Thai Butternut Squash with Tofu, coconut milk and toasted almonds

Thai Butternut Squash with Tofu, coconut milk and toasted Almonds

Introduction

This is from Savy Vegetarian.
It's best served over rice!

Minutes to Prepare: 30
Minutes to Cook: 120
Number of Servings: 6

Ingredients

Ingredients:
•1 butternut squash, 2 - 3 lb
•2 stalks celery or 1 fennel bulb
•2 medium carrots


•1 jalapeno pepper, seeded. If you don't have it, use 1/8 - 1/4 tsp cayenne
•2 thin slices raw ginger, peeled, or 1/2 - 1 tsp dried ginger, if you don't have fresh
•2 Tbsp sunflower oil
•1/2 tsp ground cumin seed
•1 tsp. ground coriander seed
•1/2 tsp turmeric
•1/2 tsp ground fennel seed
•2 cups coconut milk
•1/2 tsp salt
•1/2 lb firm tofu
•1/2 cup blanched toasted almonds (recipe below)
•Fresh cilantro and/or basil leaves for garnish
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Directions

Blanched Toasted Almonds:
•Boil 1 cup water. Add almonds and remove from heat, let stand for 2 minutes
•Drain and rinse in cold water
•Slip off the skins and spread out to drydry
•Heat 1 tsp oil in a heavy fry pan, and toast the almonds, stirring frequently
•Or roast dry in the oven on low, 250 - 275 degrees, stirring frequently
Sliced Tofu:
•Use 1/2 of a 1 lb block of firm tofu
•Rinse and pat dry
•Cut in 2" X 1/2" X 1/2" sticks
•Keep covered in the fridge until you need them
Recipe Directions:
1.If you're serving this with a grain, put that on to cook first, or while the veggies simmer, depending on how long the cooking time
2.Heat ghee or oil on med. in a large shallow saucepan
3.Mince the fresh jalapeno and ginger, if you're using them
4.Cut the squash in thick rounds, and peel by cutting down around the sides
5.Remove the seeds, and dice in 1" pieces
6.Thinly slice the celery or fennel,and carrots
7.Add the veggies to the oil, turn the heat up a bit, and sauté for five minutes
8.Add the remaining spices, and stir another few minutes
9.Add the coconut milk and salt, bring to boil, then simmer on low until veggies are tender, about 20 minutes, stirring several times
10.Add the tofu and toasted almonds, and simmer another 5 minutes
Slow Cooker Directions:
1.Even though this recipe can be finished in the slow cooker, there is still a fair bit of advance preparation
2.After stir frying the veggies and spices, add the coconut milk and transfer all to a six quart slow cooker
3.(This is where an appliance timer is handy, so you can set the slow cooker to turn on two hours before you want to eat!)
4.Cover and cook on low until the squash is tender - approx 2 hours
5.Add the tofu and toasted almonds, turn heat to high, and cook another 15 - 20 minutes
6.Garnish with cilantro or basil, and serve with a grain (basmati rice is good)

Tempeh Fajitas

Tempeh Fajitas
By blucoat on January 11, 2009
Tempeh Fajitas


Prep Time: 15 minsTotal Time: 20 minsServings: 4

"You can also prepare these in a skillet. This recipe is from "Cooking Light Magazine". The tempeh needs to be marinated for at least 30 minutes (longer is better).
**I'm not certain how we'll like this.  I'm not a big fan of tempeh but I keep trying it to see if maybe I like it served a different way.  Tempeh to me almost always tastes bitter.  I'm hoping that maybe it'll be different this way.

Ingredients
1 (8 ounce) packages five-grain tempeh
1 cup pineapple juice
1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons canola oil
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper, divided
1 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups vertically sliced onions ( 1/2-inch slices)
1 1/2 cups slice green bell peppers ( 1/2-inch-thick slices)
cooking spray
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 (8 inch) whole wheat tortillas
1/4 cup salsa
Directions
Cut tempeh in half crosswise; cut each half lengthwise into 6 strips. Place tempeh in a shallow dish. Combine pineapple juice, soy sauce, lime juice, cumin, oil, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and garlic in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Pour pineapple juice mixture over tempeh. Marinate at room temperature 30 minutes or up to 2 hours.
Prepare grill.
Lightly coat onion and bell pepper with cooking spray; sprinkle with salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Arrange onion mixture in a wire grilling basket coated with cooking spray. Place grilling basket on grill rack; grill 5 minutes or until lightly browned, turning occasionally. Remove the tempeh from marinade, reserving marinade. Place tempeh on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 2 minutes on each side or until lightly browned, basting occasionally with reserved marinade.
Warm tortillas according to package directions. Arrange 3 tempeh pieces, 1/2 cup onion mixture, and 1 tablespoon salsa down center of each tortilla; roll up.

Tofu Parmigiana

Tofu Parmigiana
 MONDAY
Prep Time: 25 Minutes
Cook Time: 20 Minutes
Ready In: 45 Minutes
Servings: 4

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
5 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons dried oregano, divided
salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste
1 (12 ounce) package firm tofu
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1 clove garlic, minced
4 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
DIRECTIONS:
1. In a small bowl, combine bread crumbs, 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, 1 teaspoon oregano, salt, and black pepper.
2. Slice tofu into 1/4 inch thick slices, and place in bowl of cold water. One at a time, press tofu slices into crumb mixture, turning to coat all sides.
3. Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Cook tofu slices until crisp on one side. Drizzle with a bit more olive oil, turn, and brown on the other side.
4. Combine tomato sauce, basil, garlic, and remaining oregano. Place a thin layer of sauce in an 8 inch square baking pan. Arrange tofu slices in the pan. Spoon remaining sauce over tofu. Top with shredded mozzarella and remaining 3 tablespoons Parmesan.
5. Bake at 400 degrees F (205 degrees C) for 20 minutes.

Pasta Pan-Fried with Butternut Squash, Fried Sage, and Pine Nuts

Pasta Pan-Fried with Butternut Squash, Fried Sage, and Pine Nuts
feeds 4
Tuesday
1 medium butternut squash (we're using some of our leftover Galeux D'eysines
1 small sweet onion, peeled and diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup fresh sage leaves
1 pound farfalle pasta
3/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
4 ounces high quality Parmesan, shredded or shaved (about a cup total)

Heat the oven to 375°. Cut the butternut squash in half and scoop out the strings and seeds the middle cavity. Flip the squash halves upside down and peel them. (Note: The raw squash rind can irritate your hands. If they start to itch or tingle, wear gloves.) Cut the squash into 1-inch cubes. Toss with the onion, garlic, a drizzle of olive oil and salt and pepper. Mince about half of the fresh sage leaves and also toss with the squash.

Spread the squash mixture in a thin layer on a large baking sheet and roast for about 40 minutes or until the squash is soft.

Heat salted pasta water to boiling and cook the farfalle until al dente. Drain and set aside. As the squash finishes roasting, heat about two tablespoons of olive oil in a large high-sided sauté pan. The oil is ready when it pops and sputters. (Don't let it start smoking.) Drop in the rest of the sage leaves and fry for about a minute, or until they begin to just shrivel up.

Remove with a slotted spoon and salt lightly. Crush with the back of a spoon.

Add half the pasta to the pan, along with half the roasted squash mixture. Crumble in half the sage. Cook, stirring frequently, for five minutes or until the pasta is heated through and getting crispy on some of the edges. Add the pine nuts and cook for another minute. Stir in half the cheese and serve.

Olive Garden Chicken & Gnocchi Soup Copycat

Olive Garden Chicken and Gnocchi Soup Copycat

SUNDAY

Yield: 6 servings

Fluffy clouds of potato gnocchi, tender bites of chicken and fresh spinach swimming in a sea of thick, rich broth.

Okay. No, we're not going with tender bites of chicken and fresh spinach swimming in a sea of thick, rich broth.  Our version will be a bit of ground chicken and fresh kale swimming in a sea of homemade chicken stock with a tiny bit of dehydrated milk and a bit of regular whole milk thrown in for a better texture. 

Reasons?  The chicken I prefer ground rather than chunks.  The kale this time of year is cheaper and its very good for you too.  The half and half?  Don't have any and I do not want to use all of my sons whole milk from Kilby Cream.  

You might notice as I get going here again, I post a lot of recipes for soups or chili.  Reason?  You can take a few cheap ingredients and make it into a filling, nutritious meal for a mid sized to larger family.  Serve some bread and maybe a salad and you have the makings for a great meal.

Ingredients

3 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons olive oil

3/4 cup onion, diced

1/2 cup carrots, diced

1/2 cup celery, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

coarse salt and fresh black pepper

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

4 cups chicken broth

1 + 1/2 cups half & half

2 cups cooked white meat chicken, shredded or cut into small bites

1 pound potato gnocchi

3 cups fresh baby spinach, stems removed

1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil

fresh grated Parmesan and/or Romano, for serving

Instructions

1. In a large soup pot or Dutch oven heat the butter and oil together over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, celery and garlic. Season with salt and pepper and cook until tender over medium-low heat about 10 minutes, stirring often.
2. Sprinkle the flour into the pot and stir into the vegetables, cook 3 minutes, stirring often. Stir in the chicken broth 1 cup at a time, followed by the half & half.
3. Add the cooked chicken. Bring up to a simmer and maintain for 20 minutes stirring often. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Cook the gnocchi separately according to package directions. Add them to the soup along with the spinach. Simmer until spinach is wilted. Stir in basil. Serve with grated cheese.

Eggplant sandwiches with homemade fries

Eggplant Sandwiches
Friday
Prep Time: 20 Minutes
Cook Time: 10 Minutes
Ready In: 30 Minutes
Servings: 2

INGREDIENTS:
1 small eggplant, halved and sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil, or as needed
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 (6 inch) French sandwich rolls
1 small tomato, sliced
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat your oven's broiler. Brush eggplant slices with olive oil, and place them on a baking sheet or broiling pan. Place the pan about 6 inches from the heat source. Cook under the broiler for 10 minutes, or until tender and toasted.
2. Split the French rolls lengthwise, and toast. In a cup or small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise and garlic. Spread this mixture on the toasted bread. Fill the rolls with eggplant slices, tomato, feta cheese and basil leaves.

Homemade french fried

Black beans and Rice

Black Beans and Rice
Tuesday

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cup uncooked white rice (or use brown to add a bit more health to your dish)
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
3 cloves minced garlic
1 cup of dried black beans (cook overnight in crock pot
A few dashes of Tabasco or 1/4 teaspoon cayenne powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano or 1 heaping Tbsp chopped fresh oregano
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional Lime wedges and cilantro for garnish
METHOD
1 Cook rice according to package instructions. White rice usually takes 15 minutes to cook once the water is simmering, and 10 minutes to sit.
2 Heat oil in a large skillet on medium high. Sauté onions and bell peppers for 3-4 minutes, until just beginning to soften, then add garlic and sauté a minute more. Add the black beans, vinegar and Tabasco or cayenne. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 5 minutes.
3 Stir in rice and oregano. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Yield: Serves 6.

We're going to serve this with defrosted, sauteed okra with fresh tomatoes and onion on the side.
I simply defrost the okra ahead of time, then saute the onion until translucent.  Add the okra and tomatoes and allow to cook for another 5 minutes approximately.  The trick with okra is most definitely not to over cook.  Otherwise it gets slimy and fast!