Minus 16 days ago I walked out of the PACKED kitchen loaded down with yet another bag full of left over ingredients to bring home to my “chopped” kitchen. One of the key ingredients in abundance was broccoli slaw. Now I will be honest if someone were to lay out a palette of veggies I would save the broccoli for last. I have never been a huge fan. So I have always challenged myself to find new ways to transform broccoli. One of my favorite broccoli transformations comes from a local Chinese restaurant. It is a cold, crispy sweet and slightly spicy broccoli salad that is actually made from the stems. I have tried to recreate this experience before with little success.
So the bag of broccoli salad sat on the counter as I thought about that broccoli salad from my favorite Chinese restaurant. Then my mind wandered to the other treats at that particular restaurant that I wanted to cram in my face…..the egg rolls, the orange peel beef, the sweet and sour chicken, the egg drop soup, the fried wontons, oh and salt and pepper squid, and……….I could go on and on. I will be honest there aren’t a lot of things that are much better then a Chinese coma….rice, noodles, sweet sauces, fried goodies, and a little fortune to distract you from the insane amount of food you just ate.
You know as I have began to develop my meal prep company, PACKED, I have realized that my meals are made for my friends and by my friends. I love the conversations that have been had and continue to be had around food. They are always sharing with me their favorite things, both healthy and not, and it challenges me to find healthy ways to fill their cravings. And they challenge me indeed!
Before I even continue with the rest of this post let me be clear that when I mention one of my friends and foodies, Sarah, I am not talking about myself. However, it wouldn’t be too far fetched for me to talk about myself in the third person. And it is odd that we both love Chinese food.
So with my friend Sarah on the brain and broccoli slaw to transform my wheels went to turning.
Also in that freezer bag today minus 16 days ago, was a selection of odds and ends. There were slices of jalapenos, minced garlic, ginger, ground beef and guess what?….yep some butter onions. What happened next was my version of the inside of an egg roll. That wasn’t enough for a meal though so I thought summer citrus….satsumas. If I could create an orange flavored sauce that was sweet, sticky, a little sour and spicy…..then I knew I could pour it on cardboard and it would satisfy that craving for my favorite orange peel beef. This is actually one of the only ways I like to eat orange peels. I know it sounds crazy, but I promise the bitter disappears……its magic. So, a couple hours after the citrus thoughts and a few diaper changes later, the orange peel sauce displayed itself in that pan in all its glory. Sweet, sticky, and the perfect bit of sour and spicy. I could not wait to sear up a flank steak or toast up some soy curls for my herbivores….then slather the orange sauce on it and flop it on top of those egg roll innards.
So what is better than a Chinese food coma? Well my friend Sarah that inspired me to create this new dish….thats what. Because of her intense love for Chinese food she has actually now given us all a chance to have a guilt free Chinese dish. Thank you Sarah, no not me, for loving Chinese food and trusting me to fill your belly without the coma. Love ya! and Chinese food.
PACKED 