Sweet and Sour Tofu, Sesame Broccoli and Brown Rice

 This meal is in heavy rotation at our house. My husband loves it, my 3 year old is happy about all of it (except the broccoli stalks---she eats the tops), my little baby likes to nibble it all. Anything that we all enjoy is a major success in my book. Please don't think this is hard to prepare as I do it with a baby on my hip as I engage in simultaneous imaginary play. Trust me, you can do this easily!



Brown Rice
1 cup brown rice
1 1/2-2 cup water

1. Bring water to a boil. Add rice. Cover.
2. Reduce heat to low.
3. Simmer for about 50 minutes, adding water if things look dry.


 
Sweet and Sour Tofu
1 Tbs sesame oil
1 package of extra firm tofu, drained andcut into bite sized cubes
1 small white onion, chopped into large chunks
1 green pepper, seeded and chopped into large chunks
1/2 cup  pineapple chunks in juice (drain and reserve liquid for sweet and sour sauce)
1 1/3 cup sweet and sour sauce (recipe follows)

1. In a skillet on medium high-high heat warm 1 Tbs sesame oil and add the tofu cubes. Cook until golden, takes about 15 minutes. (I use this time to prepare my sweet and sour sauce, recipe below). You'll want to just flip the tofu occasionally to make sure it is golden and chewy all around.
2. Add the onion and green pepper. Cook for just a couple of minutes, you want them to retain their bite!
3. Add the pineapple and sweet and sour sauce. Use a spatula to combine, serve hot!

Sweet and Sour Sauce
1 Tbs + 1tsp cornstarch and 1 Tbs + 1 tsp water, mixed
3/4 cup pineapple juice
1/3 cup rice vinegar
1/3 light brown sugar
3 Tbs ketchup
1 Tbs + 1 tsp tamari

1. Whisk pineapple juice, rice vinegar, brown sugar, ketchup and tamari together and bring to a low boil over medium heat.
2. Add the cornstarch/water mixture. Stir.
3. Serve hot.

** Unless you have two skillets (I don't) you'll want to transfer the sweet and sour tofu to an oven safe dish and keep it warm in the oven while you rinse the skillet and use it to cook the broccoli, which cooks quickly.

 
Sesame Broccoli
1Tbs sesame oil
1 Tbs tamari
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large head Broccoli, separated into florets, approximately 3 cups
1/4 cups water
1 T gomasio (or simple sesame seeds will do)

1.  In a skillet warm the oil over medium high heat.
2. Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds before adding the broccoli and tamari.
3. Add the water.
4. Cook until the water has evaoprated, the broccoli is virbant green and is easily pierced with a fork.
5. Garnish with gomasio.

 


~Maria Rose