The Weekly 5: Resurrecting oldie-but-goodie recipes
Creamy polenta, sesame garlic tofu, tempeh chili + more
Happy après-Halloween, friends! I have to brag: I dressed up for the first time since high school and actually had a blast. The theme of the party was 1994 - it was also a birthday party for someone born that year - so I went as another character who turned 30: Forrest Gump!
It was fun scouring thrift stores to put this outfit together and I have to admit, my proudest achievement was tailoring the waist of these men’s pants all by myself. (Thankfully my amateur stitching was hidden by the jacket.)
Staying with spooky season for another minute, this week’s round-up is dedicated to almost-forgotten ideas from the archives that I’m “resurrecting” (hehe).
Sometimes, I test recipes upwards of four times before publishing them. That means by the time I get it out there, I’m so sick of eating that soup/pasta/tofu, that I soon forget about it altogether. Here are a handful I’m excited to reintroduce into my repertoire…
1. Creamy Polenta with Mushroom Ragù
This dreamy dairy-free polenta is made with coconut milk and miso. The red wine vegetable ragù turns it into a complete meal.
2. Sesame Garlic Tofu
Inspired by my favorite Chinese restaurant order, this crispy tofu is enveloped in a sticky, sweet-savory sauce.
3. Smoky Tempeh Chili
A plant-based alternative to chili con carne that’s every bit as satisfying as the original. The texture of crumbled tempeh resembles ground beef perfectly. There’s plenty of beans and chickpeas here, too.
4. Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Gnocchi
This creamy pasta sauce is made with minimally-processed ingredients, including sun-dried tomatoes, roasted garlic, and cashews. The shiitake “bacon” on top elevates this dish to restaurant-fancy status.
5. Spicy Garlic Edamame
Just a few ingredients (garlic, ginger, sesame, soy sauce) turn basic edamame pods into an addictive pre-dinner snack.
Planning to make one of these? Tell me how it goes in the comments section or tag me with your creation on Instagram.