This week's menu

This week's theme was variety.  I was working with a core menu of seasonal ingredients, but had clients with different food preferences.  Because my menus can be customized to suit individual tastes and dietary needs, I was able to make modifications to each dish while also maintaining a balance of delicious flavors, colors and textures.

One entree was Baked Tofu with Curried Butternut Squash Risotto, Toasted Coconut, and Brussels Sprouts.  The risotto is a heavenly, almost decadent, accompaniment to this meal and while one of my clients enjoys its creamy, coconutty taste profile (as do I!), another client requested something lighter, so I made a Mashed Butternut Squash instead.

Another entree this week was Triple Green Tofu made with Asparagus, Green Beans, and Broccoli.  For my client with an aversion to green beans, I substituted zucchini.  Anything green in this stir-fry works well, since it all gets tossed in a sauce spiced with red pepper flakes that adds a refreshing little kick.

The last entree was Broccoli Rabe, White Beans and Marinara with Fresh Basil on Baked Sundried Tomato Polenta.  I like polenta as an alternative to the ubiquitous pasta, and I think the sundried tomatoes add a nice tanginess.  Bitter greens are the way to go as we transition to a new season!