Date Bundt

My first bundt! Craving sugar and trying to keep it healthy, I devised a use for a container of old dates in the back of the fridge...

1/3 c canola oil
1 c brown rice syrup
1 c unsweetened applesauce
3 T molasses
1 t vanilla
1 egg
1 c white flour
1 c whole wheat flour with wheat bran
2 t cinnamon
1 t nutmeg
1 t salt
1 t baking soda
1 c chopped dates

Whir rice syrup and oil together; beat in molasses, vanilla, applesauce, and egg.

Sift together the flours, spices, salt, and soda. Add to creamed mixture; beat well. Fold in dates. Pour batter into a greased bundt pan.

Bake at 350° for 45 minutes to an hour.

VERDICT: It tastes like a very sensible, Germanic breakfast cake. Not rich and decadent, but the rice syrup holds its own in giving it a good measure of sweetness.

Sekihan and Chile Relleno

Yesterday was the warmest day this year, which means one finds every excuse to be outdoors. Eating along the way, we passed many old standbys to try a few new restaurants that have been on our list.

Breakfast at Dodo is my new favorite meal. An affectionate pet name for the owner's Japanese grandmother, Dodo's menu masters and innovates on breakfast classics (tiramisu French toast, for one), etc. while offering a few dishes informed by Japanese cuisine. Eating from the weekend's seasonal specials, J had an asparagus and mushroom ragout omelet with fontina cheese and a watercress aoli with roasted potatoes on the side. And though I was tempted by the pillowy, syrupy toasts and cakes being set down on nearby tables, I was excited for the opportunity to try some Japanese home cooking (which, I realize, is hard to come by when S isn't in town.. sushi is only half the story...).

So I got their version of sekihan, a traditional celebratory dish in Japan consisting of azuki beans and rice. Dodo's sekihan was a hearty skillet saute of brown rice, azuki beans, mixed vegetables including brussels sprouts, cauliflower and bean sprouts, seitan, roasted red potatoes and sesame seeds. The bitterness of the greens complimented the nuttiness of the beans and rice nicely, and while I tasted a bit of soy sauce, it was very subtle and not all that salty. Something turned the plate yellow too- turmeric? This was so substantial, I made 3 meals out of the portion they served me.. each one fueling me through the day.

This is also an exemplary qi meal- containing all the foods my acupuncturist tells me to eat more of: azuki, brown rice, greens and sesame. Good for yang building, apparently.

Yang's heyday got the kibosh with dinner- a deliciouso bunch of tequila and cheesey goodness at Las Palmas. We started with their cucumber margaritas, one of which was shockingly easy to dispense with over chips and salsa before out food even arrived. The salsa, by the way, is stellar... smoky and peppery with a good kick. Realizing how easy it would be to polish off another of the not-too-sweet or tequila-tasting cucumber yummies, we opted to share the special sommelier flight of 3 tequilas. I don't remember the brand, but none were as smooth, in my opinion, as a good Petron. Not that we left a drop to be debated... I even took a bite out of the chaser cup.. a sculpted cucumber vessel containing spiced tomato juice.

J got salmon somethingorother with a plantain chip planted in the center of it.

I got the vegetarian churrito, which was supposed to 3 things, but they were out of a bunch of them, so they brought me some other stuff. One of them was like lasagna but with potato or chayote thinly sliced where one would expect noodles to be. The other components were hard to discern, something that looked like a ranchero sauce but didn't have much flavor, or maybe the starchy layer absorbed all the flavor. I think there was a melty cheese layer, but only because the slab of lasagna leaked a pool of oil onto the plate as it sat there. The salad in the middle was awesome. Simply greens and crumbled fresco cheese and a creamy lime vinaigrette. The chile relleno, which I wouldn't have chosen otherwise, was not the paragon of savory cheese I recalled.

This said, J's thing was excellent, and the salsa, margaritas and service were so good, I'm looking forward to going back and trying other things on the menu.

POST POST:: Went back and everything was fabulous. The cucumber margaritas are fully confirmed as favorite new summer drink ever. We shared a jicama salad that was a palette of bright fresh flavors and crunch. And I had tacos de pescado that were, next to the ones we make at home with turbot on the grill and mango, A-list. Jeff's fish thing, red snapper Veracruz, was sultry gooood. We went early and were seated in the almost-outside, sunny atrium. It was clearly family hour... all else was parents and fidgety 2 year olds. Later, as we were leaving the datey couples started to arrive, and exiting through the restaurant we realized we had been missing a stunning guitar trio doing traditional tunes with a female vocalist who could really belt it out. We hung out inside for a while enjoying them before shoving off.

Adobo

Hungry after a 20 minute wait at the post office, we walked over to a favorite non-Taqueria Mexican place. Adobo gives it to you fresh and with a flair, with flavor combinations like huitlacoche with goat cheese, or seared tuna and rose petal sauce (ala Like Water for Choc). Last night, we were seated in an intimate corner with a vantage point of the cavernous bustling dining room, which became increasingly boisterous with parties of 8 pouring in the closer to 9 p.m. Service has always been exceptional and food quality and creativity has the aura of Frida Khalo's table.

The tableside guac and chips is always a good start, and while I watch the preparation intently, it's still a dash of salt tastier than mine at home. Maybe I can't join the guac majors without the lava mortar and pestle.
J ordered a nice Tempranillo which I stole a few sips of when I realized how well it complimented my meal-- Camarones: 9 grilled shrimp in a pipian (a classic Mayan sauce made from pumpkin seeds) rojo sauce with zucchini sofrito and a light fluffy, deconstructed corn tamale.
J had Veracruz style red snapper with plantains and cilantro rice.
An oven-baked apple casserole (apples in a warm cinnamon-sweet sauce with pecans) topped with shortbread-like crumble topping and a scoop of flan ice cream (which I think was really more like dulce de leche).
Ouch. It was hurry-home-and-get-in-stretchy-pants good.

I am intrigued with pipian sauce: waiter described it as a sauce made with ground sesame and pumpkin seeds.. nutty richness layers powerfully with the smoky chile.. a mild-medium heat, lots of flavor. Paired very well with an earthy tempranillo.

Greek Picnic Pie, Dilly Rice and Roasted Asparagus

Dilly Rice with Spinach

Made rice (2 cups dry, but I planned to have leftovers/extra.. what was needed for this recipe was about 1/2 c dry) (a combination of brown rice and wild rice) in rice cooker. Sauteed 1/2 a diced onion although next time I think I'll make it a whole onion). When rice was done cooking and still warm, I tossed it with 3 T chopped fresh dill and 2 cups of chopped fresh spinach and the sauteed onion. The heat from the rice wilted the spinach nicely and the rest of the flavors came together by sitting together for 5-10 minutes. I also added 3 T olive oil, juice of 1/2 lemon and salt and pepper to taste. Made a yummy, warm rice salad. Packs well in a lunch with a little extra vinaigrette as a cold rice salad too.

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Greek Picnic Pie (adapted from The Complete Book of Greek Cooking) (can also make this with eggplant instead of zucchini)

2 medium zucchini
1 cup cooked rice (I used a mixture of brown rice and wild rice for a substantial, nutty flavor)
1 frozen pie crust (I used a whole wheat, all natural, no lard havin' bugger)
1 onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
5 oz. fresh spinach
3-4 T fresh basil
4 eggs
3 oz. feta cheese (I used a variety that was already trumped up with herbs)
2 T olive oil
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350. Roast slices of zucchini on oiled (1 T olive oil) cookie sheets for about 15 minutes on each side, or until brown. Saute garlic and onion in 1 T olive oil. Finely chop fresh spinach and basil. Combine in a bowl with garlic, onion, feta cheese, eggs (beaten), salt and pepper. (The orig recipe called for milk and yogurt, but I forgot to add them and it still turned out good, though more vegetal than creamy.)

Line the bottom of the frozen pie crust with about a cup of cooked rice. Then form another layer with the spinach and egg mixture. This should fill the pie crust to the brim. Top with a layer of roasted zucchini and bake for 30-40 minutes.

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The other thing is just roasted asparagus... only not just. It's their time, after all. Roasted asparagus was the catalyst, actually, of my kitchen esprit that has gotten a little out of control since last summer. Just oil em up, throw a lemon's worth of juice over them and flip them around occasionally in a 400 degree oven. They take between 25 and 30 minutes.

Potato Dosa

Tonight I made a way-too-spicy sambar soup, dosas from a container of pre-made fresh batter bought at Patel's over the weekend, and a spicy ginger potato filling for the dosas. P ended up dropping by and I do believe it was him who, 10 years ago, fed me my first home-cooked curry. Also one of the first in a string of "let me cook for you" friends.

The dosa mix- a thin batter of lentils, rice and salt- can be further thinned with water and easily cooks up into thin, crispy crepes ready to be stuffed with goodies. Goodies in this case was Chili-Mashed Potatoes with Ginger, adapted from the Vege Table book I've been cooking from all week. This was excellent topped with the Coconut Chutney I made on Saturday, and with some store-bought mango chutney.

2 1/2 lbs. baking potatoes
1/2-2 jalapeno chilis
1 1/2 c yogurt
salt and freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 T of ginger paste
2 T cilantro for garnishing

Peel potatoes and cut into 1-inch pieces. Cook in a large pot of boiling water until tender, about 25 minutes. Drain, and using a potato masher, mash them coarsely. Add the chilies, ginger paste and yogurt and continue to mash until mixture is smooth.

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I've got to either dump or doctor up the sambar. I'm not sure what went wrong with it, but all notion of HOT overwhelms any of the other flavors.

Curry two times

These are two more of the dishes I made on Saturday, shown as reheated office lunch-- but yum, do they hold up well as leftovers!

Again, from The Vegetarian Table: India cookbook. This series has been indispensable. The Veg Table France and North Africa have also gotten a thorough workout (with the splattered and encrusted pages to show for it).

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Curried Cauliflower

1 large cauliflower (2 lbs., trimmed into small florets)
1 T coriander seeds
1 t cumin seeds
1/2 t fennel seeds
2-3 T ghee or oil (I used olive oil)
1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely julienned
1/4 t cayenne powder
1/2 t turmeric
1/2 T sugar (Sugar in the raw)
salt and freshly ground pepper
3 T chopped cilantro

In a mortar, pound the cumin, coriander, and fennel until crushed (I gave them a whirl in the Vita-Mixer instead). Heat all but 1 t oil in large pan or wok over medium heat. Stir in ginger and fry for about 20 seconds, then add the crushed spices, cayenne, turmeric, sugar and a sprinkle of water. Within seconds, add the cauliflower and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes. (I added about 1/4 c water to keep cauliflower from scorching. All of the water evaporated off and/or kept the cauliflower from drying out.) Reduce heat to low, cover and cook to the desired tenderness, shaking the pan occasionally; 15 to 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, drizzle with remaining oil, and garnish with cilantro.


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(a new favorite thing)

Curried Eggplant and Spinach

3 medium eggplants (1 1/2 pounds)
3 yellow bell peppers (I used red)
1/4 c chickpea flour
1 t turmeric
2 T Garam Masala
1 1/2 t salt
2 or 3 T ghee or evoo (I used evoo)
1/2 c water
cooking oil spray
1 1/2 T brown mustard seeds
2 T grated fresh ginger
1-3 hot green chilies, minced
1/2 t cardamom seeds, crushed
1 T sugar (Sugar in the Raw)
2 lbs. plum tomatoes, seeded and coarsely chopped
1 1/2 lbs. spinach, trimmed and chopped (I used one whole package of ready to eat organic baby spinach leaves)

Preheat oven to 400. Peel and cut eggplants into 1/2 inch cubes. Quarter, seed, devein, and cut the peppers into 1-inch pieces. Combine the eggplant, peppers, chickpea flour, turmeric, 1 T garam masala, salt and half of the oil in a bowl. Pour in the water and toss to mix. (Next time: spray baking sheets thoroughly with canola oil spray before spreading mixture out on them. Spread the vegetables in a single later on two baking sheets and roast the vegetables until they are browned and tender; 20 to 25 minutes. Set aside.

Heat the remaining oil in a large, nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the mustard seeds and fry until the seeds pop. Add the ginger, chilies, cardamom, sugar, and tomatoes and stir-fry until tomatoes are somewhat pulpy; 4 or 5 minutes. Add the spinach, cover and cook until the spinach is bright green and softened. Stir in the eggplant, season with salt and simmer together for 15-20 minutes.

Lemon Sesame Bread

Looking for a bready breakfast and a way to use up the big tub of yogurt in the fridge. This may make it onto the Mother's Day brunch menu. Original recipe is here.

My version makes one loaf and uses plain yogurt with fresh lemon juice and zest instead of lemon-flavored yogurt.

1 1/2 c all-purpose flour
1/2 t salt
1/2 t baking soda
1/4 t baking powder
1/2 c sesame seeds (could also use poppyseeds)
1 egg
1/2 c canola oil
1/2 c sugar
1 c yogurt
juice and zest of 1/2 lemon

Sift together the flour, salt, soda and baking powder; stir in seeds. Beat the eggs in a large bowl. Add the oil and sugar; cream well. Add the yogurt and lemon juice and zest. Spoon into a greased loaf pan. Bake in a 325 degree oven for 1 hour.

The next time I may bump up the lemon zest and juice to a whole lemon. I used low-fat yogurt and the bread still came out moist and rich.

J's Indian Benedict

While it was all by the book, the feast for 6 involved 4 dishes I'd never made before with everything needing to be prepared or finished within 15 minutes to serving, so the kitchen was a little chaotic as our guests arrived, and I wasn't able to sit much with the appetizers and soup course, but once everything else came together it was a banquet I could enjoy (with another bottle of the St. Michelle Reisling). Things got too busy for a photo op-- as it is, I'm called the "food paparazzi." But as the leftovers get eaten, I'll post the feast redux.

In the meantime, J invented "Indian Benedict" (pictured above with coconut chutney) this morning.

One of the curries from last night was the egg curry posted on this yummy blog.

So one egg poached in this curry sauce assembled atop sauteed fresh spinach over a whole wheat English muffin.

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Coconut Chutney
from Yamuna Devi's The Vegetarian Table: India

1 c grated fresh or dried coconut (I used dry)
2 cups yogurt
2 t unrefined corn oil (I used olive oil instead)
1 t brown mustard seeds
1 large jalapeno chili, seeded and slivered (I used 2 or 3 of the tiny Thai hot chilis I keep in the freezer)
1 t split urad dal
1/4 t yellow asafetida
15 fresh curry leaves

Whisk coconut and yogurt together in a bowl. Fry the oil, mustard seeds, chilis and dal in a small pan until the dal turns brown and the mustard seeds crackle and pop. Add the asafetida and curry leaves and let them sizzle for about 10 seconds. Pour the seasoning into the yogurt and stir to mix.

Chateau Ste. Michelle

The 2005 vintage of Riesling from this winemaker was a bargain and drunk mostly on its own (and with Boca hot dogs!), but another bottle is definitely in order as I gear up to try some new Indian curry recipes this weekend. Dry, not too sweet, and well-balanced.

Also, a new wine shop is slated to open a block away from our place! That, I'm expecting, will further my education greatly.

By-Ear Kheer

Saw The Namesake today which a. made me a twinge sorry for passing up a chance to go to Russia this summer but to resolve instead to read all heretofore unattended to Russian literature presently on my shelf, b. resolve to go to India someday, c. in the immediate term cook something with cardamom in it.

Leftover rice in the fridge, and brown rice syrup and rose water in the pantry yet to be experimented with, I undertake a kheer, though without any official reference to what constitutes one. Only after to I peek at the internet to discover many fantastic variations, with sweet potato, bread, carrots, vermicelli, cashews, you name it.

C, who sat next to me at the movie and has a hissy whenever I eat anything curry in her presence, squirmed as the character Ashima, newly arrived in the States, topped a bowl of Rice Krispies with red chili powder and peanuts, but I thought it was a luminous moment of food as character development.

2 cups of leftover rice (I used white sushi rice because that was lingering around from last week's stirfry)
2 cups soymilk (or "spymilk" for the keyboarding-challenged)
dash salt
dash freshly ground nutmeg
fresh ground cardamom, 1 pod
2-3 T brown rice syrup
1 T rosewater
4-5 strands saffron

Added all of these things as I thought of them, while the rice and soymilk base was stirred pretty constantly over a low flame with a wooden spoon. I expected the saffron to turn the whole works more of a vibrant hue than it did, perhaps more was needed. I thought that the rice syrup added a good level of sweetness, though when I've had this dessert in Indian restaurants it is significantly sweeter (and more rich with coconut milk or full fat real milk). Also, the consistency of mine was more sticky rice than porridge out of preference. The soup-inclined would be advised to add more milk.

Toasted almond slivers finished off each serving, or, my serving anyway. Made 4-6 servings.

**Apparently the thing to do with the saffron, besides tripling the amount, is to crush the strands in a tablespoon of warm milk. Next time.

Caprese

Self explanatory. Cheese, tomato, basil, repeat. Top with evoo and balsamic.

And while I was not working with heirloom tomatoes or fresh baby mozz, the ingredients were fresh and several cuts above those employed in something going by this name at a local restaurant recently. Their *unlucky* (hint) rendition was astonishingly accomplished in delivering zero flavor from any of its inherently flavorful components. The olive oil could have been Crisco for all I knew, and the tomatoes had a pallor like they were grown in the Arctic circle. All in all, it was one of the more unpleasant dining experiences we've had in some time. Poor service, fresh baked bread on the table that was from a bland mix, J's shrimp linguini also suspiciously overly fishy.

And so the simple Caprese has been redeemed.

The Chicago dog, taken for a walk through the garden

Notice the resemblance? J is the master of the Chicago dog, though we opt out of the neon relish and swap the cow for something Boca (brats or Italians work well). Of course, ketchup is a no-never.

Years ago, three or four weeks into a backpacking trip through Europe I got really homesick when we stopped in a chips shop in London and saw this familiar poster. Somehow trying to explain to others that a tug-boat squirting mustard on a mile-long wiener made me misty-eyed only draws perplexing stares.

Broccoli-Tofu-Shittake Stir-fry

Changed it up a bit, but this recipe did provide a good technique for the tofu. Sauce was pretty mild since I omitted the hot pepper, but still quite flavorful. Having sherry in the pantry is always a surprise blessing.

Moosewood Restaurant Cooks at Home: Fast and Easy Recipes for Any Day

Adapted from: Moosewood Restaurant Cooks at Home

Serving Size: 4

Sauce:

• 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
• 2/3 cup homemade vegetable stock
  
• 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 3 tablespoons tamari
  
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch

Stir-fry:

• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 1 garlic clove -- pressed
• 18 ounces tofu -- cut into 1" cubes
• 3 cups broccoli florets
• 1/3 cup dry sherry
• 1 bunch chives-- cut into 1" pieces
• 1 1/2 c sliced shittake mushrooms
  

Combine the sauce ingredients in a small bowl.
Before beginning to stir-fry, prepare the vegetables and have all the ingredients at hand.
In a wok or large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil on medium-high heat.

Add the garlic and stir-fry for just 30 seconds before adding the tofu.
Continue to stir-fry for 3 or 4 minutes, until the tofu is lightly browned.
Remove the tofu and set aside.
Add the other tablespoon of oil to the wok, heat for a few seconds, and them add the broccoli.
Stir-fry for a minute and pour in the sherry.
Stir-fry for 3 minutes.
If the broccoli begins to scorch, add a tablespoon of water.
Add the chives and mushrooms, continue to stir-fry for a minute, and them the tofu and the sauce.
Stir carefully and bring to a simmer.
Simmer for 3 or 4 minutes, until the sauce thickens.

Served over rice with toasted sesame seeds.

Park Grille, spring menu

Tonight's meal at our favorite restaurant:
I was ecstatic to see that the menu changed for spring, one of the only hopeful signs of a warmer season ahead with this week's freakish dose of snow and freezing rain. (Funny, even the view was season-ambiguous. The area outside looked very much in transition from ice rink to beer garden, but uncertain about the beer garden.)
Eaten:
Chicago ciopinno- J got, not wild about. Prawns had a little too much facial expression and there was an underpinning of fennel that wasn't sitting right.
Garlic and potato soup- me. Also a little funny, "dark tasting," but don't know why. My don't-ask-don't-tell policy about stocks may be to blame.
White asparagus salad with watercress, toasted wafer of cheese and a poached egg in a lemon vinaigrette.: awesome. Their salads have always done right by me, and this one put me on to lemon and eggs as a savory combination which I hadn't considered before. The California Riesling I had with it was OK, but there's something too in-your-face about California wines to me lately.. the winery was Boon Docks, Boon Doggle, somethingorother. Had a muscat by them with dessert which was beefier than I expected too.
So dessertS (yes, there were two of them) were a chocolate stout cake with espresso ice cream with a sprinkle of oats to evoke the stout... formidable to be sure. But the other, the strawberry Napoleon, was hands down the best sweet thing we'd ever eaten there: roasted strawberries layered with a goat-cheese-like creme fraiche and crispy thin phyllo rounds drizzled with balsamic vinegar.
It's unusual that anything on the menu leave us cold, as the soups did, but it'll always be a favorite haunt with the seasonally changing menu, excellent service and dessert into the stratosphere.

A Coupla Two Tree Berry Cobblers

No one warned us what a stinker the movie Bobby was, and about the only enjoyable moment I derived from watching it last night was Lawrence Fishburne's cobbler. With a pint of blueberries and a few strawberries looking wan in the fridge, cobbler ensued.

In the attempt to keep things light and vegan I mixed up one from the chooseveg website. But since I had 2 small pans instead of one 9 x 9 I made two, and since my whole wheat flour was in an unmarked jar and could have been oat flour, I improvised a second cobbler out of white flour. Good thing too, the first one turned out positively leaden. The second was pretty good, though butter would certainly liven things up.

Preheat oven to 375.

2 c fresh blueberries and frozen blackberries

Toss in baking dish with 1/4 ea. flour and sugar (sugar in the raw).

Batter:
1 c all-purpose flour
1 t baking powder
1/8 t salt
1 T honey (could substitute with more sugar)
1/2 c soymilk

Mix batter ingredients and spoon over berry mixture. Bake for 35 minutes or until cobbler crust is golden brown.

My First Baba Ganoush

turned out pretty good. It was kind of a guided experiment. I started by referring to recipe but improvised a little.

8 baby eggplants
1 clove garlic
2 T tahini
juice of 3 lemons
2 T olive oil
dash of salt

First I roasted the eggplants in the oven at 400 degrees for 35 minutes, pricking them with a knife before putting them in whole on a baking sheet. After about 35 minutes, their skins were wrinkled and the eggplant was starting to get fragrant. They were then removed from the oven and allowed to cool.

After they were cool, I peeled them and squeezed them between some paper towels to get rid of some of the excess water. Then into a blender with the rest of the ingredients and that was it. It yielded a little less than 2 cups.

White Bean Pesto

Some still-hot-from-the-bakery whole wheat pita bread came my way at Stanley's Market yesterday, so I'm reinvigorating my vegetarian sandwich repertoire this week.

This spread makes a terrific base for a sandwich of baby lettuces and red bell pepper. Sprouts, onion, tomato and cucumber will probably get worked in there later this week. It would also be a good dip with crackers or toasted bread, or straight up vegetable crudites, for a party. Tossed with pasta? Probably.

1 c packed, fresh basil leaves
1 8 oz. can of cannellini beans
1/4 c olive oil
1/2 t sea salt
fresh cracked black pepper, to taste
1 T minced garlic (I used the ready to go refrigerated minced garlic in this and hummus because the raw garlic seems overpowering to the other flavors)

Blend all ingredients in a blender.

I think I'll get 6 sandwich dollops out of this, but I'd easily double the recipe if I were wanting 2 cups on hand for appetizers and guests.

Brown Rice Pudding (kind of)

A quick, easy and light dessert using leftover brown rice.

3/4 c brown rice (already cooked)
1/3 c soy milk, Silk Unsweetened
1 t honey (buckwheat honey, dark and high in antioxidants)
1 T sliced almonds
1 T raisins

Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan and simmer covered and over a low heat for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Serves 1.

This took care of a late night sweet tooth as I move away from my sugar binge of the last 4 months!

Broccoli Soup

I'm counting points again to make up for the last few months spent baking instead of jogging. WW'ers should know that this one is zero points and lots of flavor. I almost creamied it up with some soy milk, but this simple, light version made a nice, comforting snack at the end of a long day.

Boil for 20-25 minutes at medium heat:
4 cups (1 box) of Imagine No-Chicken broth
1 10 oz. package of frozen broccoli
1/4 c diced onion
1 T minced garlic
1 t white pepper
2-3 t dried thyme

Then whiz through blender until smooth.

Dong Gu Tofu

Here's a favorite. Whipped the sauce together last night to accompany brown rice, tofu and a bag of Trader Joe's frozen veggies, but the original recipe with mushrooms and scallions is delish. Especially with the variety pack of mushrooms so you get some of the oyster and shittakes in there for a deeper flavor. I think I added fresh broccoli to the mix once before too, which was also complimentary.
Recipe came from what's for eats website.

Dong Gu Dofu

(Chinese tofu with mushrooms)

Yield: 4-6 servings

INGREDIENTS	PREP	AMOUNT
Water or stock		1/2 cup
Soy sauce		1/4 cup
Hoisin sauce		2 Tbsp
Hot bean paste (chile paste)		2-3 tsp
Sugar		2 tsp
Rice wine		2 Tbsp
Salt		to taste
Cornstarch		1 Tbsp
Oil		2-3 Tbsp
Scallions	sliced into 1/4" pieces on the diagonal	3-4 each
Mushrooms, fresh	quartered	1 cup
Mushrooms, shiitake, dried	soaked in hot water, destemmed, cut in strips	4-6 each
Tofu, firm	cubed	2 lbs

METHOD

Basic Steps: Mix → Stir fry → Simmer

1. Mix together the first set of ingredients to make your sauce. Adjust seasoning to your taste.
2. Heat the oil over high flame in a wok or large pot. Add the scallions and stir fry till just heated through. Add the mushrooms and continue to stir fry 2-3 more minutes.
3. Reduce heat to low, give the sauces a good stir and add to the mushrooms and scallions. Stir in well and bring to a simmer to thicken. Fold in the tofu gently and let simmer till heated through. Add a little stock or water if the sauce becomes too thick. Serve with rice.

*I use low-sodium tamari instead of soy sauce and cut the sugar back to a pinch. I usually omit the extra salt too. Red chili paste is, in this house, always sambal oelek, a.k.a. The Rooster.