Clarendon Blvd. Tofu Tikka Masala

Well, I just moved into my new apartment in Arlington!
I'm so excited!!!!!

Not only is it AMAZING, but it has a rooftop pool, sundeck, and a gym (not to mention an adjacent Starbucks -- so dangerous!) Another thing -- for the first time in my DC-area life -- a Trader Joe's is in walking distance! Which makes it so much easier for me to make more spontaneous meals that are healthy, delicious, and not to mention -- adventurous in ingredients. This morning, I woke up and walked to TJ's to get some groceries. Craving some Chicken Tikka Masala (an amazingly yummy Indian dish, if you have yet to try it,) I decided to pick up some tofu knowing I had some Tikka Masala sauce already in my pantry. I sautéed it with some TJ's country potatoes (feel free to leave this out if you don't have.) Well, when I reached for the Tikka Masala sauce (keep in mind, it's 9 PM and I'm super comfy in my pajamas at this point....) I saw that the package had a 7.27.2013 "best by"date -- yes, a whopping 7+ months ago. Not gonna happen. So -- I was almost tempted to sub in tomato sauce instead, but I knew I had to give the Tikka Masala a go. I got suited up (puffy coat and all) and got even more exercise by trekking it down Clarendon Blvd. to Whole Foods (also in walking distance -- I'm amazed.)

I hope you enjoy.

Servings: 4
Calories: 513 (with all brand ingredients below; per MyFitnessPal... also see note below.)

What You'll Need:

• 1 package Trader Joe's "Country Potatoes with Wild Mushrooms and Haricots Verts"
• 1 package Trader Joe's sprouted extra firm tofu 
• Tofu is an amazing and inexpensive source of protein, but feel free to use chicken or any other meat instead!
• 2 packages Saffron Road Tikka Masala simmer sauce 
• Works just as well with 1 package, but I like it runny =)
• 1 cup dry brown rice
• Stove/Pots

The Step-by-Step:

1. Place about 2 cups water in a pot, cover it, and let it heat on the stove until it's boiling (about 10 min.)
2. When the water is boiling, add in the brown rice. Stir and cover. Turn down the heat a little.
3. While the rice is cooking, take a separate pot and spray with some cooking spray. Add in the country potatoes and heat until cooked through.
4. Cut the tofu into cubes and stir it into the potatoes.
5. After about 5 min, add in the sauce.
6. Add a little salt and pepper, and stir.
7. Check the rice (it should take about 25 min to cook if you add it to boiling water, which we did.) If it's ready, serve 1/2 cup of cooked rice on the plate and top it with the Tikka Masala mixture.
8. Optional: I cut up some strips of kale and used it as a garnish -- feel free to do the same!

xoxo n

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A Note on Calories

This is the first recipe I've posted with specific calorie amounts, because this is the first post with I've written with specific brand-name ingredients. I did so because its what I had on hand, and plus, quite honestly, every once in a while its easier to use something that's premade if you trust the ingredients on the package. I definitely read the ingredients of the simmer sauce and the country potatoes and I approve of them. And honestly, I have no idea how to make Tikka Masala sauce from scratch (right now; give me a week or so to research!) Anyways -- my point is -- premade ingredients or "shortcuts" are good every once in a while, as long as you enjoy them in moderation. When I plugged in these specific ingredients into my calorie counter app, My Fitness Pal, it said there was 513 calories per serving. Obviously, you can change the calorie amount  if you do any of the below:

Change the ingredients (if you use chicken instead of tofu, or 1 package of sauce instead of 2)
Change the portions (if you divide the food into 5 portions instead of 4, the calories per meal will go down. The opposite happens if you make this only 3 meals compared to 4.)

I hope this meal turns out as yummy and as satisfying for you as it did for me!

Enjoy the nutrients, and enjoy the calories =)