Mexican Braised Tofu with Smoky Yams

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This Mexican braised tofu, and
braising tofu in general, is a great, fairly easy way to add some variety to
otherwise bland and funkily textured traditional tofu. There are some key
components to remember though, if you want your tofu to really absorb
whatever flavors you are working with. This recipe explains how to
effectively drain your tofu so it can better receive the flavors in the
braising process. It’s a Mexican twist on combining tomato, sweet, and smoky
all together. Read More

Mediterranean Style Romanesco Cauliflower Tacos

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Sometimes I just want my taco to
look a little more dazzling. And Romanesco cauliflower definitely does the
trick when it comes to dazzling a plate. These tacos are actually not much of
a taco, being that they contain mostly Mediterranean flavors and components.
But even though, the tortilla, albeit made of potatoes, is still a tortilla!
So I’m calling them tacos anyway. Now that we got that out of the way, enjoy
making this super simple, vegan, recipe!

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Linguine with Cashew Cheese Sauce, Sage, Butternut Squash & Peas

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This month my kid got married,
and we got our first real feeling of autumn outside. My
son’s wedding plays a part in today’s post. I decided to prepare the food for
the wedding, and give it a personalized touch for the special occasion. The
bride and groom wanted a vegan menu, with vegan macaroni and cheese being
their favorite. The cashew cheese sauce for the mac and cheese came out so
yummy I have been thinking about it all week.

Then, it dawned on me that this sauce with a couple modifications
could make a great autumn pasta with butternut squash, sage and peas. And,
that’s how my first post of autumn came about! This sauce is easy to make,
packed with plant based protein and healthy fats. The crispy sage garnish
makes a nice garnish and crunchy finish to this comforting, cool weather
dish.

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Green Beans with Lemon, Tarragon & Chia Seeds

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This green beans with lemon
recipe is another one of those super simple, “too tasty and easy to be
true” dishes for an easy lunch or dinner side dish. Sometimes
demonstrating that you can grab one vegetable from your garden or the Farmers
Market, and easily turn it into a fairly complete meal or tide-over, is the
best way I can use my blog space! The chia seeds provide extra complete
protein and healthy fats to this, making it a decent light meal. And you can
always add more chia seeds to suit your own nutritional preference and taste.
So enjoy this one and let me know in the comments all the different ways you
did! I used some rattlesnake
beans from my garden for this recipe.

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Stuffed Ronde De Nice Squash with Tuscan Kale & Cannellini Bean Salad

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Each year I like to try a
different kind of squash in the food garden. And I am extremely pleased that
ronde de nice squash made its way onto my list this year! It has the
consistency of a summer squash like zucchini, yet it is hearty, with a soft
center and tender seeds that can be eaten, similar to a winter squash. And
it’s spherical shape lends itself to awesome stuffing potential! So it’s
extremely versatile. This healthy vegan recipe for stuffed ronde de nice
squash is a great summertime meal, as a warm-ish dinner entree or cold salad,
or even at brunch. Read More

Chia Infused Zucchini Black Bean Burgers

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Whenever I encourage my clients
to eat more plant based foods, the most popular response is, “but what
about the protein?” That’s where awesomely magical ingredients like chia
seeds come in handy. Nature’s miraculous formula of essential fatty acids,
protein, and fiber give chia seeds the unique ability to act like a binder
similar to an egg, helping to hold these burgers together, while also provide
a complete protein, in addition to the protein found in the beans and the
zucchini. When a plant provides a complete protein, it means it delivers all
the essential amino acids that your body can’t produce and therefore need to
be consumed in meals. So, whip up a batch of these babies and take them on
your next summer picnic! Read More

Spaghetti with Calabrese Broccoli, Green Garlic & Nasturtium Blossoms

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We all know broccoli is good for
us. But one has to admit that the same “commercial” broccoli that
we are relentlessly exposed to can get a little tiring. That is why I always
get a little excited whenever I see less ubiquitous varieties of broccoli at
the market. The particular calabrese in this recipe was small and tender,
making it a great, quickly seared pasta stir fry. In retrospect, I wish I had
taken a photo of it at the market, but the finished dish gives you a good
sense of the anatomy of this broccoli. The green garlic adds a spring
time garlic kick, and the nasturtium adds a slight peppery essence, for an
uncomplicated, light springtime meal. By the way, if you are wondering where
to find nasturtiums, they grow like crazy everywhere, so just tap into your
“inner hunter-gatherer” and you should be okay. You might even have
some growing in your own yard! Read More

Miso-Tofu Stuffed Portobello Mushroom Dynamite

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I like to work a little tofu
into my diet here and there. This tofu stuffed portobello mushroom usually
hits the spot. If you stick to natural, more traditional, and
unprocessed forms of soy you can alleviate most health concerns around soy.
The commercialization of soy has managed to turn soy into a
“Frankenfood” monster by using GMO soy and creating so many
products from refined soy. Therefore, my personal policy about soy is to
use a whole food approach and common sense, backed up by this
article from Dr. Mark Hyman, MD. Keep your soy products organic,
natural, fermented, sprouted if possible, and in a more traditional form.
This recipe uses two such traditional forms of soy: organic tofu and organic
miso paste. I love combining miso, mushrooms, any chance I get. These
flavors love being together! This makes a great, simple entree. You can
enjoy it right away or as a protein-rich salad topper for a lunch or
brunch. The stuffing is somewhat similar to a tofu scramble, with a little
more depth from the other ingredients. Read More