SoNaturelle.com Nourish
I have been desiring to get some shots of my food for a while, especially since Meatless Monday was approaching. I have no idea why every room in my condo unit has candle lights. So, waiting for natural sunlight was a bit nerve wrecking since here in Chicago during the winter you have gloom that hangs over you. To my surprise this season has been pretty good. However, that could all change in an instant.
One of my vegan friends came over for lunch today and I knew as long as I had Tofu, it was winner. My goal was to marinate the tofu and then make some sort of a curry coconut sauce. That sounds like a good idea for another dish, but I decided to keep it simple. I just made a Tofu Salad with Cranberry Basil Lemon Vinaigrette nothing fancy and we had Perrier water with a slice of lemon in it. The next day it was so beautiful, the sun was shining through the blinds and it seemed like the perfect area to get a nice Kodak shot. I am not a food photographer per se however, I would LOVE to take a class. I was just at the right place and at the right time for my camera to please me.
1 block of Tofu
2 teaspoons Paprika
1 teaspoon powdered Cumin
1/2 teaspoon Garlic powder
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 teaspoon salt and pepper
Cranberry Basil Lemon Vinaigrette
2 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil (preferably extra-virgin)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel
3 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh basil or 3 teaspoons dried
2 teaspoons rinsed & drained capers
1. For vinaigrette, in a small bowl, whisk the lemon juice, basil, olive oil, garlic, capers and lemon peel; set aside 2 tablespoons for sauce. You can refrigerate the leftover dressing for to use during the week on another salad.
2. Drain Tofu and sit on a paper towel to remove excess water. Pat dry cut in whatever form that you like and season with paprika, cumin, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Let Tofu marinate with the flavors to intensify them for about 30 minutes. Sear Tofu in a hot skillet non-stick skillet to get a nice color without burning it for approximately 5 minutes on each side.
3. Whisk the cranberries and mustard into the shallot-vinegar mixture. Add the olive oil in a thin stream, whisking as you go until the dressing is emulsified.
4. Toss the mix greens with the dressing in small amounts until they are lightly coated but not weighed down. You want to taste the flavor of the greens not mask the flavor. Add more salt and pepper to taste and voila!
*Garnish Salad with Walnuts if not allergic
…..Bon Appetit
