An INSANE New Cooking Adventure?? + Fettuccine w/ Baked Tofu, Zucchini, & Burst Cherry Tomatoes

A lovely and light spring dish, this meal is heavy on the protein thanks to savory tofu. Sauteed zucchini and burst cherry tomatoes lend their own delicious juices to create a fresh sauce for the fettucine. This pasta is simple, healthy, and quick enough for a weeknight.

“The best advice I’ve ever received is ‘No one else knows what they’re doing either’”

— Ricky Gervais

So, something insane happened two days ago. It's hard for me to even put into words how out-of-this-world the last couple days have been. Here goes; I got an email from a production company that wanted to interview Todd and I for... something... #ImNotAllowedToSay but it's like the pinnacle of anything ever to do with cooking and the public.

It has to do with big-time, super-popular, national, errrybody is watching it type television thing. It's the most crazy, surreal thing that has literally every happened to me. This company discovered me because of my cookbook and they will be submitting my interview (and several others) to the network in less than one week for said opportunity. That's really all I'm allowed to divulge (I asked if I could share the news because I'm totally freaking out right now!!!) I. CAN'T. EVEN. YOU GUYS!

I don't know if I'll get the gig, they have other folks they interviewed as well, but I think I might just implode if they do choose me. But in the best way possible of course. No matter what happens I am super stoked to have even been approached! I'll keep you all posted!

Mind blowing and world-shattering, but in a good way! I wish I could tell you more!!! I feel like I'm living someone else's life right now. On another note, I'd love to send you all some signed bookplates! They are incredibly beautiful; you can see one here. All you need to do is send me a link or photo to your completely unbiased review of my cookbook on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Indigo Books, or wherever, etc. along with your mailing address!

I've been in a little bit of shock for a few days so easy recipes are what I need. My brain is in overload, which means I'm keeping it real with this scrumptious spring-time pasta. I think you'll love it! 

Fettuccine w/ Baked Tofu, Zucchini, & Burst Cherry Tomatoes

By Kathleen Henry @ Produce On Parade

Published 05/13/2016

A lovely and light spring dish, this meal is heavy on the protein thanks to savory tofu. Sauteed zucchini and burst cherry tomatoes lend their own delicious juices to create a fresh sauce for the fettucine. This pasta is simple, healthy, and quick enough for a weeknight.

Ingredients

• 1 lb fettuccine pasta, dry
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• ½ large yellow onion, sliced
• dash of crushed red pepper, to taste
• 1 medium zucchini, diced
• 12 oz cherry tomatoes, halved
• 6 oz baked flavored firm tofu, diced (I like Wildwoods Savory)
• 1 tbsp dried basil or ¼ cup fresh basil
• 1 cup fresh beet greens, spinach, or baby kale, chopped
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• sprinkling of vegan parmesan, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil for the pasta. Cook for about 5 minutes (half of the cooking time), then drain the pasta and return to the pot.
2. In the meantime, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat in a large frying pan. Add the onion and crushed red pepper; saute for about 5 minutes until the onions are translucent and tender. Stir in the zucchini and tomatoes and increase the heat to medium; saute an additional 10-15 minutes until the pasta is done cooking and the zucchini is tender, but not over cooked. Remove from heat and stir in the tofu, basil, and greens.
3. Once the pasta is done cooking and has been returned to the pot, stir in the vegetable broth. Cook over medium-high heat for about 8-10 minutes until most of the broth has been absorbed and the noodles are al dente. Add additional broth or water if the noodles are still undercooked.
4. Stir the vegetable mixture with all its juices into the pasta to combine. Allow to rest for a few minutes before serving hot. Garnish with vegan parmesan.

Yield: 6

Yum

Keep your fingers crossed for me the next couple weeks!

Oil-Free Protein Blueberry Muffins

These scrumptious, colorful muffins are studded with wild blueberries and spiced with cinnamon and cardamom. Thanks to avocado and tofu, they are oil-free, egg-free, and vegan! With less than 170 calories and a whopping 5g of protein per muffin, you can feel good about eating these cruelty-free beauties. Adapted from Gimme Some Oven.

“You cannot always control what goes on outside. But you can always control what goes on inside. ”

— Wayne Dyer

Oh, friends. These muffins are soooo delicious. I honestly didn't even think I'd be able to post them in fear that they would be rather dense and need tweaking. Yet, alas they were as soft and creamy as could be and just basically freakin' amazing. They're super easy and pretty healthy too. Let me know if you make them and what you think!

I made them this weekend as part of my procrastination plan. Now that our house building has ceased and it's spring, Todd and I should be delving into the maze of confusion and terror that is landscaping. Mission: LAWN! As currently, we just have... dirt #newhouseproblems I can't wait to plant some flowering crabapple and lilac trees, a ton of yummy veggies, and berry bushes. Alas, I'm trying not to be overwhelmed by it all. I like to say, I inherited the great love of all things plant related from my family... but not the green thumb or necessary know-how to actually do anything besides keep my house plants alive and a few potted herbs, kale, and tomatoes. 

So, to pacify the rather harsh critic that is myself, I've decided just to do not much of anything except drown myself in books. It's an avoidance thing. Why do anything when I don't even know where to start!? This whole story brings me to my actual point: I'm almost finished with a new all-time ever favorite book. It's called Every Heart a Doorway and no, it's not a romance in the least. Check it out and let me know if you do read it or have read it and what you thought! Keep up with what I am reading by taking a peek at my Goodreads account on the right sidebar. Okay, now onto muffins! Which, coincidentally go great with a cup of coffee and a great book :)

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Their tie-dye coloring is the most fun thing ever and for some reason made me uncommonly happy. It's the little things I guess!

FYI, when using silken tofu I really like this brand (I'm not affiliated). It doesn't have a strong tofu taste at all!

Oil-Free Protein Blueberry Muffins

By Kathleen Henry @ Produce On Parade

Published 05/02/2016

These scrumptious, colorful muffins are studded with wild blueberries and spiced with cinnamon and cardamom. Thanks to avocado and tofu, they are oil-free, egg-free, and vegan! With less than 170 calories and a whopping 5g of protein per muffin, you can feel good about eating these cruelty-free beauties. Adapted from Gimme Some Oven.

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp kosher salt
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp ground cardamom
• 1 medium ripe avocado, pitted and skin discarded
• 1 12oz package of silken firm tofu (must be silken!)
• ¾ cup vegan granulated sugar + extra for sprinkling
• 1 ½ tbsp ground flaxseed
• 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 1 ½ cups frozen blueberries

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F and line a muffin tin with 12 muffin liners. Whisk together the flour through the cardamom in a medium bowl and set aside.
2. With the whisk attachment beat the avocado, tofu, and, sugar with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until very well combined; about 2 minutes. Beat in the flaxseed and vanilla extract to combine. Remove the bowl from the machine and set aside.
3. Stir the frozen blueberries into the dry mixture to coat them. Stir the dry mixture slowly into the wet mixture with a wooden spoon until just combined. The batter will be very thick.
4. Evenly distribute the batter into the 12 muffin liners (they will be filled above the top a little bit) and sprinkle the top of each with a dusting of granulated sugar if you like. Bake for 30 minutes until slightly golden brown around the edges.
5. Remove and allow to cool for about 5 minutes in the pan before placing the muffins on a wire cooling rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

Yield: 12

This is my latest song obsession. I love this band! Check my other favorite songs of theirs, American Money, Clouds, and Electric Love. 

What music have you been jamming out to lately?

Spring Asparagus Buckwheat Salad

Buckwheat groats are a neat alternative to cous cous, quinoa, millet, or rice. They’re most often associated with breakfast but make a wholesome, hearty salad as well! This salad lends an easy, springtime feeling; crisp asparagus, roasted arugula, sweet cherry tomatoes, and creamy avocado bath in a basil-lemon dressing.

“We do not need to eat animals, wear animals, or use animals for entertainment purposes, and our only defense of these uses is our pleasure, amusement, and convenience.”

— Gary L. Francione

Spring is such an exciting time! It's warm enough to relax outside on the deck, basking in the warm glow of the early summer sun with Todd and a cup of coffee in the mid-afternoon. My runs are less of a "snow-storm" inspired look and more normal... just running tights and a long sleeve shirt, sans hat and scarf of course. The bright green budding leaves begin to cast interesting shadows, peeking in through the windows of our home making us feel as if we live in a treehouse and the bedroom windows are cracked open all night for a cooling breeze. 

Todd and I are thrilled to be spending the first spring in our new home. Last year at this time we were just finishing up clearing the land. Even though the super hard work is behind us we still have a lot to do! Gutters, stairs up to the doors, leveling out the 800 foot driveway, planting crabapple and lilac trees (and raised beds for a garden), building a greenhouse and woodshed, as well as putting in a lawn in. Todd's excited to slack line and throw the frisbee and I can't wait to set up a reading hammock and be able to play in the grass with the pups! So much work to do, but so exciting! #summergoals

I received a bunch of asparagus in my CSA box and saw I had some fresh cherry tomatoes juicy red and plump for the picking on my little indoor tomato plant; I knew exactly what I wanted to make. Buckwheat is rather new to do me and I love experimenting with it, so I decided to use it in place of quinoa. Here, I incorporate it into a salad that's perfect for spring and maybe just the thing to enjoy on the deck while sun napping.

Spring Asparagus Buckwheat Salad

By Kathleen Henry @ Produce On Parade

Published 04/22/2016

Buckwheat groats are a neat alternative to cous cous, quinoa, millet, or rice. They’re most often associated with breakfast but make a wholesome, hearty salad as well! This salad lends an easy, springtime feeling; roasted asparagus, fresh arugula, sweet cherry tomatoes, and creamy avocado bath in a basil-lemon dressing.

Ingredients

• 2 cups raw buckwheat groats (or quinoa)
• 3 ½ cups water
• 1 bunch fresh arugula or spinach, chopped
• 1 lb 8 oz fresh asparagus (about 2 bunches), ends trimmed and chopped to bite size pieces
• ½ cup quartered cherry tomatoes
• ½ large avocado, diced small
• ¼ cup fresh basil, chiffonade
• - Dressing -
• 1 large lemon, juiced (about ¼ cup)
• ¼ cup agave nectar
• 1tbsp miso paste
• 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 2 large garlic cloves, minced
• ½ tsp ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large pot, bring the groats and water to a boil over high heat. Reduce to a simmer and cover; cook for about 15-20 minutes until all the water is absorbed and the groats are tender. Remove from heat and transfer to a large serving bowl. Stir in the arugula to wilt.
2. While the groats cook, arrange the asparagus on a baking sheet in an even layer and roast for about 15-20 minutes until tender. Add to the large serving bowl.
3. Add the tomatoes, avocado, and basil to the serving bowl. Whisk together the dressing ingredients and stir into the salad with the remaining ingredients.
4. Serve warm or chilled. Best if consumed within the same day.

Yield: 6

You didn't think I'd leave you with a picture of this adorable lil monkey would you? I'm not sure what he's doing, but he's super cute! Also, our vet told us that Anouk is at least two and a half years old; not seven months like the adoption agency told us. So that was interesting! He also has a broken upper canine tooth that will need to be removed. Poor baby! Have you ever had a dog that had to have a fang removed? I'm so worried!

So I know I am totally the last one aboard this train but, The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, is totally amazing! I'm almost done with the book. Have you read it?