Mushroom Rice Bowl

My husband is such a trooper.  I admit that my taste buds aren't all together "normal", but my man just goes along with me and gratefully eats what he is served.  He admits to being a bit skeptical when he heard my answer to his question of what we were having for dinner on this particular night, but after the first couple of bites, he suggested I "cook like this" more often.  Needless to say, we both thoroughly enjoyed this satisfying meal.  I didn't have shichimi sauce, which I guess was the intended star of the original recipe, but I thought the red pepper flakes were enough to add a kick without killing the natural flavors.


2 cups cooked brown rice
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 cloves garlic, very thinly sliced
sea salt
12 ounces chanterelles or mushrooms of your choice, sliced 1/4-inch thick
8 ounces firm tofu, cut into tiny cubes (I prefer extra firm)
1 bunch kale, well chopped
Shichimi Togarashi or red pepper flakes, to taste


Heat the olive oil and butter in a large skillet over high heat.  Add the mushrooms in a single layer, stir well, and cook until the mushrooms release their liquid, and then brown, about 5 minutes more.  Stir a few times along the way, but don't overdo it; you want the mushrooms to be deeply browned on both sides.  Stir in the garlic roughly 20 seconds before the mushrooms finish cooking.  If you need to cook the mushrooms in two batches; do so.  Transfer the mushrooms to a plate, set aside.

Using the same large skillet, no need to clean it out, cook the tofu along with a couple pinches of salt over medium-high heat until heated through, and until it starts to brown a bit.  Roughly one minute before the tofu is finished cooking, stir in the kale.  It should collapse and cook down over the next 60 seconds.

Season all components with Shichimi Togarashi (or red pepper flakes) and salt to taste.  For each serving, dish up a heaping spoonful of brown rice along with some of the tofu/kale mixture and some of the mushrooms.

Tofu Fries

I know some of you will think I've lost my marbles with this one, but they were actually very good!  My dad will never believe me, but the rest of you just need to trust me!  They are fried, after all.

vegetable oil for frying
1 package extra-firm tofu
seasoning salt
pepper

Pour oil into a large saucepan to a depth of 1 in. and heat to 350.  Cut tofu into sticks about 1/2 in. wide and 3 to 4 inches long; pat dry with a towel.

Drop tofu sticks into hot oil, working in batches.  They will try to stick like magnets, but after the first minute you should be able to separate them easily with a spoon or spatula.  Use a slotted spoon or spatula to gently turn tofu a few times; cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes.  Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels and sprinkle with whatever seasonings you like!

I used seasoning salt, a bit of pepper, and then dipped them in Thai sweet chili sauce.  My kids loved them too!

Meatless Monday - Orange-Ginger Baked Tofu

I used to make something similar to this in China, the land of inexpensive tofu.  We like it!

1 pound firm tofu
1 cup fresh orange juice
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup canola oil
4 teaspoons dark sesame oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger root
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 green onions, cut into 1-inch strips
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
2 dried chipotle chile pepper (optional)  

Turn the tofu on its side, and cut it into 4 thin slices. Lay the tofu flat again, and cut the block diagonally to make 8 triangles. Without separating the pieces, place tofu on a cutting board. Cover, with a paper towel, and place a heavy skillet on top. Set aside for 30 minutes, allowing time for excess water to drain from the tofu.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the orange juice, vinegar, soy sauce, oils, garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes. Separate the pressed tofu pieces, and arrange in a baking dish in a single layer. Cover with the marinade, and sprinkle with the green onion and cilantro. Cut the stems off the chiles, remove the seeds, and place the chiles in the baking dish. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, and up to overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). 

Pour off some of the marinade, so the tofu is covered halfway. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, without turning, until the tofu is golden and most of the marinade has been absorbed.

Meatless Monday - Spicy Stir-Fried Bok Choy and Mushrooms with Tofu

It'd been a while since I'd made stir-fry. I think stir-fries are all about the sauce. This sauce was spicy and delicious and would work with any number of other veggie combination.


1tsp cornstarch
2 Tbs soy sauce
2 tsp minced fresh ginger
2 tsp Thai chile sauce, such as sriracha
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp sesame oil
3 Tbs canola oil, divided
1 14-oz pkg. extra firm tofu, drained and cut into bite-sized cubes
1 lb box choy, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
2 cups sliced fresh shiitake mushrooms

Whisk together cornstarch and 1 tsp water in a bowl. Whisk in soy sauce, ginger, chile sauce, garlic, and sesame oil.

Heat 1 Tbs, canola oil in large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Stir-fry tofu until golden brown; transfer to plate. Add 1 Tbs. canola oil to wok. Stir fry bok choy 4 minutes; transfer to plate.

Add remaining 1 Tbs. oil to wok. Stir-fry mushrooms for 2 minutes, or until tender. Return tofu and bok choy to wok. Stir in soy sauce mixture, and stir-fry 1 minute or until hot.

Meatless Monday - Roasted Vegetable Enchiladas with Tomatillo Sauce

These turned out really good - especially the sauce. I used carrots, onions, spinach and mushrooms inside with a bit of tofu. The corn tortillas really soaked up the sauce, making it a little more like a casserole when we served it, but that didn't matter - it still tasted great! The tomatillo sauce is excellent and if you aren't in the mood for just veggies, a shredded chicken and cream cheese filling would be a great substitute.


1 lb. (6 to 8) tomatillos, husked and rinsed
1 medium white onion, sliced about ¼ in. thick
3 garlic cloves, peeled
Hot green chiles to taste (2 to 3 serranos, or 1 to 2 jalapeños), stemmed
1 1/2 tbs. vegetable oil, plus extra for vegetables and maybe tortillas
2 cups vegetable or chicken broth, plus a little extra if needed
1/2 cup Mexican crema, crème fraîche, or heavy whipping cream
8 cups cubed vegetables (about 1/2-in. each) such as carrots, onions, turnips, mushrooms, and broccoli
Salt
12 corn tortillas
1 cup shredded Mexican cheese like asadero, or Monterey Jack or cheddar

Roast tomatillos, sliced onion, garlic, and chiles on rimmed baking sheet 4 in. below preheated broiler until tomatillos are soft and blackened in spots on one side, 4 to 5 minutes. Turn vegetables over; broil about 4 minutes longer. Remove and reduce oven temperature to 400°F.

Scrape tomatillo mixture into food processor or blender. Process until smooth purée. Heat 1 1/2 Tbsp. oil in medium-large pot over medium-high heat. When drop of purée sizzles in oil, add remainder of purée. Stir constantly for several minutes until darker and thicker. Add broth and crema, reduce heat to medium-low, partially cover, and simmer for about 30 minutes.

Spread cubed vegetables on rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with oil, sprinkle with salt, and mix to coat evenly. Place in oven and roast, turning vegetables regularly, until crunchy-tender, about 25 minutes (reduce roasting time for broccoli and other green vegetables by 5 to 10 minutes).

If sauce has thickened and is no longer consistency of light cream soup, stir in a little more broth (or water). Taste and season with salt, about 1 tsp. Lightly brush both sides of each tortilla with oil. Stack, wrap in damp paper towels, and microwave on high (100%) for 1 minute to warm and soften. Or you can do what I did: cover two tortillas at a time with a damp paper towel. Microwave for 45 seconds. Roll some of the filling inside and place them side by side in the baking dish. Repeat with two more tortillas until your filling is gone.

Spread about 1 cup sauce over bottom of 13-by-9-in. baking dish. Working quickly, roll equal portion of roasted vegetables into each tortilla while tortillas are still hot and pliable. Place them side by side in baking dish. Douse evenly with remaining sauce. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake until enchiladas are heated through and cheese begins to brown, about 10 minutes. Garnish with onion rings and cilantro sprigs.

Meatless Monday - Spicy Tofu Bento Bowl

I thought this was delicious (especially the flavor of the tofu), but my husband said I crossed the line. "What line?" The one where Meatless Mondays become too exotic. It wasn't the tofu. He likes tofu. I think it was the unusual (yes, exotic) flavor combination and too many raw vegetables. If you decide to give this one a try, let me know what you think!

1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup chile-garlic sauce
2 Tbs. dark sesame oil
14 oz. extra-firm tofu, drained and cubed
5 green onions, finely chopped (1/2 cup)
1/4 cup nonfat yogurt
2 Tbs. lemon juice

1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
2 Tbs. lemon juice
1 Tbs. minced fresh ginger
1 tsp. chile-garlic sauce
2 cups cooked short-grain brown rice
4 1/2 cups mixed baby greens (I just used spinach)
2 carrots, peeled
1 cucumber, sliced (1 1/2 cups)
1 avocado, peeled and sliced
1 Tbs. toasted sesame seeds

To make Spicy Tofu:

Whisk together soy sauce, chile-garlic sauce, and sesame oil in bowl. Heat skillet over medium heat. Dip tofu in soy sauce mixture; cook 10 minutes, or until browned. Cool 10 minutes. Add green onions, yogurt, and lemon juice to remaining chile mixture. Toss with tofu.

To make Salad:

Whisk together soy sauce, lemon juice, ginger, and chile-garlic sauce in bowl. Mound rice in serving bowls. Top with greens. Shave carrot strips over top with vegetable peeler. Top with tofu, cucumber, and avocado. Sprinkle with sesame seeds; serve with soy sauce mixture.

Pineapple Rice

This recipe is pretty much all about the dressing in my opinion. You could use the dressing on a number of "salad" or rice combinations. It was very good, although I added more pineapple juice to offset the spice from the ginger a little more. I also sauted the shallots and chile a bit before adding the rice and tofu so that everything was hot when it was served.

1/3 cup macadamia oil, olive oil, or sunflower oil
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
1/4 cup (fresh or canned) all-natural 100% pineapple juice
1 garlic clove
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons soy sauce (or shoyu)
1 cup pineapple, cut into chunks
2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt

4 handfuls of mizuna, watercress, or arugula ( fresh spinach would be just as good and much cheaper)

2 1/2 cups cooked brown rice, room temperature
4 green onions, thinly sliced
3 shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
1 cup cashews, roasted/toasted and chopped
1/2 small serrano chile, seeded and deveined, and minced (optional)
4 ounces seitan, cut into little bits and pan-fried (optional) - I used tofu

Start by making the dressing. Combine the oil, sesame oil, pineapple juice, garlic, red pepper flakes, soy sauce, fresh pineapple, ginger, and salt in a blender or food processor. Puree until smooth. Transfer to a small saucepan, and gently warm just before serving, don't simmer or boil.

In an extra-large bowl toss the mizuna with a generous splash of the dressing. Arrange it on a platter (as a bed for the rice)

You can serve the rice portion of this recipe room temperature or hot - Wayne really loved the hot version, and so did I. In the same bowl you used to toss the greens, or in an extra large skillet over medium heat, combine the rice, most of the onions, shallots, cashews and serrano chile, and seitan. Add about half of the dressing and toss well. If you are serving the rice hot, saute it in the pan until it is heated throughout. Taste, and adjust with more dressing if needed. Spoon the rice over the greens and finish with any remaining onions, shallots, cashews, and seitan.

Serves 2- 4, main vs. side.

Coconut Curry Tofu

This recipe is a great excuse to go check out your local Asian grocery store! I'm posting it in honor of my dad, who loves tofu.

2 bunches green onions
1 (14 ounce) can coconut milk
1/4 cup soy sauce, divided
1/2 tsp. brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp. curry powder
1 tsp. fresh minced garlic (I used powder)
2 tsp. chili paste
1 pound firm tofu, cut into 3/4 inch cubes (I fried mine in a little oil first to give it a "skin")
4 roma (plum) tomatoes, chopped
1 yellow pepper, thinly sliced
4 ounces fresh mushrooms, chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil (I used Thai basil)
4 cups chopped bok choy
salt to taste

Remove white parts of green onions and finely chop. Chop greens into 2 inch pieces.

In a large heavy skillet over medium heat, mix coconut milk, 3 Tablespoons soy sauce, brown sugar, curry powder, ginger, and chili paste. Bring to a boil.

Stir tofu, tomatoes, yellow pepper, mushrooms, and green onions into the skillet. Cover, and cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Mix in basil and bok choy. Season with salt and remaining soy sauce. Continue cooking 5 minutes, or until vegetables are tender but crisp.

Add corn starch to thicken up sauce if desired.

Serve over rice.

Singapore Noodles

Ryan and I made this together for an in-house date night. It was fun to prepare and we both loved the combination of flavors. The description from the cookbook says: Dried mushrooms add an intense flavor to this lightly curried dish!


1/4 ounce dried Chinese mushrooms
8 ounces fine egg noodles
2 teaspoons sesame oil (I used olive oil for both oils)
3 Tablespoons peanut oil
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 small onion, chopped
1 fresh green chili, seeded and thinly sliced
2 teaspoons curry powder
4 ounces green beans, halved
4 ounces Chinese cabbage, thinly shredded (we didn't use cabbage, but threw in some snow peas, zucchini, and broccoli)
4 green onions, sliced
2 Tablespoons soy sauce
4 ounces cooked jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined (you could also substitute tofu for this to make it a vegetarian dish or chicken would be good as well)
salt

Place the mushrooms in a bowl, cover with warm water and soak for 30 minutes. Drain, reserving 2 Tablespoons of the soaking water, then slice.

Bring a saucepan of lightly salted water to a boil and cook the noodles according to the directions on the package. Drain, transfer to a bowl, and toss with the sesame oil. I also cut the noodles with my kitchen scissors so they are easier to manage in tossing and eating.

Heat the peanut oil in a preheated wok. When it is hot, stir-fry the garlic, onion and chili for 3 minutes. Stir in the curry powder and cook for 1 minute. Add the vegetables. Stir-fry for 3-4 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender but still crisp.

Add the noddles, soy sauce, reserved mushroom soaking water and shrimp. Toss over the heat for 2-3 minutes, or until the noodles and shrimp are heated through. Season with salt to taste.