Tofu "feta" cheese, fatfree 3 ways including vege pizza

Ingredients

1 pound extra-firm tofu

2 tbsp water

4 tsp yellow miso paste

¼ cup red wine vinegar

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp salt

2 tsp basil, dried

1 tsp oregano or majarom, dried

¼ tsp rosemary, dried

2 tbsp nutritional yeast

Instructions

Break tofu into a few large pieces in a mixing bowl and set aside. Whisk
all remaining ingredients, except nutritional yeast, together. Pour
over tofu and mix with your hands, crumbing the tofu into smaller pieces
as you go. Set aside and let rest for 10 minutes. Sprinkle 1 tbsp of
nutritional yeast over top and mix. Taste, adding more nutritional yeast
if desired.

This is from the book Happy Herbivore Abroad & also found on Lindsay's blog
http://happyherbivore.com/2010/06/vegan-feta-cheese/

I made half the recipe - it was quite cheesy and yum. Perhaps not as salty or sharp as I remember feta - I added a little more salt and lemon and may tweek it a bit more next time I make it.

Had it several times over labour weekend

1st in a Greek Salad with chopped tomato, red onion & cucumber, Olives would have been good! added the nongreek element of using up some leftover cooked quinoa and drizzled over some pomegranate flavoured vinegar - delicious lunch.

then I had some baked potato that night and filled it with some "feta" that with salad was a lovely dinner.

Also used it on a vege pizza, used a commercial pizza base from my freezer, spread some baba ganoush on that (recipe in another post), topped with some blanched greens (silverbeet & spinach - cooled & water rung out), sliced courgette, red onion, red pepper & mushroom then crumbled the last of my "feta" over the top and cooked for 20 minutes ooh yeah! that's a keeper!

Braised Greens and Mushrooms

I adore this combination. Recently I had some mustard greens and portobellow mushrooms.
Saute some onion in water
add a clove or 2 of garlic
add mushrooms and saute until tender
then add sliced greens of your choice - silver beet, mustard greens, kale etc. If you use spinach you only need a very short cooking time - you will need a little longer for other greens
sometimes I add chopped tomates.

This is very yummy just like that and depends what I am serving it with as to whether I add something else for flavour - can add soya sauce and chili flakes etc.

If you want a one pot meal stir in some cubed tofu or chickpeas and serve over brown rice or quinoa.

Green dressing on Green & Fruity salad

Dressing

1 handful of coriander leaves

4-6 nuts (I used pecans)

2 tbs tofu jelly (or could use soft silken tofu)

1 lime peeled and chopped

2 tsp maple syrup (adjust to taste)

1 tsp wholegrain mustard

Blend the coriander and nuts to a paste, add the rest of the ingredients and blend until smooth. Taste and add more maple syrup or mustard if needed.

I came home from the market with some coriander and tofu jelly and got inspired. This was fresh and delicious. I served it over the following salad:

Cos(romaine) lettuce roughly chopped

Cucumber

Cherry tomatoes

½ red pepper

1 lge chopped radish

Pulp from a passionfruit

3-4 chopped strawberries

2-3 tbs cooked red quinoa

This was sooo good and sooo fresh, thought I'd died and gone to heaven!

Mushroom Gravy

Ingredients: 

• 3 1/2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth, divided
• 1 cup chopped white onion
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 8 ounces wild mushrooms, trimmed and chopped (used about a cup of button mushrooms)
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh thyme
• 1/4 cup Merlot or other spicy red wine
• 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium tamari
• 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• 2 tablespoons whole wheat or spelt flour
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Method: 

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, bring 1/2 cup broth to a simmer. Add onion and garlic and cook for about 4 minutes or until onion is translucent. Stir in mushrooms, rosemary and thyme and continue to cook about 2 minutes or until mushrooms release their liquid and start to become tender. Add wine and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in remaining 3 cups broth and bring to a simmer.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together tamari, yeast and flour to form a thick paste. Add mixture to skillet about 1 teaspoon at a time, whisking constantly to make sure paste dissolves. Bring to a boil and boil 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add pepper. 

I used dried herbs (3 tsp Italian herb mix).

Blended it with stick blender and used 2 tsp of cornflour for the thickening.

This made a wonderful tasty gravy - definitely use it again!

Recipe from: http://wholefoodsmarket.com/recipe/vegan-mushroom-gravy

Lentil Cashew Loaf

Ingredients

1 cup lentils
2 cups water
1 large onion, finely chopped
a generous handful of mushrooms, finely chopped
3 tablespoons water or oil for frying (omitted this & used water for saute)
1 cup ground cashew nuts (or other nuts of your choice)
1 cup breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon soy sauce
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon Italian herbs or similar

Method

1. Wash lentils and cook in the water til soft.
2. Sauté onions and mushrooms.
3. When soft add the remaining ingredients and mix well.
4. Place mixture into oiled baking pan. Bake at 350* for 30 minutes

This recipe was from http://www.vegetarian.org.nz/content/recipes/lentils/lentil-cashew-loaf/

It was delicious but didn't hold together as a loaf - I'm thinking I'll add a "flax egg" (1 tbs ground flaxseed + 3 tbs water) to help bind it next time, also would like to add some grated veges (eg courgettes & carrots).

Served this with Mushroom Gravy

Five Spice Stirfry Veges & tofu

1 onion - chopped

2 cloves garlic minced

2-3 cm root ginger finely chopped

½ Red pepper chopped

1-2 cups mushrooms chopped

Other veges as desired – broccoli, cauliflour, courgette

Greens – choose bok choy, Kale, silver beet (I used a head of bok choy)

Tofu firm – half block drained & cubed

Five spice powder 1 tsp

Chili flakes hot – ¼ to ½ tsp to taste

Soy sauce 1 tbs

Sauté onion in a small amount of water in non-stick pan/wok. When soft add the garlic and ginger stir briefly and add remainder of veges (except greens).

When tender add the tofu, chilli, five spice powder and soy sauce

Lastly add chopped greens and cook until tender 2-5 minutes (Kale takes longest)

Serve with brown rice.

One day I had left over cooked quinoa and stirred that in to make stir-fry quinoa (just like stirfry rice)

Have also tried a little mirrin with the soy sauce – yum.

Can use wine for some of the sauté also.

Sumptuous Tempeh Mushroom Stroganoff

Made this for my father for his 92nd birthday went down a treat, rich wine sauce and tarragon mmmm gorgeous!

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for pasta (or omit & use water for saute)
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 cup flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped, plus more for garnish
• 1 cup dry sherry, divided
• 1 cup sliced mushrooms, any variety
• 8 ounces tempeh, cut into small cubes or strips
• 1 1/2 cans navy beans, rinsed, drained and puréed (had canellini beans they worked well)
• 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce or mushroom soy sauce
• 1/2 cup red wine
• 1 teaspoon tarragon
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 3 cups noodles (we used potato mash, brown rice = yum)

• INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Heat the olive oil (or water) and saute onion in a pot on high heat, stirring constantly. When the onions are translucent, add the garlic, parsley and a splash of sherry. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the mushrooms and the remainder of the sherry. Cover and cook over low heat for about five minutes.
  2. Add the tempeh and cook for another 5 minutes. Uncover, add navy beans, soy sauce, red wine and tarragon, and cook until the sauce reaches a thick, saucy consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  3. Cook the noodles in a separate pot and drain well. Drizzle with olive oil and toss lightly.
  4. Serve with the sauce and garnish with parsley

source was: "V Cuisine: The Art of New Vegan Cooking," by Angeline Linardis. Someone kindly posted this on their blog, if all her other recipes are like this I would love the book - pity it is not available as ebook.