Tofu

It’s true, not everyone loves tofu, but these awesome recipes featuring the famous bean curd just might do the trick of letting omnivores know just how delicious tofu can be. Tofu is infinitely versatile, and it’s a great low-calorie source of protein and calcium.

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1 - Thai Coconut Tofu

• Sara, from the HeartMath Institute, September 6, 2015, Source

Dress up your tofu with this delicious mix of red curry, lime juice and coconut milk. For a spicier dish, increase the amount of red curry. Enjoy!

½ onion, sliced
½ teaspoon black pepper
⅛ teaspoons pepper
½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons Thai red curry paste
½ teaspoon lime zest
1 teaspoon lime juice
1 tablespoon smooth peanut butter
1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped
2 teaspoons oil
1 cup coconut milk
½ cup green peas
2 medium fresh tomatoes, sliced
14 ounces extra firm tofu

Marinade:

¼ cup rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon toasted sesame seed oil
¼ cup coconut sugar, or sugar of choice

• Cut tofu in 1 inch thick slices. Put tofu slices in baking dish and cover with marinade. Bake @ 350◦ for about 25 minutes, checking periodically. Let cool and cut in small squares.
• Meanwhile, sauté onions for 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and cook until they are beginning to wilt. Be careful not to overcook.
• Heat coconut milk, curry paste, lime zest and cilantro in a small saucepan.
• Toss tofu squares, vegetables and sauce, serve warm.

Total cooking time: 1 hour

Serves: 4

2 - Cajun Spiced Tofu

PlantBasedonaBudget.com, November 19, 2013, Source

Recipe: Cajun Spiced Tofu From: Marji Beach at Plant Based on a Budget

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• Yield : 8 slices
• Servings : 2-3
• Prep Time : 15m
• Cook Time : 20m
• Ready In : 40m

3 - Baked Ginger-Soy Tofu Squares

Eve Fox, November 11, 2011, Source

Baked Soy Ginger Tofu Squares
Serves 4 as part of a meal

Ingredients

* 1 (16-ounce) block extra firm tofu
* 1/2 cup soy sauce
* 2 tsps sesame oil
* 1 clove garlic, pressed or minced
* 1 tsp fresh ginger, peeled and minced or grated
* 1 Tbsp sesame seeds
* 1 Tbsp apricot preserves
* Peanut oil for greasing

Directions

1. Drain and rinse the block of tofu. Set it on a rimmed dinner plate. Place another plate on top and weight it down with something heavy, like a handy can of tomatoes or a heavy skillet, to press out some of the excess liquid. Let sit 15 – 30 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, make the marinade. Combine the soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger, garlic, jam and sesame seeds (feel free to adjust amounts and add or delete ingredients to suit your taste) and stir well to make sure the jam is dissolved. Set aside.

3. Cut the tofu into pieces. You can do cubes for croutons, sticks for dipping, flat squares to layer on sandwiches, or any other shape you feel like. Thinner pieces will get harder and chewier than thicker ones.

4. Put the cut tofu in a shallow dish, cover with marinade, and let sit for 15 – 30 minutes. Flip the tofu a few times so the marinade is absorbed evenly. The longer you let the tofu sit, the deeper the flavor will be.

5. While the squares are soaking, pre-heat your oven to 350-degrees. Place the squares on a greased baking sheet (I used peanut oil) and cook for 10 minutes and then flip them over. Continue cooking and flipping every 10 minutes until the tofu is as baked as you like it, 20 – 45 minutes total.

4 - Healthy, Vegan ‘Tofuevos Rancheros’

• Kayla Coleman, March 17, 2011, Source

If you’re a runner like me — or any type of athlete — you know that after a hard workout, you need to refuel. This past fall I ran the beautiful Big Sur Half Marathon, and after the race I made what has become my traditional post-race meal: “Tofuevos Rancheros.”

These measurements aren’t set in stone, so you can adjust to your liking.

Tofuevos Rancheros:

2 Tbsp olive or canola oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
5 crimini or button mushrooms (optional), chopped
1 package firm, water-packed tofu, crumbled with hands
1/2 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp cumin
pinch cayenne
1/2 tsp turmeric
dash of salt
dash of pepper
about 1/4 cup Daiya brand vegan cheddar cheese
pico de gallo
guacamole
small corn tortillas
refried beans or soyrizo

Heat oil on medium-high in a large pan. After about a minute, toss in the onions and cook until the become soft and transparent, stirring often. Then put in the red pepper and mushrooms, and cook until these become soft (keep stirring occasionally).

When the peppers and mushrooms are tender, add the crumbled tofu. Make sure to get firm but water-packed, not vacuum-sealed, tofu. This helps achieve the egg-y texture. Once the tofu is in, stir and add the coriander, cumin, turmeric, cayenne, salt and pepper. I said a “pinch” of cayenne but you can add more, depending on your spice-tolerance. Stir all of these in, just until the tofu is heated.

Remove the pan from heat and mix in the Daiya cheese — quickly, while the tofu is still hot. You want to melt the cheese in, but not burn it and make it tough.

To prepare the tortillas, I recommend wrapping them in a wet paper towel and microwaving for about one minute. To cook the beans, just stick them in a small pot and heat. For soyrizo, cook in a shallow pan with 1-2 Tbsp of oil and stir until hot.

That’s it! Assemble however you prefer — I like to put the tofu and beans/soyrizo on a warm tortilla, then top with a dollop of guacamole and some salsa. This is a quick, yummy meal with lots of protein and vitamins: a perfect post-race (or post-workout, or post…-sleeping) brunch.

5 - 6 Meatless BBQ Recipes

a Care2 favorite by Jake Richardson, Sources

Frankie’s Vegan Spare Ribs
This recipe sounds tasty, and not too complicated. The meat substitute is seitan. It does call for a food processor, and about an hour of total baking time, which is not too bad. There is a BBQ sauce recipe that goes with the ribs.

Carolina-style Barbeque Sandwiches
From Vegetarian Times, this one I would like to try, but it calls for a lot of cider vinegar. In fact, in the comments section, most said it was too much and they reduced it, “I just made this recipe and after reading the above posting I reduced the apple vinegar to around 1/4 C.” The sauce is supposed to be tangy, and mustardy. The sandwich uses seitan as the protein source. (If you want the sweeter Kansas City BBQ sauce, here is a recipe for Big Al’s K.C. sauce.)

Sweet and Spicy Barbeque Tofu
A simple but appealing recipe for comes from About.com. The only issue I see is the call for 3/4 cup brown sugar. That seems like too much, and could be reduced to maybe 1/4. Also it mentions using 3/4 cup orange juice concentrate, which could be enough sweetness by itself. Marinating takes 2 hours, but everything else is quick.

Eggplant BBQ with Fresh Chive Vinaigrette
This recipe sounds the most original. It also doesn’t require much time. When can you say you last barbequed an eggplant?

Brazilian Beach Skewers
For people who do eat cheese, there is an intriguing recipe using Halloumi, which is a middle eastern cheese usually only made from goat and sheep milk. You can probably get it at a middle eastern grocery store, and some supermarkets might carry it. (A simple recipe once you have acquired the Halloumi.)

BBQ Seitan Ribs
SusanV of the FatFree Vegan Kitchen blog has a recipe for ribs that sounds good, though it is not entirely fat free. This one requires you have your own sauce. She says it is easy to make, but the recipe requires something called liquid smoke.

6 - Tempeh

Tempeh is a fermented soybean cake, but don’t tell any omnivores or newbie tempeh friends that. All they need to know is that tempeh is an awesome fermented food that’s great in many meatless recipes. You can usually find tempeh in the refrigerator of your local natural foods store, but if you don’t have a local tempeh maker, it may be hiding in the freezer. Tempeh does best with a marinade, and it tends to dry out faster than tofu, so keep that in mind when working with this great food.

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Chipotle Tempeh

Chipotle Tempeh and Garden Vegetable Pizza

• Sara, from the HeartMath Institute, October 6, 2014, Source

This bold and spicy tempeh dish is rich with tomato and chipotle flavors. This Mexican-inspired dish will warm your stomach and your soul! It is also good served with brown rice.

8 oz.  Tempeh, cut in 1“ cubes

Marinade:

1 tablespoon chipotle paste
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
1 teaspoon granulated onion
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 cups water
1 tablespoon lime juice
2 tablespoons agave or sweetener of choice
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon olive oil
½  medium onion, cubed
2 teaspoons garlic, minced

cilantro, minced for garnish

• Combine tomato paste, water, lime juice, seasonings, agave and chipotle. Place tempeh in marinade in covered dish or pan in refrigerator for 1-2 hours or overnight.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Sautee onion and fresh garlic in olive oil until tender. Remove tempeh from marinade and set tempeh aside. Add marinade to sautéed onions and garlic. Bring to a simmer and cook 5 minutes.
• Place tempeh cubes in pan and cover with onion and marinade mixture. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
• Place tempeh on plates and garnish with cilantro (and extra pepper flakes if you want it more spicy.)

Serves: 4

Cooking time: 45 minutes

7 - Tempeh Fakin’ Bacon

Selections from Networx, October 10, 2010, Source

I am one of those people who doesn’t eat much meat. It’s not an ideological thing, nor because I am a sissy. It’s mostly out of economic necessity that I don’t eat it — meat is expensive. Years of working as a writer and editor (a great job — but sometimes I wish I went into investment banking) have trained me to economize. I’d like to bestow upon you a foolproof recipe that will revolutionize your Sunday mornings: Tempeh Bacon. It’s easy to make, costs about $3.50 for 4 servings, and you can use it in recipes that call for bacon. I learned it from Jessica Porter, a macrobiotic cooking teacher who battled with junk food for years until she learned how to make healthy food that tastes like junk food. This recipe is great if you’re trying to lose weight but still want to eat “like a man.”

Tempeh is an under-appreciated superfood. If more regular Americans knew about how good and meaty it is, it would become an American staple. Now don’t stop reading when I say this…just bear with me and try it: Tempeh is a fermented soybean cake. It is nothing like tofu, its much-maligned cousin. It’s dense and meaty with a sort of chicken flavor. Tempeh is cheap, and available in the refrigerator section of your local produce aisle or “health food” section (Stop and Shop, Safeway, Kroger, and other major supermarket chains carry it). There are many health benefits of eating tempeh, but I won’t go into those. I’m giving you this recipe because it is deeee-licious.

I might sound like one of those drug dealers in 1980′s “Just Say No” commercials when I say this, but I’ll run that risk: Try it. You’ll like it.

Tempeh Bacon:

1 package of plain tempeh, sliced into strips
1 cup tamari or shoyu soy sauce
1 cup water
4 Tbsp. dark sesame oil

1. Put the tempeh, soy sauce, and water into a sauce pan. Bring to a boil, and then simmer covered for 10 minutes. Carefully remove the tempeh from the liquid with a slotted spoon and put it on a plate.

2. Coat a frying pan with the dark sesame oil. Heat up the oil. Fry the tempeh in the oil until it is dark brown and crispy.

3. Drain on paper towels.

8 - Southwest Tempeh Chili Recip

9 - Tempeh Stroganoff

Fancy Meals: Tempeh Stroganoff Recipe

When I was a kid my mom cooked us dinner every night, no small feat considering she had a full time job and two very picky kids. One of her classic dishes was Beef Stroganoff, a recipe she got from that tome of classic cooking, The Joy of Cooking. The creamy mushroom gravy with egg noodles was pretty damn good, and it wasn’t until I was in my late 20s that I had anything similar. And then last year I created my own recipe, based on the one found in Vegan World Fusion Cuisine by Mark Reinfeld.

This version is meat-free, but has all the smoky, creamy awesomeness that a wintertime meal requires. Serve with traditional egg noodles, or choose the gluten-free rice noodles pictured here. I’ve used tempeh, a fermented soy product, but you could also use tofu or premade seitan. This recipe makes a huge meal, but makes damn good leftovers too.

Vegan Tempeh Stroganoff

2 (8-oz) blocks tempeh, cubed
3 tablespoons olive oil + 2 Tablespoons extra
2 cups thinly sliced onions
4-5 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups cremini or button mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 Portobello mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 cups vegetable broth
¼ cup mirin (Japanese rice cooking wine), use regular wine if you have
⅓ cup nutritional yeast flakes
2 Tablespoons vegan Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons potato starch
1 Tablespoon fresh minced thyme
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1-2 teaspoons salt
½ cup unsweetened plant-based milk (more to taste)
1 cup frozen peas
1 (16-ounce) package noodles, cooked according to directions
Cashew cheese, sour cream or Greek Yogurt for garnish
Minced fresh parsley for garnish

1. In a large heavy skillet heat 3 Tablespoons oil on medium heat. Add cubed tempeh. Cook until browned on each side, adding more oil if necessary. Set aside.
2. In the same skillet, heat remaining oil. Lower heat slightly and add onion and garlic. Cook until onions have browned slightly. Lower heat and add all mushrooms. Cook until mushrooms are soft, stirring occasionally.
3. In a bowl whisk together broth, mirin, nutritional yeast, potato starch, thyme, mustard, paprika, and salt until starch has dissolved.
4. Add broth mixture to onions and stir well. Stir continually until mixture has thickened. Slowly add in soymilk until mixture is desired consistency. Add cooked tempeh and peas and stir to combine. Let simmer for five minutes on very low heat.
5. Divide noodles between bowls and cover with mushroom sauce. Garnish with a dollop of sour cream or yogurt and fresh minced parsley. Enjoy!

so much fungi to enjoy!

10 - Tempeh Bolognaise Pasta Sauce

Tempeh is a fermented soy product that is a great source of vegan protein, with a nutty flavor and chewy texture. It can sometimes be intimidating to cook because it needs a bit of work to make it taste awesome; tempeh has a natural, slightly bitter flavor and most people like a marinade or a good sauce to keep their palettes happy. But this pasta is perhaps the best way to add tempeh into your meatless meal rotation.

Tempeh Bolognese Pasta is a great weeknight dinner for the whole family, featuring fresh vegetables, good vegan protein, and the ease of a pasta meal.

tempeh bolognese with brown rice pasta

Tempeh Bolognese Pasta

¼ cup olive oil
1 cup diced onion
1 cup diced bell pepper
1 cup diced carrot
1 cup sliced mushrooms
2-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 (8 ounce) block tempeh, crumbled
1 (24-25 ounce) jar marinara sauce of choice
1 Tablespoon Italian herb mixture (thyme, basil, oregano, etc.)
Sea salt and black pepper to taste
½ cup water (more to taste)
1 (16-ounce) package pasta

1. In a large skillet heat 2 Tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and cook until just browned, about 5-8 minutes. Add remaining olive oil and green pepper, carrot, garlic, and tempeh. Cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring constantly, until vegetables are soft and tempeh is browned.
2. Lower heat and add marinara sauce and herbs. Stir to combine, adding water to thin slightly. Taste sauce, and season with salt and pepper if needed.
3. Simmer sauce for 10 minutes on low heat, stirring often.
4. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cool water.
5. Divide pasta between four bowls, and smother with sauce. Enjoy!

Yield: Four generous servings

sometimes black spots appear on the tempeh, but don’t worry about whether your tempeh is blond or mottled- natural variations in the culturing process produces different colors.

 

a filling and awesome meal.

Seitan

Seitan is a faux meat made from wheat gluten (sorry, gluten-free friends), and it’s pretty amazing. It’s dense, chewy, and when done well can be oddly similar to meat. It works great baked, fried, or tossed together with a stir-fry. These great recipes below will get you started with the heartiest option to feed your omnivore friends.

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11 - Better-than-Beef Meatless Meat

(learn how to make your own seitan!)

13 - Seitan Kebobs

How to Survive Being the Only Vegan at Your Labor Day Party – Plus A Recipe!

• Zoe Eisenberg, September 6, 2015, Source

Labor day is here! Instead of mourning the dog days of summer, it’s time to enjoy the day off with friends and family and—in traditional American style—a whole bunch of food. If you’re vegan, then you know going to a barbecue at someone else’s place can sometimes be awkward. No one likes to turn down their host’s bacon-wrapped pineapple bites, again. Below are a few tips for surviving your upcoming labor day bash, plus a recipe to bring and impress all your omnivorous buds.

Bring a dish, or four. Well, of course you’re likely to bring a dish to a food-related event. However, you could possibly be the only non-meat eater at the party. This means you might want to bring more than one dish to avoid your entire meal consisting of that quinoa salad. Don’t want to bring a full-on feast? Then perhaps consider…

Offering to help cook. Show up early to help your host cook and prep. Not only will you look like the nicest friend ever, but you can veganize some dishes on the sly. Set the cheese on the side of that salad, opt for olive oil instead of butter in the pasta and make sure those grilled veggies aren’t accidentally slathered in burger juice.

Let the food talk. Often when you’re eating different than the rest of the party goers, someone (or everyone) will bring it up. Don’t tell your omnivorous family and friends how tasty vegan eats can be. Show them! The following grill-friendly recipe is delicious and satisfying, with a mouth-feel that will keep plant-eaters and meat-eaters happy.

Seitan Kebabs with Sangria Tomato Salad
Prep time: 25 minutes | Cook time: 25 minutes | Serves 2 to 4

You will need 6 to 8 wooden or metal skewers for this recipe. If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for about 20 minutes before using.

(From The Lusty Vegan © 2014 by Ayinde Howell and Zoe Eisenberg. Used with permission from Vegan Heritage Press.)

SALAD
2 cups sliced cherry tomatoes
1/4 cup julienned red onion
1/2 cup diced English cucumber
2 teaspoons dried basil
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup dry white wine

MARINADE
1/2 cup olive oil
1/3 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup vegan Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons dried basil
1 tablespoon dried parsley
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/2 teaspoon sea salt

KEBABS
1 yellow bell pepper, cut into large pieces
1 green bell pepper, cut into large pieces
1 red onion, cut into large pieces
6 to 8 button mushrooms (optional)
1 pound seitan, cut into chunks

1. Salad: Mix all salad ingredients together in a small bowl. Set aside for 15 to 20 minutes while making the kebabs.

2. Marinade: Mix all marinade ingredients together in a shallow baking dish large enough to hold the skewers. Set aside.

3. Kebabs: Slide a piece of onion, pepper, mushroom (if using), and seitan onto each skewer, repeating until the skewers are full, leaving 1/2 inch free at either end. Place the skewers in the marinade and set aside for 25 to 30 minutes, turning occasionally.

4. Preheat a lightly-oiled stovetop griddle. Arrange the skewers on the hot griddle and grill until the vegetables are tender and browned all over, 5 to 7 minutes. Serve hot with the salad on the side.

14 - Seitan Peppersteak
yields 1 large skillet

15 - Seitan Kebobs

6 Delicious Vegan Thanksgiving Recipes

• Becky Striepe, November 6, 2012, Source

All of those pretty leaves on the trees must mean that Thanksgiving is on its way! Even if you’re not having a totally vegan Thanksgiving feast, many of these dishes incorporate well into any Thanksgiving menu.

Cutting out (or cutting back) on the meat and dairy in your Thanksgiving menu is a great way to green up this holiday. Meat and dairy are very inefficient to produce compared to plant-based foods – they take many times more land and water to produce, both of which are ever-shrinking resources.

If you’re used to the typical “meat and three” type meal, it makes perfect sense that cutting out or reducing the meat might seem unappetizing. If you take the meat off that type of plate, you’re left with an iceberg salad, some overcooked veggies, and maybe a starch. No, thank you! The trick to cutting the meat is to re-imagine your plate.

This menu features two options for a main course, and you can make one or both of them. One is a meat alternative: a rich, savory seitan roast. The other says, “meat, schmeat!” and lets seasonal produce shine as the star of the Thanksgiving meal. Whether you cook up this whole menu or just replace some meat- or dairy-based dishes with one or two of these items, give yourself a high five for reducing your impact this Thanksgiving!

Let’s start with the sides! Check out my favorite easy way to cook up garlicky greens.

Fall is leafy greens season, so it makes sense to celebrate that bounty at the Thanksgiving table. These crock pot greens have a garlicky kick, and since you make them in the crock pot, you know they’re low-maintenance, too!

Garlic Crock Pot Greens

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 red onion (or a leek, or any onion you like)
• 4-6 cloves of garlic
• 4 cups greens of your choice (kale, collards, mustard greens, etc. Spinach will not work well in this recipe.)
• 1 handful of parsley
• 1 15 ounce can white kidney beans (optional)
• 2 teaspoons herbes de Provence
• 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
• 2 tablespoons miso or broth paste dissolved in 1 cup of water

Heat up the crock post on high, and toss in the oil, garlic, and onions. Cover and let those cook while you prep everything else.

Meanwhile, chop the greens and parsley into bite-sized pieces, drain the beans, and prepare the miso broth (the last ingredient on the list above). When everything is prepped, add the rest of the ingredients to the crock pot, stir to combine, and cook for one hour. Then, reduce the heat to low and cook for about two more hours, or until your greens are tender.

The total cooking time will depend on how tough your greens were – collards will take longer than turnip greens, for example, so after that first hour, check your greens every 30 minutes to avoid overcooking.

This is another crock pot recipe, so you’ll need to either borrow a pot from a friend or make this sauce in advance. It keeps beautifully in the fridge for up to a week, so you can get this prepared long before guests arrive. You can pass it alongside the meal or serve it over coconut ice cream for dessert. Either way, you won’t be sorry!

Ginger Vanilla Pear Sauce

• 14 pears, peeled, cored, and diced into 1″ pieces
• 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced
• 1/3 cup water
• 1 vanilla bean, scraped

Place the pears, ginger, water, and scraped innards of your vanilla bean into your crock pot. Cook on high for 3 – 3 1/2 hours, until you get the desired consistency.

If you like your fruit sauces smoother, you can throw this into the blender or use an immersion blender to break down the chunky pieces of pear before serving.

Ready for the main dish? Let’s start with the seitan roast!

Seitan is a meat substitute made from vital wheat gluten. It’s basically a seasoned dough that cooks up to have a rich, somewhat meaty texture. Tanya Sitton from Eat Drink Better shares her crowd-pleasing seitan roast recipe. I’ve got the basic directions here, but I recommend checking out her recipe for detailed production notes and variations.

Seitan Roast

Broth Ingredients:

• 6 cups warm water
• 1 tablespoon vegan unbeef soup base (such as Better Than Bouillon)
• 1/4 cup dry red wine
• 4 tablespoons Bragg’s liquid aminos (or organic soy sauce)
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon vegan Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder

Roast Ingredients:

• 3 cups vital wheat gluten
• 1 cup unbleached all purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• few shakes coarsely ground black pepper

Vegetables:

• 2-4 potatoes chunked or thickly sliced, peeled if desired
• 4-6 garlic cloves, peeled and finely sliced
• 1-2 onions, cut in eights
• 2-4 carrots, chunked or thickly sliced
• 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper, to taste
• fresh or dried parsley, to garnish

Preheat oven to 325F. Oil a 10″ x 14″ casserole dish well, or line just the bottom (not the sides) of the pan with parchment paper.

Mix up the broth: combine water, bouillon, red wine, Bragg’s (or soy sauce), olive oil, Worcestershire sauce, black pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder in a large bowl or pitcher.

Prepare gluten mixture: in a large mixing bowl, combine gluten flour, all purpose flour, nutritional yeast, and black pepper, stirring well.

Add broth 1/2 cup at a time to the flour mixture, kneading gently until all ingredients are wet and it forms a soft dough. It’s not like bread dough: just knead it enough to get everything combined, and then stop; don’t overdo it. If you end up adding more broth than the dough can absorb, just pour it back into the broth mixture.

Let the dough rest after initial mixing/light kneading, for about 5 minutes. Lightly re-knead dough, forming it into a long French bread loaf shape. Pour about 1/2 of the remaining broth into the pan, place roast dough into pan, then pour the rest of the broth over it.

Bake 30 minutes, loosen the bottom of the roast from the pan with a spatula, and bake for 30 more minutes. Using 2 spatulas, carefully turn roast over; bake 30 minutes, turn it again, and bake 30-45 more minutes.

While the roast is baking, toss potatoes, garlic, onions, and carrots with balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper.

After 2 to 2-1/4 hours cooking time, remove roast pan from oven. Turn roast once more. Pour veggies all over and around roast, return to oven, and cook for another 45 minutes to 1 hour, for a total cooking time of 3 hours. Uncover veggies from roast, and sprinkle with fresh or dried parsley.  Serve with vegan steak sauce or gravy, if desired, and good warm bread.

Winter squash makes a beautiful main course that’s comforting, filling, and very healthy. This recipe serves two people, so you can scale it up for however many folks are coming to your Thanksgiving table!

Stuffed Acorn Squash

• 1 acorn squash
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 loaf of your favorite bread
• 4  tablespoons coconut oil
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1 apple, cubed
• 1/2 cup cranberries
• 1/2 cup walnuts
• 1 3/4 cup vegetable stock
• 1 teaspoon sage
• 1 teaspoon herbes de Provence

Preheat the oven to 400F.

Toast the bread, cube and set aside.

Slice the squash and de-seed it. Drizzle on some olive oil, season with salt and pepper and roast in the oven for 40 minutes. While the squash is roasting, melt the earth balance in a skillet and saute the onion until translucent. Add in a 1/4-1/3 a cup of the stock, the apple and the cranberries. Cook until soft, about 15 minutes.

In a casserole dish, mix together the bread cubes, spices and the onion/apple mixture. Add in the stock, pouring slowly over the dish. Cover with foil and set aside.

Once the squash has roasted for 50 minutes, add the stuffing mixture to the oven, and bake together for 25 minutes. At that time, remove the foil and continue to bake for approximately 10 more minutes.

Remove from the oven, and once cooled slightly, scoop portions of the stuffing into each half of the acorn squash.

No Thanksgiving meal is complete without dessert, and we’ve got a couple of dessert options for you. We’ll kick it off with a Thanksgiving classic: pumpkin pie!

Nothing says Thanksgiving like good ol’ pumpkin pie! This recipe is so tasty, you won’t miss the eggs or the milk!

Decadent Dairy-Free Pumpkin Pie

Crust:

• 2-1/2 cups white wheat flour
• ½ cup white unbleached flour
• ½ cup olive oil
• ¾ cup of icy cold water
• pinch of salt

Mix all ingredients together in a food processor until marbled-looking. Then, roll out into a thin layer and place in a pie plate. Using a fork, make small perforations in the bottom of the dough to allow air to escape while baking.  Bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees.

Filling:

• 2 cups cooked pumpkin
• 2/3 cup maple syrup
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/3 cup almond milk
• ½ teaspoon ginger
• ½ teaspoon cloves
• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 Tablespoon cornstarch or arrowroot
• ½ block of firm organic tofu

Mix all filling ingredients together in a food processor until smooth and creamy. Pour into the piecrust and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Let cool. Refrigerate.

Recipe via Michelle Schoffro Cook

If you’re expecting a crowd, it doesn’t hurt to have a second dessert option. Check out this simple apple crisp recipe!

Apple crisp is another nice dish that takes advantage of fall’s bounty. Apple crisp used to be one of my Nani Dorothy’s specialties, so for me this is total comfort food and perfect for a day of gratitude.

Apple Crisp

• 10 cups of apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon of white or white wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 cup of rolled oats
• 1 cup white wheat flour
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon each of baking soda and baking powder
• 1/2 cup vegan margarine or 1/3 cup olive oil

Preheat your oven to 350F.

In a 9×13″ glass or ceramic baking pan, toss the apple slices with the sugar, flour, and cinnamon, tossing to coat them really well, then add the water.

In a small bowl, mix the oats, remaining flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda and margarine or oil. As you stir, it will start to form a crumbly mixture. Sprinkle this evenly over your apples. Bake for about 45 minutes, or until the crumble is brown on top.

Beans

Beans are good for our body, good for the planet, and just plain good to eat. Black beans, white beans, lentils and more are selected here as recipes that will impress even the most carnivorous of your friends.

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16 - Black Bean & Sweet Potato Enchiladas

Black Bean and Sweet Potato Enchiladas

• Annie B. Bond, October 11, 2002, Source

17 - Moroccan Black Bean Stew

• Annie B. Bond, January 17, 2005, Source

18 - Simple and Cozy Lentil Chili

• Sara, from the HeartMath Institute, September 27, 2015, Source

 

Welcome in fall with this simple and cozy lentil chili. Most of the ingredients are likely already in your pantry, so it’s a good go-to recipe when you need something but don’t have time to run to the grocery store. Try it with a corn muffin or corn chips.

 

3 cups chopped onion
3 tablespoons olive oil
1-2 tablespoons salt
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon granulated onion
1 tablespoon granulated garlic
14 oz. can tomato sauce
½ cup ketchup
4 ½ cups lentils
12 cups water (more as needed)
1 tablespoon smoked paprika

• Cook lentils in water for 30 minutes on medium low heat after bringing to a boil.
• Saute onions in pan with olive oil until caramelized, about 10 minutes. Add to lentils.
• Add remaining ingredients except for ketchup and paprika. Cook another 20 minutes or until broth gets creamy. Add more water as needed.
• Add ketchup and paprika and serve.

Serves: 10

 

Total cooking time:  1 hour

19 - Curry Lentil Potato Stew

Curried Lentil & Sweet Potato Stew

• Eve Fox, January 23, 2015, Source

This delectable stew is a little bit sweet, a little bit spicy, very hearty, and has a lovely, subtle creaminess from the coconut milk. Served over rice with whole milk yogurt and lots of fresh cilantro, it makes a perfect meal.

Lentils are one of the unsung heroes of the food world. They’re delicious, cheap, filling and remarkably nutritious — packed with calcium, potassium, zinc, niacin and vitamin K and even more protein, iron, folate and dietary fiber. But perhaps most importantly, THEY DO NOT REQUIRE SOAKING!!! This makes them a boon to lazy people like myself, as well as those who do not excel at planning ahead.

Thanks to the overwhelming success of this summer’s Great Sweet Potato Experiment, we have quite a lot of delicious, yellow-fleshed sweet potatoes. We do not have a root cellar (yet) so we’ve been storing them in paper grocery bags in our downstairs shower which we clearly never use. They’re holding up nicely so far – no signs of softening or rot. But I feel some pressure to use them while they’re still good. So I was intrigued when I saw a similar recipe by on Food52 last week. It inspired me to create a similar soup with some modifications to suit my tastes and to make use of what I had in the larder.

As we were about to leave for a week-long vacation, I was practically gleeful about the chance to use up the two red onions and three cloves of garlic sitting out on the counter and finally put the tiny, wizened knob of ginger in the fridge to use before it dried up completely. I also liked the idea of freeing up a little room in the freezer which has gotten so full that the drawers are practically groaning. I could use up two quarts of my homemade vegetable stock (this is so easy to make, by the way) and one of the bags of kale I froze from our garden this summer. Aaaand, it would make good airplane food, too!

I began by defrosting the vegetable stock and the frozen kale since I knew that would take a little time.

Meanwhile, I chopped up the onions, garlic and ginger and sauteed them in some oil in the soup pot.

Once they’d softened, I added the carrots and sweet potatoes and cooked them for a few minutes before tossing in a can of organic coconut milk, the rinsed and drained lentils, half the cilantro and the spices.

Then I added the defrosted vegetable stock and let it simmer for about 45 minutes until the vegetables and lentils were just cooked through but still had good texture. I stirred in a few spoonfuls of lemon juice then served it over basmati rice (short grain brown would also be good), topped with whole milk organic yogurt and lots of fresh cilantro. Bliss!

Curried Lentil & Sweet Potato Stew

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

* 2 medium or 1 large red onion, chopped
* 4 cloves of garlic, minced or pressed
* 4 cups of cubed sweet potatoes or yams
* 3 carrots, sliced or chopped
* 2 cups of lentils, rinsed and drained
* 2 pints vegetable stock
* 2-3 tsps chopped or minced fresh ginger
* 1 bunch of fresh cilantro, leaves rinsed and chopped
* 1 bunch of kale or chard, ribs removed, leaves coarsely chopped
* Juice of 1 lime
* 1 can coconut milk
* Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
* 2 Tbsps curry powder or garam masala
* 2 Tsps cumin
* a pinch of red pepper flakes
* 2 Tbsps olive or coconut oil

Directions

1. Heat the oil over medium heat in a large soup pot or Dutch oven and saute the onions, garlic and ginger for 10 or so minutes until translucent.

2. Add the cubed sweet potatoes, carrots, curry powder, cumin and red pepper flakes and saute for another 5 minutes or so before adding the lentils, coconut milk, kale or chard, vegetable stock and most of the cilantro (reserve a little to use as a garnish for the stew.)

3. Bring to a simmer then turn the heat down a bit and cook, covered, over medium-low heat for 40-45 minutes until the lentils and vegetables are just tender. Add the lime juice and stir well before seasoning to taste with the salt and pepper. You can also add a little sugar if you like. Serve hot over rice topped with whole milk yogurt and fresh cilantro.

You might also like:

• Spiced Lentil Salad with Carrots, Currants & Capers
• Quick Coconut Vegetable Curry
• Red Kuri Squash with Indian Spices

20 - Smoky-Spicy-Sweet Vegetarian Barbecue Beans

• Eve Fox, July 1, 2011, Source

I’ve been eyeing this recipe since I got my copy of Recipes From the Root Cellar last June. But what with our cross-country move and baby and all, I never got a chance to make it last summer.

But since June is nearly over, I decided it was finally time to carpe diem and I cooked up a big ol’ pot of these lovely beans a few days ago as part of my Fourth of July Feast. These vegetarian beans make a nice addition to any party (particularly one where there may be a ton of grilled meat served) so that non-flesh-eating brothers and sisters need not suffer any protein-deprivation.

I used kidney beans since I had a bunch of them in the pantry but I think that I might go with pintos next time around since they’re even creamier.

After the soaking comes the cooking. It’s crucial to cook the beans to your desired softness before adding the other ingredients since the acid in the tomatoes will stop the beans from softening any further, no matter how long you cook ‘em.

Then you add the other ingredients (tomatoes, molasses, chipotles, onion, garlic, etc.,) and move the beans into the oven to bake for several hours. Mine had to shove over to make room for the cornbread for a little while but they seemed to get along just bee-yoo-ti-fully in spite of the cramped quarters and heated atmosphere.

Like any dish made with dried beans, a little forethought is required to allow time for the beans to soak overnight and for the long cooking required to render them soft, creamy and flavorful. Otherwise, the process is a breeze! And, of course, if you’re in a rush, you could use canned beans (I promise I won’t tell the foodie police if you do.) If you want to go that route, just substitute three 15-oz cans of pinto or kidney beans, drained and rinsed and begin at step two in the directions below.

These beans are delicious with coleslaw, cornbread and a green salad.

Smoky-Spicy-Sweet Barbecue Baked Beans
Serves 8

Ingredients

* 2 cups dried pinto or kidney beans, soaked overnight and drained
* 6 cups water
* 1 onion, thinly sliced
* 4 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
* 1 1/2 cups (1 15 oz can or jar) strained or pureed tomatoes or unseasoned tomato sauce
* 1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
* 2 Tbsps minced chipotle pepper canned in adobo sauce
* 2 Tbsps soy sauce

Directions

1. Combine the beans with the water in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat slightly and boil gently, covered for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until the beans are completely tender. Do not undercook; the beans will not soften further once they’re combined with the tomatoes.

2. Preheat the oven to 300 F. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the beans to a large oven-safe pot with lid or covered casserole dish. Add the onion, garlic, tomato puree, brown sugar, chipotles and soy sauce and stir to combine evenly.

3. Cover and bake for 2 to 3 hours, until the sauce is a nice thick consistency. If necessary, you can remove the lid during the last 30 minutes to allow more of the liquid to cook off. Serve hot.

21 - Beans and Greens with Herbed Polenta: Vegan Recipe

• Annie B. Bond, June 7, 2008, Source

22 - Tuscan White Beans in Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce

• Cait Johnson, August 14, 2005, Source

23 - Classic Jamaican Rice and Beans Recipe

• Annie B. Bond, April 27, 2004, Source

24 - Fiery Red Beans and Rice – Recipe

25 - Tuscan White Bean Soup Recipe

• Annie B. Bond, June 7, 2004, Source

Filled with flavor, this satisfying soup is a mainstay of Italian country cooking. Tender beans give it creaminess without fat, and olive oil, garlic, and leeks add healthy-promoting benefits as well as great taste. You can add some grated cheese on each serving, or make a vegan version and never miss the dairy.

Imagine a Tuscan farmhouse kitchen: You can smell a tang of wood smoke from the hearth where a pot of this savory soup bubbles over the fire. A bottle of hearty red wine is set on the sturdy table, a loaf of rustic whole-grain bread nearby. Pull up a chair. Breathe deeply. Autumn is a good time to enjoy the comforts of soup. The Mediterranean way of eating and living well never tasted better!

INGREDIENTS

1 pound dried white navy beans
4 tablespoons olive oil
3 medium leeks, white and tender green parts, washed well and chopped
5 stalks celery, chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely minced
3 carrots, scrubbed and diced
5 cups good-quality vegetable broth
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, chopped, or 1 teaspoon dried
Salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1/3 cup grated Parmagiano-Reggiano or Asiago cheese (optional)

1. Soak beans in water overnight, then drain and rinse well.

2. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a heavy-bottomed soup pot and add leeks. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until leeks begin to soften. Add celery, garlic, and carrots and cook, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes. Add stock, rinsed navy beans, herbs, salt, and pepper. Bring soup to a boil, then cover, reduce heat, and allow to simmer over low heat for 1 hour.

3. Puree 3 cups of soup in a blender (to make the beans creamy) and pour back into the pot. Add lemon juice, and more self and pepper if needed.

4. Ladle soup into individual bowls. Top each portion with some of the remaining olive oil and sprinkle with cheese, if desired.

Serves 6.

Vegan Comfort Food

Heavier meals can be a great transition food for those exploring veg diets. These comfort foods make a big impression, and they help address the complaint that vegan or vegetarian meals are not filling enough. Serve one of these dishes at your next event, and everyone will leave with a happy belly.

26 - Italian Lasagna Vegan-Style!

• Angel Flinn, October 21, 2010, Source

27 - French Farmhouse Fricassee

• Annie B. Bond, August 20, 2002, Source

28 - Grilled Portobello Burritos with Jalapeno Sauce

• Annie B. Bond, September 23, 2000, Source

29 - Gluten-Free Eggplant Parmesan

Sara, from the HeartMath Institute, January 12, 2015, 5:05 am, Source

Who says you need all the breading to make a great-tasting eggplant parmesan? Cut the eggplant in thick slices, which makes for a delicious casserole with an Italian flair.

8 slices eggplant, cut in ¾ inch pieces
4 teaspoons olive oil
1 cup onions, chopped
½ teaspoon garlic, minced
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
15 oz. can tomatoes, chopped
1 ½  cup tomatoes, crushed
1 tablespoon coconut sugar
½ teaspoon oregano
½ teaspoon granulated onion
1 teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon pepper
½ cup ricotta cheese
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 tablespoon parmesan cheese, shredded

• Brush eggplant with 2 teaspoons olive oil, sprinkle with half salt and pepper, bake in pans at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until eggplant softens, let cool.
• Sautee onion, mushrooms and garlic in remaining oil. Add tomatoes, chopped and crushed. Also add remaining salt and pepper, oregano, granulated onion and sugar.
• Place eggplant in 8” by 8” pan. Layer it if necessary. Place ricotta in small blobs on top of eggplant. Sprinkle with half of the mozzarella. Top with layer of tomato mixture.
• Sprinkle with remaining cheese.
• Bake at 375 degrees until lightly browned, about ½ hour.
• Remove from oven and let cool slightly before serving.

Serves: 4

30 - Recipe: Kid-Friendly Chickenless Nuggets

Source

Sleepovers, play-dates, or newly vegan family habits can pose challenges for cooks with young children to feed. Many children with tastes shaped by a standard American fast-food paradigm may distrust veggie-dogs, pass on hummus, and cringe at the very mention of kale. Fear not! Simply embrace Success Strategy #1 for feeding omni children: make it a nugget, and dip it in ketchup!

Ingredients

• 1 (16-oz.) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained (1-1/2 cup cooked chickpeas) — or substitute any white beans
• 1 (14-oz.) can whole new potatoes, rinsed and drained (1-1/2 cups peeled diced cooked potatoes)
• 1/8 cup dried bread crumbs, such as Panko (read package label to avoid junk like MSG or hidden animal ingredients)
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• 3/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon each salt and black pepper (or to taste)
• 1-1/2 teaspoons vital wheat gluten (optional, for firmer texture and ease of flipping)
• 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• Dipping sauce: barbeque sauce, ketchup, sweet mustard, etc. (optional)

Directions

1. Mash chickpeas (or white beans) together with the potatoes, until well-smushed — after starting with a potato masher, it’s ok to use your hands! You want everything really well mashed, with no whole chickpeas or potato chunks in the mix.
2. Sprinkle vital wheat gluten over mashed chickpea-potato mixture, and combine well.
3. Add bread crumbs, parsley, poultry seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper; mix well. Taste to adjust seasonings, adding more salt and pepper if needed.
4. Form mixture into 1-1/2″ to 2″ patties, about 1/4-1/2″ thick, on a plate or cutting board. Mixture should form patties easily, without crumbling. Add water or oil as needed if it feels dry, 1 tablespoon at a time, just until patties are easy to form and hold their shape when handled.
5. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium to medium-high heat, in large frying pan. Pan-fry half the nuggets about 8-10 minutes on each side, until nicely browned. Try not to flip them too much — aim for only turning them once or twice. When first batch is done, remove to paper-towel lined plate, add remaining 2 tablespoons oil, and repeat with remaining nuggets.
6. Serve with whatever dipping sauce you think would be good with chickenish nuggets. Yummy!

Production Notes

This recipe makes about 24 nuggets. If you like, you can freeze or refrigerate all or half of the batch for ‘fast food’ later. To freeze, line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and freeze in single layer for 1-2 hours; then transfer to an airtight freezer container.

You can also make these nuggets in a large Foreman-style grill, a dozen at a time — just brush each side with olive oil and cook for 20 minutes (works without the olive oil too, but the grilled sides don’t get as brown and crisp).

It’s written using mostly pantry ingredients, but don’t forget pre-cooking and freezing beans (and organic potatoes, especially during summer abundance) is also an option for quick-fix ingredients — and a great way to minimize BPA use. Some companies also offer BPA-free canned goods, excellent for quick pantry cooking. One 16-oounce can equals about 1-1/2 cups cooked beans or potatoes. If you use pre-cooked and frozen ingredients instead of canned, they tend to contain less moisture — just add small amounts of water or oil as needed, to form cohesive non-crumbly patties.

This recipe would probably work for sandwich-sized burgers too — if you try it that way, let me know how it turns out!

I suspect these would also work well baked, for easier prep and lower fat content: instead of adding the bread crumbs to the mix, brush nuggets with oil and dredge through bread crumbs before baking at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes, flipping once (I’m estimating, so keep an eye on ’em if you decide to bake vs. fry).

Annie’s Naturals makes some good barbecue sauce without high fructose corn syrup, or you can make it yourself.

Enjoy!

31 - Acorn Squash and Red Lentils with Toasted Walnuts

32 - Homemade Veggie Hot Pockets

Thanksgiving leftover hot pockets

Nov 30th 2010, Source

It may seem like I’m a little obsessed with leftovers. It’s true. But Thanksgiving always leaves you with so many of them. Even though we didn’t cook this year, we still ended up with a few nights worth of holiday food. I wanted to spice things up a little bit, just so we weren’t having exactly the same meal over and over. Hence the creation of the

Thanksgiving leftover hot pocket.

All you have to do to make these is make some pastry crust (I used the flakey pie crust recipe from The Joy of Vegan Baking
) and assemble as if you were making ravioli. You could easily use puff pastry if you didn’t feel like making a crust.

Start by preheating your oven to 425° F. Roll out your crust (or one sheet of  puff pastry) and set aside one half. Put a few tablespoons of stuffing or tofurky or whatever leftover you want in a grid on the dough, leaving about an inch between each filling. The next part is really important, you must drizzle a little bit of gravy over your filling. Make sure the filling isn’t piled too high or your crust may crack.

Carefully lay the other half of the crust over the prepared fillings. Press the spaces between each filling together with your fingers, starting in the center and working your way out. It’s ok if a little bit of gravy or whatever leaks out the side, but try to seal it best you can around the edges. Using a pizza cutter or a pastry cutter, cut the hot pockets into individual pies. Slice a few diagonal slits in the top of each. Transfer to a baking sheet and cook for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown.

These would also be great with your holiday meal, they’re not just good for leftovers. Let’s face it, everything is better in a pie crust. We had ours with some celebration field roast, more stuffing and some kale.

The bottom line is that pretty much anything is good in these. Get creative. If you want them filled with sweet potatoes and dandies, I’m sure they’d be extra awesome. Feel free to keep them simple or get crazy.

33 - Pita Pizza with Kale Pesto

Sara, from the HeartMath Institute, August 2, 2015, Source

 

 

Healthy and full of flavor, with homemade pesto, this is a simple and fun pizza. We use pita bread because it makes a very thin crispy crust.

 

Pizza
2 cups mozzarella, shredded
2 whole pita bread, whole wheat, sliced in half horizontally
4 Roma tomatoes, sliced
1 cup red bell peppers, chopped small
½ onion, minced
3 small shallots, minced
2 cups mushrooms, sliced

 

Pesto
5 cups, packed dinosaur kale, or regular kale, cleaned and blanched
½ cup packed fresh basil
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons pine nuts
2 teaspoons garlic, minced
1 teaspoon lemon juice
½ teaspoon sea salt

• Blend all pesto ingredients in a food processor or blender until it makes a smooth paste.
• Spread pesto on pita halves, sprinkle with ½ the cheese. Add mushrooms, peppers, onions, tomatoes and remainder of cheese.
• Bake at 450 degrees for 12 minutes.

Serves: 4

Total cooking time: 30 minutes

34 - Tacos!

Mexi-Tofu Tacos and Salsa Fresca

a Care2 favorite by Sara, from the HeartMath Institute, Source

For this week’s recipe, I’d like to share two recipes from Judi Davis, our Pantry Cook of the HeartMath Kitchen. These are two delightful, vegetarian recipes!

Judi, says, “I like food that is visually pleasing and filled with layers of flavor, like painting on a blank canvas. But instead of paint I use flavors and spices. Tofu is an empty palate and makes for a great blank canvas. I use a lot of flavors in the marinade which makes for a super flavorful tofu treat.” Judie continues to say, “I love people and I love feeding them. I put a huge amount of love into the food when I cook. It makes me happy when people are nourished by the food that I’ve made for them.”

Mexi-Tofu Tacos

Tacos are a perfect food because there’s a great balance of complex carbohydrates, protein and vegetables. And marinated tofu is a great taco ingredient. Top it with the Salsa Fresca and prepare for a wonderful taco experience!

1  14oz. can black beans, not drained (add ¼  teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon cumin)
1 ½  cups shredded purple cabbage
1 cup shredded green cabbage
8 corn tortillas
Salsa Fresca (See next recipe)
1 lb. firm tofu

Marinade:

1 ½ cup olive oil
4 tablespoons  hot sauce
2 teaspoons taco seasoning
2 teaspoons chipotle powder or paste
2 teaspoons sea salt
2 teaspoons pepper
2 teaspoons garlic, minced
¼ teaspoon cumin
2 teaspoons lime juice
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

• Mix marinade in bowl. Drain tofu and cut in ½ inch cubes. Place tofu in marinade. Refrigerate overnight or longer if you can.
• Make Salsa Fresca and set aside. (See recipe following this one.)
• Remove tofu from marinade with slotted spoon and cook in frying pan for 5-7 minutes or until tofu gets partially crispy but still partially soft, holding together.
• Place beans in small pot and add spices and heat on low simmer, no longer than 10 minutes. Set aside.
• In small frying pan heat corn tortillas until just slightly crispy.
• Stuff tortilla with a dollop of beans, a spoon of tofu and a sprinkle of cabbage & Salsa Fresca on top, and serve!

Serves: 4

Total cooking time: 45 minutes

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Salsa Fresca

Salsa Fresca basically means “homemade salsa” and this one is simple and tasty! Use it on tacos or just plain with chips. You can also use a scoop added to mashed avocado to give you a zesty flavored guacamole.

1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cumin
1 lemon, juiced
2 tomatoes, diced small
2 fresh jalapenos, de-seeded and minced
1 small red onion, minced
½ bunch cilantro, minced
Prepare all ingredients and mix in bowl. And serve!

Serves: 8

Total cooking time: 15 minutes