Vegan MOFO: Thaw-it Thursday–Amy's GF Tofu Scramble

Ok, so Wicked Wednesday gave me a total sugar high and I flaked on getting posts up even on Thursday! Here's the catch-up for Thaw-it Thursday...Amy's Gluten Free Tofu Scramble Breakfast Wrap.

  

I love this company since they make vegan foods and they make them well. They are made with real ingredients, most of them taste good and to top it off, they are a local company. How lucky can a girl get? Amy's produces dozens of items...be sure to check out their website since your local store may not carry them all. My hometown Whole Foods never seems to carry this wrap anymore, but I can get the next town over or at Pacific Market here in town.

I've had an interesting history with this wrap. I appreciate any company that can make a gluten-free food, and one that tastes good. This wrap is a little soggy (and tends to fall apart) when it first comes out of the microwave (you purists who only use real ovens may like it crispier from a toaster oven), but I've discovered a trick–if you aren't in a hurry to eat, that is!

I was working for a friend on a large job out of town, staying at her place with a number of other women also working this job. A tiny kitchen and several women does not make for elaborate meals! Especially when only one of us is vegan. I needed to pack myself a lunch and I decided to defrost this in the micro one morning and put it in a container for my lunch. I didn't need it hot. What I discovered was that it was very tasty cold, and actually held together better (like a real burrito) in my hands and was a perfect on-the-job lunch to pull out of my bag. So, letting it sit for a few hours after heating it up seemed to improve the "wholeness" of it!

I still like to have these around when I might have no time to make a real breakfast or need to pack a lunch. Thumbs up for Amy's Gluten Free Tofu Scramble.

Vegan MOFO: Wicked Wednesday Chocolate Raspberry Moose and Squirrel

Ahhh, Wicked Wednesday turned into Very, Very Wicked Wednesday. First, I made this recipe Tuesday night and ate some on Wednesday. Then went to a casual in-the-park birthday party where they had the most amazing vegan, rich chocolate cake with a rich dark chocolate icing. Yes, I had a piece. THEN, the kids decided to go get ice cream, too! It's just around the corner from the park and they make a great coconut sorbet. Just one scoop, that's all I had.

Here's the latest version of my "Chocolate Mousse" which starts with a very basic recipe that you can add any flavoring to. (See Vegan Chocolate Peppermintini Mousse.)

I had some Raspberry wine in the pantry which was very thick and more like a liqueur. This made five large servings, but you can make 7-8 easily with smaller portions, more granola  and top it with some vegan whipped cream. And of course, some fresh raspberries!

Chocolate Raspberry Moose and Squirrel

1             aseptic package silken tofu
1 cup      vegan dark chocolate chips
1/2 cup   agave syrup or sugar of choice*
1/4  cup  Raspberry wine
1/2 Tbs   vanilla

* The Girl thinks this still needs more sugar. I like it at a 1/2 cup, but I think you could add 1/4-1/3 cup more.

Directions
1. Blend tofu and wine in a food processor or blender until very smooth. Add agave and vanilla, blend again.
2. Melt chips carefully and slowly in the microwave or on the stove-top.
3. Carefully add the melted chocolate chips to the tofu mixture while still in the processor or blender. Blend and scrape down sides until well blended.
4. Pour into serving cups or large bowl and store in fridge until cold. It will harden as it cools.

Serving suggestions:
Top with granola, whipped cream, more wine or liqueur, raspberries.

Vegan MOFO Love Me Tender Taco Tuesday: The Story of the Swedish Taco

For the month of September and for Vegan MOFO, Tuesday's theme will be "Love Me Tender Taco Tuesday."

A friend has been holding a Taco Tuesday almost every week and this last spring I was trying to find out if certain foods were giving me issues. This posed a problem on Taco Tuesday since I was often going off of all nightshades (tomatoes, peppers, chili, potatoes and even corn!) Just TRY and eat taco-like stuff without those ingredients!

Now to the story of the Swedish Taco...

Many moons ago, my dad was a middle school teacher in Stockton, California. He taught at Hamilton Middle School in the 1960s and 1970s, possibly into the 80s as well. My own memory fails me!

My dad's last name is of Swedish origin (Pearson), and he was an adventurous cook. I learned to love Chinese, Japanese, Mexican, German and all other sorts of ethic foods growing up when he decided to get creative in the kitchen.

His school had a big population of kids of Mexican descent and they dubbed the tacos my dad would bring to school functions, "Swedish Tacos." I learned about this years later from one of his students. For some reason, dad put little bits of potato in his ground hamburger, he said it helped absorb the oil.

After I became a vegan, I often recreated this taco filling mix with Gimme Lean sausage and, yes, little bits of potato. Since I've been gluten-free, however, I've had to stick to non-seitan/wheat "meat" alternatives. And since I've been trying to eliminate nightshades (potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, eggplant) from my diet, it meant I had to forgo the potato, too!

Let tempeh (soy-only) and sweet potatoes come to the rescue! Sweet potatoes are in a different family from the white potato, and are not a nightshade, and therefore, "safe" for most of us trying to avoid the nightshades.

This is a wonderful filling for corn tortillas, or flour tortilla burritos. Since I'm also trying to avoid corn these days as well as wheat, I have photographed them on some home made GF teeny tiny tostadas. I followed a simple recipe for them I found online. I'll post another one later I'm anxious to try. I have yet to find a really good commercially made GF "flour" tortilla that tastes good, doesn't give me TMJ or folds without cracking!

Mr. Pearson's Daughter's Swedish Taco Filling

1       package (8 oz) soy-only tempeh, crumbled
1       medium sweet potato, cooked and cut into small cubes
1       small onion, chopped finely
2       cloves garlic, minced
1/2    tsp ground cumin
1/2    tsp ground coriander
1/2    tsp chili powder (omit if nightshade-intolerant)

Oil of choice for frying

Directions
1. Crumble tempeh by hand or lightly with a food processor. Don't blend too long, you want it to be crumbled, not a big glop. Put in bowl. Add spices and mix well.
2. Fry onion and garlic in a large pan in water or oil until done. (5-10 minutes).
3. Add some oil to the pan and fry the tempeh , stirring often so it doesn't burn, but also letting it brown.
4. Add a little more oil to the pan and add sweet potato, stir to fry and brown it a litttle, mix with tempeh.
5. It's ready to eat all by itself or add to tacos, tostadas or burritos.

Green Sauce
I like to make a dressing of whatever I've got on hand. This is a base of vegan sour cream and vegan cream cheese, mixed with some lemon juice, parsley and spinach, blended in my Vitamix. Add some avocado to it for a nice touch of guacamole taste.

Vegan MOFO Mash-it-up Monday: These Aren't Your Mother's Scrambled Eggs

For the month of September, Mash-it-up Monday will have recipes for things that are...mashed, blended or maybe things put together that you normally wouldn't think of putting together. Like two songs in a "Mash-Up." Or Sea Salt with Dark Chocolate. (We know now this goes together...but three years ago?) Maybe smoothies or blended soups. Or mashed potatoes or mashed .... you name it!

Today's recipe is a favorite of my daughter's...she routinely asks for my Tofu Omelettes and Scrambled Tofu. Makes me happy. (It's not always easy to please a 12 year old.)

This is an easy breakfast to make, and you can use whatever veggie you have in the fridge–you don't have to use broccoli. But to really impress a vegan, you do need to do a little planning if you don't regularly have tofu and turmeric on hand.

The secret these days to a great vegan "egg" dish is the salt. Not just any old sea salt or Himalayan Pink. This is India Black Kala Namak Salt, by The Spice Lab (available at their website or via Amazon). It really does have that "sulphur" smell and taste, which gives tofu eggs that special egg-y flavor. (Great for making vegan deviled eggs, too.)

These Aren't Your Mother's Scrambled Eggs
(Unless you are my daughter!)

1     Package Firm Tofu (the kind in water, not vacuum packed, about 15 oz)
2     baby carrots, grated
3     broccoli florets, grated or chopped very finely
1/2  tsp turmeric
1     tsp granulated onion*
1/2  tsp garlic powder*
1/4-1/2 tsp India Black Kala Namak Salt
1     tsp dried parsley (or 1 Tbs fresh)
1/2  cup vegan cheese, grated (I use Daiya Mozzerella)**

1-3  Tbs water or non-dairy milk (opt)

1-3  Tbs oil/margarine or water for frying

Serving suggestions:
Serve with vegan sour cream, vegan margarine or ketchup.

* If using fresh onion and/or garlic, chop finely and saute in large frying pan first in oil/margarine or water.

** The cheese is optional, but I found that using it helps the mixture stay together and it browns better, like the photo. If you like your scrambled "eggs" really soft, then omit the cheese or melt it on top later.

Directions
1. In a large bowl, crumble the tofu with your hands or with a masher. Grate carrots into bowl, then grate broccoli into bowl. Mix well.

2. Add turmeric, onion, garlic, salt, parsley and vegan cheese. Mix well. Don't worry that it doesn't look very yellow yet. It "colors up" when it cooks.

3. If mixture seems too dry, add water or non-dairy milk a tablespoon at a time until wet. Mix well.

4. Place the mixture about a 1/2 cup at a time in a hot pan (med high) with your choice of oil/margarine. Pat it down with your spatula so it is flat and not too thick. Let the bottom brown before you turn it. When you go to flip a section, try to flip one spatula-full at a time. Don't stir this up like you would a real egg scramble (unless you like your eggs softer). I like the browning it since it adds a little mouth-feel, and you won't get it if you keep stirring it. There will be plenty soft "egg" inside still.

5. Serve and eat!

Vegan MOFO Psychedelic Sunday Rockin' Mockin' Toona

Psychedelic Sunday is so named because of a new book/cookbook I am reading called "Dropping Acid: The Reflux Diet Cookbook and Cure." It's not vegan, but it does have many vegan or vegetarian recipes or recipes that can easily be made vegan. I've been having an issue with what seems to be known as "Silent Reflux." My doctor thinks its GERD, but I'm not convinced. My first line of defense is usually "what am I eating that could be causing this?" or "what else can I eat that will help me?" Dr. Jamie Koufman believes that a low-fat, low-acid, alkaline diet will help this condition.

Rockin' Mockin' Toona is my version of her "Marc's Tasty Tuna Salad." Well, in fact, it's not even close to her version cause it's MY version of tuna salad!

Be sure to scroll to the bottom to see all the versions of things you can make with this basic vegan "Tuna" salad.

For all you non-vegan folks who might be making this for your loved one (or the one you want to love!), just think what a great picnic lunch this would make! And if he/she is gluten-free, too, definitely make it a salad on a bed of lettuce or stuffed in a tomato or on some nice GF bread.  (Just maybe take an enzyme tablet in case the garbanzo beans decide to create a little uncalled-for music!)

Rockin' Mockin' Toona Salad

1 can organic garbanzo beans
4 stalks celery, chopped finely (about 2/3 cup)
1-2 spring onions, chopped
2 Tbs pickle relish
1 Tbs lemon juice (about 1/2 lemon)
2 tsp kelp granules*
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbs mustard
2-4 Tbs vegan mayo

Alternative options: tomato, bread, corn chips, lettuce, meltable vegan cheese.

*I was out of kelp granules, which I think helps to give it a "fishy" tuna taste. Instead, I had some toasted nori snacks on hand and I carefully chopped up 4 of the little sheets. I think you could also chop up a regular sheet of sushi nori and get the same result. I kept a little to garnish with.

1. Strain and rinse garbanzo beans under cold water. Shake dry and pat with a towel to dry a little more. Too much liquid and you will have a runny salad. Chop them in a food processor or by hand with a masher until they are about the consistency of tuna flakes. Put in large bowl.

2. Add celery, onions, pickle relish, lemon juice, kelp granules, garlic powder and salt to the bowl and mix thoroughly. You can leave out the lemon juice and/or the garlic if you know it causes reflux.

3. Add mustard and mix.

4. Add mayo one tablespoon at a time and mix well. This is high in fat, and you really only need just enough to make it a nice spread that holds together. Depending on your own tastes, you may like 1-4 tablespoons. I like it with 2.

Serving suggestions:
Here's where the fun begins...

1. Just eat it right now! Out of the bowl!
2. Chill and eat later.
3. Stuffed Tomato: Slice a tomato in half and scoop out a little from each half. Fill with Toona Salad. Guaranteed to impress your vegan. Serve on a bed of lettuce or a few pretty lettuce/kale leaves. Garnish with sprinkles of kelp or chopped nori. (Note: Tomato is not usually reflux-friendly.)
4. Make a sammy! Any old bread will do, but to make it special, try toasting the bread! Or lightly frying in a pan. My DH loves his Toona Sandwiches with crumbled corn chips, olives and pickle slices inside the sandwich!

5. Toona Melt!! I've never actually had a real Tuna Melt before, but this Rockin' Mockin' Tuna Melt is pretty darn tasty. My version: Toast a nice piece of bread that has been lightly buttered. Spread with Toona Salad and top with your favorite Daiya Cheese. Broil in a toaster oven until cheese is melted. Garnish with a sprinkle of paprika, chili powder (watch out for reflux) or curry.