Vegan Fried Rice

This recipe is super easy and delicious.  I make mine in a skillet, but a wok really would work better for this recipe.  

Normally, I would toss in an egg, but this time around I left the egg out and just did the tofu.  While I used an extra-firm tofu it would work well with a softer tofu as well.  

The Ingredients

2 tablespoons sesame oil

1-pound extra firm tofu

6 cups cooked medium grain white rice

1/4 cups low sodium soy sauce

1/2 cups frozen peas

1/2 frozen corn

1 cup frozen chopped broccoli

Rooster sauce for flavoring

The Tools

a large skillet or wok

The Cooking

Warm the sesame oil over medium heat in a skillet.  Gradually add the tofu

Fry the tofu until it begins to get golden brown

To the tofu add 2 tablespoons of soy sauce and continue to cook.  

Remove the tofu from the skillet and add the rice.  Saute the rice until it is completely coated in the residual soy sauce, oil and tofu-y goodness left in the skillet.  

Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of soy sauce and continue cooking the rice

Add the frozen vegetables and continue cooking and stirring until the vegetables are warmed through and well incorporated into the rice.  At this time, add the tofu back into the rice mixture.  

Serve immediately with rooster sauce!

Recipe source: My Brain!

This recipe makes 8, 1-cup servings.  Calories below do not include Rooster Sauce

Calories: 281

Protein: 10 grams

Fat: 6 grams

Sodium: 315 mg

Fiber: 2 grams

Potassium: 98 mg

Broccoli and Tofu with Spicy Peanut Sauce

This recipe is a classic in our house.  It is filled with protein, vitamins and pure awesomeness (ie:peanut butter).  For a dash of color add some red bell peppers.  For more spice, increase the garlic with chile sauce.  For more awesome, just eat the peanut butter directly from the jar.  

Ingredients

1 pound extra firm tofu

1 pound broccoli florets

1/2 onion, diced

1 tablespoon minced ginger

2-4 cloves of garlic, minced

3/4 cup natural peanut butter

3/4 cup hot water

6 tablespoons rice vinegar

3 tablespoons soy sauce

3 tablespoons black strap molasses

1/2 to 1 teaspoon garlic in chile suace

The Tools

medium sized sauce pan

large sauce pan

bowl filled with cold water and ice

large skillet or wok

small bowl

The Cooking

Place the tofu in a medium sized sauce pan, cover with water, and bring to a boil.  Once the water is boiling, turn off the heat and allow the tofu to sit until you are ready to add it to the rest of the dish.  This quick cooking will keep the tofu together as you saute it later.  

 Bring a large sauce pan filled with about four cups of water to a boil

Have a bowl filled with cold water and ice at the ready

Add the broccoli to the boiling water, allow it to boil for no more than 3 minutes.

And then plunge it into the waiting ice water

 Allow the broccoli to completely cool, then drain it, and sit is aside for later

Combine the peanut butter and the hot water together in a small bowl

 Add the rice vinegar to the peanut butter mixture, 

  

Add the soy sauce

 Then add the molasses

 And the garlic in chile paste

And whisk them all together

Warm the oil over medium heat, add the onion and saute until the onion is softened.  

To the onion, add the ginger and garlic and cook until fragrant

Add the blanched broccoli and saute until the broccoli is well coated in the oil, onions, garlic and ginger

Add the tofu

And then the sauce

Stir to combine and bring to a low boil.  Allow the mixture to cook until everything is warmed through.

Serve over rice

Recipe Serves 6 and the calorie calculation DOES NOT include the rice

Calories: 357

Fat Grams: 22

Protein: 19 

Fiber: 4

Sodium: 785

Recipe Source: The Enchanted Broccoli Forest

Faux Chicken and Mushrooms with Peanuts

This recipe should look familiar to you as it is basically the filling in my Asian Lettuce Cups.  The plan was to have the lettuce for dinner one night, but we could not find the right kind of lettuce at any of our local stores.  Instead to driving to the next town over to look for lettuce, I decided to serve this up over rice and see what everyone thought of it.  Well, it went over very well with the family.  In the original recipe I used Morning Star Farms Chicken starters as my faux chicken.  Unfortunately this product is no longer available in Livermore whatsoever.  I was lucky enough to find a replacement product at Trader Joe's which worked just as well. 

1 1/2 tablespoon sesame oil
3 cups sliced shitake mushrooms
1 package Trader Joe's Chickenless Chicken
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoons grated ginger
1 (8 ounce) can sliced water chestnuts, drained and coarsely chopped
1 cup carrot peelings
1/4 cup unsalted dry roasted peanuts
3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
2 teaspoons Sriracha sauce (the Rooster stuff~yum)

1. Warm oil in a large skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add the mushrooms and saute until mushrooms begin to release their liquid. Add the Chickenless Chicken, garlic, ginger, water chestnuts, carrot peelings, and dry roasted peanuts. Saute until chick'n strips are tender, about 5 minutes.
2. Add the hoisin sauce, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, and Sriracha sauce and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes or until all the flavors are well incorporated.

Baked Sesame Noodles with Tempah and Veggies

This recipe is based on a chicken based recipe from Cooking Light.  I replaced the chicken with 6 ounces of tempah.  Of course I removed any vegetables that my husband and I dislike and cut back on the butter. 

8 ounces spaghetti

1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

8 ounces broccoli florets

8 ounces shiitake mushrooms caps, sliced

6 ounces tempah, cut into bite sized chunks

1 teaspoon minced ginger

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce

1 cup vegetable broth

1 tablespoon cornstarch

2 tablespoons cream sherry

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

1/4 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes

2 cups thinly sliced bok choy

1 tablespoon sesame seeds

1 cup panko breadcrumbs

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Lightly grease a 2 quart baking dish and set aside
2. Cook the pasta according to package instructions.  Drain well and set aside
3. While the pasta cooks, heat the oil in a large saucepan.  Add the mushrooms and broccoli and saute until tender, about 5 minutes.  Add the tempah, ginger and garlic, saute 3 more minutes.  Stir in the soy sauce; and cook for  2 minutes stirring frequently. 
4. Combine the broth and cornstarch with a whisk in a small bowl.  Add the broth mixture to the saucepan, and cook 2 minutes or until the sauce begins to thicken.  Remove from the heat, stir in the sherry, vinegar, crushed pepper, bok choy and pasta.  Spoon the pasta mixture into the prepared baking dish. 
5. In a small bowl combine the bread crumbs and sesame seeds.  Sprinkle this mixture over the top of the pasta and bake for 20 minutes or until the breadcrumbs are a nice toasty brown. 

Serves 6, 1-cup servings.  Calories 358, Fat 9 grams, and Fiber 6 grams

Peanutty Noodles

This recipe is adapted from the All New Complete Cooking Light Cookbook. This recipe like so many others calles for only a small amount of grated ginger. While this add so much flavor to dishes, I hate how the remaining ginger roots goes bad. Does anyone have any storage tips for leftover ginger root?

1 pound uncooked linguine

2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil

2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger root

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup vegetarian broth

1/2 cup all natural peanut butter (not the whipped kind, but the kind you have to stir)

1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce

3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce

Toasted sesame seeds

1. Cook the pasta according to package instructions.
2. Heat 2 teaspoons of toasted sesame oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the ginger and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the broth, peanut butter, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, and garlic sauce, until well blended. Bring to a simmer and cook for 7 minutes. If you pasta is done yet, set the sauce aside.
3. If you pasta is cook, drain it and place it in a large mixing bowl. Add the peanut sauce to the pasta and toss to mix.
4. Top with toasted sesame seeds before serving.

Sweet and Sour Tofu and Vegetables

This recipe is adapted from the Grit Restaurant cookbook. I have made some changes to the recipe to better reflect my family's tastes. If you want to see the original, you're gonna have to buy the book.

Sauce:
1/3 cup honey
1 cup crushed canned pineapple in juice
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup cider vinegar
6 tablespoons ketchup
4 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons freshly lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon fresh minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1 cup warm water
2 tablespoons cornstarch

Tofu and Veggies:
2 blocks firm or extra firm tofu
2-4 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
Soy sauce
2 carrots, peeled and julienned
1 small head of broccoli, cut into small florets

1. Combine all the sauce ingredients, except the water and cornstarch in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Blend the water and cornstarch, then add it into the boiling sauce. Cook over medium heat at a gentle boil until the sauce thickens. Set aside.
2. While the sauce is cooking slice the tofu blocks into half leaving you with 4 slabs of tofu. Press the tofu slabs in between 2 flat pans or cutting boards. Place a heavy object on top and allow the access moisture to come out. Leave for 15 to 20 minutes until all liquid is removed. Drain and discard the liquid.
3. Slice the tofu into the desired size pieces. Warm a teaspoon of sesame oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute the tofu until browned using soy sauce as the tofu cooks. You may need to do the tofu in two batches depending on the size of your skillet. Once all the tofu is browned remove it from the heat and set it aside.
4. Wipe out the skillet and return it to the stove. Add a teaspoon of sesame oil to the pan and add the carrots and broccoli. Saute the vegetables over medium heat until they are tender.
5. Add the tofu back to the pan along with the sauce. Cook until completely incorporated and heated through.
6. Serve over rice or the Asian noodles of choice.

Easy Moo Shu Vegetable Wrap

1 cup baby carrots, cut lengthwise into strips

1 cup frozen corn

2 cloves of garlic, minced

2 teaspoons vegetable oil

4 ounces Morningstar Farms Meal Starters Chik'N Strips

2 cups packages cole slaw mix

1/4 cup hoisin sauce

6 (8 inch) flour tortillas

1. Heat oil in large sauce pan until warm. Add the carrots, corn and garlic and cook until slighly tender, about 5 minutes
2. Stir in the Morningstar Farms Chick'N Strips. Cook, stirring frequently for an additional 3 minutes.
3. Stir in the coleslaw mix, and the sauce. Cook and stir until incorporated and slaw becomes limp, about 2 minute.s
4. Spoon about 2/3 cup of filing onto each tortilla and fold in the bottom and then the sides.
5. Serve with additional hoison sauce if desired.

Cold Sesame Noodle

1 lb Chinese noodles
1 (1-inch) piece of fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
3 cloves of garlic, smashed
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 cup creamy peanut butter (use a blended kind, you will not get the right consistency with a natural kind of peanut butter)
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon hot sauce
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
6 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds for garnish

1. In a blender or food processor add ginger, garlic, sugar, peanut butter, vinegar, soy sauce, hot sauce, sesame oil, and water. Process until well blended and smooth. Chill mixture in refrigerator for 1/2 hour.
2. While the peanut mixture is cooling. Cook the noodles according to package instructions. Drain and rinse with cold water. Drain again and transfer to serving platter or bowl.
3. Pour peanut mixture over noodles and toss until well coated. Serve with toasted sesame seeds as garnish.

Vegetable Lo Mein

This recipe is adapted from The America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook

1 lb angel hair pasta or spaghetti
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1/2 cup vegetable broth
3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons oyster sauce
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
10 ounces shitake or white mushrooms sliced (remove stems is using shitake)
1 small head of napa cabbage, slice crosswise 1/4 inch thick
1-5 oz can sliced water chestnuts
1 tablespoon grated ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced

1. Bring water to a boil, add salt and pasta. Cook pasta until slightly underdone. Drain the noodles, rinse with cold water and transfer to large bowl. Toss with sesame oil and set aside
2. In a separate bowl mix together the vegetable broth, soy sauce and oyster sauce and set aside
3. Heat the vegetable in a large skillet over medium high heat until shimmering. Add the mushrooms and cook until browned, about 10 minutes.
4. Stir in the cabbage and cook until wilted, about 3 minutes. Add the water chestnuts and cook until heated through. Add the garlic and ginger, cooking until fragrant.
5. Mix in the sauce and noodles. Stir until well combined.

Broccoli and Tofu in Spicy Peanut Sauce

This recipe is from The Enchanted Brocolli Forest by Mollie Katzen

This recipe is best served over medium grained rice, white or brown will do. Get your rice started as you begin cooking this recipe.
For Stir Fry
1 lb extra firm tofu
1 lb broccoli
1 to 2 teaspoons peanut or canola oil
2 cups chopped onion
1 Tablespoon grated fresh ginger
4 medium cloves garlic, minced
3/4 teaspoon salt
For Spicy Peanut Sauce
3/4 cup good peanut butter
3/4 cup hot water
6 tablespoons vinegar (rice or cider)
3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons blackstrap molasses
cayenne to taste
Sauce:

1. Place the peanut butter and hot water in a small bowl, and mash together until the mixture is uniform
2. Whisk in the remaining ingredients. Set aside until needed for the stir-fry

Stir-Fry:

1. Cut the tofu into 1-inch cubes and place them in a medium sized sauce pan. Cover the tofu with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for about 10 minutes. Dean and set aside. (Note: Precooking the tofu in this way helps it hold its shape in the stir-fry.)
2. Trim and discard the tough ends of the broccoli stems. Shave off the touch skins of the stalks with a sharp paring knife or a vegetable peeler. Cut the stalks diagonally into thin slices. Coarsely chop the florets.
3. Blanch the broccoli: prepare a bowl of ice water large enough for your broccoli. Bring about 4 cups of water to a full boil. Drop in your broccoli and leave it submersed in the boiling water for no more that 2 minutes. Remove the broccoli immediately and put it into the waiting ice water. Leave the broccoli in the ice water until it is cool to the touch. Remove and set aside.
4. Heat a large wok or a skillet of comparable size. After about a minute, add the oil and onion. Cook for about 2 minutes over high heat.
5. Add broccoli, ginger, and salt. Continue to stir-fry over high heat for about 5 minutes, or until the broccoli is bright green and just tender. Stir in the precooked tofu, cook for a few minutes more.
6. Add the sauce, stirring until everything is well coated. Serve immediately over rice.

I know that I said that vegetarian cooking was about more than tofu and here I got with my second tofu recipe! Well, it is about more that tofu, but tofu is still good stuff if prepared properly.