This week's menu

When the weather gets hot and sticky, it becomes a challenge cooking.  This week's menu reflects the theme of "Stay Cool in the Kitchen," with entrees that are just as delicious eaten cold as they are warm.

I don't know about you, but to me, leftover tofu straight from the fridge is really delicious.  I usually bake it with a simple marinade of tamari and toasted sesame oil.  If there's any left the next day, it makes a nice snack cold, or even cut up and tossed on a salad.  Another favorite eaten cold is barbeque tofu.  Sure, you can microwave it, or heat it up again in the oven, but again, I opt for keeping cool.

And it's sooooo good with a Dijon Green Bean and Red Potato Salad and some sliced cucumbers.

Also on the menu this week was an Indonesian Baked Tempeh with Peanut Sauce on Rice Noodles.  I love the richness of this sauce which, again, can be eaten heated or as a cold salad.  The third entree on this week's menu featured Black Bean and Brown Rice Stuffed Zucchini (fresh from my garden) with a luscious Roasted Red Pepper Sauce Garnished with Fresh Cilantro.  It's amazing the depth of flavors that can come from just a few simple ingredients.

A new discovery this week was provided by a client (and good friend!) who introduced me to the wonders of sorbet.  Now, I'm not a former ice cream addict and I don't really crave the vegan alternatives (other than the occasional trip to Sweet Claude's for a tofutti sundae treat).  But when temperatures hover in the 90s and I'm heating things up in the kitchen, it's really nice to cool off afterward.  Especially with a Blackberry Cabernet Sorbetto.  Yes, you heard me.  This has to be the most brilliant dessert concoction I've ever tasted!  It starts with that rich, tangy bite of cabernet then quickly takes over the tastebuds with the full berry blast of sweet and sour.  And the texture is smooth and silky, not icy and thin like some vegan sorbets.  The other surprise was the Green Tea Sorbet by Soy Delicious.  On its own I have to admit it's a little flat, but as a contrast with the Blackberry Cabernet, the subtle flavors really shined.  Plus, how can you go wrong with that lovely color combination?  Perfection in a cup!

This week's menu

I've been doing a little experimenting this week with baked stuffed zucchini. One day I tried filling it with a chick pea mash similar to hummus, then sauteed some red pepper, carrots and mushrooms as a garnish.

Last night I made some polenta with sundried tomatoes, put that inside the little zucchini boats, then swam it atop a pool of thick eggplant and red pepper marinara, and topped it with sauteed baby spinach and cannelini beans.

Today, I tried a tofu florentine stuffing similar to what I would use as a "ricotta cheese" for manicotti, then I accompanied it with penne and marinara sauce. It's hard to choose a favorite, but I'm leaning toward the tofu with marinara. Topped with some sauteed baby spinach, it was hard to beat.

I liked the tofu "cheese" filling so much I used it for an eggplant rollatini dish this week.

Rounding out this week's menu was a simple tempeh stirfry with three greens: broccoli, zucchini and snap peas. Bon appetit!

Weekly Meals

I'm feeling the chill of March, even though the calendar says it's May. Whenever I feel the chill I crave anything potato: mashed, oven fried, deep fried, crisp, creamy... and this week's meals reflected that.

Meal #1: Ground “Beef” and Tomatoes with Mashed Potatoes and Savory Balsamic Kale Saute

Meal #2: Chick Pea Salvatore with Garlic Greens on Quinoa

Meal #3: Oven Roasted Sweet Potato Spears with Maple Glaze, Edamame, Corn and Curried Quinoa Stuffing with Asparagus

(my favorite: the oven roasted sweet potatoes
tasted like crisp clouds with a creamy candy center)