Tofu That's Sort-of Like Breakfast Sausage...

This amazing brunch was a joint effort between Shaun and myself.

Doesn't it look lovely? (If I do say so myself!)

Shaun had been wanting to copy a particular "breakfast sausage" -style tofu that's his absolute favorite menu item at "Hillside Quickie", a vegan Southern/soul food restaurant near here. The place is AMAZING but we just can't go out for breakfast every day...

I think we came pretty darn close to their recipe though!!!
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No specific amounts yet, it's still a work-in-progress, but the method we used was:

• Freeze firm tofu.
• Thaw, drain and press.
• Slice into thick slabs.
• Marinate in soy sauce, liquid smoke, red wine, and a bunch of other spices and things...
• Fry until crisp in a well-oiled HOT pan.
• Top with gravy*.
• Enjoy! (Oh, some toast is good too).

*I used Isa's "Chickpea Gravy" which is like crack in this household... someone was nice enough to post the recipe here: Punkrock Chickpea Gravy. I admit it's the main reason I own Vegan with a Vengance, (I am just SOO not a "cookbook" sorta person) but if you've never tried it, DO!!!

I don't get the "breakfast sausage" similarity quite so much, but it's deliciously juicy, smoky, chewy, fried...pretty amazing stuff!

So yeah.... that was brunch. Fall-off-your-chair sort of delicious.

The next day we went to Kokeb Ethiopian Restaurant with fellow vegan friends from Seattle.

Ethiopian is truly a dining experience everyone needs to have. Lots of restaurants here in Seattle, but none in Albuquerque, (where Shaun lives) so what better reason to go?

You can read about it on their website. Lots of vegetarian choices too!!

Not only that, but I got to hold the cutest baby in Seattle... or Washington... maybe the world. (He's vegan too, how awesome is that?).

A Week's Vacation! Why Can't I Find Time To Blog!

First week off school (YAY!), my kids are camping with their Dad, and it's quiet around here - my "vacation" week before summer job starts at the library. You'd think I'd have long, lazy afternoons to eat bon-bons, cook and putter and ... BLOG!

But no.

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Not blogging anyway.

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I spent the whole week busy being just a little lazy and doing random things with friends and family, a little gardening, and cooking beautiful stuffs to my heart's content.

In addition, my nine-year-old 'Sprout's' baseball team made it to play-offs too, which was an awesome surprise, but threw everyone's schedule off a bit. I "borrowed" her from camping with Dad (fortunately they were only about 45 min. away) several evenings during the week to play with her team. (Apparently she isn't thrilled with having her picture taken!).

All of which left me no time to blog - I took pictures though!! I'll have to catch you up, bit by bit.

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OK, so, first of all; Sunday, my friend Shaun and I journeyed to Seattle's Sidecar Vegan Grocery where the Worldwide Vegan Bake Sale was being held. Did anyone hold this event in their town too?

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What a great idea, and such yummy goodies! (Like doughnuts from the famous "Mighty-O Doughnuts") Everything (except the doughnuts) was donated by local vegans, all of whom appear to be mighty talented in the baking department.

Proceeds from this particular sale went to the Pigs Peace Sanctuary. Other sales, held simultaneously, supported other causes, and they all helped the world discover how YUMMY Vegan baking can be!

Best of all - I'm so excited - I got to meet a fellow Blogger! Bethany of the fabulous "Spotted Devil Cat and His Vegan Assistant" blog.

She was a great help in problem-solving some upcoming cake-baking technicalities I'm anticipating (You don't see me blogging much about my cakes and baked goods here, do you? No, there's a reason for that, but I digress...)

Here are some lovely bake sale pictures Bethany took - so many wonderful goodies! Especially the cupcakes, *gasp* chocolate! You gotta check out her blog too; yummy food, and cute kitties and dogs, oh my!

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Shaun and I came away from the Bake Sale with all sorts of yuminess, most didn't make it NEAR a camera... but these chocolate-cookies-filled-with-peanut-butter were just too amazing not to photograph (and I know they had a much better title than that!).

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We stopped by Whole Foods on the way home. They're about an hour-and a half from my house, so it's only something I do about once a year.

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I get so overwhelmed when I'm there, so much fun stuff, I can never decide what to buy.

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I left the store with some specialty mushrooms and beautiful, local, crazy-delicious raspberries.

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I know, exciting stuff.

More catch-up, post-week-off blogging tomorrow!

Rite of Spring: My Mamma's Rhubarb Crisp

With a shout out and Happy Birthday to Igor Stravinsky (because yes, I AM a music nerd like that), I thought I'd post the quintessential "Rite of Spring" recipe from the Tofu Mom household... My Mamma's Rhubarb Crisp.

As an additional history note, rhubarb was first cultivated in China, though Russia was one of the first countries to use the plant's stalks, cooked with sweetener, as a dessert item. Perhaps Igor enjoyed rhubarb crisp as he composed?

OK, history lesson aside, this recipe has been a family favorite since long before I could hold a kitchen knife, and it's one of those things I assumed everyone had their own variation on.

I remember the anticipation every spring as we waited for the first rhubarb stalks to appear, and soon after, this dessert would grace the supper table. I didn't realize how dissatisfied the rest of the world was with their rhubarb recipes though, until I made this as an adult, and friends started begging for this recipe, saying it was "perfect".

I have no idea where my Mom got the recipe, but I do know it's really simple and really good. And "accidentally" vegan too! You need to try it. Even people who didn't think they like rhubarb have become converts.


Long ago, foolishly thinking I might "improve" on a classic, I searched the Interwebs for a "better" rhubarb crisp recipe. I was so mistaken! And I discovered many others in search of the perfect recipe as well... Recipe websites and cooking-whatever-dot-com had selection after selection of seemingly great-sounding recipes for rhubarb this and rhubarb that - accompanied by tons and tons of complaints from the cooking public because said recipes were unsatisfactory: too runny, too sweet, too tangy, too mushy, too dry, too complicated, too many ingredients, too everything...

And I tend to agree. Simple is better. I don't like my rhubarb mucked up with lime or coconut or even strawberries. I don't like nuts or molasses or other funky ingredients in the topping. I don't like it too runny or to dry. If you're anything like me (and apparently lots of other rhubarb-purists) , this will be the perfect dessert for you! If you want to add cinnamon or cherries or celery, that's up to you...

My Mamma's Perfect Rhubarb Crisp

4 - 5 cups diced rhubarb (depending on how sweet you want it)
1 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. and 1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 cup water
1 - 2 drops vanilla

Topping:
1/2 cup (1 cube) margarine
1 cup flour (whole wheat is OK here, though makes it a bit heavier)
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 tsp. salt

In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar and cornstarch. Add water and cook over med high, stirring with wire whisk until mixture bubbles and thickens. Don't let it splatter!

In medium bowl, cut margarine into flour with pastry blender or fork, until blended. Add sugar and oats. Mix well. Put half the topping in a 2 quart baking dish. (I have no idea how big this is, just a flat baking dish that looks like everything will fit).

Add diced rhubarb and pour sauce over. Add rest of topping. Bake at 350° for 45 minutes. (Cover with foil if topping gets too brown. If the pan is very full, it will bubble over and make a mess in your oven. Just sayin'...).

Enjoy. And Happy Summer (not spring any more, I guess, huh?!).

Some Potato Salads of YUM!

We're seeing a good bunch of veggies fresh from Yakima, which is half-way across the state, and has different weather entirely, so they manage to harvest earlier than we do here near the Puget Sound. Close enough for me though, I'm enjoying all the fresh summer produce I can get my hands on!!

I'm all about potato salad this week and have made it three times already. I'll post both recipes. I'll have to tell you, I LOVE radishes in my potato salad, if you're not a fan, leave them out...

Here's my newest favorite. I LOVE the fresh veggies! I got sort-of an approximate idea from our local CSA's recipe flyer.

Farmer's Market Potato Salad

1 cup raw, fresh green beans, cut in 1-inch lengths
1 lb. whole sm. red potatoes

3/4 cup small cubed smoked tofu

3/4 c. sliced red onion

1/3 c. coarsely chopped green onion

3/4 c. thinly sliced radishes

1/2 cup finely chopped fresh (NOT dried!) parsley

1/2 cup chopped red peppers

Dressing:

1 Tablespoons white wine vinegar

2 tsp. lemon juice

1 clove garlic, minced

1/8 tsp. ground red pepper AND black pepper

Dash of salt

2 Tablespoons Vegenaise

Make Dressing:

Mix well (I use my food processor) and refrigerate.

Salad: Cook beans until just done (they should be firm and retain their bright green color).

Drain and cool.

Quarter potatoes. Add potatoes to boiling salted water and cook until done but still firm. Drain and put into large bowl.
Add remaining ingredients to bowl (except radishes) and chill.

Do not toss until potatoes are well chilled. Cover and chill for several hours or overnight.

Pour dressing over salad 2 hours before serving and toss to coat. Before serving or transporting, stir in radishes.

And here's my favorite basic, go-to potato salad. Everyone loves this and it's SOO simple!!

Creamy Radish-and-Potato Salad

3 lbs. red potatoes, scrubbed

1/2 cup thinly sliced red radishes
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1 cup Vegenaise (or other vegan mayo)

1/2 cup Tofutti Sour Cream (or other vegan sour cream)
2 tablespoons dijon mustard
1 teaspoon each salt and pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

Cut potatoes into 1 inch chunks. Bring to a boil over medium high heat. Cook until potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. Drain potatoes.

Toss hot potatoes with radishes and onions. Cool to room temperature.

Add in the Vegenaise, sour cream, mustard, salt and pepper, stirring gently. When potatoes cool down to room temperature, add in dill. Taste and adjust seasoning. Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving, garnish with dill and fresh cracked black pepper.

The School Year Draws to a Close...

Right away let me say I cannot take credit for these cute cupcakes!!

But I just couldn't resist posting a picture, and they're ALL VEGAN TOO!!! (OK, I couldn't swear the food coloring is vegan, I honestly don't know there.)

A parent brought these adorable goodies in to class today and of course they were a HUGE hit with all the students!!!

One of my students had recently been diagnosed with some pretty severe allergies, including both eggs and milk. It's taken a bit of adjustment for the little girl to get used to the changes in her lunchbox. I've shared a few vegan tips that Mom has been very receptive to and even loaned her my Vegan Cupcakes Take Over The World cookbook when she was bemoaning the fact that they wouldn't be able to do cupcakes this year for end-of-school.

She was totally thrilled with the vegan cupcake recipes, and then used the book "Hello, Cupcake" for decorating inspiration. Really a fun book, you should check it out, if you're into the whole cupcake thing... I think many of the ideas could be easily vegan-ized.

WAY TOO CUTE!!