three-flavour pancit

i want to try and post recipes that i've recently made so they're fresh in my mind, but i was looking over my backlog of food photos and came across this noodle dish. and i couldn't not share it.

i love all types of asian food but as a vegetarian, there aren't always a lot of options when i go out to eat them, or i don't know the food well enough to know how to ask for a vegetarian version. and i don't really know how to cook much asian food at home (unless i happily stumble across a recipe like this).

finding a good asian (thai, chinese, japanese, filipino, anything really) dish that i can make at home is like hitting the jackpot for me! so if you have any good homemade vegetarian asian dishes please please share the recipes.

anyway so pancit is a filipino noodle dish. i've seen it before but never tried it because it always has meat, but not today my fellow non-meat eating friends!! this one has tofu, red bell pepper, green onions, peas, cilantro, lemon, sesame oil and soy sauce. it's supposed to have tofu, tempeh and seitan. but tempeh and i still have a shaky relationship and i also wanted to simplify the recipe.

in conclusion, this was delicious.

if this sounds good, you might also like:
lime peanut noodles with seitan, kale, and carrots
udon noodles with peanut sauce and seitan
kung pao noodles with peanuts and wok fried vegetables
vegetarian pho

three-flavour pancit
adapted from vegan planet

serves 4

8 ounces bean thread noodles
1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
1 package extra-firm tofu, cut into 1/2" dice
1/2 tbsp canola oil
1 tbsp minced fresh ginger
1 small red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1 cup frozen green peas, thawed
3 tbsp reduced sodium soy sauce
2 tbsp minced fresh cilantro
lemon wedges

cook the bean thread noodles according to package directions. drain and toss with sesame oil. (i hate when noodles are too long so i cut them up with scissors after they were cooked.)

heat a large wok over medium heat. add the tofu and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. remove the tofu from the wok.

add the canola oil to the wok, and increase heat to medium-high. add ginger, bell pepper, and green onions, and cook for about 3 minutes. add the peas and tofu. add the soy sauce and stir. add the noodles and cook until hot, about 5 minutes.

serve hot garnished with cilantro and lemon wedges. add more sesame oil and soy sauce to taste if desired.

bhutanese pineapple rice & red thai tofu

as i mentioned in my last post, i'm back to blogging! i really enjoyed my blog break. it was weird though because i had no idea what to look at on the internet. who knew there were other things out there aside from food blogs?! i had time for pinterest which i know has been around forever! i didn't have to take photos of everything i made (though i did often take photos for instagram, which is so much less stressful and i love the fun filters). i didn't worry about making sure i made new recipes so i'd have more to blog about (though i ended up making tons of new recipes anyway). i had so much free time!!

i don't want to give up so much of my free time again for blogging so i likely won't blog as often. but i'm going to try and blog about things i've made right after making them, rather than months later. that way it will be fresher in my mind and i'll be more excited to share them with you guys.

also, i hate writing with proper capitalization. so i'm not going to anymore! such a rebel.

okay i'll shutup about all that and talk about the food now. i love fried rice and fried noodles. i rarely use a recipe for fried rice but this one is different than what i usually do with the thai curry paste and pineapple. i don't usually like fruit in my meals but i did enjoy the pineapple for a change. and i was skeptical that only 2 teaspoons of curry paste would be enough but it was. the tofu was also amazing, super flavourful. both the rice and tofu have basically the same flavouring ingredients (thai curry paste, soy sauce, agave, garlic, ginger, onions/shallots).

both these recipes were delicious and highly recommended! one of my favourite meals we've had recently. and two of the best recipes that i've tried from appetite for reduction.

make sure you guys enter the giveaway for eat your books!

if this sounds good, you might also like:
greek basmati rice
fried rice with scallions, edamame and tofu
buddha's delight with tofu, broccoli and water chestnuts
soy-mirin tofu with snow peas and peanut sauce

bhutanese pineapple rice
adapted from appetite for reduction

serves 4

1 cup dry brown rice, prepared as per package directions
2 tsp thai red curry paste
1 tbsp water
1 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
2 tsp agave
1/2 tbsp olive oil
1 small red onion, finely diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp minced ginger
1/2 cup lightly packed fresh cilantro, chopped
1 1/2 cups pineapple, 1/2" dice

if you haven't prepared the rice yet, do that first. the easiest would be to make the rice the day before so you don't have to wait for it.

in a small bowl, whisk together curry paste, water, soy sauce and agave. set aside.

heat a wok over medium heat, and add the oil. once hot, saute the onion, garlic and ginger for about 5 minutes, or until the onion is translucent. stir in the cilantro and cook until cilantro is wilted. add in the rice and curry mixture. stir and cook for a few minutes, until rice is warmed. add the pineapple and stir for another minute.

red thai tofu
adapted from appetite for reduction

serves 4

1 block extra firm tofu, cubed
1/2 tbsp olive oil
1 red bell pepper, finely diced
1/2 cup shallots, finely diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp minced fresh ginger
1 tbsp thai red curry paste
1/2 cup water
2 tbsp low sodium soy suace
1 tbsp agave
15 fresh basil leaves

heat a skillet over medium heat. add the tofu and dry fry (without oil) for about 10 minutes, stirring every once in a while to ensure all sides are browned. remove the tofu from the pan.

meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the curry paste, water, soy sauce and agave.

add the olive oil to the pan. once heated, add the bell pepper, shallots, garlic and ginger. saute for about 5 minutes. add the tofu and the curry mixture. stir and cook for another 5 minutes. add the basil and stir until wilted.

Easy Indian Mung Beans

I call this picture "I'm tired of cooking all day and just want to document the food in the quickest way possible". I bought a bag of mung beans a couple of years ago but rarely use them as I don't see them often called for in recipes. I'm trying to make more of an effort to use what I have in my pantry so went searching for a mung bean recipe.

I was not expecting to enjoy this dish. It seemed so simple and too bean-y. But it was actually really good! And I'd make it again. I might even buy more mung beans to make it again and that's saying something.

To make up for my mung bean photo, check out my cute nails!!! My friend did these for me.

If this sounds good, you might also like:
Zucchini and Chickpea Pancakes
Lemon Curried Lentils and Potatoes
Dal Makhni
Pink Beans with a Cardamom-Yogurt Sauce

Easy Indian Mung Beans
Adapted from Radiant Health, Inner Wealth

Serves 4

1 cup dry mung beans
1 tbsp ginger, grated
1 tbsp coconut oil (or other oil)
1 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 jalapeno, seeded and diced
3 cups water
1 tsp sea salt
2 tbsp lemon juice

In a large pot, put the mung beans, ginger, coconut oil, cumin, coriander, jalapeno and water. Bring to a boil, cover and then simmer for 45-50 minutes (or until beans are tender). Once tender, take off the heat and stir in the sea salt and lemon juice.

Turkish Carrots and Lentils

Look at my beautiful Staub! We received this as a wedding gift and I was so happy and it was so precious to me that it took me forever to use it.

I like the idea of this dish because it has 1 lb of carrots and carrots don't get the spotlight too often (and I love them). I also love that it's lentil based, as lentils are much better than beans (to me anyway).

And while I did enjoy this dish, I also admit that it lacked some flavour. A bit of spices could really help here. Maybe some smoked paprika and thyme? (I have no idea if that would taste good I was just googling Turkish spices and those 2 sounded good to me! I also have some sumac from my visit to Turkey last year and have yet to use it.)

I'm off to Trader Joe's today!!!! So excited.

If this sounds good, you might also like:
Lemon Curried Lentils and Potatoes
Dal Makhni
Spice Market Sweet Potato and Lentil Packets
Stuffed Spaghetti Squash

Turkish Carrots and Lentils
Adapted from Cooking Light Way to Cook Vegetarian

Serves 4

2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tbsp tomato paste
1/4 tsp chili pepper flakes
1 lb carrots, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
1/2 tsp salt
3 cups water
1 cup uncooked dried green lentils
1/4 tsp ground black pepper

In a large saucepan over medium heat, heat the oil. Add the onion and cook for 10 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and cook for another minute. Add tomato paste and chili pepper flakes, stir for 30 seconds. Add the carrots and 1/4 tsp salt and cook for 4 minutes. Remove from the heat.

In a separate large pot, bring 3 cups water and the lentils to a boil. Cover, reduced heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Uncover and increase heat to medium-high, and stir in onion/carrot mixture. Cook for 2 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates. Stir in remaining 1/4 tsp salt and ground black pepper.

Bread Stuffing Casserole

Stuffing is one of my favourite things, so it's silly that I only eat it at Christmas and Thanksgiving. I've decided to change that so I recently tried out these 2 recipes.

(Geez what a difference night time and day time photos make!!)

This "bread stuffing casserole" was amaaaazing. It's my perfect stuffing. I love the flavours, love the herbs, it's moist but not too wet. It has parsley, marjoram, sage, thyme, rosemary and black pepper. That perfect combination of herbs is mixed together with delicious onions, walnuts, mushrooms, celery and cranberries. And bread of course. SO good.

This stuffing from ExtraVeganZa has red onion, celery, savory, mushrooms, olives, soy sauce, walnuts and kabocha squash. It was good and I'd eat it again but I didn't love it like I loved the other stuffing. Maybe the herbs weren't quite right and I think I just prefer the traditional stuffing ingredients, as much as I love kabocha squash and olives.

Here's Abby while I'm cleaning out our pantry. (Photos to come soon!) This is the container I kept sugar in and was cleaning out to use for other things (do not need that much white sugar in my house). Anytime I'd empty a container on the floor she'd be in it immediately. She is the owner of all boxes and bags.

If this sounds good, you might also like:
Vegan Pot Roast and Gravy
Autumn Panzanella
Red and White Cauliflower Bake
Chuck's Favourite Mac and Cheese

Bread Stuffing Casserole
Adapted from Vegan Vittles

Serves 4

4 cups whole grain bread cubes (I used 5 pieces of whole wheat bread)
1/3 cup minced fresh parsley
2 tbsp nutritional yeast flakes
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dried marjoram
1/2 tsp dried sage
1/2 tsp dried thyme, crushed
1/2 tsp dried rosemary, crushed
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
1 medium onion, chopped
1 1/2 cups sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup finely diced celery
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup boiling vegetable broth
2 tbsp reduced sodium soy sauce
1 tbsp olive oil

Preheat the oven to 350F.

In a large bowl, mix together the parsley, nutritional yeast flakes, salt, marjoram, thyme, rosemary, and pepper. Add the bread cubes and toss to evenly distribute. Add the walnuts, onions, mushrooms, celery, and dried cranberries, and toss well.

In a separate bowl, mix together the vegetable broth, soy sauce and olive oil. Pour this mixture over the bread cubes and toss thoroughly to mix. Transfer to a 2 quart casserole dish, cover and bake for 35-45 minutes. (I baked mine for 45 but just watch yours and if it seems like it's getting too dry you can take it out earlier.)

Pasta with Broccoli, Pecans, Lemon and Feta

Excuse the terribly lit photo, and see it's tasty potential. This is a pasta dish I discovered a long time ago and have been making ever since. And I don't re-make a ton of recipes. I just love the combination of lemon, toasted pecans and feta. Add in the broccoli, leeks, and pasta and it's one of my favourite meals.

I'm trying to infuse more positivity into my life, so throughout the day I add to a note file on my phone things that make me happy or that I'm grateful for. I've tried the thing of writing down 5 things at the end of the day, but so far I like doing it all throughout the day because it keeps me constantly searching for something positive instead of dwelling on negative things.

Some things on my list so far are seeing farm animals during the day, snow capped mountains, non squeaking windshield wipers, Abby's (my cat) floppy sleepy body, having a husband who's willing to eat anything I make, and getting home when it's still sunny out. What are some good things in your day so far?

If this sounds good, you might also like:
Roasted Vegetable Tomato Sauce on Penne
Quick Vegan Tomato Basil Cream Pasta
Pasta with French Lentils and Kale
Red and White Tortellini

Pasta with Broccoli, Pecans, Lemon and Feta
Adapted from Entertaining for a Veggie Planet

Note: I edited the olive oil. The original recipe has 1/4 cup, but I usually use less like 2 tbsp.

Serves 4 to 5

1 bunch broccoli, stems and crown, cut into 1 inch pieces
3/4 lb whole wheat pasta
2 tbsp olive oil
1 leek, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced crosswise and washed well
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
Zest and juice of 2 lemons
1 cup chopped toasted pecans
Freshly ground black pepper
Salt
1 cup crumbled feta cheese

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Blanch the broccoli for 1 minute. Drain and rinse under cold running water. Set aside.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain and reserve 1/4 cup of the cooking water.

In a large pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Saute the leek until translucent, 7 to 9 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for another minute. Add the broccoli and red pepper flakes and heat through.

Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon rind, juice and pecans. Season with salt and pepper. Add the sauce and feta to the hot pasta and cooking water, toss to coat well.

Latin Shredded Seitan

E really liked this seitan dish, which is saying a lot because he's not a huge fan of meat substitutes (though lucky for me he will eat them happily enough). I liked it too, but not as much as him. It's a great way to flavour up some seitan - with garlic, onion, bell pepper, cumin, wine and tomatoes.

If you have Viva Vegan!, please comment and let me know which dishes from it you loved or didn't like. I've only made a few things from it (like these empanadas) but want to make more.

If this sounds good, you might also like:
Shredded Seitan and Mushroom Empanadas with Raisins and Olives
Udon Noodles with Peanut Sauce and Seitan
Baked Seitan
Seitan Black Bean Corn Burgers

Latin Shredded Seitan
Adapted from Viva Vegan!

Serves 4 (with rice and another vegetable)

1/2 recipe (two loaves) Steamed Red Seitan
1 tbsp olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
1 small red bell pepper, seeded and sliced into thin strips
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 cup red wine
3 roma tomatoes, seeded and finely chopped
Salt and freshly ground blac pepper

Slice the seitan as thinly as you can, then stack a few slices together at a time and chop the seitan into thin slivers.

In a large pan over medium heat, add the olive oil and garlic. Cook until the garlic sizzles, about 30 seconds. Add the onion and bell pepper, stirring occasionally, and cooking until the onion is soft and translucent, about 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in the cumin, cook for 1 minute. Stir in the wine and tomato. Stir in the seitan, coating the seitan with the sauce. Simmer for 12 to 14 minutes. The seitan should look juicy, so if starts to look dry, add more wine or tomato. Season with salt and pepper.

Buddha's Delight with Tofu, Broccoli and Water Chestnuts

Okay it was weird to not share any recipes with you guys! So maybe I should just post a roundup of meals every week and highlight my favourite recipe or something. This was my favourite of the bunch (served in my favourite bowl which I rarely ever use because it is easily damaged by metal utensils).

If this sounds good, you might also like:
Soy-Mirin Tofu with Snow Peas and Peanut Sauce
Maple-Miso Glazed Tofu with Broccoli and Butternut Squash
Tamarind Tofu Cabbage Bowl
Asparagus and Chickpea Stir-Fry with Hoisin Sauce

Buddha's Delight with Tofu, Broccoli and Water Chestnuts
Adapted from Cooking Light Way to Cook Vegetarian

Serves 4

3 tbsp reduced sodium soy sauce
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tsp sugar
1 pkg extra firm tofu, 1" cubes
5 1/2 cups broccoli, chopped (florets and stems)
1 1/2 cups carrot, 1/4" diagonally sliced
1 tbsp canola oil
1 1/2 cups green onions, sliced
1 tbsp minced fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups snow peas, trimmed
14 oz can whole baby corn, drained
8 oz can sliced water chestnuts, drained
1/2 cup vegetable broth
1 tbsp cornstarch
3/4 cup brown rice, cooked (about 2 cups cooked)
1/2 cup cashews

1. In a shallow dish, combine soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar and sugar. Toss the tofu in and let marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. When ready to use, drain the tofu and reserve the marinade.

2. Heat canola oil in a wok over medium-high heat. Add tofu and stir fry for 5 minutes, until lightly browned on all sides. Add in green onions, ginger and garlic - stir fry for 30 seconds. Add in broccoli and carrots - stir fry for 1 minute. Add in snow peas, corn and water chestnuts - stir fry for 1 minute. Whisk together broth and cornstarch. Add cornstarch mixture and reserved marinade to the wok; bring to a boil. Cook 2 1/2 minutes or until slightly thick, stirring constantly. Serve over rice with cashews.

Lemon Curried Lentils and Potatoes

I often overlook recipes with potatoes, but I'm really happy this one caught my eye. Potatoes are combined with lentils and onions that are sauteed with garlic, ginger and spices. Then it's all mixed together with some soy sauce and lemon. So yummy and a new favourite way to eat lentils.

I also recently tried a sort of similar dish from Eats Well With Others - lentil, potato and pumpkin curry. This one has a can of tomatoes, pumpkin puree and a bit of a different spice mix.

So in my mind I was comparing these two dishes that both have potatoes, lentils and curry. I much preferred the lemon curried lentils and potatoes to the lentil, potato and pumpkin curry. This is likely at least partly due to the fact that I messed up and added twice as much of some of the spices in the pumpkin curry (like the coriander and cumin). But I liked how the lemon curried dish was more dry and a bit sour from the lemon. The pumpkin curry was very saucy and almost soupy. I'd suggest not adding the 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth.

PS - Today is my 6 year dating anniversary with E! (Yes I want to celebrate both our wedding anniversary and dating anniversary. Nothing wrong with using them both as excuses to do something special!)

If this sounds good, you might also like:
Dal Makhni
Pasta with French Lentils and Kale
Spice Market Sweet Potato and Lentil Packets
Pumpkin Lentil Curry

Lemon Curried Lentils and Potatoes
Adapted from ExtraVeganZa

Serves 6

I'd suggest serving this with a side of vegetables - maybe some roasted beets and carrots, or some sauteed kale, or a salad.

2 cups water
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup green, brown or French lentils (I used French)
4 1/2 cups medium potatoes, cubed
2 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp curry powder
1 tsp turmeric
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp reduced sodium soy sauce
2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

Boil water in a medium pot with the salt and lentils. Cover, reduce to simmer and cook the lentils for about 45 minutes, or until the water is absorbed.

While the lentils are cooking, bring a large pot of water to boil. Add the potatoes and boil about 15-20 minutes, or until soft. Drain the potatoes and set aside.

In a frying pan on medium heat, heat the olive oil then saute the onions, garlic, ginger, garam masala, curry, turmeric and black pepper. Stir occasionally and cook until the onions begin to turn translucent. Remove from heat and set aside.

Combine the lentils, potatoes and onion mixture in the large pot. Stir in the soy sauce and lemon, and serve warm.

Vegan Broccoli & Onion Frittata

I've said it before and I'll say it again, I love tofu! Tofu tofu tofu. I'm not a vegan but I don't like eating eggs on their own very often (ie. scrambled, in a frittata). So this tofu frittata (actually it was supposed to be a quiche but why not simplify it, do without the crust and have it with a side of brown rice instead?) sounded great to me.

Broccoli, onion and herbs are sauteed, then some of the mixture is pureed with tofu and cashews, then baked in the oven. I really enjoyed it and would definitely make it or a variation of it again. E thought it wasn't flavourful enough (I disagree) and could only taste the tofu - but he's sensitive to the flavour of soy, as in he can always tell that it's there and it stands out to him.

What are you guys up to today? I finished a book this morning then went to the gym. I feel like just staying in the rest of the day and catching up on TV. Sometimes you just need those days to stay home and relax.

If this sounds good, you might also like:
Broccoli Slaw
Maple Miso Glazed Tofu with Broccoli and Butternut Squash
Savoury Vegetable Cheesecake
Curried Scrambled Tofu with Wilted Greens

Vegan Broccoli & Onion Frittata
Adapted from Vegan Brunch

Serves 4 as a main (with rice)

1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 1/2 cups finely chopped broccoli
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried tarragon
1/2 tsp turmeric
3/4 tsp salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup raw unsalted cashews
1 pound extra-firm tofu
1 tbsp Dijon mustard

Preheat oven to 350F. Prepare a 9 inch pie plate by greasing it with 1/2 tbsp oil.

Heat a large pan over medium heat with 1/2 tbsp oil. Saute the onion and garlic for about 3 minutes. Add the thyme, tarragon, turmeric, salt and pepper and stir, then add in the broccoli. Cook for 10 minutes, until broccoli is soft.

In a food processor, pulse the cashews into fine crumbs. Crumble the tofu into the food processor and add the mustard. Process until relatively smooth. When the broccoli mixture is done cooking, add one cup of it to the food processor and pulse a few times to combine.

Transfer the cashews mixture to a big bowl, add the rest of the broccoli mixture and stir together. Dump it into the prepared pie plate, pressing it down and smoothing the top. Bake for 40 minutes, and let cool for 5 minutes (to set) before serving.

Cashew Korma

I mentioned a few weeks ago that I was starting a running program. Well we're halfway through week 3! And I love it. I love running and my knee has been okay so far. I really really hope it continues this way. I've also recently realized that while I did enjoy doing yoga when I wasn't working and had lots of time, now that I have much more limited time for exercising, I'd rather run.

Entertaining for a Veggie Planet is one of the first vegetarian cookbooks I bought, though I haven't used it much in the last few years. I started to go through it again recently and found lots of recipes that caught my eye like this cashew korma.

I LOVE cashews in meals (though not as snacks), and the cashews here are combined with my new favourite vegetable kohlrabi - as well as eggplant, tomatoes and yogurt. Some of the cashews are ground and used to thicken the dish and make it creamy. It was such an intriguing sounding meal and it did not disappoint. I really enjoyed the combination of vegetables and creamy cashew sauce.

If this sounds good, you might also like:
Dal Makhni
Quick Vegan Tomato Basil Craem Pasta
Zucchini and Chickpea Pancakes
Sweet and Spicy Cashew Tofu

Cashew Korma
Adapted from Entertaining for a Veggie Planet

Serves 4

3/4 cup dry brown rice, cooked in 1 3/4 cups water
3/4 cup cashew halves
1 tbsp canola oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 tsp ground cardamom
1 Asian eggplant, cut into half moons
2 cups kohlrabi, 1/2" cubes
3 roma tomatoes, 1/2" cubes
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tsp garam masala
1 1/2 cups plain 2% yogurt
1/2 tsp salt

Cook the rice in a rice cooker or on the stove.

Preheat oven to 350F. Spread the cashews on a baking sheet and toast for 5 minutes or until golden brown. Allow to cool then grind 1/2 cup of the cashews in a food processor. Keep the ground cashew and whole cashews separate.

In a large pan, heat the oil over medium. Add the onion and saute, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 7 minutes. Add the cardamom and stir for 1 to 2 minutes.

Add the ground cashews, eggplant, kohlrabi, tomatoes and garlic, and cook for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add 1/2 cup water, cover, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to the lowest setting and stir in the garam masala, salt and yogurt, stirring until heated through. Don't let the mixture boil or the yogurt will curdle.

Serve the korma over hot rice, garnished the cashew halves.

Soy-Mirin Tofu with Snow Peas and Peanut Sauce

I haven't had any peanut butter in the house for the past couple of weeks and I knew I always loved peanut butter, but now I know I feel incomplete without it. What am I supposed to dip my apples in? What am I supposed to spread on a freshly toasted bagel? How am I supposed to make peanut sauce??

So it's no surprise that I really enjoyed this meal smothered in peanut sauce. The tofu is glazed with a soy-mirin mixture, which I didn't really taste. The peanut sauce was delicious (hard not to be though) and I loved the crushed peanuts sprinkled on top. We ate it with other roasted vegetables and stretched it out to make 4 meals (or 2 meals for 2 people).

A blog reader commented and asked about how I do my meal planning. I wish I had some fancy system to describe, but all I do is find 3-4 recipes (usually 3) that I know will make enough for lunches and dinners for 2 people for at least 5 days (work days). I don't plan when we'll eat them though, and now that I get home from work so late we make everything on Sunday (which is working out really well!)

A glimpse into my kitchen during our Sunday cookfests. I guess I should move my Kitchenaid and blender off the counter (where they usually live). Actually there's a lot on the counter that shouldn't be there like a box of shortbread from my grandma and tea from E's parents. I love my rice cooker that cooks brown rice!

I usually go for 1 pot/dish type meals (ie. stir fry, casserole, soup) but sometimes I'll put a couple of recipes together. I try to get a variety of protein, choosing a maximum of 1 tofu recipe, and then 2 bean/lentil recipes or sometimes (rarely) something with cheese like lasagna. I often try to pick 1 soup recipe because I know it will last for at least 3 meals. How do you guys do your weekly meal planning?

The stove often looks much messier than this in the middle of cooking 3 meals! I'm actually impressed with how clean it looks.

If this sounds good, you might also like:
Maple-Miso Glazed Tofu with Broccoli and Butternut Squash
Lettuce Wraps with Hoisin-Mustard Tofu
Orange Sesame Tofu & Coconut-Lime Basmati Rice
Broccoli Cashew Teriyaki Tofu Stir-Fry

Soy-Mirin Tofu with Snow Peas and Peanut Sauce
Adapted from Vegan Yum Yum

Makes 4 servings (with a side of vegetables like roasted beets and carrots)

1 cup brown rice
2 cups water

1/4 cup natural peanut butter
1/4 cup water
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp reduced sodium soy sauce
1 tbsp seasoned rice vinegar
1/4 tsp powdered ginger

1 block extra firm tofu, cut into small squares
2 cups snow peas, trimmed, cut into 2 inch pieces
1 tbsp reduced sodium soy sauce
1 tbsp mirin
Crushed peanuts

Cook the rice in the 2 cups of water (I used a rice cooker).

Make the peanut sauce by blending together the peanut butter, 1/4 cup water, sugar, 1 tbsp soy sauce, rice vinegar and ginger.

Mix together 1 tbsp soy sauce and the mirin and set aside (to be used to glaze the tofu).

Once the rice is almost finished cooking, heat a wok over high heat. Add the tofu and cook until browned on at least 2 sides of every cube. Turn the heat off, and add the snow peas. Pour the soy-mirin mixture over the tofu and snow peas, and mix.

To serve, plate the rice, tofu and snow peas. Top with peanut sauce and crushed peanuts.

Maple-Miso Glazed Tofu with Broccoli and Butternut Squash

A couple of weekends ago we did something super exciting. Well super exciting to me. We went curling! My grandma used to watch curling, which is where I first became interested in it. I've never been one to watch sports on TV except things like gymnastics, figure skating and equestrian shows. And I know curling isn't a sport like hockey or football, but it's sport enough for me!

When the Olympics was here a couple of years ago we went to watch curling. And then a few months ago I bought a deal for a 2 hour intro to curling lesson, and last weekend we went. So much fun! I want to look into joining a league now but may have to wait until September. Anyone else into curling?

Unrelated to curling, is this delicious meal. When I do my weekly meal planning, I look for something that has a grain, a protein and at least 2 vegetables preferably of a different colour. And this meal is exactly that. Brown rice, tofu, green broccoli and orange squash! Excellent. And the sauce is the perfect accompaniment, made with miso, maple syrup, soy sauce, rice vinegar, mirin and sesame oil.

My weeknight evening photo does not do this meal justice, so I recommend checking out Joanne's photos to see just how awesome this meal is.

If this sounds good, you might also like:
Tamarind Tofu Cabbage Bowl
Lemon Miso Tofu and Eggplant
Tofu and Broccolini in Peanut Sauce
Salt & Pepper Tofu

Maple-Miso Glazed Tofu with Broccoli and Butternut Squash
Adapted from Eats Well With Others who adapted from The Blue Kitchen

Serves 4

1/4 cup white miso
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup reduced sodium soy sauce
2 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tbsp mirin
1 tbsp + 1 tsp sesame oil
1 block of tofu, diced
4 cups butternut squash (about 1/2 large squash), diced
4 cups broccoli (about 3 crowns), chopped

In a bowl/container large enough to fit all the tofu, whisk together the miso, maple syrup, soy sauce, rice vinegar, mirin and 1 tbsp sesame oil. Add the tofu and marinate for at least 1 hour, but longer is better.

Preheat oven to 450F. Bake the squash for 30 to 40 minutes, or until tender.

Add 1 tsp sesame oil to a wok over medium heat. Using a slotted spoon, add the tofu to the pan, leaving the marinade in the bowl. Cook undisturbed for about 2 minutes per side and then flip over. Repeat until all sides are browned and crisp. Add broccoli to the pan. Mix to combine and then cover the pan, steaming for 2 to 4 minutes or until broccoli is bright green but not too soft. Add in the squash and the reserved marinade. Stir to combine (careful not to squash the squash!) until marinade is evenly distributed and everything is evenly heated.

Roasted Vegetable Tomato Sauce on Penne

Though I don't love tomato sauce, this one is full of roasted vegetables (including 2 whole bulbs of garlic!) so I wanted to try it. I love all the vegetables (eggplant, bell peppers, zucchini, onion, mushrooms, artichokes) and olives and red wine. But I think the tomato sauce I used as the base (Hunts in a can) was not great, it was too sour? Next time I might try using crushed tomatoes instead. And I used regular canned artichokes, but next time will use marinated ones. Much more delicious!

If this sounds good, you might also like:
Asparagus and Feta Pasta
Spaghetti All'Arrabbiata with Crispy Garlic Crumbs
Asparagus and Pea Pasta with Ricotta and Tarragon
Red and White Tortellini

Roasted Vegetable Tomato Sauce on Pasta
Adapted from ExtraVeganZa

Serves 6-8

1 eggplant, chopped (bite size pieces)
1 each red, yellow and orange peppers, chopped (bite size pieces)
1 small zucchini, chopped (bite size pieces)
2 bulbs garlic, separated and peeled
2 tbsp olive oil, divided
1 tbsp sea salt
1 medium onion, diced
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 tsp dried basil
Freshly ground black pepper
10 button mushrooms, thinly sliced
14 oz can or jar artichoke hearts, quartered
3/4 cup Kalamata olives, chopped
1 cup red wine
56 oz (1600 mL) tomato sauce
Enough pasta for 6 servings

Preheat oven to 350F.

In a large bowl, mix together the eggplant, bell peppers, zucchini, garlic, 1 tbsp olive oil and salt. Place the mixture on a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Stir at least once during cooking to prevent sticking. Remove from the oven and set aside.

In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium. Add the onions and saute for a few minutes. Add the herbs, black pepper, mushrooms, artichoke hearts, olives and roasted vegetables. Stir int he wine. Add the tomato sauce. Bring the sauce to a simmer, cover and allow to simmer for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Prepare pasta according to package directions. Serve the sauce on top of the hot pasta.

Dal Makhni

I love easy and simple lentil dishes like this. They're great for healthy and filling weeknight meals. E wasn't a huge fan of these lentils, but I liked the flavour from the cloves, cinnamon, bay leaf, cardamom, garlic and ginger. Paired with rice or quinoa and some steamed broccoli and cauliflower, or roasted beets and carrots, it's a perfect meal for me.

If this sounds good, you might also like:
Pumpkin Lentil Curry
Pink Beans with Cardamom Yogurt Sauce
Spicy Indian Chickpeas/Chana Masala
Indian Stir Fried Cabbage

Dal Makhni
Adapted from Vegan Yum Yum

Serves 4 (with rice and vegetables)

1 cup green lentils
2 cups water
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 cloves
1" piece of cinnamon stick
1 bay leaf
2 green cardamom pods
2 tsp minced ginger
1 clove garlic, minced
1 1/4 cups tomatoes, diced
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 cup cashews
2/3 cup water

In a pot, bring the lentils and 2 cups water to a boil. Simmer until tender, about 40 minutes.

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, cooking until caramelized, being careful not to burn. Add the cloves, cinnamon stick, bay leaf and cardamom pods and fry for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the ginger and garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and salt and cook until slightly reduced, about 5 minutes. Stir in the lentils.

Blend the cashews in a blender, slowly adding the 2/3 cup water until a rich cream forms. Stir this cream into the lentils. If you want to be fancy, reserve some of the sauce to drizzle over top for serving.

Shredded Seitan and Mushroom Empanadas with Raisins and Olives

One of the first things that caught my eye in Viva Vegan! was the empanadas. I don't even remember the last time I ate them if ever because they're usually filled with meat. But this cookbook offers up so many delicious versions and my first choice was the shredded seitan and mushrooms empanadas with raisins and olives. How flavourful does that sound? I don't usually like raisins in baked goods but love what they add to savoury dishes.

And the dough was easy enough to make, roll out and work with. When baked, the pastry was crispy and a bit flakey. They could look more perfect if I cut out circles in the dough with a bowl but it's always my preference to avoid re-rolling dough and to simplify things. So I just divided my dough and rolled each piece into a circle. I can't wait to try out the other filling variations like corn crusted pumpkin potato, and beans rice and sweet plantain.

The recipe is time consuming, because you have to make the seitan, the filling, and the dough. But if you take it one part at a time it's not so bad.

If this sounds good, you might also like:
Seitan Black Bean Corn Burgers
Vegan Pot Roast and Gravy
Udon Noodles with Peanut Sauce and Seitan
Baked Seitan

Shredded Seitan and Mushroom Empanadas with Raisins and Olives
Adapted from Viva Vegan!

Makes 12

1 recipe Empanada Dough (see below)
1/2 recipe Steamed Red Seitan (2 loaves), chilled and grated (see below)
1/2 lb button mushrooms, very finely minced
2 tbsp olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 lb onion, finely minced
2 tbsp red wine
1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
Salt & pepper
1/2 cup kalamata olives, pitted and sliced in half
1/3 cup dark raisins
1/3 cup nondairy milk

In a large skillet over medium heat, heat the olive oil and garlic until the garlic starts to sizzle and becomes fragrant. Add in the onion and fry until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add in the mushrooms and cook until they darken and release their juices, another 5 minutes. Add the red wine, paprika, oregano, cumin and cinnamon, stirring occasionally and bring to a simmer. Stir in the grated seitan and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring constantly. Use a spoon or silicone spatula to press the seitan into the liquid and vegetables to help the seitan absorb all the seasonings. Remove from the heat, let cool for a few minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the olives and raisins. Set aside to cool.

When ready to assemble the empanadas, preheat oven to 400F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Have ready the prepared dough rounds, nondairy milk (for brushing) and pastry brush.

Take a dough round and lightly brush it with nondairy milk. Scoop a generous 1/3 cup of filling, making sure to get a few raisins and olive slices with each scoop. Place the filling into the center of the round and spread it over half of the round; leave about 1/2 inch of space along the edge of the dough. Make sure the filling doesn't spill over the edge otherwise crimping the edges will be difficult.

Fold the dough over the filling, stretching and pulling it just enough to completely encase everything. (You will now have a semicircular patty.) With your fingers, firmly press down the edges of the dough, then seal by firmly pressing with the tines of a fork into the edges of the empanada. Carefully lift and place on a prepared baking sheet and brush with nondairy milk. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.

Bake the empanadas for 24 to 26 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the edges begin to brown. Allow them to cool for 5 minutes before serving, as the filling will be extremely hot out of the oven.

To reheat, either wrap bake at 350F for 8 to 10 minutes or microwave on high for 30 seconds.

Empanada Dough

Makes enough for 12 large empanadas

3 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
4 tbsp chilled vegan shortening, cut into 1/2" pieces
4 tbsp chilled vegan margarine, cut into 1/2" pieces
3/4 cup cold water, or more as needed

In a food processor, pulse together the flour, salt and baking powder for a few seconds. Add the shortening and margarine, and pulse until everything resembles fine, sandlike crumbs.

Pour the flour mixture into a large bowl and stream in the cold water while mixing the dough with your fingers or a fork. Continue adding just enough cold water that you can press the mixture together to form a soft and stretchy dough. Briefly knead a few times, divide into 2 balls, flatten each into a round about an inch thick, and wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Minimize handling of the dough to keep it from getting tough. Chill overnight or for at least 4 hours.

Tear about 12 pieces of waxed paper or parchment paper to about 7 inches squares. Cut one of the dough rounds into 6 pieces (two dough rounds make 12 pieces). On a lightly floured surface, roll one of the cut pieces into a circle of 3/8" thickness, stretching and pulling the dough a little if necessary. To keep the dough from getting tough, use long rolling motions, occasionally lifting the dough by the edges and turning it a little to ensure an even thickness throughout.

Stack the circles of dough on top of one another, separating them with the waxed or parchment paper (to keep them from sticking). Repeat with the remaining 11 pieces of dough to make 12 dough rounds.

Chill the finished dough circles, the entire stack well wrapped in plastic wrap until ready to use.

Steamed Red Seitan

Makes 4 loaves

1 1/2 cups cold vegetable broth
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp reduced sodium soy sauce
4 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 cups vital wheat gluten
1/4 cup chickpea flour
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp ground cumin

In a measuring cup, whisk together the broth, garlic, soy sauce, tomato paste and olive oil. In a large bowl, whisk the wheat gluten, chickpea flour, nutritional yeast, oregano and cumin. Form a well in the center of the dry ingredients, and pour the liquid ingredients into the well, stirring with a rubber spatula until the dough leaves the sides of the bowl. Knead the dough for 2 to 3 minutes to develop the gluten. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes; knead again for 30 seconds. Cut the dough into 4 equal pieces and lightly knead each piece a few times, shaping each piece into a roughly oblong loaf shape.

Tear off four 12" square pieces of aluminum foil. Place a piece of dough in the center of a piece of foil. Fold the foil around the dough so that the foil is secure but there is some space around the dough to let it expand while steaming. Repeat with the rest of the dough. Place the wrapped dough in a steamer and steam for 30 minutes. Allow the dough to cool to the touch before chilling in the fridge for at least an hour, or overnight.

Quick Vegan Tomato Basil Cream Pasta

Both E and I were in love with this creamy tomato pasta. My favourite pasta sauce used to be cream (specifically alfredo, even more specifically my mom's alfredo), then it became rose. I try not to have cream sauces too often as I know they're not very good for me, but now that I've found this delicious vegan rose sauce, I can indulge in my creamy pasta more often. I love basil but I'm sure it would be delicious with your favourite herb or whatever you might have in your garden (indoor garden at this time of year?)

Last weekend we went to Tofino for our 1 year anniversary! (If you're interested you can check out some of our wedding photos and our wedding video.)

I never posted pictures from our trip to Turkey and Greece, but I'm almost immediately posting pictures from our trip to Tofino. What does that say?? Hm. Probably that there were way too many Turkey and Greece photos. And also that I loooooooove taking local vacations and that Tofino is one of my favourite places.

This was my third time going there, and first time going during "storm watching season". Which basically means there's a lot of rain and big waves, at least that's what we experienced. It was a really relaxing cozy vacation. Tofino is a small town with a handful of restaurants, bakeries and shops (no big name stores). It's known for its surfing, but if you're not a surfer like me you can still enjoy walking along the beaches.

This is where we stayed.

The view from our room.

If this sounds good, you might also like:
Pasta with French Lentils and Kale
Red and White Tortellini
Pasta with Ruby Chard and Cranberries
Mediterranean Macaroni and Cheese

Quick Vegan Tomato Basil Cream Pasta
Adapted from Vegan Yum Yum

Serves 2

7 oz uncooked whole wheat spaghetti (or other pasta shape)
1 medium ripe tomato, cored and roughly chopped
1/2 cup raw cashews
1/4 cup water
1 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 large handful fresh basil, chopped

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package directions.

While the pasta is cooking, make the sauce. To a blender, add the tomato, cashews, water, tomato paste and salt. Blend until very smooth.

In a large saute pan over medium heat, add the olive oil. Add the garlic and saute until golden, being careful not to burn. Pour the sauce from the blender into the pan and bring to a simmer for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Once the pasta is cooked, drain it. Mix the pasta, sauce, black pepper and basil.

Zucchini and Chickpea Pancakes

I've seen chickpea pancakes around the blogosphere (can't remember where now though) and they always looked so good. And this one used up some of that CSA zucchini I keep on mentioning. I love how easy this is. Like a frittata or omelette but vegan. Usually I would use tofu to make something like this so the chickpea flour was a nice change. To make it a meal just add some steamed or roasted vegetables on the side, or cut it up into pieces and put it on a salad. Ooo now that I'm thinking about it, I bet a peanut sauce for dipping would be just excellent. (And I think this is the last zucchini recipe for a while.)

If this sounds good, you might also like:
Healthy Baked Zucchini Fries
Swift, Delicious Bean Salad
Pink Beans with a Cardamom-Yogurt Sauce
Sunflower Lentil Pie

Zucchini and Chickpea Pancakes
Adapted from Just Hungry

Makes 2 large pancakes, which make 2 main dish servings or 4 appetizer/side dish servings

4 cups grated zucchini (about 3 zucchinis)
Some cilantro leaves, chopped
1 cup chickpea flour
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp garam masala
Olive oil for cooking

Put zucchini and cilantro into a large bowl; add the salt, garam masala and the chickpea flour. Mix well - the moisture that comes out of the zucchini may be enough to turn this into a batter, but if not add a tiny bit of water, just so that it turns moist but not runny.

Heat up a small (8 inch / 20cm) non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add some olive oil and spread around. Put in about half of the batter and spread around to form a circle. Cook for about 5 minutes, then turn and cook for another 5 minutes or so, until it’s cooked all the way through. (You can slice into the middle a bit to see if there’s any batter oozing still; if so, cook a bit more.) Repeat for the other half of the batter.

Cut into wedges, and serve hot or at room temperature.

Note: If you want a crispy outside, use more oil in the pan; if you want it soft (and less caloric) add less.

Seitan Black Bean Corn Burgers

I don't always have the most success with meatless burgers (well not that I ever had success with meat burgers as I did not enjoy them and never made them). They always fall apart when I'm pan frying them, or dry out too much if I bake them. But I think I'm starting to find my burger groove! I try not to use too much oil when cooking, but you need to make sure you have enough oil in the pan so that the burgers don't stick and fry up nicely, making them easy to flip and less likely to fall apart.

These burgers were really flavourful with the smoked paprika, cumin and chili powder. And yes I talk about how I hate beans but I do really enjoy black beans, especially in a form like these burgers. I loved eating these burgers with pickles. But then I'm also really obsessed with pickles recently. In particular the Steinfeld Kosher Petite Dill Pickles. (Not that they're paying me to promote them I just really love them.)

If this sounds good, you might also like:
Mushroom Pecan Burger
Black Bean Confetti Salad
Triathalon Tostadas
Black Bean, Zucchini & Olive Tacos with Garlic-Lemon Yogurt

Seitan Black Bean Corn Burgers
Adapted from Vegan Yum Yum

Makes about 10 burgers

1 cup seitan
14 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained (about 2 cups)
1 tbsp vegan Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp reduced sodium soy sauce
1 cup ground whole wheat bread crumbs
2 tbsp all purpose flour
1/2 cup frozen corn
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
2 tbsp high heat vegetable oil for pan frying

1. Add the seitan to the food processor and process until finely chopped (a few remaining bigger chunks are okay).

2. Add the beans, and process until finely chopped (you may still see the occasional bean piece). Remove this mixture to a mixing bowl.

3. Add the Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, bread crumbs, flour, corn, paprika, cumin, and chili powder to the seitan/bean mixture and mix well with your hands or a spoon. Adjust the mixture with salt, to taste, or add more bread crumbs if the mixture is too wet. It should be moist but not gloppy. For example, if you stuff your 1/4 cup measure with it, you should have to pry it out. If it glops out by itself, it's probably too wet.

4. Heat the oil n a pan over medium-high heat.

5. Begin forming patties (1/4 cup of mixture per patty). Make them thin to avoid a too-mushy center. You can form all of the patties ahead of time and place them on wax/parchment paper, foil, etc.

6. Fry patties four at a time, or however many reasonably fit into the pan until dark brown on either side.

Curried Scrambled Tofu with Wilted Greens

If you're vegetarian, vegan or just have a love for tofu, I'm sure you've tried scrambled tofu. While I love tofu, I've never found a tofu scramble that I really loved, until this one. The recipe calls for arugula, but I used some random bitter leafy green that came in our CSA. I think it was some kind of lettuce. Cooked lettuce used to be so bizarre to me, but I discovered a love for it when I tried it in hot pot. And again when I had it in this tofu scramble.

Masala Baked Tofu

For those of you that read my blog regularly, I'm sure you can tell that I've been cooking a lot from Appetite for Reduction. So many of the recipes really appeal to me, and I've enjoyed most that I've tried. But occasionally I try some I don't like so much, like this masala baked tofu and curried cabbage and peas. They weren't bad, they just weren't things I'd recommend or make again. So I just thought I'd stick in a mini review of them here for people who have the cookbook and are wondering what to try next. :)

Curried Cabbage & Peas

The Fairy Hobmother visited my blog after I left a comment on Grace's blog, and will be sending me an Amazon gift card! If you want the chance to be visited by the Fairy Hobmother, just leave a comment and make a wish, and you might be lucky too. :)

If this sounds good, you might also like:
Orange Sesame Tofu with Coconut Lime Basmati Rice
Lemon Miso Tofu and Eggplant
Tofu and Broccolini in Peanut Sauce
Salt and Pepper Tofu

Curried Scrambled Tofu with Wilted Greens
Adapted from Appetite for Reduction

Serves 4 as a side, or 2 as a main

1 tsp olive oil
1 red onion, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 block extra firm tofu (about 14 oz)
1 tbsp curry powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
3/4 tsp salt
Ground black pepper
2 cups chopped leafy greens (ex. arugula, lettuce, spinach)

Preheat a large pan over medium high heat. Saute the onion in the oil for about 4 minutes, until translucent. Add the garlic and saute for 30 seconds. Crumble the tofu into bite size pieces and add to the pan. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring often, until the tofu has browned on some of the sides. Use a little nonstick cooking spray if needed.

Add the curry powder, cumin, salt, pepper, and a few splashes of water if it's too dry. Mix in the greens. Cover and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the greens are wilted. Add the lemon juice and serve.