Tofu?

The Asian experiment continues with tofu and a sojourn to China. I was looking for tofu recipes and found a few ways to cook it that I actually am eager to try. I like tofu.... theoretically. It takes on the taste of whatever you put it in.....its the texture that to date I have had a difficult time with.  Normally when i have tried to cook it in the past it has ended up looking like a gray version of scrambled eggs...i dislike scrambled eggs.  But today I have overcome. I found that frying the tofu gives it a crispy texture and cutting into small cubes that are really only one small bite helps as well.

MaPo  Tofu

This is a pretty cool dish with a bit of history, not to mention very tasty. I did not make it as spicy as the recipe called for but it had enough heat for me. The website I found the recipe on also held a story about how the dish came to be. The story goes "that there was an old woman whose face was scared.
Because that she lived the life of an outcast. One stormy night, a wealthy businessman stopped at her home to seek shelter from the rain. Delighted at having a guest, she raided her meager pantry to put together a dish made with tofu and pork. The traveler was so amazed by her delicious creation that he sent more travelers her way." http://www.pbs.org/food/fresh-tastes/mapo-tofu/

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 2 medium cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons minced ginger
• 4 green onions white part only, minced
• 1 tablespoon fermented black beans, roughly chopped (black bean paste will also work)
• 1/2 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns, black seeds removed then ground (optional)
• 6 ounces ground pork
• 2 teaspoons doubanjiang (chili bean paste)
• 14 ounce block of silken tofu, drained and cut into 3/4” cubes
• green part of green onions minced for garnish

Directions

1. Add the chicken stock, cornstarch, soy sauce and sugar to a small bowl and stir to combine.
2. Heat a wok or large frying pan until very hot. Add the sesame oil, garlic, ginger and green onions and stir-fry with a spatula until fragrant. Add the black beans and Sichuan pepper and continue stir-frying.
3. Add the ground pork and use the spatula to break it up into small grains (you don’t want clumps of meat). When the pork is cooked, add the doubanjiang and stir to distribute. Add the tofu, and toss to mix (if you stir it, the tofu will lose its shape).
4. Give the stock mixture a good stir to incorporate anything that may have settled, and then pour it over the pork and tofu. Toss to coat, then boil until the sauce thickens.
5. Garnished with the green parts of the green onions, then serve with hot rice.

Yield: 3-4 servings

Miso Soup

Ingredients:

• 8 Cups Water
• 2 tsp. Hondashi (Japanese Bonito Fish Soup base)
• 1 Block of Soft (Silken) Tofu (14 oz. container), cubed
• 6 Tbsp. Miso Paste (choose your favorite brand - I like the ones that have dashi added in it)
• ½ Cup of Wakame (Dried seaweed)

Optional:

1 green onion, thinly sliced

Directions:

• Add water and hondashi to medium size pot and bring to a boil.  Once it comes to a boil, reduce to a simmer and add the tofu,  and wakame to the soup base. 
• Next add the  paste to the soup base by dissolving it Tbsp by Tbsp.  I would highly recommend tasting as you go since the flavors and potency of the miso paste vary greatly from brand to brand.  Don’t worry if the soup base seems to turn cloudy and separates as it cools, as this is normal.
• Serve as is or with rice.  Garnish with green onions if you like.

 http://kitchenrunway.com/miso-soup/

Chocolate Chili Tofu Pudding

Ingredients

	1/4 cup(s) sugar
	6 packet(s) Sweet 'N Low Granulated Sugar Substitute
	2 tsp vanilla extract
	5 tsp CHATFIELD'S Cocoa powder
	1 Tbsp water
	1/2 tsp chopped red hot chili peppers
	14 oz low-fat tofu

Instructions

Put it all in the blender and blend on high until smooth. Makes 6- 2.5oz servings.

Seaweed Crisps

So i fell in love with crispy seaweed. But there is a problem. Its hard to find and one small potato chip bag size is about 2.50$ .  So i scoured the internet for ways to make my own. I found two recipies that I have slightly modified to my own liking.

Baked Seaweed Snacks

10 sheets of nori
1 tbs salt
1 tbs water
1 tsp wasabi paste
1/2 tsp hondashi
Sesame Oil

Set the oven to 275 degrees. Slice the nori into 1.5" strips. Lay out flat on a baking pan. In a bowl combine water, wasabi paste and hondashi.  With a kitchen brush, brush a light amount of the wasabi mixture over each strip. Place in oven for 6-10 minutes (you will know its done when it starts to curl a bit. Watch closely burnt nori isn't the tastiest.). Brush with a very very very minimal amount of oil and sprinkle with a tiny amount of salt. Serve.

Fried Seaweed Snacks

10 sheets of nori
1 tbs salt
2 tsp wasabi powder
Sesame Oil- 1 tbs
Peanut Oil- 1/2  cup

in a shallow pan heat the peanut oil and sesame oil.  Cut the nori into 1.5" strips.  Place a few strips at a time into the hot oil. It takes less than a minute to fry each strip. They will shrivel up a bit, then flip them over and make sure both sides are cooked. Remove onto paper towels to drain. While still a bit damp with oil sprinkle wasabi powder and salt on each strip.

Miso Glazed Fluke

I have officially lost 40 lbs!!!! Yay me....now for the next 40. My healthy eating experiment has left me looking into a variety of  different foods. I have essentially stopped cooking out of boxes, cans and bags and have been cooking from scratch as much as possible. If I can make it my self. I do. I have also found that not only does my food taste better but I control exactly what I eat and can substitute healthy for unhealthy choices without sacrificing any flavor.

I am currently experimenting in Asia at the moment.

Miso Glazed Fluke

Ingredients

	4 fillet(s) flounder fillet(s)
	1 Tbsp miso
	1/2 Tbsp sugar
	2 Tbsp Green onion and soy sauce
	1 tsp ginger root
	1 tsp garlic clove(s)
	1 fl oz mirin

Instructions

Reserve the Fluke and preheat the oven to broil (this can also be done on the grill, but as we know I am not allowed to use the grill due to an unfortunate explosive issue years ago). Slit the fish 4-5 times and stuff with thin slices of garlic and ginger root.  Mix all other ingredients in a blender and pour over the fish, let it marinate for 20 min.  Broil on high 6 minutes each side. Serve with sprinkle of green onion. I remove the skin from the fish as I am not a fish skin fan. But it can be left on.

My Asian experiment took me to Korea today. I made Japchae. I will defiantly make this again. Its simple but delicious. It was not difficult to make despite the list of ingredients but i did leave out the mushrooms....not a huge shroom fan. I threw lotus root into mine instead.

Japchae

Recipe Ingredients:

• 4 oz beef (flank steak of meat with less fat content)
• 8 shiitake mushrooms or Chinese black mushrooms, or both (fresh or dried but soaked)
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 2 tsp sesame seed
• 1 tbsp sesame seed oil
• 2 carrots, cut into thin strips
• 1 large onion, cut thinly
• 1 bundle spinach (l/3 lb)
• 2 eggs
• 1 12 oz dried vermicelli noodles made from sweet potato powder (dangmyeon 당면)
• 5 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tbsp chopped green onion
• salt and black pepper to taste

Recipe Steps:

• Soak the mushrooms for a few hours if you're using dried mushrooms. Squeeze out water from soaked mushrooms – cut off stems and cut into thin strips.
• Cut beef into thin strips. Marinate beef and mushroom strips with soy sauce, sugar, minced garlic, sesame seed, and sesame oil. Sprinkle with pinch of ground pepper and set aside. After about 10-15 min, stir fry beef and mushrooms in vegetable oil with pinch of salt and pepper.
• In a separate pan, cook carrots and onion lightly with some oil and set aside.
• Rinse spinach well. Blanch spinach in boiling water for about 2 min and then rinse in cold water. Squeeze excess water out, and season lightly with salt and sesame seed oil.
• Whisk eggs, then add a pinch of salt. Fry into a thin layer. Let cool and cut into long, thin strips.
• Soak noodles in cold water, and cut once in the middle. Cook in boiling water for about 3-4 min or until noodles become soft. Rinse in cold water and drain.
• Stir fry carrots and onions individually using dash of salt. Remove from the pan. Stir fry noodles in the same pan lightly with some vegetable oil with sprinkle of salt.
• Ok ... finally you can mix everything together. First, season the noodle using a splash of soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar and black pepper, then taste. Now add all the vegetable ingredients and egg strips. Taste again and add salt and sugar to your liking.
• Put in a large plate, and sprinkle with some sesame seeds and green onion as a final touch. Can be served hot or cold -- actually it tastes kind of different in a good way when it is slightly cool.

I borrowed this recipe from:
http://asiansupper.com/recipe/japchae-korean-glass-noodles 

Experimental Asian

My parents and I went to my favorite Asian market. The Assi Market is a huge shopping center outside of Landsdale Pa the size of a super walmart. Its great. I was able to nab some great finds. Lotus root, Forbidden Rice, crispy seaweed, salted seaweed and a wide variety of fish! Gotta love it. Todays menu reflects my finds.
I put some of my recipes into weight watchers online so some have their point values listed.

Forbidden Rice & Seaweed salad Course: main meals PointsPlus® Value:    2 Servings:  6 Preparation Time:  20 m Ingredients 1 Tbsp rice wine vinegar    2 tsp fresh lemon juice    1 tsp sugar    1/2 tsp ginger root    1 1/2 tsp soy sauce    3 tsp dark sesame oil      1 1/2 cup(s) salted seaweed stems     1/4 cup(s) carrot(s)      1/4 cup(s) English cucumber    1/8 tsp black pepper    1 item(s) sun-dried hot chile pepper(s)    1 serving(s) Black Rice    Instructions Cook rice as directed, soak the salted seaweed for 2-3 hours to remove the salt. Drain and pat dry. Grate the ginger and slice the scallions and pepper into thin rings, cut cucumber, and carrots into think sticks. Toss vegetables and rice with remaining ingredients. serve. makes 6 servings ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Radish Salad Course: main meals PointsPlus® Value:    2 Servings:  3 Preparation Time:  5 min Cooking Time:  0 min Level of Difficulty:  Easy Ingredients   1 medium oriental radish(es), shredded and patted dry      1/8 cup(s) scallion(s)      1/2 Tbsp chopped red hot chili peppers, sliced thin    1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil    1/2 tsp table salt    1 tsp sugar    Instructions shred the radish and toss with oil, sugar, chopped pepper, salt and scallions serve _~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~ Korean Short Ribs Ingredients 2 pound(s) Beef, short ribs, trimmed, raw    6 clove(s) garlic clove(s), minced (medium)      1 medium pear(s), skinned and diced      1/4 cup(s) scallion(s)    4 Tbsp soy sauce    3 Tbsp hoisin sauce    2 Tbsp sugar    1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil    1 Tbsp rice wine vinegar    1 1/2 tsp ginger root    1 tsp black pepper    Instructions In a large resealable plastic bag, combine ribs with garlic, pear, green onions, soy sauce, sugar, hoisin, sesame oil, rice wine, sesame seeds, fresh ginger, and ground black pepper. Seal, and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours. Preheat the oven's broiler and set the oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source. Brush oil over grill pan. Place beef on pan. Cook, turning to brown evenly, for 3 to 6 minutes, or until done. _____________________________________________________ Lotus Root and Bock Choy Ingredients   2 cup(s) bok choy      1 root(s) raw lotus root    2 Tbsp soy sauce    1 tbs Gochujang    1 Tsp miso    1 Tsp fresh lemon juice    Instructions mix sauces and pour over chopped lotus and Bok Choy. Stir fry until crisp but cooked.

Can It!

So i have decided that I want to preserve enough vegetables to last through the winter...mainly because I am poor as hell these days and I just prefer fresh to processed anything! So Since the flooding has had me home bound for the last 5 days I have made homemade pasta sauce, salsa, corn relish, pickled hot peppers, hot pepper jelly, marinated peppers and onions and assorted pickles of the cucumber variety.  I have also processed and frozen, squash, green beans, fresh corn, and a variety of other produce.  But the marinated peppers and onions turned out awesome!

Marinated Peppers and Onions

6 cups green bell peppers, chopped
3 cups chopped onion
1 cup chopped/seeded yellow squash (mostly for a bit of color)
1 tbs horseradish
2 tbs pickling spice ground.
1 tbs Italian seasoning
2.5 cups apple cider vinegar
1.5 cups sugar

Put all of the ingredients in a pot and bring to a boil. Boil for 10 minutes or until onions begin to become translucent.  Pack into hot canning jars. Water bath for 20 minutes.   These are delicious, they taste like they have been marinated  and are just a wonderful accompaniment to burgers or mixed in with fresh cooked corn.

Garden Love

My best friend gave me a ton of veggies from her garden, since mine was flattened by a fallen tree thanks to Hurricane Irene so I have spent the day making wonderful pickles, spring rolls, relishes and for dinner:
Swiss Chard Parmesan

Ingredients

	1 pound(s) Swiss chard, roughly chopped
	1 cup(s) canned diced tomatoes
	1 tsp garlic powder
	1/2 tsp table salt
	1/2 tsp black pepper
	1 tsp minced onion
	1/4 cup(s) white wine
	1/4 cup(s) reduced fat parmesan cheese

Instructions

Reserve parmesan, Place all other ingredients into a pan and cook until swiss chard begins to wilt. Remove from heat, drain, toss with parmesan cheese and serve.

Steak and Shirataki Tofu Noodles w/ a spicy Peanut sauce

Ok so i have been watching one to many Korean drama's on netflix, subtitles and all.  That combined with the wonderful Thai food I had at the filling station in Benton...yes I said Thia food in Benton, they don't have a stop light but they have an authentic off the boat Thai chef...put me in the mood for Asian inspired food.

Steak and Shirataki Tofu Noodles w/ a spicy Peanut sauce

Ingredients

	8 oz cooked trimmed beef eye round steak or roast, cut into 2 4oz steaks
	1 pound(s) House Foods Tofu shirataki angel hair shaped noodle substitute
	1/2 cup(s) green snap beans
	1/2 cup(s) carrot(s), sliced thin
	1/2 cup(s) green pepper(s), sliced
	1 Tbsp reduced-fat peanut butter
	1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
	1/4 cup(s) soy sauce
	1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
	1/2 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
	1 Can Bamboo Shoots
	1 tsp Sriracha chili sauce    2 tsp garlic salt

Instructions 

Sprinkle
the steaks with the garlic salt and set aside.
Set a pan over medium heat and allow to get hot.
Mix the peanut butter, sesame oil, sriracha, lemon, rice wine and soy sauce and place in the microwave for 25 seconds. Wisk together.
Spray coat the hot pan. Put the steaks into the hot pan and cook for 2 minutes on each side, then remove from pan and allow to rest for 5 minutes.
Add noodles, veggies to pan and let cook for 3 minutes. Add peanut-butter sauce to noodle mixture and cover. Let cook for another 5-8 minutes or until veggies are par cooked.
Slice the steaks into 1/8" strips and separate into 3 portions.
Place noodles into 3 bowls with meat over top, serve

Scallops and Veggies

Scallops and Veggies over Rice

 This is a simple meal thats only 10 weight watchers points.

Ingredients

	1 pound(s) scallops
	1 cup(s) cooked asparagus
	1 cup(s) frozen sliced summer squash
	2 clove(s) garlic clove(s) (medium)
	1/8 cup(s) Spanish onion
	1 cup(s) plum tomatoes, diced
	1/2 cup(s)  Merlot
	1 tsp Italian seasoning
	1 serving(s) Nutrasalt Seasoned salt, tsp.
	3 Tbsp teriyaki sauce
	1 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
	3 cup(s) cooked white rice

Instructions

chop the vegetables and cook with scallops and all other ingredients, in a pan over medium heat, Covered for 10 -15 minutes or until scallops are cooked and veggies are cooked but still crisp. Serve over rice.
Cook rice according to packaging. 1 cup rice per serving.

Wasabi Almonds

This are my favorite snack to bring on vacation, aside from homemade beef jerky of course (see my beef jerky section), but normally i purchase the Archer Farms brand from target, but with the prices steadily rising i wanted to make my own. So these were definitely on my "to try" list. Not only do you get more for your money, but they taste like the Archer Farms version and are so worth the small amount of time to make. So instead of a yearly treat, they have become a staple.

 

Wasabi Almonds

Ingredients:

Serves: 16,

Yield:3 cups apprx

• 1 egg white
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 lb natural almonds (brown skin on)
• 4 tablespoons wasabi powder
• 1 teaspoons coarse salt
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch

Directions:

Prep Time: 15 mins
Total Time: 1 1/4 hr

1. Preheat the oven to 275°F.
2. Line a baking sheet with Release Foil or lightly greased foil or lightly greased parchment paper.
3. Whisk the egg white and water together until foamy.
4. Add almonds and toss to coat.
5. Place almonds in a sieve to allow excess egg white to drain off toss lightly as you are draining them.
6. Stir together the wasabi, cornstarch & salt in a large bowl or zip lock plastic bag.
7.  Add almonds and toss to coat.
8. Spread the almonds on the baking sheet single layer and bake for 30 minutes.
9. Stir gently lower heat to 200°F and continue baking for a further 20 minutes.
10. Let cool completely.
11. Serve now or store in an airtight container for up to a week.

Read more: http://www.food.com/recipe/wasabi-almonds-150444#ixzz1TAqg1Cb5

Cooking, Cooking

Dinner tonight was a mixed bag of ethnic fusion. I made this wonderfull chicken recipe that I got off of weight watchers...it was great. And because I needed to give it a try, I made a polish dish that roughly translated means potato and barley dumplings. I have to admit I was skeptical about the dumplings....but they were really really good. and filling.

Ginger and Teriyaki Chicken

Course: main meals PointsPlus™ Value:    4 Servings:  4 Preparation Time:  20 min Cooking Time:  35 min Level of Difficulty:  Easy

Our ginger-flavored broth does double duty in this recipe: It's a cooking liquid for the chicken and a tangy base for the dressing.

Ingredients

	1 Tbsp ginger root, freshly grated
	1 clove(s) garlic clove(s), minced (medium)
	1 cup(s) fat-free chicken broth
	1 pound(s) Chicken, breast, raw, without skin & bone
	1 stalk(s) celery, rib, chopped (medium)
	1 small sweet red pepper(s), chopped
	1 medium scallion(s), finely chopped (green part only)
	1/4 cup(s) teriyaki sauce
	1/4 tsp black pepper
	16 piece(s) lettuce, use tender, inner Romaine leaves

Instructions

• Combine ginger, garlic and broth in a large skillet; bring to a simmer. Add chicken in one layer; return to a simmer. Cover and simmer, turning chicken over after 15 minutes, until chicken is cooked through, about 30 minutes. Remove from heat and let chicken sit in broth for 5 minutes.
  
• Reserve 3 tablespoons of cooked broth; discard remainder. Cut chicken into bite-size pieces and place in a medium bowl; add celery, red pepper and scallion.
  
• In a cup, combine teriyaki sauce, reserved broth and black pepper; stir well. Pour over chicken mixture and toss to combine.
  
• To serve, arrange 4 lettuce leaves on each of 4 plates. Spoon 1/4 cup of chicken mixture into each leaf. Pick up each leaf and eat with your hands. Yields 4 filled leaves per serving. 

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PYZY Z KASZA JECZMIENNA or Potato Barley Dumplings

Ingredients

	1/2 cup(s) uncooked barley
	3 cup(s) uncooked potato(es), grated
	4 Tbsp table salt
	1 Tbsp garlic powder
	2 Tbsp dried parsley
	1 cup(s) all-purpose flour
	10 cup(s) water
	1 large egg(s)

Instructions

  Soak the cracked barley in 3 cups of water over night. Shred the potatoes on a grater and mix with the potatoes. Using cheese cloth or a clean towel. Remove the remaining moisture from the potatoes and barley.
add in garlic and parsley , flour , egg and 1 tsp. salt. Roll into walnut sized balled between floured hands.
Bring remaining water and salt to a gentle boil. Drop dumplings into boiling salted water and boil about 30 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon.Variations are served with pasta sauce or fried onions and diced bacon (not included in recipe.) Or stuff with ground beef.makes about 50 dumplings. Serving size 5 dumplings

Traditionally these are served with diced crisp bacon and tossed in the bacon drippings before serving. 

Note: I found that flouring my hands was not quite enough to make these into balls.  So I used a plate and put a handful of flour on it and dropped spoon fulls of the mixture onto the flour. it made it easier to flip the dumplings over and then pick them up and roll them into balls. 

its hot and I am broke

it seems the hotter the summer gets the more money I spend that I hadn't planned on spending. Money for a new wall, gutters, tree removal.....yay. So that means going out for ice cream is out. But i have fruit and I have ice!

Fruited Water Ice

1 apple – Cored

1 Pear – Cored

1 banana – peeled

1 kiwi- peeled

½ cup pineapple-fresh

½ cup cantaloupe – fresh

2 sweet’n’low packets

3 cups of ice

blender

This works with any fruit combo. I make it a lot as a snack or when I have leftover fresh fruit salad. Put it all in the blender (I don’t even peel the apples or pears) Pulse until it’s the consistency of water ice.  Add more ice if needed. This makes quite a bit, so if it isn’t all going to be eaten. Pour the remaining blended mixture into an ice cube tray and freeze. When you want more pop the “ice cubes” into the blender again and eat.

Ice Cream…without all that nasty stuff

2 cups frozen fruit of choice (I like mixed berries)

Make sure its frozen without added sugar

½ to ¾ cup of soy or almond milk, unsweetened.

Blender

Add all ingredients to blender and pulse until smooth. Eat.