I had to post these recipes here, because they are from a great vegan cookbook that my daughter sent to my husband for Christmas, "eat, drink & be vegan" by Dreena Burton. If you have leftovers from the tofu recipe, you can try them in a wrap rolled with fresh veggies. Makes 4-5 servings.Orange Sesame Tofu
================
Ingredients:
2 tsp arrowroot powder (this is a thickening agent and you can use cornstarch instead)
1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1 tsp orange zest
3 tbsp tamari (this is a type of soy sauce that is wheat free---it was not available at my grocery store, so I just used sodium reduced soy sauce)
2 tbsp pure maple syrup
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp toasted sesame oil (this oil is rich in flavour and absolutely delicious)
1/8 tsp sea salt
1 pkg (12 oz/350 g) extra-firm tofu, sliced 1/2 inch thick squares and patted to remove excess moisture
1/4 cup green onions, thinly sliced (for garnish)
1-2 tbsp sesame seeds (for garnish)
Preheat oven to 400F. In an 8x12 inch baking dish, combine arrowroot or cornstarch with 2 tbsp orange juice and stir until fully dissolved. Add remaining juice & ingredients, except tofu, green onions & sesame seeds, and stir to combine. Add tofu and turn to coat both sides. Cover and marinate in refrigerator for 1 hour or more, or bake it immediately. To bake, cover with foil and bake for 15 minutes. Turn over tofu, gently stir to cover with sauce & bake again, uncovered, for another 6-9 minutes or until sauce is thick and bubbly (sauce will continue to thicken as it cools). Remove from oven and sprinkle with green onions and sesame seeds and serve.
Swiss Chard
=========
Ingredients:
1 bunch red, green or rainbow swiss chard, rinsed and dried
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
2-3 pinches sea salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 tsp tamari
1/2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
Remove thick stem and spine from each chard leaf by folding leaf over and cutting stem and spine out down length of leaf. Stack the leaves; roll them up tightly in a cylinder shape , and julienne. In a large frying pan on medium-low, heat 1 tsp sesame oil. Add chard, season with salt & pepper, and toss to lightly coat. Saute for 4-5 minutes, tossing occasionally, until chard reduces slightly, but is still vibrant green. Do not overcook. Toss in 1/2 to 1 tsp of sesame oil, tamari and lemon juice. Serve immediately.
Lime Rice
========
(the recipe is actually for coconut lime basmati rice, but I'm not big on coconut milk and I always have a large supply of brown rice in my cupboard, so I used that--the recipe below is the original from the cookbook)
Ingredients:
1 cup dry brown basmati rice
1 can (13 oz/400 ml) light coconut milk
1/2 cup water
2-2 1/2 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 1/2 tsp lime zest
lime wedges (for serving)
In a saucepan, combine rice, coconut milk, water, lime juice and salt. Bring to a boil on high heat, stir, then reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 35-45 minutes, until liquid is absorbed and rice is cooked through. Turn off heat, stir in lime zest and let sit for 5 minutes. Serve with lime wedges to squeeze on individual portions.
