Coconut Crusted Tofu with Teriyaki Vegetables and Cauliflower "Rice"

 

Working with tofu is so much fun! It's like starting with a blank canvas and painting a beautiful picture full of color and life!  Instead of paints and pencils, we work with flavors and ingredients to create new and interesting dishes.  On a previous post, I had experimented with panko bread crumbs to make a pecan crusted tofu and quickly learned that dredging tofu is not only easy but can yield marvelous results!  Without using egg, the coconut clings to the tofu and creates a nice crispy shell while the inside is tender and firm.  Served over a bed of teriyaki stir fried vegetables and cauliflower rice, this meal is a fantastic choice for a quick and delicious weeknight meal.

 

Coconut Tofu Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp. low sodium tamari or liquid aminos (Brad's liquid aminos or coconut aminos are both good)
• 1 Tbsp. mirin (Japanese sweet wine)
• 1 Tbsp. maple syrup 
• 1 Tbsp. sesame oil
• 1 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 1/2-1 cup shredded coconut
• 1 16 oz. package of organic extra firm tofu, drained, and pressed.

Coconut Tofu Method:

• Preheat the oven to 350 °F. 
• Remove tofu from its package and drain the liquid. Carefully wrap in kitchen towels and set on the counter. Gently press the liquid from the tofu.  Remove the now saturated towel and wrap in a dry one. Set the tofu on the counter for 20 minutes so the excess water and drain. 
• In a small bowl, add the tamari, mirin, maple syrup, the sesame oil and the red pepper flakes.  Give the sauce a quick whisk to incorporate.  Into another small bowl, add the shredded coconut.
• Cut tofu into bite-sized cubes.  Completely saturate each piece of tofu with the sauce and then transfer to the bowl with coconut. Gently press each side of the tofu into the coconut and place finished tofu cube on a baking tray lined with parchment paper or a glass oven safe dish.  Bake for 20 minutes.  While the tofu bakes, prepare the cauliflower rice and teriyaki vegetables.

 

Cauliflower Rice:

• 1 head of cauliflower, broken into large florets
• Salt and pepper to taste

Cauliflower Rice Method:

• To a food processor fitted with the "S-type" blade, add the cauliflower.  Pulse until the cauliflower is broken into small pieces and resembles rice.

 

Bring a medium sized sauce pan to medium heat and add a little bit of olive oil.  Add the cauliflower rice to the pan, add a bit of salt and pepper and stir.  Let cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Let cook until the cauliflower is tender and then turn the heat to low and cover while you make the teriyaki vegetables.

Teriyaki Vegetable Ingredients:

• Two medium carrots, sliced
• 2 cups broccoli florets
• 2 stalks celery, sliced
• 1/4 cup white or yellow onion, sliced
• 1/2 cup soft yellow squash, sliced into half moons
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup low sodium tamari or liquid aminos
• 2 - 4 Tbsp. water
• 2 Tbsp. rice or apple cider vinegar
• 2 Tbsp. + 1 tsp. maple syrup
• 2 Tbsp. rice flour
• 1/2 tsp. sesame oil
• 1/2 tsp. mirin

Teriyaki Vegetable Method:

• In a small bowl, add the minced garlic, tamari, water, rice vinegar, maple syrup, rice flour, sesame oil and mirin and whisk to incorporate. Whisk well to ensure that the rice flour is blended and there are no lumps.  Set aside.
• In a medium sized fry pan, add a little bit of olive oil and bring to medium-high heat.  Add all the vegetables and stir well.  Let cook for about 5 minutes or until the onions become translucent.  Pour teriyaki sauce into the pan and reduce the heat to medium-low. Stir to cover all the vegetables in sauce and place a lid on the pan.  Let cook for an additional 2-3 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.

About this time, the coconut tofu should be done. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly.

To serve: To a plate add a bed of cauliflower rice, then cover the rice with teriyaki vegetables. Top with coconut tofu and garnish with fresh cilantro, chives and black sesame seeds!  Enjoy!

 

Thank you for visiting Venturing Vegan! I find great pleasure in sharing these recipes with all of you and sharing how easy and delicious it is to be fully vegan. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to leave them below. As always, sharing is caring so please share any all recipes with family and friends!

Pumpkin Curry with Sweet Potato and Sprouted Chickpea

 

Curry is one of the most simple and delicious foods on the planet.  Thai food rocks my world but a lot of it is fried and fatty.  Curry can easily be healthy without compromising on flavor or satisfaction in the least.  It's also a wonderful opportunity to add in new herbs and spices to your culinary life.  Turmeric, ginger, cumin, coriander, chili, lemongrass, and basil are some of the building blocks for traditional Thai curry dishes.  Today, I am sharing a red curry dish made using store bought red curry paste.  Red curry paste is easy to make from scratch but buying a premade jar is perfect for this recipe since preparing a pumpkin can take some time.  Since we are right in the middle of October, one of my favorite months of the year, we are making everything pumpkin!  You will love this pumpkin curry and feel free to swap in or out ingredients.  Curry is very forgiving when it comes to what vegetables are put in.  However, this is a quite a lovely combo and I do suggest you give sprouting a try because it is so easy and the sprouted mung beans and chickpeas really make this dish special.  Here we go, one pumpkin curry coming up!

Pumpkin Curry Ingredients:
1 Tbsp. coconut oil
1 sweet potato, cubed
2 cups pumpkin, cubed (cut in half, remove seeds, cut away outer skin then cut into cubes)
1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced (I used 1/4 red and 1/4 yellow but use what you have)
1/4 cup onion, finely diced
1 to 1 1/2 cups tofu, pressed, cubed
1 tsp. fresh ginger, chopped
1/2 to 1 cup sprouted garbanzo beans
3-4 Tbsp. red curry paste
1 can coconut milk or coconut cream
3 cups vegetable broth
1-3 Tbsp. sriracha (depending on how hot you want it)
1/4 cup mung beans (for garnish)
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped (garnish)
salt and pepper to taste

Method:
1. In a medium/large sauce pan, add the coconut oil and bring to medium heat.  Once the oil is melted, add the onions, sweet potato and ginger.  Give a stir and let cook for about 5 to 7 minutes or until the onions just start to soften and brown.  Stir every minute or so.
2.  Add the broth and bring to boil.  Reduce to simmer and add pumpkin, bell pepper, tofu and sprouted garbanzo. Cover and allow to simmer to 15 minutes. 
3.  In the meantime, add the coconut milk and curry paste to blender.  Blend until well incorporated.
4.  Add red curry coconut milk to soup and stir.  Add in the sriracha and stir well.  Test your sweet potato and pumpkin with a fork to make sure they are soft.  Reduce heat to low for serving.

To Serve:  Take a small bowl/dish and add cooked quinoa to the bowl.  Pack it in well.  Take your plate and put it over the bowl.  Then flip.  Lift the bowl to leave a perfectly molded quinoa on the plate.  Add chopped cilantro and mung beans to garnish the quinoa and add curry to the plate.  Enjoy!

Pecan-Crusted Tofu with Turnip Mash

Happy Thursday everyone! I know that summer is still lingering in most regions of the US but here in Washington, we a have a late summer downpour! Granted the little island I live on is in the same growing zone as Hawaii and we are classified as a temperate rainforest.  The rain may be pouring down in buckets (yay! it's great for my garden) but it's warm and steamy and the fogs are croaking just outside my window.  They are so cute I just have to share a quick picture I snapped of these adorable little green tree frogs that are absolutely everywhere on the island!  I guess that's why we have island icons like Frog Rock and dozens of fiber glass frogs painted by local artists on various spots throughout the island.  Well, I didn't paint a frog but I did snap this little guy on the blackberry bush:

Enough about little frogs.  Today's weather has me in the mood for something fresh but still warm so I am making one of my absolute favorite Venturing Vegan recipes: Pecan-Crusted Tofu.  As an avid non-GMO promoter, please make sure your tofu is organic and to certified non-gmo.  Soybeans are one of the top gmo crops so make sure the label is there, organic tofu runs about $1 more than non organic so it's an easy swap.  Almost all stores carry an organic version of tofu so it should be super easy to find.

This dish is a healthy version of comfort food without any sacrifice in flavor!  The tofu really takes center stage here and all of my newly vegan and transitioning clients love this dish!  The tofu has a wonderful texture and the meal feels very complete served with garlic green beans, steamed carrots and turnip mash (you could also serve with mashed potatoes).

Serve this dish anytime of year and plate with whatever local, seasonal produce you have on hand such as roasted squash in fall or wilted greens in winter.

Pecan-Crusted Tofu Ingredients:
1 package organic firm or extra firm tofu
1/4 cup melted vegan butter
1/2 cup honey mustard
1 cup panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
1/2 cup pecans or walnuts, chopped
1/2 cup chives, finely chopped
1 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. sea salt
Lemon wedges to serve

Turnip Mash Ingredients:
2 lbs. turnips
1/2 cup non-flavored vegan milk such as hemp or almond
3 Tbsp. vegan butter
salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Drain water from tofu and press excess water out by wrapping tofu in a kitchen towel or paper towel and putting something heavy on top.  I usually use a stock pot with potatoes inside.  This will press the tofu very well.  Pressing tofu allows for a meatier texture once cooked and allows the tofu to absorb all the flavor you add to it.  Press for 10 to 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400°F and grease a shallow baking dish.  In a small bowl, add the vegan butter and honey mustard.  Whisk until well incorporated.  In another small bowl, add the chopped walnuts, chives, panko, salt and pepper.  Mix.

Take your pressed tofu and cut into 4 slices about 3/4" in thickness.  Take each slice and dip in the butter mixture making sure to coat it well.  Then dip it into the panko mixture and press the panko mix into the tofu so that it sticks. Some will crumble off but don't worry about that because most should stick.  If not, you haven't added enough of the butter mixture.  Place each piece of tofu on the baking dish.  Repeat until all pieces of tofu are coated. Place dish in the oven and bake for 12-15 minutes on the middle rack.  Half way through cook time, carefully flip each piece of tofu.

In the meantime, peel and cube the turnips.  Put them in a pot, cover with cold water and bring to boil. Add a pinch of salt and cook for about 10 minutes or until turnips are tender.  Drain turnips and return them to the pot over low heat.  Mash turnips to your desired consistency (I like to leave a few chunks in mine).  Add vegan butter and vegan milk and gently stir in to the turnip mash.  Cover and leave on low heat until ready to serve.  Serve hot.

Remove tofu from oven and let cool for about 2 minutes before plating.  Serve with turnip mash, additional veggies or side salad and lemon wedge.  Enjoy!

 

Thank you for stopping by the Venturing Vegan blog today and taking time out of your day to read a recipe or two.  Please remember to always buy your tofu responsibly and buy organic. We don't want no gmo in our tofu!  To learn more about genetically modified soybean you can check out this website Nation of Change or you can watch the documentary Genetic Roulette.  If GMO makes you as mad as it makes me, join the movement by getting involved in your local non-gmo

groups, always buy corn/wheat/soy/canola oil organic and do what we did at the turn of century, grow your own!  Freedom gardens go a long way in the movement to fight Monsanto, global warming, and soil destruction.  If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to leave them below or shoot me an email at iamventuringvegan@gmail.com

 

Sundried Tomato and Spinach Quiche

The first time I ever had quiche was at a fireside chat with the Dean of the American Film Institute when I was a grad student there.  College days for me usually started late and ended late so when I showed up without having had breakfast, I was so happy to see a spread laid out.  The veggie friendly buffet was made up of fresh fruit, muffins, croissants, and a cheddar broccoli quiche.  Maybe it was the coffee overload or the surprise of being fed when I thought I’d have to wait two hours before I could grab a bite but my first taste of quiche was divine.  Fast forward to today, and this vegan girl won’t let any eggs or cow cheese pass her lips.  The need for a plant based quiche was suddenly in demand.  Not just any quiche would do.  Oh, no.  I wanted that quiche in my memory.  I wanted the cheesy fluffy quiche without the egg and without the cheese.  What’s a girl to do?  About a year ago, I experimented with a soy free, gluten free quiche that I made for my sister.  It was good but unless it's really freakin’ good, it doesn’t make the blog.  Grab your pencil and your notecards because this recipe is one you’ll want to keep around for generations!  This baby uses tofu instead of eggs and for a little dash of guaranteed yum factor, I’ve added some Daiya* cheddar to it.  Can you really go wrong with tofu and Daiya?  I say no way!!  Usually, I shy away from soy.  Not to say that soy is bad but I know that it is not the easiest on the digestive system and soy has a tendency to slow me down after I eat it.  Limit but not eliminate.  That’s my motto and since I’ve been so good lately about having two raw meals a day, I decided that a little splurge was deserved.  Leave it to us crazy vegans to call a healthy, plant-based quiche a splurge!!  Well, life is what you make of it and splurge I did!! 
This recipe includes a homemade and incredibly quick crust but you can also use a store bought pre-made version.  My crust is made with whole wheat flour and coconut oil and is incredibly light and flaky.  It works wonderfully as a pie crust so if you wish to make pie, just double the recipe.  The beauty of a quiche recipe (just like a soup or stir-fry recipe) is that you can use whatever veggies you have on hand.  I had a huge container of spinach and a large jar of sundried tomatoes so I knew they would pair beautifully together.  Part of the ease of a vegan lifestyle is being able to throw in fresh and local produce to a recipe that is a blueprint for your dish.  Once you know the basics, then experiment with different pairings and flavors to create something new and fresh.
* Daiya is a brand of vegan cheeses that are made using tapioca starch instead of soy, rice, or nut.  It is completely meltable and is great in dishes which call for meltable cheeses i.e. pizza, mac n’ cheese, quesadilla, or even as a garnish such as for tacos, soups, or chili.  You can buy it at most grocery stores especially Whole Foods, Sprouts, Central Market or other health/vegan specialty stores.  You cannot get it at Trader Joes, Vons, or Albertsons (as far as I know). 

Ingredients:

- 1 Quick Vegan Pie Dough/Crust
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 zucchini, diced
- 4 cups spinach
- 1/4 cup sundried tomatoes, chopped
- 1 small tomato, sliced thinly (this will go on top of the quiche for decoration)
- 1 pound firm tofu, pressed and patted dry
- pinch of nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/4 cup vegan cheddar shreds (I used Daiya)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup almond milk

 

Directions

1. Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees.
2.  Drain your tofu and wrap in a kitchen towel.  Set something heavy on it to drain the excess water.  Leave the tofu to press while preparing the other ingredients.
3. In a medium sized skillet, add olive oil and bring to medium heat.  Then add the onion, zucchini, and sundried tomato until cooked, about 5 to 7 minutes. Then add the spinach and cook for another 3 to 5 minutes or until the spinach is slightly wilted.
4. In a food processor using the S blade, add the tofu, nutmeg, turmeric, salt, pepper and almond milk.  Blend until smooth.
5.  In a medium sized bowl, add the veggies, tofu blend, and vegan cheddar shreds.  Stir the mixture together and add pepper to taste.
6.  Pour your tofu mixture into the pie crust.   Decorate the top with thin slices of tomato (optional but so worth it).  Bake for 30 minutes.  Is it done?  Test by inserting a knife into the middle.  If it comes out clean, it is done. Serve warm with a simple side salad for an incredible meal anytime.  You can also eat it cold or at room temperature for a packed lunch or picnic.  Will keep for a few days covered in the refrigerator.