Thursday, April 5, 2012

Sesame Maple Roasted "Stir Fry"


I bought tofu this week, so I needed to find a way to disguise it to keep the troops in my house happy.  When I read that this recipe had the natural sweetness of maple syrup I knew it would be perfect.  Yum, Yum, Yum!  The sweetness of the maple sugar and the saltiness of the soy sauce gave the vegetables such wonderful flavor.  My husband even went back for 3rds! 

The recipe I used was technically not a stir fry, hence the quotes.  When I make stir fry I love to get out my wok, but this recipe called for roasting the vegetables instead of stir frying them in a wok.  I love to try new things and wow was it the right move.  I may never use my wok again!  

I made a few changes to the recipe above, but it was my inspiration for this delicious dinner.
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Here are the changes I made to the ingredients:
1  14-ounce block extra-firm water-packed tofu, rinsed, patted dry and cut into 1-inch cubes
I used 7 oz of tofu cut into 1-inch cubes and cut up leftover chicken breast from the night before.
1 red onion
I used a yellow onion
2 teaspoons canola oil
2 teaspoons sesame oil
I used extra canola oil since I didn't have sesame oil.
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon tahini
I didn't have tahini, so I added an extra tablespoon of maple syrup.
1 tablespoon reduce sodium Soy Sauce
2 teaspoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon cider vinegar
I didn't have any cider vinegar, so I ommitted it from the recipe.
3 cups sugar snap peas
I used 1 1/2 cups sugar snap peas and 1 1/2 cups red pepper.
1 tablespoon sesame seeds

The secret ingredients 

 I also added baby corn, bamboo shoots and water chestnuts.
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Directions:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Toss tofu, onion, canola oil, sesame oil, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Spread on a large baking sheet and roast until the tofu is lightly golden on top and the onions are browning in spots, 15 to 20 minutes.
I doubled the canola oil because I didn't have sesame oil.

Whisk tahini, soy sauce, maple syrup and vinegar in a small dish until combined. Remove the tofu from the oven, add snap peas and drizzle with the maple sauce; stir to combine. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Return to the oven and continue roasting until the peas are crisp-tender, 8 to 12 minutes more.
I just whisked the soy sauce and maple syrup together.  I added the rest of the ingredients to the the roasting pan at this point (snap peas, red pepper, leftover chicken, baby corn, water chestnuts, and bamboo shoots). 


Serve over rice or noodles.
We had brown rice and Japanese noodles to serve the vegetables over.  
I also grated fresh ginger over the top.  





Tuesday, April 3, 2012

I love hummus!


Hummus has become a staple in our house.  We go through it as fast as milk. 
 I have made many batches of hummus, but find it easier to just buy it from the store. 
 It takes less time and it still has the simple ingredients I am looking for.  

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I bought this yesterday from Whole Foods.  
It only has 7 ingredients: 
Chick Peas, Water, Sweet Red Pepper, Sesame Tahini, Lemon Juice, Garlic and Sea Salt.  
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Here is the quick scoop on chick peas: 

They are a very 
good source of folic acid, fiber, 
and manganese.  They are also a 
good source of protein, as well 
as minerals such as iron, copper, 
zinc, and magnesium.  As a good 
source of fiber, garbanzo beans 
can help lower cholesterol and 
improve blood sugar levels. 

Read more at everynutrient.com

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Here are a few ways I like to use hummus:

1. On a salad.
2. As a dip for raw veggies or crakers.
3. Spread on a sandwich instead of mayo or mustard.
4. Thicken soup.
5. Coat pasta. 

Add hummus to your fridge!