I often turn to spaghetti when I don’t have much time or energy to prepare a meal. It’s tasty, easy to cook, and there’s so much you can do with those skinny little strands. For dinner last night, I cooked up some Asian deliciousness in the form of Lo Mein. The whole dinner came together in less than 20 minutes!
Rachael Ray, eat your heart out.
Lo Mein a la Katie
If you remember my “Betty Spaghetti” post, then you know my pasta dishes are anything but gourmet. If that doesn’t scare you, keep reading. The method to my madness:
- Cook up a serving of pasta, then drain it.
- Add a few tbsp teriyaki sauce, ponzu sauce, or Worcestershire sauce to the pot (I used about a tablespoon of Worcestershire this time).
- Mix it all up, then add lots of steamed/cooked veggies (lazy me added frozen ones).
- Feel free to add some ginger and coriander if desired. (If I had any in my small college kitchen, I would’ve added them!)
- Mix it up again, then let it “marinate” for a while, so the flavors blend (mine sat for around three hours).
- When you’re ready to eat, heat it up again, either in the pot or in the microwave. Chopsticks are essential ;).
As I said, it’s not gourmet. But I never proclaimed to be Julia Child!
magpie says
I think chopsticks should always be essential 😀 It makes eating an art.
talieworld says
Yay! More marinated spaghetti. 🙂
Great idea!
seitanismymotor says
I hear you on the rain. The weather here is awful too. So what could be better comfort than spaghetti?
sweetpotato says
Yum! Are those sugar snap peas in there?
shelby says
haha I’m lazy too and use frozen veggie for lots of things. I like the pre-mixed veggies at target so I can just throw it in a pan with spices and make a stir-fry. No chopping neccessary!
Brooke says
I love lo mein, this looks delicious! And I love the simplicity. I also agree, pasta is the quintessential quick dinner. Thank you for the wonderful idea! By the way, which brand of vegetarian worcestershire sauce do you use?
alaina says
i just ate lo mein the other day and it was freakishly like your recipe! i’m incredibly lazy when it comes to pasta too.
Andrea says
i’m super lazy with meals too. i have more bags of FROZEN veggies and fruits than i do fresh produce! hahaha… that lo mein looks awesome though – very fiberous!?
Chris says
Oh good noodles, I am going to have to make this! Maybe I’ll chuck in some baked tofu for protein – us long distance runners need lots.
P.S. I’d LOVE to be added to your blogroll.
Gina says
that looks AWESOME! definitely a new go-to dinner 😀 thanks!
Kate says
Sounds tasty!
Vaala says
Ah freezer veggies. Truly a lifesaver on those busy days! Except of course when they freeze in one huge clump and you can’t break any off! That’s when I let J loose with a sharp knife to save the day!
Erin of Care to Eat says
I think Julie would appreciate your resourcefulness.
River says
I LOVE veggie pasta! Yours is perfection. Plus you can’t beat the name of the dish! 🙂
VeganView says
Vegan Celeb Feast~ of course you are in! With or without the donuts…although I think we might all want them! 😉
Meg says
What a lovely lo mein! It looks absolutely delicious!
Ricki says
Quick, easy and delish–sounds just right to me (and watch out for that vegan mud!) 😉
aTxVegn says
Most weeknights are quick and easy for me too and Asian style is always so tasty. PS – don’t forget the broccoli next time!
vegalicious says
I would love to give a great big hug to whomever invented pasta.
shelby says
The Kashi puffs are described as a blend of seven whole grains and seame seeds. Thats it, and they are just like puffed rice. They were really delicious in the cereal but not too filling by themselves.
eatingbender says
Oh man, I hope mud won’t take over the world! Unless you’re talkin’ slang for coffee ;o)
But I do hope that Katie’s Lo Mein takes over the world, because it looks yummy! And I looooove un-gourmet food!
Nazarina A says
Wow it is fast! I am going to be very lazy this week, so naturally I would want to cook quick, delicious and healthy meals, like your one. This is what I shall be cooking tomorrow and yes there are many days that we refrain from meat and fish. I was once a vegetarian for ten years I might add!
Nikki Douglas says
Katie this actually looks really good. I like my lo mein erm…marinated. Funny I almost had lo mein tonight. I think I will tomorrow night. Do you think that veg bloggers get like – group mind or something? I was sorry to hear about that mud puddle – I hope you heal quickly! I have tons of frozen veg – I think most vegetarians do!
lighterportions says
So simple! Yet sounds nice and tasty. Gotta love simple pasta dishes. I don’t make them often enough. I want me some spaghetti!
Veg-a-Nut says
There is nothing wrong with quick, easy, and tasty! Pasta rocks!!!
Rach-ums says
Yum! I’ve never had lo mein but it looks good.
tofufreak says
yummy! this sounds great 😀
forget rachael ray! haha
shellyfish says
Damn that looks so good…me wanna eat it right now!
And I SO thought of you when writing my bulghr post Special K!
MizFit says
do you ever use the tofu shirataki??
jessy says
you’ve gotta love a meal that comes together in 20 minutes. and especially one that looks so tasty! yay! i still need to get some ponzu sauce next time i’m at the store. mmmmmmmm! hooray for lo mein!
Joanna says
sometimes simple is best. it looks good and probably tastes amazing. it’s been raining here, too, and it’s not that warm out anymore. but i guess it is october haha where do you go to school at? i need to transfer colleges next year and am thinking about food science or nutrition. cornell would be nice, but for transfer students, gasp $47,000!!!!
jelymo says
lo mein rules. i’ll eat it cold right out of the fridge. yes–i’ll actually stand there and nom like a horse in a stall….
Melissa says
I love pasta…yum! This looks so great. Thanks for the idea!
Janet says
Oooh, The Chopstick Queen makes an appearance 😉 I think your lo mein looks lovely.
Karyn says
Looks terrific! Not gourmet, my ass.
TavoLini says
Sounds smart to me–I like any dish that involves doing most the work ahead of time, and eating when you’re hungry!
Emma says
mmm pasta is always good! It looks lovely and colourful too! I am rubbish at eating with chopsticks but I always try when I go out to eat in Chinese restuarants but usually end up giving up halfway through my meal!
Vegan On Stage says
what a great idea!!! i love lomein but chinese places always make it soooo greasy!! when i get back to a kitchen i will definitely be trying this out!
Joanna says
Hey Katie, I actually still go to school. I’m a sophomore at community College of Allegheny County. So far, I like it, but I just don’t know what I’m going for. I’m doing liberal arts and sciences, and I’ll probably transfer to Pitt as a junior for the Wellness program. My dream is to go to culinary school after that, though. There’s a school in New York called the Natural Gourmet Institute and they have a 5 month program. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see. Everything is so up in the air right now!
GroundedFitness says
will you come live with me? and then cook for me? Ill buy you clothes and toiletries. thats a fair trade, right?
and then the puppies can play!
Kelly Turner
http://www.groundedfitness.com
VeganCowGirl says
Running in the mud is horrid, horrid, horrid. Squishy shoesssss.
Your lo mein looks yum yum. Have a great week at school Katie!
Vegan_Noodle says
HAve things dried up in Dallas? It’s gorgeous today in Houston!
Your lo mein sounds delicious! I never thought to use worcestershire sauce on paste!
Alice (in Veganland) says
Fight the mud! 🙂
I love how you eat veggies with everything! (and I use frozen veggies sometimes too, shhhh)
ChocolateCoveredVegan says
Andrea—
Yup, I’m the same way! My freezer is much more jam-packed than my fridge, thanks to my penchant for cooking up (and then freezing) large amounts of food at a time. I only wish they made a fridge-freezer combo where the freezer was bigger than the fridge.
Andrea says
hahaha i totally agree! i feel bad for my 3 other roommates because my food takes up almost half the freezer. but at least i did give them plenty of room in the fridge 😉
Happy Herbivore! says
I havent had lo mein in years and now i have a reason to make it – i am so excited!
anon says
Hi, I know this is random… but it’s “à la Katie”
😀
From a French student who is picky about grammar.
Chocolate-Covered Katie says
LOL I am super-picky about grammar too. I even have the perfect SAT scores to prove it. Lucky for me, huh, that this wasn’t a question on there? 😉 Thanks for enlightening me. (If you can’t tell from my tone, I’m not being sarcastic; I really mean it. I love learning new things.)
Picky Nicky says
Wow, I never thought about letting my food sit purposely! If you say it makes food taste better, you bet I’ll be trying it 😀 Love your recipes and techniques, always!!
-Nicky
Veronica says
Is there a vegan Worcestershire?
Chocolate-Covered Katie says
Yes ma’am! I like “Wizard’s” but Annie’s also makes one :). And I think Whole Foods has their own brand.
Veronica says
Cool! I was not aware. I love that there are so many vegan substitutes now. Out of curiosity, have you found a good vegan cheese substitute. I only tried a parmesan sub a long time ago and it was pretty terrible.
Chocolate-Covered Katie says
A lot of people say Daiya is really good :).
Sabrina says
Wow, that pretty much looks like my lo mein..expect that I call it sho mein 😛 and I didn’t know that vegan Worcertershire sauce existed :O