Last night, I went back to yoga for the first time in a year. I was super nervous to go, I felt like I wouldn’t remember any of the postures and names, and that I wouldn’t be able to let go. When we started the practice, the instructor told us to focus on the breath, and to bring the mind back to the breath everytime it tried to wander. Well, guess where my mind wandered for an hour and a half? That’s right, food. I ended up feeling very relaxed and into the practice, but at random moments an image of food would flash through my head. The weirdest part was that it wasn’t even really my favorite food. At some point I envisioned smores, which I never even had in my life, and which frankly don’t sound that appealing to me.
So what did I walk away from this yoga class with? The absolute certainty that food was intimately and irrevocably wired to my brain, and I would have to say my heart.
Does that make me a weirdo? I hope not, but at least why I’m typing these words makes sense. I’ll keep you posted on what kind of epiphany my next yoga session brings.
Quick, easy peasy chicken noodle stir fry. Nothing groundbreaking here, just a pretty tasty way to go about your meal. It’s very versatile, so feel free to add in (and leave out) any vegetable. There are a million variations of this dish, and the beauty of it is that it adapts to whatever you have at hand. It also keeps (and gets better!) for several days, so it’s a great lunch option for the busy bees among you. Of course you can totally save it for dinner -which I did, and I might have had some leftovers for breakfast. Whichever way you like it, it is sure to be much MUCH healthier than the take-out version, and that’s not such a bad thing.
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Chicken noodle stir fry
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Serves 6
Ingredients:
- 15 ounces whole wheat spaghetti
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1/2 garlic leaf
- 3 scallions
- 2 heads bok choy
- 2-3 chicken breasts
- 1/2 cup crushed peanuts
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 5 tbsp sesame or peanut oil
Directions:
1. In a large pan over high heat, boil the chicken breasts until thoroughly cooked, about 15 minutes.
2. While the chicken cooks, cook noodles until they are al dente, according to package instruction.
3. In the meantime, finely slice the bell pepper. Chop the garlic leaf and scallion separately. Cut the bok choy leaves in half lengthwise.
4. When the chicken is cooked, drain and shred with two forks. Combine with 1 tbsp sesame oil and 1 tbsp soy sauce. Set aside. When the noodles are al dente, drain then pour back into the pan, add 2 tbsp sesame oil and stir so they don’t stick.
5. In a large wok or skillet over medium heat, add 2 remaining tbsp sesame oil. Add the chopped garlic leaf, then bell pepper. Cook for about 3 minutes. Add bok choy and cook for another 3 minutes. Add noodles, stir well so all the ingredients are combined. Add half of the soy sauce, then stir well. Stir in chicken and peanuts. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in the rest of the soy sauce, cook for another 5 minutes. Serve immediately or reheat the next day.
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My tips:
- I cooked the chicken in vegetable broth to give it more taste.
- Ideas for add-ins: fresh spinach, corn, peas, sliced baby carrots, 2 scrambled eggs…
- Make this dish vegetarian by omitting the chicken, or substituting shrimp.
Source: clementinecuisine original.
Clemence, I think you’ve got a great book idea there. “The yoga of menu planning – how tapping into your spontaneous cravings can lead to the perfect meal”
As for s’mores – they are pretty delightful when the marshmallows are properly roasted. Though I wouldn’t use French chamallow, since I find them even sweeter and weirder than American ‘mallows. Maybe if you made some homemade guimauves?
Here’s one recipe to check out : http://www.designsponge.com/2011/09/in-the-kitchen-with-alexis-and-courtneys-chai-tea-smores.html