Ginger & Sesame Tofu Salad

Vinaigrette
4 Tbs. low-sodium soy sauce
3 Tbs. mirin
2 Tbs. seasoned rice vinegar
1/2 tsp. toasted sesame oil
1/4 tsp. chili oil
2 tsp. grated ginger
3 Tbs. toasted sesame seeds

Tofu Salad
20 oz. silken tofu, drained and cut into 2-inch squares (8 squares total)
2 green onions, minced (1/4 cup)
veggies! broccoli, Peas, edamame, cucs, tomatoes, avo etc, whatever sounds good

You can do a real salad type or choose your veggies more like a stirfry selection and pour over rice

Mix the vinaigrette and then pour over salad right before serving...enjoy :)

Marinated Feta with Olives & Roasted Red Pepper

2 slabs of feta (cut into bite sized cubes)
1/2 cup pitted black olives
1/2 cup pitted green olives
1 roasted red pepper, sliced, see recipe below
1 red onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon oregano
pepper to taste
squeeze of lemon juice

Directions:
1. Mix everything and let marinate in the fridge for up to 5 hours.

Roasted Red Peppers
1. Cut the red peppers in half, remove the stem and clean out the seeds.
2. Place the red peppers on a baking sheet outside up.
3. Preheat the oven to 450F and then change it to broil.
4. Place the baking sheet in the oven and broil for 7-10 minutes or until the skins are blackened.
5. Place the peppers in a large zip-lock bag, seal and let the peppers cool for about 20 minutes.
6. Remove the skins from the peppers. The skins should easily "pinch" off.

Marinated Black Olives with Rosemary and Lemon Zest

You can always have a jar of these waiting for you in your fridge. The woosy rosemary with the lemon and garlic are a nice mix, but you can use other herbs like thyme or oregano.

1 large lemon
8 oz. black olives (i.e. gaeta, nicoise, kalamata)
1 teasoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves
2 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper

Use a vegetable peeler to remove the yellow skin from the lemon, leaving behind the bitter white pith, the the lemon zest into very thin 1/2 inch long strips.

Mix the olives, lemon zest, rosemary and garlic in a large mason jar with a lid. Add the oil and some black pepper. Cover the jar and turn it to mix it all up.

Put in the fridge and let marinate for at least a day, turning the jar occasionally to redistribute everything. They can be kept in the fridge for several weeks and just get better over time. Before serving, bring to room temp.

You can serve with some cheese and bread and cocktails :)

Hibiscus "Jamaica" Drink

This is a beautiful garnet-red drink with a flavor and color similar to cranberry juice, but not so bitter. It is pronounced (ha-MY-ca) and can normally be found at Mexican Markets.

I like to mix it with 100% agave tequila too!

* 2 cups jamaica (dried variety of hibiscus flower)
* 8 cups water
* sugar, agave or honey to taste

Place jamaica flowers in large pot with water, and bring to a boil. Remove from heat, and steep at room temperature at least 1 hour or overnight. Strain and discard flowers.

Add sugar, stirring to dissolve. Add more sugar if drink is too tart, or more water if drink is too strong. Cover, and refrigerate for up to two days. Serve cold.

Hijiki Seaweed Salad with Carrots

1 cup dried hijiki seaweed
1 tablespoon Soy Sauce or tamari
1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
2 tablespoon slivered/shredded ginger
3 carrots, julienned
block of tofu, cubed
edamame/soy beans
pinch or two of salt (to taste, or more soy sauce)
rice vinegar or mirin
Toasted sesame seeds

-Cover the hijiki with water and soak for 15 minutes. Drain, then put in a saucepan, cover with fresh water to cover and add the soy sauce. Bring to a boil, simmer for 15 minutes, then drain again.

-Heat oil or a bit of water in a wide skillet over high heat. Add the ginger, soy beans and carrots, tofu and stir-fry until the carrots become soft, about 2 minutes or so. Add the seaweed and cook five minutes more, tossing frequently. Add a bit more soy sauce and let it cook off. Taste and season with salt and or soy sauce. If it is too dry, sometimes I add a bit of toasted rice vinegar or mirin. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds.