Jan

Crispy ‘chik’n’ strips with fries

I do try to eat well, I really do. I never crave a burger, but I do love chicken strips. How to make them a little healthier and without a stomachache after devouring them?

TOFU + OVEN!

My ‘little’ cousin, Dusty, has always loved chicken nuggets, more than anyone I know. He’s a little older now (and not so little at over 6 feet tall), so his obsession with the famous dippers has subsided but the memories are still there. Truly, if he couldn’t eat/order chicken nuggets, chicken tenders or even chicken wheels (don’t ask) during the first 8 years of his life, I’m not sure he would’ve survived. I suppose there are always french fries…

which is another thing. French fries. I don’t care what you say, I’d like to not extinguish these from my life forever. But we need healthier ways to eat these little jewels.

In comes the oven. Using a combo of recipes from others, I made crispy ‘chik’n’ strips and fries (Idaho and sweet potato) for dinner while watching the double matinee of football games. (Okay, Matt watched, I cooked.) If tofu kind of freaks you out, this is a nice introduction. The strips are flavorful, not slimy, and really tasty, actually. Hope you enjoy.

Crispy Chik’n Strips

(adapted from Oh She Glows and Growing Up Veg)
Makes 8 strips–serves two to four adults

I’ve put the ingredients and supplies in bold to make it easier.

1 pound extra firm tofu

kitchen towel

2 heavy books

step one (prep the tofu): Drain the tofu from the package and wrap in a towel. Place 2 heavy books on top of it to drain out all of the moisture. Let sit for 20-30 minutes. Line/spray 2 baking sheets, one for strips and one for fries.

1/2 cup breadcrumbs or cereal (I used Rice Krispies)

1/3 cup cornmeal

1/2 t. of each: kosher salt, cumin, chili powder, and 1/4 t. of cinnamon & cayenne (or a dash of red pepper flakes)

step two (make the breading): In a large bowl, mix the above ingredients. Crush the cereal before adding, if you have cereal. Preheat oven to 400!

1/2 cup milk

1 TB cornstarch

1/2 t. of each: kosher salt, cumin, chili powder, and 1/4 t. cinnamon & cayenne (or a dash of red pepper flakes)

step three (make the dipper): In a medium bowl, whisk the above ingredients.

1 Idaho potato (Dash: sea salt, garlic powder, chili powder)

1 sweet potato (Dash: sea salt, cinnamon, chili powder)

2 TB olive oil

step four (prep the fries): Cut each potato into fry shapes and toss in the spices and 1 TB olive oil. Do one potato at a time (garlic on sweet potatoes seems ick). Spread the fries onto one of the baking sheets, taking care to make sure they don’t overlap.

step five (bread ’em): Slice tofu into 8 long strips. Dip each tofu strip in the liquid and then into the topping. Place breaded strips onto the 2nd baking sheet. Repeat ‘dip and top’ process for all of them.

step six (bake): Put the strips on the top/middle rack of the oven and the fries on the bottom rack. Bake for 20 minutes and then flip strips and fries. Bake another 15-20 minutes, watching carefully toward the end so you don’t scorch the fries. The strips should be crispy brown but not overly dry.

I am sad to report that we had NO leftovers…devoured. Done.

**These recipes easily double, triple, quad, depending on the size of your group.

Aioli in the middle

The Dips
I served with 3…
-ketchup
-chili aioli
-bbq sauce

Chili Aioli
1/4 cup mayo (vegan, reg, lowfat, whatever)
1 1/2 t. chili powder
1/2 t. garlic powder
1/2 t. cumin
Dash kosher salt
Dash red pepper flakes
Juice of 1 lemon slice (optional)

Mix all together and serve cold. Dip away.

Now one last thing…
Happy 92nd birthday (Thursday) to my grandmother. In memory of a long, fruitful life of loving God and loving people.
I mention her influence on my love for food and cooking quite regularly here, but she touched all areas of my life for the better. What a lady. I must admit, she only liked the crispy-not “soggy”-fries, so we ate lots of crispy ones in her honor. I love and miss her dearly. My parents gifted our home church with these flowers Sunday morning in memory of her birthday. Beautiful…thanks for that. She was a pink flower girl, with a splash of purple.

Happy eating and happy living!
Laurel

~Laurel~

14 years ago Short URL

aioli/chicken/fries/potatoes/tofu

Sep

Dinners

Wow, it’s been a while! School and work have been so time-consuming, and I missed being here.

Let’s get right down to it with a little food, shall we? While I have been away from my blogging desk, I have NOT been away from the kitchen. Matt (and I) have whipped up some tasty things these last few weeks. Let’s start with dinner.

Stir fry. You love it. I love it. Healthy for your body, especially your heart.

i heart stir fry

*6 servings*
1 bag frozen or fresh stir fry mix (16 oz of chopped red pepper, edimame, water chestnuts, green beans)
1 cup chopped mushrooms
2 cups broccoli, bite-sized
16 oz extra firm tofu (I ate tofu, Matt chopped up 4 oz lean boneless porkchop)
Handful (about 1/3 cup) raw cashews or your favorite (peanuts, etc.)
1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
2 TB sesame oil
1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 teaspoon sesame seeds
salt to taste + crushed red pepper (optional)
3-4 cups rice

TOOLS:
1 wok, 1 wooden spoon, 1 basting brush, 1 tiny bowl
1 rice cooker (or pot with lid), cookie sheet with parchment paper/foil
*you’ll need 2 woks or 2 pans if you’re cooking “meat” separately from veggies

1) COOK THAT MEAT! Press the tofu with a few paper towels to remove all excess moisture. Cut into reasonable slices (I did strips this time, about 1/4 inch thick). Lay down on parchment paper or non-stick sprayed foil. In the tiny bowl, mix 1 TB of sesame oil, 1/2 of soy sauce and orange juice (optional). Stir ingredients together with brush and brush generously onto the tofu pieces. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes, or until golden brown. Start cooking your rice, in whichever way you like.

If you’re cooking pork or chicken, put meat into a wok or pan and pour the “tiny bowl” ingredients into the pan. Stir and watch carefully. Cook until no longer raw, between 5–10 minutes. Set aside.

2) CRISP THOSE VEGGIES! Adding 1/3 cup of water to the pan, cook the veggies thoroughly, adding 1 TB of sesame oil once the veggies are lukewarm and the water has mostly evaporated. Allow the veggies to soak up the oil. Add in the rest of the soy sauce, cashews and 1/8 t. of crushed red pepper (optional). Cover and cook for a few minutes, until veggie are hot but not soggy.

3) STIR FRY! Uncover and stir the veggies. Combine the meat and stir, if you like, or serve separately. Add salt or more red pepper flakes to taste. Eat!

Tofu is awesome,
Tofu is yummy,
Tofu’s sure to make
A happy, full tummy!

~Laurel~

15 years ago Short URL

broccoli/mushrooms/sesame oil/stirfry/tofu

Mar

Don’t be scared, it’s just Tofu!

WHO LOVES TOFU???

I do! But here’s what my dear loved ones think:

Mom–Doesn’t it look and taste like cardboard?
Dad–The hippie era ended like 25 years ago, Laurel, youknow, when Tears for Fears shook the world…
Hubby–I like tofu, but it’s best with a little steak mixed in.

I don’t cook much with tofu, mostly I leave slicing and grilling it up to Thai restaurant professionals. But I thought I’d give this a try…

Hella Easy Tofu
1 lb firm tofu
1/3 cup reduced sodium soy sauce
Any other spices you like (crushed red pepper, peanut butter, etc)

1. Mix soy sauce and any other spices in a bowl or coffee cup.
2. Slice tofu into 1/4 inch slices (long or square, whateva) and place on foil-lined cookie sheet. Spray with non-stick spray.

3. Brush soy sauce mixture on both sides of each piece of tofu. Let marinate/sit for 10+ minutes. Bake at 375 for 25–30 minutes, or until brown and crisp on the edges. Inside will be soft and tender.

Baked tofu in a pool of soy sauce. Mmm

The flavor is mild and soy sauce-y, but not too salty. It’s really good and too easy!! The best part of tofu is that

1) it’s healthy.

2) tofu molds to whatever sauce/flavors you add to it. Example: if you add soy sauce and ground ginger sauce, the tofu will taste like the sauce. Make sure your sauce has lots of flavor.

Uses:

*same as you would chicken cutlets/nuggets that you can top with gravy or any sauce or dip

*slice into bite-sized pieces for a soup, stir fry, pasta, casserole

*serve on a bun with french fries for a healthy alternative

*any other way you like!! so versatile.

We made a stirfry…

Tofu, sweet peas, celery, broccoli, pineapple, mushrooms on a bed of rice.