dreaming of Barcelona

i have yet to visit Barcelona... well, i have yet to go to Spain.  and when i do, i will indulge in all the Spanish tortilla i can.  the authentic version: full of eggs, potatoes and saffron. i can't wait!  having said that, the vegan Spanish tortilla, or as Isa Chandra Moskowitz calls hers, the "Revolutionary Spanish Omelet", that i make regularly, is pretty fantastic and uses no eggs at all.  so for those of you with allergies, those of you who are strictly vegan, or those of you just watching your egg intake, this version can be equally satisfying.  in fact, i almost prefer it sometimes to the egg version and pretty much always opt for it in my daily cooking. but for the sake of embracing authenticity (within limits, of course), i WILL have the original, not so revolutionary version, when i do eventually make it to Spain!

for Isa's delicious original "revolutionary Spanish omelet", i invite you to check out her book vegan with the vengeance. that recipe is delicious, though i usually play with it a bit.  i've added some nutritional yeast to it, a dash of smoked Spanish paprika, and i almost always roast lots of onions and garlic cloves along with the potatoes.  i like the sweet roasted garlic "surprise", so i make sure to always have some.    also, the other day, i had completely re hauled the recipe by using yams, rosemary and lots of smoked Spanish paprika.  the result was pretty delicious too! and as i am much more of a yam-fan than a potato fan, this will now be my mainstay tortilla!

here is what you need if you'd like to try my even more revolutionary (though completely unauthentic) 


Smokey Yam Omelet with Rosemary, Sage, Spanish Paprika and Roasted Garlic

3 medium size yams, washed and sliced 
1 red onion, sliced 
4-5 cloves of garlic
1 block of medium/firm tofu
1T nutritional yeast
2 sprigs of Rosemary, or 1-2t the dry stuff
1t sage
1T smoked Spanish paprika
1t coarse sea salt
3T oil and more for brushing 
some unsweetened almond/ or soy milk or veggie stock
1-2T sliced, blanched almonds

in an oven, roast the yam slices, onions and garlic (keep the husks on the garlic, and reserve one), with 1 T olive oil (or more if you like that), a pinch of sea salt and some rosemary and sage.  if you have a cast iron pan, a pan with metal handles and no plastic on it, or a nice round baking dish, roast it right in it...   roast at high temperature (i usually broil it) for about 10-15 minutes or until the yams are soft and edges are getting dark.

while the veggies are roasting, break up the tofu into chunks and in a food processor or in a bowl (using a hand blender), process/blend the tofu with 1 T olive oil, the nutritional yeast, one clove of garlic, the smoked paprika, sea salt and a pinch of rosemary.  add some almond or soy milk to get a smooth consistency that's creamy but not too runny.  you want it to still be scoop-able without being too thick.  taste and add whatever else you think


when the veggies are done, take out of the oven.  "fish out" the garlic and squeeze it out of the husks. you can cut it into smaller pieces or just leave the little garlic "surprise" for whoever is lucky enough... arrange the yams so that they are more or less evenly distributed.  now, pour/or scoop out the tofu mixture over the yams, distribute evenly and shake the dish/pan that you are using, even bang it on the counter a little to make sure that some of the tofu "sinks" between the yams.  smooth out the surface.  brush a little olive oil on top.  garnish with some rosemary leaves and sprinkle some smoked paprika on it... you can also sprinkle some almond slices or pine nuts for a nice finish. 


now, bake in the oven at about 400F for 30 minutes or so.  take out of the oven, check if the tofu has "set" and let it sit for 10 minutes before eating.  you can eat it as is just with a side of salad of some sort because it is very flavourful on its own.  or Isa has a delicious roasted red pepper sauce that she serves her potato omelet with.   its pretty easy to make if you have some ready make roasted red peppers in a jar.  then you just need 3-4 of those, a little lemon, a little brown sugar or maple syrup and 1/3 cup of almond meal.  blend, taste, add whatever you fancy! delicious! 

i heart corinader!

coriander, and its green incarnation, cilantro, take the center stage in this recipe for seared spiced tofu steaks with mango coriander salsa.   served over zucchini-yam fritters or a salad, these delicious tofu steaks are a wonderful, colorful meal for a hot summer evening, though the comfort factor of this meal would hit all the right notes on an autumn or winter night just the same. versatile and colorful, this meal will engage all of your senses! 

the key to making delicious tofu "steaks" is the marinade.  the longer they get to "soak", the more flavorful they will be when you sear or grill them. the marinade in this recipe features toasted coriander seeds, mustard seeds and cumin (in a little oil), fresh grated ginger, lime juice, rice vinegar, olive oil, agave nectar and a a little coconut milk.  see recipe below.

finally, the mango corinader salsa is a quick and tasty addition to these steaks.  use one mango, half a bell pepper and a little finely chopped red onion, combine with toasted coriander seeds (in a little oil to release the flavor), fresh lime juice, a little sea salt and fresh, chopped cilantro.  let the mixture chill in the fridge for a couple of hours to get the flavors nicely integrated. 

eggplant "canneloni" with tofu ricotta and pesto

these eggplant roll ups are easy but quite elegant.  you can serve them as appetizers or, paired with a salad, they can be also make a lovely and light main course.  i made the ricotta from tofu because i wanted these to be vegan, but you can use regular ricotta if you don't mind the dairy. if you do, i'd season it with some salt, pepper and herbs (much as the seasoning in the recipe).  these "cannelonis" are sufficiently moist and packed with flavour, so aside from a little drizzle of pesto, other sauce is unnecessary.  you can, however, serve them with some simple marinara sauce.

eggplant "canneloni" with tofu ricotta and pesto 
makes about 12-14

my heart skipps a beet

i love beets! their earthiness, sweetness and rich colour. i find that roasting them with a little olive oil and salt brings out all those qualities best. here, i paired them with shelled edamame, arugula and seared tofu for a gorgeous and nutritious dinner salad. roasted garlic, toasted pine nuts and herb-spelt croutons make it all that much more special. you can add some nice goat's cheese for a non-vegan option.

2 small beets, sliced
handful of arugula
0.3 cup shelled frozed edamame (soy beans) or baby lima beans
2 0.25 inch slices of tofu
3 cloves garlic
2T+ olive oil
1 slice spelt bread, cubed
0.5 t tarragon, marjoram or any dry herb
splash of red wine
0.5 t cajun spice mix
pinch of salt
1 T lemon juice

toss the sliced beets and garlic cloves in some olive oil and roast on a baking sheet for about 10 min or until tender;

for the crutons: in a pan or heavy skillet heat 1 T of the olive oil, add the cubed toast and dry herbs and toast in the pan until golden and crunchy; toast the pine nuts and set aside.

for the seared tofu: in a pan, heat 1t olive oil and place tofu slices in it, sprinkle cajun spice mix and some salt on it and let cook for about 1-2 min or until lightly browned; turn over and repeat the same. when both sides are browned, splash the red wine over it and let the tofu absorb it. remove from the heat.

run the edamame under warm water to defreeze quickly. place in the pan with some lemon juice, saute briefly (less than 1 min).

assemble salad by stacking altering layers of roasted beets (3 to 4 slices) and seared tofu on a bed of arugula. place the edamame over the stack, let fall. arrange the croutons, roasted garlic and pine nuts over top. serve with 1 T of creamy balsamic vinaigrette (see july 6 posting for a recipe).

makes 1 dinner salad serving; 2 side salad servings

broccoli and miso

a good post-yoga or post-workout meal. light yet filling and most importantly, delicious. to make it even more protein rich, you can add cooked or sprouted chickpeas, lentils. marinated tempeh would work really well too.

steamed broccoli, zucchini, sea asparagus salad with tamari tofu and creamy orange-miso dressing

1 head broccoli, florets separated
1 handful sea asparagus, or regular asparagus (whatever you have on hand)
1 small yellow zucchini, shredded length wise (to make pretty long ribbons)
0.5 avocado, cut into crescents
0.5 head red lettuce
0.3 block of tofu, diced
1T sesame oil
1T tamari
pinch of cayenne

steam broccoli and sea/asparagus for less than 5 mins
wash and dry lettuce leaves
fry tofu in the sesame oil, turning to ensure that all sides are evenly cooked and lightly browned, pour the tamari over it and let the tofu absorb it. turn off the heat.

arrange the veggies on a bed of lettuce, topping with the tofu and a pinch of cayenne and the orange miso dressing (see recipe below).

orange miso dressing
blend together:
1T genmai miso (but any would do)
1T rice vinegar
2T fresh squeezed orange juice
handful of peppitas or sunflower seeds
1t maple syrup

rise and shine!

sunday mornings are reminiscent of brunch - be they home-made morning feasts or outings to our favourite spots around toronto. tofu scramble - one of the staples at a veggie brunch - is easy and quick enough to enjoy any morning though. and there are so many things you can do with it! this morning, i made myself some "huevos rancheros" inspired scramble.

this recipe is for one, but you can easily multiply and share the goodness with friends and family.

100g tofu (firm, crumbled)

1/4 red onion

1/2 yellow bell pepper

1/4 avocado

2-3T diced tomatoes or 1 small ripe tomato

salt, cumin, pepper and a dash of tamari (to taste)

cilantro or green onion for garnish.

saute the onions in 1t of olive oil until translucent, add the bell pepper and saute for another 2mins, add the tofu and fry for 1-2 mins, add the tomatoes, seasoning and cook until some of the tomato juice/liquid becomes absorbed (but don't let it dry out too much). add the avocado and tamari and cook for another minute or so. adjust taste with additional seasoning if necessary. serve with a little cilantro or green onion.

other easy versions:

shitake, broccoli - just add more tamari for flavour

curried carrot, yellow and red bell pepper and spinach (grate the carrot)

brilliant veggies

this veggie stir fry over thai black rice turned out so well! the black rice adds a nice nutty note and makes a nice backdrop for a colourful medley of vegetables. i used snow peas, yellow and red bell peppers, shitake mushrooms, baby bok-choy and diced tofu, but any of your favourite veggies would do. the key here is to have some brilliant colours!

first, i sauteed the tofu separately using this speedy flavour infusing technique that i learned from anna, my friend eun-mi's sister. you basically sear the tofu first, using just a little sesame oil, and then when it is golden on both sides, you splash a little tamari, stir around and let absorb. i then stir fried all the veggies - starting with the mushrooms - in a little sesame oil and again, splashed a little tamari once they were getting done (about 5-7mins). to add more flavour, i made this sauce/dressing inspired by the fresh cookbook recipe for the "new buddha sauce": (1 inch ginger, 3 cloves garlic, 1T olive oil, 1t sesame oil, 1/4 c water, 1/4 rice vinegar, 1/2 (or one small) grated carrot, 1T almond butter, 1t curry powder, pinch of cayenne, and a little agave nectar - bled until smooth). done!

to assemble to all - place some black rice in the middle of the plate, drizzle a little sauce; place your veggies on top, drizzle with sauce and garnish with chopped cilantro and green onions. i didn't use them here (because i didn't have any), but some cashews, peanuts or black sesame seeds would be a nice garnish as well. yum!

egg(less) salad

egg salad reminds me of family day trips. well, not so much egg salad, but it's more deconstructed version - devilled eggs on bread! i don't eat eggs anymore but yesterday i was really craving something eggy so i resurrected my old and much neglected egg(less) salad. but this time i didn't bother with making tofu-mayo, i added some tahini, avocado and dijon mustard instead. it worked beautifully! this one doesn't really need a recipe. just crumble some good tofu, dice some red or green onion, red pepper and avocado. mix and add some tahini, dijon, salt and pepper. some cayenne or cumin is nice too. its yummy and very creamy!