Favorite Recipes!

Although I usually write a recipe into the post, here is an alphabetized list of recipes. Happy cooking!

BBQ Chicken Personal Pizza

Ingredients:

• 1 FlatOut (or similar) flatbread/wrap
• 1/2 boneless, skinless chicken breast chopped into bite-size pieces
• 1 T olive oil
• 4 T BBQ sauce, divided
• 2 T pizza sauce (or tomato sauce)
• Small handful spinach
• 2 banana peppers, sliced
• 1-2 slices onion, chopped
• 1 oz. cheddar cheese
• Optional: small handful chopped mushrooms

• Preheat oven to 350*. Bake flatbread on baking sheet for 7 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a small skillet. Add the chicken when the pan is hot. When the chicken starts to appear white, add 1/2 the BBQ sauce, and stir constantly until cooked. Spread the remaining BBQ sauce and pizza sauce onto the flatbread. Cover with a layer of spinach. Add remaining topping ingredients. If desired, drizzle BBQ sauce over pizza. Bake for 15 minutes.

BBQ Tofu Bites

Ingredients:

• 1/4 block extra firm tofu
• 2 T olive oil, divided
• 2 T Spicy spices mix (I use a premade Cajun spice mix, or try mixing paprika, cumin, garlic powder, etc.)
• 2 T BBQ sauce

Slice tofu into rectangles, about 1/4″ thick. Pat dry with a paper towel. Drizzle tofu with 1 T olive oil, and flip so that front and back sides are lightly oiled. Sprinkle on the Spicy spice mix so that all pieces are coated on both sides. Heat remaining 1 T of oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. When the pan and oil are hot, lay the tofu pieces in a single layer and let cook for several minutes. Flip gently, and cook for another 4-5 minutes. Gently spoon a small amount of BBQ sauce onto each piece of tofu. Flip all pieces and repeat saucing on other side (so that BBQ sauce cooks into a glaze). Serve with more BBQ sauce, if desired.

The BEST Guacamole

In my school days, I would always bring the ingredients to make this guacamole whenever we had an occasion for food in class. So many people have told me that they usually do not like guacamole, but love what I make! There’s much to be said for simplicity, I guess.

Ingredients:

• 1 ripe avocado (peeled and pitted)
• 1-2 garlic cloves, minced
• Juice 1/2 lime
• Salt and pepper to taste

Put all the ingredients in a bowl, and mash with a fork until smooth and creamy.

Buffalo Tofu Wrap

Ingredients:

• 1 serving extra firm tofu, pressed
• 1/2 C flour
• 1 T Cajun seasoning
• 1/2 T grated parmesan cheese
• 3 T oil
• 2 T hot sauce (such as Frank’s)
• 1/4 T butter or margarine, melted
• 1 10″ tortilla
• 1 slice onion
• handful spinach
• 3 slices of cucumber
• 1/4 bell pepper (red or orange, preferable)
• Ranch dressing

Heat the oil in a large skillet until it is very hot (if you sprinkle in a pinch of flour it should sizzle). Slice the tofu into 1/4″ thick squares. Combine the flour, Cajun spices, and parmesan in a small bowl, and then dredge the tofu in the mixture. Add tofu to skillet and cook until golden on underside, flip over. Add sliced onion to the skillet. When the tofu is golden brown on both sides, carefully remove it from the skillet and press out any oil with paper towels. Combine the hot sauce and melted butter in a bowl. Dip tofu into hot sauce mixture to coat on both sides. Layer the tortilla with spinach, cucumber, and pepper, then top with tofu. Drizzle on ranch dressing. Wrap and eat!

Perfect Sweet Potato Fries

I like these because even though they are baked in the oven, they don’t taste like oven fries, but actual fried fries. Made healthy! (This works just the same with a regular baking potato, if you prefer, or mix the two!)

Ingredients:

• 1 large sweet potato
• 1 T olive oil
• 1-2 cloves minced garlic
• 1 pinch of dried rosemary
• hot water (2-3 cups?)

Preheat oven to 425*. Slice the potato lengthwise into 1/4″ thick sticks. Pour over enough hot water to cover the potato slices and let them sit for 10-15 minutes. Drain and pat dry. Put the oil and garlic in a large mixing bowl, crush the rosemary and add that, too. Add the fries. Toss gently to coat evenly. Arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake for 45 minutes (or until starting to brown), turning about half way through.

Super Veggie Salsa

Ingredients:

• 3 14 oz. cans diced tomatoes
• 2 14 oz. cans black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 11 oz. can Mexicorn (or regular corn), drained
• 1/2 red pepper, chopped
• 1/2 green pepper, chopped
• 1/2 vidalia onion, chopped
• 1-2 jalapenos (if you don’t want the salsa very spicy, remove the seeds)
• Chopped cilantro to taste (I find about 1/3 of a bunch is good)
• Salt, black, and red pepper to taste

Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl or pot and mix well. Plan to eat salsa for the next week, at least.