The "Asian" Flare

Here is my dirty little secret!
I love Asian food more than Mexican (gasp) so, for dinner today I made lovely Asian-inspired tofu and rice. Its pretty simple, to maqe, all it needs is basic ingredients, 30-40 minutes of your time and it can look BOMB on your dinner table!!

Ingredients:

1lb extra-firm tofu (cut and marinated in soy sauce)
1 cup canned, sliced carrots
1 cup canned, sliced potatoes
4 garlic cloves (peeled)
1 cup broccoli (steamed)
2 tbsp olive oil
2 sheets dried seaweed
4 cups boiled white rice
1/2tsp cinnamon
½ tsp cardamom
½ tsp thyme
Salt & pepper

Procedure:
Heat a curved pan (wok). Add olive oil and let it heat up.
Quickly add the carrots, potatoes and garlic. Let it stand for about 5 minutes.
Add tofu and all the sauce it has left, Add spices let stand for another 5 minutes.

Meanwhile roll the seaweed tightly and slice vertically (you’ll get serpentine looking strands.)

Once the tofu is slightly brown and tender, add broccoli stir for another 2 minutes or so.
To plate, scoop rice onto center of plate, square, put tofu around it and put the seaweed on top of the rice.
Enjoy!

Summer fun, summer food

Summer time, the flowing breeze, the beautiful sunshine, the Californian landscape and tangled beaches that makes us want to spend as little time in the kitchen as possible (except if you me!). So, to cater to the other 99% of people here are two easy, fast and vegan friendly dishes that you prepare in minutes and enjoy over a nice cold Margarita or just ice tea (laugh).

The first is a “California style-brushetta”


Ingredients:

8oz boiled tomatoes, finely chopped
12oz fresh (or canned) corn kernels
4oz onions
4 basil leaves
½ cucumbers finely chopped
2tbsp balsamic vinegar
2tbsp thyme
salt and pepper

½ loaf French bread (sliced)
(Drizzle olive oil and put in the oven for 15-20 minutes)

Procedures:
1. Heat a non reactive pan; add oil and a dash of sugar
Let them caramelize stirring lightly until they are brown.
2. Add the corn, tomatoes, and spices. Add some more olive oil, let simmer. Add the vinegar, stir.
3. Plate with toasted bread and enjoy!

The second dish I just made today. My tofu-broccoli salad.

Ingredients:
1 pack of Tofu
1 head of broccoli
2 carrots (sliced diagonally)
4 slices of sourdough bread (cubed)
Olive Oil
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
4oz H2O
3tbsp fresh dill
a dash of mustard
8 lettuces leafs
Salt and Pepper

Procedure:
1. Lightly oil a heavy pan, add bread let brown slightly. Set aside.
2. On a separate bowl, put tofu with chopped dill, mustard and a little oil.
3. Blanch broccoli and carrots, and then add to hot pan with oil.
4. Let them brown, until slightly tender or al dente. Add tofu and let stand for about 5 minutes, add bread stir often for another 3 minutes, remove from heat.
5. Add vinegar and water to pan, deglaze. Pour on top of tofu mixture.
6. Set 4 leafs on a round plate, then pour half the mixture, repeat.

There you go! In and Out! The healthy way!