A Bowl of Spring Rice

The asparagus have been beautiful out here, and in Spring so have so many other things, like the Washington Park Arboretum! Pictures are always easier for me to share than words. Inspiration in words has been hard to find among tough times in life. I won't bore you with the details, that's life!

Aside from that, there is a disheartening drag I'd like to mention -- people stealing photos and other content, or saying nasty things based on the content here. The content thieves are just as likely to be big, for-profit businesses as they are to be other bloggers. These experiences are too common among bloggers, and they make you want to hold back, to stop sharing what you love and value. On the other hand, I also realize all the lovely, loyal readers and supporters of Mango Power Girl should not pay the price for the bad apples.

The bad apples have been getting me down a little, and it takes so much time to deal with them, but I still want to share what I do. I haven't stopped cooking and inventing and photographing! I just haven't been documenting it here at the same rate and may pace myself differently at times. Hope you won't mind!

Here's a meal one for those quick and easy nights, when you want a satisfying supper in a bowl without worrying about too many different pieces to put together.

I marinated tofu in harissa, tamarind paste, brown sugar, and oil for a short time, while I prepped asparagus, spinach, and garlic, and cooked my rice. I sautéed the tofu in its sauces and let it get a bit crispy. Then, I removed it from the pan, added spinach & asparagus & garlic to the same mix of sauce in the same pan, and let it all cook for a few minutes. I tossed in the cooked rice with the tofu and vegetables, then garnished it with fresh spring onions. Chives would have been great, too. We had a satisfying but simple meal in a bowl!