Tofu and Broccoli Stir Fry

A lot of people automatically turn up their noses at the mention of tofu, but I'm definitely not one of them. Many people are a little wary of the somewhat gelatinous texture, I absolutely love the contrast between the brown and chewy outside and tender middle of stir-fried or baked tofu. Its inherent flavor isn't something that I go crazy for (though it doesn't turn me off either), but tofu is a great blank canvas for almost any ingredient, especially Asian flavors. Another advantage of tofu? No advanced planning required to make sure its thawed when it comes time to make dinner.

On Monday nights, I'm often trying to make up some ground after the vices I indulged in over the weekend, leading to a lot of vegetarian meals with eggs, beans, or tofu as the protein hitting the dinner plate. This simple, but flavorful stir-fry is a great way to atone for the dietary sins of the weekend, filled with vegetables and lean protein glazed with spicy sweet and sour sauce and topped by the salty crunch of toasted cashews. Fresh broccoli is by far your top choice here, creating the best contrast in both flavor and texture, but even frozen broccoli will do in a pinch (and won't require the blanching step). If tofu just isn't your thing, this recipe will also work perfectly with chicken, or broccoli all on its own. I served this stir-fry over brown rice, but it would also be great over rice or soba noodles, or even whole wheat spaghetti or linguine. The next time you're reaching for the take-out menus, try this quick stir-fry instead-it'll make it to the dinner table faster than delivery and leave you feeling much better after.


Tofu and Broccoli Stir Fry
from Martha Stewart Everyday Food
serves 4

1 package (14 1/2 ounces) firm tofu, drained, cut crosswise into 6 slabs (about 3/4 inch wide), each slab halved horizontally and cut into triangles
1 1/2 pounds broccoli, stalks trimmed, peeled, and cut into 1/4-inch rounds, florets separated into bite-size pieces
Coarse salt
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1/4 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 cup cashews, toasted

1. Arrange tofu in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with several layers of paper towels. Top with more paper towels and another baking sheet; weight with canned goods. Let tofu drain, about 20 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, cook broccoli (stalks and florets) in a large pot of boiling salted water until bright green, 2 minutes. Drain; set aside.

3. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add tofu; cook until golden brown, turning gently halfway through, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer to paper towels.

4.  Meanwhile, make sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, vinegar, red-pepper flakes, garlic, cornstarch, and 3/4 cup water; set aside.

5. Add broccoli to skillet; cook over high heat, stirring often, until crisp-tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Whisk reserved sauce to combine; pour into pan. Return tofu to pan; stir to coat, about 1 minute more. Serve topped with cashews.

Chewy Harvest Fruit Granola Bars

Happy Easter! While you may be up early indulging in a little pre-breakfast candy, it might also be a good idea to sneak a few healthy snacks in there as well (tomorrow, at least). These delicious granola bars from the paragon of precision cooking, America's Test Kitchen, have enough sweetness to satisfy your sweet tooth, blended with plenty of nuts, seeds, dried fruit and whole grains. Although the peanut butter version of this recipe is also delicious, I prefer the diverse collection of flavors in this versatile recipe. Better than any granola bars you'll find at the grocery store, a big batch of these healthy and tasty snacks can be whipped up in short order. If your overindulge on candy today, rest assured you can make up a little nutritional ground with these granola bars tomorrow.
 

Chewy Harvest Fruit Granola Bars
adapted from America's Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook
makes 16 bars

1/3 cup slivered almonds
1/3 cup unsalted cashews, chopped coarse
1/4 cup unsalted pumpkin seeds
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cups (6 ounces) old-fashioned rolled oats
1 1/2 cups Multigrain Cheerios
1/2 cup dried fruit, chopped coarse
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup water
1 cup (7 ounces) sugar
1/2 cup half-and-half
1 teaspoon vanilla extract


1. Line a 13 by 9-inch baking pan with an aluminum foil sling and coat lightly with vegetable oil spray. Toast the almonds, cashews and pumpkin seeds in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat, stirring often, until fragrant and golgdn brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer the toasted nuts and seeds to a large bowl.

2. Add the butter to the skillet and melt over medium heat. Stir in the oats and cook, stirring often, until golden and fragrant, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer the toasted oats to the bowl with the toasted nuts and seeds and stir in the Cheerios, dried fruit, and salt.

3. Pour the water into a clean heavy-bottomed medium saucepan. Pour the sugar into the center of the pan (don't let it hit the pan sides) and gently stir with a clean heatproof spatula to wet it thoroughly.

4. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook, without stirring, until the sugar has dissolved completely and the caramel has a faint golden color (about 300 degrees on a candy thermometer), 4 to 8 minutes.

5. Reduce the heat to medium-low and continue to cook, stirring only as needed, until the caramel has a dark amber color (about 350 degrees on a candy thermometer), 1 to 3 minutes. Off the heat, whisk in the half-and-half (the caramel with steam and bubble vigorously) until smooth and just barely bubbling, 30 to 60 seconds. Whisk in the vanilla.

6. Working quickly, stir the hot caramel into the nut-oat mixture until thoroughly combined. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking pan and pack very firmly into an even layer. Let the granola cool completely, about 30 minutes. Remove the granola from the pan using the foil, cut into 16 bars, and serve.