Peanut-Orange Marinated Tofu with Stir-Fry Vegetables

When it comes to tofu, I'm not very picky on how it's prepared. Sage and Beckett are another story. I've learned that if I making it at home, they only really care for it when it's been pressed, sliced thin, marinated simply in soy sauce with a touch of sesame oil and baked. Then I almost have to fight them for my share. While I'm pleased to have converted them into tofu-likers, I've been on the lookout for other marinating options I think they will enjoy just for some variety.

The other day, Heather at Where's the Beach shared a peanut marinade/sauce she used on some baked tofu and stir-fried vegetables and it sounded delicious. I had tofu on hand, and I got myself all excited about recreating it...and then I remembered I was out of soy sauce. Naturally, I'd just been to the grocery store that day, and I wasn't going to make a special trip back. Luckily, a couple days later Sage had to stop for something else, and I was able to have him grab it.

This was hands-down one of my favorite meals in recent history. I kept thinking about it for the remainder of the night and made sure to put a claim on the leftovers. Since Heather didn't give exact measurements, I just added the marinade ingredients to taste. I used vegetables I had on hand- carrots, snow peas, zucchini and celery- but you could use red pepper, broccoli, mushrooms, you name it. We had ours with rice, but it would be great over noodles, and if tofu isn't your thing, it would go wonderfully with chicken as well.

Peanut-Orange Marinated Tofu with Stir-Fry Vegetables
marinade/sauce adapted from Where's the Beach
3 generous servings, with the additon of a starch

for the marinade:
1/4 cup reduced sodium tamari (or soy sauce)
1/4 tsp creamy natural peanut butter
1 tbsp honey
1/3 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
1/2 tsp ground ginger

1 (16 oz) package extra-firm tofu, well pressed and cut into 1 inch cubes
1 tbsp olive oil (you could use peanut or canola if you prefer)
3 medium carrots, sliced
2 celery ribs, sliced 1/3 inch thick on the bias
1 medium zucchini, sliced into 1/3 inch thick half moons
3 green onions, sliced lengthwise and crosswise and separated
2 1/2 cups snow peas
brown or white rice, or noodles, for serving

Whisk together marinade ingredients until well blended. Toss tofu to coat and marinate for at least an hour.

Place tofu in a single layer on a baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray, and bake in a preheated oven of 350 for 35 minutes, flipping halfway through cooking time. Reserve remaining marinade.

After tofu has been baking for about 20 minutes, heat a wok (or large skillet) over medium-high heat. Add oil and once hot, add the carrots and celery. Use a wide, flat spatula to keep the vegetables moving. After a few minutes, add the zucchini and onion and cook (again keeping the vegetables moving) for about 10 minutes, or until vegetables have nearly reached desired tenderness. Add snow peas, baked tofu and remaining marinade, and cook for another few minutes. Remove from heat.

Serve over rice or noodles, as desired.

Symon Sundays: Crispy Gnocchi with Morels and Spring Peas

I love trying new things, so this was a fun dish for me. Not only did I make gnocchi for the the first time, but this was our first experience with morel mushrooms. I wasn't sure if I'd be able to find them. I knew my regular grocery store carried them dried, but in the past all I'd seen was the spot on the shelf where they were supposed to go. Just in case, I researched for a substitute, and it seemed that chanterelles would be the next best thing. As it turned out, they had one package of morels (with a hefty $14.99/oz. price tag.) I did question for a moment spending that on mushrooms, but ultimately decided to go for it.

While I did stick with the morels, I made some changes to this recipe, mostly an attempt to healthify it a tiny bit. The picture in Live To Cook shows these gnocchi, morels and peas drowning in a sea of bubbling brown butter. There was no way I could use an entire stick of butter in this. I used 4 tablespoons worth, and I'm sure this is a sacrilege, I used a light butter substitute for 2 of those. Then I added a little vegetable stock at the end to help make the sauce. Other changes I made were reducing the parmesan in the dough, using frozen peas instead of shelled fresh, and the substituting of dried morels over fresh.

Despite my changes, this was pretty outstanding! I already love the flavor combinations of lemon and parsley, and parmesan with peas, so added along with the morels and sauteed gnocchi, how could it not be great? And gnocchi made of ricotta- so much better, in my opinion, than potato gnocchi, which I find so heavy and filling.

Crispy Gnocchi with Morels and Spring Peas

adapted from Michael Symon's, Live To Cook

For the gnocchi:

3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Zest of one lemon

1/4 tsp kosher salt

1 cup whole-milk ricotta, drained overnight or at least several hours

1 large egg

For the sauce:

4 tbsp unsalted butter

1 oz. dried morel mushrooms (reconstituted according to package directions, rinsed and gently patted dry)

1/2 shallot, thinly sliced

kosher salt

1 garlic clove, thinly sliced

1/4 cup loosely packed flat-leaf parsley leaves

Juice of 1 lemon

1/2 cup frozen peas, partially thawed

1/4 cup vegetable stock

1/3 cup grated parmesan

To make the dough:

Combine the flour, parmesan, lemon zest, and salt in a bowl. Add drained ricotta and egg. Mix with hands until the dough just comes together. (Overworking with cause the dough to toughen.) Scrape dough into a well floured-surface, and pat into rough square. Using a knife, cut the dough into thirds and then gently roll piece into foot-long ropes, flouring as needed. Place dough ropes on a floured plate and refrigerate for 5 minutes and up to 2 hours. After dough has rested, return the ropes to a floured surface. Cut each rope into 1/2 inch pieces, and set aside while you make the sauce.

To make the sauce:

Put 2 tbsp butter into a medium saute pan over medium-high heat. When the butter foams, add the mores and saute for 2 minutes. Add shallot and saute, seasoning with a pinch salt. Add garlic and parsley, then reduce heat to medium. Add the lemon juice and peas, and saute for a minute or two. Turn off heat and set aside.

Heat remaining 2 tbsp butter over medium-high heat in a saute pan large enough to accommodate gnocchi without crowding (I used a non-stick pan.) When the butter becomes brown and fragrant, add the gnocchi to the pan and cook, turning as needed, until crisp and browned on all sides, about 5 to 6 minutes.

Pour the morel and pea sauce over the gnocchi, turning to coat. Add vegetable stock and parmesan, and gently toss. Spoon into shallow bowl and serve immediately.

Penne with Goat Cheese-Tomato Sauce

The funny thing about this recipe is that it took seeing it a second time to capture my interest. I was checking out a blog I'd never visited before, Pleasure Cooker, when I saw this pasta dish she'd dubbed "Heaven on a Plate." It was originally from Elly Says Opa, a blog I frequent often, and I wondered how I could've missed such a delicious looking recipe. I realized I'd seen it before, but I can't understand why I didn't jump to make it immediately. I mean it has so many of my favorite things- chicken sausage, goat cheese, pasta, mushrooms, and peas.

This was soooo yummy. Sage, who would rather have feta or blue cheese anyday over goat cheese, loved it as a creamy base to this pasta. A little while after dinner, he came up and thanked me again for such a delicious dinner. And my little guy, who is a very light eater, asked for seconds. This made enough for the three of us for dinner with well as a lunch sized portion left over.

I made some changes, mostly tweaking of quanities and slight substitutions. I scaled back the amount of pasta and the sauce ingredients, but left the vegetables pretty much the same, which worked perfectly. Instead of hot Italian chicken sausage, I subbed spinach & asaigo ones (which I sliced instead of crumbled,) used petite diced tomatoes instead of crushed, and dried basil instead of fresh. I also sped up the cook time since we were hungry. It was easy to make, and adapted well to my changes.

adapted from Elly Says Opa
7 oz. whole wheat penne pasta
1 Tbsp. olive oil
3 links chicken sausage, sliced
1/2 small onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
8 oz. cremini mushrooms, sliced
1 Tbsp. tomato paste
1/4 tsp. (or to taste) crushed red pepper flakes (omitted and used at the table)
1 (14.5 oz.) can petite diced tomatoes, with juice
1/2 cup frozen peas
1 1/2 tsp dried basil
2 oz. goat cheese, crumbled
sea salt and fresh ground pepper

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add sausage and cook until browned. Add the onion and saute for about 2 minutes before adding the mushrooms and garlic. Once the mushrooms and onions are tender, add the tomato paste and red pepper flakes. (If needed, deglaze pan using a few splashes of wine or broth. I didn't need to do this.)

Add the tomatoes and salt and pepper to taste. Cook for an additional 5 minutes.Add the peas and heat through for a minute or two. Stir in the basil and the goat cheese. Remove from the heat and continue stirring until the goat cheese has melted into the sauce. Season to taste if necessary and combine with the cooked pasta.

Spanish-style Chicken with Saffron Rice (Arroz con Pollo)

Last night I made another special dinner for Sage. When we began dating, he was working nights as a bartender, so cooking himself dinner wasn't something he did often, but when he did, his favorite meal was saffron rice, chicken and peas. Guess what my very least favorite meal growing up was? (Well, other than other than ham.) So that means he's been able to eat it maybe three times in the past eight years!

But I thought perhaps a more authentic version I might like better, and even if I didn't, it was about him, not me. There are so many versions, because different countries prepare it differently. I choose a Spanish version. Why, I don't know. I just picked one. Maybe because the Spanish ones had tomatoes?? I will admit, I did like it. I found it a little bland, but I thought the olives really enhanced the overall flavor, but Sage pushed his aside, saying they were too salty. Of course, he really enjoyed this meal, but he also would've been just as happy with a package of Vigo yellow rice with peas only and chicken tossed on the George Foreman grill.

This recipe makes a lot. It calls for two cups of rice (which produces something like 6 cups of cooked rice!) I would've cut that back if I wasn't too lazy to try to figure out how to reduce the amount of liquids. Luckily I have a I hubby that likes leftovers. I cut back on the chicken, due to my personal preference, since I only ever take a small serving it for myself, but if you use the entire amount this would easily feed 4-6 people.

Spanish Style-Chicken with Saffron Rice, from Epicurious.com

1 (3 1/2- to 4-lb) chicken, cut into 8 serving pieces (I used 3 breasts, halved)
salt and pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil (I used 2 tbsps)
1 large onion, chopped
1 large red bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (I used 1/2 of a red and a whole green)
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons paprika (I used sweet paprika)
2 cups long-grain white rice (I used Jasmine long grain)
1 1/4 cups dry white wine
1 (14-oz) can diced tomatoes including juice
1 3/4 cups chicken broth
3/4 teaspoon crumbled saffron threads
1 bay leaf (not California)
1 cup frozen peas (not thawed)
1/2 cup pimiento-stuffed green olives, coarsely chopped (mine were just sliced)

1. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet (at least 2 inches deep) over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then brown chicken on all sides, about 12 minutes total. Transfer chicken to a plate.
2. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons fat from skillet (that's all that was in my pan) and add onion, bell pepper, and salt to taste. Cook over moderate heat, stirring, until softened, about 7 minutes. Add garlic, paprika, and rice, then cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add wine and boil, uncovered, 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes with juice, chicken broth, saffron, and bay leaf. Nestle chicken in rice, adding any juices from plate.
3. Cook, covered, over low heat until chicken is cooked through, rice is tender, and most of liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes. (It took much longer for my rice to become tender- more like 25 minutes, but it may have just been my rice.) Remove from heat and stir in peas, olives, and salt and pepper to taste. Cover skillet and let stand 10 minutes. Discard bay leaf.

This recipe claimed to take about half hour of hands-on time and an hour total. I tend to take my time in the kitchen (I have no problem spending an hour making dinner) but this dinner definitely took well over an hour and half. We went ahead and fed Beckett something else, and as I was cooking, Sage tells me to look and this is what I saw:

Split Pea Soup

Recently I went to a little nearby bulk and natural store, searching for something. They didn't have what I was looking for, but I felt I had to buy something...so I left with fennel seeds and a bag of dried split peas. I've used the fennel seeds but was waiting to use the split peas. Yesterday was the day, as I was in the mood for a "simple" dinner.

My split pea soup is made without meat, because frankly, I loathe ham. So no hambone for me. However it isn't missing it one bit. Blending the soup at the end results in a wonderful, velvety texture, but isn't neccesary. This was so delicious, and I'm kicking myself for not making a larger batch. I'm trying to make smaller portions of things lately, so we don't have a fridge full of leftovers, but sometimes I enjoy something so much, I'll wish I had made tons of it. We had this with a big garden salad, for a filling, complete meal.

makes 4 bowls

1 cup dried split peas, picked over

1 tbsp olive oil

1/2 medium onion, choppped (about 3/4 cup)

2 cloves garlic, minced

3/4 cup carrot, coarsely chopped

1/4 cup celery, chopped

2 red potatoes, peeled and diced (about 1 cup)

1/4 cup white wine

3/4 cup low sodium chicken or vegetable broth

3 cups hot water

1 bay leaf

1 tsp dried marjoram

1 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp cumin

fresh ground pepper

kosher salt, to taste

1. Rinse peas well. Allow to soak while chopping and sauteeing vegeatbles.

2. Heat oil over medium heat. Saute onion and garlic, for 3 minutes.

3. Add carrots, potato, celery, wine, broth, hot water, bay leaf, marjoram, thyme, cumin, and a generous amount a pepper. Do not add salt. (Salt can interfere with the softening of the dried peas.) Turn heat to high, and bring to a boil.

4. Cover and reduce heat. Simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

5. Add salt to taste. Remove bay leaf. Soup can be transfered to a food processor, and pureed in batches until smooth or by using an immersion hand blender.

Healthier Chicken Pot Pie

Don't let the "healthier" part scare you, this dish is a new favorite at our house. After a making a curry recipe the other night that didn't go over too well, I wanted to make Sage a dinner he would love. I don't buy any kind of frozen or pre-made meals anymore, so its been a long time since we had pot pies. I set out to find a healthier version.

When I took this out of the oven, I didn't have high expectations because honestly, the whole wheat biscuit crust didn't look that appealing. But it was what made this pot pie phenomenal. A cross between a pie crust, a biscuit and a dumpling, it was remarkably full of flavor despite looking kind of cardboard-ish. I did alter the recipe a bit, by changing the quanities of the veggies and chicken, adding mushrooms, corn and potatoes, and reducing the sauce. I cooked mine in 2 round (2 qt.) pyrex dishes, but you could use individual casserole dishes or one large one.

Adapted from Food Network's Chicken and Biscuit Pot Pie

For the filling:

2 large chicken breasts, cut into bite size chunks

sea salt and fresh ground pepper

2 tbsp olive oil

1/2 cup carrot, chopped into small pieces

1/4 cup celery, diced

1/3 cup onion, chopped

1 cup russet potato, chopped into small pieces

6 baby bella mushrooms, sliced

1 cup green beans, trimmed and cut into bite size pieces

1 tsp minced garlic

2 tbsp all-purpose flour

3/4 cup 1% milk

3/4 low sodium broth

1/2 cup frozen peas

1/3 cup frozen corn

1 tsp dried thyme

For the biscuit crust:

1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
2 tablespoons canola oil

1/2 cup lowfat buttermilk *

(*Or put a 1/2 tsp of white vinegar OR lemon juice in a measuring cup, and fill with lowfat milk to a 1/2 cup. )

To make the filling:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Spray casserole dish(es) with cooking spray. (I forgot this and had no problem with sticking.)
2. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat 1 teaspoons of the oil over a medium-high heat. Add the chicken to the pan and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Transfer the chicken with its juices to a bowl.
3. Add 1 more teaspoon of oil to the same pan and heat it over a medium-high heat. Add the onions, carrots, celery and potatoes and cook until the vegetables begin to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the green beans, mushrooms, garlic and a little more salt and pepper and cook for 3 minute more. Add the milk

4. Stir the flour into the broth until it is completely dissolved (I use a container with a tight fitting lid and shake to combine) and add to the pan. Cook, stirring, until the mixture comes to a boil, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 2 minutes more. Return the chicken with its juices back to the pan. Add the peas, corn and thyme and stir to combine. Spoon the mixture into the baking dish(es.)

To make the crust:

1. Put the whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a food processor and pulse a few times to combine. Add the butter and pulse about 12 times, or until pebble sized pieces are formed.
2. Add the buttermilk then oil to the food processor and pulse until just moistened. Do not over mix.

3. Drop the batter in mounds on top of the chicken mixture, spreading the batter out slightly. Bake until filling is bubbling and the biscuit topping is golden brown, about 22 minutes.

Garlic Noodles with Grilled Chicken and Peas

For dinner last night, I was in the mood for pasta with chicken and peas. But I wasn't in the mood for a creamy sauce, which seemed like the obvious choice, but way too unhealthy. I remembered a side dish I'd made recently. It was called Garlic Pasta from allrecipes.com. Sage had really liked it, so I decided to make a similar sauce for the pasta for this dinner.

Last time, I had more fresh herbs to work with, but even using dried it was still good. If I am cooking pasta and peas for the same meal, I will usually toss the peas into the pasta water for the last couple of minutes. I cooked them seperately which was completely unnneccesary, but otherwise this was a very simple and quick (about 15-20 minutes) dinner to put together. To make it even easier, Sage grilled the chicken on our George Foreman grille. It wasn't my favorite meal ever, but it was tasty, easy and healthy.

.

2 large chicken breasts
1/3 box of whole wheat linguine
2 1/2 tbsp olive oil
1/3 cup onion, chopped
3 tbsp minced garlic
1/2 tbsp fresh oregano, chopped
1 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1 cup peas
lemon juice or lemon wedges (optional)
parmesan

1. Cook pasta according to package.
2. Pound chicken breast between plastic to 1/2 inch thin. Grille, and keep warm.
3. Meanwhile, heat oil in small skillet. Add onion and garlic, stirring frequently until onion are tender and garlic is lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Do not let garlic burn. Add oregano, parsley, basil, and red pepper. Stir and remove from heat.
4. Meanwhile, steam peas until tender. (Or add to pasta water for last couple minutes of cook time.)
5. Put garlic mixture in bottom a medium sized bowl, and top with hot, drained pasta. Stir to mix and let sit for 3 minutes. If pasta seems dry you can add a little extra olive oil.
6. Transfer pasta to serving plates. Drizzle with lemon juice if desired. Top with peas, grilled chicken, and parmesan cheese.