Super Simple Buffalo Tofu (No-Added Salt, Low-Fat, Oil-Free, Gluten-Free)

Hey guys! I'm sure you've all been wondering where I've been lately. I've been trying to take everything slowly now because next year will be extremely busy what with my job and getting a new school done. I've also been working on bodybuilding for something that is totally not focused on simply cosplaying as Tanya from "Mortal Kombat" (cough). I've been trying to update every five days and making sure that you guys have plenty of simple things to look at and try.

This tofu only requires about five ingredients, most of which are pretty interchangeable whenever you like. All you need is some good tofu and a nice, nonstick skillet for this smokey, savory and spicy meal component. Here we go!

(Ingredients)

• 1/2 package of Firm Tofu
• 1/4 cup of Louisiana Hot Sauce
• Black Pepper, Chipotle Powder and Garlic Powder
• Water per slice

(Directions)

• First, slice your tofu into rectangles and press until all the liquid is out, then slice into triangles and marinate your slices in the mixture above for however long you feel. If you're pressed for time you can just put these on the stovetop and they'll still be delicious.
• Place into the pan without any oil at medium-high heat, and if anything starts to stick you can put in a few droplets of water which actually helps make it a bit crispier. Flip and repeat.
• Serve with celery and carrots or eat on its own - its a treat that certainly isn't naughty but tastes like it is!

Tofu Stir-Fry w/Spicy Garlic Sauce (Gluten-Free Option, Sugar-Free Option)

This was incredibly fun to make and I've only made it once before when I tried to figure out one of the sauces for my favorite "treat", stir-fried tofu in garlic sauce. Once a month or so, my family and I will get American-style Chinese takeout and this is my go-to dish aside from dumplings, desserts and steamed veggies. It is quite fattening so I won't eat it often, but it is especially addicting with the conflicting flavors and textures...and probably because I make it extra-spicy. You've probably had it before, and every restaurant has a slightly variating style - so I'm going to put my own little "Shin-Spin" on things. Whatever veggies you have on hand will do, so I'll list what I put in my stir-fry later.

(Spicy Garlic Sauce Ingredients)

• 1 & 1/2 tbl Rice Vinegar
• 2 & 1/2 tbl Rice Wine Vinegar
• 2 tsp Raw Sugar or Stevia (optional)
• 1/4 tsp Good Sesame Oil (retains both taste and smell)
• 1 tbl Veggie Oil
• 2 tbl Good Soy Sauce or Tamari
• 1/2 tsp Sriracha
• 5 Crushed & Minced Garlic Cloves
• 1 pinch of Red Pepper Flakes
• 1 tsp Cornstarch
• 2 tbl Water

(Directions)

• First, mix the water with the cornstarch.
• Saute your minced and crushed garlic in the veggie oil until softened and is lighter in color slightly.
• Add in your vinegars, soy sauce, and oil. Stir and let bubble
• Squirt in your sriracha and sugar, add a bit of pepper flakes and wait about 15 seconds.
• Mix in the slurry of cornstarch and water, then stir it in until it has thickened to your liking.
• Quickly coat your preferred veggies in this addictively spicy sauce and serve over a nice bed of rice.
• Enjoy!

My personal stir-fry contained mung bean sprouts, brocolli sprouts, carrots, baby corn, pan-fried tofu, steamed mushrooms, sweet peas, green bell pepper and broccoli. Since the garlic sauce is so flavorful and has a lot of sodium, I wouldn't suggest adding salt or anything else to the other ingredients so to keep it healthier.

Wall-E Breakfast (Non-Bento w/ Gluten-Free Recipes)

This was my breakfast a few days ago and it was fantastic! I thought of adding a masa sheet, but then decided to keep it simple and "green", instead. Eve is napping in the corner with an olive shell and steamed tofu body while Wall-E is made from tofu, veggie sausage and hash browns. It was fantastic, and to keep with the "green" theme I made a kale and strawberry juicer for health.

Zucchini and Potato Hash Recipe:

1/3 Medium-Sized Zucchini

2 Large Potatoes

All-Purpose Flour (optional)

Salt and Pepper to taste

Strawberry and Kale Juice:

5 Large Strawberries

1/2 bunch of Washed Kale

1/2 cup of Watermelon (optional)

Grate your vegetables and squeeze out as much liquid as possible. If it is not sticking together as you need, put in a few tablespoons of flour as you season it, then fry in a skillet with your preferred oil and let it rest on a paper towel. Meanwhile, make your smoothie.

Enjoy!

How To Make Spring Rolls Tutorial (Thai-Style)

(Clockwise) Red cabbage, garlic, tofu, red pepper, lime, peanuts

Lightly toast your minced peanuts and toss in the other ingredients with oil, vegan fish sauce and/or tamari.

Soak your rice paper for 10 seconds on each side, then lay on a plate.
  

Fill one side and tightly roll your spring roll, folding in the sides as you go.

Lightly coat in corn starch or rice flour and pan-fry.



Serve with dipping sauce, garnish and dust with lime salt (optional).

Enjoy!

Sci-Fighters Themed Bento

Using my favorite character, Skip, from one of my favorite games on newgrounds, I decided to come up with a bento. Also - the game is made by one of my favorite groups, The-Super-Flash-Bros. Obviously this isn't the healthiest of bentos (or the most awesome) but I'm just experimenting right now so this won't be a total constant. I used the vegan kamaboko as well as the vegan egg sheets - aren't I awesome?

Sci-Fighters Ingredient List:
1 Green "Egg" Sheet (oval)
1 smaller Soy Sauce "Egg Sheet" (also oval)
3 small pieces of "Kamaboko"
1 Large Radish (cut into long fourths for the antenna and eyes)
Nori
Cheddar-Style Tofutti
Turmeric + Water (around the edges)
Spinach (underneath the egg sheets)
Sticky Rice


Enjoy!

Signed,

<3 Bou Shin <3

Sushi Time

Okay, I've been going a little crazy with tofu lately - I know. But there are so many things that you can do with it especially with the fatfree vegan recipe that I just used in my breakfast bento. I found that when you start the tofu omelette off in a cold pan and keep the lid on until the top solidifies - it's very similar to egg sheets used for kyaraben. They didn't turn out as smooth as normal egg sheets but I think that was because I didn't use silken tofu.

Finn's Face:
1/2 block of Tofu (of your choice)
1/2 tbl Tahini
1 tbl Cornstarch
1 tbl Beet Juice
1/4-1/2 tsp Paprika
1/2 tsp Iodized Salt

Jake's Face:
1/2 block of Tofu (of your choice)
1 tbl Cornstarch
1 tbl Water
1/4 cup of Nutritional Yeast
1/2 tsp Turmeric (I didn't have this)
1/2 tsp Iodized Salt

For Jake's face I had actually only used a fourth of a package of tofu, so if you follow the recipe exactly you may need to split it up into two batches. After you oil your medium-sized non-stick pan, spread in your tofu mixture and make it as round as possible and as smooth and even on top as possible. Turn on the heat and quickly put on a (hopefully clear) lid on top. Check it every so often and once the top solidifies, turn off the heat and remove the lid and use a rubber spatula to carefully scrape around the sides. Turn it upside down on a plate until it cools then pat it down once corrected.

Cut out and place on top of sushi rice and decorate with nori, soy cheese, carrots and sriracha as you like.

Enjoy!

Signed,

<3 Bou Shin <3

A Day In The Garden Kyaraben

This was a simple bento full of fresh fruit that I ate for breakfast but it's perfect at any time! I used more lightlife sausage in this one and combined it with some cracked red pepper and agave nectar. I covered the cheeks with some sriracha and cut out some nori for the facial features. To top it off I made a sweet potato pancake hat and some chocolate potato hair. Tasty, right?

Pancake Recipe:
"It's Pancake Time" recipe + Mashed Sweet Potato (for the hat)
Pancake Recipe + Cocoa Powder


Prepare them the same way but make sure that they're like regular pancakes, flatten them a bit more if you can, cut in half and make one with an edge for the brim of the hat. Attach them to some a sausage ball of your choice (that had been coated with panko) with some raw soba or rice noodles. Cut out the nori and cheese and dot on the sauce.

Next, make your omelette (I used beet juice instead of soymilk) per the directions of the fatfree vegan recipe (not mine) located here.

Line the bottom of the box with some spinach and put in your favorite fruits and vegetables. If you like, you can attach a small strawberry or a slice of a banana to the pancake hat to make a cute little flower.

Enjoy!

Signed,

<3 Bou Shin <3

A Bento For Mom

This is just one of the bentos that I made for my mom, cute isn't it? I'm so glad that I'm getting better and just wanted to show off my skills (and my love). Why not do the same or show your love with something a little different like Bento4Japan?

Ingredient List:

Brocolli

Radish

Spinach

Tofu + Beet Juice (for words)

Sticky Rice

Soy Cheese + Soy Sauce

Nori

Sriracha

Kale, Avocado and Sweet Pepper Salad

Enjoy!

Signed,

<3 Bou Shin <3

Silly Raccoon

I'm in love with J.G Quintel, or moreso - his works (and hair) and wanted to show off some things totally inspired by him. This bento features a nice little healthy surprise for Rigby the Raccoon when he tries to get off of his diet. The little rascal thinks that he can eat all of the "french fries" in the bento and get away with no fruits or  vegetables. I'm sorry to say tell him that this is a healthy vegan lunch box.

Rigby's Body:

California Brown Rice (I used a different type, but this works much better)

Nori

Sticky Rice + Soy Sauce (for color)

Steamed Tofu

Make Rigby's body anyway you want to after fluffing the rice. Wrap it up into plastic wrap and with the back of a spoon, drag a dugout for Rigby's stomach. Place the packaged rice into the fridge for about five minutes and steam the white rice. After steaming your sticky rice and mixing it lightly with some good quality soy sauce, unwrap the brown rice package and pack the other rice onto it. Add a pointy nose out of brown rice and stick some nori onto it with a touch of water. Place the hair around Rigby's head, place thin strips of nori there for hair follicles and then place rounds of nori onto Rigby's face. Cut out smaller rounds of tofu and place them onto the nori, then place some nori eyes onto his face. Add a tail and an arm and do whatever els you like with it.

Enjoy!

Signed,

<3 Bou Shin <3

Hello Kitty-Shaped Tofu

I bought the most adorable little Hello Kitty egg mold online and used it to press my tofu. The white one turned out better (in my opinion) and I shaped it like an egg after quartering the package, slicing off the top and bottom and sliced it in half. I boiled it for a minute and then placed it into the egg mold for ten minutes. The other one was just a piece of tofu cut into a square and in half and the process was the same. After its ten minutes in the fridge were up I soaked it in soy sauce for a pretty brown color.

You Won't Miss Eggs This Easter

Simple and creamy tofu filling bulked up by some cornmeal and flavored with salt, pepper, Dijon and yellow mustard and chives. That sounds like a good filling for some Easter deviled "eggs" doesn't it? How about upping the awesome factor and dying these eggs pink with some all-natural beet juice? I think this is a recipe that could be appreciated by everyone and can be adjusted to your tastes.

(Tofu Deviled Eggs Ingredients)

• 1/2 cup Yellow Cornmeal (quick-cooking is best)
• 1/2 block of Pressed Tofu
• 1 cup of Boiling Water
• 1/4 cup Beet Juice
• Olive Oil (to cover the food processor)
• Chives, salt, pepper, paprika and mustard (of your choice) to taste
• Turmeric for color

(Directions)

• Start the boiling water and trim your tofu into the shapes that you like. If you want them to look more like eggs just be careful when cutting them into an oval shape.
• Place the newly shaved tofu "eggs" in the boiling water for about three minutes and chop up the leftover tofu.
• Once the tofu "eggs" are done then place them in some cold water with as much beet juice as you like.
• Add the cornmeal to the boiled water along with the tofu bits. Add turmeric to the mix until it's the color that you want.
• Take the mixture to a food processor with some olive oil around the sides and grind it until it is creamy.
• Add the rest of the ingredients and place them into a small plastic sandwich bag, cut a tiny tip off of the end of the bag where most of the filling is and set it aside while you cut a hole into the tofu.
• Once the hole has been cut, pat the tofu dry and gently squeeze the filling to your liking.
• Pat it dry (avoiding the filling) once more and stash it in the fridge for about thirty minutes.
• Enjoy!

Soya Milk Doesn't Come From Cows

Imagine a cheap way to get your protein, vitamins and minerals without having to spend a lot of money every week. Can you think of it? If you answered "Steal from your neighbor's garden." then that's the incorrect answer and stay away from my yard. If you answered "Make soy milk of course!" then that is the correct answer and thus will be rewarded with this divine recipe!

If you can't find soy beans in your local grocery store, more than likely any Asian market or grocery store you go to will. Make sure to look for organic split soy beans to avoid those nasty GMO's, and to buy a few good packets of them for good measure. Once you've done that, wash about 1 cup of your soybeans and then soak them in enough water to cover them for 12-24 hours or so, and if you want your soy milk to look more like store-bought, use double the amount of soy beans and some more water. Once the hours are up you can drain most of the water and then place them into a pot (or a microwave-safe bowl) and heat them on high for about 2-4 minutes. Once that is done, add about 6-8 cups of cold water to a large glass blender and drain your soy beans over the sink. Once they are drained, place the first half into the blender and blend it until the bottom is nothing but mashed soy beans. Sift that out into a bowl once and put the liquid back in, moving the soybeans (or Okara) to a different bowl. Next, add the second half of soy beans into the liquid and repeat the process.

Sift it through as many times as possible until there is no detectable soy bean mulch left. Place the used soy beans in the bowl with the rest and you can immediately make the protein-filled okara burgers (after the soy-milk is made). Once you have all of your soy milk ready, add it to a large pot and boil it for about 10 minutes, and once those ten minutes are up add 1 teaspoon of iodized salt, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, and 1 tablespoon of sugar. Stir it together and put it into a container (mine has a built-in strainer). If you want it to be healthy you can add a crushed vitamin B12 packet and a crushed Calcium Magnesium tablet for every half gallon of soy milk as well.

Let it cool and enjoy as is or you can make it into tofu (if unflavored). As the soy milk is cooling, prepare to make enough okara burgers to eat for a week. Take half of the okara mixture and combine it with about 4 ounces of pressed silken tofu, blend it through until it turns into a paste, then add it to the rest of the chunky okara and use it as a binder. Sprinkle it liberally with salt, pepper and any other spices you want in your burger. After that is done, heat up some leftover vegetables from your fridge in a well-oiled pan until they soften up. I had red and green bell pepper, garlic and onions in my fridge, but anything is fine. After you've done that, add the cooked vegetables to the okara and sprinkle in about half a cup or so of Panko (Japanese Bread Crumbs) and mix it all together. Form patties with them (I only used about three tablespoons for each) and if you like you can twirl them around in an equal mixture of cornstarch in water and then press them into more breadcrumbs seasoned with salt and pepper. Once all of the patties have been assembled, heat up a pan with some oil and delicately place a small batch of burgers with it. Be careful when you flip it when the other side has turned golden brown, and place the burgers onto a plate, being careful not to let too many breadcrumbs soak up the oil and end up in the pan. Once the last batch is done you can make them into little sliders, cover them in sriracha, or make a tofu tartar sauce.

Okara Burgers Recipe:
1-2 cups of Okara (mashed soybeans)
About a cup of minced Veggies
1/2 a cup Tofu (any type)
Salt and Pepper to taste

Tofu Tartar Sauce Recipe:
1/2 a cup of pressed Silken Tofu
2 tbl Fresh Lemon Juice
1/2 a tsp Iodized Salt
1/2 a teaspoon of White Vinegar (or to your taste)
1-2 tsp of Dijon Mustard
Pepper to taste
Minced Sweet Pickles (any amount)
A dash of Paprika
A tbl of Olive Oil


Soy Milk Recipe:
Organic Split Soy beans
6-8 cups Cold Water
Iodized Salt
Vanilla Extract


Tools Needed For Soymilk:
1 Glass Blender
1-2 Large Strainers
2 Large Bowls

Enjoy!

                                                                                                        Signed,

                                                                                                                               <3 Bou Shin <3