Crispy Tofu Sticks

Now we are going to learn crispy tofu sticks recipe. In order to make 4 serving of crispy tofu sticks we need the following ingredients:

• 1 lb. fresh tofu, drained
• Onion salt (or powder)
• Garlic powder (or salt) (optional)
• 1 tablespoon food yeast flakes
• ⅛ teaspoon powdered sea kelp (optional)

How to make the crispy tofu sticks

• Cut tofu into strips about ¼ by ½ by 3 inches.
• Lay tofu strips close together in lightly oiled heated skillet.
• Turn as soon as golden; be careful not to break.
• Sprinkle lightly with the seasonings; cook until crisp.
• Serve with toast or hot brown rice as an entree or as an entree topping for vegetables or casseroles.

Note: Tofu is crisper if frozen and thawed before browning.

Easy Recipe For Tofu

Almost all vegetarians and vegans like some tofu  in their diet. In this post we will learn how to make  quick and easy  tofu. For the purposes of this post we are going to make 4 servings and we will need the following ingredients:

• 1 lb. tofu drained
• 1 can (10 ¾-oz.) condensed mushroom soup
• 1 can (2-oz.) mushroom pieces, undrained

How to make quick and easy tofu

• Cube tofu into pan or casserole dish.
• Mix soup with the mushrooms and their liquid; dilute with a little water if desired.
• Cover tofu with mushrooms and soup.
• Simmer over low heat until flavor has gone through or Bake at 350° F. until heated through.
• Serve on hot brown rice or toast or in patty shells.
• Garnish with pimento strips or chopped parsley and paprika; oiled bread crumbs may be sprinkled over the top.

Variations: 

1. Sprinkle tofu cubes very lightly with soy sauce before adding soup mixture.
2. Brown cubes in a little oil.
3. Use 1 can (4-oz.) of mushroom pieces or omit mushrooms.
4. Use tomato soup or sauce or any desired gravy in place of mushroom soup.

How To Make Guacamole Sauce

For the purposes of this Guacamole sauce, we will need the following ingredients to make 1½ cups:

• 1 large avocado, peeled and mashed (1 cup)
• 1 medium tomato, peeled and chopped (½ cup)
• 1 teaspoon fresh grated onion or onion powder to taste
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice or to taste
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt

How to make Guacamole Sauce

• Mix all ingredients; chill.
• Serve as topping on tacos, tostadas, as spread on toast, as sandwich filling, or as a dip.

Variation: Many Latinos add a tablespoon of olive oil and a tablespoon of minced cilantro (a variety of parsley)

How To Make Lemon Sauce

For the lemon sauce recipe we need the following ingredients:

• ½ cup sliced carrots
• 1½ cups diced potatoes
• ½ cup saved cooking liquid
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon Ac'cent
• 1 tablespoons oil
• 1½ tablespoons lemon juice
• ⅛ teaspoon ground cumin or sweet basil (or favorite herb)
• 1 tablespoon food yeast flakes

How to make the lemon sauce 

• Simmer carrots in small amount of water about 5 minutes; add potatoes; cook until carrots and potatoes are tender; drain (save liquid).
• Whiz all ingredients in blender until smooth; add a spoonful more liquid if necessary for operating blender.
• Heat and serve as sauce for hot entrees; over vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, or asparagus.

Tostadas

For this vegetarian recipe for tostadas we need the following ingredients: -

• 13 corn tortillas, crisped
• 4 cups Refried Beans
• 1 head lettuce, shredded
• ½ bunch green onions, thinly sliced (use green tops)
• 2 medium tomatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1 recipes Guacamole sauce
• 1 can (2-oz.) chopped olives

How to make Tostadas

• Lay tortillas on cookie sheet, not overlapping.
• Heat in 400° F. oven until crisp (5 to 10 minutes).
• Spread ⅓ cup refried beans on each crisped tortilla; top with ½  to 1 cup salad greens, a little onion, tomatoes, 2 tablespoons Guacamole Sauce, and a teaspoon or more of chopped olives.

Alternate method: Lay each side of tortilla in oil in warm skillet; transfer to baking sheet. Bake at 400° F. until crisp and light brown on each side, turning once. Stack tortillas on plate with paper towels between each. This method uses about 3 tablespoons oil (30 calories per tortilla).

VARIATIONS:

1. Omit Guacamole Sauce; use Slim Jim Sour Creme or one of the Cheeselike Spreads. 
2. In place of lettuce use tender dark greens.

Tacos

To make 12 servings of tacos we will need the following ingredients:-

Taco Filling

• 1 cup dry vita-Burger
• 1 cup hot water
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 2 tablespoons oil
• ⅛ teaspoon oregano or sweet basil
• ⅛ teaspoon cumin
• ½ cup tomato sauce
• 12 taco shells

Topping (combination as desired)

• shredded lettuce,
• shredded radishes,
• diced tomato,
• Guacamole Sauce'
• chopped onions,
• chopped olives.

How to prepare Tacos

• Soak Vita-Burger in the hot water until water is absorbed (about 15 minutes).
• Saute onion and garlic in the oil until almost done; add Vita-Burger and seasonings; stir and cook 8  to  10 minutes; add tomato sauce and cook down.
• Crisp and heat taco shells in the oven at 350° F. 3 to 4 minutes.
• Spoon 2 rounded tablespoons Taco Filling into each warm taco; cover with topping.

VARIATIONS: 

1. Use Vege-Burger instead of vita-Burger. 
2. Use Refried Beans or Hacienda Chili Beans instead of burger.
3. Use one of the Cheeselike Spreads along with the topping.

Russian Stroganoff

To cook the Russian Stroganoff we need the following ingredients enough for 10 servings:-

• ½ cup chopped onions
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1 can (4-oz.) mushroom pieces, drained (save liquid)
• 1 lb. Meatless "Beef" Style, thawed and cubed
• ½-1 cup water
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon beef-like seasoning
• ¼ cup Slim Jim Sour Creme

How to prepare the Russian Straganoff

• Saute onion in the oil in a large skillet 2 minutes; add mushrooms and saute 2 minutes; add mushroom liquid and remaining ingredietnts except Sour Creme; simmer on very low heat 5 minutes; stir in Sour Creme very gently so as not to break up the cubes; heat through about 5 minutes.
• Serve over hot brown rice, cooked buckwheat groats, or in patty shells.

VARIATIONS: 

1. Meatless "Beef" Style may be replaced with Meatless Roast Beef, Vita-Burger Chunks, Vita-Burger, or Vege-Burger.
2. Replace Meatless "Beef" Style with 1 can (19-oz.) of Dinner Cuts cut in bite-sized pieces; roll cuts in a mixture of ¼ cup flour and ¼  cup food yeast flakes; brown in ⅓ cup oil; add the onion and mushrooms and saute briefly; proceed as above.

Cheeseless Pizza

In this article we are going to make 12 servings of cheeseless pizza 12 x16-inch pizza. To do this we need the following ingredients: -

• ½ cup Vita-Burger or any vegetarian burgers.
• ½ cup hot water
• 1 can (4-oz.) mushroom pieces, drained (save liquid)
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1 can (6-oz.) tomato paste
• ½ teaspoon Ac'cent
• ½ teaspoon sweet basil
• ½ teaspoon oregano
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 can (4-oz.) sliced olives, drained

How to prepare the above ingredients: -

• Soak Vita-Burger in the hot water until water is absorbed (about 15 minutes).
• Saute mushrooms, onions, and Vita-Burger in the oil.
• Mix tomato paste with liquid from mushrooms and the seasonings.
• Combine all the ingredients.

Ingredients for the Dough

• 1 package active dry yeast (1 tablespoon)
• 1 cup lukewarm water
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1½ tablespoon oil
• 3 cups flour (½ whole-wheat)
• 3 tablespoons cornmeal

Topping

• 1 cup Jiffy Spread

How to prepare the pizza

• Dissolve yeast in water
• Stir in sugar, salt, oil, and half the flour; mix well; stir in 1 cup or more of flour until dough leaves side of bowl and is stiff enough to knead.
• Knead on lightly floured board about 2 minutes.
• Sprinkle cornmeal on ungreased 12 x 16-inch cookie sheet.
• Roll out dough large enough for cookie sheet; fit into the pan, cupping the edges.
• Spread tomato mixture evenly over the dough; bake immediately, not allowing it to rise before baking.
• Bake at 350° F. 25 minutes.
• Spread Jiffy Spread over top near end of baking time.
• Remove from oven and allow to sit 2 or 3 minutes.
• Cut and serve hot.

Enchiladas

To cook vegetarian enchiladas for 6 servings we need the following ingredients:-

• 6 corn tortillas, unbaked
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 2 cups low-fat cottage cheese

How to cook the tortilla: -

• Brown each tortilla lightly in oil on one side. Turn and spread with cottage cheese while browning the other side.
• Roll tortilla and serve with Sour Creme Mexican Sauce. A green salad is a good accompaniment.

The ingredients for the Sour Creme Mexican Sauce are as follows:-

• 2 cups cooked tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon chopped onion
• 2 tablespoons chopped green pepper
• ⅓ cup chopped celery.
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon margarine or oil
• 1 tablespoon flour
• ½ cup Slim Jim Sour Creme

How to prepare the Sour Creme Mexican Sauce

• Cook first 6 ingredients together 15 minutes.
• Melt margarine and mix with flour; add to tomato mixture; mix well and simmer until thickened; stir often.
• Add Sour Creme, mix and heat through.

VARIATION: Lay  tortilla in baking dish; spread with cottage cheese; add Sour Creme Mexican Sauce; repeat layers of tortillas, cottage cheese, and sauce. Bake at  350° F. 20 to 30 minutes. Let sit before cutting.

Stir-Fry Vegetables With Tofu

To cook stir-fry vegetables with tofu in 5 servings we need the following ingredients: -

• 1 lb. fresh tofu, well drained.
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1 medium onion, cut in half lengthwise, and thinly sliced 
• 1 large carrot
• 1 large stalk broccoli or 1 cup sliced green beans
• 2 stalks celery
• 1 can (4-oz.) sliced mushrooms with liquid
• 1 cup water
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• ½ teaspoon garlic salt
• Dash of Ac'cent
• Soy sauce to taste.

How to cook the stir-fry vegetables with tofu

• Dice tofu and vegetables except broccoli.
• Break broccoli head into small flowerets.
• Brown the tofu in 1 tablespoon of the oil; remove to serving platter.
• Saute onion in other tablespoon of oil until almost tender; add the other vegetables in order; stir occasionally; cover a few minutes to steam; vegetables should be crisp, but done.
• Put vegetables on the serving platter.
• Dissolve cornstarch in the mushroom liquid.
• Bring the water to a boil; stir in cornstarch; cook 1 minutes; add mushrooms, garlic salt, and Ac'cent; stir smooth; pour over vegetables and tofu; mix gently.
• Serve with soy sauce and hot brown rice.

NOTE:  Tofu may be cut into strips about 3 by 1 by ½ inch. Cut the carrot, broccoli stalk, and celery into julienne strips or diagonal slices. 

VARIATION: In place of 1 can (4-oz.) mushrooms use 1 can (2-oz.) or 1 cup fresh mushrooms, or 6 medium dried mushrooms (re hydrated and cleaned).

Oriental Tofu

In our quest to find more healthy vegan and vegetarian recipes we now go on to learn how to prepare oriental tofu. This recipe will result in 4 servings and the ingredients are as follows: -

• 1 lb. fresh tofu, well drained (see tip at the bottom)
• 1½ tablespoon oil

How to cook the oriental tofu

• Slice tofu about ½  inch thick.
• Saute on both sides in warm oiled skillet.
• Serve immediately. Let each individual choose seasonings; soy sauce, Ac'cent, garlic or onion powder, or sauted onions.

Tip: Tofu must be well drained: Drain chunks or slices 15 minutes or more in strainer or on folded towels. When tofu is to be mashed, squeeze by hand or press against the side of a dish lined with towels. A quick method of draining tofu is to blanch it; that is, drop it into boiling water to cover; simmer 2 minutes to firm it; drain again. This makes the tofu easier to handle. (This method is not to be used when the tofu is used in patties, et cetera, and the firming is desired during the cooking.) This will also remove sourness from tofu.

Chickpea Chops Recipe

Continuing with our efforts to promote and share vegan and vegetarian recipes we now focus on entrees starting with Chickpea chops.The ingredients in this recipe are for 4 servings and are as follows:-

• ½ cup drychickpeas (garbanzos) (about 1¼ cups soaked)
• 1 medium onion, cut in chunks
• ½ cup low-fat milk
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1½ teaspoons garlic salt or less
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin or ground coriander
• 2 Brazil nuts (optional)
• 2½-3 slices whole-grain bread
• 1 tablespoon minced parsley
• 1 tablespoon chopped pimento

How to prepare chickpea chops

• Soak chickpeas 
• Whiz onion, milk, oil, seasonings, and nuts in blender.
• Drain chickpeas; add to ingredients in blender and continue whizzing; pour into bowl.
• Crumble bread into bowl; add remaining ingredients; mix well.
• Form into chops (patties).
• Bake on oiled cookie sheet at 350° F. about 30 minutes.
• Serve with yogurt, Slim Jim Sour Creme, or Gravy Chic-Style. Garnish with added pimento.

Note: For other garbanzo patties, see Falafels