Confident Kitchen

• 1 butternut squash, halved
• 4-6 carrots, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 shallot, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 inch ginger, peeled and chopped
• 1 rutebega, peeled and chopped
• 1 parsnip, peeled and chopped
• olive oil, salt, pepper

Place squash in shallow pan, bake at 400 for 30 minutes or until soft. Toss rutebega and parsnip with olive oil, salt and pepper, bake in shallow dish or foil covered baking sheet at 400 for 30-45 minutes or until soft. Saute in large pot: onions, ginger and garlic with 1 tablespoon olive oil for 2-3 minutes or until onion is soft. Add 4-5 cups water to pot, add in carrots, baked squash (removed from skin), rutebega and parsnip. Simmer for 25-30 minutes. Pour into blender and blend until smooth. Pour back into pot, add salt and pepper to taste, simmer 5 minutes.

This is great with a sprinkling of grated romano cheese and a dash of fresh ground pepper on top.

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• 1 package tofu, cubed
• 2 bell peppers, sliced
• 1 yellow onion, sliced
• basil leaves
• 10 white mushrooms, quartered
• 2/3 cup chicken broth
• 2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar
• 4 tablespoons light soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 2 teaspoons chili paste (optional)
• 2 tablespoons sake (or dry sherry)
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 9+ cloves garlic, minced
• 10 thai chiles, stemmed and left whole (optional)
• 2 tablespoons corn starch
• 6 tablespoons water
• rice

1. In a small bowl, mix together chicken broth, vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, chile past, and sake. Set aside.
2. In another small bowl or cup, stir together water and cornstarch.  Set aside.
3. Heat the oil in a wok with medium-high heat.  Add garlic, stir for 30 seconds.  Add onion and chiles.  Stir fry for 3 minutes.  Add bell peppers and mushrooms, stir fry 3 minutes.  Add tofu, stir fry for 1-2 minutes.  Pour in sauce mixture and cook 1 minute, then stir in thickener (stir mixture first) and stir fry until thick and bubbly, 1-2 minutes.
4. Serve over hot rice.

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Cute blog with images and descriptions of a mother’s self-assembled vegan lunches for her son.  Great way to get ideas of what to take to work instead of the same old salad or last night’s leftovers.  I need to go buy more containers.

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• 3 cups cubed french loaf
• 2 cups broccoli
• 1 large red onion, diced
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
• Olive oil, as needed

Preheat oven to 350?.  Toss bread cubes in olive oil and toast in oven for 5 minutes.  Remove.

Saute onions with a dash of olive oil until browned.  Let cool slightly, then add to bowl with eggs.

Toss bread cubes with cheese and broccoli.  Add egg and onion mixture.  Press into loaf pan.

Bake 35-40 minutes.

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You can make the sauce a day ahead and keep it refrigerated. Garnish souffles with fresh raspberries or mint, if desired.


Sauce:
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
1 (12-ounce) package frozen unsweetened raspberries, thawed

Cakes:
Cooking spray
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
3/4 cup fat-free milk
1/4 cup half-and-half
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar, divided
1/4 cup butter, softened
3 large egg yolks
1/4 cup all-purpose flour (about 1 ounce)
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
5 large egg whites
1 tablespoon powdered sugar

To prepare sauce, combine first 3 ingredients in a food processor; process until smooth. Strain through a sieve into a bowl; discard solids. Cover and chill. To prepare cakes, coat 12 (6-ounce) ramekins with cooking spray; sprinkle evenly with 2 tablespoons granulated sugar. Set aside.

Combine milk and half-and-half in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat (do not boil). Remove from heat; add chocolate, stirring until chocolate melts. Add cocoa and vanilla, stirring with a whisk. Pour into a large bowl; cool completely.

Preheat oven to 325°.

Place 1 cup granulated sugar and butter in a medium bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed until light and fluffy. Beat in egg yolks. Add cooled chocolate mixture; beat until blended. Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Stir into chocolate mixture.

Place cream of tartar and egg whites in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until stiff peaks form. Gently stir one-fourth egg white mixture into chocolate mixture; gently fold in remaining egg white mixture. Spoon into prepared ramekins.

Place ramekins in 2 (13 x 9-inch) baking pans; add hot water to pans to a depth of 1 inch. Bake at 325° for 33 minutes or until puffy and set. Loosen cakes from sides of ramekins using a narrow metal spatula. Invert the cakes onto 12 dessert plates. Sprinkle evenly with powdered sugar; serve with raspberry sauce.

*Notes* To save time, I made these ahead of dinner and chilled them in the fridge before baking.  If you try this, take out and let warm to room temp before baking.

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2  tablespoons peanut oil, divided
1  pound extrafirm tofu, drained and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2  cups finely shredded napa (Chinese) cabbage
1/4  cup Thai fish sauce (such as Three Crabs)
3  tablespoons brown sugar
6  tablespoons rice vinegar
2  tablespoons ketchup
1  tablespoon lime juice
2  tablespoons creamy peanut butter
1  teaspoon chili garlic sauce (such as Lee Kum Kee)
1/4  cup water
1  teaspoon cornstarch
1  pound medium shrimp, cooked and peeled
2  cups thinly sliced green onions
1/2  cup chopped fresh cilantro
1  pound uncooked wide rice noodles (bánh pho)

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add tofu; sauté 4 minutes or until lightly browned on all sides. Spoon tofu into a large bowl. Add cabbage to pan; sauté 30 seconds or until just beginning to wilt. Add cabbage to tofu. Remove pan from heat.Combine fish sauce and next 6 ingredients (through chili garlic sauce). Combine water and cornstarch, stirring with a whisk; stir into vinegar mixture.

Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in pan over medium-high heat. Add shrimp; sauté 1 minute. Add vinegar mixture; bring to a boil, and cook 1 minute, stirring frequently. Add shrimp mixture, green onions, and cilantro to cabbage mixture; toss to combine.

Cook noodles according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain well. Add noodles to cabbage mixture; toss well to combine.

Yield: 10 servings (serving size: about 1 1/2 cups)

NUTRITION PER SERVING
CALORIES 339(21% from fat); FAT 7.8g (sat 1.5g,mono 2.7g,poly 3.2g); PROTEIN 16.8g; CHOLESTEROL 88mg; CALCIUM 80mg; SODIUM 819mg; FIBER 2g; IRON 2.7mg; CARBOHYDRATE 48.8g
CALORIES 339(21% from fat); FAT 7.8g (sat 1.5g,mono 2.7g,poly 3.2g); PROTEIN 16.8g; CHOLESTEROL 88mg; CALCIUM 80mg; SODIUM 819mg; FIBER 2g; IRON 2.7mg; CARBOHYDRATE 48.8g*notes*  I think pan frying the noodles and sauce would make it taste better. 

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