New Recipe Sunday

I've decided to share a new recipe with you every Sunday.  I've been searching for ways to eat healthier.  I knew I needed to put myself "on the list" but had trouble figuring it all out.  One day I was watching an old Dr Phil show with overweight teens.  The guest doctor on the show told the parents that instead of removing things from the teen's diet, add more healthy things.  Instead of forbidding coke and cheetos, add watermelon and smoothies.  Something about the way he said it resonated with me.  So I began to search for ways to add more fruits and vegetables and whole grains to my eating plan. (I don't want to call it a diet)  And I've done it.  In fact, I've given up all meat!  That's a big jump.  I know. But it happened gradually. I'd already given up red meat years ago.  I never enjoyed pork so I didn't even bother with ham or pork chops.  I would eat turkey bacon but I've given up processed meats.

Seem weird?  Maybe.  But I have to tell you, I feel better now than I've felt in months.  I've lost weight.   I haven't weighed.  I just know I've lost weight because all my clothes FIT.  Every single thing in my closet FITS!  That is  a nice feeling.   I don't get those late afternoon headaches.  My blood pressure is down.  My skin is clear.  My eyesight is shot but there's nothing I can do about that!

Here is the recipe I prepared today.  I did NOT let my daughters see me making it.  I still haven't told them the ingredients.

Nacho Cheese
Recipe Courtesy of Vegan Cooking for Carnivores by Roberto Martin

You will be amazed with the flavor.  Honestly.  I've fed it to both daughters and they loved it.   We ate it as a dip.

 Ingredients:  mayonnaise, salt, pepper, paprika, chili powder, taco seasoning, hot water and.............TOFU!

 AAAHHHHHHH!!  TOFU!!!

Now, I had never eaten tofu.  I had never bought tofu.  I didn't even know where they hide it at Kroger.  It was by the packaged salads and refrigerated salad dressings.  Just in case you are feeling inspired.  When you open the package there is a lot of water.  So I poured the water out and then read in the cookbook how to prepare it.

 Cut the block into 8 equal parts.  Line them on a folded dishtowel topped with a folded paper towel.  Then make another layer:  folded dishtowel, folded paper towel, tofu slices.

 Final layer.  Top with a dishtowel and squeeze out the water.  I'm telling you, all the towels and all the paper towels were soaking wet.  SOAKING WET.  Afterwards the tofu squares looked flat.  And dry.

 Living Room's Clean.  (inside joke)

 Because I'm going to Disneyworld on Tuesday I used my Mickey Mouse measuring spoons.
Place tofu into blender.  Add chili powder, salt and pepper, mayonnaise, hot water, and taco seasoning packet.

Just a note here:  As I run out of staples in my kitchen, I've been trying to replace them with either vegetarian versions or at the very least organic.  I don't want to throw out a new jar of mayonnaise just because it's not vegetarian.  I'll go ahead and use it all.  Same with the salt.  All the recipes call for kosher salt, but I'm going to use the one with the little girl holding an umbrella until I've emptied the carton.

I'm not that crazy.

 Push the puree button.  I whirled it for a minute, lifted the top and gave it a stir, then whirled it again.  I did not want it to have any lumps.  I didn't know what to expect but I was dang sure lumps would be a big turnoff.

Oh my gosh!!  I was speechless.  How can that bland squishy square of whatever it is turn into something that tastes this good?

What does it taste like?

Kinda like bean dip.
Kinda like queso.

Be brave!  Try a new recipe this week.