Tofu 'n Greens Quinoa Bowl

I don’t know about you, but fried rice is one of my favorite comfort foods. Tonight, I decided I wanted to healthify my old favorite with a fun twist by using quinoa and making it into a bowl of sorts. If you don’t feel like using quinoa, any rice or grain would work here. I used steamed Brussels sprouts because I had leftovers from last night’s dinner. Feel free to use up any leftover veggies you might have. Same goes for the protein. I had some tofu that I needed to use up, but if you have chicken or pork, use that! Be sure to not add the sesame oil until after the food is no longer on the burner, as it is only safe to use with medium heat (under 350*). Top each bowl with additional hot sauce and green onions.

What You Need:

1 serving quinoa (1/4 cup dry), cooked in chicken stock or broth
1 serving extra firm tofu, cubed and deeply browned in a pan or oven
½ cup snow peas, chopped
½ cup steamed edemame
6 small Brussels sprouts, halved and partially steamed in microwave (frozen or fresh)
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 green onion, green parts only - thinly sliced
1 tsp oyster sauce (optional)
½ tsp low sodium soy sauce
½ tsp sesame oil
Non-stick cooking spray
Hot sauce to taste

What To Do:

Heat a medium skillet over medium high heat and coat with cooking spray. Add egg and cook for about 2 minutes or until lightly browned.

Add edemame, snow peas, Brussels sprouts, quinoa, soy sauce, hot sauce and oyster sauce. Stir fry for 3-4 minutes.

Top with sesame oil, hot sauce and onion once off the heat. Serve immediately.













Serves 2



Bon Appétit!
Mary



Asian Chicken Pasta Salad

Summer is my favorite time of year for pasta salads. You can make them in the morning or a day ahead to save time just before dinner. I like to incorporate roasted vegetables for an added layer of flavor, but if you don’t have the time, I recommend using a vegetable that doesn’t need to be cooked (such as carrot or red pepper). Another option would be to use a bottled Asian dressing to speed this salad up. A fun substitution for pasta would be quinoa. Serve as a side dish or alongside a green salad for a complete meal.

What You Need:

4 cups whole wheat spiral pasta, cooked in chicken broth
2 cups roasted chicken, cubed
1 recipe roasted Brussels sprouts
5 green onions, thinly sliced
½ cup dried cranberries
½ cup toasted sliced almonds
1 recipe sesame ginger dressing



What To Do:

Cook pasta in chicken broth according to packages instructions.

Drain and allow to cool slightly.

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well.  Allow flavors to marry in the refrigerator for 2-24 hours before serving. 

Serves 6-8


Bon Appetit!
Mary





Roasted Brussels Sprouts

What You Need:

½ lb Brussels sprouts, quartered
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp freshly cracked black pepper



What To Do:

Toss sprouts in oil, salt and pepper. Roast in a 400* oven for 10 minutes.

Sesame Ginger Dressing

What You Need:

2 Tbs rice wine vinegar
4 Tbs sesame oil
1 ½ tsp soy sauce
1 ½ tsp ginger
¼ tsp freshly cracked black pepper
Hot sauce to taste



What To Do:

Combine all ingredients in a bowl with a wisk and set aside.