Taco Stuffed Peppers

I made this stuffed peppers recipe with my partner in mind. Since he is a vegetarian, I have to stuff them with something that would hold the flavor of taco seasoning yet has the same texture as cooked ground beef so I crumbled firm tofu to mimic the texture and consistency.

10 green peppers, halved and deseeded.
1 package firm tofu, crumbled (19 oz.)
1 can corn (11 oz.)
1 can small red beans (29 oz.)
2 package taco seasoning (1.25 oz. each)
2 cloves garlic, chopped.
1 medium onion, chopped.
1 can tomato sauce (29 oz.)
2 tablespoon oil
1/2 cup water
1 tbsp chili powder
1 cup chopped cilantro

Heat oil and add in garlic and onions. Cook until onions are translucent and then add in crumbled tofu. Add tomato sauce, water, taco seasoning and chili powder. Mix and cook in medium heat for about 20 minutes. Add in corn and beans. Stir and cook until the mixture is dry. Add chopped cilantro. Set aside and let it cool.

Stuff peppers with cooled mixture. Bake in a covered casserole dish at 400 °F for 30 minutes and uncovered for another 10 minutes. You can serve stuffed peppers with sour cream and shredded cheddar cheese or just eat them as is if you want to make this vegan.

Ray's Easy Cocktail Sausages

One of the two appetizers I made for the Pride potluck.

3 bags cocktail sausages (450g each)
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp honey
1 tbsp sesame oil

Combine everything in a baking dish. Bake for about 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally until sauce thickens and sausages are browned.

* Some cocktail sausages are very high in sodium. If they are, substitute 2 tbsp of soy sauce with 2 tbsp of water. You can omit sesame oil if you don't have them, it's really just for the flavor.

Ray's Baked Chicken Wings

I made this for a party and it was great! If you can't find Chinese five spice powder, you can omit it but it gives it a more complex flavor.

5 lbs chicken wings (disjointed, discard wing tip)
1/2 cup Teriyaki sauce
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup curry powder
1/4 cup sesame oil
1 tbsp turmeric powder
1 tbsp paprika
1 tbsp Chinese five spice powder (optional)

Combine everything except the chicken wings. Pour the marinate mixture into chicken. Cover and marinate overnight, or at least 3 hours.

Arrange chicken in a baking dish. Bake at 425ºF for about 20-30 minutes, baste frequently until cooked.

Grandma's Vegetable Soup

My grandma used to make this soup for me when I was a kid and she would tell me that if I finish them I'll grow up to be a handsome kid. Of course I was 6 so I bought the idea and would look forward to her making this soup. She wasn't really wrong, this soup is packed with nutrients and vitamins from the vegetables. She made this soup with chicken but I'm modifying it to be vegetarian recipe. If you were to add chicken into the soup, cut vegetables into larger chunks and increase the cooking time to an extra hour. Serves 5.

• 8 medium sized potatoes (cut into large chunks)
• 6 medium sized carrots (cut into large chunks)
• 8 stalks of celery (cut into 2" sticks)
• 1 medium onion (quartered)
• 2 medium sized tomatoes (quartered)
• 2 quartz of water
• Salt to taste
  
• *1 tablespoon white peppercorn (optional) [White peppercorn gives the soup a spicy kick. If you can't find them, you can just add some grind pepper before serving.]
  
• *2 pieces of skinless chicken thigh or a piece of skinless chicken breast (optional)

Add all the ingredients into a pot and let it boil on high heat. Once it boils, lower the heat to medium. Cover the pot. Let it simmer for about 3 hours, 4 hours if you add chicken. Add salt to taste.

Macaroni and Veggie Casserole

I made this with cauliflower and broccoli to bulk up the macaroni casserole. It's one of those days when I try to make something quick with things in my pantry yet trying to keep it low calorie. This recipe serves 6, about 285 per serving.

• 1 bag frozen broccoli (16 oz.)
• 1 bag frozen cauliflower
• 1 small chopped onion
• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• 2 cups uncooked macaroni
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 cup fat free milk
• 3 cups water
  
• 1 cup flour
• 2 tablespoon margarine
• 1 cup bread crumbs
• 2 tablespoon paprika
• 2 tablespoon dried basil
• Salt and pepper to taste
  

Microwave frozen broccoli and cauliflower on high for 10 minutes. Cook and drain macaroni. Combine broccoli, cauliflower, carrots and macaroni in a casserole dish.

Heat saucepan on medium heat and put in the margarine. Add garlic and onion and saute until onions are translucent. Add in dried basil. Add flour into mixture and stir constantly. Be careful not to burn the flour, stirring constantly. Cook the flour mixture for about 2 minutes. Add water and milk. If the mixture becomes lumpy, use a whisk to smooth it out. Add in shredded cheese and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Pour the sauce mixture on top of the vegetables and pasta. Mix evenly. Sprinkle bread crumbles and paprika on top of the casserole. Bake at 350 °F for 30 minutes.