New recipes section

Today I’m adding a news category to my site…recipes. Why?

Because I can! Buwhahahahahahaha.

Actually the truth is I do a lot of cooking and I enjoy it which isn’t something I could say in the past. Before my repertoire used to consist of 100 different ways of making macaroni and cheese. Some of my inventions were genius while others were better left forgotten. Now I have a subscription to Cuisine magazine and I have a list of favourite food blogs that I read almost everyday. I’ll post my more successful attempts here so I can keep my fav recipes somewhere handy and in case anyone is really interested in giving them a try. BTW you might notice a complete lack of beef and lamb in my recipes simply because I seem to have developed some sort of allergy to them. Bodies are funny like that.

Last night I made Vietnamese Lemongrass Green Beans and Tofu with Coconut Rice. It was delicious and we devoured all of it except for one bowl which we devoured the next day for lunch while we were reheating the Mushroom Tarragon soup I made last week.

This recipe is from Michael at Herbivoracious and is super easy! Check out his site for more great recipes. I modified it slightly from his original version by adding sesame oil and and a little extra soy sauce and not using the chili flakes (because Seb doesn’t like spicy food). My version is below. In the future I’ll endeavor to take photos.

Vietnamese Lemongrass Green Beans and Tofu with Coconut Rice

serves 4

• 1 cup jasmine or basmati rice
• 1 14 oz. can coconut milk
• 1/4 cup water
• 3/4 cup unsweetened dried shredded coconut
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon vege, macadamia nut, or olive oil
• 450g (1 lb.) extra-firm tofu, patted dry and cut into 1/2″ cubes
• 450g (1 lb.) green beans, stem ends trimmed
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 tablespoon peeled and finely grated fresh ginger
• 2 stalks of lemongrass (peeled, crushed, then minced)
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce

Start the rice

1. Add the rice, water, and coconut milk to a pot and bring to a boil.
2. Simmer immediately after boil is reached and cover. Keep an eye on the rice as it will burn easily. Add more water if necessary.
3. Toast the dried coconut in a dry skillet over medium-low heat. Stir frequently until it browns slightly.
4. When the rice is done mix in the salt and toasted coconut…save some for garnish if you like.

While the rice is cooking

5. In a large frying pan fry the tofu in about half of the oil (half sesame and half of the other oil) until it is brown, stirring occasionally. Place on paper towels when it’s finished and season with salt and pepper.
6. Add the remaining oil to the pan, along with the garlic, ginger, and lemongrass. Fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the green beans and toss thoroughly. Cover and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until somewhat tender and the beans start to brown slightly.
7. Add the tofu back in, along with the soy sauce and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Stir, taste and and serve with the rice.