Mushroom Risotto & Roasted Asparagus [Vegan]

I’ve written about Jarrett and my corny but wonderful tradition of celebrating the start of our relationship every month. With such busy work schedules, we stand by the fact that these monthly celebrations have been a key factor in regular maintenance and reflection of our relationship.

We use each month as an excuse to have an epic night out together. It’s our version of Tom and  Donna’s, ‘Treat Yo’Self,’ day from Park and Rec. Since we became homeowners, however, we’ve been celebrating at home more and more.

Today, we celebrated 5 1/2 years together while my parents celebrated 34 years of marriage together. Yowzas. Since getting married, I appreciate every day we have to learn and grow together. Marriage is incredible but it certainly isn’t all rainbows and butterflies. You make a choice every day that you spend together to make it work and I couldn’t be more grateful to have Jarrett as my partner to do that with.

Jarrett has been eating a lot of sustainable, locally grown meat/seafood lately so I made a flavorful, filling vegan dinner to celebrate us. Mushroom risotto, roasted asparagus and kale, cranberries and pumpkin seed salad made for a great vegan date night meal. I’ve been binge eating my way through 2015 so I needed a vegan dinner to cleanse while allowing myself to indulge.

Risotto can seem daunting but once you get the hang of it (which is quicker and easier than you think) there are so many ways to variate recipes to your taste. You just have to be patient and have time on your hands to be successful. Let me know what you think and if you take some spins on the recipe to make it your own!

Mushroom Risotto

Recipe adapted from minimalistbaker

Servings

4

Total time: 1 hour (10 min. prep time, 50 min. cook time)

Cooking utensils: cutting board, cutting knife, 2 medium to large sized pots, mixing spoon, measuring cups and spoons

Ingredients:

• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 oz. shiitake mushrooms
• 6 oz. bella or crimini mushrooms
• 1 cup arborio rice
• 1/4 cup dry white white (I like to use chardonnay)
• 1 tablespoon vegan butter
• Salt
• Black pepper, to taste
• Garnish: fresh chopped parsley (optional)

Instructions:

1. In a small saucepan, heat vegetable broth over medium heat. Once simmering, reduce heat to low to keep warm.
2. In the meantime, heat 1 Tbsp olive oil and onions in a medium saucepan for 5 min. or until onions are soft and tender.
3. Add mushrooms, a pinch of salt and pepper, and sauté until tender and slightly browned – about 5 minutes – stirring frequently.
4. Add garlic and saute for 1-2 minutes.
5. Add arborio rice, and cook for 1 minute, stirring occasionally to coat.
6. Add dry white wine and stir gently. Cook for 1-2 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed.
7. Add warmed vegetable stock 1/2 cup at a time, stirring almost  gently and constantly, giving the risotto little breaks to come back to a simmer. The heat should be medium, and there should always be a slight simmer. You want the mixture to be cooking but not boiling, or it will get gummy and cook too fast.
8. Continue to add vegetable stock, stirring to incorporate, until the rice is ‘al dente’ – cooked through but still has a slight bite. This whole process will take about 30 minutes.
9. Once the rice is cooked through and al dente, remove from heat and add vegan butter. Stir until incorporated.
10. Taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding a pinch of salt and pepper to taste/.
11. To serve, divide between serving bowls and top with a sprinkle of parsley (optional).
12. Best when fresh, though leftovers will keep covered in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.

Roasted Asparagus

Servings

4

Total time: 45 min. (5 min. prep time, 40 min. cook time)

Cooking utensils: cutting board, cutting knife, baking sheet, measuring spoons

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch asparagus
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt and black pepper, to taste

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
2. Wash asparagus and trim ends
3. Toss asparagus with olive oil, salt and ground black pepper
4. Arrange asparagus in single layer on baking sheet
5. Roast for 20 min., remove from oven and flip
6. Roast for another 20 min.
7. Remove, cool for 5 min. and serve immediately

Blackened Fish Tacos with Chipotle Mayonnaise

We’ve been trying to incorporate more fish into our diet and have been using Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch to find sustainable seafood when we go out to eat and have been buying sustainable (and affordable) seafood  to prepare at home. We’ve been blackening fish – typically salmon and tilapia – and eating it various ways.

Fish tacos are a great way to use this blackened fish seasoning and always so easy, flavorful and filling. Pick whatever fish you can find locally that is in season and sourced responsibly. A fruit salsa like a mango, peach or pineapple would be a great addition but sweet salsas weird Jarrett out so I rarely make the effort for just myself.

Servings

4

Total time: 35 min. (20 min. prep time, 15 min. cook time)

Cooking utensils: cutting board, cutting knife, mixing bowls, mixing spoon, measuring cups and spoons, grill

Ingredients:

For the blackened seasoning: 

• 4 tablespoons paprika
• 3 tablespoons dried granulated onion
• 3 tablespoons dried granulated garlic
• 1/4 cup cayenne pepper
• 2 tablespoons white pepper
• 3 tablespoons finely ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 tablespoons ground thyme
• 1 1/2 tablespoons ground oregano
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 tablespoon ground chipotle chili powder

For the fish tacos: 

• 8 corn or fish tortillas (this recipe is gluten-free if you use gluten-free tortillas)
• 1/2 cup cilantro, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 red onion, diced
• Guacamole (see recipe here)

For the chipotle mayonnaise: 

• 1/2 cup vegan mayonnaise
• 3-4 tablespoons chopped chipotle chilis and juice
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Directions:

1. For the blackened fish: mix all of the seasoning recipes and generously coat fish with it. Use a little olive oil or melted butter if you have trouble getting the seasoning to stick. Set aside.
2. For the chipotle mayonnaise: mix ingredients and set in refrigerator to cool until ready to serve.
3. Optional: make guacamole. Set in refrigerator to cool until ready to serve.
4. Heat grill. Brush grill with oil and place fish directly on it. Grill each side for 2-3 minutes.
5. Chop cilantro and red onion and place in serving bowls.
6. Warm tortillas. Serve with grilled blackened fish, chipotle mayonnaise, guacamole, cilantro and red onion.

Thai Curry Vegetable Noodle Soup [Vegan]

I’ve really been failing at updating my blog these past couple months. A complete and utter failure! I’ve been so busy transitioning jobs for the first time in six years. It’s been an interesting yet welcome change but I can’t help feeling like I’m back in the first few days of schools. Still getting my bearings and building relationships. I have to remember to give myself more grace and patience. Add in a commute to Oakland and there just aren’t enough hours in the day to get everything I’d like to done. I found this recipe when binge searching (again) and came across it on this great blog called Budget Bytes, which handily includes tasty recipes along with the cost to make them.

This is an immensely flavorful soup, good for warm weather when you’re still craving soup which if you’re like me, is always. Feel free to play around with the spice level – I’ll likely add both Thai chili and jalapeno the next time I make it since we like our food HOT. The soup is creamy without any dairy, one of my favorite things about coconut milks. It has definitely made the weekday recipe rotation and it’s pretty quick to make even though it ends up packed with flavor. I’ve got to rush off as I’m making a fried chicken feast for our Sunday supper – stay tuned for details on that this week on the blog!

Recipe from Budget Bytes

Servings

4 (about 2 cups each)

Total time: 30 min. (10 min. prep time, 20 min. cook time)

Cooking utensils: cutting board, cutting knife, medium to large sized pot, mixing spoon, measuring cups and spoons

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons vegetable, olive, grapeseed or peanut oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon grated ginger
• 2 tablespoons Thai red curry paste
• 1 bunch leafy green (spinach or coarsely chopped bok choy is best)
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 1 can coconut milk (regular and light both work – I prefer regular for a heartier soup)
• 1/2 tablespoon vegetarian fish sauce (ironic – I know – but you can find this at most Asian or natural food markets)
• 1/2 tablespoon brown sugar
• 4 oz. rice vermicelli noodles

Garnish: 

• 1/2 red onion, sliced and coarsely chopped
• 1 lime
• Handful fresh cilantro, chopped
• Sriracha to taste

Directions:

1. Add the cooking oil to a large soup pot along with the minced garlic, grated ginger, and Thai red curry paste. Sauté the garlic, ginger, and curry paste over medium heat for 1-2 minutes.
2. If using chopped bok choy, add to the pot along with vegetable broth.
3. Bring the pot to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to low and let simmer for 5-7 minutes.
4. While the soup is simmering, bring a small pot of water to a boil for the vermicelli. Once boiling, add the vermicelli and boil for 2-3 minutes, or just until tender. Drain the rice noodles in a colander and set aside.
5. Add the coconut milk, fish sauce, and brown sugar to the soup. Stir, taste, and adjust the fish sauce or brown sugar if needed. Finally, if using spinach add it and let it wilt in the soup.
6. To serve, divide the rice vermicelli among four bowls. Ladle the soup and vegetables over the noodles, then top with red onion, cilantro, a wedge or two of lime, and a drizzle of sriracha.

Blueberry Crumble Bars

I made these blueberry crumble bars for Mother’s Day this past weekend [I baked them a couple minutes too long as you’ll notice in the picture. Oops!] My mom is an extreme sweet tooth and has been on this blueberry kick lately. I came across this recipe during one of my Pinterest binges and thought it would be the perfect treat for her. I also decreased the amount of sugar the original recipe called for which actually turned out perfectly. The bars are just the right amount of sweet! You can easily make this dairy-free by swapping out the butter for vegan butter.

Recipe adapted from lovesbakesgoodcakes

Servings

Makes 24-28 bars

Total time: 1 hour 15 min. (30 min. prep time, 45 min. cook time)

Cooking utensils: 2 large bowls, mixing spoons, measuring cups and spoons, 9×13 inch baking pan

Ingredients:

For the crust and crumble: 

• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter (or vegan butter)
• 1 egg, slightly beaten
• ½ tsp. vanilla

For the filling: 

• 4 cups blueberries (I used 3 cups of fresh blueberries and 1 cup of frozen)
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3 tsp. cornstarch

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking pan and set aside.
2. Start by preparing the crust and crumble: in a medium bowl, combine both sugars, baking powder and flour. Cut in butter and mix with egg and vanilla until the mixture is well combined and resembles coarse crumbs. Pat half of the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan.
3. In a separate bowl, combine all of the filling ingredients. Stir gently. Sprinkle the blueberry mixture evenly over the crust. Crumble the remaining dough over the top of the blueberries.
4. Bake for 45 minutes or until the top is lightly browned. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before cutting.

[Slow Cooker] Quinoa and Black Bean Stuffed Bell Peppers [Vegan]

I binge searched for recipes online the other day and came away with a treasure trove of great finds. I’ve been looking for more vegan crockpot recipes and came across this one that I could easily adapt to be vegan. These stuffed peppers are super flavorful and oh so filling. You don’t miss the meat at all (that’s a lot coming from a carnivore like me)! One pepper served with a salad is enough for a dinner entree. We had four peppers and gave two to our good friends who enjoyed them the next night for dinner. They keep okay but I wouldn’t recommend keeping them beyond 2 days. It will be tough not to devour them all in one sitting anyways!

Recipe adapted from pinchofyum

Servings

Serves 4-6

Total time: 4-7 hours (30 min. prep time, 3 1/2 – 6 1/2 hours cook time)

Cooking utensils: saute pan or skillet, large bowl, mixing spoon, cutting board, cutting knife, measuring cups and spoons, can opener

Ingredients:

• 6 bell peppers
• 1 cup yellow/white sweet onion, chopped
• 1/2 of jalapeno, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed
• 1 14 ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 14 ounce can red enchilada sauce
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/12 cups shredded vegan cheese
• Avocado
• 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

Directions:

1. Cut the tops off of the peppers and scrape out the ribs and seeds.
2. In a saute pan or skillet, saute onion, jalapeno and garlic on medium high heat until browned and fragrant for approximately 5-7 minutes.
3. In a large bowl, combine the cooked onion, pepper and garlic mixture, quinoa, beans, enchilada sauce, spices, and 1 cup of cheese.
4. Fill each pepper with the quinoa mixture.
5. Pour ½ cup water into the bottom of a crockpot. Place the peppers in the crockpot so they’re sitting in the water. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3 hours.
6. Remove lid, distribute remaining cheese over the tops of the peppers, and cover again for a few minutes to melt the cheese.
7. Garnish with sliced avocado, cilantro, and hot sauce (optional but not in our household).

Guacamole [Vegan]

This is my go to recipe for guacamole. There are so many delicious variations out there for such a simple recipe. I make this guacamole exactly to Jarrett and my liking – spicy, garlicky, and creamy but a little chunky. You should vary the recipe to your taste. Jalapeno and garlic are going to add heat and lots of flavor but beware if you don’t like spice.

Guacamole typically lasts 1-2 days if you store it in a container with a tight fitting lid with the pits and lemon/lime slices on top to prevent it from browning. It’s best served with tortilla chips or on top of taco but it is honestly so good on everything.

Lately, I’ve been making it just for us to have on hand throughout the rest of the week. Oops… I’m curious to learn what variations people have so I can try them out!

Servings

Serves 4-6 (makes 16 ounces)

Total time: 20 minutes

Cooking utensils: large bowl, mixing spoon, cutting board, cutting knife

Ingredients:

• 3-4 avocados
• 1 cup red onion, chopped
• 1/3 cup cilantro, chopped
• 1/2 – 1 jalapeno, chopped (optional)
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• freshly ground pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Cut avocados in half and de-seed. Roughly mix in a large bowl.
2. Add the remaining ingredients and mix to your desired texture.

Coconut Curry Lemongrass Soup [Vegan]

I’ve been getting braver at trying my hand at other Asian cuisines. For the longest time, I felt like a fraud trying to attempt any Asian food that wasn’t Korean. ‘How could my versions of Thai food ever measure up to the real thing?’ I finally got over myself and ventured into uncharted territory to get my fix of other delicious Asian foods. I’ve been trying a lot of Thai inspired recipes and struck gold with this complex, flavorful and creamy soup. It’s vegan and gluten-free and I found myself fighting the urge to stick a spoon in the entire pot and finish it on my own (remember my misguided philosophy on vegan food basically being skinny, diet food?). Although the flavor profile in this soup is so complex, it’s actually quite simple to make. It’s filling enough to be served as an entree on its own or you can pair it with a side of jasmine rice and/or a salad to make it a heartier meal.

Recipe adapted from elephantjournal

Servings

Serves 4-6 (I made this for two and froze about 2 pints of it)

Total time: 50 min. (15 min. prep time, 35 min. cook time)

Cooking utensils: large sauce pan, mixing spoon, cutting board, cutting knife, measuring cups and spoons,

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons oil (olive or grapeseed)
• 1 large yellow/white sweet onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 small to medium thumb ginger, grated
• 1 fresh Thai (or any other) chili, seeded and minced
• 3 stalks lemongrass, peeled, trimmed and minced
• 1 tablespoons curry powder
• 1-2 cups shiitake mushrooms, sliced, stems discarded (any mushroom will work but shiitake is best with this recipe)
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 1 can coconut milk (light or regular will do)
• 2 tablespoons tamari (soy sauce is fine as well but will render the dish gluten-full)
• juice of one lime
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 scallions, chopped
• 1 cup fresh cilantro

Directions:

1. Heat oil, add onion and saute for 10 minutes or until it begins to brown and caramelize. Lower heat and cook for 5 more minutes.
2. Add garlic, ginger, chili, lemongrass and curry and saute for 2 minutes or until aromatic (no more than 4 minutes).
3. Add mushrooms and saute for 3 minutes until softened.
4. Add stock, salt and pepper, and bring to a boil. Simmer for 10 minutes.
5. Add coconut milk and tamari sauce. Cook 5 more minutes.
6. Stir in lime juice and any additional salt and pepper to taste.
7. Garnish with chopped scallions and cilantro and serve immediately.

Pre-coconut milk and soy sauce.

Post-coconut milk and soy sauce.

Quinoa Black Bean Tacos with Creamy Avocado Sauce [Vegan]

We have a ton of quinoa at home so I’ve been looking for recipes that will help us get through it all! We also love tacos so I came across this recipe online and decided to give it a whirl. It was really tasty and filling – Jarrett has requested we add it to the ‘regulars’ list! I adapted it to be more spicy so make sure to adjust the spice levels if you have a milder palette.

Recipe adapted from Cookie and Kate

Servings

Serves 2-4 (makes about 8 tacos)

Total time: 40 min. (20 min. prep time, 20 min. cook time)

Cooking utensils: sauce pan and tight fitting lid, cutting board, cutting knife, measuring cups and spoons, blender

Ingredients:

Quinoa and black bean filling

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup chopped sweet white or yellow onion
• 1 sweet white onion, sliced
• 1 jalapeno, chopped
• 4 large garlic cloves, minced
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon ground chili powder
• ½ cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed well
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 1 (14 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
• ¼ to ½ teaspoon salt, to taste
• A few dashes of cayenne pepper, to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 6 to 8 small, round corn tortillas
• 1 1/2 cups roughly chopped romaine

Avocado sauce

• 1 large avocado, sliced
• 1 medium lime, juiced
• 1 medium jalapeño, deseeded and roughly chopped
• 1 handful fresh cilantro
• ¼ teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. To make the filling, warm the olive oil in a medium-sized pot over medium heat. Sauté the onion, 1/2 tablespoon of jalapeno, and garlic with a dash of salt for 4 to 5 minutes, until the onions are softened and turning translucent.
2. Add the tomato paste, cumin and chili powder and sauté for another minute, stirring constantly.
3. Add the rinsed quinoa and 1 cup broth. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then cover the pot, reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes. Remove the quinoa from heat and let it rest, still covered, for 5 minutes. Uncover the pot, drain off any excess liquid and fluff the quinoa with a fork.
4. Stir in the drained black beans and add salt and pepper, to taste. Cover and set aside for a couple of minutes to warm up the beans.
5. Cook sliced onions on medium-low heat for 25 min. until they are caramelized.
6. To make the avocado sauce: Simply combine the ingredients as listed in a food processor or blender. Blend well and season with salt, to taste.
7. In a large skillet over medium heat, warm the tortillas in a single layer, flipping halfway.
8. To assemble the tacos, spread quinoa and black bean filling down the center of the tortilla, then top with chopped jalapenos, caramelized onions, and a generous drizzle of avocado cream, a handful of chopped romaine and any additional garnishes you’d like to add.

Quinoa Sushi with Sriracha Mayo [Vegan]

A couple years ago, our friends Melissa and Paul had us over to celebrate our then still new marriage since they were too busy teaching kids in third world countries to make it to our wedding. They were obviously doing something much bigger and more important. They’re also the kind of people who are so thoughtful and good to their friends that they asked us over to their place when they got back so we could celebrate our nuptials together. Good people.

They got take out from Vegetarian House, a tasty vegan restaurant in downtown San Jose that definitely has the creepy, culty vegan vibes that make vegan places weirder than they need to be. This was our first introduction to quinoa sushi and we haven’t looked back since. Who knew that a simple roll filled with vegetables and quinoa would be so delicious? I always joke that vegan food is basically diet food so you can eat as much of it as you want…I know that’s not true but I feel like it is actually is with this recipe. I finally braved to attempt homemade sushi last night with some urging from my mom who immediately had two bamboo rollers packed in a bag before I finished saying ‘sushi.’ It was a lot easier than I thought – definitely not free of some mess and cutting snafus – but not as daunting as I thought it would be! There is some room for improvement with the recipe, mainly I need to get the rice stickier next time, so stay tuned for updates and edits to this recipe.

Recipe adapted from veggieprimer

Servings

Serves 2-4 (makes about 32 pieces)

Total time: 60 min. (40 min. prep time, 20 min. cook time)

Cooking utensils: sauce pan and lid or rice cooker, cutting board, cutting knife, measuring cups and spoons, medium to large sized bowl, bamboo rolling mat, plastic wrap

Ingredients:

• 4-5 nori sheets
• 1 cup quinoa (be sure to rinse the quinoa beforehand)
• 2 cups water
• 1/3 teaspoon salt + 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup distilled white vinegar
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon agave nectar (honey is okay too)
• 1 avocado
• 1/2 medium cucumber, julienned
• 3 medium carrots, julienned and pickled
• 1 cup lightly packed baby romaine
• 1/3 cup vegan mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons sriracha sauce (more or less depending on how strong/light the flavor and spice level you prefer)
• Reduced sodium tamari sauce, to taste

Directions:

1. Add quinoa, water, and salt to rice cooker and cook rice or add the ingredients to a saucepan and bring to a boil, cover, then allow to simmer on low for approximately 15 min. When quinoa is done, remove from heat and stir in vinegar and agave nectar.
2. While quinoa is cooking, in a medium to large bowl mix 1/2 cup distilled white vinegar, 1/2 cup sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt until the sugar and salt are dissolved.
3. Add julienned carrots and ensure they are submerged in the pickling liquid. Place plastic wrap over the bowl and place it in the refrigerator for at least 30 min.
4. Allow quinoa to cool while you peel and slice the cucumber and avocado into long, thing strips.
5. Place a sheet of plastic wrap on top of the bamboo mat and place a sheet of nori on top of that.
6. Place about 2/3 cups of quinoa in the center of the nori sheet and spread it evenly with the back of a wooden spoon or wet fingertips (to prevent sticking) towards the edges of the sheet.
7. Place a row of baby romaine leaves a centimeter or two in from the edge closest to you.
8. Top with a row of avocado, cucumber and pickled carrot.
9. Use bamboo mat to roll the sushi. Set aside and repeat with remaining ingredients.
10. Once all ingredients are used (creates about 4-5 rolls), slice the sushi into evenly sized pieces (about 8 each roll).
11. Mix vegan mayo and sriracha in a bowl and mix until incorporated. Top each sushi piece with mayo (you can put a small dollop on each or drizzle it across the roll).
12. Serve with low sodium tamari sauce and enjoy!

Mapo Tofu [Vegan]

Growing up, mapo tofu was one of those dishes that my parents ordered at Chinese restaurants that I could live without but always enjoyed when it was at the table. With Jarrett’s vegan/sustainatarian diet, mapo tofu has become a main staple on our Chinese food order list. Mapo tofu is a popular Chinese dish from Sichuan province, setting tofu in a spicy chili and bean based sauce. It’s so flavorful and spicy (which we love) and actually very filling with the chunks of tofu. I don’t really miss the meat since it’s usually ground up in it and mostly only adds texture, not flavor to the dish. The onion is a good substitute for texture and flavor. This is a filling meal in a bowl on its own or easily turned into a more hearty dinner with the additions of salad and potstickers. I hope you enjoy it!

Mapo Tofu 

Servings

Serves 4-6

Total time: 35 min. (15 min. prep time, 20 min. cook time)

Cooking utensils: sauce pan and lid or rice cooker, cutting board, cutting knife, measuring cups, mixing bowl and spoon, large skillet/fry pan

Ingredients:

• 2 cups cooked rice
• 1 package mapo tofu sauce (5.29 ounces)
• 1 cup sweet white onion/yellow onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 package firm tofu, diced in bite size cubes
• Optional: Korean hot pepper flakes or cayenne pepper to add spice
• Optional: chopped green onion for garnish

Directions:

1. Cook rice. Set aside.
2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add onion and garlic and saute until onions are softened, about 7 min.
3. Add mapo tofu sauce and simmer for 4-5 min.
4. Add diced tofu and simmer for 5-7 min.
5. Spoon rice onto plates and top with mapo tofu and green onions.

Arugula Salad with Korean Salad Dressing 

Recipe adapted from maangchi

Servings

Serves 4

Total time: 10 min.

Cooking utensils: cutting board, cutting knife, measuring cups, mixing bowl and spoon

Ingredients:

• 3 cups arugula
• Handful of cherry or grape tomatoes sliced in quarters
• 1/4 cup chopped white onion
• 1 green onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons hot pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• Optional: 1 tablespoon sesame seeds

Directions:

1. Combine garlic, soy sauce, sugar, rice wine vinegar, hot pepper flakes, and sesame oil  (sesame seeds if you are using them) in a large mixing bowl and mix it well until the sugar is dissolved.
2. Mix arugula, tomatoes, white onion and green onion in salad dressing. Serve immediately.