Simple Measure

Jared and I were in Wicker Park the other day, just pawing through a pile of old books in a resale shop… when suddenly he found what I think is my new favorite cookbook of all time: Moosewood Restaurant Daily Specials.

I’m a soups and salad enthusiast (read: fanatic), and this collection has got ‘em all. It’s a round up of the best-loved daily soup and salad specials that has kept the Moosewood Restaurant packed with a devoted lunch crowd for decades.

One of my favorite things about salad recipes is how easily they can be transformed into sandwiches for a full dinner.

Our latest discovery from this treasure of a cookbook? Tofu + curry and mayonnaise in a spinach wrap = awesome. Trust me.

Don’t be tempted to leave out the pumpkin seeds, like I almost did. They add just the right amount of crunch to balance out the soft tofu salad filling.

Tomorrow Jared and I head off to California for a very special wedding. Look forward to end o’ summer recipes when we get back. In the meantime, thanks for reading!

Curried Tofu Wraps
Adapted from Moosewood Restaurant Daily Special

3 cups water

1 tsp salt

1 block firm tofu, cubed (no need to press the water out of it prior to cubing)

1 large carrot, peeled and shredded

1 small red bell pepper, seeded and minced

1 small green bell pepper, seeded and minced

1 celery stalk, minced

1 Tbs minced red onion

10 large lettuce leaves, torn

¼ cup unsalted, raw pumpkin seeds (or sunflower)

½ cup mayonnaise (or soy mayo)

1 – 2 tsp curry powder, to taste

Juice of ½ a fresh lemon (about 2 Tbs)

5 spinach wraps

Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Boil the water in a large saucepan. Add the salt and tofu cubes, and allow to blanch for 3 minutes. Transfer tofu to a colander and allow to fully drain. Pop the tofu in the fridge as you prepare the rest.

Mix the mayo, curry powder, lemon juice, salt and pepper together in a small bowl. Throw it in the fridge and let it chill while you mince the vegetables, and tear the lettuce leaves.

Makes 5 wraps