Noodles with Savoy Cabbage, Tofu, Miso & Harissa

This has quickly become a favorite lunch or dinner. Full of fiber, vegetable protein and flavor, it’s one of those meals that will keep you satiated for a long time without being heavy. The combination of miso, harissa and tofu in a noodle dish (brilliant!) comes from Super Natural Simple by Heidi Swanson. If you’re somebody who enjoys doable, vegetarian dishes with inventive flavor combinations, you’ll probably enjoy this book. I love it!

From a health standpoint, this dish has so much to offer. You get some fiber from the savoy cabbage and tofu, and your choice of noodles will impact this as well. What’s pictured here is Chickapea Spaghetti. If you go this route and use a legume-based pasta, you’ll add quite a few grams of fiber (usually my goal!). There is a good amount of plant-based protein from the tofu and again, you can add more depending on pasta choice. Olive oil and toasted sesame oil bring the healthy fats. All in all, a stand-up meal!

Take care of yourselves, dear readers.

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Noodles with Savoy Cabbage, Tofu, Miso & Harissa
Adapted from the Green Herb-Soba Bowl (pg 134) in Super Natural Simple by Heidi Swanson

Notes: Pretty much everything in this recipe can be adjusted to taste / preference, so feel free to be approximate and figure out what works for you. I mix 1/2 tablespoon of harissa into the noodles so the whole thing doesn’t get too spicy for kids. If you like things spicy and would like to start with more, feel free. Also, I usually make this with chickpea spaghetti, which really increases the fiber & protein content, but again feel free to use whatever you like. I sometimes use brown rice noodles and those go over very well. If your noodle pack is more than 8 oz, feel free to use the whole thing and adjust the seasoning a bit. Make the dish work for you!

8oz noodles of your choice
Salted cooking water (I use about 1 tablespoon fine grain sea salt)

Glug of olive oil
2 shallots or about 1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
1 small/medium head of savoy cabbage, shredded
8-10 oz extra firm tofu, cut into ~1/2 inch squares
Pinch of sea salt, plus more to taste
Glug of toasted sesame oil, plus more to serve

1/3 cup noodle cooking water
1 1/2 tablespoons white miso
1/2 tablespoon harissa, plus more to serve

Cook your noodles according to the package directions in salted water. When your noodles are done, do your best to remember to grab 1/3 cup noodle cooking water before you drain (I forget this ALL the time). If your noodles will sit for a while before the cabbage & tofu are ready, add a glug of olive oil to keep them from sticking together.

In a large skillet over medium heat, pour in a glug of olive oil and add the onion / shallots. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until the onions are softened and just starting to brown. Add the shredded savoy cabbage to the pan sauté for about 5 minutes more. I like to let the cabbage brown just a bit here. Next add the cubed tofu along with a good pinch of sea salt and a good glug of toasted sesame oil. Stir to combine. Turn off the heat and add the noodles to the skillet as well.

Now for that reserved cooking water… In a bowl, whisk together the 1/3 cup of reserved noodle cooking water along with the miso and harissa. If you forgot to reserve, just measure out 1/3 cup of water, heat in the microwave for 30 seconds and you’re good to go (you’ll have to add a bit more salt to your finished dish). Pour the water / miso / harissa mixture over the noodle / tofu / cabbage mixture and use tongs to toss everything together. Add more sea salt to taste as needed. I often add another glug of toasted sesame oil at the end too.

Serve with more harissa and toasted sesame oil for people add to their plates as desired.

Serves 6

Dark Chocolate Hazelnut Butter

Chocolate and hazelnuts are a classic combination, and for good reason. This spread is my homemade version of the commercial varieties that are available in stores. If you have a food processor, this is very easy to make. We often eat it on bananas, as well as straight from the spoon when an afternoon pick-me-up is needed. Made from 100% natural ingredients, it satisfies that chocolate craving and provides some good health benefits to boot!

Cacao vs Cocoa

I use a lot of cacao powder in my kitchen for this spread, for chocolate cherry chia pudding, for chocolate cake on birthdays, for port balls, for hot chocolate mix, and even for chili. You’ve probably noticed that sometimes it’s called “cacao” and sometimes it’s called “cocoa',” and while there isn’t one hard-and-fast rule for when each word is used in food marketing, generally speaking “cacao” refers to raw beans / powder while “cocoa” refers to roasted beans / powder. Raw cacao is less processed and full of antioxidants. When cacao beans are roasted and further processed, those benefits are reduced. If you'd like to read more, there are good overviews here and here.

Long story short, if cacao / cocoa is frequently used in your kitchen, it’s worth finding a high quality one that’s tasty, raw, organic and fair trade. I use this brand and I store a big bag in the fridge and refill a small glass jar that lives in the cupboard.

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Dark Chocolate Hazelnut Butter

Note: The only variable here is the sugar content. I generally make this with 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons of coconut sugar. The kids like it a bit sweeter so sometimes I bump it up to 3/4 cup. Either way, this is a dark chocolate spread. Adjust the sugar content to what works for you.

Special equipment:
Food processor

2 cups raw hazelnuts
1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons coconut sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cacao powder (see headnote for more on cacao and cocoa)
1/4 cup virgin coconut oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of sea salt

Preheat oven to 325 degrees, place the raw hazelnuts on a rimmed baking sheet and roast for 15-20 minutes, depending on your oven. As soon as the nuts smell toasty and fragrant, it’s time to pull them out. Let the hazelnuts cool on the baking sheet.

Place all the ingredients into your food processor and blend. Adjust with more coconut sugar if you’d like things a bit sweeter.

This will store in a 16 oz jar in the fridge for a couple weeks. Note that, similar to other nut butters, it will firm up in the refrigerator.

Makes 2 cups

Simple & Perfect Lentil Soup

On a website that arguably has more than its fair share of lentil soups and stews, I am nowhere close to done with them and am offering yet another idea. This soup has a Mediterranean feel to it thanks to the use of bay leaf, thyme, lemon and parsley. It comes together easily and smells incredibly delicious simmering in the pot.

Because the standard green/brown lentils used in this soup cook quite quickly (25-30 minutes), this soup is a good one when you need something nourishing in a pinch. I’ve made it several times now for a quick last-minute dinner with some bread dipped in olive oil served alongside. Lentils are a meatless meal favorite at our house, offering a robust amount of protein and fiber per serving.

Wishing you sustenance for your bodies and your souls, dear readers.

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Simple & Perfect Lentil Soup

Notes: There are numerous lentil varieties out there and this recipe uses the most standard ones, which are sometimes called green lentils and sometimes called brown lentils. This article gives a good overview; the ones used in this recipe are the first category discussed, aptly called “Brown and Green Lentils.” If avoiding gluten is a thing for you, as it is for me, always pick through your lentils and remove any gluten grains that may be hiding in there.

1 1/2 cups green/brown lentils, picked over and rinsed
Good glug of olive oil
1 medium/large yellow onion, chopped
4 medium/large cloves of garlic, finely chopped
4 celery stalks, thinly sliced
3 medium/large carrots, diced
6 1/2 cups water
1 bay leaf
1 sprig of fresh thyme
Sea salt to taste
Good grinding of black pepper
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley, plus more to garnish if desired
~1 1/2 cups thinly chopped kale (optional)

Place a large stockpot over medium heat and pour in a glug of olive oil. Add in the onion and sauté, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes until the onion is fragrant and approaching translucent. Add in the garlic and stir for another minute or so. If the onion browns a bit, it’s OK, but try not to let the garlic brown. When the garlic smells really fragrant, pour in the chopped celery and carrots and stir well. Let this mixture sauté for another few minutes, stirring well every minute or so.

Add the lentils to the pot, stir, and pour in the water. Place the bay leaf and thyme sprig in as well and turn the burner to high heat. When the soup starts to boil, turn the heat to low, cover, and simmer for about 30 minutes, or until your lentils are soft and fully cooked. Uncover when the lentils are done. If you’re not adding in the optional greens, turn the stove off at this point.

If you are incorporating the extra greens, add them in while the stove is on and let everything simmer for a few minutes.

Finally, stir in the parsley and season with the lemon juice, sea salt and black pepper to taste.

Serves 4-6