Sweet Potato Black Bean Quinoa

Sweet Potato Black Bean Quinoa

1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
8 oz tempeh, crumbled
1 tsp cumin
1 Tbsp chili powder blend
1 sweet potato, peeled and cubed
10 oz can fire roasted diced tomatoes
1 15.5 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained

prepared quinoa

lettuce, cilantro, avocado, sri racha, etc for topping

1. Heat olive oil in skillet over medium heat
2. Sauté onion and pepper until soft
3. Add tempeh and cook until lightly browned
4. Add spices and stir to mix well
5. Add sweet potato and tomato, turn heat to low, and cover skillet for 8 - 10 minutes until sweet potatos are soft
6. Add black beans and stir to combine
7. Serve on a bed of quinoa
8. Add fun toppings

Adapted from the P90X2 Nutrition Guide

Sizzling Tofu with Ginger Root Ankake Sauce

This recipe is a long time Many Hands House favorite, adapted from The Book of Tofu

Tofu

1/4 cup of kudzu powder, arrowroot, or cornstarch

2 egg whites (we use egg replacer, with a bit of turmeric)
18 ounces of extra-firm tofu
oil for deep frying

Combine arrowroot and egg whites in a small bowl; mix until smooth.
Cut tofu into twelve equal cubes (or thin rectangles), dip into the batter, and deep-fry.  Serve immediately with ankake sauce (below).

Ankake Sauce

2/3 cup dashi, stock, or water
3 tablespoons shoyu
2 tablespoons natural sugar
2 teaspons arrowroot or cornstarch, dissolved in 2 tablespoons of warm water
2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger root or ginger root juice

Combine dashi, sugar and shoyu in a small saucepan and bring it to a boil.  Stir in dissolved cornstarch and ginger root and cook for about 1 minute, or until thick.

Archer thought it should be presented differently:

 
We served it with edamame. Wolfie likes to eat his with chopsticks.

Saag (Palak) Paneer

  Another Punjabi inspired dish! Did you know "palak" means "spinach"? "Saag", however means "greens". So your saag paneer might be palak paneer, but it might not! This is another Many Hands House favorite that I have been making for over 15 years now. And yes, the children cheer when it is served!

Palak Paneer
serves 4


2 boxes of tofu or homemade paneer
6 cups packed fresh spinach or 4 frozen spinach
2 fresh hot green chiles, seeded and chopped (adjust to taste, or sometimes I use powdered cayenne)
1 tsp. each garlic and ginger
3 cups canned evaporated milk or coconut milk
2 Tbsp. flour
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
3 tsp. butter (or substitute)
1 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 tsp. tumeric
2 cups chopped tomato
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar

cooked rice

- broil your tofu or paneer in the oven until golden, or fry in yummy butter.
- place fresh spinach in steamer basket and steam for 6 minutes. Transfer to blender with chiles, garlic, ginger, milk and flour. Blend til smooth.

-Heat oil and butter. Cook onion and tumeric for 4 minutes. Add tomato. Cook 4 more minutes.
-Add spinach mixture to onions and tomatos. Reduce heat. Stir in salt, sugar and tofu. Mix and heat through.

-Serve over rice.

Matar Paneer

 Matar Paneer is a recipe I have been making for decades. It's a family favorite and Chris' very very favorite. I usually make it vegetarian, and all of the ingredients (except spices) are available at Aldi. Last night I made it vegan, and it was darn good. Here are both versions! Remember you can mix the two recipes - a little tofu or coconut milk in your vegetarian version, for example.

Matar Paneer - Vegetarian  
(serves 8, you might want to halve it)

4 cans evaporated milk
2 blocks paneer (You can make it!)
1/2 cup ghee or butter
8 Tbsp. ginger root
4 Tbsp. garlic
1 onion, chopped
4 tsp. salt
4 tsp tumeric
1 tsp hot red pepper (you may want to adjust this for taste)
4 tsp. coriander
4 Tbsp. gharam masala
4 cups chopped tomato
2 cups peas
4 Tbsp. sugar
fresh cilantro


Put butter in skillet. Fry paneer cubes. (You can also bake them) Remove from pan.
Add more butter and ginger and garlic. Fry for 30 seconds.
Add onions and salt. Fry for 7 minutes (until soft)
Add one can of evaporated milk.
Stir in tumeric, red pepper, coriander, gharam masala
When blended, add the rest of the milk and the tomatoes
Bring to a slow boil, and let reduce for 10 minutes
Add peas and sugar
Add paneer
Garnish with cilantro







Matar Paneer - Vegan
(serves 8, you might want to halve it)


4 cans coconut milk
2 blocks tofu (You can make it!)
1/2 cup vegan butter
8 Tbsp. ginger root
4 Tbsp. garlic
1 onion, chopped
4 tsp. salt
4 tsp tumeric
1 tsp hot red pepper (you may want to adjust this for taste)
4 tsp. coriander
4 Tnsp. gharam masala
4 cups chopped tomato
2 cups peas
4 Tbsp. sweetener (to taste)
fresh cilantro


Put vegan butter in skillet. Fry tofu cubes. (You can also bake them) Remove from pan.
Add more vegan butter and ginger and garlic. Fry for 30 seconds.
Add onions and salt. Fry for 7 minutes (until soft)
Add one can of coconut milk.
Stir in tumeric, red pepper, coriander, gharam masala
When blended, add the rest of the coconut milk and the tomatoes
Bring to a slow boil, and let reduce for 10 minutes
Add peas and sweetener
Add tofu
Garnish with cilantro





We serve this with a salad and wheat tortillas. You could make papadum, chapatis, fried cauliflower, tamarind sauce, and mango lassi.


Girly recommends adding vegan sour cream to the sauce. Next time I will!