End of the Vegan Challenge

I tried.  I really did, but it was hard and so limiting especially eating out, and I already feel a bit like a burden with all my food allergy limitations so I didn't want to force it when out.  So there were a couple times that I "cheated", like St. Patricks Day.  So Friday night I officially ended the Vegan Challenge and Chris made....  Steak!

And it was delicious.   

Trick is:

-pat salt and pepper into both sides of the steak and let it rest for 30 minutes

-heat the cast iron skillet, sear all sides of the steak (learned that's to keep the juices in)

-turn down the heat, put about 2 Tbsp of butter in the pan to melt and a big sprig of thyme on top, (we used Earth Balance) and baste the steak for 2-3 minutes (scoop up the butter with a spoon and pour on the steak)

-flip the steak, put the thyme on to and repeat the basting

-take steak out of the pan when desired doneness and let rest before eating

Vegan Challenge: Grilled "Cheese" and salad

No recipe required for this... 12 grain bread, earth balance, and Daiya cheddar flavored vegan cheese.  Pretty good substitute for real cheese, it even kind of melts!  Salad consisted of baby arugula from a local grower found at the farmers market in Falls Church, cucumbers, radishes and almonds, with balsamic vinegrette.  Yummy!

Vegan Challenge: Tofu and Broccoli stir fry

One of the last recipes that I tried in my vegan challenge, before it ended was an Asian tofu and broccoli stir fry.  I've made stir fries frequently, but never with a recipe, much less with tofu, and I've never found a good recipe for a stir fry sauce.  Thus this attempt with another recipe from WellVegan.  http://wellvegan.com/recipes/tofu-and-broccoli-stir-fry 

Tofu and Broccoli Stir Fry

Serves four • 40 minutes

Serve this stir-fry over brown rice or Asian noodles. To toast the cashews, spread them on a baking sheet and cook in a 350°F oven for 10 minutes. If you’re serving this with rice, get it started before you do anything else. And if you’re gluten-free make sure you’re soy sauce is of the gluten-free variety.

Ingredients

• 1 package (14 1/2 ounces) firm tofu, drained, cut crosswise into 6 slabs (about 3/4 inch wide), each slab halved horizontally and cut into triangles
• 1 1/2 lbs. broccoli, stalks trimmed, peeled, and cut into 1/4-inch rounds, florets separated into bite-size pieces
• Coarse salt
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/2 cup cashews, toasted (optional)

(I added red pepper strips and baby corn for extra flavor and color, so maybe the title should be changed to stop light stir fry.  Fresh broccoli is alway better than frozen in stir fries.  I also added some crushed ginger to the sauce because I LOVE ginger.)

Instructions

1. Arrange tofu in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with several layers of paper towels. Top with more paper towels and let tofu drain, about 20 minutes.
   
   
2. Meanwhile, cook broccoli (stalks and florets) in a large pot of boiling salted water until bright green, 1 minutes. Drain and set aside.
3. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add tofu; cook until golden brown, turning gently halfway through, about 5-7 minutes on each side. Transfer to paper towels. 
   
4. Meanwhile, make sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, vinegar, red-pepper flakes, garlic, cornstarch, and 3/4 cup water; set aside.
5. Add broccoli to skillet; cook over high heat, stirring often, until crisp-tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Whisk reserved sauce to combine; pour into pan. Return tofu to pan; stir to coat, about 1 minute more. Serve over rice or noodles and topped with cashews, if desired.

This recipe finally helped me figure out how to get more flavor into tofu, (hint: you have to drain it and then put it between paper towels to dry it out), and it helps to marinate the tofu for at least 30 minutes after drying and before cooking, and then dry it again before cooking if you want it crispy.  Secondly, it has a great stir fry sauce, super simple and super delicious.  I think I was putting too much stuff in previously.  Verdict: great recipe, I'll definitely be making it again, with my changes.