Red Curry with Rice

It's summer--I think.  We'll be grilling soon.  But the good thing is that school is out and I can post and cook.
Tonight we're having Red Curry over rice--it's thai inspired.

Since we have brown rice in the house, I'll put that in the rice cooker.  The Curry recipe is a variation of Rip Essylstein's from Engine 9 cookbook.

Red Vegetable Curry
1 lb extra firm tofu – cube sprinkle with braggs broil on sprayed sheet  (to broil tofu - put under broiler for 5 minutes.  Turn cubes over and broil another 2-7 minutes on a lower rack so it doesn't burn.)
1 tbl red curry paste
16-24 ounces vegetable stock
1 onion
3 carrots
2 cups snow peas (this time I'm using fresh snap peas and green beans from the farmer's market)
Other assorted veggies  (broccoli or whatever you have in the garden is good. Our favorite thai restaurant adds fresh pumpkin)
2 tbl tamari
1 tbl molasses
1 cup plain soymilk/ricemilk or half lowfat coconut milk/half soymilk  (or all coconut milk if you're not watching calories)
Juice of 1 lime

Brown rice

Garnish cilantro and green onions


Instructions:
Stir fry paste with some stock in a wok.
Add veggies (I add them in stages slower cooking first and those that need less cooking last)
Add stock w/ cornstarch and tofu
Add tamari/molasses mix
Add milk and lime

The curry will be somewhat watery (you can add less stock if you want it thicker or more if you want more "sauce".

Lower Fat hummus

For the last month my husband and I have been doing the Engine 2 "diet"  which cuts out animal products (no big deal for me), dairy products (not that big of a problem since we already eat many non-dairy meals, and refined oils.

The good thing is that we have tried some new recipes and I have found out how the cook with less oil.

Here is my lower fat hummus dip:

Blend in food processer:
1-3 cloves of garlic   (less for kids or those who don't like it spicy)

Stop food processer and add remaining ingredients:
1 15 ounce can chickpease (drained and rinsed)
1  tbl of Tahini (sesame seed paste)
3-4 tbl cold water
3-4 tbl lemon juice
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt

Blend until smooth-- if a thinner hummus desired add another tablespoon of water while processing.
Thinner = better for dipping vegetables etc.
Thicker = more spreadable for sandwiches and crackers

Pumpkin Bread

Pumpkin Bread
Oil (or spray) loaf pan.


Mix together:
1/2 cup oil (I used canola)
1 cup sugar
Sift (I didn't sift and it came out ok)
2 cups flour (I used some that is part whole wheat/part white that I get at Costco but the recipe calls for unbleached flour)
1/2 tsp salt
3 tsp baking POWDER
Add all this to the sugar mixture
Add 1 1/2 cups of pumpkin (I used canned, but frozen would probably work too.)

I also decided it was too dry and added 2-4 tablespoons of water. This made it more the consistency of bananna bread batter.

Put batter in the pan.

Streusel Topping: 2 tbl brown sugar, 1-2 tsp flour, 1 tbl butter, 1/4-1/2 tsp cinnamon. Mix together until crumbly. Sprinkle on top of loaf.
Bake 45 minutes at 350.

Thursday February 11 - Sweet and Sour Stir Fry

One of my goals for this year was to write everyday, even if it was something as simple as blogging our dinner.  Obviously I've already fallen down on that one!  I guess I can't quite fault myself, though.  I mean if I take "write every day" literally, then of course I do write something everyday, even if it's just an email to a student.  But I think my original intent was something of a creative nature...

Last night we had this great dish--thank you vegetarian times cookbook from my brother James!  Of course, I can't live without modifying their recipe...here's my version

Sweet and Sour Stir Fry
Cook sushi rice and brown rice  1 1/2 cups in the rice cooker w/ approx 2 1/2-3/4 cups water

Sauce:
3/4 cup pineapple juice (unsweetened)
1/4 cup brown rice vinegar
4 tbl soy sauce
3 tbl sugar
2 tbl cornstarch
     Combine in small saucepan.  whisk over medium heat until begins to thicken.  remove from heat and set aside.

Tofu-  7-12 ounces tofu.   Cut into 1/2 inch strips.  Spray cookie sheet with oil.  Broil tofu until firm.  (10-12 min approx--don't let it get burned)

Nuts:
3/4 cup cashew pieces
2 tbl peanut oil
Heat oil in wok over med high heat.  Add cashews and stir until lightly browned.  Remove to plate w/ paper towel and drain.  Set aside.   REmove half of the oil from the wok.

Veggies:
Their recipe recommends 1/2 lb snow peas, 1 red bell pepper.  I used the snow peas when I first made this and they were delicious.  I also added whatever veggies I had on hand.  1 carrot, some cauliflower or broccoli, asparagus.  I'm sure that water chesnuts might also be good.
Pineapple-- their recipe calls for 3 1/2 cups of fresh pineapple cubes.  I've only used about 1 1/2 cups of pineapple and substituted other veggies for the other cups.  We used two different kinds of canned pineapple.  The chunks were best, but we look forward to trying it with fresh pineapple too.

Add three slices of ginger root to the wok and stir fry for 1 minute.  Stir fry veggies (except pineapple and snow peas) and garlic  3-4 minutes.  Add tofu and pineapple  1 minute.  Add sauce.  once sauce thickens add cashews and turn to low or off.  Remove ginger root and serve over rice.

Jan 28 - Butternut squash Soup w/ biscuits

Butternut Squash a la Carolyn  ( I came up with this to use up some vegetables I had around the house.)

3 leeks
1 tbl olive oil
1 butternut squash (approx 2 lbs)
1 russet potato
3-5 small red potatoes
4 cups of vegetable broth
1/8 tsp white pepper
1/2 tsp sage
1/8 tsp thyme
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp salt or to taste
3 pinches of Emeril's essence (or to taste)
1 cup soymilk

Chop the white and light green parts of the leeks.  Brown in olive oil over medium heat in a large pot.  Add sage and white pepper.  Peel and dice potatoes and squash.  Add to the pot.  Stir and cook for about 5-7 minutes. Add thyme, black pepper and broth.  Heat to boiling.  Cover, turn down to low or med low and simmer for 25 minutes.  In batches puree in blender with soymilk.  Put back in pan to reheat or keep on low to serve.  Add pinches of Emeril's essence.

Biscuits:
Sift together in large bowl:
2 1/4 cups flour (combination of white and wheat is fine)
1 tbl baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
Make a well in dry ingredients and add
1/2 cup canola oil
3/4 cup of soy milk
Mix together and put on floured surface to knead 4-6 times.  press out and cut out biscuit rounds
Bake at 450 for 10-12 minutes.

Jan 25th - Leftovers & Chocolate Chip cookies

Last week was a disaster as far as posting what's for dinner!  Work started for me and things have been a bit crazy too.

Tonight we are having leftover gumbo (see an earlier post for that recipe!)

Here is my recipe for these awesome non-dairy chocolate chip cookies:

Chocolate Chip Cookies

½ cup shortening
½ cup earth balance or similar butter sticks
½ cup sugar
½ cup brown sugar
¼ soy milk
1 tsp vanilla
2 ¼ cups flour (1 ¼ unbleached flour, 1 cup whole wheat)
½ tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
6-12 ounces choc chips
Nuts optional

Cream butter/shortening & sugars.  Scrap down and slowly add soymilk while beating.  Add vanilla, salt, baking soda. Mix and then add flour.
Mix in chocolate chips and/or nuts.
Drop by teaspoon full onto cookie sheet.  Bake about 11 minutes at 350.

Jan 21 - Tamale Pie