tofu feta Archives - Epicurean Vegan

I wish I could say I eat healthy all year round, but there are definitely times (especially during the holidays) when I don’t eat as many fruits and veggies like I should. So what better time than the new year to recommit to fresh, non-packaged meals? This Greek salad is the epitome of fresh. The great thing is, you can serve it over a bed of greens, wrap some up in a tortilla, or fill up a pita with it. Aside from some chopping, there’s not much to prepare, so it comes together rather nicely. We are beginning a kitchen remodel, so I’m not sure how much longer I’ll have a full kitchen again, but my goal is to NOT live off take-out and Boca burgers during the renovations. I’ll do my best to not only eat healthy, delicious meals during the chaos, but share them with you as well. I also have a cookbook review coming soon, so stay tuned!

INGREDIENTS:
2 medium cucumbers, chopped
1 small red onion, chopped
3 Roma tomatoes, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 15-oz can garbanzo beans, drained
Dressing
1/4 C red wine vinegar
2 Tbs olive oil
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp salt
Tofu Feta
1 14-oz tub of extra firm tofu, drained, pressed, and crumbled
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp red miso
1/8 C olive oil
1/8 C water
1/3 C red wine vinegar
1 tsp salt
1 Tbs dried basil
1/2 tsp black pepper

DIRECTIONS:
Start with the feta. In a small bowl, whisk together all of the feta ingredients, except the tofu. Fold in the tofu and set aside; although, stir it a few times as it sits.
Combine the cucumber, onion, tomatoes, bell pepper, and garbanzo beans in a large bowl. Whisk together all of the dressing ingredients in a small bowl and then drizzle over the veggies. Using a rubber spatula, fold the dressing thoroughly.
Once the feta has stewed a bit, drain out any excess marinade and transfer to a bowl with a tight-fitting lid.
Serve with some crumbled tofu feta on top and enjoy!

The next day, I enjoyed the chopped salad over mixed greens with hummus. So delicious!!

Chopped Greek Salad with Tofu Feta

Prep time

30 mins

Total time

30 mins

I wish I could say I eat healthy all year round, but there are definitely times (especially during the holidays) when I don't eat as many fruits and veggies like I should. So what better time than the new year to recommit to fresh, non-packaged meals? This Greek salad is the epitome of fresh. The great thing is, you can serve it over a bed of greens, wrap some up in a tortilla, or fill up a pita with it. Aside from some chopping, there's not much to prepare, so it comes together rather nicely.

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Serves: 8-10

Ingredients

2 medium cucumbers, chopped
1 small red onion, chopped
3 Roma tomatoes, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 15-oz can garbanzo beans, drained
.
Dressing
.
¼ C red wine vinegar
2 Tbs olive oil
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp Dijon mustard
½ tsp salt
.
Tofu Feta
.
1 14-oz tub of extra firm tofu, drained, pressed, and crumbled
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp red miso
⅛ C olive oil
⅛ C water
⅓ C red wine vinegar
1 tsp salt
1 Tbs dried basil
½ tsp black pepper

Directions

Start with the feta. In a small bowl, whisk together all of the feta ingredients, except the tofu. Fold in the tofu and set aside; although, stir it a few times as it sits.
Combine the cucumber, onion, tomatoes, bell pepper, and garbanzo beans in a large bowl. Whisk together all of the dressing ingredients in a small bowl and then drizzle over the veggies. Using a rubber spatula, fold the dressing thoroughly.
Once the feta has stewed a bit, drain out any excess marinade and transfer to a bowl with a tight-fitting lid.
Serve with some crumbled tofu feta on top and enjoy!

We had a fabulous July 4th holiday feast with great friends and family. Our friends made these incredible grilled vegetable sandwiches and an outstanding gazpacho! (recipe soon to come, for sure).

Cold quinoa and/or rice salads tend to be ideal for outdoor get togethers, plus, being vegan AND gluten-free, makes it so everyone can enjoy. Granted, there was a lot of prep work for this salad, but you can save yourself some time by making certain things ahead of time. I love the different flavors in this salad, as well as the crunch from the nuts. I made quite a big batch, so feel free to halve the recipe for a smaller crowd.

INGREDIENTS:

Salad:
2 C wild rice mix (cooked in 2-1/4 C vegetable broth)
1 C quinoa (cooked in 1-1/4 C vegetable broth)
1-1/2 C dried apricots, diced
1-1/2 C toasted nuts, chopped (I used walnuts and pecans, but I think pepitas and almond slivers would be great too)
1 C fresh parsley, chopped
Tempeh + marinade:
8-oz pkg. tempeh, cut into small cubes
1/4 C tamari
1 Tbs vegan Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp brown sugar
1 garlic clove, minced
Tofu “feta”: (adapted)
1 14-oz pkg extra firm tofu, drained and pressed
1/4 C cashews
2 Tbs olive oil
1 tsp yellow or mellow miso
2 Tbs reserved marinade (below)
Marinade:
3 Tbs lemon juice
5 Tbs white wine vinegar
1-1/2 Tbs yellow or mellow miso
1 tsp salt
2 garlic cloves, minced
Dressing:
1/2 C lime juice
4 Tbs red wine vinegar
4 Tbs olive oil
1/2 tsp salt

DIRECTIONS:
I recommend making the feta and marinating the tempeh ahead of time, even a day or two ahead if you can. I didn’t, and I think the salad still turned out great, but it’ll bring out the flavors even more. We’ll start with the feta.

Slice the tofu into 1/2″ slabs and place into a large dish. Whisk together the feta marinade and coat the tofu thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for several hours, or preferably over a night or two. Next, blend the cashews, olive oil, miso, and reserved marinade. I used my blender, but I couldn’t get a smooth consistency, so I transferred the mixture to a mortar and pestle, to mash it up even more.

Crumble up the tofu with your fingers, then add the cashew mixture; combine well. Keep refrigerated in an airtight container.
To make the tempeh, combine all of the marinade ingredients in a medium zip bag and add the tempeh. Let it marinade for several hours to overnight.

When ready, heat a tiny bit of olive oil to a small skillet and add the tempeh. Saute over medium heat until the tempeh has crispy edges.

Meanwhile, cook the rice and quinoa (separately) according to package instructions. I tend to use veggie broth for added flavor. I also used what quinoa I had: some red, some regular.

Combine the two in a large bowl and refrigerate until cooled. (Be sure to place a hot pad or trivet underneath the bowl when placing directly onto a cold, glass refrigerator shelf.) Once cooled, fold in all of the ingredients: nuts, feta, parsley, tempeh, and apricots. Whisk together the dressing ingredients and pour over the salad; fold gently to incorporate everything. Enjoy!

Quinoa-Rice Salad with Tempeh and "Feta"

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

Salad:
2 C wild rice mix (cooked in 2-1/4 C vegetable broth)
1 C quinoa (cooked in 1-1/4 C vegetable broth)
1-1/2 C dried apricots, diced
1-1/2 C toasted nuts, chopped (I used walnuts and pecans, but I think pepitas and almond slivers would be great too)
1 C fresh parsley, chopped
Tempeh + marinade:
8-oz pkg. tempeh, cut into small cubes
¼ C tamari
1 Tbs vegan Worcestershire sauce
¼ tsp black pepper
½ tsp salt
1 tsp brown sugar
1 garlic clove, minced
Tofu "feta": (adapted)
1 14-oz pkg extra firm tofu, drained and pressed
¼ C cashews
2 Tbs olive oil
1 tsp yellow or mellow miso
2 Tbs reserved marinade (below)
Marinade:
3 Tbs lemon juice
5 Tbs white wine vinegar
1-1/2 Tbs yellow or mellow miso
1 tsp salt
2 garlic cloves, minced
Dressing:
½ C lime juice
4 Tbs red wine vinegar
4 Tbs olive oil
½ tsp salt

Directions

I recommend making the feta and marinating the tempeh ahead of time, even a day or two ahead if you can. I didn't, and I think the salad still turned out great, but it'll bring out the flavors even more. We'll start with the feta.
Slice the tofu into ½" slabs and place into a large dish. Whisk together the feta marinade and coat the tofu thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for several hours, or preferably over a night or two. Next, blend the cashews, olive oil, miso, and reserved marinade. I used my blender, but I couldn't get a smooth consistency, so I transferred the mixture to a mortar and pestle, to mash it up even more.
Crumble up the tofu with your fingers, then add the cashew mixture; combine well. Keep refrigerated in an airtight container.
To make the tempeh, combine all of the marinade ingredients in a medium zip bag and add the tempeh. Let it marinade for several hours to overnight.
When ready, heat a tiny bit of olive oil to a small skillet and add the tempeh. Saute over medium heat until the tempeh has crispy edges.
Meanwhile, cook the rice and quinoa (separately) according to package instructions. I tend to use veggie broth for added flavor. I also used what quinoa I had: some red, some regular.
Combine the two in a large bowl and refrigerate until cooled. (Be sure to place a hot pad or trivet underneath the bowl when placing directly onto a cold, glass refrigerator shelf.) Once cooled, fold in all of the ingredients: nuts, feta, parsley, tempeh, and apricots. Whisk together the dressing ingredients and pour over the salad; fold gently to incorporate everything. Enjoy!

Chopped Greek Salad with Tofu Feta

Quinoa-Rice Salad with Tempeh and “Feta”

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