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

Brown Rice Pilaf with Two Mushrooms

This recipe is directly from How to Cook Everything Vegetarian by Mark Bittman.  You can use brown basmati or white basmati.  I you opt for white basmati rice shorten your cooking time by 20 minutes in the rice cooking step.

3/4 ounces dried porcini mushrooms
2 1/2 cups Mushroom Stock (see Friday's post)
6 tablespoons olive oil
2 shallots, minced
1 1/4 cups brown basmati rice, rinsed and drained
freshly ground pepper, as needed
4 ounces shiitake mushroom caps, sliced

1. Combine the dried porcini mushrooms with the stock in a small saucepan, and warm while you begin cooking the rice. 
2. Add half the oil to a deep skillet (one with a lid) and warm over medium heat. When the oil is warm, add the shallot and cook until the shallot is softened.  Add the rice and cook until the rice is well coated with the oil and the edges of the rice begin to brown.  To the rice and shallot, add the porcini mushrooms (hold off no the stock) and continue cooking, sprinkle with freshly ground pepper and continue to cook for 5 minutes.  Add the liquid all at once, adjust the heat so that the mixture bubbles very gently and cover.  Total cooking time from this point will be about 40 minutes, check after 20 to 30 minutes to make sure there is enough liquid and if there is not, add about 1/2 cup more. 
3. About 15 minutes before the pilaf is done, put the remaining oil in another skillet over medium heat.  Add the shiitakes, along with a pinch of salt and cook until the shiitakes are slightly browned and have released their juices, about 10 minutes. 
4. When the rice is tender, uncover and add the shiitakes.  Stir well, taste and add salt and pepper as needed. 

Vegan Fried Rice

My youngest son loves rice.  He would eat rice all day long if I let him. I created this recipe in attempt to mix up his rice consumption.  I left out the usual egg that one finds in fried rice and used an extra firm tofu instead. 

2-4 cups white rice cooked (long or medium grain)
3 tablespoons toasted sesame oil, divided
1/2 onion, minced
1 carrot, diced
1/2 cup frozen corn
1/2 cup frozen peas
1 package extra firm tofu
soy sauce, as needed

1. Warm 1 tablespoon of the sesame oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the onion, carrots, peas and corn.  Saute until the onion is translucent, the carrots are slightly softened and the frozen veggies are thawed.  Remove from skillet and set aside.  Crumble the tofu into the same skillet and cook until the tofu is warmed through, slightly browned and all its moisture is released.  Add some soy sauce for flavor. Remove the tofu from the skillet and reserve it with the veggies.  Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of sesame oil, and add the rice a little at a time, sauteing and adding soy sauce for flavor until the rice has absorbed the oil, and the soy sauce.  Add the reserved veggies and tofu to the rice and saute until all is well combined.
2. Serve warm and enjoy!

Red Beans and Rice

I probably should have made this recipe for Fat Tuesday.  Oh well, better late then never.  This recipe is from the Vegetarian Meat and Potatoes cookbook and it utilizes a wide variety of spices to replace that bacon that one would normally use in a meaty red beans and rice. 

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small yellow onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 14.5-ounce can of diced tomatoes, unsalted
1 15-ounce can of red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
3/4 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
pinch of cayenne pepper
1/2 cup water
3 cups hot cooked long grain rice (white or brown)

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.  Add the onion and garlic and cook until slightly softened, about 3 minutes.  Add the tomatoes, kidney beans, allspice, oregano, thyme, brown sugar, nutmeg, and both kinds of pepper.  Stir in the water, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. 
2. Combine with the rice just before serving. 

Slow Cooker Cheesy Mushroom Rice Casserole

2 large portobell0 mushrooms, cut into 1-inch cubes

1 teaspoon ground cumin
4 celery stalks, diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly cracked pepper
2 cups long grain brown rice
1/4 cup oil packed sun dried tomatoes, rinsed and chopped
2 (14.5 ounce) cans of diced tomatoes
3 cups vegetable broth
8 ounces fresh spinach leaves
2 cups low fat shredded Cheddar cheese

1. Place the mushrooms in the slow cooker, and them top with the cumin, celery, garlic, salt, pepper, rice, sun dried tomatoes, diced tomatoes, and vegetable stock. Cook on LOW for 6 hours.
2. Stir in the spinach and top with the cheese. Return lid, turn cooker up to HIGH and cook for 20 to 25 minutes.
3. Serve warm

Serves 8: 189 calories, 7 grams of fat, 4 grams of fiber

Rice Pilaf

I have previously posted a recipe for Rice Pilaf which I served and posted with Vegetable Kabobs. I made the kabobs again this past weekend and again I served it with rice pilaf. Only this time I used a different rice and substituted the water for vegetable broth. The result was so much better than my original posting I decided to post the Rice Pilaf recipe again.

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 cup finely chopped white onion

1 1/2 cup medium grain white rice, rinsed and drained

2 1/4 cups vegetable broth

1. Heat the oil in a medium sized saucepan over medium heat, add the onion and sea salt. Saute until the onion is soft, about 3-5 minutes. Then add the rice, and cook until the edges of the rice become translucent, about 5 minutes.
2. Pour in the vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover the saucepan and cook for 17 minutes or until all the moisture was absorbed.
3. Remove the pot from the heat, fluff the rice with a fork and allow to sit for 10 minutes.
4. Serve warm and enjoy!

Primavera Rice Salad

This is another quick and easy, perfect for summer time recipe. Mix up the vegetable according to what is in season.

4 cups cooked medium grain rice
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup cooked asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces
3/4 cup homemade mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1. Combined the above ingredients in a large bowl. Chill for at least 1 hour and serve cold.
2. Enjoy!
   

Mexican Rice

1 tablespoon oil

1 cup medium grain rice (you can use long grain, but we prefer the medium grain)

1/2 cup medium or mild salsa

1 1/2 cup vegetable broth

1. Heat oil in a saucepan and add the rice. Cook the rice stirring constantly until the rice is slightly translucent.
2. Add the salsa and stir until it begins to absorb into the rice.
3. Add the broth and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and reduce to a simmer. Cover the pan and cook for 20 to 25 minutes until all the liquid is absorbed.

This recipe originally called for bacon in place of the oil and fresh tomato and onion in place of the salsa. I did not care for the taste of the tomatoes that I was getting out of season in the grocery store, so I replaced it with salsa and everyone liked it better!

Black Beans, Corn, Tomato and Yellow Rice

2 (5 oz) packages yellow rice mix

1 1/2 cups water

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 (15 oz ) can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 (15.25 oz) can whole kernel corn, rinsed and drained

1 seeded and diced tomato

2 teaspoons lime juice

1 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon chili powder

1. Bring the rice, water and olive oil to a boil in a saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until rice is tender and water is absorbed. About 20-25 minutes
2. Meanwhile, mix the beans, corn, tomato, lime and spices in a large bowl and set aside.
3. Add the completed rice to the bean mixture and stir until incorporated.
4. Serve warm