Tofu Stir-fry with a Light Asian Sauce

Here is a simple stir-fry with a twist for fun.  I usually make my stir-fries no hassle: quickly sauteed tofu and veggies, sprinkled with a bit of soy sauce.  But, when I have time (an extra five minutes) or the gumption, I will make this slightly thickened sauce.  It adds a bit more flavor, but it is also nice to have a sauce that coats the veggies and sticks to them as you eat your dish.  It makes for a nice, light meal.  Hope you enjoy it!

Tofu Stir-fry with a Light Asian Sauce

Ingredients:

2 Tbs. canola oil
2 pkgs. water-packed, extra-firm tofu
1 cup sugar snap peas
1 red bell pepper, julienned
2 stalks of celery, sliced diagonally
1 Tbs. fresh ginger, peeled and chopped small
2 tsp. sesame oil
2 cups broth
2 Tbs. soy sauce
2 Tbs. corn starch

Jasmine rice

Directions:

Heat canola oil in a large pan over medium heat.  Drain and slice the tofu into small rectangles.  When oil is hot, add the tofu to the pan.  Cook for about ten or fifteen minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tofu starts to brown. Add the peas, bell pepper celery and ginger.  Turn the heat down to medium and cook for another five minutes.  Sprinkle the sesame oil over the ingredients and stir.  In a small bowl, whisk together the broth, soy sauce and corn starch.  Pour in the pan, and stir well.  Cook for another five minutes or so, until the sauce thickens.  Stir frequently.   When bubbling and thickened, turn off heat.  Can add more soy sauce to taste, if desired.  Serve over jasmine rice.  Feeds five hungry vegans several times a year.

Potato Scramble

This is a dish that I came up with a couple of months ago and have found that I really like it for its taste and versatility. It's great for either breakfast or dinner, and you just need some basic ingredients - whatever of that type you have on hand, and go for it. It's easy on the pantry and wallet, as well. Nutritional, fast and scrumptious. Good stuff!

Potato Scramble

Ingredients:

3 russet potatoes, baked or boiled the night/day before
1 Tbs. canola oil
1 - 15 oz. can of beans, undrained (here we used kidney beans)
1 bunch of greens, chopped coarsely (here we used spinach leaves, which you can leave whole)
1 cup of chopped veggies (here we used carrots and peas)
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. garlic powder

Directions:

I've found I like the texture of the potatoes in this dish if they are boiled or baked prior to frying them. This avoids a super crispy skin, which can be great in other dishes, and an overabundance of oil. If you boil the taters first, you can either peel them or not. Baking them, you would probably leave the skin on afterwards. In any case, chop them up into large bite-sized pieces. Then, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the potatoes, and cook until they just begin to brown. Add the rest of the ingredients (the liquid from the beans adds just enough moisture to keep the food moving around without sticking), and cook until the greens wilt and the veggies are tender, ten to fifteen minutes. I've used a variety of beans, greens and veggies in this dish, and they've all been delicious. Have fun with the variety and using up what you have on hand. It's filling and yummy. Feeds five hungry vegans.