Tofu, kale and vegan cheese runza; lobok and dulse latte

Tofu, kale and vegan cheese runza (minced tofu, kale, liquid smoke, nutritional yeast, white vinegar, lemon juice, sea salt, dill, mustard, black pepper; whole wheat flour, sea salt, yeast).

Lobok and dulse latte (sea salt, white vinegar, black pepper, arrowroot powder). This is a simple soup that produces a cream or chowder look. Lobok (daikon) and arrowroot also foam naturally with a handblender and dulse flakes provide a nice garnish.

Tofu roasted in tomato sauce with spinach, shiitake mushrooms and scallions

Tofu roasted in tomato sauce (tomatoes, vegetable stock, evoo/flax oil, garlic, sea salt, agave, coriander, cumin, chili, white vinegar, liquid smoke) with sautéed spinach, shiitake mushrooms and scallions (tamari, lemon juice, ginger).

Sweet potato and tofu rosti with red peppers and spinach

Sweet potato and tofu latkes with red peppers and spinach (garlic, tamari, white onions, evoo/flax oil, whole wheat flour, chick pea flour, vegetable stock).

Oven-baked sweet potato pancake goodness!

Hunan tofu with asparagus and red peppers over brown rice

Hunan tofu with asparagus and red peppers (tamari, garlic, chili paste, white vinegar, mustard, agave nectar, sugar, lime juice, sea salt, vegetable stock, sea salt) over brown rice

Tofu mole with quinoa, portabellos, peppers and zucchini

Tofu mole (cocao, pepitas, agave nectar, garlic, cumin, chili, all spice, cinnamon, vegetable stock, sundried tomatoes, red pepper, chipotle, black pepper) with quinoa, portabellos and peppers (vidalia onions, nutritional yeast, sea salt, garlic, cumin, chili, black pepper).

Vegan feijoada over tomato/mango pilaf; sauteed spinach w/orange slices.

Vegan feijoada (black beans, Yves veggie pepperoni and bacon, tofu, cremini mushrooms, green peppers, yellow onion, thyme, bay leaf, cumin, chili flakes, lime juice, lime zest, vegetable stock) over tomato/mango pilaf (brown rice, tomatoes, cider vinegar, sea salt, black pepper, chipotle, mangoes, stevia, agave syrup, garlic), with sauteed spinach (evoo/flax oil, garlic, chili flakes and sea salt) and orange slices.

The wine was Clos de los Siete.

Chilled spicy orange soup; asparagus, mushroom and basil tofu frittata

Dinner 22 May 2007.


Chilled spicy orange soup (orange tomatoes, orange pepper, orange juice, chipotle, sea salt, black pepper, evoo/flax oil).

Asparagus, mushroom and basil tofu frittata (garlic, sea salt, black pepper, oregano, basil, potato flour, soy milk, cashew/macadamia butter, red onions, evoo).

The soup was raw (I think) except for the chipotle, which could have easily worked with jalapeno instead.

Roasted spinach and pineapple salad; blood orange broccoli, tofu and red pepper stirfry with forbidden black rice

Dinner 1 May 2007.



Roasted spinach and pineapple salad dresed with evoo and flax oil, sea salt and chili.
Blood orange broccoli, tofu and red pepper stirfry (blood orange juice, sea salt, garlic, chili, black pepper, sesame oil, corn starch) with forbidden black rice.

Roasted ruby grapefruit w/mint, lemon and jalapeno; roasted tomato w/eggplant and zucchini milles-feuilles; chard and tofu hash on matzoh cracker

Dinner 23 April 2007.



Roasted ruby grapefruit with mint, lemon and jalapeno (ruby grapfruit, evoo, flax oil, mint, lemon juice, lime juice, lemon zest, jalapeno, stevia and a very small pinch of sea salt).

Roasted tomato with eggplant and zucchini milles-feuilles (tomato, evoo, flax oil, garlic, sea salt, nutritional yeast, basil, oregano, black pepper) dusted with nutritional yeast.

Spicy hard and tofu hash on matzoh crackers (whole wheat matzoh crackers, tofu, green chard, evoo, flax oil, garlic, black pepper, grapefruit juice, kosher salt, turmeric, chili, and cumin) with a paprika run-around.

I can feel the mushroom withdrawal already.

The aperitif was elderflower water (although tequila and grapefruit juice would have been an equally perfect opener). The wine was Botter's Nero D'Avola.

Garlic broccoli, Hunan asparagus and red pepper, and lemon ginger mushrooms and green peppers.

Dinner 9 April 2007. Stir fry with quinoa.


Garlic broccoli (broccoli, carrots, tofu, garlic, corn starch, white wine, sea salt, sesame oil, chinese five spice).

Hunan asparagus and red pepper (tofu, aparagus, red pepper, white wine, wine vinegar, chili paste, tomatoes, sugar, garlic, corn starch, cumin, sea salt, sesame oil, chinese five spice).

Lemon ginger mushrooms and green peppers (cremini mushrooms, green pepper, tofu, corn starch, garlic, white wine, lemon juice, black pepper, ginger, chinese five spice).

Chipotle roasted tofu with potato, broccoli and mushroom au gratin

Chipotle roasted tofu (tofu, chipotle pepper, tamari, stevia, sea salt, wine vinegar, garlic, cumin, paprika) with potato/broccoli/mushroom au gratin (white wine, whole wheat flour, tahini, garlic, sea salt, black pepper, vegetable stock).

Wine: Botter's Nero D'Avola



Tofu:
1 brick of extra firm tofu in 8 slices (about 1 cm each)
1 teaspoon (or to taste) chipotle
2 tablespoons of tamari
2 tablespoons (or to taste) wine vinegar
stevia, cumin, garlic to taste
Marinade and then bake until most of the sauce has reduce/been absorbed (maybe 30 minutes)

The sauce is just the chipotle reduction (roasting/baking tofu with the marinade is a good way to add flavour and improve the texture of the tofu).

Au gratin:
Several large mushrooms (about 1 and 1/2 cups sliced or 2 cups quartered)
1 head of broccoli (two stalks should be enough -- or about 2 cups)
3 medium-sized potatoes in 1/2 inch or so dice
1/2 cup white wine (I use Botter's Pinot Grigio Chardonnay for white wine recipes).
2 cups vegetable stock
1 tablespoon whole wheat flour
1/2 cup nutritional yeast
1 tablespoon tahini
sea salt and black pepper to taste

I bake the au gratin in a covered casserole for about 40 minutes (you want to cook the potatoes through and reduce the stock) and then broil for another 15 minutes or so to brown the top.

Grilled eggplant and tofu mille-feuilles with red pepper, white bean and walnut paté on tomato and red pepper coulis

Lunch 3 March 2007. Grilled eggplant and tofu mile-feuilles (grilled eggplant, sea salt, sunflower oil, rice wine vinegar; grilled tofu, chipotle, tamari, wine vinegar, sea salt, sunflower oil, vegan worcestshire sauce) with red pepper, white bean and walnut paté (roasted red pepper, cannelini beans, walnuts, rice wine vinegar, nutritional yeast, gomaisho, sea salt, garlic, oregano, basil and thyme) on red pepper and tomato coulis (red pepper, tomato, red wine, vegan chicken stock, black pepper and garlic) with a fennel frond for the garnish.

I chased it with a celebratory cognac and espresso (celebratory because I thought for sure my eggplant/tofu stack would tip and spoil the presentation -- and I already have enough trouble with presentation). This was a time-intensive dish (grilling the tofu and eggplant separately, marinating both a couple of hours a head of time, prepping the paté, reducing the coulis), but it wasn't overly difficult in terms of labour. In fact, it was nice to have time to work on each individual piece.