Maple-Lime Grilled Tofu w/Asian Slaw & Mashed Sweet Potatoes

This dish has several stages, so I’d say make it when you have plenty of time or prep the day before.  For the cashew cream, you will have to soak cashews over night as suggested.  I didn’t have the time so I soaked them for 4 hours and it seemed to work.

Maple-Lime Grilled Tofu with Asian Slaw and Mashed Sweet Potatoes

(adapted from The Conscious Cook by Tal Ronnen CB)

Tofu:

1            lb. extra-firm tofu, cut into 8 (1/4” thick) slabs

1/4         cup pure maple syrup

1/2         cup soy sauce (I used light)

3            garlic cloves, smashed

2            sprigs fresh thyme

1            teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

              juice of 2 limes

Place the tofu in a single layer in a shallow dish. In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining tofu ingredients. Pour over the tofu and marinate in the refrigerator for 2 hours.           

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Lightly oil a baking sheet. Using a slotted spoon, remove the tofu from the marinade (reserve marinade) and arrange in a single layer on the baking sheet.  Bake for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, pour the marinade into a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat until reduced to a syrupy glaze, about 8 minutes.

Grill tofu 3-4 minutes , turn over and brush with reserved marinade syrup, cook for 3-4 minutes on other side.

Slaw:

3            tablespoons rice vinegar

1            teaspoon light agave nectar

1/2         teaspoon sea salt, or more to taste

2            tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice

1            teaspoon soy sauce

1/4         cup oil

1            large carrot, peeled and crated

1/2         head napa cabbage, shredded

2            scallions, diced

In a large bowl, whisk together the vinegar, agave nectar, salt, lime juice and soy sauce. Continue whisking vigorously in one direction as you slowly pour in the oil until emulsified. Add the remaining slaw ingredients to the bowl and toss to coat.

Sweet Potatoes:

  ***Cashew Cream: 1/2  - 1 cup raw cashews, rinsed and soaked in cold water over night in fridge.  Drain cashews, place in blender and add water so that it just covers cashews.

2            large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced

1/2         cup thick Cashew Cream

2            tablespoons Earth Balance

1             canned chipotle pepper, seeded and minced

              **I didn’t have chipotle pepper so I used 1 tablespoon Ancho Chile Pepper

              Sea Salt

Cook the sweet potatoes in a pot of boiling water for 20 minutes, or until tender. Drain.  Whip together the sweet potatoes, Cashew Cream, Earth Balance, and chipotle pepper (or Ancho Chile Pepper).  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

To Place: Place on quarter of the sweet potatoes in a scoop in the middle of a serving plate. Top with one quarter of the slaw. Place 2 tofu slices on top of the slaw.

4 servings

Farro Salad with Eggplant, Tomatoes, and Onion

This is the first time I've cooked with Farro and I'm so happy I did. Trader Joe's had a display with 10-minute cooking grains and Farro was one of the grains. I'm definitely going to keep this as a main staple in my pantry and use it for soups and other salads.

Farro Salad with Eggplant, Tomatoes and Onion

(Bobby Flay)

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/bobby-flay/farro-salad-with-grilled-eggplant-tomatoes-and-onion-recipe/index.html

**I roasted the eggplant and onion vs. grilled.  I sliced, brushed with oil and baked in 300 to 350 degree oven until browned.

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What Is the Nutritional Value of Farro?

Farro is a whole grain that is an excellent source for complex carbohydrates. Additionally, farro has twice the fiber and protein than modern wheat. Different than some other whole grains, a carbohydrate in farro called cyanogenic glucosides has been found to stimulate the immune system, lower cholesterol and help maintain blood sugar levels. While farro does contain gluten, the gluten molecules are weaker than modern wheat, making it more easily digested. Below are more detailed facts regarding farro’s nutritional value:

Per ½ cup raw farro:

• 170 calories
• 1.5 g of fat
• 0 g saturated fat
• 0 mg of sodium
• 34 g of carbohydrates
• 5 g of dietary fiber
• 2 mg of iron
• 6 g of protein
• 4 mg of niacin
• 60 mg of magnesium
• 2 mg zinc

In addition to minerals and vitamins, farro is rich in antioxidants, phytonutrients, lignans and betaine.  Betaine, when combined with choline, has been shown to prevent or reduce stress-included inflammation, which can be beneficial for individuals suffering from certainmedical conditions.

How Can You Cook Farro?

To consume farro, you must first soak the grain. Farro has a chewy, firm texture.  Simply boil the grain in a 2:1 ratio of water to farro. Simmer covered for 25 to 35 minutes. Drain any unabsorbed liquid.

In Italy, the most common way to eat farro is by adding it to soup. Farro can be served al dente in salads for a nutty texture.  Farro can also be used to make pasta and bread. Additionally, Farro can be interchanged in recipes calling for barley, spelt and quinoa.

Cocoa Bars

Wow, these really do pack a chocolate punch.  I'm always on the lookout for healthy, sweet snack recipes and came across this one in a new cookbook.  Dates have all sorts of health benefits and mixed with nuts you can't go wrong.  I've included a link for information on Dates.

Cocoa Bars

Author:  Complete Guide to Vegan Food Substitutions Cookbook by Celine Steen and Joni Marie Newman  (Book cover under my cookbooks page at top of blog)

http://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/fruit/health-benefits-of-dates.html

1/2           cup pecan halves

18            dates (not Medjool), pitted and coarsely chopped

1/2           cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

                pinch of fine seal salt

3              tablespoons agave nectar to taste

Grind pecans in food processor until finely ground.  Add dates, cocoa, and salt.  Process until dates are ground; it might take a few minutes.  Add agave and pulse until a paste forms.  Sample a little to see if needs more agave. Press mixture into a 8 x 4 inch loaf pan lined with parchment paper.  Freeze for 1 hour.  Slice into desired serving pieces.  Store in fridge or freezer

4-6 bars

Sticky Orange Glazed Tofu

Gooey Goodness!

http://www.examiner.com/article/the-different-types-of-tofu
http://www.eztofupress.com/

Sticky Orange Glazed Tofu

1            large celery, sliced

1            large carrot, sliced

2            green onions, white and green parts

              olive oil for saute’

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1           14 oz. pkg. extra-firm tofu (we like Trader Joe’s sprouted)

1/4         cup arrowroot or cornstarch

1 1/2      teaspoons salt

              olive oil for frying

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1            cup orange juice

1            cup ketchup

2            tablespoons Agave

4            teaspoons white vinegar

4            teaspoons vegan Worcestershire sauce

              hot sauce (to your liking)

1            garlic clove, minced

              water (to thin sauce at end of cooking)

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2            cups brown rice, cooked

***Prep Tofu:  Press water out of the tofu.  Wrap it tightly in dry paper towels or clean kitchen towel. Set the tofu on flat surface and place a small baking pan on top.  Then stack with something heavy like a canned food or books on top.  Let the tofu sit for 20 minutes while it releases its water. 

Veggies:  Add diced vegetables to oiled pan.  Cook until semi soft, keep a bit of a bite to them.  Remove and put in a bowl to be added back to sauce later.

Sauce:  To a sauce pan, add orange juice, ketchup, agave, white vinegar, vegan Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce and minced garlic clove.  Cook medium heat until it thickens.

Tofu:  Mix Cornstarch and salt together, put in bowl.  Chop tofu into cubes, dredge tofu cubes into arrowroot mixture by tossing.  Heat enough oil into large heavy-bottomed skillet and begin adding tofu cubes in batches.  Cook until browned on one side, then turn.   Remove when brown and crispy and put on paper towel to remove excess oil.

Assemble tofu onto baking sheet, pour some of the sauce onto the tofu cubes, broil on high until tofu gets nice and sticky from the sauce.  While tofu is in oven, add the vegetables to the remaining sauce and re-heat, if sauce is too thick add a little water.    I also added a bit more Agave and salt.

When tofu is cooked, add to sauce.  Serve over rice with freshly diced green onions as a garnish.

Thai Salad

California Pizza Kitchen has a similar salad that Trisha Yearwood adapted for her salad so I then adapted it for us. For our salad, I cut her recipe in half and added lettuce and fried tofu.   My favorite part of this salad is the edamame, I've attached a link for more information on edamame.  Most grocery stores carry frozen edamame in the veggie section.

http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/edamame-secret

Thai Salad

(adapted from Home Cooking with Trisha Yearwood CB)

1/2       head napa cabbage, shredded

1/2       head red cabbage, shredded

            lettuce of your choice (we used Arugula)

            tofu, sliced into cubes and pan fried

            oil for frying tofu

1/2       cucumber, julienned

1/2      10 oz. bag shelled edamame, cooked

1          carrot, peeled and grated

2          green onions, finely diced

            Sweet Lime-Cilantro Dressing  (below)

1          avocado, peeled and finely sliced

1          pkg. baked Tofu from Trader Joe’s (optional)

***Dice Tofu (firm, I used baked tofu from Trader Joes) and fry in olive oil until golden brown.

Sweet Lime-Cilantro Dressing  (makes 2 cups)

2          cups olive oil

            juice of 2 limes

2          garlic cloves, minced

1 1/2    cups finely chopped fresh cilantro

1          cup sugar

1/2       teaspoon salt

1/2       teaspoon pepper

Put all ingredients into blender and blend until smooth.

Lentil Burgers w/ Lemon-Basil Vegan Mayonnaise

I'm pretty much a Food Network junkie and always find inspiring recipes to modify but in this case Giada actually made a vegan dish! I had to go to Whole Foods to find the canned lentils, not every grocery store carries them -- as I found out.  I added walnuts for a bit of texture and crunch and flax seed for an extra binder.  This burger is loaded with protein, a very healthy dish to make for Meatless Monday's!

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=52#healthbenefits

Lentil Burgers with Lemon-Basil Vegan Mayonnaise

(Adapted from Giada De Laurentis recipe)

Burgers

1/2         cup olive oil

1/4         cup red onion or 2 large shallots, minced

1 1/2      kosher salt

1/2         teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

6            button mushrooms (about 4 ounces), finely diced

2            cloves garlic, minced

2            tablespoons chopped fresh thyme

1/2         cup frozen petite green peas, thawed

2            15-oz. can lentils, rinsed and drained

1/3         cup plus 1/2 cup cornmeal

2            tablespoons vegan mayonnaise

1            tablespoon fresh lemon juice

**          breadcrumbs, up to a 1/2 cup depending on how mixture is holding together

**          tablespoon ground flax seed

**         1/4 cup walnuts, chopped

** On the website there were comments about the mixture not holding together so I added some breadcrumbs and flax to firm up the mixture and walnuts for a little extra flavor and texture.

Vegan Lemon-Basil Mayonnaise

1            cup refrigerated vegan mayonnaise (Vegenaise from Wholefoods)

1/2         cup chopped fresh basil

zest        of 1 large lemon

For the burgers;  Heat 1/4 cup oil over medium-heat in a 12-inch nonstick skillet. Add the onions, 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.  Cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms, garlic, thyme and the remaining 3/4 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.  Cook until the mushrooms are soft, 6-8 minutes. Set aside and cool slightly.

Blend the peas and 1 can lentils until smooth in blender (I think a food processor might work better, mine got stuck in the blender).  Transfer the pureed peas and lentils to a medium bowl. Add the remaining 1 can whole lentils, 1/3 cup cornmeal, vegan mayo, lemon juice and the mushroom mixture. Form 1/3 - cupfuls of the mixture into  eleven 3/4” thick slider patties (we made more hamburger size)

Sprinkle 1/4 cup cornmeal on a baking sheet. Place the burgers on top of the cornmeal. Sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup cornmeal on top of the burgers. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Heat the remaining 1/4 cup oil over medium het in the skillet. Cook the burgers until golden brown – about 4 minutes on each side (ours took a bit longer).

For the Basil Vegan Mayo: Mix all ingredients until smooth in a small bowl.

We added red onion and tomato to our finished burger

Smothered Tempeh

Since winter seems to be sticking around for awhile, here is another satisfying dish that will keep you warm and toasty.

Smothered Tempeh

2          pkg. Tempeh, each block cut into three square pieces

Marinade:  Marinate for a few hours.  Not sure of the amounts, just add to taste.

            Soy sauce

            Vegetable broth – heated

            Onion powder

            Garlic powder

            Thyme

            Dash of vegan Worchester sauce

Remove from marinade and cut into thin slices and fry in olive oil until browned.  Set aside.  Add sliced onion and garlic clove.  Cook until tender.  Add to gravy.

I made gravy with water or vegetable broth,  soy sauce, garlic powder, onion powder and a thickening agent – flour. 

**Can also sauté sliced onions and add to the gravy.

Serve Tempeh and gravy on a big, fluffy bed of mashed potatoes.