And You Thought You Hated Tofu...

I have met very few people who are raving about tofu, but prepared the proper way can be very delicious! Tofu has many nutritional benefits as well because it is high in protein, low in calories and fat, high iron and a great source of calcium.

Poor Brian doesn't digest cheese or milk products very well, but he loves Alfredo sauce. To his body that is like the devil, so I developed this recipe to give him that rich creamy texture he likes with pasta, but with a fraction of the cheese, fat and calories. I have made this to bring to friends before and no one ever can believe it is tofu and not cream sauce.

Creamy Baked Penne Casserole
Ingredients
1/8 cup Olive Oil
1 yellow onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 pinch dried oregano
28 oz can crushed tomatoes, preferably San Marzano
2 1/2 cups tomato sauce
1 package, about 14 oz) Firm Tofu, drained
10 oz package frozen spinach, defrosted and drained
2 cups chopped fresh broccoli
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 large egg
1 pinch grated nutmeg
1 lb box penne, ziti, rigatoni (whatever you feel like)
2 cups freshly grated mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
salt and pepper to taste
1-2 pinches crushed red pepper depending on your taste

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large pot boil water and cook pasta till al dente, do not over boil!

While pasta water is heating, in a very large saute pan heat oil and add onion. Saute for 2-3 minutes, add garlic, and broccoli and saute till the onion is translucent.

Add crushed tomatoes, mushrooms, oregano and crushed red pepper. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, using a blender or food processor combine the tofu, egg, nutmeg, salt, pepper and process till smooth.

In a large bowl fold the spinach into the tofu mixture. Once well combined, add the penne pasta and the tomato mixture. Fold in half the mozzarella and Parmesan.

Spray two 13 x 9 inch baking pans with cooking spray liberally. Transfer pasta mixture evenly between both pans. Pour the tomato sauce evenly over the two pans. Sprinkle the cheeses evenly between the two pans.

Bake until golden brown, about 35 minutes. Let cool before serving for about 10 minutes.


Tomato Mixture Sauteing


Boiling the Pasta


About to pulse my tofu sauce
(Just noticed my wine glass is in the back of this... can you tell it was a long day?)


How creamy and delicious does this look?? Tofu is gross...I do not think so!


Freeze one of the casseroles for a rainy day! Skip the baking and Freezes well! When you are ready to use it, defrost and then bake as directed. Or bring to a friend...everyone loves a home cooked meal that they don't have to prepare!


Finished dish! Look how beautiful!

I dare you to try this...you will be surprised how great it is!!

Renovated Falafel

Do you ever have a craving for something, but either are too far away to get it or don't want to waste the calories?

For some reason, I was craving a falafel, but after feeling like a blob all week there was no way I was going to eat something fried. Not to mention, I don't even know where to get a falafel around here. What to do, what to do?

I decided to create my own Mediterranean Israeli Feast the low calorie way. And no, I have never made this before, actually any kind of Falafel before,

but I am enthusiastic about the way it turned out!

Israeli Salad

Ingredients:

3 Japanese Cucumbers, diced

4 Roma Tomatoes, Seeded and diced

5 Green Onions, chopped

1 Red Bell Pepper, seeded and diced

1/3 cup garlic, chopped

1 cup parsley, chopped

1/4 cup Olive Oil

1/2 Tablespoon Red Wine Vinegar

2 Tablespoons Fresh Lemon Juice

1 Tablespoon Salt

1 Tablespoon Fresh Ground Black Pepper

Directions:

1. Toss the cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, bell pepper, garlic, and parsley in a bowl. Drizzle the olive oil and lemon juice over the the salad and toss. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Some Persian Bread I toasted from my reserves (aka. The Freezer)

Renovated Falafel and Yogurt Dip

Ingredients:

Garbanzo Beans, 15 oz can well drained

1 Yellow Onion, finely chopped

1/4 cup Whole Wheat Flour

3 Tablespoons Fresh Parsley, chopped

1 Tablespoon chopped Garlic

1 Tablespoon Fresh Cilantro, chopped

1/2 Tablespoon Ground Cumin

3/4 teaspoon Salt

1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder

1/4 teaspoon Lemon Juice

1/8 teaspoon Paprika

Black Pepper, to taste

Non-Stick Spray

Directions:

Preheat Oven to 375 degrees.

Place all ingredients (except non-stick spray) into a food processor and pulse till still slightly chunky. Do not make it smooth.

Spray a cookie sheet with the non-stick spray. Use a spoon and your hands to make 18 small balls and place on cookie sheet. Each ball should be about the size of a golf ball. Spray the tops of the balls with the non-stick spray. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes.

Remove from oven and turn over. Reshape the balls gently if the bottoms have flattened. Bake for an additional 10-15 minutes till golden brown. Allow to cool 5 minutes.

Yogurt Dip

Ingredients:

Fat Free Greek Yogurt, 6 oz.

1 Persian Cucumber or 1/2 Regular Cucumber, peeled, deseeded and chopped

1 teaspoon dried dill

3/4 teaspoon crushed garlic

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and pulse till blended and somewhat smooth. Place in refrigerator till ready to serve.

Nutrition:

1 serving (3 balls) and 3 Tablespoons Dip is 139 calories, 2 grams fat,

6 grams fiber, and 7.5 grams protein. Enjoy!

I served these with some Pita Bread, Hummus (just in case Brian needed more beans) and my Israeli Salad. Check these recipes out and let me know what you think!

A Taste of Home

I was running the other morning at Bootcamp and for some reason my mom's pasta fagioli popped into my head. I haven't had it in a really long time...like years, but for some reason I thought of it. Of course, then I had to locate her recipe and make it immediately!

I could not wait to run to the market and then run home to start making it. Just like any memory of childhood, experiencing it as an adult sometimes is totally different and familiar all at the same time. For me, I never realized how simple this soup is to make, but the flavors are still so developed. Warms my soul and reminds me of home, even though home is only 4 miles away. The weather has been so volatile lately, I feel like there are still several more rainy days lingering to enjoy a hearty soup like this!

Pasta Fagioli

1 cup chopped onion

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

1 cup chopped celery

1/2 garlic clove minced

1 cup pasta sauce

1 quart water

1 cup small pasta shells

2 cups cannellini beans

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

fresh chopped parsley

Parmesan Cheese

Saute onions, celery and garlic in olive oil for 10 minutes or until soft. Next, add pasta sauce and simmer for 10 minutes. Add water and bring to a boil. Boil 10 minutes, then add pasta and beans. Continue to boil for 10 minutes. Turn off heat, add salt, pepper and parsley. Serve with Parmesan Cheese on Top. Enjoy!

Cooking for One

Brian was on a business trip last week, so I had the perfect opportunity to make something I had been craving. Bridget had recently mentioned the word "BLT" and normally it doesn't sound appetizing because I don't eat bacon, but as I was driving home from work pondering the fact that my husband was gone and I had no cares in the world....

I decided to make my own version of a BLT.

I always think this, but thank goodness for Bristol Farms being so close to work because it saves me from dragging myself to the regular grocery store with my sore feet.

Good thing the BLT requires very few ingredients....

So if you find yourself alone or just in the mood for a simple dinner, try this one out!

TBTG (Turkey Bacon, Tomato, Guacamole):

-3 Slices Turkey Bacon Pan Fried (in Cooking Spray)

-2 Large Slices of Juicy Tomato

-3 Tablespoons homemade Guacamole (Avocado, Salt, Pepper, fresh Garlic, Cilantro, Lemon Juice)

-Toasted Whole Wheat Bread

Note: I do not like lettuce on sandwiches, so I made the "L" part of the BLT into a salad!

Cooking for One

This week Brian has been on a business trip in Texas and I took the opportunity to indulge myself in things I enjoy SO much: Homemade Tomato Soup and my DVR!!

To me there is nothing better than a comforting, warm bowl of tomato soup. Nothing I have ever tasted comes close to the Tomato Basil Bisque at Nordstroms. I have been trying out recipes for years that claim to come close, but none of them ever succeed. Today you are in luck, I have found a recipe that is very close. It is delicious and EASY. We can all thank Theresa for this Double-Tomato Soup that satisfies what I like to call "The Nordstom Cafe" craving.

Another thing I am constantly missing, but can never do anything about is the Buttermilk dressing from Malibu Chicken. Malibu Chicken was the best place ever. Best salads, best chicken, best salad dressing, best everything. They closed while I was in college and it was very upsetting to everyone who had ever eaten there. Such a sad day. Their buttermilk dressing died with the restaurant and I have been craving it ever since.

Today was the day I attempted to recreate it...

Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

1 packet Ranch Dressing Mix

1 cup Low Fat Buttermilk

4 tablespoons Non Fat Plain Greek Yogurt

Salt and Pepper to taste

1 tablespoon Oregano

1 tablespoon Dill

Mix well and serve over cold salad.

Finished meal! Everything was great. You have to try out these new recipes!

Valentine's Day

Brian has always told me that he was the cook in his previous relationships. If you have gathered anything about my husband you should take note that when left alone he survives on "In and Out", frozen Trader Joe's pasta, and everything he can possibly eat from the pantry. As you can imagine, I really was surprised he can cook! Who knew?

Last year for Valentine's Day I was working and thought it would be the perfect opportunity for him to cook for me. He always talked about "his FAMOUS salmon", so I couldn't wait to taste it! Let's just say, it didn't turn out how he remembered...

Archived picture from Valentine's Day 2010

This year I wanted to do something really special instead of just going to a restaurant which we do all the time. On our honeymoon this summer we got all these really special things during our travels. Some of the things are so special that I am afraid to use them! I thought what would be a more perfect time to use them other than our first married Valentine's Day!

I planned my whole menu around the special ingredients that we brought back.

The menu ended up being simple and beautifully highlighted my precious 20-year-aged Balsamic Vinegar and Black Truffles.

Caprese Salad with Burrata Cheese, Watermelon, Tomatoes, Fresh Basil and Balsamic Vinegar

Linguine with Garlic, Black Truffles and Parmesan

Balsamic Steak with Goat Cheese and Asparagus

Brian was in charge of dessert. He picked up 4 slices of his favorite pie from Marie Calendars. So funny and cute. I didn't post all 4 flavors, just my favorite: Banana Creme Pie.

Happy Valentine's Day to everyone out there, hope you had a wonderful day!

Warming my Soul

All week I have been feeling like comfort food or no food at all. The idea of eating something cold seems unappealing which is so weird because it has been so beautiful outside. Don't know, but I thought Italian Beef Stew would be the perfect cure. Of course, with Stew you need hearty noodles of some kind and some bread to dip into the juices...Sounds good huh?

Half-way through making the dough for my Challa

Just in case you need a visual of the dough ball

Look how Beeeautiful my Cheese and Chive Challa is!

All Done! This is the perfect thing to make on a day when you have enough time to prepare the stew and let it simmer. It was great served over bow-tie pasta and of course with the bread. The big pieces of carrots were my favorite part, they made a perfect compliment to the juicy meat pieces. Brian went back for seconds...and thirds!

Rub with Love

I was at Bristol Farms the other day and saw these rubs by the butcher. I had to try one! It seems like the perfect thing to keep in the spice cabinet for a day when I have nothing to make for dinner. I have also been dying to try Rocco Dispirito's Macaroni and Cheese and I thought it would make a nice pairing with this rub. The rub was spicy, earthy and a little sweet. Even though it is for chicken, I bet it would be great on fish too!

If you like Macaroni and Cheese you have to try this one! No it wasn't as rich as the real thing, but it comes close. It definitely hits the spot with a LOT less calories and fat!

Still in the land of Pasta...

Still in the midst of my "Pasta Week", I decided to bust out my Urban Italian Cookbook. It is a great one for traditional Italian recipes with a modern twist. Has everything from an amazing tomato sauce recipe to really different things like Minestrone Risotto.

I really thought when I was preparing my grocery list on Sunday that I would end up with a hearty soup when I was done making this. I guess it is the way I read the title that it would be a soup with arborio rice swimming around in it instead of a traditional starch like rice or a noodle. I guess you have figured out by this point that I am not the best at reading directions, because this is actually a risotto with a minestrone flavor! I know, think what you want, I just failed to read the instructions all the way through before making this...

Regardless of what I thought it was going to be, it turned out excellent! I loved the flavor and it really does taste like Minestrone Soup only in a pasta! Brian loved it even though normally he won't touch risotto with a ten-foot pole. You have to try this one because it is a one-of-a-kind!

Craving Pasta

After Bridget and I's cooking class (if you can even call it that) on Sunday, I have been in the mood for pasta! This week I decided to pull out the big guns with my favorite "non-tomato sauce" pasta recipe. I love this recipe for Pasta Ponza because it is easy, tastes great, and you can use basically any vegetable in your fridge to make it. It calls for ingredients I usually have on hand all the time and tastes a lot better than plain old pasta.

I like to add the following things to the recipe, but it is also great in its original form. I just like to spice it up a little from time to time from the norm. I also always have a hard time coming up with other things to serve with pasta besides more carbs, so with these additions I feel like you are getting equal amounts of vegetables and pasta. My additions:

-Broccoli
-Cauliflower
-Mushrooms
-Green Olives sliced
-Zucchini

I have also tried:
-Chicken (Baked, chopped and added in with the cheese)
-Peppers
-Green Beans
-Corn
-Peas
-Crushed Red Pepper

Basically you can add as much as you want, but you need to increase the breadcrumbs to cover everything you put in the baking dish. I really reccomend you trying this one! I have never met anyone who doesn't like it.



One tip: follow the directions. I know this sounds elementary, but you need to use a pasta with ridges (for the sauce to stick) and you need to let the vegetable mixture cool for 5 minutes, otherwise it will become gummy.

Try it out and let me know what you think! Stay tuned for more Pasta to come this week...

We Love Breakfast!

Brian and I are both big fans of breakfast! Brian loves the food and I love a nice healthy breakfast to start the day off after a great workout! This morning I made French Toast with Maple-Apple compote before I set off for work. I really meant to make this on Sunday morning, but didn't get up early enough!

Sunday morning I went to a cooking class with Bridget at Williams Sonoma. We both went in thinking that we were going to learn how to make homemade pasta, but that isn't what happened. We learned how to make a basic bolognese and boil pasta. There were two highlights: First, when one of the ladies was naming off all the names of various pastas and she couldn't pronounce any of them. Secondly, when they were adding the ground beef and called it "hamburger". HAHAHAHAHA. It was ridic! Bridget and I are still laughing about this...

Back to my breakfast....

Apples Sauteing...

Finished Product!
Complete with a Lactose Free Latte for Brian with some fresh grated Nutmeg on top!

About 1 minute later!

Overall it was a good, tasty recipe. It was fairly simple to make. I say fairly because I was making it after my Morning Bootcamp and before work. When I am working on a time schedule and have a lot of dishes to clean it makes me a little frazzeled. Despite all the bowls and pans, this is a good one. The best part of it is that it uses a lot of things I usually have on hand anyway! Try it out and tell me what you think!

Note: I used about half the butter that it called for.
If you are going to do this, watch out for the apples or turn the temperature down a bit so you don't have to babysit them otherwise they will burn!

Call the Fire Department!

I saw this recipe and thought it looked really interesting and had to try it! I have never made Flat Iron Steaks before, but I am up for trying anything once. It was very easy to make and really flavorful despite the tiny prep time.

Unfortunately, I was tired/wasn't reading properly/made a mistake and accidentally used Cayenne Pepper instead of Chili Powder. I swear it was like that show Man v. Food! SO SPICY. Now, Brian and I both love spicy food, but this was ridic. Thank god for the beautiful, and very refreshing Tomato Sauce that cooled the whole thing down.

This recipe for Chili-Espresso Rubbed Steaks with Warm Tomato Sauce was outstanding! I will definitely make this again...but the correct way!

I paired it with some Roasted Fingerling Potatoes and Baby Artichokes. They made a nice mild side dish to go with the robust meat. Unlike the meat, they took more time to prepare, but the rub does need to sit on the meat for 30 minutes so I did all the prep work while the meat was resting. The time worked out perfectly and everything was done at the right time.

Spice Rub

Excellent Warm Tomato Sauce

Finished meal! Even though I made a big mistake and made it super spicy, it was still really good and I can't wait to make it again.

Sweet and Spicy

I was so excited to have my sis over for dinner last night! I made one of Brian's favorite dishes: Chili-Garlic Glazed Salmon. My sis was far away in Boston for 5 years and I missed her so much while she was gone. I am thankful that I can see her often now and on a whim she can come over for dinner! This is a great recipe that you can make on the fly because most of the ingredients you can just keep in you pantry and pick up some salmon on the way home. It is the perfect combination of spicy and sweet to compliment the salmon.

I also made some Cucumber Salad that makes a perfect compliment to the asian influence in the main dish. I love the cool, refreshing taste of the cucumbers and rice vinegar. Best of all...it is so quick and easy!!

Cucumber Salad

2 large English Cucumbers sliced very thin

1/4 cup Rice Vinegar

1 tablespoon sugar

2 tablespoon black sesame seeds

1/4 teaspoon fresh pepper

Combine all and serve! You can also add dill and thinly sliced Red Onion to change it up a bit.

Dreaming of Blue Cheese

Lately I have been feeling like something with Blue Cheese, but of course I don't want all the fat and calories that come along with it. I found this recipe for Blue Cheese-Stuffed Chicken with Buffalo Sauce and it seemed like just the thing to satisfy my craving and keep within the parameters of fat and calories I allot myself every day.

I also made a wedge as an ode to my Blue Cheese theme because when I hear "blue cheese" I can't help but think of a lettuce wedge. Too much cheese, especially Blue Cheese, is never a good thing so I made this avocado dressing instead!

Avocado Herb Dressing

1/2 cup light mayonnaise

1/4 cup chopped green onions

1/4 reduced-fat sour cream

1 Tablespoon chopped fresh flat leaf parsley

1 Tablespoon chopped fresh chives

1 Teaspoon chopped fresh Tarragon

1/8 Teaspoon salt

1/2 ripe peeled avocado

2 garlic cloves chopped

2 Tablespoons water

1 Tablespoon white wine vinegar

4 drops hot sauce

Combine first 10 ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth. While running, add the water, vinegar and hot sauce and blend. Store in an airtight container. (1 Tablespoon 19 calories, 1.4g Fat)

• 
  
• 
  

I chopped some fresh tomatoes and red onion to go with the wedges. Brian's is the one with the yellow tomatoes, he doesn't like red ones. Only yellow. ??????

Finished product! Tasted Great and I will make it again!

Weeknight Wonder

I missed my Sunday grocery shopping again this week because I was working. I found this recipe for Chicken Curry in my Cooking Light Cookbook my sis gave me. It says you can feed 4 people for less than $10. This seemed perfect because I had to get my ingredients at Bristol Farms in order to save time...and my feet.

I spent more than $10, but it was perfect because it was fast and easy. It tasted great and I will make this again soon now that I have the curry paste in my fridge. I probably have all the other items in my kitchen anyways on a daily basis!

Only complaint is that it doesn't call for any pepper or heat. It needed both. After taking a few bites, I went and got my grinder and some crushed red pepper. Perfect! I also added some mushrooms and yellow onion I had just to include some more vegetables because I was way too lazy to make a salad. Sometimes a salad is just too much work!

Finished Meal which I ate with my feet up!

Brian was not thrilled with the dessert (Fresh Cheeries) I got, so he insisted we go get frozen yogurt! Turned out to be a fun excursion at 8 pm!

Fruit Topping which I love

Candy Toppings for Brian

Ended the night watching Real Housewives of Atlanta. Not a huge fan of this week's episode, but I am excited to see next weeks, as it looks more interesting. Also, excited for this weeks Beverly Hills episode. Camille bugs me and I can't wait to hear the phone call from her husband....

Dinner Party Time!

Friday night, our friends Brooke and Alan came over for dinner! Brooke and I have known each other since elementary school and I am so lucky that her boyfriend, Alan, got a job here in the desert so Brooke and I have been able to reconnect. There is no one better to reminisce with about High School with or laugh about funny things we hear about High School peops than Brooke! We talk about other things also of course, but one thing is for sure...it is always a good time with lots of laughing!

Lately, I have been obsessed with my new cookbook from Ina Garten (you may have noticed from my recent posts this week) and I was so excited to see this Salmon recipe.
I really like simple, fresh flavors so this seemed perfect!

As usual, I was coming home from work to prepare for this so I had to chose something that I could make quickly and still enjoy my company. I also wanted to make a roasted vegetable platter, but it is so time consuming washing and chopping all the vegetables. I decided to wash and chop everything the night before and store them in Tupperware so I was ready to go with that when I got home. My plan worked out perfectly; I was very calm and able to have a great time with my guests...the ultimate goal of a dinner party!

In five minutes I already had all the vegetables on the cookie sheets seasoned with salt, pepper, olive oil, crushed garlic and tarragon ready to go in the 375 degree oven for 20 minutes

These Roasted Tomatoes with Pesto were amazing...and amazingly easy! Even though 2 out of the 4 of us claim to dislike tomatoes, everyone loved them!

Roasted Tomatoes with Pesto
2-2.5 lb Red Tomatoes big enough for roasting (I used Roma)
2 teaspoons dried oregano
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper
1/2 cup Store Bought Pesto
1/2 cup Freshly grated Parmesan Cheese

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Wash and slice tomatoes. Gently squeeze out the "guts". Lightly drizzle with Olive Oil and place in glass roasting dish face up. Season with Salt and Pepper. Place in oven for 10 minutes.
Remove from oven and spread tomatoes with pesto. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Return to oven for 7-10 minutes or until cheese has become bubbly and slightly browned.
May serve hot, warm or at room temperature. Enjoy!

Brookie and me

My bread basket I put together with some fresh breads from Trader Joe's

Ta Da! Roasted Vegetable Platter! Something for everyone here...

Roasted Salmon (and Chicken) with Green Herbs
2-2.5 lbs Salmon
1/2 cup Minced Fresh Parsley
1/2 cup Minced Fresh Dill
1/2 cup Minced Fresh Scallions (white and green parts)
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup Olive Oil
1/4 cup dry white wine
Salt and Pepper

Preheat Oven to 425 degrees. Place salmon in glass roasting dish and season well with salt and pepper. Whisk oil and lemon juice in a small bowl and drizzle evenly over salmon.
Let rest at room temperature for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine herbs in a small bowl. Coat salmon with herbs liberally and spread on sides and bottom as well. Pour the wine around the fish filet.
Place salmon in oven for 15 minutes till just still pink inside. Remove from oven and cover tightly with foil for 10 minutes to finish the cooking and rest. Serve.

Guests at the dinner table

Brooke's beautiful dessert she brought from her Club. Red Velvet Cake with Pomegranate Seeds and Toasted Almond Slivers. Also, the Syrah they brought was so smooth and yummy! I don't even like wine and I loved it!!

Thank you Brookie and Alan for coming and having so much fun with Bri and I! We had the best time and can't wait to do it again!