This recipe is Tofu at one of its best. An appetizer/wrap that can also be a main dish. I’ve had kids clean their plates and ask for more – even knowing that it’s tofu.

An all round taste pleaser – light, spicy, savory.

You’ll need:

2 Tablespoons Peanut Oil
2 Tablespoons Toasted Sesame Oil
2 Garlic Cloves or to taste, finely minced
1 Tablespoon Fresh Ginger, finely minced
1 Small Red Bell Pepper, finely chopped
1 Can Water Chestnuts, water discarded, finely chopped
6 Whole fresh Scallions sliced crosswise into small rounds
1 Pound brick Tofu, soft or firm, crumbled by hand
2 Tablespoons or to taste Organic Soy Sauce or to taste
2 Tablespoons Oyster Sauce or to taste
2 Tablespoons Mirin Cooking Wine or to taste (found in Japanese/Oriental markets
or section of supermarkets and natural food stores)
2 Tablespoons Cilantro, finely chopped
1 Fresh & crisp Head Lettuce, leaves gently taken off
(Can also use Napa cabbage, leaves cut to scoop size or celery cut
Into 2” long pieces or your choice of veggie scoop)

Large heavy skillet (not nonstick)
Takes about 20 minutes to put together then refrigerate to cool
Ground meat or poultry can be substituted for Tofu. Adjust seasonings to taste.

To prepare:

Heat skillet over medium flame. Add oils, garlic, and ginger and sauté till fragrant about 2-3 minutes. Add red bell pepper and water chestnuts for another minute. Add crumbled tofu and continue breaking up with spatula mixing continuously until consistency resembles ground beef, about 5 minutes. The tofu/veggie beads will separate as the water evaporates. Add soy sauce, oyster sauce, and Mirin and continue stirring till mixed through. It should be salty, spicy, slightly sweet. Adjust to your taste. Add scallions and cilantro and stir another minute to mix through. Place in a serving bowl and refrigerate till cool. You can serve by putting bowl of tofu mixture in the middle of a platter with lettuce leaves for people to wrap themselves and other raw veggies all around or fill the veggies yourself. Either way this is definitely a fun favorite finger food.

This is an appetite wetter for sure.

Just that right chickenny sweet ‘n sour ‘n crunch.

This makes you lick your lips for what’s to come.



You’ll need:

1 Cup finely chopped cooked Chicken
1/2 Cup Golden Raisins
1/2 Cup Dried Cranberries
1/2 + teaspoon Fresh Ginger
3 Tablespoons finely chopped Fresh Parsley OR Cilantro
2 Tablespoons toasted sliced Almonds
2-3 Tablespoons Mayonnaise or to your taste
1/2 teaspoon Raspberry Vinegar or other sweet light vinegar
Salt & Pepper to taste
40-50 Wheat Crackers good quality natural cracker
*One jar of Mandarin Orange sections drained and rinsed

NOTE: You can use veggies instead of crackers like thickly & diagonally cut English cucumber rounds. Again, your choice.

Mixing bowl
Serving platter if they get that far

To prepare:

In a bowl, mix together first 6 ingredients. Mix vinegar and mayonnaise together and add to chicken mixture. Season with salt & pepper to taste. Spoon mixture onto your favorite crackers or veggies and serve. Delicious.

Serves 6-8+

– you will want to double this one for seconds all around.

It hits the spot for a
chili night.

(yes, pun intended)

You’ll need:

4 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1-1/2-2 Pounds +/- cut into 3/4“ chunks Chicken (or Turkey)
1 Small Package Organic Frozen (your choice) — defrosted Mixed Veggies
1 Small Package Organic Frozen & unsweetened — defrosted Corn Niblets
1 Medium diced Onion
5 Cloves Garlic or to your taste, mashed ‘n minced
3 teaspoons dried Oregano
1+ Tablespoon dried Cumin or to taste
2-3 Jalapenos Ribs & seeds partially, all, or none removed
You decide the heat level: more ribs ‘n seeds, more heat
Use hotter chilies if you prefer even more heat
1 teaspoon fresh squeezed Lemon Juice
1 28-oz. can Crushed Tomatoes or 3-4 Cups fresh
3+ Cups Organic Chicken Broth depends on how thick you like it
1 Can – Black Beans 15-ounces drained
1 Can – Pinto Beans 15 ounces drained
1 Can Kidney Beans – 15 ounces drained
1 Cup Cilantro chopped or to your taste (I love it so I use a lot)
1-1/2 teaspoons Black Pepper
1-1/2 teaspoons Sea Salt

On-the-side: lime wedges, sour cream, avocado slices with one big crusty whole wheat or sourdough artisan bread or a pile of warm pan toasted tortillas

Large, heavy porcelain/cast iron or stainless steel pot & lid is best
About one hour cooking time

NOTE: I recommend using latex gloves when handling hot peppers

To prepare:

Heat oil in pot on low/medium heat. Sauté onion and garlic till they are aromatic, a few minutes. Add chicken chunks and continue sautéing for a few minutes. Mix in veggies and niblets and cook on medium heat for a few minutes. Add oregano, cumin, jalapenos and mix through. Add tomatoes with juice, chicken broth, lemon juice, all beans, salt & pepper. Bring heat down to simmer for 45 minutes. Add cilantro and adjust flavors to your taste. Simmer 15 minutes more. Serve with the sides. S-mokin’!

This taco is a winner for lunch,

brunch,

snack or dinner.



You’ll need:

Salsa:

1 Mango cut from pit into chunks
3 Plum Tomatoes cut in half
One very small wedge of Red Onion about 1/2 inch wide
1/2 Cup Cilantro leaves chopped
1 Jalapeno – small piece without rib and seeds. Can add more later for
more HEAT or add ribs ‘n seeds
Fresh Lime Juice from 1-2 limes
Dash of Sea Salt

Filling:

1 Pound Halibut or other flaky white fish
2-3 Tablespoons Canola Oil
1 Tablespoon fresh Lime Juice
1/2 teaspoon Chili Powder
Salt & Pepper to taste
1 teaspoon Organic Sugar
1 Cup very thinly shredded Green/red Cabbage or Lettuce if you prefer
6 Whole Wheat Tortillas or other good quality
Small bowl of Sour Cream

2 Cans Organic Black Beans with liquid
5 Tablespoons Toasted Sesame Oil
2+ Cloves minced Garlic
4 Scallions Sliced crosswise small rounds
2+ teaspoons Organic Shoyu Soy Sauce or to taste

Avocado slices and lime or lemon wedges

One medium sized heavy skillet (NOT nonstick)
Baking pan oiled
Blender
Oven on broil, rack on 2nd level from top
4 Servings or 1-2 more if less fish is used for each tortilla

To prepare:

Fish:
In a small dish marinate halibut turning on both sides in oil, lime juice, chili powder, sugar, salt & pepper just until salsa is done.

For the Salsa:
In a blender put in all Salsa ingredients and pulse till chunky. Pour into bowl, cover and set aside.

Beans:
Heat skillet on medium flame and add sesame oil. Allow to heat for about 2 minutes. Add black beans and garlic and sauté till liquid is almost gone. Add Shoyu/soy sauce to taste. Add scallions and mix. Turn off heat and allow to stand.

Fish:
Turn oven to broil. Cut fish into 4 pieces. Broil fish until just done, about 5 minutes. Check that it’s opaque and flakes easily. Allow to cool.

Meanwhile warm the tortillas in the medium skillet. Flake each fillet and fill each tortilla with 1 fillet, cabbage or lettuce, and salsa. Top with sour cream. Serve tacos with side of black beans, slices of avocado, and lime wedges. This one is fun!

Serves as many as you think, but maybe make a little more.
This is a palate pleaser.

The smokiness sets your taste buds up just enough to keep you reaching for more.
Makes about 4 cups

You’ll need:

6-8 Turkey bacon strips
1 Tablespoon light olive oil
1 Medium red onion, minced
1 Small red bell pepper, seeded and diced small
1 /2 teaspoon Ground cumin
1 /2 teaspoon Dried oregano
2 15-oz. cans black beans, undrained
1 teaspoon chopped seeded canned Chipotle chilies*
or to taste
1 Cup sour cream
1/2+ Cup chopped fresh Cilantro (I love cilantro so I use a lot.)
You can also add some cilantro while cooking beans. Use some as added flavor at end and in the preparation.
Salt and pepper to taste

*Chipotle chilies, canned in a spicy tomato sauce, sometimes called adobo, are available in Latin American markets and Latin American sections of supermarkets.

To prepare:

Cook turkey bacon in large skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 3-4+ minutes. Drain and coarsely chop. Set aside. Add olive oil to same skillet. Add onion and bell pepper, sauté until onion is soft, about 6 minutes scraping up bacon bits. Add cumin and oregano: sauté 1 minute. Add beans with their liquid and chipotles. Simmer over medium low heat until slightly thickened, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.
Transfer 1 cup bean mixture to blender or processor. Blend until smooth. Stir into remaining bean mixture. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to bowl. Cover and chill 2 hours. (Can be made 2 days ahead, but chill bacon separately.) Chop and add bacon to bean mixture before serving.

Stir cilantro into dip and serve chilled or at room temperature. Top with sour cream or serve sour cream on the side. Dip your choice of chips, but my preferences are toasted tortillas cut or broken into chips sizes and the same for pita chips done the same way. Deeelightful!