Kung Pao Vegetables

Since my husband and I both love spicy food, I knew I had to make this as soon as I saw the recipe. It was a very simple recipe of mushrooms, carrots, celery, garlic, water chestnuts, garlic, and peanuts sauteed and then simmered briefly in a spicy sauce. I served this over rice that I cooked in vegetable broth to add flavor to the rice. The whole thing turned out really nice and spicy.

We had an early dinner so that I could volunteer at our neighborhood elementary school's book fair which has a family event in the evening. This is something I have done for several years now and there are a few of us that go out for drinks and a little something to eat afterwards. We usually go to the Cheesecake Factory and since it fell on a Vegan Thursday, I was happy to find White Bean Hummus with toasted Pita Breads on their appetizer menu which was really tasty and allowed me to keep my desire to eat vegan for the day.

My menu for this week's Vegan Thursday was:

Breakfast - Fruit Smoothie with Vegan Applesauce Muffins

Lunch - Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich, Apple

Dinner - Kung Pao Vegetables over Rice



Kung Pao Vegetables
Adapted from Fatfree Vegan Recipes

8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
3/4 cup carrots, diced
3/4 cup celery, diced
3/4 cup onion, diced
8 ounce can Water Chestnuts, diced
1/2 cup dry roasted peanuts (optional)
3 cloves garlic, minced

3 tablespoons White Wine or Sake
3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce or Tamari
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1-2 tablespoons Siracha or Sambal Oelek (to taste)
2 tablespoons Cornstarch dissolved in 1/4 cup Water

Make the sauce by mixing together the wine, soy sauce, rice vinegar and 1 tablespoon Siracha and set aside. Dissolve the cornstarch in the water and set aside.

Place the sliced mushrooms in a dry wok or pan and stir over medium heat until the mushrooms release their liquid. Add the carrots, celery, and onions and cook until the colors brighten. Add the water chestnuts, peanuts and garlic and cook until heated through.

Pour the sauce over the vegetables and stir until slightly heated and bubbly. Add the cornstarch mixture and stir to thicken sauce. Taste and adjust heat level with more Siracha if desired.

Serve over rice.

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