Garlicky kale with sesame tofu

Tofu + greens = power team 

The protein:

My highly versatile, hugely yummy sesame tofu

Tofu – it’s pretty polarizing. Meat-eaters mock it and even among vegetarians, there’s not a clear consensus. While some are worried about the alleged health risks associated with soy consumption, other are worried about, well, making it taste good. 

It’s not the easiest to prepare, after all. Making the most of your tofu involves pressing it to remove excess water and then developing a recipe chock-full of flavor for the tofu to absorb. The quality* (i.e. price) of your tofu is also a factor in where your meal registers on the deliciousness continuum.  

Then, of course, there’s your preparation method – baking, frying, stir-frying, steaming. Where to begin? What on earth to do?

You bake it up sesame garlic style, as I did for this epic salad, and then you move on with your life. 

The power:
  
Yet you’ll surely run up against some follow-up questions, namely: now what? What do I do with a pan of perfectly browned sesame tofu?

When in doubt, my friends, go for garlic + greens. Sautéed kale, spinach, or collards work wonderfully here. Sliced mushrooms bring a mild meaty flavor, where your yellow peppers bring crunch and color.

You’ll need:

• 1 cup brown rice, cooked
• 1 large bunch kale, roughly chopped
• 1 yellow pepper, sliced
• ¾ cup mushrooms, sliced (white or Crimini variety)
• 1 small onion, sliced into half moons
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1-2 pinches red pepper flakes, to taste
• 1 TBSP EVOO
• 1.5 TBSP toasted sesame oil
• Sea salt and pepper, to taste

If you're tofu-ambivalent, try it sesame style over garlic greens!

Heat the EVOO on medium and add the onion. Cook for 4-5 minutes, adding garlic and red pepper flakes once the onion softens. Cook for 1 minute before adding the yellow pepper and mushroom. Stirring often, cook the peppers and mushrooms for about 4 minutes. 

Finally, toss in the kale and stir to incorporate. You may want to add a drizzle of EVOO or a few splashes of water or veggie stock to create some stream. As your kale turns bright green, after about 4-5 minutes, add a generous hit of sea salt and pepper. Finish up by turning off the heat and adding a light drizzle of toasted sesame oil. 

Prepare your bowl with couple heaping spoonfuls of rice, a generous layer of steaming kale, and as many pieces of tofu as you deem reasonable. Yes, it’s fantastic, but you don’t have to eat it all in one sitting – it holds up in the fridge just fine. 

* As a Connecticut native, I’m hugely fond of The BridgeTofu, out of Middletown, CT. Living in Boston, I’m lucky to still have access to The Bridge’s handmade tofu, even if it retails at about 2x the price of store-brand varieties.

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.

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!