Giada's Feel Good Food (29 page)

for the tofu:
Place a nonstick grill pan over medium-high heat or preheat a gas or charcoal grill.

Cut the tofu in half diagonally to make 2 large triangles. Cut each large triangle in half to make 4 smaller triangles. Cut through each triangle horizontally to make 8 triangles. Brush on each side with the olive oil. Season with the herbes de Provence, salt, and pepper. Grill the tofu until light golden, 2 minutes per side. Transfer to plates.

for the avocado cream:
Meanwhile, in a food processor, blend the avocado, olive oil, lime zest, lime juice, broth, parsley, garlic, salt, and pepper until smooth.

Spoon the avocado cream over the tofu and serve.

The flavors of this chicken come straight from Southern Italy: tons of vibrant fresh herbs, bright lemon juice, some red onion, and a hint of anchovy paste. Don't let the anchovy scare you; it just brings the other flavors to life and makes them taste more like themselves.
serves 4

for the chicken:
Preheat the oven to 425°F.

Spray a heavy rimmed baking sheet with vegetable oil cooking spray. Rub the chicken with the oil and season with the salt and pepper. Arrange the chicken pieces on the baking sheet and roast until cooked through and the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°F, about 15 minutes.

for the dressing:
While the chicken is roasting, combine the oil, onion, lemon juice, vinegar, garlic, basil, mint, marjoram, rosemary, anchovy paste, salt, and pepper in a food processor. Blend until chunky.

Spoon the dressing on top of the chicken and serve.

I usually go California style, with bright citrus to enliven my dishes, but here the warming flavors come straight from the Southwest: chili powder, cumin, cinnamon, and clove. To lighten things up, I make my chili with turkey and beans instead of all beef—which I know some people might find controversial. But I have to say I still find myself craving this and, like all good chili, it is even better the next day. Since this dish has such a hearty texture, I like to serve it over light, fluffy quinoa or whole-wheat couscous. Top with chopped onion and tomatoes and shredded white Cheddar cheese, if desired.
serves 6

In a heavy large pot or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the poblanos, onion, celery, and garlic. Sauté until the vegetables soften, 5 to 6 minutes.

Add the turkey and sauté, breaking up the turkey with the back of a spoon, until no longer pink, about 7 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over the meat and stir to blend. Add the tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, oregano, cinnamon, cloves, brown sugar, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring to blend, for 1 to 2 minutes.

Add the broth and beans. Bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring often, until the flavors blend and the chili thickens, 20 to 30 minutes.

Spoon the chili into deep bowls and serve.

There are no beans in this recipe; instead, it is loaded with lots of other goodies: Yukon Gold potatoes, sweet potatoes, and my new fave, hominy, which is big bits of puffy corn. You can really sink your teeth into it, so you don't need the beans. This recipe is slightly spicy from mild green chile peppers and very bright from tomatillos. In an effort to replace meat, salt, and fat, I've branched out and discovered new ingredients to keep my cooking interesting. You can go wild with garnishes, such as crumbled feta cheese, chopped scallions, sliced avocado, lime wedges, and, for extra heat, chopped serrano chiles.
serves 6

In a heavy large pot or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium heat. Add both of the poblanos, the sweet potato, Yukon Gold potato, onion, tomatillos, and garlic. Cover and cook, stirring often, until the onion is tender, about 8 minutes. Mix in the flour, oregano, cumin, salt, and pepper. Add the hominy with juices and the broth and bring to a simmer.

Spoon the diced green chiles into a food processor. Using tongs, transfer the 4 strips of poblano chile from the pot to the processor. Blend the chiles until just smooth. Scrape the chile sauce into the pot.

Cover and simmer the chili over low heat for 20 minutes. Uncover and simmer, stirring often, until the potatoes are tender and the chili is thickened, 20 to 25 minutes longer. Season to taste with more salt and pepper, if desired.

Ladle the chili into bowls and serve.