It’s sugaring season in Vermont and here at the heart of Maple Syrup nation my neighbors are tapping the trees, pulling out 40 gallons of sap to boil down to one gallon of syrup. While most people just use maple syrup on pancakes, I find its sweet, earthy flavor pairs well with all sorts of foods. Here are a few of my favorite recipes using maple syrup:
Sesame-Maple Roasted Tofu (see recipe below): This quick and healthy dinner pairs creamy tofu and crispy snap peas with a tahini-maple sauce. Serve with udon noodles and Green Tea-Poached Pears for dessert.
Maple-Walnut Tapioca Pudding: Turn comforting tapioca pudding into a special dessert for two by spiking it with pure maple syrup and finishing it with a simple spiced maple-nut topping.
Maple-Glazed Chicken Breasts: Here’s an easy main dish that’s sure to set you on your own quest for the best syrup. Start the chicken breasts marinating on a Saturday afternoon for a quick meal later in the day, just about the time you come in from raking the last of the winter leaves off the garden.
Spinach Salad with Warm Maple Dressing: Pure maple syrup, as opposed to artificially flavored and colored "pancake" syrup, is an extraordinary cooking ingredient. Here it adds body as well as rich flavor to the dressing, providing a perfect counterpoint to the smoked cheese.
Maple Walnut Cake: Reminiscent of a British sticky toffee pudding, this cake gets its moisture from dates; toasted nuts and maple give it an intoxicating fragrance.
Sesame-Maple Roasted Tofu
1 14-ounce block extra-firm water-packed tofu, rinsed, patted
dry and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 medium red onion, sliced
2 teaspoons canola oil
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon tahini (see Tip)
1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons pure maple syrup
1 teaspoon cider vinegar
3 cups sugar snap peas, trimmed
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
1. Preheat oven to 450°F.
2. Toss tofu, onion, canola oil, sesame oil, salt and pepper in a
large bowl. Spread on a large baking sheet and roast until the tofu
is lightly golden on top and the onions are browning in spots, 15
to 20 minutes.
3. Whisk tahini, soy sauce, maple syrup and vinegar in a small dish
until combined. Remove the tofu from the oven, add snap peas and
drizzle with the maple sauce; stir to combine. Sprinkle with sesame
seeds. Return to the oven and continue roasting until the peas are
crisp-tender, 8 to 12 minutes more.
Makes 4 servings, about 1 1/4 cups each.
Per serving: 197 calories; 12 g fat (2 g sat, 4 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 13 g carbohydrate; 11 g protein; 3 g fiber; 305 mg sodium; 219 mg potassium. Nutrition bonus: Calcium (25% daily value), Vitamin C (20% dv), Iron (15% dv).
Tip: Tahini is a smooth, thick paste made from ground sesame
seeds. Look for it in the Middle Eastern section or near other nut
butters in large supermarkets.
By Hilary Meyer
EatingWell assistant editor Hilary Meyer spends much of her time in the EatingWell Test Kitchen, testing and developing healthy recipes. She is a graduate of New England Culinary Institute.
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