Tag: healthy eating

Tofu with Vegetables and Soba Noodles

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This was dinner last night – simple, quick, healthy and most importantly, delicious.

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The vegetables you use is entirely up to you – what you like or what you have laying about.

I cut up two zucchini and sauteed them in a Tbs. of mustard oil.
You can of course use olive, peanut, coconut or an oil of your choice.

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Next I added mushrooms cut into fours and sweet red and orange peppers. Also, a diced onion – I like to add the onion at this late stage because I want it to remain crunchy.
I would also add fresh sliced ginger – which I happened not to have.

This is one philosophy of cooking that I would like to impart – please don’t not cook something if you don’t happen to have one ingredient. Improvise, substitute or just leave it out – the key is that you cook something.

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Next I added extra firm tofu cut into large pieces. (You can use any other protein you like such as chicken, pork or even slices of beef).

Douse this mixture with a generous amount of soy sauce, hot sauce of your choice (sriracha is nice), and vinegar.
Stir gently, so as not to break up the tofu.

Add 1/2 cup of water and a heaping Tbs. of miso paste if you have it. This adds a unique umami to the dish and contributes to the depth in flavor.
Let this simmer on low heat for a few minutes.

In the meantime, I cooked up some soba noodles (use pasta of your choice, even rice will do nicely).

Add the noodles to the tofu and vegetables – stir and dish into bowls.

Drizzle a few drops of toasted sesame oil and garnish with cilantro and scallions.

You just made a quick, delicious meal.

I hope you try it.

Until I cook again!

Spicy Ginger Carrot Soup

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This is a very simple recipe that is really not a recipe. Rather a technique

There are not too many pictures here since I wasn’t planning a post on this.

When I put up this picture, I got a huge number of recipe requests on facebook.
I assume people who cook regularly would be able to figure out how to make a dish just by it’s description – apparently I am wrong.

So, here goes. The quantities are to be taken loosely

1 bunch of Carrots, peeled and cut in 1 inch chunks
1 inch piece Fresh ginger, cut into small cubes
1 onion, diced
1 potato, diced, optional
water or chicken/vegetable stock
salt and pepper
Cayenne (optional)
1 tbsp. olive oil
For garnish:
Once I used fresh arugula
Another time I topped the soup with tomato, onion relish and sardines

Heat a pot with the oil and add the onion with salt and pepper. Saute over medium heat for about 10 minutes or until the onions are translucent. Add the ginger, carrots and potatoes. Saute for a few more minutes and add the stock or water. Bring to a boil and then simmer for about 20 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.

Remove from heat and use an immersion blender or a regular blender to puree the soup.

Return to pot and reheat.
Taste for seasoning – add the cayenne if using.

You are free to use some heavy cream if you would like the soup to have a creamier texture.

Serve hot with the garnish of your choice.

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You can use this technique to make any vegetable soup.
Saute an onion, the vegetable and a potato for thickness.
Flavor with ginger or garlic and add water or stock.
Cook and puree.

Until I cook again!

Miso Soup with Soba Noodles

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I was home today and made this quick lunch.

 

Red Miso Paste

Soba Noodles

Frozen Peas and Corn (use any vegetable of your choice)

Carrots

Hot sauce of your choice – I like sriracha

Juice of one lemon or vinegar

Sesame Oil

Hard cooked eggs

Cilantro or mint for garnish

Make the Miso broth by adding the miso paste to water according to the directions.  When it comes to a boil add the vegetables and all the other flavorings except the sesame oil.

Bring to a boil one more time and add the soba noodles.

When the noodles are cooked – the soup is done.

Ladle in bowls, add the egg and drizzle some sesame oil and garnish with the herbs.

Serve hot.

Until I cook again!

 

 

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A Simple Vegetable Stir Fry With Tofu

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Its the beginning of the year and so we are all trying to eat healthfully.

Healthful is all good but I still need my food to be flavorful.

This is a delicious dish first and foremost and also very easy to make.

 

I find Asian vegetables either in Chinatown or there is a Korean store near my home.

There is no recipe here per se but I used:

Extra Firm tofu, cut into cubes

Lotus root, sliced thinly

Baby bok choy, cut in half

Snow peas, trimmed

Fresh ginger, julienned

Whole green chilies

1 Onion, sliced

Peanut oil or any vegetable oil

Scallions, chopped

Pickled ginger for garnish.

Soy sauce, hoisin sauce, vinegar and sesame oil

IMG_9261.jpgHeat the oil in a pan and sear the tofu until browned on all sides.  Set aside.

Next, brown the lotus root.  Add the ginger, onions and bokchoy and snow peas.  Cook over high heat for a few minutes and then add all the sauces except for the sesame oil.

After about 5 minutes when the bok choy is tender but still crispy, add the scallions and drizzle the sesame oil.

Add the tofu and mix well.

Garnish with the pickled ginger.

Serve on a large platter with rice or noodles.

The key to a good stir fry is the freshest vegetables you can find and high heat.

I hope you stir fry up some amazing meals.

Until I cook again!