Weeknight Meals

So good and very easy, this recipe might just be the ticket to onverting tofu skeptics.

Look for some of the interesting Asian-style vegetable mélanges in the frozen vegetables section. They’re great to have on hand when you crave a quick stir-fry but don’t feel like chopping. Serve with hot cooked rice or noodles and raw carrot and celery sticks, or try the accompanying menu.

Spicy Thai peanut sauce is another of my favored shortcuts to great flavor. There are a number of good, natural brands available, some much lower in fat than you might expect. Serve over hot cooked brown rice or Asian noodles such as soba.

As you can see, I really like what barbecue sauce does for tofu. This is excellent over rice.

These crispy tofu cutlets are another favorite in our home. Enlist your kids to help with the breading and shaking—they’ll have fun with it, and they’re more likely to eat anything they’ve helped make. If you’re serving more than four, the recipe doubles easily, but be sure to use two baking sheets as well.

Soft tofu is a good choice for dishes in which it is crumbled, as in this and the preceding scramble recipe. Both are good for lunch, a light dinner, or even as part of a casual brunch.

A great choice for hearty appetites, this convincingly dispels the notion that vegetarian cuisine is “rabbit food.”

Lentils and spinach both marry well with curry spices. Each complements the other’s flavor, too.

Black-eyed peas and nourishing greens, two foods well-loved in Southern and “soul” cookery, have flavors that team companionably. Serve with baked sweet potatoes, fresh corn bread, and sliced tomatoes.

Here’s a zesty bean dish that’s practically ready when you are.

Black-eyed peas and bulgur create a pleasant synergy in this easy and hearty dish.

A casserole of beans baking in the oven is one of my favorite cold-weather comforts.

The word borracho was a nineteenth-century north-of-the-border term for a drunkard, and so the name of this recipe literally means “drunken pinto beans.” Simmering the pintos in beer and fresh cilantro gives them a unique flavor.

This is terrific as an appetizer, snack, or accompaniment to a simple grain dish. I like using stone-ground tortilla chips, which are generally available from natural foods stores and specialty markets. But do explore the varieties available in supermarkets as well. Look for all-natural ingredients and read the nutrition labels, as they vary greatly in fat content. Not more than 3 grams of fat per 1-ounce serving is ideal. Baked tortilla chips can be a good choice as well.

The contrast of whole grain and pasta makes for a very satisfying side dish. You can also make this by substituting whole grain couscous or quinoa for the bulgur. Serve this with Baked Barbecue Tofu and Peppers (page 141) and a tossed salad for an easy, hearty meal.

Bulgur is delicious with lightly browned onion and cabbage. The green beans add a companionable flavor and texture.

Grits are hulled, dried, and cracked corn kernels. To add variety to your grain repertoire, try them! I do urge you to try using stone-ground grits, which are much more flavorful than those sold in supermarkets. However, the latter can’t be beat for convenience, especially the quick-cooking kind.

The darker mushrooms yield a richer flavor, so give them a try. As always, my favorite seasoning for barley is fresh dill. See menu on page 206.

A simple reproduction of a Chinese restaurant favorite, this is excellent served with tofu dishes.