Soy Glazed Carrots with Tofu

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• Coarse salt
• 1 1/2 pounds carrots, (8 to 9 medium), cut into 2-inch lengths (thick pieces halved lengthwise)
• 2 packages (12 to 14 ounces each) extra-firm tofu, drained, each block cut into 16 equal pieces (32 total)
• 4 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1 to 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 to 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil

Directions

1. Heat broiler. If using a broilerproof rimmed baking sheet, set rack 4 inches from heat; if using a broiler pan, set rack so that top of pan is 4 inches from heat. In a large bowl, whisk together vegetable oil, soy sauce, and 1 teaspoon salt. Add carrots; toss to coat.
2. With a slotted spoon, transfer carrots (reserving bowl with marinade) to sheet (or pan). Push carrots to one side.
3. Working with a few pieces at a time, add tofu to marinade in bowl; turn gently to coat, and transfer to sheet. Reserve bowl with marinade.
4. Broil until carrots are tender and tofu is browned, turning tofu halfway through cooking time and tossing carrots occasionally (more frequently toward end of cooking time), 30 to 35 minutes.
5. Transfer tofu and carrots to reserved bowl with marinade. Add scallions, vinegar, and sesame oil; toss gently to combine.

Favorite Cleanse Recipes

Breakfast

Irish Steel Cut Oatmeal - SERVES 4
from recipezaar Recipe #139298 37 min 2 min prep


My Notes - This is the best way to eat oatmeal, even my 8 and 10 year old like these. I off course add a little brown sugar for them. But my kids actually ask for oatmeal now in the morning.

Ingredients:

4 cups of briskly boiling water
1 cup steel cut oats
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
milk (optional) (soy or rice milk for cleanse)
honey or brown sugar (omit for cleanse or use agave nectar)
1 tablespoon nuts
1/2 banana, sliced

Directions:

1. Pour the cinnamon and oats into boiling water and stir until it begins to thicken.
2. Lower the heat until it begins to simmer and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. It's important not to overcook the oats so that you get a nice nutty flavour.
4. Add the remaining ingredients and enjoy!


Dinner

Southwest Black Bean and Rice (Crock-Pot) - Serves 12
from recipezaar Recipe #318232
This is an easy recipe that can be used as a dip, burrito filling, or entree. It has everything you need for a filling and healthy meal, it's just your choice how you eat it. I hope you enjoy it cause I just love it.
by LocalChef57

½ day 30 min prep

My notes: This is an awesome recipe if you are busy and want to have something ready when you get home for dinner. I love the crock-pot on a busy weekday. This recipe makes a ton it really will serve 12. I recommend halving the recipe. I have made it with the cheese and it was not any better so it is a great cleanse recipe. It has tons of protein and fiber and also carbs, but sure does fill you up. It is great with chips, guacamole, salsa, and even lettuce. I have omitted the tomatoes before and added refried beans at the end, it is very versatile, but very thick and hearty.

Ingredients:
1 (16 ounce) bag dried black beans
1 (16 ounce) bag brown rice
1 red onion (chopped)
3 jalapeno peppers (seeded and chopped)
7 cups water
1/4 cup lime juice (or Lemon)
1 cup cilantro (chopped)
2 (8 ounce) cans diced tomatoes with green chilies
1 (16 ounce) bag frozen corn
1/3 cup favorite cajun seasoning
1 (16 ounce) bag four-cheese Mexican blend cheese

Directions:

Rinse and sort beans. Mix beans, rice, onion, jalapenos, and water into crock-pot. Cook on low for 8.5 hours.
Add lime juice, cilantro, tomatoes, corn, and cheese. At this time also add 1/3 cup of desired cajun seasoning (Tony's, Emeril's, Luzianne, ect.). I use Lusianne, bcause it has less sodium. Continue cooking for another 30 minute.
Serve warm by itself or, wrapped in a flour tortilla like a burrito, or serve with tortilla chips like a dip.
Add a dab of sour cream and/or guacamole for color, texture, and taste.

Dessert

Fresh Mango Cobbler -

Great if you are craving a dessert. Beware it is not cheap to make. The coconut oil I found was $7.50 and it takes 3 cups of pecans which are not cheap either. But it is very tasty. I also made some modifications. I substituted raisins for the dates and added some dehydrated apple slices which I had rehydrated, because I only had two mangoes. They went well together. I would recommend heating the cobbler for a few minutes in the microwave and maybe pouring a little soy or rice milk on top. The recipe is from a Raw cookbook so it does not need to be cooked, but I like warm cobbler.

From Ani the recipe contributor: Mangoes are one of my favorite fruits! This cobbler will blow your mind, it’s super delicious and easy to make. Make sure to choose perfectly ripe mangoes, the type without fibers if possible. The flavor of your mangoes will fully determine the flavor of your cobbler. My philosophy is that raw desserts must taste as good as their cooked counterpart…or better! I’ve served this cobbler at many potlucks, and folks love it! And not one person has ever guessed it was raw!

CRUST
3 cups pecans,dry
1 vanilla bean, scraped, or 1 Tablespoon alcohol-free extract
¾ teaspoon sea salt
¾ cup pitted dates


SYRUP
¾ cup pitted dates
3 Tablespoons coconut oil
½ vanilla bean, or ½ Tablespoon alcohol-free extract
⅔ cup filtered water, as needed


FILLING
3 to 4 ripe mangoes, peeled, seeded, sliced, about 6 cups

To make crust, process pecans, vanilla bean, and salt into powder in your food processor. Add ¾ cup pitted dates and process until mixed well. Sprinkle half of the crust onto bottom of pie dish, and set aside. Don’t bother rinsing out your food processor after making the crust; the leftover crumbs will add in with the syrup ingredients.

To make syrup, process ¾ cup dates, oil, vanilla bean, and water as needed to make a thick syrup. Set aside.

To make filling, place sliced mango into a large mixing bowl. Toss with the syrup. Spoon onto cobbler crust. To serve, top with remaining half of the crust. Will keep for two days in the fridge.

Yield: One cobbler.

RECIPES: Week 2

Vegetarian Black-Bean Chili

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small onion, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 2 zucchini (about 1 pound total), halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise
• 2 carrots, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 cans (19 ounces each) black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes
• 1 package (10 ounces) frozen corn kernels, thawed

  Directions

• In a 5-quart Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat oil over medium-high. Add onion and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to soften, about 4 minutes.
• Add zucchini, carrots, chili powder, and cumin. Cook, stirring occasionally, until carrots are crisp-tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Add beans, tomatoes, corn, and 1 cup water. Simmer until slightly thickened and carrots are soft, 8 to 10 minutes more.

Thai Coconut-Corn Soup

1 tablespoon light olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 to 5 scallions, white and green parts, thinly sliced
1 medium red bell pepper, cut into short, narrow strips
Two 15-ounce cans light coconut milk
1½ cups rice milk
One 16-ounce bag frozen corn
2 teaspoons good quality curry powder
¼ teaspoon Thai red curry paste, more or less to taste
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
½ cup minced fresh cilantro
DIRECTIONS:
1. Heat the oil in a small soup pot. Add the garlic, the white parts of the scallions, and the bell pepper. Sauté over medium-low heat until softened and golden, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Add the coconut milk, rice milk, corn, curry powder, the green parts of the scallions. If using the curry paste, dissolve it in a small amount of water before adding to the soup. Bring to a rapid simmer, then lower the heat. Cover and simmer gently for 5 minutes. Season with salt and remove from the heat. Serve, passing around the cilantro for topping. Yield: 6 servings.

Indonesian Coconut Rice

2 tablespoons organic canola oil
1 yellow onion, minced
3 garlic cloves, minced
4 scallions minced
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon dry mustard
½ teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
¼ teaspoon ground cloves or allspice
2 teaspoons sugar, or to taste (OMIT)
4 cups cooked brown rice
1 cup shredded coconut (sprouts)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS:
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the onion and garlic, and cook until onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Add the scallions, ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, mustard, red pepper flakes, cloves, and sugar, and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Add the rice and stir to mix evenly. Gently stir in the coconut. Season to taste with salt and pepper and heat until hot. Cover, and set aside for 5 minutes before serving. Serve over steamed veggies, sprinkle with peanuts and coconut.

Quinoa Mandarin Salad

1 cup uncooked quinoa
1 can (11 ounces) mandarin orange segments, drained, juice reserved
2 cups Green Giant Select frozen sugar snap peas
1/3 cup sliced green onions (about 6 medium)
Leaf lettuce leaves

DRESSING
1 tablespoon honey (substitute agave nectar)
3 tablespoon vinegar (unseasoned rice vinegar)
2 tablespoon olive or canola oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon red pepper sauce

DIRECTIONS

1. Rinse quinoa thoroughly with running cold water; drain well. Add enough water to reserved mandarin orange liquid to make 2 cups.
2. In 2-quart saucepan, mix quinoa and orange liquid mixture; heat to boiling. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer 12 minutes. Add sugar snap peas; cover and cook 2 to 4 minutes or until quinoa is tender, liquid is absorbed and peas are crisp-tender. Remove from heat. Stir in onions. Cool 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, in small jar with tight-fitting lid, place dressing ingredients; shake well. Refrigerate until serving time.
4. In medium bowl, mix quinoa mixture and mandarin orange segments. Cover; refrigerate 1 hour or until chilled.
5. Just before serving, line 4 individual salad plates with lettuce. Pour dressing over salad; stir gently to coat. Spoon salad onto lettuce-lined plates.
   
   Success Tip: Uncooked quinoa has a bitter coating and therefore must be rinsed and drained thoroughly before cooking it.
   
   Top this salad with toasted slivered almonds to complement the lightly nutty flavor of the quinoa. To toast the almonds, spread them on a cookie sheet and place them in a 350°F oven for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently until golden brown. Immediately remove the almonds from the cookie sheet to prevent further browning.

The Cleanse: WEEK 2

The Cleanse: Week 2

Breakfasts: Oatmeal w/almonds, berries, and rice milk

Fruit Smoothies

Lunches: LEFTOVERS

Salad made with roasted veggie, Newman’s Own Oil & Vinegar

Succotash of Fresh Corn, Lima Beans, Tomatoes and Onions

Dinners:

Vegan Chili, crispy tortillas

Spaghetti Squash w/marinara, sautéed soy chorizo, garden salad

Indonesian Coconut Rice

Quinoa Mandarin Salad

Thai Coconut-Corn Soup, side salad

Peanut Noodles, fresh fruit

Veggie Patties, sweet potato fries, side salad

Ministrone

I made a Gigantic batch of this minestrone soup (my sis-in-law Danielle's recipe). Alan was thrilled with it. Which is a good thing, because we will be eating it for days to come- it made a ton of soup!! So delish.

Ministrone

3-4 cans diced tomatoes, depending on your tastes

1 can tomato sauce

6 cups water

4 veggie boullions ( I used 4 cups of veggie stock from TJ's and it was perfect for our batch)

1 package pasta (eliminate for cleanse)

2 yellow onions

3 large carrots, sliced

celery, to your taste, diced

4 cloves garlic, crushed

fresh green beans

yellow, red, and green bell peppers

zucchini, chopped

1 can drained kidney beans (can increase for cleanse)

1 can drained lima beans (can increase for cleanse)

Saute the following in a bit of olive oil until softened:

onions, carrots, celery,green beans, peppers, garlic

Add and stew until zucchini is soft:

Tomatoes,Water,Boullion,Zucchini,Beans,Italian seasoning (to taste-about 1/8 cup),salt and pepper. Add ½ c.fresh basil toward the end. Serve!

Must Make

I made the Firecracker Tofu Stir-fry last night using agave nectar in place of the honey. It was AMAZING. That is our favorite stir-fry recipe anyway, and it tasted great with the cleanse tweeks. Tip: I cut up the tofu, sprinkled a little soy sauce over it, and baked it at 400 for 30 minutes before adding it to the stir-fry. This really helped with the taste of the tofu- we loved it. We had it with brown rice and big green salad. You will not feel deprived after this meal. Yum.

Peanut Noodles

6 cloves freshly minced garlic

¼ c. fresh ginger, minced

½ c. vegetable oil (or canola, I add less then this)

½ c. sesame paste (tanini) (Found at Sprouts)

½ c. peanut butter (no sugar PB, obviously)

½ c. soy sauce

1/4c. dry sherry (can substitue water or apple juice)

1/4c. sherry vinegar (other vinegar- I'm using no sugar rice vinegar)

1/4c. honey (agave necter)

½ t. hot chili oil

2 T. sesame oil

½ t. pepper

1/8 t. cayenne pepper

1 lb. Spaghetti (brown rice noodles)

1 red pepper

1 yellow pepper

4 scallions

Process garlic, ginger, add oil, tanini, peanut butter, soy, sherry, honey, oil, pepper. Puree all ingredients until smooth. Cook noodles. Toss with ¾ of sauce, add peppers, toss again. Serve remaining sauce on side.

My sis and I ate these last time we were on the cleanse- delish, and very filling. It's going on next weeks menu for sure.

Few things

*We tried the cucumber/basil smoothie. Health in a glass! Alan wasn't so sure about it, but over ice I thought it was ok. We'll have it again.
*The Pumpkin Soup was amazing Danielle!! I thought it was great with butternut squash. We loved it, and I made enough so we had a lot leftover with plenty to freeze.
*We had one of our favorites for lunch yesterday- Vegan Tostadas. Try them!
VEGAN TOSTADAS
Heat small amount of Olive oil over medium heat in pan. Cook corn torillias until they start to darken, turning once. When they are cripsy, lay them out on a paper towels. (Or, shortcut, but the tortilla in a toaster)
Spread with "pinto beans con salsa" from TJ's. Add vegan guacemole, salsa, tomatoes and lots of shredded lettuce. There are delish and super quick.

The Menu's: Week 1

The Cleanse: Week 1

Breakfasts: Oatmeal w/almonds, berries, and rice milk

Fruit Smoothies made w/almond milk

Vegan Apple Cinnamon Waffles w/agave nectar, berries

Lunches: Leftovers

Amy’s Lentil soup w/side salad, balsamic

Succotash of Fresh Corn, Lima Beans, Tomatoes and Onions

Snacks: Mango salsa w/TJ’s soy chips

Crudités w/ miso dipping sauce

Apples w/nut butter

Cucumber/basil smoothie

Celery w/nut butter

Dinners:

Danielle’s Pumpkin Soup (made with Butternut squash in place of pumpkin), rice crackers, salad

Southwest Black Beans w/Brown Rice, corn tortillas, side salad

Martha’s Big Batch Vegetable Soup, side salad

Firecracker Tofu Stir-fry, brown rice

Veggie Patties, sweet potato fries, side salad

Dessert: frozen apple slush

Cleanse Week 1 Recipes

Succotash of Fresh Corn, Lima Beans, Tomatoes and Onions
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
Coarse kosher salt
1 large garlic clove, minced
3 cups chopped red tomatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds)
2 1/4 cups corn kernels cut from 4 ears of corn (preferably 2 ears of white corn and 2 ears of yellow corn)
2 cups fresh lima beans (from about 2 pounds pods) or 10 to 11 ounces frozen lima beans or baby butter beans, thawed
3 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh basil
Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and sprinkle with coarse salt. Sauté until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic; stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes, corn, and lima beans. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until corn and lima beans are tender and tomatoes are soft, about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season to taste with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Rewarm before continuing. Stir in basil and serve.

Mango Salsa

2 large mangos (fresh & ripe)

3 T. white onion, grated

1 medium green bell pepper, finely diced

1 medium red bell pepper, finely diced

3 T. olive oil

3 T. rice vinegar

1 T. green onion tops, finely diced

1 large avocado, diced, salt & pepper to taste

Mix everything together folding in avocado last. Tastes even better the next day. Serve with tortilla chips.

Miso Dipping Sauce and Salad Dressing

1 large carrot, peeled and roughly chopped

1 large shallot, peeled and roughly chopped

2 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh ginger

1 tablespoon sweet white miso

2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

1 tablespoon roasted sesame seed oil

1/4 cup grapeseed oil

2 tablespoons water

Pulse the carrot, shallot and ginger in a blender until finely chopped. Scrape down the sides, add the miso, vinegar and sesame seed oil and whiz together. While the blender is going, slowly drizzle in the grapeseed oil and the water.

Cucumber/Basil Smoothie

1/2 cup fresh basil 1 English cucumber, cut in half lengthwise

1/2 lime, zest and pith removed 1 apple, cut into wedges

Starting with the basil, juice everything into a glass, give it a stir and enjoy.

Portuguese Pumpkin Soup

5-7 potatoes

9-10 carrots

4 cloves garlic

2-3 c. fresh cooked, mashed pumpkin (Substitute Butternut Squash)

2-3 small onions

olive oil

salt

peppercorn medley

Boil all, puree with hand mix. Garnish with peppercorn.

Southwest Black Beans and Rice

1 (16 ounce) bag dried black beans

1 (16 ounce) bag brown rice

1 red onion (chopped)

3 jalapeno peppers (seeded and chopped)

7 cups water

1/4 cup lime juice (or Lemon)

1 cup cilantro (chopped)

2 (8 ounce) cans diced tomatoes with green chilies

1 (16 ounce) bag frozen corn

1 (16 ounce) bag four-cheese Mexican blend cheese (OMIT)

Rinse and sort beans. Mix beans, rice, onion, jalapenos, and water into crock-pot. Cook on low for 8.5 hours. Add lime juice, cilantro, tomatoes, corn, and cheese. At this time also add 1/3 cup of desired cajun seasoning (Tony's, Emeril's, Luzianne, ect.). I use Lusianne, because it has less sodium. Continue cooking for another 30 minute. Serve warm by itself or, wrapped in a corn tortilla like a burrito, or serve with tortilla chips like a dip. Add a dab of guacamole for color, texture, and taste.

Martha’s Big-Batch Vegetable Soup

2 T. olive oil

2 c. chopped onions

1 c. thinly sliced celery

2 t. Italian seasoning

salt and pepper

3 cans (14.5 ounces) chicken broth *substitute veggie broth

1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes, with juice

1 T. tomato paste 8 c. mixed fresh or frozen vegetables, such as carrots, corn, green beans, lima beans, peas, potatoes, and zucchini

Firecracker Tofu Stir-fry

1/2 cup raw honey**sub agave necter
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
3 teaspoons cornstarch **OMIT
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
6 garlic cloves - minced
3 teaspoons fresh grated organic ginger root
1 organic red bell pepper seeded and chopped
1 1/2 cups organic snow peas cut into 1 inch pieces (can substitute shelled edamame if desired)
3 organic/free range boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips**Substitute Tofu
4 organic green onions - chopped
9 cups cooked brown rice
Directions
Whisk together honey, soy sauce, vinegar, cornstarch, red pepper flakes until cornstarch is dissolved. Set aside. Heat olive oil over medium high heat. Stir in garlic and ginger and stir fry until fragrant about 1 minute. Add bell pepper and snow peas and stir fry an extra minute until colors brighten. Add chicken and onions, stir fry until chicken is cooked through about 4 minutes or so. Stir in reserved sauce mixture. Cook and stir until sauce boils and thickens. Serve over cooked brown rice with a big green salad.

FROZEN APPLE SLUSH: Freeze a small portion of 100 % Apple Juice. Take out of frezzer about 30 minutes before you want to eat it. Eat like a slushie.