We’re back from our month in Arizona. We enjoyed good weather, friends, family, hiking, and of course good food (both at the house and out on the town). We saw fun theatre, and National Geographic discussions, hung out at an olive oil grove and connected with old and new friends. So many great experiences - oh and I read 12 books - it was a good month!
And now we’re home and back into day-to-day living, which includes aging parents, joyous occasions, laundry, volunteering, and work. Dan is evaluating potential opportunities and I am getting back into my Master Gardener groove.
Before we left I was on one of my “we can’t buy food. It will sit and rot in the fridge” modes, which really paid off because now it is nice and clean and uncluttered. We’ll see how long that lasts. And it’s Lent and all of those wonderful fish fries have returned - yum.
Last week we had one of my favorite tofu dishes; it’s fast and easy, and the ingredient list is not too long. Give it a try if you’re short on time or just want to change things up a bit.
Ingredients:
14 oz extra firm tofu
2 Tbsp cornstarch
2 Tbsp sesame oil
1.5 cups chopped green beans
1 medium onion
6 Tbsp tamari or soy sauce
3 Tbsp water
1 Tbsp organic sugar
½ teaspoon ground ginger
1 Tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
Fresh basil for garnish
Instructions:
Slice the block of tofu in half and press it between two towels or two paper towels. Let the tofu sit for 10 minutes to soak up any excess moisture.
While the tofu is being pressed, chop up the green beans and onion and make the black pepper sauce. To make the black pepper sauce, simply whisk together the soy sauce/tamari, water/vegetable broth, sugar, ground ginger, and freshly ground black pepper in a small bowl and set aside.
Once the ingredients are prepped, cut the pressed tofu into 1-inch cubes and add to a large bowl. Add the cornstarch to the bowl and use your hands to evenly coat the tofu in cornstarch.
Add 1 tablespoon of sesame oil to the pan and turn on the heat. Once the oil is hot, add in the tofu and stir fry for 10-15 minutes until the tofu is browned and crispy on the outside. Remove the tofu from the wok and set aside in a bowl.
Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of sesame oil to the wok followed by the chopped shallots and green beans. Stir fry for about 5 minutes until the shallots are translucent. Then, add in the black pepper sauce and tofu. Cook all the ingredients for an additional 3-5 minutes to help thicken the sauce.
Remove the wok from the heat and serve the black pepper tofu and green beans on top of white rice. Garnish with fresh basil if desired.
Thanks for stopping By!
