You're in the Game

Just make the dinner. Just do it. Do it now. Just start. Come on, start already! You can do it. I said start!

This is the little pep talk my inner Coach gives to me each night when I have to make dinner. See, my inner Wimp is always coming up with excuses, like “I’m too tired,” or “I don’t have time,” or “There’s nothing to make,” (and there is always something to make). Sometimes the Coach has to open a can of whup ass and scream in my face, “Failure is NOT AN OPTION! Now get out there and WIN!”

“OK, OK, I’m going. Geez,” cowers the Wimp. “Calm down.”

I truly enjoy cooking. I like the manual labor, the creativity and sensuality of it, and the sense of providing for others. Oh yes, and eating – I like that part too. But when you're doing it every day, in addition to everything else you have to do every day, sometimes you need an extra push. Luckily, the Coach is always there for me. Once I get going, the inertia of the task sets in, and I lose myself in it, and everything is fine. And the end result, having a homemade dinner, is worth every bit of the effort put into it. (Really, the effort doesn’t have to be that much. In fact, it is sometimes much harder to go out than it would be to just hunker down and make something. Anyone with small children understands how hard it can be to go out. The issue of "Pants: Why We Need Them" can take up a half hour entirely on its own.)

So, with that said, when faced with the choice between overpriced burritos with too much sour cream all lumped in one spot, and a fast, yet thoughtfully crafted meal of buckwheat noodles with miso-tahini sauce, tofu, and bright green steamed broccoli, guess which one I picked? Not the burritos. It took less than 30 minutes, and my kids even enjoyed the broccoli (with the sweet sauce, naturally). So yeah, I did win the game this time. But the Coach can never let down his guard.

Soba* with Tofu, Broccoli, and Miso-Tahini Sauce
broccoli (enough to feed everyone)
1 package of firm or extra-firm tofu
1 package of soba
Water
Salt
Miso-tahini sauce (see recipe for sauce below)

First set a large pot of salted water on the stove to boil (for the soba). Cut the broccoli into florets, and the tofu into 1-inch cubes. Steam them together in a steamer basket for approximately 7 minutes, or until the broccoli is crisp tender. (Alternatively, if you'd like a bit more fattiness to the dish, you can pan fry the tofu cubes separately.)

While all this is going on, make the sauce (see below). You won't use all of it on the noodles, but that's good, because then you will have leftover sauce to use creatively the next day, like in your kid's lunch.

When the large pot of water begins to boil, add the buckwheat noodles and cook according to the package directions. It should only take about three minutes or less. Drain the noodles and rinse with cold water.

Toss broccoli, tofu, and desired amount of sauce with the noodles and serve. (If you have chopped scallions, or parsley or cilantro, these would be great additions. Grated carrot or daikon radish would also be good. But if you don't have them, no worries.) The sauce is also very good by itself as a dip for blanched or steamed broccoli. It's slightly sweet, so it helps kids like mine eat broccoli when they otherwise would not. This dish would also work with rice or even spaghetti in place of the buckwheat noodles.


Miso-Tahini Sauce
1/4 cup tahini
1/4 cup white miso (darker is OK)
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
2 scant tablespoons rice vinegar
1 firmly packed tablespoon brown sugar
2 shallots, minced
salt to taste
water to reach desired consistency

The easiest way to make this is to add all the ingredients except the water to a glass jar, screw the lid on tightly, and shake to combine, adding the water a little bit at a time. Otherwise, whisking everything together in a bowl will also work. Add the water a little bit at a time, whisking after each addition, to prevent lumps. The sauce should be thin, about the consistency of milk.

*Soba are traditional Japanese noodles, made with buckwheat.  You might find them in the grocery store, and definitely will find them in an Asian market. Or if you're near Decatur, DeKalb Farmer's Market has them.