Orzo with Garbanzo Beans, Goat Cheese, Cherry Tomatoes, Sugar Snap Peas and Oregano

I swear. i really don't eat out that much. i cook a lot. ask my roomies, they know. i cook a lot. i bake a lot.

well now that i have reassured myself and hopefully you that i cook a lot, here is a little recipe that i threw together. we had one of our end of the "year" bbqs at work, so i just decided to make this quick orzo pasta salad (after being inspired by BOOF buddy jds). the recipe found on epicurious called for fewer ingredients than i included, but i wanted a really hearty pasta salad and i think this added both color and more flavor to the original salad.

Ingredients

• 1/2 Cups of Orzo
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 15- to 15 1/2-ounce can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), rinsed, drained
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano ( I just used dried because I didn't have any fresh on hand)
• 1/4 of a 15-ounce log soft fresh goat cheese, crumbled
• 1/2 cup of halved cherry tomatoes*my addition
• 1/2 cup of Sugar Snap Peas* my addition

Directions

1 ) Add salt to boiling water and add orzo. Let cook for 9-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2) Meanwhile in a large bowl, add olive oil, lemon juice and minced garlic clove and mix.

3) When orzo is finished cooking, drain pasta and add to large bowl with olive oil, lemon juice and garlic. Add garbanzo beans, cherry tomatoes, and sugar snap peas to the mix. Stir well.

4) Top with crumbled goat cheese and oregano and mix well.

5) Season with Salt and Pepper to taste.

6) Enjoy and Share!

Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Orzo-with-Garbanzo-Beans-Goat-Cheese-and-Oregano-242471#ixzz0t2w8caYh

Stir-Fried Tofu with Mushrooms, Sugar Snap Peas and Onions

you are probably all like “why is she eating so many sugar snap peas”? because they are uber delicious, that’s why. well really, it’s because i found two fantastic recipes that used them and they are quite delicious, so I thought why not? I should cook them before they go bad anyways!
so i took to epicurious again for this absolutely spectacular recipe. the recipe is super easy but it does take some time (marinating tofu), and I do believe that shockingly as a vegetarian, this was my first successful attempt at making tofu. POINT, me.


Ingredients
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon unseasoned rice vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon oriental sesame oil *Substituted with olive oil
1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
1 12-ounce package extra-firm tofu, drained, cut into 3/4-inch cubes, patted dry with paper towels
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
6 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms, stemmed, caps quartered* I just used regular white mushrooms
8 ounces sugar snap peas, trimmed
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger* I mean, i just don’t keep ginger in the house…
4 green onions, sliced on diagonal* I just used 1 regular yellow

Directions
1) Whisk first 5 ingredients in medium bowl to blend. Add tofu and stir to coat; let marinate 30 minutes.
2) Drain, reserving marinade in small bowl. Whisk 1/4 cup water and cornstarch into marinade.
3) Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add tofu and sauté until golden, about 2 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer tofu to plate.
4) Add remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil to skillet and add mushrooms and stir-fry until tender, about 3 minutes.
5) Add sugar snap peas; stir-fry 2 minutes. Then add onions and garlic and stir-fry about 30 seconds.
6) Add tofu back to skillet and drizzle reserved marinade mixture over.
7) Stir-fry until marinade thickens slightly, about 30 seconds. Season to taste with salt and pepper.8) Enjoy and Share! :-)

Additional notes: the actual epicurious recipe calls for green onions and ginger but I didn’t have any of those in the house, so I just used what was at my disposal. Remember to buy EXTRA-FIRM tofu because on my last tofu attempt a long time ago, i didn’t buy the extra firm and then my recipe was a disaster. Hence, I have not cooked it since. But, extrafirm= wonderous. oh by the way, this recipe is SUPER delicious. SUPER.

Recipe adapted from:
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Stir-Fried-Tofu-with-Mushrooms-Sugar-Snap-Peas-and-Green-Onions-109075#ixzz0pTf3SPyS