Coconut Curry Shrimp

Coconut Curry Shrimp

Not every meal has to be completely from scratch or complicated to be healthy, delicious and fun.  I had a jar of curry sauce that was going to expire in about a month and being a stickler for those "best by" dates and hating to waste anything I knew I had to use it up.  So last minute I raided my pantry and my freezer and came up with this meal.  I was not planning on putting it on my blog at first, but then figured, why not? It might not be that original, or that inventive, but sometimes simple and quick are just as good. Full of high protein shrimp and beans, fiber rich brown rice and super nutritious spinach and garlic it is a meal that is as good for as it is easy to throw together.  If you always keep items like this stocked in your pantry and freezer, a gourmet meal is never far away.

Roasted Vegetables and Tofu with Peanut Sauce

Roasted Vegetables and Tofu with Peanut Sauce

I love a good stir fry.  For the longest time I could never figure out how to make my own Asian inspired meals taste as good as the ones I would get in a restaurant, but with a few quality ingredients, combined in just the right way, I think I have cracked the code.  I have made peanut sauces in the past but usually they are way too thick and sticky and frankly, to "peanuty" for my taste.  This recipes fixes that by incorporating enough other ingredients so that the peanut taste is not overwhelming.

The other great thing about this dish, in addition to being full of nutrient dense organic vegetables, high protein organic tofu and fiber rich brown rice, is that it can all cook in one large pan (or two smaller ones).  The rice has to cook separately of course or you could use some you have left over from another meal. Or you could do what I sometimes do, and buy the packets of precooked plain brown rice (I even found an organic version at my local store).  I had never thought of roasting my tofu before but I saw it mentioned in a magazine recipe and figured it was worth a shot.  I usually pan fry it on the stove and the little bit of moisture that is always left in the tofu interacts with the oil and inevitably makes a giant splattering mess.  If nothing else, this method eliminates the stove top clean up and allows me time to make the sauce and prep the rice. Having everything cook together at one time, in one or two pans is so much better.

At first I wasn't sure that the tofu had cooked properly since the top still looked undone, but the bottom was definitely crispy and cooked to perfection.  If I remember next time or if you are picky about things cooking evenly you could definitely flip the pieces over halfway through cooking.  But this is definitely a simpler method of preparing tofu, that even my son loves, and will probably be how I make it from now on. Of course if you don't like tofu, as I know a lot of people don't, you could easily substitute organic chicken in this recipe or just increase the amount of edamame to provide more protein.  I am definitely looking forward to making this meal again soon and I rarely ever make the same thing twice!

"Going on Vacation" Stir Fry

"Going on Vacation" Stir Fry

This recipe was started on  the mere fact that I had a medium sized red onion and a head of garlic that I wanted to cook up before heading out of town for Christmas.  I literally started frying them up in a wok before I even knew what else I was going to add to the pan.  With my husband's input (who also put the beer mug in my ingredient photo), we decided on mixed vegetables, black beans and some cooked quinoa and brown rice.  The pan got hot really quickly so I added a bit of water and then some soy sauce to add flavor, along with some fresh grape tomatoes.  For a bit of crunch and extra protein and nutrients, I topped it off with pumpkin seeds, and to be honest, it was one of the most satisfying meals I have had in awhile. (maybe I was just really hungry!!)  Although I am sure I may end up with onion breath later tonight, I cooked the garlic and onion so long that they were definitely more sweet than anything and my husband and I cleaned our plates down to the last morsel of rice. Obviously, the whole point of this meal was to use what I had on hand and what I needed to get rid of before leaving for 10 days, so you could easily change up the vegetables you use, the starch, beans or even the seasoning.  But I had to share this because it came out so unexpectedly delicious.

Curried Chickpea and Brown Rice Salad

Curried Chickpea and Brown Rice Salad
served over a bed of organic spinach

Life as a stay at home mom, or a working mom as I now feel like I am, can be very busy and hectic.  Sometimes I give in and just plan to stop somewhere for dinner with the kids and grab an egg sandwich or a chicken wrap to go.  But that costs more money, is usually not nearly as nutritious as something I would make on my own, and definitely not as satisfying.  Perhaps I am influenced by the example that my mother set when I was little. While cheering me on at the sidelines of my softball games, soccer practices and swim meets, she usually would be eating a home cooked meal in a to go container while most other parents either bought something unhealthy from the snack bar or complained about having to wait to eat until they went home.  She usually had a plate all warmed up and ready for my dad as well, and her dedication to providing a nutritious meal not only for her family, but for herself, impresses me to this day.

So this past weekend when I had time to work in the kitchen I took advantage.  Instead of planning to stop at Subway or the grocery store to grab a quick meal during my busy Monday evening rush, I made a large batch of this salad, shared some with my husband for lunch that day and packaged up a big bowl to take for dinner the next night.  Since this meal is vegan, there is no need to keep it constantly refrigerated.  It honestly tastes best when left at room temperature for an hour or two so it was perfect when I took it out to eat while my kids were in dance class last night. And unlike some other parents who I know where complaining about being hungry and having to wait for dinner, I was well fed, and had something to do to keep me busy while my children took their classes. It is definitely delicious, and of course since it is made with all whole grain, all natural, plant based ingredients, it is a nutrient rich powerhouse of a meal as well.