Wow it has been a difficult week. Last Saturday we said goodbye to our sweet and handsome Jack. Jack has been in our family since February 2010. We adopted him from the Franklin County Dog Shelter. It’s hard to really say why I was so persistent that he was the right dog for us. It was something about the way he looked at me in his crate. He came over to the bars and sat back to back with me for a while. I loved his energy even then. We had some hurdles to tackle when we brought him home. He had food and environmental allergies. His eyelids were raw and hairless where he had rubbed them. But he was always happy and up for ANYTHING! His excitement to start the day, have breakfast, take a walk, go to the bathroom, sit on the couch, take a car ride, meet new people and on and on was an incredible testament to how a dogs amazing spirit can change your life. When I picked him up from the pound to take him home, I decided to stop at the park to walk him before I brought him in the house. He walked up to the biggest dog in the park and tried to hump it’s face (smiling from ear to ear).

Jack had two best friends; Woods and Stanley. Jack was a part of Andy Camp (my Mom and Step Fathers pack of dogs). He went on vacations to Virginia, West Virginia and North Carolina. In West Virginia he was able to run wild in the woods with his cousins and even got head butted by a goat named Dude. He was brother to Mr. Karl Peepers, our Chihuahua who was a complete scaredy cat when we adopted him. Jack’s joy and acceptance helped Karl become the brave little guy he is today. Jack loved to dress up, loved to lick kids faces and loved to dig up my garden.

What I will miss most about him, and what my husband and I are struggling with losing, was his curiosity and absolute pleasure in just being alive! He was an inspiration. I feel an emptiness that is immeasurable. To love an animal is to accept that we will lose them. I am not there yet.

I am sharing this, not only to get it off my chest, but to ask, how do we stay motivated to move forward with our plans and goals when stuck in grief? I know that so many things seem unimportant to me right now. I also know this feeling will get better. When faced with examining our past to reflect on a life departed, how do we move forward?

I had planned to make this recipe last week, before we lost Jack. I have been looking at the WW 0 point food list for inspiration. I wanted to build a meal that was colorful, had different textures and strong flavors. Many non vegetarians I know are often put off by tofu? I love it and have experimented with lots of ways to cook and prepare it. There is some debate about if you should press tofu or not. The answer is, it depends! Sorry, I had to say that. I like the soft and puffy tofu in this recipe with a crispy outside. If you prefer a denser texture, you can pat the block dry and press it for about 15 minutes under something heavy (like a iron skillet). If not, please follow the directions below.

Red cabbage, red peppers, yellow peppers, carrots and cucumbers on a blue plate.

Baked strips of tofu on an aluminum tray.

Sunbutter dressing in a small glass canning jar with red lid and vegetables in the background.

Thai Vegetarian Salad with Sunbutter Dressing and Tofu

Author: Jodi Boatman Prep Time: 30 Minutes Cook time: 20 Minutes

Total Time: 45 Minutes Yields: 4 Servings

Print Recipe

Ingredients:

Salad:

2 english cucumbers, spiralized
2 large carrots, shaved with a vegetable peeler
1/2 head of small red cabbage, shredded
1 small red pepper, julienned
1 small yellow pepper, julienned
Scallions to garnish

Baked Tofu:

1 package of extra firm tofu drained and patted dry
non-stick spray
1 TBSP Super Veg

Sunbutter Dressing:

3 TBSP soy sauce
3 TBSP Sunbutter
3 TBSP rice wine vinegar
1 TBSP agave nectar
2 TBSP warm water
1 TSP sriracha
1 TSP fresh lime juice
1/4 C honey roasted peanuts

Instructions:

Preheat oven to °425

Cut tofu into 16 strips. Spray non-stick spray onto a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Place tofu on baking sheet with room around the tofu so it crisps up while baking. Sprinkle tofu with Super Veg. Bake for 20 minutes, turning tofu over after 10 minutes.

While you are waiting for the tofu to cook, spiralize the english cucumber. Create carrot ribbons with a vegetable peeler. Shred cabbage. Julianne peppers and chop scallions.

To make dressing, mix together all ingredient in a jar and shake until combined.

Divide all ingredients into 4 bowls and serve!