Whipped Ricotta

 We had this for dinner tonight and it was so very good! It would be excellent as a hearty appetizer also. Make sure you have the very best garlic toast, cut in big pieces, salty and garlicky, and crunchy. 

The garlic toast is key! 

• Ricotta
• Lemon zest
• Lemon juice
• Salt and pepper
• 1 T olive oil
• A shake or two of dried thyme
• Whip the above in your Cuisinart for a few minutes adjusting ingredients to taste 
• Serve with a drizzle of olive oil, honey (don’t skimp) , pistachios, and some pretty green herbs…. I used parsley

Best Baked Tofu

 

 

This is the absolute best way to use tofu! It’s chewy and flavorful, cheap and easy, versatile and healthy. 

• Use Nasoya brand organic super firm tofu if possible
• Grate it with a box grater- your Cuisinart grater blade will create too much mush
• Add 1C walnuts ground medium fine in the Cuisinart 
• Add 1-2 T tomato paste and about 1/2 cup water
• Add other spices if you want (garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, taco seasonings, etc)  Remember- tofu can handle lots of seasoning 
• Bake on parchment in 375 degrees for 20 minutes
• Stir and flip around and continue this process until it’s browned and crispy. 

Here you see a most delicious pita stuffed with baked grated tofu and a fake tzatziki sauce of ranch, dill and minced cukes. 

Aunt Tracy’s Bean Bowl

 A revamped version of my favorite bean salad, Aunt Bebe’s Bean Bowl.  Of course my Walmart had no wax beans (too fancy for Walmart?) which the original recipe calls for. I substituted canned beets and was pleasantly surprised! I could eat this stuff by the bowlful. 

• 1 can green beans
• 1 can kidney beans
• I can lima beans
• 1 can chick peas
• 1 can sliced beets
• 1 sweet onion sliced very thin
• 1/3 C sugar
• 1/3 C red wine vinegar
• 1/3 C vegetable oil
• Salt and pepper to taste 

Dissolve sugar in vinegar over low heat. Add oil, salt and pepper. Pour warm dressing over onions and bring to room temp. Add drained and rinsed beans. Salad is better the next day when it has had some time to marinate.