Meatless Monday Recipe-Saag Paneer

Saag Paneer
Vegan; 30 minutes

The sauce for saag paneer, an Indian dish of spinach and cheese, is usually made with lots of butter (ghee) and milk. Here, tofu, soy milk, and soy yogurt make the dish lighter, higher in essential fatty acids, and just as delicious as the original

So, I made this the other night, and needed to add more curry at the end. I zested the ginger to release more of the flavor. While cooking the tofu, I used canola oil and added two green chile peppers. For the most flavor, however to make the dish less spicy use one or half....
Ingredient List

Serves 4
8 oz. extra-firm tofu, cubed
1 Tbs. canola oil
1 medium onion, chopped (1 1/2 cups)
2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)
2 tsp. curry powder
3/4 tsp. grated fresh ginger
1 10-oz. pkg. frozen leaf spinach, thawed and drained (I used fresh-1 pound)
1/2 cup DHA-fortified plain soy yogurt
1/4 cup DHA-fortified plain soy milk, optional (I used hemp milk)
Directions

1. Coat skillet with cooking spray, and heat over medium-high heat. Add tofu cubes, and cook 2 to 3 minutes, or until browned. Transfer to plate, and set aside.

2. Wipe out skillet, add oil, and heat over medium heat. Add onion, and sauté 3 to 4 minutes, or until beginning to brown. Stir in garlic, curry powder, 
and ginger, and sauté 1 minute, or until curry powder darkens. Add spinach and 2 Tbs. water, and cook 1 minute, or until most of water has evaporated. Remove from heat, and stir in yogurt and soy milk, if using, or 1/4 cup water. Fold in tofu cubes.
Nutritional Information

Per 1-cup serving: Calories: 157, Protein: 10g, Total fat: 8g, Saturated fat: <1g, Carbs: 14g, Cholesterol: mg, Sodium: 62mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugars: 5g

Found: Vegetarain Times

Meatless Monday Recipe-Lemongrass Curry Broccoli and Tofu

Lemongrass Curry Broccoli and Tofu
Vegan; Serves 6; 30 minutes or fewer

I found this recipe, and decided to modify it a bit. While I was shopping at an Asian Market, I picked up some frozen lemongrass for next to nothing and Jack Fruit. The story of jack fruit is that it has the texture of chicken (shredding and taste) with being a fruit. This is great for those who don't like tofu or have fallen into the processed "fake" meat trap. When picking out jack fruit, make sure it young, frozen or in a can (I got the frozen). The ripe jack fruit that's in a can has a lot syrup and is sweet. Anything with stars next to it is what I added extra to the recipe.

12 oz. firm tofu, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
**4 jack fruit pieces, cubed
**2 large shallots, chopped (1 1/2 cups) {I used less}
1 stalk lemongrass, inner core chopped (1 1/2 Tbs) {I used dried}
**1/2 serrano chile, chopped (I didn't have this on hand, so I used 2 small Thia green chiles)
2 tsp. chopped fresh ginger (I zested mine to release more of the flavor)
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 Tbs. vegetable oil
2 1/2 tsp. curry powder
1/2 tsp. ground tumeric
**4 small carrots, peeled and sliced diagonally into 1/4 inch slices (I'm not a huge fan of carrots, so I used eggplant instead)
1 13.5 oz can light coconut milk (I use the stuff out of a box vs. the can)
3 cups broccoli florets (my boyfriend is not a fan of broccoli, so I tossed in shiitake mushrooms)
1 tomato, cut into thin wedges
**1/2 cup of butternut squash, cubed
**1 zucchini, sliced


1. Heat large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add tofu and jack fruit. Cook for 10 minutes or until golden on all sides, it took longer then 10 minutes.

2. Pulse shallots, garlic, lemongrass, chile, and ginger in food processor until a smooth paste forms.

3. Heat oil in pot over medium heat. Add shallot paste, and cook for 5 minutes, or until starting to brown. Stir in curry powder, tumeric, carrots, coconut milk, 1 1/2 cups of water. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 10 minutes. Add broccoli, tomato and tofu; cook 5 minutes, or until broccoli is tender.

Per 1 cup serving: 189 cal.; 8g prot.; 11g total fat (4g sat fat); 16g carb.; 0mg chol.; 43mg sod.; 3g fib.; 4g sugars

Found: Vegetarian Times: March 2012

Meatless Monday Recipe: Carrot-Pistachio Pesto with Bulgur and Chickpeas

Carrot-Pistachio Pesto with Bulgur and Chickpeas
Vegan; Serves 4

1/2 cup cracked bulgur (I used pearl barley)
3/4 cup boiling water
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper (I used sea salt and black pepper)
1 15 oz can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 scallion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup dried fruit, such as currents, golden raisins, or chopped apricots (I used dates)
1/2 cup fresh mint leaves, torn if large
2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped (1 cup) (I shredded mine, not as big of fan of carrots-so this is more subtle)
1/4 cup shelled pistachios, toasted
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 lemon wedge

1. Place bulgur in a heat proof bowl and add boiling water. Season with a pinch of salt and cover with a plate until water is absorbed and bulgur is tender, about 30 minutes. Fluff with a fork, stir in chickpeas, scallion, dried fruit, and mint.

2. Meanwhile, pulse carrots, garlic, and pistachios in a food processor until coarsely chopped. Drizzle oil and process until combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

3. Stir pesto into bulgur mixture. Squeeze lemon and adjust seasoning, if necessary.

Per serving: 397 cal.; 19g fat (2g sat fat); 0 mg chol.; 49g carbs.; 377 mg sod.; 10g prot.: 11g fiber

Found: Whole Living March 2012