The 95+ degree weather is making me extremely lethargic and downright bitchy. It feels more like August here than the beginning of July. Last night’s dinner consisted of a cold turkey sandwich and two gallons of water. Last week my daughter was a vegetarian, hubby was out of town, and we made this…
It all started with this beautiful rice we found while strolling through Pastaworks. It’s aptly named ‘Heirloom Forbidden rice.’ Legend has it this ancient grain, also referred to as ‘longevity rice,’ was originally reserved for emperors of China. It’s treasured for its roasted nutty flavor, soft texture and gorgeous deep purple color. It’s also a natural source of antioxidants called anthocyanins — the purple pigments that are also found in blueberries and acai, but without the sugar.
Simple stir fry meals are one of my new favorites to cook and to eat. Just grab some fresh veggies — whatever floats your boat — and is currently in season. For this stir fry, I sautéed garlic cloves, broccoli, carrots, sweet peppers, scallions. Then I cubed a bunch of extra firm tofu, added that to the veggie mix and heated it through. Then there was peanut sauce… oh the peanut sauce!
Summer meals are challenging, I like to make them as simple as possible so I spend the least amount of time over a hot stove, but too many cold meals leave me unsatisfied in any season. This meal takes little effort. Simple. Healthy. Delicious.
Here’s the not-so-forbidden recipe:
Peanut sauce (from Bon Appetit)
This makes enough sauce for several meals. Keep leftovers refrigerated for up to a week.
1 1-inch piece ginger, peeled
1 small garlic clove
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon (packed) light brown sugar
1/4-1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Directions
I hope you’re having a fabulous summer!