Spicy Thai Tofu with Red Bell Peppers and Peanuts

I recently downloaded the Epicurious app on my Droid. The thing is so handy; you can search for any kind of dish by ingredients, etc. and then create a shopping list.

So I found this recipe based on my search for tofu and vegetarian. And it is delicious! And really easy!

My version

Spicy Thai Tofu with Red Bell Peppers and Peanuts

INGREDIENTS:

1/3 C. olive oil
2 large red bell peppers, seeded, thinly sliced
3 T. minced peeled fresh ginger
3 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 14-to 16-ounce package extra-firm tofu, drained well, cut into 1-inch cubes
3 green onions, thinly sliced on diagonal
3 T. soy sauce
2 T. fresh lime juice
1/2-3/4 t. dried crushed red pepper
1 6-oz bag baby spinach leaves
1/3 C. chopped fresh basil
1/3 C. lightly salted roasted peanuts

PREPARATION:

Heat oil in wok over high heat. Add bell peppers, ginger, and garlic; saute until peppers just begin to soften, about 2 minutes. Add tofu and green onions; toss 2 minutes. Add next 3 ingredients. Toss to blend, about 1 minute. Add spinach in 3 additions, tossing until beginning to wilt, about 1 minute for each addition. Mix in basil. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle peanuts over.

Read more about this recipe at Epicurious here.

Buttercream Frosting, Vegan Style

There is a basic buttercream frosting recipe that can easily be made vegan.

Buttercream Frosting:

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 C. butter (vegan: EarthBalance)
3 C. powdered sugar
3 T. milk (vegan: almond or other non-dairy milk)
1 t. vanilla

Cream butter with electric mixer and alternately add powdered sugar and milk. Add vanilla. Mix thoroughly.

Now baking... Mini Maple Chocolate Chip Pancake Muffins

Mini Maple Chocolate Chip Pancake Muffins

Ingredients:
1 C. flour
1 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1/4 t. salt
2 T. sugar
2/3 C. buttermilk (I used almond milk; it's what I had on hand)
1 egg
2 T. pure maple syrup
2 T. melted butter
1/2 C. milk chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar in a medium bowl. Sift together with a wire whisk.

In another bowl, stir buttermilk, egg, maple syrup and melted butter until just combined.

Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir with a spoon until combined.

Stir in chocolate chips. Reserve a few chips to sprinkle on the tops.

Bake for 8-9 minutes (my batch took 12 minutes).

Makes 24 mini pancake muffins.

Let cool slightly and remove from the pan. You may need to use a toothpick around the edges to separate the pancake muffins from the pan. Serve immediately with warmed butter if you like or even just with maple syrup.

***I found this recipe at bakerella.com. So many good things to be found there. Check it out!

Vegan Red Velvet Cake

If you hadn't heard, I'm addicted to anything red velvet nowadays. So for my birthday I decided to make a red velvet cake. I asked my mom for her recipe but discovered that it contained shortening. The only shortening I found in my pantry was made from vegetable oils and meat fats; not something this vegetarian wanted in her birthday cake. I searched for vegan recipe online and found this one. It turned out perfectly delicious.

Vegan Red Velvet Cake with Buttercream Frosting

INGREDIENTS:

For Cake Batter:
3 1/2 C. unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/2 C. granulated sugar
2 t. baking soda
1 t. salt
2 t. cocoa powder
2 C. nondairy milk (soy, rice, almond, hazelnut, hemp, or oat)
2/3 C. canola oil
3 T. red food coloring
2 T. distilled white vinegar
2 t. vanilla extract

For Buttercream Frosting:

1/2 C. nondairy, nonhydrogenated butter (such as Earth Balance), at room temperature
3 C. powdered sugar
3 T. nondairy milk (soy, rice, almond, hazelnut, hemp, or oat) or water
1 t. vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease one 9x13-inch pan (or two 8-inch round cake pans).

To make the batter, in a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, salt and cocoa powder. Create a well in the center, and add milk, oil, food coloring, vinegar and vanilla, and mix until thoroughly combined.

Bake for about 35 minutes. When the cakes pull away from the side of the pans and a toothpick inserted into the center of each comes out clean, they are ready. Let cool completely before frosting.

To make the frosting, with an electric mixer, cream butter until it is smooth and begins to fluff. With the mixer on low speed, alternately add powdered sugar and milk. Add vanilla to finish and mix.

***The use of dairy milk and/or butter in the recipe will work but negates the vegan part.

This recipe comes from The Daily Green; find it here.

Curried Lentil Soup

I just made this...and now I can't wait to eat this. I found this recipe on Bon Appetit's website as a top vegetarian recipe from 2010. I have a feeling it will get better with age, as many curries do.

CURRIED LENTIL SOUP:

Ingredients:
3 T. olive oil, divided
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium carrot, finely chopped
2 large garlic cloves, chopped, divided
2 T. (or more) curry powder
1 C. French green lentils
4 1/4 C. (or more) water, divided
1 15- to 16-ounce can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained, rinsed
1 T. fresh lemon juice
2 T. (1/4 stick) butter (I used Earth Balance)
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1 lemon, cut into 6 wedges

Preparation:
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add onion and carrot; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook until onion is translucent, stirring occasionally, about 4 minutes. Add half of chopped garlic; stir until vegetables are soft but not brown, about 4 minutes longer. Add 2 tablespoons curry powder; stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add lentils and 4 cups water. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Increase heat and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium; simmer until lentils are tender, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, puree chickpeas, lemon juice, 1/4 cup water, remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, and remaining garlic in processor.

Add chickpea puree and butter to lentil soup. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and additional curry powder, if desired. Add water by 1/4 cupfuls to thin to desired consistency. DO AHEAD Soup can be made up to 1 day ahead.

Cool, cover, and refrigerate. Rewarm before continuing. Divide soup among bowls. Sprinkle with thinly sliced green onions and serve with lemon wedges.

Taco Seasoning

Two things....

1) My mom has got the family thinking "low sodium," or at least she's got me thinking that. I'm reading labels and looking for ways to cut sodium.

2) I've been wanting to make tacos with my "not meat" but not wanting to use packaged taco seasoning and its high sodium.

Enter this recipe from my All Recipes iPad app.

TACO SEASONING:

Ingredients:

6 t. chili powder
5 t. paprika
4 1/2 t. ground cumin
2 1/2 t. onion powder
2 1/2 t.  garlic powder
1 1/2 t. cornstarch
1/8 t. cayenne pepper

Directions:

In a jar with a tight fitting lid, combine chili powder, paprika, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne pepper and cornstarch. Close lid securely, and shake well to mix contents.

Seven teaspoons is equivalent to 1 (1.25 ounce) package of taco seasoning. Add 7 teaspoons and 1/2 to 3/4 cup water to 1 pound meat/non-meat.

***I used this with "Gimme Lean" Sausage. [website]  It tasted like taco meat, delicious on salads and tacos.

Good Night To My Nieces

I started collecting the children's book series Good Night Our World for my nieces during my travels around the country.

It started with Good Night California. I found a copy of the board book in a little store in San Francisco in May 2009, about three months before my now 17-month-old niece was born. I remember debating between Good Night California and Good Night San Francisco, and went with California because I lived in Los Angeles at the time. When I got home, I mailed it to my then 3-year-old niece.

I didn't think again about the series again until I found a copy of Good Night Washington, DC at a museum in Washington last June. On my next visit home to Michigan, I delivered it to my girls.

When I was in New York City this past Christmas, I decided to check for a Good Night New York City. And sure enough! I found a copy at the independent Posman Books in Chelsea Market. It was part of my younger niece's Christmas present as she has become quite the bookworm. Reportedly, she reads the book over and over. My older niece said, "We should have Aunt Jackie over and give her a big hug and tell her she picked a good book for Ava." Aw, love them!

Now three books into the series, I've decided to check for a Good Night book in whatever local booksellers I come across in my travels. While in Portland a couple weeks ago, we stopped by a Powell's on Hawthorne. I headed over to the children's section and found Good Night Oregon. Perfect! I bought it, and when I got home, I mailed to my girls.

I have a couple years yet before my girls get too big for these little books so I decided I should check to see what other cities and states in the series might be added to the collection: http://www.goodnightourworld.com/. I see Tennessee, Charleston, Atlanta, Chicago and Arizona, and hopefully, Boston and Los Angeles, in our future at least.