Dinner for One

Weeknights are a pain in the butt when it comes to cooking quickly and healthfully. It doesn't help that my hubby travels for work most weeks, so I'm by myself for dinner a lot of the time. Cooking for one just isn't as fun as cooking for others, but I try to make the most it.

Luckily, I had a fridge full of exciting veggies thanks to the delivery of my organic fruit and veggie box yesterday, the contents of which included delicata squash, Brussels sprouts, spaghetti squash and a pie pumpkin! I've only tried delicata squash once before and wasn't super impressed, and I've never been a Brussels sprout fan. But I'm not one to shy away from a challenge, so I was excited to see if I could turn the sprouts into something edible.

Sprouts, squash, onions and tofu!

I also bought tofu at the store this week as an experiment, since I'm not a huge tofu fan either but I wanted to see if I could make it appetizing. With the addition of some yummy Indian spices, I was able to disguise the sprout/tofu combo and I actually enjoyed the results. I'd usually use tomatoes when making a curry-type meal, but I was fresh out so I went with broth instead. For a variation of this meal, you could add tomatoes and omit the broth, and you could substitute meat for tofu and whatever veggies are in your fridge for the squash and sprouts. I love a spontaneous meal inspired by what's in my fridge!

The finished product

Curried Squash, Brussels Sprouts and Tofu

1 tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 cup onions, roughly chopped
1 tsp fresh ginger, minced
1 delicate squash, peeled, deseeded and cubed
5 to 6 Brussels sprouts, halved
3 oz extra firm tofu, cubed
1 garlic clove, minced
3/4 cup vegetable broth
1/2 tbsp corn starch
2 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder

Heat vegetable oil in a deep skillet or wok. Add onions and saute until golden, about 5 minutes. Add ginger and garlic and saute for another minute.

Add tofu and saute for 3 or 4 minutes, until brown. Add squash and Brussels sprouts and stir to combine.

Whisk vegetable broth and corn starch together and pour mixture into the skillet. Allow to heat through, then add the garam masala, cumin and chili powder. Cover and cook on medium-low for about 10 minutes, or until vegetables are cooked to your liking. Serve with rice.

Serves 1.