Pasta with Spinach Cream Sauce

This cream sauce can actually be made without any butter or cream. Potato starch flour gives it a smooth creaminess (I find that wheat flour gives a grainy consistency).

1 small onion
5-10 cloves garlic
1 package frozen spinach
1 tbsp olive oil
2 cups milk
1 tbsp. potato starch flour
salt, nutmeg, crushed red pepper, and black pepper (to taste)
prepared pasta

1. Chop onions and garlic.

2. Saute onions and garlic in olive oil until soft.

3. Add potato starch flour and stir for a few seconds. Slowly add milk, stirring to incorporate. Cook milk for a few minutes until thick and bubbly.

4. Add frozen spinach (directly from package) and stir until spinach is completely thawed and incorporated into cream sauce.

5. Add a pinch of nutmeg, black pepper, salt, and crushed red pepper.

6. Add prepared pasta and cook for a few minutes with sauce.

Stir Fry with Panko Breaded Tofu

Tofu
1 container extra-firm tofu
about 3 tbsp flour
1 egg
about 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
spices (to taste): garlic powder, salt, cayenne pepper
1 cup vegetable oil

Stir Fry
handful of dry udon noodles
stir fry vegetables (I used broccoli and green beans. You could also use red pepper, mushroom, carrot, onion, baby corn, water chestnut, etc.)
10 cloves fresh garlic, sliced
fresh grated ginger
sesame oil
dash of soy sauce
Sriracha (chili sauce)
sesame seeds

1. Prepare noodles.

2. Prepare tofu: slice into rectangles. Coat first with flour, then with egg, and finally with panko bread crumbs that have been seasoned with the salt, garlic powder, and cayenne. Fry in oil until GBD.

3. In a pan, heat up sesame oil. Saute vegetables and garlic with soy sauce and Sriracha. After vegetables have cooked for several minutes, stir in noodes and tofu cubes. Add more Sriracha and soy sauce if necessary. Add fresh ginger and sesame seeds and cook for another minute before serving.

Refreshing Herb Pasta Salad

I had something similar at a deli yesterday, and this is my version of the recipe. The mint and lemon juice make this salad very refreshing, and the feta gives it a nice creaminess.

1 box shell pasta
1 quart grape tomatoes
1 English cucumber
1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
4 scallions (green onions)
1 bunch chives
1/2 cup feta cheese
3 tbsp lemon juice
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
spices (to taste): ground black pepper, oregano, garlic powder, and crushed red pepper

1. Prepare pasta. Drain and rinse.

2. Slice grape tomatoes lengthwise. Chop cucumber, chives, mint, basil, and scallions. Mix in a large bowl.

3. Prepare dressing by mixing olive oil, lemon juice, and spices.

4. Add dressing, pasta, and feta to vegetables. Stir together.

Allow to marinate overnight before serving.