Vegetarian Orange Glazed Tofu with veggies and steamed rice

WEDNESDAY
Vegetarian Orange Glazed Tofu
By Jolinda Hackett, About.com Guide

Easy vegetarian tofu recipe with an orange glaze; similar to an orange glazed chicken you might find at a Chinese restaurant. A sweet, spicy and tangy orange-glazed tofu. Toss in some veggies and serve over rice to make it a full vegetarian and vegan meal.
See also: More easy tofu recipes1

Ingredients:
•2 cloves garlic, minced
•1 block firm or extra-firm tofu, well pressed and diced into cubes
•2 tbsp olive oil
•3 tbsp soy sauce
•1/2 cup orange juice
•2 tbsp rice vinegar
•1/4 cup orange marmalade
•1/2 tsp fresh ginger, minced
•1 1/2 tsp cornstarch dissolved in 3 tbsp water
Preparation:
Sautee tofu and garlic in olive oil for 3-4 minutes, until tofu is just lightly browned.
Stir in soy sauce, orange juice, rice vinegar, marmalade and ginger, whisking to combine and coat tofu.

Heat for 3-4 minutes, then add cornstarch and water, stirring to combine. Bring to a boil and cook until sauce thickens.

Serve over rice or another whole grain.

Won Ton Soup with Stir Fried Veggies and rice

SATURDAY
Won Ton Soup
The name won ton means swallowing a cloud, and the wonton floating in this popular soup are thought to resemble clouds.

This recipe for Won ton Soup serves 4.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:
•18 - 24 won ton wrappers
•Filling:
•1/2 pound boneless lean pork, chopped finely
•1 tablespoon soy sauce
•1 tablespoon oyster sauce
•a few drops sesame oil
•1 teaspoon sherry
•1/2 teaspoon sugar
•1 green onion, finely minced
•1 teaspoon cornstarch
•2 dashes of white pepper
•Other:
•Water for boiling won tons
•4 1/2 - 5 cups chicken stock
•green onion, thinly sliced, as desired
•a few drops sesame oil (optional)
Preparation:
Combine all the filling ingredients in a bowl, mixing well. Lay one won ton skin in front of you. Cover the remaining won ton skins with a damp towel to keep them from drying out.
Filling the won tons: Moisten all the edges of the won ton wrapper with water. Place a heaping teaspoon of won ton filling in the center.
Fold the won ton wrapper in half lengthwise, making sure the ends meet. Press down firmly on the ends to seal. Use thumbs to push down on the edges of the filling to center it. Keeping thumbs in place, fold over the won ton wrapper one more time. Push the corners up and hold in place between your thumb and index finger. Wet the corners with your fingers. Bring the two ends together so that they overlap. Press to seal. The finished product should resemble a nurse's cap. Repeat with remaining won tons.

Alternate method: Place the teaspoon of filling in the middle of the wrapper and twist to seal. The final result should resemble a money bag or drawstring purse.

Boiling the won tons: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the won tons, making sure there is enough room for them to move about freely. Let the won tons boil for 5 - 8 minutes, until they rise to the top and the filling is cooked through. Remove from the pot with a slotted spoon.

To make the soup: bring the chicken stock to a boil. Add the won tons and bring the soup back to a boil. Add the green onion, remove the pot from the heat and add the sesame oil, stirring. Ladle into soup bowls, allowing 6 won tons per person.



Stir Fried Veggies and steamed rice
This is all my own recipe. I've used this time and again when I want something easy.

The great thing is you can mix and match to whatever veggies you have on hand at the time.

This time I'm hoping to use baby corn; water chestnuts; some fresh bok choy and maybe some green onions. I usually just saute all this in a large wok with a tiny bit of peanut or sesame oil, a tsp (or to taste) of soy sauce and a tsp (or to taste) of Fish sauce and about a tsp of sugar. Fish sauce tends to have a really strong taste so if you prefer not to use it, it's fine.