Vegetarian Delight: Tofu & Mushrooms, Spicy Satay Sauce

Last night, B had a business dinner. I normally don't love solo dining, but I took the opportunity to create something using ingredients B cringes and shudders at the thought of. Tofu and mushrooms are definitely high on his list of things not to put in his mouth, but I happen to find both delightful, so why not throw the two together! Mmm! 

This vegetarian dish is nutritious and packed with protein (the one brick of tofu alone contains 35gr of protein!). Feeling somewhat weighed down and guilty from the late night meat lovers pizza the dinner before, I had this tofu stir fry on its own. It would make a fantastic topper for a brown rice bowl though. Quinoa would work just as well. 

Serves 2

• 14oz extra firm, reduced fat tofu
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 dried red chili pepper
• 1/2 onion
• 1 small zucchini
• 8 medium mushrooms
• 1/3 cup frozen shelled edamame peas
• 1 tsp olive oil
• Spicy satay sauce: 
• 1/3 cup skim milk
• 1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp peanut butter (not chunky)
• 1/2 tsp green thai curry paste
• 1/2 tsp corn starch
• 1/4 tsp ground pepper 
• 1/4 tsp ground coriander 
• Optional: brown rice or quinoa (cooked per package instructions)
• Sesame seeds, garnish

Carefully remove tofu from packaging, and set aside in a colander to drain excess liquid while you prepare the veggies.

Mince the garlic and chili pepper together. 

Dice the onion. Slice zucchini lengthwise into 4-5 strips, then dice. Chop washed mushrooms into bite-size chunks (I cut each mushroom up into 6 pieces). 

Measure out 1/3 cup of frozen shelled edamame peas and set aside.  

Carefully slice the tofu into rectangular cubes. I sliced a 14oz brick into 20 mini bricks of approximately the same size. 

Heat no more than 1 tsp olive oil in a medium frying pan over high, swiveling the pan around so the tsp of olive oil evenly coats the pan.  Once the pan is hot, add the sliced tofu, taking care to ensure the pieces don't break (extra firm tofu is easiest to work with). Reduce to medium heat and cook for about 3 minutes. Carefully flip each tofu slice over (I find using chopsticks allows the most precision and control, but a spatula should work fine too), letting each side cook for approx 3min until the tofu is golden all around. Meanwhile, measure out all spicy satay sauce ingredients and mix together in a cup or small bowl, stirring well to incorporate. Once the tofu is finished cooking, remove from pan and set aside on a plate, covering with a pot lid to keep warm. 

Without adding any more oil to the same frying pan, add the minced garlic, red chili and diced onions over medium heat. Cook for 2min, adding a tablespoon of water to help steam fry. Add the frozen edamame peas to the pan and stir for another minute. 

Add mushrooms and zucchini to pan. Give the satay sauce another big stir, then pour into pan with veggies.Cook for 5-10min until sauce has thickened to desired consistency. 

(If serving as a brown rice/quinoa bowl, portion out brown rice/quinoa, arrange tofu slices over top, then drizzle sauce and veggies on tofu. Garnish with sesame seeds.)

Serve saucy vegetables over bed of tofu. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and enjoy! 

Greens & Yellows Summer Salad with Smoky Grilled Chicken

Another salad idea that packs a protein punch and a sweet summer kick! It's also a pretty assortment of bright greens and yellows that sets off the dark red-browns of the grilled chicken, if presentation matters to you! 

The health benefits of legumes are always so highly praised, and edamame is no different, being high in protein, dietary fibre, folate and Vitamin K. Spinach, of course, is a dark, leafy green, full of iron and Vitamins A, C, and B. Nectarines are a great source of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, and give this salad some juicy sweetness. Chicken breast is an excellent lean protein, but the chili powder seasoning is also rich in Vitamin A and minerals like potassium and phosphorus. Avocado acts as a nutrient booster, helping your body to better absorb the goodness in all of these ingredients! 

To cook the chicken, you will need a two-sided grill or a BBQ. 

Makes 2 dinner sized salads

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 2 tsp white vinegar
• 2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/4 tsp cayenne
• enough chili powder to coat chicken breast (approx 1 1/2 tbsp)
• 3/4 cup frozen edamame beans
• 3/4 cup frozen corn
• 3 cups baby spinach
• cucumber
• 1 ripe avocado
• 1 nectarine
• Dressing: 
• 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
• 3 tsp olive oil
• 1 tsp tarragon

A couple hours in advance, trim any fat off chicken breasts, then sprinkle seasoning, covering all sides of the chicken. Set aside in fridge, allowing marinade to soak in. 

Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a small pot over high heat. Add frozen edamame and corn. Boil for 3min, strain in colander, and let cool completely. 

To cook the chicken, I use a 2-sided grill (like a George Foreman). Warm up the grill, then place chicken breasts in center and set timer for 8-10min, depending on thickness of chicken. 

Meanwhile, wash and dry baby spinach, and divide evenly over two plates. 

Very thinly slice as much cucumber as you want in your salad. The more cuke, the more crunch! I slice into paper thin coins. Arrange over half of the spinach bed on both plates. 

Slice avocado in half and remove the seed. Slice each half in half, then carefully remove the skin from the flesh. Place avocado flesh in a bowl of cold water for a minute (the cold water bath will ensure the avocado doesn't turn brown). Remove from water, and slice each quarter into 4, then arrange over the other half of the spinach bed on both plates. 

Slice nectarine into slim wedges around the pit (may take some patience!). Arrange over salad. 

Sprinkle the cooled edamame and corn over salad. 

Mix all dressing ingredients together and drizzle over salad. 

Slice grilled chili chicken and serve along with salad.