Tantalizing Thai Style Rice with Sesame Tofu

Usually, I season my tofu with herbs and garlic, but last night I chose to change it up a bit. I just purchased some sesame seeds, sesame oil, and a brand new bottle of Agave syrup, so decided to experiment. Let's just say my little experiment was a huge success. I hope you enjoy!

*makes 2 servings

-1 Package Trader Joe's Thai-style Lime Rice* (or other brand of choice) *Next time I'm going to make my own!
-1/2 package extra firm tofu
-1/2 lime
-2 TB sesame oil
-2 TB agave syrup
-few shakes of garlic salt (according to taste)
-2 TB olive oil
-1 TB lemon juice
-2 TB sesame seeds
-1/2 TB nutmeg
-1 tsp. ginger
-s & p to taste

1. Preheat oven on 350. Blot the tofu with a paper towel to remove excess water, then chop into edible square pieces.
2. Add tofu into a zip lock bag with oils, herbs, spices and lemon juice (hold off on lime juice). Shake up thoroughly being sure to coat each piece of tofu.
3. Arrange tofu on a coated baking sheet (I like to line with tin foil) and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until tofu is crisp and slightly browned.
4. In the meantime, cook the rice according to directions, using stovetop or microwave. When the rice is finished, add in the juice of 1/2 lime and stir in.
5. Add in tofu, and top with salt and pepper to taste. Serve in a pretty bowl with lime wedge to garnish. Eat with chopsticks or a simple ol' fork!

Homemade Chive 'n' Herb Hummus

A while back, one of my reader's asked for a recipe for homemade hummus. To tell you the truth, I hadn't attempted making it until last night. And boy did it turn out delicious...so delicious that I'm actually thinking of never buying store-bought hummus again (well unless I'm realllllyyy craving it and have no chickpeas on hand). Anyway, I used some of the basic hummus ingredients, with a little extra flare to spice it up. I enjoyed my hummus as a side with cucumbers, salad, and baked pita with feta!

-1 15 oz can garbanzo beans (chickpeas)
-2 TB olive oil
-1 TB sesame seed oil (tahini)*
-juice of 1/2 lemon
-2 cloves garlic, crushed
-1 TB dried oregano
-1 TB dried parsley
-1 to 2 TB fresh chives, chopped
-salt and pepper to taste
*start with 1 TB and add more to taste

1. Drain the chickpeas and place into a large bowl. Mash up with a fork to soften.

2. Add chickpeas into a blender or Cuisinart and start to blend, slowly creating a hummus-like texture. Add in lemon juice, tahini, and olive oil and blend well.

3. Once mixture is well blended and smooth, add in the herbs, salt and pepper and blend on low for another 30 seconds.

4. Serve with chopped veggies or pita chips and enjoy : )