Saturday, August 30, 2008

Garlicky Greens with Tofu



Today I made one of my favourite simple meals: tofu, greens, and rice. It is basic, healthy, flavourful, and balanced. The way I like to make my greens is with a lot of garlic and black pepper, and only cooked lightly. This works best with softer greens like mustard or spinach; but as with most of what I make, anything you enjoy will work in this recipe.

Also, if using fresh tofu (i.e. not previously grilled or smoked,) you may wish to marinate it first. Either way, before beginning make sure the outsides are as dry as possible so that it browns well. Today I used a pre-packaged grilled tofu by a local company called Marjon.

2 c roughly cut greens
1/2 block of tofu (or one slab of the Marjon variety.)
1.5 c water
1/2 c long grain rice (I like basmati)
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder

Start the rice in a saucepan with 1 tsp olive oil, 1/4 grinds of black pepper, and 1/4 tsp of salt. Simmer until water is absorbed, then let it rest for a few minutes before serving.

While the rice is cooking, prepare the tofu. If it's fresh, it should be cooked in a dry non-stick pan on high heat until well-browned, and if it's already cooked, then it simply needs to be heated. Either way, when finished, slice into matchsticks and set aside.

Since the greens for this recipe are softer, they cook quickly. Into this pan I put 1 tsp of olive oil, then the greens, then the rest of the seasonings: 1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper, 1/2 tsp garlic powder. Cover and turn to medium-high just a couple of minutes, until you can start to hear sounds out of the pan. Then remove the lid, stir well to combine seasonings and oil. Re-lid the pan and let it cook another couple of minutes then remove from heat, tossing in the tofu to re-heat. Let that rest while you check your rice.

Once completed, simply plate as desired. I usually combine into one bowl, as pictured above.

This recipe makes two medium servings, or one very large one.

Sunday, August 10, 2008

Deep Fried Mars Bar Experiment Link

You should go see my friend Pam's deep fried Mars bar experiment.

Let this link be evidence that just because this blog focuses on healthy food, that it doesn't mean there won't still be occasional forays into the decadent!

Wednesday, August 6, 2008

My Favourite Muesli




There is a muesli recipe I enjoy that was given to me by a dear friend. Muesli usually has nuts in it; but this recipe reflects my preference to exclude nuts. Luckily this is the kind of recipe that one can easily adjust to fit preference by adding or subtracting ingredients at will. Finally, this is what might be called a "fresh muesli" since it's wet and thrown together as opposed to dried for storage.

3/4 c fat-free, plain yogurt
1/2 c dry, uncooked quick oats
1/2 c berries or cut fruit.

This recipe's quite simple to prepare: combine yogurt and oatmeal, then put the fruit on top. Often I just combine all the ingredients at the same time and mix. It is fine to eat it right away; but some people make it ahead of time to soften the oats a little more. One could also add nuts or use dried fruit instead of fresh. A flavoured yogurt might be used instead of plain, and even the fat level of the yogurt can be adjusted to taste.

Usually this is a breakfast food; but sometimes I make it ahead for a light, nutritious lunch at work. This recipe has two small servings, or one large one.