Good morning! Today we have for you:
Exceedingly easy with plenty of proteinWe may be late to the game, but my household has finally been gripped by the protein craze. All at once, my whole family is consuming frightening amounts of eggs, tofu and peanut butter. I myself have started snacking on cottage cheese and pineapple. While it’s something of a throwback to what my mom ate in the 1980s, I top it with olive oil, flaky salt and chile flakes, putting it squarely in the aughts. I’ve never been one to keep up with the times. All of this to say, when I saw Hetty Lui McKinnon’s recipe for tofu and sweet potato peanut butter curry, I knew it had arrived right on time. Being a Hetty recipe, it’s pulsing with zip — the combined powers of ginger root, curry powder and red chile flakes are tempered by plush cubes of sweet potato and tofu. Using a mix of peanut butter and coconut milk as the foundation of the sauce is both brilliant and exceedingly easy, so the whole shebang comes together in about half an hour. It’s a weeknight warrior of a dish, with enough macronutrients to keep you feeling thoroughly up-to-date. Featured Recipe Tofu and Sweet Potato Peanut Butter Curry
More food for thoughtWhite bean, tuna and kale salad: This time of year, at least in my neck of the woods, the typical roster of salad greens can look a little wilty after coming in from the cold. But not kale, which maintains its perky appeal all winter long. Ali Slagle turns this winter charmer into a hearty salad filled with tuna and white beans for protein (yeah!) and heft, and dresses it very simply, with just lemon, olive oil and onion. It’s speedy, filling and fresh. Cheesy baked cauliflower: Andy Baraghani’s gooey, golden-topped casserole has mac-and-cheese vibes but features cauliflower and shallots instead of pasta. Steeping the cream with garlic and rosemary gives the whole thing a complex character that raises it beyond the usual comfort food. Serve it as a rich side or a meatless main, and round it out with a big green salad — kale or otherwise. Skillet chicken and farro with caramelized leeks: Although the recipe calls for farro and bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, you could adapt this easygoing grain-and-chicken meal to fit any mood. Swap in some barley or rice for the farro and then top it with boneless chicken thighs or breasts, for example. But do try the leeks — this is the rare recipe that calls for the dark green parts as well as the lighter ones, all of which turn silky and sweet. It’s nose-to-tail dining for the vegetable set. Vegetarian chile verde: To brighten the January blahs, Christian Reynoso comes through with this tangy, soupy, spicy bean stew. He roasts the tomatillos, shallots and poblanos before adding them to the pot to deepen their flavors, which then richly infuse the broth as it simmers. Serve this topped with sour cream, along with warm tortillas for dunking. Sugared shortbread: Today is Martin Luther King’s Birthday, a day dedicated to volunteering and community service as a way to honor Dr. King’s legacy. Because I love to bake, and because people love cookies, I whip some up every year to drop off at my local community fridge. Amy Casey’s crunchy shortbread is perfect for this. It’s made with melted butter, so you won’t need to haul out the mixer, and it’s just as easy to make a double batch if you press the dough into a 9-by-13-inch pan. Then you’ll have plenty to share, and enough to keep some for your loved ones at home (yourself included). That’s all for now. For technical help, reach out to cookingcare@nytimes.com, and I’m at hellomelissa@nytimes.com if you want to say hi. I’ll see you on Wednesday.
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