Vegetable Stir-fry to start the monthly recipe theme

I cleaned my desk and as fate would have it misplaced (filed) the folder of stir-fry recipes I had collected for this month.  It took me until yesterday, while I was fighting with my scanner, to find them.  

So the first in the set for June is a vegetable stir-fry using in nice firm tofu.  I like stir fry in the summer because it is fast and tasty.  You can pre-cut the veggies and then when you want to cook you just toss everything into a skillet or wok.  We have a real wok and an electric wok.  I find pros and cons with each.  A real wok will get much hotter, but the electric keeps the heat even and is great if you need to wait a bit after cooking to serve because you can keep it on warm.  My husband, on the other hand does all his stir-fry in a skillet.  He likes the handle and the ease of use on the stove.

Later in the month I will share some stir-fry sauces and some techniques.  But for now a simple stir and eat using tofu and broccoli as the main ingredients.

Vegetable Stir-fry (serves 2)

1⁄2 cup cubed tofu* processed with calcium sulfate
2 tablespoons sesame oil, divided
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
1 cup broccoli florets
4 shiitake mushrooms, sliced
1 cup chopped Chinese cabbage or bok choy 
1 cup shredded kale 

2 tablespoons tamari - a Japanese sauce made from fermented soybeans. It has a thicker consistency and a more balanced flavor than Chinese soy sauce, making it a good choice for a dipping sauce. It's also vegan and gluten-free. (if you can't find it, just use soy sauce)
1 tablespoon roasted sesame seeds 

*Or substitute a 3-ounce serving of chicken (sliced and sautéed)

Directions:

Sauté tofu or chicken in 1 tablespoon oil until golden. Remove from pan. In the same pan with remaining oil, sauté garlic, ginger, broccoli, and mushrooms until mushrooms are soft and florets turn bright green. Return tofu to pan and add cabbage and kale. Stir in tamari and simmer 1 to 2 minutes. Top with roasted sesame seeds and serve immediately over brown rice or rice noodles, if you wish.

RECIPE THEME

Each month a theme is chosen and a number of recipes on that theme from my massive archive will be shared.  This year we have 12 new topics, different from the topics of last year.  To find the recipes of last year, check out this recipe link or search the blog with the topic Recipe2018, or Recipe2019 

You can search the monthly theme by looking for the theme keyword in the search box and it will pull up the recipes on that theme as posted, so look at the bottom of the recipe in each posting for the KEYWORD in the () to search for each  month.  All recipes this year will be tagged Recipe2020 so you can find them all.

The themes are:

Feb 2020 - Footbal Tailgate Favorites (AppFeb)

March 2020 - Kabobs (KabobMar)

April 2020 - Brunch (BrunchApr) more in 2021 also

May 2020 - Non-Traditional Pizza (PizzaMay)

June 2020 - Stir Fry Dishes (StirJun)

July 2020 - Salads with no lettuce (SaladJul)

August 2020 - Pickled things (PickleAug)

September 2020 - Quiche (QuicheSep)

October 2020 - Squash Soups (SquashOct)

November 2020 - Pumpkin (again) (PumpNov)

December 2020 - Turkey Recipes (TurkDec)

Wheat Berry Salad - Weekend Recipe

This weekend I am attending a family reunion, 50th wedding anniversary 96th birthday party, so there will be many outdoor meals and dishes.  I am in charge of making the iced tea.  I am making my summer iced tea blend called "Summer Sunshine" made with lemon grass, hibiscus, lavender, orange peel peppermint and rose hips.  Wonderfully citrusy with just a hint of mint this is perfect for hot weather and cooling.  They are predicting hot and humid so the tea recipe should be perfect. I am brewing 5 gallons and using ice cubes made from a batch of tea so it will not dilute while traveling from here to Wisconsin.

The recipe I am sharing today is a great outdoor salad made with crunchy ingredients that is perfect chilled or served at room temperature, dressed only with a bit of soy sauce, lemon juice and olive oil.  It calls for wheat berries, which can be hard to find, so you can substitute 6 cups of any cooked whole grain like brown rice, quinoa, pearl barley, or bulgar. (Just adjust the cooking time for the change of grain.)

Wheat Berry Salad
adapted from the Kentucky Fresh Cookbook by Maggie Green

2 cups uncooked wheat berries
1 medium carrot, peeled and grated
1 rib celery, finely chopped
1 medium apple, unpeeled, cored and finely chopped
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1/4 cup fresh chives, snipped fine
2 green onions, white and green parts, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup olive oil
2 Tbls lemon juice
2 Tbls soy sauce, reduced sodium version is best
1/2 tsp black pepper
pinch of oregano

Directions:
Place the wheat berries in a saucepan with enough water to cover by a few inches.  Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer, covered for 45 minutes.  Test for doneness.  Wheat berries should be soft but still chewy.  If still hard cover and simmer up to another 15 to 20 minutes. Drain the wheat berries and cool to room temperature.  Meanwhile combine the carrot, celery, apple, herbs, onion, garlic, cranberries in a large bowl.  Whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, and soy sauce with black pepper and a pinch of oregano in small bowl then blend into vegetables.  Stir in the cooled wheat berries.  Serve at room temperature, or refrigerate until ready to serve.

RECIPE THEME

Each month a theme is chosen and a number of recipes on that theme from my massive archive will be shared.  This year we have 12 new topics, different from the topics of last year.  To find the recipes of last year, check out this recipe link or search the blog with the topic Recipe2018. 

You can search the monthly theme by looking for the theme keyword in the search box and it will pull up the recipes on that theme as posted, so look at the bottom of the recipe in each posting for the KEYWORD in the () to search for each  month.  All recipes this year will be tagged Recipe2019 so you can find them all.

The themes are:

Jan 2019 – Chicken and Dumplings (CDumpsJan)

Feb 2019 - Pasta Dishes (PastaFeb)

March 2019 - Edible Flowers (FlowerMar)

April 2019 - Seafood Recipes (SeafoodApr)

May 2019 - Cajun And Creole (C&CMay)

June 2019 - Vegetarian Dishes (VegJun)

July 2019 - Zucchini Recipes

August 2019 - National Mustard Day – mustard recipes

September 2019 - Quiche

October 2019 - Crock Pot meals

November 2019 - Pies

December 2019 - Mocktails

Lemony Two-Bean Salad

This is a great vegetable side dish, but it makes a great salad main dish too.  This is a vegan recipe with protein coming from cannellini beans.

LEMONY TWO-BEAN SALAD

1 lemon, sliced

1 tsp salt

12 oz. green beans, trimmed

2 cloves garlic, smashed

1-15-oz can cannellini beans

red pepper flakes

chopped fresh parsley

chopped fresh lemon balm

Sprinkle sliced lemon with salt and set aside. Cook green beans (trimmed) in boiling salted water until crisp-tender, 5 minutes; drain and rinse. Sauté smashed garlic cloves in olive oil over medium heat, 3 minutes. Add can cannellini beans (drained and rinsed), the green beans and a pinch of red pepper flakes; cook 2 minutes. Pat the lemon slices dry; chop and add to the beans along with some chopped parsley and chopped fresh lemon balm. Season with salt. Serves 4 to 6.

RECIPE THEME

Each month a theme is chosen and a number of recipes on that theme from my massive archive will be shared.  This year we have 12 new topics, different from the topics of last year.  To find the recipes of last year, check out this recipe link or search the blog with the topic Recipe2018. 

You can search the monthly theme by looking for the theme keyword in the search box and it will pull up the recipes on that theme as posted, so look at the bottom of the recipe in each posting for the KEYWORD in the () to search for each  month.  All recipes this year will be tagged Recipe2019 so you can find them all.

The themes are:

Jan 2019 – Chicken and Dumplings (CDumpsJan)

Feb 2019 - Pasta Dishes (PastaFeb)

March 2019 - Edible Flowers (FlowerMar)

April 2019 - Seafood Recipes (SeafoodApr)

May 2019 - Cajun And Creole (C&CMay)

June 2019 - Vegetarian Dishes (VegJun)

July 2019 - Zucchini Recipes

August 2019 - National Mustard Day – mustard recipes

September 2019 - Quiche

October 2019 - Crock Pot meals

November 2019 - Pies

December 2019 - Mocktails