Homemade Asian Buffet

   Well, if you've been following my stress level the last few weeks it's been up from its normal 12 to an easy 25, so I got my butt in the kitchen. Now my crazy schedule only allows for maybe 2 to 3 meals a week for home cooked meals, but I try to go all out when I do cook. We love Asian food and I’ve been trying to eat healthier. So, if Mongolian Beef and beef and broccoli had a baby, that's what I made today for lunch and let's talk about it.

   I went to the doctor a few weeks ago after having a lifetime of having digestive issues, mostly because I got good insurance through my employer. But that's a rant for another day. All I will say now is service industry workers as a general rule don't get healthcare because we're right on the line of making too much to get assistance and not enough to survive on. Some of us do it for the passion it gives us. I'm getting off topic again, we were here talking about my doctor’s visit. She said that I needed to eat more fruits and vegetables for fiber.

      As a chef I try to make food that nourishes both the body and the soul, but why didn't anyone ever teach me how to make nutrient dense foods from a younger age. I'm learning that I can have foods that are exciting if I balance it with healthy substitutes or additions to my diet.
 
    My dietitian said that most of my issue is with processed foods. My bread and carb infatuation can continue I simply have to use the whole grain version. My bad knees and ankles need me to eat colorful foods. Green, red, blue, and orange foods were the ones that she suggested. Now when I pack my lunch for work, I add fruit and a vegetable component. The last thing is a mind trip, chia seeds are the most fiber packed food that I've ever heard of. Its benefits include being good for your bones, heart, digestive system, and weight management. I suggest it with a smoothie, oatmeal, or yogurt.
 
    This one is a bit more vulnerable to me. I've felt like a captive in my body for quite some time, and not knowing what will work and how much change I'd have to my daily routine. Thank you for being a safe place to talk about hard things.

     Now that I've told you all my deep dark secrets, I'd like to get back to lunch. I cheated and went to the store and bought the stir-fry cut of steak. It's a sirloin that they precut into paper thin strips. That is probably the most time-consuming part of this process. Then get the vegetables that you're going to use. I used frozen broccoli, string beans, bell peppers color variety, onion grated garlic and ginger, and mushrooms. Alex picks out the mushrooms and mom picks out the broccoli. Then get your sauce together. You need soy sauce, garlic, ginger, brown sugar, cornstarch, and rice wine vinegar. Mix until the cornstarch doesn't have lumps and set aside. Then cook your steak stir-fry strips. If you watched the video, I reposted on KatiBugs Catering Facebook page, you know you pan heat with nothing in it for like 5 minutes before you put oil or meat in to help the crust form on the outside of the meat. This seals in the flavor. Cook the steak in batches until it's all cooked. I steam as many veggies as I can and sauté the rest to pull up the bits from the bottom of the pan. Then stir sauce and add to pan along with steak and veggies. I made fried rice, lumpia, and dumplings along with to make a homemade Asian buffet.

   As always if you have any questions comments or concerns, please reach out via email or comment below... Be Blessed!!!