tofu leek stirfy

 I bought leeks, I had tofu to use up, and I found this recipe.  I used two leeks and two partial yellow onions; other vegetables would be nice in it.  Made enough for three servings; first I ate it alone, but when I heat it up I'll go with high-protein pasta I think.  

Mix together:

• 4 Tbsp soy sauce (or half of that amino acids)
• 2 Tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp maple syrup
• 3 Tbsp vegetable broth
• 1 lemon, juice

Cube

• 1 block extra firm tofu, pressed or frozen

And add tofu to marinade for overnight or less time.  

Then save marinade but remove tofu and toss with

• 1 cup cassava flour (believe I used less, and this could be substituted for something else) 

Dry fry the tofu on a cast iron pan until browned on most side.

Slice:

• leeks and onions (recipe called for 1 leek, 1 white onion, 1 red onion; I used two leeks and two small yellow onions)

Saute alliums, and add:

• 1 tsp garlic powder (heaping)
• 1 tsp smoked paprika

Once the alliums are softened a bit, add the tofu in and stir, then add the marinade and cook down. 

Cook just as it is, or eat with rice or pasta or potatoes. 

 

 

corn pudding-ish

 I'm sure this recipe is great, but here's what I had on hand and it hit the spot for a corn custard.

In a large bowl, combine:

• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup milk
•  1/4 cup melted butter
• 2 T cornstarch
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 5+ dashes of hot sauce
• 1/4 tsp salt 
• 1/2 cup sour cream  

Add in:

• 2-3 cups corn (fresh, or thawed)

Bake at 350 for about 50 minutes in an 8x8 pan (greased or with parchment paper).  

roasted bok choy

 Trying to roast more instead of fry, and this was pretty good.  From here.  It's a little fibrous so I slice it after cooking.  REally liked it with "tofu nuggets" (recipe found here). 

Ingredients

• 1 pound bok choy (Shanghai, baby)
• 2 large cloves garlic, minced (or 1 tsp+ garlic powder)
• 2 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
• 1 Tbsp tamari or soy sauce (choose tamari if GF)
• 1 Tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tsp maple syrup
• 1/2-1 tsp ground ginger
• Black pepper + salt (to taste)
• Garnish: chopped green onion, sesame seeds (black or white)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Prepare bok choy: Slice bok choy in half lengthwise and place face-up on a lined baking dish or sheet pan.
3. Make sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together minced garlic, toasted sesame oil, tamari (or soy sauce), rice vinegar, maple syrup, and ground ginger.
4. Apply sauce: Brush the sauce over the bok choy, getting it into all the nooks and crannies. Season with black pepper and salt, if desired.
5. Bake: Bake in the oven for about 12 minutes, until lightly browned and tender.
6. Remove from oven: Remove from oven.
7. Garnish: Garnish with chopped green onion and sesame seeds (if desired).

 

popcorn

 Don't know where I pulled this recipe from, but it worked!

Heat large heavy-bottomed saucepan with 1 T olive oil and 2 popcorn kernels over medium heat.

When the two kernels pop, pull the pan off the stovetop, turn off heat, and add 1/4 cup popping corn.  Shake the pot around and let it sit for 60 seconds.

Put back on medium heat, with a lid.  Once it starts popping, tilt the lid so the popcorn doesnt' steam. Shake around from time to time, and remove from heat when popping slows.  

enjoy!  Salt and nutritional yeast, yum.  

pear energy balls

 Haven't made these pear energy balls yet, but I'm trying to clear tabs. :)

Ingredients

• 1 cup rolled oats (old-fashioned, not quick oats)
• 1/2 cup dried pears (soft, not rock-hard—check that they’re pliable)
• 1/2 cup almond butter (natural, at room temperature)
• 1/4 cup honey (real honey, not the fake stuff) [i will probably substitute date paste]
• 1/4 cup chia seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• Pinch of salt (seriously, don’t skip this)

---

Instructions

1. Toss your rolled oats into a food processor and pulse until they’re finely ground—think flour-like texture with a bit of texture remaining, not turned into complete dust.
2. Add the dried pears, almond butter, honey, chia seeds, cinnamon, and salt right into the processor with the ground oats. Pulse everything together until it’s well combined and the mixture sticks together when you pinch it between your fingers (if it crumbles, pulse more or add a tiny bit more honey).
3. Let the mixture sit for about 5 minutes—the chia seeds will absorb moisture and everything holds together way better (trust me on this one).
4. Roll the mixture into small balls about 1 inch in diameter—roughly walnut-sized—and line them up on a baking sheet with parchment paper. Don’t stress about making them perfectly round; rustic works just fine.
5. Pop the baking sheet in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to set and firm up. This step is key—skip it and you’ll have a smushed mess when you try to pack them.
6. Once they’re firm, transfer the energy balls to an airtight container for storage. Keep them refrigerated and enjoy whenever you need a quick nutritious boost that actually tastes good!

 

quinoa tzatziki bowls

I see reels from various people on Facebook from various sources, and I like to see some of the food preparation ideas.

This was from Liam Layton, reposting from @mariannas_pantry.  

They stacked these in jars which were then dumped out and mixed up for a salad serving.  It looks tasty and satisfying so I may try.  I'll definitely be eating this when I'm drowning in cucumbers this summer, but I may not wait!  I haven't had tzatziki in forever.  

- container of tzatziki

- quinoa (I'd maybe cook a cup of it) 

- chopped cucumber, bell pepper, red onion

- chickpeas 

- Kalamata olives

- banana peppers

- feta

 

protein biscuits

 I am for sure making these "protein biscuits" as they seem like a satisfying breakfast option.  From here.  Seems like I can make a lot of substitutions in them.   

Ingredients

• 3 tsp baking powder + flour to 250 g (2 cups total)
• 1 cup (240g) yogurt (they call for dairy free but I'll use dairy) 
• 1 cup (190 g) red lentils, rinsed 
• 1 1/3 cup (320 mL) vegetable stock  
• 1/3 cup (80 ml) olive oil
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp Italian herbs
• 1 1/2 cup (45 g) spinach, finely chopped (I'll replace with zucchini and other vegetables) 
• 1/2 cup (55 g) sundried tomatoes (not stored in oil ... so perhaps reduce oil if using from oil) 
• 3/4 cup (100 g) sunflower seeds
• 1/3 cup (15 g) nutritional yeast  

Instructions Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Lightly oil paper with olive oil. Set aside. Place the rinsed red lentils in a saucepan with vegetable stock. Cover the pan, bring it to high heat until the liquid boils, reduce to medium heat, and cook covered for 10-12 minutes until the lentils are mushy and the liquid is absorbed. Remove the lid and let it steam out for 10 minutes. Preheat the oven to 400 °F (200 °C). In a large mixing bowl, add flour, onion powder, Italian herbs, yogurt, olive oil, cooked red lentils, chopped spinach, chopped sundried tomatoes, seeds, and nutritional yeast. Combine everything together until it forms a sticky dough. Divide the dough into 8 portions and place them on the prepared baking sheet. Bake the biscuits for 20-25 minutes at 400 °F (200 °C) until golden brown. Let them cool down for a few minutes before serving.