Fresh and Fruity!

Just a short post today my bloggie peeps.
Yesterday for lunch Chris and I wanted something light. Chris has been diligently tilling the garden for two days straight, and it looks amazing.
I wanted Chris to get alot of water in him yesterday after being in the heat all morning, so I came up with a fruity lunch. With it I served a tofu sandwich, nothing to write home about, just tofu I cooked in a skillet with some cheese melted, kinda like an egg sandwich of sorts, except no egg...lol
We ate about half of the fruit and I am going to juice the rest!
Last night we had a huge rainstorm, complete with thunder and lightening. My computer wouldn't pick up any signal at all and I ended up watching The Mentalist reruns.

I am off to pick up some dog food and a few little items I need. I will be back later to post something I am sure!!!!
Thank you to those who commented on the salad. I named it Sunshine salad, combining several different thoughts into it!
Hope you have a great day!

Neapolitan Lasagna and Sunshine Salad

Today is the day we finally broke ground on the garden!!!!
YAY!
It seems like it took forever. This is all that Chris was able to till before he headed off to work today, but it is a start. I am not going to be able to do the above ground garden beds like I wanted this year, but that just gives me something to look forward to next year!!!
I have been busy today, I was able to get the entire yard mowed now that the riding mower is running again! I pulled weeds and ran some laundry, did the dishes and I am sorting through all of my old magazines picking the recipes out I want to try and recycling the rest..

I even got licked by a cow today! Isn't that the coolest thing ever!!!! My husbands best friend Dave is a wonderful man and a wonderful friend to my husband. They share things like friends do, Chris helps cut firewood, Dave lends us his tiller.
Dave has a farm that he bought for very little money and it has loads of room for Dave and his family to roam. He recently purchased some calves and they are beautiful and friendly. I have never had a cow stare me in the eyes before or try to lick my face, so it was surprising to say the least. I had great fun and cannot wait to go back out!!!

When we got back I decided to make lasagna because it is fast and easy, plus you can make it ahead. I remembered Alicia's delicious looking green ricotta and went to see what I needed to make it, if you would like to see the original recipe go here: http://veganepicurean.blogspot.com/2009/12/vegan-neapolitan-lasagna.html

Now... you know me, I am not one to follow recipes exactly. I try I honestly do, but I have a way about me that has to change everything. So here is my very loosely based Neapolitan lasagna recipe...

I started out by making some Italian sausage

Italian Sausage

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups prepared tvp with browning seasoning and fennel

1 tbls. red pepper flakes

1 tsp sea salt

1 tsp. cracked black pepper

1 tbls. yellow miso

1 tsp. italian seasoning

1 tsp. oregano

Mix everything together, taste to see if seasonings are right. Use to crumble on lasagna. Would be good used on top of pizza too, or calzones!!

Neopolitan Lasagna

8-12 oven ready lasagna noodles
1 1/2 jarred spaghetti sauce or homemade
1/2 pkg. extra firm tofu, drained and pressed
1 pkg. firm silken tofu, drained
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp. nutritional yeast
2 tbls. yellow miso
1/2 tsp. salt to taste
1 tsp. fennel seeds
1 tsp. oregano

1/2 recipe of italian sausage
12 oz. frozen spinach, defrosted and drained
1 large zucchini, sliced lengthwise
2 Roma tomatoes, sliced thinly, also lengthwise

Place the tofu's in a large bowl along with the spinach and remaining ingredients. Using your hands smash everything together, you can use a food processor if you like. When everything is mixed the way you would like it start assembling your lasagna.
Place about 2/3 of your sauce down top with your noodles, I used four, to start. Top your noodles with 1/2 of your ricotta mixture and the cover with more noodles, continue until you have reached the top of the pan ending with the sauce. Place thinly sliced zucchini over sauce and then top with tomatoes.
Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 1 hour. Remove foil and bake an additional 25 minutes.
Let cool for about 15-20 minutes, slice and serve.

I usually make a vegetable tray with dinner each night, with summer coming I am getting back into my summer salad phase. I had no idea what type of salad I wanted. So cleaned the fridge out....lol
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Sunshine Salad

Ingredients:

2 cups coleslaw mix (the kind without the dressing pkt.)
1 cup romaine, shredded
1 cup spinach, shredded
1 pear, washed and sliced thinly
1 tangerine, peeled and split into sections
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds
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Dressing

Ingredients not approximate

1/2 c. vegenaise
1 tbls. agave
juice of one tangerine
1 tsp. poppy seeds
Mix together taste for seasonings.

Mix your salad ingredients together and pour dressing over, toss to coat, eat immediately.
Dinner is served!

Close up lasagna shot

Interior shot

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The review:

I loved the lasagna, the ricotta held up quite nicely and had a great texture and taste. Surprisingly the nooch didn't kill me, although I could taste it. I felt it added a nice cheesy undertone to the whole dish.

The italian sausage crumbled, but you could still taste it, it was very similar to what I remember sausage tasting like. What cinched this dish for me was the fresh zucchini and tomato top, it was so good, very fresh and slightly undercooked, perfect!

The salad was incredible, this will be on my summer menu alot this year!

Who knew I could make up a salad out of what I found in my refrigerator..no wonder Blessedmama wants to look in my pantry..lol, I am just kidding!!

So I have a salad with no name, would you like to help me name it?

I hope everyone enjoyed a little sunshine today, has a big cup of green tea and is settling in for the evening!!!

New England Goulash and Garlic Mashed Potato's

Ahhhh....Comfort food, how I love you!
Today was my remicade day...again... Take 2, and everything went great. They had to float my vein, but that is ok since they were able to find it!!!
Since Remicade is like a chemo, I am always exhausted for a couple of days after, so last night I went ahead and made dinner for today!!!

I made New England Goulash!!

A few years ago I was watching Diners, Drive ins and Dives, one of my favorite Food Network shows and they were in a diner in New England talking to the chef about American Chop Suey. One thing led to another and I veganized it and called it New England Goulash. I like to serve it with Garlic Mashed Potatoes.

New England Goulash

Ingredients:

1 medium onion, chopped

3 carrots, peeled and diced

3 stalks celery, diced

1/2 can tomato paste

1 28oz. can tomato puree

1 can diced tomato's

1-1 1/2 c. prepared tvp with browning sauce, and some fennel seed added to taste

1 tsp. oregano

1 tsp. italian seasoning

1/2 tsp. cracked black pepper

Sea salt to taste

1/2 box Ditalini pasta, or any shape you prefer

1 recipe of garlic mashed potato's

In a large pot bring 8 cups of water to a boil, add your pasta and cook according to directions on package. In a large skillet, water saute your vegetables, celery, onions, and carrots. When crisp tender add your tomato paste, tomato puree and diced tomato's. Add seasonings and let simmer for 15-20 minutes. Drain pasta, and add to your goulash sauce. Cook until heated through, serve over mashed potato's.

Enjoy!!

This is a real yummy, soul satisfying meal! Although, I am the only one in my family that really likes tvp. So I will eat this for several days and send some with Chris for lunches. The garlic mashed potatoes really highten the flavor of the goulash and makes it super filling.
I like it alot.
I think that you will like it too, it is very easy to make and even beginning cooks can make this!
This is carb loaded, but sometimes that is the only thing that satisfies!!!
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I hope all of you are enjoying your evening and I will talk with you soon!!!

Tuna and White Bean Salad

I was leafing through Healthy Living Kitchen By, Marilu Henner last night when I found a recipe for tuna and white bean salad. I was intrigued. I knew I could replicate it, but would it be just as good as a traditional tuna and white bean salad???

"Tuna" and White Bean Salad

3 tbls. Olive oil,
1/4 spanish onion, minced
2 stalks celery, minced
2 carrots, peeled and minced
1 tbls. Thyme
1 can great northern beans, drained and rinsed
1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup vegetable broth
2 tbls. soy sauce
Salt and Pepper to taste
4 tbls. Balsamic Vinegar
2 roma tomatoes, diced
1/4 cup fresh chopped basil

Drain and rinse beans, place in a bowl. Add remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Let refrigerate until the flavors have had time to combine. I served mine on romaine leaves.

The Review:

While no one is going to fall for this being tuna bean salad, it does really have a meaty bite thanks to the garbanzo beans.
This would be lovely stuffed into radicchio leaves also.
I used the oil, but I do not think you need it with the veggie broth, and I will not use it next time. I followed the recipe very loosely from the original. The original recipe called for cooking all the ingredients together and then letting it cool and then eating it. That sounded more like a soup to me, so everything is raw but the beans. I will make this again, especially this summer. I will change the balsamic vinegar to a white wine vinegar or a rice vinegar, just because I think it will be more pleasant visually!

I hope you try it!!!

It's Greek To Me Veggie Dip

Happy Sunday, Blogsters!

As many of you know I could corner the market on veggie, fruit and relish trays at my house. I make one for almost every meal, holiday, birthday and BBQ.
I love the ease of vegetable platters. Even Sunday brunch has a fruit tray!!!

Veggie, fruit and relish trays are eatable art in my eyes, depending on your mood you could have a Monet or a Salvidor Dali. I lean more towards the Monet. I like everything orderly (can you say type A) in its place, decided by color and size.

I love veggies plain but my husband loves to eat dip with his, so I inevitably create a dip or buy one when I feel lazy. Like today.

I shop at the beautiful cookery store in Hutchinson, Kansas. It is called Apron strings and it is a wonderland for grown up foodies! They carry Le Cruset and tasting spoons, aprons of course, and some food items. I adore the dry dips that they carry.

This dip was supposed to be spinach and I just grabbed, it must have wound up in wrong box.... But, being me, I am up for surprises and I decided to make for tonight's dinner of pizza and veggies!
This dip was not designed for vegans, but you know me. It wasn't that tough converting. I am not going to rewrite the recipe, I think you can see it just fine. Another thing I like about this dip, it contains no msg, salt or preservatives. I added vegenaise and soy sour cream instead of the dairy and since I had no kalamata olives I threw in some black olives from the fridge.
The simplistic veggie tray, Top left to bottom...Wedged roma tomatoes, sliced celery, carrot sticks, cucumber slices. I buy almost all organic fruits and vegetables, if your cucumbers are not organic, please peel the skins.

An aeriel view of the veg platter.

Our pizza tonight was less than stellar. We buy our pizza from a really lovely Italian restaurant where the sauce and most ingredients (minus meats and cheese) are vegan. Tonight they must have been busy. Our pizza barely had any vegetables on it, and while the crust was excellent that was mainly what we ate... For $20.00, I wanted the works.

We usually get a combo of the following, green peppers, onions, black olives, tomatoes, scallions, sometimes jalapenos, covered by a super thick sauce full of chunky tomatoes...Not today.

But it was still good and the veggie tray paired nicely with the crust....lol

This is an easy way to get your daily allotment of raw in your diet, if you added a fruit tray it is practically a meal all by itself. Sometimes this is all I eat all day and I love it!

Chris, my husband is a vegetable freak and will eat everything before our meal has begun, silly husband!

I hope you had a lovely Sunday and spent time with someone you love!

~

Don't forget to comment on my previous post and tell me what makes you happy!!!!

Things that make me happy

I am in a glorious mood today, for no reason. I am just happy!

I have no food to share today as we are just winging here. Chris had to work and it threw off our Sunday brunch, so Chris is getting us some pizza and I am whipping up a salad and a veggie tray. If it ends up being something stupendous, I will come back and post it!

I thought I would share with you 20 reasons why I am happy......

1. The color teal


2. The smell of rain coming


3. My pets, they are each individual and wonderful


4. My house


5. Italian Food


6. Michael Buble singing the classic crooners songs


7. Swope Park Zoo


8. Morning Glories


9. My Garden


10. My husband singing


11. How artistic my youngest daughter is


12. The way my oldest daughter sings and hums when she is happy


13. When my husband cooks


14. The smell of laundry on a clothes line


15. Watching Amish buggies go by


16. Garage sales


17. Antique store treasures


18. Losing 5 pounds


19. Bridal wreath bushes


20. The taste of a slightly under ripe banana

What makes you happy??? I cannot wait to hear about it!!

A Korean and Chinese Lunch with an eggroll presentation!

Happy Saturday!!!!
Shouldn't everyday feel like a Saturday??I have been busy doing laundry and cleaning. We have some vicious dark clouds looming over our house right now.
It is just awesome (insert sarcasm) to live in tornado alley!

Today felt like an oriental day!!! Are you sick of my Chinese food yet?

I love egg rolls...Let me rephrase, I love my egg rolls. My egg rolls have always been vegan, unbeknowst to most people. Family members that think they must have meat at every meal don't even flinch when I serve these. They have almost no spice, but tons of vegetable flavor!

I did a test bake to see if I could bake an egg roll after talking with Alicia the vegan epicurean last night. I talk about the results later.

Egg rolls, The Vivacious way

Ingredients:

1 pkg. Broccoli slaw
1 pkg. Coleslaw, without mayo dressing
1 pkg. Baby portobella mushrooms, chopped fine
1 cup scallions, chopped
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 pkg. vegan egg roll wraps (found in oriental grocery stores)

In a large skillet water saute your mushrooms and scallions until wilted, add remaining ingredients and saute until crisp tender. Let cool completely.

Place a large tablespoon of your cooled mixture onto the center of the wrap.

Up close of finished egg roll mixture.

Start rolling up burrito style.

Fold the sides in to overlap the filling. Wet the end of the wrap and seal.

Rolled up egg roll.

Ready to fry and bake!!!
I should tell you, all of these would have been baked if not for a united front put up by my family..Sigh.....unhealthy heathens!

I haven't made Korean Soup for a long time and I thought it would pair nicely with the egg rolls.

Korean Soup

Ingredients:

3 Not chicken broth cubes

1/2 gallon of bottled water

1 pkg. Ramen noodle, discard the seasoning pkt.

1/4 cup soy sauce

1 tbls. minced garlic, fresh

1/2 bunch bok choy, chopped

1/2 pkg extra firm tofu, pressed and cut into strips

In a large pot, heat you water to boiling and add bouillon cubes and garlic. When the broth comes to a boil add the noodles. Let simmer for about 5 minutes until the noodles are broke apart and soft. Add the bok choy and tofu. Cook an additional 5-7 minute. Serve with fresh chopped scallions.

Fried egg rolls with spicy peanut sauce for dipping.

Korean soup with slivered wontons.

Kaiti's egg rolls with sweet and sour sauce.

Inside picture of egg rolls! Yum doesn't even begin to cover it!

~

The Review:

Lunch was light and yummy. Emma came over and had lunch with us, so my whole family was here together.

This is one of Emma and Kait's favorite lunches, and mine too.

Chris and I loved the baked egg rolls, but for some reason they were still chewy and somewhat hard....

I have never baked egg rolls before, so if you have any tips to pass along I would love to hear them. I need them to be light and crispy without the added fat.

I hope you enjoyed the presentation and everyone runs out and makes these tonight!!!!

Bye Bye Coca Cola Post

This is my Coca Cola love/Dear John story.

I met you on a Friday. It was 1985 and I was 13. I remember it like it was yesterday...

There you were tall, dark and ice cold. I knew you were forbidden, but my mother was in town and I was alone. I knew I had to have you!

The sound of the bottle top popping off of the glass bottle was so enticing....how could I resist you?

I smelled you first, caramel and sugar. Then I went for the taste. Oh my goodness...I was hooked immediately. You and I have had a love/hate relationship.

Sometimes I have cheated on you with Diet Coke, once with Pepsi, but honestly....just too sweet for me, I like a swarthy soda...I have enjoyed you with spanish peanuts, and popcorn at the movies, in the bathtub and even on the road tucked next to my hip. You have never been too far from me.

I almost left you once before when you changed, but you have so much flavor I was drawn back when you went back to your old self....

Coke, we need to talk....I have changed....really it isn't you....it is me. We want different things in life. I want my freedom back, and my waist...

I will always love you, please don't cry.....But water has my heart now....

No, no don't beg. I am through.

So buh bye Coke. It was fun while it lasted!

Gluten Free Tofu Feta Salad and Spaghetti Squash

Tonight I wanted to have a simple dinner. So I decided to throw together my tofu feta. Not only is it very similar to feta, it is oil free and low in calories! I knew I wanted to serve it salad style, due to the cravings I have for summertime!!!

Start by opening a box of tofu. No need to drain it today. I wanted the soft feeling to mimic the feta.

Feta Tofu

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Ingredients:

1 pkg. Naysoya extra firm tofu, I use organic

1/2 cup Red wine vinegar

1/4 cup water
1 tsp. oregano

1 tsp. basil, I used Italian seasoning for mine. I like the flavor

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cracked pepper

In a medium sized bowl, add your vinegar, water and seasonings. Stir around until combined. Add in your chopped tofu and stir again.

I covered my feta with a bowl and then a plate and finally 10 lb. food weights so that the marinade will really get into the tofu. Place in the refrigerator and let marinate for about 2 hours or overnight!

Use as you would traditional feta.

It is crumbly and soft, with a hint of cheesy bite to it! Believe me the oil is not necessary at all!

If you would like a more subtle flavor, do not add the herbs it will be just as good.

Super Simple Gluten free-Greek Pasta Salad

Dressing:

1/2 c. red wine vinegar
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped (2 tsp.)
1 tbsp. Dijon-style mustard
2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 c. water

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Refrigerate in a container with a tight fitting lid. This will keep for months. I figured it up and it is only 10 calories per three teaspoons of dressing.

Now, add whatever veggies you like. I used carrots, broccoli and black olives.

For the pasta I used a rice flour sea shell pasta. Mix your veggies with the marinade and add your cooled pasta. When the feta is ready, toss it in at the last minute before serving.

I do not have any amounts for this salad, I just whipped it up!

It really isn't cooking is it!

I served this with some baked spaghetti squash Au naturale, just because I love it that much!

Even though this is a light dinner, it was quite filling and delicious. I am always startled by how much the tofu resembles feta cheese. Kaiti scarfed it down without complaint, and that is always a good sign!!!

I really hope you try this cheese, especially if you have a hankering for feta.

~

Thank you Alicia for being a constant source of inspiration to me, and requesting to see my feta cheese! Who knows when I would have made it, and it really is too good not to share!

Meet Your Maker Burger

By now you all should know I like to push the bar.....Alot.
So this should not shock you one bit.
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This is by far the most ridiculous burger I have ever seen.
I was surfing, a usual morning practice ,when I came upon this blog http://chomposaurus.wordpress.com/ and there was this burger....
Beware: if you pop over there to read the post, there is foul language and a slight attack on organic hippies....
America has a horrible reputation for being the fattest nation...SO.......Lets help premote that, by building a heart attack burger and then advertising it, because some people cannot help
themselves.....LITERALLY

LEVEL ONE: A bun, grilled with cheese and bacon. It supports a 7 oz. cheeseburger, chicken fried bacon, chili cheese dog-burger, 7 oz. cheeseburger, and chicken-fried bacon.

LEVEL TWO: Grilled cheese with bacon, a 7 oz. cheeseburger, chicken fried bacon, chili cheese dog-burger, 7 oz. cheeseburger, and chicken-fried bacon.

LEVEL THREE: Grilled cheese with bacon, a fried egg, cooked to order, topped with onion rings and garnished – no, crowned – with Faribault Creamery cheese curds.”

Calories: Approximately 10,000. Cost: “$25, not counting medical care. By the way, we are not liable for injury,” warned the establishment “You WILL be asked to sign a waiver”
~
Can I be honest with you? Really honest, and upfront?
People disgust me with their caveman mentality over food. My own husband does it , and I am tired of it.
His theory is, if he gives up cheeseburgers and lives an extra 3 years...that is 3 years without cheeseburgers.....exasperated sigh....

When will everyone realize this is an epidemic. You do not need to eat like rabbits. You can occasionally indulge, but please...never...ever....ever....EAT THAT BURGER!!!!

But if we are being really honest, it did cross my mind ever so slightly to create a vegan burger just like this. I, just for once want to see a burger loaded with sprouts and mushrooms, and veggie patties and such....Should I do it???? Is it proving anything really?
Or, would I be falling into the, My burger is bigger than you burger and it is healthier too, competition for dummies?

My husbands Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies

While Chris and I were making dinner tonight (see post below), I asked Chris if he would make us some chocolate chips cookies. These are Kait's favorite cookie and she never gets them anymore now that I swore off cookies...So Chris said yes, Kaiti said YAY, and I said...please make them small!!!

I give you Chris' small... Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies
Sigh.....I leave him alone for one minute and I get cookies the size of a baby's head! The scale of these cookies are ridiculous! That is a full size cookie sheet....
This is a Corelle saucer....it is a fairly nice size plate. The darn cookie fills the center with no problem!!!!

So Chris thinks this is hilarious, I think it is mildly cute ( do not tell him I said that) and Kaiti is in cookie heaven....
He made 16 cookies out of a recipe that makes 36 regular sized cookies...
Silly, silly man.....But I love him!

Enjoy your cookie!

It's not easy being Green!

Happy Hump Day Bloggie Peeps!!!

I was talking to Alicia http://veganepicurean.blogspot.com about Mexican food today and she suggested I make quesadilla's.. WOW, what a brilliant idea. I have not had a quesadilla in forever!!! So I set out to make them!!!!

Everyone knows I love me some Mexican food, and what do I love best???? Pico de gallo!!!

Since Chris was off today he offered to help me chop everything for dinner! The man is a chopping fool and he makes incredible food, even if he swears he cannot cook!

I told him he is the sexiest sous chef I have ever had, and he was so thrilled by the compliment he made the Mexican oven potatoes too!!! I love how flattery will get you everywhere!!!

Here is the spice mix for the Mexican potatoes. From left to right, black pepper, salt, Cajun seasoning, onion powder, and garlic powder.
Chris cut the potato's into wedges and then lightly oiled them and spread them on a cookie sheet.

Then Chris mixed the seasonings together and sprinkled it on both sides of the potato's, and topped it with some minced fresh jalapeno. We baked these for about 35 minutes in an insanely hot oven 475 degrees, flipping twice.

Chris chopped everything for pico de gallo!!! 4 tomato's, 3 fresh jalapenos, 1 medium onion, and garlic with some minced garlic and salt. Oh! And cilantro...

I knew I wanted a lovely light salad topping for the quesadilla's, so Chris chopped up some romaine and I made a great Cilantro Cumin vinaigrette.

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Cilantro Cumin Vinaigrette:

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1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1/2 cup Olive oil

1 tsp. cumin

1/4 tsp. cilantro, I used dried

sea salt

cracked black pepper

1/4 c. scallions, minced

Mix and season to taste. Toss with salad right before serving.


Next I started the quesadilla's. Now about this time realized I only had spinach tortilla's and I thought, ehh...why not!

Refried beans, pico, black olives and green onions.


So I start plating and realize we have a very green dinner......sigh....

Green quesadilla's, green salad topping, green jalapenos, and avocado....green green green!

Green Quesadilla?

I am a green girl, I love green.

I recycle and purchase green products, so I guess it is fitting we eat green too..lol

How about some green Mexican potato's?

While it is not easy being green, it sure is delicious!!!!!

~

The review:

I was just blown away by the bean quesadilla.

I never would have thought about it if Alicia hadn't mentioned it today. I figured my quesadilla days were done without cheese. Oh how wrong I was!!!! For being a rather bright woman, that was pretty dim on my part....lol

The salad was spot on and added an earthly balance to the beans. Everything was really fresh tasting and delicious. Chris' potato's were the best potato's I have had in a long, long time.

Chris was so thrilled that I liked his food, he is making chocolate chip cookies, which I will post later this evening.

~

Now some of you know I gave up sugary indulgences, but honestly...if your husband baked your cookies wouldn't you eat just one???

~

I hope you enjoyed my green post!

Please tell me if you have ever made a monochromatic dinner before, I would love to hear about it!

Bye Bye Toast post

I just had to post my toast that I am eating right now! I love toast and it loves me....ALOT! So much that it stays with me..on my hips, on my waist, under my chin and unfortunately on my rump!

~

I am starting to eat healthier and many of you have read about my goals of weight loss and eating healthier, if you would like to read about it click here http://vivaciousvegan-intentionalliving.blogspot.com/2010/03/seriously-getting-with-program.html

So this is the beginning of my

Bye, Bye posts!!

So, Bye Bye Toast!!! I loved you

The midwestern Tofu Press

What do you do when you do not have a tofu press, or $300 for one?
Make your own, silly!
It isn't hard and it is super cheap!!!!

Get your favorite tofu! Mine is Nasoya Organic extra firm tofu.
Place it in a nice non rusty bread pan.

Cover it with a slightly smaller non rusty bread pan. (the key is non rusty)
Notice how tall the bread pan is in this picture.

Whine to your husband at least 40 times a day that you need a tofu press until he brings you an entire box of food weights from his job.

Place the weights in the top bread pan. Refrigerate. You will have to move them around a bit so that your tofu stays even, they will slide as the tofu flattens.

Now look at the height of the bread pan in this picture...much lower.....

After about 4 hours this is your tofu..

Tofu, meet you. You, meet your tofu....

That is over a 1/2 cup of liquid extracted. The most I have ever gotten out of tofu!!!!

Slice your tofu in half lengthwise. That is some dense tofu!


Lets make a meal...shall we?

Wash and chop 1/2 of a large bunch of Bok Choy

In a hot skillet add 1 tbls. olive oil and add your tofu. When the bottom is browned flip over and top with 1 heaping spoonful of chopped garlic and about a tablespoon of red pepper flakes, cook it all together.

Add your bok choy. The water off of the bokchoy will be enough to steam it. Shake the pan and toss.
Add 1 tsp. sesame seeds and some teriyaki sauce, or if you are lucky enough to find a teriyaki sauce with sesame seeds in it like me, add that instead. What ever you like. I just wanted a taste, so I added about 1/4 cup. Be careful about sugar content in teriyaki sauce and preservatives, try to find a really good one!

Cook some basmati rice in your rice cooker and top with your sesame tofu.

Chopsticks optional!

Oh so tasty and spicy....I love this dish! I made it in about 6 minutes flat, including the chopping!

A special thank you to my adoring husband, that loves tofu and me so much he brought me home 40lbs. in food weights as a gift!!!

~

Who needs flowers???