Pad Thai

First, I want to thank the internet for having this picture. This is a dish that I have never taken the time to photograph. The reason is simple, we are too busy eating it! Carbs are not a huge part of my diet, but these rice noodles mixed with tofu and peanuts for protein, broccoli and edamame for fiber and nutrients is a comfort food in my home. The beauty of this recipe is the flexibility to add or take away the vegetables as you please.

Ingredients:

Peanut Sauce:

*garlic clove

*3 tablespoons sesame oil

*5 - 10 tablespoons natural peanut butter

*2-3 teaspoons fresh grated or squeezable ginger

*4 tablespoons fresh lime juice

*3 tablespoons low sodium tamari sauce (soy sauce can be a substitute)

*brown sugar (or your favorite sweetener) to taste

*2 - 4 tablespoon tomato paste (can use ketchup as a substitute)

*tablespoon of rice vinegar

*3-6 tablespoons of water (add more if needed)

Blend all ingredients in a blender. Start low on the water and add until desired consistency is achieved.

Main Dish:

1 block of extra firm tofu., drained and chopped into cubes 

8 oz. (more if you need more) rice noodles or buckwheat soba noodles (both are gluten free)

1 carrot, julienned

4 green onions chopped/ plus the rest of the bunch for topping

1 -2 cups broccoli flowerets

1- 2 large zucchini spiraled or chopped

*mushrooms if desired

1- 2 cups edamame, if frozen run through water to defrost and mixed with the sauteé

1/2 cup red pepper julienned

Olive oil to sauteé the vegetables 

Topping

1 bunch of cilantro

1/2 cup of chopped peanuts

remainder of chopped green onions

sesame seeds

lime wedges

Heat a large pan with the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add tofu and brown.

Prepare the noodles as listed on instructions.

Remove and set aside the todu. 

Add another tablespoon of olive oil to the pan and heat. 

Sauteé vegetables and garlic until softened, but not mushy.

Drain the noodles and mix with the vegetables. Pour the peanut sauce over the noodles and vegetables. Top with fresh cilantro, chopped peanuts and green onions. If you have sesame seeds, sprinkle with the seeds and add lime wedges to the side

Pad Thai

First, I want to thank the internet for having this picture. This is a dish that I have never taken the time to photograph. The reason is simple, we are too busy eating it! Carbs are not a huge part of my diet, but these rice noodles mixed with tofu and peanuts for protein, broccoli and edamame for fiber and nutrients is a comfort food in my home. The beauty of this recipe is the flexibility to add or take away the vegetables as you please.

Ingredients:

Peanut Sauce:

*garlic clove

*3 tablespoons sesame oil

*5 tablespoons natural peanut butter

*2-3 teaspoons fresh grated or squeezable ginger

*4 tablespoons fresh lime juice

*3 tablespoons low sodium tamari sauce (soy sauce can be a substitute)

*brown sugar to taste

*2 tablespoon tomato paste (can use ketchup as a substitute)

*tablespoon of rice vinegar

*3-6 tablespoons of water 

Blend all ingredients in a blender. Start low on the water and add until desired consistency is achieved.

Main Dish:

1 block of extra firm tofu., drained and chopped into cubes 

8 oz. (more if you need more) rice noodles or buckwheat soba noodles (both are gluten free)

1 carrot, julienned

4 green onions chopped/ plus the rest of the bunch for topping

1 -2 cups broccoli flowerets

1- 2 large zucchini spiraled or chopped

*mushrooms if desired

1- 2 cups edamame, if frozen run through water to defrost and mixed with the sauteé

1/2 cup red pepper julienned

Olive oil to sauteé the vegetables 

Topping

1 bunch of cilantro

1/2 cup of chopped peanuts

remainder of chopped green onions

sesame seeds

lime wedges

Heat a large pan with the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add tofu and brown.

Prepare the noodles as listed on instructions.

Remove and set aside the todu. 

Add another tablespoon of olive oil to the pan and heat. 

Sauteé vegetables and garlic until softened, but not mushy.

Drain the noodles and mix with the vegetables. Pour the peanut sauce over the noodles and vegetables. Top with fresh cilantro, chopped peanuts and green onions. If you have sesame seeds, sprinkle with the seeds and add lime wedges to the side

Stuffed Acorn Squash

Easter Dinner! Roasted stuffed Acorn Squash with Pesto!

This year, 2016, Easter was low key with only two us in town. I am used to cooking for large groups that I had to think about what would be good for just the two of us. This was a definite winner!

*When I cooked this, I did not have my blog in mind- so bear with me as I don't have exact measurements.

Ingredients:

1 Acorn Squash (save the seeds and drizzle with olive oil and roast them for the pesto)

The Filling

Broccoli Slaw (3 cups pulsed in the food processor)
3 cloves Garlic
1/4 Sweet Onion
1/8 cup diced fresh herbs (I used basil and rosemary)
A hand toss full of  slivered Almonds
One pouch of Seeds of Change Quinoa & Brown Rice

Topping

One small container of mixed Mushrooms
Olive Oil
Smoked Sea Salt

Pesto

1 Cup Fresh BASIL
1 Cup Sundried Tomatoes (I used oil packed and rinse them)
1 Cup Pinenuts
1/3 Cup Nutritional Yeast
Roasted Acorn Squash Seeds

Salt and Pepper to taste
*I use bourbon smoked citrus pepper

Step One:
Cut Acorn Squash in half. Discard stringy pulp and keep seeds. Fill baking pan with 1 inch of water turn squash cut side down and bake until tender. Roast seeds at the same time.

Step Two:
Pulse the broccoli slaw, onion and garlic in food processor. Sautee´in olive oil. Toss in almonds to toast. Add fresh herbs

Step Three:
While Step One is cooking arrange washed and dried mushrooms on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with smoked sea salt  and roast/broil until crispy.

Step Four:
Microwave Quinoa & Brown Rice pouch for 90 seconds

Step Five:
Mix fresh basil, sundried tomatoes, pinenuts, roasted seeds, nutritional yeast and garlic cloves to taste in a high speed blender. Add water as needed.

Step Six:
Mix all of the filling  together. Empty the water out of the pan of squash and turn the squash cut side up. Spread a spoonful of pesto on the bottom. Fill with the filling mixture. Add a dollop of pesto on top and spread the roasted mushrooms around the pesto.

Step Seven:

Bon Appetit! Enjoy!