Teriyaki Sesame Greens with Beer Battered Tofu

This recipe is so screamingly easy it barely qualifies as a "recipe." My lovely friend Leslie made this dish for me last week when I was visiting and I couldn't wait to come home and try it out!

To make the greens, simply cut and wash the greens of your choice (I prefer kale and chard) and place in a large pot. Use a lot of greens, they cook down, well, a lot!

Add in a generous splash of Soyaki, or similar teriyaki sauce, and cook over medium heat. Continue to toss until the greens are wilted. Enjoy!

Beer Battered Tofu


Tofu doesn't have a flavor, really, so it helps to season the batter. I served these with a bowl of peanut butter and jelly dipping sauce, which I made by mixing peanut butter, a splash of rice wine vinegar and mango chutney.

1 cup flour
1 egg, or substitute
1 1/2 cups beer of your choice
salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp. 21 Seasoning Salute or Mrs. Dash season mix

Combine all ingredients and whisk until smooth and set aside.

Meanwhile, cut a block of extra firm tofu into fingers and dredge in flour. Then dip in batter and fry in hot oil until brown.

Leftover Night = Lentil Hodgepodge

Sometimes you find yourself with a bunch of leftovers and end up with....a really tasty meal! I used some leftover brown rice, sauteed it up with fresh mixed greens, a bit of oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper and topped it with.....





Yup, leftover lentils, tomatoes and avocado. It was so simple, fast and so so yummy! Some of my best meals have come from leftovers. This one will definitely be a future make-on-purpose meal!

Chili Rellenos with Garlicky Beans and Chili-Scented Greens

This was the first time I've attempted Chili Rellenos and I have to say they came out quite perfect! They taste like a tortilla-free enchilada. Even the smallest natives ate to their hearts' content. The best approval there is!

Chili Rellenos

1 onion, chopped
1 zucchini, chopped
5 mushrooms, chopped
1 Tbsp. chili powder
1 Tbsp. cumin
salt and pepper to taste
10 poblano peppers, roasted and peeled (these come canned and pre-peeled as well)
15 slices jack or cheddar cheese (or about 1-2 cups shredded)
1 egg, beaten
1 cup bread crumbs
1 large jar of green sauce
1/2 cup of sliced olives

Saute the onion, zucchini, mushrooms and spices until soft. Then spread the mixture on the bottom of a glass-bottom baking dish.

Stuff, carefully, each pepper with 1/2 slice of cheese (again, you can use shredded, but slices are easier to handle here). Then coat each pepper in the egg wash, followed by a coating of bread crumbs and lie carefully on top of the onion mixture. Continue until all peppers are stuffed and coated.

Bake at 425 for 12 minutes. Then remove the pan of chilis from the oven and top with enough green sauce to cover the spaces in between (not too much on top of the chilis, but around them). Top each chili with 1/2 slice of cheese and sprinkle olives on top. Bake another 12 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

After you plate each chili, top with red salsa, cilantro and green onion, and sour cream!





Garlicky Beans

I didn't want to use too much of the same spices here, so these beans were really simple. I used canned pinto beans and cooked them in a bit of olive oil, splash of veggie broth, and sprinkled with garlic salt and pepper. Cook until hot.


Chili-Scented Greens

3 cups (or more!) of greens of your choice. I used mixed greens like mustard, collard and spinach.
2 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp cumin
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp water
salt and pepper

Combine greens, water and oil in a large pot and cook, over medium heat, covered, until the greens are wilted. Sprinkle with the remaining spices and mix well. Serve hot.