Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge Ice Cream Pie

My sister Emily and I used to have a pretty good system down for splitting slices of Dairy Queen ice cream cake: she'd eat both of our frosted vanilla ice cream layers, and I'd get the fudge-topped chocolate ice cream layers.  Fellow chocolate-lovers can surely understand why that arrangement worked for me.   

This ice cream pie recipe takes things to the next level, swapping out vanilla for peanut butter.  It starts with a chocolate graham cracker crust. Then, chocolate peanut butter ice cream filling is topped with chocolate peanut butter fudge and garnished with chopped peanuts.

Ice cream pie

Recipe:
Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge Ice Cream Pie

Crust:

• 2.5 cups vegan graham cracker crumbs (I crushed graham crackers in the food processor)
• 1 teaspoon honey (or agave)
• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup shortening, softened

Peanut Butter Fudge Topping:

• 1/4 cup agave
• 1/4 cup honey (or more agave)
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1/4 cup plain organic soymilk
• 5 ounces Ghirardelli semi-sweet chocolate chips

Filling:

• 1 heaping tablespoon arrowroot powder
• 3/4 cup plain organic soymilk
• 2 tablespoon cocoa powder
• 5 ounces Ghirardelli semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
• 12 ounces vanilla flavored, coconut milk-based, vegan yogurt
• 3 pints So Delicious Chocolate Peanut Butter Swirl Coconut Milk Dairy-Free Frozen Dessert, softened

Garnish:

• 1/2 cup roasted peanuts, chopped

First, make the crust.  Mix together the graham cracker crumbs, honey, cocoa powder, and shortening in a medium bowl until well-combined.  Pour the mixture into a 10-inch springform pan and press onto the bottom and most of the way up the sides of the pan.  Set aside.

Then, make the peanut butter fudge topping. Pour the agave and honey into a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, for about 5-7 minutes.  The mixture should bubble and get a bit darker in color.  Remove from heat and add the peanut butter, soymilk, and chocolate chips.  Stir until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth.  Set aside and allow to cool.

Next, make the ice cream filling. In a medium saucepan, heat the arrowroot powder and soymilk on medium-low heat, whisking frequently, until simmering.  Remove from heat, and whisk in the cocoa powder, chocolate chips, and peanut butter until well combined.  Then stir in the yogurt.  Transfer this mixture to a large bowl, and add in the ice cream.  Use an electric mixer to beat the mixture until all ingredients are combined and the mixture appears light and fluffy. 

Now, assemble the pie.  Pour the filling into the crust, cover with plastic wrap, and freeze the pie for one hour.  After an hour, remove the pie from the freezer, remove the plastic wrap, and spread on the peanut butter fudge topping.  Top with chopped peanuts.

Allow the pie to chill in the freezer for another 8 hours (overnight) to set completely.

Remove the pie from the freezer at least 15 minutes before serving.  Run a knife around the inside of the spring form pan to loosen the pie, and then release the spring form ring from the bottom of the pan.  Cut the pie using a knife that has been run under hot water, and serve. 

Comments:

Taste:           

YUM.  This ice cream pie is a chocolate peanut butter lover's dream, even though the peanut butter flavor is somewhat subtle.  The rich, gooey, peanut buttery fudge topping is the star of the pie, in my opinion.  I also enjoyed the variety of textures throughout the pie: the crumbly crust, smooth ice cream filling, and crunchy peanut garnish complement each other well.  The only thing I'd change is the crust -- it was a bit too crumbly, but I think softening the shortening before using it (as I wrote in the recipe above) will help fix that.

Accessibility:         

This is an expensive dish to make.  Unfortunately, vegan ice cream is not yet fully mainstream; so, it's both difficult to find (we went to Whole Foods) and quite expensive.  We also had to get vegan yogurt at Whole Foods.

 Ease of Preparation:        

Each individual step in this recipe isn't too difficult, but it does take a long time to make (freezing overnight will do that to you).  At least you can lick the spoons/bowls used for preparation immediately!

Non-vegan friendliness:            

I haven't had an ice cream cake in years, so it's hard to compare this version to the "real thing." Simon says that it doesn't taste quite like ice cream, but it's still very good. 

Freezing Tofu

Several months ago I asked for advice on how to improve baked tofu.  I've had issues in the past with baked tofu coming out soft and unappetizing, rather than firm, browned, or even crispy.  One great tip was to be really thorough when pressing the tofu. Removing as much water as possible before baking it (or frying it, for that matter) is important.

The other day, however, I discovered another effective way to get firm, almost meaty tofu: freeze it!  Here's what I did:

1. Press the tofu.
2. Slice the tofu.
3. Freeze the tofu in a sealed plastic bag.
4. Thaw the tofu.
5. Squeeze out any remaining water.
6. Bake the tofu. (You could also marinate the tofu before baking.)

FYI, the tofu will turn a darker, yellower shade when it's frozen, but it regains its original color once it thaws.

Although this method requires some forethought, I'm definitely planning to freeze tofu as much as possible when using it in the future!  

Easy Vegan Sausage Rolls

When I was younger, I always loved helping my mom make sausage rolls.  They were definitely one of my family's go-to appetizers: using just two ingredients (usually a roll of biscuits and a package of ground sausage, I believe), we could make a quick, easy, and warm finger food for all of our crowd-pleasing needs.

This morning, I decided to try out a vegan version of these rolls.  I used puff pastry instead of biscuits, and vegan sausage instead of pig sausage. While they don't taste exactly the same, they're still delicious!  

Fresh out of the toaster oven.

Recipe:
Easy Vegan Sausage Rolls

• 1 sheet frozen puff pastry
• 1 - 14 ounce package of Gimme Lean sausage 

About 40 minutes ahead of time, set out the puff pastry sheet to thaw (or thaw it in the fridge overnight).  When the sheet is almost thawed, preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

When the pastry is malleable, unfold it on a cutting board and spread the sausage evenly over the sheet. Then, starting on one of the longer sides of the rectangle, roll up the sheet into a log.  Finally, using a sharp knife, cut the log into 3/4"-1" thick sections.

Bake for about 20 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown.   Yields 10-12 pinwheels. 

Comments:

Taste:            

There's nothing fancy about this appetizer, but sometimes simple is good.  These rolls are warm, flaky, savory, and steamy in all the right ways.  However, the sausage-to-pastry ratio is a bit higher than I remember it being when we used biscuits, so I might try using homemade biscuit dough the next time I make these.  Simon added some mustard to one of his, so feel free to experiment with toppings or sauces.   

Accessibility:            

It's quite easy to find vegan puff pastry (Pepperidge Farm's Frozen Puff Pastry Sheets are vegan); however, I am only able to find vegan sausage at higher end or specialty grocery stores.  It freezes and thaws well, so stocking up is always an option.

 Ease of Preparation:        

This is an incredibly simple dish to make--just remember to thaw the puff pastry in advance.

Non-vegan friendliness:             

The appeal of this appetizer pretty much comes down to whether or not you like Gimme Lean's vegan sausage (or another variety of vegan sausage--I just find Gimme Lean to be the best).  Simon ate these and requested seconds, so that's a good sign; but, I can see other people shying away from imitation sausage.  Your body will thank you for making these rolls with vegan sausage compared to pig sausage: one serving of vegan sausage has 60 calories and 0 grams of fat, while one serving of pig sausage has 180 calories and 15 grams of fat. 

Frozen Peanut Butter Banana Whip

I've been looking forward to trying out this recipe for banana-based "ice cream" for some time now.  (Click here for the recipe, which I followed as written.)  It contains just two ingredients: bananas and peanut butter.  It turns out that bananas have some pretty amazing properties when frozen--properties that are perfect for creating naturally-sweet frozen treats! 

A bowl of whip.

Comments:

Taste:           

Unfortunately, this banana whip did not live up to my expectations in a couple ways.  First, the peanut butter flavor was definitely overpowered by the banana flavor.  The banana flavor is nice, but it's not what the recipe promises.  Second, I thought the texture of the whip was a bit gummy, or almost too thick.  If I make this dish again, I might blend in a tiny bit of soymilk to make it a bit lighter. 

Accessibility:            

It's hard to beat a recipe with just two ingredients--especially when one of the ingredients is old fruit and the other is a pantry staple! 

 Ease of Preparation:      

This recipe requires a bit of advanced preparation and takes a while to make, although most of that time is inactive.  Before making the banana whip, which simply requires food processing (or blending), you need to freeze the bananas for an hour or two. 

Non-vegan friendliness:           

The original recipe authors call this dish "ice cream," but I'm calling it a "banana whip."  As a frozen banana treat, it's decent; but, as a vegan version of ice cream, it doesn't make the cut. 

Despite my mediocre review of this recipe, I might give it another shot.  I'm curious to see if I can find a way to incorporate some chocolate into the whip.  Chocolate makes everything better. 

Aloo Matar

While I pretty much always choose chana masala when it comes to making or ordering Indian food, there are times when something different is in order.  Last week we made Aloo Matar: a saucy, somewhat spicy Indian dish with potatoes and green peas.  The dish was easy to make and very filling when served over brown rice; plus, it's full of beautiful colors that brighten up any meal. 

Aloo Matar served over brown rice.

Recipe:     
Aloo Matar

• 1/4 cup olive oil 
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 onion, diced 
• 1 green pepper, diced
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
• 1 - 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
• 1 jalapeno, seeded and minced 
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• a dash of each of the following spices: cinnamon, cumin, coriander, black pepper, cloves, and nutmeg (or use 1/2 teaspoon garam masala in place of these spices, if you can find it)
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon ground coriander
• 2 large potatoes, cubed and boiled
• 2 cups frozen peas 
• salt, to taste

First, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  When the oil is hot, add the cumin and bay leaves and cook, stirring occasionally, for a couple minutes. 

Then add the onion, green pepper, garlic, and ginger; cook for about five minutes or until the onion and pepper begin to soften. 

Next, add 1 cup of the crushed tomatoes, the jalapeno, and the remaining spices.  Stir together and cook for another three minutes.  Add the remaining crushed tomatoes, potatoes, and peas and cook for two minutes. 

Finally, lower the heat, cover the skillet, and simmer for about 10 minutes. 

Salt to taste and serve hot over brown rice.  Yields 6 servings.

Comments:
Taste:          

We all enjoyed this dish, but we found different elements to be noteworthy.  Rachel commented on how spicy it was (which I didn't notice).  I particularly enjoyed the ginger flavor.  Simon wished there were more vegetables involved, so next time we might include spinach. 

Accessibility:       

This recipe calls for several spices, and it can get expensive to buy them all just for this recipe.  But don't worry: most of these spices are pretty standard in Indian dishes (or other cuisines!), so any spice purchase will be worth your while. 

 Ease of Preparation:         

This is a pretty easy recipe, but it does require some attention to timing.  To make dinner preparation go more smoothly, make sure you boil the potatoes the day before, or as the first thing you do before chopping everything else.  You can also cook the rice while you're cooking everything else.

Non-vegan friendliness:        

Aloo Matar is a vegetarian dish by design, so there's nothing lacking in this version.  Plus, the potatoes really fill you up. 

Savory Scallion Crepes

Last week we decided to venture down the breakfast-for-dinner path.  Hot breakfast usually isn't the most vegan-friendly meal, as foods like oatmeal are often pushed onto the back burner in favor of eggs, fried meats, and buttery pastries.  That said, we did create some pretty delicious Savory Scallion Crepes that could hold their own next to non-vegan crepes any day. 

The crepes were actually meant to be savory pancakes; but, they were so light and fluffy that "crepe" is really more accurate.

Recipe:     
Savory Scallion Crepes

• 1/2 tablespoon vegan butter
• 1/2 tablespoon canola oil
• 1 bunch scallions, chopped (use both the white and green portions)
• 1/4 teaspoon plus 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1.5 teaspoons Ener-G Egg Replacer powder
• 2 tablespoons warm water
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon hot sauce
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
• 1 teaspoon peeled and minced fresh ginger
• 1/2 cup flour
• 3/4 cup non-dairy milk

First, heat the butter and oil in a large, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until the butter is melted and the mixture begins to bubble.  Add the scallions and 1/4 teaspoon salt, and cook for about two minutes.  Then turn off the heat and transfer the scallions to a small bowl.  Don't wash the skillet: you'll need it later.
 
Next, prepare the batter.  Whisk together the egg replacer and water in a small bowl until well combined; then pour it into a large bowl.  Add the sesame oil, hot sauce, garlic, cilantro, ginger and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt and stir to combine.  Whisk in the flour and milk to form a smooth batter, and stir in the scallions. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Once the batter has chilled, you're ready to make the crepes.  Lightly grease your original skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat until hot.  Pour half of the batter into the pan and immediately use a rubber spatula to spread the batter out as evenly as possible.  Allow the crepe to cook undisturbed for about three minutes, until crispy and browned on the bottom.  Then loosen it with a spatula and carefully flip it over.  Cook for another three minutes or so, until it is deep golden brown. Remove the cooked crepe from the skillet and keep warm while you repeat these steps with the remainder of the batter. 

Serve warm.  Yields two large crepes.

Comments:
Taste:          

I had never made crepes before this, so I'm quite happy with how these came out.  The batter becomes incredibly light and airy as it cooks; meanwhile, the scallions add a bit of crunch and variation to the texture. The savory, salty, slightly spicy flavor completes this pleasantly surprising dish.

Accessibility:      

Aside from the egg replacer powder, these ingredients should be accessible at any store.  Sesame oil can be found in the international aisle of most grocery stores, but it is pretty pricey.

 Ease of Preparation:        

This recipe does take longer to make than you might expect because of the chilling time, but it's overall a pretty easy process.  Flipping the crepes is the hardest part! 

Non-vegan friendliness:        

As far as crepes go, these taste great.  However, if you're looking for a hearty, filling dish for a big breakfast, this isn't your recipe.  That said, Rachel (the only mushroom-lover in the house) added lightly-cooked mushroom slices to her crepe, which resulted in a much more substantial serving.  You could also add other sliced or grated veggies to the batter for a more varied bite.  We served the crepes alongside some Lightlife Gimme Lean sausage (cut into patties) to round out the meal. 

Magic Bars

In my experience, there are a few non-vegan foods that just can't be replicated.  Cheese is one of them, and I tend to steer clear of eating vegan "cheese" if I can.  Sweetened condensed milk is another one...or so I thought.  This sweet baking ingredient is one of the key components of magic bars--a dessert I hadn't eaten since becoming vegan. 

Enter Chef Cloe's Beach Cookies recipe, passed along to me by my coworker.  These beach cookies (magic bars, layer bars) do justice to the bars I remember, even without sweetened condensed milk.  Victory!

Slightly blurry; wholly delicious.

Recipe:     
Magic Bars

• 1/2 cup vegan butter, melted
• 2 cups graham cracker crumbs (I bought vegan graham crackers and used a food processor to create crumbs)
• 1 cup coconut milk, mixed well before measuring
• 1/4 cup real maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1.5 cups sweetened shredded coconut
• 1 - 12 ounce package vegan chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (ideally toasted)

First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Get out a 13x9" nonstick baking pan.

Next, pour the melted butter into the bottom of the pan, making sure the bottom is completely covered.  Sprinkle the graham cracker crumbs into the pan to create an even layer, and then use your hands to press down the crumbs to create the crust. 

Whisk together the coconut milk, maple syrup, vanilla, salt, and cornstarch in a small bowl.  Carefully drizzle the mixture as evenly as possible over the graham cracker crust.  Sprinkle the coconut across the pan as the next layer, followed by layers of chocolate chips and walnuts.  Finally, use your hand to lightly press the walnut/chocolate chip layer a bit into the rest of the bars. 

Bake for about 25 minutes, or until the edges appear lightly browned. IMPORTANT: Let the bars cool and then refrigerate for a few hours before eating.  Really, these bars are much better when they're cold! 

Yields 1 pan magic bars.

Comments:
Taste:         

These bars really hit the spot as a sweet summertime treat.  They're chocolatey and nutty without being heavy or too rich, and the coconut flavor is nice and light.  The crunchy, perfectly sweet ingredients contribute to a very satisfying bite.  Thank you, Chef Cloe.

Accessibility:      

This recipe is a bit on the expensive side, as walnuts and maple syrup certainly aren't cheap.  But, everything should be very easy to find, and it will be worth it once you do.

 Ease of Preparation:        

These bars are quite easy to make.  Lots of sprinkling and layering, which is hard to mess up.  If you don't have a food processor or some other way of crushing graham crackers into crumbs, you can always buy pre-made graham cracker crumbs. 

Non-vegan friendliness:       

While I must admit that it's been many years since I've had non-vegan magic bars, I am confident that these taste just as good.  Rachel noted that nothing seems "off" about the bars.  In fact, coconut milk works quite well given the inclusion of coconut flakes, anyway.  I'm sure we'll be making these again sometime soon. 

Cherry Tomato Focaccia Bread

Hello, loyal readers.  I know I promised to post the salad recipe that goes along with the Spaghetti with Walnuts and Fried Breadcrumbs from last night, but I've decided against it.  It turns out that some things (job applications, for instance) take precedence over blogging about a fairly unexciting salad.

Don't fret, though: I am going to post a delicious focaccia recipe instead. 

What could be better than this?

Recipe:     
Cherry Tomato Focaccia Bread

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1.5 cups whole wheat pastry flour (or another 1.5 cups all purpose flour)
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2.5 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 2 teaspoons salt
• olive oil, for greasing the baking sheet + 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup shelled pistachios
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved

First, prepare the dough.  Stir together the flours, sugar, yeast, salt and 1.25 cups water in a large bowl.  Turn out the dough onto a clean work surface and knead with your hands for five minutes.  Return the dough to the bowl, cover with a towel, and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour, or until the dough doubles in size.

Meanwhile, generously grease a rimmed baking sheet with olive oil.  Once the dough has risen, stretch the dough into a 12" x 11" rectangle in the pan.  Let rise for another hour.

While the dough is rising, prepare the focaccia topping.  Place the pistachios in a plastic bag and use the back of a spoon to crush them against your counter top (or use a food processor), leaving some larger pieces.  Transfer the pistachios to a small bowl and stir in the olive oil, garlic, and rosemary.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.  Once the dough has risen, dimple the dough with your finger tips.  Whisk 2 tablespoons water into the topping mixture and brush the mixture onto the dough.  Then press the tomato halves cut-side up into the dough.  

Bake for about 25 minutes, or until the bread is golden brown.  Serves 8. 

Comments:

Taste:      

The tomatoes, pistachios, and whole wheat dough come together into a hearty, nutty, toasty, yet fresh bite.  The light crust on the top of the focaccia adds a welcome crunch to the thick bread, and each tomato's sweet juiciness is icing on the cake. 

Accessibility:    

Pistachios should be easy to find--in my experience, they can be found in the bulk section of the grocery store, rather than in the snack nuts section--but they can be expensive.  Whole wheat pastry flour can also be replaced by regular flour for a lighter focaccia bread. 

 Ease of Preparation:        

There's nothing terribly complicated about this recipe, but it does take a long time and require some muscle. 

Non-vegan friendliness:       

"Mmmm!"  That is the sound that non-vegans make when they eat this focaccia bread. 

Homemade Soft Pretzels

Think you can only get soft pretzels at an over-priced stadium concession stand?  (Or from a convenience store, or in the frozen food section of the grocery store?)  Think again!
 

A pair of pretzels on a plate.

Simon and I took a stab at soft pretzel-making over the weekend.  Without a stand mixer and dough hooks to ease kneading, we put our muscles to good use.  That's what I call a work-out.

Recipe:     
Homemade Soft Pretzels

• 1.5 cups very warm water
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 package active dry yeast
• 22 ounces flour (a generous 4 1/2 cups) + more to flour your work surface
• 2 ounces vegan butter, melted
• Vegetable oil to grease your pans/work surfaces
• 10 cups water
• 2/3 cup baking soda
• Pretzel or kosher salt to sprinkle on top

First, whisk together the warm water, sugar, and kosher salt in a large bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer, if you have one) until dissolved.  Sprinkle the yeast on top and allow to sit for 5 minutes or until the mixture begins to foam.

Then add the flour and butter.  Using a wooden spoon (or your stand mixer's dough hook attachment on low speed), mix until well combined. At this point, turn the dough out onto a clean, floured work surface and knead--sprinkling flour to keep it from sticking, as needed--until the dough is smooth, approximately 5 minutes.  (Or, continue kneading in your stand mixer on medium speed until the dough pulls away from the side of the bowl.  Then remove the dough from the bowl.)

Grease the inside of the empty dough bowl with vegetable oil and return the dough to the bowl.  Cover tightly with plastic wrap and allow the dough to rise in a warm place for approximately 50 minutes, or until the dough has doubled in size.

Once the dough has risen, preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and lightly grease with oil.  Set aside.  Then combine the 10 cups of water and baking soda in a large saucepan and bring to a boil.

Meanwhile, place the dough on a clean, lightly oiled work surface and divide into 8 equal pieces.  Using your hands, roll out each piece of dough into a 2-foot long cord.  To form each pretzel, start by making a U-shape with the dough.  Then, holding the ends at the top of the U, cross them over each other and press onto the bottom of the U.  Carefully place each pretzel on the parchment-lined baking sheets.  

 Finally, one by one, carefully place each pretzel into the boiling water and cook for 30 seconds.  Remove the pretzels from the pot using a large spatula and return them to the baking sheet.  Sprinkle salt over top of each pretzel while still wet.

Bake the pretzels until they are golden brown in color, about 14 minutes.

Yields 8 large pretzels.

Comments:

Taste:          

I was thrilled with how these pretzels came out.  Ours were a bit short and stout rather than long and lean, but they were still fluffy on the inside with a nice browning on the outside. 

Accessibility:   

Sometimes, staple ingredients are all you need.

 Ease of Preparation:      

This is a good weekend recipe because it does take a while to make, between the dough rising and kneading.  That said, it's pretty simple to do (even without a stand mixer).

Non-vegan friendliness:      

These taste better than many, if not most, of the soft pretzels I've had the pleasure of meeting. 

Coconut Curried Fried Rice with Tofu

So much friendship; so much food!  Rachel and I had a friend over for dinner on Monday night.  We made a recipe which was passed along to me by another friend who has been living in China for the past year.  We enhanced the original recipe with a few little changes, and the results were quite favorable.

This dish pairs quite well with white wine, by the way.

Recipe:   
Coconut Curried Fried Rice with Tofu

Coconut Rice

• 1/2 cup water
• 2 cups lite coconut milk (or enough water + coconut milk to equal 2.5 cups liquid)
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 3 cups brown minute-rice

Prepare the rice first (or in advance).  Combine all ingredients except rice in a saucepan and bring to a boil.  Stir in the rice and return to a boil.  Then reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer for 5 minutes.  Then remove from heat, stir, and let the rice stand 5 minutes or until all of the liquid has been absorbed.  (Or, if you are using regular rice, prepare according to package instructions.)  Remove the cinnamon stick and set aside (or refrigerate until ready to use).

Curried Fried Rice with Tofu

• 1 head bok choy, chopped, keeping the white and green bits separate
• 2 packages extra-firm tofu, pressed and cut into small cubes
• 1/4 cup olive or peanut oil
• 1 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 - inch chunk of ginger, peeled and minced
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• 2 carrots, diced
• 1.5 cups frozen peas
• 1 - 15 ounce can diced tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons lime juice

First, prepare the bok choy.  I chose to steam the bok choy to give it a head start on cooking before adding it to the fried rice.  If you don't have a vegetable steamer, put about 3/4" water in the bottom of a saucepan and bring it to a boil.  Add the white bits of bok choy, cover, and steam for 2 minutes before adding the green leaves and cooking, covered, for another 2 minutes.  Once the bok choy is pretty tender, drain and set aside.

Next, prepare the tofu.  Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  When the oil is hot, carefully add the tofu and allow to rest for a few minutes before turning it.  Continue cooking and turning until the tofu has browned on most sides.  Set aside.  

At this point, it's time to begin the fried rice.  Heat the garlic, ginger, and carrot over medium-high heat using the skillet in which you cooked the tofu (there should be a little oil left in the bottom--if there isn't, add a little more). Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Then add the curry powder and cook for another minute, stirring constantly.  Add the rice, peas, tofu, tomatoes, and bok choy and cook until heated through.  Finally, stir in the soy sauce and lime juice. 

Serves 6-8 people. 

Comments:

Taste:         

This is a beautifully colorful dish with a creamy texture and mild flavor.  I would have preferred if it were a bit spicier (I might add 1 minced jalapeno the next time I make this); Simon agrees that it was a bit bland.  Even though the flavor isn't too powerful, the dish definitely packs in a bunch of tasty vegetables and protein.  We all agreed that the carrots add a nice crunch to the dish, and we could have added raisins, too.

Accessibility: 

This is a very flexible dish.  Any of the vegetables could be swapped in our out depending on preferences, availability, and price.  For the record, bok choy was available at our regular grocery store, so it's probably available at yours too. 

 Ease of Preparation:      

It took a while to prepare this dish.  To cut down on prep time, you could prepare the rice and bok choy a day in advance (Maybe you don't even need to pre-cook the bok choy, but I didn't want to risk crunchiness, given our guest!).  Or, you might try using leftover rice.

Non-vegan friendliness:     

Simon, our very own carrot deflator, didn't think this dish was substantial enough to stand on its own.  That said, the three women agreed on Monday evening that it was a good meal.  With or without the tofu, this could also be a nice side dish.