EASY VEGAN TOFU FETA

 I love Spanakopita but I find it varies from place to place.  What I don't like about some places is the overwhelming eggie taste in some.  I'm mostly vegetarian and aspiring Vegan but I go by 'aesthetics, nothing preachy.  So it's not that I hate eggs.  It's that I hate that eggie taste.  You get it in over cooked fried eggs, over-bound fillings, or undiluted egg wash... blech.  Listen, if I wanted a quiche, I'll make a quiche.  But when I want Spanakopita, I don't want a quiche.  Then there's the dairy.  I'm trying to avoid dairy this year.  I've done alot of reading on, not only, the harmful effects with inflammation with dairy and l-casein but, I saw a clip where they perfectly described why cheese is so addictive.  Between, the salt, protein, joyfulness of the 'pull' and the fat.  It's made to be more-ish.  So I'm avoiding it because I can't do cheese half way.  *sigh* Cheese.  So to make the Spanakopita of my dreams, or more specifically, the recipe of an old Greek grannie of a friend of mine (living in Athens!) which had no measurements or cooking instructions, I start with the Feta. Hers wasn't a vegan recipe but she did insist there was NO EGG.

Easy Tofu Feta Balls

EASY VEGAN TOFU FETA

1 block Extra Firm Tofu (or Firm, but you'll need to press overnight)

1/2 large Lemon, zested and juiced

1/2 T Malt or Cider Vinegar

1/3 c Coconut Oil or Vegan Margaring IF it's a pudding texture at room temperature.... that only happens for me in summer. (if your Coconut Oil is too firm at room temperature, you can measure in a steel measuring cup and heat on super super duper low on the 'keep warm' element on the stove.  Yes, you can nuke, if you must, not in a metal measuring cup. 😀)

1 T Olive Oil

1/4 c Nutritional Yeast

2 t dried Dill

2 t dried Onion powder (not the flakes)

2 t dried Oregano (Greek, if you have it)

2 t granulated/powdered Garlic (not Garlic Salt)

2 t Chili Flakes (optional, I have to leave them out or the kids won't eat it.  So I sprinkle some on the blocks I will eat myself before storing.)

1 1/2 t Himalayan or Kosher Salt

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400F Convect.  I find it helps with the 'drying'.  Hubbo thinks it is a useless function.

Mash the tofu with a big fork (serving) or a potato masher.  I like to leave it chunky like cottage cheese but you can really do it finer if you want.  Just before you think it's where you want it, add the Oils and mash through so it binds evenly throughout the tofu.  

Sprinkle over all the Spices and Nuch.  And Fold in with a big spoon or rubber spatula so you do don't lose any tasty goodness.  

Sprinkle over the Vinegar, Juice, Zest and fold evenly.  

Press firmly in silicon baking molds.  I used the ones I got to make Chocolate Bombs.  The mix made 15.  If the uneveness of that bugs you, then spread out differently to get a full 16.  I wanted to make balls that I could later portion easily or crumble into salad.

Bake on a baking sheet for 40 minutes middle rack.  Then let it sit in the oven after you turn the heat off to settle.  It should be slightly toasted but if your oven is different at they get a bit too dark, turn down the oven, by 25 degs.

After they're cook, pop out and keep in a glass container or lined plastic container.  You can freeze, and I find that Tofu gets a 'chewier' 'meatier' texture after a freeze thaw.  I kept mine in the fridge for a week before I tossed the very few leftovers into the freezer.  

Mar 23rd - Spinach and Tofu Black Bean Stir Fry

I washed the Spinach yesterday when D brought his colleague E over. He is moving his family here from Montreal so he did not want to leave him eating alone in the hotel. Well, since I used the Asparagus yesterday, I left the washed Spinach in the salad spinner over night. Yup, it looks like alot even with the stems cut off it filled the whole spinner. After cooking down, it reduces to like a 10th. I love spinach. It just feels good eating it and it tastes great. If you hate it, it is because you have had it over cooked. Try baby Spinach in a salad or gently sauteed in a stirfry or a risotto or soup. MMMMM

Start Quinoa now. Same as usual with a 3-1 water to Quinoa ratio. Low simmer for 15-20 minutes.

Spinach and Tofu Black Bean Stir Fry

(serves 2 or 1 hungry me)
200 g medium-firm Tofu, cubed
1/4 Onion, sliced
1/2 inch fresh Ginger,
2 cloves garlic
1 bunch Spinach, washed and dried, Yup! All of it.
1/2 Red Bell Pepper, (aka Capsicum), sliced
1/2 c Black Bean Crab sauce
1/4 c water, if your Black Bean sauce is too thick.
1/4 c chopped Cilantro (optional garnish)

In a wok, heat 1/2 T peanut oil on high. When I do a stirfry, as opposed to a sautee, I want it to be fast and always moving. To that end, you really do need a wide edged spatula that sort of fans out when you use a wok. Photo of mine below. You want to be able t scoop under the contents of the wok.

In the hot wok, add the Onions and Red Pepper. Toss for 1 minute.

Add the Spinach. You may want to uses tongs here or go in batches because it will be pretty full but it will cook down. This will take a few minutes.

Add the Garlic and Ginger. I add it later because I do not want the garlic to burn. Toss for 1 minute.

Add the Tofu and toss, gently. This is medium firm so it will be soft. You want to eat through and brown if you can. If you are like me and not as deft with the heavy wok, fry the tofu on the side in a teflon pan to brown slightly, at least on 1 side and add to the stir fry after browning/heating.

Add the sauce, toss to coat and serve hot over rice or in my case tonight. Quinoa.

Drank a Palazzo Del Torre Veronese 2005 from Allegrini wine.

Mar 16th - Asian Tofu Stir Fry

I had a work event tonight right after work so D was in charge of dinner. He has been awesome this week! He had to work from home because of some construction going on and on top of that he painted the spare room after finishing work. Then I got home later than I promised and he had all the veg chopped and ready to go.

I had a half block of Tofu from last week which is why we chose to do a stirfry today but apparently, as it was Organic, it had gone off. Tofu does not typically last too long so I would suggest you try to eat the whole open piece in a 3-5 day window. D went and bought new Tofu but I was surprised he did not just go with Shrimp. You need only heat it through. It is cooked. Otherwise, you might want to crisp it up and in that case, you could fry it until it is brown.

I want dispell any concerns about Oyster sauce that people averse to Oysters might have. It does not taste or look like Oysters. It is fish based like Worcestershire sauce or Thai Fish sauce but it is a flavour base for richness and not for fishiness. Unlike these two, Oyster sauce is quite thick, like ketchup. It is a common ingredient in most Chinese stirfry sauces and you would not even know it.

Start rice now.

Tofu Stir Fry in Soy Chili and Oyster Sauce.

1 Celery stalk, chopped
1/2 Onion, sliced
12 chopped Green Beans
1 skinny Carrot chopped
1 small Zucchini, chopped
200 g block Firm Tofu, cubed
2 cloves Garlic
1 inch fresh Ginger, peeled and sliced
2 chilies, Serranos, I think

Sauce:
1 T Hoisin Sauce
1 T Oyster Sauce
1 T Soy Chili Sauce
1/4 c Water
1/2 T Potato flour or Corn Starch
Soy Sauce, low Sodium, to taste, we did not use any.
Garnish:
1 Scallion, chopped
1 c fresh Cilantro, chopped, coarsely
2 t Sesame Seeds

Have everything chopped and ready to go. Stir fry should not stew or cook too long. That is the key. They are meant to be quick and fresh. And in a small bowl mix the Starch with the Water and have to hand.

Heat a large Wok on high high heat with 1 T Peanut oil or other neutral oil with a high smoking point, like Canola. Olive oil and Sesame oil impart too much flavour and have low smoking points.

Start with the Onions and Carrots. Keep them moving with your wide spatula for a couple of minutes. Add the Celery for another couple minutes. Add the Green Beans, Chilies, Ginger, and Garlic.

Add the tofu and stir GENTLY for 1 minutes. Add the Hoisin, Oyster and Soy Chili sauces and toss gently. Add the starch slurry slowly. This will thicken the sauce. Too much starch will turn the sauce into an unpleasant gelly like substance. You do not need much.

Garnish with the scallions, cilantro and sesame seeds. The sesame seeds are pretty optional but I love the cilantro. I call this Asian because it is not strictly Chinese because there would be more oil in the Wok and would typically not use the chilies or cilantro in this way.

The chilies were SOOOOOO hot, even I could not eat them. That never happens. D insisted I take a photo as evidence. He only puts them in for me. So I was thankful to have this nice light wine, Vivacious V.