Vegetarian Chinese lettuce wraps

One of the delights of dining in a restaurant is enjoying a dish or cuisine that you might not prepare yourself.  However, much to the dismay and irritation of some my family members, I might say, “I could cook this!”  Such was the case with PF Chang’s vegetarian lettuce wraps.   I thought, “Why not?”

The first point of research was the Internet which offered many “copy-cat” versions of PF Chang’s vegetarian lettuce wraps. I compared 4 or 5 and created my own recipe that was certainly influenced by herbs in the cupboard and condiments in the refrigerator.  The experiment succeeded!  I did not replicate the dish offered by the renowned restaurant, but the wraps were delicious, fun, and felt very healthy!  Tomorrow I’ll prepare the Chinese Lettuce Wraps for a dinner guest. We’ll see how it goes!  Enjoy!

Vegetarian Chinese lettuce wraps

Ingredients

Filling:

3 tablespoons vegetable oil  (olive)

1 package firm or extra firm tofu,

1 cup water chestnuts

2/3 cup mushrooms

2 tablespoons chopped onions

1 teaspoon minced garlic

One head of lettuce, Boston Bibb or Iceberg

Optional: chow mein crunchy noodles or crispy rice noodles.

Stir Fry Cooking Sauce:

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon rice wine vinegar

1/4 teaspoon sesame oil

½ teaspoon ground ginger (fresh if you have available)

Pinch of black pepper (to taste)

Dash crushed red pepper

½ teaspoon chili sauce

Drizzle Sauce:

1/4 cup soy sauce

1-2 teaspoon garlic

½ to 1 teaspoon red chile paste, or Sriracha (more if you like it spicy!

Optional: 1-3 teaspoons hot mustard (or less, to taste)

Instructions:

1.   Press some of the water out of the tofu. Crumbled the tofu into small bits or cut in small cubes.

2.   Bake the tofu in the oven at 375 degrees on a lightly greased pan. Bake 10 minutes, stir or flip the tofu pieces, then bake another 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.

3.   While the tofu is baking cut the mushrooms, water chestnuts, and onions into similar sized pieces – diced or cubed – about the size of small peas.

4.    Heat the vegetable oil in a wok or large frying pan.

5.    Add water chestnuts, mushrooms, and onion to the pan. Sauté until onions are soft.

6.    Add the tofu and garlic to the pan. Mix gently.

7.    Add the stir fry sauce and be sure all the ingredients are coated with it.

8.    Sauté the mixture for 3-5 minutes.

9.    Remove from heat and transfer to a large bowl.

10.   Let cool slightly before eating so you don’t burn your hands.

11.   Serve with a large spoon alongside the lettuce cups and drizzle sauce. You can also serve with     chow mein crunchy noodles or crispy rice noodles.

12.  To prepare: Spoon the tofu into the lettuce cup and top with the Drizzle sauce. Add crispy/crunchy noodles if available. Wrap the lettuce around the ingredients like a taco/burrito and enjoy!

Pumpkins muffins with dates

Where do your favorite recipes come from?  Many sources, naturally.   A muffin recipe that been prepared an infinite number of times (and now by the next generation) came from a nursery school.  The original pumpkin recipe that you see below came from my son's nursery school in 1979!  Oil-stained and barely legible, but always delicious. It appears that in 2002, I added some additional spices and made an adjustment for a double recipe.  Just recently, I mistakenly added allspice that I thought was ground cloves and enhanced the recipe again!  Also, I decided to try chopped dates instead of the usual raisins.  Do try the newest version!  We need to stay in our autumn harvest theme, even if we use canned pumpkin!

Original muffin recipe from 1979.

Pumpkin muffins with dates

Dry ingredients:

1 ½ cup AP four

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ cup sugar

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon nutmeg

½ teaspoon ground ginger

½ teaspoon allspice

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

Wet ingredients:

½ cup canned pumpkin

¼ cup canola oil

1 egg

½ cup chopped dates

Directions

1.       Prepare the muffin tin, either with baking spray or paper muffin cups.

2.       Set the oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

3.       Blend all dry ingredients in a mixing bowl.

4.       Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients.

5.       Pour the wet ingredients into the well.

6.       Fold together the dry and wet ingredients, without mixing too forcefully or thoroughly.

7.       Gently blend in the chopped dates.

8.       Put the batter equally into the 12 muffin cups.

9.       Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until done

With a warm beverage, this is a comforting treat!  (Try hot apple cinnamon tea, or hot chocolate!)

Tips:

·         Makes 12 2 ½ inch muffins.

·         Or bake in an 8 or 9 inch cake pan, greased or sprayed with baking oil.·        

·         Try ¾ cup whole wheat flour and ¾ cup AP flour for a better whole grain experience. 2/3 – 1/3 ratio works well also.

·         Leftover steamed or baked winter squash works well in this recipe. (Butternut, Acorn, Kabacha, etc. Sweet Dumpling squash from the winter farmer’s market has been my favorite this year. Very sweet.)

Portuguese Kidney Bean Soup

Portuguese Kidney Bean Soup is a family favorite.  The flavor is wonderful and very different than other soups. It is even better the second day.

I have been preparing this soup for many years.  As a newly married young woman, I joined a cookbook book club!  I found this recipe in The Art of Making Real Soups by Marian Tracy, 1967. The cover is tattered and the pages quite yellow. The recipe below is a meat-free version. There is a chapter in the book: Classic and Sustaining with No Meat. Maybe that section is worth a quick review!  If you have kidney beans and potatoes, you can make the soup today! Enjoy!

Portuguese kidney bean soup

Ingredients:

2 16 ounce cans dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 medium onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

3 tablespoons olive oil

2-3 medium red potatoes, chopped

1 6 ounce can tomato paste

2 bay leaves

1 teaspoon allspice

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1.       In a soup pot, sauté onions in olive oil until soft.

2.       Add to the pot about four cups of water and the two bay leaves.

3.       Add chopped potatoes.

4.       Boil about 15 minutes until potatoes are soft.

5.       Add kidney beans, allspice, and garlic.

6.       Simmer about 10 minutes.

7.       Add tomato paste and salt/pepper to taste.

8.       Simmer another 10 minutes. Be sure to add water to reach desired thickness.

9.       The soup is wonderful with whole grain bread.  The next day, the flavors of the soup are even better integrated into the ingredients.

Bakery in Madrid, Spain

Walking down the street in Madrid, we passed by a bakery with the most colorful, artful window. 

Window of bakery in Madrid had a magnetic force!

For most of our trip in Spain were were able to resist the bakeries and the marzipan for which Toledo is well-known, but we do confess to a couple of trials of gelato! 

Sun-dried Tomato, Caper & Olive Tapenade

Sun-dried tomatoes add an excellent tartness to this olive tapenade. I served this recently with Portuguese Kidney Bean Soup, but, frankly, did not result in the best flavor combination!  Standing on its own, it is wonderful. 

Portuguese kidney bean soup and whole wheat bread with sun-dried tomato, caper & olive tapenade

Sun-dried Tomato, Caper & Olive Tapenade

Ingredients

1 clove garlic   

1 cup sun-dried tomatoes, dehydrated
3/4 cup pitted Kalamata or other good olives
1/2 cup capers, rinsed of brine & drained
2 tablespoons olive oil   

Lemon juice, salt & pepper to taste

Directions

1. Steep sun-dried tomatoes in hot water until soft. Drain off water.

2. Process garlic clove in food processor.

3. Place sun-dried tomatoes, Kalamata olives, capers and olive oil in food processor.  Pulse 4-5 times, or until the texture is spreadable.  

4. Season to taste.

5. Spread tapenade on crostinis or wonderful fresh bread.

Curried Brussels Sprouts and Sweet Potatoes

The other day after I prepared Brussels Sprouts, a few remained. Since I also had sweet potatoes in the cupboard, I searched the internet for a possible recipe. I not only found this dish, but a new resource for recipes: http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/. BBC, renowned for quality news coverage, is now a site I'll have to explore for cooking inspiration. 

"Curried Brussels Sprouts and Sweet Potatoes" offers a wonderful, rich tasting, combination of flavors and textures. I was surprised that the results were so savory. Don't take my word, try it! Enjoy!

Curried Brussels Sprouts And Sweet Potatoes

Ingredients:

1 medium sweet potato, cubed
8 or 9 Brussels sprouts, sliced

1 tablespoon curry powder
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 medium onion, sliced
1 cup vegetarian broth
½ teaspoon ground ginger
1 clove garlic, minced

Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Steam sweet potatoes, or cook in microwave.
2. Prepare the Brussels sprouts, onions, and spices.
3. Heat the canola oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the onions and sauté until just tender.
4. Add Brussels sprouts. Sauté until brown, 2-4 minutes.
5. Add the curry powder and stir. Cook, stirring often, 1 minute.
6. Add the broth and bring the mixture to a boil.
7. Reduce the heat and simmer until the Brussels sprouts are almost tender, 10-15 minutes.
8.  Add the ginger and garlic, and stir. Cook 2 more minutes.
9. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
10. Original recipe included lime juice and cilantro, so you can experiment, if you wish.
11. Serves 2-4

Indian Kidney Beans

Last night, when I served the Curried Brussels Sprouts, the meal needed a good protein source. We felt the Indian Kidney Beans complemented the Brussels Sprouts dish. Not that much extra work, but resulted in a savory meal. Enjoy!

Indian Kidney Beans

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons oil (I always use olive oil for vegetable dishes.)

1 medium sized onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced or pressed

1 whole tomato, chopped

A small piece of ginger, minced, or ½ teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon chili powder

¼ teaspoon turmeric

½ teaspoon ground coriander

½ teaspoon ground cumin

Salt to taste

1 15 ounce can dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 teaspoon garam masala

Plain yogurt

Preparation:

1.                   Heat up the oil and sauté the onions until they turn golden brown.

2.                   Add the tomato. Saute until lightly cooked.

3.                   Now,  add the ginger, garlic, chili powder, turmeric, coriander and cumin.  Salt, if you wish.

4.                   Add the beans and some water to prevent the spices from sticking to the pan.

5.                   Let the whole thing simmer till the desired consistency is reached.

6.                   Finally, add the garam masala. (Never put the garam masala in the beginning or else the flavor will just evaporate.)

7.                   Serve with plain yogurt.

I became distracted from experimenting with Spanish recipes when the other Vegetarian Household grocery shopper came home with Brussels Sprouts.  Though these arrived in a bag, Brussels sprouts are so delightful to purchase on the stalk at farmers’ markets!

Brussels sprouts are cruciferous, of the same species that includes cabbage, collard greens, broccoli, kale, and kohlrabi.  They contain good amounts of vitamin A, vitamin C, folic acid and dietary fiber.  They also have glucosinolates which are important phytonutrients, chemical starting points for a variety of cancer-protective substances.

(I’m sorry. I should have warned you that you will occasionally get a nutrition lesson!)

Back to the recipe.

Curried Brussels Sprouts with Potato

This recipe is pleasingly flavored. Increase the amount of the spices if you wish more taste. Please enjoy!

Curried Brussels Sprouts with Potato

          Ingredients: 

Two medium red potatoes

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion, peeled and sliced

2 cups Brussels sprouts

Two dashes turmeric

½ teaspoon cumin

Two dashes paprika

½ teaspoon ground cardamom

Two dashes ground cinnamon

3 tablespoons water or veggie broth

3 tablespoons sesame seeds

Plain yogurt

 Preparation:

1. Steam red potatoes. Microwave is convenient.
2. Trim and slice Brussels sprouts.
3. Sauté onions in olive oil in large fry pan or sauce pan. Cook until wilted.
4. Add the Brussels sprouts. Sauté with onions for a few minutes to cook the sprouts. 
5. Add all the spices and cook for a further two minutes or so, until the spices give off a deep aroma.
6. Add water or broth.
7. Slice potatoes, then, add to Brussels sprouts. Mix gently to avoid mashing the potatoes.
8. Sprinkle in Sesame seeds and cook for a couple more minutes.
9. Pour the curry into a serving bowl.
10. Serve with yogurt.