totally inauthentic tacos.

As a vegetarian, I make black bean tacos like it’s my job. Delicious, nutritious, and easy, to be sure, but sometimes I need a little variety. That’s where the tofu taco comes in.

Normally I don’t try to make dishes that replicate the texture or flavor of meat because I simply don’t miss meat. I do, however, miss one of my favorite weeknight dinners as a kid: spicy chicken in those crispy pre-made taco shells. Cheesy and inauthentic, yes, but I have a sweet spot in my heart for them.

So I set out to satisfy that craving via a different route. Douse firm tofu in a spicy flour mixture, and saute until crispy perfection. Top with your standard taco fare: cabbage, lime juice, cheese, jalapenos, whatever’s your jam. Even Christian, who happily consumed lots of real tacos in Baja, loves these. Enjoy!

lv, molly

Spicy Tofu Tacos

Serves 2-4

1 block firm tofu, pressed
1/2 C all purpose flour
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
1/3 C canola oil

tortillas or taco shells

optional toppings for the tacos:
lettuce or cabbage
cheese
jalapenos
red onions
radishes
hot sauce
salsa
lime wedges to squeeze

Cut the tofu into 1/2″ cubes. Mix the flour with the spices. Douse the tofu in the spicy flour mixture. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the tofu to the hot oil, and let cook for about 5 minutes per side. Don’t disturb or they won’t brown and crisp up!

Prepare whatever taco toppings you fancy, and heat tortillas or taco shells. Scoop tofu into tortillas/shells, and top to your heart’s content.

cauliflower mac and cheese.

this pic via Real Simple well-represents how this dish looks (yum!)

I don’t have pictures to show you, so you’ll have to trust me. This is good. Not in a buttery-cheesy-overly-rich way but in a wholesome-warm-cozy way. Plus, casseroles don’t really ever look particularly pretty photographed, do they? So trust me. (This degree of articulation will permeate the whole post; I’m home sick, so I’ll blame my inability to communicate well on that and the dayquil.)

Because I wanted to make a macaroni and cheese dish I’d feel good about eating, I used the typical healthify-ing strategies: lower the fat, include whole grains, and add more nutrients. With that in mind (and with some great recipes online), I created this one. Cauliflower has always struck me as broccoli’s less sexy cousin, but it’s perfectly versatile, which makes it well suited to this dish.

Do you have a favorite healthy comfort food recipe? Share the recipe, please!

lv, molly

Cauliflower Mac & Cheese

Serves 6

pinch of salt
3/4 pound whole wheat pasta (macaroni, penne, or rigatoni)
2 Tbl extra-virgin olive oil
1 large head cauliflower
1/2 yellow onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 Tbl flour
2 1/2 C 2% milk
Freshly ground black pepper
Freshly grated nutmeg
1 1/2 Tbl Dijon mustard
2 1/2 C reduced-fat sharp white Cheddar cheese
1/2 C shredded Parmigiano cheese
1/4 C finely chopped Italian parsley
1 handful panko breadcrumbs

Bring water to a boil for pasta. Salt the water. Follow the package directions, but undercook the pasta by about 2 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large pot. Add onions and garlic. Saute for 5-6, until tender. Add in the flour and whisk for 1 minute. Whisk in the milk, and season with salt, pepper, nutmeg, and sage. When thickened, stir in the Dijon mustard and 2/3 of the combined cheeses.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Steam the cauliflower. When tender, remove the core, and chop into bite-size florets.

Drain the pasta; add to the cauliflower; stir in the cheese sauce and parsley; transfer to baking dish; top with remaining cheese. Sprinkle with panko. Cool completely and cover for a make-ahead meal.

Bake until brown on a baking sheet to catch the bubble-over. The casserole will take about 30 minutes to heat through and brown on top.

bad movies & a good salad.

Fresh chard from J&D's garden!

This was one of the freshest dinners I’ve had in a while; it took 10 minutes of active work time; and it has caramelized onions (yum!). But before I divulge the recipe, I think we need to discuss a little something called Transformers in 3D because, frankly, I can’t take my mind off this train wreck.

Michael Bay: the offender

3D dazzles me. No matter the quality of the film, if I see it in 3D, I automatically assume it’s somehow better than if it were in 2D and want to hand an Oscar to it. The first half I could hardly stop myself from gasping and aawing every time I perceived something to be coming off the screen and at my face (and then peering around to see if other audience members were equally in awe; most seemed nonplussed by the feats of 3D).

But this movie is so, so bad that 3D couldn’t redeem it. There are a series of shots of the obligatory doe-eyed girlfriend seemingly contemplating the explosions around her (or coming to some great realization– who can tell?). This was welcome comic relief because it grows tiresome watching machines blow each other up, especially when Michael Bay tries to evoke the audience’s sympathy for said machines.

We went to see it knowing that it would be absolutely ridiculous, but please, I beg of you; don’t let Michael Bay take 2 1/2 hours of your life. See the movie about elephants in 3D instead. I think you may learn something and not feel as though your brain was turned to mush.

There are some movies, however, that are so bad they’re good. Christian and I watched the ultimate this week, as per my little brother’s suggestion. THE ROOM. Despite my fascination with the absurdity of this movie, it leaves me speechless, so watch the preview, laugh, and then go rent it. You probably won’t regret it, though I can’t say for sure because it’s absolutely terrible– but at least there aren’t explosions that sustain an entire hour of your time. And the whole thing is comic relief.

Variety Magazine called this the worst movie of all time

And now on to what this post should be about: a recipe I like.

Janna and Dan brought us a bunch of vegetables from their garden yesterday, and I was excited to use as many as I could in a salad. But salads for dinner should be more substantive and include protein, so I added lentils too. Beluga lentils are tiny and delicate, and you can buy pre-cooked ones from Trader Joe’s, which are super convenient.

And now, the recipe… I will leave you with a quote from the ever-inspiring Optimus Prime: “Decepticons will never leave your planet alone.” lv, molly

P.S. What are your favorite protein-rich salads? I’m always on the look more ideas.

Lentil and Swiss Chard Salad

For the salad:
1 C beluga or le puy lentils, cooked
1 tbl capers
4 spring onions, chopped
1 onion, sliced thinly
1 Tbl butter
1 bunch Swiss Chard, roughly chopped

For the dressing:
(I used Newman’s Own Balsamic Vinaigrette because I was short on time, but this is the dressing I would make…)
6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp thyme
salt and pepper to taste

Saute the onions and butter in a pan over medium-low heat for 20-30 minutes, until they’re browned and slightly sweet. Then toss with the lentils, until heated. Meanwhile, make the dressing (or open the bottle of Newman’s Own…). Toss everything together and voila! A light summer dinner’s served.

So much better than Transformers

poor man’s pasta with a side of broccoli.

It’s exactly what I’m craving tonight.

YUM.

Now, I’m off to the gym. Stressful day today during which I kind of bombed several lessons (some hyperbole may be in effect here) and spent the subsequent hours thinking about what I could’ve done differently. Ah, reflection, a pillar of teaching. lv, molly

Poor Man’s Pasta

Adapted from Mr. Bittman
Serves 2 to 3

Salt
1/2 pound thin spaghetti (I use Barilla Plus; it has a lot of protein)
4 Tbl extra virgin olive oil
2 large cloves garlic, lightly smashed and peeled
4 eggs
Freshly ground black pepper
Freshly grated Parmesan or pecorino cheese, optional

Bring a pot of salted water to the boil. Start the sauce in the next step, and start cooking the pasta when the water boils.
Combine garlic and olive oil in a small skillet over medium-low heat. Cook the garlic, pressing it into the oil occasionally to release its flavor; it should barely color on both sides. Remove the garlic, and add the remaining oil.
Fry the eggs gently in the oil, until the whites are just about set and the yolks still quite runny. Drain the pasta, and toss with the eggs and oil, breaking up the whites as you do. (The eggs will finish cooking in the heat of the pasta.) Season to taste, and serve immediately, with cheese if you like.

Sauteed Broccoli Rabe with Crushed Pepper

Serves 5 (great for lunch the next day too!)

2 lbs broccoli rabe, thick stems discarded
3 Tbl extra-virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper (or more if you like it hot… wink, wink)
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Steam the broccoli rabe in a microwave or on the stove top. Chop coarsely when steamed.
In a large skillet, heat the oil. Add the garlic and red pepper, and cook over low heat until the garlic is golden, about 3 minutes. Add the broccoli rabe, and cook over moderately high heat, stirring, until hot, about 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

healthier than take out.

I just got home from teaching. Ravished, I ran to the pantry, grabbed two fairly large handfuls of chocolate chips, and proceeded to eat. Ever seen a dog eat? Yeah, it was kind of like that. I didn’t really enjoy the chocolate chips so much as I inhaled them. After a day of being too busy to eat anything substantial, the quickly consumed chocolate chips were a sad precursor to the healthy stir fry I’m about to whip up.

How was your day, readers? Despite being tired and hungry most of the day, I had a great day. I taught the students about Ida B. Wells (seriously, look here if you aren’t sure who she is; she was incredible) and discussed non-fiction reading strategies. Though we’ll need to revisit comprehension strategies in the future, it excites me that kids learned something about civil rights and are now familiar with a too-often-forgotten woman’s significant contribution to the movement.

And now it’s time to think about dinner…

Here’s are two stir fry recipes that I make when I’m tempted to pick up take-out but think better of it. I believe the first came from Martha Stewart, though I’ve probably adapted it (and you should too! the beauty of stir-fries!). The second was adapted from a recipe in Madhur Jaffrey’s cookbook World Of The East: Vegetarian Cooking. I hope you enjoy these healthy, straightforward dinners, especially when you’re craving takeout but prefer to be in charge of the fat and sodium content. lv, molly

Tofu + Vegetable Stir Fry

Serves 2

1/2 pound firm tofu
1 Tbl reduced-sodium soy sauce, plus more for serving
1/2 Tbl rice vinegar
1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil
1/2 Tbl canola oil
1 small onion, cut into wedges
1 large red bell pepper, ribs and seeds removed, cut into 1-inch squares
3/4 pounds bok choy, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces, stem and green pieces separated
1/4 pound snow peas, trimmed
5 paper-thin slices fresh ginger
1/2 tsp cornstarch dissolved in 1 tsp cold water
Lime wedges, for serving (optional)

Squeeze tofu to remove any excess liquid. (Or press it using a more effective method.) Cut tofu into 1″ squares and place in a shallow dish.
In a bowl, whisk together soy sauce, vinegar, and sesame oil with 1/2 tbl water; pour over tofu. Marinate 5 minutes (reserve marinade).
Heat canola oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet or wok over high heat. Cook tofu until golden, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Set tofu aside.
Stirring constantly, cook onions in skillet over high heat until browned, 5 minutes. Add red pepper and bok choy stems; cook 3 minutes. Add peas and ginger; cook 1 minute. Add marinade, cornstarch mixture, bok choy greens, and tofu. Cook until heated through. Season with soy sauce as desired. Serve with limes and brown rice or buckwheat soba noodles.

Vegetable Lo Mein

Serves 4-6

1/2 pound fresh Chinese lo mein egg noodles
5 medium-sized dried black mushrooms (or whatever variety you have on hand)
1/4 – 1/2 head of cabbage
1 hot green chili
2 scallions
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 C bean sprouts, well-rinsed
1/4 C soy sauce
1 Tbl sesame oil
2 1/2 tsp sugar
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
Freshly ground pepper + salt
6 Tbl vegetable oil
1/2 C stock
1/4 C chives

Cook noodles according to directions; rinse under cold water.
Soak the mushrooms.
Core the cabbage, and cut into long, thin strips. Cut the chili into thin strips. Seed if you don’t want it to be too hot. Cut the scallions into long, thin strips. Mince the garlic.
Mix together the soy sauce, sesame oil, 2 tsp. sugar, cayenne pepper, and black pepper.
Heat 3 Tbl vegetable oil in a large wok. Add garlic and cook for 1 min. Add green chili and mushrooms. Now add the cabbage, scallions, 3/4 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp sugar. Stir-fry for about 3 minutes or until vegetables wilt. Remove vegetables and put in a bowl.
Add another 3 Tbl oil to wok, and add the drained noodles. Let them sit for a few seconds before stirring. Add the stock, and turn up the heat. Cook until liquid seems absorbed, and then add the soy-sauce mixture and stir. Return the vegetables to the wok. Toss to mix. Add bean sprouts and chives; cook for another 2 minutes. Then serve!