Saturday, November 23, 2013

Willy Wonka Vegan Meme

Willy Wonka I came across this vegan meme the other day on VeggieBoards.com, and I thought it was pretty witty. A lot of dudes are worried that being vegetarian is socially awkward because eating burgers and steak is a sign of manliness. I disagree.

My hubbie still eats meat, but he isn't scared to try (and enjoy) my vegan foods and meals. He even eats them sometimes when I'm not around pushing them on him or cooking them for him. Gasp! As Rip Esselstein of The Engine 2 Diet says "Real Men Eat Plants"!

Saturday, November 2, 2013

My Very First Tofu Scramble!

Yes, I've been eating (99.5%) vegan for about 2 1/2 months now (and vegetarian for about 3 years), but I have never attempted to make a tofu scramble.  Shame on me!

Well, here is my first attempt.  It was pretty scrumptious if I do say so myself.  Next time, I would probably use more tofu (only had less than half a pack leftover) and probably not use the pre-cubed kind, but all in all, I have to say that it turned out well.

Tofu Scramble


Ingredients:

1 pack extra firm Tofu (Don't use pre-cubed because it will not scramble as well.)
About 1/3-1/2 of a head of broccoli (chopped into bite size florets and pieces)
2-3 bell peppers (I used red, yellow & orange for more color and flavor variety.)
2 tbsp. of olive oil
1/2 tbsp. (or more to taste) of Soy Sauce, Tamari (gluten-free option) or Bragg's Liquid Aminos
1-2 tsp. of Vinegar, depending on your preference
*I don't usually measure my spices when I cook, I just shake liberally to taste.  So I've put them in order of amount used from most to least.*
Cumin
Turmeric
Nutritional Yeast
Chili powder (or crushed red pepper)
Garlic powder**

**If you want to chop up some actual garlic cloves or add some onions, I'm all for it, but this morning I was going for ease in preparation.


Spices and ingredients I used.  (No penguins were harmed in the making of this scramble!)

First, chop up all of your veggies into bite-size pieces, just like you're doing a stir fry.  Add 1 tbsp. of the olive oil to a large skillet or saucepan.  Heat to medium and add all of the chopped broccoli and bell peppers.  Cook for about 2-3 minutes stirring regularly.  Season with some cumin and turmeric.


Turn the heat to medium-low and add remaining tbsp. of olive oil.  Push the veggies to one side and add the tofu to the other side of the skillet.  Use a spatula to break apart the tofu into little pieces. Mix the tofu and veggies back together.  Cook for about 1-2 minutes.  Then add soy sauce, vinegar, and the rest of the spices.  Feel free to add more cumin and turmeric if you like.


This recipe feeds 2, but if there is only one of you, the leftovers would also be really good wrapped up in a tortilla for an easy lunch or dinner.  Maybe add some hot sauce, Tofutti Better than Sour Cream, and/or vegan shredded "cheddar" to make it seem more like a taco/burrito.