"VEGETABLE FIESTA (Toppings for Rice or Chow Mein"

This dish is simply a combination of several organic vegetables that I bought fresh from the farmers market, plus some pieces of marinated meat. This "Vegetable Fiesta" is a delicious toppings for noodles (like chow mein) and rice.
The meat I used here is pork, but you can substitute it any meat of your preference. I suggest use any veggie mix you want to use, or anything that you have in your kitchen. Feel free to try different kinds of vegetables and mushrooms, just so you can discover what your family likes. Listen to what they say, and remember what they like (or do not like). The fun thing about having mixed veggies in dishes like this is that you can have a "compromise" - meaning have what everybody likes in one dish. See, I like bell peppers, but my husband doesn't enjoy it, and so I add zucchini which he likes, plus my bell peppers. We then both have our favorites in one dish!

(Did I say I like garlic and celery? Ok, ok, and he likes cauliflower and spinach so we are even.)

-CHICHAY

--------------------------------------
"VEGETABLE FIESTA TOPPINGS"

What You Need:

• 4 cups of chopped vegetables (like zucchini, bell peppers, celery, fresh wild mushrooms, snow peas, spinach, cauliflower, bokchoy, cabbage, lettuce...)
• 1 medium size onions, chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 1 cup of meat cubes

Sauce mix:

• 1 cup water
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tsp cornstarch

meat marinade:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• juice of 1 lime
• 2 tsp sugar (or 1 packet if Splenda)
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin (optional)
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 2 tsp low sodium soy sauce (or patis)
• 2 tbsp chopped cilantro (or parsley)

Prep:
-Mix the marinade ingredients together in a bowl, and marinate the meat in this mixture for at least an hour.

How To:
-Drain the marinade from the meat.
-Brown the meat in a heated large skillet. Once browned, add half of the marinade to the meat in the pan, bring to a boil, then lower heat. Let this simmer for about 3-5 minutes or until the sauce is reduced.
-Add in the mixture of sauce ingredients to the pan and let this simmer for a few minutes or until reduced. Stir constantly while simmering.
-Meanwhile, in another heated pan, saute the onion and garlic, then add in the vegetables, stir well and season with salt and pepper.
-Once the vegetetables are almost done, mix it with the meat and sauce.
-Make sure the vegetables are coated well with the sauce.
-Adjust seasoning if necessary, or add some water if the sauce becomes too dry (and let this heat up some more for everything to be blended well).
-Once cooked, use your Vegetable Fiesta as topping for rice or noodles.