Like any true foodie, I spend a ridiculous amount of time watching the Food Network (and dissing it too). One afternoon, I was just chillin’ and watching Secrets of a Restaurant Chef, and I was intrigued by one of Anne Burrell’s recipes: Dijon, Saltine and Wheat Germ Crusted Chicken Fingers with Ranch Dipping Sauce. A finger food that involves wheat germ?! Yes, please!

I veganized the recipe and made a few tweaks:

Walnut-Crusted Tofu Fingers

Serves 1

Ingredients

• 6 oz firm tofu, pressed to remove excess liquid, and sliced into “fingers”
• 1/3 cup Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp. sweetener (e.g. sugar, maple syrup, stevia)
• 3 T. toasted wheat germ
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/2 oz. walnuts
• BBQ sauce (optional)

Method

1. Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Combine mustard and sweetener and pour onto a flat dish.

3. Place wheat germ, garlic powder, & walnuts in a food processor. Process until well combined. Place on a separate flat dish.

4. Coat tofu fingers with mustard sauce, dredge in wheat germ mixture, and place on a non-stick baking sheet. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.

5. Serve with your favorite BBQ sauce!

Filed under: Recipe | 8 Comments »

Tonight I write to you in a cloud of conflicted emotion due to some unexpected news I received in my Principles of Food class. Apparently, I will be required to taste meat this semester.

On the first day of class, the professor explained that we would be preparing several recipes throughout the course of the semester, so she asked that anyone with “special dietary needs” contact her; she assured us vegetarians that we would not have to taste the meat dishes. As of today, however, that decision has been rescinded. Every student is required to taste every dish as part of the “sensory evaluation” component of our lab sessions. The decision was made on the basis that registered dieticians may be called upon in a hospital setting to taste patients’ food.

I understand and agree with the decision; personal dietary preferences cannot and should not impede me from performing my duties as a nutritionist. Nonetheless, I am still a bit uneasy about the prospect of tasting meat again—it’s been almost seven years since I last consumed animal flesh. All uncertainties aside, I’m sure the tasting experiences will enhance my nutrition education. All in the name of taste, my friends.

Is there a food you haven’t eaten for an extended period of time?

Enough about what I haven’t been eating…let’s get onto what I did eat today!

So I’ve decided that Green Monsters > Shamrocks shakes. Who’s with me?

I packed a quick lunch to be consumed on campus. When in doubt, just douse some veggies with Goddess dressing, and call it lunch:)

Once I arrived home from class and had gotten some homework done, I sauntered into the kitchen for some cooking experimentation. I was in the mood for black bean burgers, but I was in no mood to be chained down by a fussy recipe…so I improvised. They ended up a little dry—nothing a drizzle of ketchup can’t fix!

Alright, off to catch up on the ol’ Google Reader. Nighty night.

Filed under: Meals | 15 Comments »

A few summers ago, I set about expanding my cookbook library, and there was one volume I knew I had to have to consider myself a vegetarian cook—Veganomicon. While there are hundreds of pages of recipes to choose from, one recipe that I particularly enjoyed was the Corn & Edamame Sesame Salad. The combination of corn and edamame was not only eye-catching but also pretty dang tasty and nutritious too. However, never one to stick to a recipe, I’ve added my own twist to this Veganomicon favorite.

Spicy-Sweet Corn & Edamame Salad

adapted from Veganomicon’s Corn & Edamame Sesame Salad

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup corn, cooked
• 1/2 cup shelled edamame, cooked
• 1/4 cup carrots, diced
• 1/2 oz. peanuts
• 1 tsp. fresh ginger, grated
• 2 T. Annie’s Mango Vinaigrette (reviewed here)

Combine all ingredients until all vegetables are evenly coated with dressing.

Filed under: Uncategorized | 4 Comments »