gluten-free vegan yaki udon

This has quickly become one of our favorites. It comes via FitGreenMind, aka Maya from Germany on Instagram. That girl has great recipes, but I had to change a couple things for us with what we have available here in Japan. 

You'll need:

• gluten-free udon noodles, cooked according to package directions (they come in small individual-sized packets here, so I get four for us)
• veggies of choice (I use cabbage or komatsuna greens, plus onions and carrots)
• hard tofu (I buy a 300-gram pack), drained and cut into cubes
• 4 tablespoons gluten-free soy sauce
• 4 tablespoons sweet chili sauce
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 4 teaspoons vinegar (I use rice vinegar)
• salt to taste
• a little bit of water 
• chopped green onions

Do this:

Stir fry the veggies in oil, then add in the cooked udon noodles and brown a little bit. Mix the sauce ingredients together and pour over, then add your cubed tofu. Stir it all up till browned and sticky. Top with chopped green onions. 

All of us love this.

Go yaki some udon already! 

gluten-free vegan blonde brownies

 

These gluten-free vegan blonde brownies come by way of FitGreenMind on Instagram, the popular account of a German girl named Maya who makes great videos and comes up with delicious recipes. 

You'll need:

• 1 can (450 g) chickpeas
• 1/4 cup (75 g) peanut butter
• 3/4 cup (150 g) sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup (40 g) flour (I use a gluten-free baking mix)
• 1/2 tablespoon baking powder
• dark vegan chocolate (a bar, chopped, or chips)

Do this:

Drain the chickpeas and rinse them, then add to a food processor with all the ingredients except for the chocolate. Process until smooth.

Add the batter to a bowl, then stir in the chocolate. 

Line a loaf pan with baking paper and add the mix, flatten it out, and bake at 170 C for 35 minutes. Let it cool completely, then cut into bars.

These are so more-ish! 

quick and easy gluten-free oyakodon (Japanese chicken and egg dish)

I've been making oyakodon, a Japanese chicken and egg dish to put on top of a bowl of rice, for years and years. The recipe I had was a bit complicated and time-consuming, so I was happy when a friend here in Japan passed along a simpler version. I can't remember where it's from exactly, and I've changed it a little bit anyway, so here's my take. This makes enough for four people. 

You'll need: 

• 2 chicken breasts, chopped in bite-sized pieces
• 1 bunch of spinach, washed and chopped
• any kind of mushrooms, chopped
• 2 onions, sliced
• 6 eggs, beaten
• oil for cooking
• 4 tablespoons cooking sake
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/4 cup homemade dashi (with konbu and katsuobushi flakes)
• 4 tablespoons gluten-free soy sauce

Do this:

Heat up your oil in a frying pan and cook the chicken till all the pieces are browned. Add the mushrooms and onions, then all the liquids and sugar. When everything is soft, add the spinach for a minute and then dump the eggs over it all and let it set till cooked. 

Serve over rice in a bowl, and add all those delicious juices and then eat with a spoon.