She's Cookin' | from the heart » vegan

Summer’s Last Hurrah

Priscilla — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 13:30:17 +0000

Welcome back, or maybe you didn’t do any traveling for summer’s last hurrah, either way – I hope you had a relaxing and fun-filled Labor Day weekend! Whether it’s with a sigh of relief or a twinge of regret, we wave good bye to summer and return to our school/work routines while anticipating the balmy days of fall. It’s September and time to say hello to this month’s Top Mom – many of you already know Roxana from her delicious baking blog A Little Bit of Everything, and if you haven’t had the pleasure, I’m pleased to be the one to introduce you to her.

When you see what Roxana whips up in her kitchen you can’t believe that she only began cooking two years ago! I could tell that this is a woman who excels at anything she puts her mind to. After learning she had high cholesterol, Roxana quickly adopted a vegan diet and began sharing amazing recipes for quick breads and desserts that she had adapted to be dairy free and, many of them are gluten free also.

Since baking isn’t second nature to me, I admire people that make it look so easy! 1-2-3 and your whole house is filled with tantalizing aromas and, violà, you have before you a warm slice of fresh-baked bread, a plump roll, or moist fruit-filled muffin – that’s Roxana! She shares simple recipes that are full of healthy ingredients, delicious flavors, and easy enough for the home chef, on her website as well as a number of food blog clubs, communities, and weekly roundups. I wish I had half her energy! Say good bye to summer while enjoying this savory vegan zucchini quick bread – all sorts of healthy deliciousness toasted for breakfast, a lunch box treat, or a savory afternoon snack!

Hello everyone. My name is Roxana and I’m the baker, photographer and writer behind A little bit of everything. As my blog line states, I bake a little bit of this, a little bit of that. I love baking yeast breads, sweets or not, and after finding out I have high cholesterol I left the butter and cheese at the store and came home with dairy and egg-free ingredients. I was a vegetarian, so going vegan wasn’t as hard as you may imagine. Instead of regular butter I now use soy-based vegan butter. As for the eggs, I have not yet used store-bought egg replacer but used mashed bananas, applesauce or flax seed meal. So far everything went well, with a few failures but that could happen even to the best of us.

When Priscilla asked me to be September Top Mom I jumped with joy. Oh my goodness, I was featured on one of the blogs I enjoy reading. As you know Priscilla is a sweetheart and her recipes always make me hungry.

I’m happy STHM of a beautiful 22 month-old daughter. I’m blessed I have the opportunity of staying home and watching our precious daughter grow. Today I’m going to share with you a vegan bread recipe. As probably some of you know I LOVE zucchini. It’s a yeast bread, perfect with a salad or a bowl of soup. I added some seeds to the dough, just for the crunchy bite.

Vegan Zucchini Bread

Ingredients:

1 cup zucchini, shredded and drained

3 cups bread flour

¼ cup lukewarm water

1 ¼ tsp. dry yeast

1-3 tablespoons of water added to dough

1 tbsp. pumpkin seeds

1 tbsp. sunflower seeds

Instructions:

Turn the oven on to 375F.

Start by shredding 1 cup zucchini. Spread them on paper towel to remove as much moisture as possible.

In your mixing bowl measure 3 cups of bread flour. Make a well in the middle and pour ¼ cup lukewarm water. Sprinkle 1 ¼ tsp. dry yeast and let it proof.

When bubbles appear and the yeast has increased in volume add 1 cup shredded drained zucchini, 1 tbsp. pumpkin seeds and 1 tbsp. sunflower seeds. With the dough hook on slowly start mixing adding until the dough comes clean from the sides of the bowl. I’m not going to say how much water you need since it all depends on how wet are your zucchini. You may need to add somewhere between 1-2 tbsp. water to ¼ cup.

Take the dough out of the mixing bowl and place it into a greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rise until doubled in volume. When risen, divide the dough in two balls and flatten them just a little bit. Place on baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap again and let rest for the second rise.

Just before baking, with a sharp knife cut the dough in different places to prevent cracking.

Bake for about 30 minutes until slightly golden. Remove from the oven and immediately brush with (vegan) butter. Let the butter melt softening the crust.

When cooled, slice and enjoy!

Thank you Priscilla for allowing me to share a recipe with your readers. It’s been a pleasure! I hope I didn’t disappoint.

I don’t know about you, but I’m certainly not disappointed! I’d like a few slices of Roxana’s zucchini bread right now

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Sweet Potato and Cauliflower Curry

Priscilla — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 05:09:24 +0000

You live with someone for half your life and just when you think you know everything about them: you can complete their sentences and predict their response to nearly any situation – they surprise you. And that’s somewhat refreshing when you get to this stage of the game For some reason I thought The Don abhorred cauliflower, in fact, in my mind I vaguely remember him telling me this one evening after dinner; vague being the key word I guess. But I was wrong! He raved about this colorful curry, exclaiming how he loved sweet potatoes (which I knew) AND cauliflower, and how I should make it more often! Who knew? Certainly not me.

So, thanks to my friend, Faith at Edible Mosaic, not only was this fragrant and savory vegan meal a home run with the huz, but it satisfied my sudden craving for Indian curry. The Indian name for this dish is Aloo Gobi Masala, and the minute I saw it, I made a mental note to buy cauliflower on my next grocery run. Because we love the orange tuber, and for more color and nutritional value, I substituted sweet potatoes for the white potatoes in the original recipe. I also had a fantastic Madras Curry from Williams Sonoma and substituted that for garam masala and added more peas, because you can never have enough sweet peas in my book. Edible Mosaic holds a place in my Blogroll because Faith always inspires and amazes me with her creative, unpretentious recipes - please take a moment to check out her site, I think you’ll love it too

Sweet Potato and Cauliflower Curry

Inspired by Edible Mosaic | Serves 4

3 Tablespoons canola oil

½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 large onion, chopped

3 large cloves garlic, grated

1 inch piece of fresh ginger, grated

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon curry powder or garam masala

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

½ teaspoon coriander

½ teaspoon turmeric

1 medium head cauliflower, cut into bite-sized florets

1 large or long sweet potato, cut into bite size pieces

1 teaspoon sugar

½-1 cup water*

1 cup frozen peas

Salt and pepper

Garnish: Fresh cilantro or parsley (optional)

Heat oil in a large skillet (with a lid) over medium-high heat; when oil is hot, sprinkle in red pepper flakes, add onion and sauté for about 5 minutes, until softened. Add garlic and ginger and sauté another 30 seconds. Add bay leaf, curry or garam masala, cumin seeds, coriander, and tumeric and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Add cauliflower, sweet potato, sugar, ½ teaspoon or so of salt, a few grinds of fresh pepper, and ½ cup of water (*I used ½ cup of dry white wine and ½ cup of water). Stir to combine. Cover the skillet and cook for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until veggies are tender.

Stir in thawed peas, cover skillet and cook for another minute to warm peas. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper (and red pepper flakes if you like more heat). Serve garnished with fresh cilantro or parsley if desired.

Enjoy

Shown served with hummus and whole wheat pita.

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Post tags: cauliflower, easy, Meatless, Meatless Monday, Sweet Potato and Cauliflower Curry, sweet potatoes, vegan, vegetarian

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Chickpea Curry with Bolani

Priscilla — Tue, 07 Dec 2010 23:20:02 +0000

We’ve all heard the saying “you are what you eat” and yesterday my post focused on a recent article about how, more than ever, food defines social class in America more than the clothes you wear or the car you drive. Basically, the food that is available and affordable to the vast majority of Americans is processed foods and not organic, sustainable, fresh fruits and vegetables. We hope to change that, but it’s going to take time and a change in the mindset of many.

Meanwhile, it is possible to eat healthy on a limited budget without spending hours in the kitchen. One of the most nutritious foods that even finicky eaters like in one form or another is tomatoes AND it’s on the shelves of every store from big box retailers to small neighborhood markets and quick stops. When I was growing up, I really didn’t like tomatoes - even though they were homegrown and organic from our own garden. But I did love a bowl of chunky chili or my mom’s comforting beef stew on a frigid winter’s eve. It wasn’t until much later in life that I realized how utterly sweet and luscious those tomatoes were and started planting a garden just so I could eat a juicy, red (or yellow) meaty tomato!

Whether you eat them raw or canned*, tomatoes are a significant source of fiber, Vitamin C and the antioxidant lycopene. Research results were presented at the American Dietetic Assocation’s Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo in November, suggesting that the nutrients in tomatoes may have a measurable impact on heart disease prevention. Since cardiovascular disease is the number one killer in the U.S., this is a VERY important finding in helping us pave the way toward heart disease prevention! Heart disease has directly affected our family, and more than likely, many of you reading this.

My husband was relatively young when he had bypass surgery, he ate healthy home-cooked meals and exercised regularly. In fact, his first heart attack struck him while he was on his regular 26 mile bike ride. In the words of his cardiologist, he had three strikes against him: he was male, over 40 and had heart disease in his family. So start eating some tomatoes – in soup, salsa, chili, stew, pasta, pizza, or hey, even ketchup (minus the sugar and corn syrup please).

So let’s get to the recipe! I created this curry using Hunt’s diced tomatoes because it’s a brand that all stores carry. Not only did this take less than 15 minutes to prepare, but it filled the house with an exotic aroma, and has the added benefit of 6 grams of fiber from garbanzo beans I served it with spinach Bolani but its also great with pita bread or naan (which you can buy at Trader Joe’s for $2.99).

Chickpea Curry

1 onion

2 cloves garlic

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons Madras Curry*

1- 14 oz. can chickpeas (garbanzo beans)

1 14 oz. can of Hunts diced tomatoes

1 teaspoon Ras el Hanout or garam masala

1. Cut onion in half and thinly slice crosswise. Heat olive oil in a pan over medium high heat (I sprinkle with some red pepper flakes). Cook onions for 2-3 minutes, then add the garlic. Continue cooking until onions are soft.

2. Add the curry powder. Stir to coat onions and cook for another minute.

3. Add chickpeas and undrained tomatoes. stir until combined. Cover and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes. Stir in Ras el Hanout or garam masala. Simmer another 10 minutes to meld flavors.

4 Servings as a meal, add a green salad or brown rice if you desire. Great as an appetizer, too.

Enjoy

*Note: Research published in the British Journal of Medicine actually shows the body more readily absorbs lycopene from canned tomato products vs. fresh tomatoes, I was skeptical when I first read this, but it’s published in a medical journal here if you want to read it.

Disclosure: I was paid to write this post, Yay! Still, my opinions are my own.

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Post tags: Bolani, chickpea curry, chickpeas, easy, garbanzo beans, gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian

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Hot Tip: True Food Kitchen

Priscilla — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 21:55:01 +0000

Patio dining in southern California doesn’t get much better than this – unless you’re at the beach!
Two of the best items on the menu: silky Edamame Dumplings and Caramelized Onion Tart with Figs and Gorgonzola.

True Food Kitchen, newly opened in Fashion Island next to Roy’s.

451 Newport Center Drive

Newport Beach, CA

(949) 644-2400

P.S. Bring your sunscreen – the stylish awnings have gaps and, since June gloom has finally disappeared, the sun was intense! The photos were taken under the shade of the awning, where alas, I was not.

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Post tags: Fashion Island, gluten-free, Newport Beach, True Food Kitchen, vegan, vegetarian

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Sesame Noodles with Baby Greens

Priscilla — Mon, 17 May 2010 15:37:07 +0000

I’m a salad lover of the first degree and lately, I’ve seen a lot of Asian-inspired noodle salads that look so good I could eat them off the page (or screen). The addition of slippery sweet sesame noodles adds special appeal for folks who would like salads if it weren’t for all the greens. This “tornado of greens” is adapted from a recipe at one of the cooking blogs I follow, Ezra Poundcake.

Sesame Noodles and Baby Greens with Peanut-Ginger Dressing

8 ounces soba noodles or whole wheat linguine or spaghetti

1 tablespoon sesame oil

1 cup Peanut-Ginger Dressing (recipe follows)

2 tablespoons basil chiffonade*

Grated zest of 1 orange

Grated zest of 1 lime

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1 cucumber, peeled, cut in half lengthwise and sliced

4 scallions, trimmed and julienned

5 oz. bag organic mixed baby greens

Garnish with carrots, red peppers, parsley, chives, and/or chopped peanuts.

1.Prepare the soba noodles or whole wheat pasta as directed on the package. Drain, rinse with cold water, toss with sesame oil in colander, and set aside.

2. In a large bowl, toss the noodles, dressing, basil, orange zest and lime zest.

3. Add the cucumbers, scallions, and greens, and toss gently. Garnish.

4. Toss with the dressing just before serving.

Variations: Feel free to add snow peas, sugar snap peas, julienned yellow bell pepper, sprouts, julienned carrots, toasted sesame seeds, or chopped peanuts.

Other greens such as arugula, kale, spinach, or Napa cabbage can be substituted for the mixed baby greens, too.

Peanut-Ginger Dressing

Makes 1 ¾ cups

¼ cup creamy peanut butter, at room temperature

Juice of 1 orange

Juice of 1 lime

¼ cup rice wine vinegar

2 tablespoons soy sauce

½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

2 tablespoons peeled, grated fresh ginger

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup canola or safflower oil

First, use a microplane (a must-have kitchen tool) for the orange and lime zest. (I had those cute always-sweet mandarin oranges called “Cuties” in the fridge so used four of those in place of one orange.) Then, cut the fruit in half and squeeze the juices out.

In a medium bowl, whisk together everything but the oil. Slowly add the oil, and whisk until all the oil is incorporated. Use immediately or refrigerate for up to 6 days.

Enjoy

Cooking Academy

* Not sure how to julienne carrots or chiffonade basil? What’s the difference between chopped, minced, diced? Here’s a very helpful video on knife skills by Food and Style. Viviane Bauquet Farre’s mesmerizes you with her charming accent and soothing voice, and she makes slicing and dicing seem so pleasant and effortless

Slice, dice, mince and chiffonade for Vegetarian Times from Viviane Bauquet Farre on Vimeo.

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Post tags: Meatless, vegan, vegetarian

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5-minute Spicy Hummus

Priscilla — Mon, 10 May 2010 16:47:20 +0000

For Meatless Monday, I’m sharing this so-simple hummus recipe from Real Simple magazine. Of course, you can buy hummus at any store, but for the cost of a can of garbanzo beans (also known as chickpeas) you can make your own in 5 minutes — and it’s worlds better! Because I prefer a little heat, I jazzed it up with a dash of cayenne and my current spice obsession called Ras el Hanout from Awaken Savor spices. (More about Awaken Savor’s unique spice blends in a future post.)

5-Minute Spicy Hummus

1-15 ounce can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained

1 clove garlic, thinly sliced

¼ c. extra virgin olive oil, plus more for serving

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon Ras el Hanout spice*

kosher or sea salt

¼ cayenne pepper (or paprika for less spicy) for serving

In a mini food processor or blender, puree the garbanzo beans and garlic with the olive oil, lemon juice, spice, and salt until smooth and creamy. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of water as necessary to achieve desired consistency. Salt to taste.

Transfer to a bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with cayenne pepper or paprika. Serve with toasted whole wheat pita bread.

Enjoy!

Add a crisp green salad topped with your favorite veggies and you have an instant Meatless Monday meal.

* Note: Ras el Hanout is a traditional Moroccan blend of herbs and spices, popular across the Middle East and North Africa. The name means “head of the shop” in Arabic and represents the very pinnacle of spice blends. Ingredients include saffron, paprika, cumin, ginger, coriander, tumeric, fennel seed, and allspice to name a few. You may substitute cumin, but I highly recommend adding this Ras el Hanout to your array of spices.

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Post tags: easy, Meatless, Meatless Monday, vegan, vegetarian

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Asparagus Three Ways

Priscilla — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 16:33:24 +0000

When you see asparagus in the markets you know spring has arrived! Here in southern California we may not realize it as much as folks who have lived through months of snow and bitter cold but, like golden daffodils, the way asparagus suddenly pokes its head from still-thawing soil, it too is a harbinger of spring. And after a long winter of hearty soups, a creamy delicate soup with bright flavors of fresh asparagus is refreshing.

I’m sharing three ways to enjoy this wonderfully delicate vegetable in the next few days; the first is a Creamy Asparagus Soup. Adapted from Clean Food by Terry Walters, this soup was surprisingly creamy without a bit of cream – the creaminess is achieved through the addition of rolled oats! I’m loving this cookbook, the book’s cover includes a recommendation from Mario Batali: “Clean Food is the most exciting book based on fresh produce and simple recipes I have used in years”.

Creamy Asparagus Soup

This non-dairy soup has the richness of a cream soup without all the fat and guilt, and is super easy to make. Yield: 6 Servings

2 bunches of asparagus, (about 6 cups chopped)

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

3 shallots, finely chopped

½ cup rolled oats*

1 quart rice milk or soy milk

½ teaspoon dried dill

sea salt and white pepper

chopped fresh parsley for garnish

*Some oats are gluten free, not all. Check your product label.

Remove tough ends of asparagus by bending each piece until it snaps. Discard ends, wash remaining asparagus, cut into 2-inch pieces and set aside.

pieces and set aside.

In a large pot over medium heat, sauté garlic and shallots in olive oil until soft, about 2-3 minutes. Add asparagus, oats, milk and dill. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer until asparagus is soft – about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and cool slightly.

Purée soup using a handheld blender. Add water if thinner soup is desired. Season to taste with salt and white pepper. Can be made 3-4 hours in advance, chilled to allow the flavors to blend, then reheat, garnish and serve.

Enjoy

If you’re asparagus binging, you might also like :

Asparagus and Potato Frittata or Roasted Asparagus with Pancetta

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Post tags: cream of asparagus soup, easy, gluten free and dairy free recipes, vegan, vegetarian

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Sassy Sausage & Peppers

Priscilla — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 22:07:09 +0000

Sausage and peppers is a classic comfort food and it’s so easy to make. Sometimes I add chopped tomatoes to have more juice that soaks into the roll, mmmm. This time I added tiny portabella mushrooms because I had them in the fridge and they add a “meatier” taste – you know, cuz I’m trying to go meatless. All the ingredients are from Trader Joe’s – I’m one of their best customers and promoters, yet Sprouts is opening in Huntington Beach on January 29th, so I might defect – hear that Trader Joes?

Sassy Sausage & Peppers (Vegan style)

1 pkg. Trader Joe’s Sausage-less Italian Sausage*, sliced on the diagonal

1 red pepper, cored and sliced

1 green pepper, cored and sliced

1 red onion, peeled and sliced

1 pkg. mini portabella mushrooms, sliced

2 T. olive oil, divided

1 t. butter

red pepper flakes

4 Panne Rustique Rolls (it’s all about the roll, folks)

Serves 4. * Of course, you may use real Italian sausage if you’re not vegan. I’ve had it both ways and its delicious either way!

Preheat toaster oven to 400 degrees. Cover toaster oven tray with aluminum foil and spray with oil so sausages don’t stick. Brown sausages in toaster oven turning once. Slice on the diagonal and set aside.

Heat 1 t. olive oil in large skillet, sprinkle with red pepper flakes. Add the peppers and onions and sauté, stirring every few minutes to evenly brown. Add more olive oil as needed to prevent vegetables from sticking.

Meanwhile, in a smaller skillet heat 1 T. olive oil plus 1 t. butter over med-high heat and sauté mushrooms, stirring to brown evenly, about 5 minutes or until the juices have cooked off. (I do this in a separate pan because the juices from the mushrooms can make the pepper mixture mushy.) Add mushrooms and sausages to pepper mixture.

Warm the rolls in the toaster oven, slice in half and fill with sausage and pepper mixture.

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Mission Meatless: Two-Bean Tostada

Priscilla — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 16:38:08 +0000

As my Tweet Deck pinged and drew me in and out and away from the work I was trying to do on Saturday, I was glad to see that one of Twitter’s power women, was tweeting about the PBS show with Robert Kenner, director of ”Food Inc.” and Michael Pollan which aired in November, 2008. It must have been a rerun but, nevertheless, it was relief from the usual tweets about everything you ever wanted to know and more about SM (social media).

You may have seen Food Inc., the documentary movie that takes a harsh look at everything we should know, but that giant food companies don’t want us to know about the journey that our food takes from the processing plant to the grocery stores of America. Michael Pollan is the author of, most recently, In Defense of Food: an Eater’s Manifesto, and his previous book, The Omnivore’s Dilemma (2006) was named one of the 10 best books of 2006 by the New York Times and Washington Post and was the recipient of the California Book Award and the James Beard award for best food writing, to name a few. He is the Knight Professor of Journalism at UC Berkeley and “few people reflect and report more astutely on the state of American food production and consumption than Michael Pollan”. If you read these books, as I have, they will change the way in which you view food forever.

Anyway, that’s an intellectual introduction to a very simple recipe for my Mission Meatless series which I’ve launched in support of the initiative known as Meatless Monday. Meatless Monday stems from the idea that YOU can change our food system and one way is to go without meat one day a week. How does this help? According to this list of 10 things YOU can do to change our food system by the website Hungry for Change, an estimated 70% of all the antibiotics produced in the US are given to farm animals which are then consumed by us. If the entire population went meatless for just one day a week. think of how many fewer injected animals would have to enter the food chain and how much less secondary hormones and antibiotics you would be ingesting.

Two-Bean Taco Salad

*Easy *Vegan *Vegetarian *Gluten-free

This takes about 15 minutes to prepare. I keep these tostada shells stocked in my pantry.

Then all you have to do is heat the refried beans, drain the black beans, and prepare the veggies.

Tostada shells, warmed in the toaster oven

1 can vegetarian refried beans

1 can low-sodium black beans, rinsed and drained

1 pkg. prepared romaine lettuce

2 carrots, peeled and grated

1 avocado, sliced

1 cucumber, peeled and sliced

Spread the refried beans on the tostada shells. Top with romaine lettuce and arrange veggies on top, arrange cucumbers around the plate. Serve with purchased salsa. Add cheese if desired (not vegan).

Note: On second thought, the blustery weather we’re experiencing this week in SoCal calls for a warm, tasty, and satisfying bowl of Vegetarian Minestrone.

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Post tags: easy vegetarian recipes, Food Inc., gluten-free, meatless recipes, Michael Pollan, two-bean tostada, vegan, vegetarian

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Kung Pao Tofu

Priscilla — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 17:15:09 +0000

Join me on my culinary journey into the world of meatless, vegetarian and vegan cuisine. Cooking honest food – by honest I mean unfussy dishes with an emphasis on fresh, seasonal produce where the essence of the ingredients shine – has always been my focus, as has enjoying and learning about regional and international cuisines. Many of these meals have been meat-centric, so my (and my family’s) new year’s intention of eating less meat has given me the opportunity to excavate the vegetarian cookbooks that I have, and reason to purchase a few new ones.

The Passionate Vegetarian is the ONE cookbook I own that holds special meaning and sentimental value to me because it was written by a phenomenal woman and writer named Crescent Dragonwagon (is that really her name : o), who owned and operated the Dairy Hollow House in my hometown. The Dairy Hollow House (totally on Wikipedia!) exists today as The Writers’ Colony in Eureka Springs, Arkansas. Many of the recipes tested in the TM kitchen this year will be from this imaginative, beautifully written, anthology of a cookbook (click on TM Shop above to check it out).

Now, are you ready to put the POW! on some tofu? ”Crisping” the tofu adds an appealing browned, crispy-chewy exterior that is very pleasing, especially for diners not so familiar with tofu. Used in Kung Pao Tofu, it also works well in any stir-fry.

Oven-Baked Tofu

16 ounces firm tofu (the package I bought was 14 oz.)

3 cloves garlic, crushed

2 T. mirin (Japanese rice wine) or sherry

2 T. cornstarch

½ t. salt

several grinds of fresh ground pepper

1. Can be prepared the day before, but at least one hour before you plan to bake the tofu, combine the ingredients in a bowl, stirring well. Slice the tofu into ½ inch strips, then cut the strips into 1½ inch piece. Place in bowl with sauce and toss to coat. Let stand for at least 40 minutes at room temperature or cover and refrigerate overnight.

2. Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Spray baking sheet with cooking spray.

3. Lay marinated tofu on baking sheet in a single layer. Bake until browned and lightly crisped on the bottom, 10-15 minutes. Turn pieces and bake another 5-10 minutes. While the tofu is baking, prepare the ingredients for Kung Pao Tofu below.

Kung Pao Tofu

1 recipe of Oven-Baked Tofu

2/3 cup organic, low-sodium vegetable stock

3 T. tamari or low-sodium soy sauce

2 T. mirin (Japanese rice wine) or dry sherry

1 T. honey

1 T. cornstarch

1 T. vegetable oil, preferably peanut

4-6 dried red chiles

2 T. ginger, finely chopped or zested*

2 t. garlic, minced

½ lb. green beans, tips cut off, cut on the diagonal into 1-inch pieces

½ c. water

1 bunch scallions, split lengthwise and cut into ¾ inch lengths

⅓ cup honey-roasted peanuts

1. As the tofu bakes, combine the stock, soy sauce, mirin, honey, and cornstarch and whisk to break up lumps.

2. Prepare your mise en place* and place next to the stove.

3. Place the vegetable oil in the seasoned wok or skillet over high heat. Let it get very, very hot - it will be fragrant with a glazed, swirly look on top. Ad teh chiles and stir-fry for one minute. Working quickly, scoop the chiles out of the pan with a slotted spoon, leaving as much oil as possible. Reserve the chiles in their bowl on the “mise” tray.

4. Add the ginger and garlic, and stir-fry for 10-20 seconds. Add the green beans or asparagus, stir-fry for 10 seconds, then add the water and immediately put the lid on. Let steam over very high heat until veggies are crisp-tender and the water has almost evaporated, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the lid, allow any remaining water to boil off. Toss in the green onions, stir-fry for 2o seconds. Stir the sauce mixture to re-blend and pour into the hot pan. Cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce becomes a clear, thick glaze – about 30 seconds. Add the oven-baked tofu and honey roasted peanuts. Serve immediately, over rice (preferably brown rice).

Enjoy

*If you’re not an avid cook or foodie, this may be an unfamiliar term: Mise en place (pronounced MEEZ-ahn-plahs) is both a French term and a method. It means “put to place” and is the arrangement of all the prepared ingredients in bowls on the counter or on a tray so that they are ready to go.

Note: You may have noticed that I left the tofu in strips – this was actually a result of not reading carefully, but it allowed me to style the dish in a visually arresting pyramid Also, I did not use whole chiles, but rather just a sprinkling of prepared red chile peppers because I didn’t want it to be too spicy for the younger generation.

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Post tags: baked tofu, Crescent Dragonwagon, Kung Pao Tofu, Passionate Vegetarian, tofu recipes, vegan, vegan recipes, vegetarian recipes

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