Arugula and Broccoli Salad with Tofu

This balanced and filling salad is based on a recipe from EatingWell magazine, made vegan (and delicious) by a few tweaks from me.  The quinoa is unexpected, but it works.

Ingredients:

juice and zest of one organic lemon

2 T. extra-virgin olive oil, separated

salt and freshly ground pepper

1 clove garlic, minced

2 T. soy sauce or to taste

1/2 t. smoked paprika or to taste

1 lb. extra-firm tofu, chopped into 1/2-in. or 1-in. pieces (Tofu has a more pleasant texture if it is frozen first, then thawed before use.  Plan ahead.)

1 c. vegetable broth

1/2 c. quinoa, rinsed

20 oz. bag frozen broccoli

3/4 c. chopped walnuts

2 T. canola oil

6 c. arugula

your favorite vinaigrette dressing

1/2 c. sun-dried tomatoes

Method:

Mix the lemon juice, lemon zest, 1 T. olive oil, salt and freshly-ground pepper to taste (be very generous with the pepper), garlic, soy sauce, and smoked paprika in a wide, shallow container.  Toss the tofu with the mixture (the tofu will likely soak it up almost right away), and marinate until ready to use in later step.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Bring vegetable broth and quinoa to a boil in a small saucepan.  Reduce heat to maintain a simmer, cover, and cook until the liquid is absorbed, about 10 minutes.  Let stand, covered, another 10 minutes.  The grains should be softened but not mushy.

Meanwhile, mix 1 T. olive oil and 1/2 t. salt on a rimmed baking sheet.  Toss the broccoli in the oil, and roast for 10 minutes.  The broccoli should be completely thawed and warm.  Remove from oven and set aside.

Toast the walnuts over medium heat just until they are fragrant.  Set aside.

In a cast-iron skillet, heat the canola oil over medium heat.  Toss the tofu and lemon zest in the oil, and cook a few minutes until browned on one side.  Toss again, and cook another few minutes until browned on a second side.  Remove from heat.

Divide the arugula between 4 plates.  Toss arugula with the desired amount of vinaigrette dressing.  Top each salad with 1/4 of the broccoli, the quinoa, the walnuts, the tofu, and the sun-dried tomatoes.  Serve immediately.

Serves 4.

Orange Tofu, Pepper, and Broccoli Stir-Fry

Another super yum recipe from Cooking Light magazine.  I added broccoli and sesame seeds and removed the sugar and cilantro, but the rest is mostly as they published it.

Be sure to take advance action on the tofu:  freezing it for 24 hours, then thawing before use, improves the texture.

 

Ingredients:

1.5 c. white basmati rice (Other rices are fine, but you may need to follow the package directions.  Basmati is my favorite white rice, so that's what I use for everything.)

 2 1/4 c. water

1 1/4 t. salt, divided

1/4 c. + 1 T. + 1 t. canola oil, divided

1 14-oz. package extra-firm Chinese-style (not the silken type) tofu 

6 T. cornstarch, divided

1 c. fresh orange juice (from about 2 juicy oranges)

6 T. soy sauce, tamari, or shoyu (NOTE:  If it is important that this dish is gluten-free, check the sauce.)

2 T. unseasoned rice vinegar

1 thinly sliced onion

2 green bell peppers, seeded, de-veined, and chopped (The photo has it sliced, but chopped works better.)

1 yellow bell pepper, seeded, de-veined, and chopped

1 orange bell pepper, seeded, de-veined, and chopped

20-oz. bag frozen broccoli

2 T. thinly sliced garlic

1 t. grated orange rind

1 t. crushed red pepper

2 T. sesame seeds 

Method:

Rinse the rice under cool water until the water runs clean.  In a large saucepan with a lid, bring the water, 1/4 t. salt, and 1 t. oil to a boil.  Add the rice, stir lightly, cover, and reduce heat to a low simmer.  Cook for 15 minutes, then turn off heat.  Let sit for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.

Meanwhile, squeeze as much water as possible out of the tofu block, and cut the tofu into 1/2-inch pieces.  Combine the tofu with 1/4 c. cornstarch in a medium bowl.  Toss so that the tofu is covered in the cornstarch.  Heat 3 T. oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet with deep sides.  Add tofu to the pan, and cook about 8 minutes or until golden brown.  Remove from pan.

Combine remaining 2 T. cornstarch, orange juice, soy sauce, vinegar, and remaining 1 t. salt in a bowl.  Heat remaining 2 T. oil in the pan over medium-high heat.  Add the onion, bell peppers, and broccoli, and cook about 5 minutes, stirring constantly.  Add the garlic, orange rind, and crushed red pepper and cook, still stirring, until everything is tender but with a slight crunch.  Add the orange juice mixture, and bring to a boil.  Stir in the tofu, and remove from heat.

Serve the tofu stir-fry over the cooked rice, topping each serving with 1/2 T. sesame seeds.

Serves 4.

Lettuce Tofu Wraps

This delicious recipe is slightly modified from Eating Well magazine's website.  It's a great meal with a side of fries when you're looking for something easy, fun, and delish.

Ingredients:
1/2 c. smooth natural peanut butter
1/4 c. soy sauce, tamari, or shoyu (If you need the dish to be gluten-free, check the ingredients.  Not all of these are gluten-free.), plus more for the tofu, to taste
1 T. rice vinegar
1 t. minced garlic
1/4 t. crushed red pepper
1 lb. Chinese tofu (Tofu's texture is greatly improved if it has been frozen for 24 hours and then thawed prior to use.  Plan ahead.)
2 T. canola oil
1 c. julienned Asian pear
1 c. julienned cucumber
8 large lettuce leaves, washed and dried

Method:
Whisk the peanut butter, 1/4 c. soy sauce (or tamari or shoyu), rice vinegar, garlic, and red pepper together for the sauce.  Add a tablespoon or two of water to thin the sauce to the desired texture.

Squeeze as much water from the tofu as possible, then cut the tofu into 1/2-inch cubes.  In a large, non-stick skillet, cook the tofu over medium-high heat until water is no longer sizzling out of the tofu.  Drizzle the tofu with soy sauce (or tamari or shoyu), to taste, then drizzle with the canola oil.  Toss the tofu to coat with the oil.  Cook until one side of the tofu is browned, toss again, and cook until a second side is browned.  Remove from heat.

Divide the tofu, pear, and cucumber between the 8 lettuce leaves, and drizzle the filling of each lettuce leaf with the sauce.  Use the lettuce leaf as a wrap, and eat taco-style.

Serves 3 - 4.

Tofu Zoodle Salad

This is a slightly modified version of a super-healthy recipe I found on a fascinating and beautifully photographed blog called Scaling Back.  Check it out here.

NOTE:  This recipe requires a special tool called a spiralizer.

Ingredients:
1 lb. Chinese tofu  (Tofu has a more desirable texture if it has been frozen for 24 hours, then thawed.  Plan ahead.)
soy sauce (or shoyu or tamari), to taste  (If you need to avoid gluten, check ingredients.  Not all of these are gluten-free..)
2 T. canola oil
1 c. frozen mukimame (shelled edamame)
3 T. peanut butter
2 T. lime juice
2 t. sesame oil
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
2 t. garlic chili paste
2 medium zucchini
1/2 c. shredded carrot (I buy the kind that is already shredded.  So convenient!)
1/2 avocado, peeled and cubed
1/2 c. chopped fresh parsley
1/4 c. chopped cashews (roasted but not salted)
1 T. toasted sesame seeds

Method:
Squeeze as much water out of the tofu as possible.  Cut the tofu into 1/2-inch cubes.  In a large non-stick skillet, cook the tofu over medium-high heat until water is no longer sizzling out of the tofu.  Drizzle the tofu with soy sauce, to taste.  Drizzle tofu with the canola oil.  Toss the tofu to coat in oil, and cook until browned on one side.  Toss again, and cook until browned on another side.  Remove from heat.

Cook the mukimame according to package directions.

Whisk the peanut butter, lime juice, 1 T. water, sesame oil, minced garlic, and chili paste in a small bowl to create the dressing.  Add water judiciously, if needed to thin the dressing.

Using a spiralizer, spiralize the zucchini on the most narrow setting so that it is about the diameter of spaghetti noodles.  Toss the zucchini, carrot, avocado, and parsley together with the dressing to coat.  Toss in the tofu and mukimame.  Top with cashews and sesame seeds, and serve immediately.

Serves 3 as a main dish.

Asian Vegetable Stir-Fry with Soy Sauce Tofu

This recipe is slightly adapted from the Cooking Light Annual Recipes 2001 cookbook.  I serve this over white rice, but choose the "bed" of your preference.

Ingredients:

3 T. tomato paste

1.5 T. rice vinegar

1.5 T. soy sauce (or shoyu or tamari), plus additional sauce, to taste, for the tofu

1.5 t. curry powder

1/2 t. salt

scant 1/4 t. freshly-ground black pepper

1 lb. Chinese-style tofu (NOTE:  Tofu has a more desirable texture if it has been frozen for 24 hours, then thawed before use.  Plan ahead.)

1/4 c. canola oil, separated

1 large onion, peeled and sliced into wedges

1 c. chopped celery

2 bell peppers, chopped (any color works, but yellow and red are colorific)

1 c. frozen sugar snap peas in their pods or snow peas

1/2 head cabbage, thinly sliced (any kind - green, red, Savoy, or Napa)

1/2 c. water

If desired, choose a "bed" (e.g. I use white rice.) for the stir-fry, and prepare that food according to package instructions.

Combine the first 6 ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.

Squeeze as much water as possible from the tofu, then cut it into 1/2-inch cubes.  Place the cubes in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat and cook until water is no longer sizzling out of the tofu.  Drizzle soy sauce, to taste, over the tofu cubes.  Drizzle 2 T. canola oil around the edge of the pan, and stir the tofu to coat.  Cook until the tofu is browned on one side, toss again, and cook until the tofu is browned on a second side.  Remove from heat and set aside.

In a large stir-fry pan, heat the remaining 2 T. canola oil over medium-high heat.  Add the onion and stir-fry for a minute or two.  Add the celery, bell pepper, and peas, and stir-fry for another 5 minutes.  Add the cabbage, and stir-fry until crisp-tender.  Add water and tomato paste mixture, and stir to coat the vegetables.  Remove from heat, stir in the tofu, and serve over the "bed" of your choice (e.g. rice).



Lemon-Pepper Tofu and Quinoa Salad

This dish was originally a non-vegetarian dish from The Food Network magazine, and it took me a couple of tries to work it into a satisfying vegetarian dish.  But it came together, and here we are!

Ingredients:
juice and zest of one organic lemon
1/4 c. extra-virgin olive oil, separated
salt and freshly ground pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
2 T. soy sauce or to taste
1/4 t. smoked paprika or to taste
1 lb. extra-firm tofu, chopped into 1/2-in. or 1-in. pieces (Tofu has a more pleasant texture if it is frozen first, then thawed before use.  Plan ahead.)
1.5 c. quinoa
1/2 small red onion, halved and very thinly sliced (I think scallions could easily be substituted here if you like the milder, greener flavor.)
1.5 lb. heirloom tomatoes, chopped
1 Cubanelle chile pepper or other Italian frying pepper, seeded and chopped (A green bell pepper will work, too.)
3 Persian cucumbers, chopped
2 T. vinegar of your choice (I used an orange-vanilla white balsamic vinegar.)
1.5 T. chopped fresh parsley

Method:
Mix the lemon juice, lemon zest, 1 T. olive oil, salt and freshly-ground pepper to taste (be very generous with the pepper), garlic, soy sauce, and smoked paprika in a wide, shallow container.  Toss the tofu with the mixture (the tofu will likely soak it up almost right away), and marinate until ready to use in later step.

On the day you plan to eat, rinse the quinoa. 

Heat 1/2 T. olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the quinoa, and cook, stirring, until lightly toasted (about 4 minutes).  Add 4 c. water and 1/4 t. salt, and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat to medium, and simmer until the water is absorbed and the quinoa is tender but not mushy, about 15 minutes.  Set skillet aside.

Soak the red onion slices in cold water for 10 minutes, then drain.

Meanwhile, toss the tomatoes, chile or bell pepper, cucumbers, vinegar, 1.5 T. olive oil, parsley, 1/4 t. salt, and freshly ground pepper to taste in a large bowl.  Add the onions, and toss to coat.

Heat the remaining 1 T. olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.  Toss the tofu and lemon zest in the warm olive oil, and allow to cook until browned on one side.  Toss again, and allow to cook until browned on another side.

Fluff the quinoa with a fork, divide among 4 bowls, top with the tomato mixture, then the tofu.  Serves 4.

Spring Rolls!

Ever since Scott made a layer cake at Christmas, he's been on a cooking kick. The sweet joy of success is eating your own creation! I have to give him credit for taking on the task of finding ingredients for and making such a foreign food, which we fell in love with at a local Vietnamese restaurant. With the aid of the classic cookbook Joy of Cooking, he recreated our beloved dish perfectly at home!

First make the peanut dipping sauce, which we mixed with store-bought chili garlic sauce. I could eat this with a spoon!

Ingredients:
2 t. canola oil
4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 t. peeled and minced fresh ginger
1/2 t. crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste
1 c. water
2 T. soy sauce (or tamari or shoyu)
2 T. fresh lime juice
2/3 c. chunky peanut butter
1 T. brown sugar, or to taste

Method:
Heat the canola oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until golden brown (about 1 minute). Add the water, soy sauce, lime juice, peanut butter, and brown sugar. Cook, stirring, until thickened (about 4 minutes).
Serve warm or at room temperature. This sauce will keep, covered and refrigerated, for up to 1 week.

Now make the rolls:

Ingredients:
4 large red-leaf lettuce leaves, washed, large stems removed, leaves torn into large pieces
1 large carrot, peeled and shredded
1 c. bean sprouts, rinsed
1/2 c. cilantro leaves, minced
8 scallions, washed and chopped, white and green parts
2.5 oz. vermicelli noodles, broken in half (or use cellophane noodles or rice stick noodles)
3 T. canola oil
1 lb. firm Chinese-style tofu, water squeezed out, cut into 1/2-inch chunks  (I like to freeze my tofu for 24 hours, then thaw it.  It improves the texture.)
8 12-inch round sheets of rice paper (This stuff is edible, even though it does not appear to be when first taken from the package.)

Method:
First make sure all your vegetables are prepared and ready to go.  Put a large saucepan over high heat and bring 4 c. water to boil.  Cook the noodles until just firm to the bite.  Drain and rinse under cold water.

In the meantime, heat the canola oil over medium-high heat in a large non-stick skillet.  Add the tofu to the hot oil and brown on 2 sides of each chunk.  Remove from heat.

Lay a damp kitchen towel on the counter.  Have a large bowl of hot water (115 - 120 degrees F).  Dip 1 sheet of rice paper into the water, completely submerging it, and quickly remove it to lay flat on the damp towel.  Slightly lower then center and leaving about 1 inch on the right and left, put a horizontal line of lettuce, then noodles, then bean sprouts, then tofu, then cilantro, then scallions, then carrots (about 1/8 of each ingredient).  Fold the right and left sides in and overlapping the filling by about an inch so that the paper sticks to itself above and below the filling.  Bring up the bottom edge of the paper to cover the filling and stick to the rice paper at the top of the filling.  Now roll tightly into a neat cylinder.

If the rice paper starts to tear, overlap it with another sheet of paper (prepped in the hot water, as usual), using 2 sheets for one roll.

Cut each roll on the diagonal with a sharp knife and serve immediately as the rice paper will toughen with time.  Serve with peanut dipping sauce and, if you want, some chili garlic sauce.  Makes 8 delicious servings.

Soy and Ginger Tofu in an Asian-Inspired Meal

In a 2011 issue of Martha Stewart's Living magazine, there were recipes for an Asian-inspired meal including the herbed rice and steamed bok choy recipes I previously posted.  The magazine's entrée was soy-and-ginger pork chops, but I was able to substitute tofu very well in the recipe, making it even more Asian-inspired and, of course, vegetarian.  Here is a photo of the meal along with the entrée recipe as I made it:

Soy-and-Ginger-Marinated Tofu Steaks or Cubes

I made the recipe using tofu steaks, but I think cubes would have worked even better.

Ingredients:

1/2 c. plus 1 T. soy sauce (tamari or shoyu may also be used)

1/4 c. plus 1.5 t. canola oil

1/4 c. finely grated fresh ginger (peel it before grating)

1/4 c. plus 1.5 t. light brown sugar

2 scallions, finely chopped

3/4 t. freshly ground pepper

1 lb. extra-firm tofu (not the silken kind - NOTE:  Tofu's texture often is improved by freezing it, then thawing it.  To do this process, plan ahead.)

1 T. canola oil (plus more, if needed)

1 scallion, thinly sliced, for garnish

Method:

Whisk together the soy sauce, 1/4 c. plus 1.5 t. canola oil, ginger, brown sugar, chopped scallion, and freshly ground black pepper.

Squeeze any excess water from the tofu.  Cut the tofu into 4 steaks or into 1-inch cubes, as you wish.  Arrange the tofu in a nonreactive baking dish, reserving 3 T. of the marinade.  Pour the remainder over the tofu, and cover the dish with plastic wrap.  Marinate the tofu for 45 minutes, flipping the steaks or tossing the cubes halfway through that time.

Heat the remaining 1 T. canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Remove the tofu from the marinade and sear the steaks or cubes for about 4 minutes.  Reduce heat to medium.  Flip the steaks or cubes and sear again until just cooked through (3 - 5 more minutes).  Transfer the tofu to a platter and allow it to rest 5 minutes.

In the meantime, add the reserved marinade to the skillet.  Simmer over medium heat until thickened, about 30 seconds.  Spoon this sauce over the tofu.  Garnish with thinly sliced scallion.  Serves 2 - 4 as an entrée.

I served the meal with iced green tea to complete the Asian theme.

Lo Mein with Tempeh Cubes

Below is a photo of the vegetable lo mein recipe (recipe here) I previously posted.  At this meal I served it with tempeh cubes, and the easy recipe for them follows:

Ingredients:

4 T. canola oil

1 clove garlic, minced

2 T. soy sauce

8 oz. tempeh, cubed into about 1/2-inch cubes

1 t. sesame seeds

Method:

In a medium skillet, heat the canola oil over medium to medium-high heat.  Sauté the minced garlic in the warm oil, about 1 minute.  Add the soy sauce and tofu cubes.  Brown tofu in oil until golden.  Sprinkle with seasame seeds.

Serves 2 as a side dish.

Szechuan Tofu

The original version of this recipe is from Molly Katzen's The Enchanted Broccoli Forest cookbook. This is my version. It is perfect over steamed white rice, so start cooking the rice when you start this. I always forget to and have to do it at the end!

Also, feel free to use whatever vegetables suit you - add bell peppers, baby corn, snow peas, etc.

lb. Chinese tofu - NOT the silken kind  (Tofu's texture improves if it has been frozen for 24 hours, then thawed.  Plan ahead.)
1/4 c. canola oil, separated
1/3 c. sherry or rice wine
soy sauce, shoyu, or tamari sauce (see step 4 for amount...If your food needs to be gluten-free, check ingredients.  Not all of these are gluten-free.)
1.5 c. water
2 T. cornstarch
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 t. crushed red pepper
1/4 t. freshly ground black pepper
20-oz. bag of frozen broccoli
1 onion, diced
3 carrots, diced
1 c. sliced celery

Squeeze as much water as possible from the tofu, then cut the tofu into 1/2-inch cubes.  In a large nonstick skillet, cook the tofu over medium-high heat until water is no longer sizzling out of the cubes.  Drizzle with 2 T. canola oil, and toss to coat.  Continue cooking until 1 side is browned, toss again, and cook until a second side is browned.  Remove from heat and set aside.

In a 1-cup measuring cup, pour the sherry or rice wine up to the 1/3 c. mark. Add enough soy sauce, shoyu, or tamari to make 1/2 c. of liquid. Add the water.  Put the corn starch into a medium bowl. Whisk in the tamari mixture. Add the garlic, crushed red pepper, and black pepper.  Set aside.

Heat the canola oil in the skillet or a wok. Saute the broccoli, onion, carrots and celery until crisp-tender. Pour in the sauce, turn the heat up a little, and stir-fry/mix/whatever about 5 - 8 more minutes. The sauce will begin to thicken. Stir in the tofu Serve over your steamed white rice.

Vegetable Lo Mein

I got this vegan recipe from www.cdkitchen.com and tweaked it...

1 large bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 large carrot, julienned
1/2 small onion, thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 t. FRESH (not dried) peeled and grated ginger (This is so imperative, as it really makes the dish something special. You can substitute whatever you like for the veggies, but don't mess with the fresh ginger.)
1/2 t. crushed red pepper
2 T. canola oil
1/4 c. soy sauce
2 T. water
1 T. sesame seeds
1 pkg udon noodles, prepared according to package directions

Heat the canola oil to be hot in a large nonstick skillet or wok. Stir fry the bell pepper, carrot, and onion in the hot canola oil for 2 - 3 minutes, until vegetables are tender-crisp. Add garlic, ginger, and sesame seeds and cook 1 minute more. Remove from heat. Combine soy sauce and water, and stir into vegetables. Toss cooked udon noodles into vegetable mixture and serve hot.