Appetite for Reduction (33 page)

In the meantime, crumble the tofu into a mixing bowl. Use your hands to mash the tofu, squeezing it between your fingers, until it has the consistency of ricotta cheese. Add the nutritional yeast, lemon juice, pepper, and remaining salt. Use a fork to mix well.

When the cauliflower is done, transfer it to the mixing bowl with the tofu mixture. Use a potato masher to mash it really well, for a minute or so. If it doesn’t seem to be mashing enough with the potato masher, a few pulses in the food processor should get it nice and crumbly. Set aside.

To prepare the sauce, mix all its ingredients together and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Pour a thin layer of red sauce on the bottom of an 8-inch square casserole. Line with a layer of noodles. Spread with one-third of the cauliflower ricotta. Layer with ¾ cup of spinach leaves. Pour on about a cup of sauce.

Repeat the process one more time, creating another identical layer,
starting with the noodles. For the top layerit’s just a little different: Layer with noodles, pour the sauce on first, then layer with ricotta. This layer doesn’t get any spinach. Sprinkle with a layer of olives and press it into the the tofu.

Bake for 40 minutes, until the top is browned. You can serve it immediately or let it cool down for a bit first, whatever floats your boat!

SERVES 4 • ACTIVE TIME: 30 MINUTES • TOTAL TIME: 30 MINUTES

(CAN BE MADE GLUTEN FREE IF USING GF NOODLES)

E
verything you want out of life in one bowl. Or at least everything you want out of dinner: filling udon noodles, beans, and greens with flavorful, salty miso. I love azuki beans here; they have a sweet and nutty flavor that cuddles right up to the miso. They also have a tendency to fall apart just a bit, which is great for coating the noodles. However, if you can’t find azukis, black beans taste really great, too. For this recipe, use whatever miso you have on hand, but note that you may have to add more to your liking because misos vary in saltiness.

1 pound broccoli, stems sliced thinly, tops cut into florets
8 ounces brown rice udon noodles
1 teaspoon olive oil
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 bunch Swiss chard (about ½ pound), coarse stems removed,
chopped roughly
1 cup thinly sliced green onions, plus extra for garnish
½ teaspoon salt
1 (16-ounce) can azuki beans, drained and rinsed
⅓ cup miso
½ cup hot water
4 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds
Sriracha hot sauce, to serve

Prepare a pot of salted water for cooking the noodles.

Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat. First, sauté the broccoli with a bit of nonstick cooking spray and a pinch of salt for about 5 minutes. Cover the pan and flip once or twice. The broccoli should be browned in some spots. Add a splash of water at the end, then cover for another minute. The pan should be steaming. Remove the broccoli from
the pan and set aside. (By the way, that is my favorite way to prepare broccoli in general if I am serving it on the side.)

At this point, the water should be boiling. Use a mug to remove ½ cup of water; you can use that to mix into your miso in a few steps. Then cook the noodles according to the package directions. Drain when ready.

Now we’ll put everything together. Preheat the large pan again, over medium heat. Sauté the garlic in the oil for about a minute, until fragrant. Add the chard, green onion, and salt, and sauté for about 5 minutes, until wilted. Add the beans and let heat through.

In the meantime, in a mug or measuring cup, mix together the miso and warm pasta water until relatively smooth.

Add the drained noodles to the pan, along with the miso mixture and broccoli. Sauté for about 2 minutes, using a pasta spoon, making sure everything is nice and coated. Taste for salt. To serve, top with sesame seeds and green onions and keep the Sriracha close at hand.

SERVES 4 • ACTIVE TIME: 10 MINUTES • TOTAL TIME: 20 MINUTES

N
othing fancy here, but perfect weeknight fare when you want strong, comforting flavors, and some green, without too much effort. It doesn’t get much easierthan this! Start the sauce right after you start the water boiling, and you’ll have this on the table in no time. In honor of my BFF Amy and our late night excursions to Brooklyn’s vegan fast-food joint Food Swings, I like to drizzle plenty of cayenne hot sauce over it (Frank’s Red Hot is my fave), or serve it with some
Buffalo Tempeh
(page 161) on top. If you’d like to bulk it up in a different direction, try a few slices of
Masala Baked Tofu
(page 146) tossed on top.

8 ounces brown rice macaroni
1 pound broccoli, tops cut into florets, stems chopped into
½-inch pieces
1 recipe
Easy Breezy Cheezy Sauce
(page 173)

Bring a pot of water to boil for the pasta and make your sauce.

Cook the pasta according to the package directions. About 5 minutes before you think the pasta will be done, add the broccoli to the pasta pot. When the pasta is ready, drain, and add back to the pot. Pour in the sauce and mix everything up. Serve!

SERVES 4 • ACTIVE TIME: 20 MINUTES • TOTALTIME: 30 MINUTES

(CAN BE MADE GLUTEN-FREE IF USING GF PASTA)

E
very recipe for pasta e fagioli will tell you that this is an Italian peasant dish, but I remember the first time I had pasta with beans I thought it was really fancy! This is a perfect, no-nonsense recipe for when you want your pasta, protein, and veggies all in one big bowl, and don’t want to futz around too much.

1 teaspoon olive oil
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 pounds plum tomatoes, chopped roughly
¼ cup dry white wine or vegetable broth
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
A few pinches of freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 (15-ounce) can navy beans (about 1½ cups), drained and
rinsed
8 ounces whole wheat small shells or orecchiette
1 pound baby spinach leaves, washed well

Bring a pot of water to boil for the pasta and preheat a large skillet over medium heat.

In the pan, sauté the garlic in oil for about 1 minute, until the garlic is fragrant. Add the tomatoes, wine, oregano, and salt. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, add the beans and then lower the heat to medium. Cook until the tomatoes are broken down and the sauce is reduced and thickened, about 15 minutes.

In the meantime, add the pasta to boiling water and cook according to the package directions. Once the sauce is thickened, simmer over low heat to keep warm.

Drain the pasta. In a bowl, alternate adding batches of pasta, beans, and spinach to the sauce, stirring with a pasta spoon to incorporate, until the spinach is completely wilted. Mix well and serve.

SERVES 4 • ACTIVE TIME: 30 MINUTES TOTAL TIME: 30 MINUTES

(CAN BE MADE GLUTEN FREE IF USING GF TAMARI IN PLACE OF SOY SAUCE)

I
would probably get chased out of Malaysia (if got off the plane with a bowl of this and said it was Curry Laksa, but what it lacks in authenticity it makes up for in speed, ease, and healthfulness. Oh, and it tastes pretty darn good, too. If you like a big gigantic bowl of noodles, then this is your golden ticket. Noodles and tofu, mellow bok choy, and red peppers in a spicy, sweet, and sour red coconut milk broth. Serve with chopsticks and a big spoon.

This dish also makes really great leftovers! When left in the fridge, the tofu sucks up the curry and the lime flavor gets a little stronger. It even tastes great cold!