Day 21: That's Not Pretty

 

Tofu Mush with Veggies. Help!

Last night I tried to stir-fry tofu with some pretty dismal - and very ugly - results! The flavors of this dish were great, but my execution, not so much.

Friends who know how to stir-fry tofu cubes to nice, browned, crispy outsides please post some advice or instructions. (I suspect I didn't buy the right kind of tofu, even if labeled "firm".)

I'd like to make this again, but no one's dinner plate should look like this!

Hot and Spicy Tofu
Serves 4

3 tablespoons peanut oil

1 pound firm tofu, cubed

1 red onion, sliced in half-moons

1 red bell pepper, sliced into thin strips

1 jalepeno, sliced into thin strips

3 cloves garlic, crushed, or 1 1/2 tsp garlic puree

1/3 cup hot water

3 tablespoons white vinegar

3 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 teaspoon cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (or more to taste)

chopped cilantro, sliced green onions, crushed peanuts, and chili-garlic sauce for garnish, if desired

Heat the peanut oil and add tofu. Saute until browned on all sides. (This is what just didn't work for me - after 10 minutes in very hot oil, it was just the lightest tan, and when stirred, even super carefully, it all fell apart. By the time I added veggies and stirred out of necessity, it was just mush. Tasty mush, but mush.) Add onions, red pepper, jalepeno, and garlic and stir fry about 5 more minutes. In the meantime, whisk water, vinegar, soy sauce, brown sugar, cornstarch and red pepper flakes together. Add to stir-fry and heat to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer until thickened slightly, 2-3 minutes.

Serve over white or brown rice, barley, or quinoa. I added chili-garlic sauce to mine (because I had reduced the heat for Owen), and green onions. Scott and I decided that peanuts (for crunch) and cilantro would also be great complements.

If you try this and succeed, please tell me how!

Days 11-15: Vegetarians on the Run

We had a very busy long weekend and weren't home much, so we've experienced being vegetarian while eating out, packing lunches, and generally being on the run. Well, I should say I've experienced that. The boys and Scott . . . well, we've revised the rules once again to "I'm cooking vegetarian," and that's the best I think I'll get.

It is an interesting experience being a vegetarian on the run . . . at the St. Paul RiverCentre (we were there with our campground for the the Sportsman Show) the choices are pretzel with cheese, fries, or nachos. At Ikea, things were looking much better: crepes filled with spinach and cheese and a salad. At a Mexican restaurant: cheese enchilada and beans. Weekend on the run = lots of cheese, lots of carbs, not really a lot of healthy eating!

But, I did manage to cook a little bit, testing recipes for a party I'm having next week. I'll share just one today (in case the guest of honor is reading), and post the rest next week.

Mango-Pineapple Chutney

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 large sweet yellow onion, minched
4 inch piece of fresh ginger root, peeled and minced (or 1 tbsp. minced ginger in a jar)
1 large yellow bell pepper, diced
3 large ripe mangoes, peeled, cored, and diced
1 small pineapple, peeled, cored, and diced
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 tbsp. curry powder
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add red pepper flakes and cook until it starts to sizzle, then stir in the onion. Reduce heat to low and cover and cook until onions are soft, about 20 minutes. Uncover, increase heat to medium, and add the ginger and yellow pepper until you can smell the ginger (about 2-3 minutes). Add remaining ingredients and bring to a simmer. Cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Makes about 3 1/2 cups of chutney.

This is crazy good. Eat it with a fork, put it on grilled fish or chicken, serve it over cream cheese with crackers, lick the spoon, spatula, pan, and your fingers. Yum.

Day 8: We are hungry for animals!

Even though tonight's dinner was yummy and a big hit with everyone but Noah, the boys are mutinous. Scott confessed to having a chicken and bacon sandwich at lunch, and Owen declared, hands up in that universal "no way" stance:

"We are NOT becoming vegetarians. I want my bacon and hamburgers!"

I suggested maybe every few months we could have a vegetarian month. He though this was maybe okay, except:

"Not in the summer. Summer is for steak. And chicken. And bacon. And hamburgers. And sausage. Oh, sausage is for winter too."

Noah joined the fray with this chant: "We are hungry for animals! We are hungry for animals!"



We got the video in time, but only after the best drama passed, of course. It was lots of fun, boys, but it is only day 8. You have quite a ways to go!

These yummy vegetable enchiladas are from a recipe a fellow RHS mom sent me. Thanks Beth! They were delicious.

Vegetable Enchiladas

2 tbsp. olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced (or 1 1/2 tsp minced garlic in a jar)
1/2 onion, julienne
1 red bell pepper, julienne
2 cups broccoli, lightly steamed and chopped
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
3 cups mozzarella, grated (I didn't have mozzarella, so I used a combo of pepper jack and cheddar. Ran out of that too, so I sprinkled feta on the top)
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1/2 tsp. salt
8 medium size or 12 small (6 inch) flour tortillas
1 jar salsa verde

Preheat oven to 350. Saute garlic, onion, and red pepper in the oil for about 5 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and fold in broccoli, beans, 2 cups of the cheese, cilantro, and salt. Place about 1/4-1/3 cup filling into each tortilla and roll.

Spray a shallow baking dish with cooking spray and place enchiladas, seam side down, in the dish. Pour salsa verde over all, then sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake for 15 minutes. Top with sour cream, olives, sliced green onions, diced tomatoes, or any of your favorite toppings.

Day 1: So far, so good

Monday was our first day of vegetarian eating, and we weren't exactly consistent as a family. Who knows what Scott ate for lunch on his own (but he admitted it wasn't vegetarian) and Owen had school lunch chicken nuggets. (Yuck.)

Therefore, I've amended the rules: The boys and Scott are free to do as they please when not eating with me. Let's see if they become inspired to eat vegetarian. (Though, to be honest, I wonder if Owen will even notice!)

Because it's the first week, I've given myself the added challenge of eliminating dairy, sugar, and alcohol for the week (a sort of modified detox diet; I couldn't bear to give up caffeine). I'm not holding the boys and Scott to this either.

For those who asked for recipes, I'll post any good enough to pass on. If they don't pass my taste test (and one from yesterday did not), I won't subject you to it.

Vegetarian Split Pea Soup
Serves 4-6

1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
1 1/2 cups chopped carrots
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp olive oil
6 cups vegetable broth
1 cup dried split peas
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp ground chipotle pepper
salt and pepper to taste
cooked orzo or other small pasta

Saute onion, garlic, carrots, and celery in olive oil in a medium or large soup pot for 5 minutes. Add broth, peas, thyme, chipotle, salt, and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 45 minutes-1 hour (until peas are soft). If desired, blend with an immersion blender to desired consistency, adding broth as needed. Taste and correct seasonings.

Serve topped with a 1/4 cup or so of cooked pasta. (I put more pasta in the kids' bowls.)

I thought this was good, but I love split pea soup. Even though it is all veggies (depending on how much pasta you add), it was very filling. I also thought it was pretty sweet, so I added a good amount of salt and pepper. To quote Owen: "It starts sweet, then gets spicy. Spicy is always the slower taste." A perfect description.