It's a miracle!

When i'm in school, I need a pretty good motivation to get myself out of bed. Knowing I have a day full of feeling stupid just isn't enough sometimes. Scrambled tofu usually is.
This morning as I embarked on my tofu scramble, I realized that my vegetable supply is pretty low. My usual scramble standards (mushrooms, zucchini) were not to be seen, and only a little sliver of green pepper (another standard) remained in my crisper. The prospect of a scramble with just green pepper made me sad, so I decided to get daring and throw in a vegetable I had never thought of scrambling before. Broccoli. (Carrot and cauliflower seemed a little too crazy this morning. Maybe next time...)
The resulting scramble was delicious, and i'm happy to report that broccoli may just become a regular in my scrambles from now on. I usually have it on hand and it adds a really nice texture.

If you still aren't convincced why you should scramble up some broccoli, read all about why it's a miracle.

If you need a scramble recipe, here is my preferred method.

Summer in a bowl

One of the things I really appreciate about summer is the effect it has on my appetite. I find that in the summer months I start craving crisp, cool, fresh, fruits and veg. All my favorites are widely available in the summer and are even pretty affordable . 

The only downside is that summer also increases my cravings for ice cream... but then again I have been known to walk around in the harsh winter nights of Alberta, clutching a marble slab in hand just because it's too damn good to pass up. (Luckily Vancouver winters are much tamer then  what I was used to when I lived in Edmonton...) So I guess I can't really blame summer for that one.

But I digress.

So I stocked up on produce last night and put all my findings into a bowl today and delcared it a salad. Even though today I realized I forgot to buy lettuce last night. (Luckily I had bok choy- the leaves worked nicely in place of lettuce.) Crisp, cool, fresh, and filling it hit the spot-now that the heat has returned to Vancouver, and  just so happen to live in the worlds hottest apt. (S/E facing with all windows. It's like a greenhouse.) 

I look forward to many more of these salads for the rest of the season.

I just used whatever was on sale/looked yummy from last night's grocery haul but almost any mix of fruit and veg would yield  lovely results. 

I used:

1/2 ataulfo mango (or whatever mango you can get your hands on)

1/4 green bell pepper

1/4 red bell pepper

1/3 red onion

3-4 stalks baby bok choy. 

1-2 tbsp fresh cilantro or herb of your choice

1 tbsp lemon or lime juice (zest would be a good idea if you are using fresh fruit to get your juice)

few drops of extra virgin olive oil

dash of salt and pepper

red chili flakes to taste

nuts to garnish

dice your veg and toss with the rest of your ingredients. that's it. really. 

i tossed some chopped walnuts and pecans in there for some crunch and protein. almonds would be a good choice to as they could play off the fruity hints in this salad. 

also i imagine some crumbled goat cheese joining the party next time. 

In a Hurry Coconut Curry

Oh, how I love when things rhyme!
But what I love even more is fast, tasty meals. I have been crazy busy these past few months (hence the lack of posts...)so I have been focusing even more on food that doesn't take a lot of effort in order to properly feed myself.
This one fits the bill perfectly. All you need is a block of tofu, some veg, a can of coconut milk, and curry paste. Combine them all in a pan for about 10 mins and you've got a yummy curry that took little to no time or effort. My kind of meal!


Green Coconut Curry

1 can of coconut milk
1/2 brick of extra firm tofu
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
1/4 can of baby corn, rinsed
1-2 tsp of oil
3-6 tbsp green curry paste (depending on your taste)
red chili flakes (optional)

First rinse the tofu, and pat dry. Try to drain out as much liquid as you can with a paper towel without crushing the tofu to bits. Cut into cubes. Heat up the oil in a pan, and add tofu when pan is heated. Fry all sides for about a minuete or so, until golden brown. Next add the can of coconut milk and a few tablespoons of curry paste.* Cover and lower heat to medium. After about 5 mins add the sliced peppers and baby corn (or whatever vegetables are on hand) and cook another 5 mins or so, until the coconut milk has reduced to nothing.

Serve over rice if you have time, or rice noodles if you don't. Garnish with red chili flakes, soy sauce, hot sauce, or whatever your heart desires.



*I like to numb my mouth with spice and flavor, so I'm not sure what to suggest here for the average person. I say just add a tablespoon or two at the start then taste as you go. If you want more curry flavor, add a few more scoops.