Warmth from winter veggies

After my "Week of Soups" in the middle of February, I had to concoct a new way to stay cozy and well-fed in the dregs of winter. For me, it's the bright, bitter-sweet taste of rainbow chard, layered with a savory bit of protein. Last night, I came up with a combination that really zaps my winter blues away and warms my heart. The colors, textures, and subtle flavors of each component meld so well, it's definitely a beautiful and satisfying medley of winter veggies.

1. First, I roasted a delicata squash (beautiful yellow oblong squash about 5" long with green veins running down like a pumpkin) with some olive oil in a covered pan for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Just halve the squash lengthwise and scoop out the seeds before roasting face down on the pan.

2. I sauteed a bunch of rainbow chard (a bundle containing white, pink, and golden-stemmed varieties) with a load of onions, garlic, and a healthy grind of fresh black pepper. This is seasoning enough for the gorgeous greens.

3. I shoved the greens to one side of the pan when they needed to simmer more and sprayed some EVOO and Bragg's liquid amino acids on the spot for some thinly sliced (1/4") tofu. This seared the skin, browned it nicely, and when I turned the slices, I added a fine layer of dijon mustard to give a kick to the protein and imitate fish.

I just put half a squash on my plate, loaded it with greens, and lay the tofu on top. I wish I had a picture of the pink, green, and golden dish, but I ate it all before I thought to snap a shot. Alex was reading an article in Cooking Light about the benefits of fish (and we were having a debate about the ethics of eating fish) when I took my first bite. It was so reminiscent of fish, I immediately served him a layered forkful, and he remarked that he would have believed it was fish. So, for fish lovers out there, this is a decent substitute as well.

It's so simple and delicious for a weeknight, helps me recharge for the next day. And I made leftovers for lunch!