Yummy Baked Plantains

Choose as many very ripe plantains as you feel like cooking, or about 1 per person.  pick ones that have black spots on skin and are a little squishy.)

Coconut oil spray (Trader Joe's has this in stock) or other cooking spray.  You can use olive oil if you like but the spray adds less fat to the recipe
Salt and pepper to taste
Cayenne pepper to taste (optional)

**Season the plantains with whatever flavors appeal to you.  My husband likes using Italian seasoning on them.  I love them with Trader Joes South African Smoked Seasoning.  The point is they are good plain or spicy.

1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2.  Spray cookie sheet with coconut oil spray.  Some people use parchment paper or tinfoil when cooking plantains because they can stick to pan, but I just use cooking spray.
3.  Cut off ends of plantains.  Make slice down the middle off the skin and peel it off.  Make sure to get all the ropey fiber off.  Slice plantain in 1/2 inch diagonals.  Lay them flat on cookie sheet and sprinkle with salt, pepper, spices.  Spray top with coconut oil spray.
4.  Cook for approximately 15 minutes turning them once about half way through.  It really depends how firm you want them.  I like my plantains browned and semi- firm.  If you like them firmer cut them thinner and cook a little longer.  They will burn so you need to keep an eye on them if you are going to cook longer.

Serve plain or as part of a meal.  I like mine with a black bean ranchero sauce taco.  I add a few tablespoons of adobo sauce to add some heat to the meal.  The recipe for ranchero sauce is on this blog site below.

http://psychobabble4u.blogspot.com/2013/02/butternut-squash-and-ranchero-sauce.html

Chinese Long Beans and Tofu

I was raised on Italian food. Pasta, pasta, and more pasta.  In my family we competed to see who could make the best "Sugo" or pasta sauce.  I remember both my grandmothers bringing over the same dish for dinner and making us tell them whose was the best.  Crazy but true.  I became proficient at cooking Italian meals which always included a pasta dish, a meat dish, and some type of vegetable dish.  All entrees were usually drowning in olive oil, covered in cheese, and with some sort of cream or butter base.  Can you say clogged arteries chubby?

 As a result, I don't have a repertoire of vegetarian dishes and am always looking for healthy recipes that taste great.

I adapted this recipe from Mollie Katzen's recipe http://www.molliekatzen.com/recipes/recipe.php?recipe=greenbeans_tofu_peanutsauce

1 & 1/2 cups raw cashews
2 & 1/2 TBSPs peanut oil
2 TBSP minced fresh ginger
4-5 cloves minced garlic
1 TBSP lemon zest
1 pound firm tofu cut into bite sized pieces
salt to taste
The juice of 1 fresh lemon juice
1 pound fresh Chinese long beans, cut into small pieces
1 medium sized pan
1 large pan or wok

1.  Grind cashews in a blender until they are in small pieces.
2. In a medium sized pan, heat 1 TBSP peanut oil.  Add ginger and garlic and cook over medium low heat for a few minutes.  Add cashews and lemon zest and cook until cashews begin to turn brown (about 10 minutes).  Remove pan from heat.

3.  Turn burner on medium high.  Heat large pan or wok. When pan is hot add 1/2 TBSP peanut oil.   Add tofu and 1/2 tsp of salt.  Cook for about 10 minutes. You don't want tofu to stick to bottom of pan so may need  to adjust heat. Add the lemon juice and cook for a few more minutes.  Tofu should be brown and firm.  Remove from heat and place tofu in pan with cashews and ginger.

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4.  Clean any loose particles from  pan or wok.  Turn heat on medium high and add 1 tbsp peanut oil to pan.    When oil is hot add beans and cook for 5 minutes.   Add the tofu and cashew mixture and cook until beans begin to soften, 2-3 minutes. Season with salt to taste. Serve with rice or Quinoa.