Marks Cheap and tastyt Chili

Ingredients (use vegan versions):

• 1 cup textured soy protein
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes
• 1 can (3 ounces) tomato paste
• 3 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 can (14.5 ounces) corn, undrained
• 1 can (14.5 ounces) Old El Paso fat free spicy refried beans
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, undrained

Place the textured soy protein and the boiling water in a large pot. Let sit for 5 minutes. Add remaining ingredients EXCEPT the kidney beans. Cook 30 minutes. Add the beans and cook an additional 30 minutes.

Serves: 8

Preparation time: 1 hour

By iveggies Add comment

Hoppin Tofu Lafkes

Ingredients (use vegan versions):

• 1 block regular tofu, frozen
• 1 cup frozen petite peas
• 1 large or 2 small onions, chopped
• 1 tablespoon ketchup or vegan BBQ sauce
• veg or olive oil for frying
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• egg substitute, equivalent of 1 egg*
• red or black pepper to taste
• tamari or salt to taste
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin

*I personally use eggs, but this recipe would probably work just fine with a substitute such as 2 T veggie mayo. Good old shredded potatoes might also help hold this together. If you experiment and find something that works well, please post it!

This is not a standard latke recipe as far as seasoning goes, but it tastes great--sort of half way between a latke and a veggie burger. For a more traditional latke, leave out the curry and BBQ sauce.

RECIPE:

Freeze the tofu (at least several hours) and then defrost it either by microwaving it or by thawing it (with the help of hot water, if you like).

Crumble and squeeze out the tofu. Warm up the oil over medium heat, and throw in the cumin and chili powder for less than a minute, and then add the chopped onions. Cook till golden, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and then the tofu. Cook about 5 more minutes, till the tofu starts to brown. Transfer to a bowl and let it cool (clean your pan). Add salt/tamari and pepper, then flour and egg substitute, peas (frozen is fine, BBQ or ketchup, and combine thoroughly. Heat up oil in frying pan. Form the tofu mixture into flattened balls and fry them in the oil, letting each side get brown and crispy. (This can be done in just a little oil, but not oil-free.) Serve right away, or reheat in oven for 5-6 min. when ready to serve.

Serves: 2-3

Preparation time: 30 min.

By iveggies Add comment

Best Sunday Stroganoff

Ingredients (use vegan versions):

• 1 large yellow onion, peeled and chopped
• 2/3 lb white mushrooms
• 1/3 lb fresh shitake mushrooms rinsed and sliced
• 1 block firm tofu, drained, pressed and cubed
• 1/2 cup + 4-6 tablespoon good olive oil
• 1 tablespoon liquid aminos (such as Bragg's Liquid Aminos)
• 1 cup dry Vermouth
• 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon Silver Swan Special Soy (other brands will do)
• 1/2 cup good vegan red wine (Cab or Merlot is best)
• 1 cup filtered water
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano; pinch dried thyme
• a pinch of ground cloves
• pepper to taste
• 1 cup Toffuti Sour Supreme (sour cream substitute)
• 3 cloves garlic, pressed
• 2 tablespoon nutritional yeast

This recipe demands a lengthy prep time, but your efforts will be rewarded with a complex and savory dish. Outstanding for any special occasion or Sunday dinner. So, here it is:

First marinate the drained, pressed and cubed tofu:

In a sauce pan combine 1/2 C soy sauce (Silver Swan is really the best), 1/2 C Vermouth, 1/2 C vegan red wine (use a good red ine, and, if you, drink, pour yourself a glass to sip while you prep this yummy dinner), 2 cloves pressed garlic, Oregano, cloves and pepper to taste, 3-6 white mushrooms, finely chopped, 1/2 cup olive oil and 1 C filtered water

Boil marinade for 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat and add cubed tofu. Marinate the tofu at least 1 hour and up to 12 hours (the longer the better). Note: this marinade lends itself to endless variation- sometimes I add toasted sesame oil for a more delicate flavor or increase the vegan red wine for a "meatier" flavor.

Now, lets make the stroganoff:

Bake marinated tofu cubes in a 350F oven for 10-15 minutes (I cook a little longer if I want a more hearty texture, less for a more delicate texture).

In the meantime:

Heat 2 TBS olive oil and liquid aminos in a deep frying pan until just sizzling. Add chopped onion and reduce heat. Cook onions on low heat until well caramelized (this should take about 15 minutes). Take care not to rush this process as the onions will get too crisp and loose their smoky, sweet flavor.

Increase heat to medium/low and add 2-4 more TBS olive oil, yeast, pinch thyme and the sliced mushrooms. Saute the mushrooms until any liquid they have released is almost evaporated. Add 1/2 C vermouth and reduce for 5 minutes. Add baked tofu, Sour Supreme and pepper to taste. heat an additional 5 minutes.

Serve over brown rice and enjoy the fruits of your labor.

Serves: 4

Preparation time: lengthy

By iveggies Add comment

Missed Manicotti

Ingredients (use vegan versions):

• 1 pkg. manicotti
• 1 pkg. frozen, chopped spinach, defrosted
• lots of garlic & plenty of good olive oil
• 1.2 cup chop parsley
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano & dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 block medium tofu, drained
• 1/2 lb white mushrooms, stemmed and sliced thin
• 1/2 cup sherry or dry vermouth
• 1 teaspoon nutritional yeast
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 med onion, finely chopped
• 1 large jar prepared or homemade marinara sauce

Boil noodles per package instructions. Pre-heat oven too 350F.

Meanwhile, saute onions in olive oil over medium heat until translucent and browned on edges. Add as much pressed garlic as you like. Just as the garlic becomes fragrant, add the sliced mushrooms and continue to cook over medium heat until most of the juice released by the 'shrooms is evaporated. Add herbs, yeast and vermouth.

Continue to cook until most liquid is once again evaporated. Crumble in tofu and add spinach. Adjust seasonings& continue to cook over medium heat until flavors are well blended (~10 more minutes). Stir in the parsley at the last minute.

Cool filling and noodles (this is very important, trying to stuff hot noodles with even hotter stuffing is not fun). Hold noodle upright and closed on one end. Spoon in just enough stuffing to make the noodle fat but without splitting its sides. Place stuffed noodle in a glass baking dish and start work on the next. Repeat until all six noodles are stuffed and lying neatly in the baking dish.

Cover manicotti with marinara sauce and bake for 15 minutes. Serve with yummy vegan bread.

Serves: 6

Preparation time: 1.5 hours

By iveggies Add comment

Good Old Fashioned Northwestern Minnesotan ‘Hotdish’

Ingredients (use vegan versions):

• 10 oz whole wheat elbow macaroni
• 1 can vegetarian vegetable soup
• 1 can condensed tomato soup (I use Campbell's 'Healthy Request')
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 5-6 sliced mushrooms
• 1/3 block Yves Gimme Lean 'Sausage' crumbled
• dash of olive oil, vegetable oil, etc. (Whatever you have on hand) -- optional

This is my vegan take on a very common 'hotdish' that is made by everyone around here. It's extremely simple to make and VERY flexible. This is traditionally made with normal, cheap elbow macaroni and hamburger so you COULD substitute hamburger style crumbles and/or plain elbow macaroni- but I prefer the sausage style stuff and whole wheat macaroni.

First, boil macaroni according to the directions on the box and drain. In a separate pan, heat a small amount of oil over medium-high heat (this step can be skipped if you have a really good non-stick pan). Add onion, mushrooms, and 'sausage' to the pan. Fry until the sausage is browned. Add 'sausage' mixture to cooked elbow macaroni. Pour vegetarian vegetable soup and condensed tomato soup over the noodles and sausage mixture.**Do NOT add water** Mix well and allow to heat for a few minutes.

My father and grandparents (omnivores) love to eat this 'hotdish' with vegan bread and butter and tons of black pepper. Bread and peanut butter is also great with this dish.

Serves: 4-5

Preparation time: 15 minutes

By iveggies Add comment

Baked Tofu w/ Vegan Meaty Flavored Sauce

Ingredients (use vegan versions):

• 1 block firm tofu
• Sauce:
• shoyu / tamari
• olive oil
• nutritional yeast flakes
• toasted sesame seed ground (optional)

Freeze tofu solid, thaw and drain. Soak spongy tofu in sauce. Bake (or dry for travel) or just saute. You could add just about any thing that tastes good.

Serves:

By iveggies Add comment