Awesome: It's What's for Dinner

When it's not a special occasion, my meals usually consist of enough whatever I can throw into one bowl or plate to fill me up, whether it's a vat of homemade soup or 674832910 microwaved vegan nuggets (yes, I know that's gross, but when I'm hungry and tired...don't judge). I know this isn't really the best way to go about doing things and have gotten a lot better about putting together real meals while testing for Isa Chandra Moskowitz's upcoming Appetite for Reduction.

Not only are Isa's recipes all tasty, low in fat and high in nutrients, she's really good about noting which sides compliment one another to create a healthy, balanced meal. And you can throw most of said meals together in about an hour (including sides and most of your cleanup, if you're good). Also, the portion sizes are very generous. Pictured above, we have Apple Miso Tofu with Orange Scented Broccoli and Scallion Potato Pancakes. As you can see, my plate is very full, and the portions called for another pancake, one or two more pieces of tofu and even more broccoli! You will not be hungry when eating from this book.

As for the flavor, the apple miso tofu is amazing. My family loved it; it was just like making our own Chinese takeout, but without all the grease.The orange scented broccoli was too spicy for me, but that was fine because the rest of my family made short work of it. The scallion potato pancakes have great texture (yay panko) and are slightly bland, but that was just what I needed because the other two things on my plate we so flavorful.

That's Chili Lime Rubbed Tofu over Pasta De Los Angels. Rubs are great for when you don't feel like wasting time with a marinade. I hate wasting time, so this dish totally wins. It also totally wins because it's delicious. The lime in the tofu is really strong and flavorful and the pasta is nice, too. You get double protein here, with the black beans and the tofu. I kind of wonder what it would be like with a hunk of avocado thrown in.

Lastly, we have Bhutanese Pineapple Rice, Green Beans with Thai Basil and Red Thai Tofu. I used brown basmati rice because that's what I had on hand, but it's still delicious. The green beans are spicy and still crisp, while the tofu is nicely browned in a cast iron pan, to get it nice and firm without drying it out too much. The green beans and the tofu were my first time working with Thai basil. I see a lot more of this lovely little herb in my future.

Are you excited about this book yet? You should be!