Tofu Scramble Two Ways

Okay, I really don't know why it took me so long to make a tofu scramble at home. I love eating them out at restaurants (Blue Willow in Tucson makes my fave), but for some reason I was really hesitant to make my own. I guess I thought it would be difficult, but nothing could be further from the truth!

I had some extra firm tofu, spinach and mushrooms in the fridge one night and I was trying to figure out what to make for dinner. I decided to go for it and tackle the tofu scramble once and for all. After consulting a few recipes on the netz, I headed into the kitchen determined to defeat my opponent. And I succeeded! So much so that I made another one just a few days later. These are definitely going into the rotation.

Not only do these scrambles come together quickly, they are really versatile. Like I said, the first time I used mushroom and spinach - a classic combo - and kept the seasonings to what would compliment those flavors. The second time, I planned to add it to a breakfast burrito, so wanted to punch it up a bit. I added lots of diced red pepper, onions, more cumin than the first time. They both came out great! In the future, I think I'll try adding some Mediterranean flavors (kalmata olives, roasted red peppers) and serve alongside hummus, pita, and Greek salad. OR you could mix in Soyrizo, potatoes, and diced tomatoes and serve it with flour tortillas and avocado. If it's good enough for scrambled eggs, it's good enough for scrambled tofu. And don't be fooled into thinking tofu scrambles are only for breakfast. They're full of protein, but they're not too heavy, so it's the perfect fit for dinner. Besides, breakfast for dinner has always been one of my favorite things.

One tip: the drier your tofu, the more it will brown in the skillet. Once you remove the tofu from the package and drain it, be sure to press it for at least 20 minutes to get the water out. I do this by wrapping the block of tofu in a few paper towels and setting it on a plate. Then I place another plate on top and add some heavy objects - canned goods, a jar of pasta sauce - on top of that plate.

Johnny ate both of these right up! I had to coax him into eating the breakfast burrito - he doesn't like tater tots if you can believe it. But even he couldn't deny that the crispy potatoes, tofu scramble, and cool, creamy guacamole inside a warm tortilla was a little piece of heaven...



The makings of a damn fine breakfast burrito. YUM.



Mexican Style Tofu Scramble

(Makes 8 breakfast burritos)

1 tbsp olive oil

1 small onion, diced

1 red pepper, stem and seeds removed and diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 block extra firm tofu, drained and pressed

1/2 tsp turmeric

1 1/2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp coriander

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

Heat your olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and red pepper and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and cook for a minute more. Cut the tofu into large chunks and add to the skillet. Break it up with a spatula so that it resembles scrambled eggs. Add your spices and toss to ensure they are evenly distributed. Continue cooking for about 10 minutes, allowing the tofu to get browned a bit. (A metal spatula works best for keeping the browned parts intact.) If you aren't seeing any browning, increase the heat a bit and continue cooking for a few minutes.

Serve with warm tortillas, tater tots, and guacamole!

Crappy cell phone pic! This is what happens when you are too hungry to take a proper picture.

Spinach and Mushroom Tofu Scramble

Serves 6

1 tbsp olive oil

1 small onion, diced

½ pint of mushrooms, sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 block extra firm tofu, drained and pressed

1/2 tsp turmeric

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp dried thyme

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

2 cups fresh spinach

Heat your olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and mushrooms and cook for about 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and cook for a minute more. Cut the tofu into large chunks and add to the skillet. Break it up with a spatula so that it resembles scrambled eggs. Add your spices and toss to ensure they are evenly distributed. Continue cooking for about 10 minutes, allowing the tofu to get browned a bit. (A metal spatula works best for keeping the browned parts intact.) If you aren't seeing any browning, increase the heat a bit and continue cooking for a few minutes. Turn off the heat and add in the spinach. Stir in and allow to wilt for a few minutes.

I served mine with roasted sweet potatoes and a toasted Food for Life Brown Rice English muffin spread with Earth Balance. Those muffins are really good, BTW!

Recipe - Quick and Easy Summer Meals and Snacks

I have a confession to make... I love to cook. That is such a weird thing for me to write! Growing up I had absolutely no desire to try my hand in the kitchen (though my sister and brother both always loved to cook and are both fabulous at it). When I moved out on my own, I existed on Trader Joe's prepared foods and dinners out with friends. Cooking a full-on meal just for myself always seemed like such a hassle: the grocery shopping, the dishes, the leftovers that inevitably grew mold and got thrown away. Not to mention there was no one there to tell me if my meal was great or sucked - like the whole "if a tree falls in the forest" scenario, ya know? But when Johnny and I moved in together, some dormant June Cleaver-ish part of me awakened and I found myself wanting to cook more. WEIRD.

In the beginning, I relied heavily on recipes. I had a cookbook called "How to Boil Water" and I pretty much needed that level of instruction! There were definitely some failed meals in those early days (most involving undercooked meat which I no longer have to worry about!), but over time I became SO much more confident in the kitchen. Through trial and error, I figured out how to cook a great batch of rice on the stovetop and how to substitute spices if I ran out of something seemingly crucial. Our bank account thanked me for easing off of expensive take-out meals and it's always made me feel accomplished to cook a great meal and actually look forward to eating the leftovers the next day!   

That said, there are more nights than I can count where I go into the kitchen thinking I'll have dinner prepared in an hour, and by 9:00pm I'm still not done. This does not make me happy and Johnny wisely asks once if he can help and then scurries away when I bellow "NO." So I'm going to start making more of an effort to plan one or two easy meals each week that can be ready to go in 60 minutes or less. I have come to terms with the fact that this means I may need to rely on prepared foods sometimes. I love cooking everything from scratch, but honestly we all have days where we've pushed ourselves to the limit in the 10+ hours preceding dinner prep. Routinely adding an extra 2-3 hours to that just so you can feed your pie-hole is no fun.

Here are some ideas for quick meals and snacks that I've been loving for the past few weeks:


Beverages


Johnny is in the early stages of giving up diet soda (yay!) so we tried out an alternative last night. We mixed up some chopped mint, some peeled and diced ginger, a sliced up lemon, and a few packets of stevia with sparkling water and ice in a big pitcher. He was so in love! So much healthier than diet soda and super refreshing for a summer day. 

Snacks

Brown Rice Cakes and Nut Butter

I'm the type that gets home from work and has to have a snack before I start dinner prep. Quite often, I'll turn to chips or crackers and get carried away and before I know it I'm not even hungry for dinner anymore. My nutritionist made a great suggestion: brown rice cakes with nut butter. The portion is controlled and just one is super filling and satisfying. It has that salty/sweet taste that I love and is so easy to throw together. I am a big fan of Lundberg's Organic Lightly Salted Brown Rice Cakes and Brad's Organic Crunchy Peanut Butter (I love everything by both of these companies, actually!). You can jazz it up by topping with jam, bananas or other fruits, raisins... you get the idea.

Hummus and Crudites

Hummus is an institution in my family. For realz. We take that shiz seriously! My mom's hummus is widely regarded as the best in the world, so I'm always trying to recreate hers. It is so easy to whip up a big batch of hummus and snack on it all week or use as a spread on sandwiches and wraps. It's way cheaper than buying the not-as-tasty pre-made stuff from the store, too.

Here's the quick recipe: in a food processor, chop 2 cloves of garlic into tiny pieces (use 3 if you really like garlic!). Add two cans of drained and rinsed chickpeas, the juice of 2 lemons, 4 tbsp tahini, 1/4 cup olive oil and 1 tsp salt. Begin blending and pulsing and get things as mixed as you can. Continue blending and start adding water a few tsps at a time. Don't overdo it, but add as much water as necessary until the hummus is creamy and very well blended - about 1/2 cup. Taste and adjust as needed. You can eat it right away, but hummus is best when it's been chilled overnight and the flavors have really had a chance to mingle. Top with a drizzle of olive oil and some dried mint and serve with fresh veggies, crackers, or whole wheat pita bread. Variations on this recipe are endless - add in some kalmata olives, roasted red peppers, roasted garlic, pickled jalapenos, mushrooms, etc. Just decrease the oil and water a bit if you add any of these.

Meals

Crispy Chick'n Salad with Creamy Dijon Dressing

I came up with this super easy and simple salad one night when I really didn't feel like cooking, but I also didn't want to order take-out. I didn't want dinner to be a big production, so I sent Johnny to the store for some veggies and I broke out a pack of Gardein Seven Grain Crispy Tenders from the freezer. 20 minutes later I had an awesome vegan salad that I loved! Pretty sweet. 

To make this, prepare the Gardein tenders according to package instructions. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes, then cut into bite-sized pieces. Chop up some lettuce, tomatoes and cucumbers and divide between two bowls. Top with the Gardein strips. In a small bowl, mix together 2 tbsp Vegenaise and 1 tbsp dijon mustard with a small whisk or spoon until combined. Drizzle over your salad and enjoy!

Disclaimer: Johnny was not a fan of the dressing because he's got an aversion to Vegenaise. He's on the fence about mayo to begin with and lots of people are even more suspect of mayo made without animal products. For the record, the ingredients in Vegenaise couldn't be more normal: Non-GMO Expeller-Pressed Canola Oil, Filtered Water, Brown Rice Syrup, Apple Cider Vinegar, Non-GMO Soy Protein, Sea Salt, Mustard Flour, Lemon Juice Concentrate. I can guarantee those ingredients are WAY more appealing than what's in regular mayo! Anyway, if you're cooking this for a non-vegan who isn't into Vegenaise, just sub in some of their favorite dressing.


Soft Tacos

These crazy kids just can't stand still for a picture!

One of my friends is trying to be gluten-free, vegan and sugar-free and I'm also trying to cut down in the gluten in my life. We all got together for dinner and I put my thinkin' cap on. We had a medley of foodstuffs including a watermelon and cucumber salad and some fresh and delicious corn my friends got from a farm that morning (summer!!!). The main course was  soft tacos and they came together in a flash. 


I started with some pintos using the quick method of soaking: boil 4 cups of water, add 1/2 lb of dried pintos, cook for two minutes, then remove from heat and allow to soak for 1 hour. I then drained and rinsed the beans and added enough water to cover, then brought it all back to a boil and simmered for about 1 more hour. (That sounds like a long time, but it's mostly inactive and you can be doing other things while they cook.) I tossed those with some salt, pepper and chopped green chiles. I then cooked up some Yves Meatless Ground with a tbsp of olive oil, 1/2 chopped onion, 2 cloves chopped garlic, 1 tsp chile powder, and 1/2 tsp ground cumin until hot. This all got wrapped up in Ezekiel Sprouted Corn Tortillas, homemade guacamole, salsa and hot sauce. Nom nom nom!


What are your favorite quick and easy summer treats? 

Recipe - Charro Beans

Good morning! Hope everyone had a GREAT weekend. We are finally starting to get some warmer weather here in NYC and it felt so nice to walk around without a heavy winter coat and snow boots for the first time in 5 months! It really does wonders to improve your mood when the sun is shining and the birds are tweeting.

I wanted to share this recipe for Charro Beans with you because I think it is perfect for springtime and the upcoming Cinco de Mayo. I made these to go with the Potato Tacos I posted about last week, but as yummy as the tacos were, I think I might have loved these beans even more. They're just so nourishing and satisfying and best of all VERY healthy so you can eat as much as you want and not have to cry in the closet from shame afterwards. (Am I the only one who does that? Hmmm...)  

It's weird that didn't encounter this style of beans until I was well into my 20s. A lot of Mexican restaurants in Tucson serve Sonoran-style food and the beans are generally of the refried persuasion with lots of melted yellow cheese on top (the kind you can peel off the top with a fork... you know what I'm talking about!). I was finally introduced to my bean soulmate at one of my favorite Tucson restaurants, appropriately named... El Charro! I used to work in dangerously close proximity their downtown location and my friend Michelle and I would eat lunch there more often than was prudent. There was just something so very relaxing about sitting on their sunny porch, sharing a salad, a cheese crisp (pre-vegan days) and occassionally sneaking in a beer (shhhh!). But the Charro beans were always the best choice, all at once warm, filling, and healthy. It's nice to get back to basics sometimes!

I feel like I type the phrase "Johnny was skeptical" a lot, but it's true! He's a picky eater, what can I say? Anyway, he was very hesitant to try these (especially after devouring three potato tacos), but I made him take one bite just so I could share his opinion. He liked them so much that he continued eating, unprovoked by me! I think he was deliriously tired, but it seemed I could do no wrong in the kitchen that night by him. :-)

This dish takes a little planning as you have to soak your beans for at least 8 hours. This is definitely the recommended method of cooking them as it means a shorter cooking time (so you cook out less of the nutrients) and in soaking you get rid of some of the indigestible complex sugars that make you gassy. No one likes a Gassy Gus! I just toss the beans and water in a large bowl before work and stick it in the fridge and by the time I get home they're ready to go. You can also buy canned beans and reduce the cooking time to really nothing at all, but beware of the sodium content of canned beans - rinsing them first will help get rid of some salt. Hope you enjoy!  

A dramatic little picture for such a charming dish!

Charro Beans

Serves 6

1 1/2 cups dried pinto beans

Water

1 tbsp olive oil

2 spring onions or 1 small white or yellow onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 tomatoes, chopped

1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped

1 12 oz bottle of Mexican beer

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

One handful fresh cilantro leaves, chopped

Place the beans in a large bowl and fill with water. (Ensure there is plenty of water as the beans will plump up as they soak and you want to make sure they remain covered by the water.) Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator overnight or at least for 8 hours.

When the beans are soaked, drain them of their soaking liquid and rinse well. Place into a large pot and fill with enough water to cover the beans by 1 inch. Place over high heat and bring to a rapid boil, then reduce the heat to medium and allow to cook until almost completely tender, about 45-50 minutes.

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and sautee until transluscent. Add the tomatoes and jalapeno and continue cooking for 5 minutes, until everything is tender. Pour in the beer and continue cooking for another 5 minutes until the beer has reduced by about half. 

Pour the contents of the pan into the pot with the beans. Stir in the salt and pepper and continue cooking until the beans are completely tender, about 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in the cilantro. Serve with a wedge of lime.

Nutritional Info per serving: Calories 213; Total Fat 3.5g; Saturated Fat 0.5g; Trans Fat 0g; Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 22mg; Carbohydrate 32.8 g; Dietary Fiber 9.8; Sugars 0.5g; Protein 10.7g; Alcohol 2.3g; Vitamin A 11%; Vitamin C 18%; Calcium 6%; Iron 15%

Recipe - Potato Tacos with Romesco Sauce & Pickled Red Onions

Howdy pardners! Long time no see. This will be a two parter as it comes from a meal so epic it had to be split up lest the awesomeness go all supernova and short circuit the internet. (I exaggerate a little sometimes.)


I was inspired by the tacos I ate at Teqa a few weeks back, but I wanted to change things up a bit and add some of my own flair. I am a big fan of potato tacos - essentially mashed potatoes in a fried corn tortilla shell - but haven't made my own before. I checked out a few recipes on-line and got to work, quickly figuring out some of the pitfalls. For one, my potato mixture (of which I made way too much) was pretty dry and tended to fall apart, so I couldn't overstuff the tacos or the filling came out in the frying pan and made a big ol' mess of my cooking oil. (If anyone has any suggestions for a potato filling that is a bit more sticky, please let me know!) The end result was tasty, but I think adding some liquid to the potatoes could be beneficial. Speaking of oil, I added WAY too much to the pan the first round and ruined a few tacos. But you live and learn, right? Or you learn from my mistakes and do it the right way the first go!

I also made a romesco sauce from scratch and I was so impressed with myself! I usually shy away from complicated sauces as they can be so time consuming, but I'm coming to realize that the more time you spend on the details, the bigger the reward. This sauce is to die for! It's smoky and rich and has so many flavors that I kept sampling it and saying, "...woah." It would also be delicious just tossed with some pasta, or as a dipping sauce for some grilled bread or potato pancakes.

And finally, the piece de resistance, the pickled red onions. Growing up, I would say 80% of my friends were Mexican, and they taught me about the finest Mexican delicacies. Everytime they made a trip across the border, they would come home loaded with Mexican candy - Pica, Duvalin (aka frosting with a spoon!), tamarindo, mazapan, obleas... oh jeez, my mouth is watering now! - and the enamel on my front teeth is completely gone thanks to childhood binges on lemons with saladitos stuck in the middle. I spent a lot of time at my friend Mary's house, consuming every dish her mom cooked up and put in front of me. I was so spoiled! One of my favorite things were the pickled red onions she always had in the refrigerator. They're vibrant purple and the flavor is simple and mind-blowingly delectable. They can work as an addition to many different meals, and now that I know how to make them, I think I'll start keeping a batch in my fridge, too. They're good just by themselves!

Johnny powered through three tacos, to the point where he had to stop and say, "I think I'm eating too fast." THEY'RE THAT GOOD. He was skeptical of the pickled red onions (again, it's all in the name for him), but after giving one a try he was a big fan. He suggested adding some pico de gallo on top to give an extra crunch.

Tomorrow, I'll post about the Charro Beans that I made to go on the side. The whole meal took about two hours to cook, but if you're just making the tacos I'd say it's closer to an hour.

There's a LOT going on here.

Potato Tacos with Romesco Sauce and Pickled Red Onions

Serves 4

One dozen corn tortillas

2-3 large potatoes

1 spring onion

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp ground cumin

Vegetable or canola oil for frying

Romesco Sauce (recipe follows)

Pickled Red Onions (recipe follows)

1 avocado

1 small can diced green chiles

Juice of 1/2 lime

Lettuce (optional)

Peel and chop the potatoes into large chunks. Place in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a gentle boil. Cook until potatoes are tender all the way through, about 30 minutes. Drain and transfer to a large bowl.

Chop your onion (white and light green parts only) and add to potatoes. Add the salt, pepper and cumin and mash with a potato masher or fork. Set aside.

Microwave your tortillas on a small plate for about a minute, or until pliable. (This step is muy importante or your shells will break.) Scoop a few tablespoons of the potato mixture onto half of a tortilla being careful to leave a border near the edge of the tortilla. Press the potato mixture with your fingers so it sticks together, then fold your tortilla in half and press again so it stays closed. Repeat until you have used all your tortillas.

Heat a thin layer of oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet for 5 minutes. When the oil is ready, you will see some wavy lines appear in it. Cook the tacos in batches for about 3-4 minutes on each side, or until browned. If your tacos are not browning and are soggy, increase the heat. Add additional oil as you go to maintain a thin layer in the bottom of your pan. Transfer the cooked tacos to a plate lined with paper towels to remove some of the oil.

In a small bowl, mash your avocado with the green chiles, lime juice and a dash of salt.

To assemble the tacos, place the tacos on a plate and top with Romesco sauce, guacamole, lettuce, and pickled red onions.

Romesco Sauce

Makes about 4 cups

(Based on this recipe with some changes)

1 red pepper

1/2 cup + 1/2 tsp olive oil, divided

3 tomatoes, halved

6 garlic cloves, skin removed

1/2 cup whole almonds with skin

1/2 cup pine nuts

2 slices crusty bread (I used semolina)

1/2 cup red wine vinegar

1 tsp smoked paprika

2 tsp sea salt

To roast your red pepper, remove the stem, seeds, and pith and cut the pepper in half. Rub the skin with 1/2 tsp olive oil and place on a small baking sheet. Cook under a broiler for 10-15 minutes on each side until the skin is blackened and the flesh is soft. When it's cool enough to handle, remove the skin and set the pepper aside.

Heat your oven to 450 degrees. On the same baking sheet, arrange your tomatoes, garlic cloves, almonds, and pine nuts. Cook for 7-8 minutes. Remove from oven, scoop the pine nuts out (which should be nicely toasted) and replace with the two pieces of bread. Place back in the oven for another 7-8 minutes.

Transfer all ingredients into a food processor and pulse a few times to combine. Add in the red wine vinegar, smoked paprika, and salt and process until very smooth. Pour into a bowl and allow to sit for as lot as possible before using to allow the flavors to combine.

Pickled Red Onions

Makes 1 cup

(Recipe by one of my foodie loves, Rick Bayless)

1 small red onion, peeled

1/2 cup lime juice

1 1/2 tsps salt

Thinly slice the red onion and separate the rings. Place into a non-reactive bowl (I used glass). Boil some water in a tea kettle and pour over the onion until covered. Ten seconds later, drain the onions and return to the bowl. Add the lime juice and salt and toss well to combine. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. These will last a week or more in the refrigerator.

Nutritional info: It all depends on how much cooking oil you use, etc. It's safe to say this isn't health food, so let's just leave the nutritional info out on this one, shall we? (If you'd really like to know, just email me and I'll be happy to post!)