Tofu

Corn husks can be transformed into a surprisingly flavorful oil. At Seäsonal, this vinaigrette is tossed with Bibb lettuce, radishes, and crisp pumpernickel croutons.

Benefits: Heart + Metabolism My mother innovated constantly to satisfy her two sons' demanding palates, so she adapted quinoa with brown rice to make one of our all-time favorite foods: sushi. Once called "Inca Gold" due to its stamina-building properties, quinoa contains all the essential amino acids, rendering it a complete protein food. Its high manganese content supplies the body's production of superoxide dismutase, an enzyme that protects against free radical damage to your energy factory. Consider this an energizing longevity recipe!

The Japanese are renowned for their longevity. As of 2011, their average life expectancy was 82.3 years. (The United States came in fiftieth, at 78.4 years.) Researchers often credit their diet, and this soup is my way of cramming as much of their healthy cuisine into a bowl as possible. It's called Bento Box Soup because of the traditional Japanese take-out bento box lunch, which is full of compartments, each containing a tasty treat: fish or meat, rice, pickled or cooked veggies, and other goodies. The base is a miso broth; if you're not in the know about miso, it's a salty fermented soy product that aids digestion and improves immune function. In case white miso isn't available, use any mellow (light) miso. I kicked those healing properties up a notch by infusing green tea into the broth for an extra immune boost, then added shiitakes, spinach, kombu, scallions, and tamari.

Buddha's Delight is traditionally served on the first day of Chinese New Year, a practice stemming from an old Buddhist custom of spiritual cleansing. In fact, the recipe's Cantonese name is simply jai, meaning "vegetarian food." Some ingredients, such as lily buds and bean thread noodles, may require a special trip to a Chinese market.

Chances are if you’ve ever eaten at a Korean restaurant, you’ve already had a variation of this specialty served to you as one of the banchan, or small dishes that accompany your meal. Traditionally, the tofu is lightly fried, but gentle simmering preserves the soft tofu’s smooth delicacy. Using firm tofu won’t yield the same texture, but the slices will maintain their shape a bit better. Considering how easy this dish is to prepare, it’s amazing that such complex tastes abound. Serve with a hot bowl of rice for a simple meal.

When the heat is on, there’s no better way to cool down than with a bowl of chilled noodles. To make this truly vegetarian and vegan friendly, seek out a ponzu sauce without dashi, an ingredient made with dried fish. Two brands worth considering are Marukan and Wan Ja Shan. For die-hard meat eaters, add some thin slices of cold beef.

Serve with warm tortillas or rice to make a heartier meal.

I've been doing the previous marinades forever. This new one is first cousin to a good barbecued tofu: piquant, sweet-hot-rich, and scintillatingly tasty. The tofu is baked in the marinade/sauce, which cooks down and coats it, caramelizing them. You'll probably have to soak the baking dish overnight before washing it, but it's worth it. Vary this using fruit juice concentrate instead of honey or sugar, and adding extra ginger, orange zest, or both. For an incendiary smokiness, add chipotle in adobo.

Kale adds vitamin C and additional beta-carotene to the stuffing for sweet potatoes, while tofu contributes protein. For extra fiber, eat the skins. Round sweet potatoes work best; if you use oblong potatoes, trim along the top of each lengthwise instead of cutting off the top quarter.

Pomegranate juice offers powerful antioxidants that strengthen the vascular system. Flaxseed adds a boost of fiber and omega-3 fatty acids.

Here’s a spicy noodle dish that’s packed with vegetables; covering the pan during cooking helps trap the steam so the vegetables soften more quickly (and retain their nutrients). Look for soba noodles made entirely of buckwheat flour; besides being gluten-free, they are more nutritious than soba made from whole-wheat flour.

Low in calories and saturated fat, tofu provides a healthful source of protein and makes an energizing snack. Pressing the tofu extracts some of the liquid so it will crisp in the oven.

Edamame are a rich source of fiber and phytochemicals that may help lower cholesterol, protect bones, and balance hormone levels. Serve this spicy spread with rice crackers as an anytime snack or for a party hors d’oeuvre. The dip is also delicious paired with cucumber, celery, and carrot sticks.

An outstanding member of the Brassica family, broccoli aids in detoxification, and steaming is the best cooking method for retaining the vegetable’s potent nutrients. Miso, or fermented soybean paste, contains B vitamins, protein, and probiotics, which strengthen immunity.

These open-faced sandwiches are a delicious way to showcase the season’s best tomatoes. Try the tofu spread as a low-fat and nutritious alternative to cream cheese; the recipe makes about three-quarters of a cup, enough for four additional sandwiches.

Be sure to purchase firm or extra-firm tofu for this soup, as it will hold up better in hot liquid than softer varieties. Miso should be added only at the end of cooking because its flavor and healthful qualities are affected when it’s boiled or exposed to prolonged high temperatures. Whisk it with a bit of liquid first so that it is quickly and evenly distributed.

The “cream” in this dessert is actually pureed silken tofu, flavored with fresh lemon juice. You can make the puree, cover it, and keep it in the refrigerator for up to three days.

Brown rice is the foundation of a simple, protein-filled vegetarian dish when it’s paired with tofu. Spinach is “steamed” in the same pan for the ultimate in ease—and nutritional value.

Think of this recipe as a basic formula for making rice bowls, and then vary the beans (use canned ones to save time), squash, and greens, as desired.

The simplicity of miso soup belies its significance to Japanese cuisine, where it is a common course for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. It is ubiquitous on Japanese restaurant menus here in the United States, but miso soup is so uncomplicated to prepare that any home cook can make it. Variations are numerous, from the type of miso to the addition of vegetables, such as mushrooms or spinach, or other ingredients, such as tofu. Miso, or fermented soybean paste, is a staple of Japanese cooking. Depending on the amount of salt and koji (the mold used in the fermentation process) used, miso varies in color, flavor, and texture. Lighter versions, such as the white miso called for here, have a mild flavor and lower salt content; they are best reserved for delicate soups and sauces. The pronounced flavor of darker varieties (which include reddish-brown and dark-brown pastes) is better for more robust dishes. Shinshu miso, an all-purpose paste with a golden color and salty but mellow taste, would be a fine substitute for the white miso in this recipe. Wakame is another type of seaweed widely used in Japanese cookery, most often in soups and simmered dishes. It is available fresh or dried; to rehydrate dried wakame, soak in warm water for 20 minutes and drain before using.