tofu Archives - Page 2 of 7

Tofu-Avocado Bowl with Cilantro-Ginger Cashew Sauce

May 7, 2014 by Epicurean Vegan

It’s been a busy spring, but I hope to get back to posting more regularly very, very soon. I’m excited to bring you this new recipe that is a “smorgasbord of flavors,” as The Husband called it. (That’s a good thing, I found out). This weekend, we went to WaterCourse Foods in Denver where I thoroughly enjoyed their Street Tacos that had a cilantro cream sauce. I have no idea how they made theirs, but it inspired me to make my own. Then came the veggies, rice and tofu and an incredible meal was born! (Sorry, a little dramatic). But I think you’ll really love this easy to make meal (no judgment here if you lick the bowl).

INGREDIENTS:
Cilantro-Ginger Cashew Sauce:
1 C raw, unsalted cashews, soaked for at least an hour in hot water
1 Tbs white or yellow miso
1/3 C packed cilantro leaves
2 Tbs lime juice
1 large clove of garlic, minced
1 Tbs fresh ginger
1 tsp salt
1/4 C water
1/4 C unsweetened, unflavored almond milk
The rest:
1-3/4 C vegetable broth
1 C wild rice (I used Lundberg Jubilee variety)
14-oz extra firm tofu, drained and pressed, cut into 6-7 slabs
1-1/2 C snowpeas, ends trimmed and cut in half
3/4 C green onion, sliced
2 carrots, grated
Shallot salt (or regular salt)
1-2 avocados, sliced
Cooking spray

DIRECTIONS:
Start with preparing the rice. Combine the broth and rice in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cover for 40 minutes. Meanwhile, to make the amazing sauce, drain the cashews and transfer them to the food processor. Add the other ingredients and puree. Scrape the bowl a few times and process until completely smooth.

Spray a large skillet with cooking spray and place over medium-high heat. Place the tofu slabs in the skillet, season with shallot salt. Turn the tofu once one side is browned. Season once again with shallot salt.
Once the tofu is done, transfer to a cutting board and cut each slab into 3 long pieces, then again in half.
Add the snowpeas and green onion to the same skillet. Over medium heat, saute the veggies for just a few minutes; enough to soften them a little. If need be, spray the skillet again with cooking spray. Stir in the carrot and cook another few minutes. Season with a little shallot salt, if you’d like.
To assemble, start with rice, top with the vegetable mixture, then add the tofu and avocado. Drizzle, drop or dump some sauce on top. Then . . . mix it all together and enjoy!

Tofu-Avocado Bowl with Cilantro-Ginger Cashew Sauce

I'm excited to bring you this new recipe that is a "smorgasbord of flavors," as The Husband called it. (That's a good thing, I found out). This weekend, we went to WaterCourse Foods in Denver where I thoroughly enjoyed their Street Tacos that had a cilantro cream sauce. I have no idea how they made theirs, but it inspired me to make my own. Then came the veggies, rice and tofu and an incredible meal was born! (Sorry, a little dramatic). But I think you'll really love this easy to make meal (no judgment here if you lick the bowl).

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Ingredients

Cilantro-Ginger Cashew Sauce:
1 C raw, unsalted cashews, soaked for at least an hour in hot water
1 Tbs white or yellow miso
⅓ C packed cilantro leaves
2 Tbs lime juice
1 large clove of garlic, minced
1 Tbs fresh ginger
1 tsp salt
¼ C water
¼ C unsweetened, unflavored almond milk
The rest:
1-3/4 C vegetable broth
1 C wild rice (I used Lundberg Jubilee variety)
14-oz extra firm tofu, drained and pressed, cut into 6-7 slabs
1-1/2 C snowpeas, ends trimmed and cut in half
¾ C green onion, sliced
2 carrots, grated
Shallot salt (or regular salt)
1-2 avocados, sliced
Cooking spray

Directions

Start with preparing the rice. Combine the broth and rice in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cover for 40 minutes.
Meanwhile, to make the amazing sauce, drain the cashews and transfer them to the food processor. Add the other ingredients and puree. Scrape the bowl a few times and process until completely smooth
Spray a large skillet with cooking spray and place over medium-high heat. Place the tofu slabs in the skillet, season with shallot salt. Turn the tofu once one side is browned. Season once again with shallot salt.
Once the tofu is done, transfer to a cutting board and cut each slab into 3 long pieces, then again in half.
Add the snowpeas and green onion to the same skillet. Over medium heat, saute the veggies for just a few minutes; enough to soften them a little. If need be, spray the skillet again with cooking spray. Stir in the carrot and cook another few minutes. Season with a little shallot salt, if you'd like.
To assemble, start with rice, top with the vegetable mixture, then add the tofu and avocado. Drizzle, drop or dump some sauce on top. Then . . . mix it all together and enjoy!

Tofu & Shiitake Stir-fry with Soba Noodles

February 12, 2014 by Epicurean Vegan

This is such an easy and tasty dinner to throw together—as long as you remember to give the veggies time to marinate. Even it’s just an hour, that’s quite all right. Feel free to use your own favorite veggies, but keep in mind, that you may have to marinate certain vegetables separate, depending on whether or not they need longer cooking time. The vegetables I chose could be all cooked together at the same time, so it made this dish a breeze.

INGREDIENTS
Marinade:
1/2 C tamari
2 Tbs brown rice vinegar
2 tsp agave
2 tsp sesame seed oil
2 Tbs sherry
1 tsp vegan Worcestershire sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbs ginger root, grated
1/2 C green onion, sliced
The rest:
8-oz shiitake mushrooms, sliced
14-oz pkg. extra firm tofu, drained, pressed and cubed
3/4 C snowpeas, cut in half
6 to 8 oz buckwheat soba noodles ( I like Hakubaku brand. They come in a package of 3 separate rolls of noodles. I used 2 of the 3)
1 Tbs olive oil
2 Tbs arrowroot

DIRECTIONS:
Combine all of the marinade ingredients in a resealable bag. Mix it up well, then add the mushrooms, tofu and snowpeas. Coat the vegetables thoroughly and lay flat in the refrigerator for at least an hour, turning over once, half way through.

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil. Drain and reserve the marinade in a measuring cup; you should have about a 1/3 of a cup; set aside. Saute the vegetables over medium heat for 8-10 minutes, or until they begin brown. Meanwhile, heat the water for the noodles. They’ll only take 4 minutes to cook once adding them to boiling water, so it will all come together pretty quickly.

When the vegetables are about done, whisk the arrowroot into the reserved marinade. Make sure you don’t have any clumps. Pour it into the skillet, coat the vegetables well, and reduce the heat to low.

Drain the soba noodles and serve with the vegetable mix on top. Enjoy!

Tofu & Shiitake Stir-fry with Soba Noodles

This is such an easy and tasty dinner to throw together---as long as you remember to give the veggies time to marinate. Even it's just an hour, that's quite all right. Feel free to use your own favorite veggies, but keep in mind, that you may have to marinate certain vegetables separate, depending on whether or not they need longer cooking time. The vegetables I chose could be all cooked together at the same time, so it made this dish a breeze.

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Ingredients

Marinade:
½ C tamari
2 Tbs brown rice vinegar
2 tsp agave
2 tsp sesame seed oil
2 Tbs sherry
1 tsp vegan Worcestershire sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbs ginger root, grated
½ C green onion, sliced
The rest:
8-oz shiitake mushrooms, sliced
14-oz pkg. extra firm tofu, drained, pressed and cubed
¾ C snowpeas, cut in half
6 to 8 oz buckwheat soba noodles ( I like Hakubaku brand. They come in a package of 3 separate rolls of noodles. I used 2 of the 3)
1 Tbs olive oil
2 Tbs arrowroot

Directions

Combine all of the marinade ingredients in a resealable bag. Mix it up well, then add the mushrooms, tofu and snowpeas. Coat the vegetables thoroughly and lay flat in the refrigerator for at least an hour, turning over once, half way through.
In a large skillet, heat the olive oil. Drain and reserve the marinade in a measuring cup; you should have about a ⅓ of a cup; set aside. Saute the vegetables over medium heat for 8-10 minutes, or until they begin brown.
Meanwhile, heat the water for the noodles. They'll only take 4 minutes to cook once adding them to boiling water, so it will all come together pretty quickly.
When the vegetables are about done, whisk the arrowroot into the reserved marinade. Make sure you don't have any clumps. Pour it into the skillet, coat the vegetables well, and reduce the heat to low.
Drain the soba noodles and serve with the vegetable mix on top. Enjoy!

Rainy Day Tofu Scramble

September 13, 2013 by epicureanvegan

So Mother Nature has not been happy with us. A couple of weeks ago, we were having extreme heat that schools actually closed down for a day. Now, Denver and Northern Colorado is having extreme rain and flooding. (And we can’t forget about the snowstorm in May!) Fort Collins is shutting down bridges and closing up shop. Other cities, like Lyons are being completely evacuated. Many of the mountain towns have no water, electricity and gas! We’re fortunately doing fine where we’re at, but other neighborhoods in Fort Collins are gearing up for some serious flooding.

This is between Lyons and Estes Park. Image from Estes Park News.

Yikes! I hope everyone stays safe and that this rain gives us a break!

So while we wait it out, might as well eat, right? Here’s a quick, easy, and versatile breakfast that will be ready in minutes.

INGREDIENTS:
1 Tbs olive oil
1 14-oz tub extra firm tofu, drained, pressed and crumbled
6 mushrooms, sliced
1/2 C green onions, sliced
1/2 C black olives
A few dashes of turmeric
A few dashes of cumin
A couple dashes of garlic salt
A couple of dashes of black pepper
1/4 C salsa
1 tomato, diced
1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and diced
Daiya cheese shreds
Flour tortillas, optional

DIRECTIONS:
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the mushrooms and green onion and saute over medium, heat for 5 minutes, or until the mushrooms cook down a little. Add the turmeric, cumin, garlic salt, and pepper. Next, add the tofu and black olives and saute 5 minutes, then stir in the salsa. Cook for a few minutes until everything is hot. Serve either in a bowl, or tortilla along with some Daiya, tomatoes, and avocado. Enjoy!

Rainy Day Tofu Scramble

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Serves: 3

Ingredients

1 Tbs olive oil
1 14-oz tub extra firm tofu, drained, pressed and crumbled
6 mushrooms, sliced
½ C green onions, sliced
½ C black olives
A few dashes of turmeric
A few dashes of cumin
A couple dashes of garlic salt
A couple of dashes of black pepper
¼ C salsa
1 tomato, diced
1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and diced
Daiya cheese shreds
Flour tortillas, optional

Directions

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet.
Add the mushrooms and green onion and saute over medium, heat for 5 minutes, or until the mushrooms cook down a little.
Add the turmeric, cumin, garlic salt, and pepper.
Next, add the tofu and black olives and saute 5 minutes, then stir in the salsa.
Cook for a few minutes until everything is hot.
Serve either in a bowl, or tortilla along with some Daiya, tomatoes, and avocado. Enjoy!

Homemade Gluten-Free Ravioli

April 1, 2013 by epicureanvegan

Nothing says Easter like ravioli, right? Well, if you’re vegan and some of your dinner guests can’t eat gluten, then yes, raviolis are an ideal Easter meal—or for any occasion, actually. In all of the excitement, I didn’t get a good picture of the finished product with the amazing garlic-butter-walnut sauce, but I did get one with some regular raviolis that I made as well.

In addition to the raviolis, one guest brought some delicious vegan horseradish mashed potatoes, roasted Brussels sprouts with pecans and another guest brought this incredible corn and avocado salad. So, I was living on the edge when I decided to not do a test run on the gluten-free dough before the big day. Luckily, it turned out ok, but not before having a slight meltdown when the GF dough wouldn’t fully cooperate with me. First off, don’t try using your pasta maker; the dough will fall apart. You’re better off using a rolling pin and lots of GF flour to roll it out. Believe me, it’s doable and worth the extra effort; just be patient. I also recommend using a ravioli plate like this one—and that goes for any type of raviolis—it just makes life easier. For the filling, I made two: pureed beet/cashew and tofu ricotta with spinach and mushrooms. Make it easy on yourself and prepare these fillings ahead of time and refrigerate until ready to use. If I was unable to eat gluten, I would miss homemade pasta, especially raviolis, so I’d be making these all the time. Our GF guests loved them and happily took the few leftovers home with them. My friend Kerrie gave me a conversion for GF flour and regular flour a while back and uses it for most things, so I thought I’d give it a whirl for pasta. Basically, for every 1 cup of regular flour, use 7/8 C of rice flour and 1 teaspoon of xanthan gum—worked like a charm.

INGREDIENTS:
Dough:
1-3/4 C white rice flour
7/8 C brown rice flour
3 tsp xanthan gum
1 tsp salt
1 C warm almond milk
2 Tbs olive oil
Spinach-Tofu-Mushroom Filling:
14-oz pkg extra firm tofu, drained and pressed
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/3 C nutritional yeast
2 Tbs lemon juice
3 C fresh spinach, chopped
3 mushrooms, diced small
Beet/Cashew filling: see link above
Garlic-Butter-Walnut sauce: (I was feeding a crowd, so for 3-4 people, you may want to halve the sauce recipe)
1-1/2 C walnuts, chopped
6 cloves garlic, crushed or minced
1-1/2 C Earth Balance margarine, cut into pieces

DIRECTIONS:
To make the spinach filling, puree the first 9 ingredients in food processor. Set aside, or refrigerate until ready to use. The beet filling will take just over an hour to prepare, so keep that in mind if using that one. (Click on link above to see instructions.)

To make the dough, combine both rice flours, xanthan gum, and salt in a bowl of a stand mixer. On medium speed, slowly add the oil, then the warm almond milk. When it’s fully incorporated, form it into a ball and refrigerate if not using right away. The dough will probably work better if it’s room temperature.

On a constantly-floured surface, roll out the sections of the dough into long pieces, big enough for your ravioli plate. I wouldn’t bother using the plastic mold part, as it will easily break through the dough. Gently use your fingers to create a small dip where the filling will go. Fill each dip with about a teaspoon of the filling. If using the spinach one, place a few pieces of mushroom on top of the filling. Roll out another long piece of dough and place it carefully over the top of the filling and gently press down. You can use the rolling pin to then finish the process. (This is a great YouTube video showing how to use the plate). Here’s a pic of the regular dough with the fillings:

I was pleasantly surprised at how well they turned out. A couple of them had some a filling peeking out, but they still cooked up great.

Let them sit for 20 minutes. While this is happening, prepare the sauce. In a medium, dry saucepan, add the walnuts and brown them over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes, then add the Earth Balance. Stir over low to medium heat until the butter is melted and reduce the heat to low. To cook the raviolis, boil them, about 4-6 at a time, for 3-4 minutes, or until they float to the surface. I usually give them a minute more, just to make sure they’re heated though.

I’m happy to tell you that none of them fell apart and they were delicious. The regular ones seemed to taste a little sweeter, but otherwise, they tasted very much like regular raviolis! Top them with a ladle of the garlic sauce and enjoy!

Homemade Gluten-Free Ravioli

So, I was living on the edge when I decided to not do a test run on the gluten-free dough before the big day. Luckily, it turned out ok, but not before having a slight meltdown when the GF dough wouldn't fully cooperate with me. First off, don't try using your pasta maker; the dough will fall apart. You're better off using a rolling pin and lots of GF flour to roll it out. Believe me, it's doable and worth the extra effort; just be patient. I also recommend using a ravioli plate like this one---and that goes for any type of raviolis---it just makes life easier. For the filling, I made two: pureed beet/cashew and tofu ricotta with spinach and mushrooms. Make it easy on yourself and prepare these fillings ahead of time and refrigerate until ready to use. If I was unable to eat gluten, I would miss homemade pasta, especially raviolis, so I'd be making these all the time. Our GF guests loved them and happily took the few leftovers home with them. My friend Kerrie gave me a conversion for GF flour and regular flour a while back and uses it for most things, so I thought I'd give it a whirl for pasta. Basically, for every 1 cup of regular flour, use ⅞ C of rice flour and 1 teaspoon of xanthan gum---worked like a charm.

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Ingredients

Dough:
1-3/4 C white rice flour
⅞ C brown rice flour
3 tsp xanthan gum
1 tsp salt
1 C warm almond milk
2 Tbs olive oil
Spinach-Tofu-Mushroom Filling:
14-oz pkg extra firm tofu, drained and pressed
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
⅓ C nutritional yeast
2 Tbs lemon juice
3 C fresh spinach, chopped
3 mushrooms, diced small
Beet/Cashew filling: see link above
Garlic-Butter-Walnut sauce: (I was feeding a crowd, so for 3-4 people, you may want to halve the sauce recipe)
1-1/2 C walnuts, chopped
6 cloves garlic, crushed or minced
1-1/2 C Earth Balance margarine, cut into pieces

Directions

To make the spinach filling, puree the first 9 ingredients in food processor. Set aside, or refrigerate until ready to use. The beet filling will take just over an hour to prepare, so keep that in mind if using that one. (Click on link above to see instructions.)
To make the dough, combine both rice flours, xanthan gum, and salt in a bowl of a stand mixer. On medium speed, slowly add the oil, then the warm almond milk. When it's fully incorporated, form it into a ball and refrigerate if not using right away. The dough will probably work better if it's room temperature.
On a constantly-floured surface, roll out the sections of the dough into long pieces, big enough for your ravioli plate. I wouldn't bother using the plastic mold part, as it will easily break through the dough. Gently use your fingers to create a small dip where the filling will go. Fill each dip with about a teaspoon of the filling. If using the spinach one, place a few pieces of mushroom on top of the filling. Roll out another long piece of dough and place it carefully over the top of the filling and gently press down. You can use the rolling pin to then finish the process.
I was pleasantly surprised at how well they turned out. A couple of them had some a filling peeking out, but they still cooked up great.
Let them sit for 20 minutes. While this is happening, prepare the sauce. In a medium, dry saucepan, add the walnuts and brown them over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes, then add the Earth Balance. Stir over low to medium heat until the butter is melted and reduce the heat to low. To cook the raviolis, boil them, about 4-6 at a time, for 3-4 minutes, or until they float to the surface. I usually give them a minute more, just to make sure they're heated though.
I'm happy to tell you that none of them fell apart and they were delicious. The regular ones seemed to taste a little sweeter, but otherwise, they tasted very much like regular raviolis! Top them with a ladle of the garlic sauce and enjoy!

Hot and Sour Soup

December 20, 2012 by epicureanvegan

I have always wanted to try making hot and sour soup at home. Typically, Asian restaurants use a chicken or beef-based broth in their soups, so I usually have to pass on it. I found a recipe in Color Me Vegan, but I made some alterations to it. We loved the results! I went easy on the hot part, so feel free to spice it up more if you’d like.

INGREDIENTS:
1-1/2 oz dried mushroom variety such as shiitake, oyster, porcini, boletus and woodear
3/4 oz dried exotic mushrooms
14-oz extra firm tofu, drained, pressed and cut into cubes
7 Tbs tamari or soy sauce, divided
1 Tbs canola oil
6 C vegetable broth
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp black pepper
1/4 C rice vinegar
1/4 C arrowroot
1 can bamboo shoots, sliced into thin strips
2-3 tsp chili sesame oil
4 green onions, sliced

dried mushroom variety mix

dried exotic mushroom mix

3 packets of dried mushrooms

DIRECTIONS:
Combine the mushrooms in a bowl and cover with hot water. Let sit for about an hour. Drain, but reserve the liquid (approx. 2 cups). Then cut/slice the mushrooms.

Preheat the oven to 400 and line a baking sheet with foil and coat with canola oil. You don’t have to use foil, but I find stuff still sticks to the pan regardless. Place the tofu on the baking sheet and drizzle with 4 Tbs of the tamari.

Bake for 15 minutes and then turn the pieces. I’m sorry to say, there really isn’t an easy way to do this other than one by one . . . bake another 8-10 minutes.

(These may look pretty scorched, but it’s actually just the baked-on tamari)

In a large soup pot, bring the broth to a boil, then add the mushrooms. Let simmer or med/low heat for about 5 minutes. Add the red pepper flakes and black pepper. In a small bowl, combine the arrowroot, rice vinegar, and 3 Tbs of the tamari. Whisk well to thoroughly combine. Stir into the soup and bring it to a boil.

Add the bamboo shoots, tofu, and chili sesame oil; cook for 5 minutes. You may want to thin out the soup a little, so add some of the reserved mushroom water. I had two cups and ended up using it all–it just depends on how thick you want the soup. Top each individual serving with some green onions and enjoy!

Hot and Sour Soup

I have always wanted to try making hot and sour soup at home. Typically, Asian restaurants use a chicken or beef-based broth in their soups, so I usually have to pass on it. I found a recipe in Color Me Vegan, but I made some alterations to it. We loved the results! I went easy on the hot part, so feel free to spice it up more if you'd like.

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Ingredients

1-1/2 oz dried mushroom variety such as shiitake, oyster, porcini, boletus and woodear
¾ oz dried exotic mushrooms
14-oz extra firm tofu, drained, pressed and cut into cubes
7 Tbs tamari or soy sauce, divided
1 Tbs canola oil
6 C vegetable broth
¼ tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp black pepper
¼ C rice vinegar
¼ C arrowroot
1 can bamboo shoots, sliced into thin strips
2-3 tsp chili sesame oil
4 green onions, sliced

Directions

Combine the mushrooms in a bowl and cover with hot water. Let sit for about an hour. Drain, but reserve the liquid (approx. 2 cups). Then cut/slice the mushrooms.
Preheat the oven to 400 and line a baking sheet with foil and coat with canola oil. You don't have to use foil, but I find stuff still sticks to the pan regardless.
Place the tofu on the baking sheet and drizzle with 4 Tbs of the tamari.
Bake for 15 minutes and then turn the pieces. I'm sorry to say, there really isn't an easy way to do this other than one by one . . . bake another 8-10 minutes.
In a large soup pot, bring the broth to a boil, then add the mushrooms. Let simmer or med/low heat for about 5 minutes. Add the red pepper flakes and black pepper.
In a small bowl, combine the arrowroot, rice vinegar, and 3 Tbs of the tamari. Whisk well to thoroughly combine. Stir into the soup and bring it to a boil.
Add the bamboo shoots, tofu, and chili sesame oil; cook for 5 minutes. You may want to thin out the soup a little, so add some of the reserved mushroom water. I had two cups and ended up using it all--it just depends on how thick you want the soup.
Top each individual serving with some green onions and enjoy!

Vegan Sweet Potato and Ricotta Ravioli with a Butter-Garlic Cream Sauce

November 20, 2012 by epicureanvegan

I’m very proud of this meal. And it was certainly a labor of love. Three hours of labor, to be exact. (Although that includes the Caesar salad I had to make.) Luckily, many of the steps involved can be made way ahead of time and kept in the fridge, making assembly and cooking time a breeze. It may have taken a while to make, but it was nothing compared to my first attempt at raviolis. I got wise and bought a ravioli mold that made the process so much easier!! (Check out this great YouTube video on how to use it). I threw together a butter-garlic cream sauce which looks pretty weird, as you can see, but I promise you, it tastes better than it looks. After using the ravioli mold, I’m excited to try other types of ravioli—it’s less daunting now that I’ve got the right tools. The sweet potato and tofu ricotta are an excellent combo! You can also try my soy-free version. I made enough dough and filling to feed an army; I easily could have made a 100 raviolis. The leftovers are perfect for freezing and saving for another meal. Feel free to half the recipes for the dough, fillings, and sauce to make about 50 raviolis. (One serving is 10-12 raviolis). Even though there are several steps to this meal, they’re very simple and there’s nothing like fresh pasta!

INGREDIENTS:
Dough
2 C flour
2 C semolina flour
1 tsp salt
2 Tbs olive oil
1-1/2 to 2 C water

Sweet Potato Filling
2 sweet potatoes
3 large green onion, minced
2 Tbs almond milk
salt and pepper

Ricotta Filling
14-oz extra firm tofu, drained and pressed
1/3 C nutritional yeast
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 Tbs lemon juice

Butter-Garlic Cream Sauce
3 large cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 C vegan margarine
3 Tbs flour
3/4 to 1 C almond milk
salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS:
Begin by cooking the sweet potatoes. I cooked them in the microwave to save some time—only took 10 minutes. Scoop out the potato and mash it with a fork or pastry blender. Stir in the almond milk and combine well. Add the green onion, salt, and pepper; set aside. To make the ricotta, combine all ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth; set aside. To make the dough, combine the flours and salt in a large bowl of a stand mixer (you can use a food processor too). While the mixer is running, slowly add the oil, then water until you reach a somewhat damp (but not too sticky) dough.

Knead on a lightly floured surface for 3-5 minutes. I used my pasta maker to roll out flat sheets. You can easily use a rolling pin instead. Lay a sheet of dough over the metal portion of the mold. Place the plastic mold on top and press gently, creating pockets for the filling. Place about a teaspoon of each filling into each pocket.

Place another sheet of dough on top and press down, sealing the edges and flattening the top. Using a rolling pin, roll over the top to create the raviolis. (Again, check out the You Tube video at the beginning of the post to see this magic happen).

So much better than trying to make by hand! The mold was worth the $20 I paid for it. Let the raviolis sit for about 20 minutes. To make the sauce, combine the garlic and vegan margarine in a small saucepan and melt the butter. Whisk in the flour, one tablespoon at a time. Slowly whisk in the almond milk, using enough to reach a semi-thick consistency; keep warm. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Using a spatula, I placed 12 raviolis at a time, into the pot. Boil for 5-7 minutes, then remove with a slotted spoon to a colander.

Repeat the process until they’re all cooked. (For the last dozen, instead of removing with the slotted spoon, I placed the colander in the sink and poured the remaining raviolis and boiling water into the colander. That way, the other raviolis that cooled off could be somewhat reheated).

Drizzle a ladle of sauce over a serving of the raviolis and enjoy!

Vegan Sweet Potato and Ricotta Ravioli with a Butter-Garlic Cream Sauce

I'm very proud of this meal. And it was certainly a labor of love. Three hours of labor, to be exact. (Although that includes the Caesar salad I had to make.) Luckily, many of the steps involved can be made way ahead of time and kept in the fridge, making assembly and cooking time a breeze. It may have taken a while to make, but it was nothing compared to my first attempt at raviolis. I got wise and bought a ravioli mold that made the process so much easier!! (Check out this great YouTube video on how to use it). I threw together a butter-garlic cream sauce which looks pretty weird, as you can see, but I promise you, it tastes better than it looks. After using the ravioli mold, I'm excited to try other types of ravioli---it's less daunting now that I've got the right tools. The sweet potato and tofu ricotta are an excellent combo! You can also try my soy-free version. I made enough dough and filling to feed an army; I easily could have made a 100 raviolis. The leftovers are perfect for freezing and saving for another meal. Feel free to half the recipes for the dough, fillings, and sauce to make about 50 raviolis. (One serving is 10-12 raviolis). Even though there are several steps to this meal, they're very simple and there's nothing like fresh pasta!

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Ingredients

Dough
2 C flour
2 C semolina flour
1 tsp salt
2 Tbs olive oil
1-1/2 to 2 C water
Sweet Potato Filling
2 sweet potatoes
3 large green onion, minced
2 Tbs almond milk
salt and pepper
Ricotta Filling
14-oz extra firm tofu, drained and pressed
⅓ C nutritional yeast
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
2 Tbs lemon juice
Butter-Garlic Cream Sauce
3 large cloves of garlic, minced
½ C vegan margarine
3 Tbs flour
¾ to 1 C almond milk
salt and pepper

Directions

Begin by cooking the sweet potatoes. I cooked them in the microwave to save some time---only took 10 minutes.
Scoop out the potato and mash it with a fork or pastry blender.
Stir in the almond milk and combine well.
Add the green onion, salt, and pepper; set aside.
To make the ricotta, combine all ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth; set aside.
To make the dough, combine the flours and salt in a large bowl of a stand mixer (you can use a food processor too). While the mixer is running, slowly add the oil, then water until you reach a somewhat damp (but not too sticky) dough.
Knead on a lightly floured surface for 3-5 minutes. I used my pasta maker to roll out flat sheets. You can easily use a rolling pin instead.
Lay a sheet of dough over the metal portion of the mold. Place the plastic mold on top and press gently, creating pockets for the filling. Place about a teaspoon of each filling into each pocket.
Place another sheet of dough on top and press down, sealing the edges and flattening the top. Using a rolling pin, roll over the top to create the raviolis. (Again, check out the You Tube video at the beginning of the post to see this magic happen).
So much better than trying to make by hand! The mold was worth the $20 I paid for it. Let the raviolis sit for about 20 minutes.
To make the sauce, combine the garlic and vegan margarine in a small saucepan and melt the butter.
Whisk in the flour, one tablespoon at a time. Slowly whisk in the almond milk, using enough to reach a semi-thick consistency; keep warm.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Using a spatula, I placed 12 raviolis at a time, into the pot. Boil for 5-7 minutes, then remove with a slotted spoon to a colander.
Repeat the process until they're all cooked. (For the last dozen, instead of removing with the slotted spoon, I placed the colander in the sink and poured the remaining raviolis and boiling water into the colander. That way, the other raviolis that cooled off could be somewhat reheated).
Drizzle a ladle of sauce over a serving of the raviolis and enjoy!

Baked Tofu Tacos

August 22, 2012 by epicureanvegan

This was a delicious experiment. The Eighth Grader suggested these tacos, so why not? Tofu’s the chameleon of plant-based foods. I had bought some seasoning mix from Savory Spice Shop that we thought sounded interesting, and decided to try it out on these tacos.

I think it works best to try to marinate the tofu in the seasoning for a few hours. (These tacos tasted even better the next day).

INGREDIENTS:
16-20 oz extra firm tofu, drained and pressed
2 Tbs seasoning mix of your choice, divided
2-4 Tbs olive oil, divided
1 onion, sliced
Taco shells
Lettuce, shopped
Tomatoes, chopped
Salsa
Avocado, sliced

DIRECTIONS:
Cut the tofu into little slabs . . .

Line a baking sheet (preferably with sides to catch the oil) with foil. In a small bowl, combine 1 tablespoon of the seasoning mix with about 1 to 1-1/2 Tbs of olive oil. Brush the foil with a little of the mixture, then line the pan with the tofu. Brush the tops and sides of the tofu with the olive oil mix. If you can cover and leave the tofu for an hour or two, that would be great. You can also combine the the 2 Tbs of the mixture and olive oil in a bag or dish with the tofu and marinate it that way.

Preheat oven to 375. Bake the tofu for about 15 minutes, or until the edges start to brown. Turn the tofu slices and brush the remaining seasoning/oil mix on the other side. Bake another 15 minutes or so, again, until the edges begin to brown.

While the tofu is baking, saute the onion slices in a little olive oil over medium heat.

Once baked, cut each slice in half, longways.

I transferred the tofu to the onion pan.

Scoop into some taco shells, add a slice or two of avocado, some lettuce, tomatoes, and salsa. Enjoy!

Baked Tofu Tacos

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Ingredients

16-20 oz extra firm tofu, drained and pressed
2 Tbs seasoning mix of your choice, divided
2-4 Tbs olive oil, divided
1 onion, sliced
Taco shells
Lettuce, shopped
Tomatoes, chopped
Salsa
Avocado, sliced

Directions

Cut the tofu into little slabs
Line a baking sheet (preferably with sides to catch the oil) with foil. In a small bowl, combine 1 tablespoon of the seasoning mix with about 1 to 1-1/2 Tbs of olive oil. Brush the foil with a little of the mixture, then line the pan with the tofu. Brush the tops and sides of the tofu with the olive oil mix. If you can cover and leave the tofu for an hour or two, that would be great. You can also combine the the 2 Tbs of the mixture and olive oil in a bag or dish with the tofu and marinate it that way.
Preheat oven to 375. Bake the tofu for about 15 minutes, or until the edges start to brown. Turn the tofu slices and brush the remaining seasoning/oil mix on the other side. Bake another 15 minutes or so, again, until the edges begin to brown.
While the tofu is baking, saute the onion slices in a little olive oil over medium heat.
Once baked, cut each slice in half, longways.
I transferred the tofu to the onion pan.
Scoop into some taco shells, add a slice or two of avocado, some lettuce, tomatoes, and salsa. Enjoy!

Tofu “Egg” Salad

January 25, 2012 by epicureanvegan

This recipe is from Big Vegan. And it is big. It has over 350 recipes, most of which look and sound fantastic. When it comes to lunch, I seem to struggle finding something besides a mixed greens salad, or leftover pasta. And frankly, I’m not wild about leftovers anyway. So this I can get in to! This “egg” salad (I hate putting things in quotes, but egg salad is what this salad resembles) needs to be prepared ahead of time, so I recommend making it the night before or early in the morning–you’ll need some time. But it’s worth it. I served it on toasted bread with lettuce and avocado. The recipe calls for 12 ounces of firm tofu, but I recommend using 14-16 ounces because the recipe makes quite a bit of sauce—great for a few lunches.

INGREDIENTS:
12-16 oz firm tofu, drained and pressed
1 Tbs olive oil, plus 1/8 to 1/4 C
Salt
1/2 tsp celery seeds
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 C fresh parsley
12-oz silken tofu
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
2 Tbs Dijon
1 tsp dried basil
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
2 large green onions, chopped
1 medium carrot, grated
1/4 C sunflower seeds, toasted

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 400. Crumble the tofu into a bowl and combine with the celery salt, 1/2 tsp salt, and black pepper. Lightly oil a baking sheet (I used foil and oiled that). Layer the tofu on the baking sheet.

Bake for 10 minutes, then use a spatula to turn the tofu. “Turning” crumbled tofu is about as easy as giving a cat a bath. Just move it around so it doesn’t stick and burn. Bake another 10 minutes.

While the tofu is baking, however, start on the sauce. In a food processor or blender, mince the parsley, then add the silken tofu. Process until smooth, then add the basil, vinegar, mustard, and a pinch of salt; combine well. While the machine is running, add the remaining oil. The recipe calls for a 1/4 cup, but I reduced it to an 1/8 cup.

While the tofu is cooling (which should only take about 10 minutes or so), you can chop up the veggies and toast the sunflower seeds. Combine the sauce, carrots, green onion, celery, and tofu in a large bowl.

Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Enjoy on bread with lettuce, tomato, avocado, or on crackers or toasted baguette slices.

Tofu "Egg" Salad

This recipe is from Big Vegan. And it is big. It has over 350 recipes, most of which look and sound fantastic. When it comes to lunch, I seem to struggle finding something besides a mixed greens salad, or leftover pasta. And frankly, I'm not wild about leftovers anyway. So this I can get in to! This "egg" salad (I hate putting things in quotes, but egg salad is what this salad resembles) needs to be prepared ahead of time, so I recommend making it the night before or early in the morning--you'll need some time. But it's worth it. I served it on toasted bread with lettuce and avocado. The recipe calls for 12 ounces of firm tofu, but I recommend using 14-16 ounces because the recipe makes quite a bit of sauce---great for a few lunches.

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Ingredients

12-16 oz firm tofu, drained and pressed
1 Tbs olive oil, plus ⅛ to ¼ C
Salt
½ tsp celery seeds
½ tsp black pepper
½ C fresh parsley
12-oz silken tofu
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
2 Tbs Dijon
1 tsp dried basil
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
2 large green onions, chopped
1 medium carrot, grated
¼ C sunflower seeds, toasted

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400. Crumble the tofu into a bowl and combine with the celery salt, ½ tsp salt, and black pepper. Lightly oil a baking sheet (I used foil and oiled that). Layer the tofu on the baking sheet.
Bake for 10 minutes, then use a spatula to turn the tofu. "Turning" crumbled tofu is about as easy as giving a cat a bath. Just move it around so it doesn't stick and burn. Bake another 10 minutes.
While the tofu is baking, however, start on the sauce. In a food processor or blender, mince the parsley, then add the silken tofu. Process until smooth, then add the basil, vinegar, mustard, and a pinch of salt; combine well. While the machine is running, add the remaining oil. The recipe calls for a ¼ cup, but I reduced it to an ⅛ cup.
While the tofu is cooling (which should only take about 10 minutes or so), you can chop up the veggies and toast the sunflower seeds. Combine the sauce, carrots, green onion, celery, and tofu in a large bowl.
Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Enjoy on bread with lettuce, tomato, avocado, or on crackers or toasted baguette slices.

Homemade Ravioli

October 17, 2011 by epicureanvegan

I bought a pasta maker many years ago and used it a few times. Then, two years ago, when we moved, I couldn’t find the damn thing. Even though it was something I hardly used, I was determined to find it. But I couldn’t. I figured it had run off with my white Chantel soup pot because it too, was missing. So last December, I was digging around in the laundry room for something else entirely, when I opened a bin that was supposed to contain miscellaneous crap. Well, there it was. Along with soup pot. I let out a celebratory yelp and the Husband rushed in, wondering what my deal was. When I showed him that I finally captured the elusive kitchen appliance, I assumed he’d be as excited as I was and happy that I’d quit lamenting over losing the thing. But he didn’t seem too thrilled. He left the room and returned with a wrapped box, about the same size of the box I held in my hands. “I’ll take this one back tomorrow,” he mumbled. He had gotten me a new pasta maker to replace the one I “lost.” He was really happy that I found it, but then he had to come up with something else to give me for Christmas.

So jump to October 2011, nearly a year later. It was the first time I used that stupid pasta maker since finding it. I know, it’s terrible . . . the Husband wasn’t even home to enjoy these raviolis! But now that I have some practice, I’ll make more of an effort to use it because there’s nothing like fresh pasta. Making fresh pasta, however, isn’t always easy, especially raviolis—it will take some trial and error to get these right. Regardless of their less-than-pretty appearance, they were delicious!

INGREDIENTS:
Dough:
1 C flour
1 C semolina flour
Dash of salt
1 Tbs olive oil
1/2 to 3/4 C water
Filling: (I used my go-to ricotta cheese recipe)
1-14oz pkg extra firm tofu, drained and pressed
1/3 C nutritional yeast
1 C fresh basil
2 Tbs fresh rosemary
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 Tbs lemon juice
1/2 C Daiya mozzarella shreds
The rest:
1 jar of marinara or spaghetti sauce

DIRECTIONS:
Using a food processor with the sharp blade, pulse the flours and salt together. While the machine is running, add the oil and water. The dough shouldn’t be sticky.

Knead the dough using some all purpose flour. Using small pieces of dough, feed it into the pasta maker—the widest setting, then one notch thinner, then a third time on the next thinner notch. The Seventh Grader and I didn’t quite figure this method out until halfway through, but oh well, we had fun experimenting. His job was to cut the rolled out dough into squares.

Place the squares on a cookie sheet or cutting board to dry a little—about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, combine all the filling ingredients, except the mozzarella, in a food processor. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the cheese. Place a small scoop, about a teaspoon of filling in the middle of each ravioli square.

There are other ways of doing this. I think it’s better to NOT cut squares first, but to have a long piece of rolled out dough, place the filling dollops in a line and fold over the dough, then cut using a pastry wheel to seal the edges.

I finally got smart and used the pastry wheel to seal the edges instead of a using a fork, but accumulated an unusable pile of dough shrapnel.

Anyway, we ended up with pretty ghetto ravioli.

In batches of 5-6, add them to boiling water and cook for about 2-3 minutes; remove with a slotted spoon. Top with warm spaghetti sauce and enjoy!

Mushroom and Spinach Manicotti

September 22, 2011 by epicureanvegan

It’s hard not to please the family with this simple, flavorful dish. Many people think that vegans can’t enjoy Italian food because the cheese factor, but in reality, it’s so simple to veganize. I use my go-to ricotta cheese recipe and Daiya cheese is really delicious, so there’s not reason herbivores can’t indulge in their favorite pasta dishes!

INGREDIENTS:
12-13 manicotti shells
1 jar marinara sauce
1-1/2 C sliced mushrooms
2 C chopped fresh spinach
1 tsp olive oil
2 tsp garlic, minced
1/2 C diced onion
1/2 C Daiya mozzarella
Tofu Ricotta:
1 14-oz pkg extra firm tofu, drained and pressed
1/3 C nutritional yeast
1 C fresh basil
2 Tbs fresh rosemary
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 Tbs lemon juice

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350. Cook the pasta until just al dente—it will cook more in the sauce while in the oven. Meanwhile, combine all of the ricotta ingredients in a food processor and blend well. In a small saucepan, heat the olive oil and garlic and add the onion. Cook under tender, about 5-7 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook another 5 minutes.

Combine the tofu mixture and the mushroom mixture in a medium bowl. Stir in the spinach.

Pour about a half the sauce on the bottom of a 9×13″ pan; spread evenly. Using your hands or a spoon, stuff each manicotti shell and place in pan. Cover with the rest of the sauce and sprinkle the cheese on top.

Cover and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake another 5-7 minutes. Let it sit for 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Mushroom and Spinach Manicotti

It's hard not to please the family with this simple, flavorful dish. Many people think that vegans can't enjoy Italian food because the cheese factor, but in reality, it's so simple to veganize. I use my go-to ricotta cheese recipe and Daiya cheese is really delicious, so there's not reason herbivores can't indulge in their favorite pasta dishes!

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Ingredients

12-13 manicotti shells
1 jar marinara sauce
1-1/2 C sliced mushrooms
2 C chopped fresh spinach
1 tsp olive oil
2 tsp garlic, minced
½ C diced onion
½ C Daiya mozzarella
Tofu Ricotta:
1 14-oz pkg extra firm tofu, drained and pressed
⅓ C nutritional yeast
1 C fresh basil
2 Tbs fresh rosemary
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
2 Tbs lemon juice

Directions

Preheat oven to 350. Cook the pasta until just al dente---it will cook more in the sauce while in the oven. Meanwhile, combine all of the ricotta ingredients in a food processor and blend well. In a small saucepan, heat the olive oil and garlic and add the onion. Cook under tender, about 5-7 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook another 5 minutes.
Combine the tofu mixture and the mushroom mixture in a medium bowl. Stir in the spinach.
Pour about a half the sauce on the bottom of a 9x13" pan; spread evenly. Using your hands or a spoon, stuff each manicotti shell and place in pan. Cover with the rest of the sauce and sprinkle the cheese on top.
Cover and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake another 5-7 minutes. Let it sit for 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Tofu-Avocado Bowl with Cilantro-Ginger Cashew Sauce

Tofu & Shiitake Stir-fry with Soba Noodles

Rainy Day Tofu Scramble

Homemade Gluten-Free Ravioli

Hot and Sour Soup

Vegan Sweet Potato and Ricotta Ravioli with a Butter-Garlic Cream Sauce

Baked Tofu Tacos

Tofu “Egg” Salad

Homemade Ravioli

Mushroom and Spinach Manicotti

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