I’ve always enjoyed exploring new recipes, especially when they’re healthy, simple to prepare, and vegetarian. There’s something deeply satisfying about discovering fresh flavors that not only nourish the body but also bring joy to my family and friends.
Recently, I came across a collection of easy and wholesome recipes on Zhaxi Zhuoma’s website. These dishes are perfect for early summer—light, refreshing, and full of natural goodness. I’m excited to share a few of my favorites with you here. I hope they inspire you to enjoy healthy cooking as much as I do!
Tofu with Gochujang Sauce
I fell in love with gochujang and when I bought my first tub from Amazon, I tried it on everything—ok, I didn’t put it on ice cream, but I considered it. It is complex and good enough to just use by itself with a little oil or butter, maybe cut with miso or doenjang (Korean soybean paste) if it is too spicy. Different varieties vary in sweetness and heat, so go easy with it until you get the Goldilock spot for you. I use gochujang paste which keeps forever and is more concentrated. Sometimes it is sold as a sauce and comes with other ingredients like vinegar and sugar added. It is cheaper and can be used, but adjust the other ingredients you add accordingly.
The following is a wish list—use what you have on hand. I rarely have all the ingredients when I feel an urge for Korean flavors. You can use the sauce alone, too—without the tofu or with beans, chicken breasts, shrimp, hamburger, etc. There are some other options to consider.
GOCHUJANG SAUCE
1/4 cup soy sauce
1-2 tbsp gochujang (may be part Korean doenjang or Japanese miso)
1 tsp-2 tbsp maple syrup, brown sugar, honey, monk’s fruit, molasses
1 tbsp avocado or olive oil
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1 clove of garlic, minced or grated
1 inch ginger, minced or chopped
Lime juice & zest or rice vinegar to taste
1/2 tsp black pepper
Toasted sesame seeds sprinkled in
1-2 scallion chopped, white parts may be sauteed first
TOFU
1 tub firm tofu
Neutral oil for sauteing
TOPPINGS: Green scallions, Sesame seeds, Diced seeded tomatoes, Diced bell peppers, Diced Chili peppers, raw or canned or pickled, Grated cheese, Greek yogurt-whole milk best, Sour cream, Diced Avocados, Fresh raw corn cut off cob, Shredded crisp lettuce or other greens, Finely chopped parsley or cilantro leaves, Finely chopped nuts-walnuts, peanuts, cashews, Fried or poached egg, Baby Shrimp (non-vegetarian), Red onion pickle, etc.
SERVING: rice, noodles, polenta, pasta, lettuce leaves.
SAUCE OPTIONS: If you can’t find gochujang, ketchup or tomato paste and chili powder is an option, but no substitute; Coconut milk; Fish sauce (non-vegetarian); Anchovies (non-vegetarian); Kimchi (often non-vegetarian); Grated apple or pear for sweetener; Chickpeas or beans.
Directions:
If you want to use grated cheese as a topping, and I do recommend it, try grating it from a brick and avoid the prepackaged grated cheese. I finally understood why—too often the commercial gratings are dusted with something to preserve shelf-life and they do not melt correctly.
TOFU-CRUMBLED or CUBED: If you use crumbled tofu, it is best to leave in tub in freezer overnight or longer. The ice crystals that form when frozen -thaw- and extract the water from within the tofu. You can squeeze the tofu like a sponge and it will expel the majority of the water. It then is very able to absorb whatever sauce you put on it. If you don’t have time to freeze and thaw it, you can still dry or press tofu to remove as much water as possible, then crumble unfrozen tofu with a fork or cut into bite-size cubes. Either way saute tofu until crispy in neutral oil and add sauce.
TOFU-AIRFRY: You may also cut tofu into slabs pressing out as much water as possible and then either just rub or spray slab with oil or first dip in starch/flour or Panko crumbs or egg or combination of these and then airfry at 400F for about 10 minutes on both sides or until golden.
Serve tofu with Gochujang Sauce on rice, noodles, polenta, or pasta with your choice of topping(s) or wrap a piece of tofu in lettuce leaves with topping(s) and eat like tiny tamales with your favorite dipping sauce.
Eggs Florentine-Air Fryer or Oven
Eggs and spinach are always good together. This is just a contemporary version of a classic. I’m using my air fryer again as I am cooking in my cave instead of the temple kitchen. I do that when someone is doing a Solitary Retreat and needs the kitchen. I try to not have any contact with anyone on such a retreat, but I do sometimes forget, especially when the person doing the retreat is so quiet that I even forget they are also living here. Last week I heard someone shaking the screen door leading to the kitchen and I was sure it was our very pregnant Lucy Lentil trying to find a nest inside and I yelled. She had already ripped the screen and managed to get in before. I had forgotten to close the back door when I went to water the herbs and veggies. It was not Momma Lucy, but a very startled and thoughtful person trying her best to observe silence. Embarassed? Yes,very. Sorry.
Ingredients:
- 3 Cups Fresh or frozen spinach, thawed and drained,
- 1/4 Kosher salt,
- 1/2 Cup Ricotta cheese,
- 2 Tbsp Heavy cream or coconut cream,
- 2 Garlic cloves, minced (optional),
- 1/8 tsp Black pepper,
- 2 tsp Unsalted butter, melted,
- 3 Tbsp Grated parmesan cheese,
- 1/2 Cup Panko gluten-free crumbs,
- 4 Large eggs.
Directions:
Mix spinach, ricotta, cream, garlic (if used), salt & pepper. Also mix butter, cheese, and panko. Set aside. Scoop spinach mixture into individual serving circles on oiled air fryer basket or sheet pan. Set air fryer to AIR ROAST, set temperature to 375F degrees, and set time to 15 minutes select START/PAUSE to begin preheating. When preheated, slide basket or sheet pan into oven. After 8 minutes, press PAUSE and remove the pan. Make an indentation in each spinach serving, crack an egg into the indentation and sprinkle with panko mixture over the surface of the egg.
Return the pan to oven and push START to resume cooking. After 5 minutes, check eggs. Cook longer, if needed.
CONVENTIONAL OVEN: Set temperature at 400F degrees. May need to be cooked a few minutes more at each stage.
Chocolate Waffles
Ingredients
- 4 Eggs, whisked
- 1/3 Cup canned coconut milk
- 2 Tbsp maple syrup or raw honey (some kind of sweetener)
- 1 1/2 Cups almond meal/flour
- 2 Tbsp heaping unsweetened cocoa
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 Cup dark chocolate chips
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Sprinkle of cinnamon
- Pinch of salt
Toppings
Apple sauce, unsweetened creamy almond butter, Greek Yogurt
coconut butter warmed to liquid state
raw pecans chopped
dark chocolate chopped
blueberries
Directions:
Plug in waffle iron. Whisk eggs in a medium-large sized bowl.
Add coconut milk and sweetener and whisk together with eggs.
Next add almond flour and mix more! Then add cocoa powder, baking soda and mix together.
Lastly, add in your chocolate chips, vanilla, salt and cinnamon. Mix together thoroughly.
Pour into waffle iron and cook until cooked through, about 4-5 minutes, until cooked through and crisped up.
4 Servings. I really liked them with the apple sauce toppings and Greek yogurt, but the more traditional maple syrup and butter are great, too. Enjoy!
Link: https://peacelilysite.com/2025/06/13/healthy-and-easy-vegetarian-recipes-for-early-summer/
Peace LiLy 