Textural, temporal, flavorful; here I am with another salad and potato combo to make your next dinner stellar! Layered dishes are absolutely the most interesting to me and this one uses some of my "old tricks" (like my Tofu Feta from Crisp & Tangy Greek Salad) combined with attempting the "new trick" of a little bit of flour over the potatoes in order to make them crispy that I've seen around the digital scape lately for that perfectly crunchy bite.
Sustainability Spotlight: Inspiration abounds in our digital landscape; gorgeous photos, graphic visuals, and engaging videos. All collaborating in an open global forum. Social networks lift our words from our homes and give them reach to cross the broad expanses of this world. You can discuss new recipes with someone in Thailand, find a new fitness routine from Australia, and learn how to change a small habit to a zero waste option from Germany. All in a matter of minutes. There are positive conversations happening all around you from the world; and they are right at your fingertips.
Social constructs through evolutionary processes were never meant to include such broad scopes of opinions, cultures and feelings so quickly. Almost overnight, the technological advances have created a platform of love in many ways, but also an environment to fuel, foster, and promote extreme discord. In some networks and on some platforms, creativity, flow, and grace prevail. In some networks and on some platforms, extremities of our thoughts and emotional righteousness are loud, boisterous, sanctimonious, and acrimonious.
Through all the noise, I have found a safe haven with the creators. The advocates for freedom of speech, and champions of lifting the voices of the few to those of the many with open dialogue. Disagreement is civility at its highest evolution. Disagreement as it is intended (lack of consensus or approval) is not a negative way to converse. At the core, disagreement requires that the conversation respects the intelligence of all parties of the discussion, recognizes the educational value of conversations that are dissenting, highlights the emotional component of opinion, and promotes the idea that we can and will advance each other through discourse.
Embrace positive disagreement and challenge yourself through sustainability efforts, veganism, and in all ways that you might push against the current "norm." The world needs the dissenters. The world needs the people who will, through action AND words, create a dialogue. The world can hear you through social constructs - local, regional, countrywide, and global. Remember the goal for your dissent - spreading creativity, illuminating ideas, entering serious dialogue from a perspective of curiosity. It is not to promote negativity and it is never about being intolerant of others or their opinions. No one is "right" in a disagreement. Open yourself to their opinion; likewise, speak freely and from the heart about your own opinions.
We must, for humanity and the world, be open to disagreement and embrace it for the value it provides. Because in that disagreement, change can and WILL happen; we just all need to unlock our minds and unwind our learned behaviors for negativity in order to have a real disagreement - not an argument.
I challenge you to have a real quality disagreement about the planet, what we are doing to it as humanity, and why those around you don't see it / won't change their actions to live more sustainably. You might learn their motivations, you might hear their fear, you might find a way to challenge them to do better, be better - for all of us. Learning starts with listening, and listening is the beginning of everything...
Ingredients:
Tofu Feta:
2 tsp white miso
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 lemon (juiced)
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 block extra firm tofu (pressed, drained & crumbled)
5 lbs fingerling potatoes (cut into 3 inch sized pieces)
2 tbsp avocado oil
herbed Salt (to taste, start with 1/4 tsp)
black Pepper (to taste, start with 1/8 tsp)
6-7 garlic cloves (diced)
1 lemon (zested)
1 very small handful of fresh dill (chopped)
2 tsp fresh rosemary (diced)
1 tbsp all purpose flour
Grecian Salad:
1 bunch spinach (sliced lengthwise, then sliced horizontally to get strips)
5 radishes (halved & sliced on mandoline - Level 2)
1 red bell pepper (halved lengthwise, then cut into 4 pieces lengthwise & sliced on mandoline - Level 2)
1/4 red onion (sliced on mandoline - Level 1)
2 tsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 lemon (juiced)
1 tsp agave syrup
pinch of salt & black pepper
pinch of oregano
Directions:
Whisk all ingredients in a small bowl (miso through olive oil) in Tofu Feta till incorporated; add tofu and toss to coat evenly. Set aside.
Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F; convection roast if you have it.
Set a large pot of salted water over Medium-High heat with potatoes and bring to a boil. Boil for ~18-20 minutes or until starting to soften. Drain (saving water to cool & water indoor plants later) then place pot back over low heat and shake to remove excess water (2-3 minutes). Turn off heat
Drizzle 2 tbsp avocado oil, add garlic, salt & pepper to potatoes in pot and toss to thoroughly coat. Dump into a large casserole dish / roasting pan to fit potatoes in (mostly) 1 layer.
Slide pan into oven and roast for ~20 minutes.
Remove pan from oven (careful! it's hot), add dill, rosemary, lemon zest and flour; stir to coat evenly. Slide pan back into oven and roast for another ~20 minutes.
While potatoes finish roasting, add all ingredients of Grecian Salad to a medium bowl and toss to coat thoroughly; set aside.
Once potatoes are done roasting (they should be crisped and easily pierced with a fork), remove from oven (careful! it's hot) and set aside to cool slightly.
Layer potatoes, salad and tofu feta in shallow bowls and serve immediately. Note, you will have tofu feta leftover, store in the fridge in an airtight container up to 3 days.
With love & hope for a better future for all of us - Jamie
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