Orange-Sesame "Fried" Rice, Lentils and Veggies

Orange-Sesame "Fried" Rice, Lentils and Veggies

1/2 c dry brown rice
1/2 c dry brown lentils
1 med onion
2 cloves garlic
1-2 tsp grated fresh ginger
2-3 cups chopped (1/2" dice) or already-small veggies (I used zucchini, carrot, peas, spinach and broccoli)
1/4 c water for steam-frying
2 tbsp orange juice concentrate
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes or hot chili paste
1/4 tsp roasted sesame oil
1 tsp Braggs Liquid Aminos
1-2 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted

Cook the rice and lentils together with 2 1/2-3 c water in a covered pot until soft (you could cook them seperately, as they technically have different cooking times, but I usually just stick them together and it all works out just fine.) Set aside.

In a skillet, add the onions, ginger and garlic, plus a little water. Sautee over medium heat until beginning to carmelize. Add remaining veggies and cook until everything is relatively soft but still holding its shape. Add the rice/lentil mixture, the garlic powder, onion powder, orange juice concentrate and red pepper flakes/chili paste. Add additional water if necessary and sautee until everything is mixed up and the flavors begin to blend, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add the Braggs, the sesame oil and 1/2 of the sesame seeds. Stir to blend. Serve topped with some of the remaining sesame seeds.

Ma Po Dofu

I'm not going to post a recipe for this one because a) its from a cookbook and b) I forgot to write it down and I've since returned the book to the library. But anyway, this is Ma Po Dofu from Bryanna Clark Grogan's 20 Minutes to Dinner: Quick, Low-Fat, Low-Calorie, Vegetarian Meals. Ma Po Dofu (Mapoo Tofu, whatever yur local place calls it) is one of my favorite Chinese dishes. It is traditionally served with pork (tvp crumbles take that role here) and firm/extra firm silken tofu with lots of "brown" sauce for a delightfully slimy texture. Yeah, slimy...yummm, slimy.... If you are on a low-sodium diet, this is not for you, sorry. Tons of hoisin, soy sauce and chili paste. I made it with a LOT less soy sauce than she called for (I used Bragg's Liquid Aminos and only about 1/3 the amount) and I still found it a bit salty, but E2L has caused my tastebuds to be extra sensitive to salt.

Changes I will make next time I make this recipe: less cornstarch (it ended up far too gelatinous even with only 2/3 what she called for), and PEAS! Most places I've had Mapo tofu has served it with green peas mixed in and I would have done that but, alas, we were out. But overall, this recipe replicated the traditional dish quite well. The whole cookbook is really quite awesome, I highly recommend it. There is this cheez sauce recipe...but I digress.