On travel food - The Firehouse, Harrisburg

Vegetable stacks with grilled portabella, eggplant and zucchini served with linguine and marinara.

Fruit and vegetables are good for your entire body

ApplesProtects your heart
prevents constipation
Blocks diarrhea
Improves lung capacity
Cushions joints
ApricotsCombats cancer
Controls blood pressure
Saves your eyesight
Shields against Alzheimer's
Slows aging process
ArtichokesAids digestion
Lowers cholesterol
Protects your heart
Stabilizes blood sugar
Guards against liver disease
AvocadosBattles diabetes
Lowers cholesterol
Helps stops strokes
Controls blood pressure
Smoothes skin
BananasProtects your heart
Quiets a cough
Strengthens bones
Controls blood pressure
Blocks diarrhea
Beans
Prevents constipation
Helps hemorrhoids
Lowers cholesterol
Combats cancer
Stabilizes blood sugar
BeetsControls blood pressure
Combats cancer
Strengthens bones
Protects your heart
Aids weight loss
Blueberries
Combats cancer
Protects your heart
Stabilizes blood sugar
Boosts memory
Prevents constipation
BroccoliStrengthens bones
Saves eyesight
Combats cancer
Protects your heart
Controls blood pressure
CabbageCombats cancer
Prevents constipation
Promotes weight loss
Protects your heart
Helps hemorrhoids
Cantaloupe
Saves eyesight
Controls blood pressure
Lowers cholesterol
Combats cancer
Supports immune system
Carrots
Saves eyesight
Protects your heart
Prevents constipation
Combats cancer
Promotes weight loss
Cauliflower
Protects against Prostate Cancer
Combats Breast Cancer
Strengthens bones
Banishes bruises
Guards against heart disease
Cherries
Protects your heart
Combats Cancer
Ends insomnia
Slows aging process
Shields against Alzheimer's
Chestnuts
Promotes weight loss
Protects your heart
Lowers cholesterol
Combats Cancer
Controls blood pressure
Chili peppersAids digestion
Soothes sore throat
Clears sinuses
Combats Cancer
Boosts immune system
Figs
Promotes weight loss
Helps stops strokes
Lowers cholesterol
Combats Cancer
Controls blood pressure
Flax
Aids digestion
Battles diabetes
Protects your heart
Improves mental health
Boosts immune system
GrapefruitProtects against heart attacks
Promotes Weight loss
Helps stops strokes
Combats Prostate Cancer
Lowers cholesterol
Grapessaves eyesight
Conquers kidney stones
Combats cancer
Enhances blood flow
Protects your heart
Green tea
Combats cancer
Protects your heart
Helps stops strokes
Promotes Weight loss
Kills bacteria
Honey
Heals wounds
Aids digestion
Guards against ulcers
Increases energy
Fights allergies
Lemons
Combats cancer
Protects your heart
Controls blood pressure
Smoothes skin
Stops scurvy
LimesCombats cancer
Protects your heart
Controls blood pressure
Smoothes skin
Stops scurvy
MangoesCombats cancer
Boosts memory
Regulates thyroid
aids digestion
Shields against Alzheimer's
Mushrooms
Controls blood pressure
Lowers cholesterol
Kills bacteria
Combats cancer
Strengthens bones
Oats
Lowers cholesterol
Combats cancer
Battles diabetes
prevents constipation
Smoothes skin
Olive oil
Protects your heart
Promotes Weight loss
Combats cancer
Battles diabetes
Smoothes skin
OnionsReduce risk of heart attack
Combats cancer
Kills bacteria
Lowers cholesterol
Fights fungus
OrangesSupports immune systems
Combats cancer
Protects your heart
Straightens respiration
Peaches
prevents constipation
Combats cancer
Helps stops strokes
aids digestion
Helps hemorrhoids
Peanuts
Protects against heart disease
Promotes Weight loss
Combats Prostate Cancer
Lowers cholesterol
Aggravates
Diverticulitis
PineappleStrengthens bones
Relieves colds
Aids digestion
Dissolves warts
Blocks diarrhea
PrunesSlows aging process
prevents constipation
boosts memory
Lowers cholesterol
Protects against heart disease
Rice
Protects your heart
Battles diabetes
Conquers kidney stones
Combats cancer
Helps stops strokes
Strawberries
Combats cancer
Protects your heart
boosts memory
Calms stress
Sweet potatoes
Saves your eyesight
Lifts mood
Combats cancer
Strengthens bones
Tomatoes
Protects prostate
Combats cancer
Lowers cholesterol
Protects your heart
WalnutsLowers cholesterol
Combats cancer
boosts memory
Lifts mood
Protects against heart disease
WaterPromotes Weight loss
Combats cancer
Conquers kidney stones
Smoothes skin
Watermelon
Protects prostate
Promotes Weight loss
Lowers cholesterol
Helps stops strokes
Controls blood pressure
Wheat germ
Combats Colon Cancer
prevents constipation
Lowers cholesterol
Helps stops strokes
improves digestion
Wheat bran
Combats Colon Cancer
prevents constipation
Lowers cholesterol
Helps stops strokes
improves digestion
Yogurt
Guards against ulcers
Strengthens bones
Lowers cholesterol
Supports immune systems
Aids digestion


7 don'ts after a meal

* Don't smoke-Experiment from experts proves that smoking a cigarette after meal is comparable to smoking 10 cigarettes (chances of cancer is higher).
* Don't eat fruits immediately - Immediately eating fruits after meals will cause stomach to be bloated with air. Therefore take fruit 1-2 hr after meal or 1 hr before meal.
* Don't drink tea - Because tea leaves contain a high content of acid. This substance will cause the Protein content in the food we consume to be hardened thus difficult to digest.
* Don't loosen your belt - Loosening the belt after a meal will easily cause the intestine to be twisted &blocked.
* Don't bathe - Bathing will cause the increase of blood flow to the hands, legs & body thus the amount of blood around the stomach will therefore decrease. This will weaken the digestive system in our stomach.
* Don't walk about - People always say that after a meal walk a hundred steps and you will live till 99. In actual fact this is not true. Walking will cause the digestive system to be unable to absorb the nutrition from the food we intake.
* Don't sleep immediately - The food we intake will not be able to digest properly. Thus will lead to gastric & infection in our intestine.

Summer Rolls

Makes 4 servings

For stir fried noodles:
Two bunches of clear noodles or bean threads

2 carrots, shreaded
2 celery stalks, sliced
a bunch of asparagus
1 table spoon canola oil
1 tea spoon salt
1 table spoons sugar
a few dashes of black pepper

For wrapping:
Rice papers

a bunch of mint leaves
a bunch of cilantro
a bunch of basils
romain lettuce
1 cucumber, sliced length wise about 3 inch-long

To make stir fried clear noodles or bean threads:
1. Boil bean threads for about 5 minutes, drain well.
2. Turn the stove to high, heat up a wok until hot, add oil until hot, add carrot saute for 1 minute, add celery, saute for 1 minute, add asparagus, saute for 1 minute, add salt, sugar and black pepper.
3. Stir in noodles, mix well, remove from heat.

To wrap:
1. Soak 1 piece of rice paper with warm water, place it in plate A.
2. Soak another one place it in plate B.

3. Use the rice paper in plate A to wrap by adding 1 piece of lettuce, 1 slice of cucumber, a few mint leaves, basils, and cilantro:
4. Put the stir fried noodles on top:

5. Fold the two sides:


6. Roll tightly away from you, near the end place 1 asparagus:

7. Continue to roll until the end:

8. Transfer it to plate C, cover with a wet tower.
9. Soak another piece of rice paper, put it on plate A.
10. Use the rice paper on plate B to wrap another roll.
11. Served with sweet and sour soy sauce. Enjoy!

Seitan stew (bò kho chay)

I finally learned how to make seitan to have the right taste and texture. I have tried many ways: steam, bake, boil; they turned out to be okay, but the best way is to cook it in the crock pot overnight. This is from a very famous Vietnamese dish, beef stew, that I used seitan to substitue for the beef.

Makes 4 servings

3 lemon grass stalks, use the handle of a knife or something heavy to crust each stalk, cut into inch-long
6 bay leaves
6 anise stars
2 cloves
10 pepper corns
1 4-inch long cinnamon stick

1 m table spoon canola oil

4 carrot, cut in half length wise then cut into 2-inch long
4 celery stalks, cut into 2-inch long
1 red bell pepper, cut into 2x2 inch pieces

1 gallon water
5 table spoons sugar or equivalent sweetener
2 1/2 table spoon salt
3 oz tomato paste

1 box of 10 oz vital wheat gluten (can be bought in whole foods in flour section)

1. Toast all the spices on medium in the toaster oven.
2. In a 6 quart pot, add oil, then add spices, stir until fragrant.
3. Add carrots, saute 1 minute.
4. Add celery, saute 1 minute.
5. Add pepper, saute 1 minute.
6. Add salt, sugar, stir well for about 2 minutes.
7. Add water, bring to a boil, transfer to a crock pot cook on high.
8. Take about 2 1/2 cups of the broth above, cool to touch to make seitan.
9. In a big bowl, add gluten flour, pour the broth to the bowl, mix well. Make into a roll, let it rest for 30 minutes.
10. From one end of the seitan roll, pull out a very thin piece, roll it to size of a thumb, cut it off from the seitan roll, add to the crock pot. Continue to do so for the rest of the seitan. Stir frequently.
11. Add tomato paste, cook on low over night or 8 hours.
12. Served with toasted French bread or with flat rice noodles, bean sprouts and basil leaves.

Wrap-it-yourself brown rice

I made fried brown rice for work and at the spur of the moment, decided to bring in some roasted seaweed sheets for us to make wraps. It turned out to be a surprisingly delicious treat!

Makes 4 servings

1 tablespoon canola oil
1 teaspoon minced ginger
2 carrots, peeled, diced
1 red pepper, diced
1 green summer squash, diced
1/2 cup frozen corn
1/2 cup frozen green peas
2 cups cooked brown rice
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons soy sauce
freshly ground black pepper
5 roasted seaweed sheets, cut into 2 to 4 pieces

1. On high heat, add oil to a pan or wok, add ginger, stir until brown.
2. Add carrots, saute 1 minute.
3. Do the same for squash, corn, peas.
4. Add salt, soy sauce and black pepper.
5. Turn off the stove, mix in pre-cooked brown rice.
6. Wrap 1/4 of seaweed sheet with 2 tablespoons of rice, tie with a string of cilantro.

7. Serve with soy sauce.
8. Enjoy!

Vegetable soup with brown rice and kidney beans

I made this soup up as I went along, with whatever I had available. It was served with toasted French bread. Everyone seemed to enjoyed it!

Makes 6 quarts

• 4 quarts vegetable broth
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 2 teaspoons oregano
• 2 carrots, sliced
• 2 red peppers, sliced
• 1 summer squash, sliced
• 1/2 pound sweet peas
• 2 heads bok choy, cut in 2-inch length
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup or equivalent sweetener
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 can 6-oz tomato paste
• 2 cups cooked brown rice
• 2 cups cooked kidney beans

1. Pour the broth in a 6 quart-pot bring to a boil.
2. In a pan or wok, add oil, oregano, add carrot, saute for 1 minute. Add peppers and saute for 1 minute, repeate for squash, sweet peas and bok choy.
3. Add salt, sweetener and spices.
4. Add the sauteed mixture to the broth pot.
5. Stir in tomato paste.
6. Add rice and beans.
7. Cover and simmer for 1 hour or transfer to a slow cooker, cook on low for 4 hours.
8. It even tasted better the next day.

Colorful fried rice

I often make this rice for my niece and nephew when they come over. They really like it. You can use brown rice instead of white rice, it is healthier.

Makes 2 servings

• 1 tablespoons oil
• 1 carrot, peeled, diced
• 1 summer squash, diced
• 1/2 cup frozen corn
• 1/2 cup green peas
• 1/2 cup firm tofu, diced
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup or equivalent sweetener
• 2 cups cold rice (it can be plumed together, so use for hand to separate)
  
• a few dashes of pepper

In a pan with medium high heat, add oil, saute carrot 1 minute, saute squash 1 minute, saute corn 1 minute, saute peas 1 minute, add soy sauce, sweetner, salt, add tofu, add rice, stir quickly until the rice gets hot, add pepper, remove from heat. Serve hot.