Snow Day Tofu Scramble

All week Chicago and the surrounding areas have been preparing for the Blizzard of 2011, also known as snowmageddon, snowpocalypse, blizzastrophe, SN(OMG), snowzilla, and thundersnow (yes the combo of thunder, lightning, and snow!). I thought that the predictions might have been a little exaggerated, but no, we got every last inch that they said we would-- 19" in total in my area.

The wind was incredible. The snow blew itself into most of the big piles that you see in the photo below. Surprisingly my driveway only had about 4 inches because the snow blew to the side creating a 5' tall drift. The wind was not so friendly to others, some friends' cars are completely buried and they have been digging out for hours. As peaceful as it looks here, the scene downtown is still a total mess. They closed down Lake Shore Drive and hundreds of people were stranded overnight, with rescue efforts taking up to 12 hours for some. It is still closed down now, and they are towing the abandoned cars to nearby lots as it continues to snow.

I am thankful to be in my warm house, thankful for canceled work, thankful that the snow has stopped here, and thankful for tofu. Just as the snow was starting yesterday afternoon I made a quick stop at Whole Foods for bread and milk tofu and kale before locking down for the storm. This morning I treated myself to a most delicious tofu scramble and the raspberry cornmeal pancakes from Eat, Drink, & Be Vegan. This is my new favorite pancake recipe. This recipe is wheat-free, utilizing oat flour, cornmeal, and flax--so as far as pancakes go, these ones are pretty darn healthy!

 

If you haven't scrambled tofu, what are you waiting for? This recipe is more of a guideline to get you started. Use your favorite spices and veggies, and have fun with it! 

Tofu Scramble for Two

1/2 package of firm or extra firm tofu (8 oz)(not silken)

1 clove of garlic, minced

1/4 cup chopped onion or 1/2 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp turmeric (optional, but makes the tofu yellow like eggs)

1/2 tsp oregano 

1/2 tsp thyme

1/2 tsp paprika

1/2 cup broccoli florets, chopped small

5 button mushrooms chopped

1 cup kale, tough stems removed and chopped (or spinach, or chard)

1/2 cup chopped tomatoes

2 tbsp parsley, chopped (optional)

1 tbsp chives, chopped (optional)

1 tsp dijon mustard

1 tsp lemon juice

1 tbsp nutritional yeast (optional)

1 tbsp tahini (optional)

1 tbsp unsweetened non-dairy milk (optional)

Salt and pepper to taste

Drain tofu well, and press out water as much water as possible with a clean dish towel or paper towels by hand. You will be crumbling the tofu so feel free to squeeze down hard and allow the tofu to break apart a bit. Put the tofu in a bowl and mash with a fork until the consistency of scrambled eggs. 

Coat a skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium heat. Add tofu and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in garlic and onion (if using) and cook until fragrant. Add spices, broccoli and mushrooms and cook for another 5 minutes (until broccoli is crisp-tender). Add in the kale, tomatoes, parsley, and chives and cook until the greens have wilted. Stir in remaining ingredients (the optional ingredients will give a cheesy flavor), and season with salt and pepper. Serve hot.

Vegan MoFo #5: Green Protein Smoothie and Oral Surgery

I had a visit to the oral surgeon this morning, and left minus 4 teeth and plus 1. The teeth to go were of the wisdom variety, and the tooth being added is a molar that never came in when it was supposed to. They did what they call an "exposure" -- exposing the molar to the light of day and attaching a little chain to it so that my orthodontist can start slowly pulling it down. Really fun stuff, let me tell you.

To help me relax they gassed me up immediately. This was soon followed by the assistants strapping down my arms and legs to the chair, whilst starting to lay out their invasive looking tools on the table that hovered a few feet over my lap. Funny stuff that laughing gas is, I could care less about all of this normally alarming stuff going on. I was daydreaming, remembering something that happened back in college, and I actually had to hold back a giggle! How cliché it would have been to start laughing. I fought it. Then the oral surgeon made his first appearance, and he tried to have a conversation with me. Major buzzkill, I don't want to talk about surgery, man!

Then they hooked me up to the IV and started administering the anesthesia. They had enough time to tell me that I would start to feel really nice, and that's all I remember. Then both assistants were calling my name telling me it was over. But I didn't want to wake up, and I especially didn't want to put both feet on the floor and try to stand up! I was overcome with thirst, so I pointed to my throat and said, "WAA. WAA-ER." So she poured some water in my mouth, but turns out I couldn't feel the lower half of my face. I did manage to swallow some, but the rest ended up on my shirt.

Lost your appetite yet? I hadn't. I was not allowed to eat or drink anything for six hours prior to the surgery, and at this point it had been about 16 hours since my last meal. Eating, even a liquid meal, was out of the question for a couple of hours. Way too much gauze and way too numb. Then the novocaine started to wear off and with it came a big old headache. I was ready for some ibuprofen, but didn't want to take it on an empty stomach. One great thing about being vegan is not having to plan ahead for times like these, vegans always have great smoothie-worthy ingredients lying around. I went for protein, healthy fats, and some greens, and served it up with a spoon. Steve had a good laugh snapping pictures of me dribbling smoothie down my chin, I think it was payback for my last post. Since he was such a good sport, I decided to post one of my glamour shots to reciprocate. All things considered, I think I look pretty good!



Green Protein Smoothie
Serves 1

1 cup almond milk
1/2 frozen banana
1/2 avocado
2 handfuls of chopped kale
1 tbsp organic peanut butter
1 tbsp flax meal
2 scoops Garden of Life RAW Protein
1 tsp maple syrup
Ice







I'm happy to report that just 7 hours later I am doing great. No more gauze, no swelling, and no need for the pain meds. So glad that this ordeal is over! Now to catch up on all of the MoFo posts that I missed today!

A Proper Vegan Brunch

You would not really know it from reading my blog, but I love cooking breakfast. In fact, it is a Saturday morning tradition at my house. In the past I have not posted about very many of my breakfasts, because while I enjoyed my regular rotations of skillets, omelets, and pancakes, I did not feel that I had anything ground breaking to add to the mix.

As you might recall, several weeks ago I decided to give up my weekly cheesy, eggy, and buttery breakfasts as part of the 10-day cleanse. I was surprised how easy it was to give up eggs and dairy, and not just for my Saturday morning breakfasts. The cleanse ended 10 days ago and I have continued on without eggs and dairy without looking back.

So what of my Saturday morning tradition then? It was high time that I made a proper vegan brunch, so this weekend I set out to do just that. It seemed only appropriate to go for an eggs, meat, and potatoes combination for this venture.

Now this, I could get used to.

First up, Mini Crustless Tofu Quiches. If you are a skeptic on replacing your morning eggs with tofu I urge you to try this recipe. Baking these quiches results in a firm, yet fluffy result (very eggy!), and the chopped herbs and veggies within pack them with flavor.


Mini Crustless Tofu Quiches
(from FatFree Vegan Kitchen)

olive oil spray
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 cup bell pepper
1 cup chopped mushrooms
1 tablespoon minced fresh chives (or one green onion)
1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary (or 1/2 tsp. dried, crushed)
black pepper to taste
1 12.3-ounce package lite firm silken tofu, drained of water
1/4 cup plain soymilk
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 tablespoon cornstarch (may sub another thickener such as arrowroot or potato starch)
1 teaspoon tahini (preferred) or cashew butter
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/2-3/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 375 F. Spray 12 regular-sized muffin cups well with non-stick spray.
Lightly spray a non-stick skillet with olive oil and sauté the garlic, bell peppers, and mushrooms over medium heat until the mushrooms just begin to exude their juices. Stir in the chives, rosemary, and freshly ground black pepper, and remove from the heat.
Place the remaining ingredients into a food processor or blender. Process until completely smooth and silky. Add the tofu mixture to the vegetables and stir to combine. Spoon equally into the 12 muffin cups: it will fill regular muffin cups about halfway.
Put the muffin pan into the oven and immediately reduce the heat to 350 F. Bake until the tops are golden and a knife inserted into the middle of a quiche comes out clean--about 25-35 minutes depending on your oven and muffin cups (silicone will take longer than metal, so if you're using a metal pan, check it at 20 minutes). Remove from the oven and allow them to cool for about 10 minutes. (Serves 3)

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Chorizo Sausage 
(from Vegan Brunch)

Moving right along, for the meat in my brunch I decided on chorizo sausage. Can you believe these babies are plant based? They were spicy and meaty and perfect! This one comes from Vegan Brunch, and you'll just have to get your hands on a copy to get at this recipe. This is the first recipe that I have tried from this book, and there are several more I can't wait to try.

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Lastly, my own contribution to my first vegan brunch, Rosemary-Sage Homefries with Kale. These were a huge hit, and a welcome change from the potato-and-seasoning-salt variety. Amazing things happen when you have fresh rosemary on hand.


Rosemary-Sage Homefries with Kale

2 cups russet potatoes, chopped in 1/2 pieces
2 cups kale, stems removed and roughly chopped
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 tsp fresh rosemary, minced
1/2 tsp rubbed sage
1-1/2 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil in a medium skillet. Add onion and saute over medium heat for 4-5 minutes or until translucent. Stir in garlic and saute for another minute. Add in your potatoes next and give it a good stir. Now stand back and let the potatoes brown for a few before stirring again (if you are impatient you can cover them to speed this along a bit). Brown the potatoes for about 15 minutes, stirring often. The cooking time here will depend a lot on how big your potatoes are. Stir in the rosemary and sage about half way through the browning process.

When the potatoes are at an edible point, tender, but still a few minutes from optimal crispness, stir in the kale. Give it another 2-3 minutes over medium heat stirring constantly, or until the kale is properly wilted (but not droopy!) and the potatoes are crisped to your liking. Season with salt and pepper to taste. (Serves 3)


...brunch is served!

Curried Red-Lentil Stew with Vegetables

I'm a real sucker for curry recipes. I'm an even bigger sucker for curry recipes that I come across that I already have all of the ingredients on hand for, and this Curried-Red Lentil Stew with Vegetables was just that. I spotted this lovely over at Dana Treat one afternoon, and within a couple of hours I sat down to a big bowl of curry.

The recipe below is exactly as she listed it. I decided to add 1/2 tsp ground coriander (because I love me some coriander), and I subbed kale for the spinach. This dish has a mild level of spice which could easily be kicked up a few notches with a couple of fresh chillies (which I'm known to do), but I decided to keep this nice and mellow this go around. This stew was even tastier the next day -- hooray for great leftovers!

Curried Red-Lentil Stew with Vegetables

(from Dana Treat)
Serves 4-6

Serve this stew over basmati rice.

Vegetable oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
Salt
1 (2 x 1 inch) piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped or grated
5 cloves of garlic, minced
5 cups water
1 1/2 tsp. curry powder
3/4 tsp. tumeric
1/2 tsp. cumin
1 cup red lentils, picked over and rinsed
3 medium carrots, quartered lengthwise, then thinly sliced crosswise
5 oz. baby spinach leaves
1 cup frozen peas, not thawed
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Heat a heavy 4-5 quart pot over moderate heat and then add just enough oil to coat the bottom. Cook the onion with a sprinkling of salt, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 8-10 minutes. Add ginger and garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes more. Add spices and cook over low heat for 1 minute.

Stir in lentils and 5 cups of water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Add carrots and another sprinkling of salt and simmer covered, stirring occasionally, until carrots are tender and lentils have broken down into a coarse puree, 15-20 minutes.

Stir in spinach and peas and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until peas are tender, about 3 minutes. Stir in cilantro and season stew with salt and pepper. If necessary, add enough water to thin stew so that it can be ladled over rice.

(Stew without spinach or peas can be made and chilled, uncovered, until completely cooled, then covered for up to 5 days. Reheat over moderately low heat, thinning with water to a pourable consistency and stirring frequently, before adding remaining ingredients.)

Kale-Potato Soup with Balsamic-Roasted Garlic

I can't seem to keep up with the awesome soups that are all over my favorite blogs these days. My "to-make" file is bursting at the seams with new kinds of soup that I want to try. My attempt to keep up has resulted in a fresh pot of soup every other day or so for the past couple of weeks. The leftovers have been amazing - soup is one of the best kind of leftovers - so the roomie and I have been eating very well for lunch during the work week!

What intrigued me most about the Kale-Potato Soup with Balsamic-Roasted Garlic when I spotted it over at parsnips aplenty, was the balsamic-roasted garlic. While roasting garlic is nothing new, I had never seen it done with balsamic vinegar. The garlic is definitely the star of the soup, and the subtle flavor lent by the balsamic vinegar is lovely. Intriguing point number two, this creamy dreamy soup is vegan thanks to the use of rice milk. I have cooked with soy milk and almond milk, but never rice milk. The verdict: I'm a huge fan, and I can't wait to try making other creamy soups with rice milk. Are you a fan of rice milk? I'd love to hear your favorite uses for it.

Kale-Potato Soup with Balsamic-Roasted Garlic
(from parsnips aplenty)
serves 4-6

2 heads garlic
salt and pepper
olive oil
good balsamic vinegar. The thick stuff.
1 small yellow onion, diced
1 stalk celery, finely diced
1/2 teaspoon chopped dried rosemary
1 bunch kale, center stems removed, roughly chopped
1 1/2 pounds potatoes, skins on, roughly chopped
1 quart + 1 cup vegetable broth
2 cups rice milk
Roast garlic: preheat oven to 375F. Chop off the top of each head of garlic, exposing the cloves. Put the heads down on a piece of aluminum foil and sprinkle with salt and pepper, then drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Wrap them up in the foil to make a little packet, and put in the oven for 30 minutes or until the garlic is soft and drop-dead-gorgeous brown.
Meanwhile, make soup: In a pot over medium heat, cook onions, celery, rosemary, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a couple of tablespoons of olive oil until softened, about 5 minutes. Add kale, potatoes, and vegetable broth, cover, and turn the heat up to high. When soup comes to a boil, turn heat to medium low and simmer, uncovered, until potatoes are soft and kale is cooked, about 30 minutes.
By this point, the garlic should be done. When it’s cool enough to handle, squeeze out the cloves into the soup. Give it a stir, and get out your blender. Use a slotted spoon to put the veggies in the blender – a little broth is OK, but don’t overdo it. Puree it in batches, adding enough rice milk to get it to a cream-soup consistency. Discard vegetable broth (or save it to make another soup!) and put your pureed mixture in the pot; heat until warm and serve.

Heidi's Lively Up Yourself Lentil Soup

Here is another keeper from Heidi, Lively Up Yourself Lentil Soup. How could I possibly resist a soup with that cool of a name? I have been waiting to try this soup for a long time, and the hold up was due to not being able to find black beluga lentils. She said that other types of lentils will work too, but waiting for these little guys was well worth it. I ended up finding these at Trader Joe's, in a pouch, precooked and ready to serve (still have yet to find them raw). One bag is enough to do a half recipe, and all of the other ingredients are also easy to cut in half. An added bonus to using the precooked lentils, it cuts cooking time down from about 25 minutes to 15 minutes total (you can't argue with that!).

Although Heidi mentions that she'll use either, I recommend using fire-roasted crushed tomatoes over plain crushed tomatoes. Don't forget the saffron yogurt drizzle, another extra special touch that is well worth it! I've posted the full size original recipe below, so if you go for the TJ's lentils like I did, you'll want to buy 2 bags or halve the recipe.

Heidi's Lively Up Yourself Lentil Soup
(from 101 cookbooks)

2 cups black beluga lentils (or green French lentils), picked over and rinsed
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
1 28-ounce can fire-roasted crushed tomatoes
2 cups water
3 cups of a big leafy green (chard, kale, etc), rinsed well, deveined, finely chopped

Saffron Yogurt
a pinch of saffron (30-40 threads)
1 tablespoon boiling water
two pinches of salt
1/2 cup 2% Greek Yogurt

Bring 6 cups of water to a boil in a large saucepan, add the lentils, and cook for about 20 minutes, or until tender. Drain and set aside.

While the lentils are cooking, make the saffron yogurt by combining the saffron threads and boiling water in a tiny cup. Let the saffron steep for a few minutes. Now stir the saffron along with the liquid into the yogurt. Mix in the salt and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a heavy soup pot over medium heat, then add the onion and salt and saute until tender, a couple minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, lentils, and water and continue cooking for a few more minutes, letting the soup come back up to a simmer. Stir in the chopped greens, and wait another minute. Taste and adjust the seasoning if need be. Ladle into bowls, and serve with a dollop of the saffron yogurt.

Serves 6 to 8.

Green Smoothie

When it comes to breakfast during the work week I am a creature of habit. I go through phases of eating the same thing every day for months, and most recently it's been oatmeal. I am onto a new phase ever since I spotted the Green Smoothie over at Easy Veggie a couple of weeks ago.

What a welcome change this smoothie has been! The ingredients are almond milk, avocado, kale, and mango. I've been loving getting a big dose of fruits and veggies first thing in the morning. After a week and a half of drinking these I've found the perfect measurements of these ingredients for my taste (as listed below). Feel free to add a bit of agave nectar to taste if you like things a bit sweeter.

Green Smoothie
(adapted from Easy Veggie)

1 cup almond milk
1 cup water (or more if smoothie is too thick)
1/4 avocado
2 kale leaves
1/2 cup mango chunks
1/2 cup ice