Happy Tasty New Year 2011!

I'm back again! New year, new inspiration, new attempt at posting. I believe that most New Year's resolutions are made to be broken, forgotten or eventually ignored. Yet, I'm willing to risk it. Here's my 10 food related resolutions:

1. In the year 2011, I will cook more often. (Not only frozen chips, pizzas or boring salads)
2. In the year 2011, I will post on my blog what I have cooked. Not only take lots of pictures of food that I will never use.
3. In the year 2011, I will comment more on other food blogs that I follow.
   
4. In the year 2011, I will use recipes from the various cookbooks and food magazines (and food blogs that I follow) that fill our house. (They are more than food porn.)
5. In the year 2011, I will cook more tasty vegetarian foods and use my imagination, making things from scratch.
   
6. In the year 2011, I will eat less and drink more tea. No explanation needed here. :)
   
7. In the year 2011, I will explore the French cuisine. In April, I get to visit Nice through my studies and the trip involves food and wine and all related. Can't wait!!
   
8. In the year 2011, I will go to more small, independent restaurants, that I have never been to.
9. In the year 2011, I will shop at the food markets and ethnic shops more often.
10. In the year 2011, I will try more new things.
11. In the year 2011, I will waste less food and recycle more.
12. In the year 2011, I will either wash up more often or finally buy a dishwasher.
    

EDIT; I kept coming up with more resolutions. Hence numbers 11 and 12. :)


That's a lot of resolutions for someone who didn't make any... Well, at least I should be able to keep one or more of them, even by accident.
Here's the first recipe of the year.

Soy, carrot, red pepper and bean sprout stir fry

Soy strips, cooked in veg stock and marinated with sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce and sesame seeds
Sesame oil
Garlic
Red chili
Ginger
Onion
Carrots, thinly chopped like noodles
Red pepper, thinly chopped
Bean sprouts
Coriander

I recommend investing in sesame oil for stir fries and salad dressings as the nutty flavour it gives is sensational! First heat the wok pan and the add the oil. Once oil is hot add the red chill and ginger and stir for 30 seconds, then add the onion. Add garlic after a minute (this prevents the garlic from burning), then the soy, carrot and pepper. Stir fry for a couple of minutes, add bean sprouts and coriander and stir for a minute.

I don't know if recipes are really needed for stir fries as you can really just throw in whatever you happen to have. The key is to use chilli, garlic and ginger and it will always taste good! I season mine with soy sauce in the end.