I stan soft tofu. Soft tofu with mushrooms, chilled soft tofu with a spicy soy sauce, soft tofu in dessert, it doesn’t matter. My current favorite is this: a super-simple block of soft tofu with creamy avocado and crunchy bits of furikake. I’m not sure what’s faster : the amount of time to make this dish or the amount of time it takes for me to devour it.
Ingredients:
1 14-ounce block silken tofu
1 avocado, peeled and thinly sliced
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons lime juice
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons furikake
Cut the tofu into 1/2-inch-thick slices and arrange them on a plate. Shingle the avocado slices across the top of the tofu. Drizzle with the soy sauce, lime juice, and oil, then sprinkle with furikake. Serve immediately.
I know what you’re thinking, but listen, I’m not here for any turkey bacon slander. It’s salty, crispy, and savory: what’s not to love? Stir-fried with asparagus, they make an unlikely but deeply delicious pairing in this quick and easy fried rice. Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it.
Ingredients:
1/2 pound chopped turkey bacon
1 tablespoon minced ginger
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 small onion, finely diced
3 eggs
2 tablespoons avocado oil
1 1/2 cups asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces
4 cups cold leftover steamed rice
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1/2 teaspoon pepper
In a wok or large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil and cook the turkey bacon over medium-high heat, flipping the turkey bacon every few minutes to evenly brown. After a few minutes, once the turkey bacon is cooked through and crispy, remove from the skillet but do not wipe the skillet clean.
Sweat the ginger, garlic, and onion in the skillet until they become translucent and aromatic, about 1 minute.
Crack the eggs into a medium bowl, and stir them to break the yolks. Pour the eggs into the skilled and quickly stir to cook. While the eggs are still a little runny, push them to the side of the skillet. Add the remaining avocado oil to the center of the skillet and add the asparagus, stir-frying it in the oil for about 1 minute, then push it next to the eggs.
Turn the heat to high and add the rice to the skillet, breaking up clumps with a wooden spoon. Once the rice becomes loose, mix and fold the eggs and asparagus into the rice. Drizzle the soy sauce into the skillet, and continue to stir-fry. Add the reserved turkey bacon and green onions and season with black pepper and serve.
These “toasts” may not be beautiful but they’re the perfect breakfast: both dense in nutrients and sweetly satisfying. Bake the sweet potatoes ahead of time and this dish comes together in minutes. This recipe makes enough for four people but feel free to scale up or down depending on your preference.
Ingredients:
2 large sweet potatoes (skin on), cut crosswise into 1 1/2 inch-thick slices
1 teaspoon avocado or coconut oil
Pinch of sea salt
4 teaspoons almond butter
1 banana, sliced into rounds
Pinch of ground cinnamon
Preheat the oven to 400F degrees and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
Place the sweet potato slices on the baking sheet and toss with the oil and salt. Roast for 15 minutes, then flip over the slices and cook for 15 more minutes, or until lightly browned and tender. Let cool for 10 minutes.
Top each slice of sweet potato with a heaping teaspoon of almond butter, banana slices, and a pinch of sea salt and cinnamon.
Don’t be deterred by the long ingredient list for this super flavorful and aromatic ground chicken curry. You can make it ahead of time and the flavor only gets better in the fridge overnight. Serve it with rice, yogurt, and some fresh herbs on the side for the perfect meal.
Ingredients:
1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon Kashmiri chili powder (depending on how spicy you want your keema to be)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 pinch asafetida powder
2 serrano or bird’s eye chiles
1 bay leaf
4 curry leaves
1 tablespoon dried fenugreek leaves
2 teaspoons ground turmeric
1 cup chopped yellow onion
2 tablespoons chopped fresh ginger
4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
2 cups chopped tomatoes
1 tablespoon salt
1/2 cup plain Indian or Greek yogurt
1 cup frozen green peas
2 pounds ground chicken
6 teaspoons butter
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon garam masala
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the asafetida power, serrano chiles, bay leaf, curry leaves, dried fenugreek, 1 teaspoon of the turmeric, and the onion. Stir everything together and saute until the onion is softened, about 5 minutes.
Add the ginger and garlic to the pot. Saute until they begin to turn golden, about 5 minutes, then add the tomatoes and 1 1/2 teaspoons of the salt. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 5 more minutes. Remove from the heat.
Transfer the onion and spice mixture to a food processor. Reserve the pot. Add the yogurt to the food processor and pulse until a paste is formed, about 30 seconds. Set aside.
Place the peas in the reserved pot over medium heat. Cook the peas until they are thawed, about 1 minute. Add the ground chicken and 1 cup of water, stirring well, then add the butter and cook until it is melted, about 5 minutes.
Add the remaining teaspoon of turmeric and the Kashmiri chili powder to the chicken. Stir everything together, cover the pot, then reduce the heat to low. Cook for 10 minutes.
Stir in the black pepper, cinnamon, cumin, and remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Stir in the yogurt paste. Cook, covered, for 10 minutes more.
Stir in the garam masala and remove the pot from the heat. Garnish with cilantro and serve.
I promise you that this kale salad doesn’t taste like a plate of twigs. It’s got the perfect texture and thanks to chickpeas and hemp seeds, it’s nutty and full of protein, too. And honestly? The roasted spiced chickpeas make a terrific snack on their own too. Make sure to use curly kale here, as Tuscan kale will be too rough for the salad.
Ingredients:
For the salad:
1 bunch curly kale, washed and stemmed
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
3-4 radishes, diced
2 Persian cumbers, diced (optional)
1 tablespoon hemp seeds
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
For the roasted chickpeas:
1 15-ounce can chickpeas
1 teaspoon avocado oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
For the tahini honey mustard dressing:
1 tablespoon tahini
Juice of 1 lemon (about 2 tablespoons)
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon honey
Make the roasted chickpeas: Preheat the oven to 400F degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Rinse and drain the chickpeas, then pat dry. On the baking sheet, toss the chickpeas with the avocado oil, salt, paprika, garlic powder, and cayenne. Roast the chickpeas for 20 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy. Set aside.
Make the tahini honey mustard dressing: In a small bowl, combine the tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, mustard, and honey. Whisk the dressing to emulsify. Whisk in up to 1 teaspoon water to thin as needed. Set dressing aside.
Make the salad: Tear kale into bite-sized pieces, then add to a large bowl along with the olive oil, vinegar, and salt and massage for 30 seconds or until the kale appears softened. Add the roasted chickpeas, radish, cucumbers, hemp seeds, and nutritional yeast.
Drizzle the dressing and toss to combine, and serve.
