Moosewood Restaurant Simple Suppers by Moosewood Collective (summer reads TXT) 📕

2 cups diced potatoes

8 ounces soy sausage links

2 teaspoons olive oil

4 cups fresh baby spinach (about 5 ounces)

salt and pepper

grated Cheddar or crumbled feta cheese or ricotta salata

In a soup pot, cook the garlic and coriander in the olive oil for a minute. Add the broth, bay leaves, and lentils, cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook covered for 10 minutes.

Add the potatoes, cover, and cook until the potatoes are tender and the lentils are soft, about 15 minutes.

While the lentils and potatoes cook, cut the soy sausage into ½ inch-thick rounds. In a skillet on medium-low heat, cook the rounds in the olive oil, turning frequently, until browned, 5 or 10 minutes. Rinse, drain, and chop the spinach.

When the lentils and potatoes are done, add the sausage and spinach and stir until the spinach is just wilted but still bright green, about a minute. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve topped with cheese.

nachos grandes

Is this really dinner? It is casual, messy finger food, but it has beans, grain, and cheese, it’s quite filling, and kids love it. We like Cheddar, Monterey Jack, or Mexican cheeses such asadero and queso quesadilla for this recipe.

SERVES 4

TIME: 20 MINUTES

4 cups corn tortilla chips

1 15-ounce can of refried beans

1½ cups diced tomatoes

1 tablespoon minced canned or fresh chiles, or more to taste (optional)

¼ cup sliced black or green olives

½ cup of your favorite salsa

¼ cup sour cream

6 ounces shredded cheese (about 2 cups)

2 tablespoons minced scallions

Preheat the oven to 400°. Choose a baking dish about 9 × 13 inches, with 2 inch-high sides.

Layer all of the ingredients in the baking dish in the order given above. If the refried beans are too stiff to easily spoon over the chips, thin them with a little water.

Bake for about 15 minutes, until the beans in the center are steaming hot and the cheese is melted and bubbling.

variations

Add corn kernels, shredded zucchini, chopped pimientos, or chopped cilantro to the assembly.

serving & menu ideas

Serve with Broccoli Slaw or avocado slices. Top off this fun simple supper with a 5-Minute Milkshake.

easy baked tofu

We think that this may be the most useful recipe in the book. Baked tofu is a reliable standby and can be dressed up to suit almost any menu. Whip up a marinade, pop the tofu in the oven, start cooking rice or pasta, and decide on a vegetable or salad. Baked tofu is also a nice addition to stews, sautés, sandwiches, and salads.

SERVES 4

1 cake firm tofu (about 16 ounces)

BASIC MARINADE

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 tablespoon dark sesame oil

3 tablespoons soy sauce

2 teaspoons grated peeled ginger root (optional)

1 garlic clove, pressed (optional)

IN THE OVEN:

HANDS-ON TIME: 5 TO 10 MINUTES

BAKING TIME: 30 TO 40 MINUTES

Preheat the oven to 400°. Cut the tofu into slices, cubes, triangles, or sticks. Lightly oil a baking dish large enough to hold the tofu in a single layer. Whisk together the marinade ingredients (or variation ingredients, if using) and drizzle over the tofu. Gently turn or toss to coat thoroughly. Bake uncovered, stirring once or twice, until the oil is sizzling and the tofu is firm and chewy, 30 to 40 minutes. Serve hot, at room temperature, or chilled.

ON THE STOVETOP:

TIME: 15 MINUTES

Cut the tofu into small cubes. Heat the vegetable oil and the sesame oil in a large skillet. Add the tofu and sauté, stirring often, for 4 or 5 minutes, until lightly golden. Add the soy sauce (and other marinade ingredients if you are using a variation), lower the heat, and simmer for 3 or 4 minutes longer. Done!

variations

SPICY TOFU Add 2 to 3 teaspoons of Chinese chili paste with garlic to the basic marinade and reduce the soy sauce to 2 tablespoons.

Serve with assorted steamed and raw vegetables and Spicy Peanut Sauce.

SWEET & SOUR TOFU Add 2 tablespoons of vinegar and 1 tablespoon of honey, maple syrup, or sugar to the basic marinade.

Serve with Lemongrass Rice and Sesame Broccoli.

CHIPOTLE TOFU Use 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 tablespoons chopped chipotles in adobo sauce, and ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional) for the marinade.

Try with Yellow Rice and Quick Avocado & Corn Salsa.

BARBECUE TOFU Mix together 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, and ¾ cup of Barbecue Sauce.

Serve on rice, orzo, or mashed potatoes topped with sautéed onions and peppers. On the side, serve collards and/or Baked Acorn Squash Crescents.

SOUTHERN-STYLE TOFU Coat the tofu with a mixture of 1 tablespoon vegetable oil and 1 tablespoon Old Bay Seasoning.

Bring on the backyard picnic food—Chipotle Potato Salad, corn on the cob with one of our festive toppings, Broccoli Slaw, and Banana Cupcakes.

scrambled tofu with greens & raspberry chipotle sauce

You can make the sauce with other fruit spreads, such as peach, apricot, or strawberry. Make extra sauce—it will keep in the refrigerator for several weeks.

SERVES 3 OR 4

TIME: 30 MINUTES

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 cup chopped onions

3 garlic cloves, chopped

3 cups chopped kale, chard, or collards, rinsed and lightly drained

1 cake firm tofu (about 16 ounces)

3 tablespoons soy sauce

RASPBERRY CHIPOTLE SAUCE

⅓ cup raspberry fruit spread or jam

2 teaspoons minced canned chipotles in adobo sauce

1 to 3 teaspoons lemon juice

Heat the oil in a large skillet on medium heat. Sauté the onions in the oil for a couple of minutes, until they begin to soften. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Stir in the greens, cover, and steam until the greens begin to wilt.

While the greens steam, in a bowl, use a fork to mash the tofu with the soy sauce. Uncover the skillet, increase the heat to high, and cook off any remaining water. Stir in the mashed tofu and cook for 3 or 4 minutes. With a spatula, turn over the tofu mixture and cook for another 3 or 4 minutes,