tofu Archives - Page 4 of 7

Plum Crock Cheez

February 1, 2011 by epicureanvegan

Today’s high is a whopping -4 degrees. School was even canceled. So not only is it a great day to be in the kitchen (later I’ll be baking something delish–stayed tuned), but thanks to the snow day, I’ll be home to watch Oprah and her vegan challenge! Since the crock cheez was such a big success, I decided to make it again, but follow one of the variations listed in the cookbook (The Ultimate Uncheese Cookbook). This one is actually called, “Plum Good Crock Cheez” and uses umeboshi plum paste. It is outstanding! It tastes very similar to the original version, but with a tangier, sweeter punch. I’m not sure which version is my favorite!

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 lb (8oz) firm tofu, drained
3 Tbs nutritional yeast
2 Tbs tahini
2 Tbs lemon juice
1-1/2 Tbs umeboshi plum paste
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp dry mustard

DIRECTIONS:
Cut tofu into large cubes. Place in a small saucepan and cover with water—just enough to cover the tofu. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and drain well. I used a fine mesh strainer to ensure any small pieces didn’t fall through. Chill uncovered in the refrigerator until it’s easy to handle. Crumble it up into a food processor and add the other ingredients. Process until smooth, scraping the sides, if necessary. Transfer to an airtight container and chill in the fridge for several hours to overnight. Enjoy!

Plum Crock Cheez

Since the crock cheez was such a big success, I decided to make it again, but follow one of the variations listed in the cookbook (The Ultimate Uncheese Cookbook). This one is actually called, "Plum Good Crock Cheez" and uses umeboshi plum paste. It is outstanding! It tastes very similar to the original version, but with a tangier, sweeter punch. I'm not sure which version is my favorite!

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Ingredients

½ lb (8oz) firm tofu, drained
3 Tbs nutritional yeast
2 Tbs tahini
2 Tbs lemon juice
1-1/2 Tbs umeboshi plum paste
1 tsp onion powder
½ tsp salt
½ tsp paprika
¼ tsp garlic powder
¼ tsp dry mustard

Directions

Cut tofu into large cubes. Place in a small saucepan and cover with water—just enough to cover the tofu. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and drain well. I used a fine mesh strainer to ensure any small pieces didn’t fall through. Chill uncovered in the refrigerator until it’s easy to handle. Crumble it up into a food processor and add the other ingredients. Process until smooth, scraping the sides, if necessary. Transfer to an airtight container and chill in the fridge for several hours to overnight. Enjoy!

Crock Cheez

January 5, 2011 by epicureanvegan

When I tell people I’m vegan, a lot of them will say that they could probably give up meat, but cheese?! Are you kidding? They just can’t give up this coagulated, compressed, salty, melty product of milk. I can understand; back in the day, I was definitely a cheese-whore. But thanks to The Ultimate Uncheese Cookbook, I can go back to my cheese-whoring days of yore. If you don’t already have this cookbook, run, walk, bike, drive (carpool, if you can), ride the bus . . . to the nearest locally-owned and operated (if possible) bookstore and buy it! Either that, or visit me often, because rest assured, I will be making (and posting) every recipe from this cookbook throughout the coming months. I am amazed at how delicious (and easy!) these recipes are. I know . . *eye roll* . . .there may be a few cheeze recipes that won’t fool you skeptics out there, but that’s okay, I’m aware that some fake cheese taste, well, fake. It’s gonna happen, but I’m finding that there are enough out there to make up for those few. This crock cheeze is absolutely amazing! It tastes incredible. The cookbook also list several different variations of this recipe that I will definitely try–watch out for those posts. 🙂 I made it shortly before dinner and I wanted to eat just that on crackers, but my family would have gone hungry . . . I don’t know that I would have shared.

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 lb (8oz) firm regular tofu, drained and pressed
3 Tbs nutritional yeast
2 Tbs Tahini or raw cashew butter (I used tahini)
2 Tbs lemon juice
1-1/2 Tbs light miso
1 tsp onion powder
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp dry mustard

I love Denver Tofu (not just because I live in Colorado) but because it really is outstanding.

DIRECTIONS:

Cut tofu into large cubes. Place in a small saucepan and cover with water—just enough to cover the tofu. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

Remove from heat and drain well. I used a fine mesh strainer to ensure any small pieces didn’t fall through. Chill uncovered in the refrigerator until it’s easy to handle. Crumble it up into a food processor and add the other ingredients. Process until smooth, scraping the sides, if necessary. Transfer to an airtight container and chill in the fridge for several hours to overnight. This is a pretty important step, like with the Party Cheese Ball and the Cheddar and Sun-Dried Tomato Dip. The flavors really need a chance to mesh and mingle. That is, if you can wait that long. 🙂

Glazed Chocolate-Avocado Cupcakes

December 22, 2010 by epicureanvegan

Avocado and chocolate? Absolutely! You can’t taste the avocado, but it takes the place of eggs, as well as some of the oil. These cupcakes are so rich, moist, fluffy and decadent. Even the Husband said, “Oh man, these are dangerous.”

INGREDIENTS:
Cupcakes:
1-1/2 C flour
3/4 C unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
1 avocado, pitted and peeled
1 C pure maple syrup (I used light pancake syrup)
3/4 C plain soy milk (I used almond milk)
1/3 C canola oil
2 tsp vanilla

Glaze:
1/4 block soft silken tofu (from a 14-oz container), drained and patted dry
3 Tbs pure maple syrup (again, I used light pancake syrup)
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp salt
4 oz semisweet chocolate chips, melted

DIRECTIONS:
To make the cupcakes, preheat oven to 350. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Puree the avocado in a food processor until smooth. Add the maple syrup, almond milk, oil, and vanilla; blend until creamy. Whisk into flour mixture.

Spoon the mixture evenly into the muffin cups. I wasn’t sure how much to fill them because you never know with muffins, but as long as you evenly divide the batter among the cups, you’ll be fine.

Bake for 25 minutes.

To make the glaze, blend the tofu, maple syrup, vanilla, and salt in the food processor. Add the melted chocolate and blend thoroughly.

Transfer to a bowl.

Dip the tops of the cupcakes into the glaze, pulling up straight to form peaks. Enjoy!

Recipe: Vegetarian Times

Creamy Veggie Bake (Made possible by Green Buffalo Food Co.)

December 13, 2010 by epicureanvegan

When one door closes, another one opens. In this case, when one CSA ends, another comes! We had our last week of our CSA this last Monday, and luckily, I met another food delivery company in my area, at an event for our Writers Association. Green Buffalo Food Company delivers organic, locally-grown/raised food right to your door. I was very enticed by the fact that they don’t require a contract–just weekly or bi-weekly delivery and we can tell them what we don’t want in our delivery. I have 3 butternut squashes on my counter, so I can wait on getting more. Oh, and fruit! It includes fruit!

We received our first delivery today and let me tell you . . .I get excited over home-delivered organic vegetables! Christmas came early.

Isn’t it a gorgeous box of produce?! (potatoes are in the bag). Organic is of course wonderful, but it isn’t always the prettiest—or the very large, so I was very impressed with what we got. And everything is packed so carefully and sweetly (which is fitting because Ali and Ryan, who own GBF, are incredibly lovely people). (sorry, that’s a lot of adverbs). I was giddy with vegan excitement as I perused through the box, wondering what to make for dinner. I had to refrain from using everything—reminding myself that it needed to last the week. I opted for a vegetable bake that didn’t use up everything and certainly didn’t disappoint.

INGREDIENTS:
1 Tbs olive oil
2 tsp garlic
1 large zucchini, sliced, then quartered
2 C mushrooms, quartered
1/2 large onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1-8oz pkg. tempeh, cubed (small)
2 small broccoli heads, florets only
1/2 C almond milk
1 pkg Silken tofu
1/2 C nutritional yeast
1 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 C vegan cheddar (I used a combo of cheddar and mozzarella)
1/2 C bread crumbs

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 375. In a large skillet heat olive oil and garlic. Add the zucchini, broccoli, bell pepper, onion, and tempeh. Saute on medium heat until they just barely begin to soften. Add mushroom and saute another 5 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the tofu, nutritional yeast, almond milk, garlic salt, and pepper in a food processor. You can also just whisk it in a bowl; stir in the cheese.

Lightly grease a 9×13″ baking dish and layer half of the sauce on bottom. Add the vegetable mixture, then top with the rest of the sauce. Stir around to combine everything.

Cover and bake 40 minutes. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs on top and bake another 10 minutes.

Let sit for about 5-8 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Tofu in Tahini Sauce

November 4, 2010 by epicureanvegan

Vegan MoFo, Day 4

I know, a very monochromatic meal! The recipe called for mixing half the sauce with the rice, or other accompaniment, but feel free to omit that step, especially for a less beige result. I also recommend adding some steam asparagus and/or mushrooms, or broccoli. This is simple and the sauce is rich and delicious!

INGREDIENTS:
1-14oz pkg firm tofu, drained and pressed
2 Tbs olive or peanut oil
1/3 C chopped peanuts, cashews, or a combination of both
Toasted sesame seeds

Sauce:
1/4 C soy sauce
1 Tbs tamari
1/4 C tahini
2 Tbs rice wine vinegar
2 Tbs brown sugar
1/2 tsp hot pepper sesame oil
1/2 a small white onion, chopped
1/3 C water
Salt, to taste

Accompaniment:
1 C Arborio rice (risotto)
1 Tbs Earth Balance margarine
1-1/2 C water

DIRECTIONS:
I recommend making the sauce first so that you don’t have to pan-fry the tofu at the same time. In a food processor, combine all of the sauce ingredients and puree until smooth. Set aside. In a medium sauce pan, combine the water, margarine, and water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and cover tightly with a lid for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the oil. Slice the tofu into 7-8 steaks, then slice each diagonally in half. Add to the pan and fry each main side until golden brown.

Pour sauce over tofu and coat each piece of tofu.Remove from heat and stir in nuts. If using, add steamed (or roasted) veggies of your choice. Serve over rice, sprinkle some toasted sesame seeds and enjoy!

Recipe: Adapted from Epicurious

Savory Tofu and Sauteed Apples

September 23, 2010 by epicureanvegan

This was a very sweet and savory meal—the flavors meshed so beautifully together. I made enough for leftovers, but the recipe can easily be split in half. The original recipe is from Whole Foods, but I deviated off their version a little.

INGREDIENTS:
Marinade:
4 Tbs balsamic vinegar
2 Tbs olive oil
2 Tbs agave
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp thyme
Salt and pepper, to taste
The rest:
2-14 ounce pkgs extra firm tofu, drained and pressed
1 med onion, sliced thin
5 large mushrooms, cut quartered
1 large carrot, sliced thin
2 Tbs Earth Balance margarine
5 Grannie-Smith apples, peeled, cored and sliced
Parsley, garnish

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 400. Combine the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, agave nectar, garlic, oregano, thyme, sea salt and pepper in a mixing bowl.

Cut tofu into 16 equal slices.

Pierce the tofu in several places with a fork to allow the flavor of the marinade to penetrate. Pour balsamic mixture over tofu and marinate for 15 to 20 minutes.

Transfer tofu to a shallow 15-inch baking pan. Add onion, mushrooms and carrots. Pour balsamic marinade over tofu and vegetables, brushing to coat everything.

Cover tightly with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake for 10 minutes. Turn the tofu and continue to bake an additional 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare apples. In a skillet over medium heat, heat the margarine. Add the apple slices and sauté until tender and lightly browned but not mushy, about 10 to 15 minutes.

The original recipe says to serve apples alongside the tofu as a side, but I highly recommend eating them together–very, very good! I also served Near East brand pilaf, Mushroom and Herb flavor:

Enjoy!

Kale, Chard and Tofu Calzones

September 6, 2010 by epicureanvegan

When I said I was making calzones tonight, The Husband joked, ‘Oh, yeah, those nine pounders?’ Okay, yes, these calzones typically run a little big. I should call them “No Joke Calzones.” They’re a little different than the other calzone recipe I’ve made by adding the same tofu mixture that I use for lasagna and stuffed shells. I had some leftover tofu mixture so I just threw in the freezer—I’ll use add it to a batch of lasagna at some point. This is also a great recipe for sneaking in some extra veggies, especially for the kids—they’ll never know!

INGREDIENTS:
Dough: (from Vegan Planet)
1-1/2 tsp active dry yeast
3/4 C warm water ( I found that I needed another 1/2 cup)
2-1/4 C unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
Pinch of sugar or natural sweetener
1 Tbs olive oil, plus more for spreading
The Tofu mixture:
1-14 oz pkg extra firm tofu, drained and pressed
1/3 C nutritional yeast
1 C fresh basil (I also threw in a tablespoon or two of fresh rosemary)
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 Tbs lemon juice
The rest:
4 C chard and kale, chopped (you can also add in some spinach)
1-3.8 oz can of sliced black olives
6 mushrooms, sliced
1-1/2 C vegan mozzarella cheese
1 jar marinara sauce

DIRECTIONS:
To make dough: Place yeast in a small bowl. Add 1/4 C of the water and stir to dissolve. Set aside for 5-10 minutes. To make the dough in the food processor (like I did), combine the flour, salt, and sugar, pulsing to blend. With the machine running, add the yeast mixture through the feeding tube, along with the olive oil and as much of the remaining 1/2 water (I needed another 1/3 C in addition to the 1/2 C) as necessary to make the dough hold together. To make the dough by hand, combine the flour, salt, and sugar in a large bowl. Stir in the yeast mixture, olive oil, and remaining 1/2 C water until well combined. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a large oiled bowl. Spread a small amount of oil on top of the dough, cover with plastic wrap, and set aside in a warm place to rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour. Use immediately or store for up to 8 hours in the refrigerator or for 3-4 weeks in the freezer. Make sure it is tightly wrapped in plastic.

To make tofu mixture: Add tofu, basil, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and lemon juice to a food processor and process well until the mixture resembles ricotta cheese.

Preheat oven to 375. Punch the dough down and divide it into fourths. On a lightly floured surface, roll out each piece into a 1/4″ thick circle. Divide the filling equally between the dough circles, leaving a 1″ border around the edge. I layered on some tofu mixture, greens mix, olives, mushrooms, and cheese.

Fold over one side and roll up the bottom part and press with a fork to seal the edges.

Place on a baking sheet lined with foil that is slightly greased. Bake for 30 minutes, or until golden brown.

In the meantime, heat the sauce in a small saucepan. Ladle a scoopful on top of each calzone and add a bit of cheese. Enjoy!

Zucchini-Tofu Scramble with Roasted Red Peppers

August 19, 2010 by epicureanvegan

I love tofu scrambles—as you have probably already gathered, but they’re so easy to change up and are perfect for those times when you need to clean out the produce drawer of on-the-verge-veggies. You can pile it into a wrap or a toasted English muffin, or just eat it as it is. I had half a package of tofu just waiting for me to use it, so it was easy to figure out what to make. A great protein-packed breakfast to start the day.

INGREDIENTS:
12 or 14 oz tofu, extra firm, drained and pressed
1 small zucchini, sliced, then quartered
1 jarred roasted red pepper, diced
1/3 C salsa
3 green onions, sliced
1/3 C fresh cilantro, chopped
1/3-1/2 C Vegan cheese, shredded (any kind you like: cheddar, pepper jack, Monterrey Jack, etc)
1 avocado, diced
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp cumin
A few dashes cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper, to taste
Olive oil

DIRECTIONS:
Heat 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil in a medium skillet. Add zucchini and saute for about 5 minutes. Add the roasted red pepper and saute another 5 minutes. In a small bowl, break up the tofu to resemble scrambled eggs. Add turmeric, cumin, and cayenne; stir to combine. Add tofu and green onions; combine well with the veggies. Saute for about 4 minutes and then stir in the salsa, cilantro, and cheese. Finish off with salt and pepper and then top individual servings with some avocado. Enjoy!

Lemon Cupcakes with Buttercream Frosting

August 18, 2010 by epicureanvegan

These are perfect little, squatty, tasty, cute cupcakes. The outside is crispy, slightly sticky with lemon cake goodness on the inside. They are easy to make and once frosted, gone in seconds!

INGREDIENTS:
1 C soft Silken tofu
4 heaping tsp egg replacer powder mixed with 10 Tbs water
3/4 C granulated sugar
2 Tbs lemon juice
Rind of 1 lemon, grated
1/2 C flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
Frosting:
1/2 C vegan margarine
2 C confectioners’ sugar
1 Tbs plain or vanilla soy milk
3/4 tsp pure lemon extract, or vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 325. Using a mixer, mix the tofu until smooth. Add sugar, lemon juice, and lemon rind. Mix until thick, about 5 minutes. In a small bowl, combine flour and baking powder. Slowly add to the tofu mixture and mix until smooth and thick.

In the medium bowl with the egg replacer and water, add the cream of tartar and mix for about 5 minutes until it is well combined and a little fluffy. Fold it into the tofu and flour mixture. Grease a muffin tin and fill each one with a 1/4 cup of the mixture. I got 11 cupcakes. . .why not a dozen? I have no idea. Oh well.

Bake for 35-40 minutes–the edges will get a little brown. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool before removing them from the pan and frosting them.

To make frosting: Let margarine sit out until room temperature. Using a mixer, mix the margarine until smooth. Add the powdered sugar, soy milk and flavoring. Combine thoroughly. You may need to adjust the consistency to how you’d like it by adding more milk or more sugar. Since all I could find was one lonely frosting tip and no pastry bag, I snipped off the corner of a zip lock back as a substitute. It worked lovely. Enjoy!

Sauteed Tofu with Shallots, Almond and Amaretto

August 6, 2010 by epicureanvegan

This recipe, from Vegan Planet, was certainly yummy, but it struck us as more of a breakfast than a dinner meal. The tofu had a pancake-like texture and the amaretto gave it a sweet, syrup-y taste. It was delicious, but I could see serving it for breakfast or brunch, rather than dinner.

INGREDIENTS:
1-16 oz (I used 14 oz) pkg extra firm tofu, drained and pressed and cut into 1/4″ thick slices
1/4 C all purpose flour
Salt and black pepper
3 Tbs olive oil
4 shallots, thinly sliced lengthwise
1/2 C vegetable broth
1/4 C amaretto or other other almond-flavored liqueur
1/2 C slivered almonds, toasted
1 Tbs minced fresh parsley

DIRECTIONS:
Dredge the tofu in the flour. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the tofu and cook until brown on both sides, 2-4 minutes per side. Remove from skillet, transfer to a plate; set aside.

Add the shallots to the skillet, cover and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the broth and liqueur and heat almost to boiling. Reduce the heat to low, return the tofu to the pan, add the almonds and parsley, and simmer to infuse the tofu with the flavor of the sauce and heat through.

Serve hot and enjoy!

Plum Crock Cheez

Crock Cheez

Glazed Chocolate-Avocado Cupcakes

Creamy Veggie Bake (Made possible by Green Buffalo Food Co.)

Tofu in Tahini Sauce

Vegan MoFo, Day 4

Savory Tofu and Sauteed Apples

Kale, Chard and Tofu Calzones

Zucchini-Tofu Scramble with Roasted Red Peppers

Lemon Cupcakes with Buttercream Frosting

Sauteed Tofu with Shallots, Almond and Amaretto

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