Tofu in Peanut Curry Sauce (Vegan recipe)

How much has happened since I was last on here? A lot I guess...

Turning 17, Loon Lake, friends, semester 2, Coppelia, stretch & strength, choir, spring break, Great Wolf Lodge, Dance Magic, Dance Power... yup it's been a while.

I wonder what brought me back here?

I think it was because an awesome friend from choir told me she used a couple recipes in her Baking class from this blog. I mean, seriously!? People know about this!? I felt happy, proud, touched, but also guilty for never being consistent when I told myself I would be at the beginning... and I also missed it.

I still cook/bake when I can, but not like I used to. It's a busy week every week and when I do make something delicious I never have the time to whip out the ancient digital camera and take 40 pictures to get a couple in focus...I wish I had though, there were some pretty yummo stuff I didn't capture.

Lulu came over for dinner and a movie today. She thinks I'm amazing at cooking which is really being too kind with words and stretching the truth a bit but I do enjoy it so I decided to make dinner. Two veggie friends is no problem to cook for! I found a recipe for chicken in peanut sauce but decided to substitute the chicken with tofu and some added veggies. This is my adapted recipe below...I think I changed it enough to call my own! It's really delicious...its sweet but spicy, creamy from the peanut butter but also bold and hearty. I omitted the chopped peanuts as I didn't have any on hand but it would have added a very nice texture to the sauce. Serve over steamed rice and enjoy! It's super easy and good if you want to change it up to your liking. Enjoy!

Tofu in Peanut Curry Sauce serves 4

olive oil
250 g firm tofu, sliced
1 medium carrot, sliced
1 serrano pepper, sliced (optional, adds some heat)
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 small potatoes, cubed
1/2 cup cauliflower florets

200 ml tomato puree (I pulsed canned drained tomatoes in the food processor)
100 ml orange juice
1/4 cup peanut butter
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp brown sugar (or honey if not vegan)
1/2 tsp curry powder
1 tsp fresh grated ginger
chopped peanuts (optional)
fresh parsley (optional)


Combine tomato puree, orange juice, peanut butter, soy sauce, brown sugar, curry powder and ginger in a blender or food processor. Pulse until smooth.

Heat oil in a skillet over med-high heat; cook garlic, serrano pepper, and tofu until browned. Pour sauce mixture into same skillet, lower heat to medium-low. Add vegetables and cover. Let simmer for 30 minutes, adding water as time passes to suit preferred consistency.

After simmering, stir in chopped peanuts if using and use some fresh parsley for garnish. Serve over steamed rice!

Traditional Almond Biscotti and My Resolutions

Happy New Years! I can't believe it's 2012 already, what a fast year it was...hopefully this one will be even better :)

I made some New Year's resolutions yesterday, pretty big decisions, but they are very health-oriented and I'm excited to start on a new road to health. My #1 resolution is to eat vegan foods at least 5 days a week. Part-time vegan I guess! (Haha) Why only 5 days? Well, this was the compromise between myself and my family- it's so it's not too difficult to incorporate me into family gatherings and dinners or social events where there may be dairy, eggs, etc. Hopefully this resolution will guide me to a healthier eating habit, and of course, it is better for the earth. :)

My second resolution is to get back into hot yoga classes. I remember how great those classes made me feel, so light, cleansed, and strong- I'd be excited to get back into that. What a great way to flush out some toxins.

My third resolution may be a product of the first two, and I'm hoping it will help me achieve this goal. My ballet gala performance is near the end of February, and I have a goal to achieve a weight that is 7-10 lbs lighter. I really hope to look trim for that performance, and also, my costume measurements were taken 3 months ago, when I was 10 lbs lighter! There's some work to do! I'm aiming to work away at it with healthier, wholesome foods, and lots of exercise. I'm saving up money for a new gym membership and hot yoga classes at the moment. It's time for a fresh start.

And of course the other resolutions...be a nicer person to everyone, think positive thoughts, maintain a clean room...I guess those are important too... :)

Wishing everyone a Happy 2012, and luck on achieving your resolutions!


Recipe: I made these biscotti for Christmas to give away as little treats. Traditional biscotti do not contain any oil and are very hard! The original recipe calls for 10 minutes of baking on each side, but I recommend 20 minutes. They are very yummy, not too sweet, and perfect for dunking in your coffee. Although they are not vegan, they are very low-fat cookies. You can choose to dip or drizzle them with melted chocolate.

Almond Biscotti

1 cup whole almonds
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup granulated white sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract (or more vanilla extract)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place almonds on a cookie sheet and toast them in the oven for 8-10 minutes. Chop coarsely and set aside. Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees F.

In a bowl, lightly beat eggs and extracts. Combine flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda in your stand mixer. Gradually add egg mixture and mix until a dough forms, adding the almonds halfway. On a lightly floured work surface, shape the dough into a log 35 cm long and 8-10 cm wide. Place on a parchment lined cookie sheet, and bake for 35-40 minutes until firm. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes.

On a cutting board, cut the log diagonally using a serrated bread knife (smooth sawing motion) into cookies that are 1/2 inch thick. Place them onto the cookie sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Flip the biscotti over and bake on other side for another 20 minutes. Cool completely on wire rack, and eat with coffee!

Variations: you can use hazelnuts or walnuts in place of the almonds. You can also add 1 tbsp of orange zest to the egg mixture for an orange-almond biscotti. You can also add half almonds, half dried cranberries, and orange zest for an cranberry orange almond biscotti!