Organic Vegan Tempeh Sloppy Joes

Saute:

• 3 Tablespoons oil
• 2 diced green peppers
• 1 diced large onion

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Just in time for the holiday, the Honey Board has a few recipes to recommend — for the grill. Honey is a pretty common ingredient for marinades and sauces. These recipes capture that sweet-spicy combination of flavors I personally love.

Before you go for the tongs, the Honey Board has a few pointers on why this food is sustainable AND an eco-friendly choice:

• Honey is an all-natural food that leaves a small eco-footprint.
• Purchasing local honey encourages growth of the local economy and reduces production waste.
• Many farmers have hives on their land, in part because bees are responsible for one out of every three bites we consume.
• If it weren’t for honey bees, we would suffer from a limited supply of oranges, apples, blueberries, cucumbers and strawberries.

Recipes for your holiday cook out include Grilled Tofu Kabobs with a Honey-Chipotle Glaze.

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I changed up the ingredients a little bit, and Spring Roll Salad was born. Depending on what you’re in the mood for, you can make this more of a green salad and go heavy on the lettuce and cabbage, or more of a pasta salad, heavy on the vermicelli.

I’ll simply list my ingredients and let your taste guide the quantity.

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After fortifying myself on BBQ Pork steam buns, I walked into the first grocer

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Tofu Vegetarian Pot Pie

Prepare the crust

Combine:

• 1 cup unbleached white flour
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• dash of salt

Cut into flour mixture:

• 2/3 cup chilled butter

Add:

• 5 to 6 Tablespoons cold water

Knead until the dough holds together (you may need to add a little extra water), but do not overwork it. The warmth from your hands will soften the butter, and you will lose the flakiness of your crust.  Divide the dough into two balls and chill for 30 minutes in the refrigerator or 10 minutes in the freezer. Roll out a top and bottom crust.

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My favorite way to use up just about any leftover veggies is to scramble them. You could use eggs of course, but tofu scrambles are a cholesterol-free approach that even soy-substitute-skeptics can enjoy. I find that half a block of tofu makes about one serving.

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Buffalo Tofu Wraps–Serves Four

four whole-wheat tortillas

one 16-oz package extra-firm tofu, pressed

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp butter or Earth Balance

two stalks celery, chopped

ranch or blue cheese, to taste

1/2 cup hot pepper sauce (I recommend Frank’s Buffalo Sauce)

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In Parts I and II, we talked about the making of tofu, the freezing of tofu, and everything in between, Now, let’s talk about a few things you can do with extra firm tofu – a few quick dishes you can make for lunch or dinner. I’ve already mentioned the fact that the silken is pretty much just for pudding or pie filling, so I’m talking about using extra firm or Wildwood’s super firm tofu for this purpose.

Tofu in Stir Fries

Using tofu in a stir-fry is the most obvious use for this delicious food. And there are a couple things you can do. First of all, tofu has a fair amount of its own fat, so when you cook it, you really don’t need to use any oil. It will get golden brown and crispy on its own without oil. So you cut the tofu up into cubes or slices or patties or whatever size/shape you want, and you place them in a nonstick sauté pan.* Now you just let them get golden brown and crispy on one sided before turning it over. Don’t fuss with it and push it around; just let it get crispy, then flip it. No oil – about 10 minutes each side. While the tofu is cooking like this in its own pan, you can start cooking up your veggies – peppers, onions, squash, mushrooms, whatever you want to add to your stir-fry — in a separate sauté pan. When the veggies are nearly cooked, add your crispy tofu, and your stir-fry marinade, and just stir-fry until the tofu is hot and mixed with the sauce. Serve over quinoa or brown rice. If you don’t know what quinoa is, then check out my blog post called Five Favorite Foods.

However, if you don’t own any nonstick pans, feel free to add a little olive oil to your pan and fry up the tofu that way. You want it nice and crispy.

Tofu in Curries

Another way to use extra firm tofu in a meal is to make Thai curry. Again, there are recipe packets on my website, but essentially you’d add curry paste and coconut milk and whatever veggies you want to add, and throw in extra firm or super firm tofu into your curry. Frankly, I think curry – particularly the tofu in the curry – is even better the day after you make it. Yum!

Tofu as "Eggless Egg" Salad

I’ve mentioned eggless egg salad, which you can prepare by mashing up extra firm tofu, and mixing it with an eggless mayonnaise, such as Nayonnaise, Vegenaise, or Wildwood’s Garlic Aioli – along with some chopped raw veggies, such as carrots, celery, and peppers – and adding some salt, cumin and turmeric.

Grilled and BBQ Tofu

You can make BBQ tofu by just sautéing some tofu like I mentioned before – perhaps just cut the tofu into strips – putting the browned tofu strips in an 8 or 9-inch casserole dish, pouring BBQ sauce over it, and heating it in the oven for 20-30 minutes. Serve as a main dish or make a sandwich. Grill tofu and add to a grilled veggie sandwich on Focaccia bread with avocado and balsamic vinegar.

Tofu Bacon, Ricotta Cheese, Scramble, and On and On

Make tofu bacon by marinating tofu in a combination of water, tamari soy sauce, maple syrup, and liquid smoke. Make a tofu ricotta cheese (blend firm tofu with lemon juice, fresh basil, fresh garlic, and soy milk) to use in lasagna or stuffed shells. Scramble tofu together with your favorite vegetables and the spice turmeric to give it a beautiful yellow color. This delicious dish can be served as is, or can be used as the basis for "tofu rancheros" by wrapping it in a tortilla, and serving with black beans and salsa. Add cubes of firm tofu to miso soup.

Thoughts About Bulk Tofu

Just a few other thoughts about tofu. You sometimes see it in your grocery store, particularly in Asian shops, in bulk – sitting in tubs of water. I’m a little wary of this, only because it’s often not organic, I don’t know how long it’s been sitting there uncovered, exposed to possible bacteria, and I just prefer to get tofu that I know is organic. Some farmer’s markets are now selling fresh tofu in bulk in this way, but that’s a little different, because often the batch was just made that morning, and it’s usually organic, and you can speak directly with the people making the tofu. You can’t beat organic, locally made tofu. Incidentally, one of the great things about Wildwood’s tofu is that the soy beans are American-grown, mostly in Iowa, Illinois, and Minnesota, and Wildwood has a direct relationship with their farmers.

Flavored, Ready-to-Eat Tofu

Whereas Wildwood does have some flavored baked tofu, my favorite brand for ready-to-eat tofu is Sunergia. They specialize in flavored tofu, and each one of the flavors is fantastic: Italian Herb, Savory Portabella, Peanut & Ginger, Indian Masala, Spicy Thai, Garlic Shitake, Porcini Herb, Spinach Jalapeno, Spicy Indian, and Pesto. Some are great for adding to pasta, some to stir-fries, some to salads. Just scrumptious - also organic, kosher, GMO-free, and wheat-free.

Tofu is such a versatile food; you can do soooo much with it, so definitely give it a chance. It’s really satisfying, really filling, a great source of protein (if that’s something you’re looking for), it’s high in Omega 3 fatty acids and monounsaturated fats, and is a great source of iron and other minerals such as calcium (if you get the tofu that uses a calcium base as its coagulant – it will say "calcium enriched" on the package, and is so versatile.) Just don’t be afraid of it. Experiment with it, trust it, trust me, and perhaps someday you’ll get to the same place as me – where it becomes difficult to cook with it, because you want to gobble up the entire block before you even get to use it in whatever dish you’re preparing. (I do have some amount of self control, though!)

*Just a quick note about nonstick pans, because this question (which usually comes up in my classes) may be on some of your minds. Some people are concerned about the link between cancer and a chemical used in the manufacturing of Teflon. First of all, Dupont is phasing out this chemical by the year 2010, so this whole point will be moot. But the reason I feel okay using nonstick pans is a) I use nonstick in a rotation with other pans, so it’s not only nonstick I use. I also use anodized steel, and of course, you can also use stainless steel or copper. b) I really take care of my nonstick pans: I don’t use metal on them, and I make sure not to scratch them. The risk researchers are seeing between cancer and this chemical – unfortunately – has more to do with people who live around the manufacturing plant, not the use in people’s kitchens.

Also, you’d have to heat your pan to over 600 degrees with no food in it to see any kind of risk, and we don’t heat our pots and pans to that high a temperature. Finally, for me, there are so many real risks associated with cancer and meat, cancer and dairy products, and cancer and high-fat diets that I would rather see people make much more substantial changes if they want to reduce their risk of getting cancer than worrying about Teflon. If you’re still eating meat and dairy but are concerned about Teflon pans, I don’t think you’re doing much to reduce your risk. I’d rather see people get these cancer culprits out of your diet, and not worry about using nonstick pans.

Soft/Silken

Soft/silken tofu is undrained tofu, and it contains the highest moisture content of all fresh tofus. Its texture can be described as similar to that of very fine custard. In Korea and Japan, traditional soft tofu is made with seawater. Because it is nearly impossible to pick up this type of tofu with chopsticks, it is generally eaten with a spoon. Edamame tofu, which I had once at a Japanese restaurant, is a Japanese type of tofu made from edamame (fresh green soybeans); it is pale green in color and often studded with whole edamame.

Now, you’d pretty much use silken or soft tofu when you want to make something creamy, such as puddings, mousses, and pie fillings. You can also use it for salad dressings and sauces, and silken tofu also works great in baked goods instead of using chicken’s eggs. I’ll get back to that in a sec.

So, when you go to look for silken tofu in the grocery store, you may find soft and silken in the refrigerated section. But you may also notice that silken tofu is packaged in aseptic boxes that do not require refrigeration. Mori-nu is the most popular/common brand of this type, and it will usually be found in the Asian section, by the soy sauce, etc. If you don’t use the whole amount, as with all tofu, submerge it in water in a container, and store it in the fridge once you open it. Changing the water daily will help keep the tofu fresh for up to one week. But you can keep this vacuum-packed/aseptic box of tofu in your cupboard for up to a year without opening it.

It can start to get confusing when you look at the aseptic box of tofu and notice that – even though it says "silken" — it will also say soft, firm, or extra firm. These are just degrees within the texture of silken tofu itself, and you can notice slight variations. So, even if it says "extra firm," this is not the type of tofu you’re going to take home to grill or stir fry. It’s much too soft for such a purpose. Anyway, in terms of these variations within silken tofu, my advice would be to follow recipes as they’re noted (if a recipe calls for Silken Soft, use it; if a recipe calls for Silken Firm use it). But in general, silken firm is a good standard to use for making silky, creamy dishes.

I mentioned before that silken tofu is also great to use in baked goods instead of chicken’s eggs. You can find information about this in a podcast episode called Better Than Eggs, but you can also pre-order my new baking book, The Joy of Vegan Baking for more details on baking without chicken’s eggs. Here are some tips for using silken tofu. Whip ¼ cup of silken tofu in a blender or food processor until it’s smooth and creamy, leaving no chunks. You may need to turn off the food processor and scrape down the sides.

I find the silken tofu “egg” works best when you want rich, dense, moist cakes and brownies, but you can use a little less to create lighter cakes, such as our Blueberry Orange Cake, which is one recipe in our Tofu and Tempeh recipe packets. There are other recipes in that section, which call for silken tofu, such as the No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie and the Chocolate Pudding Tart with Raspberry Sauce. They’re also in the new cookbook, but if you can’t wait, you can order them online in our online cookbook recipe packages.

Many grocery stores carry the Mori-Nu silken tofu these days, but you should definitely find it in a natural foods store. If your local grocery doesn’t carry it, request it. Look for vacuum-packed silken tofu on the shelves rather than in the refrigerated section. If you still can’t find it, I sell it in my online store, and it’s the organic one that I sell. Because soy beans are a highly sprayed crop, and many soy beans are genetically modified, I do recommend buying organic anytime you’re buying a soy bean-based food, whether it’s tofu, tempeh, soy milk, miso, or just edamame soy beans. As the standards are now, if something is certified organic, it is not genetically modified. But stay tuned.

Firm/Extra Firm Tofu

You’d use firm or extra firm tofu when you want to grill it, bake it, stir-fry it, stick it on a skewer – basically when you want it to keep its shape. So even if you’re using it for something like an eggless egg salad, the recipe for which is also in my online cookbook as well as demonstrated on our cooking DVD, you still want extra firm tofu, because you still want it to have body, you still want it to have texture.

Now, the more you cook with tofu, the more you understand what textures and brands work best for your purposes. I’ve raved about Wildwood’s tofu for years, and I continue to rave. Their super firm is really a fantastic tofu, and its distribution is spreading far and wide, so ask your local grocer to carry it. It’s really firm and full of texture, and it’s just delicious. But, because it’s so firm – the SUPER firm, that is – if I’m making something like a tofu scramble, I like to use a combination of extra firm and super firm – or even firm and extra firm. If I use all super firm, the result might be scramble that’s too rubbery, so I just know I like to do a variation of textures to get the result I want. And you’ll get there, too.

Same goes for something like medium tofu. If a recipe asks for medium, just use it, but I don’t really use it that often. Again, as you get more comfortable with the different textures of tofu, you’ll know what brand and texture you need based on the dish you’re making.

Freezing Tofu

Another thing you can do with firm, extra firm, and super firm tofu is freeze it, and this is my favorite thing to do. So you come home from the store, tofu in hand, and it should be in a tub of water or at least in a vacuum-sealed package with water. Just throw the whole thing in the freezer. Don’t open it, don’t do anything: just throw it in the freezer.

When you’re ready to use it, take it out of the freezer, thaw it out on the counter for a few hours – basically, before you go to work. It thaws faster on the counter than in the fridge, so just thaw it on the counter and perhaps not in direct sunlight. Now, open up the package, and dump out the water, etc. At this point, you’ll want to hold the block of tofu over a large bowl or over the sink, and squeeeeeze out all the water. It will literally be like a sponge. Tons of water comes out after you’ve thawed it.

So what’s the advantage of doing this? Well, you’ve squeezed out all this water, and you can literally see how porous the tofu is. So what does that mean? Well, you’ve gotten rid of all that water and created all this room/all these pores for a marinade to soak into the tofu. So, marinate the tofu in your favorite marinade for an hour or even over night. Then, add it to your sauté pan with just a little oil – or just on a nonstick pan with no oil at all – or put it on the grill. It’s delicious.
The other thing you’ve done is change the texture completely. Tofu already has great texture when it’s really firm, but it’s even chewier after having been frozen and thawed. I, personally, like the texture even better than if it wasn’t frozen at all, and I LOVE just regular tofu. I usually use this chewier tofu on my salads – just cut up into little cubes. I just love the texture. Also, at this point, it’s also great to crumble up and add to pasta sauce or to chili. It’s very chewy, and some people really like it that way because it adds that satisfaction that people seemingly get from chewing fat/flesh.

I’ve heard naysayers of vegetarianism say "well, vegetarians clearly have some kind of latent desire to eat meat if they want to eat vegetarian meats or if they ’seek out’ that meaty, chewy texture.’ And I couldn’t disagree more. People don’t necessarily stop eating animal flesh because they stopped liking it – they stop eating animal flesh because they don’t want to contribute to animal cruelty. Also, we don’t crave the flesh of animals. We’re not true carnivores who salivate at the thought of eating bloody muscles and raw flesh and sinews and tendons. In fact, that makes us really sick. What we do crave is flavor, we crave familiarity, we crave texture. So there’s absolutely nothing wrong with wanting that chewiness, that texture. So, there you have it. Freeze it, thaw it, squeeze out the water, and enjoy the chewy texture.

Now I just talked about how to press tofu to get the water out by freezing it and thawing it. You can press the tofu without freezing and thawing it first, but you don’t really press out as much water as when you use this other method. But if you wanted to try it, you can just wrap the tofu block in a dish towel, put it on a plate, and put something heavy like a bunch of heavy books or a heavy pot. 20 minutes later or so the towel will be soaked through with water, and you’ve pressed out some water, but again, it’s not as much as if you freeze it first. Try it yourself, and you’ll see what I mean.

We still have more to say! In Part III, I’ll offer some very specific ideas for preparing tofu!

Ingredients
1-1/2 pounds tofu, extra firm or super firm*
1/2 cup eggless mayonnaise (Nayonnaise and Vegenaise are great, but Wildwood’s Garlic Aioli is my fave)
2 red bell peppers, finely chopped
4 scallions (white and green parts), finely chopped
2 carrots, finely chopped
3 stalks celery, finely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
4 teaspoons pickle relish
1-1/2 tablespoons prepared mustard
¼ teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon sea salt or to taste
Black pepper, to taste
10 slices good-quality sliced bread

Directions
1. In a large bowl, mash tofu with a fork, potato masher, or your hands.

2. Add remaining ingredients and mix well.

3. Spread a few tablespoons of the tofu mixture on the bottom bread slices. Top with remaining slices of bread. (Toasted slices make this even more scrumptious!)

4. Carefully cut the crusts off the sandwiches with a sharp knife. Cut in half diagonally, then cut in half again so you’re left with small triangle-shaped finger sandwiches. (Throw the crust out to the grateful birds.)

*A word about tofu: There are many different types of tofu available, ranging from silken and soft to firm and extra firm - and even super firm, in the case of my favorite brand, Wildwood Organics, but there are also differences within those variations depending on the brand you buy or the way it’s packaged. The perfect textured tofu for this dish is one that is very firm. I recommend an extra-firm tofu (in the refrigerated section of the grocery store). Wildwood brand is my favorite, but if you can’t find it or can only find one that is in a tub of water, you might want to press out the water first. To press tofu: just dump the water and give the tofu a quick rinse. Wrap the tofu in a towel and place on a plate. Place something heavy on the tofu and leave it there for about 20-30 minutes; the towel will be soaked through.

Serving suggestions:

*Wonderful as a sandwich filling on a hard roll or stuffed in a pita
*Serve on crackers as an appetizer or party dish
*Serve as a side salad – great for picnics and BBQs!

Variation suggestion:

*Use cubed, steamed tempeh for a “better than chicken” salad.
*Use potatoes for a tasty potato salad.
*Use garbanzo beans/chickpeas for a “better than tuna” salad. (Grind the beans in a food processor for a tuna-like size and texture.

Other tofu recipes can be found at www.compassionatecooks.com

Also on GO:

All About Tofu - Part 1

History

Tofu originated in China about 2000 years ago, and while the details of its discovery are uncertain, legend has it that it was discovered by accident when a Chinese cook added the seaweed nigari to a pot of soybean milk, causing it to curdle, and the result was tofu.

Tofu was introduced into Japan in the 8th century, where it was originally known as "okabe," but was not called "tofu" until the 15th century, though tofu did not gain its great widespread popularity in Japan until the 17th century.

Tofu’s popularity in the West has mirrored the increasing interest in healthier foods. First gaining more widespread attention during the 1960s, tofu has been skyrocketing in popularity ever since research has begun to reveal the many significant benefits of this food.

So, what is tofu? What is this white block of what is also called "bean curd?"

Little Miss Muffet

Tofu or Dofu (based on the Chinese spelling) is a food that is made in much the same way that people make dairy-based cheese. First, you coagulate soy milk.

Well, let’s back up. As with cheese, when you make tofu, the first thing you need is milk.

In the case of dairy-based cheese, in our crazy world, we use the milk of animals. To make tofu, we use soy milk. Now, most commercial tofu makers make their own soy milk, which anyone can do by soaking, grinding, boiling, and straining dried (or, less commonly, fresh) soybeans.

When you have your soy milk, you then need to add a coagulant. When you coagulate something, you cause it to curdle. In other words, you transform it from a liquid into a soft semisolid or solid mass. Most of us have seen curdling when cow’s milk starts to go bad and you see little semi-solid white lumps floating around. Those are curds. That’s a process of curdling to indicate that it’s spoiling, that it’s going sour.

But there are other ways to sour milk intentionally. You do this by adding an agent that will produce that souring effect. Acidic liquid substances are the most obvious, such as vinegar or lemon juice. For instance (and I talk about this in my new baking cookbook), to make "buttermilk," all you need to do is add some lemon juice or vinegar to your non-dairy milk, and you’ve got sour milk, i.e. buttermilk.

So that you better understand the process of creating tofu, let me first talk a little about curdling cow’s milk before I continue with soy milk. For animal-based cheese, what is most often used as a curdling agent is rennet. Rennet is essentially a bunch of enzymes produced in the stomach of mammals to help the offspring digest the mother’s milk. One of the enzymes causes the milk to coagulate, to curdle or separate into solids (curds) and liquid (whey). Now you understand what Little Miss Muffet was eating. Couldn’t tell ya why she’d wanna eat it, but now at least you know what it is: curds and whey are the solid and liquid results of curdled milk.

For cow’s milk cheese, the rennet is extracted from the fourth stomach of young calves. And where would you find an abundance of young calf stomachs? The veal industry, of course. The stomachs used to get rennet are a by-product of veal production. Each ruminant animal produces the special kind of rennet needed to digest that species’ mother’s milk, so there is kid-goat rennet especially for goat’s milk cheese and lamb-rennet for sheep’s-milk cheese.

Carcinogenic Casein

Let’s pause for a moment to examine a few health considerations. I mentioned that increased acidity in cow’s milk causes curdling. Let’s go a little deeper. What’s actually happening is that the milk proteins (the casein) is tangling up into solid masses or "curds." The rest, which contains only whey proteins, is the whey. In cow’s milk, 80%-87% of the proteins are caseins.

If you haven’t yet read T. Colin Campbell’s The China Study, I can’t recommend it highly enough. I urge you to read it. Campbell is a highly respected researcher and policy advisor in the field of diet and cancer. He is Professor Emeritus of Nutritional Biochemistry at Cornell University, and has had a long career in research, teaching and development of national/international studies on diet, nutrition and health.

Casein, he says, is the "#1 carcinogen (i.e. cancer-causing substance) that people come in contact with on a daily basis." We’re consuming, drinking, swallowing, digesting this stuff every time we drink animal milk or eat animal-based cheese. And in cheese its even worse, because the casein is super concentrated.

Vegetarian Rennet

So back to rennet: there is vegetarian rennet, and sometimes it’s used in the production of kosher cheeses. Just keep in mind that though rennet can be produced by plants that have coagulating properties, such as nettles, thistles, or mallow – as in marshmallow. You probably know that marshmallows that are made with gelatin (the boiled hooves, bones, and other leftover body parts of the slaughter industry), but they used to be made with the marshmallow plant!

Though plant-based rennet is technically possible to create, nearly all "vegetarian" kosher cheeses are produced with either microbial rennet or genetically modified rennet. Microbial rennet is produced by using certain molds that are fermented. Apparently, using microbial rennet produces a slightly bitter tasting cheese, so with the development of genetic engineering, scientists starting using calf genes to modify some bacteria, fungus or yeast to make them produce Chymosin, one of the enzymes found in rennet. Chymosin produced by genetically modified organisms was the first artificially produced enzyme to be registered and allowed by the FDA in the USA. In 1999, about 60% of U.S. hard cheese was made with genetically engineered Chymosin.

So that’s rennet – used to curdle animal milk to make animal-based cheese. Now we can return to tofu.

As I said, you have to add a coagulant to your soy milk to curdle it, and for commercial tofu, the two coagulant types most commonly added are acid-based and salt-based.

Salt Coagulants

• An example of a salt-based coagulant is calcium sulfate, which is essentially tasteless. Tofu that’s made with calcium sulfate is obviously rich in calcium, and such tofu is pretty common. Tofu made with calcium sulfate tends to be Chinese-style tofu, which is tender but slightly brittle in texture.
• Other salt coagulants used are Chloride-type Nigari salts - Magnesium chloride and calcium chloride. These are the coagulants used to make Japanese-style tofu with a smooth and tender texture. Calcium chloride is a common coagulant for tofu in North America. You’ll recognize this coagulant on the list of ingredients, because it will most likely say Nigari, which consists primarily of magnesium chloride. It’s produced from seawater after the sodium chloride is removed and the water evaporated.

Acid Coagulants

Another coagulant that’s used – mostly for silken tofu or soft – is Glucono delta-lactone (GDL), a naturally occurring organic acid, which produces a very fine textured tofu that is almost jelly-like. Think silken tofu.

Tofu producers may choose to use one or more of these coagulants, as they each play a role in producing a desired texture in the finished tofu. So when you notice a different taste or texture in tofu depending on the brand, this is why. A lot of it depends on the coagulant used. The coagulant mixture is dissolved into water, and the solution is then stirred into boiled soy milk until the mixture curdles.

So, now you’ve got your curds, which, like in the process of making cheese, you press these curds. The curds are processed differently depending on the form of tofu that is being made. For soft silken tofu, the soy milk is curdled directly in the tofu’s selling package. For standard firm Asian tofu, the soy curd is cut and strained of excess liquid using cheese cloth or muslin and then lightly pressed to produce a soft cake. Firmer tofus are further pressed to remove even more liquid.

In Part II, we talk about the various texture varieties of tofu. That’s it. Science lesson over.

(Visit CompassionateCooks.com for tofu recipes or for our DVD, in which we demonstrate various uses with tofu, such as our Veggie Stir-Fry with Peanut Sauce and Eggless Egg Salad.)

Image credit: Andrew Lih and Wikimedia Commons

QUINOA
Quinoa is a Peruvian grain; it grows in the mountains of South America, including Bolivia and a little in Ecuador and may go by other names in South America. In the United States, you can find it in any natural foods store, and it’s fabulous. (It’s also available at Compassionate Cooks store if you can’t find it). The most common variety is white quinoa, but it’s also available in red and black, and it’s gorgeous in any of those colors. The Incas considered it sacred and referred to it as "chisaya mama" or "mother of all grains.”

And I have to agree with the Incas. It’s a really beautiful grain. It’s very small – though not as small as amaranth - and is a tight little ball when it’s uncooked. Once it’s cooked, it changes in appearance and transforms into this beautiful, translucent little grain. The ratio of grain to water is 1 cup (of grain) to 2 or 3 cups of water. And I always throw a little vegetable bouillon cube in the water whenever I cook any grain to add flavor. You can just put the quinoa right in the pot along with the water and bring to a boil. Simmer for about 15 minutes until the quinoa has absorbed all the water and is fluffy and translucent in appearance.

One thing to keep in mind before you cook it is that it contains a substance called saponin, which is the plant’s own defense against birds, and it can have a bit of a bitter edge to it. So, always rinse it in a fine strainer under running water for a minute or two before cooking it. Once it’s cooked, you can enjoy it in many ways. Personally, I love eating it plain or with any vegetable. If I need a quick lunch, I just stir in some corn kernels (canned or frozen – but thaw the corn first), or I top it with some steamed kale (see below). You can use it as a base for a stir-fry, but it’s a delicate grain, so consider that when using it for this purpose. It doesn’t have the heartiness of rice and won’t go with every sauce or dish. You can make Tabouli with it instead of using bulgur wheat. Quinoa is gluten-free, so it’s a boon for those who can’t digest gluten. Quinoa flour is also available. You can also prepare quinoa as a breakfast food, just as you would oatmeal or cornmeal. Just cook it – without the bouillon cube, and when it’s cooked, stir in walnuts, almonds, berries, dates, cinnamon, and/or brown sugar.

It’s just delicious anyway you prepare it. And it happens to be one of the richest plant proteins as well. Though many people obsess think it’s hard to obtain the proper amount of protein on a plant-based diet, it’s simply not true. In fact, people get way more protein in an animal-based diet than what’s healthful. Protein is made up of amino acids, and all foods have amino acids. Some foods have higher amounts of certain amino acids than others; hence, the myth that we have to combine our foods in one meal – which we don’t. In the case of quinoa, it happens to be a "complete protein" in that it contains ALL of the amino acids. Now onto my second favorite food: kale.

KALE
You’ve probably heard it a million times – but have ignored it: dark green leafy vegetables are truly the most nutrient dense foods on the planet, and they should be part of everyone’s daily diet. Daily. That means every day we should be eating kale or collard greens or chard or chicory or spinach or mustard greens or beet greens or escarole. That’s a lot to choose from – surely you can find time for one serving a day.

So, what’s so great about these veggies? Well, they’re typically low in calories, low in fat, high in protein per calorie, high in dietary fiber, high in iron and calcium, and very high in phytochemicals such as vitamin C, vitamin A, lutein and folic acid. Some people are utterly baffled by how to incorporate leafy greens into their diet, so here are some ideas:

*Make a salad: Leafy greens like spinach and arugula – even raw kale - taste great when mixed in a salad with different kinds of veggies, such as tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, and lettuce. And though green leafy veggies have a lot of iron, our bodies absorb it better when eaten with Vitamin C, so that gives you a good reason to have a green salad with tomatoes – or with a citrus vinaigrette or steamed greens with lemon juice.

*Wrap it up: Make a wrap with tempeh, tofu, or grains, and add spinach, arugula, and other veggies for some extra flavor.

*Add to soup: Try mixing some leafy greens with your favorite soup. I have the most amazing Garlic and Greens Soup in the soups section of my online cookbook. I can’t say enough about it – it’s my favorite thing in the whole world, and I make it with kale, but you could use other greens if you want.

*Stir-fry. Add chopped leafy greens to your stir-fry. Tempeh or tofu stir-fried with olive or canola oil and your favorite leafy greens is delicious!

*Steam it: Besides my Garlic and Greens soup, this is one of my favorite ways to eat kale. It’s sooooo easy to do, and it’s delicious. Simply use your handy-dandy steamer basket, and pile in your kale. Don’t forget to put water in your pot up to the bottom of the steamer basket. Steam the greens for about 10 minutes, depending on the texture you like. One of my favorite dishes is reeeeally easy, and it can be eaten warm or room temperature. In a bowl, toss together the kale you just steamed with some apple cider vinegar, some lemon juice, and some agave nectar. (Agave nectar is a wonderful liquid sweetener that you can find at any natural food stores. It has the consistency and flavor of honey – and no bees were harmed in its production!) Toss all of this together and find the right ratio between the sweetness of the agave and the vinegar and lemon juice. Sooooo fantastic. I eat this several times a week and haven’t gotten sick of it yet!

BLUEBERRIES
Though I do love blueberries to snack on, my FAVORITE way of eating blueberries is in my breakfast smoothie, which is how I start EVERY DAY, and the few times I’ve missed out for some crazy silly reason, I’m messed up all day. So, it’s just my favorite way to start my day, and blueberries are part of the reason!

I just purchase frozen blueberries, but you can certainly use fresh blueberries, too. You can buy a ton of blueberries when they ARE in season and freeze them yourself. My freezer contains pretty much only frozen fruit and some ice cubes. And some blocks of tofu and ground flax seeds, but that’s it. My freezer pretty much exists so that I can have smoothies every morning.

You can use any type of fruit you like, but my preference is blueberries with a few strawberries thrown in for good measure. A few frozen pineapple chunks also add a little citrus, which is a great complement to the blueberries. Don’t ask me how much – ½ cup to a cup of blueberries, a few strawberries, a banana, some non-dairy milk (almond’s my favorite), a little orange juice if you want, a tablespoon of ground flax seeds, and if you want – about a tablespoon of almond butter. It’s too yummy for words. Blend it up, and grab a straw.

A quick tip about bananas: Buy several bunches (fair trade, if possible!) when they’re reeeeeally ripe, which you’ll often pay less for since most groceries (well, the small, good ones at least) mark down the price once the bananas start getting really ripe. When you get home, spend 5 minutes peeling all the bananas, breaking them into chunks, and putting them into a freezer bag, and stick them in the freezer. Use a few chunks – the equivalent of one banana or so – for your smoothie. It makes it nice and thick. It might take a little longer to puree in the blender, but it’s worth it.

Most people know about the health benefits of blueberries, but most people aren’t eating one cup a day, which is what is recommended. Blueberries, especially the wild species, contain antioxidants which have been found to reduce the risks of some cancers. At the 2004 International Conference on Longevity, a group of researchers released details of a study that suggests certain compounds found in blueberries (and some similar fruits, including cranberries) have a significant impact in reducing the degradation of brain function, as in Alzheimer’s Disease and other conditions.

Though I encourage people to buy organic as much as possible, sometimes it’s not always possible, so it’s helpful to know that blueberries are a crop that are not very highly sprayed, certainly not like strawberries are, which is why I recommend getting organic strawberries 100% of the time. But you can get away with non-organic blueberries when you’re not able to get organic.

Finally, in terms of helpful appliances to have in the kitchen to encourage healthful eating, I do recommend investing in a food processor, particularly a Kitchen Aid, because it enables you to have a large bowl/blade and small bowl/blade all in one machine. It speeds everything up in the kitchen, and I use mine every day. But my blender is also indispensable because I couldn’t make my smoothies without it.

TEMPEH
In an interview once, someone asked me to choose between tofu and tempeh, and though in some respects that’s really impossible because I love both so much, if I reeeally had to choose, I just might pick tempeh. It’s a fabulous food. Whenever I demonstrate recipes with tempeh (and I make a point to), about 50% of the group have never heard of tempeh, eaten it, or cooked with it. And I love it – because it’s such a pleasure to introduce this food to people.

Tempeh is a staple in Indonesian cuisine, and it’s simply whole soy beans that have been fermented with some kind of grain. That grain is usually rice. This mixture is then formed into thin, usually square blocks/cakes. Being a fermented food, it tends to contain B vitamins, including B12; it’s also higher in protein and fiber and lower in fat than tofu.

There are many things you can do with tempeh: sauté it, grill it, bake it, but I also have a trick that I think makes it foolproof every time: I steam it. Before I do anything with it, I steam it first. It just takes a bit of the "edge" off and makes it really tender. Steam it for 10 minutes tops, at which point you’ll smell the really nice nutty aroma. Once it’s steamed, you can eat it just like that (mix it with some eggless mayonnaise and finely chopped raw veggies for what I call a Better Than Chicken Salad), or you can continue working with it.

Crumble it in chili, or add it to stir frys, soups, salads, sandwiches, and stews. Tempeh has a wonderful flavor and a great texture and mouth-feel - really satisfying. It freezes well and performs well in a cheese grater, after which it may be used in the place of ground beef (as in tacos).

One of my favorite things to do to tempeh is to slice it, and steam it, then add it to a saute pan where I heat a small amount of canola, sesame, or olive oil. I fry it on both sides until it gets golden brown, then I sprinkle on a little tamari soy sauce and maple syrup. The result is wonderful, as the maple syrup kind of caramelizes the tempeh. It’s a wonderful "main dish," served with vegetables. More recipes for tempeh (and tofu) are in my online cookbook under Demystifying Tofu & Tempeh.

GREEN TEA
Last but not least is my favorite thing in the world is green tea. I’ve never had a cup of coffee in my life. I drink green tea every day, and admittedly, I’ve turned into a bit of a tea snob. I can’t help it. It’s too darn good. There is a lot of evidence that green tea is healthful for a number of reasons, but mainly I drink it because I just love it. It doesn’t give you the extreme highs and lows that coffee does – well, I don’t know what that’s like since I’ve never had it, but from what I’ve seen coffee do to people, I know tea does not do the same thing.

My favorites are the Japanese teas, such as Kukicha, Genmaicha, Gyokuro, and Hojicha, but I do love Chinese teas as well, such as Dragonwell and Jasmine Pearls. A recent 2006 study published in the September issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association shows that adults who consumed three or more cups of green tea per day had a lower risk of death due to cardiovascular disease. I’m not a big proponent of making health claims for every type of food, but green tea is indeed high in antioxidants and other healthful properties. For me, a lot of my love of tea comes from the ritual itself – smelling the tea leaves, steeping them, sipping it, and finding a nice quiet place in which to drink it.

So there you have it. Can’t wait to see what my Top 5 Favorite Foods are next year.

Editor's note: We're pleased to welcome Colleen Patrick-Goudreau to the Green Options writing team! Colleen has taught vegan cooking classes in Oakland, California, for seven years, and is a columnist for VegNews magazine, and a contributing writer for KQED radio's Perspectives program. Her first cookbook, The Joy of Vegan Baking: The Compassionate Cooks' Recipes for Traditional Treats and Sinful Sweets, will be published in October. Colleen has a real knack for making vegan cooking and eating accessible to those of us who may be a bit mystified by the idea of taking animal products out of our diets, and we're very happy to have her on board.

In my work as a vegan educator, advocate, and cooking instructor, one of my goals is to take "vegan food" out of the box. There tends to be a notion that “vegan food” exists in a food group separate from “normal food” or reserved only for those who label themselves “vegan.” But the fact is that even non-vegans eat “vegan” food every day — they just don’t call it “vegan.” Plant-based cuisine is simply made up of the foods we already eat and love: vegetables, fruit, legumes, grains, nuts, beans, seeds, mushrooms, herbs, and spices. When we recognize that “vegan” food is already part of our meals, we take the mystery out of the label.

Plant foods contain all the flavors, textures, and colors that satisfy our palates and our senses. In fact, it is flavor, texture, and familiarity we crave whenever we eat, and all of these elements are found in the rich array of plant foods available to us. The Holy Triumvirate of meat, dairy, and eggs has become so dominant in our daily diets that they have replaced what was once the foundation of the human diet: plant foods. Even when we do eat vegetables, we tend to drown them in fat-laden cheeses, oily butters, and heavy cream sauces – forgetting that the vegetables themselves contain all the flavor we crave.

I’m always surprised when people declare that “vegan food” is bland and boring. I usually remind them that the herbs and spices we flavor our food with are all plant-based – they’re all “vegan.” Considering the fact that we’re the only animal who has to cook and flavor meat before we eat it, it’s not surprising that the things with which we typically serve our hamburgers, hot dogs, and steaks are plant-based: ketchup, mustard, relish, sauerkraut, pickles, tomatoes, lettuce, BBQ sauce, Worcestershire sauce, tabasco sauce, chili sauce, horseradish, liquid smoke, vinegars, lime and lemon juices, and, of course, salt and pepper. You also have your capers, wasabi, tahini, soy sauce, chutneys, and a variety of other condiments to provide flavor, heat, and texture.

A backyard barbecue is the perfect occasion to showcase delicious, nutritious, animal-free foods that will satisfy bellies and arouse taste buds.

**GRILL IT UP**

Every summer, I’m dismayed by the “safety tips” about grilling meat that give people the false impression that they can actually prevent the carcinogenic (cancer-causing) compounds (heterocyclic amines) from forming when they cook meat (including chicken, beef, pork, and fish) at high temperatures. There is no magic formula that people can follow to ensure that these compounds do not form – whether you’re grilling or pan-frying. Undercook your meat, and you risk consuming dangerous food-borne pathogens; heat your meat at high temperatures, and you risk cancer. But what happens when you cook vegetables? They get hot! These cancer-causing substances are not present when plant-based foods, including meatless burgers and hot dogs, are cooked. Period. So, heat up your grill and enjoy these fantastically delicious grilled fiber-rich foods:

*Seasoned eggplant slices
*Marinated Portobello mushrooms
*Skewers of bell peppers, red onions, and summer squash
*Corn on the cob (grilled in their husks)
*Polenta squares (cooked with red onions, garlic, and sundried tomatoes) topped with dairy-free pesto
*Yellow and sweet potatoes or yams
*Tempeh marinated in barbecue sauce
*Tofu flavored with a ginger, citrus marinade

**TOSS IT UP**

A huge array of summer salads can be made from beans, pasta, potatoes, tofu, tempeh, or grains. The options are endless. I’ve included a couple recipes and suggestions below, and many more can be found in my online cookbook.

*Toss pasta (penne, fusilli, et. al.) with chopped raw veggies, lightly toasted pine nuts, fresh basil, balsamic vinegar, and a little extra-virgin olive oil.
*Combine spinach leaves with fresh raspberries, sunflower seeds, brazil or macadamia nuts, and mandarin orange slices in advance, and toss with seasoned rice vinegar just before serving.
*Spread Focaccia bread with dairy-free pesto, and add grilled veggies (eggplant, zucchini squash), thinly sliced tofu, roasted red peppers, fresh tomatoes, and basil. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar.

Tantalizing Thai Slaw a.k.a. Holy Slaw
I call this “Holy Slaw” because it tastes so darn good. This really is filling enough for a meal, but it’s a great side with a veggie burger. Serves 4 as a complete meal; serves 6 as a side

INGREDIENTS

1 small head green cabbage, shredded
½-1 whole head red cabbage, shredded
1 cup shredded carrot
1 red onion, sliced thinly
1 cup roasted, unsalted, peanuts
1 block (about 1 pound) firm or extra firm tofu
½ cup chopped green onion
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1-2 teaspoons toasted or raw sesame seeds (black seeds add beautiful color!)
½ cup chopped parsley or cilantro (optional)
Sesame oil (optional)
Orange Ginger Vinaigrette (see below)

DIRECTIONS

The tofu is optional, as this delicious salad is perfect on its own. Adding sautéed tofu will add some more flavor and texture. If adding the tofu, fry it up with a little sesame oil to make it nice and crispy. Let it cool and then add to the other ingredients. Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl. Voila!

*Oil-free version with tofu: if using a non-stick pan, you can just add the cubed tofu directly to a non-stick skillet. Just let it get golden brown and crispy before turning it over. Don’t fuss with it; let it get brown, and then turn it. Delicious!

Orange Ginger Vinaigrette
¼ cup orange juice
¼-½ cup seasoned rice vinegar
3 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons grated ginger
2 teaspoons garlic, minced

Copyright © 2006 Compassionate Cooks, LLC – All rights reserved

Cannellini Beans with Tomatoes & Herbs
This light, fresh salad is perfect for a picnic or BBQ. The lemon zest is an especially nice addition and adds beautiful color to this delicious, healthful dish. Makes 4-6 servings

INGREDIENTS

2 cans of Cannellini beans (or other white beans, such as Great Northern or Navy), drained and rinsed
3 or 4 tomatoes (cherry, heirloom, or any tomatoes in season)
½ medium size red onion, diced
1 cup fresh, frozen (thawed), or canned corn kernels
2 red, yellow, orange, or green bell pepper, finely diced
1 ripe avocado, diced
Assortment of fresh herbs: marjoram, basil, thyme, sage, minced
3 tablespoons vinegar, your choice (red, white wine vinegar, seasoned rice vinegar)
Juice from 1 lemon
Zest of 2 lemons
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
Salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS

In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients and set aside for 15 minutes or more to allow the flavors to develop. Add salt and serve at room temperature.

Serving Suggestions and Variations:
*You can use any bean you like for this salad. White beans are just one suggestion. You can use kidney, chick peas, black, pinto – or a combination of all them!
*You may add a tablespoon or two of extra virgin olive oil.
*Fresh tomatoes are best, and keep in mind that tomatoes don’t do well refrigerated. So, if you wanted to make this salad in advance, just eliminate the tomatoes, store in the fridge, and add the tomatoes just before serving.

Copyright © 2006 Compassionate Cooks, LLC – All rights reserved

**SWEETEN IT UP**
Don’t forget dessert! Another misconception about “vegan food” is that desserts are somehow inferior to those prepared with cow’s milk, dairy butter, and chicken’s eggs. These are unnecessary ingredients. What rich baked goods can’t do without, however, is fat, moisture, and leavening – all of which exist outside of animal products. Here are a couple treats to serve at your next summertime soiree. More can be found in the desserts section of our online cookbook as well as in our upcoming cookbook, The Joy of Vegan Baking: The Compassionate Cooks' Recipes for Traditional Treats and Sinful Sweets available for pre-order on Amazon.com and other online stores. (Ask your local bookstore to carry it!)

No-Bake Strawberry Pie with Chocolate Chunks
This amazingly delicious pie is perfect when strawberries are at their height in the summer. Get the sweetest, ripest strawberries you can find at your farmer’s market. It is best when served within an hour or two of preparing it, since it is at its most fresh then, but it holds up just fine in the fridge. Serves 8-12

INGREDIENTS

Crust:
2 cups raw almonds or pecans
¾ cup pitted dates, preferably Medjool

Filling:
5 cups sliced ripe organic strawberries
5 pitted dates, soaked 10 minutes in warm water and drained
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Dark chocolate chunks, preferably from a good, organic, fair-trade bar (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. Place the nuts in a food processor and grind until they’re a coarse meal. Add the ¾ cup of dates (for the crust) and process until thoroughly combined. Press the mixture into a non-stick or very lightly oiled pie plate or spring form pan.

2. Arrange 4 cups of the sliced strawberries on top of the crust and set aside.

3. In a food processor or blender, combine the remaining 1 cup of strawberries with the 5 soaked dates and lemon juice. Puree until smooth. Pour the sauce mixture over strawberries.

4. Arrange the chocolate chunks on the top of the sauce (optional), and refrigerate the pie for 1 hour before serving. This will help the pie set and will be perfect for slicing.

Copyright © 2006 Compassionate Cooks, LLC – All rights reserved

Decadent Chocolate Cake
This chocolate cake might be the easiest cake in the world to make – and is the most versatile as well. No eggs or dairy make it cholesterol- and cruelty-free, and it takes about 5 minutes to prepare. Makes one 9-inch cake or 8 cupcakes. Double it for a layer cake or a bundt cake

INGREDIENTS
1-1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
¾ cup sugar (white or turbinado)
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ teaspoon peppermint extract (optional)
1/3 cup canola oil
1 tablespoon white distilled vinegar
1 cup cold water

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl until mixed thoroughly. No need to sift.

2. Make a well in the center and add the wet ingredients. Stir until well mixed.

3. Pour into a 9×9-inch baking dish (or cupcake or bundt pan), and bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

4. Cool completely, then frost with Chocolate Frosting (below).

Chocolate Frosting
Makes enough for one 9-inch cake or 8 cupcakes

INGREDIENTS

3 tablespoons softened non-dairy butter (Earth Balance is the best!)
1-1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1/3 cup cocoa, sifted
½ teaspoon vanilla or ½ teaspoon peppermint extract
2-4 tablespoons water or non-dairy milk (almond milk adds a subtle touch of special flavor)

DIRECTIONS
Cream the non-dairy butter in a small bowl then add the sugar, cocoa, vanilla, and enough liquid to make a thick but spreadable frosting.

Copyright © 2006 Compassionate Cooks, LLC – All rights reserved

ENJOY!