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Super Easy 20-Minute Sticky Orange Tofu

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Put all our prejudices aside and make this recipe. If you used to think tofu is boring, you will be proven differently. We have got the sweet and slightly spicy flavours of orange and chilli combined in a sticky sauce that covers the tofu. Definitely not your average tofu.

Orange Tofu is a dish that originally is made with chicken instead of tofu and therefore also called orange chicken. Orange Chicken originated in China, where it is rarely found in traditional restaurants today. It got really popular in the US through Panda Express. There the chicken is battered, then fried and then tossed in a orange sauce, which thickens and caramelizes. 

What’s special about this dish?

It is a vegan version if the orange chicken and a mich healthier one too. It is not battered and deep fried and also not tossed in a sauce loaded with white refined sugar. It is a much healthier, easier and quicket version of the original and still tastes really intense and good! So you could say that it rather is a Chinese inspired dish and less the original one.

Is this dish healthy? 

Yep yep. What is it made of? Well our main ingredient is tofu. Tofu is really high in protein and also comes with some fiber. Then our main „ingredient“ is the orange sauce. This is mainly made from freshly squeezed orange juice, which is a vitamin C bomb. Then we have some soy sauce, vinegar, fresh ginger and garlic and some honey, plus some cornstarch in which the tofu is tossed and then fried in a little hot oil.

Contrary to regular orange chicken, we have rather little fat here because instead of deep frying it, it is simply stir fried in a pan. Also, we are using honey instead of white refined sugar. Honey still contains sugar but less per 100g in comparison to regular sugar and it actually comes with antioxidants. 

How to make this dish:

This is super simple. So, we start by pressing the tofu. To do so we just lay some kitchen paper beneath and on top of a block of tofu and them let something heavy press it down for a few minutes. This will make the liquid drain from the tofu so it gets crispier in the pan later on.

Next we just chop it up into about 1 cm sized cubes. These are then tossed in some cornstarch. The cornstarch binds the remaining liquid and kind of forms a crust when frying. After that, the tofu is fried in some hot oil from each side for about 1-2 minutes till crispy. 

In the meantime we combine the orange juice & zest, soy sauce, honey or maple, cornstarch, ginger, garlic and vinegar in a bowl and then pour it over the tofu and let it simmer on low heat for a few minutes. Because of the cornstarch the sauce will thicken and the honey makes it caramelise. That already pretty much is it, we now only have to divide it onto plates or bowls and garnish with some greens!

Meal prep friendly

You can easily make this dish in advance and reheat it. If you have a stove I would prepare everything in advance and store the tofu and sauce separately and heat it up together whenever you want to have it. If you do not have a stove when eating it, you can simply heat it up in the microwave all together. Maybe you’ll then need to add a little water.

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Super Easy 20-Minute Sticky Orange Tofu

Easy, delicious and healthy. A vegan and lighter version of the american-chinese classic and let me tell you, it at least is as delicious!

Course dinner, lunch, Main Course
Cuisine American, Chinese
Prep Time 10 Minuten
Cook Time 10 Minuten
Total Time 20 Minuten
Servings 2 servings

What you will need

  • 300 g tofu
  • 4 tbsp cornstarch
  • some rice or quinoa to serve with

For the sauce:

  • 1 orange zest & juice
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 1 cm ginger
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch
  • 60 g honey or maple
  • 1 tbsp vinegar

How to

  1. Lay the tofu onto some kitchen paper and cover it iwth some more. Lay something heavy on top and let it press for abou 5-10 minutes, so as much liquid as possible goes out in order for the tofu to become crispy when frying. Then cut into 1 cm sized cubes and toss it in the cornstarch

  2. In the meantime grate the orange, then press it. Combine it with the remaining ingredients for the sauce.

  3. Heat up the oil in a pan and fry the tofu on each side for about 1-2 minutes until crispy and golden. Turn the heat down to medium heat and pour in the orange sauce. Give everything a good mix and let simmer for about 3-4 minutes until it has thickend a bit.

  4. Serve with some rice or quinoa and garnish with some cilantro! Serve and enjoy!

Honestly, this dish is so quick, so easy to make and so good! You’ll really, really love it and it is so so simple! I hope you’ll like it as much as we do and have a great time cooking it!

Enjoy!
Love,
Katie // Une Petite Cuisinière

Super Easy & Saucy 15-Minute Cajun Chickpea Bowl

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To be fair – I do not think you could ever go wrong with something saucy & spicy. And when you combine it with some chickpeas, tomato and coconut milk, there is no way you could go wrong. These soft beans in a creamy, rich and spicy sauce on top of fluffy quinoa and served with some thick greek yoghurt. The perfect lunch.

What is special about this dish?

Usually you you use cajun seasoning to marinate something, which you then fry or grill. So mostly that it becomes crispy. You could definitely do this with chickpeas but in this recipe it is used to make a sauce in which the chickpeas are in. It is not like any other sauce, maybe a bit like the tomato – coconut mixture in tikka masala but without the curry spices.

And we do no serve them on a regular salad or bowl but with some greek yoghurt, which adds a lot of flavour and its richness pairs perfectly with the sauciness of the chickpeas. Also the quinoa soaks up the sauce perfectly and completes the dish.

Is this dish healthy?

Yes, yes, yes! The quinoa, as a food of the month January, is loaded with protein, carbohydrates and fibre. Plus many essential vitamins and minerals. Then we have the greek yoghurt, which also is an excellent source of protein.

he chickpeas, also, are packed with fibre, which helps you with digestion and they are a great source of plant based protein. For all those who currently are or are considering a plant based diet – chickpeas are a great staple to always have at home. Plus, they are super handy and convenient since you can buy them pre-cooked and canned. Just make sure you drain and wash them before eating, otherwise you will eat the liquid they are stored in, which can cause you having gas in your stomach.

How to make this dish

This is one of those dishes, which you can make in one pan. You start by frying some onion and oregano in some oil. Once these become nice, glassy and fragrant, you can add the chickpeas and the (homemade) cajun spice mix. This is just fried for a few minutes, so the flavours really are absorbed. Now we are adding some tomato paste mixed with water to thin it out, and some canned coconut milk. This makes the sauce nice and rich. This can now simmer for about 5 minutes before we add in some sort of greens such as arugula or spinach. Once this has wilted down we are ready to serve it.

For this you quickly whip the greek yoghurt with a spoon, so it gets nice and creamy and then spread it on the bottom of a bowl or plate. Add the quinoa on top and then the chickpeas along with the sauce. You can garnish with some parsley and that’s already it! Fairly simple!

How and when to best have it + meal prep?

This works great as a quick lunch to have during a busy day. You could for example also make it a bit saucier and serve it with some naan bread as a comforting dinner. The chickpeas do work very well for meal prep. You can either reheat them in the microwave or with a splash or water or coconut milk on the stove.

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Super Easy & Saucy 15-Minute Cajun Chickpea Bowl

Creamy, saucy, spicy chickpeas flavoured with cajun spice and serve with some rich greek yoghurt and fluffy quinoa to round up the tanginess of the chickpeas.

Course dinner, lunch, Main Course
Cuisine American
Prep Time 5 Minuten
Cook Time 10 Minuten
Total Time 15 Minuten
Servings 2 servings

What you will need

  • 120 g quinoa
  • 1 yellow onion
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 can chickpeas
  • 3 tbsp tomato paste
  • 3 tbsp water
  • 4 tbsp canned coconut milk
  • 1 handful arugula or spinach
  • 200 g greek yoghurt
  • 1 tsp oregano

For the Cajun Spice Mix: (or just use 1,5 tbsp cajun spice mix)

  • 2 tsp paprika powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1/2 ts chili flakes
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/4 tsp pepper

How to

  1. Prepare the quinoa according to package intructions or just cover it with twice the amount of water and add some salt. Then bring to a boil, the reduce to simmer and let simmer until all water is absorbed. Then turn down to very low heat, cover and let it stand and fluff until finished with the rest.

    In a pan heat up the oil. Finely dice the onion and fry it along with the oregano for 1-2 minutes until fragnant. Drain and wash the chickpeas and add them to the pan along with the cajun spice mix. Fry for about 2-3 minutes.

  2. Combine the tomato paste with the water. Add this and the coconut milk to the chickpeas and let simmer for about 5 minutes. Add in the arugula and let it wilt down.

  3. Whisk the greek yoghurt with a spoon so it is creamy and spread it onto the bottom of a bowl of plate. Top with the quinoa and the chickpeas. Serve with some parsley and enjoy!

I hope you’ll enjoy this and have fun cooking this!

Enjoy,
Love,
Katie

Super Tasty, Healthy & Messy Vegan Pan Lasagna

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Soft Pasta sheets in-between creamy, warm tomato sauce, tossed with a vegan, veggies-sneaked, creamy and tangy “bechamel”-style sauce. Topped with some vegan cheese and baked till molten and crispy. Not kidding, this stuff is seriously addicting. And no, you won’t miss the meat – this easier, healthier and messier version of the classic lasagna is a comfort dream. You`ll want to have this for dinner every night!

What’s special about this dish? 

A lot. A whole lot actually. To be honest, we need to say a classic lasagna is pretty much untoppable, but we also need to say that it is not very nutritious, as delicious as it may be. So in this recipe we are making a few (rather a bunch) changes and swaps to make it more nutritious, plant based, easier but also at least as delicious!

For example, instead of the regular béchamel sauce we are using a lighter, veggie packed & vegan version of it, which is ready in a few minutes. Also instead of layering everything neatly, as it is common, we are making a messier version of it. I don’t know what it is but I really feel like messy dishes having this passionate and loving touch to it.

Vegan Bolognese

I am using the one from Pastafani and omg, it is so good. To be honest, I was very sceptical regarding vegan bolognese and thought this could not be good … BUT I was proven wrong. Terribly wrong. To make this clear, it does not taste like bolognese but rather like tomato sauce with Tofu chunks in it. But in a good way. I really love cooking with it, I also have another recipe on the blog with this – the Baked Bolognese Spaghetti Squash – and this recipe is at least as good. It is vegan, organic and delivers suuuuupeer quickly!! You can head to their online shop and check it out – which you really should. PLUS, if you want to same some money you can use UNEPETITE10 for 10% off your order. Really, really worth getting it.

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Otherwise you could also use a homemade vegan bolognese or a lentil Bolognese or just a regular tomato sauce. Or, what would also work great is if you fried some vegan ground meat in some oil for about 4-5 minutes, then add some tomato sauce and use this. A really quick version of a vegan Bolognese.

Is this dish healthy?

Yesso. Contrary to regular lasagna, this one actually is very nutritious. Why? Instead of regular lasagna sheets, we are using whole-grain ones. These contain a bunch of fibre and protein and also some good carbs. Next up we have some tomato sauce or vegan bolognese. Either one has a bunch of vitamins and fibre. Just make sure you check the ingredients when buying the sauce because a lot have a bunch of added sugar.

Then we have the „béchamel“ sauce. This is pretty nutritious. How? So, instead of milk, butter and flour or cream we are using completely different ingredients. We have cauliflower, which has been steamed before, some soaked cashews, plant based milk and nutritional yeast. This way it gets the whole color, the creamy texture, and the cheesy taste and it is really healthy!

How to make this dish?

What you really need to do, is to prepare the béchamel sauce. Which means steaming some cauliflower and blending it with the milk, cashews, nutritional yeast, dijon, salt, garlic and pepper. Next we just have to add everything to a pan. It would be best if you started by adding the tomato sauce to the pan, then adding the lasagna sheets into it. Now we are just adding some dollops of the béchamel sauce. Now, we try to mix it a mix, as good as possible. What’s left to do now is to add some vegan cheese on top and bake it in the oven.

When you take it out, you can either eat it straight from the pan, which I need to say is pretty legit or you divide it onto plates/ bowls. But what you should do, is add some (vegan) pesto, because this really makes everything better. Anyway, it is super tasty, saucy, comforting and healthy!

I hope you’ll like this dish at least as much as we do and that you’ll make it on repeat!! Have a great time cooking & enjoy!

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Super Tasty, Healthy & Messy Vegan Stove Lasagna

Healthy, Easy, Delicious. Soft Lasagna sheets inbetween a creamy tomato sauce, rich and veggie-packed "béchamel" sauce and toppped off with some good vegan cheese. Baked in the oven till perfection and served with lots of love. The perfect, healthy comfort food.

Course dinner, lunch, Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Prep Time 15 Minuten
Cook Time 40 Minuten
Total Time 55 Minuten
Servings 2 servings

What you will need

  • 1/2 red onion
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1 tbsp oil
  • 1 jar vegan bolognese * see blog post – paragraph "Vegan Bolognese"
  • 1 can tomatoes
  • 160 g lasagna sheets
  • 100 g vegan cheese

For the béchamel sauce:

  • 1/4 head cauliflower
  • 25 g cashews
  • 4 tbsp nutritional yeast
  • 1/2 tsp dijon mustard
  • 50 ml plant based milk (you may need more depending on how big your cauliflower and how strong your blender is)
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder

How to

  1. bring a pot with water to a boil. Add the cauliflower and steam for about 5-7 minutes. You should easily be able to pierce through with a fork. Drain it

  2. In the meantime finel dice the onion and garlic and fry them in the hot oil for about 2 minutes.

  3. Option 1: now add some frozen ground (vegan) "meat" and fry it for 4-5 minutes. Add 1 jar of tomato sauce and 1 can of canned tomatoes. Generously salt and pepper.

    Option 2: just pour in the vegan bolognese and canned tomatoes and generously add salt and pepper.

  4. Add the cauliflower along with all the other ingredients for the béchamel sauce to a blender and blend until having reached a creamy texture. You may need some more plant based milk.

  5. Break apart the lasagna sheets and add them into the tomato sauce so they are equally distruibuted. Add the béchamel sauce, a dollop at a time and the swirl it in. Top with the vegan cheese and bake for 40-45 minutes at 180°C.

  6. Serve with lots of love and enjoy!

Love,
Katie

Incredibly Quick & Easy Tomato Soup w/ Caramelised goats Cheese Bread

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Tomato soup in winter? Yes that’s possible – because we are using canned tomatoes! Don’t worry – it is at LEAST as delicious as the one with fresh tomatoes. Creamy, tangy and really easy. Plus, with the bread on the side you do not have your average one but a fancier (still super easy) version of it!

I, as a HUGE tomato lover (more like addict), have the hardest time in winter not eating everything with tomatoes. Tomatoes really are one of the things I miss most about summer! Anyway, we cannot have them fresh, but we can have the in their preserved way. Canned tomatoes are harvested when they are in season and then preserved in cans. Therefore you can enjoy them all year around, which is life-saving for tomato lovers like me.

What is special about this dish?

First of all it is made with canned not fresh tomatoes. Why? Tomatoes are not in season at this time of the year. You could still buy some but they are 1) not as tasty as in summer, 2) more expensive, 3) not good for the climate. Just because they are not in season right now, does not mean that we cannot enjoy some tomato soup – we just have to find other ways to make it! So we are using canned ones!

Plus we do not have some baguette to dip or some regular grilled cheese but a way fancier version of grilled cheese. Crispy wholegrain bread with goats cheese & honey straight out of the oven and still warm. This really goes perfectly with the creamy tomato sauce.

Is this dish healthy?

I would say so. We have got vitamins from the tomatoes, onions and garlic. Some carbs and fibre from the bread and some protein from the cream cheese. It definitely is no nutrient-bomb but it does provide your body with some essential nutrients! If you wanted to make it a bit more nutritious, you could serve it with a side salad!

How to make this?

Really, super easy!! It essentially comes down to frying some garlic, onion and herbs in some oil until golden. Then we only need to add some tomato paste, vegetable broth, canned tomatoes and some fresh herbs. This just simmers for about 15 minutes so it can absorb the flavours of the herbs. In the meantime we can prepare the bread.

Therefore we slice up the wholegrain bread and place it on a baking tray. To this we are adding some goats cheese. The creamier and fresher it is, the easier it is to spread on top of the bread, but here you can go for whatever you like most! Just add a drizzle of honey and bake it for about 10 minutes and that is it for the bread.

To finish off the tomato soup, we are now removing the herbs and adding it to a blender. To make it creamy and a bit tangy, we are also adding some ricotta cheese and a little touch of honey to recreate the sweetness of those beautiful summery honey tomatoes! Blend and serve!

Meal prep friendly and how to have it:

This really works great for meal prep or also for being made in a big batch. You can just make more servings, let it cool down and freeze it in Tupperware. Whenever you want to have some, just heat it up in a pot and you have got it ready in minutes.

The bread can not be meal-prepped but it really does not take very long to make 🙂 Beside the bread, I also love to serve it with some burrata cheese and balsamic vinegar!

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Incredibly Quick & Easy Tomato Soup w/ Caramelised goats Cheese Bread

Comforting, healthy, easy and super quick tomato sauce. Yes, you can have it in winter and it is really really good! Plus the caramelized bread with it is absolutely amaaazing!!!

Course Appetizer, dinner, Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Prep Time 15 Minuten
Cook Time 15 Minuten
Total Time 30 Minuten
Servings 2 servings

What you will need

  • 1 yellow onion
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1.5 cans tomatoes
  • 500 ml vegetable broth
  • a few branches fresh oregano & thyme
  • 3 tbsp ricotta cheese
  • 2 slices whole grain bread
  • 4 tbsp goats cheese (the younger and fresher it is, the easier it is to spread)
  • 2 tbsp honey

How to

  1. Preheat the oven to 200°C.

  2. Finely dice the onion and chop the garlic. Heat up the oil in a pot and sautée both of them in there for about 2-3 minutes until fragnant and glassy. Add the canned tomatoes, vegetable broth and fresh herbs and let simmer for about 15 minutes.

  3. In the meantime spread the bread slices with the goats cheese and drizzle about 1 tbsp of the honey onto them. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes.

  4. Remove the herbs from the tomato soup and either transfer them to a blender to blend with an immersion blender in the pot along with the ricotta.

  5. Divide onto bowls and serve with the bread! Enjoy!

I hope that you’ll enjoy this recipe and make it on repeat! It is super comforting, cozy and actually fairly easy! I would love to hear and see how you like it and am wishing you a fun time cooking!

Enjoy,
Love,
Katie