I’ve become addicted to getting eBooks from the library. One thing I never expected was to find cookbooks!! Yes, it’s true – you can borrow cookbook ebooks from the Toronto Public Library.

The first dish I made is a delicious combo of soba noodles and almond butter sauce. So easy and so tasty!

Being able to borrow ebooks is great – you can take out a “stack” of books, and it doesn’t get any heavier!! My first few borrowed ebooks were text-based, which incorrectly led me to believe that a photo-filled cookbook wouldn’t translate to the format. I was so wrong! Many of the e-cookbooks are full of photos (and why not!?). The one drawback I’ve found is the navigation… it’s a little bit cumbersome (at least in the books I’ve looked at so far), but there’s definitely room for them to improve as the technology is adopted more and more.

Another option is to go for the iPad subscriptions to magazines with recipes – I checked out a couple of different ones, and they were absolutely beautiful and had inventive navigation (not meant to be taken sarcastically).

The recipe I’ve included below is an adaptation of a recipe from one of the e-cookbooks I borrowed. I chose it because I love love love soba noodles, and wanted a new recipe to try. This one is almost a cross between a soba salad recipe and a rice noodle peanut sauce recipe I often make. I love the combination of creamy sauce, earthy noodles and crunchy veggies. Yum yum!

So… a couple of points for technology, and some new recipes for me!!

Soba Noodle, Tofu, and Vegetable Stir-Fry

Adapted from the book Power Foods

Ingredients:

• 4 servings soba noodles
• 1 cup shelled edamame beans
• 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
• 14 ounces extra-firm tofu, drained, patted dry and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• coarse salt
• 1 bell pepper, thinly sliced lengthwise (I used half red and half green)
• 1 head broccoli, broken into small florets (about 1 cup or so)
• 4 large stems bok choy, trimmed and thinly sliced crosswise
• 1-2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 3 tablespoons almond butter
• 2 tablespoons water
• 3 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar (i.e. no sugar)
• 2 tablespoons low-sodium tamari soy sauce
• 1 avocado, peeled and sliced
• Nanami Togarashi (chili and spice blend – could also use a pinch of cayenne, optional)
  

Preparation:

1. Cook soba noodles in boiling water for 3 – 5 minutes, until al dente. Drain immediately and submerge in cold water to stop cooking. Drain well and set aside.
2. In a deep sauté pan over medium-high heat, heat 1 tablespoon of oil. Add the tofu and 1 teaspoon of salt. Cook, tossing occasionally, until golden, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from the pan, and set aside.
3. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil in the same skillet over medium-high. Add bell peppers, broccoli, bok choy, garlic, red pepper flakes, and a pinch of salt. Cover and cook until vegetables are cooked but retain some crunch, about 10 minutes.
4. To make the sauce, whisk the almond butter and water, then add the vinegar and soy sauce. For some added punch, add 1/2 teaspoon of Nanami Togarashi or a pinch of cayenne pepper.
5. Toss the noodles with the vegetables, tofu and sauce in the pan, cook for an additional 3-4 minutes. Serve immediately, topped with sliced avocado.