Today, after work, we are heading up to visit my dad for the weekend. I know that my favorite Thai restaurant will be in our future. At least once this weekend, if not more. I’ve decided, after a few attempts, that I can not recreate the magic that is Banana Leaf so I’ve given up. No more trying to make pumpkin curry for me. I’ll leave that to the pros. But I still crave Thai flavors all the time.

This noodle dish is great in a pinch. It’s a super quick and easy weeknight meal but it is fairly basic. That allows you to play with it to suit your desires – I think a squeeze of lime would be a good addition for sure. Leana made me super paranoid about the spice level so I only used 1 Tbls chile flakes and it turned out to have very little heat. Next time, I’m doubling it or adding a squeeze of sriracha. I also didn’t have green onion on hand so that got omitted here.

Spicy Thai Noodles

1 package spelt spaghetti noodles

1/2 c sesame oil
1/4 c peanut oil
1-2 Tbls chile pepper flakes
1 Tbls minced garlic

6 Tbls soy sauce (or gluten-free tamari)
6 Tbls agave nectar (or honey)

2 large carrots, shredded
1/2 c chopped cilantro
1/3 c chopped peanuts

Prepare noodles per package instructions.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, heat oils, chile flakes and garlic over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Strain out the garlic and pepper flakes, reserving the oil.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the soy sauce and agave nectar. Stir in the reserved oil and whisk well.

Combine the cooked and drained noodles with the soy sauce blend. Stir until combined. Divide into 4 pasta bowls and top with carrots, cilantro and chopped peanuts.

This was pretty much perfection. Salty, sweet, filling, nutritious. I’ve been gobbling this up the last few days and I think I might need to make another batch this weekend for my dad to try!

The best part for me was the tofu. Pan fried in coconut oil. Now, coconut oil is a staple in my kitchen but it is usually reserved for an oatmeal topping – I’ve never really known what else to do with it and in all fairness, I never really looked into it because the damn jar has a shelf life that is like a year long. And I , for some reason, didn’t ever consider actually cooking with it. I figured that it wouldn’t do well on high heat. But my word. This recipe changed my life. Or at least my life in the kitchen. Sweet and crunchy tofu? Heavenly.

I paired it with simple pan fried cod (done in the same pan as the tofu so it had a little residual coconut oil, plus a little sesame oil, salt, pepper), and steamed snap peas tossed in soy sauce and ginger. Dare I say they were perfect accompaniments?

Wild Rice Salad with Miso Dressing

1 cup wild rice blend

14 oz. block extra firm tofu
2 tsp. coconut oil
2 tsp. soy sauce or gluten-free tamari
fresh ground pepper

1 heaping cup shredded carrots
3/4 cup cooked, shelled, organic edamame
3 Tbsp. sesame seeds
1/2 cup chopped cilantro

2 Tbsp. white miso
2 Tbsp. agave nectar or brown rice syrup
1 Tbsp. sesame oil
2 1/2 Tbsp. rice vinegar
4 oz orange juice

Rinse the wild rice blend. Bring two cups water to a boil. Add the rice, turn the heat to a simmer, cover and cook until all the water is absorbed (about 35-40 minutes), adding a bit more water if necessary to finish cooking. You will see a tuft of white pop from the center.

Wrap the tofu between a few layers of paper towel or a dish cloth and set it aside to drain for 10-15 minutes. Cut it into a 1/2” dice. Heat the coconut oil over medium high heat. Add the tofu and sauté for about five minutes. Sprinkle the soy sauce and a few grinds of fresh pepper over the top and sauté another few minutes until the edges are browned. Turn off heat and set aside.

Whisk all of the dressing ingredients together.

In a large bowl, combine the rice, tofu, sliced carrots, edamame. Toss everything with the dressing. Add the sesame seeds and cilantro and give it another toss. Serve room temperature or chilled.

This was one of the last detox meals and we definitely ended on a high note. For me, eggplant dishes are hit or miss. I could do without grilled eggplant, eggplant parmesan, and stuffed eggplant boats. But give me ratatouille or babaganoush and I’m all over it. I think the secret is that I just like it roasted. And without skin.

But I think the reason I really liked this recipe was the cinnamon. And it’s really hearty and filling for a vegetarian meal. I did cook up a cup of quinoa on the side – in the future, I would just stir it in. Also, the original recipe was for a crockpot meal. I did it on the stovetop and it took about 45 minutes.

Roasted Eggplant and Chickpea Stew

Ingredients

• 1 cup chopped mushrooms
• 2 large eggplants (about 1 1/2 pounds each)
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 2 large onions, thinly sliced
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 2 15-ounce cans chickpeas, drained
• 2 15-ounce cans diced tomatoes

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Peel eggplants, if desired, and cut in half lengthwise. Brush the cut sides liberally with 2 tablespoons oil. Place on a rimmed baking sheet, cut-side down, and roast until tender, about 25 minutes. Let stand until cool enough to handle. Cut into 1-inch cubes.
3. Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, 3 to 6 minutes. Add garlic, Italian seasoning, cinnamon, salt, pepper, and the chopped mushrooms; cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the chickpeas, tomato and eggplant. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.

Ok, so I don’t know what I’m doing wrong but the last couple of spaghetti squashes I’ve had haven’t come out very stringy and spaghetti like. It’s more like mush, like you would expect from a regular baked squash. What am I doing wrong, folks? Overcooking or something?

So besides this looking like a gross pile of mush, it actually tasted really damn good and Huz said it was his favorite spaghetti squash recipe to date, so I had to share. The basis for the recipe is here. It’s pretty basic so I dolled it up quite a bit.

Southwest Spaghetti Squash

1 spaghetti squash, halved and seeded
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can diced tomatoes, drained
1 bell pepper, chopped
2 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp cumin
2 chipotle peppers, minced
1 tsp adobo sauce
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon lime juice
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
salt and pepper to taste
1 green onion, sliced for garnish

1. Preheat an oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).

2. Place squash halves in a shallow baking pan with about 1 inch of water.

3. Bake squash in the preheated oven until soft, about 1 hour.

4. Scrape flesh of squash from the rind using a fork and place in a large serving bowl.

5. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir the black beans, tomatoes, bell pepper, cumin and garlic in the hot oil until the vegetables are soft and the liquid has reduced, about 10 minutes; pour into the bowl with the squash; toss to combine. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil, chipotles and adobo, lime juice, and cilantro and toss again. Season with salt and pepper to serve. Garnish with green onion slices.

I don’t want to rehash it all out because my thoughts are basically the same – breakfast is still a challenge but having a Vitamix helps make bomb smoothies, greens are still smelly, our energy is up, we both lost weight (8lbs for me, 12 for Huz), I still craved chocolate and wine and eggs. What I do want to talk about is why we do this.

The goal for the detox was to get back on track. Mission accomplished.

In October, I went to Hawaii for a week. November had Thanksgiving in there. December was a trip to Phoenix, Christmas, and Huz’s birthday. We were indulging way more than usual – boozing it up, eating a significant amount of chocolate every night, not paying attention to portions. As a result, I packed on 10 pounds and my pants were uncomfortably tight. (It should be noted that part of that was due to reduced activity level thanks to a knee injury.)

Through 3 weeks of a plant-based diet, we were able to undo most of the effects of 3 months of crap. My pants are comfortable again, I feel like I’m in control of my eating habits again, and I generally feel better about myself (it was touch and go there for a minute). I like to describe it as a pendulum effect. We had been swung hard left off balance and had to come back hard right to help us get back to that gentle swaying in the middle.

This strict of a “diet” is definitely not something I can maintain for much longer than 3 weeks without losing my sanity. But it does make me a lot more aware of my eating habits. Do I really want/need a piece of chocolate after dinner or am I reaching for it out of habit? (Answer: it’s usually habit.) Is there a better snack option for me than the all-too-convenient granola bar? (Answer: yes, there is a better option – veggies and hummus or a piece of fruit.) How many servings of fruits and veggies have I had today? (Answer: typically it isn’t enough.) Do we really need a starchy side dish with dinner? (Answer: probably not.) Do I really need to butter these veggies? (Answer: Not really, but damn is butter good.)

So now, we work on finding that balance. And yes, it will include adding a little butter to veggies. And it will include eggs for breakfast. And it will include eating meat again. But it’ll all be in moderation. Side salads will be a regular occurrence. So will smoothies for breakfast. I’m going to try to not get into the habit of coffee everyday just for the sake of having coffee. And I’m back to super dark chocolate instead of Lindor truffles and Milky Way Midnight bars.

And yes, I’m fantasizing about my next piece of bacon and gulp of dark beer which will definitely be going down this upcoming weekend in epic form.