TOFU, QUINOA & GREEN SALAD

This recipe came from a Japanese cookbook, from a recipe titled "Millet & Tofu Salad". My creativity ran wild with this recipe and I ended up keeping just one of the original ingredients: tofu! This goes to show how deviating from the exact instructions and ingredients of a recipe is absolutely fine to do and I expect readers to do the same with my recipes! To me, cooking is fluid and everything can be fixed, like painting. You just have to own the ingredients and the methods you choose. Anyways, tofu has recently become a wonderful source of protein for me, as I am not an avid meat eater. I hope you like the dish (and if you don't, change it!). 

Ingredients

Salad 

• 300g firm tofu, halved 
• 1 cup quinoa 
• 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil 
• paper towel
• 1 medium green capsicum (around 250g), seeded removed & thinly sliced
• 150g green beans, trimmed and cut in half
• 2 spring onions, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup almonds, halved

Dressing

• a generous pinch of ground black pepper
• 1 heaped tablespoon dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons water (or more, if you want the dressing thinner)

Cooking 

1. Place the halved tofu between two chopping boards or plates with a weight on top (I used a jar of nuts). Raise one end (I placed a small scale underneath one side of the chopping board) and sit for 25 minutes. 

2. Meanwhile, rinse the quinoa thoroughly, twice, with your hands and strain through a sieve. Bring the quinoa to boil in a medium saucepan over high heat with 2 and a 1/2 cups of water, covered. Once boiled, lower to a simmer and continue to cook, covered, until all the water is absorbed, around 10-12 minutes. 

3. Whilst the tofu is sitting and the quinoa is cooking, heat a small saucepan over medium-low heat and dry fry the halved almonds (meaning without using any oil). When the almonds are fragrant and the inside of the almonds are very slightly golden, remove from the heat, as they will continue to brown as they sit. 

4. Make the dressing by combining all of the ingredients in a small bowl or mug and stirring well until no lumps of mustard remain. 

5. Once the tofu has sat for 25 minutes, chop into slim, even strips. Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a medium pan over medium heat, swirling to coat. Add the tofu strips and cover the pan. Cook for around 3 minutes on each side or until the tofu is lightly browned. Remove from the heat and place on a few paper towels, then pat with another few paper towels to remove the excess oil. Repeat this process, adding another teaspoon of oil, until all tofu is cooked. Remove the tofu from the heat and leave to cook on the paper towel. 

6. Change the heat to low and add the sliced capsicum, green beans and spring onions and cook, uncovered, stirring, for 2 minutes or until the spring onions are very fragrant. 

Serves / 4 
Total Prep & Cooking time / around 45 minutes (including the tofu resting time)

x Emily 

BROWN RICE with TOFU & BROCCOLI

I love creating and eating vegetarian meals. Brown rice with tofu & broccoli is a favourite of mine, as it is so easy to make and very filling, due to the plentiful amount of protein that tofu contains. Make sure to follow step 1 and 'dry out' the tofu first or it will not hold its shape when cooking. If you are not a fan of tofu, you could substitute for 2 eggs and make an omelette or cook 400g chicken breast. 

INGREDIENTS

• 400g firm tofu, halved 
• 1 cup brown rice
• 1 head of broccoli, stalk & florets roughly chopped 
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• paper towel
• 2 spring onions, finely chopped, plus extra to serve 
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped or crushed 
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce 

COOKING 

1. Place the halved tofu between two chopping boards or plates with a weight on top (I used a jar of nuts). Raise one end (I placed a small scale underneath one side of the chopping board) and sit for 25 minutes. 

2. Meanwhile, bring the rice and 2 1/2 cups of water to the boil in a medium saucepan over high heat, covered with a lid. Once boiled, reduce to a simmer and place a small colander or sieve with the broccoli florets & stalk on top of the pan, covered. Leave to steam for around 5 minutes, then check to see if the broccoli is tender by placing a fork into a stalk. If the fork slides in with just a little bit of resistance, the broccoli is tender but not mushy. Remove the colander or sieve with the broccoli and continue to cook the rice, covered for another 10 minutes or until all water is absorbed and rice is tender. 

3. Once the tofu has sat for 25 minutes, chop into slim, even strips. Heat the olive oil in a medium pan over medium heat, swirling to coat. Add the tofu strips and cover the pan. Cook for around 3 minutes on each side or until the tofu is lightly browned. Remove from the heat and place on a few paper towels, then pat with another few paper towels to remove the excess oil. 

4. Lower the heat on the stove to low, then add the 2 spring onions and garlic, stirring to cook for 2 minutes. Next add the cooked broccoli, cooked rice, cooked tofu and soy sauce and stir gently over low heat until all ingredients are combined. 

Divide the rice into 4 bowls, then sprinkle extra spring onions on top, if desired. 

Serves / 4

Preparation & Cooking Time / around 35 minutes 

x Emily 

MILKY GOODNESS

Allergic to dairy? Or sick of cow’s milk and want to try something different? You are not alone. It seems that more and more people every day are turning to alternative milk products besides our good old fashioned dairy milk, for allergy, health or ethical reasons. (Interestingly, about 2% (1 in 50) of all Australian and New Zealand babies are born with allergies to cow's milk and dairy products). How to weed through all the choices and noise out there and decide which product what is best for you? We explore the milk alternatives below.

 Rice Milk

Rice milk is a dairy-free milk made from boiled rice, brown rice syrup and brown rice starch. It is lactose and cholesterol free and is very popular among vegans and vegetarians as it contains no animal products or by-products. Rice milk tastes slightly sweeter than cow's milk, however it is low in fat and is therefore a good milk alternative for baking. One cup of rice milk contains approximately 140 calories, compared to the 185 calories in a cup of regular cow's milk. 

Rice milk does contain more carbohydrates than cow's milk, but as it is lactose and cholesterol free it is healthier for your heart. It is important to note that rice milk does not contain as much protein as cow's milk, therefore those who do use rice milk as an alternative for milk need to find other ways to include more protein in their diet, for example, by eating more legumes or lentils. On the plus side rice milk is full of vitamin B12, vitamin A and D and iron. 

We love long-life Freedom Rice Milk (pictured above), available at all major supermarkets. 

 Almond Milk

Almond milk has been used in cooking since the Middle ages. It is made by combining finely ground almonds with water. Almond milk is very low in calories and fat, as it contains only 40 calories per serving. This milk is low in carbohydrates, containing only 2 grams per serving. Almond milk has the same low fat content as rice milk (around 3 grams of fat per 227 gram serving). 

This nutty milk is great for allergies, as it contains no gluten, no soy and and no lactose. Almond milk also contains more  vitamins and minerals than soy and rice milk and is therefore one of the most nutritious milk alternatives around. This milk has no saturated fat or cholesterol and is high in protein and fibre. Almond milk is rich in vitamin E, magnesium, zinc, iron and calcium. As an added bonus, the compounds in almond milk also help prevent cancer and slow down the signs of ageing! 

We enjoy Unsweetened Almond Breeze milk (pictured above), now available at all major supermarkets. 

Soy Milk

Soy milk is made from crushing soy beans that have been soaked in water and is a very nutritious milk substitute. This milk is rich in proteins, fibre, essential fatty acids, vitamins and minerals and assists your metabolism in working more efficiently. Soy milk is full of antioxidants and phytosterols, which are responsible for protecting us from diseases and supporting our immune systems. 

Research reveals that soy milk can improve your cardiovascular health, as it is cholesterol free and its essential fatty acids can block cholesterol from entering your blood stream. Regularly drinking soy milk can strengthen your blood vessels and make them more flexible, which in turn assists the vessels in responding better to changes in blood pressure. 

There has been a lot of debate over soy milk for many years. Soy milk can mimic estrogen in the body, so it is important that women trying to fall pregnant do not consume soy products. Saying this, soy milk can help prevent postmenopasual symptoms in women, as drinking this milk can increase the estrogen in their body. Soy milk is not recommended for women going through breast cancer treatment. Talk to other women or a naturopath about their views on soy milk if you are unsure about the pros and cons of this milk.

We think that Bonsoy tastes the best in coffee! A little more expensive than other soy milks, it is available from all major supermarkets. 

Coconut Milk

Coconut milk is all the range right now, due to the ever-growing Paleo diet. This milk is made from the ground meat and juice from coconuts and is high in calories and fat, including saturated fat (the type of fat we should consume very little of). Read the labels carefully and look for the amount of fat in coconut milk products, as some can contain a whopping 550 calories a cup. We recommend Ayam or Trident Light Coconut Milk, as they are much lower in fat that other brands on the market. 

As a side note - Coconut milk is not to be confused with coconut water, which is much lower in calories, is rich in potassium and can be used to quench thirst or as a nice liquid in green smoothies. We recommend you try the young coconuts available in Woolworths, as they taste delicious! 

Coconut milk is deliciously creamy, vegan and can be used as a healthier substitute for cream or ice-cream in baking, cooking or in making smoothies. As it is relatively high in fat  it is not recommended for people who have a history of high cholesterol or heart disease. 

Coconut milk is packed with iron, vitamins C, E, B3, B5, B6, calcium, sodium, magnesium, potassium and protein. Coconut milk, water and oil are very versatile and have many uses outside of the kitchen - watch this space for a blog re this topic soon! 

Goat's Milk

Goat's milk is said to be easier to digest than cow's milk, as the fat molecules in goat's milk are smaller in size and therefore can be broken down easier. Goat's milk contains more protein and calcium than cow's milk and has been described as tasting sweet and salty. 

In regards to allergies, if you are lactose intolerant there is a 50% change that you will be able to tolerant goat's milk and a 50% chance than you will not. Goat's milk does contain less lactose than cow's milk, however there is still some lactose present. 

Interestingly, goat's milk has more in common with human breast milk than any other milk out there. Goat's milk is rich in vitamin A and contains a high content of riboflavin or vitamin B2. This vitamin is essential in assisting the metabolism of minerals in the body such as carbohydrates and proteins. Vitamin B2 also strengthens the immune system by getting the production of antibodies started. 

We recommend Pauls Goat Milk, available in major supermarkets. 

x Emily