Sweet Sour Cauliflower & Vegetable Fried Rice

Sweet Sour Cauliflower was a hit!  Let's first start with the recipe for the sauce, since I started there! Meanwhile, find a nice cauliflower, preferably one that is on sale, because we know it can be pricey.

Also, FYI, I soak my brown rice for several hours (mostly over night), rinse thoroughly, and this shortens the cooking time.  Cold or room temperature is sufficient for a 'stir fry'.  Use any of your favorite vegetables, pre-steamed, add Vegetarian Oyster Sauce (mushroom), oil, and seasons to your large skillet or Wok.  Fry rice and toss in vegetables. 

Sauce

2 T White Vinegar or Rice Wine 
1 T Brown Sugar
1 T Ketchup
1/4 T lime juice
1 t Soy Sauce
Starch Slurry (2 T Corn Starch, 4 t Water)
Water 
Pinch of Pepper Flakes, Onion Powder


Directions: Combine ingredients over medium heat, add more water to thin.  Keep Warm, cover.

Fried Cauliflower

Preheat a medium sauce pot with canola oil, 1/4 of from the bottom of the pot, but not more than half full.  

Cauliflower, washed, cut into florets and small pieces (not tiny).

In a large mixing bowl, assemble your favorite seasons (season salt, onion powder, black pepper, cayenne pepper, dried parsley, ranch flavor, coarse ground pepper) with 2 T golden flax meal, 1 t baking powder, 1/3 c flour, 2 T corn starch, very hot water (hot water will bloom the flax meal) which will make a med. loose batter, thick enough to coat your cauliflower and stick, but still able to see the cauliflower through batter!

Toss your pieces into the batter coating each piece.  If you have a lot of batter and your cauliflower is swimming in it, remove your coated pieces to another mixing bowl, but first add a few teaspoons of flour to the bottom of the bowl to keep them from sticking and losing their batter. 

Store this excess batter for your next fry within a day or two.

Now, sprinkle gently some flour on top of the cauliflower pieces to help seal that batter and promote a nice crunch.  Make sure your oil is hot.  Have your drain pan available (paper towel and a cookie sheet).  Drop your cauliflower into heat, but do not over stuff which will bring down the temperature and your pieces will be soggy.

The goal is to fry the cauliflower in a flash, to form a hard crispy brown coating.  Fry a few at a time!  Drain on the towels.  Drizzle your sauce over them serve with your fried rice.

broccoli, mushroom, and rice bake

Ingredients:
½ block extra firm tofu
(release water)
cubed

Tofu seasoning bag: 1 t each: rosemary, 

garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, 

ranch seasoning, salt, old bay season, 

and dried parsley. 

¼ c soy flour

¼ corn starch

½ c shredded Colby cheese

½ c shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1 c sliced mushrooms, sauteed

1 ½ c uncooked brown rice

2 c steamed broccoli

1 small diced onion

1 T minced garlic

1 T olive oil

Cream Sauce:

¼ c shredded Colby

1 c non-dairy milk

1 c water

½ stick butter or margarine

¼ c all-purpose flour

1 t salt

Preparation:

Cook rice per instructions. Season, flour, and fry tofu in oil. Drain. Saute mushrooms. Set aside. Saute onion and garlic, then add butter, flour, milk, water, and cheese. Season. Layer rice, tofu, mushrooms, broccoli, and sprinkle cheese. Repeat and finish with shredded cheese on top. Bake in a corning or glass dish, covered with foil at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. 

arancini (fried rice balls)

Ingredients

Sicilian Arancini in Marinara

1/2 c brown rice (cook rice per instructions)...
1/4 c mozzarella cheese shredded
1/2 c sweet peas (frozen, thawed)
pre-made Vegetarian Meat Crumbles (made from organ/textured soy crumbles)

1 T dry vegetarian stock
Italian spices and season to your taste

also: oat flour, flax eggs, bread crumbs

Sicilian Arancini w/ Collard Greens & Smart Bacon

Preparation
Mix and chill overnight or for up to 6 hours. Form rice balls, roll in oat flour, then in flax egg, then into seasoned bread crumbs. Fry until brown on medium-high heat. Let stand for 3-5 minutes. Serve with Marinara.

spicy black bean burgers

Ingredients

1 can Bush Black Beans (divided in half)

1 c cooked brown rice

¼ c diced red onion

¼ c diced (heirloom peppers)

1 t minced garlic

Salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, onion powder

3 T Gluten Free bread crumbs

1-2 T ground flax

1 T olive oil or coconut oil

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Blend ½ the can of beans. Mix with remaining beans and the other ingredients. Form into burgers to your desired shape and size. Place portions onto a lightly oiled cooking or baking sheet. Bake until brown on both sides.

bean, rice, and cheese enchilada's

Enchilada Ingredients:
LaTortilla Wraps
Beans (seasoned pinto beans, cooked per instructions)...mashed
Spanish Rice
leftover veggie loaf (added seasons)
Italian Blend Cheese

Fill, Wrap, Tuck. Place on lightly oiled baking sheet or dish. Pour sauce over top, sprinkle cheese. Baked at 350 for 25 minutes in the Convection/Broiler

Recipe for Enchilada Sauce

Ingredients:
2 cups low sodium chicken broth (I subbed with vegetable flavored broth)
4 Tbs. chili powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
2 tsp. garlic powder
3/4 tsp. salt
1 pinch ground cinnamon (I used allspice)
1/2 tsp. sugar
3 Tablespoons plus 1/4 tsp. white flour
3 Tablespoons vegetable oil

veggie loaf (mock meatloaf)

Ingredients

1 1/2 c Organic Textured (non-GMO) Soy Protein (T.S.P.)

1 1/2 c boiling water

Baked Vegetarian Loaf

3/4 c cooked whole grain brown rice

2 T ketchup

2 T spicy brown mustard

2 T soy or liquid aminos

1 celery stalk diced

¼ c minced carrot

¼ c diced onion

1 T minced garlic

1 c bread crumbs

2 T flax meal

1 flax egg

3 T Olive Oil (divided)

Seasoning: Old Bay, Onion Powder, Basil, Thyme, Rosemary, Black Pepper, Garlic Powder, Paprika, Chili Powder, Cumin, salt

Preheat Oven to 400 degrees.

Preparation:

Sauté celery and onions in 1 T of olive oil until translucent. Add carrots and garlic. Add a pinch of salt and black pepper. Combine water with T.S.P. and the remaining ingredients plus 1 T of oil. Season the mix to your desired taste. Pack this into loaf pan (cover with foil) or roll in parchment then double roll in foil. 

*For this try, I used the latter.

Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Remove let stand for 10 minutes before slicing.

*Place into the refrigerator to chill overnight to slice for storing. 

Green Beans in Stewed Tomatoes, Mac 'n Cheese,
and Veggie Loaf w/ Peppery Onion Gravy

broccoli, mushroom, cheese risotto

2-3 cups of broccoli

1 cup cooked brown rice

4 oz Colby Jack

½ cup milk

16 oz vegetable stock

1 T. garlic minced

Salt, pepper to taste

1-2 T vegetable oil or margarine

Preparation: 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Heat the oil in skillet over medium heat. Add broccoli, garlic, and season. Sprinkle cheese and add milk. Reduce heat and cover for 10 minutes.  Add rice. Stir. Add vegetable stock. 

Stir. Cover and place in heated oven for 20-30 minutes or until liquid is reduced. You may stir after 20 minutes.

Remove from heat and stand for 10 minutes before serving. This can be paired with veggie loaf or as a stand-a-lone casserole.

vegetarian pepper steak

2 T olive oil

12 pieces of Gardein Beefless tips

½ cup sliced onion

½ cup sliced green pepper

¼ cup sliced celery

2 baby Bella mushroom buttons sliced

Salt, pepper flakes, black pepper, and onion powder

Sautee vegetables and tips in 2 T of oil over medium-high heat and season to your desired taste.  Cut tips in half. Serve over cooked whole grain brown rice. Yum! Serves 2.

broccoli and cheese risotto

Broccoli and Cheese Risotto

2-3 cups of broccoli

1 cup cooked brown rice

4 oz Colby Jack

½ cup milk

16 oz vegetable stock

1 T. garlic minced

Salt, pepper to taste

1-2 T vegetable oil or margarine

Preparation: 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Heat the oil in skillet over medium heat. Add broccoli, garlic, and season. Sprinkle cheese and add milk. Reduce heat and cover for 10 minutes.  Add rice. Stir. Add vegetable stock. 

Stir. Cover and place in heated oven for 20-30 minutes or until liquid is reduced. You may stir after 20 minutes.

Remove from heat and stand for 10 minutes before serving.

I served this with a vegetarian baked loaf and corn muffin. Enjoy.

vegetarian southwest bowl

Vegetarian Southwest Bowl

1/2 cup cooked brown rice

1/4 cup sweet corn

1/2 cup (rainbow peppers chopped)

chopped onion

minced garlic

1/2 cup black beans

1/2 cup seasoned tofu crumbles (to taste) : red pepper, chili powder, & thyme

1/4 cup Mozzarella cheese

Olive oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

To make S.W. corn salsa, saute onions in light oil, fold in peppers, corn and black beans. Lightly brush ramekin with olive oil. Layer: brown rice, seasoned tofu crumbles, half of cheese, S.W. corn salsa.

Cover with foil. Place ramekin on cooking or bake sheet. Heat for 20 minutes. Add remaining cheese. Heat until cheese melts. Enjoy!

szechuan tofu

Szechuan Tofu

One day last week following both a run and a resistance training day, I decide 'no' to a vegetarian sub at Subway and opt to have protein rich delight: vegetable egg foo yung. It had been a while since I dined at my trusty local Chinese Carryout. I stood there a moment waiting my turn to place my order and I glance at 'today's special's' and see "Szechuan Tofu"! OMG!

I had to try it! I needed to know if they could make it sing! It was delicious. I have since prepared it myself. First, you have to prepare your tofu for easier texture by boiling it in a stock of: carrots, celery, soul food seasoning, pepper, onion powder, salt, and bay leaves. A wok is a must! If you do not have one, I would suggest one. Make the sacrifice, as you do for anything else you favor. This dish sings hot sweet melodies and you don't want to miss a beat!

I shortened my task with the use of Birds Eye Asian Medley that I allowed to thaw and drain. After pan frying the tofu, I tossed in the veggies, added some garlic, onion, my famous sweet 'n sour sauce, a teaspoon of Hoisin Sauce, mostly for color...water to thin it, and let my spatula's go to work. It was delicious. I served it with a vegetarian egg roll and vegetable fried brown rice.

brown rice, whole grains, and why we shouldn't scoff at fiber

There is no excuse for ignoring good nutritional information. I was surprised to learn that so many still have yet to embrace the whole grain revolution. So many scoff at breads, cereals, even cite a wheat allergy, and yet they consume still: white rice, white bread, high sugar cereals, while avoiding brown rice, whole grain pastas and breads, along with whole grain cereals.

Fighting obesity, cancer prevention, healthy cholesterol, and reducing your chances of developing Type 2 diabetes should be tantamount to any nutritional plan. My diet is not perfect. I do not always make the best choices in foods. Sometimes those choices are simply good or to satisfy a taste. However, by and large embracing the whole food paradigm has made a tremendous impact in my overall health.

Since giving up a large amount of meat sources, I embraced the whole food revolution with grace and dignity. A little research went a long way. The more I grew to love whole grains the easier it became to  enjoy a 98% meatless diet.

Whole foods satiate hunger where refined ones leave you unsatisfied and prone to snacking, additional calorie consumption, weight gain, obesity, and sickness.

Food	Fiber Content in Grams
Oatmeal, 1 cup	3.98
Whole wheat bread, 1 slice	2
Whole wheat spaghetti, 1 cup	6.3
Brown rice, 1 cup	3.5
Barley, 1 cup	13.6
Buckwheat, 1 cup	4.54
Rye, 1/3 cup	8.22
Corn, 1 cup	4.6
Apple, 1 medium with skin	5.0
Banana, 1 medium	4.0
Blueberries, 1 cup	3.92
Orange, 1 large	4.42
Pear, 1 large	5.02
Prunes, 1/4 cup	3.02
Strawberries, 1 cup	3.82
Raspberries, 1 cup	8.36

Source.

The chart I posted is just a guideline to show the number of fiber grams per the food serving. Fiber adds bulk, aids digestion, and lowers cholesterol.

arancini (rice balls)

Arancini (Rice Balls)

Recipe:

2 c. of cooked, room temperature brown rice

2-4 oz. cheese (2 slices of Havarti Cheese)

½ c Quorn grounds

½ c salsa or crushed tomatoes

½ c green peas

Garlic powder, salt, pepper, Italian Seasoning, parsley

1 egg yolk

2 T butter

1 T oil

Oil for frying

---

Coating:

1/3 c oat flour

½ c ground whole wheat cracker crumbs

1 egg white

1 T water

Heat grounds with salsa, oil, and seasoning. Stir in peas and reduce heat.

Mix cheese with rice over low heat with butter. Season the rice to taste. Allow to cool. Stir in yolk.

Mix egg white and water.

Using a half cup measurement, scoop full of cheese rice mixture. Form a bowl and spoon in 2 teaspoons of filling. Close up the rice mixture into a ball. Roll in flour, then in egg white mixture, and lastly coat in cracker crumbs.

Place on waxed paper on a plate and repeat until all rice is gone. Set plate of rice balls in refrigerator and allow them to firm.

*Served with sauteed green beans (or salad) and fried mozzarella cheese sticks with sauce.

These stuffed treats are traditionally filled with meat. I opted for the vegetarian route. They came out wonderfully. I used a pot of oil instead of my deep fryer. I have come to rely very heavily on my deep fryer with measures the heat of the oil. I'd suggest that you heat the oil to near smoke point, then reduce. 

Trial and error is always best.

Do enjoy!