Vegetarian Udon Noodle Soup

I love many cuisines from Mexican to Italian to Spanish to good old fashioned American, but if I were really honest with myself I’d have to confess that my absolute favorite is Asian. I say “Asian” because I cannot commit to any particular aspect of the breadth of Asian foods. I’m in love with Indian breads, samosas, and papadum, I salivate over Korean kimchi and bibimbap, and I crave Japanese sushi rolls and inari for weeks at a time – and that’s just scratching the surface.

While I do prepare some Asian foods at home on occasion, I admit that I am still a little wary that I don’t understand how to cook it well enough. That said, I am really fortunate to live so close to multiple Asian markets, and I feel that I am slowly stretching my culinary wings. It’s easy to go into one of these stores, discover an ingredient remembered from a restaurant and have the impulse to buy it and try replicating the dish at home. This is what happened last week as I was wandering down the pasta aisle and came upon some Japanese style udon noodles. As soon as I saw them, I realized that I needed to learn how to make udon noodle soup.

After researching various recipes I have come to realize that udon noodle soup is less about recipe and more about what you have on hand. In many ways, it is very similar to how I am used to throwing together a hearty vegetable soup without wondering if I have added too many or not enough potatoes or carrots, or worrying if I have a specific ingredient on hand or not. It doesn’t really matter, because the end result will still be delicious. What I found is that most udon noodle recipes call for a broth, noodles, some vegetables and mushrooms, and a protein. It’s my opinion that the key is to get the broth down, and then experiment, experiment and experiment. Luckily my first try had me wanting to recreate it the next day, so this recipe I’m sharing with you is a winner in my book.

Vegetarian Udon Noodle Soup
Roughly based upon the Easy Udon Noodle Snack Recipe found on The Messy Vegetarian Cook
Makes 2 servings

• 3 cups water
• 1/2 to 1 cup mushrooms (you can use most any mushroom you like, but I used king oyster and the original recipe calls for shiitake)
• 1 teaspoon ginger
• 2 teaspoons mirin or rice vinegar
• 4 teaspoons tamari, soy sauce or Bragg Liquid Aminos (if you do not have any of these on hand, you may also substitute 2 heaping teaspoons miso)
• 1/2 teaspoon vegan sugar
• 1 sheet nori, cut into small pieces or strips
• 2 dry red chili peppers, optional
• 1/4 cup tofu or another vegetable or wheat protein, optional
• 1/4 cup carrots, julienned
• Dry udon noodles (enough for two servings – this is usually one or two individually separated bunches of noodles)
• Salt
• Sesame oil (optional, but so divine – I highly recommend not skipping this ingredient)
• Green onions or chives (optional)

First prepare your broth. I used about half of a king oyster mushroom, and diced it into bite-sized pieces.

King oyster mushrooms are said to taste similar to abalone

Mince your ginger by first cutting off a small amount from the main part of the root, then peeling away the outer skin. You can also crush it like garlic.

Dicing fresh ginger

Julienne your carrots. “Julienne” just means that you’re cutting your veggie into little strips.

Julienned carrots

Place the water, mushrooms, ginger, carrots, mirin, tamari (or soy sauce or Bragg Liquid Aminos), sugar and nori into the broth. If you are using chili peppers, you can add those in now, too.

Tip: If you are going to use miso as a substitute for the tamari, you will need to add that at the end after the broth has finished cooking.

Dried red chili peppers

If you don’t want your carrots to overcook, add them after the broth has boiled.

Bring your pan of ingredients to boil, stirring occasionally, then turn the heat down to medium low or low.

Udon noodle soup broth

Add in your protein now so it will warm up.

Vegetarian Mock Abalone a.k.a. wheat gluten (and oops - this had MSG in it!)

Allow the broth to steep for about twenty minutes.

If you are using miso, you may add it after the broth has finished cooking and has been removed from the heat. Miso takes a few moments to dissolve, so be sure to stir the broth a few times.

Adding the miso to the broth

Cook the noodles as instructed with a little salt. These cook fast, so be sure you are giving these guys your full attention. Once they are done cooking, drain and rinse under cold water.

Japanese style udon noodles

Once the broth is done, add some noodles to a bowl, then ladle the broth over the noodles.

Almost ready!

Drizzle a small amount of sesame oil over the soup, add some sliced green onions as a garnish.

Tip: Be sure to rinse the green onions really well to get rid of any specks of dirt that may have gotten stuck inside the onion as it was growing.

Sliced green onion

Serve.

So so good!

I loved this soup. It was full of flavor, had tons of texture and really hit the spot. Plus it makes me want to come up more variations. Remember, if you don’t have a particular ingredient on hand, don’t fret – you can experiment and discover your own unique soup, too!

What is your favorite Asian cuisine or dish – or can you even decide?

Vegan Squash Gratin

That hubbard squash went a long way. I had no clue when I bought it that I’d get three recipes out of it, but I did. I thought I might get four, but to be honest, I was ready to make the rest of it and have it vacate the bottom of my refrigerator in favor of other things. That said, I love how diverse the recipes have been with this single winter vegetable.

First I made a rich and creamy hubbard squash risotto, then I simmered a hearty winter squash and bean stew, and finally I’m ending with a hubbard squash gratin recipe. The squash is so tender and mildly sweet in this dish, and its topping is crunchy and flavorful with the addition of breadcrumbs and fresh herbs. Not to mention that I used Daiya vegan cheese and it works beautifully in this recipe.

Still looking for holiday side dishes? Consider a gratin if you have a decent vegan cheese in a store near you.

Vegan Squash Gratin
This is a revised version of Merritt’s Butternut Squash Gratin recipe on Allrecipes.com

• 3 tablespoons vegan butter
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 1/2 pounds winter squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 3/4-inch chunks
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 1 8-ounce package shredded vegan cheese (I used Daiya’s mozzarella)
• 1 cup dry bread crumbs
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a 9×13 inch baking dish.

Prepare your winter squash. If you are going to use a hubbard squash or one similar to it, please take care when cutting it open. It’s much tougher than a butternut, so it can be easier to injure oneself. Refer to my risotto post to see how I cut open this particular squash.

The rest of my hubbard squash - about 2 1/2 pounds of squash meat

Dice your onions and mince your garlic.

Chopped onion and garlic

Melt the vegan butter in a large skillet over medium heat, then stir in the onions and garlic. Cook until the onions soften and turn golden brown, about 10 minutes.

Cooking onions and garlic in vegan butter

Add the winter squash and brown sugar.

Brown sugar and hubbard squash

Continue cooking and stirring until the squash begins to brown on the edges, but is still somewhat firm in the center, about 10 minutes more.

Hubbard squash cooking with the onions and garlic

Scrape the squash into the prepared baking dish, and pour in the vegetable broth. Wrap tightly with aluminum foil, the place in the oven. Bake for about 45 or 50 minutes.

Preparing to bake the squash gratin

Chop up your fresh rosemary and thyme, then add to the dry breadcrumbs.

Fresh rosemary and thyme go into the breadcrumbs

I chose to use a package of Daiya cheese, but you can use whatever vegan cheese you like. I find that Daiya has a great flavor and the texture works really well.

Daiya mozzarella style shreds

Add the vegan cheese to the breadcrumbs and fresh herbs, then mix well together.

Topping for squash gratin

Remove the foil from the baking dish, then sprinkle the squash evenly with the vegan cheese mixture.

Adding the vegan cheese topping to the squash

Return to the oven, and bake uncovered for 15 minutes more until the topping is lightly crunchy and brown.

Vegan squash gratin fresh from the oven

This turned out really great. While the Daiya didn’t melt exactly like cheese, combined with the crunchy breadcrumbs, it still wound up being a really nice flavor and texture that complimented the tender squash.

If you’re not much of a winter squash fan, the topping alone is worth trying with other vegetables like potatoes or even turnips. You could also do a green gratin with chard or collard greens. And of course, it is a great topping for making vegan macaroni and cheese. There’s really no end to experimentation.

A serving of vegan squash gratin

Do you have a favorite gratin recipe?

Learn more about Vegan MoFo.

Delicious Vegan Chili

It surprises me that I never learned how to make chili. When I was growing up, we would almost always purchase vegetarian chili in cans at the grocery store, but I truly do not remember having homemade chili that often. What I do remember is that I loved it and enjoyed the combination of savory flavors and textures.

A few months ago I made a vegetarian chili, and what resulted was not what I had hoped to enjoy. It was heavy on vegetables, and light on the (fake) meaty consistency that I was really after. I was disappointed, so I vowed that I’d figure out how to make a version that was more reminiscent of what I had grown up with. Several weeks ago I had success, and I am excited to say that it is both super easy to make and delicious. Since then I have made it again, and it was just as easy and good as the first time.

Easy Vegan Chili

• 1-pound bag of dry Kidney beans OR 2 15-ounce cans of Kidney beans
• 1 medium or large onion, chopped
• 1 15-ounce can tomato sauce
• 1 package Smart Ground Original veggie protein crumbles or another vegan meat substitute
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 3 heaping tablespoons chili powder
• 1 cup textured vegetable protein (TVP), optional

If you are using dry beans, I have already written a post on how you can cook them. This recipe is based upon cooking your own beans, but I will give you an idea of what I would do if I had used canned beans.

If you are using canned beans, put them in a pot, and add a little bit of additional liquid (I would probably do up to 2 cups). Add in the onion, tomato sauce, veggie protein crumbles, salt, garlic powder and chili powder and allow to simmer for half an hour or 45 minutes over medium heat. It will be ready when the onion is cooked to a desired tenderness. To make this a faster process, you can also sauté the onions first, then add all the ingredients together and let simmer for about 15 or 20 minutes. Taste it and adjust seasonings based upon your preference.

Ingredients for vegan chili

Otherwise, if you are using dry beans, about an hour or hour and a half before the beans have finished cooking, add the onion, tomato sauce, veggie protein crumbles, salt, garlic powder and chili powder to the beans in your slow cooker and stir to incorporate. If it still seems too soupy to you, add in about half a cup to a cup of TVP. It will absorb water and also add more texture to your chili.

Adding the rest of the ingredients to the beans

Allow the chili to cook until the beans are done and the onions are cooked through. And you’ll know what I am going to say next – taste test and add more garlic, chili powder or salt if you feel that the flavors are not strong enough.

Then serve!

Freshly made vegan chili

I like my chili to have an additional kick, but I don’t like to make the chili with too much spiciness – that way each person who eats it can adjust the heat according to their own tolerance. My current favorite hot sauce to use is Cholula Chipotle. It lends both a kick and a smoky pepper flavor, which really enhances the chili for me.

I love my Cholula Chipotle

Do you make chili? What is your favorite way to make it? And finally, do you enhance your bowl of chili with some of your favorite hot sauce?

Asparague Pesto

For the past eight years, I have loathed buying too many groceries at once because of how heavy they can get to carry. When you’re a full-time pedestrian it’s hard to realistically shop at places like Costco or Sam’s Club. If it makes sense, you’ll have your own little push cart, often known as a “granny cart”, but even then, it’s best to keep the groceries to a minimum. But ever since we moved to suburbia and have had a car, we have been able to go back to places like Costco and fill up our cart with lots and lots of things (which, let me tell you, is an enormous novelty when you’re so used to tiny little grocery stores).

When it comes to big stores like Costco, you’re not only buying a lot of different things, you’re buying a lot of each individual item. It can be great, but it can also make you wonder how two people can eat that much lettuce or that many potatoes. It’s easy to not keep up with food at home and wind up with an extra pound of something going bad. I hate being wasteful, though, so lately I have tried to get a little more creative with the surplus. One such food item is asparagus. It comes in two-pound bags, which is quite a bit for one person to chew on, let alone two. After scratching my head and wondering what I’d make, I finally realized that the perfect solution would be pesto.

Fresh asparagus

What I’ve learned over the last few years is that pesto can be made out of pretty much anything. Basil, dill, green beans, spinach – you name it, you can probably create a pesto out of it. Because asparagus has such a unique and strong flavor on its own, I had assumed that it would turn out a flavorful pesto. I’m afraid I was quite wrong. What resulted was an extremely mild-tasting pesto that really needed a handful or two of basil or spinach. In the recipe that follows, I am going to include a recommendation to add basil or spinach, but just be aware that I did not do this, so I do not know how it would turn out if you added one of those. Still, this is the exciting part of cooking – experiment until you wind up with a dish that you love. And if you shop at Costco, you’ll wind up with a lot of that dish, too. ;)

Asparagus Pesto
Makes enough for two or three pounds of pasta. Suggestion – reserve some of the pesto to use for dipping chips or raw veggies.

• 2 pounds asparagus, washed with ends trimmed
• 1/4 cup pine nuts
• 2-3 cloves garlic
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Handful of fresh spinach or basil (optional, but should add additional flavor)
• 1 package of your preferred pasta (add an additional package if you wish to use all of your pesto in one dish)

Boil your pasta according to package directions.

Wash the asparagus and trim the ends, then steam or boil for a few minutes until just tender.

Preparing and steaming the asparagus

When the asparagus has finished cooking, reserve some of the spears for garnish, and place the rest in a food processor. Add to the food processor the pine nuts and garlic, as well as the basil and spinach if you are using those. As the processor is blending the ingredients together, slowly pour in the olive oil.

Making asparagus pesto

Once the pesto has mixed, add the salt and blend more. At this point taste test. Does it have enough salt? Does the pesto have enough flavor? Ask yourself if something is missing.

When you feel it is ready, add the pesto to your cooked, drained and rinsed pasta and mix well.

Mixing the pesto with the pasta

Garnish with some asparagus spears and serve.

Penne Pasta with Asparagus Pesto

What is your favorite way to prepare pesto?

Pasta with a kick

Remember almost a year ago how I wrote a post about the woes of moving? Remember how I wrote about how disappointing it was to have to pack away your kitchen and become severely limited in what you could bake or cook? Remember how I wrote later how nice it was to finally get more settled into our new apartment? Those were the days, weren’t they? I think I am remembering it all too fondly because …drumroll… we’re doing it again. Except this time we aren’t moving around the corner – we’re moving to the other side of the country.

Look! We saved boxes from our last move!

Yep – after eight years, we’re saying good bye to the Big Apple and saying hello to the Emerald City (translation: Seattle, WA) or at least one of its neighboring towns. This is something that we have wanted to do for a few years now, but circumstances were never really in our favor to do it. Then we realized a few months ago that the circumstances would never be in our favor. We’d always have an excuse to stay in New York – the work, the food, the restaurants, the familiarity, et cetera, et cetera. We’re grown ups, though, and we finally decided that we couldn’t let any of that get in the way of living a life we’ve been dying to try for a long time.

At this point we’re in the final stages of packing which means our kitchen is reduced to memories of baking cookies and rolling out hand made tortillas. I am in that quandary of “what can I make that’s already in my cupboard?”, also known as a science experiment that could go horribly awry.

Lucky for me, though, I still had the right ingredients to make a pasta dish based upon a recipe from one of my favorite cookbooks, The Mediterranean Vegan Kitchen, called Enraged Penne – except I had rigatoni, so I am calling this one Enraged Rigatoni. It’s a simple dish, but has a nice kick to it which you can increase or decrease as you like. The original recipe calls for fresh tomatoes, but if you don’t have them the canned variety works well.

Enraged Rigatoni

• 1 package rigatoni or penne pasta (I used whole wheat pasta)
• 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
• 3-5 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
• ½ to 1 teaspoon chili flakes
• 1 16-ounce can diced tomatoes (do not drain unless you want a drier pasta dish)
• 1 teaspoon salt

Boil the pasta according to package directions.

While the pasta is boiling, put your olive oil in a hot pan then add the chopped garlic. Continuously stir the garlic around until it starts looking slightly toasted.

Freshly prepared garlic

Stir in the chili flakes, and stir around for another minute or so.

Add as much or as little kick as you like

Pour in the diced tomatoes and salt, then stir. Let the liquid reduce somewhat because you do not want the pasta to be too soupy. You should have a nice balance between pasta and sauce.

Canned tomatoes are a fine stand in for fresh tomatoes in this dish

Once the sauce is done, stir in the drained pasta and then serve with chili peppers and/or basil as a garnish.

Stir the rigatoni and the tomato sauce together

I really love the simplicity of this dish, but if you like yours with a little extra flavor I’d suggest trying any or all of the following variations.

How about frying up onions with your garlic and pepper? You could also add mushrooms, but to avoid the sauce becoming too soupy I would saute the mushrooms in a separate pan first, then drain the water off, and then add the cooked mushrooms at any point in the cooking. I’d also recommend adding chopped basil to the dish just after the heat is turned off, so that it will wilt, but not be overcooked. A final suggestion would be to add a little bit of red cooking wine (about ¼ cup) for your garlic to soak up before adding in the tomatoes.

A nice, spicy pasta

When you move, what do you do for food? Do you try to use up what is in your cupboards or is it take out all the way?

It has been amazingly hot here in New York City. “Heat wave” doesn’t even do it justice. It has only been yesterday and today that we’ve seen a reprieve from 100+ degree weather – today was high 80s, and tomorrow promises to be a cool 82 degrees.

A couple of weeks ago, however, when the weather was more tolerable I spent some time in front of a hot stove and made some Indian food. While I’ve made food from other cuisines like Chinese, Mexican, and Italian, I’ve rarely made Indian food, aside from that mango lassi I made in February. Perhaps I’ve been too intimidated by it – the exotic spices, the unusual breads, the aromas… The whole cuisine is almost other-worldly.

Lentil Curry
Based upon a Red Lentil Curry recipe from Allrecipes.com

• 2 cups red lentils
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
• 3 Tbsp. curry powder
• 1 tsp. ground turmeric
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. white sugar
• 1 tsp. garlic
• 1 14.25 oz. can tomato puree
• 1 pkg. firm or extra firm tofu, drained and cubed

Wash the lentils in cold water until the water runs clear (this is very important or the lentils will get “scummy”), put the lentils in a pot with water to cover and simmer covered until lentils tender (add more water if necessary).

While the lentils are cooking: In a large skillet or saucepan, caramelize the onions in the oil.

While the onions are cooking, combine the spices in a mixing bowl, and mix well. When the onions are cooked, add the curry mixture to the onions and cook over a high heat stirring constantly for one to two minutes.

Stir in the tomato puree and reduce heat, allow the curry base to simmer until the lentils are ready.

When the lentils are tender drain them briefly (they should have absorbed most of the water but you don’t want the curry to be too sloppy). Mix the curry base and tofu into the lentils, and serve immediately.

Roti
Recipe taken from Manjula’s Kitchen

• 1 cup whole-wheat flour
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup lukewarm water (use more as needed)
• 2 tsp. vegan butter
• 1/4 cup whole wheat flour for rolling

In a bowl, mix the flour, salt and water. Add more water if the dough is too hard. Knead the dough well to make a medium soft dough. The dough should be soft but not stick to your hand. Set the dough aside and cover with a damp cloth. Let the dough rest for at least ten minutes or more before you start rolling.

Divide the dough into eight equal pieces, and roll each piece into a smooth ball, then press flat. Take one ball and press it in dry flour from both sides and start rolling it into a six-inch diameter circle. If the dough starts sticking, dust it with more flour.

Heat the skillet on medium high heat. According to Manjula an iron skillet works best, but I used a non-stick skillet and it worked fine. To see if the skillet is ready, put a couple of drops of water on it. If the water sizzles right away, the skillet is ready.

Put the rolled roti in the skillet. You will see the roti puff in different places and change color. Turn the roti over. Flip again after a few seconds. Take a flat spatula and press lightly on the puffed parts of the roti. This will help the roti completely puff. Flip the roti again. The roti should have light golden-brown spots on both sides. Butter the heated side of the roti (the side that is facing the skillet).

Make sure to put the rotis in a container with a paper towel covering the bottom, and then cover the container after each roti is made. This will keep the steam in and ensure the rotis are soft.

Whenever I make a new recipe, I usually rely heavily on a paper version of it. This time all I did was watch Manjula’s very informative and helpful video.

I also have to say that I wouldn’t mind going to her house for some homemade Indian food, especially since she has some great vegan recipes on hand. ;)

Overall both recipes turned out really well. I did mess up and put way more tomato puree into the lentil curry than I should have. This dampened the taste of the spices, but not so much so that I couldn’t taste them at all. I also froze the tofu, which, if you have never done that, makes the tofu’s texture a little more spongy.

The roti was also very easy to make, which was a nice surprise. I had actually intended to make naan, but it was going to take a little more time than I had. Roti was an excellent, easy, and fast alternative.

Making this has made me realize that Indian cooking, so far, is not that difficult. I’ll need to make some other Indian food…but let me wait until it’s at least in the 70s again. :)

P.S. In case you are interested, I made this handy little image to let you know which spices are which.

If I were to list my favorite foods, Mexican would likely not make it. This is an unfortunate dilemma for my marriage, however, as it tops my husband’s list of favorite foods. If it were up to him we would eat burritos every day or at least every week. When he says, “What do you feel like having? We could have Mexican,” I usually respond with “I don’t really feel like Mexican.”

“But you never want Mexican.”

“Because it’s not one of my favorite cuisines.”

“You suck.”

“You suck.”

“That’s it. I want a divorce.”

“Whatever you want, dear. I’m here to make you happy.”

“Fine.”

“Fine.”

Okay, well, maybe not exactly like that, but it does come close sometimes.

The thing is, is that I do like Mexican – sometimes. There are *some* decent dishes. But most of the ones I really like have cheese, and I decided two or three years ago that cheese would no longer be a part of my diet. And let me tell you, my favorite Mexican dish, a quesadilla, happens to not be that good vegan. (I’m willing to be contradicted, however.)

One dish I do like, even vegan, is enchiladas. In a way, enchiladas are like baked burritos, but I don’t know – it’s just not exactly the same as a burrito. And today I made enchiladas the lazy way, because I was lazy and my enchiladas always fall apart.

Vegan Enchiladas
Adapted from Paul McCartney’s Vegan Enchiladas recipe

Sauce

• 1 cup tomato sauce
• 1 cup water
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp. oregano
• 2 Tbsp. cornstarch dissolved in 4 tablespoons water

Filling

• 1/2 or 1 whole can of Vege-Burger
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1/2 tsp. chili powder
• 1/4 tsp. cumin
• 1/4 tsp. garlic powder or 1 teaspoon minced fresh garlic
• 1/4 tsp. black pepper
• 1 regular-sized can (not large) crushed or sliced tomatoes
• 1 8-oz. pkg. frozen spinach, thawed
• 14 +/- corn tortillas

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place all the sauce ingredients, except for the cornstarch, in a small pot and cook over low heat, covered, for 20 minutes. Stir in the cornstarch and cook until the sauce thickens.

In the meantime, prepare the filling. Mix the Vege-Burger, onion, chili powder, cumin, garlic, pepper, and can of tomatoes.

In a large baking dish, cover the bottom with several tortillas (I used 4).

Spread half of your spinach over the tortillas.

Spread half of your filling mixture on top of the spinach.

Add another layer of corn tortillas, spinach, and filling, then top with a final layer of tortillas. Spread the sauce on the very top.

Put the dish into your preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes.

This recipe originally called for tofu instead of Vege-Burger, but we already had a can open from a few days ago that I wanted to use.

In case you don’t know what Vege-Burger is, it is basically TVP (textured vegetable protein) that’s already ready for you to use. TVP is usually dry when you purchase it, and you have to reconstitute it with water, as well as add seasonings. The Vege-Burger is not terribly flavorful, but it does add a meaty texture. A lot of people use it for sloppy joes or pasta sauce. It really is a versatile product.

Note that the can says “Vegan”; I believe that they also make a non-vegan kind, so you have to make sure it says “vegan” on it.

Here’s a picture of it in the can:

Anyway, these enchiladas turned out pretty well. It’s definitely more like a casserole since I didn’t make them into individual enchiladas, but it tastes pretty much the same. One thing I will say that is lacking is cheese or some sort of creaminess. Tofutti Sour Cream or Vegenaise could both come in handy. Otherwise, tasty. Maybe my marriage will last another week. :)

That night, Alex cooked me my Last Supper. My last healthy meal for a month. I looked at that fresh tossed salad, the vegetable tart, the quinoa and red pepper salad, and bid fresh greens and veggies a fond adieu.

-Don’t Eat This Book by Morgan Spurlock

I first saw Supersize Me, a documentary film by Morgan Spurlock, a couple of years ago or so. It was both comedic and disturbing at the same time. On the one hand you had a guy making fun of McDonald’s and himself, but on the other his health was quickly going downhill – all because he was eating a very poor diet which consisted of 100% McDonald’s.

This book picks up where the film left off. It filled in a lot of the blanks, and continued to make the case for not eating a diet of mostly or only (or really any) fast food. His humor still shines through, and I enjoyed his sarcasm. I don’t feel like I truly learned anything new about the food industry, but I was reminded of the reasons why I very infrequently consume fast food.

I had every intention of making a vegetable tart based upon Morgan’s Last Supper (the supper before the self-imposed month-long McDonald’s binge), but as I was rummaging through our cupboards and refrigerator last night I decided to shift gears and make a stir fry. As I was making it I thought – this could do justice as a last meal. I’ve got veggies, tofu, and brown rice – all common staples of a vegan diet. Alex would possibly approve.

Veggie & Tofu Stir Fry

• 2 cups brown rice
• 1 Tbsp. white sugar
• 2 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar
• 1 package firm or extra firm tofu, drained
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup edamame, shelled
• 1 small can water chestnuts, sliced
• 1/2 cup cashews, rinsed
• 1-2 sheets nori, cut into narrow strips
• oil for frying
• Bragg’s Liquid Aminos or soy sauce

Cook the brown rice according to package directions. I use a rice cooker, which makes the process easier in my opinion.

While the rice is cooking, heat a few tablespoons of oil in a large skillet. Slice the tofu into cubes, and put into the skillet. If the tofu is still moist/wet you will need to be careful to not burn yourself. Cook the tofu on medium to high heat. You will want to make sure that the tofu gets a little brown on most sides, which may take up to 10 or 15 minutes.

Once the tofu is at a good stage, lower the heat to medium and add the chopped onion, sliced water chestnuts, and edamame (if it is frozen edamame you may want to boil it first, drain, and then add it to the skillet). You can also add in the cashews now, or you can toast them first (either by toasting them carefully in a skillet or for a few minutes in a toaster oven). Stir every few minutes to make sure that nothing is sticking or burning. Stir in the nori strips at the very end of the cooking process, when you feel that everything is cooked to the amount you like (I like my onions to still be a little firm so I tend to stop cooking sooner rather than later).

When the rice is done, you can either choose to eat your stir fry with rice now, or you can make your rice a little sticky. To make your rice sticky you can sprinkle the sugar and vinegar on top and then using a regular or rice spatula work the rice around for a couple of minutes until it gets to the sticky-stage you like best. There are better ways to make sticky rice, and many people will tell you that brown rice is not the best to use for true sticky rice – but we like our lazy and easy method pretty well.

Serve the stir fry on the brown rice. You can add your Bragg’s Liquid Aminos or soy sauce either during cooking or later while you are eating it. To reduce the sodium intake it is probably best to add it to your food at the table. We also like to put a bit of asian red pepper paste on it as well for a little bit of a kick.

We make stir fry probably once every few weeks. We used to make it a lot more often, but lately we’ve been getting into the habit of eating other things instead. Last night’s stir fry was inspired by other blogs as well as meals I’ve had at restaurants. It really depends on what we have on hand, and what we like. My enjoyment of this meal was no different than other stir fry meals, and I can’t imagine having to give up good homemade food like this for a month.