Tofu, Broccoli and Sweet Potato Yellow Curry

My sister and I decided that we would embark on one month of clean eating this month. No sugar, no alcohol, minimally processed, no dairy, no white flour, no white rice and no bread or pasta. To be clear, this is NOT a New Year's resolution as I personally find those to be silly fodder and a great way to set people up for failure. What motivated us was not the start of a new year, but a desire to improve our energy levels and reduce the environmental stress on our bodies.

My sister will be the first to admit she is lazy when it comes to her diet and cooking. She would rather not eat at all than to be committed to the kitchen. This is very interesting to me as she always cooked for her kids growing up. Thankfully I am more than willing to take on the kitchen in all its glory. It has been a very long time since I have been motivated and excited to be in the kitchen, so this challenge has been good for my spirit as well as my body. I'll stop waxing philosophic and get to what you came here for...the food.

I love curry. I love making it myself even more. This gives me the freedom to add the veggies I love the most and leave out all the stuff that I usually pull out (think bamboo shoots). I scoured the internet for the perfect recipe and found elements from different recipes that sounded good, but just not quite what I was looking for in a curry. I'm not afraid of healthy fats. If you are, this might not be the recipe for you. It is full of colorful veggies and lots of flavor. This recipe is not as saucy as a lot of curries I've experienced in my culinary travels. This was by design as I wanted a version that could hold up on its own with or without rice. I went for no rice myself.  Feel free to sub your favorite veggies, but I recommend leaving the sweet potatoes as they add a beautiful creaminess to the texture.

Tofu, Broccoli and Sweet Potato Yellow Curry

4 Servings

1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced into 1/4 inch cubes

3 tablespoons coconut oil, separated (more if needed)

12 oz package of extra firm tofu, drained and pressed, diced into 1/2 inch cubes

1-2 tablespoons non-GMO corn starch or arrowroot powder

1 medium yellow or brown onion, diced

5 cloves minced garlic separated

3 tablespoons hot yellow curry powder (use milder if you aren't a fan of heat)

1 teaspoon cumin

1/2 - 1 t crushed red pepper flakes

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon cardamom

pinch cayenne pepper

1 can coconut milk (you can use light if you are fat conscious)

1/2 cup rich vegetable broth

2 heads broccoli, cut into bit sized florets

1 large red bell pepper, diced

1/2 cup lightly packed cilantro, chopped (optional)

Sriracha or sambal olek (chili sauce) to taste

Preheat oven to 350. On a parchment lined rimmed baking sheet toss diced sweet potatoes with 1 tablespoon melted coconut oil and a bit of salt and pepper. Bake until softened but not mushy (check at about 15 minutes cook longer if needed). When they are done, remove from oven and set aside.

While the sweet potatoes are baking, pat the cubed tofu dry. Toss in corn starch to lightly coat. In a large skillet melt 1 tablespoon coconut oil over medium heat. Saute the tofu cubes until golden brown (turning half way through to brown evenly). You may have to do this in two  batches and add more oil depending on the size of your pan. Gently transfer tofu to a paper towel lined plate. 

In the same skillet melt 1 tablespoon coconut oil. Add onions and saute until they are softened and slightly translucent. Add 1/2 of the garlic and saute for 1 minute. Add dry spices and saute until fragrant (approximately 30 seconds). Pour in coconut milk and vegetable broth. Reduce heat to a low simmer. 

In another large skillet, saute the broccoli and peppers until they are al dente and bright in color, about 7 minutes. Add remaining garlic and saute for about 1 more minute being careful not to burn the garlic. Remove from heat. 

Add the tofu and the sweet potatoes to the onion/coconut milk mixture and heat through, about 3 minutes. Stir liquid mixture into the broccoli/pepper mixture and stir until combined. Cook slightly longer until all ingredients are heated (maybe another 3 minutes). Stir in cilantro if using. Ladle into 4 bowls on its own or over brown basmati rice. Season to taste with Sriracha (optional).

I hope you enjoy my foray into the world of curry. If you try the recipe, please leave a comment to let me know how it came out and how you liked it. Thanks for reading.

Weekend Sunny Breakfast (or brunch if you like to sleep in)

When I go to the farmers market or the grocery store, I always go overboard buying fresh organic produce. I always have things on the edge (and sometimes over the edge) of going bad. I hate to waste produce. Last weekend was another one of those days. So I decided to make a very vegiful healthy breakfast.

I had a rainbow of fresh veggies. The heat is starting to stress my fresh herbs so I cut a bunch of them to sue as well. This colorful scramble is full of antioxidants and nutrients. Most of all it is full of fresh herb flavor. I recommend slicing, dicing and chopping before you get started cooking to make things go easy peasy. So if you wake up tomorrow morning and want the sun to shine in your mouth, this might just be the recipe for you! Feel free to sub veggies you need to use up in your fridge.

Sunny Day Rainbow Scramble

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup thinly sliced cremini mushrooms
1 yellow bell pepper, diced
1 small zucchini, quartered and thinly sliced
1 medium tomato, diced
2 cups kale, stems removed torn into bite sized pieces
1 tablespoon minced fresh sage leaves*
1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary*
1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme*
1/2 teaspoon tumeric
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1 1/2 teaspoon Braggs liquide aminos or low sodium tamari
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
1-12 oz package extra firm tofu, water squeezed out

In a 12 inch iron skillet or non stick pan over medium heat add olive oil. Let warm for about 30 seconds. Add onion and garlic and sauté until onions are slightly softened, about 2-3 minutes. Add mushrooms and yellow bell pepper and sauté for about 3-4 more minutes until mushrooms start to release their liquid. Add zucchini, tomato and kale. Saute until kale is wilted, about 3-5 minutes. Add sage, rosemary and thyme. Saute until herbs start to become fragrant, about 30 seconds. Crumble tofu into vegetable mixture. Sprinkle with turmeric, nutritional yeast, Braggs, salt and pepper. Gently stir until well combined. Cook, stirring occasionally to make sure nothing burns to the bottom, until tofu is heated through, about 3 minutes. Serve immediately. This also reheats well.

*measured after mincing

MoFo 2013 - Day 21 - S is for Spinach Scramble

No plant based diet would be complete without the scramble. This is a great way to introduce friends to tofu. In this role, tofu is very unassuming. I can hardly tell the difference between scrambled tofu and scrambled eggs.

Scrambles are fun too! Like bowls, you can make any themed scramble you choose. They are a great way to use up leftovers in the fridge too. Turmeric is used to give scrambles that sunny yellow color people associate with scrambled eggs and adds some great health benefits as well. Another great thing about scrambles is they are fantastic to roll up in a tortilla for breakfast on the go.  They have no cholesterol. If you are gluten-free, use a gluten free soy sauce and you are set to go!

I like to get all of my ingredients prepped and ready to go before I start cooking as the process goes pretty fast.

Spinach Scramble

Makes 4 Servings

2 teaspoons olive oil
4 oz. cremini mushrooms, sliced thinly
1/2 orange or red bell pepper, medium dice
1 clove garlic, minced
2 teaspoons low sodium tamari or soy sauce*
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon herbs de Province
1 - 12 oz package extra firm tofu with water gently squeezed out, crumbled
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
1 1/2 cups chopped fresh spinach

Heat a 12-inch iron or non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil, mushrooms and bell pepper. Saute until mushrooms start to soften and release some of their liquid, about 3-5 minutes. Add garlic and saute for about 30 more seconds. Pour in tamari and saute for about a minute until all of the liquid is gone, about 1 minutes. Add turmeric, thyme. black pepper, salt and Herbs de Province and saute until herbs are just fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add crumbled tofu and nutritional yeast. Saute until tofu is heated through, about 3 minutes. toss in chopped spinach and saute until spinach is just wilted, about 2 minutes.

Garnish with chopped chives and grated vegan cheese (optional).

* If you use regular instead of low-sodium, cut back on the amount of salt.

Use GF tamari and this recipe is GF!!!

Iron Chef: Hot Chiles, Sunflower Seeds and Grapes

Today's Iron Chef entry is brought to you by the foods Hot Chile, Sunflower Seeds and Grapes. As I looked at this list of ingredients I was instantly psyched because hot chiles were part of the challenge. Sunflower seeds, no problem. It was the grapes that had me stumped. The only way I usually tend to consume grapes is in a good wine. I don't usually care for them with savory stuff and I figured a lot of my challengers would go the sweet route. What to do?

At first I was going to tackle a brunch dish. I had planned to make a breakfast sandwich. I thought maybe some type of biscuit with sunflower seeds in it and maybe some type of chile-grape jam. I set about making the jam and it ended up being the texture of applesauce. Had I not been so bummed out I may have thought to use it in a scone or something like that. Instead, I scrapped brunch as it was after 1pm by now.

I decided to get back to my love of the great Southwest and its flavorful and spicy personality. First I made a cilantro-sunflower seed pesto.

Cilantro-Sunflower Pesto

Yields 1 1/4 cups

3 cups lightly packed cilantro leaves (small stems are ok)
3 cloves garlic
1/3 cup sunflower seeds
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon agave nectar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Place all ingredients except for the olive oil in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse to combine then run processor until well chopped. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil and let run until pesto is fairly smooth, scraping the sides once or twice.. Add more salt to taste if needed. Will keep in refrigerator for up to two weeks and will freeze for 6 months. GF

Next I got to marinating some tofu see recipe below.

Cilantro-Sunflower Pesto Marinated Tofu

1/2 cup vegetable broth
3 Tablespoons Cilantro-Sunflower Pesto
1 tablespoon Aji Panca Paste (can be found in some hispanic markets or online)
1 tablespoon low sodium tamari
8 oz. extra firm tofu, drained, pressed and sliced into 8 equal rectangular pieces

In an 8 x 8 baking dish whisk together marinade ingredients. Add tofu in a single layer. Marinade for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight, turning once.

Tofu can be grilled or baked in marinade.

Then I set about using those pesky grapes. I have to say the results far exceeded my expectations! This is what I came up with:

Grape-Avocado Pico de Gallo

1/2 cup green and red seedless grapes, quartered
2 medium red tomatoes, diced about 1/4" dice
1/2 cup tightly packed cilantro, coarsely chopped
1 very hot fresno (red) chile pepper, finely diced*
2 tablespoon red onion finely diced
juice of one lime
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/8 teaspoon salt, or to taste
 1 small avocado, peeled and diced

In a medium sized bowl, combine grapes, tomatoes, cilantro, hot chile pepper, onion, lime juice, cumin and salt. After they are well combined, gently fold in diced avocado. Let sit for about 30 minutes to let flavors meld. Serve immediately. GF

* I feel it is very important to use a pretty hot variety of chile. It contrast the sweetness of the grapes beautifully.

So I had all the players lined up. I first thought I would make a tostada. That was until I realized after two trips to the store this morning, I had no lettuce or cabbage in my house. Two times was enough, so I switched gears. I had some corn tortillas in the fridge and a big ol' bottle of canola oil left over from a cooking class. Have you figured out where I'm going with this yet? Taquitos!!

Pesto Marinated Grilled Tofu and Black Bean Taquitos

1 recipe Cilantro-Sunflower Seed Pesto Marinated Tofu (see recipe above), reserve 1 tablespoon marinade
1 - 15 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup Cilantro-Sunflower Seed Pesto (see recipe above)
12 corn tortillas
1/3 cup Daiya Mozzerella Shreds
Oil for frying

Preheat grill to 350. Oil grill grates. Place sliced marinated tofu on hot grill and brush with marinade. Grill for 5 minutes or until nice grill marks appear and tofu is golden. Turn and brush other side with marinade. Grill for 5 more minutes until tofu is golden and slightly firm. Dice into 1/2 dice and set aside.

In small saucepan, combine black beans, 1 tablespoon reserved marinade and 1/4 cup pesto. Simmer over medium heat until beans are heated through. Gently stir in tofu and remove from heat.

Heat oil to 350. If you don't have a thermometer, use a small piece of tortilla to test heat. If it bubbles slightly, you are ready to go. It is really important to make sure the oil is not too hot or your taquitos will fall apart.

Assemble taquitos.

Take one tortilla at a time and place in oil for about 10 seconds to soften tortilla. It is very important to do this step to prevent tortillas from breaking apart. Carefully place softened tortilla on a paper towel lined plate. On end of tortilla closest to you, sprinkle 1-2 teaspoons shredded Daiya. Scoop approx. 2 tablespoons tofu-black bean mixture over Daiya in a straight line. Gently roll tortilla over filling until it resembles a cigar.

Here is the tricky part. These little guys like to unroll when you put them in the oil. I suppose you could use a pick to hold them shut, but they can tear pretty easily, so be careful if you pick 'em shut. If you successfully pick them, you could probably cook 2-3 at a time. I chose to cook one at a time and gently place them in the oil, seam side down, immediately holding the taquito with tongs using very light pressure. Fry for about 3 minutes, then turn over. Fry for about 2-3 more minutes or until beautifully golden. Using tongs drain excess oil from both ends of taquito. Place on paper towel lined plate, and repeat for remaining tortillas.

Serve immediately with a healthy serving of Grape-Avocado Pico de Gallo (recipe above).

Don't forget to comment on yesterday's post by midnight MST tonight (10/28/12) for a chance to win Vegan a la Mode...cuz you need a frozen dessert after this dish! The winner will be announced tomorrow!

Sometimes Simple is Best

If you've been following the blog for a while or you know me personally, you are probably aware that my recipes often contain a load of ingredients. In my defense, they are often just spices that (hopefully) you have on hand. Last night I was in the mood for simple, wholesome food with very few ingredients; something that I could whip up without having to depend on my great dried herb arsenal. 

The herb barrel is doing quite well now. Those fresh herbs were calling out to me to be used. In addition, the fridge was stuffed full of produce quickly coming to the end of its prime. I bought lots of fresh goodies at the farmers' market the week before with good intentions of cooking up a storm. As my busy schedule would have it, cooking was not to be on the agenda after all. 

After a quick trip to cut the herbs and sort out the mess in the fridge I found the makings for a lovely, fairly light dinner. The smells of roasting rosemary, oregano and garlic were heaven to the nose. I don't know if it is even fair to call these recipes, but I will anyway!

Greek Lemon Tofu

4 servings

1 - 12 oz package extra firm tofu, pressed and cut into 8 triangles

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoon vegetable stock

1 tablespoon fresh chopped oregano, measured after chopping

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon or so lemon pepper seasoning

2 teaspoons + 2 tablespoons panko bread crumbs

spray olive oil

In an 8 x 8 baking dish stir together lemon juice, olive oil, vegetable stock and garlic until well combined. Place sliced tofu in a single layer in pan. Marinate for at least two hours, preferably overnight, turning about half way through marinating time. Remove tofu from pan and reserve marinade. 

Preheat oven to 350. 

Lightly oil parchment lined baking dish (you can use the same dish you used for the marinade, rinsing first). Place tofu in single layer in baking dish and sprinkle with lemon pepper seasoning. Brush or drizzle with reserved marinade. Bake for 20 minutes. Turn over and sprinkle other side with lemon pepper seasoning. Brush or drizzle lightly with reserved marinade. Sprinkle about 1 teaspoon panko bread crumbs. Spray generously with spray olive oil or canola oil. Bake for another 20 minutes until panko is nicely browned. Remove from pan with spatula. Serve immediately with Rosemary Roasted Red Potatoes (recipe below).

Rosemary Roasted Red Potatoes

Make 4 servings

2 pounds small red potatoes, with peels, quartered

3 sprigs fresh rosemary (approx. 2 tablespoons), removed from stem

3 large cloves garlic, crushed

2 tablespoons olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400.

In a large saucepan, add enough water to cover potatoes. Over medium heat bring water and potatoes to bowl. Reduce heat to low to simmer until just barely fork soft, about 15 minutes. Drain well. 

Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Toss together all ingredients. Salt and pepper to taste. Place in the oven and roast for 25 minutes. Turn the potatoes and roast for 20-25 more minutes until potatoes are starting to turn golden brown. Remove from oven and serve immediately.

MOFO - Day 4 - More Tofu!

Lets talk more about tofu. Tofu is not tofu is not tofu. Different types of tofu have different uses. Newbie tofu users may find themselves confused of frustrated when they see the different types of tofu in the store. Here is a quickie rule of thumb.


Soft and/or silken tofu is just as it says: soft. It will crumble and fall apart very easily. It is best used for dishes where it can be mixed in uses as a thickener. I use it in the recipe below. It is also excellent for making smoothies, mousse, dressings, sauces...you get the picture. While I have seen silken tofu in the refrigerated section, it is usually found by the Asian section on the shelves of your grocery store. It can be stored in a cool dry place for up to a year. Pictured below is my preferred brand and type. As I mentioned earlier. I always try to buy and use organic, non-GMO tofu.

Also pictured below is my beloved Veganaise. This variety is organic and does have a little soy in it. There is minimal protein in it, but man it tastes like the real deal!

 

Probably the most common style of tofu seen in the stores is called tub tofu. It comes in a little plastic tub and is soaking in water. This is found in the refrigerated section and must be kept refrigerated. I am a big fan of extra firm for most dishes, but the firm also works great in dishes like tofu scramble or making tofu based cheeses. This type of tofu has many other uses. It is great in stir frys, grilled, sauteed, fried, baked, just about any way you might use meat. 

One important thing to remember about tub tofu is that for many recipes it should be drained and pressed. This is something that I learned the hard way. Pressing the tofu takes out extra moisture that can give the tofu an unpleasant, mushy texture in many recipes. There are several methods to pressing tofu. Being the gadget girl that I am, I bought myself a Tofu X-press, but two plates a bag of beans (or some other heavy food item from your pantry) and a clean kitchen towel will do nicely as well. Place the drained tofu on a towel lined plate. Top with the second plate and put your weight on top. Make sure the weight is not too heavy or it will crush your little block of tofu. Let it press for about an hour and you should be good to go. I often put my tofu in the fridge before I go to work and let it press all day for time-sake.

You may also find brick style tofu. This is similar to tub style, but is not swimming in liquid. It tends to be much more firm and is best in dishes with sauces as it doesn't absorb flavors as readily as the tub style.

Ok, now that you are an expert at the different type of tofu, I'm going to share with you a very tasty and fun way to use silken tofu (and Veganaise). It's not low fat, but it is a tasty and awesome party dish.

Special Spinach Artichoke Dip

Makes 3 1/2 cups

1 - 12.3 oz. package aseptic packaged silken firm tofu (like Nori-mu)
1/4 cup Vegannaise
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 tablespoon capers, dained
2 large cloves minced garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons granulated onion
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

8 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed excess water squeezed out
1 - 8.5 oz can artichoke hearts, drained, corsely chopped
1 - jarred roasted red pepper, diced (approx 1/3 - 1/2 cup)
3 tablespoon chopped Kalamata olives
2 tablespoons chopped chives

In a food processor blend tofu through black pepper until smooth, scraping sides occasionally. Transfer to a large bowl. Add spinach and mix until well combined. Add remaining ingredients and gently stir until ingredients are evenly distributed. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. For best flavor, let sit in fridge for at least one hour for flavors to meld. Serve with pita chips, crusty bread and or fresh veggies.

MOFO Day 2 - Soy You Think You can Dance

Soy has been touted as the greatest protein source since sliced bread by many nutritionists and health advocates. Lately it has come under fire because of its estrogenic effects. Personally, I feel that the natural estrogenic compounds found in soy are a lot less harmful than the synthetic hormones, anti-biotics and sub standard feed forced upon the poor animals that end up on the plate; not to mention the increase in food borne illnesses caused by the unsanitary and unhealthy practices the mass meat producers use in their factory farms.

It pays to do your reasearch when you are in search of good sources of soy protein. Highly processed food are generally not the best for you, soy products included. That said, it is best to try and find organic, non-GMO minimally processed soy products for the best health benefits. Definitely stay away from any label that includes hydrolyzed soy protein or soy protein isloate or concentrate as much as you possibly can. Stick with products that are minimally processed like organic tofu, tempeh, miso and edamame. I do use soy milk and soy creamer in some of my recipes, but I tend to stick with the four I mentioned and Tamari or Shoyu sauce for flavor and saltiness (I'm a bit of a saltaholic).

Tofu is probably the most commonly known soy product to the average Joe or Joanne. Rarely do I meet someone who hasn't at least heard of it. Most have either turned their nose up to the innocent 'fu or had it improperly prepared and vowed to never eat it again.  Hopefully many people are lucky enough to have an open mind and mouth and a darn good tofu recipe to try. There are some great vegan cook books out there that can provide you with the tools you need to make a delicious soy based meal.

I was never a big fan of the 'fu myself. But I have really grown to appreciate it's adaptability and flexibility for many recipes. Today's recipe includes tofu in, what I believe, to be its most common form: firm block tofu. This time I used a type I haven't used much in the past. I tried out Wildwood Brand's Tariyaki marinated tofu. It was not bad, but I much prefer to press and marinade my own to get just the flavor I want. More about pressing tofu (and about the many varieties and uses of tofu) in another post.

The recipe I bring to you today was a combination of "what do I have in the fridge?" and "how many proteins can I put in one dish?". Well to answer that I would have to say lots! First we have the soy group: tofu, edamame, miso, and tamari. Lets look at some of the other ingredients. Sesame seeds provide 4.8-6 grams of protein per ounce (toated/raw). If you get the unhulled variety you will gain a good dose of calcium as well. Each serving of soba noodles contains 10g of protein. Many vegetables contain trace amounts of protein as well.

According to Livestrong.com's MyPlate application, each serving of The following recipe boasts 34 grams of protein!!! That is well over half the RDA for men or women. Not too shabby for one delicious meatless meal!

Soba - Tofu Protein Packed Awesomeness

2 tablespoons sesame oil divided
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
2 large cloves garlic minced
1 cup edamame, thawed
1 cup snow peas, trimmed
1 yellow bell pepper, cut into 1 inch pieces, about 1 cup
3 green onions, sliced at an angle white and green parts separated.
8 oz cremini mushrooms, sliced
1 bunch bok choy, cut into bite sized pieces, about 3 cups
Miso Sauce (recipe below)
6 oz soba noodles, cooked according to package directions, rinsed with cold water to stop cooking.
2 tablespoons un-hulled sesame seeds (you can use regular if that is what you have)


Make miso sauce first. In large wok or saute pan heat 1 tablespoon sesame oil over medium heat. Saute ginger and garlic until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Increase heat to medium high. Add edamame, snow peas bell pepper, white and light green parts of green onion. Saute for about 3-4 minutes until peas and pepper are very slightly soft and turn bright colors. If veggies start sticking and pan is too dry, add a touch of water. Add remaining tablespoon of sesame oil and sliced mushrooms. Saute until mushrooms just start to release their liquid, about 3 minutes. Add bok choy and saute until the bok choy is al dente. Gently toss in rinsed soba noodles and miso sauce. Stir until just combined and heated through.

Garnish with sesame seeds and green parts of green onions.

Serve immediately.

Miso Sauce

1/2 cup low sodium vegetable broth or water
3 tablespoons red miso
1 tablespoon low sodium tamari or soy sauce
1 tablespoon brown rice vinegar
1/2 teaspoon 5 spice powder
1/4 teaspoon white pepper

In bowl, combine all ingredients until miso is dissolved. Can store for up to a week in an airtight container in the fridge.

Tune in tomorrow when I will be talking a bit about how to get your protein on the hiking trail!!

Stuffed Wild Mushroom Manicotti

This weekend we headed up to the Grand Canyon. If you have never been there, it truly is a wonder of the world. However, the food service outlets are average at best. For the second time at the North Rim, the restaurant greatly disappointed our group. Last year the service was deplorable and the food cold. This year we thought we'd give them another try. We had a 645pm reservation. At 645pm we were told that two tour busses had come in and we wouldn't be seated for at least an hour. Are you kidding me? You have to make reservations far in advance for the dining room. Our group was getting up at 3am to hike. This was completely unacceptable and we will not spend our hard earned money there again.

We opted for the deli which had very few vegan options...not really any on the menu itself, but you could work it out. I ended up eating a lot of fried vegetables and chips. Yuck!! I did finally find a nice salad and a baked potato to hold me over. So you can imagine when I got home I was ready for some real, tasty, vegan fare. I was planning on doing something quick as I was pretty sleep deprived. Then I got this bug to get a bit more creative. I've been wanting to develop my own version of tofu-cashew ricotta for an upcoming Valley Dish appearance...and so I did. I decided to take it for a spin in these delicious stuffed manicotti. I still need to do a little work on the sauce, but you really could use your favorite marinara sauce on these with great success. I used a red-pepper sauce that I am toying with and don't quite have perfected. It was fantastic on this! Below I have posted a different sauce than I used, but this one is already tested and really yummy!

Stuffed Wild Mushroom Manicotti

Makes 10 Manicotti

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 shallot, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

½ black pepper

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon dried oregano

2 tablespoons red wine

1/4 lb. Oyster Mushrooms, medium dice (about 2 cups)

1 large portobello, fins removed, medium dice (about 2 cups)

1 recipe Tofu-Cashew Ricotta (recipe below)

10 manicotti shells (cook up a few extra to compensate for any ripped pasta)

2 cups of marinara or your favorite red sauce* (or I have posted a recipe below)

Vegan Mozzarella or Vegan Parmesan (optional)

In a 12 inch cast iron pan or skillet heat olive oil over medium heat. Add shallots and saute until just soft, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add black pepper, salt and oregano and combine. Deglaze with red wine. Saute until liquid is almost gone. About 2 minutes. Add diced mushrooms. Saute until they are almost dry, about 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Preheat oven to 350.

Prepare manicotti according to package directions. Drain and let cool. 

While the pasta is cooking, prepare Tofu-Cashew Ricotta (recipe below).

In medium bowl combine the cooled mushroom mixture and the Tofu-Cashew Ricotta. Put mixture into a large pastry bag with no tip. Using your best pastry bag skills. Fill each pasta tube with the filling by squeezing mixture in slowly. Place each stuffed tube in a lightly oiled 9 x 13 pan. When all 10 are filled and in the pan, spread sauce over the top. Sprinkle on cheese (if using). Bake covered for 30 minutes, then uncovered for the last 5 minutes. Let sit for 10 minutes before serving. 

Tofu-Cashew Ricotta

1/3 cup raw cashews

1 – 14 oz. firm tofu, water squeezed out

1/3 cup nutritional yeast

½ cup loosely packed basil, roughly chopped

1 tablespoon oregano, roughly chopped

2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon olive oil

½ teaspoon salt

¼ black pepper

Place cashews in a small bowl with enough water to cover and come over about 1 inch. Let soak for an hour or longer.

Drain cashews. In large food processor bowl, place cashews and remaining ingredients. Pulse to mix ingredients. Process until smooth (about 5 minutes), scraping sides of processor bowl as necessary. 

Serve this with a simple salad or simple grilled vegetables for a nice filling meal.

* I like a lot of sauce, so if you are like me use 3 cups so you will have some on the side to slather on the pasta.

Roasted Pepper and Garlic Marinara

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 large roasted red bell pepper, peeled, seeded and finely diced

1 head roasted garlic, peeled and chopped fine*

1 28 oz can fire roasted crushed tomatoes

1 15 oz can diced fire roasted tomatoes

1 teaspoon oregano

½ teaspoon dried leaf thyme

½ teaspoon dried basil

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon crushed red pepper

Fresh cracked black pepper to taste

In a large sauce pan over medium heat sauté garlic in olive oil until fragrant, 30-45 seconds. Add red pepper and roasted garlic and sauté for another minute or so. Add remaining ingredients. Let simmer on low for about 30 minutes to let the flavors really develop and meld. If you like a smoother sauce, feel free to blend with a stick blender, in a food processor, or blender. This will be even better the next day.

* To roast garlic, peel outer white layers off of garlic head. Cut top of head off to just barely expose cloves. Bake in 350 degree oven for 30-45 minutes depending on the size of the head. It is done when the garlic will feel soft like a sponge. Squeeze each individual clove to get the beautiful garlic "meat" out. A note of caution, make sure you let your garlic cool before attempting to squeeze the garlic out. It is extremely hot when it first comes out of the oven.

MOFO - Day 21 - IRON Chef Round Up and Blackened Tofu Portobello Benny

This was my first time hosting the MOFO Iron Chef challenge. I'm not sure if I picked tough ingredients or what happened, but there were only three of us who did the challenge. But, oh, what gorgeous recipes they were.

The first entry came from Sugarcookie of the PPK and Down Home Vegan. She braved making a grocery store run after a nasty ice storm to run out to get the ingredients for this (not to mention watching her beloved Vikes get smashed). So I applaud you and hail you truly Iron for your dedication to the challenge!!

Her creation is this beautiful Grilled Portobello with Red Quinoa and Chipotle Cream. Now I HAVE to have one of these salads. Thanks for being so hard core!!!

Next was Christina of Vegan Van-Guard. She slid into home at the last minute! She made a beautiful version of portobello fajitas with and almond based chipotle crema. It looks so good. Check it out!!

I've been neglecting one of my favorite meals this fine MoFo - Brunch! One of my favorite non-vegan brunch dishes was Eggs Benedict. I don't know if it was the presentation, those cute stacks of deliciousness and decadence or if it was the flavor. This dish satisfies both. I wanted to make something that wasn't carb overload and had some good veggie action going on. There are a few components and steps, but you can marinade the tofu and mushrooms the night before. You can also whip up the aioli and blackening spice ahead of time. The aioli will keep for 1-2 weeks in the fridge and the blackening spice will keep for a long time in an airtight container.

Pour yourself a mimosa with fresh squeezed orange juice and have fun with this pretty, delicious re-vamped chile-ized, colorful version of a classic.

Blackened Tofu Portobello Benny

4 medium sized portobello mushrooms, stems and gills removed
I actually used some super giant creminis (about 2 1/2" wide). If you can find them feel free to sub 8 of them.
1 - 14 oz package extra firm tofu, drained and pressed
4 - 1/4 inch thick slices large tomato
1 large avocado cut into slices

Tofu and Mushroom marinade

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons soy
1/2 cup veggie broth
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
1 teaspoon granulated onion
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon Mexican oregano

Blackening Spice

2 teaspoons ancho chile powder
2 teaspoons medium or mild chile powder
2 teaspoon granulated onion
2 teaspoons granulated garlic
3/4 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon white pepper

2 teaspoons olive oil
16 oz spinach, rinsed, leaving some water on leaves
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
4 cloves garlic

Chipotle Garlic Aioli

1/2 cup Vegannaise

4 teaspoons adobo sauce (from can of chipotles in adobo)

2 teaspoon lemon juice

2 teaspoons granulated garlic

In a 9 x 13 baking dish mix all marinade ingredients. Slice tofu into 4 equal slices the length of tofu block, making 4 large steaks (cut into 8 if using smaller mushrooms). Place tofu and mushrooms in pan with marinade. Marinade for at least one hour turning once. 

Preheat oven to 350.

Remove tofu from marinade and place on separate plate. Cover baking dish with foil and bake in oven for 10-15 minutes until juices are running from mushrooms and they are cooked through, but not overcooked.*

While mushrooms are baking prepare blackened tofu. Heat large iron skillet over medium high heat until just under smoking. Spray with canola oil. Place blackening spice in shallow small dish (large enough for tofu to fit in with a little extra space for flipping. Coat each side of tofu with blackening spice and place back on plate. When all slices are coated, spray one side with canola oil. Carefully place oiled side down in hot iron skillet. You might want to turn you vent/fan on at this point. It is likely to get a bit smoky. Blacken tofu on first side for about 3 minutes. Spray other side of tofu with oil before flipping. Blacken on second side for about 2 more minutes being careful not to burn. Turn heat off. 

Next prepare spinach. Spray large high sided saute pan or wok with canola oil. Over medium heat saute garlic for about 30 seconds until it is fragrant. Place slightly wet spinach in pan with lemon juice. Saute, stirring frequently until just wilted.

To assemble benedicts:

On each plate place one portobello mushroom. Layer with sauteed spinach, blackened tofu, tomato slice (sprinkled with a touch of black salt), avocado and dollop with 1-2 tablespoons Chipotle Garlic Aoili. Serve immediately.

Sausage Option:

I originally made these with the mushrooms stuffed with about 1 1/2 tablespoons Gimme Lean sausage. Fred preferred the sausage versions, but I  think they are great without, but if you want something a little heartier you can make this version.

*Before putting mushrooms in oven to bake, break up 2 tablespoons of Gimme Lean Sausage over each mushroom. Increase your baking time by 5-10 minutes depending on your oven.

Food Network Friday - Guy Fieri's Spicy Cherry Ribs

I don't know why, but I really love to watch Guy Fieri's shows. Especially Diners, Drive In's, and Dives. He makes me want to take road trips to little divey gems all over the country. This weeks FNF challenge was to veganize his Spicy Cherry Ribs recipe. I had a lot of fun with this challenge. I decided to go way outside of the box and do an Asian/Southwestern infusion plate. I strayed a bit from Guy's original recipe by replacing Sriracha hot sauce with chipotles in adobo to give it a Southwestern flair. After all we do live in the heart of the Southwest.

I figured my cohorts and I would probably do similar sauces, so I wanted to attempt to make this remake shine with some interesting accompanying components. There are a lot of different components and flavors going on in this dinner. I started off with the Chipotle-Cherry Glazed Smoked Tofu and Tempeh. Then things really got interesting.

To run with my Asian/Southwestern vision I decided to try a really cool variation of tamales. First I wanted to make a tamale type filling without spending a load of time or adding all the shortening and fat to the filling. I made an interesting polenta filling complete with shiitake mushrooms and hatch green chilis. The polenta can be enjoyed on its own, but man is it good as eggroll filling! To round out the flavor and heat profile, it seemed a good idea to do a creamy sauce for the eggrolls to tame the chipotles down a bit.

Now we can't have dinner without some veggies. I'm totally in love with baby bok choy (Asian) these days. Today at the farmers market there was some kick booty sweet corn (Southwestern). I made a simple glaze by using an all natural jarred hoisin sauce. I used 1/2 cup of the hoisin, 1/2 cup veggie broth, 1 teaspoon tamari, and about 1/2 teaspoon Sriricha. The corn was sliced into 1/2 inch wheels and par boiled. Then both the corn and the bok choy were grilled and brushed heavily with the hoisin mixture just long enough to get the bok choy to el dente stage. Make sure not to over cook. It should still have a bit of crunch.

Chipotle-Cherry Glazed Smoked Tofu and Tempeh

8 servings

1 - 12 oz. package tofu

1 - 8 oz package tempeh

2 teaspoons yellow mustard

dry rub:

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1 recipe Cherry Chipotle Glaze (recipe below)

Chopped scallions for garnish

Sesame seeds for garnish

Slice tofu into equal rectangles. Cut tempeh block in half. Take each half and slice it down the middle to make thin rectangles. Cut each rectangle on a diagonal to make 8 total triangles. Steam tempeh for 10 minutes. Let cool enough to handle. Place tofu and tempeh in smoker with pecan chips. Follow smoker directions. It should take around 15 minutes to smoke. You can buy pre-smoked if you'd like.

Make rub by mixing all dry spices. Reserve 1 teaspoon rub for East Meets Southwest Tamale Eggrolls (recipe below).

Once tofu and tempeh are cooled, brush both sides with mustard. Coat each side of tofu and tempeh with dry rub. Place on a deep rimmed baking sheet. Let sit out at room temperature for 1-2 hours.

Preheat oven to 350.

Brush each side of tofu and tempeh with Cherry Chipotle Glaze. Pour remaining evenly over tofu and tempeh. Cover pan with aluminum foil. Bake for 25 minutes and remove foil. Bake for 10 more minutes. Remove from oven. Plate 1 piece of tofu and top with 1 piece of tempeh on each plate. Garnish with thinly sliced scallions and sesame seeds. Serve with East Meets Southwest Tamale Eggrolls (recipe below)

Cherry Chipotle Glaze

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1 cup diced red onion

3 tablespoons fresh minced ginger

2 cans red cherries in water, drained

1 tablespoon blue agave

8 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons tequila

2 chipotles in adobo chopped (do not remove seeds)

1 1/2 tablespoons adobo sauce (from chipotles)

1 1/2 teaspoons dry sherry

1 1/2 teaspoons brown rice vinegar

4 tablespoons low sodium tamari

In medium saute pan over medium heat saute onion ginger, cherries, agave, and garlic in sesame oil until mixture thickens. Deglaze with tequila. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for 20 minutes. Put in blender or food processor until pureed. Return to pan and let cool to room temperatre. Can be stored in fridge for up to 3 days.

East Meets Southwest Tamale Eggrolls

8 eggrolls

1 cloves garlic minced

1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

3/4 cup thinly sliced shiitake mushrooms

1/2 teaspoon low sodium tamari

2 roasted hatch chilis, seeded and chopped small

1 1/2 cups vegetable broth

1 teaspoon reserved rub mix from recipe above

1/2 cup coarse corn meal (polenta)
8 Vegan egg roll wrappers

1 recipe Creamy Coconut Eggroll Sauce (recipe below)

In a medium saucepan heat toasted sesame oil over medium heat. Add garlic and saute for 30 seconds until it becomes fragrant. Add mushrooms and tamari. Saute until mushrooms are soft. Add hatch chilis. Saute for 2 more minutes. Pour in vegetable broth. Turn heat to high and bring mixture to a boil. Slowly pour in polenta whisking constantly. As mixture thickens switch to a wooden spoon and stir until polenta  thickens and get fairly stiff but not hard. Immediately assemble eggrolls. Using vegan eggroll wrappers, take one wrapper putting corner closest to you. (it will look like a diamond). Spread about 3 tablespoons of polenta mixture across the wrapper as pictured. Fold both sides over the end of the mixture. Take bottom of the diamond and wrap over the filling an roll egg roll style. Put in glass baking dish covered with a damp cloth. Repeat with remaining 7 egg roll wrappers. If you have never made egg rolls before, click here for a really nice pictorial on how to do it.

Heat canola oil to 350 in 10" iron skillet. Test with eggroll wrapper. It should bubble and cook very quickly. Carefully place 4 eggrolls at a time in the oil. Drain on paper bag topped with paper towel. Keep warm in warm. Fry the remaining  eggrolls. Drizzle 2-3 tablespoons sauce on plate. Cut each eggroll in half diagonally and place over sauce. Serve immediately.

***The polenta/tamale filling is also excellent on its own***

Creamy Cocunut Eggroll Sauce

Makes about 1 cup

1 cup coconut milk

1 teaspoon arrowroot

1/4 teaspoon 5 spice powder

3 tablespoons hot salsa

1 teaspoon mellow white miso

In a small saucepan over medium heat whisk together all ingredients until miso is dissolved. Heat until sauce reduces by about 1/4 and thickens a bit, whisking frequently. Turn heat off and start assembling eggrolls. Sauce is best served at a little above room temperature.

For dessert I decided on something simple and summery, but still taking on kind of an Asian theme. I made Terry's Favorite Almond Cookies from Veganomicon. They are similar to those yummy almond cookies you get in Chinese restaurants. I made them into ice cream sandwiches using Coconut Bliss Maraschino Cherry flavor. Perfect for the summer heat. 

DON'T FORGET TO CHECK VEGAN APPETITE TO SEE MORE AWESOME VERSIONS OF GUY'S RECIPE!

Chipotle - Sausage - Bean Breakfast Burro

I woke up really hungry today. I mean really hungry. I've been on a mission to shed the 40+ extra pounds I've gained since I met Fred. I'm not blaming him at all, but I tend to cook, eat, and drink more when I am happy. Happy is a good thing, fat is not. So, I am cutting back on the unhealthy, fried, high-fat, sugary crap and eat more nutrient dense foods. Today I wanted to splurge a little. While this is a little indulgent, it is not totally unhealthy as it packs a whopping 24.9 grams of protein per serving. It is a little high calorie at 495, but only 23% of the calories are from fat.

Why all the nutritional mumbo jumbo you might ask? I have become obsessed with the MyPlate tool on the livestrong.com website. I have been plugging in many of my recipes to see how well they fare on the fat/carb/calorie scale. Eventually my obsession will cause me to find another nutritional site to track vitamins and minerals too, but that will be for another day when I have more time on my hands.

Are you still with me and awake? If so, you will win the bonus prize of an awesome recipe to treat you and your family too when you are craving some good hearty breakfast burros!

Chipotle - Sausage - Bean Breakfast Burro

6 - 1/2 burrito servings

Canola spray

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 package of gimme lean sausage broken up or crumbled

1/2 cup sliced cremini mushrooms

1 cup cooked red kidney beans

2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, minced

1 12 oz package firm tofu

1/4 cup nutritional yeast

1 teaspoon tumeric

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup Daiya Italian Blend (or cheddar if that's the way you roll)

3 12" whole wheat tortillas (if you find low fat, you can lower the calorie content here)

Spray a bit of canola spray into a 10" iron skillet or non-stick pan. Over medium heat, saute garlic for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Add Gimme Lean and brown. Once sausage is browned, add cremini mushrooms and a touch of water if pan is getting dry. Saute until the mushrooms just start to release their juices. Add kidney beans, tofu, nutritional yeast, tumeric, and salt and mix until everything is well distributed. Turn heat to med low and cook for 15 to 20 minutes. Mixture should be moist but not wet. 

Once mixture is cooked, sprinkle 1/4 cup Daiya on one end of each tortilla. Top with tofu mixture and roll up burrito style. You can eat them at this stage, but I like to cook them a little longer. In another large skillet, spray a bit more canola oil. Place rolled burritos in pan seam side down. Cook for 3-5 minutes until just starting to brown and crisp up a bit. Flip and do the same on the other side.

Serve with your favorite salsa.

The filling can also be enjoyed as a scramble without the tortillas. That cuts 110 calories and 2 grams of fat from the recipe. Leave off the cheeze and cut out 90 more calories and 7 grams of fat. So yes, I probably could have done without the tortillas and cheese, but sometimes it is just worth it. Hey, I still have 700 or so more calories to consume today! So there!!!

FNF - Rachel Ray - Spring Chickn Towers

Spring Chickn Towers with Asparagus and Lemon Dijon Sauce

Hey gang, it's Food Network Friday again. If you're new to the blog, this is a fun challenge we try to do once a month or so. We pick a Food Network recipe and do a vegan interpretation of that recipe. Each entry is posted at Tami Noyes' sight Vegan Appetite. Check it out!

If you are a Rachel Ray fan, I have good news for you. I've been able to veganize and reduce the fat for this recipe just in time for swimsuit season. As a side note, I don't usually like to use prepared meats and such, but it seemed to work well for this recipe. It makes it fast and easy. This recipe boasts only 287 calories per serving and about 12.7g fat. It comes together fairly quickly for an easy and fancy weeknight meal.

3 Servings

12 - 16 oz extra firm tofu (1 package), pressed
3/4 cup Daiya Italian Blend Cheeze
6 Yves Deli Ham slices
1 lb fresh asparagus trimmed to 4 inch pieces
1 cup low sodium vegetable broth
1 tablespoon arrowroot powder
juice of 1 large lemon (approx 1/4 cup)
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/4 cup loosely packed flat leaf parsley, chopped
pinch white pepper


Slice tofu block into 3 equal rectangles. Take each section and slice into three equal thin rectangles. If you prefer, you can use cookie or biscuit cutters to make fancy shapes. Smoke with apple or alder wood for 15 minutes. You can use right away or refrigerate for up to 2 days. As an option, you can purchase pre-smoked tofu.

Steam or blanch asparagus until just bright green. Do not overcook. You want it a bit firm and crisp. Keep warm.

Start sauce by mixing 1 cup cold water, bullion, lemon juice, and arrowroot in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk frequently until sauce thickens. Turn off heat. Stir in dijon mustard and parsley. Keep warm.

Preheat oven to 450.

Cut small hole in middle of tofu and ham slices for asparagus spears if desired. If you prefer you can serve asparagus on the side. If your tofu has been chilled; on griddle or in iron skillet, warm apple smoked tofu and ham slices. Once warm layer in iron skillet or other oven safe dish sprayed with cooking spray to prevent sticking. Layer by first putting slice of tofu, then 1 slice ham cut or folded to the size of the tofu, then carefully layer shredded Daiya Italian blend (approx 2 tablespoons per layer), repeat and finally top with last slice of tofu. If you are putting the asparagus in the tower, put two small spears cut to approximately 3-4 inches in length in the hole.

Once the towers are layered in the pan, bake for 5-8 minutes until cheese starts to melt.

While the towers are baking, spread sauce evenly over 3 plates. Place cooked towers in the center of sauce. Garnish plate with remaining asparagus spears and quartered cherry tomatoes (optional).

I am Ironman!

Today we have two posts for the price of one. I have plenty of other things to do, but I wanted to get this down before I forgot (as I often do when creating things). I've been having a few nutritional/digestive issues lately that I am trying to get under control. My belly has been all kinds of bloated and unhappy for months. I am suspicious that I may have some issues with gluten...but I'm not sure, so I'm going to try eliminating it for a few days and see how I feel.

My doc told me that my iron is low and my cholesterol is high. The cholesterol part doesn't shock me after the feeding frenzy I've had the past year. I'm not hip on taking any medication and I'm not totally sold on supplements. I feel it's better to try to get what you need from the foods you eat. With that in mind, for lunch I was starving and wanted to grab the closest easiest carb I could find. No bueno...no gluten! So instead I checked the fridge for some nutrient dense goodies that might have iron, but no gluten. The result was a very quick, very flavorful and healthy lunch.

Spicy Blackened Style Tofu and Citrus Chard

The tofu can be altered to whatever spices you have in your pantry. Here is what I used:

Serves two if you have no starch

1/4 teaspoon Penzey's Northwoods Fire Seasoning

1/8 teaspoon Penzey's 4/S Special Seasoned Salt

A dash of Arizona Habanero Seasoning (this shit is hot!!!) from Anthony Spices

Salt to taste

1 (12 oz) package firm or extra firm tofu pressed

Canola Spray

Mix seasonings on a small plate. Cube tofu into about 1/2 inch cubes. Dust cubes in spice mixture. Heat medium sized iron skillet (large enough so that tofu can be in single layer) sprayed with just a bit of canola spray over high heat. Sear tofu for 2 minutes over high heat and reduce to medium high heat. Brown tofu on both sides until chewy and firm (crispy if you like) about 7-10 minutes per side. Serve while still hot.

Citrus Chard

2 large servings

1 bunch of rainbow chard (any type will really do) washed trimmed and chopped into bite sized pieces

Juice of 1/2 an orange (about 1 tablespoon)

Juice of 1/2 lemon (about 2 teaspoons)

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder or granulated garlic*

salt and pepper to taste

Heat non stick skillet and a spray of spray canola over med-high heat. Add chard and citrus juices. Saute until they just barely start to wilt. Sprinkle with garlic powder. Saute until wilted and reduced to about 1/2 its original size. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve with something spicy. The orange juice is a great complement to spicy food.

No gluten and chard has lots of iron. This is super easy to throw together and doesn't leave you feeling like a bloated mess.

*I usually prefer to use minced fresh garlic and you could sub a large fresh clove, but sometimes a girl/guy is just in a hurry and shaking something out of a spice jar is just the ticket.

Course # 3 - Seitan Oscar

As luck would have it, this year I was in charge of entrees. For quite some time the classic dish Veal Oscar had been on my mind. I wanted to try and veganize this dish so it would be cruelty free, yet still delicious. It was a success, but still needs a bit of tweaking. I used a slight variation of Julie Hasson's Italalian Sausage Cutlet recipe (which will be in her upcoming Vegan Diner cookbook) to replace the veal. It was breaded in herbed panko crust and sauteed. For the crab I substituted thinly sliced marinated, alder smoked tofu. I topped it off with a Bearnaise sauce which was a variation of Isa's Vegan Brunch Hollandaise recipe. Traditional Oscar is served with steamed asparagus. This version has marinated and grilled spears.

I found some cute tiny yellow fingerling potatoes. I couldn't resist using them for this. These were roasted with garlic and herbs. Breaking from tradition, I developed a red wine reduction and sauteed some fresh shiitake mushrooms for a garnish. The recipe of the red wine reduction is MIA. I'm hoping it will re-surface. When it does I will post it here. In the mean time here are some pictures for you to feast your eyes on.

Assembly line

Seitan Oscar

Wine makes us happy.

Vegan MOFO - Day 28 - Dorothy's "Beef" and Barley Soup

My friend Dana sent me several recipes to convert. I may not get them done before the end of MOFO, but I plan on continuing my conversions after this month. This has been so much fun.

She sent what I am assuming is a recipe from her friend Dorothy. I did have to take a few liberties with the original recipe to make it work with seitan rather than beef. I made Tami Noyes' Beefy Seitan recipe which will be published in her upcoming book, Vegan American Kitchen. I am privvy to this recipe because I was lucky enough to test for her. Get your hands on this book when it comes out. The recipes are fun and will remind you of down home midwestern cookin'. Seitan does not need to cook forever like beef to be tender. This takes a lot of time off the cooking time. The original recipe called for an egg to make what is called an egg rivel. This is similar to the egg in egg drop soup. I used Mori-nu silken organic tofu and grated it though a large holed cheese grater to create a similar effect.

Dorothy's "Beef" and Barley Soup


8 servings

1 lb beefy seitan diced to about 1/4 inch dice
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 large carrots, diced small (1 1/4 cup)
1 1/2 stalks celery, diced small (1/2 cup)
1/2 medium onion, diced small (1/4 cup)
2 tablespoons dried parsley
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 cups "beefy broth" or water (or combination)*
1/2 cup cooked barley
8 oz can of tomato sauce
Salt to taste (amount will depend on the saltiness of broth used)
1/2 package Mori-nu Soft Silken Tofu

Brown beefy seitan in olive oil. Add carrots, celery, and onion and saute until slightly softened, about 5-10 minutes. If it gets too dry, add 1 tablespoon of broth. Add parsley and pepper and saute for another minute. Pour in broth, barley, and tomato sauce and simmer for 30-40 minutes. Just before serving, grate tofu through large holed grater for garnish. Serve immediately. This can be frozen or refrigerated. To reheat you may have to add water as it will thicken a bit as it sits.

*If you make your own seitan using a simmering method, I recommend using the simmering broth from the seitan here. It gives a wonderful richness to the soup.

Vegan MOFO Day 14 - Chicken Fried Tofu

I've been out of town and trying to get caught up with stuff at home. I will get back to conversions very soon.

This delicious dish was originally inpired by Johnp. Fried chicken is a favorite of many of my friends and family members. This was one of my closet...or for that matter, not so closet food addictions before giving up the birdies. I loved the crispy coating, the seasoning in the breading, the finger licking goodness. The thought of it is making me drool as I'm typing.

When we were little, my parents owned a pet shop. The shop was open late on Fridays, so no dinner was made. The ritual was to order pizza from a small family owned pizza joint. I hated pizza as a kid. This same little place had incredible fried chicken. I am still trying to duplicate the spices of that stuff. When we had it at home my mom used to use a giant skillet and hand bread the chicken. I remember not so patiently waiting for the crispy goodness to hit my plate. No fried chicken dinner was worth it's weight without some creamy mashed potatoes with peppery gravy. Man this is the stuff that food dreams are made of!

Here is my tribute to crispy, greasy, deliciousness!