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Verde Vegan

Tonight I threw together an Italian dish inspired by a recipe in Real Simple magazine this month. I love this mag! I got it for $5 for a year subscription on Amazon. It has so many helpful tips, and quick recipes. This recipe is so easy, I won't type out the measurements and all. All you have to do is boil up some linguine while you sizzle some garlic in olive oil in a pan. Then you add chopped bite-sized pieces of asparagus and saute until almost done. Then add chopped fresh spinach. When pasta is done, drain and return to its pot. Mix in asparagus/spinach/garlic mixture and add some garlic salt and red pepper flakes. Voila! I also steamed an artichoke that we picked at as a side dish. Sometimes I make dinner into WAY too much of a production. Who has the energy every night? Throwing something like this together made me realize that dinner can be cheap and easy if I just keep it Simple. Real simple. Hhahahahahaha!

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Makin' Takeout

I made a really good Chinese dish tonight - - and what's up with me making things that taste like meat lately? My husband has never "complimented" my cooking by saying it tasted like meat EVER. He likes vegan food, but he's pretty bummed I he never comes home to some steak and potatoes. So yeah, he told me he could have been fooled this was chicken! It was good anyway :)

If that's the taste you're going for, I would recommend a heavy, sugary sauce, like a General Tsao's. Or use this in place of chicken strips -- maybe dipped in some BBQ sauce? Organics2U items in red as usual.

Tofu "Chicken" and Broccoli with Baby Bok Choy

1 block tofu

1 small head of broccoli, chopped into florets

4 baby bok choys, ends chopped off, leaves separated (the more the better)

Cornstarch (see directions)

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup mirin

1/4 cup rice vinegar

4 tbsp maple syrup

2 tbsp sesame oil

1-2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbsp ginger, minced

sesame seeds (opt.)

red pepper flakes (opt.)

2-4 cups rice

Slice tofu into width-wise pieces about 1/2 inches thick. Place pieces on a large plate, cover with 3 paper towels and cover towels with a large soup pot and frying pan for weight. Leave while chopping veggies, mixing the rest of the ingredients for the sauce, and preparing rice in the rice cooker.

Remove paper towels and cut each slice into thirds to make 3 squares. Cut each square into 2 triangles. Place triangles in a plastic ziploc baggie. Shake in a little cornstarch. Gently shake bag so cornstarch to lightly coats tofu triangles. If you need more, add more sparingly. 

Cover the bottom of a large frying pan generously with olive oil. Heat on medium until  hot and then carefully add as many triangles that fit comfortably. Be patient and leave them to fry on one side until that side looks well done. Then flip with a thin spatula. Do the rest in batches and remove to a paper towel-lined plate when done. Meanwhile start steaming the veggies. Be careful, as they will steam quickly. Take out when about 3/4 done. Add to frying pan with more oil or water if needed. When done to your liking, add sauce to warm and then add tofu. Plop on generous helping of tasty rice. Spoon on extra sauce if needed.

Oh, and if you don't have it -- you gotta get a rice cooker! Perfect every time. I have a Zogirushi and I love it. Make sure to follow their recommendations and 1) rinse rice and 2) when done, fluff rice and then close cover again for a bit to re-steam.