Sometimes, everyone needs a good rainy day. A day where staying in your PJs is completely acceptable because it’s raining buckets outside. Where you bake cookies while you listen to the rain pelting the roof, and enjoy every minute of it. A rainy day every once in a while is good for the soul:)
Today was one of those days.
fresh and flavorful!
For dinner, I utilized pantry staples, since no one wanted to brave the weather and leave the house. So, I made a fantastic Chinese Lime Tofu over Brown Rice with fresh Mango Avocado Spring Rolls! Yum! This was such a fun meal! Fun to eat and fun to make!
GORGEOUS caramelization on the tofu!
Here’s what you need: (one serving)
1/3 block tofu — pressed and cut into triangles
Stir Fry Sauce:
2 Tbsp Tamari (low sodium GF soy sauce)
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp agave
juice of 1 lime
2 garlic cloves, grated
1 green onion, sliced
First, get your rice going. It will take a full hour.
Start out by pressing your tofu.
Cut your tofu into 6 slices, and then place them on a clean kitchen-towel-lined plate, and press with a heavy pan. While they’re pressing, make your sauce. After about 15 minutes, cut the slabs into squares, and then the squares into triangles. Season with salt and pepper.
sticky, chewy rice!
OK. Take a big, non-stick pan, and spray it with EVOO. Then, place your tofu triangles in a single layer in the pan, and let them form a crust — read: don’t touch them for 5-6 minutes. It was really surprising to me, that when they were searing, they were popping and sizzling! This is a good thing! While they’re searing, sprinkle them with 1 Tbsp organic sugar! Also, combine your sauce ingredients and set aside. Then, flip them, and let the other side sear for another 2 or 3 minutes. Then, add your sauce. It will bubble and can burn, so just coat the tofu and then quickly transfer to a plate. Place this on top of your rice. Garnish with green onion and cilantro. Yum!
avocado and mango goodness!
Finally, the Mango Avocado Spring Rolls!!
Here’s what you need:
Rice Paper Wrappers
1 mango, diced
1/2 avocado, diced
2 carrots, shredded
1/2 cucumber, shredded
cilantro
Dipping Sauce:
2 Tbsp Tamari
Zest and Juice of 1/2 lime
1 garlic glove, grated
1/4 tsp agave
carrots, mango, cucumber avocado and cilantro ready to be rolled!
Spring Roll Mid-Roll :)
Once you get all your veggies grated and diced, set up your rolling station. Have 1 large bowl of warm water, one large plate to roll, and another plate to set your finished rolls. Get your rice paper wet and pliable. (They are brittle and like sheets of plastic until you wet them with warm water). Then, place your pliable paper on the plate. Fill it with the carrots, cucumber, mango, avocado and cilantro. Then roll it up like a burrito. The paper will be sticky! Yum!
SO healthy and yum-tastic!
This meal was delicious! The tofu was tangy and salty and slightly sweet. It had a fantastic texture, with a caramelized crust and pillowy center. They were chewy and slightly crunchy. Completely awesome!
cilantro and green onions tie it all together!
Finally, the spring rolls! Oh my Gosh, these were outstanding. The flavor and texture of these rolls made them irresistible. First, the flavor: there was sweetness from the mangos, freshness from the cilantro, tang and saltiness from the dipping sauce, and brightness from the carrots and cucumbers! And finally, the textures. The texture contrasts made these rolls. The veggies were crunchy, the rice paper was wonderfully chewy and sticky, the mangos were deliciously juicy, while the avocado was luxuriously creamy. They combined to form the perfect bite.
so delicious!
And you didn’t think I’d forget to share my outrageous GF cookies with you?!?
Ever since finding out about my new food allergies, I haven’t been able to enjoy my GF French Macaroons since they’re made with Almond flour, and guess who’s allergic to Almonds?! Yep…Lil Ole Me. SO! I’ve been tirelessly trying to recreate my French Macaroons without the Almond flour. It isn’t possible, until I can get my hands on Pistachio flour — so I’ve tried to create something similar, and I finally got it!
I think I’ll call them GF Chocolate Chewy Crispers.
Here’s what you need:
2 egg whites, beaten to stiff peaks
1/4 tsp Cream of Tartar
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
2 cups GF Rice Krispies
Glaze:
6 semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 heaping Tbsp peanut butter
1 1/2 tsp water
sprinkle of salt
1/4 cup powdered sugar
Preheat oven to 375. Beat egg whites in a stand mixer. When they become foamy, add your cream of tartar. When they form soft peaks, slowy add your sugar. Then beat on high for about 7 minutes, until stiff peaks form. Stop your mixer and sift in your powdered sugar and cocoa powder. Then, fold it in — about 35-40 folds. Finally, fold in your Rice Krispies.
On a parchment-paper-lined baking sheet, place about 2 Tbsp worth of batter. Then, reduce heat in the oven to 325 and bake for 5 minutes. Rotate pan, and bake 9 more minutes. Then, turn off the oven and leave them in the Off oven for 30 minutes. When you take them out of the oven, you need to eat one warm — or two:)
After they’ve cooled, drizzle with the glaze. Heat the 1st three ingredients for 10 seconds in the microwave, stir until melted. Then stir in powdered sugar until smooth. You may need to add more water to thin it out.
gorgeous texture -- crunchy outside with soft, chewy inside! YUM!
These are FANTASTIC!!!!!!! The outside has formed a meringue-like crunchy-crispy crust, and then the inside is marshmallow-y with crispy-chewy Rice Krispies mixed throughout. Sinlessly Decadent!
Annie...making herself at home:)
Roxy wanted to rule the other couch :)
Happy Saturday from myself, and the 2 girls who rule the house!
glutenfreehappytummy 