Desperately searching for dinner recipes? Local mom and chef, Rebecca Oren, saves the day again! - Westport Moms

Local mom and chef, Rebecca Oren, strikes again! Just when we are all completely tired of our go-to weeknight staples, and searching for new dinner ideas (especially on these never-ending winter days!), Rebecca has shared 3 delicious (and relatively simple!) recipes with us! Note: almost every ingredient is available at Trader Joe’s!  Thank you Rebecca; you saved us once again!
Shaved Beef Stir Fry with Bok Choy and Mushrooms

You’ll have this prepped, cooked, eaten and cleaned up faster than UberEats could get you Chinese takeout! All ingredients* are available at Trader Joe’s, including amazing cauliflower or jasmine rice in the freezer section, if you want a speedy side dish.
Ingredients:
For the Stir Fry:

  • 2T coconut oil or ghee
  • 1 package thinly shaved beef (Trader Joe’s meat section)
  • 1 onion, thinly sliced
  • 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
  • 2T fresh ginger, finely minced
  • 2-10 oz packages whole crimini mushrooms (stems removed), thinly sliced
  • 2 packages Trader Joe’s boy choy, core removed and cut into 2 inch chunks
  • 3 scallions, thinly sliced

For the Sauce:

  • ¼ cup plus 2 T low sodium soy sauce or coconut aminos
  • 2T sesame oil
  • 2T Red Boat fish sauce
  • ½ cup low sodium chicken broth
  • 2T corn starch or arrowroot

For garnish (optional):

  • 2T sesame seeds
  • 1 scallion, thinly sliced

Instructions:

  • Combine all ingredients for stir fry sauce and set aside.
  • Heat oil of your choice over medium high heat in large pan. Add shaved beef and stir fry for 2-3 minutes until mostly browned. Remove from pan and cover with foil to keep warm.
  • Reduce heat to medium low. Add onion to pan and cook until softened. Add sliced mushrooms, garlic and ginger and cook 3-5 minutes more. Once mushrooms have begun to soften and release some liquid add bok choy to pan, tossing until the leaves begin to wilt. Add scallions. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until white parts of bok choy soften.
  • Pour sauce over vegetables in pan and bring to a simmer over low heat. Stir until sauce thickens. If sauce seems too sparse when you first add it to the pan, slowly add some water, ¼ cup at a time.
  • Add shaved beef back into pan, tossing to mix with vegetables and sauce. Cook over low heat for approximately 5 minutes until beef is warmed through.
  • Garnish with sesame seeds* and sliced fresh scallions. Serve over basmati or cauliflower rice.

*Sesame seeds no longer available at TJ’s…I got mine at Whole Foods.
Tuscan Kale Soup with Sausage, Mushrooms and Potato


This is hands down my husband’s favorite winter soup. It’s hearty and filling and comes together very quickly. It’s delicious the first day, but makes THE BEST leftovers.
As usual, all ingredients are available at Trader Joes.
Ingredients:

  • 1lb sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 3 carrots, sliced into rounds
  • 3 celery ribs, finely diced
  • 1-10 oz package cremini mushrooms, cleaned, stems removed and sliced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 6 cups low sodium chicken broth
  • 1 cup water, if needed
  • 2 large russet potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1 inch cubes
  • 1-10 oz package organic Tuscan kale
  • 1 can lite coconut milk
  • 1 T white vinegar
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:
Crumble sausage into large pot or Dutch Oven over medium heat. Break up large sausage chunks with spatula and stir occasionally until sausage is mostly brown. Add onion and cook until it begins to soften. Add carrots, celery and mushrooms and cook 5 minutes more, or until mushrooms begin to soften. Continue stirring occasionally. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more, but do not let garlic get brown.
Add chicken broth and potatoes and stir to combine. Bring everything to a boil, then reduce heat to low and continue cooking approximately 20 minutes, or until potatoes are cooked through. If it looks like you need more liquid, add 1 cup of water.
Add kale, and mix into soup until it wilts. Add coconut milk and vinegar and cook additional 5 minutes on low. Check seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste.
Seared Chicken Breast* with Cabbage and Apples
This recipe checks all the boxes. It’s a quick and easy one-pot weeknight meal that’s super healthy but also filling with a ton of flavor. Don’t have shredded cabbage? Try shredded Brussels spouts instead. This dish is super easy to customize with proteins and veggies that you favor. It’s enough of a meal on it’s own, but roasted potatoes or buttered egg noodles would make a nice side dish.
Ingredients:

  • 2-3T canola oil or ghee
  • 2-3 boneless skinless chicken breasts *or boneless pork chops
  • 1 large yellow onion, diced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1-9 oz package Trader Joe’s organic shredded red and green cabbage with carrots
  • 1 large apple, thinly sliced (I like to use Granny Smith, but any tart variety will work)
  • 2 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 1 sprig fresh rosemary
  • 1 cup low sodium chicken broth
  • 2T apple cider vinegar
  • Salt and pepper
  • 2T fresh parsley, finely chopped for garnish

Instructions:

  • Season chicken breasts generously with salt and pepper on both sides.
  • Heat 2T canola oil or ghee over medium high heat in large saucepan.
  • Cook chicken for 3 minutes on the first side, taking care not to move it around the pan so it will get a nice sear. Flip and cook for 3 additional minutes on the second side.
  • Remove chicken to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm. Do not clean pan. Note: chicken will likely not be cooked through yet.
  • If needed, add 1 T of fat to the hot pan. Reduce heat to medium low.
  • Add diced onion and cook until it begins to soften.
  • Add garlic, and cook one minute more.
  • Add cabbage and cook until it begins to wilt and soften, approximately 5 more minutes.
  • Scrape bottom of your pan while stirring to pick up any brown bits left over from searing chicken.
  • Once cabbage is slightly wilted, add apple slices, thyme, rosemary, chicken broth and apple cider vinegar and cook, stirring occasionally, for approximately 5 minutes until sauce reduces a bit.
  • Add chicken back to pan, lower heat a bit, cover and cook 5-10 more minutes until chicken is cooked through.
  • Remove thyme and rosemary prior to serving. Garnish with fresh parsley.

 

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