Tofu BLT

This is the vegetarian version of a BLT.  While it doesn't have bacon, it's bursting with tons of other flavors!


Photo Courtesy of EatingWell

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce

½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1 clove garlic, minced

14 ounces water-packed extra-firm tofu, drained and rinsed*

4 tablespoons reduced-fat mayonnaise

8 slices crusty whole-wheat bread, toasted

4 pieces green-leaf lettuce

2 medium tomatoes, sliced

Directions:

Preheat oven to 475°F. Coat a baking sheet (liberally) with cooking spray.

Combine mustard, soy sauce, garlic, and crushed red pepper in a small bowl. Slice tofu crosswise into eight 1/2-inch-thick pieces. Pat dry with a paper towel and place on the prepared baking sheet. Using a spoon, spread half the mustard mixture on one side of the tofu. Turn the slices over and spread the remaining mixture on the other side.  Bake the tofu for 20 minutes.  Spread the mayo on toasted bread. Divide the tofu, lettuce and tomato among 4 slices of toast and top with the remaining toast to make 4 sandwiches. Cut in half to serve.

* New to tofu?  There are two main types of tofu: silken (which comes in a cardboard container), and regular (which comes in a plastic carton that is usually sealed with clear plastic).  Silken tofu breaks apart easily and is great for soups and sauces.  Regular tofu tends to hold its shape better and is slightly firmer to the touch.  For this recipe, I would recommend using regular tofu.  To prepare tofu, drain any water from the tofu and place the block of tofu on a stack of kitchen towels.  Squeeze any moisture out of the tofu (this will help the tofu absorb the sauce) and let rest for 20-30 minutes to drain.  You can store your tofu in the fridge for 2-3 days, or can freeze it for later use.  

Grocery Item	Weekly Sale at Econo Foods (2/24/2013-3/2/2013)
Bread	Sara Lee Honey Wheat Bread (20 oz. loaf) on sale 2 for $5.00
Cooking Spray	Our Family Cooking Spray (5-6 oz) on sale for $2.49

  

Grocery Item	Weekly Sale at Cub Foods (2/24/2013-3/2/2013)
Tomatoes	Roma Tomatoes on Sale for $1.00/lb
Bread	Pepperidge Farm Whole Grain Bread on sale for $3.29
Lettuce	Wild Harvest Organic Salad Blend (5 oz.) on sale 2 for $6.00

Black Bean Mango Salad

Photo Courtesy of Taste of Home

Ingredients:

2 medium mangoes, peeled and cubed

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

¼ cup finely chopped red pepper

¼ cup finely chopped red onion

¼ cup finely chopped fresh cilantro

2 tablespoons orange juice

1 tablespoon finely chopped jalapeno pepper (optional)

1 tablespoon lime juice

¼ teaspoon ground cumin

Dash of salt

Directions:

In a bowl, combine all ingredients.  Refrigerate several hours to let the flavors combine.  Serve with tortilla chips, by itself, or as a side dish with chicken or fish.   

Grocery Item	Weekly Sale at Econo Foods (2/24/2013-3/2/2013)
Mango	Mangoes on sale for $1.29 each
Black Beans	Nash Brothers Trading Company Organic Canned Beans on sale 2/$2.00
Orange Juice	Our Family Orange Juice (128 oz.) on sale for $4.79 Tropicana Pure Premium or Trop 50 Orange Juice on sale for $2.99

Grocery Item	Weekly Sale at Cub Foods (2/24/2013-3/2/2013)
Mangoes	Mangoes on sale for $1.00 each
Orange Juice	Minute Maid Pure Squeezed Orange Juice (59 oz.) on sale 2 for $6.00

Chicken Fajitas

Photo Courtesy of MyRecipes.com

Ingredients:

1 ½ lbs. Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts

1 Large Onion, sliced into ¼ inch strips

3 Bell Peppers, sliced into ¼ inch strips

3 Tbsp. Olive Oil

¼ Cup Water

1 Tbsp. Cornstarch

1 Garlic Clove, minced

½ tsp. Salt

½ tsp. Cumin

½ tsp. Chili Powder

½ tsp. Onion Powder

2 Tbsp. lime juice (optional)

Directions:

In a resealable plastic bag, combine the chile powder with the salt, cumin, onion powder, garlic, cornstarch, water and 2 tablespoons of the oil. Add the chicken, bell pepper and onion, seal and knead gently to coat. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.  Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil in a large nonstick skillet until shimmering. Empty the contents of the bag into the skillet and cook over high heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are crisp-tender and the chicken is cooked through, about 6 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the lime juice.  Transfer the chicken and vegetables to a large bowl and serve with the warmed tortillas, lettuce, cheese, salsa, sour cream and lime wedges.

Grocery Item	Weekly Sale at Econo Foods (2/17/2013-2/23/2013)
Chicken	Our Family Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts (3 lb. bag) on sale for $4.99
Sour Cream	Daisy Sour Cream (24 oz.) on sale for $2.79

Grocery Item	Weekly Sale at Cub Foods (2/17/2013-2/23/2013)
Chicken	Gold’n Plump Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts (20 oz.) buy one get one free with coupon Cub Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts on sale for $2.99/lb.
Peppers	Red, Orange, or Yellow Bell Peppers on Sale 5 for $5.00
Onions	Sweet Yellow Onions on Sale for $0.98/lb.
Olive Oil	Pompeian Olive Oil (16 oz.) buy one get one free
Salsa	Chi-Chi’s Salsa (16 oz.) buy one get one free
Tortillas	La Banderita Flour Tortillas (20 ct.) buy one get one free

Baked Eggplant Parmesan

Ingredients:

2 Medium Eggplants

½ cup Flour

½ cup milk

1.5 cups Panko Bread Crumbs

2 cups Marinara Sauce

½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Slice eggplant ¼ inch thick.  Coat baking sheet with aluminum foil and cooking spray.  Coat eggplant slices with flour, then dip in milk, and coat with breadcrumbs.  Place eggplant slices in a single layer on baking sheet.  Bake in oven for 20 minutes, flip eggplant, and bake for 20 more minutes.  In a glass baking pan, spread 1 cup marinara sauce.  Place baked eggplant on top of sauce and coat with remaining cup of sauce and shredded cheese.  Return to oven and bake 15 minutes or until heated through. 

Grocery Item	Weekly Sale at Econo Foods (2/3/2013-2/9/2013)
Mozzarella Cheese	Our Family Shredded Cheese (8 oz.) on sale 3 for $5.00
Pasta Sauce	Pasta Prima Pasta Sauce (7-15 oz.) Buy 1 Get One Free!

Grocery Item	Weekly Sale at Cub Foods (2/10/2013-2/16/2013)
Milk	Cub White Milk (1 gallon) $2.48 with coupon
Mozzarella Cheese	Crystal Farms Shredded or Chunk Cheese (6-8 oz.) $1.99 with coupon
Pasta Sauce	Barilla Pasta Sauce (24 oz.) on sale for 2/$3.00