Soy-Glazed Tofu with Soba Noodles & Orange Sauce

Several months ago, a friend and I attended a cooking class at a local co-op, which is a favorite food shop of mine. A personal chef was teaching how to prepare nutritionally rich and delicious dishes with minimal ingredients. One of the first items she brought forth was soba noodles - and, embarrassingly, I do not believe I had ever been introduced to this type of Japanese noodle before, which is made from buckwheat flour. I was impressed with how quickly they are prepared and by their versatility. While the class was more of a watch and learn session, we were able to sample the dishes she had created. The soba noodles were a welcome break from regular pasta noodles. They had a mild flavor and neutral element that allowed strong flavors in the sauces to come through, without mellowing the taste with a starchy quality like some pastas.

Soba is higher in amino acids, such as thiamine and lysine, and antioxidants, like rutin which prevents high blood pressure, than white rice and pastas. Soba can be served hot or cold, plain with a dipping sauce or as part of a meal or soup. It usually is bought in a package with three bundles, which I like to cook separately so the serving sizes are equal. 

This meal was savory and delicious, with great nutritional value. The sauce and glaze compliment each other's citrus elements and are important for the soba and tofu which are naturally mild. It cooks quickly for a meal on a busy day or an unexpected visit from friends.

Soba Noodles & Orange Sauce

Printable Recipe

4 bundles soba noodles

1 tbsp ginger, freshly grated

2/3 cup chicken broth

3 tbsp orange marmalade

1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce

1 1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the bundles individually to retain equal portion sizes for 5 min each. Drain and rinse with cool water. Plate each bundle after cooking.

In a small saucepan, sauté ginger for 1 min on medium-high heat. Stir in chicken broth, marmalade, and soy sauce; bring to a low boil and cook until mixture is slightly thick. Add lemon juice just before plating. Pour 2 tbsp over each serving of soba noodles.

~Adapted from Cooking Light.

Soy-Glazed Tofu

Printable Recipe

1 package firm tofu, drained

3 tbsp brown rice vinegar

2 tbsp fresh orange juice

2 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp brown sugar

1/4 tsp grated orange rind

1 tbsp toasted sesame oil

1/2 tsp sesame seeds, toasted

2 tbsp green onions, thinly sliced diagonally

Cut the tofu square in half horizontally, then cut each square into triangles, making four servings. Place the slices between paper towels, press down to remove access water, and allow them to rest for 15 min.

Combine the ingredients of brown rice vinegar through the orange rind in a small saucepan and bring to a low boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 6 min or longer depending on the desired thickness of the glaze.

Heat toasted sesame oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the tofu and cook 5 min each side or until they are golden brown (if desired, use tongs to hold the tofu and cook the edges as well for 1 min). Once the tofu is finished cooking, remove from the pan, then add the sesame seeds and toast for 30 - 60 seconds. Remove and set aside for garnish.

Arrange tofu slices on soba noodles and top with soy sauce glaze, toasted sesame seeds, and sliced green onions.

~Yields 4 servings.

~Adapted from Cooking Light.

Organic Peanut Butter Dog Treats

Yes, the title is correct. I had to work in my new pup onto the food blog somehow.

Although she's not quite as small as the 'pup' title suggests. Meet Tasha. She's nine months old today - a German Shepherd and Catahoula mix (although I'm suspicious a little Rhodesian Ridgeback might have slipped in somewhere due to the unusual cowlick down her entire neck). I've wanted to adopt a dog for some time now, and am thrilled to finally have one. I adopted her from a family a few hours away - thanks The H's!

I have spent the last month getting to know my new family member and I picked a very special dog. I have the satisfaction of knowing we're eerily alike and it's not from her living with me her whole life, so that settles the nature vs nurture debate on personality traits between us.

She likes to do things the hard way. For example, when we play fetch, it's not with a normal ball. Oh no. It's with a basketball (and the remnants of what used to be a volleyball). I have several smaller balls I try to use, but she just looks at me like I'm crazy and scoffs at fetching them. These toys came with her, and I would have never guessed a dog her size could learn how to carry a basketball in her mouth.

She's highly intelligent and quickly absorbs new commands, but we're still working on her following them when I lack a food reward. Who can blame her? Who doesn't want a delicious treat for following someone else's orders?

I love how she frolics through the grass any time I let her outside and looks at everything with innocence and an unspoiled yearning to befriend anything that moves. She also looks like a kid on Easter any time we play in the backyard, always amazing herself when she finds her toys in the bushes - kind of reminds me of my brother when we were younger, although he liked to cheat and stare out the window counting up all the eggs he could see before anyone else woke up, but that's another story.

Most importantly, she adores water. I can spend hours in the backyard with the water hose turned on and she'll wear herself out until she just can't go anymore. I have no doubt she's going to be my new companion in the pool.

I can't help but have a huge smile any time someone is captured by her beauty. I've heard remarks of her looks ranging from a hyena to a wolf mix - all of which I adore. She's a special lady, my Tasha.

I bought her some Newman's organic dog treats, and although they're great, I knew I could make them myself and save some money, too. I was unable to find a dog bone cookie cutter, so I had to improvise. I found a set of flower shaped cookie cutters at Bed, Bath, & Beyond for $3 that worked very well. All I had to do was flatten one petal on either side and voilà! I used the smallest one in the bunch which measures 2 3/4 inches by 1/2 - 1 inch in the bone shape.

In honor of all our furry (and perhaps not so furry) friends, I hope you'll take a moment to bake up some treats. These come Tasha approved.

Organic Peanut Butter Dog Treats

Printable Recipe

1 1/2 cups organic whole wheat flour

1 1/2 cups organic white flour

1/2 cup organic peanut butter

1 cup water

2 tablespoons peanut oil

Preheat the oven to 350*F.

Combine peanut oil, peanut butter, and water. Sift flours together and add to the wet mixture forming a dough. Knead the dough into a firm ball and roll to 1/4 inch thickness.

Use a bone shaped cookie cutter to create bite sizes treats. Place on a cookie sheet and bake at 350*F for 20 min.

~Yields 7 1/2 dozen cookies.

~Adapted from All Natural Dog Treats.

Simple Lentil Soup

I'd like to stir the pot a little and get some feed back from readers about a hot topic: soaking vs not soaking lentils.

The cooking community seems to disagree over the issue of whether to soak lentils. Many feel it is unnecessary to soak lentils beforehand due to several varieties swift cooking times. I, however, think soaking is a necessary step for grains, beans, and legumes - henceforth written as seeds - for multiple reasons. While this is not an exhaustive list of reasons for sprouting seeds, those listed below are some of the more important.

~ The main reason sprouting seeds is necessary is for the digestion of nutrients. It seems pointless to consume seeds if your body is unable to absorb anything nutritious. Seeds can be difficult to digest due to the presence of anti-nutrients, like phytic acid, in the hull; they prevent the absorption of minerals in our digestive systems, resulting in deficiencies for those who rely on alternative protein sources. This can contribute to health problems such as anemia and osteoporosis. Sprouting greatly reduces the presence of anti-nutrients, making digestion of seeds much easier, and increasing the amount of vitamins and minerals absorbed. In fact, non-soaked lentils are deficient in methionine and cystine, but once sprouted they contain sufficient levels of all necessary amino acids.

~ Slowly bringing the seeds back from a dormant state helps retain a large portion of the vitamins and minerals. Sprouting not only produces necessary nutrients, it maintains needed levels that are otherwise lost through rapid and/or high heat cooking methods.

~ The germination process of soaking seeds promotes the release of enzymes. This breaks down complex sugars, which greatly reduces any unpleasant side effects of digestion. Even if you are not as intrigued by the nutrient absorption process as I am, surely less gas would be appealing to anyone.

~ Lastly, purchasing dried seeds is more economical, and allows you to have greater control over the needed firmness of the seed in the cooking process.

Quick soaking methods are accessible, however, I do not use these practices. The rapid boiling simply cuts down on cooking time instead of encouraging sprouting and retaining necessary nutrients. I would encourage you to take the time in planning a meal with seeds to allow for the long soak method.

I also want to stress the need for organic seeds. Too often, companies will bleach the seeds during processing (not including the probable toxic environment they were grown in) which will prohibit or cancel out the nutrients within. Organic dried seeds are not grossly expensive, so it is worth finding available varieties to use.

Lentils are a great food staple as they have limitless possibilities. I already hold food and cooking in high regard, so it should come as no surprise I am fascinated with the process of sprouting seeds, which is another reason I love using them. The ability to take what appears to be lifeless and watch it spring forth and come alive is magical. All it takes is time and water. It's amazing.

If you look closely at the photo above, you can see the lentils have very small white shoots that appeared during their soak in water. This is important to ensure the sprouting process was successful. You don't have to stop the sprouting process so early either. The water can be changed every 12 hours until the sprouts have reached the desired length for any dish they'll be used in, or even eaten raw.

In preparing the soup, allowing the lentils to soak longer will do no harm, and will in fact permit the seeds more time for sprout growth. Lentils do not have a strong flavor naturally, just a mellow earthy taste, so the addition of spices is key. Leeks collect sand as they grow, so be sure to cut off the dark green leaves and the bulb, then slice lengthwise in half and soak in cool water. Afterward, give the pieces a good rinse before chopping up for the soup. It is important to add the salt at the end of the cooking process as to not toughen the lentils. Vegetable broth can also be used instead of water to provide richer flavor. The soup should cook for a total of 30-40 min, so adjust the cooking time if all ingredients are prepped beforehand.

Simple Lentil Soup

Printable Recipe

 

28 oz fire roasted diced tomatoes

3 1/2 cups brown lentils

4 cups water + 1 cup water

3 cloves garlic

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp curry powder

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp black pepper

1 tsp olive oil

3 large stalks celery, roughly chopped

2 leeks, roughly chopped

1 portobello mushroom cap, roughly chopped

3 cups fresh spinach, thoroughly washed and rinsed

1/4 cup 2% milk

1 tsp salt

Prep: Pour the dried lentils onto a smooth surface and remove any stones and wrinkled/broken lentils. To soak, use a large glass bowl which will allow for the expansion of the lentils.

24 hours before cooking the soup, soak the lentils in cool water, covering the lentils with at least 2 inches of water. After 12 hours, drain the water and replace with warm water.

Just before cooking, drain and rinse the lentils.

Cook: In a large pot, pour in the tomatoes and bring to a low boil on medium heat, then stir in the lentils. Add 4 cups of water, garlic, and all spices (except salt) stirring well and continue to cook at a low boil. In a small pan, add the olive oil and sauté the celery until soft and translucent, then add to the soup. Next add the leeks and portobello mushroom cap, allowing the soup to cook for 10 min. Then add 1 cup water and the spinach leaves, stirring slowly until the leaves have wilted. Finally add the salt and milk, mixing everything together, and remove from heat.

~Yields approximately 6 servings.

~Original recipe by Brie.

Feel free to add your opinions, tips, or leave any questions in the comments.