Recipe Round Up: Spring 2014

With our Mothers Day brunch and dinner this past weekend, and a month or two worth of other treats and snacks that I've made from other blogs, I thought it was time for another recipe round up to share some of kitchen successes I've had lately!


For my birthday last month, my sister Natalie got me a couple of new cookbooks that she knew would be exactly my style - the Oh She Glows Cookbook by Angela Liddon (mine is the Canadian cover), and Straight from the Earth by mother-daughter duo Myra and Marea Goodman.

I knew I wanted my own copy of the Oh She Glows book after seeing so many other bloggers rave about the recipes, and I know from my own experience that Angela's recipes are not only healthy but they always turn out well!

I've only made one recipe from the book so far - the 15 minute creamy avocado pasta (one that I've made from her blog a few times before as well) and if it's any indication of the quality of the other recipes in the book, then I definitely can't wait to try more!

Another birthday treat that I haven't mentioned on my blog yet was the one I made for myself! Instead of making a cake this year, I opted for miniature "cheesecakes" that I could bring in to the office to share with people. I based the recipe off of Chocolate Covered Katie's greek yogurt cheesecake, except I used a regular (non-vegan) lemon greek yogurt and reduced the sweetener a bit.

Instead of making one large cake, I crumbled the graham cracker base into muffin liners and made individual cups that I baked for about 20-25 minutes. The texture was definitely different than a regular cheesecake, but it got better after one or two days in the fridge and I loved how creamy they were! 

Another recipe from Chocolate Covered Katie's blog that I tried recently was her one-minute coffee cake in a mug (pictured below). I left out the topping and added cinnamon to the batter instead, and I also baked mine in a wider ramekin so it was a bit flatter, but it came out perfectly! I thought it did taste like coffee cake and had a nice texture - hard to believe you can make it so easily just in the microwave!  Topped with some yogurt and a sprinkle of granola, this made a nice light breakfast along with a smoothie. 

I've also been loving the recipes posted by Lauren on her blog Oatmeal with a Fork - she always has new ideas for healthy no-bake treats that I keep bookmarking!

I tried her double layer chocolate cookie bars recently and loved the combination of oat-based cookie dough on top with a cocoa and date layer on the bottom. I made a few changes based on the ingredients I had on hand, including adding some PB2 to the top layer for a bit of a peanut butter flavour which worked well.  

Another healthy treat I made recently was this vegan banana bread chocolate chip snack cake from Ambitious Kitchen. I loved the flavour that the oat flour added (although I substituted half of the oat flour with whole wheat flour), and I thought they had the perfect amount of banana taste. These were nice and light with a touch of richness from the chocolate chips. I would definitely make these again!

I actually made the banana cake for a daytrip with my family that we organized for my dad's birthday. Along with the cake, I also made these no-bake fig newtons because my dad loves figs! I followed this recipe for date newtons by the Pancake Princess, adapted from the blog Rawified (who also made a fig version). The outside is made from ground up nuts, oats, and flax, and the inside is a paste made from dried black mission figs. They were soft and chewy, and pretty rich so you only need a small piece for a healthy snack!

Finally, I wanted to share a few of the recipes that I tried this past weekend for Mother's Day.

For brunch, my sisters and I got together to eat with our parents and we prepared a fun and interactive breakfast buffet!  I set out a couple of kinds of yogurt with a variety of fruits and some granola so that everybody could make their own yogurt parfait, and my sister also made some amazing biscuits that we ate fresh out of the oven with different jams.

My favourite part of the meal though was this no-cook strawberry lemon chia curd from Edible Perspective that I made the night before and let thicken in the fridge overnight (I used all black chia seeds so mine turned out a little darker). It was the perfect addition to both the yogurt parfaits and the biscuits! 

For dinner later on in the day, my sister made a strawberry goat cheese salad topped with chicken, and for a vegetarian option I decided to make some tofu to go with the salad. I followed this recipe for breaded tofu from Divine Healthy Food, making a couple of small changes to the marinade and sauteeing it rather than grilling. I've never made breaded tofu before but I loved how it turned out!

I also made this strawberry focaccia with maple-balsamic caramelized onions and basil from Saveur to go with the meal. The crust came out a little crispier than I wanted, but I loved the topping combination and I thought the leftovers were even better the next day because the crust had softened up a bit. 

It was a great meal overall, complete with rhubarb and lemon custard tarts made by my sister for dessert! You can check out a more detailed post about our Mother's Day meals on my sister Natalie's blog Once Upon a Cutting Board.

Hope you're all enjoying the Spring weather and hopefully I'll be back soon with a new recipe to share!

Greek Pasta Salad with Tofu Feta

With the Easter holiday coming up this weekend, normally I would be posting an Easter-themed recipe on my blog this week. But for some reason, my Easter inspiration just wasn't there this year - I couldn't come up with anything that hasn't already been done!

So if you're looking for a cute Easter idea, check out these peanut butter bunnies and raw cookie chicks that I made last year. Or if you're just here for the recipes, I've got a great pasta salad to share with you today!

I'm not typically a huge fan of pasta salad, as it can sometimes be a bit boring. For me, the keys to a memorable pasta salad are to add lots of veggies, some kind of protein, and a flavourful dressing - all of which are included in this recipe!

This dish is like a bulked-up Greek salad - besides the usual veggies that you would find in a Greek salad (tomatoes, cucumber, and peppers - I left out red onion based on personal preference), I added olives, artichokes, and capers for lots of salty, briny flavour, and rotini pasta to help soak up the dressing.

Instead of using traditional feta cheese, I decided to make "tofu feta". If you've never heard of this idea, you can mimic the flavour and texture of a salty cheese by marinating uncooked firm tofu in a dressing made with lots of lemon juice, miso, a bit of olive oil, and lots of herbs.

The tofu was actually my favourite part of this dish - I love the chewy texture and it really soaked up the marinade so it didn't just taste like bland tofu! I also loved how each bite was full of ingredients - the ratio of pasta to veggies was a bit skewed towards the veggie side, which is how I prefer my salads!

This makes a lot of pasta - enough to feed yourself for lunches for the week, or it would make a great potluck or BBQ dish to share with a group!

Greek Pasta Salad with Tofu Feta
Inspired by Katy's Kitchen; tofu adapted from Keepin' it Kind

Tofu

350g/12 oz package extra firm pressed tofu, drained and water squeezed out

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp white miso paste

1 tsp dried basil

1 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp salt

Ground pepper

Salad

~450g dried pasta (I used rotini)

1 green pepper, seeded and chopped

2 tomatoes, diced (I removed most of the seeds as I chopped)

1/2 an English cucumber, sliced into half-moons

1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives, sliced in half

6 oz jar of artichoke hearts, drained and chopped (*save the oil for the dressing)

2 tbsp capers, drained

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

Dressing

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

2 tbsp red wine vinegar

2 tbsp oil (I used the oil from the jar of artichoke hearts, but you could use olive oil)

1 large clove garlic, finely minced

Salt and pepper

First, start marinating the tofu. If you don’t have already pressed tofu, press it between layers of paper towel with a heavy object on top for at least 15 minutes to remove excess water. Slice tofu into small cubes (about ½”). Whisk together the remaining ingredients to make the marinade. Place tofu slices in a shallow container and pour marinade over top. Let sit for at least 30 minutes, tossing occasionally to make sure all the tofu pieces get coated.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add pasta. Cook for length of time specified by package directions, then drain and rinse with cold water.

Meanwhile, prepare the veggies (green pepper, tomatoes, and cucumber) and place in a large bowl. Add the olives, artichokes, and capers. When the pasta is done, add it to the bowl as well.

Make the dressing by whisking all ingredients together. Add salt and pepper to taste. Pour dressing over pasta salad and toss to mix.

Add tofu to the bowl, including any leftover marinade. Add parsley and toss well to mix.

Chill until serving time. 

Makes 4-6 servings.

Citrus Protein Bowl

If you read a lot of food blogs, you're probably well aware of the latest trends in recipes, for example, kale chips, grains for breakfast (like quinoa or amaranth with warm fruit), the one-pot pasta idea, black bean brownies, zucchini noodles, etc. (And of course, just because an ingredient or meal idea becomes trendy, that doesn't mean it has to go out of style - I plan on eating zucchini noodles a lot more once the weather warms up again!)

One trend I've noticed lately is the "bowl" concept, which is usually a base of grains like quinoa or rice, topped with a selection of veggies, a protein like chicken, tofu, or beans, and a sauce to bring everything together.

I've been wanting to try making my own bowl for awhile, and when I saw a whole chapter of bowl recipes in Isa Chandra Moskowitz's new cookbook Isa Does It, I had to try one out!

The one that I chose to try first was her citrus tahini bowl - quinoa topped with oranges, bok choy, grilled tofu, and a citrus-soy-tahini sauce. Since the recipe seemed pretty adaptable, I changed things up a bit by using spinach instead of bok choy, baked tofu instead of grilled, and adding some edamame for extra protein and colour, and toasted almonds for a bit of a crunch.

While this wasn't the easiest or quickest recipe to make (I wouldn't recommend starting this from scratch on a weeknight after work), the extra effort was definitely worth it! Plus you can make things easier on yourself by preparing some or all of the components ahead of time and just assembling a fresh bowl for dinner on the night you want to eat it. I made this one night when I had some extra time and then just enjoyed the leftovers for the next few days!

The combination of ingredients in this bowl was just what I was going for - bright colours and flavours and a mix of textures. I loved the chewy baked tofu, which was marinated in the dressing first to soak up extra flavour, combined with the buttery edamame and the juicy oranges. My favourite part was the creamy tahini dressing with its sweet and savory notes.

I also loved how nutritious this meal was! I called this a protein bowl because it has three main sources of protein: quinoa, tofu, and edamame, so it will keep you full without feeling weighed down. Plus the spinach and oranges provide some extra vitamins, which we can all use at this time of year!

Citrus Protein Bowl

Adapted from Isa Does It

Marinade/Sauce:

1/3 cup freshly squeezed orange juice*

1 tsp orange zest

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1 tbsp tamari or low-sodium soy sauce

1 tbsp rice vinegar

2 tsp sesame oil

1 tsp pure maple syrup

1 tbsp minced fresh ginger

2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

Dash of salt

1/4 tsp chili flakes

1/4 cup tahini (to be added later)

Bowl

1 12-14 oz package firm tofu

1 bunch spinach

1 cup quinoa

1 cup frozen shelled edamame

1/4 cup sliced almonds

1 large seedless orange (next time I might use two small oranges to get more orange pieces)

*I peeled one large seedless orange, blended the pieces and strained out the pulp. Zest the orange before peeling.

First, drain the tofu from the water in its packaging and slice in half. Press tofu between layers of paper towel with a heavy object on top for 15-30 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the marinade by whisking all ingredients except the tahini together in a bowl. Slice the pressed tofu into squares and place in a shallow dish (I used a square glass baking pan). Pour the marinade over top of the tofu and let sit for 30-60 minutes, flipping the pieces once halfway through.

Preheat oven to 400°F. When the tofu is done marinating, drain out the liquid (but keep it aside in a bowl) and transfer the tofu to an oven-proof baking dish (if it wasn’t already in one). Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, flipping the pieces halfway through.

While tofu is cooking, wash spinach and remove stems. Tear or slice the larger leaves into smaller pieces. Prepare quinoa according to package directions. Once quinoa is done cooking, let it sit covered for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork. Immediately transfer warm quinoa to a large bowl or pot and add the spinach. Toss well so that the spinach gets mixed into the quinoa, then cover with a lid and let sit for at least 5 minutes – the heat from the quinoa should help to wilt the spinach a bit.

Cook the edamame however you prefer, or according to package directions – either boiling, steaming, or microwaving. Set aside.

Heat a small skillet over medium heat. Add the almonds to the pan and toast for a few minutes, shaking the pan often, until lightly browned. Remove from pan and set aside in a small bowl.

Peel the orange (I like to use a knife to remove the skin). Slice each orange segment into two or three pieces.

Transfer the remaining marinade liquid to a blender and add the tahini. Blend until smooth, then transfer to a small bowl. (Note: feel free to add a bit more orange juice or lemon juice if you prefer a thinner sauce).

To assemble bowls, scoop your desired portion of the quinoa-spinach mixture into a bowl. Top with desired amount of each of the following: baked tofu, cooked edamame, orange pieces, and toasted almonds. Drizzle some of the sauce over top and stir to mix.

Makes 4-6 servings.

Easy BBQ Tofu & Sweet Potato Wraps

Whenever I buy a package of tofu, I end up having such a tough time deciding what to make with it - not because I don't know what to do with it, but because I have too many ideas and I can't decide! Do I make soba noodles with tofu in a peanut sauce? Or crumble it up to make either scrambled tofu or tofu salad? Or maybe add it to a warm soup or curry?

One idea that I've been meaning to try for a while and finally got around to doing has been BBQ tofu. I love BBQ sauce and sometimes spend a while looking at all the delicious flavours of it in the grocery store, but I rarely buy it because I end up deciding I don't have much use for it other than as a pizza sauce (which I highly recommend!).

Of course, that was silly thinking on my part - there's no reason vegetarians and vegans should be deprived of BBQ sauce when it goes so well with tofu!

For my first BBQ tofu attempt, I kept things as simple as possible by using bottled sauce instead of making my own, and a premade coleslaw mix with just a splash of apple cider vinegar and a pinch of salt and sugar for seasoning.

The tofu itself is pressed and then tossed in a generous amount of BBQ sauce, then baked in the oven to soak up the sauce and get nice and chewy. I also took some inspiration from this BBQ tempeh and sweet potato recipe from Appetite for Reduction and added some sweet potato to the tofu mix before roasting it all in the oven.

After roasting, the tofu and sweet potato really absorbed the sauce so they had lots of flavour. Rather than eating them on their own though, I placed a layer in a tortilla shell topped with the coleslaw mix and an extra serving of BBQ sauce to make a giant soft taco.

Or if you don't feel like making wraps, you could also eat this as a salad by topping the coleslaw with a serving of the tofu-sweet potato mixture and a drizzle of BBQ sauce - I liked mine both ways!

BBQ Tofu & Sweet Potato Wraps
Inspired by Oh My Veggies and Appetite for Reduction

1 14oz package firm tofu

1.5 lbs sweet potato, peeled and diced

1/2 cup BBQ sauce, plus extra for serving (use your favourite brand or a homemade sauce)

1 bag coleslaw mix

Apple cider vinegar to taste

Salt, pepper, and sugar to taste

Whole wheat tortillas

Remove tofu from package, drain, and slice into three lengthwise slabs. Press tofu between paper towels under a heavy book for 15-30 minutes (see this post by Oh My Veggies on how to press tofu if you need a guide).

Preheat oven to 400°F and prepare a large baking sheet by lining with aluminum foil and spraying with cooking spray.

Slice the tofu into cubes. Toss tofu and diced sweet potato in the ½ cup of BBQ sauce and spread out into a single layer on the baking sheet. Roast in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, then flip or toss the pieces and return to the oven for another 15-20 minutes, until the sweet potatoes are tender.

To assemble each taco, warm a tortilla in the microwave (or oven). Lay as much of the tofu and sweet potato as you like in a line down the middle of the tortilla. Top with extra BBQ sauce (as much as desired).  For each taco, take about 1 cup of coleslaw mix and toss with a splash of apple cider vinegar and a sprinkle of sugar, salt, and pepper. Lay the seasoned coleslaw on top of the BBQ mixture. Close wrap. (Alternatively, place the seasoned coleslaw in a bowl, add a serving of the tofu and sweet potatoes, and drizzle with extra BBQ sauce to make a salad).

Makes enough for 4-6 wraps

Mango Curry Tofu Salad

Things have been a bit busy for me lately, and between schoolwork and weekend trips, I haven't been able to spend as much time blogging as usual (sadly I won't have a new Halloween recipe this year!). I've still been cooking and making recipes, but I've been leaning more towards easy and quick dishes that can be made with minimal ingredients, like this one!

This mango curry tofu salad was the perfect meal to have around for lunches last week - with no cooking involved, it can be thrown together pretty quickly, and it will keep in the fridge for a couple of days so you can make it ahead of time and bring the leftovers for lunch. 

If you've never had tofu salad, it's basically uncooked firm tofu that you crumble up into pieces to resemble egg salad. Whip up a creamy dressing and add in some fruit, veggies, or fresh herbs and you get a refreshing and light lunch that can be eaten on its own or stuffed into a wrap or pita. 

I usually make a simple tofu salad with apples and a mustard dressing, but this time I changed things up a bit and made an Indian-inspired version.  I left out the mayo in the dressing and used yogurt instead, mixed with curry powder and mango chutney for a sweet-and-spicy combo.

Along with the tofu, I added fresh chopped mango, cilantro, raisins, cashews, and toasted coconut for a mix of textures. The tofu soaked up the dressing to become extra creamy and cool, and I loved the burst of fruitiness from the mango along with the crunchy nuts and chewy coconut. 

I liked eating this both on its own and inside of a pita, or you could try toasting some naan bread to make naan "chips" and eating it like a dip! 

Mango Curry Tofu Salad
Inspired by Whole Foods Market and Eating Well

1 small package (175g) firm tofu

1/2 a large ripe mango, chopped into small pieces (about ½ cup)

2 tbsp unsweetened flaked coconut

2 tbsp chopped roasted cashews

2 tbsp sultana raisins

2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

1/4 cup plain low-fat yogurt (use vegan yogurt if desired)

2 tbsp mango chutney

1 tsp curry powder

Dash of salt and pepper

Slice the tofu in half and press between layers of paper towel under a heavy book for about 15 minutes to remove some of the water. Crumble the tofu using your hands or a fork into a bowl. Add the mango to the bowl.

Heat a small skillet over medium-low heat. Add the coconut flakes and toast just until they start to turn light brown. Immediately remove from pan and add to the tofu mixture.  Add the cashews, raisins, and cilantro to the bowl as well and toss to mix everything.

In a separate small bowl, stir together the yogurt, mango chutney, curry powder, salt and pepper. Pour this mixture over the tofu salad and stir well to mix.

Chill in the fridge until ready to serve.  Eat on its own, with naan bread, crackers, or stuffed into pitas.

Makes 2 servings.

Sesame Soba & Cucumber Noodles with Tofu

The past week has been a pretty stressful one for me, having to deal with frustrating visa and passport issues.  Back in July, I sent my passport away to apply for an Indian Visa to attend a conference there this September, and the processing time has taken weeks longer than it should have. That wouldn't be so bad except for the fact that I'm supposed to be leaving the country for another conference tomorrow, and my passport is still with the Indian consulate office! They've assured me I'll be able to go pick it up today, so fingers crossed!

It's been hard to be excited for my trip this week with the thought that I might not even be able to go looming over my head, but assuming all goes well, I'll be headed to Japan tomorrow for a conference just outside of Tokyo.

Japan actually never used to be one of the countries on my list of places I'd like to travel in the world, but the more I read about it and hear from others, the more interesting it sounds!

So in honour of my trip, I thought I would make a Japanese-inspired dish to prepare myself for trying a new cuisine, with these sesame soba and cucumber noodles.

I love soba noodles, but I usually pair them with a peanut sauce. This time, I adapted a recipe for sesame noodles from the blog Cookie & Kate, using tahini as the main ingredient in the dressing. Combined with other Japanese ingredients like mirin, rice vinegar, and miso, the sesame dressing was super flavourful, and nice and creamy so that it coated the noodles well.

Along with the soba noodles, I used my spiralizer to slice up a cucumber into long, thin strands about the same size as the soba (it's hard to see them in the pictures because they blended in so well!). I thought the mix of the cucumber noodles with the soba noodles helped to lighten the dish up and make it even more refreshing.

Add in some other vegetables like red pepper and bean sprouts, some simple sauteed tofu for extra protein, and a sprinkle of sesame seeds on top, and you end up with a complete meal that has everything I like in a noodle dish!

I'm sure once I go to Japan, I'll realize how very inauthentic my soba noodles are, but for now I can enjoy it as my own tasty vegetarian version of Japanese food!  I'm looking forward to sharing more about my trip when I get back later next week!

Sesame Soba & Cucumber Noodles with Tofu
Adapted from Cookie & Kate

1 (350g) package firm tofu

1 (8 oz) package soba noodles

1 cucumber

1 red pepper, thinly sliced

1/2 a bunch of green onions (about 4), diced

2-3 cups bean sprouts

1 tbsp vegetable oil

2 tbsp sesame seeds

Dressing

1/4 cup tahini

1 tbsp minced fresh ginger

1 small clove garlic, minced

2 tbsp rice vinegar

1 tbsp white miso

2 tsp tamari (or soy sauce)

1 tsp mirin (or a liquid sweetener like agave or honey)

1/2 tbsp water

First, slice the tofu horizontally into three large slabs and press the pieces using a tofu press or a heavy book (lined with paper towels) for at least 30 minutes to squeeze out as much liquid as possible.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add the soba noodles, and cook according to package directions (mine took 5 minutes). Drain and rinse with cold water.

Use a julienne peeler or a spiralizer to slice the cucumber into thin noodles (I used the thinnest setting on my spiralizer). Sprinkle the cucumber noodles with a bit of salt to draw out the water and let sit for at least 5-10 minutes. Squeeze out as much water from the noodles as you can, then add to a large bowl with the soba noodles. Add the sliced red pepper, green onions, and bean sprouts to the bowl as well.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the oil. Slice the pressed tofu into cubes and add them to the pan. Cook until lightly browned on all sides, flipping as needed. Remove from heat and add to the bowl with the noodles.

To make the dressing, stir all ingredients together in a bowl until smooth.  Pour dressing over the noodle mixture and toss until the dressing is thoroughly mixed in. Sprinkle the sesame seeds over everything and toss again.

Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Makes 4 servings.

Tofu Sunshine Burgers

I hear a lot in the blogosphere about the quest for "the perfect veggie burger". It seems like standards are much higher for veggie burgers than regular beef or turkey burgers - they have to have the perfect texture (firm with a bit of crunch to them), hold together well, and have lots of flavour.

I guess I would have to say that while I've made lots of different kinds of veggie burgers, I'm still on my quest for one that meets those high standards! Usually my veggie burgers get good marks on flavour, but they barely pass on the texture and holding together well tests. Somehow I always seem to end up with burgers that taste good but are a bit on the mushy side and crumble easily.

Luckily, I've figured out a couple of tricks to improve on those two veggie burger flaws, and my latest attempt - these tofu sunshine burgers - have both great texture and hold together really well!

For the texture issue, I've discovered that brown rice makes a great addition to veggie burgers to add bits of chewiness throughout.  The first time I tried using brown rice in a patty was when I made The Vegan Chickpea's Sunshine Burgers.  I loved how crunchy they were from the rice and sunflower seeds, so I used her recipe as a guide for these burgers.

I combined that recipe with one from Canadian Living for carrot, tahini and tofu burgers. A lot of veggie burgers use an egg to bind the ingredients, but in this vegan recipe, the thick tahini and blended tofu help to act as glue to hold everything together, making for a firm burger that's more similar to a storebought patty than the crumbly, mushy homemade ones that I'm used to.

And last but not least, these veggie burgers also have lots of flavour! The spices really come through, especially the curry powder, and the parsley, garlic and tahini add a Mediterranean flair. These work well on a bun or in a pita with lettuce and a creamy spread like hummus, tzatziki, or a tahini-yogurt sauce (which is what I made for mine, shown in the photos).

And if you want even more veggie burger inspiration, Courtney from The Fig Tree recently did a round-up of 25 veggie burger recipes, so you can find some more ideas on her list!  I've already tried out one of the methods of wrapping the burger in lettuce leaves instead of using a bun with my leftovers of these burgers - a fresh and tasty way to eat them!

Tofu Sunshine Burgers
Adapted from Canadian Living and The Vegan Chickpea

1/4 cup dry brown rice

1/2 tbsp olive oil

1 large clove garlic, minced

1/4 cup shredded carrot

1/4 tsp cumin

Dash of cayenne

175g firm tofu (Soyganic sells a package this size, or just use half of a regular sized package)

1.5 tbsp tahini

2 tbsp packed chopped parsley

1 tbsp lemon juice

1/4 tsp salt

Ground pepper

1/2 tsp curry powder (optional)

2 tbsp raw sunflower seeds

Preheat oven to 400°F and spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.

Cook rice according to package directions. Set aside.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, stirring. Add the carrot, cumin, and cayenne and cook for another 1-2 minutes, stirring often. Remove from heat and set aside.

Drain the tofu and place in the bowl of a food processor. Add tahini, parsley, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and curry powder (if using). Process just until everything is mixed together. Add the carrot mixture and sunflower seeds and process again briefly. Add the cooked rice and pulse a few times until the rice is mixed in.

Form mixture into five equal patties, pressing down so that they are evenly flat. Place on prepared baking sheet and bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes, flipping once halfway through, until lightly browned and firm on the outside.

Serve warm, with buns, pitas, or lettuce wraps and desired toppings (e.g. hummus, tzatziki, lettuce, cucumber, tomato, sprouts).

Makes 5 patties.

Vegan Lemon Raspberry Bars

A couple of weeks ago, one of my friends was having a party to celebrate her Canadian citizenship and I jumped at the chance to try out a new dessert recipe that I could bring with me.

I considered making a pie or cake, but the downside of one of those options is that you can't exactly test it before serving it (unless you want to serve a pie with a slice already taken out of it), and since the group I was serving were mostly people I didn't know very well, I wanted to make a good first impression!

So I decided that squares or cookies were my best bet, since they can easily be taste-tested first to make sure they're party-worthy (which I happily did with these squares!). Lemon bars seemed appropriate for a late spring backyard BBQ, and to go with the Canadian theme, I thought of adding a red raspberry swirl to the filling (even though it turned out more pink than red).

My next problem was how to make the filling: most lemon bars get their creamy, silky texture from lots of eggs in the filling, but I knew I wanted to make an eggless version. After researching a few different recipes, it seemed like silken tofu would make the best substitute to get the right texture. 

I haven't had a lot of success using tofu in dessert recipes in the past, but luckily with these bars, the tart lemon and raspberry flavours were so dominant that you would never guess the main ingredient was tofu. I tried not to tell the people I was serving them to either in case the thought of eating a tofu square for dessert scared them off! 

I loved the taste of the creamy filling with the combination of lemon and fresh raspberries, and the crust turned out nice and firm and crumbly, almost like shortbread despite being made with coconut oil instead of butter.  I also thought the ratio of crust to filling was just right - the crust was thick enough to support the filling so that you could easily eat these with your hands without making a mess.   

I think these would be a great dessert option for a Canada Day BBQ, or any other occasion this summer!

Vegan Lemon Bars with Raspberry Swirl

My own recipe, inspired by a few other lemon-tofu square recipes

Crust

1 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup whole spelt flour (or whole wheat)

1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 cup icing sugar

1/2 cup melted coconut oil

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Raspberry Swirl

1 cup raspberries

1 tbsp organic cane sugar

3 tbsp water, divided

1 scant tbsp arrowroot flour

Filling

1/2 cup silken firm tofu

1/2 cup organic cane sugar

1/4 cup + 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice (from one large lemon)

Zest of 1 large lemon

1 tbsp arrowroot flour

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8x8” square pan with parchment paper (leave enough to hang over the edges of the pan a bit) and spray with cooking spray.

First, make the crust: Whisk together the flours, coconut, salt, and icing sugar. Add the coconut oil and vanilla and stir until the mixture forms a smooth dough. Press dough into prepared pan in an even layer.  Bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, until firm and lightly golden. Remove and let cool on a wire rack until the filling is ready.

While the crust is cooking, place the raspberries in a small saucepan with the sugar and 1 tbsp of the water and bring to a boil. Mix the remaining water with the arrowroot in a small bowl until smooth. Add this mixture to the pan and stir continuously for another 1-2 minutes, until raspberries have broken down. Remove from heat and set aside.

To make the filling, blend the tofu in a blender or food processor until smooth. Add the remaining filling ingredients and continue to blend until smooth again.

Pour filling on top of the baked crust, using a spatula if necessary to spread in an even layer (it should be liquidy enough to spread on its own). Drop spoonfuls of the raspberry mixture all over the top of the filling, and use a knife or spatula to swirl it around a bit (you may not need all of the raspberry mixture - I used almost all of it, which is why my bars look mostly red on top).

Return pan to the oven and bake for another 25-30 minutes, until the filling is mostly set. Remove and let cool on a wire rack. Cool completely (I transferred mine to the fridge) before cutting into squares and serving.

Makes 20-25 squares.

This was submitted to Wellness Weekend at Diet, Dessert and Dogs.

Scrambled Tofu with Pesto, Tomatoes & Fava Beans

I know I'm a bit late to the game with this recipe since scrambled tofu is nothing new, but this was my first time actually making it, so I wanted to post my own recipe on my blog. Plus, it turned out so pretty and colourful that I just had to share it!

If you've never heard of or tried scrambled tofu, the basic idea is to take firm tofu, crumble it up into uneven pieces, add some seasonings and cook it on the stovetop. The appearance, taste and texture resemble scrambled eggs, but only to a certain degree - I'm not sure if you'd be able to trick anyone into believing they were eating eggs instead of tofu!

This is one of the easiest ways to cook tofu, as it can be ready in about 10 minutes! I've actually used this method once before when I made a version of pad thai with scrambled tofu, but I've been wanting to try it with a more breakfasty type of recipe that highlighted the tofu as the main component.

For this version, I flavoured the tofu with a bit of nutritional yeast and garlic, and mixed in some homemade basil pesto for an even stronger boost of flavour. I also added some heirloom cherry tomatoes and fresh fava beans at the end to round out the dish with a colourful vegetable component.

I loved how fresh and seasonal this tasted from the combination of the earthy fava beans, juicy tomatoes and nutty basil pesto. A handful of pea shoots on the side was a welcome addition to the plate to lighten it up a bit more!

While I enjoyed the scramble on its own, my favourite way to eat it was wrapped up in a tortilla - kind of like a breakfast burrito but much lighter and healthier tasting! I also liked how the tortilla held all the ingredients together really well - unlike a piece of toast, which tasted good with the scramble on top but was a bit messy to eat!

Now that I know how easy it is to make scrambled tofu, and how adaptable the basic recipe is by adding flavour with different spices, sauces, and seasonal vegetables, I'll definitely have to start making it more often!

Scrambled Tofu with Pesto, Tomatoes & Fava Beans
Adapted from Vegetarian Ventures and An Endless Road

Small package (175g) firm tofu

1/4 tsp turmeric (optional for a brighter yellow colour)

1 tbsp nutritional yeast

Salt and pepper

2 tsp olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced

~1/2 cup sliced cherry or grape tomatoes (I used heirloom tomatoes)

2-3 tbsp shelled fava beans*

2-3 tbsp pesto (I used this basil pesto recipe)

Handful of pea shoots (optional)

Tortillas for serving (I made my own using this recipe, cut in half to make two tortillas)

Remove tofu from package, squeezing out any excess water. Crumble tofu using your hands or a fork into a bowl. Add the turmeric and nutritional yeast and stir until mixed. Season with salt and pepper.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add garlic and sauté for about 30 seconds. Add tofu and cook, stirring often, for about 7 minutes. Add the tomatoes and fava beans and cook for another minute or two. Stir in the pesto and let cook until the pesto is heated through and evenly mixed into the tofu.

Serve warm, with pea shoots on top and tortillas for making wraps if desired (you could also just serve this with a side of toast). Season with additional salt and pepper if desired.

Makes 2 servings. 

*I started with fresh fava beans (in the pods), then removed the whole beans inside, steamed them briefly and then squeezed the actual beans out of the skin encasing them. Here are a couple of links that explain how to shell fava beans. 

Brussels Sprout, Cabbage & Tofu Slaw with Coconut-Peanut Dressing

Today's post is one of the more interesting salads I've had in a while. I'm not really sure whether to call it a twist on tofu salad, or a twist on cabbage slaw, so I guess it's a cross between the two!

The bulk of this slaw, which I adapted from Peachy Palate, comes from a mixture of shredded cabbage and raw brussels sprouts. If you've never had raw brussels sprouts, you might be surprised to hear that you can actually eat them just sliced up and tossed in a salad without any cooking. I like the crisp texture and the mild flavour that they add, although of course if you already hate brussels sprouts then I'm not going to try to convince you to try them raw!

The second main component of this slaw is crumbled tofu. Again, it isn't cooked - just drained from the package and crumbled up with your hands, and again, if you're nervous about trying tofu this way then don't worry - it will soak up the dressing really well and tastes delicious!

The dressing is one of my favourite types - a peanut butter based dressing with a bit of lime juice, garlic and ginger, and thinned out with coconut milk. The coconut milk and agave nectar in the dressing put it more on the sweet side rather than spicy, which I thought was appropriate for this salad. I ended up with a bit of extra dressing but I used it all anyway and happily slurped up the excess from the bottom of my bowl!

Once you mix everything together, you end up with a cool and refreshing salad with a lot of different textures, from the creamy tofu to the crisp veggies. The final touches are a handful of peanuts for extra crunch, as well as raisins and coconut flakes to add even more layers of flavour.

This recipe makes a pretty big batch, but it holds up well in the fridge so I was able to enjoy it all week!

Brussels Sprout, Cabbage & Tofu Slaw with Coconut-Peanut Dressing

Adapted from Peachy Palate

3 cups thinly sliced Brussels sprouts (ends trimmed and outer leaves removed first)

2 cups shredded or thinly sliced green cabbage

1 cup shredded carrot (about 1 medium carrot)

1/2 cup thinly sliced radish

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

~250 grams firm tofu, drained

1/4 cup sultana raisins

1/4 cup large flaked coconut, toasted
1/4 cup chopped peanuts

Dressing

1 cup unsweetened coconut milk beverage*

1/4 cup + 1 tbsp peanut butter

1 tbsp lime juice

2 tsp agave nectar

1 tsp minced fresh ginger

2 small cloves garlic, peeled and minced

1/4 tsp kosher salt

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

Ground pepper to taste

First, make the dressing by combining all ingredients in a bowl or large measuring cup. Whisk until the peanut butter is thoroughly mixed in. Store in the fridge while you prepare the salad.

In a large bowl, combine the shredded brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrot, radish and cilantro. Toss to mix. Crumble the tofu using a fork or your hands and add to the bowl. Add the raisins. Pour the dressing over everything and toss to mix (Note: you may not need all the dressing).

Toast the coconut in a small skillet over medium heat for a few minutes, until lightly browned. When ready to serve, top the salad with the toasted coconut and peanuts.

Makes 4 large servings.

*I used a non-dairy coconut milk beverage, which made my dressing a bit thinner than it would be with full-fat canned coconut milk. Also, if you use a regular coconut milk beverage instead of unsweetened, you might want to reduce the agave a bit.

Green Vermicelli Noodle Bowl with Tofu

Like my last post, today's recipe is light and vibrant, leading the way into Spring, which I hope will come soon! After all, March did come in like a lion so that should mean it will go out like a lamb, right?

The inspiration for this green noodle dish came from Yotam Ottolenghi's Plenty cookbook, where I saw a recipe for warm glass noodles with edamame and green onions. I liked the idea of thin Asian style noodles full of edamame, so I turned that idea into my own dish.

I used brown rice vermicelli for the noodles (since glass noodles are hard to find). Then along with the edamame, I also added barely cooked snow peas for some crunch, and lightly sauteed tofu cubes for extra protein and texture.

Instead of using the green onions in the dish itself, I decided to pair the noodles with a recipe for green onion miso vinaigrette from Appetite for Reduction.  I made a couple of changes to the original recipe, like using white miso instead of red and reducing the amount of water to make a thicker, creamier dressing.

I have to say, the dressing surprised me - miso and green onions aren't typically ingredients that I tend to favour, but they came together to make a bold and flavourful dressing with just the right amount of bite from the onion, garlic and ginger!

I didn't intend for it to turn out this way, but with the brilliant green dressing, the edamame and the snow peas, this turned out to be a very green bowl - just in time for St. Patrick's Day!  You can also add extra green onions as a garnish for one more green component, which I forgot to do for these photos.

Hope you all have a great weekend, and don't forget to Spring forward on Sunday!

Green Vermicelli Noodle Bowl with Tofu
Inspired by Plenty; sauce adapted from Appetite for Reduction

Sauce

1/4 cup white miso

1.5 cups chopped scallions (white and green parts)

2.5 tsp minced fresh ginger

1 clove garlic, minced

3 tbsp rice vinegar

2 tsp agave nectar (or honey for non-vegan option)

2 tsp sesame oil

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup water

Noodles

175g firm tofu

7 oz brown rice vermicelli

2 cups frozen edamame

6-7 oz snow peas

1 tbsp vegetable oil

2-3 cloves garlic, peeled

1 fresh green chili, minced

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Sesame seeds for garnish

Green onions for garnish (optional)

First, prepare the sauce by placing all ingredients in a blender and pureeing until smooth. Keep refrigerated until ready to use.

Press the water out of the tofu (press between paper towels under a heavy book for 15-30 minutes). Slice tofu into small cubes. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and spray with a bit of cooking spray. Add tofu pieces and cook until lightly browned on the bottom, then flip pieces and cook for a couple more minutes on the other side. Set aside.

Soak the vermicelli in boiling water for 2 minutes (or follow package directions). Drain and set aside.

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the edamame and cook for 5 minutes (or according to package directions). Drain and set aside. Wash the peas and trim the ends, removing the strings if desired.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Crush the garlic cloves with the flat part of a knife, then roughly chop them. Add garlic to the heated pan and cook for about 1 minute, until lightly browned. Add the chili and the snow peas and sauté for about one more minute. Add the cooked noodles and cilantro, stirring to mix. Pour in the sauce and toss everything with tongs or large spoons until the noodles are all coated and separated (Note: If your skillet isn’t large enough to hold all the noodles, you may have to transfer everything to a larger saucepan).  Add the tofu pieces and toss to combine. Once everything is warmed through, remove from heat.

Serve warm. Garnish each serving with a sprinkle of sesame seeds and a handful of chopped green onion if desired.

Makes 4 servings. 

Note: I found this was best eaten on the day it's made. If you plan on having leftovers, I would recommend only adding enough sauce for the portion that you are going to eat now, and then store the leftover noodles separately from the sauce in the fridge, only adding the sauce to each serving as you eat them.  Otherwise, the noodles will get a bit soggy (as I learned!).

New Years Eve Indian Feast

Last year on New Years' Eve, my family and I enjoyed a huge spread of Asian inspired food, including peanut noodles, mango salad, fresh rolls, lettuce wraps, dumplings, and more.  We liked it so much that my sister suggested doing a similar thing this year, but changing the theme.

The theme we decided on this year was Indian food and since I love Indian cuisine so much, I claimed the right to plan out our menu, which I wanted to share on my blog with you!

After last year's experience of spending all day on New Year's Eve in the kitchen, I wanted to use purchased ingredients as much as possible this time to limit the amount of work I'd have to do!  A couple of trips to ethnic shops got me all of the ingredients I'd need, and we ended up with a delicious spread with a nice variety of dishes.

Appetizers

First, we had a round of drinks and cold snacks as appetizers.  My sister made the Indian-inspired drinks to start off the evening, which were these fruity mango bellinis made with fresh mango puree and champagne - delish!

For the food, I knew I wanted to include bhel puri, a savory and spicy snack of puffed rice, crushed papdis, peanuts and crispy sev noodles (shown below). All you have to do to prepare this is buy a packaged mix of bhel puri (although you can make your own if you feel like it!), and stir in two kinds of chutneys (the mix comes with little packets of sweet and spicy chutneys) to add even more flavour. I also added some chopped tomatoes and cilantro after this pic was taken.

This is a good snack mix for sharing with a group of people - although it should be eaten immediately before it starts getting soggy from the sauces.

Another easy snack to put together was this masala papad - crispy pappadum that I cooked on the stovetop, topped with a mixture of tomato, red onion, cucumber, green chili, cilantro and spices. Just break it into pieces and enjoy as a refreshing appetizer!

And now for the highlight of the appetizers round - these dahi batata sev puri (I'm not exactly sure of the proper name for them, as I've seen them called many different names!). I bought a package of premade puri shells and broke holes into each one so that I could add the filling. The filling was a simple mixture of boiled potato and chickpeas with finely chopped red onion and chaat masala spice.  Here's a picture of the filled puri shells:

Next, I poured in a spoonful of cool plain yogurt into each one, followed by a spicy cilantro chutney and sweet date-tamarind chutney. The final topping was a bit of chopped fresh cilantro, some sev, and another sprinkling of chaat masala.  It took longer than I planned for filling each one, but luckily my sister came along to help out with the last few steps!

These were definitely everyone's favourite appetizer - they've got the perfect balance of sweet and spicy flavours that explode once you pop the whole thing into your mouth! If you want to try making them yourself, here's one of the guides that I followed.

Finally, I also made a raita to serve along with the appetizers. I followed this recipe for rainbow raita from Vegetarian Times, except I replaced the mint with cilantro. This cool and soothing dip was much appreciated  once all of our mouths were set on fire from the spicy food!

Hot Food

After the appetizers, it was time for some cooked Indian food!

I considered making my own samosas, but figured I should save the time and effort by buying some fresh samosas from the local Indian food store instead (they were still homemade, but by someone else!)

I bought two kinds of vegetarian samosas - the smaller ones were filled with spinach and paneer cheese, and the bigger ones were the more traditional potato and pea filling. I thought both kinds were delicious, especially served with tamarind and cilantro chutneys!


For the homemade food, I put together two vegetarian main dishes. First were these skewers of paneer cheese and peppers, marinated in a creamy tikka masala sauce and cooked on the stovetop. They were pretty easy to make, especially since I cheated a bit by using a premade sauce, and they tasted great too - I loved the soft, crumbly paneer!

I also made a tofu dish using a recipe from one of my new cookbooks, Vegan Eats World.  Slices of pressed tofu were marinated in a yogurt sauce with lots of spices (this time I did make the sauce from scratch!)  and baked in the oven along with lots of sliced red onion on top.

I'm not sure if this dish is authentic tandoori, or if you could even find something similar in India, but all that mattered to me was that it tasted good! If I had to choose a favourite out of the hot dishes, this would be it. I thought the texture of the tofu was perfect, and I loved the flavours. Too bad I was already full by this point so I only ate a couple pieces of it (but I did get to enjoy the leftovers afterwards)!


Since this post is already getting long, I'll try to summarize the rest of our meal without pictures!  Along with the tofu, we had tandoori chicken kebabs for the non-vegetarians that were marinated in the same sauce as the tofu.

I also heated up some storebought naan bread (another time saver, although I would have preferred homemade!), and made some basmati rice that I ate with more raita mixed in.

Overall, it was a great meal and a delicious way to end 2012!  And if you have any questions about any of the dishes, feel free to leave a comment - I just didn't want to make this post too long by giving detailed instructions for each dish!