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Sriracha and sesame brussels sprouts with tofu.
Followed recipe below but added cubed tofu for some more substance.
Only recommendation would be adding a tsp or corn starch to thicken it up.
Vegetarian “chicken” salad with Greek yogurt!!
A high protein amazing lunch, dinner, or snack!
I used to really enjoy chicken salad many many years ago before I went vegetarian. I always hated the idea of eating so much mayonnaise tho, and obviously I don’t eat chicken anymore so….seemed like this food was off my list forever.
Well, since I fell in love with Greek yogurt, I’ve been trying to throw it in every recipe I can think of. So, I tried a recipe with Greek yogurt substituting mayo in chicken salad, then of course substituting fake chicken for real….
What you need…
1 package fake chicken(or seasoned tofu)
1 stalk diced celery
2 green onions
sauce
1/2 cup Greek yogurt
2 tsp spy sauce
1/2 tsp curry powder
squeeze of lemon juice
How to make it…
Take the “sauce” ingredients and mix it together in a bowl.
Chop up the fake chicken, dice the celery and green onion.
Add those to the bowl with the sauce and stir around until “chicken” is well covered with the sauce.
Serve on sourdough, multigrain, bed of spinach, or however you want!
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Thai vegan stir fried tofu and vegetables with coconut!!
Stir fry can take on many forms, transcends several cultures, and can be a great way to get a powerhouse variety of vegetables.
This stir fry takes on a slightly sweeter version with the coconut milk. It has a somewhat Thai influence and has a great fresh, fulfilling flavor. Rich, flavorful, but not overwhelming.
What you need…
Vegetables
1 package extra firm tofu cubed
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup diced broccoli flourettes
1/2 cup shredded or finely diced carrots
1/2 cup diced onion
2-3 cloves minded garlic
1/2 cup diced green onion
1/2 cup water chestnuts
1/4 cup sliced red or yellow pepper
1/4 cup snap peas
1 cup beansprouts(pea sprouts are good too)
3-4 cups chopped Asian greens(I use different choys, yu choy and ta ku choy)
Stir fry sauce
2/3 cup coconut milk(I used Trader Joe’s low fat)
4-5 tbsp soy sauce(I use reduced sodium)
2 tbsp lime juice(I used lemon juice)
3 tsp brown sugar(I used Splenda 50% less sugar brown sugar)
How to make it…
In wok, heat 1-2 tbsp olive oil and add onions, garlic, tofu. Saute for about 5 minutes.
Add all the vegetables(EXCEPT bean sprouts and greens, they cook really fast so wait til later).
Cook in wok stirring constantly for another 5-10 minutes. Make sauce by mixing all ingredients and stirring.
Add greens and continue stirring food in wok. After another 5 minutes(don’t overcook the greens), add in bean sprouts and sauce. Continue cooking on high stirring regularly for another 2-3 minutes then pull wok off stove.
Top with the sliced and diced green onions for color and flavor. The stir fry sauce is somewhat runny, so it goes great over rice. If you want to thicken it up, add 1-2 teaspoons of corn starch.
Keep sriracha nearby when serving for some spice!
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Easy vegan “chicken” tofu pancit!!
A Filipino classic, very much like a pad thai, or even a noodle stir fry. Traditionally packed with pork, shrimp, chicken, etc. Very easy to make…very easy to make vegetarian.
What you need…
1 package thin rice noodles
1 package extra firm tofu cubed
3-4 teaspoons vegetarian bouillon mix
1/2 onion finely chopped
2 cups chopped cabbage
1 cup carrots very finely chopped(I used shredded)
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 cloves garlic minced
2-3 lemons quartered to garnish dish
Here’s what to do….
First start soaking rice noodles in warm water until soft. Start this process a bit before starting everything else.
Cut tofu into 1/4 inch cubes, dice onion, mince garlic. Add to wok with 1tbsp oil and cook for 5 minutes stirring constantly. While stirring, sprinkle 3-4 teaspoons of vegetarian “chicken” bouillon seasoning evenly over tofu. This is where the “chicken” flavor comes into play.
Add shredded carrots and chopped cabbage to wok and saute for 5 more minutes on high until cabbage becomes tender.
While sauteing, let noodles dry in colander then add to mixture along with soy sauce. Stir constantly until everything is well mixed and cooked throughout.
Cut lemons into quarters, add on a plate around a heaping helping of pancit.
Keep sriracha around for some extra kick in the face.
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Essential Veg cooking item! If you want to make a good soup base, flavor some tofu, try to find this vegetarian “chicken” flavoring.
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Finished Indian inspired meal for the night. All the recipes listed individually below.
I’m officially stuffed. Goodnight.
Super simple spicy red vegan “chicken” coconut curry!!
Ok, this is my heavy hitter. Curries have become a newer staple in my diet for the last 5-6 months. They’re an excellent way to pack in veggies, protein, and spice!
They make excellent full meals, lunches, and are an easy tupperware leftover food.
There are many ways to make curries, and that’s what makes them great in my opinion, a few alterations and it’s a whole new experience. Here’s what I put in mine tonight and how I made it…
What you need…
1 can whole peeled(or crushed) tomatoes
1 cup coconut milk(I used Trader Joe’s “light”)
1/2 brick cubed tofu
1 package of soy “chicken”
1 1/2 cans of garbonzo beans
2 carrots
1 cup chopped brocolli
1 cup chopped mushrooms
1 cup chopped cauliflower
2 cups frozen peas
1/2 cup diced onions
4 tbsp hot curry powder(there are different varieties but most are consistent)
1 tbsp chili powder(the one I get is incredible hot)
How to do this…
First, add coconut milk, tomatoes, and spices together in a blender or food processor to puree it all together. Put in large soup pot and turn to med/hi.
Cube tofu and cut “chicken” into small 1/2 inch pieces. Add to curry base and cook 5 minutes.
Be sure all vegetables are prepared(chopped and diced) and beans are rinsed. Add them to the curry base.
Cook on medium/hi for 10-15 minutes. Curry will begin to boil, turn down to medium and let simmer for another 20 minutes.
That’s pretty much it!
Vegetable alternatives you could add include potatoes, zucchini, green beans, butternut squash, etc…
Sometimes I’ll add a little different spice for a quirky kick. I like to add some garlic pickle(get this at Indian market) or another pickle.
Also, a great add(but would make it non vegan) would be cubed paneer. Paneer is an Indian cottage cheese of sort. It also adds some level of fat(it’s a whole milk based cheese).
Make it spicier, thicker, soupier, healthier, fattier, etc…
Curry is fun, be creative, try it out, make it yours!
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Mission Chinese!
After reading about how phenomenal Mission Chinese is, I decided to adventure there with a friend. Thinking is find a plethora of amazing veg options, I was pretty disappointed.
With only three veg dish options, I tried two, and wasn’t impressed by either. Bummer.
Started with Beijing vinegar peanuts. Peanuts in a balsamic vinegar with the largest pickled garlic cloves possible…not awesome.
Thrice cooked bacon, sans the bacon…tofu skin, rice “cakes”, too many scallions, and bitter melon.
Wild pepper leaves, pressed tofu, pumpkin, and excessively salty broth.
Came home to make a healthier, better wild rice and tofu stir fry.
Like Public Enemy said…Don’t believe they hype!
