Oriental Oven Omelet

Tonight's dinner was interesting...delicious, but interesting. When I saw the recipe, I knew this would be something Mr. Picky would love! I was never a huge Ramen Noodle fan, but Tony could live off them for the rest of his life! (To say he is a fan would be an understatement!) I am so glad I tried this recipe out, it was so different from our normal meals and it was so yummy! It was suprisingly really filling as well. I halved the recipe so the omelets turned out a bit thin, but still delicious. I made a broccoli salad as well, but it was not my favorite. Maybe the fact that I replaced every ingredient from the recipe and didn't let it sit in the refrigerater made a difference, eh? All in all, it was a great meal!

Oriental Oven Omelet
Taste of Home

Ingredients:

• 2 packages Ramen Noodles
• 1/2 c. thinly sliced celery
• 2 tsp. canola oil
• 1 package (8 oz) sliced fresh mushrooms
• 4 Tbsp. green onions, thinly sliced & divided
• 2 Tbsp. minced fresh ginger root
• 3 eggs
• 6 egg whites
• 1 tsp. sesame oil
• 1/2 tsp. sugar
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 Tbsp. soy sauce

Directions:

1. Cook Ramen Noodles according to package directions & discard seasoning packet. Drain and rinse in cold water; transfer to a bowl and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, in a large nonstick ovenproof skillet over medium heat, cook celery in canola oil for 1 minute. Stir in the mushrooms, 2 Tbsp. green onions and ginger; cook and stir for 7 minutes or until mushrooms are lightly browned. Stir into noodles.
3. Whisk the eggs, egg whites, sesame oil, sugar, and salt. Stir into noodle mixture; spread into an even layer in the skillet. Cook on medium for 2 minutes.
4. Bake, uncovered at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes, or until set. Cut into wedges. Sprinkle with remaining green onions. Drizzle with soy sauce.

Sunflower Broccoli Salad

Ingredients:

• 6 c. fresh broccoli florets
• 3 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar
• 3 Tbsp. soy sauce
• 3 Tbsp. sesame oil
• 1 Tbsp. sugar/sugar substitute
• 1/4 c. sunflower kernals

Directions:

1. In a large saucepan, bring 8 c. water to a boil. Add broccoli; cover and cook for 3 minutes. Drain and immediately place broccoli in ice water. Drain and pat dry.
2. In a small bowl, whisk the vinegar, soy suace, oil, and sugar. Pour over broccoli; toss to coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (oops..skipped this step!)
3. Just before serving, stir in sunflower kernals.

***Next time I want to make this with roasted brocolli, I think it would taste better warm anyways.

Peanutty Noodles

Peanut butter. Mmmm.
Noodles. Mmmmm..
Two of my favorite foods, together?!?! MMMMM!
I really enjoyed this dish! I thought it was fairly fast and very easy to put together and tasted wonderful! I even ate the leftovers..which half the time--thats rare! I was a little worried about what Tony would think about peanut butter and noodles in the same dish..but he loved it! Can't wait to make it again!

Peanutty Noodles

Adapted from Ice Cream & Wine

Ingredients:

• 2 c. baby carrots
• 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil, divided
• 2 tsp. grated and peeled fresh ginger (I omitted--not a fan of ginger!)
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 c. fat-free chicken broth
• 1/2 c. natural-style peanut butter
• 1/4 c. low-sodium soy sauce
• 3 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
• 1 tsp. chili garlic sauce (I omitted-didn't have any!)
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• Cooking spray
• 1 c. bell pepper strips
• 1 lb. brocolli **
• 1 lb. uncooked whole-wheat spagetti
• 2 chicken breasts, cooked & cubed (optional)

**Original recipe called for snowpeas, but this is what I had on hand. I love this recipe because you could "customize" it any way you like!

Directions:

1. Cut the baby carrots in half, then in half again. Set aside.
2. Heat 1 tsp. oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the ginger and minced garlic; saute 30 seconds. Add chicken broth and the next 5 ingredients (broth through salt); stir until well-blended. Reduce heat, and simmer 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, keep warm.
3. Heat 2 tsp. oil in a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add bell peppers, brocolli, and carrots; saute 5 minutes or until tender. Remove from heat. Combine peanut butter mixture, bell pepper mixture, and linguine in a large bowl. Toss well, serve warm.