Tonight is the easy meal night, and the one in which we are basically cooking a green, a grain, and throwing in a bean. It sounds crude, but it tastes good, and it's quick. If you have time in the morning or the night before, make the marinade for the tofu and let it sit all day-- the longer it marinates, the better it will taste.
Kale is good in so many different ways, and this is on our menu often during the spring. You can substitute in other nuts and dried fruits. My sister uses dried cranberries, which gives a nice festive vibe to the dish.
1-2 lbs. fresh kale
1/4 c. walnuts
4 clove garlic, peeled & chopped
2 Tbsp. olive oil
4 Tbsp. raisins
2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
Rinse kale, cutting off the thicker stems. Don't worry about drying it-- the water will help to cook the kale.
Toast walnuts until golden in a heavy-bottomed saucepan until they turn golden brown and start to smelly nutty, usually about 4-5 minutes.
Saute garlic in oil in a saucepan over medium heat for a minute. Add rinsed kale and stir for a minute or two, then cover for a couple of minutes. The kale will steam, and make sure that the water doesn't completely dry out or you will begin toasting the kale. Add raisins and toasted walnuts and cover for a few more minutes. Stir in balsamic vinegar and cover for a few more minutes.
Per serving: 262 calories, 13g fat, 113 calories from fat, 9g protein, 34g carbohydrates, 5g dietary fiber, 0mg cholesterol, 100mg sodium, 0.7mg vitamin B6, 1835mcg vitamin K, 1132mg potassium, 34,445IU vitamin A, 270mg vitamin C, 0.8mg copper, 283mg calcium, 2.1mg manganese
This is one of the tastiest marinades I've ever found for tofu. It's also another one in which the longer you have to marinate, the better the flavor will be, so try to put the first part together early in the day and give it time to absorb all the delicious flavors. You can use any leftover marinade for vegetables or to put on top of whole grains as a sauce.
1 lb. firm tofu, cut into 4” steaks
3/4 c. water
1/3 c. shoyu or soy sauce
1 Tbsp. sesame oil
2 Tbsp. ginger, minced
1/4 c. brown rice vinegar
2 Tbsp. umeboshi vinegar
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1 tsp. brown rice syrup
Combine the water, shoyu, oil, ginger, garlic, vinegar, red pepper flakes, and syrup with a whisk. When it's well mixed, gently drop the tofu into the marinade. Let it sit for at least an hour, and up to overnight (the longer it marinates, the more flavorful the tofu will become.)
Preheat the oven to 375º F. Put the tofu steaks in a baking dish with full sides. Pour some of the remaining marinade over the steaks. Bake for 10 minutes and then flip the tofu over and bake for another 10 minutes.
Per serving: 174 calories, 11g fat, 89 calories from fat, 8g carbohydrates, 2g dietary fiber, 15g protein, 0mg cholesterol, 637mg sodium, 558mg calcium, 14.3mcg selenium, 1.1mg manganese, 184mg phosphorous
I tend to think of cupcakes as desserts for special occasions, probably partially because they are so cute. But, these are healthy enough to make an evening meal, and leftovers can be brought to parties or to the office to share.
2 1/2 c. whole wheat flour
1/2 c. quick oats
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 Tbsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. allspice
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 c. frozen apple juice concentrate
1 3/4 c. unsweetened applesauce
1 tsp. vanilla
2 Tbsp. ground flaxseed
2 Tbsp. water
confectioner's sugar, for topping
sliced fresh strawberries, for garnish
Preheat oven to 350º F. Line your muffin tins with paper and set aside.
Combine the flour, oats, baking soda, baking powder and spices in a large mixing bowl
Add the apple juice concentrate, applesauce, and vanilla to the dry ingredients and stir till just combined. In a small container, whip the flaxseed and water until frothy. Add the flax seed mixture to the other ingredients and stir until well combined.
Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 50 minutes. Remove the cupcakes from oven and cover with aluminum foil for 10 minutes before removing from pan. Sprinkle with confectioner's sugar and a slice of strawberry for garnish.
Per serving (1 cupcake): 144 calories, 2g fat, 13 calories from fat, 5g protein, 5g dietary fiber, 6g sugars, 0mg cholesterol, 107mg sodium, 30g carbohydrates, 162mg phosphorous, 18.1mcg selenium, 1.5mg manganese, 43.5mg calcium, 15.3mg vitamin C