Blissful Bites (42 page)

1 teaspoon turmeric

2 tablespoons tamari

1 tablespoon mirin

1 cup filtered water

1 cup grated unsweetened dried coconut

1 ear fresh corn, cut from cob

Cilantro, for garnish

Bring 3 cups filtered water and lentils to a boil in a medium saucepan. Simmer until almost tender, about 25 minutes. Take care to not overcook the lentils—they will cook in the curry sauce later. Turn off flame and let sit.

Meanwhile, heat large skillet and oil over medium heat. Add carrots, celery, and pinch of sea salt and sauté for a few minutes until lightly cooked. Add spices and sauté for another minute.

Stir in the rest of the ingredients, including lentils. Simmer with lid on for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add water as needed so lentils do not stick. Remove lid and cook for a few more minutes, until water is cooked off. Garnish with cilantro and serve immediately.
 

chilled corn bisque

tempeh reuben with russian dressing

Makes 4 sandwiches

When I first discovered the joys of tempeh reubens at the vegan restaurants around Los Angeles, I would try every one to find the best. My winner was at Café Flourish. It closed down, so I was forced to create my own.

2 packages (8 ounces) tempeh

8 slices rye bread

Earth Balance, for frying bread (optional)

2 avocados, sliced

Lettuce

Sauerkraut

marinade

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cup filtered water

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cup tamari

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cup red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon paprika

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teaspoon dried dill weed

Dash black pepper

2 tablespoons maple syrup

russian dressing

Makes about 1 cup

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cup vegan mayonnaise

2 tablespoons ketchup

2 tablespoons relish, or chopped pickles

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tablespoon red wine vinegar

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tablespoon tamari, or more to taste

Cut the thickness of the tempeh in half, then cut into 3x2 cutlets. Mix marinade ingredients in a long, shallow dish. Marinate tempeh for three hours or overnight, flipping a few times. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Drain most of the marinade from the tempeh and save, leaving a little at the bottom of the pan. Bake for 40 minutes, flipping tempeh at 20 minutes. If it gets too dry, add a touch of marinade.

Meanwhile, whisk together the dressing ingredients until smooth and creamy.

to assemble the reuben

Heat cast-iron skillet over medium flame. Spread Earth Balance on one side of each slice of bread. Fry butter-side-down first until golden brown and crispy. Flip and fry the other side. Continue with the rest of the bread.

Cut tempeh into slices to fit bread and place a few slices on one piece of bread. Top with avocado. Place desired amount of sauerkraut on top of avocado, then smother in
russian dressing
, on page 185, and top with lettuce. Top with another slice of bread and cut in half. Serve immediately.
 

curry chicken-less salad

• Makes 5 to 7 servings •
Fan Fave

This is the perfect lunch and is delicious whether it has the curry powder or not. If you aren't feeling like curry, leave it out.

1 package (14 ounces) extra firm tofu

4 ounces tempeh (optional)

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cup carrot, grated

1 cup celery, finely diced

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cup currants

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cup slivered almonds

1 tablespoon curry powder, or more to taste

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cup vegan mayonnaise

1 tablespoon yellow mustard

1 teaspoon maple syrup

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Sea salt and black pepper, to taste

Whole-wheat bread, pita, or brown rice crackers

Steam tofu and tempeh for 10 minutes. Allow it to cool enough to handle, then grate into medium bowl and stir in the rest of the salad ingredients. Mix until well combined. Season to taste.

Chill in refrigerator for 15 to 30 minutes. Serve on toasted bread or with brown rice crackers.
 

• Makes 3 to 5 servings

This is a big hit with the kids, as one of my recipe testers found out. Her son kept asking for more tofu! Feel free to try your favorite veggies with this marinade. Tempeh is a delicious alternative to tofu.

Oil, for grill

1 package (14 ounces) extra firm tofu, cut into 2-inch cubes

1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into large chunks

1 zucchini, sliced into 1-inch pieces

6 to 8 cremini mushrooms, ends trimmed

6 large cherry tomatoes

Pineapple chunks, fresh or canned

hawaiian bbq marinade

1 cup barbecue sauce

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cup maple syrup

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 cup pineapple juice

Pinch sea salt and black pepper

Mix marinade in long, shallow dish. Marinate tofu and veggies for at least one hour, up to overnight, stirring occasionally. If grilling, skewers should be soaked in filtered water for 20 minutes to prevent burning. Also, make sure your grill is properly oiled so the tofu doesn't stick.

Alternate tofu and veggies with pineapple on the skewers. Continue until all the ingredients are used. Cook on grill until all sides are brown, basting with leftover marinade.
 

• Makes 4 to 6 servings

Larb is a traditional Thai and Laotian dish usually made with chicken or pork, lime juice, spices, and peanuts. This is a healthy, delicious plant-based version made with tofu and lots of added veggies.

1 package (14 ounces) extra firm tofu

1 large carrot, grated

5 leaves Napa cabbage, thinly sliced

1 cup red bell pepper, finely diced

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cup cilantro, chopped

3 tablespoons mint, finely chopped

1 lime, juiced

3 tablespoons tamari

2 tablespoons maple syrup

Pinch sea salt

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cup unsalted roasted peanuts, for garnish

Steam tofu for 10 minutes. Crumble tofu into a bowl. Add all ingredients except peanuts to the bowl and stir well. Chill for 15 to 30 minutes to let flavors meld. Garnish with peanuts.

• Makes 3 to 5 servings