Tag: cooking blog

Tofu Stir-Fry with Peanut Sauce

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Happy Monday!

This recipe kicks off the beginning of many cooking posts, because I love to cook almost as much as I like to bake. Welcome and let me show you my vegetarian culinary prowess!

Not many people know, and I am not ashamed, but I am on a Weight Watchers Freestyle diet. I found this recipe on the Weight Watchers app. I decided to give it a try and I am very glad I did! It has the perfect balance of sweet and salty and spicy.

Per usual, I made some changes to the original recipe.

For starters, just to cut down the calories and fat in the run-of-the-mill peanut butter, I used a substitute. It is a peanut powder that when combined with water, forms a peanut butter texture but with a huge fraction less of fat, calories, and the same amount of protein. I originally found this through Weight Watchers and it has become such a staple in my diet, even my mom loves it! It really resembles peanut butter in texture and taste, just with less of the “unhealthy” parts. Basically it’s a 2:1 ratio- 2 being the peanut powder, and 1 being water. Typically to get 2 Tbs l mix 2 Tbs peanut powder with 1 (or even 1/2) Tbs water.

This is the peanut powder I use:
Peanut Butter & Co. Original Peanut Powder
https://www.amazon.com/Peanut-Butter-Co-Powdered-Original/dp/B00XE3UFAU/ref=asc_df_B00XE3UFAU/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312230736937&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=12405991216800835300&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9001869&hvtargid=aud-643191255296%3Apla-573982589012&th=1 h

The original recipe called for sliced carrots. But, I thought they would take too much time to cook and they are rough to chop finely. So, instead, I just used the pre-shredded carrots which made everything easier. I used about an overflowing 1/2 cup. But, as always, it’s personal preference.

I also toasted my own sesame seeds. It is super easy, just pour the desired amount in a pan on medium heat. Be very careful and don’t walk away from it (like I did) or you’ll end up burning them and boy, it can get very smokey. You’ll be able to tell they are done because you’ll start to smell them and they will begin the brown.

And finally, I used refrigerated minced garlic in water. I usually chop mine fresh from a head of them, I think the taste is a lot more substantial. But, for the past few weeks when I grow grocery shopping, the garlic I buy goes bad in 3 or 4 days. Completely rotten. And I even keep them in the refrigerator because it slows the ripening process. I was getting the regular jumbo ones but I switched over to the organic jumbo garlic sold in a box, so we’ll see how that is. Does anyone else have this trouble?

For a more spicier version, use more Sriracha to taste.

For a sweeter version, add some honey (about 1 Tbs)

For a more salty version either add more soy sauce or just straight up use a regular soy sauce instead of the low sodium version.

Today’s recipe motto is: variety is the spice of life! Enjoy!

Tofu Stir-Fry with Peanut Sauce

Yield: 4 servings of 1 ½ cups

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 12 oz extra firm tofu
  • 2 Tbs Peanut Butter & Co. Original Peanut Powder (use as instructed, combining 2 Tbs of powder with 1 Tbs water)
  • 4 Tbs low sodium soy sauce
  • 2 Tbs water
  • 1 Tbs dark brown sugar
  • 1 tsp minced garlic
  • Ginger
  • 1 tsp rice vinegar
  • 1 Tbs Sriracha
  • 1 large red bell pepper
  • 1 c sugar snap peas
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 3 c green cabbage
  • ½ c shredded carrots
  • 6 medium scallions
  • 1 ½ Tbs Toasted sesame seeds

Instructions:

  1. On a plate or cutting board place paper towels down. Place the uncooked tofu on top after you have drained all the water from the package. Cover the tofu with layers of paper towels and put something heavy, like a pan or glass bowl on top so the water from the tofu is absorbed into the paper towels. Press lightly a few times to soak up the water. Keep the tofu pressing until you use the tofu.
  2. Make the peanut sauce. Whisk peanut butter, soy sauce, water, sugar, garlic, ginger, vinegar and sriracha. Set the mixture aside.
  3. Use a cooking spray to coat the bottom of a skillet or pan, on high heat. Wait 2 minutes until the pan is very hot. Then, add the entire block of tofu. Cook until it is brown on all sides, you should have a pretty good sear going. This will take 4-6 minutes per side. Remove from the pan and cut the tofu into long but thick strips. Set it aside.
  4. To the same pan, add the pepper and snap peas. I prefer to chop the ends off of the snap peas, but you could leave them on, it’s personal preference. Stir fry for 5 minutes, and add salt. Add the cabbage, carrots, and peanut sauce. Toss so everything marries together and stir-fry until the cabbage has wilted, 3-4 minutes. You can always add more water if your sauce is too thick. Add the cooked tofu strips and scallions, stirring until it is well combined and heated all the way through. Garnish with sesame seeds and serve warm.

Serving Size: 1 ½ cup

Beginnings and Brown Sugar Cookies

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I figured I would kick-off my blog with a recipe I had made that was roughly based on Sabrina Synders’s recipe which I will link here:
https://dinnerthendessert.com/brown-sugar-cookies/

I made some modifications to her original recipe just based on personal taste.

Firstly, instead of using AP (all purpose) flour, I used cake flour. Cake flour is different that regular AP flour. It has a lower protein content and is made of bleached winter wheat. It is softer, and lighter and much finer than your run of the mill AP flour because it has been super ground until it is delicate enough. And this lower level of protein inhibits the formation of gluten. This is nice because usually if there is more gluten in a food, it is associated with a more tough, resistant, and chewy texture. And on top of all that, the fact that it’s bleached also prevents the gluten formation. I wanted to go for that extra light texture because the recipe had 2 cups of dark brown sugar, which could be a very heavy and decadent cookie. I wanted it to be enjoyed as a few cookies in one sitting, not just one that would give you a stomach ache if you ate more that one.
All-purpose flour: 9-12% protein content.
Cake flour: 6-8% protein content 

Another adjustment I made was also in efforts to make the cookie light and chew, was to incorporate dairy-free butter in the recipe. The recipe calls for 14 Tbs of butter. You heat 10 in a saucepan and then after it browned, move to another bowl and add in the final 4 Tbs of butter. I used Earth Balance Original as the 4 Tbs in place of the last 4 Tbs of butter. I noticed that my cookies did not spread as much as the recipe I was referencing, most likely from the lack of butter. I think (correct me or let me know if this is wrong) the Earth Balance and butter has a higher melting point than butter, so there was more integrity in the mix.

I would not recommend this recipe if you plan on doing different cut-outs or decorations. They did spread a little bit but I do not think it would hold other shapes well.

I also was experimenting with how baked I wanted my cookie to be. I had them in the oven for 12 minutes the first batch and took them out when I saw brown creeping up the sides. However, they were pretty crunchy, with some chew in the middle. The second batch was better- I took them out at 10 minutes which is when they were the perfect amount of softness in the middle and crispy around the edges. Given, my oven runs hot even with the speed bake off.

Whew! What a load of information! Overall, it was a perfect cookie for a cold rainy day, eating them while they are straight out of the oven, warm and chewy with some tea. All I can say is, ah magnific! Here is my tweaked recipe and huge shoutout to
https://dinnerthendessert.com/ for coming up with the original and amazing recipe!

Brown Sugar Cookies

Yield: 44 cookies

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes max

Total Time: 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS

  • 10 tablespoons unsalted butter 
  • 4 Tbs Earth Balance Original
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 2 cups packed dark brown sugar
  • 2 cups cake flour plus 2 tablespoons
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. In a saucepan melt 10 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat (mine was more at high heat). It helps if you cut the butter into Tbs before melting to speed up the process. Whisk constantly until butter starts to brown, about 4-5 minutes Pour into bowl, add Earth Balance Original to same bowl and set to the side.
  3. In another bowl whisk together sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, flour, baking soda, and baking powder.
  4. Add the rest (1.75 cup) dark brown sugar and salt to butter and whisk until smooth, this may take a minute but if you put in the work now, you won’t regret it. You can not “over mix” at this part. Whisk the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla in a bowl until it it thorighly combined. Then add it to the butter and sugar mixture.
  5. Combine butter mixture with dry ingredients, pouring the dry inmgredients in 3 separate installations, stirring it all together until a dough forms.
  6. Use a Tbs measure to portion out each cookie, making sure to roll it into a ball. Optional: sprinkle sugar on top.
  7. Bake for 10-12 minutes until you see just the littlest bit of brown on the edges. And when I say little bit, I mean it. These cookies can brown really quickly once they reach a certain point. Keep your eyes on this!

My recipe made 44 cookies