Fried Rice

Status: Vegan
Mood: flied lice
Labor: Easy
Prep time: 1.5 hours

Ingredients:

Tofu marinade

• 1 tablespoon grated fresh dinger
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar or cider vinegar
• 2 teaspoons molasses or brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 1/2 teaspoon chili paste or splash of chili oil
  

• 1 cake tofu (3/4 pounds)

• 2 red or green peppers, thin strips
• 1/2 white onion
  
• 6 ounces peas (2 cups)
• 1/4 cup water
• 4 cups cooked brown rice
• 2/3 cup scallions

Le Process:

1. Start cooking the rice: 1.5 cups raw rice : 3 cups water (60 minutes)
   
2. Mix together marinade. Cut tofu into strips one inch long, 1/2 inch wide and thick. Add to marinade and leave for 10 minutes.
3. Saute peppers and onions.
4. Add frozen peas and water until water evaporates.
5. Using a slotted spoon, add the tofu. Stir carefully, as to not break up the tofu.
   
6. Add the rice and pour on marinade. Stir, and add scallions.
   

Matzoh Ball Soup

Status: Vegan
Mood: Happy Chanukah!
Labor: Easy
Prep time: 2 hours

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cups matzoh meal
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 package firm silken tofu (Mori-nu)
• 4 cups veggie broth
• 1/8 cup + 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 carrot
• Fresh dill

Le Process:

1. Combine maztoh meal, salt, pepper.
2. In a food processor combine tofu and 1/4 cup of vegetable broth. Puree until smooth, add oil, and blend.
3. Mix the wet mixture with the matzoh meal. Grate half the carrot in the mixture.
4. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for two hours and up to overnight.
5. Fill large stockpot with water, salt the water generously, and bring to a boil.
6. Shape the matzoh mixture into balls about the size of walnuts.
7. Drop into water one or two at a time. Cover and let boil for 40 minutes, without ever lifting the lid!
8. If you want them to be lighter, turn off the heat and let them sit in the water for another hour.
9. In a separate pot boil the rest of the veggie broth with some carrots and toss in a handful of dill.
10. Place matzoh balls in a bowl and ladle the broth over the top of them.
    

Curried Tofu Scramble

Status: Vegan
Mood: Breakfast comfort
Labor: Easy
Prep time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

• Block of extra firm tofu
• 1/2 green, 1/2 yellow pepper
  
• Jalapeno
• White onion
  
• Spinach
• Cilantro
• Scallions
• Curry, turmeric, garlic, salt and pepper
  

Le Process:

1. Drain tofu and press as much water out as you can by squeezing between your palms.
2. Saute peppers, jalapeno, and white onion until soft.
3. Crumble tofu into the skillet using your hands.
4. Add salt and pepper, garlic, curry, and turmeric to taste.
5. Add spinach, allow to wilt.
6. Add cilantro and scallions and saute for two more minutes.
7. Voila.
   

African Pineapple Peanut Stew

Status: Vegan
Mood: Rich and sweet
Labor: Easy
Prep time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 cup chopped onion
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 bunch of kale or Swiss chard (4 cups)
• 2 cups undrained canned crushed pineapple (20 ounces)
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1 tablespoon Tabasco
• 1 cup vegetable broth
  
• 1/2 cup cilantro
• salt to taste

Le Process:

1. Sauté onions and garlic for 10 minutes.
2. Add pineapple and its juice to the onions, and bring to a simmer.
3. Stir in kale, cover, and simmer for 5 minutes or until wilted.
4. Mix in Tabasco, peanut butter, veggie broth, cilantro, and salt. Simmer for about 5 minutes.
5. Serve over couscous.
   

(Not a good picture, I know, but I had limited light and ate before I checked the photos.)

Tassajara Yeasted Bread

Status: Vegan
Mood: Homemade bready goodness
Labor: Intensive
Prep time: 4-5 hours

Ingredients:

• 3 cups lukewarm water
• 1 1/2 tablespoons dry yeast
• 1/4 cup sweetening (molasses, brown sugar)
• 1 cup dry soy milk (optional)
• 4 cups whole wheat flour
• 4 teaspoons salt
• 1/3 cups oil or margarine
  
• 3 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 cup whole wheat flour for kneading

Le Process:

1. Dissolve yeast in water, and add sweetening and dry milk to the water (the bread has a grainier taste and coarses texture without the milk. I did not use it here.)
2. Add the whole wheat flour a cup at a timem stirring up and down in small strokes and in circles at the surface of the mixture.
3. Beat about 100 times until batter is smooth, ducking the spoon under the batter and bringing it up above the surface in a circular motion.
4. Cover the bowl with a damp towel and set in a warm place (85-100 degrees F). Let rise for 45 minutes.
5. Folding in is the method used to mix from this point on -- don't stir! Don't cut through the dough. Keep it in one piece as much as possible. This will improve elasticity and strength of the dough.
6. Spring in the salt and pour on the oil, folding toward the center.
7. Sprinkle dry ingredients on the surface about 1/2 cup at time, folding in until incorporated.
   
8. Turn the batter onto a floured surface, and oil the bowl you were just using.
9. Flour your hands and on top of the dough.
10. Pick up the far edge of the doug and fold in half toward you. Place your hands on the near side of the dough so the top of your palms are at the top front of the dough.
11. Push down and forward, while turning the dough. Add flour as necessary to keep from sticking to your surface and hands.
    
12. Place in an oiled bowl and flip it over (to coat it all in oil). Cover with a damp towel and set in a warm place. Let rise 50-60 minutes.
13. Punch down 15 or 20 times all over the dough. Let rise 40-50 minutes.
14. Shape dough into a ball. Cut into two even pieces and shape into balls. Allow to sit 5 minutes.
15. For each loaf, knead the dough with your right hand and fold it with your left. Do this 5 or 6 times.
16. Roll the dough into a log shape. With the seam on the bottom, flatten the top with your fingers and square off the sides and the ends. Pinch the seams together.
17. Oil bread pans and place the dough in them, seam-side up. Flatten it with your fingers and flip it over, seam-side down. Press it into the shape of the pan. Cover, let rise 20-25 minutes.
18. Cut the top with slits 1/2 inch deep. Bake at 350 degrees F for 50-60 minutes.
19. Remove from pans immediately and let cool one hour before cutting.

Basil Cream Cavatelli Pasta

Status: Vegan
Mood: Creaminess, nutritional yeastiness
Labor: Easy-peasy
Prep time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon Earth Balance
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 1 cup soy milk
• 1 cup nutritional yeast flakes
• 1 teaspoon miso paste
• 1/4 cup minced fresh basil leaves
• Salt, pepper, garlic to taste

Le Process:

1. Begin to boil the pasta (use whatever kind you want, but I used cavatelli)
   
2. In another pot melt Earth Balance over low heat
3. Whisk in flour and a little milk until flour is dissolved
4. Add miso paste until dissolved
5. Add the rest of the milk
6. Add nutritional yeast
7. Continue stirring until well-blended; will be thick and creamy
8. Add basil and S&P&G to taste
9. Add more milk as needed to keep it creamy. It will get thicker as it sits on the heat.
10. Add the sauce to the pasta, plus whatever else you feel like embellishing with. Here I added frozen peas.

Note: this is obviously very nutritional yeasty. Nutritional yeast makes a good cheese-substitute flavor for vegans, but is also very nutty-tasting. It is not going to taste like cheese. Also, don't be afraid when your urine is bright yellow! It's just the excess water-soluble B vitamins your body didn't synthesize.