Vegetarian Tofu Paella + Stuffed Peppers

I began cleansing on Saturday (I’m journaling about it on my Facebook page) and I am thrilled that Jill, my nutrition counselor (find her at Hera Wellness) has given me permission to share some of the recipes from the 2-week cleanse meal plan on my blog.

Vegetable Paella with Tofu, from Hera Wellness

Ingredients:

  • 2 tbs olive oil
  • 2 – 7 oz pkgs of firm tofu, diced
  • 8 oz. cremini mushrooms, sliced
  • 2 large carrots, diced (1 cup)
  • 1 cup of fresh corn kernels
  • 1 14-oz can chopped tomatoes, drained
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced (4 tsp.)
  • 1 cup short-grain brown rice
  • 1/8 tsp. saffron, crumbled
  • 1 cup fresh peas
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice
  • 3 green onions, sliced thin, for garnish

Directions:
Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in wok or deep pan.  Add tofu and season with sea salt and crushed red pepper. Saute 10 minutes, or until tofu is browned, stir occasionally.

Add mushrooms, saute 4-5 minutes, or until mushrooms release water and begin to brown.

Stir in carrots, corn, tomatoes, and garlic, and saute 2 minutes. Stir in rice, 2 1/4 cups of water, and saffron. Bring paella to a boil.

Reduce heat to medium-low, cover with lid, and simmer for 40 minutes, or until liquid is absorbed. Add peas on surface (do not stir in), cover, and allow peas to steam 1 to 2 minutes.

Remove pan from heat, stir in lemon juice and green onions. Season with salt and pepper.

Enjoy!

This dish is soooooooooooooo good.  I’ll share a few more of Jill’s recipes over the next couple of weeks.  My omnivore husband, who is also cleansing, loved this meal.

Speaking of the omni-husband, who is doing the cleanse with me, was in charge of making our lunch on day two of the cleanse.  Rather than follow the recipe, he just took a look at the list of ingredients, added a few of his own, and came up with this:

db’s Stuffed Peppers – or, Wait, there’s no meat in this?

2 large green peppers, cored and cleaned.  If they don’t stand up on their own, carefully cut the “feet” on the bottom to make them stable.  Don’t cut too much as you’ll make a hole in the bottom and all the liquid goodness will drain out.

Preheat oven to 400 F (as opposed to Kelvin)

In a saute pan:
Heat olive oil over med – med high heat

Dice approximately 1/2 of an onion
Dice up approximately a dozen mushrooms (use the spore of your choice, Crimini’s were the fungus of the day here)
Mince a couple cloves of garlic
Drain and clean about a 1/2 can of beans (again, your choice – black beans were the legume of the day here)
1 cup cooked quinoa
1/2 – 1/3 cup of veggie stock or diced tomatoes, either one will do. (or cut each in 1/2 and use both)

In a saute pan, with a bit of olive oil, throw in the shrooms, add a little salt and pepper.  When they’re getting soft, toss in the onion and garlic.  Stir, toss, flip, whatever for about 3 or 4 minutes – then toss in the beans.  Toss all that together for another minute or two.

Now, place the two peppers in a glass baking dish (or whatever works for you) and fill both with the filling from the saute pan.  Bake for 30 mins.  Plate, and watch your vegan wife take pictures of the better looking of the two peppers.

Enjoy.

Well done, Dave!  Delicious!

Stay tuned for more delicious “cleansing” meals!

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