iEat Green - Chef Marcus Guiliano – chef, green restaurateur & real food activist - 08.09.18

Chef Marcus Guiliano is an award-winning chef, green restaurateur & real food activist. Devoting his career to a whole food, whole life approach, Chef Marcus marries healthy food with ethically and socially responsible sustainable business practices. Marcus is a wine & craft beer expert specializing is small independent brands. Chef Marcus & Aroma Thyme has been featured on CNN, Dr OZ, New York Post, New York Times, TEDx Longdock, Best Chef's America, Sierra Club Magazine, Huffington Post, International Wine Masters, Bottom Line Publications, Smithsonian (Online) and Organic Spa Magazine. The Colorado Dept of Agriculture stated, “Marcus Guiliano is the Willie Nelson of Farm to Table”. Recently, OneGreenPlanet.com named Chef Marcus as one of The “5 Food Activists Helping To Make Big Changes." Chef Marcus has launched activist/watchdog oriented sites including: NoFarmedSalmon.com, ChefonaMission.com & the controversial FoodFraudTV.com.

 

July Garden Stir-Fry

Ingredients:

1 cake extra firm organic tofu, cut into cubes

1 onion, cut in half, then sliced into crescent moons 

2 carrots, cut into wedges 

1 Japanese Eggplant, cut into wedges

2 cups green beans (I grew Jack beans and Christmas Lima Beans, both on the Slow Food Ark of Taste)

2 cups chopped kale (or other greens)

2 cups cauliflower, cut into florets

2 bok choy    

1 yellow summer squash

½ red pepper

½ red pepper

6 baby portabella mushrooms, sliced

ginger, 1 inch piece grated

4 cloves garlic

olive oil 

1/4 cup tamari (to taste)

1 tsp. Dark sesame oil

1 Tbsp Hot sesame oil

1/4 cup Aji Marin

Instructions:

 

Lay out tofu cubes on dry towel, cover with another towel, and press lightly, to dry. 

Lay tofu cubes out onto a large cookie sheet, covered with parchment paper. Drizzle tofu cubes with olive oil, 2 teaspoons of minced garlic and 2 teaspoons of minced ginger, and 2 Tbsp of Tamari. Using a spatula and your hand, so you don’t break up the tofu cubes, turn the cubes of tofu so they are evenly coated with the garlic, ginger, oil and Tamari. Bake at 400 degree oven for 10-15 minutes, until golden brown, turning halfway done.

 

Meanwhile, Cover bottom of wok with oil. When oil is hot, add the onions, carrots, garlic and ginger. Continue cooking at med. high heat, stirring constantly for 5 minutes. Then add the green beans and mushrooms. Steam the eggplant for 5 minutes, until soft, before adding to the stir-fry. Add more oil or a little water if needed.  Add the kale and the cauliflower, stir for a few minutes, then add the peppers and summer squash. Again add more oil or water if necessary. 

Add the Bok Choy and cook for a few minutes more, than add the mirin and tamari. Add the cooked tofu to the stir-fry, and toss together. When vegetables are finished (they should be cooked, but not too soft), add the dark sesame oil, hot sesame oil and more tamari if desired.

Garnish with toasted sesame seeds.