sprinklefingers

it seems like time is just slipping through my fingertips these days. i get to work and it’s already time to leave. i spend precious minutes commuting. i get home with 30 minutes to get dinner on the table. it’s like a game that’s not very fun and is neverending. sigh.

because of my lack of time i’ve been trying to figure out ways to cook meals faster with less dishes to wash (because if there are fewer dishes i can get to the laundry faster. and if i get to the laundry faster i can get to my bed faster.)

so far, this is my favorite:

tofu & vegetables with noodles and peanut sauce
serves 4

you need:

• 15 oz firm tofu
• seasonings for tofu: salt, pepper, curry powder - anything you like
• canola oil for drizzling
• fresh green beans, enough for 4 people, trimmed
• 2 zucchini - cut into half moons
• 1 bunch green onions - white parts and 1” green parts thinly sliced
• 2 carrots

• 1 lb whole wheat spaghetti

• peanut sauce
• lime

make dinner:

1. preheat oven to 425.
2. on one large sheet tray place the trimmed green beans, the zucchini half moons and the sliced green onions. sprinkle with salt and pepper and drizzle with canola oil. give them a quick mix with your hands and then scoot them to one side of the sheet tray.
3. on the other side of the sheet tray place a small cooling rack.
4. next, cut the tofu into manageable cubes then place the cubes in a bowl. season how you’d like then drizzle with oil. mix with your hands then place the cubes of seasoned tofu on the cooling rack you’ve placed on the sheet tray.
5. slide the entire tray into the oven and let roast 18 minutes or so - stirring the bean mixture often and watching so that nothing is burning.
6. while the beans & tofu are cooking, shred your carrots: using a vegetable peeler, start at the top of the carrot and pull the peeler all the way down - creating a carrot ribbon. set your carrot ribbons aside.
7. prepare your peanut sauce. i always advocate homemade peanut sauce over bottled - it’s going to be way more delicious - but i understand if you just had to grab a bottle to make things easier on yourself. (although if you make the sauce ahead and store it in your fridge you’ll always have delicious peanut sauce on hand!)
8. boil your spaghetti noodles to your desired doneness. when they’ve finished cooking, reserve a few tablespoons of cooking water and then drain the noodles. mix the drained noodles with the pasta water and a bit of peanut sauce. set aside.
9. when the vegetables and tofu have finished cooking (the tofu will be slightly dry and the vegetables will have some browning in places,) remove the veggies from the sheet tray and put them in a mixing bowl. add the carrots and stir gently. leave the tofu where it is until you’re assembling your dishes.
10. to serve: mound some noodles in a bowl, top with the vegetable mixture and a few pieces of tofu. drizzle peanut sauce all over the top and squeeze on a bit of lime juice.

my kid and my husband ate this. without me forcing them. honest.