My soul brother Doug Cobb taught me all I know about tofu. I buy the firm or extra firm, then I freeze it, thaw it, then gently squeeze the excess water out of it between two plates.  For this recipe, I cut it into cubes, since I want a crispy crunch on all sides.  I marinated it for an hour last night, then drained it (save the marinade for your sauce.) I coated the cubes with a mixture of equal parts cornstarch and panko bread crumbs, with about 3 tbsp of nutritional yeast flakes added for cheesiness.   Place in a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes in a metal pan (sprayed with olive oil Pam) on a lower rack in the oven. Then spray the tops with more Pam, turn and let brown another 3-5 minutes. The bigger the chunks, the longer the cook time. Keep an eye on it and turn when top is brown.  If I cut them thin, 7 minutes each side is long enough to make them crisp. If I cut fat slabs, they might take 13 minutes to crisp.

Continue reading →

THE GREEN ROOM in Cocoa Beach, FL.  I was inspired by their  SALADS:

The Driftwood
Seasoned tofu, baby greens, carrots, cabbage, almonds. Served w/tamari ginger dressing.

The Coastal
Tuna, baby greens, sliced apples, raisins, sun flower seeds. Served w/choice of dressing. Continue reading →

This is a spicy twist on a traditional favorite. I adjust the seasoning before I add in the broccoli and veggies. Here’s the guide to finding your flavor preference:
For more tartness, add more lemon juice.
To make more sour, add more vinegar.
If too sour, add more sugar.
For more heat, add more Sriracha. Continue reading →

Thank you Joy Siren!  What a treat to share my zest (in both the kitchen and in life) in today’s la Vie Sirene post about Goddess Grub.  A guru, a go-to girl, a goddess… & a really good egg.

Carrot dogs! Saute whole carrots in butter and brown sugar for a few minutes, to cook the outside, leave inside crunchy. Serve in hot dog bun with mustard, relish, onions, or wrap up in a romaine leaf.

I’m not someone who spends a lot of time in the kitchen. Maybe because I worked from home for so long that I got in the habit of eating most of my meals out.  That was before I knew how much hidden fat I was getting in restaurant food.  (A popular national steakhouse chain restaurant bakes their potatoes with bacon wrapped around them!)  I have a handful of favorite dishes I cook for myself and for friends and one of my favorite things to cook is soup. Sometimes I do this in a structured manner, like deciding on split pea soup and buying just those ingredients, but most often I find myself in the store looking at a juicy stalk of fennel next to a fat leek and the ideas start to flow. If I have no direction in mind, I can just let the fresh vegetables of the day direct me. Continue reading →

Brown one pound of lean ground turkey with the spices in 2 tbsp of a good olive oil, then add the chopped veggies. When golden, add the stock and tomatoes, cover and let simmer about 20 minutes.  You can also cook the sauce down until it’s very thick and rich.  These spices will give you high flavor without high heat.  Serve over rice or in a tortilla. Continue reading →

White Vegetable Lasagna Cupcakes

Emily Bites writes: These little lasagnas are stuffed with creamy, cheesy flavor and the different vegetables provide great texture. I love broccoli, zucchini and carrots, but you could use what you prefer/have on hand. I recommend the Classico brand light Alfredo sauce. I doubt anyone trying one of these “cupcakes” would ever dream they’re light. These are man-approved, kid-friendly, and they’d even work great as a side dish. Vegetarians and carnivores rejoice! These wonton cupcakes are for everyone. Continue reading →

Sometimes I get tired of eating so many salads, so I have to switch it up.  The past six months I’ve been eating mostly spinach as my daily greens, so I’m over spinach.  Before I go back to romaine and kale, I’m dancing with parsley this week. A salad I like includes chopped parsley, chopped red onion, chopped tomato, chopped black olives, chopped raw garlic, salt and pepper, lots of lemon juice.  I can add turkey or chicken to it and even mix with a little mayo or veg spread and eat it on a cracker or toasted tortilla.