Asian Archives - Epicurean Vegan

Glass Noodles & Carrots with Peanut-Sesame Sauce

July 30, 2017 by Epicurean Vegan

I’m learning how to think small. The College Student is well, off to college this fall, and frankly, he’s rarely home for dinner these days between his busy work and social schedules. Thus, thinking small. Or least, smaller. Admittedly, I struggle with figuring out portions, so cooking for two is certainly a challenge. It does help to use small ingredients like this package of Sweet Potato Glass Noodles (3.5-oz) and these wee little carrots from our garden:

The joy of cooking for two means saving money at the grocery store and saving time in the kitchen; these bowls are fresh and flavorful in less than 30 minutes. The downside? No leftovers.

INGREDIENTS:
3.5-oz pkg. Sweet Potato Glass Noodles
6-8 small carrots, sliced thin (about 2 cups)
1 bunch of green onion, sliced thick (these have a kick and we love green onion; feel free to use less)
Sesame seeds
Peanut-Sesame Sauce
1-1/2 Tbs creamy peanut butter
4 Tbs soy sauce
2 tsp toasted sesame oil
2 tsp rice vinegar
2 Tbs mirin
1/2 tsp lime juice
1/2 tsp brown sugar
1 garlic clove, minced
1 Tbs grated ginger root

DIRECTIONS:

Steam the carrots until softened, about 12-15 minutes. Meanwhile, cook the glass noodles in boiling water for 6 minutes. Drain, rinse with cold water and return to the pan with a tiny bit of sesame oil.

Whisk together all of the sauce ingredients.

Combine the carrots, noodles, green onion, and sauce in a pan or bowl. Serve with sesame seeds on top. Enjoy!

Glass Noodles & Carrots with Peanut-Sesame Sauce

Prep time

5 mins

Cook time

15 mins

Total time

20 mins

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Serves: 2

Ingredients

3.5-oz pkg. Sweet Potato Glass Noodles
6-8 small carrots, sliced thin (about 2 cups)
1 bunch of green onion, sliced thick (these have a kick and we love green onion; feel free to use less)
Sesame seeds
Peanut-Sesame Sauce
1-1/2 Tbs creamy peanut butter
4 Tbs soy sauce
2 tsp toasted sesame oil
2 tsp rice vinegar
2 Tbs mirin
½ tsp lime juice
½ tsp brown sugar
1 garlic clove, minced
1 Tbs grated ginger root

Directions

Steam the carrots until softened, about 12-15 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook the glass noodles in boiling water for 6 minutes. Drain, rinse with cold water and return to the pan with a tiny bit of sesame oil.
Whisk together all of the sauce ingredients.
Combine the carrots, noodles, green onion, and sauce in a pan or bowl. Serve with sesame seeds on top. Enjoy!

Cauliflower Fried Rice

January 23, 2017 by Epicurean Vegan

While perusing the produce section at Costco, I came across a bag of cauliflower “rice” that can be sauteed, mashed, baked. . . you name it. I had seen recipes for cauliflower rice, so I thought I’d give it a whirl. The Husband loves cauliflower and fried rice (sans egg), so this seemed like something I could work with. (I love the convenience of the cauliflower already being “riced.”) I added tofu, cashews, red bell pepper and green onion to make this unconventional, yet delicious “fried rice” in no time.

INGREDIENTS:
4 C of cauliflower rice (that’s half of the Costco-sized bag)
1 14-oz pkg firm tofu, crumbled
4 Tbs cornstarch
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 Tbs sesame oil
1/4 C brown rice vinegar
1/2 C green onion, sliced
1 red bell pepper, diced small
1 Tbs + 1 tsp olive oil, divided
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbs grated gingerroot
4 Tbs tamari or soy sauce
2 Tbs mirin
1 C toasted cashews

DIRECTIONS:
In a medium bowl, combine the crumbled tofu in a bowl with the cornstarch and salt and pepper; toss gently to coat. Heat one teaspoon of the olive oil in a large skillet and add the tofu; saute over medium heat, stirring and flipping the tofu until browned.
Transfer to a bowl and set aside. Wipe the skillet clean and heat the remaining olive oil. Add the garlic and ginger and saute over medium heat for 2 minutes, then add the bell pepper. Cook until softened, then add the cauliflower. Cook for another 2-3 minutes, then stir in the vinegar and let cook another 5 minutes, stirring often. Add the tofu, green onion, and cashews; combine well, then stir in the tamari and mirin. Serve hot and enjoy!

Cauliflower Fried Rice

While perusing the produce section at Costco, I came across a bag of cauliflower "rice" that can be sauteed, mashed, baked. . . you name it. I had seen recipes for cauliflower rice, so I thought I'd give it a whirl. The Husband loves cauliflower and fried rice (sans egg), so this seemed like something I could work with. (I love the convenience of the cauliflower already being "riced.") I added tofu, cashews, red bell pepper and green onion to make this unconventional, yet delicious "fried rice" in no time.

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

4 C of cauliflower rice (that's half of the Costco-sized bag)
1 14-oz pkg firm tofu, crumbled
4 Tbs cornstarch
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 Tbs sesame oil
¼ C brown rice vinegar
½ C green onion, sliced
1 red bell pepper, diced small
1 Tbs + 1 tsp olive oil, divided
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbs grated gingerroot
4 Tbs tamari or soy sauce
2 Tbs mirin
1 C toasted cashews

Directions

In a medium bowl, combine the crumbled tofu in a bowl with the cornstarch and salt and pepper; toss gently to coat. Heat one teaspoon of the olive oil in a large skillet and add the tofu; saute over medium heat, stirring and flipping the tofu until browned.
Transfer to a bowl and set aside. Wipe the skillet clean and heat the remaining olive oil. Add the garlic and ginger and saute over medium heat for 2 minutes, then add the bell pepper. Cook until softened, then add the cauliflower. Cook for another 2-3 minutes, then stir in the vinegar and let cook another 5 minutes, stirring often.
Add the tofu, green onion, and cashews; combine well, then stir in the tamari and mirin.
Serve hot and enjoy!

East Meets West Chickpea Lettuce Wraps

October 1, 2015 by Epicurean Vegan

Garbanzo beans (or chickpeas) are such a versatile bean. (I shudder to think of a world without hummus!) I obviously couldn’t decide on Asian or Mexican food, so why not combine them? It turned out to be a very tasty, gluten-free collaboration, not to mention easy to make. All you need is about an hour to marinate the beans and the rest is a breeze.

INGREDIENTS:
2 14-oz cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
Marinade
4 Tbs tamari
3 Tbs lime juice
3 Tbs red wine vinegar
1 garlic clove, minced
1 Tbs olive oil
1 Tbs arrowroot or cornstarch
The rest
2 C cabbage, roughly chopped
8-10 mushrooms, quartered
6 green onion, cut into large pieces
1 C cilantro leaves
1 Tbs olive oil
3/4 C General Tso stir-fry sauce
1/4 C hoisin sauce
12 iceberg lettuce leaves
1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and diced
1/2 C roasted and chopped peanuts or cashews

DIRECTIONS:
To prepare the chickpeas, mix all of the marinade ingredients in a resealable plastic bag; add the chickpeas and coat them well. Refrigerate for at least an hour, turning the bag over halfway through. To make things easy, I pulsed the chopped cabbage in a food processor a few times:
I transferred it to a large bowl, then added the mushrooms, green onion, and cilantro to the food processor. It helps to mix the vegetables up in the processor bowl beforehand so that you get a consistent chop. Add to the cabbage.
In a large skillet, over medium heat, add the olive oil and chickpeas (with the marinade). Saute for about 5-7 minutes; the marinade will start to thicken. Reduce the heat if it starts to stick too much.
In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine the General Tso sauce and the Hoisin sauce, then add to the skillet. Let it simmer for another 5-7 minutes.
Remove from the heat and allow the chickpeas to cool a little. To assemble your lettuce wraps, place a little bit of the slaw on the bottom of a lettuce cup, add a scoop or two of the chickpeas, then some slaw, and top with a little avocado and nuts. Enjoy!

East Meets West Chickpea Lettuce Wraps

Garbanzo beans (or chickpeas) are such a versatile bean. (I shudder to think of a world without hummus!) I obviously couldn't decide on Asian or Mexican food, so why not combine them? It turned out to be a very tasty, gluten-free collaboration, not to mention easy to make. All you need is about an hour to marinate the beans and the rest is a breeze.

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Serves: 12

Ingredients

2 14-oz cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
Marinade
4 Tbs tamari
3 Tbs lime juice
3 Tbs red wine vinegar
1 garlic clove, minced
1 Tbs olive oil
1 Tbs arrowroot or cornstarch
The rest
2 C cabbage, roughly chopped
8-10 mushrooms, quartered
6 green onion, cut into large pieces
1 C cilantro leaves
1 Tbs olive oil
¾ C General Tso stir-fry sauce
¼ C hoisin sauce
12 iceberg lettuce leaves
1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and diced
½ C roasted and chopped peanuts or cashews

Directions

To prepare the chickpeas, mix all of the marinade ingredients in a resealable plastic bag; add the chickpeas and coat them well. Refrigerate for at least an hour, turning the bag over halfway through.
To make things easy, I pulsed the chopped cabbage in a food processor a few times.
I transferred it to a large bowl, then added the mushrooms, green onion, and cilantro to the food processor. It helps to mix the vegetables up in the processor bowl beforehand so that you get a consistent chop. Add to the cabbage.
In a large skillet, over medium heat, add the olive oil and chickpeas (with the marinade). Saute for about 5-7 minutes; the marinade will start to thicken. Reduce the heat if it starts to stick too much.
In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine the General Tso sauce and the Hoisin sauce, then add to the skillet. Let it simmer for another 5-7 minutes.
Remove from the heat and allow the chickpeas to cool a little.
To assemble your lettuce wraps, place a little bit of the slaw on the bottom of a lettuce cup, add a scoop or two of the chickpeas, then some slaw, and top with a little avocado and nuts. Enjoy!

Vegan & Gluten-Free Pad Thai

October 8, 2014 by Epicurean Vegan

This Pad Thai is pretty nontraditional, not just because it’s vegan, but also because I didn’t go with the usual veggies such as bean sprouts. Plus, I certainly didn’t go with the typical thin rice noodle; I opted for a heartier, thick cut one. So it is really Pad Thai? Well, sure! It’s my version and it was a hit with the family, so I must have done something right! The limey-tamari sauce, with is the star of the show in all it’s creamy, peanutty glory.

INGREDIENTS:
14-oz pkg. extra firm tofu, drained, pressed and cubed
1 tsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 orange or red bell pepper, sliced thin
1 can water chestnuts, sliced
2 C snap peas
1/2 C green onion, sliced
Salt and pepper, to taste
Sauce
2/3 C tamari
1/3 C creamy peanut butter
1/3 C sugar
2/3 C lime juice
1 heaping Tbs freshly grated gingerroot
1-1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
The rest
16-oz rice noodles
1 C peanuts, chopped
1 C fresh cilantro leaves

DIRECTIONS:

Begin with the noodles. The kind I used required 25-30 minutes of soaking in very hot tap water. The package warms not to over soak, but I probably soaked them about 40 minutes because they were still hard in places. However, once you add them to skillet in the end, they soften up quite quickly. While they’re soaking in a bowl, start with the tofu. I don’t use any oil, I just tossed the tofu cubes in a nonstick skillet over medium heat, seasoned with salt and pepper, and sauteed them until browned, about 15 minutes.
Transfer to a plate or bowl and set aside. In the same skillet, heat the olive oil and garlic. Add the bell pepper, water chestnuts and snap peas. Saute for about 10 minutes, or until tender.
While those are cooking, however, start the sauce. In a medium saucepan, whisk together all of the sauce ingredients and heat over low-medium heat. Once it just starts to bubble, turn off the heat.
Add the tofu and green onion to the other veggies in the skillet and combine to rewarm the tofu.
Drain the noodles and add them to the skillet and let the noodles soften, about 5 minutes, over low-medium heat. Add the sauce and combine thoroughly; serve immediately. Top each serving with fresh cilantro and peanuts. Enjoy!

Vegan & Gluten-Free Pad Thai

Prep time

30 mins

Cook time

15 mins

Total time

45 mins

This Pad Thai is pretty nontraditional, not just because it's vegan, but also because I didn't go with the usual veggies such as bean sprouts. Plus, I certainly didn't go with the typical thin rice noodle; I opted for a heartier, thick cut one. So it is really Pad Thai? Well, sure! It's my version and it was a hit with the family, so I must have done something right! The limey-tamari sauce, with is the star of the show in all it's creamy, peanutty glory.

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Serves: 6

Ingredients

14-oz pkg. extra firm tofu, drained, pressed and cubed
1 tsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 orange or red bell pepper, sliced thin
1 can water chestnuts, sliced
2 C snap peas
½ C green onion, sliced
Salt and pepper, to taste
Sauce
⅔ C tamari
⅓ C creamy peanut butter
⅓ C sugar
⅔ C lime juice
1 heaping Tbs freshly grated gingerroot
1-1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
The rest
16-oz rice noodles
1 C peanuts, chopped
1 C fresh cilantro leaves

Directions

Begin with the noodles. The kind I used required 25-30 minutes of soaking in very hot tap water. The package warns not to over soak, but I probably soaked them about 40 minutes because they were still hard in places. However, once you add them to skillet in the end, they soften up quite quickly.
While they're soaking in a bowl, start with the tofu. I didn't use any oil, I just tossed the tofu cubes in a nonstick skillet over medium heat, seasoned with salt and pepper, and sauteed, flipping them often, until browned, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a plate or bowl and set aside.
In the same skillet, heat the olive oil and garlic. Add the bell pepper, water chestnuts and snap peas. Saute for about 10 minutes, or until tender.
While those are cooking, however, start the sauce. In a medium saucepan, whisk together all of the sauce ingredients and heat over low-medium heat. Once it just starts to bubble, turn off the heat.
Add the tofu and green onion to the other veggies in the skillet and combine to rewarm the tofu.
Drain the noodles and add them to the skillet and let the noodles soften, about 5 minutes, over low-medium heat. Add the sauce and combine thoroughly; serve immediately.
Top each serving with fresh cilantro and peanuts. Enjoy!

Homemade Veggie Sushi Rolls

June 3, 2014 by Epicurean Vegan

We love going out for veggie sushi rolls and after attempting to make them at home, we still love going out for sushi. It was certainly an experience and I’m sure those of you out there who can whip out a veggie roll and cleanly cut it into 8 beautiful pieces in ten seconds, are rolling your eyes right now, but I am happy to let you folks make my veggie sushi for now on. Here’s what I learned:

Sushi rice is called “sticky rice” for a reason; It. Sticks. To. Everything. (Including feet. Yes, you will find it between your toes)
Sharp knives are a must, not the ones we’ve had for nearly 12 years and have been sharpened once (Yes, I’m taking them in this week)
The Tenth-Grader has WAY more patience and optimism than I, thank goodness.
Contrary to popular belief, making sushi is not a zen-full experience.

What You’ll Need:

Sushi rice
Nori (seaweed wraps)
Veggies
Bamboo rolling mat (helpful, but not imperative)
Jarred ginger
Wasabi powder/paste
Soy sauce or tamari
Small bowl of water with a splash or two of rice vinegar.
Patience, a good attitude and perhaps some saki.

To begin with, the rice will take about 15 minutes. Going by package instructions, I combined 1-1/2 cups of water with 2 cups of rice to make 4 cups of rice (minus about 1/2 C that stuck to the bottom of the pan). This made about 5 rolls of a few good-looking and some very ugly rolls, varying in sizes. (As you may have guessed, this probably won’t be the most precise method of making sushi rolls). Transfer the rice to a wooden bowl (that is important, but I’m not sure why).

As far as veggies go, we went with avocado, carrot, cucumber, and mushrooms. They don’t have to all go on one roll; use whatever combo you’d like. I recommend using carrot peelings, unless you slice the carrot pretty thin, otherwise, it can be a pain in the butt to cut (especially if your knives are dull…) We found that the thinner things are sliced, the easier it is to pile the veggies in the roll.

To assemble . . .
Lay the bamboo mat out. To make small rolls, cut the nori sheet in half and place on the mat, shiny side down.Wet your hands with some of the water/rice vinegar and grab a large handful of the rice. The water helps keep the evil sticky rice from overtaking your hands. Press it onto the nori, leaving about an inch at the top; layer the veggies down the center.
(You can certainly add a lot more veggies).
Next, from the bottom, roll the bamboo mat up and squeeze the roll as you go. (That is such a terrible description, but I think you’ll figure it out). Very quickly, wet the top inch strip of nori, so that it will stick to the other end of the roll. This will all make sense when you try it. Hopefully, you’ll end up with a decent-looking roll:
When cutting, we found that wetting the knife also helped to keep the rice from sticking to the blade. The serrated knife worked well. We also made a nice fatty roll:
(We probably could have used less rice and more veggies). We also attempted the rice-on-the-outside rolls . . .
. . . but they were harder to cut.
Anyhow, we still ended up with some decent rolls. They weren’t pretty, but they still tasted great.
I love to mix about 1-1/2 tsp of wasabi paste with tamari or soy sauce, place a piece of ginger on the roll and dunk it all in the sauce. Delicious!! So I just might try this endeavor again (especially since I have half a bag of rice and several nori wrappers left). Any tip and tricks to making sushi is welcome, so let me know!

Tofu-Avocado Bowl with Cilantro-Ginger Cashew Sauce

May 7, 2014 by Epicurean Vegan

It’s been a busy spring, but I hope to get back to posting more regularly very, very soon. I’m excited to bring you this new recipe that is a “smorgasbord of flavors,” as The Husband called it. (That’s a good thing, I found out). This weekend, we went to WaterCourse Foods in Denver where I thoroughly enjoyed their Street Tacos that had a cilantro cream sauce. I have no idea how they made theirs, but it inspired me to make my own. Then came the veggies, rice and tofu and an incredible meal was born! (Sorry, a little dramatic). But I think you’ll really love this easy to make meal (no judgment here if you lick the bowl).

INGREDIENTS:
Cilantro-Ginger Cashew Sauce:
1 C raw, unsalted cashews, soaked for at least an hour in hot water
1 Tbs white or yellow miso
1/3 C packed cilantro leaves
2 Tbs lime juice
1 large clove of garlic, minced
1 Tbs fresh ginger
1 tsp salt
1/4 C water
1/4 C unsweetened, unflavored almond milk
The rest:
1-3/4 C vegetable broth
1 C wild rice (I used Lundberg Jubilee variety)
14-oz extra firm tofu, drained and pressed, cut into 6-7 slabs
1-1/2 C snowpeas, ends trimmed and cut in half
3/4 C green onion, sliced
2 carrots, grated
Shallot salt (or regular salt)
1-2 avocados, sliced
Cooking spray

DIRECTIONS:
Start with preparing the rice. Combine the broth and rice in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cover for 40 minutes. Meanwhile, to make the amazing sauce, drain the cashews and transfer them to the food processor. Add the other ingredients and puree. Scrape the bowl a few times and process until completely smooth.

Spray a large skillet with cooking spray and place over medium-high heat. Place the tofu slabs in the skillet, season with shallot salt. Turn the tofu once one side is browned. Season once again with shallot salt.
Once the tofu is done, transfer to a cutting board and cut each slab into 3 long pieces, then again in half.
Add the snowpeas and green onion to the same skillet. Over medium heat, saute the veggies for just a few minutes; enough to soften them a little. If need be, spray the skillet again with cooking spray. Stir in the carrot and cook another few minutes. Season with a little shallot salt, if you’d like.
To assemble, start with rice, top with the vegetable mixture, then add the tofu and avocado. Drizzle, drop or dump some sauce on top. Then . . . mix it all together and enjoy!

Tofu-Avocado Bowl with Cilantro-Ginger Cashew Sauce

I'm excited to bring you this new recipe that is a "smorgasbord of flavors," as The Husband called it. (That's a good thing, I found out). This weekend, we went to WaterCourse Foods in Denver where I thoroughly enjoyed their Street Tacos that had a cilantro cream sauce. I have no idea how they made theirs, but it inspired me to make my own. Then came the veggies, rice and tofu and an incredible meal was born! (Sorry, a little dramatic). But I think you'll really love this easy to make meal (no judgment here if you lick the bowl).

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Ingredients

Cilantro-Ginger Cashew Sauce:
1 C raw, unsalted cashews, soaked for at least an hour in hot water
1 Tbs white or yellow miso
⅓ C packed cilantro leaves
2 Tbs lime juice
1 large clove of garlic, minced
1 Tbs fresh ginger
1 tsp salt
¼ C water
¼ C unsweetened, unflavored almond milk
The rest:
1-3/4 C vegetable broth
1 C wild rice (I used Lundberg Jubilee variety)
14-oz extra firm tofu, drained and pressed, cut into 6-7 slabs
1-1/2 C snowpeas, ends trimmed and cut in half
¾ C green onion, sliced
2 carrots, grated
Shallot salt (or regular salt)
1-2 avocados, sliced
Cooking spray

Directions

Start with preparing the rice. Combine the broth and rice in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cover for 40 minutes.
Meanwhile, to make the amazing sauce, drain the cashews and transfer them to the food processor. Add the other ingredients and puree. Scrape the bowl a few times and process until completely smooth
Spray a large skillet with cooking spray and place over medium-high heat. Place the tofu slabs in the skillet, season with shallot salt. Turn the tofu once one side is browned. Season once again with shallot salt.
Once the tofu is done, transfer to a cutting board and cut each slab into 3 long pieces, then again in half.
Add the snowpeas and green onion to the same skillet. Over medium heat, saute the veggies for just a few minutes; enough to soften them a little. If need be, spray the skillet again with cooking spray. Stir in the carrot and cook another few minutes. Season with a little shallot salt, if you'd like.
To assemble, start with rice, top with the vegetable mixture, then add the tofu and avocado. Drizzle, drop or dump some sauce on top. Then . . . mix it all together and enjoy!

Asian-Inspired Risotto

February 26, 2014 by Epicurean Vegan

Yep, I’m still on my risotto kick. This time, however, I gave it an Asian twist by adding bok choy, shiitake mushrooms, and a touch of sesame oil (among other seasonings). This is a unique and delicious change from the usual risotto dish and would be great paired with some veggie crystal rolls. Yum!

INGREDIENTS:
4 C vegetable broth
1 Tbs red miso
1 C water
1-1/2 C Arborio rice
2 heads baby bok choy, chopped
2 C shiitake mushrooms, chopped
3/4 C green onion, sliced thin
1/2 C Sherry cooking wine
2 Tbs Earth Balance
1/3 C nutritional yeast
1/4 tsp Chinese 5-Spice blend
1/4 tsp sesame oil
1 Tbs tamari ( or soy sauce)

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350. In a Dutch oven, whisk the 4 cups of broth and 1 tablespoon of miso; stir in the rice. Cover and bake for 45 minutes. Fifteen minutes before the rice is done, begin steaming the bok choy. Steam for 10 minutes, then add the mushrooms and green onion.

When the rice is done (most of the liquid has been absorbed), stir in the one cup of water,sherry and Earth Balance. Stir vigorously for 1-2 minutes—it’ll thicken up. Next, add the nutritional yeast, five-spice blend, sesame oil, and tamari. Stir well for at least a minute. Fold in the bok choy mixture and enjoy!

Asian-Inspired Risotto

Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

45 mins

Total time

55 mins

I gave this risotto dish an Asian twist by adding bok choy, shiitake mushrooms, and a touch of sesame oil (among other seasonings). This is a unique and delicious change from the usual risotto dish and would be great paired with some veggie crystal rolls. Yum!

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Ingredients

4 C vegetable broth
1 Tbs red miso
1 C water
1-1/2 C Arborio rice
2 heads baby bok choy, chopped
2 C shiitake mushrooms, chopped
¾ C green onion, sliced thin
½ C Sherry cooking wine
2 Tbs Earth Balance
⅓ C nutritional yeast
¼ tsp Chinese 5-Spice blend
¼ tsp sesame oil
1 Tbs tamari ( or soy sauce)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350.
In a Dutch oven, whisk the 4 cups of broth and 1 tablespoon of miso; stir in the rice.
Cover and bake for 45 minutes.
Fifteen minutes before the rice is done, begin steaming the bok choy. Steam for 10 minutes, then add the mushrooms and green onion.
When the rice is done (most of the liquid has been absorbed), stir in the one cup of water,sherry and Earth Balance. Stir vigorously for 1-2 minutes---it'll thicken up.
Next, add the nutritional yeast, five-spice blend, sesame oil, and tamari. Stir well for at least a minute.
Fold in the bok choy mixture and enjoy!

Tofu & Shiitake Stir-fry with Soba Noodles

February 12, 2014 by Epicurean Vegan

This is such an easy and tasty dinner to throw together—as long as you remember to give the veggies time to marinate. Even it’s just an hour, that’s quite all right. Feel free to use your own favorite veggies, but keep in mind, that you may have to marinate certain vegetables separate, depending on whether or not they need longer cooking time. The vegetables I chose could be all cooked together at the same time, so it made this dish a breeze.

INGREDIENTS
Marinade:
1/2 C tamari
2 Tbs brown rice vinegar
2 tsp agave
2 tsp sesame seed oil
2 Tbs sherry
1 tsp vegan Worcestershire sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbs ginger root, grated
1/2 C green onion, sliced
The rest:
8-oz shiitake mushrooms, sliced
14-oz pkg. extra firm tofu, drained, pressed and cubed
3/4 C snowpeas, cut in half
6 to 8 oz buckwheat soba noodles ( I like Hakubaku brand. They come in a package of 3 separate rolls of noodles. I used 2 of the 3)
1 Tbs olive oil
2 Tbs arrowroot

DIRECTIONS:
Combine all of the marinade ingredients in a resealable bag. Mix it up well, then add the mushrooms, tofu and snowpeas. Coat the vegetables thoroughly and lay flat in the refrigerator for at least an hour, turning over once, half way through.

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil. Drain and reserve the marinade in a measuring cup; you should have about a 1/3 of a cup; set aside. Saute the vegetables over medium heat for 8-10 minutes, or until they begin brown. Meanwhile, heat the water for the noodles. They’ll only take 4 minutes to cook once adding them to boiling water, so it will all come together pretty quickly.

When the vegetables are about done, whisk the arrowroot into the reserved marinade. Make sure you don’t have any clumps. Pour it into the skillet, coat the vegetables well, and reduce the heat to low.

Drain the soba noodles and serve with the vegetable mix on top. Enjoy!

Tofu & Shiitake Stir-fry with Soba Noodles

This is such an easy and tasty dinner to throw together---as long as you remember to give the veggies time to marinate. Even it's just an hour, that's quite all right. Feel free to use your own favorite veggies, but keep in mind, that you may have to marinate certain vegetables separate, depending on whether or not they need longer cooking time. The vegetables I chose could be all cooked together at the same time, so it made this dish a breeze.

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Ingredients

Marinade:
½ C tamari
2 Tbs brown rice vinegar
2 tsp agave
2 tsp sesame seed oil
2 Tbs sherry
1 tsp vegan Worcestershire sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbs ginger root, grated
½ C green onion, sliced
The rest:
8-oz shiitake mushrooms, sliced
14-oz pkg. extra firm tofu, drained, pressed and cubed
¾ C snowpeas, cut in half
6 to 8 oz buckwheat soba noodles ( I like Hakubaku brand. They come in a package of 3 separate rolls of noodles. I used 2 of the 3)
1 Tbs olive oil
2 Tbs arrowroot

Directions

Combine all of the marinade ingredients in a resealable bag. Mix it up well, then add the mushrooms, tofu and snowpeas. Coat the vegetables thoroughly and lay flat in the refrigerator for at least an hour, turning over once, half way through.
In a large skillet, heat the olive oil. Drain and reserve the marinade in a measuring cup; you should have about a ⅓ of a cup; set aside. Saute the vegetables over medium heat for 8-10 minutes, or until they begin brown.
Meanwhile, heat the water for the noodles. They'll only take 4 minutes to cook once adding them to boiling water, so it will all come together pretty quickly.
When the vegetables are about done, whisk the arrowroot into the reserved marinade. Make sure you don't have any clumps. Pour it into the skillet, coat the vegetables well, and reduce the heat to low.
Drain the soba noodles and serve with the vegetable mix on top. Enjoy!

Tofu Sliders

May 10, 2013 by epicureanvegan

This recipe is from Vegetarian Times, but I made just a few alterations. The original recipe is called “Kung Pao Sliders,” but I’m not sure where the kung pao is because they weren’t spicy at all—the recipe only calls for an optional pinch of cayenne. The recipe also says it makes 16 sliders and I sliced the tofu the same way and ended up with just 14. Next time, I’ll actually just cut large slabs instead of using 2 per slider, because they were pretty small. If you want them to have more of a kick, I suggest adding more cayenne, or some sriacha to the slaw mixture. Ok, with all of that out of the way, I have to say, these were quite delicious. The slaw is really flavorful and any leftovers would be great eaten alone, or on some rice or noodles. I made some fries to go with them and it was a great meal. (I guess you can call it “Frasian” dining . . .)

INGREDIENTS:
Sliders:
1 14-oz pkg extra firm tofu, patted dry
4 Tbs low-sodium soy sauce (I used tamari)
2 Tbs natural cane sugar
2 tsp toasted sesame oil
1 tsp cornstarch
(I also added 1 Tbs yellow miso)
slider buns
Slaw:
3 Tbs low-sodium soy sauce (or tamari)
2 Tbs vegan mayo
2 Tbs creamy peanut butter
5 tsp natural cane sugar (I reduced this to 2 tsp)
2 Tbs rice vinegar
2 tsp toasted sesame oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1/8 tsp black pepper
4 medium carrots, julienned* (I recommend 2 carrots, as there was a lot of slaw left—unless you’re fine with that)
2 medium (I recommend small ones) zucchini, julienned*
1/4 C dry-roasted peanuts, chopped
Optional: sriacha or other hot sauce for some heat
*Another option is to use a peeler and make ribbons of carrots and zucchini—this can be much easier than julienning them.

DIRECTIONS:
I recommend making this a couple of hours ahead of time to allow the tofu to marinate and give yourself plenty of prep time. The recipe says to cut the tofu into 8 slices lengthwise; halve the slices to make 16 pieces. I did the best I could. (Again, next time I’ll make larger cuts.)

In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, cane sugar, toasted sesame oil and cornstarch. (This is also where I added in the miso). Pour about a third of the sauce on the bottom of a baking dish and place the tofu squares in the pan. Pour the remaining sauce over the tofu to coat it.

Cover and chill while you prepare the slaw. Basically, whisk together all of the slaw ingredients (minus the veggies and peanuts) in a large bowl. Stir in the carrots, zucchini, and peanuts. Cover and chill.

Preheat oven to 375. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray and transfer the tofu to the sheet. The recipe says to drain the tofu, but I just poured the marinade over the tofu.

Bake 20-25 minutes, then flip and bake 15-20 minutes. I reduced the times a little from the original recipe because mine seemed to bake pretty fast. Every oven runs different, so just check them often to make sure they’re not burnt to a crisp. On to assembling them . . .

Add about 2 Tbs of slaw and you’re ready to eat! Enjoy!

Tofu Sliders

This recipe is from Vegetarian Times, but I made just a few alterations. The original recipe is called "Kung Pao Sliders," but I'm not sure where the kung pao is because they weren't spicy at all---the recipe only calls for an optional pinch of cayenne. The recipe also says it makes 16 sliders and I sliced the tofu the same way and ended up with just 14. Next time, I'll actually just cut large slabs instead of using 2 per slider, because they were pretty small. If you want them to have more of a kick, I suggest adding more cayenne, or some sriacha to the slaw mixture. Ok, with all of that out of the way, I have to say, these were quite delicious. The slaw is really flavorful and any leftovers would be great eaten alone, or on some rice or noodles. I made some fries to go with them and it was a great meal. (I guess you can call it "Frasian" dining . . .)

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Serves: 6

Ingredients

Sliders:
1 14-oz pkg extra firm tofu, patted dry
4 Tbs low-sodium soy sauce (I used tamari)
2 Tbs natural cane sugar
2 tsp toasted sesame oil
1 tsp cornstarch
(I also added 1 Tbs yellow miso)
slider buns
Slaw:
3 Tbs low-sodium soy sauce (or tamari)
2 Tbs vegan mayo
2 Tbs creamy peanut butter
5 tsp natural cane sugar (I reduced this to 2 tsp)
2 Tbs rice vinegar
2 tsp toasted sesame oil
1 clove garlic, minced
⅛ tsp black pepper
4 medium carrots, julienned* (I recommend 2 carrots, as there was a lot of slaw left---unless you're fine with that)
2 medium (I recommend small ones) zucchini, julienned*
¼ C dry-roasted peanuts, chopped
Optional: sriacha or other hot sauce for some heat
*Another option is to use a peeler and make ribbons of carrots and zucchini---this can be much easier than julienning them.

Directions

I recommend making this a couple of hours ahead of time to allow the tofu to marinate and give yourself plenty of prep time. The recipe says to cut the tofu into 8 slices lengthwise; halve the slices to make 16 pieces. I did the best I could. (Again, next time I'll make larger cuts.)
In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, cane sugar, toasted sesame oil and cornstarch. (This is also where I added in the miso). Pour about a third of the sauce on the bottom of a baking dish and place the tofu squares in the pan. Pour the remaining sauce over the tofu to coat it.
Cover and chill while you prepare the slaw. Basically, whisk together all of the slaw ingredients (minus the veggies and peanuts) in a large bowl. Stir in the carrots, zucchini, and peanuts. Cover and chill.
Preheat oven to 375.
Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray and transfer the tofu to the sheet. The recipe says to drain the tofu, but I just poured the marinade over the tofu.
Bake 20-25 minutes, then flip and bake 15-20 minutes. I reduced the times a little from the original recipe because mine seemed to bake pretty fast. Every oven runs different, so just check them often to make sure they're not burnt to a crisp.
To assemble, serve on buns with a scoop of slaw. Enjoy!

Hot and Sour Soup

December 20, 2012 by epicureanvegan

I have always wanted to try making hot and sour soup at home. Typically, Asian restaurants use a chicken or beef-based broth in their soups, so I usually have to pass on it. I found a recipe in Color Me Vegan, but I made some alterations to it. We loved the results! I went easy on the hot part, so feel free to spice it up more if you’d like.

INGREDIENTS:
1-1/2 oz dried mushroom variety such as shiitake, oyster, porcini, boletus and woodear
3/4 oz dried exotic mushrooms
14-oz extra firm tofu, drained, pressed and cut into cubes
7 Tbs tamari or soy sauce, divided
1 Tbs canola oil
6 C vegetable broth
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp black pepper
1/4 C rice vinegar
1/4 C arrowroot
1 can bamboo shoots, sliced into thin strips
2-3 tsp chili sesame oil
4 green onions, sliced

dried mushroom variety mix

dried exotic mushroom mix

3 packets of dried mushrooms

DIRECTIONS:
Combine the mushrooms in a bowl and cover with hot water. Let sit for about an hour. Drain, but reserve the liquid (approx. 2 cups). Then cut/slice the mushrooms.

Preheat the oven to 400 and line a baking sheet with foil and coat with canola oil. You don’t have to use foil, but I find stuff still sticks to the pan regardless. Place the tofu on the baking sheet and drizzle with 4 Tbs of the tamari.

Bake for 15 minutes and then turn the pieces. I’m sorry to say, there really isn’t an easy way to do this other than one by one . . . bake another 8-10 minutes.

(These may look pretty scorched, but it’s actually just the baked-on tamari)

In a large soup pot, bring the broth to a boil, then add the mushrooms. Let simmer or med/low heat for about 5 minutes. Add the red pepper flakes and black pepper. In a small bowl, combine the arrowroot, rice vinegar, and 3 Tbs of the tamari. Whisk well to thoroughly combine. Stir into the soup and bring it to a boil.

Add the bamboo shoots, tofu, and chili sesame oil; cook for 5 minutes. You may want to thin out the soup a little, so add some of the reserved mushroom water. I had two cups and ended up using it all–it just depends on how thick you want the soup. Top each individual serving with some green onions and enjoy!

Hot and Sour Soup

I have always wanted to try making hot and sour soup at home. Typically, Asian restaurants use a chicken or beef-based broth in their soups, so I usually have to pass on it. I found a recipe in Color Me Vegan, but I made some alterations to it. We loved the results! I went easy on the hot part, so feel free to spice it up more if you'd like.

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Ingredients

1-1/2 oz dried mushroom variety such as shiitake, oyster, porcini, boletus and woodear
¾ oz dried exotic mushrooms
14-oz extra firm tofu, drained, pressed and cut into cubes
7 Tbs tamari or soy sauce, divided
1 Tbs canola oil
6 C vegetable broth
¼ tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp black pepper
¼ C rice vinegar
¼ C arrowroot
1 can bamboo shoots, sliced into thin strips
2-3 tsp chili sesame oil
4 green onions, sliced

Directions

Combine the mushrooms in a bowl and cover with hot water. Let sit for about an hour. Drain, but reserve the liquid (approx. 2 cups). Then cut/slice the mushrooms.
Preheat the oven to 400 and line a baking sheet with foil and coat with canola oil. You don't have to use foil, but I find stuff still sticks to the pan regardless.
Place the tofu on the baking sheet and drizzle with 4 Tbs of the tamari.
Bake for 15 minutes and then turn the pieces. I'm sorry to say, there really isn't an easy way to do this other than one by one . . . bake another 8-10 minutes.
In a large soup pot, bring the broth to a boil, then add the mushrooms. Let simmer or med/low heat for about 5 minutes. Add the red pepper flakes and black pepper.
In a small bowl, combine the arrowroot, rice vinegar, and 3 Tbs of the tamari. Whisk well to thoroughly combine. Stir into the soup and bring it to a boil.
Add the bamboo shoots, tofu, and chili sesame oil; cook for 5 minutes. You may want to thin out the soup a little, so add some of the reserved mushroom water. I had two cups and ended up using it all--it just depends on how thick you want the soup.
Top each individual serving with some green onions and enjoy!

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Cauliflower Fried Rice

East Meets West Chickpea Lettuce Wraps

Vegan & Gluten-Free Pad Thai

Homemade Veggie Sushi Rolls

Tofu-Avocado Bowl with Cilantro-Ginger Cashew Sauce

Asian-Inspired Risotto

Tofu & Shiitake Stir-fry with Soba Noodles

Tofu Sliders

Hot and Sour Soup

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