Garlic and Black Pepper Tofu

In your face flavor

The shout out:

No doubt, the internet is alive with vegan recipe inspiration. The ideas I get from Pinterest and Food Gawker alone could keep me in fresh new recipes for life. And then, of course, there are the blogs – which can only be described as profuse.

And thank goodness. What fun!

Garlic and Black Pepper Tofu: serve over udon noodles or brown rice

But then there are those sites that are just plain weird. Unsightly, strange to navigate and seemingly unanchored to an identifiable author or institution. You know, the sites you tend to avoid. With so much beautiful cooking content to sift through in the internet-at-large, why stick around?

You stick around because, with patience, recipes with unprecedented elegance – i.e. Garlic andBlack Pepper Tofu – emerge from the clutter.

Elegance, here, comes as freshly cracked black pepper marries minced cilantro root as if they’re the most passionate and compatible of lovers. Coming together in a powerful sauce (not for the weak of heart) of garlic, tamari and cane sugar, this recipe, which lives in a most inconspicuous corner of the internet, deserves a standing ovation.

If you’re into your cilantro, you must try this truly original, Thai-inspired spin – and where the recipe calls for red bell peppers and green beans, don’t be afraid to experiment. I’ve added veggies from mushrooms to kale with great success! The sauce is so good, you'll want to double this recipe to ensure you have enough.

Pineapple Fried Rice

Sweet and salty on a Sunday night 

  

The Sunday:

Sunday usually calls for a take-your-time recipe. Something challenging or never-before-attempted. Some new vegan inspiration you can put together at your leisure, learning along the way.

Make your own Pineapple Fried Rice! It'll be amazing.

Well, most Sundays go this way. But not all.

If you’re frantically planning your own wedding (like me, omg), the notion of overpriced takeout delivered to your doorstep takes on a whole new allure…even on the most sacred of stay-at-home cooking days. 

But no, no! Sunday kitchen time, you will be mine. And so will you, Pineapple Fried Rice, aka Takeout 2.0.

The Recipe:

This dish is such a treat – juicy pineapple, salty cashews, and loads of vegan color from carrots, peppers and peas. It’s a feast for the eyes as much as the belly.

And it’s so simple! Sometimes it’s intimidating to attempt restaurant recreations – we feel we’ll be downgrading a dish, creating a lesser version of professional kitchen classics.

But not here. Cast off those doubts and create your own Thai-inspired vegan entrée. For your Pineapple Fried Rice, you’ll need:

• 1 ¼ cup brown Jasmine rice, cooked (& cooled in the fridge if you have time)*
• 1 TBSP EVOO
• 1 leek, sliced (white and light green part only)
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 pinch red pepper flakes, to taste
• ½ tsp ginger, freshly grated
• 1 ½ tsp curry powder
• 1 tsp coriander
• ¼ tsp turmeric
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced
• 2 carrots, bias cut
• ½ cup frozen peas
• ⅔ cup pineapple, cubed
• ⅓ cup cashews, roasted and salted
• ¼ cup vegetable stock
• 2-4 tsp Tamari or soy sauce, to taste
• 2 scallions, sliced for garnish

In a large frying pan, heat your EVOO on medium and add leeks. Stir leeks for 3-4 minutes, until soft. Add red pepper flakes to taste, ginger, curry, coriander and turmeric. Stir gently to coat the leeks with your spices, 2 minutes. Next, add the red pepper, carrot, peas, pineapple and cashews. Stir to incorporate and then add your vegetable stock. Cook for 5-7 minutes. As veggies soften, add the rice and 2 teaspoons tamari. As you incorporate the rice, taste test for your tamari – adding in small increments until it’s just right. Top with scallions and serve!

If you want some extra sweetness, toss in a handful of raisins with your veggies. My fiance has a raisin-hangup, otherwise, I would have included them here!

*Leftover or cooled rice works wonderfully in fried rice, but freshly cooked rice will be fine, too.

 

Summer Basil & Chicken Pasta

A raid-the-fridge weeknight dinner

The herb:

I’m on a basil kick. Last week it was vegan pesto taste testing, and Monday night it was tomato and basil pizza – just some standard marina, thickly layered sliced tomatoes, and a generous sprinkling of fresh basil. Quick, delicious, and oh-so-summery.

Last night, with a bundle of basil leftover in the fridge, Basil Challenge III was upon me. Admittedly, my Summer Basil & Chik’n Pasta was born of a solemn swear to myself that I’d figure out a way to use the basil without making a special trip to the grocery store. If you cook as a vegan, I’m sure you’ve been there, too: the 7^th consecutive day of swinging by the store for that one fresh ingredient that you cannot (will not! ought not!) do without.

Enough already! Basil Challenge III: raid the fridge and make it happen.

The innovation:

Employing the go-to formula for a simple, satisfying vegan dish, I reached for a grain, a protein and a veggie. Here’s what I had on hand and how I used it:

• 2 cups pasta, cooked
• 1 package chik’n, thinly sliced
• 2 large tomatoes, diced into large chunks
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 2 tsp garlic, minced
• ½ tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 TBSP EVOO
• 1 can artichoke hearts, quartered
• 2-3 cups baby spinach
• 7-10 large basil leaves, chiffonade(d??)*
• Sea salt & pepper to taste

Heat the EVOO on medium low and add your onion, garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook for 3-4 minutes and then add the chick’n strips. Increase heat to medium and stir frequently until chik’n begins to brown, 5-7 minutes. Next, incorporate your tomatoes and a generous sprinkling of sea salt. Keep the chick’n and tomato mixture moving, stirring frequently for 5 minutes.

The spinach and artichoke take only
a few minutes to cook. This meal
comes together quickly!

Once your tomatoes are softened and juicy, add the baby spinach and artichokes, cooking for an additional 3-4 minutes. Finally, toss in 75% of your beautiful basil ribbons, saving the rest for garnish. Combine, add salt & pepper to taste, and you’re good to go.

The alterations:

Now, I know I said I wasn’t going to go to the grocery store for this particular dish, but that doesn’t preclude me from thinking about what I’d do differently if I had!

Firstly, I’d use whole wheat pasta. The tri-colored shells were fun, but I think a nutty whole grain flavor would have really rounded out this dish. Additionally, I’d probably opt for a more flavorful chik’n than the Trader Joe’s Chickenless Strips I had on hand. Lightlife Smart Strips are among my favorite.

But as always, this dish is highly adaptable: don’t have artichokes? No prob, forget about them. Want more Vitamin A & C? Double your baby spinach. No fresh tomatoes on hand? Hell, grab a can.

Whatever it takes to save yourself that 8^th consecutive trip to the store, amiright?

*I’ll cook dinner for whomever can explain to me how to conjugate chiffonade. Promise!

Vegan Burrito Bowl

Layers to live by

The Inspiration:

Flimsy-ass taco shells. 

Burrito Bowl: debunking the myth that vegans
eat like rabbits

That’s right, this bowl of vegan bliss was inspired by one too many taco shells crumbling in my hand before the first bite. I’ve yet to act on my fantasy of developing a sturdier shell – one durable enough to hold my homemade refried beans and vegan taco meat without buckling – so I’ve been using the next best thing: an easy-peasy already invented bowl.

So lazy, I know! Some over-achiever out there will beat me to it and invent the world’s most robust, crack-proof taco shell. Damn them and the assured fame that will follow.

But who knows, maybe there’s some fame in my own future once the world beholds my vegan burrito bowl. A girl can dream!

The Preparation:

First, assemble all your ingredients for easy-access – there are a few moving parts here and you’ll want them all within arm’s reach. Go ahead and grab:

• 1 cup brown rice, cooked
• 1 package Smart Ground Mexican by Litelife
• 1 can refried beans
• 1 yellow bell pepper, diced
• 1 small bunch kale, coarsely chopped
• 1-2 TBSP EVOO
• ½ yellow onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, pressed
• ⅓  tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 avocado, sliced
• 8 cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 1 lime
• ¼ cup cilantro, roughly chopped
• Salsa

The kale comes first:

Sautéed kale: totally unexpected,
totally exceptional

Heat the EVOO on medium-low in a large skillet, then add the onion, garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook for 2-3 minutes, then add the yellow bell pepper. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring often. Next, incorporate the kale, adding a few splashes of water to help it cook down. Increase heat to medium and stir often for 4-5 minutes, or until kale is bright green.

Then the vegan meat:

In another skillet, add a few splashes of EVOO and heat your Smart Ground Mexican on medium. Stir often for about 7 minutes. If desired, add a dash or two of water or veggie stock for a moister consistency.

And the refried beans:

Empty your refried beans into a bowl and pop them in the microwave. (Or, if you’re feeling ambitious, go with my hot jalapeno refried beans.)

Then the fun:

Finally, build your bowl! Rice first, followed by a heaping layer of kale, with your Smart Ground Mexican and refried beans sharing the top floor of this towering Mexican mound. Top it all off with your sliced avocado, cilantro sprigs and cherry tomatoes. Add a few scoops of your favorite salsa and a squirt of lime.

…and welcome to your new life. This bowl is like being born again.

Hot Jalapeno Refried Beans

When canned won't cut it

The Game:

I like to play a game called “Has Anyone Ever…”

All you do is come up with a crazy scenario and ask a friend if anyone ever – just once in the history of the world – has experienced the scenario you’re describing. It’s a fun and often outrageous conversation starter.

And so I ask you: has anyone ever gotten giddy over canned refried beans?

I’d bet not.

Canned refried beans, aka meh, hardly get the heart pumping. But here’s what will: my homemade vegan Hot Jalapeno Refried Beans.

The Players:

If this is your first foray into homemade refried beans, fear not. More than easy, it’s intuitive. You’ll want:

• 1 can beans, kidney or pinto, rinsed and drained
• ½ jalapeno, minced, seeds intact
• 1 lime
• 1 TBSP garlic, minced
• ½ sweet onion, finely chopped
• 1 tsp EVOO
• Sea salt & pepper to taste

Onion, garlic and jalapeno pack
a lot of punch in these beans

Begin by heating the EVOO in a skillet on medium-low. Add the onion, garlic and jalapeno and cook for 3-4 minutes, until onion softens and becomes translucent. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Next, stir in your beans and increase the heat to medium. Cook for 6 minutes, stirring often. Add the lime juice and cook for 1 more minute. 

Lastly, turn off the heat and smash up your bean mixture with a potato masher. How smooth or chunky you make it is up to you! Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Add the lime juice and mash em' up

The win:

So now: has anyone ever gotten giddy over a hot bowl of Hot Jalapeno Refried Beans?

Absolutely – and here’s why. Hot off the skillet, these babies are a perfect accompaniment to a chips and salsa snack. They’re a hot and spicy add-on to any burrito, taco or Mexican bowl. And, I dare say, if you’re looking for a quick and easy vegan meal, whip these up and throw a heaping spoonful over a bowl of brown rice – add your avocado, salsa and cilantro, and you’re done.  

Brown Rice & Sesame Tofu Salad

A Heaping Plate of Vegan Grains and Greens

The Dilemma:

Me: “I would love a salad for dinner tonight!”

Fiancé: “………uh huh..”

Don’t get me wrong, my fiancé (aka Jeremy) loves him some vegan cooking. Lord knows he eats enough of it. But sometimes my veggie dreams don’t speak to him so seductively. An occasional meat and prolific cheese eater, my sigo is a sort of convenience vegan, enjoying the meals I prepare but by no means inclined to choose tofu over chicken when left to his own devices.

And his own devices are…ravenous. A salad, usually, will not suffice.

So last night, when I declared myself salad-ready, the silence set in. Nothing…nothing…no comment…and then a polite little “uh huh.”

Little did he know that my signature Brown Rice & Sesame Tofu Salad was in store. Uh huh. That’s right.

The Recipe:

Hello, gorgeous!

I invented this salad in my late college years, right around the time when my sister and I would frequent the Lady Killigrew Café and Bookmill in Montague, MA. It was there that I had my first taste of warm brown rice over crisp greens, a combination so compelling I had to replicate it in my own kitchen. Yes, you have to juggle a few moving parts to pull this salad together, but it’s oh-so-worth it!

For sanity’s sake, approach this recipe in three parts: the rice, the tofu and the veggies.

For the rice, you’ll need:

• 1 cup sweet brown rice
• 2 cups water
• Dash of salt

Place the water, rice and salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down as low as it will go and cover. Cook for approximately 40 minutes or until all the water is absorbed.

As the rice is cooking, preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Cut your block of tofu into slices or squares and set pieces into a marinade of:

Flip the tofu slices about halfway through baking
to brown evenly on both sides.

• 1/4 cup tamari
• 1/3 cup water
• 2 TBSP toasted sesame oil
• 1 TSP freshly grated ginger
• 1.5 TSP pressed garlic
• ½ TSP red pepper flakes
• 1 TSP sesame seeds

Allow the tofu to marinate for at least 30 minutes and then spread on a cookie sheet. Bake for about 25 minutes, or until browning occurs, flipping each piece at the 15 minute mark.

Now, onto the veggies. While there's tons of room for experimentation here, some of my staple veggies include:

• ½ yellow bell pepper, sliced into long strips
• 4 radishes, sliced
• 1/3 red onion, sliced into thin rings
• 1 carrot, coarsely grated
• 5 cherry tomatoes, quartered
• ½ avocado, sliced
• 4 cups arugula, loosely packed

The Finale:

Cindy's Kitchen vegan-
friendly dressing

Once your rice and tofu have cooked and your veggies are prepped, simply spread a bed of lettuce and go to town with your toppings.

And no Brown Rice & Sesame Tofu Salad is complete without my all-time favorite dressing: Deeply Roasted Sesame by Cindy’s Kitchen. Not only is Cindy’s Kitchen a local shop, hailing from Brockton, MA, they offer a huge selection of vegan dressings and marinades, all unbelievably fresh and flavorful. If my Brown Rice & Sesame Tofu Salad were on a dessert island, Cindy’s Roasted Sesame dressing would be its singular survival item.

It, like me, can’t do without.

Power Protein Potato Hash

Dressing up your favorite starchy friend

The Goods:

Potatoes – 8 roasted pounds of them, to be exact. 

Why? Because for my dad, convenience is the holy grail of all culinary pursuits. If a recipe involves too much chopping, prepping, or clean up – forget it. “I don’t care if Christ’s coming to dinner,” he’ll say. It’s just not gonna happen.

Some days, though, he’ll get on a roll: slicing and dicing everything in the fridge and packing it up into neat stacks of Tupperware. With most of the prep work done in advance, early morning omelets or afternoon salads come together in a matter of minutes. 

Short on ingredients? Sub in some zucchini, squash, broccoli, or pinto beans.

So I wasn’t surprised to find enough potatoes to feed an Irish army when I was trolling through the family fridge this past weekend. Roasted and lightly seasoned, they were mine for the taking/making. With an afternoon of swimming in 100 degree heat before me, I needed something filling yet bikini-friendly. 

And so, of course, I grabbed a can of beans (because let’s be real, a little bloating won’t hold me back) and my vegan Power Protein Potato Hash was born.

The Recipe:

Get started by dicing 3 large russet potatoes into small squares. Toss the diced potatoes with EVOO, sea salt, pepper and garlic power. Freshly pressed garlic and parsley would work wonderfully, as well. Spread your potatoes into a flat layer on a large baking sheet and roast at 350 degrees, flipping every 10-15 minutes for about 45 minutes total. 

As your potatoes are roasting, grab and prep:

• ½ red onion, finely chopped
• 1 TBSP EVOO
• 1 can kidney beans (14.5 oz)
• 1 ear corn, de-kernelled
• 1 Portobello mushroom, sliced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 6 cherry tomatoes, quartered
• Pinch of red pepper flakes
• ½ avocado, sliced
• Salsa & cilantro for garnish

Remove the potatoes from the oven when they’re fork-soft. In a skillet over medium heat, heat the EVOO and add the onion. Let cook for 1-2 minutes. Add the mushroom and bell pepper and let cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring regularly. Incorporate ½ can kidney beans, corn, and cherry tomatoes, cooking for another 3 minutes. Finally, add in the potatoes, toss in your red pepper flakes and season with sea salt and pepper. 

Top it off with avocado slices, roughly chopped cilantro and a few scoops of your favorite salsa. If you want an even bigger protein boost, add in some sliced vegetarian sausage. 

Breakfast, my dears, is served!