Simple Udon Noodles

I needed my noodle fix this week, I bought some rice noodles and fresh udon. This recipe is super yummy and really, really simple. I add lots of fresh greens and a little toasted sesame seeds to finish it off.


Simple Udon Noodles


1-2 tbsp sunflower oil
1/2 onion- thinly sliced
1 clove garlic-minced
1/2 cup tofu- cubed
1/2 cup green beans- sliced in half
2 pkgs fresh udon noodles
2 baby bok choy- chopped
3 tbsp tamari
1 tsp mirin
1 tbsp sesame seeds- lightly toasted

In a pan heat oil, add onion and garlic. Sauté for 2 minutes or so.
Add tofu. cook until seared. 2-3 minutes.
Stir in 1 tbsp of the tamari.
Add beans continue cooking for another minute.
Break apart the noodles, add them to the pan. Heat for another 2 minutes.
Toss in the bok choy. Drizzle the remainder of tamari and mirin over top.
Sprinkle the sesame seeds when serving.

Pad thai

vegan pad thai

One day I would like to go to Thailand....and eat pad thai, but for now I am in my kitchen making my own version. I went to Tian Phat Asian Grocery store this afternoon and picked up some stuff. One of those things, Tamarind.

 It is an essential ingredient tamarind, a fruit that grows in tropical Africa and is used all over the world in cooking. It has a sour flavor but when you add brown sugar and garlic you get a beautiful sauce for pad thai,

tamarind

The structure of pad thai is fairly simple, with few ingredients. The process is mostly having everything in place before you start up the wok. Cooking the rice noodles is the first thing I do, because they can be rinsed and set aside.  As those are cooking I also cut off a chuck of the tamarind and soak it in boiled water, making a paste or juice.

pad thai ingredients

Once you have everything chopped, pureed and browned (tofu). It is only a matter of minutes before you have a plate of steaming hot noodles topped with fresh cilantro and peanuts.

Mise en place

Vegan Pad Thai


1/2 package of rice noodles-cooked according to package

small chunk of tamarind (about 1/4) cup soaked in 1 /4 cup boiled water
3 cloves garlic
1 tbsp fresh ginger- minced
1/2 lime-juiced
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp tamari
1 thai chili-seeded
1/2 tsp sea salt

Vegetables of your liking, I used.....
Broccoli, red pepper, onion, shredded carrot, green beans, cabbage

1/2 block of tofu-
cubed and sprinkled with garlic powder and sea salt

fresh cilantro
peanuts-roughly chopped

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Cook noodles, drain and rinse.
Set aside

Place everything in a food processor and blend.
Set aside

Chop veggies to mouth bite sizes
Set aside.

Brown tofu in saute pan with a little oil.
Set aside.

In a wok heat 2 tbsp sunflower oil and a few drops of sesame oil.
Add veggies, saute until they change color (bright)
Add noodles, if they are stuck together, add a little water to loosen.
Pour sauce over top and heat up for a few minutes.
Serve with tofu, cilantro and chopped peanuts.

I would highly recommend getting some restaurant tongs. Good ones! 

Pumpkin Thai Curry

Pumpkin! I made this curry served with vermicelli rice noodles the other night.  I use Thai Kitchen red curry paste for this recipe.I think the overall time to make this meal was about 30 minutes. I didn't use much of the pumpkin for this, so I plan on roasting the rest and using it in muffins and whatnot. More pumpkin posts coming soon....

2 tbsp coconut oil
1 onion- sliced
2 cloves garlic-minced
2 tbsp Thai Kitchen red curry paste
4 cups pumpkin- peeled and chopped
3 cups water/ veggie stock
1 red pepper- sliced
1/2 cup coconut milk
2 tsp sea salt
1 tbsp brown sugar
fresh cilantro
vermicelli rice noodles- cooked according to package


In a large pot heat oil, add onions and garlic. Saute on medium heat until soft.
Add paste and stir it around to coat the onions. Add pumpkin and continue to stir.
Pour in water/stock and bring to a boil. Lower heat to a simmer and cook until pumpkin is soft.
Add peppers and coconut milk. Season with sugar and salt.  Serve over noodles garnished with fresh cilantro.

Chickpea & Noodle Soup

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There is something about a big bowl of hot soup, it warms the soul. Especially when the weather is chilly, which it has been lately. And now that we are getting closer to winter what better then to curl up on the couch with a warm blanket and a cup of hot soup:)

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion-small diced
• 2 cloves garlic-minced
• 2 stalks celery-small diced
• 2 carrots-peeled, small diced
• 8 mushrooms- sliced
• 1/8 tsp celery salt
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/4 tsp dried sage
• 6 cups of stock or water
• 1 can of chickpeas
• spaghetti noodles (broken into 3)
• 1 tsp of tamari
• 2 tsp of apple cider vinegar
• 2 tsp of brown sugar
• 1 tbsp of miso
• freshly ground pepper
• sea salt
• fresh parsley
• green onions

In a large pot on medium high heat add oil,onion and garlic saute until onions are translucent

add celery, continue sauteing for 3- more minutes. Add carrots, mushrooms, celery salt, oregano. and sage. Saute for 2 more minutes. Add water and chickpeas. Bring to a rapid boil, add noodles.

Simmer for 20 minutes or until noodles are cooked. Add seasonings, leave the miso for the last ingredient. ( remember not to boil the soup once you add it, as it will lose all its beneficial properties:)