Something Old, Something New

Like so many other people, this time of year always finds me simultaneously reflecting on the past year and looking forward to the year to come.  Some of my resolutions are the same as they have been in years past (eat healthier, exercise more) and some are new (spend less, experiment more).

In the spirit of this "something old, something new" philosophy, I decided to take two recipes that I've made in the past (pesto, crispy tofu) and experiment with combining them with new flavors in order to create a new favorite dish.  Because just like a new year, sometimes there's just nothing better than a new interpretation of an old classic.

Tofu with Cilantro Lime Pesto

1 block of extra firm tofu (prepared as previously described)
1 bunch of cilantro
freshly squeezed juice of one lime
1/4 cup of pine nuts
2 tsp of fish sauce (to make this recipe vegetarian/vegan, omit fish sauce and double soy sauce)
1 tsp of soy sauce
2 cloves of garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil

Fill the bowl of a food processor to the top with fresh cilantro:

Add lime juice, pine nuts, fish sauce, soy sauce, garlic, salt and pepper to the food processor:

Puree ingredients, drizzling the olive oil into the food processor with the motor running until it becomes fully incorporated.  The pesto should be thick and creamy, like so:

Mix tofu with pesto and serve over steamed white rice.  Enjoy!