Last night's dinner

This is my new favorite dinner. Hubby doesn't quite feel the same way, but he didn't hate it.

The kids got too hungry before it was ready so they had turkey hot dogs and previously frozen organic veggie medley (peas, carrots and corn). 

The adult dinner was low fat sesame noodles and sesame crusted tofu.  DELICIOUS!
Recipes are below the pictures - while I did not invent either of these recipes, I have placed my own spin on them and highly recommend this dinner (fresh and reheated)!

Sesame Noodles (adapted from Weight Watchers):

Ingredients:

1)  Fresh veggies - sauteed in a pan with a little olive oil and some garlic (I use the little prefrozen garlic "pellets" from Trader Joe's).  I typically use onions or shallots, portabella mushrooms, carrots, red or yellow or orange peppers; I also frequently add 1/2 bag of frozen edamame to the dish and let it defrost and cook in the sautee pan with the other veggies.  I make a ton of veggies to add to the bulk of this dish and reduce the overall calorie and fat that I consume from this meal!

After veggies are cooked, set aside.

2) 1/2 pound of whole wheat spaghetti or udon noodles

3) 1/2 cup of uncooked scallions, green parts only, chopping on the bias

4) 3 Tbsp rice vinegar

5) 3 Tbsp low sodium soy sauce

6) 2 Tbsp hoison sauce

7) 1 Tbsp dark sesame oil

8) 2 tsp chili sauce

9) 1 1/2 tsp honey

10) 2 tsp sesame seeds

Instructions

• Cook noodles according to package directions; drain and rinse.
• In a cup, combine vinegar, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, oil, chili sauce and honey; stir well.
• Pour vinegar mixture over noodles; toss gently but well to coat noodles. Add the noodles to the already cooked veggies and mix again.  Sprinkle with scallions and sesame seeds; serve.
• Variations - could add 1/2 pound of skinless, boneless chicken breasts cut into strips or chunks if you don't care for tofu as the protein source in this meal.  The original recipe also called for cilantro, which I personally don't love, so I didn't use it.  I think that another variation, which I haven't tried would be to add a little bit of peanut butter to the oil/vinegar mixture to make sesame-peanut noodles.  Maybe next time!

The raw cut scallions sprinkled over top of the warm noodles and the crunch of the sesame seeds is what makes this a fun dish to eat.  AND, it's super colorful!

Sesame Crusted Tofu:

So, this is my first attempt at making tofu, and I have done it a couple of times.  I must say, I think it is fabulous!

I bought firm tofu (mostly because I didn't know what I was doing and I couldn't decide between soft and extra firm)! 

I brought the tofu home and opened the package.  I placed the tofu in a collander, in the sink, with the tofu container placed on top of the tofu and a soup can in the tofu container to weigh down the tofu and encourage drainage. 

After about an hour, I took the tofu out and cut the block into 7 slices, each about 1/4-1/3 inch in thickness.

I used one egg, beaten (could probably use just yolk if you are concerned about your cholesterol) and dipped each piece of tofu in the egg wash, then into a a mixture of sesame seeds and panko: 3 tablespoons of each.  I also added a small amount of kosher salt to the panko/sesame mixture, but in the future I will add more.  Honestly, tofu is awesome, but it only tastes like what you marinate it in and coat it with.  So, add salt!

After the pieces are coated with the tofu and sesame, place in a large nonstick frying pan with olive oil.  Brown about 5-6 minutes on each side.

The original recipe for this recommended serving it with Nuoc Charm (original source The Asian Grill

http://www.amazon.com/Asian-Grill-Corrine-Trang/dp/0811846318)

Nuoc Cham

yield
Note: this adaptation makes 1/2 the original recipe
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup fish sauce
1/3 cup fresh lime juice
2 to 3 garlic cloves, sliced or minced
2 red Thai chilies, halved lengthwise, seeded or not, and thinly sliced
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes or thai chilis or serrano peppers, depending on the amount of HEAT you want

In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, fish sauce, and lime juice until the sugar is completely dissolved. Add the garlic and chilies and crushed red pepper flakes if you are using. Let stand for 30 minutes. Taste and adjust flavors if necessary. Store in the refrigerator for up to one week (or longer, I would guess.)

So, this is my thought after making the tofu twice and not making the Nuoc Cham either time. 
I would think about making the Nuoc Cham, or some variation of it, and actually using it as a marinade after draining the tofu.  Again, tofu will taste like whatever is put in, on or around it.

So, that's all I got for now. 
I truly think this is delicious, and if you are familiar with making tofu and not intimated by it, this is actually a pretty quick dish.

Oh, also, the first time I made it I cut up a 1/3 of a ripe avocado on the side and ate it along with the above.  DELICIOUS!

The following day I took it for lunch at work.  I didn't reheat it, but microwaved it for about 25 seconds just to take the chill out - AGAIN DELICIOUS!

Bon appetit.