Simple Vegetarian Stir-Fry

Last night I was inspired to use tofu to make a stir-fry using ingredients that I had on hand. I ran to the store and picked up my favorite extra firm tofu along with some snow peas and a pepper. I already had butternut squash, onion, and other foods that I wanted to use in my pantry. Anyway, the big surprise came when I got ready to cook and was chopping up all of my veggies. Normally one buys tofu in large blocks and it needs to be drained and cut up. This time however, I picked up (quite by accident) pre-cubed tofu. It made the cooking process go so much faster! Try this quick dish when you feel so inspired. Many combinations of vegetables may be used of course, and you can always add a lean meat instead of tofu.

serves:  4               prep time and cook time:  30 min.

Canola Oil
A clove of minced garlic
1/2 onion, sliced
1 cup chopped butternut squash
1/4 pound snow peas
1 bell pepper, cut into strips about 2 inches long
1 package extra firm cubed tofu (I used Organics brand)
Soy sauce
Sesame seeds
Cooked brown rice or cooked chinese noodles
Hot sauce (such as Sriracha) and vinegar, optional

Heat a tablespoon of oil in a wok or large skillet. Add the garlic and stir for about 30 seconds. Add the sliced onion and butternut squash. Stir and let cook for about 3 minutes. Add the snow peas, pepper, and tofu, and a generous tablespoon of soy sauce. Stir all together and cover the pot to let all the vegetables heat through.

When the vegetables are tender and heated through, spoon the mixture over noodles or rice. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and add more soy sauce if needed.

I personally prefer hot foods. If you do too, drizzle some hot sauce over the stir-fry. This is an individual choice so I wouldn't recommend adding this to the foods in the pan. Light vinegars, such as rice wine vinegar, are delicious too. A simple splash or two along with the hot sauce will liven up this dish and have your taste buds dancing!

- Kim Fielding