Spicy Tofu with Shitake Mushrooms

So last night I started to make Eat Well’s Sichuan tofu with mushrooms. I ended up making tons of changes to the recipe, so I thought my new one was worth sharing. You know me – I can’t ever leave well enough  alone! It was very tasty – even the meat eater of the house loved it.

Kathy’s Spicy Tofu with Shitake Mushrooms – serves 2

• 1 tsp Better than Bouillon Vegetable Flavor
• 3 Tbl filtered water
• 1 Tbl low sodium soy sauce
• 1 Tbl tomato paste
• 1 tsp sugar or agave nectar
• 1/4 – 1/2 tsp hot chili sesame oil (to your taste)
• a few drops liquid smoke
• 1 Tbl balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 container firm tofu (1/2 a cake sliced lengthwise – store the other 1/2 in water in the fridge for another recipe)
• 1 8 oz package fresh shitake mushrooms, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 spray of olive oil or 1 Tb veggie broth

Take tofu slice wrap with clean kitchen towel or paper towels. Place on a cutting board and place heavy pan on it for a bout 10 minutes to press most of the water out of it. Cut into medium sized cubes and set aside for now.

Whisk first 8 ingredients in a small bowl. You will use this mixture a little later.

Heat skillet or wok over medium heat.  Add oil or broth once the pan is hot, then add the garlic. After a few seconds add in the sliced mushrooms.

Once the mushrooms start to cook down add a few Tbl of the sauce and lower the heat. When the mushrooms look done add the rest of the sauce and tofu.

Once the tofu is browned and turned a few times, it’s ready to serve over some steamed brown rice.

Vegetarian Fried Rice

You could make this a vegan recipe buy leaving out the eggs. You should be able to find some good ones at your market that are free range and haven’t been fed any antibiotics.

On the farm tour we went on a month or so ago, we saw some true free range chickens fertilizing the fields for the organic veggies that would be grown there later in the year. What a great way to recycle!

Vegetarian Fried Rice

Serves 2

• 2 cups long grain brown rice – use leftover rice cold from the fridge
• 2 heirloom carrots cut in small pieces (I used one burgundy and one yellow)
• Handful of fresh green beans, ends trimmed cut in small pieces
• 1/4 cup chopped bell pepper (I used red and green)
• 1/2 onion minced (sweet onion is always good)
• 1 clove garlic minced (or use 1 cube Trader Joe’s frozen garlic)
• 1t ginger minced
• 2 eggs beaten
• 1 handful pea (frozen or fresh)
• 2 Tbl. soy sauce (low sodium)
• 1/2 cup veggie broth or filtered water
• optional: 3Tbl. soy ginger sauce (I used whole food’s brand)

In a large non-stick pan heat up a few Tbls of water and add onion once pan is hot. Once the onion are translucent add garlic and pepper cook for about 3 minutes more.

Then add carrots, green beans, ginger and the rest of the broth/water. Cover and let veggies steam over medium heat for 3-5 minutes.

Uncover and let almost all of the water cook off, push veggies to form an outer circle around the pan. This is so you can cook the eggs in the middle.

Add eggs and keep stirring them until almost done. Some will get into the veggies, but don’t worry about that – you’re going to mix everything up in just a minute anyhow.

Add soy sauce (and soy ginger sauce if using) and mix the egg into the vegetables. Add the pre-made rice. Cook until rice is warm making sure all ingredients are mixed well.

I served with some grilled thai marinated tofu.

Calories		411.9
Total Fat		7.3 g
	Saturated Fat	2.0 g
	Polyunsaturated Fat	1.6 g
	Monounsaturated Fat	2.6 g
Cholesterol		212.5 mg
Sodium		769.1 mg
Potassium		741.8 mg
Total Carbohydrate		71.1 g
	Dietary Fiber	10.7 g
	Sugars	6.1 g
Protein		17.0 g

Vegetarian Recipe – Vegan Pepper “Steak”

I wanted to share the lunch I made yesterday because it turned out pretty good. I know, I really need to start taking pictures, so you can see it too.

I used lightlife steak strips for this dish, they are low in calories, but as all premade foods – a little high in sodium. I’m trying to reduce the amount of salt I eat, but sometimes convenience trumps that.

Serves 2 (but can easily be multiplied)

• 1 package steak strips
• 1/2 pepper of any (or assorted) colors in strips
• 1/2 onion in strips
• 2 Tbl vegetarian worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 cup (or s) Whole Foods 365 Ginger Soy Sauce (if you don’t have a whole foods or feel like making it from scratch I found a recipe here that I want to try.)

Heat a non-stick pan (or a spray or 2 of oil, or in a pinch a little water), once hot add onion strips. Once they start to be translucent, add the peppers and steak strips. Through out this entire process you’ll need to keep stirring so the food doesn’t stick. Once the peppers are about as done as you like them, add the sauces.

Serve over steamed brown rice, or add cooked whole wheat spaghetti to make a lo mein. During the summer I think I’ll try it as a steak salad with raw peppers instead of cooked, and serve it over super crunchy lettuce.