Citrus Protein Bowl

If you read a lot of food blogs, you're probably well aware of the latest trends in recipes, for example, kale chips, grains for breakfast (like quinoa or amaranth with warm fruit), the one-pot pasta idea, black bean brownies, zucchini noodles, etc. (And of course, just because an ingredient or meal idea becomes trendy, that doesn't mean it has to go out of style - I plan on eating zucchini noodles a lot more once the weather warms up again!)

One trend I've noticed lately is the "bowl" concept, which is usually a base of grains like quinoa or rice, topped with a selection of veggies, a protein like chicken, tofu, or beans, and a sauce to bring everything together.

I've been wanting to try making my own bowl for awhile, and when I saw a whole chapter of bowl recipes in Isa Chandra Moskowitz's new cookbook Isa Does It, I had to try one out!

The one that I chose to try first was her citrus tahini bowl - quinoa topped with oranges, bok choy, grilled tofu, and a citrus-soy-tahini sauce. Since the recipe seemed pretty adaptable, I changed things up a bit by using spinach instead of bok choy, baked tofu instead of grilled, and adding some edamame for extra protein and colour, and toasted almonds for a bit of a crunch.

While this wasn't the easiest or quickest recipe to make (I wouldn't recommend starting this from scratch on a weeknight after work), the extra effort was definitely worth it! Plus you can make things easier on yourself by preparing some or all of the components ahead of time and just assembling a fresh bowl for dinner on the night you want to eat it. I made this one night when I had some extra time and then just enjoyed the leftovers for the next few days!

The combination of ingredients in this bowl was just what I was going for - bright colours and flavours and a mix of textures. I loved the chewy baked tofu, which was marinated in the dressing first to soak up extra flavour, combined with the buttery edamame and the juicy oranges. My favourite part was the creamy tahini dressing with its sweet and savory notes.

I also loved how nutritious this meal was! I called this a protein bowl because it has three main sources of protein: quinoa, tofu, and edamame, so it will keep you full without feeling weighed down. Plus the spinach and oranges provide some extra vitamins, which we can all use at this time of year!

Citrus Protein Bowl

Adapted from Isa Does It

Marinade/Sauce:

1/3 cup freshly squeezed orange juice*

1 tsp orange zest

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1 tbsp tamari or low-sodium soy sauce

1 tbsp rice vinegar

2 tsp sesame oil

1 tsp pure maple syrup

1 tbsp minced fresh ginger

2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

Dash of salt

1/4 tsp chili flakes

1/4 cup tahini (to be added later)

Bowl

1 12-14 oz package firm tofu

1 bunch spinach

1 cup quinoa

1 cup frozen shelled edamame

1/4 cup sliced almonds

1 large seedless orange (next time I might use two small oranges to get more orange pieces)

*I peeled one large seedless orange, blended the pieces and strained out the pulp. Zest the orange before peeling.

First, drain the tofu from the water in its packaging and slice in half. Press tofu between layers of paper towel with a heavy object on top for 15-30 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the marinade by whisking all ingredients except the tahini together in a bowl. Slice the pressed tofu into squares and place in a shallow dish (I used a square glass baking pan). Pour the marinade over top of the tofu and let sit for 30-60 minutes, flipping the pieces once halfway through.

Preheat oven to 400°F. When the tofu is done marinating, drain out the liquid (but keep it aside in a bowl) and transfer the tofu to an oven-proof baking dish (if it wasn’t already in one). Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, flipping the pieces halfway through.

While tofu is cooking, wash spinach and remove stems. Tear or slice the larger leaves into smaller pieces. Prepare quinoa according to package directions. Once quinoa is done cooking, let it sit covered for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork. Immediately transfer warm quinoa to a large bowl or pot and add the spinach. Toss well so that the spinach gets mixed into the quinoa, then cover with a lid and let sit for at least 5 minutes – the heat from the quinoa should help to wilt the spinach a bit.

Cook the edamame however you prefer, or according to package directions – either boiling, steaming, or microwaving. Set aside.

Heat a small skillet over medium heat. Add the almonds to the pan and toast for a few minutes, shaking the pan often, until lightly browned. Remove from pan and set aside in a small bowl.

Peel the orange (I like to use a knife to remove the skin). Slice each orange segment into two or three pieces.

Transfer the remaining marinade liquid to a blender and add the tahini. Blend until smooth, then transfer to a small bowl. (Note: feel free to add a bit more orange juice or lemon juice if you prefer a thinner sauce).

To assemble bowls, scoop your desired portion of the quinoa-spinach mixture into a bowl. Top with desired amount of each of the following: baked tofu, cooked edamame, orange pieces, and toasted almonds. Drizzle some of the sauce over top and stir to mix.

Makes 4-6 servings.

Green Vermicelli Noodle Bowl with Tofu

Like my last post, today's recipe is light and vibrant, leading the way into Spring, which I hope will come soon! After all, March did come in like a lion so that should mean it will go out like a lamb, right?

The inspiration for this green noodle dish came from Yotam Ottolenghi's Plenty cookbook, where I saw a recipe for warm glass noodles with edamame and green onions. I liked the idea of thin Asian style noodles full of edamame, so I turned that idea into my own dish.

I used brown rice vermicelli for the noodles (since glass noodles are hard to find). Then along with the edamame, I also added barely cooked snow peas for some crunch, and lightly sauteed tofu cubes for extra protein and texture.

Instead of using the green onions in the dish itself, I decided to pair the noodles with a recipe for green onion miso vinaigrette from Appetite for Reduction.  I made a couple of changes to the original recipe, like using white miso instead of red and reducing the amount of water to make a thicker, creamier dressing.

I have to say, the dressing surprised me - miso and green onions aren't typically ingredients that I tend to favour, but they came together to make a bold and flavourful dressing with just the right amount of bite from the onion, garlic and ginger!

I didn't intend for it to turn out this way, but with the brilliant green dressing, the edamame and the snow peas, this turned out to be a very green bowl - just in time for St. Patrick's Day!  You can also add extra green onions as a garnish for one more green component, which I forgot to do for these photos.

Hope you all have a great weekend, and don't forget to Spring forward on Sunday!

Green Vermicelli Noodle Bowl with Tofu
Inspired by Plenty; sauce adapted from Appetite for Reduction

Sauce

1/4 cup white miso

1.5 cups chopped scallions (white and green parts)

2.5 tsp minced fresh ginger

1 clove garlic, minced

3 tbsp rice vinegar

2 tsp agave nectar (or honey for non-vegan option)

2 tsp sesame oil

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup water

Noodles

175g firm tofu

7 oz brown rice vermicelli

2 cups frozen edamame

6-7 oz snow peas

1 tbsp vegetable oil

2-3 cloves garlic, peeled

1 fresh green chili, minced

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Sesame seeds for garnish

Green onions for garnish (optional)

First, prepare the sauce by placing all ingredients in a blender and pureeing until smooth. Keep refrigerated until ready to use.

Press the water out of the tofu (press between paper towels under a heavy book for 15-30 minutes). Slice tofu into small cubes. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and spray with a bit of cooking spray. Add tofu pieces and cook until lightly browned on the bottom, then flip pieces and cook for a couple more minutes on the other side. Set aside.

Soak the vermicelli in boiling water for 2 minutes (or follow package directions). Drain and set aside.

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the edamame and cook for 5 minutes (or according to package directions). Drain and set aside. Wash the peas and trim the ends, removing the strings if desired.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Crush the garlic cloves with the flat part of a knife, then roughly chop them. Add garlic to the heated pan and cook for about 1 minute, until lightly browned. Add the chili and the snow peas and sauté for about one more minute. Add the cooked noodles and cilantro, stirring to mix. Pour in the sauce and toss everything with tongs or large spoons until the noodles are all coated and separated (Note: If your skillet isn’t large enough to hold all the noodles, you may have to transfer everything to a larger saucepan).  Add the tofu pieces and toss to combine. Once everything is warmed through, remove from heat.

Serve warm. Garnish each serving with a sprinkle of sesame seeds and a handful of chopped green onion if desired.

Makes 4 servings. 

Note: I found this was best eaten on the day it's made. If you plan on having leftovers, I would recommend only adding enough sauce for the portion that you are going to eat now, and then store the leftover noodles separately from the sauce in the fridge, only adding the sauce to each serving as you eat them.  Otherwise, the noodles will get a bit soggy (as I learned!).

Edamame Mushroom Wontons with Dipping Sauce

After making my baked banana, chocolate and strawberry wontons, I still had a lot of leftover wonton wrappers that I didn't want to go to waste, so I decided to come up with a savory recipe to use them with. I had seen a couple of recipes for edamame filled wontons online, and when I consulted my Vegan Eats World cookbook for more ideas, I saw a recipe for edamame gyoza with dipping sauce that sounded perfect!

Gyoza are typically made with round dumpling wrappers (like these ones from The Fig Tree), so I used a slightly different method to adapt the recipe as wontons instead.  I also changed up the filling ingredients from the original recipe a bit and added some mushrooms for more bulk and flavour. I couldn't decide what kind of mushrooms to get when I was at the Asian mart, but I ended up going with fresh enoki mushrooms because of their delicate texture and slightly sweet flavour that I thought would pair well with the edamame (plus they looked so cute!).

The filling for the wontons is blended up in a food processor until you get a slightly chunky, thick mixture that will hold together well inside the wontons. It also has a vibrant green colour, as you can see here:

Making the filling is the easy part, and then comes the somewhat tedious process of forming the wontons and cooking them. I made the wontons following the same method as last time - place a dollop of filling in the center, then fold over one corner to make a triangle shape and seal tightly.

Instead of boiling or frying the filled wontons, I decided to steam them because it seemed like the safest option to avoid having them break apart while cooking. That method seemed to work really well - they held together (for the most part) and I liked how the texture of the wontons became soft but chewy like pasta.

I found that the wontons themselves had a lot of flavour from the mixture of bold ingredients inside - although the green chili was almost too overpowering for my tastes, so I would probably leave that out next time.

The best way to eat these though was dipping them into a sweet and sour sesame-soy-lime dipping sauce.  I thought the flavours of the dipping sauce really complemented the wontons and helped to balance out the spicier edamame filling.

These would be a great appetizer to serve as part of as Asian meal, or eat them as a light meal on their own. Feel free to make a double batch of the dipping sauce and use it with other small bites or appetizers too, like sushi, spring rolls, dumplings, or scallion pancakes. 

Hope you all enjoy the weekend!

Edamame Mushroom Wontons with Dipping Sauce
Adapted from Vegan Eats World

1 cup frozen shelled edamame

~200 g fresh enoki mushrooms

1 clove garlic, peeled and minced

2 tsp minced fresh ginger

3 green onions, minced

1 small Thai green chili, minced (optional)

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1 tbsp mirin

1/2 tsp sesame oil

~30 wonton wrappers

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a dash of salt, then add the frozen edamame. Boil for about 5 minutes, then drain, reserving as much of the cooking water as you can. Rinse the edamame with cold water, then transfer to a food processor.

Wash the mushrooms well, and chop off the woody stems (I cut off almost half of the entire bunch). Chop the rest of the mushrooms and add to food processor (you should end up with about 1 ¼ cups chopped mushroom).

Add the remaining ingredients (except wonton wrappers) to the food processor and pulse or process briefly until all the ingredients are combined (it’s okay to leave it a bit chunky).  Transfer mixture to a bowl.

To make the wontons, lay out one wrapper and keep the rest of the wrappers covered with a damp cloth or paper towel.  Place 1 heaping teaspoon of the filling mixture in the center of the wrapper. Wet the edges of the wrapper with water using your fingers, then fold over one corner to make a triangle. Press the edges of the wrapper together firmly, pinching with your fingers to seal well. Set the filled wontons on a greased baking sheet and keep covered with a damp cloth or paper towels. Continue making the wontons until your filling is used up.

Put the reserved edamame cooking water in a large pot and add more water if necessary to get about 3 cups. Bring to a simmer and add a steamer basket. Steam the wontons by placing about 7 or 8 wontons (as many as can fit in the steamer without overlapping) in the basket and cover the pot with a lid (Note: I found it easier to spray my steamer basket first with cooking spray, otherwise the wontons got a bit stuck). Steam each batch for 3-4 minutes, until the wonton wrappers are cooked like al dente pasta. Carefully remove wontons and transfer to a plate.  Continue steaming in batches.

Serve immediately with dipping sauce.

Makes about 30 wontons.

Dipping Sauce

3 tbsp tamari (or low sodium soy sauce)

4 tsp fresh lime juice

2 tsp mirin

1 tsp agave nectar

1 tbsp finely minced green onion

1 tsp finely minced fresh ginger

1/2 tsp sesame seeds

Place all ingredients in a small bowl and whisk to mix well.  Store in the refrigerator.

Laotian Tofu Larb Lettuce Wraps

A couple of weeks ago, I mentioned a new vegan cookbook that I've been enjoying - Blissful Bites.  When I first looked through the book, this recipe for Laotian larb was one that I skipped over without really stopping to see what it was. With a name that I had never heard of, plus no picture to show me what it was supposed to look like, it just didn't stand out as something I would want to make. And to be honest, something called "larb" didn't sound that appealing to me!

But when I re-read the book looking for recipes I wanted to try next, the ingredients in this recipe made me stop and think - hey, this actually sounds like something that I would love!  It was basically a cold tofu salad with lots of flavourful South-East Asian ingredients that I love to cook with.  Plus it sounded really easy to put together once all the ingredients were prepped!

Before going ahead and making the recipe, I did a bit more internet research on laotian larb and learned that traditionally, the dish is made with minced or ground meat, which can be raw or cooked, and flavoured with fresh herbs, fish sauce and lime juice.

This vegan version replaces the meat with crumbled tofu and the fish sauce with tamari. The recipe also included fresh veggies like shredded cabbage and carrots, and diced red pepper, and I decided to add some shelled edamame as well.

For the herbs, I used the cilantro that the recipe called for, and replaced the mint with Thai basil for more of an authentic flavour.  I also added a few other ingredients to enhance the flavour and spice of the salad, including shallots, garlic and jalapeno. Finally, I decided to brown the tofu in a skillet instead of steaming it, but you could probably just leave it uncooked and the salad would still be good!

After not really knowing what to expect with this dish, I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it! It was light and fresh and the mix of textures and ingredients came together to create such a flavourful salad with the perfect amount of spice for my taste!  You could eat the salad on its own, but I served mine on top of cabbage leaves and rolled it up to eat it like a lettuce wrap.

I'm not sure how authentic my version of Laotian larb was, but all that mattered to me was that I discovered a new dish from a cuisine I hadn't tried before and loved it!

Laotian Tofu Larb Lettuce Wraps
Adapted from Blissful Bites and The Mistress of Spices

1 package (14 oz) firm tofu

1 tsp vegetable oil

1 large shallot, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup finely diced red pepper

1/2 cup shelled edamame (thawed if frozen)

~5 leaves napa cabbage, shredded, plus more for serving

1 large carrot, shredded

1 jalapeno or other chile pepper, minced

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

3 tbsp chopped thai basil (can substitute mint)

Juice of 1 lime

3 tbsp tamari or soy sauce

2 tbsp pure maple syrup

Pinch of sea salt

1/3 cup chopped peanuts

Cabbage or lettuce leaves for serving

Drain the tofu and crumble into pieces. 

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the shallot and garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring often. Add the crumbled tofu and cook for another 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Remove from heat and transfer mixture to a large bowl.

Add all remaining ingredients to the bowl except for the peanuts and cabbage leaves and stir well to distribute ingredients evenly.  Place the bowl in the fridge to chill for 15-30 minutes.

When ready to serve, spoon large portions onto large cabbage leaves and sprinkle with chopped peanuts (or eat as a salad without the lettuce leaves). 

Makes about 4 servings (or more as an appetizer)

Radish Toasts with Edamame Spread

One of my favourite vegetables to get from the farmers' market this time of year is radishes.  They always look so gorgeous with their bright red skin, and I never have any problems using up the whole bunch - I like to eat them on their own as a snack, or added to salads, or my favourite way: sliced and eaten on toast, sprinkled with lots of salt and pepper.

While I usually go with a simple base of butter (Earth Balance Coconut Spread is my current fave) on the toast, this weekend I wanted to try something a bit different. I came across a recipe for edamame hummus in a Vegetarian Times cookbook and I thought the buttery taste of the edamame beans, along with some lemon, garlic and herbs would go really well with the crisp, peppery radishes.

Instead of adding parsley to the edamame spread like the original recipe recommended, I used a tip that I read recently from Heather of Sunday Morning Banana Pancakes, who mentioned that carrot tops are edible and come from the same family as parsley.  I had never tried eating carrot tops before, but I thought that their slightly bitter, spicy taste would complement the edamame and radishes, plus it would be a great way to make more use of my farmers' market produce!

The edamame spread was pretty easy to make using a food processor, and the taste was just what I was looking for - bright, fresh and zesty! The carrot tops added a subtle bite that really enhanced the garden-fresh taste of the spread. It would be great eaten on crostini on its own, but I loved the combination of the edamame spread with sliced radishes on toasted multigrain sunflower rye bread, topped with salt and pepper .

I loved this combination so much that I think I ate some with every meal this weekend, until my edamame spread was gone (I made the mistake of only making a half batch of the recipe below!)  It's a great snack that I could eat all summer long, and it can also be made a bit fancier if you want to serve it as an appetizer on sliced crostini.

Radish Toasts with Edamame Spread

2-3 slices of bread (I used thinly sliced sunflower rye bread)
edamame spread (recipe below)
1-2 radishes, thinly sliced
salt and pepper to taste

Toast your bread and spread generously with the edamame spread. Layer radish slices on top and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Makes 1 serving.


Edamame Spread
Adapted from Vegetarian Times

1.5 cups frozen shelled edamame
3 tbsp tahini
3 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 small cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup carrot top leaves, chopped

Cook edamame according to package directions (I microwaved it for 1-2 minutes).

Place edamame in a food processor and add remaining ingredients. Process until smooth, stopping occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl.  Taste and add salt and pepper if desired.

Makes about 1.5 cups.

Spicy Rice Noodle Salad with Tofu

My wishes for warmer weather have finally been answered - today is the first day we've had in weeks where the sun has stayed out and the breeze is nice and warm.  It felt so good to be outside that I actually willingly went for a brief run around the park near my apartment when I got home (trust me, it's been a long time since I've done that!).

The recipe that I have to share with you today is perfect for this weather - a big salad made with rice noodles and full of fruit, veggies, and some tofu for protein, all coated in a spicy pineapple dressing!

The recipe comes from Vegetarian Times, although I made some changes as usual.  I was actually inspired to make it because it called for green curry paste, and I still had some homemade green curry paste leftover from the Thai Green Curry that I made a while ago.

Along with the curry paste, the rest of the dressing is made by blending pineapple juice with other Asian ingredients like soy sauce, ginger, garlic and rice vinegar.  For the salad, I used the red pepper and carrot that the original recipe called for, and I also added bean sprouts, mango and edamame beans.  Since I wanted this to be filling enough to serve as a main course for dinner, I added some tofu that I sliced into thin pieces and sauteed briefly on the stove.

The dish is finished off with a generous sprinkling of fresh cilantro, some hot chilies, and a handful of chopped peanuts.  The result was a very colourful plate with lots of flavour! I also liked that it tasted good warmed up, at room temperature, and straight from the fridge.  I did find it pretty spicy, so feel free to reduce or eliminate the extra red chilies.  I also think fresh pineapple would work well instead of mango.

I hope you're all enjoying the warm weather too... I'm off to make another big salad for tonight's dinner!

Spicy Rice Noodle Salad with Tofu
Adapted from Vegetarian Times


Dressing:

1/2 cup pineapple juice

2 tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce

3 tbsp fresh ginger, peeled and chopped

3 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced

2 tbsp rice vinegar

1 tbsp vegetable oil

2 tsp Thai green curry paste (I used homemade)

1 tsp palm sugar (or brown sugar)

Salad:

7 oz rice noodles

3 tsp vegetable oil, divided

1 red pepper, thinly sliced

1 ripe mango, thinly sliced

1/2 cup shelled frozen edamame, thawed

1 cup shredded carrot

2 cups bean sprouts

1/2 cup chopped scallion

1/2 cup chopped cilantro, divided

1-2 red chilies, minced (optional)
12-14 oz package firm tofu, drained and pressed with towels for at least 15 minutes

About 1/2 cup finely chopped or crushed peanuts

Place all ingredients for the dressing in a blender and puree until smooth. Set aside.

Place the rice noodles in a bowl or saucepan and cover with boiling water. Let sit for 5-10 minutes, until the noodles are soft (check your package directions – mine needed at least 10-15 minutes).  Drain and rinse with cold water.  Transfer noodles back to the bowl or saucepan and toss with 2 tsp vegetable oil. 

Meanwhile, prepare all the vegetables (red pepper through to chilies) and transfer them to a large bowl. Set aside half of the cilantro for topping. 

Slice the tofu into thin strips.  Heat about 1 tsp of the vegetable oil in a large skillet on medium heat.  Add the tofu pieces and sauté for about 4-5 minutes, stirring often, until lightly browned.

Combine the noodles with the vegetables.  Pour about half of the dressing on top and toss to mix thoroughly, until all the noodles and vegetables are coated.  Add the tofu pieces and pour a bit more dressing over top.  Stir to mix again.  Add more dressing if necessary (you might not need all of it).

Serve immediately, or place salad in the refrigerator to chill until serving time.  Garnish each serving with the remaining cilantro and a handful of crushed peanuts.  


Makes 4-6 servings.