Island Tofu

Like I said previously, I love tofu. It is the absolute most versatile ingredient and favorite meat substitute. I know some people, especially those new to plant based eating, who don't like it, and I can guarantee it's not the tofu, but the way it's prepared. Try this and you'll change your mind!

Island Tofu

1/2 c. cornstarch
1/4 t. dried thyme
1/4 t. dried marjoram
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. cayenne
1/4 t. paprika
1/4 t. brown sugar
1/8 t. ground allspice
One package extra firm tofu, frozen, boiled, pressed, cut into rectangles or triangles
One green bell pepper, cut into strips
3 green onions, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
One jalapeno, seeded and chopped
Two tomatoes, chopped
One can of pineapple chunks, about 1 c., drained
2 T. soy sauce
1/4 c. water
2 t. lime juice

Mix the cornstarch, thyme, marjoram, salt, cayenne, paprika, brown sugar, and allspice in a bowl. Coat the sliced tofu in the mixture thoroughly, and cook in oil over medium heat until a nice golden b brown. Set aside.
In the same skillet, saute the bell pepper, green onions, garlic, and jalapeno in oil until softened. Add the tomatoes, pineapple chunks, soy sauce, water, and lime juice and simmer until flavors blend.
To serve, spoon the mixture over the tofu. Enjoy!

Mushroom Stroganoff

Over the past year or so, I've been discovering wine. Previously the only stuff I would drink had to be sweet. But as I've gotten more experience, I enjoy a variety of dry wines. I like a glass with my meal, and often look for recipes that either complement the wine, or have wine listed as an ingredient. This is one of those.

Mushroom Stroganoff

1/2 c. dry white wine
One onion, diced
5-6 garlic cloves, minced
One package sliced mushrooms
1 T. paprika
1 T. soy sauce
2 T. Dijon mustard
1 T. vegan Worcestershire sauce
2 T. whole wheat flour
2 c. non dairy milk
One can chopped black olives
Salt and pepper to taste
Cooked pasta or rice of your choice

Saute the onion and garlic in the wine until the onion has softened. Add the mushrooms, paprika, soy sauce, Dijon and Worcestershire sauce until the mushrooms have darkened. In a separate small bowl, whisk the flour and milk together until smooth, then add slowly to the vegetables. Simmer until the sauce has thickened somewhat, and add the olives. Heat through, and serve over the pasta. Enjoy!

Lemon Tofu with Green Beans

I love tofu. Sometimes I think I can't say that enough. With so much bad press being put out using bad research, I like to openly express how much I like tofu, as an attempt to counter the misinformation. And by the way, this is really delicious!

Lemon Tofu with Green Beans

Zest and juice from two lemons
One can of coconut milk
4 or more garlic cloves, minced
2 t. lemon pepper seasoning
1 t. garlic powder
1 t. thyme
1/2 t. salt
Black pepper
One package extra firm tofu, frozen, boiled, pressed, cut into cubes
One package frozen cut green beans

Mix everything together in a large pot and stir to coat well. Heat to almost boiling, cover and reduce heat to low. Let simmer for about 20 minutes. Serve. Enjoy!

Carrots and Onions with Ginger

A friend of mine and I try to attend monthly vegan potlucks. The food is always simply divine! I love the variety of dishes and the chance to try so many different kinds of foods! The last time we attended, I took this dish. I came home with an empty container, so I'm going to say it was a success!

Carrots and Onions with Ginger

One pound of carrots, sliced
Zest and juice of one lemon
Zest and juice of one orange
2 t. finely minced ginger
2 onions, chopped fine
Salt and pepper to taste
2 T. vegan butter

Add everything except butter together, and mix well. Melt the butter in a pot, and stir in the carrot mixture. Mix well to coat, then cook over medium until carrots have softened somewhat, about 20 minutes. Serve. Enjoy!

Shepherd's Pie with Sweet Potato Topping

My husband detests sweet potatoes. I like them. My kids will eat them, but I can't say they are huge fans. Admittedly, when I was younger, I didn't like them, either. They've grown on me as I've gotten older, very likely because of the plant based diet I consume. Since becoming a vegan, I've discovered so many new and different ways to use vegetables I had never done before, just always falling back on the tried and true, the usual, the known. I don't cook that way anymore. I love experimenting!

Shepherd's Pie with Sweet Potato Topping

One onion, diced
2 carrots, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
6 cloves garlic, diced
1 t. cumin
1 t. turmeric
1 t. crushed red pepper
2 c. lentils
8 c. vegetable broth
3 large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
1 t. cinnamon
12 handfuls of fresh spinach leaves
Zest and juice of 2 lemons

Saute the onion, carrots, and celery using water or a little oil. Add the garlic and saute until everything is soft. Add the spices, lentils, and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, then simmer about 45 minutes. Add spinach and lemon and cook until the spinach wilts.
While the lentils are cooking, add the potatoes and cinnamon to a large pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer while the lentils cook. When done, drain and mash.
In a large casserole dish, add the lentils mixture. Top with the mashed sweet potatoes, spreading over the entire mixture. Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes. Let it sit for 10 minutes. Serve. Enjoy!

A couple of notes. Let the dish sit for 10 minutes OUT  of the oven. It makes a difference. Also, I bought this awesome dicer from a thrift store and used it to cut the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic. It cuts in uniform cubes and is just a lot of fun to use! Another thing I did was I discovered a potato ricer hidden in my cabinets. I suspect my dad gave it to me some time ago, but I had forgotten about it. It is super cool to use. You add the cooked potatoes and smash. The potatoes come out the numerous holes. I did it right over the casserole dish, and then just moved them around to cover. I'll try to take pictures of these items on a later post.

For the record, my husband still refused to eat it. But the kids and I liked it!

Pumpkin Pasta

Every year I plan to make at least one dish in October that uses pumpkin. Most years I completely forget. This year I actually remembered! Whee! But I wanted something simple and easy. My husband swears he does not like pumpkin and refuses to eat it. Guess what? He ate this and even took leftovers for lunch. Win!

Pumpkin Pasta

Pasta, prepared per package instructions (I used angel hair)
One onion, chopped
One package vegan sausage (I used Field Roast Italian Sausage), sliced
One can unsweetened pumpkin
Salt and pepper to taste
Vegetable broth

Saute the onion and sausage together until onion is soft and sausage slightly browned. Add the pumpkin and enough vegetable broth to make a sauce. Salt and pepper to taste. Let simmer about 15 minutes, and serve over the cooked pasta. Enjoy! And Happy Halloween!

Hawaiian Chick'n

Have you ever noticed looking in older cookbooks how a recipe will be called Mexican, or Chinese, or any ethnic or exotic cuisine, but the recipe falls really short of authentic? This is probably one of those as far as names go, but Betty Crocker would be proud. Despite the name, it's really quite tasty. I think you'll like it.

Hawaiian Chick'n

Vegan chick'n (I like gardein for this), cut in chunks
1/2 c. orange juice
1/4 c. barbecue sauce
1 can pineapple chunks, drained

Add everything to a skillet, mix well, and bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer and cover. Watch the sauce. Mine evaporated, so double the sauce, or add a little of the pineapple juice if you need to. Let simmer about 5 minutes or until chick'n is cooked thru, and serve over rice. It's really good, but I would make sure about sufficient sauce next time.

Spicy Chickpeas and Potatoes

I haven't been a big fan of Indian food, but over the past few years have been slowly acquiring a taste for it. I don't like spicy food as a general rule, preferring the spice toned down a bit. I am always amazed when dining at our local Thai restaurant and two of my kids order their dishes highly spiced, when I go for the level just above no spice. So Indian food is another new adventure for me.

Spicy Chickpeas and Potatoes

2 c. water
1 bay leaf
1 can of chickpeas/garbanzo beans, drained
Olive oil
1 t. ground coriander
1/2 t. cumin
1 t. ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 t. turmeric
Half an onion, chopped
3-5 potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 c. chopped tomatoes
Cilantro

Bring the water and bay leaf to a boil, and add the garbanzo beans. Boil for about 5 minutes, then drain, but retain, the water. Saute the spices and onion until the onion is tender. Add the potatoes and the tomatoes, bring to a boil, cover and reduce to simmer. After about 20 minutes (or until potatoes are soft), add a couple of tablespoons of the reserved garbanzo water and a handful of chopped, fresh cilantro. Cook until the the liquid becomes gravy like. Salt to taste. Serve. Enjoy!

Personally, I found this just a tad too spicy for me, but my kids liked it. Next time I will tone down the spices a bit.

A twist on Sloppy Joes

My daughter and I were talking about what to make for dinner, going around and around because  nothing appealed. She found this recipe for Philly Cheese Steak Sloppy Joes, and I was intrigued.  It needed veganizing, of course, and we did, with delicious results!

I substituted Gardein Beefless Grounds for the hamburger, vegan butter and vegan Worcestershire sauce, vegetable broth for the beef broth, and Follow Your Heart Provolone for the cheese.  The cheese melted beautifully in the mixture and the taste was divine! Seriously, we all had two sandwiches, we just couldn't get enough! We will definitely make this again.