I’m back in the kitchen this week after a long time away from Chef Brian’s menus, and while I have been cooking blog repeats and simple meals at home, I’m definitely glad to be back in the Fat Dude kitchen.
Chef Brian wrote this menu some time ago, meant as a way to get me back into healthy eating after I let my waistline go to hell for the last couple of months of 2011.
But, as it turns out, I don’t need a kick start because I’ve been hitting the gym since the beginning of the year. And now that I have an exercise routine down, it’s time to get the knives out once again. Here’s what’s cooking for Menu 30: Veggin’ out:
Week 30, Meal 1: Black bean and spinach enchiladas verde
Week 30, Meal 2: Veggie-tofu stir fry with umeboshi plum vinegar soy sauce
Week 30, Meal 3: Vegetarian paella
As always, each recipe makes 2 servings, though you might have some leftovers with these recipes. But when has that ever been a bad thing? Follow the link the shopping list.
Week 30, Meal 1: Black bean and spinach enchiladas verde
Filling
2 t vegetable oil
1/2 large yellow onion, small diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 t cumin
1 t ancho chile powder
1 can black beans
4 oz. spinach, chopped
1 small can chopped green chiles
salt and pepper, to taste
Verde sauce
2 t vegetable oil
1/2 large yellow onion, medium diced
2 cloves garlic
10 oz. tomatillos, peeled and halved if large
2 poblano chiles
1 jalapeno
1 t cumin
2 T + a little more cilantro, picked and chopped
salt and pepper, to taste
Other
4 corn tortillas
2 T light sour cream
3 oz. queso fresco
Week 30, Meal 2: Veggie-tofu stir fry with umeboshi plum vinegar soy sauce
10 oz. extra firm tofu, cut into 3/4″ pieces and patted dry
6-8 oz. snow peas, cleaned
1 large carrot, julienne
1 small head broccoli, florets cut down to 3/4″ size
3 T soy sauce
2 T umeboshi plum vinegar
1 T orange juice concentrate
1 1/2 t honey
1 1/2 t pickled ginger, minced
1 t sriracha
1 serrano chile, seeded and small diced
1 fresno chile, seeded and small diced
1/4 c cashews, toasted and roughly chopped
2 t black and white sesame seeds
1 T scallions, sliced
cooking spray
Week 30, Meal 3: Vegetarian paella
2 c vegetable stock
2 t smoked paprika
1 pinch saffron
1 1/2 t salt
1/2 t pepper
1 T vegetable oil
1 small yellow onion, small diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 red bell pepper, medium diced
1 cup bomba rice (If you can’t find bomba, use jasmine)
3 roma tomatoes, 2 pureed and 1 seeded and diced
1 can (6 oz.) artichoke hearts
6 oz. asparagus, bottoms trimmed and discarded, cut into 2″ pieces
1/2 c peas, blanched if fresh (use frozen right now, fresh in spring)