coconut curry with yam, shiitake, and tofu

Yes, I said tofu. Don't freak out; it's not that scary. Tofu doesn't have to be scary, or inedible. I'll admit there are things I like better, but tofu can be yummy too. It just takes a bit of creativity and some big, bold flavours. I like tofu for its versatility. But it's also fabulous since it can sit in the fridge a good while longer than most meats can, and therefore saves an emergency trip to the store before dinner. Plus, it's super budget friendly. Can't beat that. This is best served with a grain of some sort. I like quinoa. Basmati rice, barley, or kamut would be delicious too. I didn't mix the tofu into the mix, but might be a better idea to help out any picky eater you might have. Coconut Curry with Yam, Shiittake, and Tofu 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 4 cloves of garlic 1 tbsp curry powder 1 tsp Hungarian paprika 1 tsp ginger powder 1 tsp garam masala 1 tsp ground coriander 4 small crushed red chili peppers 1 can of coconut milk, full fat 5 cups yam or sweet potato, peeled and cubed 1 cup shiitake mushrooms 1 package firm tofu 1/2 bunch of cilantro 1. Pre-heat a deep sided sauté pan. 2. Finely chop the garlic. 3. Add the extra-virgin olive oil to the pan, followed shortly by the garlic. 4. As soon as the garlic has a little colour to it, add the curry powder, paprika, ginger, garam masala, coriander, and chili peppers. It might be time to lower the heat to medium low, if things are getting too much colour. 5. Add the can of coconut milk, and stir. Once the coconut milk begins to simmer, add the diced yam and cover. 6. Cook the yam until tender, adding a little water or broth as necessary. Season with salt to taste. 7. Meanwhile, remove the tofu from the package and drain. Wrap in a couple paper towels, and weight it down between two plates to help remove any excess moisture. Let sit as long as it takes for the yams to become tender. Then cube into bite size pieces. 8. In another nonstick sauté pan, heat a tablespoon of olive oil on medium-high heat. Add the shiitake's. Let them sit for thirty seconds before turning, or they will stick. Repeat. Then add the mushrooms to the yam mixture. 9. Be sure to keep the pan hot, and add the tofu. Do not stir it until each piece has formed a golden brown crust (turn the heat up if necessary). Season with a little salt to keep your fingers occupied. Allow to brown on each side before transferring to serving plates or adding to the yam mixture (your choice). 10. Add some chopped cilantro to the yams and shiitakes. Stir, and serve with the tofu, and alongside a grain or rice if you prefer. Enjoy!
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guacamole & steak tacos

I know it doesn't look like much. But I think there are at least a few dozen posts that were never born because this past spring I have been head over heels for this dinner. So, for my birthday I had to have these tacos, with the real deal tortillas. Plus, it's all gluten-free, which makes it perfect to share with friends. The hardest part of the whole thing is just to make sure to have all of the ingredients as fresh as possible, and also to have ripe avocado's on hand. I also recommend having a bag of tortilla chips handy to ward off starvation, and to enjoy the guacamole, and cilantro-onion salsa, just be cautioned that you might not make it to the tacos! It isn't exactly refined in appearance, but I dare say, that my mouth waters when I think of tasting this steak taco with guacamole, and chipotle hot sauce Guacamole for Four 3 ripe avocadoes 1/2 cup finely chopped onion (the stronger the better) 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered 1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro juice of at least 2 limes salt, to taste 1. Add the onion, tomatoes, cilantro, and lime juice to a medium size bowl 2. Using a very sharp knife, carefully cut the skin, down to the pit, all around the avocado. Separate the two halves with your hands, by gently wiggling the two pieces back and forth. Remove the pit with the knife. 3. Using a paring knife, slice the flesh into long strips, and then again across the flesh, to create little cubes. Scoop out the flesh with a grapefruit spoon. 4. Add the avocado to the bowl and mash slightly with a fork. I prefer it a little bit chunky, but feel free to mash to your own liking. 5. Add the salt, and taste. Steak Tacos Tacos can be made with any protein, or even just vegetables. Of all things, we have a tonne of beef tenderloin, which for us, is too lean for anything other than tacos. Any cut of steak will do, the trick is to freeze it for a bit before slicing, so it's easier to shred with the knife. It can also be marinated in any multitude of things, including orange juice, lime juice, cumin, coriander, cayenne, or anything chipotle. Fry it up in a cast-iron skillet or saute pan. I never eat tacos without this healthful, but addicting salsa. An absolute must. Corn Tortillas How-To Corn tortillas seem a little tricky at first. They seem incredibly dry and even a bit brittle until warmed up, and then they revive themselves. Do not add water or any oil. Using a cast-iron skillet pre-heated to medium, there are two ways to heat the tortillas: It is easy to prepare one tortilla at a time, but it is best to consume immediately. Place the tortilla on the pre-heated skillet, and allow it to subtly brown. If there are black marks, that is taking it a bit too far. You can try to keep it warm by wrapping it in a tea towel, but if you can, it is better to prepare a stack at a time. Hopefully, you have the patience to read this, digest it, and re-read it. To prepare a stack of tortillas, place the stack on the hot skillet. Allow the bottom tortilla to brown, but again, not to become black. Then, flip the whole stack over. Now the top tortilla will be on the bottom browning, and the formerly bottom tortilla, which is browned on one side, will be on the top. Using a metal spatula, insert it into the middle of the stack and lift the upper half off the pile. Flip the upper half of the pile face down, onto the remaining stack, so that the cooked half is facing down. This will keep it the cooked tortillas from drying out, and turning into crackers. Soon, the tortilla on the bottom of the stack will be browned. Flip the whole stack again, so the cooked side is now on the top. Find the other cooked one in the middle, and flip the upper half of the stack so that the two cooked tortillas are next to each other, but both facing down. Repeat the process, and then repeat again for the other side of each tortilla. Immediately after removing the tortillas from the skillet, place the stack of tortillas into a tea towel. Keep the tortillas covered. Only heat enough for the first few tortillas for each person, and later heat some more, as necessary. If the tortillas sit too long, they become brittle and virtually useless as a taco. These tacos are a cinch, and ridiculously delicious to eat, once you get the process down. Don't be intimidated, just go for it!
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