Jalfrezi veggies & tofu

I stopped by Apple A Day after yoga the other day and came across a jar of Jalfrezi sauce by Seeds of Change. I had never tried or heard of it, but it sounded really good--fenugreek, cardamom, and turmeric. I found out that jalfrezi is a type of Indian curry used for stir fry. The instructions are simple enough too--just throw it on your tofu or meat once it's cooked and let it simmer with the sauce for 10 minutes. It turned out to be delicious and now I stop and pick up a jar every weekend.

Ingredients

1 jar Seeds of Change jalfrezi simmer sauce
1 package firm tofu
2 carrots, chopped diagonally
2 celery stems, chopped
1/2 onion, diced
1 zucchini, cubed
Olive oil

Instructions

Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent. Add the carrots, celery, and zucchini and cook until the carrots are almost soft. Add the tofu and jalfrezi sauce and simmer for 10 minutes. Serve over rice and enjoy!

Kale!

I like kale and I've been using it a lot more these last couple months. This creation came about when I wanted light and healthy lunch on a cold (Miami cold, that is) Saturday afternoon. I also discovered that throwing in some kale at the end of cooking a soup or any sauteed veggie dish will add the extra leafy green goodness oompf and heartiness.

Ingredients

1 bunch kale
8 oz. sliced white mushrooms
1/2 carton firm tofu, cubed
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 tsp. thyme
1/2 tsp. sage

Instructions

Spray some olive oil in a large pan. Add the tofu and cook for 3 minutes, turning occasionally. Addthe mushrooms, salt, pepper, thyme, and sage. Cook until the mushrooms begin to cook down. Add the kale and continue cooking until the kale is wilted and the mushrooms are done. Enjoy!

Tofu & veggie stir fry

I've always had trouble getting tofu to stir fry with a nice texture. So, this time I looked up how it's done on Cooks Illustrated and learned the secret--cornstarch. A quick dip gives the tofu a nice slightly crunchy texture and makes the tofu so much more enjoyable.

Ingredients

1 package of low fat extra firm tofu, cut into triangles
1/2 cup cornstarch
4 tbsp. soy sauce
1/2 tbsp. granulated sugar
1 clove minced garlic
1 tbsp powdered ginger
1 bag frozen Asian veggie blend
1/2 package lettuce salad mix (I used a 5 lettuce blend)
1 cup thinly sliced carrots
1 tsp. sesame seed oil
2 tbsp. vegetable oil

Instructions
Place the cornstarch in a bowl and dip the tofu triangles in the cornstarch and set aside on a clean plate. Once all the tofu is lightly coated with the cornstarch, heat 1 tbsp. of the vegetable oil in a large pan. Add the tofu and cook for 8 minutes on each side over medium heat. In a separate bowl, mix the 2 tbsp. of soy sauce and sugar. Add the soy sauce and sugar mixture to the tofu and cook the tofu with the mixture for another 3-5 minutes and making sure you coat the tofu.

Remove the tofu and place on plates. Heat the other tsp. of vegetable oil and sesame seed oil in the pan. Place the garlic, frozen veggies, and carrots in the pan and cook for 10 minutes or until the carrots are soft and the other veggies are warm. Add the remaining 2 tbsp. of soy sauce, ginger, and lettuce. Stir continuously until the lettuce wilts and place on the plates with tofu immediately.