Vegetable Stir Fried Tofu with General Tso’s Sauce

October 30th, 2015 | Posted by Milana in Lunch/Dinner | Recipes - (0 Comments)

 

vegetable stir fried tofu over rice

 
Hey Everyone! 

Over the past few years I have tried cooking with tofu and failed miserably. So I gave it a rest for a while. Recently I came across a recipe on Pinterest and decided to give it one more chance. I finally succeeded! This recipe is definitely much easier than it seems and is absolutely taste worthy! I altered the sugar content a bit since I don’t prefer an overly sweet sauce as most people do. So if you like it on the sweeter side you can add more sugar. 

INGREDIENTS:

1 package organic extra firm or firm tofu

2-3 Tbsp white whole wheat flour

1-2 Tbsp avocado or peanut oil 

Sauce:

1/4 cup brown sugar

3 Tbsp Rice Vinegar

3 Tbsp Hoisin Sauce ( I didn’t have any on hand so I used organic regular BBQ sauce)

3 Tbsp Organic Ketchup 

2 Tbsp Low Sodium Soy Sauce

1/2 cup water

4 scallions, chopped 

3 Tbsp Fresh ginger, grated
1-1/3 cups snow peas, washed and dried

1 zucchini, unpeeled and julienned into thin strips to resemble spaghetti 

1 large carrot, washed, chopped and julienned into thin strips

1/4 tsp red chili flakes (optional)

2 tsp Sesame oil
DIRECTIONS:

1. Drain tofu of excess water pressing gently (so tofu does not collapse) between 4 layers of paper towel. Let sit 20 minutes. to drain. 

2. While waiting for tofu, mix together the first 7 ingredients of the sauce and set aside.

3. Slice tofu into 1/2″ slices, then cut each slice into thirds. Coat each cube lightly with flour. Heat a skillet on medium with the oil. Then place tofu into pan until browned and crispy. You may have to turn up the heat under the pan a bit. Remove from pan and set aside on paper towels.

4. Add a little bit more oil if needed about another teaspoon, onions, and chopped ginger. Cook about 1 minute, until fragrant. Add veggies and stir fry on high heat for 2 minutes.  Add sauce mixture to pan, bring to a boil, and simmer about 2 minutes. Add tofu back to mixture, toss to coat. Add sesame oil and toss again.  Top with green onions and pepper flakes if desired. I used some sesame seeds. 

*Recipe adapted from Domestic Super Hero. 

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Rating: 5.0/5 (2 votes cast)

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Baked Eggplant Parmesan

October 13th, 2015 | Posted by Milana in Lunch/Dinner | Recipes - (0 Comments)

 
Hey Everyone! Hope you guys are having a bright and cheerful morning! Last night I made my sisters Eggplant Parm recipe that she just simply adores….next to mine of course lol. She originally found it at Simply Recipes.   I loved that the eggplant wasn’t soggy and held its shape perfectly! The sauce was probably the most delicious sauce that was made from scratch! I highly recommend this recipe and hope you will enjoy it as well! 

**P.S. Don’t let the ingredient list or the long directions list intimidate you. If you read through everything first it will be easy as you start assembling everything. It took me approximately 45 minutes to dredge and bake all the eggplant after the 2 hour liquid extraction from the eggplant and an additional 10 minutes to assemble everything with the sauce and cheese. Then 35 minutes to bake the delicious concoction! 
INGREDIENTS:

Eggplant prep:

2 1/4 lbs (about 2 large) eggplants

1 teaspoon kosher salt

Sauce:

 1 Tbsp olive oil

1 clove minced garlic (about 1 teaspoon)

1 28-oz can whole peeled tomatoes (preferably San Marzano), tomatoes diced, reserve juices

1/2 cup finely chopped fresh basil

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Dredging & Assembly:

 1 1/2 cups breadcrumbs (I used whole wheat Panko)

1 1/4 cups grated Parmesan cheese, divided (I used fresh shredded Parmegiano-Reggiano)

3/4 cup flour (I used white whole wheat)

4 eggs, beaten (more if needed…for me 3 were enough)

1/4 cup olive oil (I used cooking spray to grease the baking sheets)

1 1/2 pounds fresh mozzarella, sliced into 1/4-inch slices 

DIRECTIONS:

1. Slice the eggplants into 1/4-inch to 1/2-inch thick rounds. Lay the eggplant slices out on a rack over a rimmed sheet pan (or on several layers of paper towels). Sprinkle both sides of the eggplant rounds lightly with salt. Let the eggplant rounds sit and release moisture for 2 hours.

2. Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a 4-quart saucepan on medium heat. Add the minced garlic and gently cook for 1 minute or until fragrant. Add the tomatoes and their juices. Increase heat to bring to a simmer, lower heat to maintain a very low simmer for 15 minutes, uncovered. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add the minced basil and remove from heat.

3. Combine 1 1/2 cups of breadcrumbs with 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, and place in a shallow bowl or rimmed dish. Set up your station so that you have flour in one shallow bowl, beaten eggs in another bowl, and the breadcrumb cheese mixture in another, in that order.

4. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Spread a tablespoon of olive oil each over the bottom of two rimmed baking sheet pans. Pat dry the eggplant slices with paper towels. Working one at a time dredge the eggplant slices first in the flour, then dip in the beaten eggs, and then dredge in the breadcrumb parmesan cheese mixture.Place on oiled sheet pan. Drizzle a little oil over the top of each breaded eggplant round.

5. Place breaded prepared eggplant slices in the oven. Cook for 18 to 20 minutes, turning the slices over at the half-way point, until they are nicely browned. Remove from oven, and let cool to touch.

6.Spread 1/2 cup of the tomato sauce over the bottom of a 9×13-inch casserole dish. Place a third of the eggplant rounds in a single layer covering the sauce on the bottom of the pan.

7.Layer half of the sliced mozzarella on top of the eggplant rounds. Sprinkle 1/3 cup of grated Parmesan cheese.

8. Place another third of the eggplant rounds over the cheese. Spread 1 cup of the sauce over the eggplant rounds. Layer the rest of the sliced mozzarella over the sauce. Sprinkle with 1/3 cup of grated Parm.

Add the remaining eggplant in a single layer on top of the cheese. Top with the remaining sauce and the remaining Parmesan. 

9.  Bake uncovered at 350°F for 35 minutes. Remove from oven and let sit for 10 minutes before cutting into to serve.


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Rating: 5.0/5 (2 votes cast)

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Organic Quinoa Black Bean Burgers

July 23rd, 2015 | Posted by Milana in Lunch/Dinner | Recipes - (0 Comments)

  
Makes 6 burger patties:

INGREDIENTS:
½ cup dry Organic quinoa

1 tsp olive oil

1/2 Organic red onion, chopped

3 cloves Organic garlic, minced

1/2 tsp Kosher salt, divided

1 (15 oz) can Organic black beans, drained and rinsed

2 Tbsp Organic tomato paste

1 large Organic egg

2/3 cup Organic frozen corn

1/2 cup Organic cilantro, chopped

1 tsp Smoked Paprika

2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 cup Organic rolled oats

1/4 cup oat flour

DIRECTIONS:
Place the quinoa in a small saucepan with 1 cup of water. Set the saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover the pan, and cook 10-15 minutes until the water is absorbed and quinoa is cooked. Remove from heat. Note: this step can be done ahead of time.

Heat the oil in a small pan over medium heat and add the onion and garlic. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt and sauté until onions are softened, 5-6 minutes. Place the mixture into a large bowl. Add black beans to the bowl and using a potato masher or fork, mash together until a pasty mixture forms. Heat your oven to 400F. 
Stir in the tomato paste, egg, corn, cilantro, chipotles, cumin and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Stir in the cooked quinoa, oats, and oat flour until well mixed. Form the mixture into 6 equal patties, compacting them well with your hands as you form them. Place the patties on a greased baking sheet (I used coconut oil cooking spray) baking sheet. Bake for 10-15 min. Carefully flip the over and cook another 10 minutes. If using a griddle, heat 4-6 minutes per side or until slightly golden. Serve patties with any condiment that you like. I served it with a Sriracha aioli. Mixed 2 Tbsp of Light Mayonnaise, 1-1/2 tsp of Sriracha, and squeezed half of a lime. Mix together. Use as desired. Enjoy! 
Nutrition Information (per burger): 200 calories; 4.3 g. fat; 31 mg. cholesterol; 160mg. sodium; 32.7 g. carbohydrate; 7.2 g. fiber; 11.3 g. protein

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Rating: 5.0/5 (3 votes cast)

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Turkey Meatloaf

April 1st, 2015 | Posted by Milana in Lunch/Dinner - (1 Comments)

  

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Rating: 5.0/5 (3 votes cast)

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Lemon Garlic Whole Roasted Chicken

September 16th, 2014 | Posted by Milana in Lunch/Dinner | Thanksgiving - (0 Comments)

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INGREDIENTS:
1 (5-6 lb) Roasting Chicken
Kosher Salt
2 Tbsp dried Thyme
1 Lemon, halved
8 garlic cloves smashed
2 Tbsp Mayonnaise
1 Tbsp Sweet Paprika
1 Tbsp Ground Turmeric
Finely Ground Black Pepper

DIRECTIONS:
Heat oven to 425F. Trim any visible fat and pin feathers. Pat the outside dry with a paper towel. Salt the cavity and exterior of the chicken. Throw in the smashed garlic inside the cavity. Season cavity with 1-1/2 tsp of thyme. Squeeze the lemon inside and throw in both halves. Rub mayo on the breast only. This will make the breast roast a nice golden color. Season with paprika, remaining thyme, turmeric and pepper. Place chicken onto a roasting pan. Cover with foil and roast for 1 hour. Take foil off and roast an additional 20 min or until food thermometer registers 165F in thigh.

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Rating: 5.0/5 (2 votes cast)

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Chicken Marsala

September 4th, 2014 | Posted by Milana in Italian Cuisine | Lunch/Dinner - (0 Comments)

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Makes 8 servings

INGREDIENTS:

4 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
1/2 Cup White Whole Wheat Flour
1 Tbsp Paprika
1-1/2 tsp Ground Turmeric
1/4 tsp Finely Ground Black Pepper
2 tsp Garlic Powder
1-1/2 tsp Onion Powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp Dried Oregano
2 tsp Dried Thyme

2 tsp dried rosemary
1 tsp Cayenne Pepper (optional)
2 Tbsp olive oil or Avocado Oil
3 Tbsp Vegan Butter
3 Cups sliced Mushroom Caps (cremini, shitake, baby bella)
3/4 Cup Marsala Wine
1 Cup Chicken Stock
Chopped Chives for Garnish

DIRECTIONS:
Butterfly chicken breast halves and pound thin. Cutting each Butterfly down the center to give you 2 thin chicken breasts.
In a shallow bowl or plate combine the flour and all seasoning spices and stir to combine thoroughly. Quickly dredge the chicken breast halves in the seasoned flour mixture, shaking to remove any excess flour.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until very hot but not smoking. Add 1 tablespoon of the margarine and cook the chicken breasts until golden brown on both sides, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and set aside. Add another Tbsp of the margarine to the pan and add the mushrooms. Cook, stirring frequently, until mushrooms are golden brown around the edges and have given off their liquid. Add the Marsala wine and bring to a boil, scraping to remove any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. When the wine has reduced by half, add the chicken stock and cook for 3 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened slightly. Lower the heat to medium and return the chicken breasts to the pan and continue to cook until they are cooked through and the sauce has thickened, about 5 to 6 minutes. Swirl in the remaining Tbsp of margarine. Garnish with chopped chives and serve with your favorite side. Enjoy!

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Rating: 5.0/5 (2 votes cast)

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Almond Crusted Oven Fried Chicken

September 1st, 2014 | Posted by Milana in Lunch/Dinner | Thanksgiving - (0 Comments)

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INGREDIENTS:
Cooking Spray
1/2 Cup Almond Meal/Flour
1/4 Cup White Whole Wheat Flour
1-1/2 tsp sweet paprika
1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp ground turmeric powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp finely ground black pepper
1-1/2 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
4 Large Egg Whites or 2 Eggs
6 skinless drumsticks or 1 lb. Chicken Tenders

DIRECTIONS:
Using a grill rack over a baking sheet spray rack with cooking spray set aside. Meanwhile in a food processor combine all dry ingredient and process on high while pouring in the olive oil until incorporated completely. Pour into shallow dish. In a separate bowl beat egg whites. Dredge tenders or drums first into the whites and then press them firmly into the almond mixture covering all sides. Place them on the grill rack. For tenders, bake at 450°F for 20 min. For Drums, bake at 425°F for 40 min. Enjoy!

NUTRITION ANALYSIS:

For Tenders:

Serving Size: About 3oz.( 2 or 3 pieces depending on size)
Calories: 184
Carbohydrate: 4g
Fiber: 2g
Fat: 7g
Protein: 26g

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Rating: 4.8/5 (4 votes cast)

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Whole Wheat Vegetable Lasagna

August 2nd, 2014 | Posted by Milana in Italian Cuisine | Lunch/Dinner - (0 Comments)

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INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 Box Whole Wheat Lasagna Noodles
  • 2 Tablespoons Avocado Oil
  • 1 whole Medium Onion
  • 4 cloves Garlic
  • 1 whole Red Bell Pepper, Diced
  • 24 ounces, Baby Bella Mushrooms, Chopped
  • 2 small Zucchini, Diced
  • 1 large Eggplant unpeeled, diced in chunks
  • 1 can (28 Ounce) No Salt Added Diced Tomatoes
  • 1 can (8oz) No Salt Added Tomato Sauce
  • 1/2 cup White Cooking Wine
  • 1/4 cup Fresh Parsley, Chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt
  • Freshly Ground Black Pepper
  • 1/2 Teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
  • 2 containers (15 ounces each) Ricotta Cheese
  • 2 whole Eggs
  • 1 box (10 oz. each) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and water pressed out
  • 1/2 cup Grated Parmesan
  • Freshly Ground Black Pepper
  • 1 pound Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

DIRECTIONS:

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain and lay flat on a sheet of aluminum foil or parchment paper with cooking spray in between layers to prevent sticking.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet or 4 quart dutch oven over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and cook for a minute. Add diced red peppers and saute for another minute or so. Add squash and mushrooms and cook for a few minutes. Add eggplant and cook an additional 3 min. Pour in wine, add salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes, and stir.

Pour in tomatoes and sauce. Stir to combine and let simmer for 20 minutes or so. Stir in chopped parsley.

In a separate bowl, combine ricotta, eggs, spinach, Parmesan cheese, and pepper.

To assemble, spread a little of the vegetable/tomato sauce in a lasagna pan. Layer four cooked noodles in the pan, slightly overlapping them if necessary. Spread 1/3 of the ricotta mixture on the noodles. Top the ricotta mixture with mozzarella slices. Spoon a little less than 1/3 of the veggie/sauce mixture over the mozzarella.

Repeat the layering two more times, ending with a large helping of vegetable sauce and a sprinkling of Parmesan.

Bake at 350 degrees, covered in foil, for 20 minutes, then remove foil and continue baking for 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to stand for 10 minutes before cutting into squares and serving.

Serves 12.

Nutrition Facts
User Entered Recipe
  12 Servings
Amount Per Serving
  Calories 381.7
  Total Fat 15.4 g
  Saturated Fat 8.0 g
  Polyunsaturated Fat 0.8 g
  Monounsaturated Fat 5.4 g
  Cholesterol 60.4 mg
  Sodium 466.9 mg
  Potassium 395.3 mg
  Total Carbohydrate 38.6 g
  Dietary Fiber 8.5 g
  Sugars 5.5 g
  Protein 26.0 g
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Rating: 5.0/5 (3 votes cast)

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Baked Turkey Baxsh (Traditional Bucharian Cilantro Pilaf)

July 28th, 2014 | Posted by Milana in Lunch/Dinner | Russian/Bukharian Cuisine - (0 Comments)

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INGREDIENTS:
1/2 Cup Brown or regular parboiled Rice, washed* (see note)

1 -1/2 Cups White Medium Grain Rice, washed (I use Kokuho yellow)
1 Large Sweet Onion chopped
5 Bunches Cilantro, washed, dry asmuch liquid as possible on paper towel or salad spinner (chop 4 bunches finely and process 1 bunch in food processor to extract the chlorophyll for a more green pilaf)
1 Boneless, Skinless Turkey Thigh trimmed of all visible fat & chopped to 1/4″ cubes (or you may use any protein you like)

1/3 Cup Avocado Oil
1/2 Cup Homemade Chicken Stock or water (omit completely if baking with a whole chicken)
Salt & Pepper to taste
1- 9×13 Foil Pan lined with parchment paper
Cooking Spray

*Note: you may use 1 cup brown parboiled rice and 1 cup white rice just add another quarter cup of water of stock.

DIRECTIONS:
Heat oven to 350F. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Grease pan with cooking spray. Pour your mixture into foil pan and cover tightly with foil. Bake for 2 hours mixing the Baxsh well with a wooden spatula every 30 min. If you see that the rice is too dry after the first hour you may add more water or stock.

Serving Size: 1-1/2 cups

***Nutrition Analysis is based on usage of chicken stock.

Nutrition Facts
User Entered Recipe
  12 Servings
Amount Per Serving
  Calories 103.7
  Total Fat 5.5 g
  Saturated Fat 0.7 g
  Polyunsaturated Fat 0.6 g
  Monounsaturated Fat 3.6 g
  Cholesterol 0.0 mg
  Sodium 213.1 mg
  Potassium 144.3 mg
  Total Carbohydrate 11.3 g
  Dietary Fiber 1.7 g
  Sugars 0.8 g
  Protein 3.5 g
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Rating: 4.2/5 (6 votes cast)

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Honey BBQ Roasted Turkey Drumsticks

July 4th, 2014 | Posted by Milana in Lunch/Dinner | Recipes - (0 Comments)

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INGREDIENTS:
3 Turkey Drumsticks
1/4 cup Honey
3 Tbsp All Natural BBQ sauce
1 Tbsp Ground Turmeric
1 Tbsp Smoked Paprika
1 Tbsp Mrs. Dash Garlic & Herb Spice
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cardamom
Cooking spray

DIRECTIONS:
Heat oven to 400F. Grease 13×9 Foil Pan with cooking spray. Season turkey drumsticks with all dry spices. Using a bbq brush, slather on the sauce. Cover with foil and roast for 1 hour. Turn oven to 375F. Slather on the honey and continue roasting uncovered for an additional 20 min. Enjoy! 🙂 Happy Roasting!

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Rating: 5.0/5 (2 votes cast)