Tofu Katsu Curry

Ah the vegan life of always trying to find new, interesting ways to prepare tofu ;) This one seemed worth a try!

Recipe

Tofu

1 block extra-frim tofu

1 tbsp cornstarch

1/4 c panko bread crumbs

1 tsp curry powder

Curry

1 onion, diced

1 carrot, roughly chopped

1 inch ginger, grated

2 garlic cloves, sliced

1 tbsp curry powder

1 can (400g) coconut milk

1 tsp cornstarch

1 tsp maple syrup

2 tsp soy sauce

Rice, green onion, lime wedges, other veggies

• Press the tofu - like an hour, really get at it! Then slice into thin squares.
• Heat some oil in a skillet, and stir fry the onion, carrot & ginger until softening. Then add the garlic and curry powder.
• Then add the coconut milk and cornstarch, and stew for 10 minutes or so. Then add the syrup and soy sauce, and remove from heat.
• Blend the curry sauce until smooth.
• For the katsu, whisk the cornstarch into 4 tbsp hot water. Mix the panko & curry powder on a plate. 
• Heat oil in a skillet. Dip the tofu in the cornstarch, then coat with bread crumbs. Shallow fry a few minutes per side, until golden.
• Serve some rice *and veggies) in bowls with the curry powder over and tofu on top!

Notes

A bit fancier, but worth it! Main note is, you may need more panko depending on how you slice the tofu and the total surface area you have. I'd recommend not holding back ;)

Need to add a picture when we have the crispy tofu on top and not buried under the curry sauce - was still good but got to preserve that crispiness!

Kung Pao Chickpeas

Always good to add to the collection of crockpot meals! This sounded like a good one, despite the questionable "detox" claims...

Recipe

1/2 red onion, chopped

1 red bell peppers, chopped

2 cans of chickpeas, drained & rinsed

1/4 c soy sauce

2 tbsp maple syrup

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp red pepper flakes

1 tsp sesame oil

green onions, sesame seeds, rice

Whisk together the sauce ingredients, and pour over the onion, pepper & chickpeas in the crockpot. Cook 3 hours on high or 6 on low. Keep an eye on it, and add a couple tbsps of water if it looks like it's drying out. Easy enough!

Notes

Standard crockpot stuff - pretty easy, and really good! I'd recommend scaling this up - even with rice and maybe other veggies, one person could easily scarf down a can of these chickpeas ;)

Vegan Orange "Chicken"

Another online find for an easy but delicious vegan meal: link

Recipe

• 1 package extra firm tofu
• 3/4 c orange juice
• 1/4 c sugar
• 1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 1/2 tbsp rice (or other) vinegar
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 inch ginger, minced
• 1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
• 1/6 c water (sorry, halving the recipe...)
• 1/2 tbsp orange zest
• 1/4 tsp chili flakes

Cube your tofu and bake at 425 about 25 minutes, flipping partway through.

Heat a skillet medium high and add your garlic & ginger, plus a tbsp of water or so. Next mix in the OJ, sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, and chili flakes, and heat up. Meanwhile mix the cornstarch and water separately, then whisk into the sauce. Stir until it thickens up, lowering heat if it gets bubbly. Add in the tofu once it's done and coat it up nice and good, along with the orange zest.

Serve over rice!

Notes

First time, I went a little overboard with the crushed red pepper. My B! Definitely worth trying again for a nice sweet & spicy, not to difficult meal.

Spaghetti Squash Pad Thai

This one came out of trying to healthy-ify some favorites:

Recipe
Sauce
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
3 tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp sambal (chili paste)
1 tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp sesame oil

Tofu
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
3 tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp sambal
3 tbsp crunchy peanut butter
1 tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp sesame oil
2 tbsp water
12 oz extra firm tofu, pressed and diced

Pad thai
1 medium spaghetti squash, halved and de-seeded
4 tbsp olive oil
1 red bell pepper, chopped into strips
other stir fry veggies (e.g. mushrooms, broccoli) if you want!
4 scallions, cut into 1-2 in pieces
3 tbsp chopped peanuts
lime wedges, cilantro, purple cabbage

• Preheat the oven to 400, and roast the squash cut side down, about 30 minutes.
• Whisk together the sauce.
• Whisk together the tofu sauce, and coat the tofu pieces.  Stir fry in a wok with a little oil until golden brown.
• Saute the red bell pepper (and other veggies if needed) once the tofu's done.
• Once the squash is done, shred with a fork to make noodles.  Add it to the skillet, then add the sauce.
• Serve topped with the tofu, scallions, peanuts, lime, cilantro, cabbage

Notes
Must have been too busy digging in to take a picture.  It's a new favorite though!  Just make sure you start the squash early if you're hungry...

Pad Thai

Super simple but AMAZING-tasting pad thai! A much lighter, brighter option than take-out. I made them without egg and I did not miss that factor at all. Also swapped peanuts for cashews.

INGREDIENTS:

-4 tbsp. canola oil

-2 garlic cloves

-4 shallots, thinly sliced

-8-10 medium sized fresh prawns, cleaned and deveined OR 8 oz. chicken OR BOTH!

-2 eggs, lightly beaten

-1 pkg. Annie Chun's Pad Thai Rice Noodles (cooked, drained, and rinsed as directed)

-1 cup bean sprouts

SAUCE:

-4 tbsp lime or lemon juice

-3 tbsp fish sauce

-3 tbsp sugar

-1-2 pinches crushed chilies or pepper flakes

GARNISH:

-2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped

-3 tbsp roasted peanuts, crushed

-3 tbsp scallions, thinly sliced

-1 lime, cut into wedges

DIRECTIONS:

Mix sauce ingredients together. 

Prepare pasta. 

Heat wok or pan over high heat. Add 2 tbsp oil, garlic, shallots, and prawns. Cook until prawns are opaque. Set aside. 

Add remaining 2 tbsp oil and 2 eggs, then scramble. 

Reduce heat to low; add sauce and noodles. Toss until well mixed. Add prawns and bean sprouts. Toss well. Garnish with cilantro, peanuts, scallions, and lime wedges.

Korean Chicken Tacos a la Blue Apron

It's been fun scamming the Hello Fresh/Blue Apron system (getting free trial boxes of ingredients and recipes then canceling immediately) and although Hello Fresh has emerged as the winner in terms of cool recipes, this Blue Apron chicken came out tasty enough that I wanted to preserve it for future reference.

NOTE: Blue Apron thinks all humans eat about 1/4c of food per meal. Proportions are weird, but the recipe yielded enough sauce to coat about 2 chicken breasts, so up to you to determine the ratio of sauce to protein.

INGREDIENTS:

-10oz. chopped chicken breast

-4 tortillas

-1 lb. sweet potato

-1 tsp furikake (sesame seeds and seaweed)

-2 tbsp creme fraiche

-1/2 lb. cabbage

SAUCE:

-2 tbsp black bean sauce (SOOOOO GOOOOOOD)

-1 tbsp gochujang

-1 tbsp rice wine vinegar

-1/4 c sushi sauce

-cornstarch *I recommend adding some while you are cooking the sauce to nicely thicken it up

NUTRITION: 820cal per serving (2 servings total)

DIRECTIONS:

-Roast the sweet potatoes however you want at 450 and garnish with the furikake when done.

-Thinly slice the cabbage and drizzle with half the rice wine vinegar and some olive oil.

-Mix the sauce ingredients together, adding gochujang to taste (try it beforehand--I used about half of it! REALLY good...)

-Chop and cook without stirring to brown the chicken (I used a wok)

-Add the sauce and cook til the sauce is nice and thick (add the corn starch if you want)

-Serve your chicken in the tortillas smeared with creme fraiche (with a little salt sprinkled on it) as well as the cabbage. Stuff the sweet potatoes in there too if you want! Otherwise, just a nice side.