For My Plant-Based Friends: Scallion Pancakes & Tofu Stir Fry

I like to say that the first thing I learned how to cook was pancakes. Not from scratch, but from the box, adding an egg, some milk, some oil. I was mesmerized at how they’d puff up on the skillet, and what a work of art it was to flip one without any splatter.

I also like to say that the first “real” thing I learned how to cook was stir fry. I was in middle school, and not in my own kitchen but a friend’s, we’d cube up tofu, chop some green peppers and onions, cook it in some oil, and then douse our stir fry with teriyaki sauce. While I have fond memories of this dish, I’ve since learned that there are many other ways to make stir fry… perhaps a bit healthier without the bottled teriyaki sauce, but I’m inclined to say that I wouldn’t be where I am today without this original dish.

It’s fitting that two of my “firsts” in the kitchen, and some of my favorites, come together for this super quick weeknight meal that also utilizes freezer ingredients and really, anything you have on hand that may be going bad soon.

See new post for updated scallion pancake recipe!

Here’s what you’ll need to make Tofu Stir Fry with Peanut Ginger Sauce:
Makes ~4 servings (you know I love me some leftovers)

Stir Fry:

• 1 package firm tofu, drained completely & cubed

• Literally any vegetables you want… my favorites include broccoli, bell pepper, onion, mushrooms, and snap peas. I buy bags of frozen stir fry mix to make this SUPER easy, but you can also use any vegetables in your fridge that may be going bad, or if you have any frozen vegetable, that works too. Seriously, the possibilities are endless and I’m really not here to tell you what veggies work in a stir fry because I just want you eat your veggies…

• 1-2 TBS coconut oil, or another high-heat oil such as avocado oil. Stir fry is meant to be cooked over high heat, very quickly, so you want to choose an oil with a high smoke point, meaning it can be heated to a high temperature without smoking and burning off.

See new post for updated peanut sauce recipe!

Method:

In a large skillet over medium heat, heat oil until shiny. Drop in tofu and cook to your liking - it can be totally browned on all sides or it can be slightly browned. Add veggies and cook together until veggies are cooked through - ideally, they should be fork-tender. This should take about 10 minutes or so!

Serve alongside scallion pancakes and fresh peanut ginger sauce (I could eat this by the spoonful).

Gratitude

A whole season has come and gone! At the beginning of my favorite season, I'm feeling grounded and ready to embrace Fall with an open mind.

If you've ever taken yoga, the instructor usually asks that you set an intention for your practice. I've decided to take that off the mat and set an intention for the rest of my year: gratitude. Even with a challenging transition at work, I've managed to take not one, not two, but three (!) mini vacations to see new places, spend time with amazing friends, and of course - eat great food. 

I'm incredibly grateful for the experiences I've had these past few months and I'm ready to tackle whatever comes my way this year, keeping this intention of gratitude in mind. 

As I get settled back in after my most recent vacation to Bermuda to celebrate 11 years of friendship, I'm excited to take advantage of all this season has to offer. Sweaters, boots, my favorite scarf with elephants on it, aaaand Fall foods: crockpot meals and sometimes bags of cider donuts.

Even though my lunch on a Saturday might consist of 1 (or 3) cider donuts, I also make sure to indulge in something healthy and comforting. I made this lentil stew for the first time over the summer, but it's much better suited for this dreary weather.

What you'll need to make Red Lentil Stew (makes 8-10 servings):

• 2 TBS olive oil
• 2 shallots, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 large carrots, peeled and chopped
• 2 cups red lentils
• 1/2 10oz can diced tomatoes
• 6 cups broth (your choice - vegetable or chicken)
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• salt + pepper to taste
• 2 cups spinach
• Lime + Sriracha, for serving

In a large pot over medium-high heat, pour in olive oil and sauté shallots, garlic, and carrots until fragrant (4-5 minutes). Add in lentils, diced tomatoes, and spices, and stir to coat thoroughly. Add broth and bring to a rapid boil.

Once at a rapid boil, lower heat to low-medium, cover and simmer for 12-15 minutes, or until lentils are soft and tender. Add spinach and stir until wilted. Serve immediately with a small squeeze of lime and a little Sriracha. Let stew cool before storing/freezing.

Go make this stew now, or ASAP... I know you're busy, me too!

Here's to drinking hot coffee outside again without sweating, to hoping Mercury in Retrograde does not return any time soon (seriously though, a whole month was rough), and to feeling grateful.

Happy Fall!

'Tis the (Crockpot) Season

We're well in to the Fall season, so that means it's time to dust off the crockpot. I have made this chili so many times, and not only have I memorized the recipe, but I've tried enough cornbread recipes to finally get it right!

After a long day of work, or a cold Saturday hike, or even a sick day, this chili and cornbread is the perfect comfort-food meal.

Here's what you'll need for the chili (makes about 8 cups):

• 1 lb ground turkey, cooked until just browned
• 1 29oz can tomato sauce (no salt or spices)
• 1 15oz can diced tomatoes (no salt or spices)
• 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1-2 large carrots, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
• 1/2 cup corn (frozen or fresh)
• 1-2 chiles in adobo sauce (add more or less depending on desired spicyness)
• 1 clove garlic, chopped finely
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp chili powder
• salt + pepper to taste

Add all ingredients to the crockpot and cook on low for 6-7 hours. THAT'S IT! Serve with cornbread (recipe below) and garnish with toppings of your choice; cheese, green onions, tortilla chips are some awesome options. To freeze for future use, cool the chili down completely before storing in air-tight containers.

Here's what you'll need for the cornbread (makes 9-12 pieces):

• 1 cup cornmeal
• 1 cup whole wheat flour (or flour of your choice)
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 cup almond milk (or non-dairy/dairy milk of your choice)
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup corn (fresh or frozen)
• 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted/liquid
• 1/4 maple syrup
• 2 tsp turmeric
• 1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine all ingredients in large mixing bowl and mix until thoroughly combined. Pour batter in to 8x8 baking dish and cook for 20-25 minutes until golden brown on top (you can increase temp to 375 degrees F for last 5-10 minutes for extra golden crust). 

Cheers to my favorite season and snuggling up in front of the fire (or maybe a fake fire on your TV) with a bowl of chili and a glass of red wine! 

Making the Most of Summer

How is it already the end of August!? While I've enjoyed my summer Fridays and the extended evening light, I'm ready to say goodbye to stifling hot subway stations and hello to my sweaters and booties.

As I wait for cooler days, I'm still going to enjoy one of my favorite parts of summer: farmer's market produce. 

I needed to make sure none of this went to waste - I'm only one person and can only eat so much kale - so, I whipped up food I could stick in the freezer:

- Kale pesto with basil, walnuts + goat's milk pecorino
- Zucchini pancakes with chives, green onion + lemon zest

I'm actually not a huge fan of zucchini, but they looked so cute and perfectly green... I couldn't pass them up! And frying them in coconut oil couldn't make them taste worse, right?

These little cakes are super simple to make, AND they're gluten- and dairy-free, so they're a hit with all your friends who can't eat this and that.

Here's what you'll need for 14-16 small pancakes:

• 2-3 small/medium zucchinis, grated
• 1/2 tsp salt (for zucchini)
• 4 eggs, whisked
• 2 TBS green onions, finely chopped
• 2 TBS chives, finely chopped
• zest of 1 lemon + 1 tsp lemon juice
• salt + pepper (+ red pepper flake) to taste
• coconut oil (for the pan)

Place grated zucchini in a colander, sprinkle 1/2 tsp salt over zucchini and toss to coat. Let zucchini sit for 10 minutes to let some water drain out. Wring zucchini out with paper towel, fine towel, or cheese cloth. You may need to do this in batches.

Combine zucchini, eggs, green onions, chives, lemon zest + juice, and salt + pepper in a large bowl and mix until thoroughly combined.

Heat coconut oil in a large pan (preferably deep to avoid splattering) over medium heat. Make sure coconut oil is covering bottom of the pan.

Spoon in 2-3 TBS batter and flatten with spatula. Cook for 3 minutes until golden brown, and flip. Take out of the pan and place on a plate/pan lined with a paper towel to drain excess oil. Repeat until you're all out of batter!

I'm not gonna lie... I ate a few standing over the pan while I was cooking. But, the rest I let cool, wrapped tightly in foil, stored in a ziplock bag, labeled, and stuck in the freezer for future lazy/easy meals. To defrost, take the pancakes out of the freezer in the morning, leave in the fridge, and they should be set to heat up that evening.

I did the same with the pesto: I separated into batches, kept one in the fridge and the rest in the freezer. And then I enjoyed a maybe-too-large bowl of pasta after a busy day of work, gym + errands:

Here's to spending more Saturdays at the farmers market, and reaping the benefits even weeks later!

Learning to Balance

When I was looking for an apartment, my non-negotiable was a decent-sized kitchen. I ended up with an amazing kitchen, which for the past four months, has been used mainly to heat up leftovers, cook Sunday brunch, and bake the occasional batch of brownies. Whenever I'm in my kitchen not cooking, I feel a pang of guilt: what is this kitchen doing here if I'm not going to be spending my free time cooking, taking awesome pictures, and then posting here for you all to learn new recipes?

But then I attempt to justify: Nina, you just moved into one of the most amazing cities in the country, so why would you spend all of your free time inside when there's so much to explore (and eat)!?

So herein lies my dilemma. As much as I enjoy grocery shopping at local markets and cooking up fun and interesting meals for myself, I also enjoy wandering around my new neighborhood(s) and sampling the amazing food they have to offer.

While I may feel guilty for not cooking as much as I used to, and for not posting here as much as I would like to, I shouldn't feel guilty for embracing my new home. 

Here is my confession to all of you: I, Nina, do not usually cook dinner. I like to eat leftovers from work, often having the same meal twice in one day. I like to go out to dinner, and brunch, and cocktails, and I unapologetically enjoy every single minute of it.

I know that eventually, I'll find the balance that's right for me, and for this blog. But for now, dinner will sometimes look like the above (I mean, who wouldn't want that!?), and sometimes, groceries will consist of a loaf of bread, a jar of peanut butter, two bars of chocolate and a bottle of $5 wine.

This is only the beginning of my adventure and while I have lots of BK terrain to cover this summer, my love for cooking will still prevail.

New Beginnings for a New Year

Do you notice anything different? Look up! One of my super talented friends, Grace, designed this logo especially for Nina Knows Food. I am thrilled with her beautiful interpretation of my passion for cooking and eating. I am also SO honored to display her work. Now I can move into the New Year with a new look to the blog, among other things!

The past two months have seen one BIG move, two major holidays, lots of cooking, and even more eating. My new kitchen has yet to be used to cook a real meal, but lots of delicious food was cooked in my family's home kitchen.

Thanksgiving is a time for my mom and I to bounce ideas off each other about how to make the meal even better than last year's. We stick with the classics, turkey and stuffing being two of them. Stuffing that does not fit into the bird goes into muffin tins to make what we call stuffin' muffins. For those who like their stuffing a little crunchy, these muffins are perfect.

Green beans with ginger and garlic was added to our menu last Thanksgiving, and made a repeat appearance this year because they're just so darn tasty. Thanksgiving foods are very savory and these green beans add a much-needed crunch and spice to the meal. My apple cake with lemon and ginger will always make an appearance - everyone knows to save room for dessert.

My leftover sandwich, piled high with turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, spinach, guacamole and goat cheese, was one of the best things I have ever eaten. Ever. 

Chanukah came and went, but the lingering smell of sizzling latkes stayed for weeks. I learned how my mom makes latkes, and now I'm confident I'll be able to take on the task. Needless to say, I don't really want to eat another latke until next Chanukah.

My family does not celebrate Christmas, but that doesn't mean we won't help others celebrate! Chocolate-covered strawberries are WAY easier than you might think and they make a gorgeous gift to bring over to any holiday party.

Over a double boiler, melt dark chocolate chips (1/3 - 1/2 bag) with 1 TBS Crisco - this makes the chocolate shiny and smooth. Once melted, dip strawberries and place them on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Cool overnight, or at least for a few hours, to let the chocolate set. Repeat with the remainder of the chocolate, depending on how much fruit you have to dip.

You can use this chocolate to dip any kind of fruit or treat! I added Chanukah-themed sprinkles to our strawberries above because, well, why not?

I'm looking forward to more sunrises from my apartment window and more amazing meals to share with all of you. Cheers to the happiest and healthiest New Year yet!