I’ve become slightly obsessed with exploring farmers markets. After taking the boys on an outing to one a few months back and discovering the sweetest, juiciest oranges and apples I’ve ever tasted – I was hooked. How could I not want my family to enjoy the sweetest fruits available?
Each weekend of the month there’s a different farmers market in another part of Victoria we may not have yet discovered. Most have bore incredible rewards for the hour or more drive to a primary school field or country town main street.
Last Sunday, we re-visited the Farmers Market which hooked us in the first place. I was delighted to discover a table of luminous coloured leafy vegetables that I hadn’t seen before. While I’m venturing into the world of becoming more adventurous with vegetables, I’m still a complete novice when it comes to vegetables outside my comfort zone.
On closer inspection I discovered that they were Rainbow Chard. I bought a bunch – not really sure what I’d do with them. On arriving home I looked up how I’d cook my new acquisition. I was disappointed to discover that the beautiful, appealingly bright stalks are actually really bitter and not usually used in cooking. The leaves are the edible element – cooked in a similar way as you would cook spinach leaves.
I thought a stir fry would best celebrate the Rainbow Chard. I have to admit that while I sneak tofu into my oldest’s food regularly, I don’t cook it too often for my Husband and I as a main meal. So I thought it would be a good time to start!
I had 2 sausages left over from the previous night’s dinner so thought that I’d add them to the stir fry to add some meatiness for my super-carnivore Husband. Adding meat to a tofu stir fry may sound a little contradictory. I think it’s an economical way to make a little bit of leftover meat (in my case, sausages) go a long way. Also, for you non-tofu eaters (like I was), cooking it with meat is a great way to get used to the taste of tofu and then decide for yourself how you’d like to cook with it and include it in your regular diet.
You can, of course, omit the sausages for a delicious and healthy vegetarian meal! Also, feel free to experiment with adding a wider variety of vegetables – we just love mushrooms with everything – so I wanted to keep the recipe simple and true to our tastes.
Tofu, Rainbow Chard and Mushroom Stir Fry
1 Cup Chopped Onions
1 tsp Oil
200g Chopped Mushrooms
2 TB Worcestershire Sauce
250g Firm Tofu – cut into cubes
1 Cup Vegetable Stock
1 bunch Rainbow Chard (leaves only)
2 Leftover Sausages (Optional)
1. Soften the onion in the oil, over a medium heat, for a few minutes
2. Add the mushrooms to cook and release their moisture
3. Pour 1 tablespoon of the Worcestershire Sauce over the frying mushrooms and onions. You may substitute your favourite sauce of choice – such as soy or teriyaki sauce.
4. Cook the mushrooms for about 5 minutes, or until reduced significantly in size
5. Add tofu, sausages (if you’re including them) and the 2nd tablespoon of sauce. Cook for a further few minutes, to allow the tofu to absorb the juices and flavours of the reduced vegetables.
6. Throw in the Rainbow Chard, along with the cup of stock and cook for a final 5 minutes – stirring regularly.
7. Serve up with a side of your favourite carb – such as rice or noodles.
