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Pad Thai with Tofu {Revisited} + Tofu Xpress Review
September 21st, 2010
Hi all! I am back from the deep recesses of recital madness! Ryan’s DMA Recital was a huge success and a load off both our shoulders, even though it is probably more a load off Ryan’s than mine. We had at least 50 people attend the recital plus all the singers and instrumentalists. It turned out to be around 80 people in the church! This is definitely more than I expected for sure.
It is a blessing that everything came together SO quickly especially since Ryan had only 2 weeks (12 hours) of rehearsal time to teach us 12 pieces. Intense work folks. Like I said before, I was a sight-singing fiend! I do not know if I mentioned it, but Ryan assigned me two solos. One came from an amazing Rossini piece called I Gondolieri which was more of a quartet alternating with solo sections.
The other piece was an Argentinian piece by Albert Favero that was arranged by Liliana Cangiano called Te Quiero. I had not perfomed in Spanish in a long time so I was thrilled to since a solo for this love song.
Even though I was relieved that Ryan’s recital is over, I will miss making music like that. I am also thankful that I will no longer have to split my time between being a performer and being a caterer. I was WIPED this weekend. If it had not been for the ladies and friends at church helping me out with baked goods and a cake, then I would not be writing tonight. I feel so blessed to be able to ask friends for help because I totally would not have been able to do it myself. I do not have pictures of the event but there was more than enough baked goods and sheet cake for 80 people, thank GOD! What I did not have enough of was the punch part, but we made do. It was such a great success. I can tell you that I feel more confident being able to make larger meals for large groups of people, but hopefully being paid for it! He he he. My time means something ya know? 🙂
Tonight I had a chance to get back to my cooking again. Even though I did not work out, I knew that Ryan and I needed to get the house back in order. How can a small duplex get so messy SO fast? Ok, don’t answer that. 🙂
I worked with the TofuXpress but even more so I could take pictures that I had lost last week. This press is the best thing I have used in a long time when it comes to gadgets. I love my press!! What I did find out about this press is that it presses certain types of tofu but not all successfully.
The press does not work for MORI-NU tofu or any that come in aseptic containers. These are better for smoothies, soups, quick tofu scrambles and such but not for pressing. I have tried several times and it has FAILED.
What DOES work is the tofu that comes in water like the Nasoya brands and brands like this:
I opened the container and drained the water and then placed the tofu in the press.
The water naturally separates to the top after I place the press above the tofu. If I am using the tofu for dinner, I usually start pressing the tofu in the morning, but otherwise it only needs 30 minutes to and an hour to press. I then check on the water and empty the container every 15 minutes.
I then remove the tofu from the press and pat it dry. I then use it however I want whether it is to make tofu steaks or tofu cubes for a stirfry. Tonight I decided to make a pad thai with the tofu. I marinated the tofu cubes in sesame oil and tamari and then fried them in a non-stick skillet.
Perfection folks! They pan-fried so lovely and were a great addition to the pad thai. Who needs chicken, when you got delicious tofu? Stay tuned for an upcoming giveaway of one of these great gadgets!
Pad Thai with Tofu {Revisited}
serves 4
14 ounces extra firm organic tofu in water
3 cups flat rice noodles (1/2 inch thick)
4 Tablespoons sesame oil
1/4 cup agave nectar
1/4 cup mirin
3 Tablespoons ketchup (or tamarind concentrate)
1/8 cup tamari (or soy sauce)
1-1/2 Tablespoons lime juice
1 1/2 Tablespoons Thai chili sauce (I used Sriracha)
1 Tablespoon dulse flakes (adds fishy flavor)
3 cups broccoli florets
2 carrots. julienned
1/2 red bell pepper, sliced thinly
4 Tablespoons crushed peanuts
1 1/2 cups bean sprouts
Soak noodles in warm water for 20-30 minutes and press tofu at the same time. Cube pressed tofu in 1 inch pieces.
Heat a non-stick pan with 1 1/2 Tbsp sesame oil on medium heat. Add tofu and fry for 20 minutes. Sprinkle 1 Tablespoon of Tamari for flavor.
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| From An Opera Singer in the Kitchen |
In a medium wok, add remaining sesame oil. Saute’ carrots, peppers, and broccoli for 5-7 minutes. Drain noodles and add to the wok. Continue cooking for 5 minutes.
In a small bowl, mix sauce ingredients: agave nectar, mirin, ketchup, tamari (or soy sauce), lime juice, Thai chili sauce, and dulse flakes. Add the sauce to the noodles and veggies. Cook for 7 to 10 minutes on medium heat, until the noodles and sauce start to to absorb.
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| From An Opera Singer in the Kitchen |
Add tofu to noodles and 1 1/2 cups bean sprouts to mixture. Serve immediately and add peanuts on top.
Don’t forget to vote for me to be the next Food Blog Star! Visit my post and vote by clicking on the heart. Thanks!
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Cinnamon Donut Cake with Walnuts
September 17th, 2010
Thank you everyone for shopping and for visiting my blog over the past few days. As things get a little more sane over here, I slowly get back to baking, cooking, and LEARNING my aria for a competition NEXT Saturday. Yikes! Actually, after I finish cooking for 34 people for tomorrow’s LAST 3 hour rehearsal before Ryan’s recital on Sunday, THEN I will be able to focus on the next few things of importance.
As a break this week I was inspired by a wonderful recipe made by Allyson over at Manifest Vegan. She blogs all things vegan AND gluten-free since she was diagnosed last year. Even though I have not been told to completely eliminate all gluten, I have been focusing on eating less gluten. How about that? I do not actually think about think of fancy recipes but when I run across recipes such as this Cinnamon Donut Cake, then I jump at it.
I have not had a donut in 2 years and so when I hear and see such a delicious and healthy recipe then I simply MUST try it. Luckily my pantry was stocked with all the gluten-free flours so I jumped at making this recipe. It took 10 minutes to mix and to pour in my bundt cake pan and 55 minutes to bake. It felt super quick to make and bake people.
This cake was SO GOOD! I simply could not believe it was not ladened with fat. I followed the recipe exactly the same way EXCEPT that I added walnuts. I am a NUT girl and when I see something like this recipe, the nuts call out to me to be added.
The end result. It did taste a bit like a cake donut, but once I added the nuts it tasted more like a coffee cake. EITHER way, I thank Allyson for such a great recipe. I look forward making more gluten-free baked goods too.
I wrapped 7 slices and shared with friends at rehearsal last night and I got a good response. I only told one person it was vegan AND gluten-free. I already have someone who has asked me for the recipe too! Definitely enjoy with a cup of coffee or hot tea. The dessert is not overly sweet but simply PERFECT! Enjoy!
Cinnamon Donut Cake with Walnuts
slightly adapted from Manifest Vegan
makes 1 bundt cake
or 12 -14 slices
Cake
3/4 cup sorghum flour
3/4 cup potato starch
1/2 tapioca flour
1/2 cup brown rice flour
1 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups vegan granulated sugar
1/3 cup olive oil
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup almond milk
2 Tablespoons vinegar
2-3 teaspoons cinnamon
3/4 cup walnuts, chopped
Icing
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 cup confectioner’s sugar
3 tbsp non-dairy milk
1/4 cup walnuts, chopped1 tbsp corn syrup (I left this out. I do not own a bottle at home)
Preheat oven to 325 °F. Lightly grease a standard sized bundt cake pan.
In large bowl, mix together sorghum flour, potato starch, tapioca flour, brown rice flour, xanthan gum, baking powder and salt. In mixing bowl, combine olive oil, vanilla and sugar.
Add flour mixture to sugar and olive oil gradually, alternating with the almond milk until all ingredients have been used. Your batter will be very sticky! Add vinegar, one tablespoon at a time. Fold in cinnamon.
Spread half the batter batter evenly into prepared cake pan. Sprinkle 3/4 cup walnuts over batter. Spread the rest of the batter over the nuts.
Bake at 325 degrees about 55 minutes, or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.
Let cake cool and make icing by combining all icing ingredients except nuts until very smooth. I melted the coconut oil in the microwave then added the rest of the ingredients and used an immersion to make it smooth. Add the nuts at the very end. Drizzle onto cake. Sprinkle with a touch more cinnamon.
Let icing become hard and serve with coffee. 🙂
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Project Food Blog #1-Ready, Set, Blog!
September 16th, 2010
Ever since I can remember I have been singing and cooking. What better hobbies to have in ones life than these two? Well, I can think of a few more, but when I look back in my life, I remember my mother keeping us involved either singing and cooking.
My Chilean grandmother was a great cook and usually served us more than once even if we were full. Both my mom and my grandmother were inventive and creative cooks. None of them wrote down too many recipes but were able to make the same dish the exact way. I learned how to make a Chilean Papa Rusa (Russian Potato Salad) very well just by watching my grandmother.
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| From An Opera Singer in the Kitchen |
In comes the singing. My mother had me involved in music from kindergarten where I remember being part of a duckling quintet, all dressed up in yellow leotards. From there it continued to church choirs, school choirs, and then on to voice lessons and musicals in junior and senior high. When I think about how much music has been a part of my life, I begin to realize that I love to sing and act and dress up. My mom would say I was a little vain, but she kept me under wraps making sure that I knew what I wanted to do.
Once I finished college with my Bachelor’s degree in Vocal Performance I decided to try to see how I would warm up with opera. Actually, college was my first exposure to opera and even though I went through 5 different voice teachers in college, I learned a lot from all of them. What I could not decided was what exactly to do with my music degree, so even though I am one class short of a minor in chemistry, I ended up working as a pharmacy technician while I dipped my foot into the world of opera. At Houston Grand Opera, I learned how to be even more of a better singer while learning how to be a better actor. Even though I as an associate chorister for 7 years, I loved dressing up, learning music in different languages, and even meeting famous stars. Can you tell how much I love this?
I even had some opportunities to sing with a large orchestra!
Along with this joy of singing, I also continued to enjoy cooking and even sometimes with friends. The best way to enjoy good food is with good company, so I would have friends over to my mom’s house all the time coupled with delicious food and laughter. In this picture I was teaching my friend to make Mole’ (Moleh) from scratch.
Fast forward a few more years later and I am married and not in the same place I am living, but I continue cooking, singing and learning a lot in my new lifestyle.
As a year ago, I decided that I needed to focus on having a healthy lifestyle. I had lived a very FAST paced life in Texas with lots of TO-GO meals and way too much sugar consumption that led to an unhealthy way of eating. As I transitioned being married and going from vegetarian to a regular carnivore within a year, more changes continued to take place in my body. Thus the reason this blog came inIto existence.
The blog was inititally an inspiration after watching Julia and Julia, so I decided to make decadent meals but I still did not feel like that was the best fit for my body. In 2 months, this blog will officially be a year old since becoming An Opera Singer in the Kitchen and vegan at that! Even though the title does not read VEGAN Opera Singer, many have come to know that my blog is about creating a balance between a busy music schedule and a healthier eating lifestyle coupled with exercise in order to keep my voice and life healthy.
Recipes are daily created based on the changes I need to make to keep me within a certain calorie intake but only because I crave discipline in my life and order. A variety of raw, vegan and even gluten-free recipes are shared and created to inform others that a healthy eating lifestyle can be attained EVEN with a busy schedule as a musician / clinical analyst / wife / and more. I continue to strive to arrive at my next goal, so I hope you continue reading my life of music, singing and healthy living through vegan recipes.
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| From An Opera Singer in the Kitchen |
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Radish Umeboshi Pickles
September 15th, 2010
This week it was time to take out The Kind Diet by Alicia Silverstone. Since I have had a few evenings to rest and clean and cook a bit I decided it was time to put my radishes to good use. I love pickled foods even the pickled ginger that is served alongside my veggie sushi at restaurants, but when it comes to pickling my own food, well that just takes time.
Last year I tried this recipe and loved it but had not made it again until I saw a bunch of radishes staring at me to be used in other ways than being added to a green salad. Lately I have been on a craving rampage when it comes to pickled foods, and no, friends, I am NOT pregnant. 🙂
It is the flavor that calls me and asks to be added to sandwiches, breafkast foods, wraps, and such. Pepperoccini peppers on my wraps, pickles with my lunches and dinners, and green olives with salads. YUM! AM I wrong? Maybe I am lacking in something but I do not care. Pickled items are GREAT for digestion and they supply good enzymes to the body.
Has anyone ever made kimchi before? If so, what is a no-fail recipe?
This radish recipe is definitely a no-fail recipe. It is simple and requires only 3 ingredients and yields a beautiful pickled items that adds color to a meal. I added it to my tofu scramble this morning, because I can! It is so delicious and flavorful and it has its a natural saltiness to the meal.
Enjoy this recipe and much as I do!
Radish Umeboshi Pickles
serves 12
6 red radishes, washed and thinly sliced
1/2 cup umeboshi vinegar
1 cup water
Place the radish slices in a glass jar. Pour the vinegar and the water over the radishes in the jar until they are partly submerged. Cover the container with a cheesecloth, and secure with a rubber band. Pickles need air in order for fermentation to take place.
Let stand at room temperature for at least 24 hours or up to 3 days. Rinse the pickles in fresh water before serving. After one to three days, let your pickles live in the fridge. They will be fine for 10 days, but they will get saltier and stronger as they sit, so the older they are the more rinsing and possibly soaking they will need before eating.
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Cherry-Chocolate Chunk Scones
September 13th, 2010
So much has been going on in the past week and a half that it is hard to think I am even posting right now! I have been missing my cooking and baking due to musical challanges of late. I also mentioned to some that I have been a sightsinging fiend the past week and a hald that I told my voice teacher I needed vocal rest for 2 days before my next lesson. If music is my life then being involved with 4 different ensembles and tons of music shold be exciting, right? Yes. It has been a whilrwind of events and NON-STOP at that. Being a conductor’s wife really turned out like being a pastor’s wife.
A pastor’s wife is always busy, involved in many events and activities and in constant regard. I feel like this lately and know that God planned for me to be in this spot in my life, but it all came to a huge HIT-THE-FAN moment yesterday after a 3 hour rehearsal of intense sightsinging and preparing a light supper for the singers. We also had rehearsals Thursday through Saturday and really did not have too much time to breathe.
Today I threw up my hands and said I was going to bake no matter what because it is relaxing and therapeutic. I also did not want to look into the fridge since it is crammed with leftovers from past large group meals and lots of produce. I need to be inspired somehow. During one of my 1.5 hr drives from Holland I was able to look through Urban Vegan’s cookbook I checked out at the library. Great place to find vegan cookbooks if buying them is not in your budget.
This cookbook had been on my list of books to read and peruse and BOY was I glad to get my hands on it. It has fantastic recipes that are creative and easy. Just as there are vivid colors on the cover there are colorful recipes in this cookbook. I set my heart on making several recipes especially scones.
Give me chocolate and cherries anytime. These two ingredients make for delicious additions to anything especially smoothies (Cherry Bom Bom Smoothie), cookies ( Cherry Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies), or the recipe that I am about to post. Serious goodies here! Quick and easy, especially for someone ON THE GO like me! 🙂
Cherry-Chocolate Chunk Scones
from The Urban Vegan
makes 8 scones
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup spelt flour
1/2 cup vegan sugar
2 heaping Tablespoons soy flour
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 Tablespoons cold Earth Balance, cut in 4 pieces
1/2 cup dried cherries
1/4-1/2 cup dark chocolate chunks (got mine from Whole Foods)
1/2 cup almond milk
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 vanilla extract
Heat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a 9-inch pie plate with coconut non-stick spray.
In a large bowl, mix flour, sugar, soy flour, baking flour, and salt. Add Earth Balance and using a pastry cutter, cut EB into flour until it resembles wet sand. Stir in cherries and chocolate chunks.
In another bowl, mix all the wet ingredients.Add the flour mixture and in the wet. Do not overmix.
Pour dough into pie plate and spread evenly. Bake for 20 minutes until golden light brown. Remove from oven and cool for 20 minutes.
Remove from pie plate and place on a cutting board and cut in 8 wedges. Enjoy with your favorite hot drink.
This recipe said to spread evenly on counter and cut into 8 wedges before baking, but it is always easier to bake scones in a 9-inch cake pan or pie plate and THEN cut into wedges. My own addition. Thanks Dynise!
