Sorry for the absence…I haven’t been making new dishes over the last couple of weeks, but instead, have been relying on some old favorites like enchiladas, creamy cashew pasta, and tofu sandwiches. We are leaving Wednesday for Santa Fe and Taos, so it was a good time to use up the veggies in the fridge. I’m excited to bring you lots of wonderful vegan food and news from New Mexico. It’s been ten years since we’ve there and we’re looking forward to going back. Of course, any road trip is not complete in my household without an accident/injury a day or two before leaving. (Last year, the Eighth Grader got his two front teeth knocked out during a trampoline incident. We were supposed to drive to Southern CO for a wedding. It didn’t happen. Spring Break this year was altered after the kid’s appendectomy). It was my turn, I guess. I got a little too excited trying out my new mandolin slicer Sunday night…
I should have seen it coming. I’ve heard the horror stories associated with the mandolin, but I bought one the other day anyway. First time I use it, I slice a pretty large chunk off my right pinkie finger. I’m lucky though, it could have been worse. I was millimeters short of taking off bone and nail! Yikes. Good thing I married an Eagle Scout. He kept me calm and got it wrapped up. I ended up going to urgent care yesterday morning and they cleaned it up good, wrapped it, and I have to go back today to have it looked at. The doc said it will take several months to heal. 🙁 The mandolin is in timeout.
Had I not been an idiot and lost part of an appendage, I probably would have used it to make this stir-fry, but I decided to stick with a good old-fashioned knife. It was slow-going, but I had some help. I picked up some East-West Stir-fry Sauce and these awesome ramen noodles from Hakubaku. Both were outstanding. The sauce had a mild flavor with just a tiny bit of zip. I used about 1/2 the jar, but feel free to use as much or as little as you’d like.
INGREDIENTS:
2 medium zucchinis, cut into sticks
6 mushrooms, quartered
6 celery stalks, sliced
1 bell pepper, cut into chunks
1 can bamboo shoots, drained
6 green onions, sliced
1-2 handfuls of cashews
3 Tbs freshly grated gingerroot
1 jar East-est Stir-fry Sauce
9.5-oz Hakubaku noodles
Olive oil
DIRECTIONS
Heat about a tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet. Add the zucchini, celery, and bell pepper. Cook until they begin to get tender, about 7-9 minutes.
Add the bamboo shoots and ginger. Cook another 5 -7 minutes.
The noodles will take four minutes to cook in boiling water, so when you toss them in to cook, add the mushrooms, green onion, and cashews to the skillet. Cook 2 minutes…then add the sauce. Stir well to combine and saute to heat the sauce.
Drain the noodles and serve them topped with some stir-fry. Enjoy!
- 2 medium zucchinis, cut into sticks
- 6 mushrooms, quartered
- 6 celery stalks, sliced
- 1 bell pepper, cut into chunks
- 1 can bamboo shoots, drained
- 6 green onions, sliced
- 1-2 handfuls of cashews
- 3 Tbs freshly grated gingerroot
- 1 jar East-est Stir-fry Sauce
- 9.5-oz Hakubaku noodles
- Olive oil
- Heat about a tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet. Add the zucchini, celery, and bell pepper. Cook until they begin to get tender, about 7-9 minutes.
- Add the bamboo shoots and ginger. Cook another 5 -7 minutes.
- The noodles will take four minutes to cook in boiling water, so when you toss them in to cook, add the mushrooms, green onion, and cashews to the skillet. Cook 2 minutes...then add the sauce. Stir well to combine and saute to heat the sauce.
- Drain the noodles and serve them topped with some stir-fry. Enjoy!
Patricia Stoltey says
We’ve had several versions of stir fry this summer, but I haven’t thought to add cashews. Sounds good.
Sorry about your sliced finger, April. Perhaps that mandolin needs to find a new home.
Teresa Redmond-Ott says
Yikes April! Hope your finger will have a speedy recovery. Randy and I love Taos. Can’t wait to hear your stories of food and fun. Travel wisely!
epicureanvegan says
Thanks, Teresa!
Suburban Snow White says
Your poor finger! That must have been so scary! You do hear about so many accidents with mandolins, don’t you? They’re great products though. (I don’t have one, but I love what they do to food!) I wonder if there are special gloves one can wear when using it — maybe these need to be invented. Somehow, they could have metal “fingertips) to protect one’s fingers.
epicureanvegan says
That’s so funny! My neighbor and I were just talking about inventing a thimble-like glove for using a mandolin…there’s got to be some money in that!
Carolyn {at} Hooked and Happy says
OUCH. That’s the exact reason I won’t have a mandolin.
I hardly made it through your post without getting queasy!
epicureanvegan says
Yeah, I remember you telling me you bought one, but took it back. I’m not sure if I’ll keep it, and if I do, at least I’ll be extra careful!
luminousvegans says
Oh No! Bad mandolin! I hope you heal up quickly. I definitely would have freaked if it happened to me.
Barb says
Yikes! Be careful! 🙂 Have fun in NM! We just got back from Santa Fe- it was ahhhmazing. If you have time, check out 10,000 Waves!
Sophia says
“Had I not been an idiot and lost part of an appendage, I probably would have used it to make this stir-fry” – makes me think of using your appendage in the stir fry XD ………… sorry XD