Hot or Cold?

After all our hot weather this morning was cool and then some fine drizzle started. My plan was to go with a cold dish for tonight using tofu and noodles, but when I needed to close the windows and put on a pair of socks, I decided to go hot for dinner instead.

I enjoy the spice combination in this dish, and use sambal oelek as the chile paste with garlic the recipe calls for. Keep in mind this is a recipe from Cooking Light magazine, which is why certain ingredients are specified as they are e.g. "reduced-fat firm tofu". I say go full fat or go home. The minute products start to eliminate fat they tamper with the original food aka process it further and by reducing/eliminating fat they need to add other ingredients/chemicals/additives, etc. in order to make it taste good. Stick with food in its most honest, original state and you're on the right track. Additionally, I use brown long-grain rice or brown basmati rice.

Red Curried Tofu
(recipe from Cooking Light magazine March 2001)
1 cup uncooked long-grain rice
2 teaspoons dark sesame oil
2 1/2 cups vertically sliced red onion
1 cup yellow bell pepper strips
1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 teaspoon chile paste with garlic
1 (14.5-ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (12.3-ounce) package reduced-fat firm tofu, drained and cut into 1-inch cubes
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
1/4 cup chopped dry-roasted cashews

Prepare rice according to package directions, omitting salt and fat.

While rice is cooking, heat oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and bell pepper; sauté 4 minutes or until tender. Stir in curry, coriander, turmeric, and salt; cook 2 minutes. Add soy sauce and the next 4 ingredients (soy sauce through tofu). Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer for 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Serve the tofu mixture over rice, and sprinkle with cilantro and cashews.

Family Favourite (since 2001)

I came across this recipe in a Chatelaine magazine one fine day in 2001 when I was waiting patiently for my Tai Chi class to begin. Most times when I read a recipe, I can already taste it and know how it's going to turn out. This one I knew I had to make because it tasted so good in my head. The problem was I didn't have a pen and paper to jot it down and knew I'd never remember it. It's the first (and only time) I took a magazine from a waiting room. The recipe turned out every bit as good as I had imagined and we made it almost weekly for about the first year. Now I pull it out now and again and we always wax on about how great it still is. Who said crime doesn't pay?

Chicken, Avocado and Coriander Pasta Sauce
(recipe from Chatelaine magazine September 2001)

Makes enough to coat 1/2 pound pasta

2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, about 1/2 lb or 3 skinless, boneless chicken thighs
1 tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 plum tomatoes
1 ripe but firm avocado
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt
pinch of cayenne pepper
1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice
1/4 cup finely chopped coriander

Slice chicken into thin bite-size strips. Heat oil in a large wide frying pan set over medium heat. Add chicken and garlic and stir occasionally until lightly browned and nearly cooked through, from 3 to 4 minutes.

Meanwhile, chop tomatoes into 1-inch (2.5-cm) chunks. Peel avocado and cut into bite-size pieces.

When chicken is nearly cooked, add tomatoes to pan, along with seeds and juice. Sprinkle with cumin, salt and cayenne. Stir often over medium heat until tomatoes are hot, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and immediately stir in avocado, lemon juice and coriander, just until blended. Toss with cooked penne or orecchiette. Taste and stir in more lemon or lime juice if you would like more tang. Enjoy sauce as soon as it is made as avocado will darken.

My notes: For this recipe I always use penne and always use lime (not lemon).

Tempting Tempeh

It’s been a terrifically hot day and once the sun dips down as well as the temperature, we just want to unwind on the couch and watch a DVD with dinner. This leaves me with the question, what to make?

Michael likes tempeh and I like sour. Put the two together and we have Cilantro Tempeh with a Sweet & Sour Stir Fry.

(image from Flickr)

Cilantro Tempeh
(recipe adapted from Enlightened Eating cookbook)

1 package tempeh (225g)
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1 cups sweet onion, sliced
½ teaspoon coriander
½ teaspoon cumin
2 teaspoons crushed garlic
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ cup water
3 tablespoons ume plum vinegar
½ cup cilantro, chopped
1/3 cup red pepper chopped

1 cup chopped tomatoes

Steam tempeh in the top of a double boiler for 10 minutes. Remove and cool, cut into small dice-sized cubes and set aside. (I LOVE this method for working with tempeh. Steaming it first seems to loosen it up and prepare it to drink in the sauce).

Heal sesame oil in a skilled, add onions, and cook on medium heat for 5 minutes. Add coriander, cumin, garlic, cayenne and cook another couple of minutes.

Add tempeh and water and cook over low-medium heat for 15 more minutes. Add ume plum vinegar, cilantro, red pepper and tomato. Heat through and serve.

(image from flickr)

A well-stocked pantry and fridge with a variety of oils and vinegars will definitely come in handy for this recipe.

Sweet and Sour Stir Fry
(recipe adapted from Clean Food cookbook)
½ pound udon noodles (I like to use kamut udon)
1 tablespoon grapeseed oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
3 carrots, sliced thinly on a diagonal
1 large zucchini, ¼ inch thick sliced on a diagonal
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons mirin
2 tablespoons Bragg Liquid Aminos (or feel free to use tamari instead)
1 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
¼ cup toasted sesame seeds

Cook noodles according to directions on package. Drain in a colander and rinse thoroughly under cold water. Place colander on a plate and refrigerate until ready to use.

Heat wok over medium-high heat. Add grapeseed oil, garlic and ginger and cook 1 minute. (If anything starts to stick add 1 tablespoon of water). Add carrots and zucchini, stir and cook 3-4 minutes or until crisp tender. Add 1 tablespoon each of rice vinegar, mirin, and liquid aminos and cook 1 minute longer. Remove vegetables from wok and set aside.

Pour remaining tablespoon of rice vinegar, mirin, and liquid aminos into empty wok. Fold in the chilled noodles until evenly coated and heated through. Drizzle with sesame oil. Transfer noodles to serving plates, top with vegetables, sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and place Cilantro Tempeh at the side.

Better Late Than Never

I was a bit late getting dinner started tonight and I'm not the fastest cook in the West so Michael was anxiously awaiting tonight's meal. I used the same chicken recipe I made on July 18 (refer to blog of this date for the recipe) except tonight I used fresh cilantro in place of the rosemary for a different flavour profile. To accompany the chicken I made Quinoa Tabbouleh. Of course there's a significant protein content in the quinoa so not even necessary to serve it with another protein (in this case chicken), but that's just what I was in the mood for. And for our vegetable, Grilled Eggplant Marinated with Mint. Michael wanted to make sure the mint got a special mention because it's from our garden. Or I should say, his garden. We...I mean he planted a variety of different herbs just a few weeks ago. We don't have a lot of anything at the moment, but if this hot weather continues, we'll be brainstorming what to do with the abundance of basil, lavender, cilantro, etc.

Below are both recipes for your consideration. After just one taste of last night's Chocolate Bourbon Popsicles we are addicted! So dessert tonight was a repeat. Besides we have to get through the popsicles quickly so I can re-use the popsicle molds to try another flavour. I have my eye on a peach & prosecco combo so do expect to see that sometime soon.

Quinoa Tabbouleh

(recipe from the Clean Food cookbook with some amendments)

1 cup quinoa

1/2 cup chopped mint

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsely

1 cup diced cucumber

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 cup lemon juice

Sea salt

Rinse the quinoa and place in a bowl with enough water to cover. Allow quinoa to soak for as little as one hour or overnight. Place quinoa in fine-mesh strainer and rinse. Place quinoa in a 2-quart pot and add enough water to cover. Add a pinch of sea salt. Bring to a bowl over medium-high heat. Once boiling, reduce heat to minimum and cover pot. The quinoa will take approximately 15 to cook. Take a peak to make sure most of the water has been absorbed; then remove from heat and leave (with cover on) for 5 minutes. Remove cover and let the quinoa cool to room temperature. To quicken this process, scatter quninoa onto a cookie sheet to let cool.

While quinoa is cooking place all remaining ingredients in a bowl. When quinoa is cool (or even slightly warm), add to bowl and mix with other ingredients. Season to taste with sea salt and serve at room temperature or chill.

Grilled Eggplant Marinated with Mint (serves 8)
(Recipe from Fine Cooking magazine issue 59)

2 small globe eggplant (about 1-3/4 lb. total)

3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 cloves garlic

1-1/2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice or red-wine vinegar

1/3 cup loosely packed chopped fresh mint leaves (from about 1/4 bunch)

Heat a gas grill to medium high or prepare a medium-hot charcoal fire.

Using a serrated knife or a mandoline, slice the eggplant into rounds as thin as possible, about 1/4 to 1/8 inch. Spread the sliced eggplant (you may have to overlap them slightly) on two large baking sheets. Brush the tops with 1/2 cup of the oil and season with salt and pepper.
Smash the garlic and a pinch of salt into a paste. In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining 1/4 cup oil and the garlic paste. Whisk in the lemon juice or vinegar and season with salt and pepper.

Once the fire is hot, grill both sides of the eggplant (in batches if necessary) until softened and cooked through, about 2 minutes per side. It’s fine if it chars slightly.

Transfer the eggplant to a medium serving bowl, add the garlic oil, and toss gently so as not to tear the eggplant. Let marinate for at least 15 minutes and up to 2 hours at room temperature (or refrigerate for up to 24 hours, but bring to room temperature before serving). Toss in the mint just before serving.