Curried Udon Noodles

This meal included two firsts: My first attempt at making a meat substitute (seitan) and my first time trying out udon noodles.

This dish can be quite spicy. If you're not much into heat, use a mild curry powder and omit the hot pepper.

Overall, this was really yummy. I'm not really into fake meat, though... I quit eating meat; why would I want to eat fake meat? :) I do like to try new things, though, so I gave the seitan a shot. It definitely tasted OK (I never really was a red meat fan, though) but it had this odd chewy texture. I think I'll stick to beans in the future. :) I am pleased to say that hubby did try a piece and thought the flavour was almost spot-on.
So, to wrap all that up, if you're looking for a half-decent meat substitute, this might just be it!

Plan ahead:
There's quite a bit of prep that goes into this but once you have all the ingredients together, the final product goes together very quickly.
Prep and bake the seitan early in the day (or the night before). Let it cool and then store it in the refrigerator (in the liquid you baked it in) until you're ready to use it.

Seitan
Makes 6 cutlets

Ingredients:
Broth:
6 cups vegetable broth
3 tbsp. soy sauce

Cutlets:
1 1/4 cups vital wheat gluten
1/2 cup cold vegetable broth
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, pressed
1 tsp. grated lemon zest

Method:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

1. Prepare the broth by bringing the 6 cups of veggie broth and 3 tbsp. soy sauce to a boil in a saucepan. Turn off the heat and keep it covered until your ready to use it.

2. Place the vital wheat gluten in a mixing bowl. Mix the 1/2 cup cold veggie broth, 1/4 cup soy sauce, oil, garlic, and lemon zest together in a large measuring jug. Pour the wet mixture into the flour and combine using a wooden spoon.

3. Use your hands to knead the mixture for about 3 minutes or until the dough is elastic. Divide the dough into six equal pieces (you can do this by rolling it into a log and then slicing it into circles).

4. Take each of the six pieces of dough and stretch them into oblong cutlet shapes (about 1/2-inch thick). You'll need to put some elbow grease into it. :)

5. Pour the heated veggie broth-soy sauce mixture into a 9 x 13-inch baking dish/casserole. Place the cutlets into the broth and bake them for 30 minutes, uncovered. Turn them over and bake an additional 20 minutes.

These are now ready to be used in any recipe calling for seitan.

Curried Udon Noodle Stir-Fry
4 servings

*I used dry udon noodles for this since all the fresh ones I could find were junk. Seriously... the ingredients were really scary! Not to mention non-vegetarian. :(
I live in a part of San Diego where you can find TONS of great Asian ingredients so I never thought I'd have so much trouble finding decent fresh noodles... sigh. Maybe I need to try one of the Asian markets next time.


I found the dry ones in the Asian section of the grocery store, near the rice and panko (they were hiding on the bottom shelf - if you can't find them, look down!)

Ingredients:
1/2 pound fresh or dried udon noodles

Curry Roux Sauce
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
2 tbsp. unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. curry powder
1/2 tsp. garam masala
1/2 cup vegetable broth
2 tsp. sugar

Udon Stir-Fry
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 large yellow onion, sliced into thin strips
1 tsp. grated fresh ginger
1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced into thin strips
1/2-1 cup carrots, thinly sliced
1 hot pepper (I used a jalapeno), seeded and sliced very thin
2 seitan cutlets (see above), sliced into thin strips
1/2 pound broccoli florets, cut into bite-sized chunks
1 cup frozen peas
1/4 cup vegetable broth
2-3 tbsp. soy sauce

Method:
1. Cook the udon according to the package directions. Drain and rinse well with cold water.

2. While the udon cooks, make the curry roux. Combine the flour and 2 tbsp. oil in a small saucepan. Cook the mixture over medium-low heat (stir it constantly) until it's a nice caramel colour and it smells toasty. This can take up to 10 minutes. Stir in the curry powder and garam masala then cook another minute while continuing to stir constantly.

3. Use a wire whisk to stir the vegetable broth into the curry-flour mixture. Add the sugar and cook the roux, whisking constantly, until a thick sauce forms. Remove from the heat and set aside.

4. Heat 2 tbsp. of oil in a large skillet or wok. Cook the onion in the hot oil for 5-6 minutes until softened and translucent. Add the ginger, bell pepper, carrot slices, hot pepper, and seitan. Stir-fry for 5 minutes. Add the broccoli and peas and stir-fry 4-5 more minutes until the broccoli turns bright green.

5. Add the udon noodles to the veggies and sprinkle the mixture with soy sauce. Stir-fry an additional 2-3 minutes (2 chopsticks or spatulas will make your life much easier).

6. Whisk 1/4 cup of the veggie broth into the curry roux. Pour the sauce over the udon-vegetable mixture and stir so everything is coated. Stir and cook 2-3 minutes until the sauce is simmering and the noodles are warm.

Serve immediately.

References:
Seitan Cutlets from Veganomicon. No changes.
Curried Udon Noodle Stir-Fry from Veganomicon.

Changes I made to the stir-fry:
*Jalapeno in place of hot red chile.
*Added peas.
*Added sliced carrots.

Who needs salt?

This is a really great roasted veggie recipe. It's fairly low-fat (11g total; 1.5g sat. fat. - at least according to the original recipe) in addition to being low-sodium, vegan, and gluten-free. Oh yeah, and fricking delicious! ;)

Serves 2

Ingredients:
1 cup cauliflower florets, cut up into bite-sized pieces
1 cup halved Brussels sprouts
1 cup broccoli (I'm not sure that's such a "winter vegetable" but DH went with all the carrots and I needed something to add in!)
1/2 medium sweet potato, diced
1/2 cup onion, cut up into large dice
1/2 parsnip, cut into sticks
5 or 6 small mushrooms (button, cremini, or baby bellas), halved
1 clove garlic
1/2 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 tbsp. fresh rosemary, stripped from stem
1 tsp. fresh thyme, stripped from stem
1 tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
Pinch dried lavender
Pinch dried tarragon
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp. freshly-squeezed lemon juice
1-2 green onions, thinly sliced (optional)

Method:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

1. Toss the Brussels sprouts, broccoli, parsnip, sweet potato, cauliflower, and mushrooms in a large bowl along with 1 1/2 tbsp. oil, the garlic clove, rosemary, thyme, lavender, tarragon, and a couple grinds of fresh black pepper.

2. Spread the veggies out in a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast for 20 minutes at 450, turning 3 times with spatulas. Save the bowl! You'll need it in step 4.

3. Turn up the heat to 475 or 500 (I left mine at 475) and roast for an additional 10 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. You can add the sliced green onions at this point if you like.

4. Grab the bowl you used earlier and add the parsley, lemon juice, and the remaining olive oil. Throw in the roasted veggies and toss it all together. Serve hot on a bed of rice, quinoa, couscous, or pasta (rice or quinoa would be gluten-free; couscous and pasta are wheat-based so they would cancel out that but you can find GF pastas if necessary).

Reference:
Based on the recipe "Herb-Roasted Winter Veggies" from the January 2009 issue of Vegetarian Times magazine.

How I made it my own:
I added in the 'shrooms, parsnip, onion, green onion, lavender, and tarragon. I also used plain olive oil mixed with a clove of garlic in place of garlic-infused olive oil (which I'm sure is fantastic but in this economy [and on my teacher salary], I'm using what I have already! lol)
Oh yes, due to an unexpected lack of carrots, I also subbed in broccoli :)

Vegetarian Gumbo

I've actually never had a *real* gumbo so I don't have anything to compare this to but I think it was really rather fantastic! I'm not even sure I can really call it a gumbo since it doesn't have okra in it... isn't that a key ingredient (or is that just a stereotype?) :)

This is a great "clean out the fridge" or "use up your CSA basket" recipe. It's full of wonderful veggies and is an easy one for you to substitute whatever you have.

I served mine over a bed of quinoa (told you I qualify for that Level 7 Vegan even though I'm not even vegan... lol) but I'm having the leftovers over rice tomorrow for lunch! Yum! :)

I highly recommend letting this sit and simmer for an hour (original recipe said 40 minutes). This will allow the carrots to become tender and will really let the great cumin-paprika-cayenne flavours to really meld together even more! It takes a while, but once you have everything chopped up and in the pan it's not a lot of work.

Serves 4


Ingredients:
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/6 cup flour
1/2 cup yellow onion, chopped
1/2 cup bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup celery, chopped
1 (14-ounce) can tomatoes, juice included, diced
1 cup green beans (fresh or frozen)
1 cup carrots, sliced
1/2 cup parsnip, diced
1/2 cup broccoli florets
1 zucchini, sliced
1/2 tbsp. ground cumin
1/2 tbsp. paprika
1/2 tbsp. dried oregano
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
2 cups vegetable broth (or water)

Method:
1. Stir together the oil and flour in a Dutch oven until smooth. Cook over high heat until the roux becomes a dark caramel colour (think a nice chocolate brown), stirring constantly.

2. Add the onion, bell pepper, and celery, and cook 5 minutes or until the vegetables are softened. Stir in all the remaining ingredients and the veggie broth (or water). Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 45 minutes-1 hour, or until the carrots are tender.

Reference:
Based on the Vegetarian Gumbo recipe from the May 2008 issue of Vegetarian Times magazine. The only changes I made were to use broccoli and zucchini in place of the okra. I also used vegetable broth in place of the water.

Lemon and Veggie Pasta

There has been a lemon pasta recipe floating around on The Nest for the last couple weeks. It sounded really yummy so I knew I would have to check it out! The original was used as a side dish but I wanted mine as a main course with lots of vegetables. Here is the result! I'll mark my changes in purple.

The lemon flavour was really intense - it was great! This will definitely be repeated often around here :)

This makes a quick and easy dinner. The only "time-consuming" part is giving the eggplant an hour to "rest" while you salt it. Use that time to prep the rest of your veggies and herbs. After that hour, it will take 10-15 minutes max. :)

If you leave off the cheese, this recipe is vegan. I'm not convinced you need the cheese - the lemon and veggies work really well together!

Serves 1

Ingredients:
1 serving whole wheat spaghetti (or any other pasta you like)
Olive oil
A couple slices of eggplant, diced (probably about 1/2-1 cup)
1 tomato, seeded and diced (superfood!)
4 button mushrooms, sliced (I'd love to try this with a portobello cap!) - superfood!
1/4 cup broccoli florets (superfood!)
1/2 zucchini squash, sliced and then quartered
1/8 cup onion, finely chopped (superfood!)
1 clove garlic, minced (original called for garlic powder) - superfood!
3 tbsp. fresh basil or 2 tsp. dried basil
A little crushed red pepper
1/3 cup freshly-squeezed lemon juice (superfood!)
1/2 tbsp. grated lemon zest
1 tsp. capers
1/8 cup Parmesan cheese (original called for Pecorino Romano)
1 tbsp. fresh parsley

Method:
1. Slice eggplant. Rinse off slices and pat dry. Sprinkle each with a little salt and let them "drain" on a paper towel for 1 hour. Re-rinse and pat dry. Dice.

2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add eggplant, tomato, mushrooms, broccoli, zucchini, onion, garlic, and red pepper. Also add dried basil if you are using it. Saute the veggies for about 10 minutes or until tender.

3. While the vegetables saute, cook the pasta according to the package directions.

4. Drain the pasta and then mix the lemon juice and lemon zest in. Add capers, fresh parsley, and fresh basil to the veggies. Toss the veggies with the pasta. Serve and sprinkle with freshly-grated Parmesan and a little extra fresh parsley.
Enjoy immediately.


Reference:
I used the Lemon Pasta recipe from Erin's blog as the base for this. Thanks, Erin! :)

Five-a-Day For Better Health

Oh my gosh, it's vegan comfort food! This was so tasty - I ate a HUGE plate of it and then had seconds of the veggies ;) Hey, there are worse things to over-indulge in!
Not sure of the gluten-free status of this dish due to the soy sauce - I'm sure you can find GF soy sauce, though if that's a concern! :)
This would also be great served over quinoa or couscous.

The original recipe only called for a couple veggies - tomatoes, onions, and zucchini - but I added a bit more! I'll mark my additions in purple. If you'd like, you can also add your choice of protein to this dish - tofu, chicken, pork, shrimp.. Don't worry about marinating the tofu if you use that - just roast it with the veggies and it will take on the veggie and soy sauce flavours as it cooks. I'd like to try it with some eggplant and yellow squash as well next time! Maybe some mushrooms... This is really just a "toss in whatever you have in the fridge" sort of meal!

2 servings

Ingredients:
1/2 cup brown rice
1 1/4 cup water or veggie broth
Reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 tomato, quartered (I left the seeds in) - superfood!
1 zucchini, sliced into 1-inch rounds
1/4 onion, quartered (superfood!)
Olive oil (superfood!)
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup broccoli florets (superfood!)
1/4 cup sliced carrots
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped (superfood!)
1/8 cup petite peas (petit pois) :)

Method:
1. Cook rice in water or broth with 1 tsp. soy sauce adding in according to package directions. *Preheat oven to 350 degrees*

2. In a roasting pan (I actually used my Dutch oven!), combine the chopped veggies and toss with olive oil and about 1/8 cup soy sauce. Roast for 35 minutes.

3. Combine the rice and veggies and season with more soy sauce and pepper if desired (I skipped this/didn't miss it).

Reference:
The original recipe is from Fresh Mama's.

Eight-Treasure Fried Rice

I found this recipe as part of a feature on Chinese New Year meals. Totally forgot about it during Chinese New Year but oh well ;) Better late than never, right?!
The original recipe called for shrimp and sausage to be two of the eight treasures... I made mine vegetarian by subbing some marinated tofu and broccoli for those items. The eight treasures here are represented by: eggs, tofu, mushrooms, peas, broccoli, pineapple, cashews, and cilantro.
For next time, I'd make it more colorful by adding some red (a lucky colour in the Chinese culture) with some red bell pepper or even some cherry or grape tomatoes which I'd add after cooking. You could also easily make this vegan by omitting the egg and using agave nectar in place of the honey. Since tofu is a great egg substitute, you won't miss it! Just be sure to replace it with an ingredient to keep the eight treasure theme going!

This made quite a lot! Probably enough for 2 main-dish servings or 4 side-dish servings. The amounts are a bit weird since I divided the original recipe by 3...

Ingredients:
White or brown rice, cooked and cooled (I used 1/4 cup rice and 1/2 cup water to cook it)
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 egg, beaten
1/12 cup chopped onion (probably works out to be 2-3 tbsp.)
3 white mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup frozen petite peas, thawed
1/4 cup diced pineapple
1/4 cup cashews (I chopped mine up a little)
1/6 cup thinly sliced green onions
1/6 cup sweet-and-sour sauce
Small amount of chopped cilantro
1/4 cup broccoli florets
1/4 block extra-firm tofu
1 tbsp. honey or agave nectar
1 tbsp. orange juice (you could also use pineapple juice or half orange/half pineapple if desired)
1 tbsp. reduced-sodium soy sauce
A quick shake of red pepper flakes
1 tbsp. vinegar

Method:
1. Marinate tofu. Squeeze tofu between paper towels to remove the excess moisture. Cut into small cubes. Mix together the honey, orange juice, soy sauce, red pepper flakes, and vinegar in a zip-lock bag. Add the tofu and toss to coat. Let it marinate in the fridge for about 30 minutes - it doesn't need long. Work on the rest of the recipe while the tofu marinates.

2. Heat 1/2 tbsp. of the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet or wok over high heat until hot. Add the egg and scramble until set. Remove the eggs from the skillet and set aside.

3. Heat the remaining oil in the same skillet over medium heat until hot. Cook the onion 15 seconds or until shiny and fragrant. Add the tofu (discard the marinade); stir-fry until cooked through. Add the mushrooms, broccoli, and peas; cook one minute.

4. Add the rice and toss to combine. Add the egg, pineapple, cashews, green onions, and sweet-and-sour sauce. Cook 2-3 minutes until the rice is tender and all ingredients are heated through. Stir in the cilantro and serve.

Reference:
This is based on an eight-treasure fried rice recipe I found in the February/March 2008 issue of Cooking Pleasures magazine. The tofu marinade is based on the Honey-Glazed Chicken Stir-Fry recipe from Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book (1996 edition).

Yin-Yang Tofu Stir-Fry

I did take an actual photo of this but since my desktop computer is still not working (DH is thinking it's the motherboard which is going to be expensive since it's an older computer and will also need new memory, something else, and something else... no, I am not the computer nerd in this family! lol)... maybe I'll just get my iMac instead ;) In addition to that, my USB cable for my digital camera also went on the fritz and my work laptop that my printer is hooked up to will not do any of the fancy printer features like scan or allow me to stick my camera card in the front of the printer and then get my pictures from there... yes, high drama! lol ;) The cute dragon-y yin-yang will have to do for now!

So, I decided to call this yin-yang tofu since it's really called sweet and sour tofu and I figured "oh, opposites and balance! I'll call it yin-yang!" Yes, I'm a nerd... :) Well, I'm a Libra and I do tai chi so all that balance, Zen, yin-yang stuff can't be helped..! I like my cheesy blog post title!

If you would like to make a more carnivorous version of this meal, I'm sure it would be great with some thinly cut chicken breast strips or shrimp!

One quick change I would make next time: I'd let the tofu marinate in a simple marinade made with the pineapple juice, honey, soy sauce, and hot sauce. It was a bit blah... :) I may also add some additional veggies such as carrots and mushrooms next time.

Enough blabbering... here's the recipe! This was enough for 2 servings.

Ingredients:
1 block of water-packed extra-firm tofu (you will need the extra-firm, the wimpier stuff will not hold up as a stir-fry).
1 tsp. canola oil
1/4 tsp. salt, divided
1/4 tsp. minced peeled fresh ginger
1 bell pepper cut into strips (I always cheat and use the pre-cut, tri-coloured frozen stuff from Trader Joe's! hee hee)
3/4 cup pineapple juice, divided (I just got a can of pineapple "rings" and used the juice from that since I couldn't find pineapple juice at the store and was feeling too lazy to really hunt for it)
1 tsp. cornstarch
2 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 1/2 tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce
1 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. hot sauce
2 pineapple "rings", sliced into little triangles
1 cup broccoli
1 cup snow peas
1 tbsp. honey or agave nectar for vegan version
1 tbsp. thinly sliced green onions
Hot cooked long-grain rice
A little fresh cilantro as a garnish

Method:
1. Cut the tofu into small bite-sized squares. Arrange the pieces in a single layer on several layers of paper towels. Cover the tofu with additional paper towels and place a cutting board on top. Let it stand for about 15 minutes to drain. Set aside.

2. Heat the oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the tofu and sprinkle with 1/8 tsp. salt. Cook 8 minutes, stirring frequently. Transfer the tofu to a plate. Add the ginger, broccoli, and bell pepper to the pan; saute 2 minutes or until crisp tender.

3. Combine 2 tsp. pineapple juice and cornstarch in a small bowl; set aside. Add remaining pineapple juice to the pan. Stir in the remaining salt, honey, lemon juice, soy sauce, sugar, and hot sauce. Add the cornstarch mixture and stir well. Bring this mixture to a boil and then allow it to cook for 1 minute.

4. Return the tofu to the pan, stirring gently to coat. Stir in the onions, peas, pineapple. Spoon the mixture on top of hot cooked rice and then sprinkle with some chopped cilantro.

Reference:
I doctored up the Sweet and Sour Tofu recipe from the June 2007 issue of Cooking Light magazine. I would link to it but I can't find it on their website...
My additions: pineapple pieces, honey, broccoli, snow peas. I also used regular old hot sauce in place of the chili garlic sauce that was called for (might add a clove of garlic next time...)

"A Few of my Favourite Things" Pasta

Holy hell, this is good :) And the best part - it was super quick to make! Not sure how healthy it is with all that goat cheese but we'll just say the broccoli, beans, and whole-wheat pasta balance that out :) It's definitely full of protein so great for vegetarians!
This has so many of my favourite things in it - pasta, Kalamata olives, goat cheese, walnuts... mmm :)

Can I just say how much I do not miss meat... not at all! I might just stay vegetarian after Lent. :) Well, it is a bit of a PITA to have to cook two things every night so maybe I'll just be a once-in-a-while meat eater ;) Hee hee, I have a vegetarian cookbook - The Occasional Vegetarian, I could be "the occasional carnivore."

This made 2 very generous servings (guess what I'm having for lunch tomorrow?)

Ingredients:
4 oz. whole-wheat rotini pasta (or another pasta with ridges - penne would also work)
2 cups small broccoli florets (you could sub fresh spinach if you like)
1/2 (14.5 oz) can no salt added diced tomatoes
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/8 cup onion, finely chopped
1/2 (15 oz) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed (you could sub black or kidney beans)
1/4 cup pitted Kalamata olives, halved
1 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 cup chopped soft goat cheese, divided (feta would also work)
A small sprinkle of chopped walnuts

Method:
You just have to love 2-step meals! :) So quick and easy!
1. Cook pasta according to package directions, adding the broccoli during the last 2 minutes of cooking time. Drain and return to the pot. **If you choose to use spinach, do not add it until the last minute! Just toss it in with the rest of the ingredients right at the end.

2. Meanwhile, cook all the remaining ingredients except the cheese in a large skillet over medium heat. It only needs about 3 minutes for the ingredients to warm through. Stir occasionally while they cook. Toss the pasta with the olive and tomato mixture as well as 3/8 cup cheese; sprinkle with the remaining 1/8 cup cheese and the walnuts. Enjoy :)

Great with a big glass of red wine; but isn't everything? :)

Reference:
Based on the Italian Pasta with Beans recipe from the Feb/March 2008 issue of Cooking Pleasures magazine.

Tomato-Parmesan Strata

I'd never made, or even tried, a strata until tonight so I really wasn't sure what to expect! The ingredients in the recipe I used all sounded yummy so I figured I'd try it out. It was a success and this has officially been added to the "vegetarian meals to eat when DH isn't here" rotation. ;)
I also got to "baptize" my Le Creuset oval baking dish that I got for Christmas so that was a nice little bonus!

The original recipe was from Cooking Light but I changed just a couple things. Those changes included subbing broccoli for the spinach (out of spinach) adding mushrooms, and using 2 whole eggs in place of the 1 egg plus 3 egg whites (I admit, I was being lazy!)
Here's my version.

Serves 2 (yum - I have leftovers for lunch tomorrow!)

Ingredients:
2 slices whole wheat bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
Cooking spray
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 cup broccoli florets
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 tsp. dried thyme
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 large eggs
1 cup chopped, seeded tomato
3-4 white button mushrooms, chopped
2 tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Place the bread cubes in a baking dish coated with cooking spray.

3. Coat a non-stick skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat. Add onion and saute until tender. Add the broccoli and garlic; saute an additional minute or two. Remove from heat.

4. Combine thyme, salt, black pepper, and eggs in a medium bowl; stir with a whisk. Stir in the broccoli mixture, tomatoes, and mushrooms. Pour the egg mixture over the bread cubes in the baking dish; sprinkle with cheese.

5. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until set. Yummy with a salad.

Reference:
The original recipe was from the June 2007 issue of Cooking Light magazine.

Garden Stuffed Baked Potatoes

I actually got hubby to eat a completely vegetarian meal for lunch today! And, he enjoyed it! I thought for a second he wouldn't miss the meat but afterwards he said "you know, those would be really good with some bacon bits or something..." oh well! Can't hope for too much ;) We had these with a green salad (with all the toppings!) for lunch.
The original recipe called for 1/4 cup of ranch dressing but we don't use that so I subbed 1/8 cup of blue cheese dressing + 1/8 cup of sour cream.
Serves 2 (can easily be doubled or tripled)

Ingredients:
2 russet potatoes
1 tbsp. margarine
1/6 cup onion, chopped
1 cup frozen chopped broccoli, thawed and drained (or 1 cup fresh broccoli, chopped)
1/8 cup blue cheese dressing
1/8 cup sour cream
1/2 tbsp. olive or canola oil salt and pepper
1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded


Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Pierce the potatoes with a fork and microwave them for 10 minutes on HIGH power. After microwaving, transfer them to a cookie sheet and bake for 15 minutes in the oven.

2. While the potatoes bake, heat a small skillet over medium heat. Add the margarine and onion. Saute until tender, about 5 minutes.

3. Slice off the tops of the potatoes and scoop out the pulp carefully (be sure to leave the skins intact). Mash the pulp in a medium bowl. Add the onion, broccoli, and dressing to the potato pulp and mix well.

4. Brush the outsides of the potato skin shells with oil. Carefully spoon the potato and broccoli mixture into the shells. Bake the potatoes for an additional 10-15 minutes until heated through (the tops will be slightly browned). Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.


I'm really not sure of the source of this recipe - I found it a long time ago and wrote it on a recipe card without citing the source (oops...)

Orange and Honey Tofu Stir-Fry

This is a wonderful low-fat dish - the tofu really picks up the flavours from the marinade. It's quick and easy to make - feel free to substitute any veggies you like!
My husband prefers it made with chicken - you can easily substitute cut up strips of boneless skinless chicken for the tofu. I have a feeling this would also be excellent with shrimp (the pre-cooked frozen shrimp from Trader Joe's would work well for this).
Serve over hot cooked rice.

Serves 4

Ingredients:
Marinade:
2 tbsp. honey (or agave nectar to make it vegan)
2 tbsp. orange juice (I like to use fresh-squeezed juice; you can use prepared OJ)
1 tbsp. reduced-sodium soy sauce
1/2 tsp. sesame seeds
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes (just a good shake or two!)

Stir-Fry:
1 block extra-firm tofu (12-ounce package)
2 tbsp. honey (or agave nectar for vegan)
2 tbsp. vinegar
2 tbsp. orange juice (fresh-squeezed or store-bought)
1 tbsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. cornstarch or 2 tsp. all-purpose flour
2 tbsp. cooking oil
2 cups frozen stir-fry vegetables
**If frozen stir-fry veggies are not available, you can use carrots, bell peppers, snap peas, water chestnuts, broccoli, and celery. If desired, you could also add baby corn and pineapple chunks. If you use fresh veggies, they will just need a little extra cooking time during the first step.**

Method:
1. Prepare marinade by combining all marinade ingredients in a bowl or gallon-sized plastic zipper bag. Squeeze excess liquid from the tofu using paper towels and cut tofu into small squares (about 1/2-inch by 1/2-inch). Gently toss tofu into marinade ingredients. Cover (or seal zipper bag) and marinade for 30 minutes; toss occasionally during the marinating process. After marinating, drain the tofu and discard the marinade.

2. Prepare sauce by combining 2 tbsp. honey, 2 tbsp. vinegar, 2 tbsp. orange juice, 1 tbsp. soy sauce, and 1 tsp. cornstarch in a small bowl.

3. Pour cooking oil into a wok or large skillet. Preheat over medium-high heat (I have an electric wok that I preheat to 250 degrees. It works perfectly for this dish). Stir-fry the vegetables only for 3 minutes or until they are crisp-tender. Remove the veggies from the wok and add the tofu. Stir-fry the tofu for 3 minutes until lightly browned. Push the tofu from the center of the wok (do not remove it). Add the sauce to the center of the wok and cook until it is thickened and bubbly.

4. Return the cooked vegetables to the wok and stir all ingredients together until they are coated with the sauce. Cook and stir for about 1 minute until everything is heated through.

Reference:
This is a modified version of the Honey-Glazed Chicken Stir-Fry recipe found in the Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook.
Better Homes and Gardens Test Kitchen (1996). Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book. Meredith Publishing Group: Des Moines, IA.