Maple Vinaigrette

Maple Vinaigrette is as simple as a salad dressing can get: it has only two ingredients! I find that it works best with two types of salad, spring mix and baby spinach, but it might work with other dark green leafy salads as well. My favorite way to serve Maple Vinaigrette is with some chopped (or just broken) walnut pieces atop spring mix salad, sometimes with shredded carrots. Even my 6 year old will eat a big bowl of that and come back for more, and spring mix is not among his favorite salads. The best part is that it takes only about a minute to prepare so you can throw it together right when you want it or store some in a jar in your refrigerator for another day. This recipe makes 3/4 cup of dressing.

Maple Vinaigrette

½ cup maple syrup, preferably grade B *
¼ cup vinegar (cider or distilled)

Combine the ingredients in a bowl or measuring cup and whisk together until well combined. Enjoy! Store any leftover dressing in a lidded container, such as a jar, in your refrigerator.


* Why grade B? Grade B maple syrup is darker and has a stronger maple flavor than other grades. I prefer it because of that stronger flavor. If you can't find it at grocery stores you may be able to get it at a natural food store, farmers market, or directly from a maple producer (if you live near one). Grade A will work here, it just isn't as strong.

Sesame Tofu *

After missing out on going to my favorite Chinese restaurant for some vegan sesame "chicken", I decided to find out how to make my own. Instead of using fake meat, however, I went with tofu and skipped the breading. It works well served with rice & steamed broccoli or some string beans stir-fried with garlic.

Ingredients:
1 package firm or extra firm tofu (not Japanese style)
safflower or other vegetable oil for pan-frying
4 1/2 TBSP agave
3 TBSP sugar
3 TBSP Ketchup
1 1/2 TBSP distilled white vinegar
sesame seeds

Drain and press the tofu, then cut it into 1" chunks. In a large frying pan, cook with the oil over medium heat until the outside gets golden brown or becomes slightly crispy. Place the tofu on paper towels to soak up some of the oil while preparing the sauce. Remove any crumbled tofu bits from the frying pan, then combine the agave, sugar, ketchup, and vinegar in it. Stirring frequently, heat this mixture of medium until it boils, then reduce heat and cook until it begins to thicken. Remove the pan from heat and replace the tofu, stirring to coat it with the sauce. Once the tofu is on plates or a serving dish, sprinkle it with sesame seeds. There should be some sauce leftover in the pan which can be drizzled on top of veggies if desired.