Veggie Skillet

I have decided to branch out of my comfort zone of cooking and create my own recipe. I was looking at some skillet recipes online but they seem to be bland or required items that I didn't have. The recipe that I created was inspired by this zucchini skillet recipe. My family loved this, except one child who picked out the zucchini. It turned out better than I had imagined. I hope you enjoy my version of this recipe.

Veggie Skillet

Ingredients:

Spices not pictured.

1 tablespoon Coconut oil

1-1/2 cups quartered lengthwise, sliced zucchini

1/2 cup diced red, yellow, and orange sweet peppers

2 garlic cloves

1/4 cup cashews

1 can (15 oz each) organic black beans, rinsed

1 large can, crushed tomatoes,undrained

1 cup brown rice, cooked

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. Coriander 

1/2 tsp. Turmeric




Method:

1) Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. 

2) Add zucchini, bell pepper and garlic; cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3) Add beans, cashews, spices, and rice. Stir.

4) Add undrained tomatoes. Increase heat and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium. Let boil until rice absorbs juice from tomatoes.

Ginger Salad Dressing

First and foremost, I need to say that this is the best salad dressing I have ever had! I wish that I could take ownership of this recipe as I make it all the time and LOVE the taste of it. Finding a good salad dressing is very hard for me being vegan. I am usually stuck to the normal Olive oil dressings or a vegan Thousand Island dressing. This one however lights my taste-buds up. I don't mean this as in heat, but in flavor. I hope that you enjoy it as much as I do. I found the original recipe here. I did make modifications to make it vegan, but kept to the originality as best I could.

Ginger Salad Dressing

Ingredients:

1 carrot chopped
1 cup mayo ( I used Veganaise)
2 Tbs. ground ginger (I used 1/2 Tbs. of ground ginger. 2 was too much for me.)
2 Tbs. soy sauce ( I used La Choy, its gluten free.)
2 Tbs. white sugar

Method:

1) Put all ingredients into a food processor and blend until smooth. I usually let mine go for 2-3 minutes.

Crock-Pot Sesame Tofu

As a child I was not really fond of tofu, or any form of Chinese food. Now as an adult, I have come to realize that some of it is quite tasty and if made right is quite enjoyable. This recipe I found off of Pinterest, but I have changed it so much that it has become my own recipe. It originally was for Sesame Chicken. I hope you enjoy it. By the way, my girls approve of this one. Probably because it is so sweet.

Crock-Pot Sesame Tofu

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

3 Package of firm or Super firm tofu (chopped in bite size pieces)

1/2 cup honey

2 Tbsp low sodium soy sauce

1/2 onion, diced

2/3 cup ketchup

2/3 cup water

2/3 cup brown sugar

1 Tbsp sesame seed oil or extra-virgin olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced, pressed or grated

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

1 Tbsp sesame seeds

2 cups dry brown rice

1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil

1 lb broccoli florets

Method:

Put tofu into crock pot.

In a small bowl, combine honey, soy sauce, onion, water, ketchup, brown sugar, oil, garlic and pepper flakes. Pour over tofu.

Cook on low for 2-3 hours or on high 1 1/2 – 2 1/2 hours, or just until tofu is cooked through and marinates.

Cook rice according to package directions.

Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a skillet until hot. Add broccoli and saute 5-6 minutes or until cooked but tender. Add to tofu mix in crock-pot.

Serve tofu over rice and garnish with sesame seeds.

Sweet and Sour Tofu

Hmmm, what should I make for supper? We just moved into our new home and I have a fabulous kitchen I can cook in. Now, I only need a recipe to cook! Most of my recipe books were still in boxes, but there stood, on top of a box, a little green recipe book. It read, Oakwood's Third Annual International Vegetarian Tasting Extravaganza, May 7, 1995. For those from my childhood, you would remember this function at our church. It was one very yummy day. 

I opened the book and skimmed through the pages and just a few flips, I found "Sweet and Sour Tofu." Now this was great one as I had all the ingredients except the onions and mushrooms, which I am not a huge fan of anyway. So thanks to Wanda Ramsdell. The girls made her recipe for the first time and it was amazing. My husband is not a huge fan of tofu, but this recipe sent him up to the stove for seconds. So, enjoy this tasty dish.

Sweet and Sour Tofu

Ingredients:

2 pkg. of tofu (I used extra firm), cubed

2 cups tomato sauce

2 cups onions (which I omitted this time)

1 green pepper, chopped

1 cup carrots, chopped

1 cup mushrooms (which I omitted, as I dislike them)

1/2 cup celery

1 Tbs. brown sugar

2 Tbs. lemon juice

2 Tbs. soy sauce

1 can crushed or chunked pineapple with juice ( I used chunked as it was the same size as the tofu)

Method:

* 1) Freeze tofu overnight. This will make the tofu stay together better. 

2) Allow to thaw then drain and squeeze excess water. 

**3) Saute onions, green pepper, mushrooms, carrots, celery and tofu in butter, oil, or water. Saute at a low temperature, covered.

4) When vegetables are cooked put in a large saucepan. 

5) Add tomato sauce, brown sugar, pineapple, soy sauce, lemon juice.

 Olivia adding the soy sauce.

 Olivia adding the lemon juice.

 Reopening a can of pineapple that Mama already opened. 

Juliana came and wanted to open the tomato sauce.

6) Allow to simmer on a low temperature for 1 hour.

7) Serve over rice. 

Serves 6-8

* I used extra firm tofu and did not freeze and it turned out well. But would recommend freezing it if you have the time. 

** I used 2 Tbs of olive oil when sauteing this dish.