Mexican Rice Soup

This is a lovely light soup. Perfect for a summer evening.
It goes together very quickly once the broth has been prepared (and even that doesn't take long).

The shorter-grained rice and avocado give this soup a nice creaminess without making it heavy.

I actually made this a while ago and paired it with avocado bruschetta. Tonight, I had it with zucchini-tomato gratin. Both meal combinations worked really well together.


Serves 6

Ingredients: Broth
1 tbsp. olive oil
3/4 cup onion, finely chopped
2 cloves, garlic, crushed
3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1 tbsp. grated lime zest
Juice of 2 limes, squeezed
1 tsp. dried oregano
3 cups water

Soup
1/4 cup short- or medium-grain rice
1 cup tomatoes, seeded and diced
1/3 cup frozen corn kernels
1 avocado, diced (approx. 1 cup)
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Method:
1. Make the broth first. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and saute for 5-7 minutes. Add in the garlic and continue to saute for another minute. Add the veggie broth, zest, lime juice, oregano, and water. Cover and reduce the heat to medium-low. Allow the broth to simmer for 10 minutes then strain it, discarding the solids and returning the liquid to the pan.

2. Add the rice to the broth and bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-low heat. Cover the pan and allow the rice to simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and corn and add salt and pepper to taste. Simmer an additional 10 minutes.

3. Pour the soup into serving bowls and garnish with the avocado, green onions, and cilantro.

Reference:
Based on Mexican Rice Soup from the September 2008 issue of Vegetarian Times.

My Changes:
*I actually used 1/2 avocado for 1 serving. :) What can I say? I love the stuff. I placed part of it on the bottom of the bowl before pouring the soup in and then added the rest on the top.
*Added the lime juice.
*Skipped the tortilla strips. I thought about breaking up tortilla chips but couldn't get the effect I wanted. (The original recipe called for 1 tortilla to be cut into thin strips, baked, and then used to garnish the soup).

Wild Rice Salad

I had this with that fabulous carrot-ginger soup! Yum! :)

Serves 6

Ingredients:
8 cups water
12 ounces wild rice (or a wild rice blend)
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/3 cup pecans, chopped
6 green onions, sliced
1 cup diced tomatoes
1 cup raspberry vinaigrette dressing

Raspberry Vinaigrette Dressing (Makes about 3 cups)
1 pint (2 cups) raspberries (you can use frozen, just defrost before using)
2 green onions, sliced
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 cup white wine vinegar

Method:
1. To prepare the dressing, Puree the raspberries, green onions, and mustard in a food processor or blender until smooth. While the machine is running, pour in the olive oil and puree for about 30 seconds. Add the vinegar and combine well. Store in the refrigerator.

2. Cook the rice according to package directions or until tender (I bought mine bulk/had no directions! Since it was a blend, it only took about 30 minutes. Wild rice will usually take 50-60 minutes to cook). Drain any excess water and set aside to cool.

3. Transfer the cooled rice to a mixing bowl. Add the cranberries, pecans, parsley, green onions, tomatoes, and dressing. Toss to combine.

Reference:
Wild Rice with Pecans and Cranberries from The Whole Foods Market Cookbook.

Hot and Sweet Ginger-Orange Tofu

I'm not a big tofu eater (it's just so processed which is always a turn-off) but this will be a recipe to remember when I have some to use up! While I was enjoying eating this, DH said "that smells flavourful." It really was! Plenty of sweet from the maple-orange-ginger glaze with a great spiciness from the red pepper. Yum!

Serves 2

Ingredients:
1/2 block of extra-firm tofu, drained and cut into two halves (apparently firm tofu works, too, if that's what you've got!)
1/6 cup freshly-squeezed orange juice
1/6 cup freshly-squeezed lime juice
1/6 cup pure maple syrup
Pinch crushed red pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp. fresh ginger, peeled and grated
1 tbsp. orange zest
1-1/2 - 2 tsp. canola oil, divided
3/4 cup onion, sliced
1 tbsp. chopped cilantro
1/2 tbsp. reduced-sodium soy sauce

Method:
1. Prepare the tofu by letting it drain, covered in paper towels, for 10-15 minutes. Once drained, cut it up into small cubes (about 3/4-inch in size).

2. Mix together the orange juice, lime juice, maple syrup, red pepper, garlic, ginger, and orange zest.

3. Heat 1 tsp. of the oil in a large skillet or wok over high heat. Add the tofu cubes and stir-fry them until golden. They should look like this:


4. Remove the tofu cubes from the pan and set them aside. Add the onions and the remaining oil to the skillet. Saute about 5 minutes or until the onion is slightly golden and softened. Return the tofu to the pan along with the orange-ginger sauce, cilantro, and soy sauce. Reduce the heat to medium and let the mixture simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15-20 minutes or until the sauce reduces and thickens.

This is delicious served over rice. You can also sprinkle some additional fresh cilantro over the finished product, if desired.

Reference:
This is based on the recipe "Fiery Tofu with Red Chiles, Orange, and Ginger" from the February 2009 issue of Vegetarian Times.

I didn't change much... I used firm tofu instead of the extra-firm that was called for. I was worried it would fall apart but it really held its shape.
I also subbed in crush red pepper for the 2 or 3 dried red chiles that were called for. I couldn't find those other than in big bags and I'd probably never use them all! It added just the right amount of heat for me and it's easy enough to add as much or as little as you'd like.

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 :)

Pita + Pesto + Portobello = Perfection

No more wondering what the hell you're going to make for vegetarian friends next time you have a cookout! :) These were fantastic!
I think next time, though, I'll add some more veggies - maybe some grilled eggplant and tomato... Yum.
Just be sure to make extra - the meat-eaters may get jealous ;)

I found these recipes in the most recent (August 2008) issue of Cooking Light magazine and just made a few changes. The original recipe for the pita things called for "commercial pesto." First of all, it's one of the easiest things to make so I'd never go buy it. Second, I had two different types of pesto in the freezer. :) One was a vegan version - parsley and lemon pesto which I decided to use since I figured it would work well with the lemon rice. It did. :)
For the rice, I didn't have mustard seeds and thought that may be a bit weird anyway... I did, however, have saffron which worked wonderfully! Saffron may be the world's most expensive spice but it's worth every penny. I highly recommend keeping a jar in the pantry!
Saffron also imparts this great yellow colour which I think makes it look like totally fake FD&C coloured lemon yellow rice... lol :) It's absolutely not fake but it makes for a good conversation starter ;)

Speaking of vegan... this isn't a hard meal to convert to vegan. The only non-vegan components as it is right now are the sour cream or mayonnaise and the feta. Easy fix! You can get "Vegannaise" (seriously, that's the brand name.. I may be spelling it incorrectly but you get the idea) which you can use in place of the regular mayo or sour cream. Or, you can just spread hummus on the pitas and then throw the veggies in.
I'm also wondering what a hummus and lemon-parsley pesto combination would be like.. that could work, too! :)
Obviously, you would just leave the cheese off. While the cheese was a nice addition, I didn't think it was 100% necessary (yes, I had one sans cheese just to see). This would also make the dish lower in fat which is nice for everyone.

Here are the recipes!
Lemon-Parsley Pesto (Vegan)
This will make a bloody boat-load of pesto but it freezes rather well so make the whole thing! :)
It thaws in no time and is great on pasta, white beans, sandwiches, as a dip...

Ingredients:
4 cups loosely packed parsley leaves
1/4 cup olive oil
2 small garlic cloves
1/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
3 tbsp. freshly-squeezed lemon juice
2 tsp. grated lemon peel
2 tsp. balsamic vinegar
Pinch of sea salt

Method:
1. Place all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. The volume will reduce to about 1/2 cup.
You can change the amounts to taste (salt, vinegar, lemon juice) but the predominant tastes should be the lemon and parsley.

Grilled Vegetable Pitas with Feta Cheese and Creamy Pesto
4 servings

Another photo, this time with the cheese.

Ingredients
1/4 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise, Vegannaise, or sour cream (I always use sour cream in place of mayo)
1 tbsp. lemon-parsley pesto
4 whole-wheat pitas, halved
Lettuce leaves
4 portobello mushroom caps, sliced
2 medium bell peppers, thickly sliced
1 medium red onion, thickly sliced
Cooking spray
Pinch of sea salt
Good sprinkle of freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

Method:
1. Combine the mayo/vegannnaise or sour cream with the pesto. Place in the refrigerator until ready to use.

2. Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Arrange the mushrooms, bell peppers, and onions on a baking sheet. Coat the veggies with cooking spray and then sprinkle with sea salt and black pepper. Drizzle the vinegar over the vegetables and place the baking sheet on the grill rack. Grill 5 minutes on each side or until tender.

3. Spread the pesto mixture onto each pita half and then stuff with lettuce and grilled veggies. Sprinkle crumbled feta into each pita half.

Lemon-Saffron Rice (Vegan)
4 servings

Ingredients:
Rice (long-grain or basmati)
Sea salt
2 tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
1 1/2 tsp. grated lemon rind
1 1/2 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
Couple pinches of saffron

1. Cook the rice according to package directions, adding saffron when you add the rice (crumble it a bit between your fingers as you add it).

2. Once the rice is cooked, stir in the lemon juice, lemon rind, and cilantro.

References:
The lemon-parsley pesto recipe is from JoyGotDots on the Nest. The grilled veggie pitas and the lemon rice are based on the "Grilled Vegetable Pitas with Goat Cheese and Pesto Mayo" and "Fresh Lemon Rice" recipes from the August 2008 issue of Cooking Light magazine.

Orange-Cashew Rice

This was fantastic! :)

Serves 2

Ingredients:
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup freshly-squeezed orange juice
1 tsp. grated orange zest
1/2 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 cup rice
Small sprinkle of salt

1/4 cup chopped roasted cashew pieces
1/4 cup bell peppers, chopped
2 scallions, minced
1/4 tsp. sea salt
1/2 (8-ounce) can mandarin orange segments, drained well

Method:
1. In a large saucepan, bring the water, orange juice, orange zest, olive oil, and a little salt to a boil. Stir in the rice. Cover the pan, reduce the heat, and simmer until the rice is cooked through and the liquid has totally evaporated.

2. Empty the orange rice into a large mixing bowl, add the cashew pieces, peppers, and scallions. Just before serving, season with salt and add the mandarin orange segments, folding in gently to prevent the oranges from breaking.

Reference:
From the Whole Foods Market Cookbook.

Cilantro-Lime Rice

This makes a wonderful addition to black beans but I think it would be amazing stuffed inside a tomato! Yum :)
I served this with borracho beans over the weekend.

Serves 2

Ingredients:
1 cup water
1/2 cup basmati rice (yeah, whatever, I used regular old white rice! ;)
1 1/2 tbsp. olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. grated lime zest
1/2 tbsp. freshly-squeeze lime juice
Salt to taste
1 cup finely chopped cilantro
1 cup finely chopped baby spinach
2 green onions, finely chopped

Method:
1. Bring the water to a boil in a large saucepan. Add the rice, olive oil, garlic, zest, lime juice, and salt. Reduce heat to medium. Stir gently, cover, and simmer slowly for 25 minutes or until the rice is tender.

2. Transfer the rice to a large mixing bowl. Add the cilantro, spinach, green onions, and a little more salt (if desired). Combine thoroughly.

Reference:
From the Whole Foods Market Cookbook.

Brazilian Rice

Here is the recipe for the Brazilian rice that serves as the bed for the feijoada.

2 servings

Ingredients:
2/3 cup chopped onion
1/3 tsp. olive oil
2/3 cup chopped fresh tomato (seeded and chopped)
1/3 tsp. sea salt
2/3 cup brown rice
1 cup water

Method:
1. In a medium saucepan, saute the onion in the oil for 5 minutes over medium-high heat, stirring frequently. Add the tomatoes and salt and continue to cook 5 minutes more.

2. Stir in the rice and water, cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and gently simmer on very low heat until the rice is tender (I think mine took 25 or 30 minutes).

Reference:
From the Moosewood Collective's Low-Fat Favourites Cookbook.

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.

Risi e Bisi

That's really just a fancy name for Rice and Peas :) I like the Italian name - fun to say! This was my first risotto-style dish and it turned out really well - I had it with a salad for dinner last night. It was really quick and easy to make which is always appreciated! This is also a decent source of protein (almost 11g per serving) and is low-fat! Yeay :) The only bummer is the sodium content but if you use low-sodium broth and omit the salt/use unsalted butter, you can control that.

Serves 2 (as usual, the amounts are a bit funny since the original recipe was for 6!)

Ingredients:
2/3 tbsp. butter (I actually used the Earth Balance spread)
1/6 cup finely chopped yellow onion
1/4 cup short- or medium-grain rice
5/6 cup (just measure a little less than a cup...) reduced-sodium vegetable broth
2/3 cup water
Pinch of salt
Pinch of freshly-ground black pepper
Sprinkle of grated Parmesan cheese
2/3 tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
1/8 tsp. dried oregano
1/8 tsp. dried basil
2/3 cup frozen green peas, thawed

Method:
1. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion to the pan and saute until golden.

2. Add the rice to the onion and saute 1 minute. Add the broth, water, salt, pepper, oregano, and basil. Bring the mixture to a boil.

3. Cover the pan and reduce the heat. Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the rice has absorbed most of the liquid. Stir in the peas, cheese, and parsley and let cook 2-3 minutes more.

Reference:
This recipe is from the January/February 2008 issue of Cooking Light magazine. The only changes I made were to add the oregano and basil. I also used the non-dairy spread in place of butter.

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).

Black Beans and Rice

This is a really quick and simple weeknight dinner. Plus, it has lots of protein so it's great for vegetarians (or carnivores who just want a break from meat!) Yummy with a colorful side salad.

Serves 2

Ingredients:
1 tbsp. olive oil
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/8 cup chopped bell pepper
1 clove minced garlic
1/2 can (15 ounce) black beans, undrained
3/8 cup water
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/8 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tbsp. sherry, cooking wine, or cider vinegar (I used sherry)
1 cup hot cooked rice (white, brown, or wild)

Method:
1. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan. Saute the onion, bell pepper, and garlic until tender, about 8-10 minutes.

2. Add in the remaining ingredients (except the rice) and stir until boiling. Reduce the heat and simmer 20-30 minutes until the sauce is reduced. Serve over rice.

Reference:
From the "Fresh Mama's: Whole Cooking for Our Whole Families" cookbook.

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...)

Mulligatawny Soup

I love the name of this soup - always makes me think of Irish pubs! lol :) Totally not an "Irish pub" sort of taste, though! I have been wanting to make this for a long time and have had the recipe tagged, I just haven't gotten around to it!
Well, this past Saturday I was driving home from the grocery store with all sorts of exciting ingredients to make lots of yummies over the weekend... unfortunately, as I was driving I noticed I was going from sweating to shivering and that my throat was getting scratchy. Great, here comes that nasty cold that everyone has had that I was sure I had managed to avoid. :( Good thing I was planning on soup for Saturday night's dinner! By about 4pm, I was just feeling so crummy and the last thing I wanted to do was stand in the kitchen chopping veggies. But, being the bit of a masochist that I am, I did it anyway! Boy, was it worth it! As yucky and stuffed up as I was feeling at that point, the soup still smelled so wonderful while it cooked and the spiciness really helped soothe my throat. Yum! Hooray for soup! :)
Here's the recipe:
This made enough for 2-3 servings

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cup vegetable broth
1/2 cup chopped apple (I used Red Delicious and left the peel on)
1/2 cup chopped carrot
1/4 can (14.5 oz) diced peeled tomatoes, undrained
1/4 cup chopped celery
1/6 cup long grain rice
1/8 cup chopped onion
1/8 cup raisins
1/2 tbsp. snipped fresh parsley
1/2-1 tsp. curry powder
1/2 tsp. lemon juice
1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg

Method:
1. In a large saucepan or Dutch oven combine the broth, apples, carrot, undrained tomatoes, celery, uncooked rice, onion, raisins, parsley, curry powder, lemon juice, pepper, nutmeg, and 1/2 cup water. Bring to boiling; reduce heat.

2. Cover and simmer for 20-30 minutes until the rice and carrots are tender. Enjoy :)

Notes:
The original recipe called for chicken broth in place of vegetable broth and to add 3/4 cups chopped cooked chicken or turkey after simmering for 20-30 minutes. I wanted to make mine vegetarian so, obviously, I omitted the chicken!

Reference:
The original recipe is from the Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book (1996 edition).

Guilt-Free Rice Pudding

**Update - it is even better a day later! :) I threw the leftovers in the fridge yesterday and just heated some up for a little pre-lunch goody! Yum :)**

Mmmm... I have been craving rice pudding for goodness knows how long! I can't remember the last time I had it but I know it's been way too long! It was sort of a staple dessert for my family growing up. We really only ate dessert after Sunday lunch but we often had rice pudding... it's like ambrosia to me!

I found this recipe in Cooking Light and tagged it to try but since my husband won't eat it, I've been reluctant to try it. I finally decided "oh well, too bad for him" and made it anyway! So creamy and delicious - he obviously doesn't know what he's missing ;)

It's really low-fat and I skipped the salt that was called for in the recipe... the egg does add quite a bit of cholesterol but it's really not much since it's only 1/4 egg per serving. Besides, it's protein! :) You could use 2 egg whites in place of the whole egg to make it even less of a guilty dessert.

Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 cup cooked short-grain rice (I used 1/2 cup dry rice and 1 cup water to get this)
1 3/4 cup fat-free milk
1/6 cup sugar
1/8 cup nonfat dry milk
1 large egg, beaten
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

Method:
1. Combine the rice, liquid and dry milks, and sugar in a large saucepan over medium heat; bring to a simmer. Simmer for 30 minutes; stirring occasionally.

2. Place the egg in a medium bowl. Gradually add half of the rice mixture, stirring constantly with a whisk while adding. Return the egg mixture to the pan/remaining rice over medium-low heat. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat, stir in the vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

Reference:
Based on the Rice Pudding recipe from the October 2007 issue of Cooking Light magazine.
Changes: I actually used medium-grain rice since I couldn't find short-grain that wasn't obnoxiously expensive! I left out the raisins (I'm actually eating those on the side!) and I added some nutmeg in place of half the cinnamon. My mom makes rice pudding and uses nutmeg so we can thank her for that :)
She also bakes it - I am definitely going to have to remember to ask for the recipe!

Mixed Vegetables al Forno

Like the minestrone I made, this is another great one for cleaning out the fridge! It was really good but I think it could use a little more "oomph!" Maybe some basil? White wine? I'll have to experiment with the seasonings on this one a bit! I served it with rice tonight but have leftovers that I'll have with couscous for lunch tomorrow.

This would also make a good side dish for a chicken or fish meal.

Serves 2

Ingredients:
1/2 medium onion, sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium yellow crookneck squash, diced
1 medium zucchini, diced
3-4 medium-sized white mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup green beans
2 tomatoes, seeded and cut into 8 pieces each
2 carrots, peeled and sliced
1 parsnip, peeled and sliced
1 stalk celery, chopped
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/4 tsp. sea salt
2 tsp. olive oil

Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Put all vegetables in a Dutch oven or other lidded oven-proof pot. Drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Stir. Cover and bake for 1 1/2 hours. Serve hot over rice or couscous.

Reference:
This is based on the Mixed Vegetables al Forno recipe from The Occasional Vegetarian.
The changes I made included adding the parsnip (forgot how much I LOVE parsnip!), carrots, and celery. I used regular white mushrooms in place of a portobello and used regular tomatoes in place of plum tomatoes.

Middle-Eastern Rice and Lentils

So easy to make and so tasty :) I skipped the onions at the end just because I got distracted and didn't make them in time... ooops!

This makes enough for 4

Ingredients:
1 cup lentils
1 cup canned diced tomatoes
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1 1/2 cups vegetable stock
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 cup rice
2 cups water or additional veggie stock
1/2 tsp. olive oil
1/4-1/2 cup onion, chopped

Method:
1. Bring the lentils, bay leaf, cumin, tomatoes, pepper, and vegetable stock to a simmer over high heat in a saucepan or Dutch oven. Stir, cover, turn the heat to low, and simmer until the lentils are cooked through and have absorbed the liquid, 45 minutes-1 hour. Remove the bay leaf.

2. Cook the rice according to package directions.

3. While the rice is cooking, saute the onion in the olive oil over medium heat until softened, about 5 minutes.

4. Place the rice on a plate; put the lentils on top of the rice and the onion on top of the lentils. Serve hot.

Rajmah

Yes, I am sure that photo will win me a spot on the Ugly Food blog... ugh! Talk about someone with too much time on their hands! lol...

Rajmah is a kidney bean curry dish - it can be made vegan if you use soy plain yogurt (feel free to sub regular plain yogurt for a non-vegan meal - it will still be vegetarian).
It isn't much to look at but it smells and tastes great! It has this wonderful almost fruity flavour which is making me wish I'd added chopped apples and raisins to it like I do a regular curry. Idea for next time I guess. :) It's nice and spicy, too!

The rice and beans, by the way, are complementary proteins so this is an excellent dish for vegetarians since it provides all the necessary protein types (I used to know what those were..!) Figured I'd use that "teachable moment" for a small nutrition lesson. :)

Another meal I wish I had some naan (sp?) bread to go with!

2 servings

Ingredients:
1/2 medium-sized onion, chopped
1 tsp. canola or olive oil, divided
1/4 tsp. cumin
1/8 tsp. ground coriander
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/8 tsp. curry powder
1/8 tsp. turmeric
1/2 tbsp. tomato paste
1/2 tbsp. plain soy yogurt or regular plain yogurt for a non-vegan dish
1 clove minced garlic
1/4 tsp. ground ginger or 1/2 tbsp. minced fresh ginger
1/2 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup water
**ooh, it also called for salt but I missed that... seem to do that a lot! You won't miss it if you forget it! There are so many other wonderful flavours going on :)

Method:
1. In a medium saucepan or Dutch oven, saute the onion in 1/2 tsp. oil over medium-high heat for 5-7 minutes. Push the onions to one side of the pan and add the remaining 1/2 tsp. oil. Once the oil is hot, add the cumin and mix well. Add the coriander, curry, turmeric, and cayenne pepper. Cook the spices for just a little bit and then mix them with the onions.

2. Reduce the heat and add the tomato paste, yogurt, garlic, and ginger. Stir and simmer for about 2 minutes. Mash about 1/4 of the kidney beans and add them, along with the other beans, and the water to the pan. Stir and then simmer for about 30 minutes.

3. For a thicker sauce, cook uncovered for an additional 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

Serve over rice.

Reference:
I found this recipe in a cookbook one of the moms at work gave me :) So nice of her! It's a book that was compiled by the mothers in her playgroup (The San Diego North County Attachment Playgroup) so I'm sure it's not readily available but here's the information on it anyway!
Fresh Mamas: Whole Cooking for Our Whole Families (2007 Cookbook). Edited by Carol Jefferies and Jenny Kim. San Diego, CA.
Yeay! :)

Tomatoes Stuffed with Rice, Spinach, and Cheese

I've made stuffed tomatoes before and LOVED them but wanted a vegetarian version I can eat now... the others had turkey. These were so tasty. I started with a recipe from a vegetarian cookbook and tweaked a couple things.
Here's what I changed:
*Brown rice in place of white rice
*Spinach in place of Swiss chard
*Goat cheese in place of cheddar (if you use cheddar, sprinkle it on the tomatoes after they cook instead of mixing it in. Raise the temperature to broil and give them a couple minutes under the broiler. Watch them! The cheese will burn quickly).
*Walnuts in place of pine nuts
*Onion in place of shallots
*I also added some sun-dried tomatoes

*Argh! These were so pretty! I didn't get any decent photos... :( Oh well, you sort of get the idea!

Makes 6 stuffed tomatoes (I only made two but the measurements would be all wonky if I started dividing everything by 3 and posting it here!)

Ingredients:
6 medium-large sized tomatoes
1 tbsp. olive oil
1/4 cup onion, chopped
1 cup washed, chopped spinach
1 1/2 cups cooked brown rice
1 tbsp. reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 tbsp. chopped walnuts
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 cup chopped soft goat cheese
1/8 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2. Cut a 1/2-inch slice from the top of each tomato. Scoop out the seeds and pulp carefully (I ran a knife around the inside like you would a grapefruit). Leave the shell intact. If you'd like, you can sprinkle the inside of the tomatoes with a little salt (I totally missed this - shows how much I pay attention to recipes! - and didn't miss the salt... I really don't think you need it). Turn the tomatoes upside down on some paper towels or a plate to drain while you prepare the stuffing.

3. Heat a wok or skillet over high heat for one minute. Add the oil and onions, reduce the heat to low. Saute until the onion is soft, 2-3 minutes. Add the spinach and saute until wilted, 2-3 minutes more. Remove from the heat and mix the rice, spinach mixture, soy sauce, sun-dried tomatoes, walnuts, goat cheese, and oregano together.

4. Stuff the tomatoes with the spinach and rice mixture and place them in a shallow greased baking dish. Leave a little space in between them.

5. Bake, uncovered, until the tomatoes are cooked through, 10-12 minutes (I think mine had more like 15). Serve immediately.

**I really wanted mine with some sauteed zucchini but my zucchini wasn't any good anymore :( I did made some roasted red potatoes which were equally yummy! Hello starch overload, though! lol :)

Reference:
Based on the Tomatoes Stuffed with Swiss Chard, Rice, and Cheese recipe from The Occasional Vegetarian by Karen Lee.

Mexican Rice

Told you my menu for this week would change :) We ended up having "taco night" tonight instead of burgers or whatever it was supposed to be! So... I decided to make this yummy Mexican rice I found in Amber's blog a while back (I think she found it on AllRecipes.com). Here's my slightly (hardly at all!) modified version - very yummy!

Serves 2

Ingredients:
1 1/2 tbsp. vegetable oil
1/2 cup uncooked long-grain rice
1 clove garlic
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
1/8 cup onion, chopped finely
1/4 cup tomato sauce (I usually just make my own - mix 1 1/2 tbsp. tomato paste with 2 tbsp. water)
1 cup chicken or vegetable broth (obviously will only be vegetarian if you use the veggie broth!)
1/4 cup fresh salsa (ie: not the kind that you find on a shelf in a glass jar.. ick!) Pico de gallo would also work well

Method:
1. Heat the oil over medium heat and add the rice. Cook the rice, stirring constantly until it becomes puffy and golden. Sprinkle with salt and cumin.

2. Stir in the onions and garlic and cook until tender. Stir in tomato sauce and broth; bring to a boil. Stir in the salsa and reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer 15-20 minutes or until liquid has been absorbed.

Great as a side dish for tacos, enchiladas, fajitas, etc.