Yellow Curry & Lemongrass Tofu

This is pretty spicy, but adding some lemon juice and honey while cooking really rounded out the flavor.

Ingredients:

• 1 package extra firm tofu, drained, pressed, and cubed
• 1 small jicama, diced
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 1 small red pepper, diced
• 1 pound bok choy - firm ends diced and leaves chopped
• 1 bunch cilantro, washed and minced
• 1 -2 teaspoons yellow curry paste
• 11 oz coconut water (one can)
• 1/2 teaspoon dried lemongrass
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 - 2 teaspoons soy sauce
• 1 - 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon honey
• sea salt

Directions:

• First, make a marinade for the tofu cubes. In a bowl, combine yellow curry paste, coconut water, dried lemongrass, garlic powder, soy sauce and sea salt to taste. The marinade will be very spicy... so add the yellow curry in small amounts and adjust to taste. Mix well. 
• Add tofu cubes to the bowl, covering completely with the marinade. 
• Set aside.
• In a large saute pan, add olive oil and diced red pepper. Saute over high heat. 
• As red pepper begins to cook, add carrots, jicama and the firm ends of the bok choy.
• Saute the firm vegetables until all begin to cook.
• Reduce to medium heat and add some of the marinade liquid to the pan.
• Using a slotted spoon, remove the tofu from the marinade, and add to the vegetable mixture.
• Gradually add more and more of the marinade to the saute pan, gently folding in the tofu and vegetables.
• As the liquid heats up, add the chopped leaves of the bok choy and the cilantro.
• Add lemon juice and honey
• Fold all ingredients together
• Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until the greens are cooked.
• Serve with your choice of rice

Andrews Family Vegetarian Chili

If I had to name one dish as the staple in the Andrews Family larder, this would be it: Andrews Family Vegetarian Chili. We make this in a 12 quart stock pot, and freeze it into individual size containers for a quick, healthy, tasty meal. It starts like most of our vegetable dishes do...with lots of chopping. The proportions below are for a 12 quart pot. 

Ingredients

• Diced:
• Red Pepper (3-4)
• Green Pepper (2-3)
• Onion (1)
• Minced: 
• Garlic Cloves (2-3)
• Jalapeño (2)
• Chopped
• Zucchini (2 small) 
• Yellow Squash (2 small)
• Baked, Mashed Sweet Potato (1 large)
• Chopped Cilantro (1 entire bunch, washed)
• 5 cans black beans, drained
• 5 cans red kidney beans, drained
• 1 can diced tomatoes, or 1.5 cups your favorite tomato sauce (I use my homemade sauce)
• Spices:
• Cumin
• Cayenne
• Chili Powder
• Oregano
• Sea Salt
• Black Pepper

Directions

• Chop, mince, dice, bake, mash, and drain all ingredients as listed above. 
• In stock pot, add olive oil to cover the bottom of the pot
• Add onions, peppers and garlic
• Saute over medium/high heat until onions are translucent
• Add first round of spices, about 1 tsp of Chili powder, cayenne, oregano, cumin, a sprinkle of salt and a pepper
• Add diced tomatos / tomato sauce, and reduce heat to medium
• Add zucchini, yellow squash, sweet potato and cilantro, stirring well to mix thoroughly
• This is a good time to add more spices to taste
• Add beans, one can at a time, stirring each time to mix thoroughly
• Once all ingredients are in the pot, reduce heat to low
• Simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally and adding spices to taste, until vegetables are cooked through.
• This dish benefits from a long, slow cooking cycle, giving the spices and flavors a chance to age. 
• This can be served with sour cream, diced avocado, and cilantro garnish. 

Spicy culprits: Chili Powder, Cayenne, Oregano and Cumin

Yummy Goodness:

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The Traditional Christmas Eve Taco Salad

This is a variation on Mama Bish's Taco Salad (thanks, Mary!) that we've adapted as a multi-purpose flexitarian meal. This is suitable for meals where different people like different combinations of veggies and flavors. 

1 box Zatarain's Red Beans and Rice

1 head romain lettuce, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 jalapeño pepper, chopped

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 avocado, chopped

1 pound ground turkey

1 package taco seasoning

1 cup Mozzarella cheese, shredded

your favorite salsa

Taco shells

Start with three things on the stovetop: 

1. Cook a box of Zatarains Red Beans and Rice. Follow the directions on the package.

2. Saute an onion, a red bell pepper, a green bell pepper, a jalapeno pepper and two cloves of garlic in one pan. Cook till the onions are translucent.

3. In another pan, brown one pound of ground turkey. Cook till it starts to brown, then add one packet of your favorite taco seasoning and a half cup of water. Mix, and cook till the meat is throughly cooked and the water has evaporated.

4. For people who like tacos in taco shells, they can add ingredients as desired.
5. For people who like salad, you can mix all the ingredients in a large bowl.
6. Toss the romain lettuce, avocado, red and green pepper.

7. Add shredded mozzarella and salsa.

8. Add the ground turkey.

9. Mix well and serve.

10. Enjoy!

Curried Lobster

Adapted from Ann Vanderhoof’s book “An Embarrassment of Mangoes: A Caribbean Interlude”.  My version treats cilantro as a vegetable instead of an herb. I use an entire bunch!

 

Ingredients & Directions

Meat from two lobsters, picked from the shell and chopped

Juice from one lime

Curry powder to taste

Garlic powder to taste

Sea salt

Black pepper

1 tablespoon ketchup to start, plus more to taste

•  Toss all of the above and let sit in fridge for favors to mix

1/2 medium onion diced

1 green pepper diced

1 red pepper diced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 large bunch of cilantro, minced

• Toss onion, garlic, pepper and cilantro in skillet with olive oil and sauté until cilantro wilts.
• Add lobster mixture and cook over medium heat till thoroughly heated.
• Serve with rice.

Spicy Chick Peas and Cauliflower

This is a flexible dish that can be made with a wide variety of vegetables, depending on what you have in your refrigerator.

Ingredients
1 head cauliflower, chopped
2 cans chick peas, NOT drained
1 red onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 large hunk of ginger root, minced
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
1 pound butternut squash, chopped
1 large sweet potato, baked and mashed
1/4 teaspoon black mustard seeds
1 tablespoon garam masala
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon coriander
1 tablespoon cardamom pods
Sea salt
2 tablespoons Olive oil

Directions

• Bake the sweet potato in the microwave. When done, remove skin and mash potato with a fork. Set aside. 
• Heat the olive oil in a sauce pan, add the onions and sauté until onions begin to be translucent. 
• Add the garlic and ginger. 
• Add the salt, cumin, garam masala, coriander and mustard seeds. Cook till the mustard seeds pop. 
• Add the chick peas, cardamom pods, butternut squash, sweet potato and cauliflower. 
• Mix well. Reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are cooked. 
• Add cilantro and stir. Taste and adjust spices as needed.
• We like our spices strong. Your tastes may differ.

Alternative Preparations

• You can slow cook this dish, transferring all ingredients from the pan to the crockpot at the same step when you add the chick peas. 
• You can add or subtract vegetables in accordance to what is in your fridge. I’ve experimented with: 
• Chopped or shredded carrots 
• Chopped kale 
• Chopped spinach 
• Baby potatos 
• Chopped eggplant 
• Red peppers 

Serve with warm whole wheat naan.