Balsamic Tofu Steak

Tofu is something we vegetarians eat an awful lot of, but sadly it is often discounted by meat eaters.  It is low in fat, a good source of protein and goes with an endless variety of dishes, both sweet and savory.  Tofu is a great meat alternative, and though it is a processed food, it is far healthier than all the highly processed meat substitutes you can find in the freezer section.  If you buy organic tofu you can avoid those heavy chemicals sprayed all over the soy beans.

I did two versions of this recipe, one with a breaded/asiago crust and one without (pictured above).  Both were delicious, it all depends on if you want to do the extra step of breading the tofu. 

Autumn Minestrone

This soup was inspired by a lovely recipe I found in Alice Waters' book, the Art of Simple Food. This is turning into a really great book to own. The hard cover and illustrations give the book a timeless feel, and the content ranges from practical recipes of all genres, to specific cooking techniques and recommendations for utensils and pantry staples. After owning the book for only a few weeks I find myself referencing it almost daily. Her recipes often give you the "bare bones" to make something simple and tasty (be it ice cream, crepes, a gratin or soup) followed by a few ideas to add variation. The following recipe is a riff on her minestrone soup. You want to cook the beans and the pasta separately, adding the beans toward the end (so they wont be overcooked). Waters also emphasizes the need to allow the flavors to fully develop between the addition of each ingredient. You will definitely want to taste along the way!