Udon Noodle Tofu Stir Fry

I’ve always had mixed feelings about tofu, more or less about the soy portion of it.  No, it’s not the best tasting thing in the world, but it can be tweaked to taste like virtually anything you season it with.  I’ve been more worried about the effects of soy.  Some say it’s bad, others claim it’s great.  Some say just the organic, fermented soy products are good and the unfermented are harmful.  Except I don’t know what products fall into which category, and even the endless amount of research I’ve done on the topic doesn’t give me any straight answers.  I figure a little tofu never hurt anyone, and small portions of it every so often will be a nice addition to stir fry dishes or rice meals like this one.  I really loved the seasoning on the tofu and was quite pleased with the outcome considering this is the first time I’ve cooked it.

     

1 8 oz package Udon noodles, cooked

8 oz organic tofu, cubed

2 cups broccoli florets, steamed

2 cups carrots, sliced thin and steamed

1 red bell pepper, sliced

1/3 cup onion, chopped

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus 1 tbsp for frying

1/4 cup rice vinegar

1/3 cup raw organic sesame seeds

1 tbsp cornstarch

1/2 tbsp whole wheat flour

1 tsp dry mustard

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cayenne pepper, minced

1/4 tsp chili powder

2  tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

• In a large bowl, toss together Udon noodles, broccoli, carrots and red pepper
• In a wok, heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium heat for 1 minute
• Add onion and cook for 3 minutes
• Meanwhile, toss tofu cubes in a bowl with flour, cornstarch, mustard, chili powder, 1/2 tsp sea salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper
• Add seasoned tofu to wok and cook for 7 minutes, turning once each side starts to brown
• Remove from heat and add to Udon mix
• In another frying pan over medium heat, cook cayenne pepper in 1/2 cup olive oil for 2 minutes, then add rice vinegar, garlic and seasame seeds and cook for 3 minutes, or until seeds begin to brown
• Remove from heat and pour into small bowl.  Add 1 1/2 tsp sea salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper and stir well
• Drizzle sesame seed sauce over Udon mix and stir together well

         

Summer Salad with Polenta Croutons & Basil Vinaigrette

WARNING: This may be the BEST salad you ever eat.  I’m completely in love with it!

     

       

SALAD

5 cups fresh baby lettuce or spring mix

3 cups fresh, loose spinach

2 cups frozen organic corn

1/2 cup onion, chopped

1 1/2 cups tomato, chopped

2 oz fresh mozzarella, torn into small pieces

1 cayenne pepper, minced

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• Over a medium frying pan, heat cayenne pepper in oil for 2 minutes
• Add onions and cook for 3 minutes
• Add corn and cook for an additional 6 minutes
• Remove from heat and toss with lettuce, spinach, tomato and mozzarella

CROUTONS

3 cups water

1 cup organic cornmeal

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

1 tbsp butter

1 cayenne pepper, minced

1 tsp sea salt

• In a saucepan, bring the water to a boil
• After it begins boiling, add sea salt and cornmeal
• Reduce to a simmer, add cayenne and begin to whisk mixture together
• Continue whisking every minute or so, for 15 minutes as mixture thickens
• After mixture is thick, remove from heat, add butter and stir until butter melts
• Transfer polenta into a baking pan or sheet so that the polenta is 1 inch thick
• Sprinkle cheese over the top, let stand for 30 minutes, and then cut into small, crouton-sized cubes
• Preheat oven to 450 degrees
• Place cubes on greased baking sheets and cook for 30 minutes, turning over half way through

BASIL VINAIGRETTE

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped

1 1/2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

1 tbsp balsamic vinaigrette

1 tsp sea salt

Dash black pepper

• Stir all ingredients together well, then drizzle onto salad and crouton mix

Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies

2 cups spelt flour

1 cup organic peanut butter

1/4 cup maple syrup

1/4 cup raw honey

1/3 cup coconut oil

1/4 cup vegan chocolate chips (optional)

1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla

3/4 tsp sea salt

1 tsp baking soda

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• Mix flour, salt and baking soda in a bowl
• In another bowl, mix together peanut butter, maple syrup, honey, coconut oil and vanilla
• Slowly, stir in dry ingredients, 1 cup at a time until well mixed
• Place on cookie sheets and cook for no more than 11 minutes

Juiced Pulp Bread

Sounds kind of disgusting to try to make a meal out of a mess.  Because after juicing, beets, carrots, chard, cucumbers and a whole bunch of other fresh greens that Jim picks, things tend to look extremely unappetizing.  The colors are beautiful, but the ground up insides of all those veggies are generally not something I would think to reconstruct into another edible dish.  That being said, we all know how much I loathe, throwing away perfectly good ingredients.  I decided to make a bread out of the pulp (something Tracy had done a few times before) and just throw together some basic baking essentials and hoped for the best.  It really was good, and was extremely similar to my zucchini bread.

I love recycling food!

       

3 cups juiced pulp

2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1/3 cup vegan “egg”

1/2 cup coconut milk

1/2 cup raw honey

1 overripe banana, mashed

2 tsp pure vanilla

2 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp sea salt

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• In a large bowl combine pulp, “egg”, banana, honey, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg
• In a separate bowl, mix together flour, baking soda baking powder and sea salt
• Add in dry mixture to the pulp mix 1/2 cup at a time, until all of it is blended
• Pour into a greased baking or cake pan, and bake at 350 degrees, for at least 1 hour (if it’s still mushy when it comes out, just let it cook an additional 15 minutes)

          

Broccoli & Mozzarella Pizzadillas

In an effort to completely rid our fridge of anything relating to the quesadilla, I decided to use us the last of the tortillas, yet do something creative with the remainders.  I threw together a sauce in preparation for Hurricane Irene (or the lack there of),. hoping to get tons of cooking done the day of the storm.  More time was spent watching movies, but I still put together these amazing pizzadillas, which were pretty much gone by the time the day was done.  And we got to use the steamer Jim just bought 🙂

       

3 tortillas (I used white for once-don’t judge, I wasn’t going to waste them!)

2 cups broccoli florets, steamed

1 1/2 cups meatless Italian sauce (I also added some fresh basil and parsley with it before I put it in the pizzadilla)

3 oz fresh mozzarella, sliced

1 tbsp butter

Salt & pepper to taste

• Sprinkle salt and pepper on steamed broccoli
• Melt butter in a frying pan over medium heat, and lay tortillas on pan folded in half
• Pour 1/2 cup sauce inside each tortilla, layer with about 2/3 cup broccoli, then top with mozzarella and fold top half of tortilla over
• Cook for about 5 minutes, then turn over and cook on additional side for 5 more minutes

      

Apple Cheddar & Red Onion Pizza

Tastes like childhood.  Literally.

I’ve been nostalgic for foods that I loved when I was growing up.  Not the KFC, or the Happy Meals or the sugar loaded dairy nightmares I got from the ice cream truck.  But cravings for things like my mom’s apple cheddar pizza have definitely been on my mind, and I needed to get them on my plate!

The story with these seemingly strange pizzas, stems from a recipe they gave us in kindergarten (I think.  I’m sure my mom will correct me on the time frame).  She used to roll out crescent Pillsbury rolls, top them with cinnamon and sugar drenched apples and sprinkle some cheddar cheese on top.  I don’t know why I found them so enjoyable, but I could eat an entire batch in one sitting if mom had let me (she never allowed that though).  I changed a few things in this recipe -no sugar and I nixed the Pillsbury dough boy-and it was just as delicious as I remembered.  Mom would be so proud.

1 batch whole wheat honey pizza dough

1 1/2 red apples, sliced (I used Pink Lady and Gala)

3/4 cup red onion, sliced

3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

Parsley leaves for garnish

Pinch sea salt

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• Toss apple slices, onion, cinnamon, cider vinegar and salt together in a bowl
• Layer on top of stretched out pizza dough and top with cheese
• Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes

         

Whole Wheat Honey Pizza Dough

Never realized how easy AND cheap it is to make your own pizza dough rather than buy it premade (and prepackaged in slimy plastic, yuck). I’ll be using this recipe from now on!

2 cups whole wheat flour

1/3 cup wheat germ

1 cup warm water

1 package active dry yeast

1 1/2 tbsp honey

1/2 tsp sea salt

• In a bowl, mix together water and yeast, and let sit for 10 minutes
• Add in salt, wheat germ and honey and mix well
• Slowly stir in whole wheat flour, 1/2 cup at a time until thick and sticky
• Cover and let rise in a warm place for 15 minutes
• Stretch dough out on floured surface until thin, top with pizza ingredients, and cook at 350 degrees, time varying on the type of pizza you’re making

 

 

Jalapeno Lime Lentil Tacos

      

5 tortillas (regular or corn-your choice)

4 cups water

1 cup dry, green lentils

1/3 cup white onion, chopped

3/4 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered

1/3 cup red onion, chopped

1 jalapeno pepper, chopped fine

2 tbsp lime juice

2 tbsp fresh cilantro, minced

1 tbsp olive oil

1 cayenne pepper, minced

3/4 tsp sea salt

Dash black pepper

*Chopped lettuce and avocado for extra toppings make it much yummier!

• Bring 4 cups water to a boil
• When boiling, add lentils and white onion
• Cover, bring to low heat, and simmer for 40 minutes
• When cooked, drain excess water
• Place half the lentils, olive oil, cayenne, salt and pepper in a food processor and pulse until thick and chunky
• In a separate bowl, mix together tomatoes, red onion, cilantro, lime juice and jalapeno and stir well
• Combine remaining lentils, pulsed lentils and jalapeno/lime mix together and stir well
• Toast tortillas on skillet or in the oven and stuff with lentils and other toppings

Lemon Ginger Soba Noodle Toss

1 ❤ Soba noodles.

Having shunned white pasta (white flour and extra carbs? No thanks) AND whole wheat pasta (the texture blows and isn’t leftover friendly) I’ve fallen in love with brown rice pasta and soba noodles.  They taste AMAZING and the health benefits make them even more enjoyable!

    

1 package buckwheat Soba noodles, cooked

1 1/4 cup frozen organic corn

3/4 cup black beans, cooked

3/4 cup green onions, chopped

1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered

4 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated

2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped

4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

• Over medium heat, cook corn in 1 tbsp oil for about 8 minutes or until thoroughly cooked and beginning to brown
• In a bowl mix together lemon juice, ginger, cilantro, 3 tbsp oil, sea salt and pepper
• Add black beans, corn, green onions and tomatoes to noodles and toss well
• Mix in lemon ginger sauce and stir again

     

Herbed Veggie Bake

Super simple dish made with veggies that are probably cascading out of everyone’s gardens right about now.  It probably would have been delicious- had I not burned the shit out of it.  Wine + reading late at night with dinner in the oven = disaster.  Jim still ate it (no surprise there) and he claimed it was great.  He tends to enjoy any homemade food, but I’m going to take his word for it.

4 large red poatoes, sliced thin

1 summer squash, sliced thin

1 large zucchini, sliced thin

3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded

1/2 cup onions, chopped

2 tbsp fresh chives, chopped

2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

1 tbsp dried oregano

3 tbsp olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cayenne pepper, minced

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees
• In a bowl, combine oil, onions, chives, parsley, oregano, garlic, cayenne, salt and pepper and mix well
• Toss veggie slices with oil mix until well distributed
• Stack veggies vertically, into a greased 8 X 8 baking pan
• Cover, and bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes
• Remove cover top with cheese, then bake for another 20 minutes