Recipe: Honey Glazed Tofu and Green Beans with Lime Coconut Rice

There is a world of food out there. I love trying new foods and making new recipes. If you never try anything new you could miss out on something truly fantastic. I have never really been part of the 'meat and potatoes' crowd. If you asked my mom, I bet she'd tell you about all of the wierd foods I tried to get her to purchase at the grocery store when I was growing up (like pickled pigs feet, which she never bought and cow tongue, which she did buy). Luckily for my parents, my brothers and I were not really picky eaters. Although I still truly loathe onions. Every person has different tastes, which is understandable, especially since we all have a different number of tastebuds. But many don't realize that even if you dislike a food item, it can be cooked in such a way where you can enjoy it. For example, I will eat onions sometimes when they're in Indian food or salsa. This brings me to a food that people seem to be particularly wary of: tofu. Since becoming a vegetarian, I have been eating more of it (twice this week, actually). Firm tofu is quite easy to work with and has a much nicer texture than soft tofu (which I often think resembles snot or runny, undercooked scrambled eggs- lovely, visual, eh?). Because tofu is like a sponge it absorbs flavors well, especially when it has been marinated.

So today's recipe will feature tofu! This is a really easy and versatile recipe that I whip up in only half an hour after work that takes minimal prep time (although the tofu must marinate).

Cube the tofu and marinate it in half of the prepared marinade for 1-2 hours; refrigerate. You can marinate it the night before, if you choose, or before heading out for work in the morning so it's ready to go when you get home. My husband usually marinates it for me since he gets home several hours before I do. Reserve the remaining half of the marinade for later when you begin to prepare dinner.

Before making the stir fry, prepare the rice (so that it will be done at the same time you finish the stir fry). Add all of the ingredients to a pot or rice cooker; stir and cook as you would normally cook rice.

Add a tablespoon of vegetable or canola oil to a large skillet and fry the tofu, on medium to high heat, until it begins to look golden brown or slightly crisp/carmelized.

Add the steamed vegetables and the remaining sauce/marinade. Saute until the liquid is absorbed. [I just used steamed green beans for this recipe. But you could use steamed broccoli or asparagus. Or sliced fresh bell peppers, which do not need steaming. Start steaming the veggies about the time you fry the tofu.]

Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve over the rice.

Honey Glazed Tofu and Vegetables
1 (14 oz) package of Firm tofu, drained and cubed
1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup lime juice
5 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 pound fresh green beans (steamed)
1 teaspoon sesame seeds
oil for frying

Lime Coconut Rice
2 cups uncooked white rice (or Thai jasmine rice)
2 cups lite coconut milk
1 3/4 to 2 cups water
2 teaspoons grated lime rind
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger (or 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger)
pinch of salt
a pinch or two of brown sugar
slivered almonds (optional)

Food, Health, and a Recipe

It’s no mystery that our health can be directly affected by what we ingest. If we eat a bunch of sugar and/or we drink 4 cups of coffee, back to back, we get the jitters and feel as if we can scale a small mountain. Various foods we consume can give us gas. Some food causes us to have allergic reactions that could range from being minor issues to something far more dangerous. Anthropologically speaking, food, nutrition, and culture are very intertwined.

For instance, there has been growing concern over the rise in cases of diabetes in the United States. One group that is particularly affected is Native Americans, where a very high percentage of Native American adults have diabetes (with a rise in teenage diabetes). Around half of the Pima tribe of Arizona have diabetes!

What are the causes? High rates of obesity. Possible genetic predisposition. Low socioeconomic status of many Native Americans results in the inability to get adequate health care services. Food is another factor.  The change in diet and activity levels, due to modernization (and assimilation), have, health-wise, affected Native American communities in a very negative way. Prepackaged foods and fast food restaurants have replaced traditional foods that they have depended on (and adapted to) for hundreds or thousands of years. Cars and a sedentary lifestyle have replaced miles of walking, hunting, or semi-nomadic ways of life. There is no real need these days to farm when there are convenience stores on every corner.

So how are they dealing with this diabetes epidemic? Many Tribes have begun diabetes programs, over the past few years, which teach preventative measures, diet, and nutrition. Nutritionists have started making diet plans using traditional foods. And, my personal favorite, restaurants have also been making healthy, traditional fare with modern twists.

So, without further ado, and also, to make this post less depressing and not so excessively long, I bring you my recipe for Tortilla Soup! I actually got this recipe from a school potluck, for a class called North American Indians, a few years ago when I was still in college. It’s super easy to make and pretty darn tasty. I have modified it a bit over the past few years. It utilizes the three sisters (i.e. corns, beans, and squash), a staple of most Native American cuisine. Enjoy!

Tortilla Soup

1 medium yellow squash, sliced

1 medium zucchini, sliced

1 (14.5 oz.) can of black beans, rinsed/drained

1 (14.5 oz.) can of kidney beans, rinsed/drained

1 cup corn kernels

1 (16 oz.) jar salsa

4 c. low sodium vegetable broth

2 teaspoons, each, of dried oregano, minced garlic, and ground cumin

Add all ingredients to a medium to large pot. Bring to a boil; lower heat and simmer for 20 minutes or until squash are cooked through. Serve with shredded cheddar and tortilla chips!

NOTE: As you can probably see in my picture, there is chicken in the soup! The original recipe contained chicken and chicken broth. I changed the recipe once my husband and I became vegetarians. If you prefer to make it with chicken: dice 1 chicken breast and add it to the soup; only use one can of beans instead of two. Increase the cooking time to 30 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. If you would like a spicier soup, use a spicier salsa!

A Different Kind of Grilled Cheese

Every so often, when I'm feeling particularly lazy and/or tired after work, my husband and I just have good ole grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup for dinner, which, of course, is really easy and quick to put together (as well as tasty).

To break up the monotony of your standard grilled cheese, I decided to try something new and just threw together some ingredients I had around the kitchen. The recipe is below. Please note that I did not include amounts of each ingredient because I feel it will vary depending on individual taste and on the amount of sandwiches being made. Enjoy!

Grilled Brie Sandwich
whole wheat, multigrain, or ciabatta bread
sliced brie cheese
chopped sundried tomatoes
slivered almonds (toasted would be good as well)
homemade or jarred pesto or sundried tomato pesto
grated parmesan

Spread the inside of one or both slices of bread with a thin layer of pesto. Add ingredients to the sandwich in the desired amounts; sprinkle with grated parmesan. Toast in a skillet coated with butter.

Kitchen Tip: A Forman grill is virtually the same as a panini maker. Lightly butter the grill of a Forman grill and use it to make toasted paninis!

Local: The Book Thing of Baltimore

My husband and I agree that one of the best things in Baltimore, is the Book Thing. The Book Thing is a free bookstore that is open only on weekends and is within walking distance from our apartment. There are no catches- you can just walk in, peruse the aisles, and walk out, happy as a clam, with an armful of books. They of course, also take book donations and have a book dropoff outside their door for days that they are not open. They have three rooms of nothing but books, all for the taking! I often take out-of-towners there who enjoy reading.

At the Book Thing, I have found such treasures as National Geographic magazines from the 1940s  to a ton of Patricia Cornwell novels (which I love to read).

However, what I flock to first, upon entering, is their ‘Cooking’ section. Since the books are free, the variety of books they have changes frequently. (I have been known to not pick up a book then later decide that I do actually want it then proceed to go back the day I saw it or the next day and it would be gone. Generally, this results in me kicking myself for having possibly missed out on good recipes!)

Some days are better than others for cookbooks at the Book Thing. Every once in awhile, I’ve gone in and found nothing but microwave cooking cookbooks- a fad that never really caught on.

But some of my good cookbook finds are as follows: two 1970s Betty Crocker Cookbooks, Christmas Cookies, four Bon Appetite recipe collections, a fondue cookbook, salads and dressings, and a neat 2-in-1 Quiche and Soufflé Cookbook from 1972 (one of those cookbooks where the front is all quiche recipes then you flip it over and the back contains the soufflé recipes).

If you are in the Baltimore area, definitely check it out and pick up some free cookbooks (or any other type of book you might desire!):

Location:        

3001 Vineyard Lane

Baltimore, MD 21218

Hour of Operation: 9am-6pm Saturday and Sunday only

http://www.bookthing.org/

Recipe: Corn Cheddar Chowder

To me, the beginning of fall means it’s the beginning of soup season. And, man, do I love a good, hearty soup! So this past weekend I decided to whip out the pot and make a warming and very filling chowder. What is particularly nice about this soup is that it is, first and foremost, very easy but also that it doesn’t make a lot of dishes. This chowder is very quick to make, with little prep time, which makes it an ideal weeknight dinner. It’s also very easy to double or triple, which I recommend if you plan to make this for more than two people as it only makes around 4-5 good sized bowls of tasty goodness. I usually accompany soups with sandwiches, rustic breads, or garlic bread. For this chowder, I made a pan of homemade cornbread since the soup has a hint of Southwestern flair.

In a medium sized pot, lightly brown the garlic in the butter. Add the bay leaves, cumin, sage, and parsley and stir the spices for a minute or so.

Add the wine, broth, potatoes, corn, green chilies, and the chipotle pepper.

 Bring it to a boil; reduce the heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.

In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk the milk and flour together until all of the lumps are gone. Pour the milk mixture into the soup; cook for 5 minutes or until the soup thickens. Remove the soup from the heat. Stir in the cheddar until it melts.

And serve!

Corn Cheddar Chowder

sliver of butter

2 teaspoons minced garlic

2 bay leaves

1 teaspoon of ground cumin

¼ teaspoon dried sage

1 tablespoon dried parsley

¼ cup dry white wine

2-2 ½ cups no sodium (or low sodium) vegetable broth

2-3 potatoes, diced

1 ½ cups frozen corn

1 dried chipotle pepper

1 (4oz.) can chopped green chilies, drained

1 ½ cups reduced fat milk (but not fat free or skim)

2 tablespoons flour

2 cups shredded cheddar

Useful cooking notes for this recipe:

Trader Joes sells 16 oz. bags of roasted frozen corn, which I bought several bags of just to put in soups this season. I used the roasted corn for this batch of soup and it was phenomenal! Dried chipotle peppers are not spicy. But what they do add is a smoky flavor to the broth. Adding crumbled bacon (or crumbled ‘fakin,’ i.e. fake bacon/vegetarian soy protein bacon stuff) also adds additional smokiness.

And so we begin!

Where would we be without food? Food binds people together. It provides sustenance, helps us grow, and keeps us functioning throughout the day. It is used as guidelines, or restrictions, for many religions. It keeps us busy (from planting fields to spending the time to make bread from scratch). But, by and large, food makes us happy and content!

I have always been a great lover (and consumer) of food. I can remember, from a very young age, ‘helping’ my mother cook dinner or bake cookies. My mother was very patient, teaching me cooking skills, which I have honed over the years. My grandmother was a hurricane in the kitchen. I greatly anticipated Easter dinner at my grandparent’s house, which exuded such wonderful aromas from a mega multicourse meal my grandmother had made. You could easily (and I did) spend hours eating whenever we visited.

Simply put- I love cooking, baking, and eating! But food also means many things to me. Food is culture. It is history. Food is a scientific mish mash of ingredients that magically produces a desired (or sometimes, unwanted) effect. It’s a means of socialization. Food can define who we are (for example, I am a vegetarian).

In this blog, you will find my many musings on food, including, but not limited to: recipes, tips, restaurant reviews, food and travel, anthropology of food, culture, history of food, and local food related topics.

So let’s dig in!