Mushrooms, Bok Choy, onion with roasted Sweet potato and Tofu

I stepped into the kitchen with no real plan last night… I had a giant box of mushrooms from Costco and half a bag of baby bok choy that I had to use asap. I started with washing and slicing the mushrooms, cooking them in a dry pan with some fresh rosemary tossed in half way through, until all the moisture was browned out. I set those aside and tossed in a heaping tablespoon of chopped garlic, a dash of olive oil, some red pepper flakes, and finally a diced red onion back into the hot pan. That caramelised while I quartered and washed the bok choy, throwing it into the pan when I was happy with the onions. Stirred that around and cooked until the bok choy was tender.

Somewhere in there I remembered that I had some sweet potatoes, so I diced one up, tossing it with olive oil and granulated garlic. They went onto one side of the air fryer sheet. On the other side I added some bite sized chunks of tofu that I tossed with garlic powder, cornstarch, and salt. That all got airfried for 10 minutes, tossed around then another 10 minutes in the airfryer. The potatoes were done, but I wasn't happy with the tofu yet… decided that I wanted a bit more flavouring so sprinkled some poultry seasoning on and stuck it back into the oven for 5 more minutes.

Done!

Mushrooms, Bok Choy, onion with roasted Sweet potato and Tofu

2 cups sliced mushrooms

1 onion, diced (I had a red one)

1 T minced garlic

½ tsp chili peppers

1 large sweet potato, cubed

200g tofu, cubed 

several baby bok choy

misc: garlic powder, granulated garlic, rosemary, cornstarch, poultry seasoning, salt

Saute mushrooms until all moisture has been released. Add chopped rosemary part way through. Remove from pan and set aside.

While mushrooms are cooking, wash & cube a sweet potato. Toss with olive oil & granulated garlic. Arrange on air fryer sheet.

Cube tofu. Toss with garlic powder, poultry seasoning, and a tablespoon of cornstarch. Arrange on the other half of the air fryer sheet. 

Bake sweet potato & tofu at 400F for 10 minutes. Flip and then bake for another 10 minutes. Remove the sweet potato. Cook tofu for a further 5 minutes.

After mushrooms are done, caramelize onion & garlic in already heated pan. When onions are gently browned (no need to do a full caramelize of the onions, 5 or 10 minutes is fine), add in washed and quartered bok choy and cook until tender. 

Add the mushrooms to the bok choy, heating through.

Assemble on a plate and enjoy! 

This meal has 240 calories and 16 grams of protein!

Mushrooms & Broccoli with Fried egg

 It's time to resurrect this old blog as I continue on my journey of getting and staying healthy. I've been slipping in my resolve and need the reminder of how important these lifestyle changes are for my health and longevity. I'm thinking healthspan and not just lifespan! 

In February of 2024 I had an abnormal result on a mammogram which scared me into doing something about my lifestyle. I didn't do any exercise at all and I was an obese 170lbs. A few years of unhealthy eating over covid - so much bacon and sausage - took it's toll on my health.

So, as I prepared myself mentally for getting through a cancer diagnosis, I prepared my body for treatment and recovery. I started walking for an hour on the treadmill most days, gradually increasing my fitness until I was able to walk a fast pace at a high incline. I switched my diet to predominately plant based with strategic additions of yogurt and the occasional egg and fish for protein, calcium and other nutrients.

Over the spring and into the summer of 2024 I lost 45 pounds! I could run across the parking lot without getting winded. I fit into clothes that I only dreamed of wearing again and in fact needed a whole new wardrobe. I managed to maintain my weight, within an 8lb range for over a year.

Then last February I started resistance training. I gradually put on more muscle and gained strength - I had biceps! I felt fantastic! I was surely on a hypomanic high… It was bloody hard work but I was able to keep motivation through the ups and downs of the summer. There were some blips that I was able to overcome, but alas, life had a few things left to throw at me that put me on my back foot so I've gotten out of the habit of going downstairs to my gym… I'm giving myself a bit more grace and then I'll hit the weights again!

In the meantime, I thought it might be fun to share some recipes and meal plans that I've come to rely on. I'll start with today's lunch, a medley of tofu, mushrooms & broccoli topped with a fried egg. Lots of fibre, nutrients, and protein.

Mushrooms & Broccoli with Fried egg

1 cup sliced mushrooms

1 cup chopped broccoli

1 tsp chili crisp oil

2 tsp minced garlic

40g roasted tofu

1 tsp black bean garlic sauce

1 egg

mixed greens

Cook broccoli in microwave for 1 minute on high - no need to add water or cover, I just throw it in a bowl.Heat a saute pan over medium heat, adding chili crisp oil and garlic with a bit of extra virgin olive oil. 

Once it's hot, add the mushrooms, tossing around until coated with the garlic & chilis. 

Cook until starting to turn golden. Add broccoli and stir occasionally. 

Toss in the cubed tofu (I'll add a recipe for Carm's buffalo tofu on another day). 

Once heated through, add in black bean garlic sauce, stirring until well combined. 

Move to the side of the pan.Add in an egg, cooking gently until the desired runniness.Pile veggies onto plate and top with the egg. 

Toss the mixed greens with some balsamic vinegar and serve on the side.

This meal has 160 calories and 16 grams of protein! It feeds and supports all 5 of our health defense systems (see Dr. William Li's book 'Eat to Beat Disease' for more info on our health defence systems and how food supports them).

Sip a cup of green tea for further health benefits!