Samurai Bowl with Chicken Snow Peas & Shiitake

In my early 20’s, fresh off college I did a few modeling gigs for haircare and print fashion brands. Back in the 90s, the definition of what “healthy” meant to me was totally different from how I eat today. My food was fatfree, sugar free and if you lived in that era you probably remember the “cabbage soup diet” or the Slimfast diet. God what was I thinking. Looking back I think about my mother’s wisdom “Cook everything yourself from scratch, chew slowly and enjoy everything is small portion”. Somehow that memo didn’t really sink in with me at that time.

Then when I left home I really got into cooking everything myself, I also had my very own balcony sized herb/vegetable garden. I continued experimenting with trendy diets with keto, whole30, paleo… so many ways and perspectives looking for the answer. I’ve come to think healthy can mean different things for different people and it’s absolutely okay for those definitions to change over time.

I don’t really have a title for how I eat now and I’m okay with that. Honing on my mother’s wisdom ” listen to the body, chew slowly and portion control“. I’m always trying to source ethical sustainable ingredients, cook mostly from scratch, heavy on the vegetables, a little grain, some legumes, plenty of good plant fats, I eat eggs almost everyday and a small amount of ethically raised animal protein when I need it or if want it. I try to limit dairy because I have finicky digestion and I’ve observed my skin reacts to dairy in a way I don’t like. Nuts and oat milk satisfy my dairy needs. I actually love them. I make the occasional baked goodie with almond/oat flour, whole grain flours. And when I want to treat myself, I will eat the classic mozzarella pizza made with white flour and that boozy tiramisu. I figured it’s mindful eating and what one does everyday regularly that really matters. And I’m proud my blood work is near perfect.

Resolve to take good care of yourself. Eat more fresh food from plants that is wholesome than packaged processed food and you’ll be heading in the right direction.

Snow Peas Stir-Fry with Shiitake and Chicken, Serves 4

Ultra crisp pea pods are a delicious and tender, they make a wonderful side dish or a complete meal with some succulent pieces of umami chicken.

Ingredients

• ½-3/4 cup chicken stock (or water) for the sauce
• 1 tablespoon tapioca or cornstarch
• 4-6 oz shiitake mushrooms, sliced
• 10-12 oz snow peas (trimmed, washed and patted dry)
• 1 tablespoon any neutral oil, I use avocado, rice bran or grapeseed
• 3 medium sized cloves garlic, minced, about 1 teaspoon 
• 1 tablespoon shaoxing wine
• 1 tablespoon light low salt soy sauce, organic
• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
• ½ teaspoon roasted sesame oil, organic preferred
• ½ teaspoon salt, optional
• Fresh ground white pepper
• sesame seeds and sliced scallions for garnish
• ¼ teaspoon sugar
• For the chicken marinade
• 8-10 oz skinless boneless chicken breasts, sliced
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon Tamari or organic low salt soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon oil

Instructions

1. In a bowl mix cornstarch, light soy sauce, and oil along with sliced chicken. Set aside to marinate.
2. In another bowl add ½-1 cup water or chicken stock with cornstarch and whisk into a slurry and set aside. If you like more sauce increase your water/stock up to one cup of liquid.
3. Heat the wok or a larger frying pan over high heat until smoking, (This is the key to restaurant like flavor) add the oil to coat the wok or pan. Carefully add the chicken and spreading the pieces evenly on the pan.
4. This allows every piece of the chicken piece to sear. Do not be tempted to move or disturb the pieces for about one minute until browned on one side. If the wok is heated properly, the chicken should not stick.
5. Flip the chicken and add the minced garlic and mushrooms. Stir-fry on high heat for another minute. Now add the snow peas.
6. Pour the Shaoxing wine around the perimeter of the wok /pan to deglaze. Continue stirring, flipping and folding for about 30 seconds so everything cooks evenly.
7. The snow pea should start to turn bright green now. Add soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, pepper, and sugar. Continue stir frying to combine, about 15 seconds.
8. Stir the slurry again as the cornstarch has probably settled to the bottom. Once mixed stir it into the wok. Stir-fry for another 30 seconds until the sauce is thickened to coat a spoon.
9. The pea pods should be bright green and everything looks glossy. Don’t overcook, the pea pods will brown and start to soften.
10. Garnish with sesame seeds and sliced scallions if preferred.Plate and serve right away with rice.