So as promised, this week is a no-soup week. This is a new to me recipe, meaning I have never tried to make it before – but believe me when I say I have had this sauce before. It is my all-time favorite sauce at a Chinese restaurant. And the sauce I rarely get, and not because I don’t eat at restaurants, but because unless you order it as a side sauce, it only comes on breaded meat. So, I decided it was time to try to make this myself. Here is my vegan and gluten-free Sweet and Sour Sauced Stir-fry.

Well it has been way too long since I have made my favorite all-time meal (anything stir-fry) so since I had promised no more soups it was about time for this veg-packed meal. I don’t normally get too adventurous with my stir-fry’s if I am just making a quick one on the weekend, but it was time to step out of my comfort zone of normality. Making a real sauce is kind of intimidating, especially when trying to lose weight – and I say this because sweet and sour sauce? Full of sugar! I could not believe it when trolling through Google looking up ingredients for this sauce! So much sugar everywhere, and also a surprising ingredient I wouldn’t have thought of – ketchup! I didn’t have ketchup but had a can of diced tomatoes – well, since I was trying to use what I have and not buy anything extra, plain diced tomatoes whizzed through a blender was it! And that’s just plain awesome because I really am controlling every ingredient that goes in this sauce and how much sugar is being used – and that is what Splenda is for, also – less guilt.

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This was just another easy non-stir-fry stir-fry – meaning I didn’t want to spend more time in the kitchen than necessary so I decided to roast the defrosted bagged veggies. My store didn’t have a big bag of frozen veggies so I got three bags of stir-fry veg and a bag of broccoli cuts; I left them out overnight to defrost then dumped them on a baking sheet and sprinkled black pepper, garlic and onion powder, and ginger over them with olive oil and roasted them for 45 minutes at 375 degrees, mixing them halfway through. Once the veg got done I made the brown rice & red quinoa mix (I got the bag of rice/quinoa in my Christmas stocking – so cool right?). I had leftover rice/quinoa so I portioned it out into ziplock baggies and tossed in the fridge to add to soups or leftover sauce. I am all about portions with the carbs – and you may be asking why carbs after so many carbless soups. Well, I have felt my lack of being able to function over the last few weeks – and I think it may be due to lack of carbs. When I am on a health kick I totally forgo health, and just think about losing weight, and in my mind that means cutting out carbs. So I am adding them in with small portions instead of going full-force bread-addict. While the rice/quinoa was cooking I sautéed the tofu and onions with spices and about 2 tbsp leftover vegetable broth, then cooked up with sweet and sour sauce. It took a bit to get it perfect, but I did. Enjoy!

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Sweet and Sour Stir-Fry, 6 servings + leftover tofu, sauce and rice

4 Bags Frozen Stir Fry Vegetables, defrosted
2 Tsp Garlic Powder
2 Tsp Onion Powder
1 Tsp Black Pepper
1 Tsp Ginger

Brown Rice and Red Quinoa, cooked as directed on package
2 Tsp Garlic Powder
2 Tsp Onion Powder
1/2 Tsp Black Pepper

2 Cntrs Nasoya Organic Firm Tofu, drained and chunked
2 Onions, chopped
1 Tbsp Garlic Powder
2 Tsp Ginger
1 Tsp Black Pepper

Sweet and Sour Sauce

1 C Muir Glen Diced Tomatoes, blended
2 C Water
1/2 C Splenda
1/2 C Dole Crushed Pineapple and drained juice
1/2 C Apple Cider Vinegar
1 Tsp Garlic Powder
1 Tsp Ginger
1 Tbsp Kikkoman Gluten-Free Soy Sauce
1 Tbsp Homemade Vegan Worcestershire Sauce
3 Tbsp Cornstarch

1. Set oven to 375 degrees. Dump defrosted vegetables onto baking sheet and sprinkle with spices and olive oil. Mix with hands then bake for 25 minutes; take out and mix with spoon then bake 20 more minutes.
2. Cook brown rice and red quinoa as directed on package; add spices in before the water so everything gets mixed in.
3. Drain tofu, don’t press out liquid, and slice to desired size. Chop onions and then dump with tofu and spices into a saute pan. Saute on medium heat with vegetable broth. Saute until tofu and onions are browned.
4. If using diced tomatoes, pour into a blender to make sauce. Pour tomato sauce and 1 1/2 cups water into pot and place over low heat. Open can of pineapple and drain the juice over the pot holding a strainer over the pot, save pineapple till the end. Add Splenda, vinegar, spices, and soy and worcestershire sauce. Bring to a low boil.
5. In a small cup add 1/2 cup cold water and the cornstarch and mix; add to pot and whisk together. Let thicken up; add half cup of crushed pineapple to the pot and mix all together with a spoon.
6. Portion out 1/2 cup rice/quinoa blend into each bowl. Add one cup veggies, 1/2 cup tofu and onions, then 1/4 cup sweet and sour sauce over all of it.
7. Put leftovers in fridge to use up later.
8. Enjoy!