Kung Pao Walnut Tofu

 Like kung pao Chinese takeout but I don't often have peanuts on hand! https://thewoksoflife.com/kung-pao-tofu-vegan-vegetarian/#recipe

Cut one pound tofu into cubes, press. Drain. 

Mix up the tofu coating slurry: 

1/3 C cornstarch

1/4 to 1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/4 to 1/2 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp salt 

1/4 C water

Once tofu is drained, toss with the slurry. set aside. 

Mix up the stir fry sauce, set aside. This was actually very much like restaurant kung pao, I was impressed with how plain /pantry staple the ingredients are. 

2/3 C warm water

1 TB soy sauce

1 tsp dark soy sauce (kecap manis) 

1.5 tsp rice vinegar

0.5 tsp sesame oil 

2 tsp sugar

1/4 tsp salt

2 tsp cornstarch 

Meanwhile, do some mise en place to prep: 

break apart 2 dried red chili peppers, toss the seeds. 

mince or microplane 1 TB ginger

mince 3 cloves garlic 

slice 3 scallions/green onions

chop 2 carrots into peanut sized pieces

chop 2 stalks celery into peanut sized pieces

In hot pan, add 1/4 C avocado oil. Fry up 2/3 C walnuts  for a few minutes but do no burn.  Using slotted spoon, pull the walnuts out of the pan and set aside. 

Fry the tofu in 2 batches. Let it sit undisturbed until it browns and releases from the pan. set aside. 

Reserving the oil in the pan, fry up the carrots and celery. Add the ginger and chilies. Then add the garlic and green onions. 

Pour in the sauce and let it bubble. 

Pour the toasted walnuts and fried tofu and stir to coat. 

Serve over hot rice. 

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Spaghetti Squash Carbonara (vegetarian)

 Cut spaghetti squash in half lengthwise. discard seeds. Pressure steam for 7 minutes. When the squash has cooled slightly, use a fork to pull apart the spaghetti squash strands.  Drain if necessary. Reserve the hot steaming water. 

Beat 2-3 eggs. Add <=1 C shredded parmesan cheese and 1/4 tsp salt to the egg mixture. 

finely dice 1 clove garlic.  crush 1/4 tsp fresh black pepper.  

Rough chop 2-3 tomatoes. Chiffonade slice basil. 

In hot pan (large enough to hold the squash eventually), add 1-2 TB olive oil. Toast the garlic and black pepper in the hot oil but do not burn. Add tomatoes and stir. Add the sqaush strands and stir. 

slowly pour some hot steaming water into the eggs, continuously stirring so they don't curdle.  Now that you've warmed up the egg mixture, slowly pour egg mixture into the hot pan over the squash. Stir to keep it from curdling. Throw the basil in at the last minute. Serve immediately. 

 

Soy Curl Satay Skewers

Combine one 8oz package of soy curls with hot water to rehydrate. Drain and press out excess water.  (Pro-tip: use the largest pieces of soy curls, you may need to sort through a couple bags and use the big pieces from each bag)

Mix up marinade:  

1 TB Maple syrup

2 TB avocado oil

2 TB soy sauce

1 tsp lemongrass paste

1 tsp sriracha 

1/8 tsp ginger powder

1/4 tsp garlic powder

Stir the hydrated soy curls in the marinate. Then thread onto skewers.  Place on a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. 

Broil at 500 F for 15 minutes. Then flip and boil another 5-7minutes. 

Serve with soba or vermichelli noodles, peanut sauce, veggies. 

Blackberry Vodka Spritzers

Make blackberry vodka by combining washed blackberries and vodka in a glass jar. Let sit for a few weeks, then strain. 

For Vodka spritzer, combine: 

1 TB blackberry vodka 

1 tsp lime juice 

1/4 C simple syrup (sugar + water ) 

about 3/4 C sparkling water

C's Favorite Veggie Soup (Instant pot)

 Chop 1 onion and 4-5 cloves garlic. Heat instant pot on saute function.

 When warm, add 1 TB oil. Then saute the onion and garlic in ¼  tsp salt

When carmelized, turn off saute function. Add cracked black pepper , 2 bay leaf, ½ tsp dried thyme. 

Meanwhile, chop veggies: 

3 carrots

2 stalks celery 

1 large russet potato (skin on) 

Optional: 1-2 C chopped green cabbage

Drop these into instant pot. 

Add 1 package veggie stock/broth (32 oz), approx 3 C water and 2-3 C frozen cooked chickpeas

Pour in enough extra water to come to the top of veggies. 

Seal and pressure cook for 5-8 minutes. 

Season with salt (1TB for normal folks, or 1/2 TB for lower salt diet) and 1 tsp lemon juice or vinegar 

Serve with crusty bread

Make ahead Sweet Potato Freezer Burritos

Make enchilada sauce: mix chili spices in a ramekin. In hot pan add 2 TB oil and 2 TB flour and toast. then add the spices, then tomato paste (or tomato paste concentrate). deglaze with 1.75 C veg broth.  Simmer to thicken. Set aside.

Peel and dice 2 medium yellow onions (or 1 big one). Saute in 2 TB avocado oil 1/2 tsp salt 

Peel and cut 2 sweet potatoes. Pressure steam in instant pot for 5 minutes. 

3-5 C cooked black beans (we soak, pressure cook, drain and freeze in ziplocks so they are ready!) 

2-3 C frozen corn 

Combine it all, taste and add salt if necessary. 

14 large flour tortillas. Heat up 2 at a time and fill and roll. Wrap in aluminum foil. Freeze

Fish Green Curry

Hot pan on the stove

add 1 TB avocado oil and swirl to coat bottom of pan 

fry up 2 TB or 50 grams green curry paste in the oil (<=60 seconds). We like Mae Ploy brand

add 1 to 1.5 TB sugar and 1-2 C plain non dairy milk (oat milk is good b/c it's richer than almond). Stir to combine. 

Add sliced mushrooms or green beans or vegetable of choice.  Cook on medium-low until the vegetables are nearly all done cooking. 

Place 2-4 portions of white fish fillets (halibut, cod or white fish) into the pan.  Spoon some of the curry liquid over the top. Turn stove to low and cover.  Let cook a couple minutes, then flip.  Fish is done when it flakes apart. 

Serve over rice. 

Vegan Papaya Lassi with Cardamom

Inspired by this and this, veganized a lassi! It's deceptively simple; super tasty.  

Blend: 

1 C ice cubes

1-2 C papaya 

1 C oat milk

1/2 tsp cardamom, crushed in mortar and pestle

2 medjool dates (pits removed) 

Favorite Tofu Recipes 2020-2021

Main method: Cut tofu into squares or slabs, press. Drain.  Marinate in soy sauce and maple syrup and some oil. Then toss in cornstarch (or panko and sesame seeds). Bake on parchment paper at 400 F for 20 minutes each side.  The basic idea is described well by Cookie and Kate. I hate frying as it's a lot of standing over the stove time, so I try to bake whenever possible!

Are these steps really necessary? Yes, even for someone like me who likes to skip steps and streamline. Pressing and draining is essential for better texture and crisping. Cornstarch or some dry coating on the outside is essential, otherwise the tofu just kind of steams in the oven. Parchment is essential (so you get a crisp exterior, otherwise it sticks to the pan and you can't get the crispy exterior off in one piece). 

Variants: 

• Marinate in sriracha and honey, then coat in corn flour/cornmeal like this recipe from The Woks of Life

• This version from Just One Cookbook uses Japanese flavors and reminds me of Agedashi tofu, but is much simpler. If you eat fish, the katsuobushi on top is delicious!  I wait until it's out of the oven and sprinkle while pan is still hot. 

• Sesame tofu is very popular. Use a flax egg or real egg to dip and adhere a thicker layer of panko or bread crumbs, like It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken or  Love and Olive Oil or Lazy Cat Kitchen. 

We also really like these tofu recipes from Chloe Coscarelli's book "Chloe Flavor": 

Thai Tofu Satay with peanut sauce pg 78 - adapted to the oven instead of stove top. I bake for 40 minutes at 375 - 400 F and flip half way through. These planks are so good we love them in sandwiches, especially with some kind of greens plus mango chutney. 

General Tso's Tofu on page 176 which uses an orange juice, sriracha sauce. 

Future Tofu ideas: 

Next I want to try tofu "Fish", in either the fish and chips or fish burger form factor from Elephantastic Vegan. 

I also want to try tandoori tofu on skewers like this from Hello Veggie or Holy Cow Vegan or Rabbit and Wolves. 

Vegan soy curl pot pies/chick*en and dumpings in instant pot

I saw this recipe for vegan pot pies and wanted to try making it in the instant pot, and adding soy curls for  a "chicken" like effect.  You can make this as either pot pies or more simply as "chick*n and dumplings"  

Measure out in a small cup: 

2 TB flour

1 tsp thyme

1 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp ground black pepper 

4 bay leaves

Dice: 

1 medium russet potato

2-4 carrots

2-4 celery stalks

1 small yellow onion

4 cloves garlic 

Soak 1/2 package soy curls in 1-2 C hot water. 

Meanwhile, make the dumpling/biscuit topping by mixing: 

2 C flour 

1.5 tsp baking powder

0.5 tsp salt
1/4 C olive oil 

3/4 C milk or non dairy milk

Saute the onion and garlic in the instant pot, with 2 TB oil and 1 tsp salt.  Now add the flour-spice mixture and stir, cooking until the flour is a little toasted (about 60 seconds). Add 2 C broth and 1-2 C water and scrape the bottom of the pan with a long spoon. 

Add the diced veggies, soaked and drained soy curls and stir.  

For pot pies, lock the lid now.  For dumplings,  spoon the biscuit mixture as separate pieces and plop into the liquid in the instant pot.  Lock the lid. 

Pressure cook at high pressure for 9 minutes. If you don't have a pressure cooker/instant pot, then cook for longer, until veggies are soft and dumplings are cooked inside. 

For dumplings, open instant pop and enjoy. 

For pot pies, pour the cooked vegetable mixture into a large pyrex pan. Top with the biscuit topping.  

If making for later, wrap and store in fridge. When ready, bake at 400 F for 20-40 minutes or until golden brown on top and you can see bubbles around the sides.