Here’s a fun idea from RA Sushi in Orlando: sushi lollipops!

While you may not have the skill to roll your own, it’s easy enough to buy ready-made sushi rolls and add this special spin to enjoy with cocktails.

Just pick up some bamboo skewers and mix a dipping sauce. It could be as simple as soy sauce and wasabi or soy sauce, grated ginger, sesame seeds and minced chives (wasabi optional).

Depending on the rolls, you could use sweet chili sauce or citrussy ponzu sauce.

Here’s a recipe for homemade ponzu sauce—so much more delicious than store-bought (except for the deluxe ponzu sauce from Yakami Orchard).

As always, have fun with it!

Squeeze tubes of fruits and veggies are not just for kids. While they started out targeted to the junior set, moms and other adults started to enjoy the benefits of the easily portable, wholesome fruit and vegetable snacks.

So Plum Organics, which had been making products for kids, developed the Plum Vida line for grown-ups. The flavors are more complex and sophisticated, and the portions are larger. The five-ounce pouches can be kept in pockets, purses, lockers, glove compartments, desk drawers—pretty much anywhere.

Each pouch delivers a light, flavorful, refreshing and healthful snack, made entirely from organic fruits and vegetables with a hint of herbs and spices.

You can sip it from the pouch or mix it with hot tea or club soda. You can even use it as a sweet salad dressing (we added a splash of good vinegar). We eat it at room temperature, but on a hot summer day, you can chill it in the fridge.

 
Each pouch delivers:

 
The line is certified kosher by OU, certified USDA Organic and Non GMO verified. It is currently sold exclusively at target stores (in the beverage aisle), for $1.99 a pouch.

And there’s a $1.00 coupon on the Plum Vida website to make your first pouch even sweeter.
 
  

Last year we published a recipe for baked oatmeal with strawberries. It was a big hit.

Here’s a baked oatmeal dish with a different flavor profile: blueberry and almond, courtesy of the London-based blog, Pip & Little Blue. You’ll find many other delicious recipes on the website.

“Pip” created this recipe to be heart-healthy, child-friendly and easy to make. “It has to be both one of the yummiest and healthiest breakfasts in my repertoire,” she says.

“It may feel like you’re indulging and eating cake for breakfast, but this is jam-packed full of blueberries, oats, soy milk and almonds, all proven to be good for your heart and low in fat to boot. Way way better than [plain] porridge” [see note below].

You can reheat slices in the microwave at home or at work, for a nutritious breakfast every day in 30 seconds.
 
 
RECIPE: BLUEBERRY & ALMOND BAKED OATMEAL

Ingredients For 8 Servings

It may look like cake, but it’s baked oatmeal for breakfast! You can use an oblong pan, but doesn’t the oatmeal look prettier in a round one? Photo © Pip & Little Blue.

†For a gluten-free version, use gluten-free certified oats and gluten-free baking powder.

1. PREHEAT the oven to 375°F/190°C and grease a deep 9-inch baking pan or deep dish.

2. CREAM together the butter and sugar in a large bowl. Beat in the eggs, milk and vanilla extract. Stir in the oats, ground almonds, baking powder, cinnamon and salt until all the ingredients are incorporated.

3. ARRANGE 1 cup of blueberries on the bottom of your baking dish. Spoon the oatmeal mixture on top, even the surface out and scatter the flaked almonds and remaining blueberries on top.

4. BAKE for 40-45 minutes, or until the oatmeal is springy and golden on top. Serve warm , with extra fruit or a splash of milk.
 
 
WHAT IS PORRIDGE?

Porridge is a dish made by boiling ground, crushed, or chopped cereal grains in water or milk. Optional flavorings can be added, from spices to fruits or cheese.

Porridge is usually served hot for breakfast, in a bowl or dish. It may be sweetened with sugar or served as a savory dish (cheese grits is an example).

Castelvetrano olives are not only delicious and one of our favorite varieties; they’re the brightest green olives. So these “red and green” scones are a nice recipe to remember for the holiday season. If you prefer black olives (or no olives), substitute accordingly.

Prep time is 10 minutes, cook time is 15 minutes. Find more of Archana’s recipes at Svaad.Wordpress.com.
 
 
RECIPE: SUNDRIED TOMATO SCONES

Ingredients For 4 Servings

Warm from the oven: sundried tomato and olive scones. Photo ©Archana Ramesh.

1. MIX the flour with the salt, sundried tomatoes, and garlic. Chop the olives and put add them to the mix.

2. CUT the cold butter into this flour mixture with a pastry cutter or two knives, until it’s all crumbly.

3. ADD the milk slowly, mixing until the dry mix turns into a dough. If the dough is too sticky, add some olive oil.

4. SPREAD the dough onto a baking sheet. Using a pizza cutter, cut into triangles. (You can also make specialty shapes with a cookie cutter.)

5. BAKE at 425°F for 10 to 15 minutes, until the tops turn amber. Serve hot, plain or with butter or other spread.
 
 

So today’s tip is to try one of these recipes for tofu fritters—hot comfort food on a cold day. If you decide you like it, great: It’s an inexpensive, lower-calorie, and earth-friendly source of protein.

Agedashi tofu, the recipe below, is our go-to appetizer at Japanese restaurants. Think of it as tofu tempura without the panko breading.
 
 
AGE TOFU

Short for agedashi tofu and pronounced AH-gay DOE-foo (in transliteration, tofu is sometimes dofu), these hot tofu fritters have us hooked. Silken tofu is cut into cubes, which are lightly dusted with potato starch or cornstarch and deep-fried until golden brown. The result is a crisp outside with a creamy, soft inside.

The tofu is served with a hot tentsuyu broth (dashi, mirin, and soy sauce)—sometimes coming to the table in a pool of broth-like sauce, sometimes with the broth served on the side. The tofu arrives garnished with finely chopped green onion, grated daikon, dried bonito flakes (katsuobushi), and sometimes grated ginger.

The tofu soaks up the broth, and along with the garnishes, becomes a complex layering of delicate flavors. If you like spicy, you can add shichimi togarashi, a blend of seven spices including hot red pepper (togarashi) and sansho pepper pods.

There’s an American-style recipe below.
 
 
RECIPE #1: AGE TOFU (AGEDASHI TOFU)

This recipe is adapted from JustOneCookbook.com, where you can see the step-by-step preparation in photos. Prep time is 15 minutes, cook time is 15 minutes.

Ingredients For 3 Servings

 
For The Sauce

 
For The Toppings

 
Preparation

1. DRAIN the tofu by wrapping it in 3-4 layers of paper towels and placing the block on a plate. Place a flat plate on top of the tofu for 15 minutes to squeeze the liquid out.

2. CUT the green onion into thin slices. Peel and grate the daikon.

3. ADD the dashi, soy sauce, and mirin to a saucepan and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat and set it aside. Remove the tofu from the paper towels and cut the tofu into 8 cubes.

4. HEAT 1½ inch of the oil in a deep fryer to 350°F (175°C). Coat the tofu with potato starch/cornstarch and deep fry until the cubes turn light brown and crispy. Remove from the fryer with a slotted spoon and place on a plate lined with paper towels to drain the excess oil.

5. PLACE the cubes in shallow individual bowls and top with the garnishes. Pour the sauce into the dish or serve on the side.
 
 
RECIPE #2: ALEXANDER’S TOFU FRITTERS

[2] Different textures of tofu are used for different purposes. Here’s an explanation from Tofupedia (photo © Tofupedia).

[3] Shichimi togarashi, also called Japanese seven spice because it’s a blend of seven spices that you can use on many other dishes. Here’s more about it (photo © Colourbox | Yahoo).

[4] Alexander’s Tofu Fritters. The recipe is below (photo © House Foods).

Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. PREHEAT 3-4 inches of oil to 325°F in a large pot or deep fryer.

2. CHAR/BURN the skin of the peppers on all sides over a gas burner on high heat. Once done, cover the peppers in a heatproof bowl and set aside for 10 minutes to steam. Rub the peppers under cold water to remove the skin. Remove the core, seeds, and white membrane and dice into small cubes. Set aside.

3. MASH the tofu with a fork in a large bowl. Whisk to smooth the tofu; then mix in the baking powder and flour until well combined. Add the milk and beat until smooth. Season with salt, pepper, and smoked paprika. Fold in corn, peppers, scallions, and chili flakes with a spatula.

4. DROP the batter into the fryer using a 1½-inch ice cream scoop or two spoons. Fry for approximately 5 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oil with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Season as needed with more salt and pepper, and serve with a dipping sauce.

5. DIPPING SAUCE: We whisked the recipe ingredients—chili flakes, paprika and scallions, salt and pepper—plus a spoonful of tomato paste, into plain Greek yogurt.
 
Find many more tofu recipes at House-Foods.com.