tofu

May 12, 2016

Tofu Scramble Burritos for Vegan Wednesday

Yes, Vegan Wednesday is actually Vegan Everyday in my case as I have been vegan for the animals since July 26, 2010.

Still, I figure people are looking for some easy, cheap vegan recipes.

This is a tofu burrito and a couple of homemade salads, creamy cucumber and fast coleslaw, I took to work.  I eat dinner at work because of my hours, so brown-bagging it is a much cheaper, healthier, and better alternative to making a run outside the building for food.

Tofu Scramble Burritos

1 package firm tofu, usually about 13 to 16 ounces, drained
1/2 a small onion, chopped
1/2 cup frozen bell peppers, I use the tri-color frozen pepper mix from Trader Joes
Oil for frying, about 2 teaspoons

1 tablespoon nutritional yeast (optional, adds Vitamin B spectrum and flavor)
1/2 teaspoon turmeric (provides pretty yellow color and antioxidants)
2 teaspoons salt or to taste

Burrito shells – I used fajita shells from Aldi that cost less than a dollar per package

tofuegg

The tofu mixture in the fry pan

Directions:

Heat oil in a frying pan on medium heat for about a minute and a half.  Add onions and fry them until slightly translucent, about 1 minute.  Thaw the peppers in the microwave for one minute in a small bowl and squeeze off the pepper water.  Drain tofu and crumble it directly into the frying pan with the onions, or just flop the whole cube in there and mash it with a fork once it is sitting amongst the onions.  Add bell pepper, nutritional yeast, turmeric, and additional spices or herbs that you enjoy.  Mix until the turmeric is evenly distributed and then salt to taste.  I like a lot of salt and I have never had blood pressure problems, so I use 2 teaspoons of black salt, a type of sulphured salt from the Indian grocery store that imparts an eggy flavor.

Heat the burrito shells gently in a dry pan or microwave them for 20 seconds to make them pliable.  Dump about a cup of tofu filling into the burrito shell and then roll it up, or eat it like a soft taco.

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Creamy Cucumber Salad

2 large cucumbers
1 tablespoon chopped green, red, yellow, or white onion (I used red onion)
2 tablespoons vegan mayonnaise (I used Just Mayo I found at Target for under $4)
1 teaspoon dried dill, thyme, basil, etc. (I used a premade mix of Herbes de Provence)
1/2 teaspoon salt plus salt to taste

Finely slice the cucumbers by hand or use a cucumber slicer — I used the cucumber slicer on the side of a four-sided cheese and vegetable shredder.  Sprinkle the 1/2 teaspoon of salt on the cucumbers, let them sit 5 to 10 minutes.  Press them in a colander over a sink, squeezing as much of their water out as you can with your clean hands.

Mix squeezed, drained cucumbers in a large bowl with onion, mayonnaise, and herbs.  Mix and add salt to taste.

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Fast Coleslaw

1/2 head of cabbage, any kind, finely chopped into shreds (I used white)
1/4 cup onion, chopped (I used red onion)
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon oil
Salt to taste

Chop the cabbage and onion finely and mix them together in a large bowl.  Add vinegar, sugar, and oil, toss and add salt to taste.

Wait about an hour for cabbage to marinate and soften.

Can be eaten room temperature or chilled.

 

December 29, 2013

Daily Vegan Lunch for 25 December, 2013: Nametake Style Daikon Noodles and Enokitake

tofu enokitake
INGREDIENTS:

1.5 cups tofu, cut into large cubes and patted dry
2 cups fresh enoki mushrooms
1 cup shredded daikon radish, I used a julienne peeler
1.5 cups vegetable broth with 2 squares of kombu seaweed added
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons sake
Salt to taste
1 tablespoon arrowroot or cornstarch plus 1/4 cup additional water

DIRECTIONS:

Combine enoki mushrooms, shredded daikon, and broth, kombu squares, soy sauce, and sake in a medium sized pan or pot at medium high heat.  Allow it to heat through until the mushrooms wilt and start looking like noodles.  Heat the tofu separately on a plate.  Mix the arrowroot and 1/4 cup of water thoroughly and then add to the pan with the enoki mushrooms, stir until a sauce is formed. Turn the heat off and wait for sauce to thicken.  Pour the enoki/daikon with sauce over the tofu.  Serve with steamed bok choy or other steamed greens.

December 29, 2013

Daily Vegan Lunch for 24 December, 2013: Tofu Cucumber Mint Chutney Cold Pita Pizza

vegan cucumber chutney pesto flatbread with tofu IMG_3882INGREDIENTS:

1 pita round
1.5 cups cucumber, sliced very thinly
1 tablespoon prepared mint chutney or prepared pesto

1 tablespoon tahini
1 teaspoon garlic, minced (about one clove)
Salt to taste

3/4 cup firm tofu, drained

DIRECTIONS:

In a small bowl, combine minced garlic, tahini, and salt.  Toast one pita round — I used my broiler on 400 for a minute — and spread it with mint chutney or pesto.  Add a layer of sliced cucumber and tomatoes.  Crumble the tofu and sprinkle on top, then drizzle with garlic tahini sauce.

December 29, 2013

Daily Vegan Lunch for 23 December: Japanese Hot Pot

vegan sukiyaki japanese tofu hotpot vegan sukiyaki japanese tofu hotpot
INGREDIENTS:

1 cup dried shiitake mushrooms (1.5 cups reconstituted)
2 carrots (approximately 2 cups) peeled and chopped roughly
1.5 cups leeks, chopped
3 kombu seaweed squares
3 cups water
1/4 cup sake
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 cups cooked noodles — I used soba
1 tablespoon oil
1.5 cups tofu

DIRECTIONS:

Cook soba noodles or any other kind of long, thin noodles according to package directions, set aside.  You can use anything from tofu shirataki to ramen noodles to thin spaghetti or no noodles at all, it just depends on what you like.

Drain the tofu and cut it into thick slices.  Blot the slices with a paper towel or a clean towel to absorb excess water.  Cut the tofu into cubes.  In a medium sized pan that can withstand high heat (I used a cast iron pan) heat one tablespoon oil until it smokes.  Add tofu to the pan.  Toss the tofu around until it browns on all sides, about two minutes.  Take the tofu off heat and set it aside.

Soak the whole dried shiitakes in enough water to cover them (they will float) for 15 minutes in a bowl.  Reserve the soaking water.  In a medium sized pot, combine carrots, kombu squares, mushrooms and their soaking water, and three cups of water.  Let it come to a boil and then reduce to medium.  Allow it to simmer until carrots are slightly tender, about 7 minutes.  Add leeks, soy sauce, and sake.  Heat through, about one minute, then take off the heat.

Serve sukiyaki by ladling all the separate ingredients into bowls — carrots, leeks, mushrooms, tofu cubes, noodles — and then spooning broth over the whole thing.

December 23, 2013

Daily Vegan Lunch for 21 December, 2013: Curry Fried Rice-Style Barley and Tofu

This is shown with some leftover okra and onions from a lovely vegan dinner at a local Indian restaurant that was one of the best meals I have ever eaten.  Thanks Shuba and Subu!curried fried rice style barley with tofu vegan
INGREDIENTS:

1 cup barley, cooked (ends up as about 3 cups)
Water for cooking barley
3/4 cup frozen peas
1 carrot, chopped, or about a cup
Water for cooking carrots and peas
1 tablespoon oil
1 green onion, chopped (about 1/2 cup)

1 tablespoon chili sauce or 2 teaspoons sriacha or tabasco
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1.5 cups firm or extra-firm tofu, cubed and patted dry

1/4 cup soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

Rinse barley and put it into a medium pot with 2 cups of water.  Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium. Cover and cook until al dente and most of the liquid has been absorbed, about 40 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes. Set it aside.

Pre-cook the carrots and peas.  In a bowl in the microwave, cover the chopped carrots and peas with water and cook on high heat until carrots are tender, about 2 minutes.  Alternately, cover the carrots and peas in water in a small pot on the stovetop.  Cook on high until carrots and peas are tender, about 7 minutes total.  Drain the carrots and peas and set them aside.

Cut tofu into slices and pat them dry with a paper towel.  Then cut them into large cubes.

Mix the hot sauce (chili, sriacha, or tabasco) with cumin, turmeric, and garam masala to make a paste.

In a large pan or wok, heat the tablespoon of oil until it smokes.  Add the tofu, quickly stir-fry and tossing around until they are slightly brown on all sides.  Add the rice, stir fry for about a minute, tossing so it browns but doesn’t burn.  Add drained carrots, peas, and spicy sauce, stir to coat all ingredients.  Finish by stirring in green onion and soy sauce.

December 22, 2013

Daily Vegan Lunch for 17 December, 2013: Seitan Combo, Stuffed Tofu, and Pickled Plum Maki Sushi

 

seitan sushi maki
INGREDIENTS:

1 cup sushi rice (approx. 2.5 cups cooked) and water to cook
3 Tablespoons rice vinegar
3 tablespoons sugar

1/2 cup daikon radish, julienned
1/2 cup cucumber, julienned

2 cups green salad mix
1 tablespoon pickled plums (umeboshi) pitted and sliced very small

1/4 cup sesame seeds
1/4 cup black sesame seeds

6 fried tofu pouches — also known as abura-age (pr. Ah-boo-la-ah-gay) available premade from Asian grocers in the refrigerated tofu section

SEITAN INGREDIENTS:

1 cup vital wheat gluten
3/4 cup cold water
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon tahini
1 teaspoon kombu dashi (squares of kombu seaweed ground up in the coffee grinder or blender/food processor)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sesame seed oil

4 sheets nori seaweed

DIRECTIONS:

Make the seitan.  Combine vital wheat gluten, konbu dashi, and salt in a bowl.  In another bowl or large cup, combine water, soy sauce, tahini, and sesame oil, mix well.  Now combine wet and dry ingredients and a dough will form.  Bring enough water to cover the seitan to a boil and drop the seitan in gently.  Turn the heat to medium-high and allow the seitan to boil for 45 minutes.  Drain seitan, allow it to cool, and

Rinse the rice well.  Make the sushi rice by cooking rice according to package directions.  I use my rice cooker for this.  Combine the vinegar, sugar, and a teaspoon of salt.  Cook in the microwave or on the stovetop until the sugar melts, take off heat and set aside.  Once the rice is cooked, pour the vinegar mixture into the rice and stir it to incorporate the vinegar.

Lay the nori on a clean surface and spread with rice.  Then lay a row of vegetables.  I used two combinations for the rolls this time: pickled plum plus salad greens and sliced seitan plus daikon radish and cucumber, but you can use anything you like.  Just know that pickled plum are very salty so it makes sense to use them very sparingly.  I used about 3/4 cup of rice per nori sheet and 1/4 cup filling in a small row down the center to one side.

Roll away from yourself, trying to make the  roll tight by tucking under as you go with your fingertips.  Let it rest seam-side down on a flat surface so the moisture from the rice seals the roll.  Slice with a serrated knife, thickness is up to you.

As for the abura-age, cut them in half and stuff each half with a heaping tablespoon of rice each pouch.  Then gently dip the top in sesame seeds.  You can use two colors if you want to be fancy like me but it isn’t necessary.  I like to toast the seeds first in a dry pan on medium heat for about five minutes but it’s not a crucial step.

December 6, 2013

Daily Vegan Lunch for 3 December, 2013: Teriyaki Unchicken Salad

teriyaki unchicken salad vegan IMG_3783

INGREDIENTS for 2 salads or one huge salad:

5 – 6 cups salad greens
2.5 cups tofu unchicken pieces

Teriyaki dressing, to taste

TERIYAKI DRESSING INGREDIENTS

1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup rice or other vinegar
1/4 cup water
2 teaspoons arrowroot or cornstarch
2 tablespoons sugar or 1 tablespoon agave nectar
2 teaspoons sesame oil or regular oil
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

Prepare the tofu unchicken according to this recipe or use a store-bought unchicken, seitan, tempeh, or other veggie protein.

Combine teriyaki dressing ingredients in a small pan on the stovetop on medium heat. Stir with a wooden spoon until ingredients dissolve. Once it heats up, about 3 minutes, stir until the dressing thickens.

Mix the tofu unchicken and salad greens in a bowl and top with teriyaki dressing to taste.

December 6, 2013

Daily Vegan Lunch for 2 December, 2013: Homemade Tofu Unchicken and Soba Noodles

soba and unchicken IMG_3779
INGREDIENTS:

1 package firm tofu

Tofu slurry
3 bunches soba noodles
1.5 cups broccoli stalks, julienned or shredded (I used my julienne peeler)
3/4 cup green onion, chopped
1 cup dried shittake mushrooms, soaked to reconstitute (will approximately double in size by soaking) or 2 cups fresh shiitake mushrooms

1.5 cups vegetable broth
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon sugar

TOFU SLURRY INGREDIENTS:

1 tablespoon peanut butter or tahini
1 tablespoon vegan mayonnaise
1 teaspoon sesame oil or cooking oil
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

DIRECTIONS:

Take tofu out of packaging, drain, and put into a large, sealable container.  Put tofu into the freezer and freeze overnight.  Tofu will become much larger and will look kind of ugly the next day.  Take the tofu out of the freezer and let it thaw on the countertop for 8 hours.  Alternately, microwave it for 10 minutes at half-power.  Once the tofu is thawed, squeeze it out like a sponge.  Notice the texture is completely changed.  Tear the tofu into bite sized pieces.  Mix the tofu slurry ingredients — peanut butter, vegan mayonnaise, etc — in a small bowl.  Mix the bite sized tofu and the slurry together in a bowl, tossing gently to coat.  Transfer the coated tofu to a cookie sheet and bake at 400 for 10 – 15 minutes or until tofu browns.

Soak shiitake mushrooms for at least 20 minutes in water to reconstitute.  Save soaking water for later if desired to append the amount of vegetable broth.  You can also use fresh shiitake (or any variety) of mushrooms.

Prepare broccoli shreds and onion.  Boil soba in water for 2 minutes or just until the noodles go from straight to al dente.  Drain soba and set aside.

Prepare broth by mixing in soy sauce and sugar and heating on the stove or in the microwave until sugar dissolves.

Assemble a bowl by layering cooked noodles, mushrooms, broccoli shreds and onions, and baked tofu pieces in a bowl.  Pour a half cup of broth on it to serve.  (Makes 3 servings)

November 25, 2013

Daily Vegan Lunch for 18 November, 2013: Sweet and Sour Tofu


sweet sour vegan tofuvegan sweet and sour chicken

INGREDIENTS:

1 package firm tofu
1 cup oil for deep frying tofu and a small cast iron or other pan that isn’t non-stick
1.5 cups canned pineapple chunks, drained but save the juice (I used pineapple in unsweetened juice)
1.5 cups broccoli
1.5 cups chopped carrots or sweet bell pepper

1/2 cup water

SAUCE INGREDIENTS:

3/4 cup reserved pineapple juice
2 tablespoons ketchup
2 tablespoons chili sauce OR 2 teaspoons Sriacha or tabasco
1 tablespoon arrowroot or cornstarch
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/4 cup rice vinegar (can sub other kinds of vinegar except for balsamic)
Salt or soy sauce to taste
1 – 2 tablespoons brown sugar, to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Deep fry the tofu.  Cut the tofu into triangles and pat the triangles dry with a clean towel or paper towels.  Bring 1 cup of oil to the smoking point on high heat in a small pan that is not non-stick.  Drop the tofu pieces into the oil until they brown, about 2 minutes.   Fry the tofu in small batches if necessary.   I had to fry mine in 2 goes.  Set the fried tofu aside.

Make the sauce by mixing all sauce ingredients together in a bowl, set aside.

In a large pan, bring a pan to medium-high heat.  Add broccoli and carrots and water.  Cook until the water steams off and broccoli is bright green.  Add the pineapple to the pan with the vegetables and stir fry to heat through.  Turn the heat down to medium.  Add fried tofu to the pan.  Add the sauce and stir until the sauce thickens, covering the vegetables and tofu.  Serve with rice.

November 3, 2013

Daily Vegan Lunch for 29 October, 2013: Pot Pie

This was outstanding eaten on a cold, rainy day when I got home late from work.

vegan creamy tofu pot pie

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PIE CRUST INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup palm-oil free vegetable shortening (cheapie safflower oil shortening) or 1/2 cup vegan butter

1 and 1/4 cups flour

Enough cold water to moisten

FILLING INGREDIENTS:

2 teaspoons oil
1.5 cups firm tofu, drained, sliced, and patted dry with clean towel or paper towels

1.5 cups onion
2 more teaspoons oil

1 cup peas (I used frozen)
1.5 cups carrots

1.5 cups water and 2 broth cubes
1/2 cup chickpea flour or more regular flour

1 tablespoon nutritional yeast (optional)

1 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon sage

DIRECTIONS:

Put a mixing bowl with 1 and 1/4 cups flour in it in the freezer.

Slice tofu and pat it dry with a clean towel or paper towels.  Cut the tofu into small cubes.  Heat oil in a pan on high heat.  Fry the tofu in oil on medium-high heat until lightly browned, set aside.

Now make the stew. Fry the onions in the bottom of a pot on medium-high heat until they are translucent. Add sage and paprika, fry 30 more seconds. Add the carrots, peas, broth cubes, and 1 cup of water. Cook until the carrots are al dente or almost fork tender.

Thicken the stew by combining the remaining 1/2 cup of water with 1/2 cup flour and 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast and mixing into a slurry. Dump this into the stew and stir until stew is thickens, about 1 – 2 minutes.  Taste test stew and add salt if needed.

Take the mixing bowl with flour in it out of the freezer. Add 1/2 cup vegetable shortening or vegan butter to the flour. Chop the shortening into small, pea sized pieces with a spoon or a pair of knives. Add water little by little until the mixture sticks together as a dough but is still a bit dry.

Sprinkle a few teaspoons of flour on the cutting board and rub down the rolling pin with it. Divide the dough into 2 halves. Roll the crust out to 1/4 inch thick. Use crust to line a cast iron pan like I did or a small casserole dish. Pour the stew filling into the crust. Roll out the top crust and lay it on the pie. Pinch the edges of the two crusts to seal and cut some slits on the top so your pot pie does not explode. If you have extra dough, you can use it to decorate the pie as I did.

Bake in the oven at 400 degrees for 25 – 30 minutes.