Episode 029: Allie
Tune in to Episode 029 with Allie Barnes, an elementary and middle school teacher in Mendocino County who focuses on History and English. Learn about how she decided to become an educator, why Harry Potter teaches important lessons, and how she deals with differing perspectives inside and outside of the classroom. Listen as she discusses:
Persevering despite a “mentor’s” negative feedback
The joy of seeing a student apply something they learned in the classroom to real life
Her experience moving from San Francisco to a small town
Why she’s a qualified cruise entertainment director candidate
Follow up links:
Allie’s Best (Youtube Channel)
Music Credits:
Theme song - Jazz from the Kitchen by Nikitaka
RECIPE: Sweet and Sour Tofu
Servings: Four
Tofu:
1 brick of extra firm tofu: cut into large bite-sized squares
1/2 cup(ish) cornstarch seasoned with salt and pepper
Sauce:
2 tablespoons of cornstarch mixed with two tablespoons of water to make a slurry
1/2-1 onion chopped
1 red bell pepper chopped
2 cups chopped pineapple optional (drained if from a can)
4 cloves of garlic minced
1/2 inch of ginger minced
(You can replace fresh ginger with powdered- it’s not perfect but it’s fine.)
2/3 cup rice vinegar
1 cup water
1 cup maple syrup
1 small can of tomato paste
Around 1/4 cup soy sauce
Salt and crushed chili pepper to taste
Tofu:
Coat the tofu with seasoned cornstarch and bake on parchment paper at 400 for about 10 minutes (it should have a crunchy skin without the pieces developing a dried hollow feeling)
Sauce:
Heat a full tablespoon of oil in a pan and add ginger and garlic. Once fragrant add onions and peppers. Stir until bright and slightly softened but still has a bit of bite. Add vinegar, water, tomato paste, soy, salt and chili pepper. Whisk on medium high until simmering throughout. Add the slurry and continue to whisk on medium or low heat. Once you’ve hit the texture you’d like, add pineapples and set aside off heat.
Cover finished tofu with sauce and serve over rice. Enjoy! :)