sesame tofu with cold noodles

I love cold Asian noodles & this dish does not disappoint! This recipe makes about 2-3 servings.

tofu marinade

1 lb extra firm tofu, well-drained

3 tablespoons soy

2 tablespoons fish sauce

2 green onions, chopped

1 teaspoon sesame oil

2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

Whisk together soy, fish sauce, sesame oil, vinegar and onions. Pour over cubed tofu and allow to marinate for an hour (up to overnight in the fridge).

Bake tofu at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes, until just browning. Remove and cool. 

peanut sesame sauce & noodles

1/2 pound whole grain angel hair pasta

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

1/2 cup chicken or vegetable stock

1/4 cup soy sauce

1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

1 teaspoon Sriracha

1 garlic clove, chopped

1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated or chopped

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced

2 green onions, chopped

1 to 2 tablespoons sesame seeds

Prepare pasta according to package and then rinse under cold water, set aside to drain. In the blender combine peanut butter, stock, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, Sriracha, sesame oil, garlic, ginger until smooth. In a large bowl, toss the noodles, bell pepper, green onions, peanut butter sauce (reserving about 1/4 of the sauce at least) and sesame seeds. Assemble into bowls, place tofu on top, spoon reserved sauce over tofu and sprinkle with a few more sesame seeds. 

The tofu adds some protein to this dish but you could easily leave it off. Enjoy!

oatmeal for dinner?

Have you ever heard of oat groats? No - no one has heard of oat groats. I hadn't either until we were given some and they kept staring at me from the pantry. Well - Martha Stewart has heard of them (of course). This is a spin on her recipe and it is topped with an Italian tofu. Amazing. Time to move oatmeal type dishes to dinner! The recipe below serves 4.

For the oat groats:
1 cup oat groats

2 carrots

1 large onion

4 cloves garlic, minced

half head or bushel of kale

3-4 tablespoons EVOO

2 cups vegetable or chicken stock

1/3 shredded Parmesan cheese

For the tofu:

1 package tofu, drained/pressed well

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon dried rosemary

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1-2 tablespoons tomato paste

4 tablespoons EVOO

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon honey

big squeeze of lemon 

2 cloves garlic, minced

zest from half a lemon

S&P

To prepare tofu, whisk all ingredients together (except tofu). Slice tofu and place in a shallow dish, cover with marinade for at least 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350. Bake for 25 minutes. If you like a little more color or crisp on your tofu (we do), I crank up the heat to 400 degrees (after 25 minutes) and move to the tofu to the top rack. Give it about 5 or so minutes then remove.

While tofu bakes, prepare oat groats. In a Dutch oven, add 2 tablespoons EVOO and saute the chopped onion until translucent, add garlic and chopped carrot. Saute vegetables for about 5 more minutes, then add oat groats, toast lightly, add stock. Bring to a slight boil, then put a lid on the pot and lower the heat. Cook for about 25 minutes. 

 In the last few minutes of the oat groat cooking, heat 2 tablespoons EVOO in a large saute pan. Saute torn kale, add in 2 cloves garlic. Saute until just tender and add to Dutch oven - incorporate. Remove from heat and mix in Parmesan cheese - season with S&P.

Assemble hot oat groats and vegetables with tofu slices on top. 

From the Whole Grains Council, a groat is another name for a grain kernel. Whole oat groats are the result of simply harvesting oats, cleaning them, and removing their inedible hulls. You can most often find these in health food stores. They take the longest to cook.

Below is chart to help you distinguish the best grains for you!

knock-off recipe: cheesy cauliflower

Over 4th of July, Vance and I went to Chattanooga for the weekend. We are doing a Southern tour this summer and have hit Atlanta, Chattanooga and Knoxville - next up, Birmingham!

In Chattanooga, we had a great brunch at Tupelo Honey. I took myself to lunch at the Knoxville location this past Saturday (while Vance slaved away at a conference).

We had delicious salt-roasted beets with pistachio & goat cheese. Actually, Vance wanted french toast and I can't seem to get enough beets these days - so I inhaled this dish.

I had a fantastic cauliflower dish too - mashed with cheddar. Gave that a spin last night at home (and had leftovers this morning with an egg and tomato atop - yum!)

1 head of cauliflower

1/4 cup milk 

4 ounces white cheddar, shredded

S&P to taste

Steam cauliflower florets until tender (about 8 minutes). Pierce with a fork - when soft, drain. In a food processor, place cauliflower and milk. Pulse a few times, season with salt and pepper. Pulse until the cauliflower is a mashed potato-like consistency. Remove to a bowl and incorporate shredded cheese - serve (devour) immediately.

This is dish is a like a cross between mashed potatoes & cheese grits, but MUCH healthier. Enjoy!

i like my peaches spicy

Spicy Peach Chutney (adapted from Whole Foods)

2 Anaheim chiles or other mild chiles, seeded and diced
2 teaspoons cider vinegar
2 teaspoons white wine vinegar, or another 2 teaspoons cider vinegar
1 ½ pounds ripe apricots or peaches, diced (I peeled the peaches first)
1/3 cup raisins
3 cinnamon sticks
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon crush red pepper flakes (optional)

Combine chiles and vinegars in a small saucepan and bring just to a boil over medium-high heat. Set aside. Combine apricots, raisins, cinnamon sticks, salt and 3 tablespoons water in a medium saucepan. Set over medium heat and cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture begins to boil. Cover, reduce the heat to low and cook until fruit is softened and a thick sauce forms, about 15 minutes. Uncover and stir in vinegar mixture and cloves. Cook, stirring, until hot throughout, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool to room temperature. Discard cinnamon sticks. Use immediately or refrigerate for up to 1 week. We had our chutney over balsamic tofu, spinach & barley.

foodcycle

Remember when we had that roasted beet, goat cheese & egg sandwich? Well the beet greens looked so green and lovely that I couldn't throw them out. I foodcycled the greens into two tasty dishes.

braised coconut greens & chickpeas over quinoa
2 teaspoons EVOO
1 small yellow onion
4 large cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 pint cherrie tomatoes, quartered
1 large lime, zested and juiced (about 2 tablespoons juice)
1 dried hot red pepper or dash of red pepper flakes
1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 pound beet greens, roughly chopped
1 (14-ounce) can coconut milk
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 teaspoon ground ginger

Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook for about 5 minutes, or until the onion is beginning to brown. Add the garlic, lime zest, and red pepper, if using. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the chickpeas and cook over high heat for a few minutes, or until the chickpeas are beginning to turn golden and they are coated with the onion and garlic mixture. Add tomatoes and saute until soft. Toss in the greens, one handful at a time. This will take about 5 minutes; stir in a handful or two and wait for it to wilt down and make room in the pot before adding the next handful. When all the greens have been added, pour in the coconut milk, salt, ground ginger, and lime juice. Bring to a simmer, then turn down the heat and cook for 10 minutes, or until the chickpeas are warmed through. Taste and add more salt and lime juice, if necessary. Serve over warm quinoa.

wilted balsalmic honey green crostini

1 whole wheat baguette, sliced

4 ounces goat cheese, softened

1 pound (or less) greens (beet, spinach, collard)

pint cherry tomatoes, halved

2 tablespoons balsalmic vinegar

1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes

teaspoon honey

Sauté the greens in a large pan until just beginning to wilt - mix in vinegar, remove from heat. Toast the baguette slices. Mix the honey, chili flakes and goat cheese - assemble on each crostini, goat cheese mixture, cherry tomatoes, greens. Drizzle any leftover vinegar over the crostini - devour while warm. 

spring soup & sammy night

zucchini garlic bisque
makes about 3 quarts - good for sharing or freezing!
4 tablespoons butter
2 small white onions, sliced
8 to 9 large cloves garlic, sliced thinly
7-8 medium zucchini, about 3 pounds, half peeled and chopped
8 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 teaspoon powdered ginger
salt and pepper

Melt the butter in a heavy stock pot over medium heat. When it foams, add the sliced garlic and onions and cook on medium-low heat for about 10 minutes, or until the onion is soft and translucent. Keep the heat low enough that the garlic doesn't brown; you want everything to sweat. When the onions are soft, add the zucchini and cook until soft. Add the broth and bring to a simmer. Simmer at a low heat for about 45 minutes. Let cool slightly, then blend with an immersion blender until creamy, or transfer to a standing blender to puree. Taste and season with ginger, salt and pepper. This soup will taste even better after a night's rest in the fridge.

What better to pair zucchini bisque with other than a delicious and colorful sandwich!

sandwich service for two

4 slices hearty bread (like oatmeal, whole grain, sourdough)

3-4 ounces goat cheese, softened

small handful of fresh herbs - I used basil and chives

bunch of fresh beets - mine where quite small and there were about 8 in a bunch

2 eggs

S&P to taste

Preheat the oven to 375. Trim and clean the beets - reserve the greens for later. Toss with some EVOO and Kosher salt in a tin foil packet and place in the oven for about an hour. When the beets are done, allow to cool. Peel off any outer layer that is coming off and slice. Assemble sandwiches: toasted bread, about 2 ounces goat cheese, spread on one piece of toast, chopped herbs, beet slices, fried egg over medium and a little salt and pepper. Top with second piece of toast, slice, devour.

"the best guac you ever made"

Happy belated Cinco de Mayo! Vance could barely get his hands out of this guacamole for me to snap a few photos. Chipotle released their guacamole recipe online earlier this week - made at home, it is even better!

Vance claims this is the best guacamole I have ever made - I agree. 

Other festive food for the week included tofu, black bean & corn soft tacos and white turkey enchiladas.

1 package extra firm tofu, pressed and drained

1 can black beans, rinsed

2-4 ears of corn off the cobb

1.5 teaspoons chili powder

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1/2 teaspoon cumin

8 small flour or corn tortillas

2 tablespoons canola oil

1/2 purple onion, diced

1/2 teaspoon salt

optional toppings:

chopped lettuce, chopped tomato, avocado, shredded cheese, sour cream

In a medium bowl, mash the drained tofu with a fork and add the four dried spices and mix well. In a large saute pan, add the oil, saute the onion for about 3-4 minutes. Add the corn, and saute for another few minutes, add tofu. If the mixture seems dry, add a bit more oil. Add the black beans, season with salt - heat all the way through. Warm the tortillas and serve in taco bar style. This is also very good as a taco salad over lettuce.

I used pulled turkey instead of chicken on these enchiladas by Ree Drummond - they are delicious! Great way to use up leftover roasted chicken or turkey. 

Summer is starting!

5 pounds is a lot

When I go to the store, I always just grab the two pound bag of carrots. Well between salads, pot roasts and soups - a two pound bag of carrots goes quickly. The last time I went shopping, I thought "you know what - go for it - get the 5 pound bag of carrots...you will use it!" Let me tell you - five pounds of carrots is a lot. Do not be fooled. But - if you do make the commitment to purchase lovely carrots in bulk then try out this spicy carrot soup!

spicy carrot soup
2-3 tablespoons EVOO

1 medium onion, chopped
2 pounds carrots, peeled and chopped into 1 inch pieces
6 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 tablespoon cumin
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 inch knob ginger, peeled and grated
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
Kosher salt
ground black pepper
sour cream for topping
Toss the sliced carrots and chopped onion in the EVOO, season well with S&P. Preheat the oven for 400 degrees. Assemble vegetables on a cookie sheet and roast for about 30 minute until tender. In a large stock pot, add a tablespoon of EVOO and saute the garlic clove until fragrant. Add the chicken stock to the pot and bring to a light simmer. When vegetables are done roasting, add to chicken stock. Using an immersion blender, blend until smooth. Add curry powder, cumin, ginger and cayenne. Cook for about another 5 to 10 minutes. Season with salt - taste for seasonings. When serving, place soup in a shallow bowl and swirl a tablespoon of sour cream into it.
You could also stir in a little heavy cream - either will cut the heat a bit and provide a nice bit of creaminess. Enjoy!

dive right in!

walnut * pepper * paprika

Tasty walnut & roasted red pepper relish to try on tofu, pork, or chicken.

 

¼ cup walnuts

2 red bell peppers (about 1 lb.)

1 clove garlic, grated

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh mint

1 tablespoon EVOO

1 teaspoon paprika

¼ teaspoon hot cayenne pepper

½ teaspoon (or more) fresh lemon juice

½ teaspoon balsamic vinegar

S&P to taste

Preheat oven to 350°. Place walnuts in a small bag and crush a bit with a mallet (I prefer this method over chopping on a cutting board). Toast walnut pieces on a rimmed baking sheet, tossing occasionally, until fragrant and slightly darker, 8–10 minutes. Allow to cool.

Heat broiler. Broil bell peppers on a broile rproof rimmed baking sheet, turning occasionally, until softened and skins are blackened in spots, 20–25 minutes. Transfer bell peppers to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let steam 15 minutes. Peel peppers, seed, and chop. Toss bell peppers, garlic, mint, oil, paprika, cayenne, lemon juice, vinegar, and walnuts in a small bowl; season with S&P.

We had our relish atop dry fried tofu and a quinoa, black bean & spinach salad. Very fall, very yum.



it's roasting time

We have had a few cooler days here in Nashville (of course we still are in the 80's here and again), but cooler weather does call for a menu change. Time to get to roastin'!

roasted acorn squash with brown sugar butter

1 acorn squash (halved or quartered with seeds scooped out)

1-2 teaspoons EVOO

1 tablespoon butter, room temp

1 tablespoon brown sugar

S&P

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Takes acorn squash halves or quarters and assemble on a cookie sheet. Brush all exposed squash flesh with oil, equally split the butter and rub over flesh. Spring brown sugar on each piece and generously salt and pepper. Ensure squash balance flesh-side up. Add a little bit of water to the pan (less than 1/4 cup) and place in oven on middle rack. Roast for an hour - pricking the squash to see if the flesh is soft. It may take up to 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Cornish game hens stuffed with wild rice

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

1/4 cup finely chopped onion

2 tablespoons finely chopped celery

1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme leaves

1 1/2 cups cooked wild rice

1 tablespoon minced flat-leaf parsley, plus sprigs for garnish

1/3 cup toasted pecan pieces, broken

2 tablespoons dried cranberries

2 tablespoons dried currants

4 dried apricots, diced

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 Cornish hens, patted dry

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

In a medium skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium-low heat. Saute the onions and celery until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the thyme and cook for 1 minute more. In a mixing bowl combine the onion mixture with the rice, parsley, nuts and dried fruits and season with salt and pepper to taste. Place 1/2 cup of the rice into the cavity of each hen. Tie the legs of each bird together with kitchen twine. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Melt the remaining butter with the vinegar. Brush the birds all over with the butter mixture and season with salt and pepper. Put the hens on a rack in a large roasting pan, breast-side up. Roast the hens until an instant read thermometer inserted in the thigh registers 170 degrees F., about 80 minutes. Set the birds aside at room temperature, loosely covered with foil, for 10 minutes before carving.

 

been too long!

The summer has been flying by with vacation, dinner parties, farmers market-shopping and more. I haven't posted in quite a while, so here are a few summer food highlights (you may sense a theme...zucchini!)

Julia Child's Zucchini au Gratin - this is rich and delicious. Check out the recipe PBS.

Our friends Emily and Will came over for dinner a few weeks ago and along with the zucchini au gratin, Vance grilled up some delicious yogurt-marinated chicken breasts. The marinade is from Food & Wine and works on a whole chicken or even skinless boneless breasts.
1 cup full-fat plain Greek yogurt 
1 cup lightly packed cilantro, finely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon cayenne
1 teaspoon ground cumin 
One 3 1/2-pound chicken—halved, breast and rib bones removed, leg bones left intact
(I used 6 chicken breasts, bone-in and skin on)
Vegetable oil, for brushing
Cracked pepper & Kosher salt

In a large resealable plastic bag, mix the yogurt with the cilantro, lemon juice, garlic, cayenne, cumin, 2 teaspoons of salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Add the chicken halves and turn to coat. Seal the bag and transfer to a baking dish. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight. Bring the chicken to room temperature before grilling. Grill over medium-high heat for about 35-45 minutes, bone down. Check for doneness.

Lastly, my friend Lindsay gave me a gigantic zucchini - the challenge was on.

...and then that (above) turned into this (below).



grilled vegetable pasta salad with cilantro lime dressing
4 medium zucchini or summer squash

1 red bell pepper

1 yellow bell pepper
1 pound small pasta like ditali, small penne or orzo, cooked and slightly cooled
salt and pepper to taste
2 ears corn, unhusked
2 avocado

Dressing
1/2 cup packed cilantro leaves
1/4 cup olive oil
juice of half a lime
2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 cloves garlic
1/4 teaspoon chipotle powder or chili powder
salt and pepper to taste
Preheat gas or charcoal grill. Cut zucchini lengthwise into 1/2 inch thick slices and brush both sides with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Soak corn in its husk in large container of water for 10 minutes. Remove from water and shake off excess. Place zucchini slices, corn and peppers directly on grill. For zucchini, grill a few minutes on each side, until slices are tender and have grill marks. Remove and let cool. For corn, grill 15-20 minutes, turning every few minutes to cook all sides, until husk is charred all over. Remove peppers when fully charred and let cool. Chop cooled zucchini into 1/2 inch pieces. Husk corn and use a sharp knife to remove kernels from cob. Remove skin and seeds from peppers and chop. Mix vegetables and pasta in a large bowl. For the dressing, combine all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth and well combined. Pour dressing over vegetables and pasta and toss to combine. Add cubed avocado and gently incorporate. Refrigerate salad until chilled.

These are some great summer options to bring to a potluck or enjoy at home!

new sides for summer 2014

how to use all your fresh farmer's market fare? Here are few summery sides for cook-outs or cook-ins. Enjoy!

red skin potato salad with dill & sour cream

3 pounds new red potatoes

1 cup light mayo

3/4 cup fat free sour cream

1/3 cup loosely packed fresh dill, chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

1/2 white onion, chopped

S&P to taste

Place potatoes in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then turn heat to medium-low, cover, and cook until tender but still firm, about 15 minutes. Drain, cool in an ice water bath until cold, about 5 minutes. Leaving skins on, cut into bite-size pieces, and place in a large mixing bowl.

Combine mayonnaise, sour cream, dill, celery & onions in a bowl and mix well. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour mayo mixture over potatoes and toss to coat evenly. Adjust seasoning if necessary. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours, or overnight.

lemon & parmesan cauliflower steaks via Organic Authority

1 head cauliflower

¼ cup olive oil

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons minced fresh basil

½ teaspoon dried oregano

Sea salt and black pepper, to taste

½ cup grated parmesan cheese

Preheat grill or grill pan to medium-low.

Remove outer green leaves from cauliflower. Slice into ¾-inch thick slice “steaks,” cutting from top of head to bottom of stalk. (Some cauliflower florets will fall off; save for dipping in hummus or guacamole on the side!) Arrange steaks on a baking sheet or large plate. Whisk together oil, lemon juice, basil and oregano in a small bowl until smooth; season with salt and pepper. Brush mixture liberally on both sides of cauliflower to coat, reserving extra marinade. Arrange cauliflower on preheated grill. Cover and cook until browned on one side; turn over and cook until other side is browned, about 10 minutes in total. When flipping cauliflower, brush with reserved marinade. Sprinkle tops of cauliflower liberally with half of the cheese; cover and cook until melted. Turn cauliflower over; repeat with remaining cheese. 

bulgur & chick pea salad
1 cup bulgur or light bulgur
 1-1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
1/3 cup diced red onion
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 small English (or hothouse) cucumber, seeded and diced
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh dill
1/3 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
1 15-ounce can chick peas, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, from 1-2 lemons
 1/4 cup EVOO
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
 1 teaspoon cumin
 1 teaspoon sugar
Follow package directions to prepare bulgur - set aside to cool. Whisk together EVOO, lemon juice, dill parsley, garlic, cumin, salt and pepper. Combine the cooked bulgur with the red onions, remaining teaspoon of salt and the other ingredients. Mix bulgur with vegetables and pour dressing over - coat well. Season to taste with more salt, pepper, sugar or lemon if desired. Serve cold.

 

 

it's getting hot, hot, hot.

The warm weather has arrived! As summer tries to takeover spring, we have been enjoying some lighter fair on the deck - and wine on the deck - and on Friday, we had raspberry mojitos on the deck. This weekend, I made a tasty chilled gazpacho with shrimp paired with herbed sour cream muffins. You may be seeing a theme - herbs. My potted herbs are really taking off and now I am getting herb-anxiety - I have mentioned this condition before. Basically, everything I cook or bake for the next 3 months will have some type of fresh herbs in it - not a bad problem to have!

Sunday Night Gazpacho via Ree Drummond

Herbed sour cream muffins via Bon Appetit - I altered the herbs a bit, using more dill, basil, lemon basil & chives and omitting the marjoram. Be sure to mist your cupcake liners prior to spooning in the batter. Also, a buttermilk note - I rarely buy buttermilk as you can make it at home. In a measuring cup, add 1 tablespoon white vinegar, top off with milk up to 1 cup. Allow to sit for 5 minutes, then add to recipe. Less expensive than buying a quart of buttermilk unless you have a plan for the rest of it (or want to freeze it). 

zucchini love.

Delicious zucchini ribbons & savory turkey meatballs.

4 zucchini (peel away any bruised skin)

1 pound ground turkey

1 egg

1/2 purple onion, diced

2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/3 cup breadcrumbs

1/4 cup parsley, chopped

2 tablespoons sage, chopped

1 teaspoon Kosher salt

1/2 to 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

ground pepper to taste

EVOO

In a large saute pan, add a drizzle of EVOO. Saute onion in EVOO until translucent. Add garlic, sage, parsley, and red pepper and sauté for a few more minutes. Remove onion mix to a large bowl and allow to cool slightly. Mix turkey, onion mixture, bread crumbs egg, salt and pepper with hands until just incorporated. Roll turkey mixture into small walnut-sized balls. Heat about 2 tablespoons of EVOO and sauté meatballs on each side for about 2-3 minutes. Finish meatballs in heated sauce of your choice - for about 10-15 minutes. 

To prepare zucchini use a vegetable julienne peeler, mandolin or a Veggeti Spiral Vegetable Slicer - my new kitchen gadget. The Veggeti makes thin or thick ribbons from vegetables like carrots and squash or even potatoes. When zucchini ribbons are ready, blanch for about 3 minutes and drain. Top with sauce and turkey meatballs. Enjoy!

sunday dinner - vegetarian style

I think I like tofu more and more. Every time I make it, it keeps getting better - chewier, crispier outside - definitely a work in progress, but it's improving!

Balsamic Agave Tofu

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoon agave syrup

2-3 tablespoons soy

1 teaspoon dijon mustard

pinch of herbs de Provence

2 garlic cloved, minced

1 package tofu, pressed so the moisture comes out

1/3 cup white flour

1 tablespoon butter

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Whisk first 6 ingredients together and set aside. After pressing liquid out of tofu (I wrapped mine in paper towels with a weight on top for about 2 hours), slice into 8 long pieces. Lightly dredge each piece in flour and then dip in marinade. Place pieces on a well-misted baking sheet. Pour leftover marinade in a small sauce pan and heat. Bake for 30 minutes, then adjust oven to broil - broil each side of tofu for about 2 minutes. Keep an eye on it so it doesn't burn! Remove tofu to plates and top with balsamic sauce. Sauce note - marinade will thicken slightly as it heats - just before serving, give it a good shot of heat and stir in about a tablespoon of butter.

Amazing Shredded Brussel Sprouts

1 bag of brussel sprouts

1/3 cup dry white wine

3 tablespoons butter

2 cloves garlic, minced

S&P

Peel the outer layer of the brussel sprouts and remove stems, rinse and dry well. Pulse brussels in the food processor until shredded.In a large saute pan, melt butter and saute garlic until it gets a little color, add sprouts to pan. Saute for about 5 minutes, pour in white wine, reduce to medium-low heat and cook for about 15 minutes or until sprouts are all tender and delicious smelling. S&P to taste and serve.
This tofu would also be delicious in a wrap. Enjoy!