Vegetarian General Tso

Who doesn’t love General Tso? Typically, you see general tso’s as a chicken dish listed on menus and in cookbooks; however, for those who are vegetarian the Tofu General Tso is a great alternative. I found this easy and scrumptious recipe for Tofu General Tso adapted from That’s So Vegan (thanks for the recipe!).

Ingredients:

1 package firm tofu
1 tbsp cornstarch
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup water
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp siracha (or to taste)
1 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp water
2 tbsp sesame seeds

1. Preheat oven to 400º and grease baking sheet. Press the tofu between paper towels to get rid of excess water and cut into small cubes. Toss the cubes with a tablespoon of cornstarch and place them on the sheet to bake for about 20-25 minutes.
2. Heat the garlic over low heat in a saucepan. After a minute, add in the other ingredients (except for the cornstarch mixture) and stir for about 3 minutes. Mix in the cornstarch and whisk until thickened. Remove from heat.
3. Once tofu is cooked, place cubes in bowl and mix in the sauce. Serve with brown rice and broccoli.

Kris Kringle Coconut Cranberry Cookies

I’ve been a little short on time for baking lately (it’s hard being a working woman!) so this was my first attempt at Christmas baking. I first tried these cookies at a work bake sale and was hooked from that moment on. Here is the recipe for the cookies I refer to as the Kris Kringle Coconut Cranberry Cookies! Enjoy!

Ingredients (Makes about  40 cookies):

• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 2 cups brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups flour
• 2 cups coconut
• 2 cuts oatmeal (baking oats)
• 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Directions

Mix wet ingredients together (vegetable oil, brown sugar, vanilla, eggs). In another bowl mix together all dry ingredients (flour, coconut, oatmeal, baking powder, salt, baking soda). Bake in pre-heated oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 10-12 minutes.

Recipe to Riches

President’s Choice (a Canadian food label associated with Loblaws and The Real Canadian Superstore) has outdone itself yet again with a new reality show on the Food Network Canada called Recipe to Riches. Each week Canadians compete to have their recipes become a new President’s Choice product and win some $$$. I recently tried one of the winning creations, Lucious Lemon Pudding Cakes.  They come uniquely packaged in 4 single serve portions. I was impressed with the lemon flavour and overall taste. Although I was quite surprised at the calorie content (300 calories per serving) and the inclusion of saturated fat. Check out local Loblaws stores to check out the latest winning recipes yourself!

Great with a cup of tea!!

Post Work-Out Lunch

After the gym I always come home starving. I usually try to find something quick and healthy to make. Lately this has been a lunch meal I have been having frequently: Campbell’s Butternut Squash soup sprinkled with sunflower seeds, Ryvita Snack Bread with President’s Choice Hummus and a handful of cherry tomatoes.  This meal offers both protein and vegetables and its low-calorie!