Fast-and-Easy-Almost-Naked-Stir-Fry

So normally I would add honey, sesame oil, maybe plum sauce or hoisin sauce to a stir-fry such as this.  But I wanted it to be almost naked:  that is, sugar-free and nearly oil-free as well, but still tasty.  I think this recipe achieves that.  So if you are in need of a cleansing and/or light meal, give this a try.  It can be prepared in under 25 minutes.

Ingredients:
1 tbs chopped ginger
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 red or green bell pepper, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 stalk of broccoli, separated into florets
1 bunch asparagus, cut into 1.5 inch pieces
1 carrot, cut into matchsticks or sliced thinly with a peeler
teriyaki sauce
shriracha sauce
rice wine vinegar
1 tsp oil  (in this case, I used high-quality, expeller-pressed coconut oil, which is supposed to be healthful, as opposed to the kind reported about in movie-theater popcorn exposes)
2-3 tbs chopped cilantro or basil

1 lb tofu, cut into cubes

In 1/2 tsp oil, cook the ginger and garlic til fragrant, about one minute.  Then add the rest of the vegetables, and cook until broccoli and asparagus are bright green and to your liking.  Remove from pan and place into a bowl.  In the same pan, heat 1/2 tsp oil and brown the tofu.  It may stick to the pan...can't say much else about that, except either use more oil, a nonstick pan (I don't encourage this option for health reasons), or a metal spatula. 

Add the vegetables back in, and douse with teriyaki sauce and shriracha, to taste,  and 2 tsp rice wine vinegar.  (If you are concerned about sodium, then a low-sodium soy sauce will work).  The rice wine vinegar seems to balance out the teriyaki, so I think it's essential.  Add the fresh herb, and then serve.

Vegetable Tacos

1 red pepper, sliced into thin strips
1 carrot, sliced into thin strips, using a vegetable peeler
1 clove of garlic, pressed
1/2 head of broccoli, cut into florets
1 can or 1 1/2 cups cooked black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup frozen or fresh corn kernels
 salt & pepper to taste
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
olive oil
fresh cilantro, 2 tbs chopped
1 avocado
juice of one lime
1/2 cup salsa

6 whole wheat flour tortillas
whatever garnishes you like:  cheddar cheese (or vegan cheese), regular or vegan sour cream, hot sauce, additional salsa, additional chopped cilantro

Method:

Heat one tbs of olive oil over medium high heat in cast iron skillet until shimmering.  Add the pressed garlic and stir quickly for 10 seconds, then immediately add the red pepper and carrot.   Cook, stirring frequently until peppers are soft, about 10 minutes.   Add salt, pepper, cumin, chili powder, broccoli, beans, corn and 1/2 cup of salsa.  Cook until broccoli is bright green, or cooked to your liking.

Meanwhile, wrap tortillas in foil and heat in 350 degree oven, about 10 minutes.

Remove the avocado flesh and mash with a fork, then add juice of the lime, 1 tbs cilantro, and 1/2 garlic clove pressed.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

To assemble tortillas:  spread 1 tbs avocado mixture on tortilla, then add vegetable bean mixture, and whatever toppings you like.

Total time to prepare:  About 30 minutes.

Banana Pumpkin Muffins

A great way to use up over-ripe bananas, as well as leftover cans of pumpkin from Thanksgiving!  Fiber, Vitamin A, and Potassium-Rich.

3/4 cup all purpose flour
3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour, or whole-grain white flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup wheat germ

Combine all of the above in a large bowl.

In another bowl, combine:

3 very over-ripe bananas (skin can be black)
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup pumpkin puree
1/3 cup oil
1/3 cup water

Mix the two together and place in lined muffin cups.  Bake at 350 for 30 minutes, or until toothpick comes clean and firm to the touch.

Makes 24 mini-muffins or 12 large muffins.

 

Vegetable Enchiladas

For the sauce:

• 1/2 cup safflower or other vegetable oil
•  medium onion, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and diced
• 1 1/2 tablespoons ground cumin
• 1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
• 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 8 ounces canned organic tomato sauce
• sea salt

For the filling and assembly:

• 1/2 cup safflower or other vegetable oil
• 1 pound firm tofu, drained and loosely crumbled
• 1 cup diced carrots
• 1 bunch kale or swiss chard, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 1 bunch asparagus, chopped
• 8 oz sliced mushrooms
• 12 7-inch corn tortillas
• Medium onion, finely diced
• Red bell pepper, finely diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and diced
• 1 cup coarsely chopped cilantro leaves
• 1 1/2 tablespoons ground cumin, or more to taste
• 1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder, or more to taste
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• sea salt

Method

• 1. For the sauce: In a small saucepan over medium heat, heat oil until shimmering. Add onions, garlic, and jalapeño. Sauté until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Add cumin, chili powder, and flour, whisking until browned and thickened. Slowly stir in 3/4 cup of water and tomato sauce, mixing well. Reduce heat to low, and simmer for 15 minutes. Season with salt to taste. Remove from heat and keep warm.
• 2. For the filling and assembly: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a medium skillet over medium heat, heat 2tbs oil until shimmering. Add tofu and cook until brown and somewhat crispy, and its liquid has evaporated, stirring from underneath to prevent sticking, 10 to 15 minutes.  Remove tofu, set aside.
• 3. In 2 more tbs oil, cook all remaining vegetables (onions through jalapeno pepper).  Cook until onion is translucent and softened, about 10 minutes.  Add tofu back to the pan, and then add soy sauce, and mix well. Season with salt to taste. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of water if mixture seems parched, but it should be dry, and the tofu should resemble crisped, browned bits of meat.
• 4. While the tofu mixture is cooking, wrap the tortillas tightly in aluminum foil, and place them in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove, keeping them wrapped, and set aside.
• 5. In a shallow 9-by-7-inch casserole (or large enough to hold the enchiladas snugly in one layer), add 1/3 of the sauce to coat the bottom of the casserole. Unwrap the hot tortillas, and place one in the sauce to coat it, then turn it over so that it is coated on both sides. Add one-sixth of the filling, and roll the tortilla tightly. Place it seam side down on the sauce. Repeat to make six filled tortillas. Pour the remaining sauce on top of the tortillas, and sprinkle with cilantro. Bake until sauce is bubbling, about 15 minutes. Serve, if desired, with a green salad.

Source: Adapted from Ayinde Howell, Caterer, former Executive Chef , Jivamuktea Cafe