Easy-Peasy Kung Pao with Tofu

Real quick post to offer a picture of my veggie prep for this meal tonight--get the knife skills out! I don't know about you, but if I've got a picture in front of me, look out, I'm on it! I love the "ready-and-waiting" part of this dish! Next up, the wok and my baked tofu and cooked rice. Meal ready!

Easy-Peasy Kung Pao with Tofu

1 lb. Extra Firm Tofu

sesame oil

Shoyu

hot sauce

agave

Prepare the rice. I use jasmine rice--easy to prep: 1 cup rice, 1 1/2 cup water--ready in about 20 minutes. Preheat oven to 400. Drain tofu--squeeze in a paper towel over the sink. Dice it, place it in a bowl and drizzle a bit of each of the seasonings over this, shake it to coat the tofu. Set aside for 30 minutes to marinate. After marinating, place the tofu on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 30 minutes--until brown. Select your veggies--if you have some Shitakes, add them, they are delicious in this. Be sure to include a tablespoon of minced ginger and minced garlic! Prepare the wok or skillet with peanut oil--about 2 tablespoons. Add the onion, garlic and ginger, saute for about 3 minutes. Add remaining veggies. Add 1/4 cup of rice vinegar, a shot of hot sauce, a tablespoon of Shoyo or low sodium soy sauce. Stirring often. Don't let the veggies get mushy--nothing worse than a mushy stir fry!

The Husband's Vegan Orange Ginger Stir Fry

Ummmm, the husband took over the kitch for a bit while I went to a canning and preserving master gardener class out in the country--I mean way out. Our teacher had her own "canning kitchen" built separate from her home, it was fabulous and made us all lust for one of our own. There was a brief rain storm and still, we made homemade concord grape jelly and peach jam, the filling for apple and green tomato pie--who knew? But I digress, when I got home, this is what I had waiting for me! Yum--he likes the zen of cutting the veggies--I think they look lovely!

The Husband's Orange Ginger Stir Fry

For Rice

2 cups veggie broth

1 cup rice

Prepare according to package directions. Set aside while you make the stir fry.

For the veggies

1 red bell pepper long strips

1 green bell pepper long strips

1 carrot chopped into julienne strips

1 onion chopped

1 package shitake mushrooms

2 cups snow peas

3 tablespoons of sesame oil and safflower oil--use either or both

*chopped green onions for garnishing

For the sauce

2 teaspoons sesame oil

3/4 orange juice

1/2 orange zest

1 teaspoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

1 garlic clove minced

2 teaspoons arrowroot

1/4 cup water

In medium sauce pan, bring all ingredients up to the arrowroot and water to a boil. Then, in a separate small bowl, make a slurry of the arrowroot and water, slowly add this to the sauce pan until desired thickness.

Heat oil for veggies in large pan or wok. Toss veggies in and stir fry to desired tenderness (you still want the veggies crispy!). Remove from heat. Pour sauce over veggies and place in a bowl with rice--this was very tasty!