Tofu Croutons

Ever wonder how to add protein to a tasty salad? You could add beans, which is easy, and also a good source of B12. But if you want something a little different and still-protein packed, these tofu croutons are a taste and unique way to sneak protein into your veggie or non-veggie diet. :)


Tofu Croutons


1 14-oz package of extra-firm tofu
~1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
1/4 tsp salt (more to taste)
1/2 cup water

Unwrap the tofu, drain, and pat off any excess moisture. Place the tofu in a freezer bag or wrap well in plastic, then freeze the sealed tofu for at least a day.

When you're ready to cook, thaw the tofu by unwrapping it and nuking it in a microwave-safe bowl, on high, for about 10 minutes (checking every 2 to 3 minutes to make sure the tofu doesn’t cook). Once thoroughly defrosted, gently squeeze out any excess moisture and cut into crouton-sized cubes.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

In a shallow bowl, add the bread crumbs and spices, mixing well. In a separate bowl, pour 1/2 cup of water.

Dip each piece of tofu first into the water, shake off excess water, and then coat with the seasoned bread crumbs.

Put the breaded tofu cubes on a parchment-paper covered cookie sheet and baked 40 to 50 minutes (check every 5 minutes after 30 minutes), until crispy and crunchy.


Go on! Have a peace!

Lemon Alfredo Pasta

Another sunday, another round of Home-cooked Horror nights. This evening, my friends descended on my place to enjoy a tasty, home-cooked vegetarian meal and a viewing of Carrie and The Signal. (If you haven't seen The Signal, by the way, and you like horror movies, I heartily recommend it. It was a laugh-riot, gory masterpiece.) Anywho, dinner.

Lemon Alfredo Pasta

(makes ~8 servings)

16 oz whole wheat spaghetti

4 tbsp olive oil

light cream cheese

juice and zest of 2 large lemons

1 bag full frozen peas, steamed

1/2 cup toasted pine nuts

salt, to taste

4 shakes garlic powder

1/2 cup water

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain it. 

Warm cream cheese, oil, and 2 tbsp lemon juice in a large saucepan over low heat until all melted. Add 1/2 cup of water (about 2 tbsp at a time) until the consistency is something you like. :) Try to keep it from being too thick. Add peas, pine nuts, lemon zest, garlic powder, and salt. Stir until well-combined. Add pasta to the sauce; stir to coat. 

Garlic-Sunflower Chicken, with a side of Garlic Roasted Veggies

Let it be said: poultry is awesome.

I was afraid of chicken for a long time, mostly because of my terrible fear of e-coli and death. The key to healthy poultry (which is, by the way, one of the best meats - ever - if cooked properly) is taking the time and care to be safe and clean. These rules apply to messing with any raw meat:

1) Clean your counters and your hands before unpacking the meat.

2) Make sure that your cutting board is clean.

3) If you can, use one specific cutting board for meat, or for each type of meat. There are some nice, inexpensive sets you can get from Williams-Sonoma and Bed, Bath, and Beyond that have little pictures on each cutting board, denoting whether it's for fish, chicken, beef, or vegetables.

Now. All that out of the way, here's another yummy chicken dish for your savoring pleasure.

Garlic-Sunflower Chicken
(3 servings)

3 boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 tbsp olive oil
Garlic-sunflower mix (Remember this? I made it for the bass dish. I still had a bunch leftover, in a sealed container in my fridge, so I used about a quarter of it here)
10 cherry tomatoes, halved
5-8 button mushrooms, sliced in threes
1 handful spinach, shredded with knife

[Garlic-Sunflower Mix: Now take 1 cup of sunflower seeds, 3 tsp salt, and 3 tsp garlic powder and blend together in a food processor until all powdery and delicious smelling.]

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Preheat a skillet over medium heat with 1 tbsp of olive oil.

Rub sunflower-garlic mix all over the chicken. When the skillet is hot, add the chicken and sear. Then turn it over and sear the other side.

Meanwhile, chop your veggies and mix them in a small bowl with 2 tbsp olive oil. Now, if you're using a baking dish, spread these olive oil mixed veggies over the bottom of your baking dish. I used my brand new La Creuset - happy sigh - but you can also use a baking sheet with lips if you're really stretched for tools.

When both sides of your chicken breasts are nice and scorched, remove the chicken to the rectangular baking dish and rest them on top of the veggies; next place the baking dish into the preheated oven (on a low rack) to cook through; this should take about 15 minutes.

When finished, plate your chicken and strew a little of the spinach/tomato/mushroom mix over top prettily. You can serve this with a side of veggies or brown rice.

Speaking of veggie sides... This is what I did and it was quite tasty. :)

Garlic Roasted Zucchini and Cauliflower
(3 main dish servings, 6 side dish servings)

1 zucchini, sliced into 1 inch slices, then halved
1 head cauliflower, cut into 1-inch pieces
4 cloves roughly chopped garlic
1.5 tbsp jarred, pitted kalamata olives, chopped
1/4 cup olive oil, plus 1 tbsp
~15 cherry tomatoes

Preset oven to 400 F.

Slice cauliflower into one inch slices and mix in a bowl with 1/4 cup olive oil. Place parchment paper on a baking sheet and pour the cauliflower out onto the baking sheet. Bake for 15-20 minutes, on the top rack.

Meanwhile, chop the zucchini into 1 inch pieces, then halved. Set aside.

Chop garlic, olives, and tomatoes.

Add 1 tbsp olive oil to the skillet you just used to sear the chicken, add the garlic and olives and olive juice. Saute for about 2 minutes.

Next, add the slices of zucchini. Stir.

Remove, the now roasted cauliflower from the oven and add it to the skillet. Stir until the cauliflower has a chance to soak up all the other flavors in the skillet - about 2-3 minutes.

Remove from heat and presto: veggies as a side.

You can also serve over pasta or brown rice as a main dish in it's own right.

Sunflower and Garlic Baked Sea Bass

In 2008, my parents and I went to Alaska and went deep sea fishing. The enormous amount of fish I caught on that trip has filled my freezer ever since, but its lifespan is now coming to a close (3 years in freezer is the maximum, I think). So today, I thought I'd make use of one of the remaining packages of sea bass (or rockfish).

I also had a cup of raw sunflower seeds leftover from my sunflower/date truffles, and not much else in my pantry. So here's what I did:

Sunflower and Garlic Baked Sea Bass

2 lbs sea bass, sliced into fillets
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp lemon juice
7 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
2 tbsp sunflower-garlic-salt breading

1. Preheat oven to 450 F. Spray a shallow glass baking dish with olive oil spray.
Note: When cooking fish, you must remember to cut off all the brown bits. They're not bad for you but they are responsible for the "fishy" taste you want to avoid. You will probably buy your fish from a store, but you will still want to check for those brown layers and cut them off. If you buy from a store, the fish will probably already be filleted as well, but if you're like me and need to cut your hunk o' fish into usable proportions, remember to feel the fish and cut it in accordance to its already predetermined breaking points. I had planned on 4 big fillets and ended up with 6 smaller ones.
2. Place the fish in the pan with an inch or two between each fillet.
3. Mix together the olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, salt, and pepper in a small bowl - then rub this mixture into the fish fillets. If you want that nice browning glow on top and you're worried you haven't used enough olive oil, just spray another light layer over all the fillets.
4. Bake the fish, on the top rack of your oven, for 15 minutes.
5. Now take 1 cup of sunflower seeds, 3 tsp salt, and 3 tsp garlic powder and blend together in a food processor until all powdery and delicious smelling.

5. When the timer for your bass goes off, take out the pan and sprinkle the fillets with the sunflower/salt/garlic mixture and then return to the oven for another 5-8 minutes. You'll know the fish is done if you stick a fork in the biggest meatiest part and it falls apart.

Ta da! Okay, the picture doesn't make them look that good because I couldn't get the lighting right, but they were beautiful and smelled divine. And tasted even better. The lemon cuts through and gives the whole meat a nice fresh bite and the garlic is, well, garlic. Delicious, as always.

Serve with simply roasted veggies. I tossed some cauliflower and zucchini with olive oil and roasted them in the oven for 20 minutes along side the fish. Magnifico!