curry with tofu & grilled vegetables

this curry is delish! mom wasn't here for dinner so it was my turn to make something. brown rice had been cooking and i figured some spicy curry with broccoli, leftover grilled veggies and tofu would hit the spot; since it has been raining all day here.

everyone said it was really great, in fact - jasper used the word "addictive". can't argue with that. we all took seconds. i'm glad it was so tasty because i didn't use any conventional curry recipe. i didn't even have curry paste. so if you're in the mood for warming curry, crispy tofu, tender veggies and rice; try out this funky recipe!

yellow curry with tofu, veggies & rice: makes a big ole pot

1 onion
4 garlic cloves
1 head broccoli
1 grilled red pepper
2 grilled zucchinis
2 packages tofu
1 can coconut milk
6 cups vegetable broth
3 tablespoons raw sugar (or other sweetener)
3 tablespoons tamari (or soy sauce)
3 bay leaves
3 tablespoons curry powder
1 tablespoon each of coriander, paprika, cumin, turmeric, garlic, and onion powder
1 teaspoon each cinnamon, chili flakes, and dill
1/2 teaspoon chili powder

prepare the tofu: sautee it on med-high heat with a bit of olive oil, rice wine vinegar and tamari (soy sauce) until it browns. set aside.

chop all the veggies. in a large pot, sautee the onions, garlic and all the spices together with 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of rice wine vinegar until they're translucent and softened. add the remaining ingredients, including the tofu and veggies. let simmer on low heat for 30 minutes or so, until the broccoli is cooked enough for you. see you if you like it! curry is easy to change.

serve with whole grain brown rice in bowls with chives, hot sauce, sweet basil, and gypsy kings. yeah man!

oh and i have some news: I GOT TWITTER! it's mainly to get my blog out there more (by "there", i mean the world wide web). so follow me, please! it's so weird that i have a blog and a twitter account now. i feel like such a participating member of my generation, a feeling that is rare for me. i'm a bit of an enigma... if you haven't noticed.

Three-Bean Curry Tomato Soup

This soup is a must for curry enthusiasts! It’s straight-forward to make, and combines three kinds of healthful beans with vivid curry seasonings (without too much heat!). Serve with a cooked grain or some whole-grain bread for a complete meal.
Recipe from Vive le Vegan!

1/2 tbsp olive oil (or other oil of choice)
1 1/2 - 2 cups chopped onion
1 - 1 1/2 cups chopped celery
1 cup chopped carrot
1⁄4 tsp sea salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 tbsp mustard seeds
1 - 1 1⁄2 tbsp mild curry powder or paste (or more for extra heat)
1⁄2 tsp ground ginger (or 1/2 tbsp fresh)
1 tsp ground fennel
1⁄2 tsp ground cardamom (don't skip! adds beautiful flavor!)
1⁄4 tsp ground cinnamon
1 28-oz can diced tomatoes
2 cups cooked chickpeas
2 cups cooked black beans
1 cup dry red lentils
2 cups vegetable stock
3 - 3 1⁄2 cups water
2 bay leaves
1/2 - 1 tsp pure maple syrup or other sweetener

In a large pot over medium heat, heat the oil. Add the celery, onion, carrot, salt, and pepper, and stir through. Add the mustard seeds, curry paste, ginger, fennel, cardamom, and cinnamon. Stir through, cover, and let cook for 6-8 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients. Stir through and increase heat to high to bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and let simmer for 15-20 minutes. For a thinner consistency, add a little extra water. Remove bay leaves, and season to taste with additional sea salt and black pepper.  *Soup even better the next day! :)

Makes 8 or more servings.

frankie FINALLY says relax

Sorry... haven't posted in awhile.

Anyways, my final exams are almost OVER! And I am so excited. Lately (as you could tell from my posts) I've had the case of winter blues; basically I was down-in-the-dumps for no good reason. What can ya do.
Well, this week has helped me get out of that a little. For some reason the universe chose to give me a great mood and a simple, wonderful day! Ironically, it was looking to be a bit of a bad day.

I had to wake up at the unimaginable hour of *gasp* - 7:00 AM. I know, I know. It's insanity. Keep in mind I am just not a morning person, never have been. Night time is my love. As is chocolate, and cats... but back to the point. I had to get up that early for my math exam (yuck). But that's when the day took a turn for the better. The exam went great! I feel awesome about it. Plus since I got up so early, I got to see the moon slowly going back to sleep in the sky until the next night, as the dark winter morning turned lighter. Beautiful.

Then on the way home from my exam, I saw a coyote running through the forest! I saw it as a great sign, a blessing. I wonder what he's doin' now... I literally couldn't stop smiling at that point =D

Then I got home, did some house chores, and listened to some classical music. I started making more christmas presents for the fam (shh don't tell... oh wait, they can read this) and just sat around, watching the trees and birds. Ahhhh. Frankie FINALLY says relax ;)
I've been having so much trouble with that lately. It's crazy... because I think of myself as the calmest, most laid back person I know... and I think all my loved ones would agree.

All I do is meditate, practice yoga, and eat fruit. 

But since university it's been a little hectic =S
POINT BEING: I am back, Chill World (fingers crossed?)

Now onto what you're actually interested in: FOOD. Because - let's be honest - I'm sure my personal level of mental and physical activity and daily chore regime is not that exciting.
Onto the yumminess. (I don't provide the recipes here, but if you email me I can get them for you!)

 Stir-Fry Broccoli with Peppers & Mushrooms

Bok Choy with Sweet Sauce and Fried Tofu

Eggplant & Onion Coconut Curry

Sauteed Eggplant, Onions & Cucumber 

I admit, I haven't made anything too exciting in a few days, but I did bake an apple pie! =) And the other day my mom made a wonderful vegan feast to say goodbye to a swiss guy who's been living with us for months. It was bountiful. I love life.

 I ask you: who doesn't like apple pie? WHO?

I hope you have the BEST. DAY. EVER.

beautiful butternut squash; i love gourds

A couple weeks ago, I began to get the Autumn Soup Cravings. And I wanted a warming soup made from some sort of gourd, with curry spices and coconut milk. I was at the farmer's market last Saturday and when we saw butternut squash, I decided to make it the star of the soup.
I bought two, just to be sure I'd have enough. A nice thing about gourds is you can let them sit around FOREVER. We've had this spaghetti squash in the kitchen for like a month now. They keep extremely well... They're tough little guys. So it was fine that I wasn't able to make the soup until today.

My family ate this soup right up, even my little carnivorous brother. They said they weren't crazy about the texture, because it is a little chunky... but that's the fibre! If you prefer it smoother however, just strain it.  No biggie. I suggest using the fibrous stuff left over in baked goods, raw crackers, even cookies, etc.
I also made a simple cashew cream that really complemented the colours and flavours of the soup; sweet and cool while the soup was spicy and warm. 

I actually had about 3 cups of squash left over so I made muffins (baked)! They were delicious. Sometimes ya just need a muffin and some soup. Oh, and some good friends to carve pumpkins with =)

Raw Coconut Curry Butternut Squash Soup with Cashew Cream: makes about 8 cups (8 or so servings)

5 cups peeled, cubed raw butternut squash

2 cups coconut milk

1 orange, peeled

1/2 yellow onion, roughly chopped

1/4 raisins or bit of agave/honey (to sweeten)

1 Tbsp your fave curry powder

3 T ginger, peeled (or more, to taste)

1 clove of peeled garlic

1 t cinnamon 

1/2 cup vegetable stock (not raw, but adds to the flavour)

Water or orange juice as needed

Blend all ingredients together in Vita-mix or other high-speed blender until smooth, adding water as needed. Taste it and see what you think. Add more/other ingredients until you like what you taste. Put into bowls. 

Cashew Cream:

3/4 cup cashews

3 dates

1/2 t cinnamon 

1/2 t garlic powder and onion powder - don't use too much, you want the cream to be a little sweet

Water as needed

Blend all ingredients in high-speed blender until smooth, adding water as needed. It should be about the same consistency as the soup, and a little sweet, not very spicy.

Drizzle onto soup in bowls and top with a sprig of carrot greens, or other pretty herbs you have around. Enjoy!

I love how this soup is raw, but warms you up anyway because of the ginger, onion, garlic, and curry. I also love how nicely the sweet cashew cream contrasts. And I love that it's all mostly squash! Which is just water, vitamins, nutrients and fibre! I hope you like it.
Remember, if it's too chunky: just strain it. It will become like creamy cooked soup.