Spring Rolls and Vietnamese dipping sauce

 I finally got the proportions right! These are refreshing salad or spring rolls, and a great way to eat up a lot of produce! 

PREP 

Open a firm tofu package, we will use only about half of a 16oz tofu box. Slice into domino shaped pieces. Place between two rimmed cookie sheets, weigh it down and let it sit for 15 minutes or more to squeeze out the liquid. Drain. 

snap rice vermicelli noodles into 4-6" long strands. Soak in hot boiling water for 3 minutes or until soft and white/opaque color. Strain, pour cool water over them, strain again. Let sit. 

Cut cucumbers into thin long strands

Use food processor to grate 2 carrots

Mince mint, basil, cilantro 

SAUCE 

inspired by this NYT recipe, but omitting the garlic since it's uncooked (to reduce heartburn potential). In a small jar, mix: 

2.5 TB sugar

1/4 C lime juice

2 TB fish sauce (red boat brand) 

1 or 2 birds eye chilis sliced thin 

If you can't get the sugar to dissolve, then nuke in the microwave for 30 seconds and stir. Then refrigerate to chill. 

ASSEMBLY 

In a large glass pan like a pie pan, pour hot water.  Dip rice sheets one at a time into hot water to soften, remove immediately. 

Layer the fillings, then wrap up tightly. Set on a baking sheet or large plate, do not let them touch each other (or they will stick). 

Serve with chilled dipping sauce. 

Leftovers will last 1 day but will start to get hard if you leave them too long. 

Thai Basil Chicken

Inspired by eating this or similar dishes at Thai restaurants, and now that we are eating chicken again, I found some recipes for Thai Basil chicken and liked the Woks of Life version  but thought it needed more sugar. I was afraid to use the full amount of chiles, but I was wrong! It was delicious but didn't make enough for much leftovers, so doubled the recipe and added our changes below. 

PREP

Dice 10-12 cloves garlic

slice 6-8 shallots 

4 birds eye red chilis (the small long narrow ones) 

pull the leaves off of basil until you have about a cup or 2 of basil leaves

Finely mince 2 lbs raw chicken breast (or use ground chicken) 

Pour sauce ingredients into a small jar: 

4 TB soy sauce

2 TB fish sauce 

2 TB sugar

COOK 

On the stove, heat a big pan. Add 1 TB high heat oil (avocado, canola etc.) and swirl. 

Cook garlic, shallots and chiles for a couple minutes until starting to get golden brown. 

Add the chicken, stir and cook until all white (no longer pink). 

Pour the sauce over the chicken and stir, let it bubble and reduce a bit. When there's less liquid in the pan and it looks nearly done and chicken fully cooked through, add the basil. Stir to combine and let the basil wilt, about 30-60 seconds. 

Serve with rice, and optional chili crisp. 

Kung Pao Walnut Tofu

 Like kung pao Chinese takeout but I don't often have peanuts on hand! https://thewoksoflife.com/kung-pao-tofu-vegan-vegetarian/#recipe

Cut one pound tofu into cubes, press. Drain. 

Mix up the tofu coating slurry: 

1/3 C cornstarch

1/4 to 1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/4 to 1/2 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp salt 

1/4 C water

Once tofu is drained, toss with the slurry. set aside. 

Mix up the stir fry sauce, set aside. This was actually very much like restaurant kung pao, I was impressed with how plain /pantry staple the ingredients are. 

2/3 C warm water

1 TB soy sauce

1 tsp dark soy sauce (kecap manis) 

1.5 tsp rice vinegar

0.5 tsp sesame oil 

2 tsp sugar

1/4 tsp salt

2 tsp cornstarch 

Meanwhile, do some mise en place to prep: 

break apart 2 dried red chili peppers, toss the seeds. 

mince or microplane 1 TB ginger

mince 3 cloves garlic 

slice 3 scallions/green onions

chop 2 carrots into peanut sized pieces

chop 2 stalks celery into peanut sized pieces

In hot pan, add 1/4 C avocado oil. Fry up 2/3 C walnuts  for a few minutes but do no burn.  Using slotted spoon, pull the walnuts out of the pan and set aside. 

Fry the tofu in 2 batches. Let it sit undisturbed until it browns and releases from the pan. set aside. 

Reserving the oil in the pan, fry up the carrots and celery. Add the ginger and chilies. Then add the garlic and green onions. 

Pour in the sauce and let it bubble. 

Pour the toasted walnuts and fried tofu and stir to coat. 

Serve over hot rice. 

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Spaghetti Squash Carbonara (vegetarian)

 Cut spaghetti squash in half lengthwise. discard seeds. Pressure steam for 7 minutes. When the squash has cooled slightly, use a fork to pull apart the spaghetti squash strands.  Drain if necessary. Reserve the hot steaming water. 

Beat 2-3 eggs. Add <=1 C shredded parmesan cheese and 1/4 tsp salt to the egg mixture. 

finely dice 1 clove garlic.  crush 1/4 tsp fresh black pepper.  

Rough chop 2-3 tomatoes. Chiffonade slice basil. 

In hot pan (large enough to hold the squash eventually), add 1-2 TB olive oil. Toast the garlic and black pepper in the hot oil but do not burn. Add tomatoes and stir. Add the sqaush strands and stir. 

slowly pour some hot steaming water into the eggs, continuously stirring so they don't curdle.  Now that you've warmed up the egg mixture, slowly pour egg mixture into the hot pan over the squash. Stir to keep it from curdling. Throw the basil in at the last minute. Serve immediately. 

 

Soy Curl Satay Skewers

Combine one 8oz package of soy curls with hot water to rehydrate. Drain and press out excess water.  (Pro-tip: use the largest pieces of soy curls, you may need to sort through a couple bags and use the big pieces from each bag)

Mix up marinade:  

1 TB Maple syrup

2 TB avocado oil

2 TB soy sauce

1 tsp lemongrass paste

1 tsp sriracha 

1/8 tsp ginger powder

1/4 tsp garlic powder

Stir the hydrated soy curls in the marinate. Then thread onto skewers.  Place on a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. 

Broil at 500 F for 15 minutes. Then flip and boil another 5-7minutes. 

Serve with soba or vermichelli noodles, peanut sauce, veggies. 

Blackberry Vodka Spritzers

Make blackberry vodka by combining washed blackberries and vodka in a glass jar. Let sit for a few weeks, then strain. 

For Vodka spritzer, combine: 

1 TB blackberry vodka 

1 tsp lime juice 

1/4 C simple syrup (sugar + water ) 

about 3/4 C sparkling water

C's Favorite Veggie Soup (Instant pot)

 Chop 1 onion and 4-5 cloves garlic. Heat instant pot on saute function.

 When warm, add 1 TB oil. Then saute the onion and garlic in ¼  tsp salt

When carmelized, turn off saute function. Add cracked black pepper , 2 bay leaf, ½ tsp dried thyme. 

Meanwhile, chop veggies: 

3 carrots

2 stalks celery 

1 large russet potato (skin on) 

Optional: 1-2 C chopped green cabbage

Drop these into instant pot. 

Add 1 package veggie stock/broth (32 oz), approx 3 C water and 2-3 C frozen cooked chickpeas

Pour in enough extra water to come to the top of veggies. 

Seal and pressure cook for 5-8 minutes. 

Season with salt (1TB for normal folks, or 1/2 TB for lower salt diet) and 1 tsp lemon juice or vinegar 

Serve with crusty bread

Make ahead Sweet Potato Freezer Burritos

Make enchilada sauce: mix chili spices in a ramekin. In hot pan add 2 TB oil and 2 TB flour and toast. then add the spices, then tomato paste (or tomato paste concentrate). deglaze with 1.75 C veg broth.  Simmer to thicken. Set aside.

Peel and dice 2 medium yellow onions (or 1 big one). Saute in 2 TB avocado oil 1/2 tsp salt 

Peel and cut 2 sweet potatoes. Pressure steam in instant pot for 5 minutes. 

3-5 C cooked black beans (we soak, pressure cook, drain and freeze in ziplocks so they are ready!) 

2-3 C frozen corn 

Combine it all, taste and add salt if necessary. 

14 large flour tortillas. Heat up 2 at a time and fill and roll. Wrap in aluminum foil. Freeze

Fish Green Curry

Hot pan on the stove

add 1 TB avocado oil and swirl to coat bottom of pan 

fry up 2 TB or 50 grams green curry paste in the oil (<=60 seconds). We like Mae Ploy brand

add 1 to 1.5 TB sugar and 1-2 C plain non dairy milk (oat milk is good b/c it's richer than almond). Stir to combine. 

Add sliced mushrooms or green beans or vegetable of choice.  Cook on medium-low until the vegetables are nearly all done cooking. 

Place 2-4 portions of white fish fillets (halibut, cod or white fish) into the pan.  Spoon some of the curry liquid over the top. Turn stove to low and cover.  Let cook a couple minutes, then flip.  Fish is done when it flakes apart. 

Serve over rice. 

Vegan Papaya Lassi with Cardamom

Inspired by this and this, veganized a lassi! It's deceptively simple; super tasty.  

Blend: 

1 C ice cubes

1-2 C papaya 

1 C oat milk

1/2 tsp cardamom, crushed in mortar and pestle

2 medjool dates (pits removed)