Tofu for Dummies

It's been ages since I've posted any recipes here, and I don't know if anyone still reading has any interest in vegan cooking, but this one is too good (and easy) not to share. It is absolutely the simplest, quickest, most foolproof tofu recipe ever.

All you need is around 20 oz. firm or extra firm tofu, 1/2 cup of barbecue sauce, and 1/2 cup of peanut butter. That's it! (It sounds like a weird combination, I know, but trust me.)

Cube the tofu and brown it however you like (I used a bit of olive oil). Soften the peanut butter a bit in the microwave or on the stovetop, and whisk in the barbecue sauce. Pour the sauce over the hot, browned tofu, and serve with rice or quinoa and a veggie if you like.

You can control the spice level with your choice of barbecue sauce.

This serves 3-4 people.

Vegan Meringue

It is now possible to make vegan meringue, and you will never guess how! I made these tasty chocolate meringue cookies yesterday -

And I had some leftover frosting from a cake I made over the weekend, so I obviously couldn't resist putting the two together -

You can find more information, and lots of recipe ideas, on the Vegan Meringue Facebook page.

Here's how I made mine: 

Chocolate Meringue Cookies (vegan)

1-1/3 cups garbanzo bean cooking liquid
1 cup granulated sugar
1 Tbsp. cocoa powder
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
1/3 cup chocolate chips

Simmer the bean cooking liquid on the stove, stirring very frequently, until reduced to about 3/4 cup. Chill overnight in the refrigerator.

Pour reduced liquid into a mixing bowl (I used my Kitchenaid stand mixer), leaving behind any sediment that is stuck to the container. Whip on your highest speed setting until stiff peaks form (this took a long time for me - like 15-20 minutes).

Add sugar, 1 Tbsp. at a time, mixing well in between each addition. Add cocoa powder, vanilla, and cream of tartar. Continue to whip at high speed until stiff peaks form again (this may take another 15-20 minutes).

Fold in chocolate chips; drop by spoonfuls and bake on parchment lined cookie sheets at 220 degrees for 1.5 hours. When cooking time is up, turn off oven and crack the door, allowing cookies to come slowly to room temperature.

Store in airtight container.

Notes: 

I used homemade bean cooking liquid (and I had added a little salt during cooking); you should be able to use canned as well.

If the amount of bean cooking liquid that you have varies from the amount I've listed, you can adjust the other ingredients proportionally.

Food!

I haven't posted any recipes in ages! So here's what I made today to take camping with the family...

My son, much to my chagrin, has a love affair with anything wrapped and packaged. I love to make things from scratch, and he turns his nose up at most of the food I slave to prepare for him. Frustrating! This is the latest in an ongoing attempt to create a bar that mimics the pre-packaged version he loves. If I was cooking for myself, I'd go with something a little healthier, but if these get him off the store bought stuff, I'm okay with them being a little sweet. :-)

Chocolate Peanut Butter Granola Bars

1 cup rolled oats

1 ½ cups crispy brown rice cereal

¼ cup lightly salted peanuts, roughly chopped

a pinch of salt

½ cup creamy peanut butter

1/3 cup brown rice syrup

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

1/3 cup chocolate chips

1 teaspoon coconut oil                 

Line an 8” x 8” baking pan with parchment paper and set aside.

Pour oats, cereal, peanuts, and salt into a bowl and mix together.

In a small saucepan over very low heat, combine peanut butter and brown rice syrup. Remove from the stove and mix in vanilla.

Pour wet ingredients into dry and stir with a rubber spatula. Press mixture into prepared pan and allow bars to set in the refrigerator for at least one hour.

Remove from refrigerator and cut into 12 bars.

Heat chocolate chips and coconut oil in microwave for 30 seconds (stir and add 15 second increments if needed), then drizzle over bars and refrigerate until set again.

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And next, a slightly modified version of a cookie from one of Dreena Burton's cookbooks... 

(I don't care what kind of photo staging/editing expert you may be; I challenge you to make oatmeal cookies look photogenic.)

The Very Best Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

1 ½ cups + 2 T. spelt flour

2 t. baking powder

½ t. baking soda

1 cup rolled oats

¼ cup unrefined sugar

½ cup raisins

1 t. cinnamon

a generous pinch of allspice

½ t. salt

½ cup maple syrup

1-2 t. blackstrap molasses

1 T. vanilla

½ cup canola oil (or substitute half applesauce)

Mix dry ingredients; add wet ingredients; bake on parchment lined cookie sheet for 11 minutes at 350 degrees.