KIMCHI BREAKFAST TACOS

Now that kimchi has been added to the recipe collection, it's time to experiment with this spicy, tangy mixture. What better way than to add this spiciness to a tofu scramble. Tofu at times can use a little help, kimchi is a perfect addition and will whip that tofu into shape. This is my vegan version of a recipe I saw for a kimchi scramble using eggs. My tofu interpretation came out amazing and I'm very happy with the results. If you're a kimchi lover and tofu appreciator, than I think you'll agree! I first made this recipe using spinach (which tasted great, of course!) but ultimately decided to use kale here as we try to use the most nutrient dense foods possible whenever we can. I loved the kale, it cooks down beautifully adding a nice pop of green to the scramble. I've kept the seasoning super simple, it doesn't need much as the kimchi will shine through. Best to use your most fermented batch of kimchi, the ripened flavors will work best when cooking with kimchi. These tacos can be eaten any time of day. It pairs great with green tea. If having these for lunch or dinner and you're a beer drinker, I think an Asian or Mexican beer would be great too. Beers like Kirin Ichiban, Sapporo, Corona and Dos Esquis are vegan friendly. To see if your favorite beer or alcohol is vegen, check this great guide: Barnivore. Whatever your drink of choice is, you're going to love every bite of these kimchi tacos! 

All cooked and ready to go. I could eat it just like you see it above...so good! But we're making tacos here, so fill your warmed tortillas (I used corn), you may like to use two if your mixture is very wet. Top with cilantro sprigs, scallions, sesame seeds and a squeeze of lime. Enjoy to the fullest!

KIMCHI TOFU SCRAMBLE TACOS

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon sesame seed oil, optional
• 1 block (14 - 16 oz) organic tofu, firm or extra-firm
• 4-5 large leaves of kale, center stem removed and julienned
• 3 scallions, sliced (divided)
• 1-2 tablespoons tamari
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1-2 tablespoons nutritional yeast, optional
• 1 cup kimchi
• cilantro sprigs, for garnish
• sesame seeds (toasted, black or white), for garnish
• lime wedges, to serve
• 6 corn or flour tortillas, to serve

Measure out 1 cup kimchi and let come to room temp.

Open and drain tofu. You may like to give it a quick press to remove moisture if not using a vacuum packed brand. 

In a large wok/skillet, heat oil over medium high heat. Add tofu, crumbling between your fingers, cook, stirring occasionally, for about 2 -3 minutes. Turn heat to medium, carefully add tamari and garlic powder, give a good stir. Add kale and 2/3 - 3/4 of the scallions, cook, stirring occasionally until kale becomes soft and wilts, cover partially to help with the process, about 5 - 7 minutes. Lastly, add the nutritional yeast and kimchi, mix and cook just until kimchi has warmed through, about 1 minute or so. We don't want to overcook the kimchi or it will destroy some of the health benefits of the probiotics. 

Heat your tortillas. I like to heat mine carefully over a gas burner until lightly charred in spots. Use your preferred method.

Layer your tortillas with the scramble mixture, add a few sprigs of cilantro, some of the reserved scallions, a sprinkle of sesame seeds and a squeeze of lime. 

Serves 3

Notes: 

Use spinach in place of kale.

Use ripened kimchi, the flavors will be more pronounced. You may prefer fresher kimchi, in which case use your favorite.

You may like to chop your kimchi a bit before adding it to the tofu. I kept it as it was but it's an optiona.

Try adding a drizzle of this Garlic Miso Cashew Sauce, or for extra heat try the Dynamite Sauce or Sriracha Cashew Cream. You can control the heat when adding the spice to each of these condiments. 

TEMPEH CHOW MEIN

This recipe has been on the back burner for a while. I shared a version of this on Instagram back in January of this year and meant to put together a recipe sooner. I find myself getting side tracked often as a food blogger. There are seriously 1000+ recipes that I have in mind and sometimes can't figure which one to do next. All in due time! Fortunately, the time has come and I'm happy to add this to the recipe collection. It's a classic dish and a very welcome addition! It's absolutely delicious and I polished the whole thing off by the end of the day...yes, it was lunch and dinner...no leftovers. ;) You can keep this simple or go all out with a few extra vegetables if you like. If you're not a fan of tempeh, omit it altogether or add some cubed tofu instead. This simple chow mein can be ready for the dinner table in less than 30 minutes for your enjoyment.

For the tempeh, I used this three grain tempeh that is available locally. Tempeh is a great source of protein for the plant based eater. It contains 19 grams of protein per serving (4 oz.) and 13 grams of fiber. It's also an excellent source of manganese, copper, phosphorus and vitamin B2. If you can't find tempeh, this recipe will do just fine without it. For me, I have added the tempeh primarily for protein purposes but I do love the flavor as well. Tofu would work here too, just be sure to use extra firm so it doesn't fall apart while cooking. Or omit the tempeh/tofu altogether and make yourself a nice protein shake or smoothie later. 

The noodles I chose are a Japanese version of Chinese egg noodles, but without the eggs. Chuka soba noodles are great for soups, stir fry’s and cold noodles salads. They cook up fast, about 4 minutes, making things go a little quicker. They shouldn't be confused with the Japanese soba noodles that are tan colored, straight and made from buckwheat flour. Ingredients for the shuka soba noodles are: wheat, water, salt & turmeric. Those looking to go gluten free should use rice noodles or 100% soba noodles. If you're not gluten intolerant feel free to use any thin spaghetti noodles or vegan chow mein noodles. The chuka soba and chow mein noodles can be found in the Asian section of your grocery store, at your local Asian grocery stores or purchased online.

The vegetables here can vary to suit your taste. You can add in bean sprouts, sliced shitake mushrooms, green onions, broccoli florets, etc. Lots of cabbage is a must for me. I could just as well use a whole head of cabbage in this recipe but decided to only call for 1/2 head. Feel free to adjust any of the ingredients to your liking. 

Super easy to put together! Cook your noodles, rinse and set aside.

 Next, start your stir fry by first adding the tempeh, celery, onion and some of the sauce. Cook a few minutes. Then add the carrots and cabbage, cook until everything is softened, add the noodles, remaining sauce and toss well. Continue cooking until noodles are warmed through amd serve.

Once served, I topped with sliced scallions, red pepper flakes and cilantro. I'm a huge fan of these last ingredients but feel free to omit anything you don't care for. Toasted sesame seeds would be a great topper too! 

Tempeh Chow Mein

Ingredients

• 8 oz. package chow mein noodles or thin spaghetti noodles
• 2 (8oz.) packages tempeh
• 1 tablespoon sesame or grapeseed oil
• 1/2 head green cabbage (about 4 cups), shredded
• 1 large celery stalk, sliced diagonally
• 1 large carrot, peeled and sliced diagonally
• 1/2 onion, sliced

Sauce

• 1/4 cup tamari or soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar, optional
• 1- 2 cloves garlic, minced or 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 inch knob of ginger, grated or 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• mineral salt and pepper to taste (white pepper would be great here)

If using chuka soba or chow mein noodles, bring a pot of water to a boil, add noodles, reduce heat to medium and cook for 4 minutes. Drain, rinse and set aside. If using other noodles, cook as directed on package.

In a small bowl, whisk together the sauce, set aside.

In a large wok, heat olive oil over medium to medium-high heat, add tempeh, crumbling it between your fingers, onion and celery, cook 1 minute. Add a couple tablespoons of sauce mixture, continue to cook for another 2 -3 minutes. Add in cabbage and carrot, stir to mix, cover and cook another 5 - 7minutes, stirring occasionally until cabbage has shrunk down and softened. Add in noodles and remaining sauce, toss to coat, continue cooking until noodles are warmed through. Add additional tamari or other seasoning to taste.

Serve warm topped with scallions, red pepper flakes and cilantro. Sesame seeds and/or chili sauce would also be great!

Serves four.

Notes:

Feel free to use only one package of tempeh instead of two. The two packages does serve four but one package will still add a fair amount of protein to each serving.

I love the added sweet from the maple syrup using 2 tablespoons. Feel free to use 1 tablespoon instead of 2 and add more vinegar or tamari in its place.

Enjoy!

Hot Pepper Tofu

For those of you who follow this blog, you know how much I love spicy food. And if you’re a lover of spiciness, this hot pepper tofu will work well for you too. I've simplified the traditional black pepper tofu which calls for 1 stick of butter and 3 types of soy sauce, these items are just not in my kitchen essentials. I can't even imagine eating/using a whole stick of butter these days, vegan or not! It's simply not an option for me anymore and I would be so sick to my stomach if I did. Lol But not to worry my pepper lovers, this simple and healthy version is so flavorful that you won't miss a thing. Feel free to change up any of the ingredients using some of the suggestions in the notes or making it your own using whatever ingredients you have on hand (like I did). I've really tried taking into account all the different levels of eating habits creating a version for almost everyone. You'll find various things on most of the ingredient lines reflecting this, and in the notes too. The thing I love about this recipe is that it's pretty much fool proof. The only thing you may end up doing is adding too much pepper/heat for your taste, those of you who are more sensitive should stick to using the lesser amounts called for and go up from there. 

I love using this high protein tofu. It holds up really well. Another benefit from using this is that it doesn't need to be pressed. It's so dense that not much water is absorbed making it one less step in preparing your tofu recipes. I've used this one from Trader Joe's pictured above and a few various ones from Wildwood that also do not need to be pressed. Both tofu brands, firm and extra firm, are very versatile and can go from being used in salads to skewered for grilling. And remember, TOFU is one of those foods that should be eaten in moderation, it has many health benefits but is not for everyone. Just a note about the soy beans that whole foods recommends are whole soybeans or fermented ones like tempeh, soy sauce, tamari, miso & tofu. Soy milk (in most cases), soybean oil and soy protein isolates are highly processed and should be avoided. Read more here.

Hot Pepper Tofu

Ingredients

• 1 block (14-16oz.) organic tofu (firm or extra firm), cubed
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame, sesame or grapeseed oil
• 1/4 cup tamari, soy sauce or coconut amino's
• 1/4 cup water or veggie broth
• 3 tablespoons maple syrup or liquid sweetener of choice
• 2 teaspoons arrowroot or tapioca flour (cornstarch is fine too)
• 1 - 2 tablespoons fresh cracked pepper
• 3 - 4 cloves garlic, minced or 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 1/2 inch knob ginger, minced
• 1 bunch scallions, chopped
• 1 - 2 chili's peppers, sliced and seeds removed or 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 bunch cilantro, roughly chopped, to serve

If not using one of the tofu's mentioned above, you'll want to drain and press your tofu to remove excess water. Simply cut tofu into slabs and place between paper towels or a clean dish cloth. With wrapped tofu laying on a flat surface, place a heavy book/object on top for about 15 minutes or so. Here's a great tutorial from Olives for Dinner: How to press tofu perfectly in six steps

In a small/medium bowl, combine the tamari, water, sweetener and flour. This will be your slurry, ensuring your tofu will be coated nicely.

Heat oil in a large wok or skillet over medium high. Add tofu and cook, stirring occasionally for about 5 minutes. Your tofu will slightly brown (we're not going to worry about it getting super brown and crispy here but if you want it browner and crispier, cook another 5 minutes or so stirring occasionally).

Add in your slurry mixture, ground pepper, garlic and ginger. It will sizzle at first when adding the liquids. Stir fry another 3 minutes or so, add in hot peppers and scallions. Liquids should start to thicken a bit, cook another 5 minutes or until the scallions are just softened.

Serve with brown rice, brown rice/quinoa mix, basmati or jasmine rice. Soba noodles would be great too. Add a large handful of chopped cilantro on the side, it will add to the flavors while giving a nice dose of freshness to the pepperiness. If you love cilantro, you will truly appreciate it here!

Serves three.

Notes:

Add more or less of any ingredient to suit your taste. You can also sub in mild chili peppers or sliced jalapeno peppers with the seeds removed.

For the scallions, you'll notice that I cut the darker green parts into 1 inch sections while slicing the white and light green parts into 1/4 inch pieces. Just a thought if you'd like to do the same.

Feel free to use 2 tablespoons pure cane sugar, raw sugar or coconut sugar in place of the liquid sweetener.

Enjoy!

MUSHROOM, BELL PEPPER & BASIL STIR FRY

This recipe is one of those on a whim recipes that just came about from cleaning out the fridge. I had all the ingredients in my kitchen, put them together and even shared my dish on Facebook and Instagram last week. It went well and I decided to put it into the recipe collection. I originally made this without any oil, using water to stir fry my vegetables. I simply forget that you can do that with great tasting results and will do it more often from now on. You could also use veggie broth for extra flavor if you like. In this recipe you'll have the option to either use oil or the water as you like. Since then I've been buying the ingredients to make this because it's just that good. I love basil and this stir fry is really all about the basil! I'm lucky enough to live in So Cal and have access to fresh basil year round. I use two cups in this recipe but feel free to add more if you like! I hope you're able to find it readily available too. As for the other vegetables, you can mix them up using whatever you like. That's what I love about stir-fry's is that they are so versatile. Try using different colored bell peppers, zucchini, bean sprouts, broccoli or carrots adding or replacing anything you don't care for...pretty much anything will work here. 

Lately, I've been buying tofu labeled either 'Sproutofu' from Wildwood or 'High Protein' from Trader Joe's. Both are high protein and extra firm. I find these do not need to be pressed making them a bit easier to work with in that you can skip the pressing process. They are so dense that there is no room for water to collect. Simply open your package, cut as desired and cook. It takes on the flavors surrounding it very well and has a nice tender texture. If you can find these in your local store, I highly recommend giving them a try. If you can't find these then you will still want to press your tofu for this recipe to release as much water as possible. 

So simple to assemble and serve!

MUSHROOM, BELL PEPPER & BASIL STIR FRY

Ingredients

• 8 oz. mushrooms, sliced
• 1 red & green bell pepper, julienned
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 cups basil, lightly packed
• 1/4 cup tamari, coconut aminos or soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon corn starch
• red pepper flakes, to taste (I used 2 teaspoons)
• 1 - 2 tablespoons sesame, coconut, olive or grapeseed oil OR water stir fry (see notes)
• 10 oz. extra firm tofu, cubed (high protein pref), cut into 3/4 inch cubes
• cooked grain of choice to serve (brown, basmati or jasmine rice...quinoa or soba noodles would be great too)
• black or white sesame seeds, for garnish

If using non-high protein tofu, start by pressing your tofu (if using high protein tofu as mentioned above there is no need to press). Place your block of tofu either between a few sheets/or folded paper towel OR between a clean folded dish cloth. Place a heavy book, or pot, on top and let sit for about 20 minutes. Remove weight and cube your tofu. 

Prepare your vegetables. In a small bowl, combine the tamari, maple syrup, corn starch and red pepper flakes. Set aside.

In large skillet/wok, heat oil/water over medium high, add onions, garlic, bell peppers and mushrooms. Stir fry for 5 minutes. Add in the wet mixture and toss to coat. Add in basil and tofu, mix well and cook another 5 minutes, or until vegetables are just softened, tofu is warmed and sauce has thickened. Add more tamari and pepper flakes to taste.

Serve over grain of choice (I used a sprouted brown rice here) with a sprinkle of sesame seeds on top.

Notes:

Feel free to use a larger block of tofu if you like. No need to buy a larger block and not use it all. It will just make your meal more protein packed. Feel free to omit the tofu all together if you like!

Try doing a water or vegetable broth stir fry in place of using oil. Use 1/4 cup water/broth in place of the 1-2 tablespoon oil.

Bon Appetit!

Mirin & Maple Tempeh Stir Fry

 This is a wonderfully sweet and nutty flavored dish. The tempeh and buckwheat noodles lend to nuttiness and the marinade that was inspired by Nigel Slater gives to the sweetness. I happen upon Nigel's website and found this recipe for a marinade that he uses and thought it would make for a nice tempeh stir fry. I added the tamari and red pepper flakes for my own taste and just pretty much used the ratio of mirin to maple syrup from his recipe as a guide. You could possibly even add some grated ginger or garlic too. I was really happy with the outcome and the way everything came together in taste, color and textures. It's a simple dish that delivers in flavor, protein and other healthy nutrients that we can all use more of!

Now let's talks about mirin for a moment. I've had my eye on recipes containing mirin but was so turned off by the product because I didn't research online first to find out more about it. Instead, while at the grocery store I made my assumption from the first bottle I picked up and happily put back because it contained corn syrup and other ingredients I prefer to stay away from. Months later I finally find there is a big difference in the way mirin is prepared. The real deal, like the one pictured above, is a traditionally brewed rice cooking wine that doesn't contain added sugar or synthetic enzymes. It’s also known as Hon-Mirin. Very commercial brands use corn syrup and preservatives and are known as Aji-Mirin. They may have their reasons for using corn syrup and preservatives but I will choose the ones that are free of these ingredients. Be sure to read the labels and find, Hon-Mirin, as it will give you the best flavor and add luster to your dishes. Here's a little article from the New York Times about mirin for further reading: Searching For The Real Mirin - Catching an ElusiveJapanese Flavor

If you can't find this type of mirin in the store, you can order it onlineor you can substitute with dry sherry or sweet marsala if you must. Or you can dissolve a small amount of pure cane sugar in a little white wine or sherry, about 1/4 teaspoon of sugar to 1/4 cup wine. These are clean substitutes for hon-mirin.

We're going to start with the tempeh first. Tempeh is one of those soy products that is good for you and can be eaten in moderation, a couple times a week. Tempeh is fermented and holds all kinds of healthy attributes along with 13 - 16 grams of protein per serving. I like to steam my tempeh before doing anything to it. Because I don't have a double broiler or bamboo steamer, I've made my own steamer by using a colander and medium size pot with lid. It works perfectly well. If you choose this route, you can reuse the pot and colander for cooking your buckwheat noodles. Steaming your tempeh will soften it nicely and the marinade will absorb a bit better. Steam for 10 minutes or so.

If you can't find tempeh in your usual grocery store, ask the store manager to consider carrying it. This is how change begins on a small scale and it never hurts to ask as they are there for you!

After steaming your tempeh, mix your marinade in a large bowl and add the tempeh, let set for 1 - 4 hours at room temp. Reserve the marinade.

Bake your tempeh...

I know what your thinking this is a stir fry! Well, you'll just have to trust me. :) 

Dice your veggies of choice, these just happen to be on hand from my last recipe. Feel free to use whatever vegetables you like, have handy or need to be used up. Other options are bell peppers, broccoli, sugar peas, zucchini...these are what come to mind in a pinch but use whatever your preference is or sounds good. They will be stir fried, or sauteed, until al dente or your choice of firmness and then mixed with the soba noodles if using those. (My favorite wok is the el cheapo carbon steel wok for around $20! It heats up quickly and cools down quickly so your food cooks just right and stops cooking when you remove it from the heat. Just be sure to season your wok well. Here's a great article on the subject: When Cheaper is Better)

Mirin & Maple Tempeh Stir Fry 

Ingredients

• 8 oz package tempeh (I used a five grain tempeh)
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil, coconut oil or olive oil
• 1/3 red cabbage, thinly sliced
• 2 -3 large carrots, peeled and thinly sliced diagonally
• 2 -3 scallions, thinly sliced
• sesame seeds, garnish
• cilantro, garnish, optional 
• 8 oz. package soba noodles, or rice would fine too (I ♥ these 100% buckwheat noodles)

Marinade

• 1/3 cup mirin
• 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• 3 tablespoons warm water
• 2 tablespoons tamari, bragg's aminos or soy sauce 
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste

First start by steaming the tempeh. Use a double broiler, bamboo steamer or do like I did above by using a pot and colander. Bring water to a boil, cut tempeh into sticks about 1/4 inch or so, place in choice of steamer, steam for 10 minutes. This will soften and swell your tempeh a bit helping it to absorb more marinade.  

In a large bowl, mix together the marinade, add the tempeh and let set for 1 to 4 hours at room temp, turning every so often. Reserve marinade for later.

When ready, turn oven on to 400 degrees. Bake tempeh on a cookie sheet or in a baking dish for 25 minutes, turning once in between. 

Cook your soba noodles according to package. 100% buckwheat noodles take 8 minutes to cook while the wheat and buckwheat soba noodles only take 4 minutes to cook. Drain and rinse well under cool water. Set aside. If using rice, cook about 1 dry cup and set aside.

In a wok or large saute pan, heat oil and add your cabbage and carrots, cook for about 3 minutes, add scallions, a spoonful of marinade and cook another 2 minutes or until desired firmness (I like mine al dente). Add in the soba noodles and cook for another minute or so until soba noodles are gently warmed. 

To serve, place noodles and veggies in serving bowl and top with a few strips of tempeh. Add a few large spoonful's of marinade over the noodle/veggie mixture and tempeh, top with sesame seeds and a few extra scallions. If using rice, serve rice in serving bowl and top with veggies and tempeh, drizzle with marinade, sesame seeds and scallions. 

Serves three but more likely two!

Enjoy!

Summer Rolls + Two Dipping Sauces

Well hello again, I have missed you terribly! A lot has happened in the last couple weeks. After my last post Soba Noodles with Tofu, Broccoli & Carrots, I left for vacation to the beautiful Kings Canyon. The area we visited is located in the eastern sierra's located between Mammoth and Bishop just off the 395 called Rock Creek Lake. It's gorgeous up there with clean air, nice temperatures and nature all around. How does it get any better than that? You can see many of my pictures here. In that time, the 4th of July also came and went. I extreme cleaned the house, you know the unclutter, going behind closed doors and rearranging the furniture kind...feels good to be done with that! I did all those things I have put off doing while focusing my energy on this blog the last year. Speaking of which, The Simple Veganista also turned 1 on July 1st. I can't believe it's been a year already. I really wanted to do a special post for this occasion but it just didn't happen so it was a quiet celebration. When I first started this blog I had no idea where things would go but thanks to everyone who has a love for clean vegan food...this blog has done remarkably well in that short amount of time and I thank you all for following along with my passion. I intend to keep it going as long as it stays fun for me. I love all the aspects of being here...from testing and preparing the food, taking pictures, editing, writing (a few of these I'd like to improve on), sharing, getting feedback from everyone. It's truly fun for me and I'm so happy to be a part of your lives and hope you get lots of inspiration for clean, healthy eating habits along the way. And remember, that's all it is...creating NEW habits and making them healthy habits! Cheers to another year of creating those healthy habits that stick... 

So without further ado...let's eat!

Summer, spring or salad rolls, known as Goi Cuon in Vietnamese, are fresh, versatile and so easy to put together. You can use all kinds of vegetables to suit your taste...make them simple with just a few ingredients like the first picture or add more for a variation and rainbow effect like the picture above. I love these rolls and you can be sure that this is the first of many I will like to try out and share. The recipe today is a very basic, all around summer roll. Nothing complicated, everything should be readily available and easy to find. For a great tutorial on rolling a closed end roll like the image just above (they were cut in half) go here: How to Roll Fresh Vietnamese Spring Rolls – A Photo Tutorial

You can find rice paper in the Asian section of your grocery store. There are different shapes and sizes so if you're new to this be sure to experiment with a few to see what works best for you. 

I have included two different dipping sauces because some of you may be allergic to nuts. One will be a peanut or almond butter based dipping sauce and the other will be rice vinegar based. A sauce for everyone here. Both are excellent. I love my peanut sauce but was very pleased with the vinegar based sauce I adapted from Martha Stewart. Even though I'm not much of a vinegar lover...it was delicious! 

Summer rolls are commonly filled with a few herbs like mint, cilantro and/or Thai basil. Feel free to use one or a combination. I find in these rolls that they all taste great together. If you can't find Thai basil, regular basil will be just as good! I especially love the basil with the peanut dipping sauce...the flavors pair so well.

Next you can choose from a variety of greens to add to your rolls. Use one or a combination if you like. Depending on what style roll I'm making, I may use two types of greens.

Lastly, choose your veggies and cut them into thin strips by hand or using a julienne tool. These are just a few of the veggies you can use. Try adding avocado, green onions, bean sprouts, etc. Many recipes for these rolls also use rice noodles, and you can too, but I prefer a roll full of veggies instead having one or two extra if needed. I can eat two or three of these and be completely satisfied for a few hours. 

Adding in some sliced tofu is an option. I do like to add it to my rolls when not using the peanut sauce as it adds some protein to the meal. 

Summer Rolls + Two Dipping Sauces 

Ingredients (2 - 3 servings)

• 6 rice papers (preferably the circular sheets)
• 2-3 medium carrots, cut into match sticks or 1/4 inch sticks
• 1/2 cucumber, cut into match sticks or 1/4 inch sticks
• 1/2 bell pepper (yellow, red and/or orange), thinly sliced
• 1/4 red cabbage, thinly sliced
• greens of choice: leafy lettuce, pea shoots, spring salad mix or micro greens
• radishes, thinly sliced (optional)
• organic tofu (firm or extra firm), sliced (optional)
• mint, small handful of leaves
• cilantro, small bunch of sprigs
• basil, small handful leaves

Sweet Chili Sauce (2 servings)

• 1/4 cup unseasoned rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons warm water
• 2 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1 clove garlic, minced or grated
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste
• juice of 1 lime

Peanut Sauce (2 servings)

• 3 heaping tablespoons peanut or almond butter
• 1 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce
• 2 tablespoon maple syrup
• 2 tablespoon warm water
• 1 - 2 tablespoon rice vinegar, optional
• juice of 1 lime
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional

Mix your dipping sauce together first, let set so the flavors can mingle. It will taste much different after a few minutes. Taste for flavor before serving.

This summer roll direction will be for the open end roll as shown above. For the closed end roll please see the tutorial here. 

Fill a large shallow bowl 1/2 way with warm water...a large pie dish works great for the circular rice sheets which is what this recipe will use. Making one roll at a time, dip the rice sheet into the water making sure to get both sides and all edges, no need to let it soak until completely soft. Lay on a flat surface and fold in half, the rounded side will be the top and the flat side the bottom. The paper will still seem a bit stiff but will keep absorbing the water and soften as you layer your veggies. In the center, layer your ingredients...greens, herbs, tofu and veggies. Fold the end corner over the layer of veggies, give a nice tuck and roll. 

Serve with choice of dipping sauce. 

Enjoy!

Soba Noodles with Tofu, Broccoli & Carrots

“To keep the body in good health is a duty, for otherwise we shall not be able to trim the lamp of wisdom, and keep our mind strong and clear. Water surrounds the lotus flower, but does not wet its petals.”  ~Buddha

I've always been hardwired for the healthy lifestyle. I know it's difficult for some to follow this path as they shine in other ways. It's just always been natural for me to gravitate in this direction. Don't get me wrong though, I've eaten my share of  fast foods in my lifetime and still indulge in french fries, potato chips and various other not so healthy choices from time to time. It's just simply that I truly enjoy the good clean foods, the way they taste and the way they make me feel. But I also want to point out that even some healthy foods if over indulged in on a regular basis can cause problems. So as the old saying goes... moderation is key. It is my hope that you all find the recipes within this site to keep you inspired and eating good clean foods for the most part!

A healthy lifestyle also includes keeping your stress levels down. That is something I've worked on throughout my life. My life my seem a bit dull to most, but it suits me very well at this point in time. I choose to keep my stress levels to a minimum. With mistakes I've made in the past, I do my best to leave them there and pick up the pieces as best I can while moving forward. I have personally experienced what stress can do to the body, and it can be devastating!  I now pick and choose carefully what I let into my life, letting go of the unnecessary baggage. I like the quote by Jonatan Martensson...

"Feelings are much like waves, you can't stop them from coming but we can choose which ones to surf"...

I am much wiser with this perspective! We are only human and can only do so much...but what we can do is pay attention to the foods we eat and the thoughts we indulge in. And get plenty of rest in between!

So today I share with you this lovely soba noodle dish with tofu and vegetables. Tofu is one of those plant based foods that should be eaten in moderation. It is not something that you want to eat on a daily basis. And if you do, keep it in very small portions. But for this dish we are going to enjoy a good dose of this marinated tofu. I find this meal to fulfill many senses. The basil and mint work together well here. Sometimes you get a bite of mint, another time a bite of basil and every now and then you'll get the flavor sensation of both. But by all means use one or the other if you only can find one. The marinade is so good and will make the plain tasting tofu come to life. Paired all together with the soba noodles and sautéed vegetables and this is completely healthy, satisfying and stress free meal. 

Soba Noodles with Tofu, Broccoli & Carrots

Ingredients (serves 3)

• soba noodles (about 8 oz)
• 10 oz. extra firm tofu (I used Wildwood), cubed or sliced
• handful broccoli florets
• 2 carrots, sliced diagonally
• 2 scallions, green and white parts, thinly sliced
• small handful mint leaves
• small handful basil leaves
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil, for sauteing
• white & black sesame seeds for garnish, optional
• a few fresh basil & mint leaves for garnish, optional

marinade

• 1/4 cup tamari, soy sauce or bragg's aminos
• 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 inch knob ginger, grated or minced
• 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes, or to taste
• a dash or two of sriracha, optional

In a medium size shallow dish, combine the ingredients of the marinade.

Next prepare your tofu. Let me start by saying that I don't drain my tofu when I use extra firm but if you feel that yours is holding a lot of water, you may like to press your tofu between the ends of a double folded dish towel. Either use the palms of your hands or lay on a hard flat surface and set a heavy book on top for a few minutes. Slice or cube your tofu, however you like best. Place tofu in the marinade and let set for at least 20 minutes, flipping every so often. The tofu is meant to be served at room temp straight from the marinade. Feel free to warm the tofu by adding it to the skillet while sauteing the veggies.

In a medium size pot filled 2/3 of the way with water (or salted water if you wish), bring water to a boil, add desired amount of soba noodles, lower heat to medium high and cook noodles, uncovered, for 4 minutes. When done drain, rinse and set aside.

In a medium size pan/skillet, heat sesame oil over medium heat, add the carrots and broccoli (and tofu if you would like it warmed), cook for about 3 minutes. Carefully add in a large spoonful tablespoon of the marinade along with the mint and basil and cook for another 2 - 3 minutes. I prefer my vegetables to be al dente and will remove from heat as soon as they brighten in color. Feel free to cook a little longer if you wish.

Serve soba noodles in individual dishes with marinated tofu, sauteed carrots, broccoli and herbs. Top with marinade, scallions, sesame seeds and additional fresh herbs.

This can be served warm or cooled. I ate this after taking the photos, it was on the cool side but still absolutely delicious!

Enjoy!