Udon and Vegetable Salad with Sesame Vinaigrette

Ingredients
Udon or Soba Noodles-cooked according to package
1/2 Red Bell Pepper-diced
Garlic-1 clove finely chopped
Green Onion-1 stalk sliced thinly
Fresh Green Beans-(Handful) fully washed, snip of both tips, sliced in bite size pieces
Edamame Soy Beans-(1 c.) steamed and taken out of pods
Peas-(1 c.)
Asparagus-(1 c.) sliced in bite size pieces and sauteed lightly in EVVO
Fresh Parsley and Cilantro-chopped
Sesame Seeds-For garnish
For Vinaigrette: Half EVOO and Half Sesame Oil, Garlic, Soy Sauce (Braggs substitute), Rice Vinegar, Lemon Juice, Wasabi Powder, Salt and Pepper.

~Toss the cooked noodles, red pepper, garlic, onion, green beans, edamame beans, peas, cooked asparagus, and fresh herbs in a large serving bowl.
~Add dressing to salad and lightly toss to coat the noodles and veggies. Garnish with sesame seeds! Mmm, it tastes so good, try it tonight!!

Chilled Tofu with Red Pepper & Green Onions tossed in a Sesame Vinaigrette

This dish can be a crowd pleaser at the dinner table as a side dish or when added to your favorite fresh greens, can be a yummy salad for lunch!

Ingredients
Extra Firm Tofu (sliced into bite sized pieces)
1 Red Bell Pepper (sliced or diced small)
1 Green Onion Stalk (sliced thinly), adding green top if desired
Sesame Vinaigrette: Half EVOO & Half Sesame Oil, Garlic, Soy Sauce (Braggs replacement), Rice Vinegar, Lemon Juice, Sugar (1 tsp), Cilantro (chopped finely), Wasabi Powder (1/2 tsp), and Salt and Pepper to taste.

~ Add all these ingredients for the dressing into the food processor and blend until it all becomes one big happy family! ;-) 
~ Placed sliced tofu in a large serving bowl, then place bell pepper and onion on top, then pour the dressing all over tofu and lightly toss with salt and pepper, if needed.

I Like Green Eggs Minus the Ham...

This recipe came to me while on a morning nature walk, listening to birds chirp, geese honk AND also my stomach growling at me, saying "I'm hungry! What's for breakfast"? Ok, ok...maybe it was my boyfriend asking me that question...And for some reason I immediately thought of a favorite childhood book of mine, "Green Eggs and Ham". So, here's my spin or twist of this lovely food that Dr. Seuss speaks of....

Free Ranged-Fresh Farm Eggs on top of Toasted, Sliced Whole Grain Bread. The eggs are smothered in a Artichoke-Basil Pesto, with freshly chopped tomatoes and peas to complete this wonderful light-breakfast. Mmmmm....My mouth is watering just blogging about it ;-P

Ingredients
1 egg per person
Sliced toasted bread (1 per person)
Chopped Tomatoes
Frozen Peas thawed completely
For the Pesto: canned artichokes, fresh basil, toasted pine nuts/sliced almonds, freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, red wine vinegar, EVOO, and salt and pepper to taste. Blend all ingredients in a food processor until its the consistency you desire. Assemble cooked and finished ingredients according to the photo above. Enjoy! 

Tandoori Tofu Skewers over Curried Rice & Lentils!

Take a little trip to India and explore the smell of wonderful spices and aromas.....

This recipe is only for the Tandoori Tofu Skewers, the curried rice & lentils dish was bought from our deli. These particular spices should be found in your ethnic foods aisle at the grocery store, if not check at Trader Joe's or Wholefoods.

Prep Time:5-10 mins.      Marinade Time: 1-2 hrs.       Cook Time: 15 mins.
Ingredients:
Your favorite package of Extra Firm Tofu
1 cup plain yogurt (however, I used Sour Cream--we had it on hand)
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
1 tablespoon freshly grated garlic (or 2 tbsp. Garlic Powder)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon coriander
1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1 tablespoon Tandoori Masala
Salt and pepper to taste
Lemon to garnish
Pack of wooden skewers

~ First cube the tofu into bite size pieces
~ Mix together the remaining ingredients in a bowl and pour into a large bag
~ Toss tofu into bag and shake until all tofu is evenly coated

~ Place bag in the refrigerator and marinade for about 1 hour or 2 hours if you prefer bolder flavors
~ While the tofu is marinading, place wooden skewers in a large dish, pan or deep plate and soak for a good 20 mins. before using.

~ When ready to start dinner, preheat oven to 400 degrees.
~ Thread the tofu on skewers, and let the skewers hang by the edges of a deep, lined baking pan to catch the drips. Yes, it will be a bit messy!

~ Let them bake for about 10-15 minutes, just as long as it takes for the tofu to crisp up nicely on the outside. Check to see if you need to rotate skewers, making sure the tofu is cooking evenly on all sides.
~ Squeeze lemon juice over skewers, then serve hot over a dish of your choice.
~ Yum-O...Enjoy!

Beet Salad with Microgreens and Herbed Goat Cheese!

YUM-O...this salad was delicious!! I found these cooked and ready-to-eat beets at Trader Joes, so I picked some up and got the idea to make us a salad for dinner. After picking up a few extra items, I couldn't wait to build this healthy and nutritious salad with a Strawberry Vinegarette! 

Ingredients:

Romaine Leaves - washed and cut    

Microgreens

Beets-cooked, tender, and cold

Goat Cheese with herbs

Raw Sunflower Seeds

Salt & Pepper

Strawberry Vinegarette:

3 Tbsp. EVOO

2 Tbsp. Champagne Vinegar

Strawberries (4-5)

Salt and Pepper
(blend the following ingredients in a food processor and make sure to taste and adjust if needed)
~Place your romaine down on the plate, topped with the microgreens
~Add beets around the edges for presentation purposes
~Then place the goat cheese sporadically all over the salad
~Sprinkle sunflower seeds and salt n pepper, to your liking
Enjoy these lovely in season ingredients in your home tonight!!!