Succulent Green Beans w/ Sautéed Tofu

If you want something light and really healthy yet filling, this is the perfect dish. I love the combination of crunchy green beans and the silky tofu. This is an amazing combination.

Ingredients:
- 1 package of frozen green beans
- 1/4 red bell pepper, sliced thin
- 1/4 yellow bell pepper, sliced thin
- 1/4 onion, sliced thin
- 1 package firm tofu, drained
- olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
- crushed red pepper flakes
- garlic powder
- salt
- pepper

To Make:

Drain tofu in a colander before use. (If possible, remove from package, drain water and store in a plastic container overnight before use.)

In a medium pan, drizzle with olive oil and turn onto medium heat. Add in the sliced onion, red and yellow bell peppers and saute for about 2 minutes on medium heat. Season with salt and pepper.

Add package of green beans. Add a tablespoon of olive oil over top. Season the top with salt and pepper. Add in 1 teaspoon of garlic powder and crushed red pepper. Mix together and let this saute on the stove for about 8-10 minutes, or until the green beans are cooked yet still crispy. Add the last 1/2 teaspoon of soy sauce, mix and let finish cooking, stirring every 2 minutes.

Slice the tofu into 1/2 inch thick pieces, making long rectangles.

In another pan, add 2 tablespoon of olive oil and heat the pan about 2 minutes on medium high heat before adding in the tofu.

Gently add the slices of tofu (about 5/6 for 2 people) and season them with salt and pepper.

Allow them to saute about 3 minutes on each side, just getting them slightly browned on either side.

Arrange the tofu in the center of a plate and top with a mound of veggies.

Serve while hot.

Stuffed Peppers - Sexy Chef Style

Stuffed peppers may look and sound difficult, but they are really not. You need at least 45 minutes to prepare them, but it's worth it since they taste great and are really not hard to make. You can use any type of bell pepper you wish, but for this dish, I used green peppers. Try them out, you won't be disappointed.

Ingredients:
- 4 bell peppers (any variety)
- 1/2 pound ground turkey
- 1/2 pound ground pork
- 1/2 can tomato paste
- 1 onion, diced
- 1/2 cup minute rice
- 15 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup feta cheese
- dried oregano
- crushed red pepper flakes
- garlic powder
- paprika
- salt
- pepper


To Make:
Preheat the oven to 360 degrees.

Drizzle olive oil in a small saute pan and saute the onions and garlic on medium heat until they are tender about 10 minutes, stirring frequently.

In a large pan, begin sauteing the pork and turkey. Season with salt, pepper, oregano, paprika, garlic powder and crushed red pepper flakes. Move the meat around the break into small crumbles and cook on medium heat for about 12 minutes. Drain any access fat off.

In a small pot, add 2 cups of water to the 1/2 can of tomato paste. Cook together on medium heat and mix together. Add salt, pepper and 1/2 teaspoon of the following, oregano, paprika and crushed red pepper flakes.

In another small pot, salt and boil 1.5 cups of water and add the minute rice. Cook on high heat for about 5 minutes.

While everything is cooking on the stove, wash the peppers and remove the tops and the all of the insides, taking care to remove all seeds. Slice a small layer off of the bottom to make the peppers flat for baking in the stove.

Using a microwaveable plastic dish, add 1 tablespoon of water and place the peppers inside and cover with plastic wrap. Microwave the peppers for 5 minutes on high heat. It's okay if the peppers are "wilted" they need to be tender.

Use caution when removing the peppers and the plastic wrap as these will be very hot. Let the peppers rest while preparing the filling.

In a large mixing bowl, add the meat, sauce, rice, onions and garlic and mix together. Add in the feta cheese and Parmesan cheese. Season with extra salt, pepper, paprika garlic powder, oregano and crushed red pepper flakes. Note: The meat will probably not be fully cooked and this is OKAY because they will be baked.

Mix everything thoroughly together and using a large spoon, gently spoon the mixture into each pepper allowing the tops to "overflow." Arrange neatly together in a baking dish and top with Parmesan cheese. I suggest to arrange tightly in the center so the peppers support each other.

Bake for 30 minutes.

Remove and let cool for 3-5 minutes. Serve shortly after and enjoy :-)