Quick (30 minute) Korean Dinner

I made this dish so quickly, I barely remembered to take photos. I was so damn hungry (and so was AJ! He was asking when dinner would be ready the whole time!) But it is an easy one.

This dish is vegan and gluten free.

What you will need:

7 ounces of extra firm tofu, cut into rectangular pieces

1 cup of short grain/sushi rice, rinsed and drained

Sesame oil

1/2 of a white or yellow onion, cut into long thin strips

1 carrot, cut into nickel-thick rounds

1 cup of green cabbage, shaved or cut into strips

1 small zucchini, cut into quarters

1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips

2 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced

Tamari

1/3 of a cup of rice vinegar

1 tablespoon of sugar

1 tablespoon of sesame oil

Green onion, minced

Sesame seeds

Garnish:

kimchi, sriracha, chili-garlic paste

Preheat oven fo 350 degrees. Lightly drizzle olive oil on your tofu so that they are covered on each side with a fine layer or oil.

On a greased cookie sheet, lay your your tofu rectangles down and bake on each side for 12-15 minutes, until they are browned on the outside and soft on the inside.

While the tofu is baking, begin cooking your rice, 1 cup of sushi/short grain rice to 1 and 1/2 cups of water. Bring to a boil and then cover and simmer for 20 minutes once boiling. Remove from heat after the 20 minutes is up, but leave covered and standing for another 10.

Saute the onions and carrots over medium high heat in sesame oil for 7 minutes, then add the cabbage, zucchini, pepper and garlic for another 5-7 minutes, until they are softened but not mushy. This is a "stir-fry" so high heat for a short period of time so that the veggies remain crunchy. Season with a splash of tamari. For the last few minutes before you serve, stir in the green onion and turn the veggies to low heat.

When the rice has stood for the 10 minutes after it simmered for 20 (so 30 minutes into your rice's process) uncover and add a whisked vinegar-sugar-sesame oil mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon gently (like making sticky sushi rice)

Serve in a bowl with a nest of rice, scoops of sauteed veggies and slices of baked tofu. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and offer kimchi or sriracha condiment.

Cheers! xoxoxo

Groceries and Produce

Though I am very lucky to be marrying a farmer...

who brings me home all kinds of ridiculous organic produce all season long, I realize the two of you don't have that privilege (though I try to share!!)-- I DO** however grocery shop sometimes. So allow me to lay down how I attack groceries

When at the grocer the first questions I attend to are:

1.) Is it in season? 2.) Is it organic? 3.) Does it matter?

Though it is always better to support organic agriculture (vote with your dollars!!) there are somethings you can buy conventional, namely produce with thick skins (avocados, citrus, mangoes, kiwi, bananas).

AJ and I do not consume much tropical produce, but we are avocado fiends.

**Also, I realize buying seasonal means you can't have apples in the summer and you'll miss tomatoes in the winter. This is a bummer, I know, but once you get over the general spoiled state of our Whole-Foods-everything-in-abundance-all-of-the-time-culture, you'll realize not only are  you making a conscious choice, but it is cheaper AND it keeps you out of cooking-ruts. It is exciting to cook beets when they are in-season, but then you get sick of them! Same with everything, consuming this way keeps the flare in your food so that you are never saying "Don't we always have kale?!?"

-What I buy at the grocery store-

Since you have already begun stocking your cupboard with the previous posting, you know that I it is is always smart to keep carrots, potatoes, onions, garlic, lemons, limes and seasonal fresh herbs on-hand about 100% percent of the time in my kitchen.

Beyond that, in terms of fresh produce, I always buy seasonal greens, seasonal veggies and seasonal fruit.

Do you know when things are in season???

Spring

Spring onions

Turnips

Radishes

Micro-greens

Artichokes

Chard

Rhubarb

Asparagus

Sorrel

Spinach

Summer

Tomatoes

Basil

Beets 

Peppers

Summer squash

Soybeans

Eggplant

Green beans

Lettuce

Corn

Fall Into Winter

Kale

Pumpkin

Acorn Squash

Butternut squash

Brussel sprouts

Beets

Winter ( and Year Round)

Broccoli

Cabbage

Asian greens

Parsnips

Mushrooms

Potatoes

Leeks

Celeriac

Onions

Buy a few things that are in season in addition to your staples.

Also, milk (almond milk) cheese (I either get Daiya vegan "cheeze" or a mild Mexican farmer's cheese, unless I know something specific I am making or want, yogurt and butter.

Eggs. Eggs. Eggs. 

Also bread, cereal (there will be future recipes for granola and hot cereal) and other necessary oddities you may like.

I always keep a variety of fermented things in my fridge including kimchi, sauerkraut, pickles, pickled hot peppers-- these are good when you for when you are making a simple salad or korean dish and need that extra zing to make your meal hit a home run. 

And that's it!! And then I go home for less than 100 dollars every week and eat like royalty. Find your groove and you'll figure out what you like to have around to feel like you can whip up anything anytime.