Spicy Tofu Bento Bowl

Bento boxes are lunch containers with separate compartments used for take-along and take-out lunches in Japan. Here we’ve assembled traditional bento box components in a one-bowl salad. Serves 6.

Ingredient List
* Spicy Tofu
* 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
* 1/4 cup hot chili-garlic sauce
* 2 Tbs. dark sesame oil
* 14-oz. extra-firm tofu, cubed
* 5 green onions, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup)
* 1/4 cup nonfat yogurt
* 2 Tbs. lemon juice

Salad
* 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
* 2 Tbs. lemon juice
* 1 Tbs. minced fresh ginger
* 1 tsp. hot chili-garlic sauce
* 2 cups cooked short-grain brown rice
* 4 1/2 cups mixed baby greens
* 2 carrots, peeled
* 1 cucumber, sliced (about 1 1/2 cups)
* 1 avocado, peeled and sliced
* 1 Tbs. toasted sesame seeds

Directions
1. To make Spicy Tofu: Whisk together soy sauce, chili sauce and sesame oil in bowl. Heat nonstick skillet over medium heat. Dip tofu in chili mixture. Cook 10 minutes, or until browned, turning occasionally. Cool. Add green onions, yogurt and lemon juice to remaining chili mixture. Toss with tofu.

2. To make Salad: Whisk together soy sauce, lemon juice, ginger and chili sauce in bowl. Mound rice in bowls. Top with greens. Shave strips of carrots over top with vegetable peeler. Top with tofu, cucumber and avocado. Sprinkle with sesame seeds, and serve with sauce.

Spicy Tofu Bento Bowl » Vegetarian Times Issue: October 1, 2006 p.84

Green Chile Pilaf

Ingredients
1/2 pound tomatillos, husked, washed and cut into quarters
1 large jalapeño, seeded and chopped
1/4 cup coarsely chopped onion
1 cup cilantro, stems and leaves
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3 poblano chiles roasted, peeled and seeded
4 romaine lettuce leaves
2 green onions
3 cloves garlic, peeled
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups long-grain rice

Cooking Instructions
1. Place the tomatillos, jalapeños and 1 cup cold water in a blender or a food processor. Purée just until chunky; add onion, cilantro, salt, chiles, lettuce, green onions and garlic. Purée until smooth, about 2 more minutes. This may be done in batches unless using a large food processor.

2. In a heavy large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-heat. Sauté the rice, stirring constantly until golden and crackling, about 5 minutes. Pour in the purée and stir to combine.

3. Cover and simmer until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender, 40-45 minutes.

4. Stir with a fork and serve hot.

This recipe serves: 4
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 45 minutes

Green Chile Pilaf Recipe by FoodFit

Stuffed Peppers with Tomato Sauce

Simple and festive, these peppers will be welcome at any time of year




Ingredients: Serves 8, 1/2 stuffed pepper each
* 4 large red, green or yellow bell peppers
* 3 Tbs. olive oil
* 4 soy “sausage” links, cut into chunks
* 2 cups chopped onion
* 1 cup chopped celery
* 4 cloves garlic, minced
* 1/2 cup minced parsley
* 2 14.5-oz. cans chopped tomatoes
* 1 tsp. dried thyme
* Pinch cayenne, or to taste
* 3 cups cooked rice
* 1 cup plus 8 Tbs. grated Parmesan cheese
* 8 sprigs fresh thyme for garnish, optional

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350F.

2. Slice bell peppers in half lengthwise. Remove core and seeds, rinse and pat dry. Set aside.

3. Heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Sauté “sausage” for 2 minutes. Add onion, celery, garlic and parsley, and cook about 10 minutes more. Stir in 1/2 cup tomatoes, thyme and cayenne.

4. Put rice in bowl, and stir in vegetable mixture. Let stand 15 minutes so the rice absorbs any liquid from vegetables. Stir in cheese. Divide rice mixture among pepper halves, mounding mixture into cavities. Pour remaining tomato mixture into small baking dish. Nestle stuffed peppers on top of tomatoes. Cover dish with lid or aluminum foil.

5. Bake 1 hour. Uncover peppers, and sprinkle each pepper with 1 Tbs. Parmesan cheese. Cook, uncovered, 10 minutes. Serve with sauce from baking dish, and garnish, if desired.

Stuffed Peppers with Tomato Sauce: Vegetarian Times Issue: February 1, 2005 p.97

Spicy Peanut Stew

The basis of all African meals is a soupy stew served with a starch,” explains Jessica B. Harris, culinary historian and author of The Africa Cookbook: Tastes of a Continent. This West African version gets its distinctive taste from creamy peanut butter and chile-laced chopped tomatoes.

2 Tbs. olive oil
1 medium onion, diced (about 1 cup)
1 celery stalk, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
1 Tbs. grated fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 tsp.)
1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks (about 2 cups)
1 14.5-oz. can diced tomatoes with chiles
1 lb. butternut or acorn squash, cut into 1-inch chunks (about 3 cups)
1/2 lb. cauliflower florets (about 4 cups)
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
6 cups cooked brown rice
1 head watercress, stems removed

1. Heat oil in large pot over medium low heat. Add onion and celery, and cook 5 minutes, or until onion is translucent, stirring occasionally. Stir in ginger and garlic, and cook 5 minutes more, or until vegetables are soft.

2. Add potato and tomatoes. Increase heat to medium, and cook 5 minutes, or until sauce is thickened, stirring occasionally.

3. Stir in 2 cups water, and season with salt and pepper. Simmer partially covered, 10 minutes. Add squash and cauliflower, and cook 15 minutes more, or until vegetables are tender.

4. Whisk together peanut butter and 1/2 cup warm water in small bowl. Add to stew, and cook 4 minutes, or until thickened, stirring constantly. Spoon over rice, and top with watercress.

PER SERVING: 204 CAL; 6G PROT; 10.5G TOTAL FAT (2G SAT. FAT); 25G CARB; 0MG CHOL; 768MG SOD; 6G FIBER; 7G SUGARS

Vegetarian Times: Spicy Peanut Stew

Rice-Stuffed Tomatoes

Pomodori Imbottiti di Riso (Makes 6 servings)

Description: [...] In addition to stirring the fresh basil into the filling, shred as much as you like and scatter it over the tomatoes after you put them on a plate...

Ingredients:
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 bay leaves
½ cup arborio rice
6 medium tomatoes (about 2 ½ pounds), ripe but firm
1/2 cup diced mozzarella, preferably fresh, or provola cheese
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions: In a 1-quart saucepan, heat 1 1/2 cups salted water, 2 tablespoons of the oil and the bay leaves to a boil. Stir in the rice and bring to a boil. Adjust the heat to a lively simmer and cook the rice, unovered, until al dente, tender but firm, about 12 minutes. Most of the liquid should be absorbed and the texture of the rice is creamy. Drain any excess liquid from the rice and transfer the rice to a mixing bowl.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375˚ F. Cut a 1/2-inch slice from the top of each tomato and set aside. Scoop out the pulp and seeds with a teaspoon and drop into a strainer set over a bowl. Press on the pulp in the strainer to squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Reserve the liquid and discard the pulp in the strainer.

Toss the rice, mozzarella, 1/2 cup of the Parmigiano-Reggiano and the basil together in a small bowl. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

Gently stuff the tomatoes with the rice mixture, dividing it evenly. Top each tomato with the reserved slices. Using some of the remaining oil, brush a baking dish into which the tomatoes fit comfortably. Set the stuffed tomatoes in the dish. Add the strained liquid from tomatoes and, if necessary, pour in enough water to come about ¼ inch up the sides of the tomatoes. Drizzle the remaining oil over the tomatoes and sprinkle them with the remaining 1 tablespoon grated cheese. Cover the dish loosely with aluminum foil and bake 15 minutes.

Uncover the dish and bake until the tomatoes are very tender and the tops are lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Remove tomatoes from oven and let rest for a few minutes. Carefully transfer the tomatoes to a serving platter, or individual plates. Swirl the juices in the pan to incorporate the oil into the juices and spoon the pan juices over and around the tomatoes. The tomatoes are best when served warm, with some of the pan juices drizzled over each serving.

Rice-Stuffed Tomatoes

Vegetarian Paella

Don't be intimidated by the number of ingredients in the paella (pi-AY-ya). This is an easy dish to make, and the results are splendid. If saffron isn't available, substitute 1 teaspoon turmeric (but don't dissolve in water).

1 1/2 Tbs. olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 to 3 medium cloves garlic, minced
1 medium red bell pepper, cut into 2-inch-long strips
1 medium green bell pepper, cut into 2-inch-long strips
14.5-oz. can diced tomatoes
15-oz. can vegetable broth
2 cups uncooked quick-cooking brown rice
1 tsp. saffron threads, dissolved in small amount of hot water
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
14-oz. can artichoke hearts, drained and coarsely chopped
1 1/2 cups frozen peas, thawed
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp. salt

In large pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes.

Set aside half the red pepper strips for garnish. Add all remaining pepper strips to onion mixture and cook, stirring often, 5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes (with liquid), broth, rice, saffron mixture, thyme and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 10 minutes.

Stir in artichoke hearts, peas, half the parsley and salt. Season with freshly ground pepper to taste and add a little water to moisten if needed. Cook, stirring, just until heated through, about 5 minutes.

Transfer paella to large, shallow serving dish and garnish with circle of reserved red pepper strips. Sprinkle with remaining parsley and serve hot.

Vegetarian Times: Recipe of the day (Feb 20, 2007)

Vegetable Fried Rice with Tofu

Ingredients:
2 cups cooked brown rice
1/2 cup carrots, diced
1/2 cup celery, sliced on an angle
1 bunch green onions, trimmed and sliced into 1/2' pieces
1/2 cup broccoli florettes
1 pound firm tofu, drained and crumbled
2 tablespoons toasted Sesame Oil
2 tablespoons Tamari [or Soy Sauce]

*Tamari: Originally it referred to a liquid byproduct of miso making. Today known as wheat free soy sauce, tamari is made by fermenting soybeans and salt for at least one year. The resulting liquid has a rich sweet and salty flavor central to Asian cuisine. Due to its robust character tamari is useful in giving vegetarian dishes a meaty flavor.

Directions:
Sauté carrots, celery, onion, and broccoli in the Sesame Oil for 5 minutes. Add the tofu and rice. Cook until the rice is well coated with the oil and vegetables are tender. Add in the scallions and season with the Tamari to taste.

Servings: 4 | Cooking Time: 30 minutes - one hour
Author: Polly Pitchford, Full Spectrum Health™

Vegetable Fried Rice

1 1/2 cups long-grain white rice
3/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 tablespoon white wine or rice vinegar
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon peanut or olive oil
2 carrots, cut into matchstick-size strips
2 cups snow peas, cut into thirds
2 cups bean sprouts
4 scallions (white and light green parts), thinly sliced
4 eggs, lightly beaten

Cook the rice according to the package directions.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, sugar, vinegar, and ginger; set aside.

Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the carrots and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add the snow peas, bean sprouts, and 3 tablespoons of the soy sauce mixture and stir-fry until the vegetables are almost tender but still crisp, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.

Return skillet to medium heat and add the remaining sauce mixture, the rice, and scallions. Cook until warmed through, about 1 minute. Make a large space in the center of the rice and pour the eggs into it. Scramble the eggs with a spatula until set. Stir the eggs into the rice. Transfer the rice mixture to individual plates and top with the vegetables.

Tip: You can improvise with whatever vegetables you have on hand, from fresh broccoli to frozen peas. Or, if you?re out of everything green, you can make the dish without the vegetables, just this once.

Yield: Makes 4 servings

Vegetable Fried Rice : From Real Simple