Chow Vegan

For the last couple of years, I’ve managed to find something new and different to try for my holiday meal. It’s usually some sort of heat-and-eat thing as the kitchen as always busy.

Last year it was Gardein Savory Stuffed Turk’y, the year before it was Smoked Vegetarian Goose from Sogo Tofu, a small, local deli/shop that makes all sorts of vegetarian meat and soy products in San Jose.

This year I swung by Sogo Tofu and picked up gluten rolls that look vaguely like roasted chicken. They don’t particularly taste like poultry but they do have a nice flavor and a firm, chewy texture.

I prefer the gluten rolls to any of the store bought stuff, probably because it’s freshly made and closer to something homemade (if you knew how to make those sorts of things). Still, I’m thankful that there are so many yummy and easy options nowadays. And extra thankful for all of you. Happy Thanksgiving!

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Welcome to Chow Vegan! Now serving for an unlimited time, the Veggie McRiblet.

A MorningStar Farms hickory BBQ veggie riblet in a sweet and smoky sauce on a lightly toasted, freshly baked vegan hoagie roll from Zest Bakery. Topped with sautéed onions and bread n’ butter pickles that cover the entire riblet (not just the stingy two you normally get at other places).

Substitutions available, swap out the veggie riblet for another sort of patty. Of course, it wouldn’t be a vegan McRib anymore. But it’s really the flavor combination of the BBQ sauce with the onions and pickles on a bun that makes the sandwich so tasty.

Extra napkins upon request. Thank you and please come again.

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DIY Vegan Japadog

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It’s been cupcakes galore around here lately. With a fridge full of leftover veggies and cheezy sauce to use up, I made savory cupcakes. For being a non-baker, I’m getting a lot of mileage out of that muffin pan.

A variation of the Vegetable Lasagna Cupcakes, the cheezy sauce replaces the tomato sauce. Swap out the tofu ricotta for any veggies that go well with cheese such as broccoli, green beans, carrots, peas, and/or red potatoes.

I also tossed in some leftover Gardein chicken but tofu would work too or just have all vegetables. Assemble and after 10 minutes in the oven, you’re done.

Top with an optional “frosting” of mashed sweet potatoes and garnish with whatever herb, I had parsely but chives would have been good too.

Savory Cheezy Cupcakes
Makes 12

24 wonton wrappers
1 cup of your favorite non-dairy “cheese” sauce
A few sprigs of fresh parsley chopped, for garnish

Filling
About 2 cups of any combination of cooked vegetables, such as broccoli, green beans, carrots, red potatoes, green peas or celery
2 5/8 ounces veggie chicken such as Gardein, chopped

If you’re using already cooked vegetables, just chop up and set aside (I usually have some combination of leftover cooked vegetables and vegetables nearly past their prime waiting to be cooked and put out of their misery).

For raw vegetables, chop up and then heat a sauté pan to hot. Add a little bit of oil and swirl to coat. Add the vegetables and cook until tender. Add a little water if the pan appears to be too dry. Place in a bowl and set aside.

Mashed Sweet Potato Frosting (optional)
1 medium size sweet potato, peeled and chopped
Non-dairy milk

Heat a pot of water to boil. Add the sweet potato pieces and cook until tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Drain and put through a potato ricer. Add the non-dairy milk a bit at a time and blend until it’s the desired texture. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Lightly coat a 12 cup muffin pan with oil. Layer a wonton wrapper in each cup, gently pressing down on the bottom and up the sides of the cup.

Divide the filling in half. Using the first half, distribute evenly on top of each wrapper. Layer the veggie chicken using the same distribution method. Top with the cheese sauce.

Place a wonton wrapper on top but going in the opposite direction. Repeat the layers of vegetable filling, veggie chicken and cheese sauce on the very top.

Bake for 10 – 15 minutes until the wonton wrappers are golden. Let cool in the pan for a few minutes before serving. To serve, pipe the mashed sweet potatoes on top if using and garnish with the parsley.

Vegan Desserts Cookbook Giveaway
Don’t forget to enter the giveaway, it ends on Sunday, September 18th.

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I’m such a sucker for trying new vegan items I see at the store. I can’t help it, especially if said item is on sale. The latest such thing is the Yves Grain Meat Strips ($2.99 at Whole Foods). It’s basically seitan (wheat gluten) – a vacuum-sealed pouch of seitan and there’s one for the sauce.

It’s interesting Yves felt the need to call them Grain Meat Strips on the front of the package. In the ingredients, it’s listed as seitan. And they’re more like chunks, with just a couple of long strips.

Super easy to heat and serve for a quick meal, especially with Trader Joe’s mini hamburger buns. $1.19 for a pack of 8 baby buns, two and a half inch in diameter and vegan.

They’re the perfect size, one serving of the Grain Meat fits nicely on two buns (before heating up, I tore the bigger chunks into smaller bite-size pieces). For these mini sliders, I went with the BBQ flavor. They’re great topped with a little coleslaw on a toasted bun.

For the one in Buffalo Style Sauce, I went with a wrap. It’s kinda spicy, but it has a little too much of a vinegar taste. For me, the BBQ one is definitely the better of the two.

Overall, the Grain Meat Strips are good if you don’t have time or if you’re too lazy to make your own seitan, it’s totally a convenience food. Or if someone never had seitan before, it’s an easy way to give it a try.

Or if you’re hosting a Labor Day get-together, I would be very happy if I was served a couple of Grain Meat Strips in a BBQ Sauce mini sliders.

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BBQ Pulled Jackfruit Sandwich

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When Tribe Hummus offered me a try of their hummus, I thought why not? I’ve been getting Trader Joe’s hummus automatically for awhile now and haven’t really considered any other brand.

Tribe hummus contains no artificial preservatives, saturated or trans-fats, hydrogenated oils, or dairy. While they have tons of unique as well as classic flavors, I was limited to what was available at my local Whole Foods. I settled on the Roasted Garlic and Spicy Chipotle.

First off, the texture of the Tribe hummus is thick and rich. The chipotle had a nice red color but wasn’t really that spicy at all. The Roasted Garlic was also relatively mild with a hint of garlic. They’re both good as a dip or eaten with falafels.

I haven’t ever tried cooking with hummus before, I never really thought of it as an ingredient. I got the idea from the recipe section of the Tribe Hummus website (it was for fish but I thought a hummus crust would be great on tofu).

The recipe is basically the same as my Crispy Baked Tofu, but instead of brushing the tofu with olive oil, I slathered on the hummus. It makes the breadcrumbs stick really well, sadly, it doesn’t come out of the oven crispy. Served with another flavor of hummus and tabouli, the lack of crispness is all but forgotten.

Hummus-Crusted Baked Tofu
Makes 10 to 12 slices

1 pound firm or extra firm tofu, drained and water pressed out
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
1 tub Spicy Chipotle hummus or other variety
1 tub Roasted Garlic hummus or other variety (optional)
Salt to taste (optional)
Olive oil
Tabouli

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cut the tofu into 1/4″ thick slices. In a shallow bowl, combine the breadcrumbs and salt if using and mix well.

Brush a baking sheet with olive oil. Take one tofu slice and slathered the hummus on the front and two sides, place in the breadcrumbs and coat well. Turn over the slice and apply hummus to the back and other sides and coat with breadcrumbs. Place on the baking sheet. Repeat until all the slices are coated.

Bake tofu slices for about 20 – 30 minutes, carefully turning them over halfway through. The coating will fall off if not flip over gently. Serve with additional hummus (same flavor or different variety) on the bottom of a plate, top with tofu slices and tabouli.

Note: Once cooled, the coating will stay on. I actually like it better overnight, after the texture firms up a bit.

Disclosure: I received the hummus free of charge to review. The opinions and experience expressed herein are my own. There was no pay to say.

Ani’s Raw Food Asia Giveaway
Don’t forget to enter the giveaway, it ends on Wednesday, August 24th.

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You know what I haven’t done in a long time? Experiment with the roasted tofu recipe. This would be #6 – roasted tofu cubes in a Coke-a-Cola and leek sauce. You’re unlikely to see this cooked-with-cola dish at any Chinese restaurant as it’s a home kitchen kind of a thing. Normally made with chicken wings, I subbed in tofu and added leeks.

I don’t know the exact origin, but I picture a cook long ago with a soda bottle saying “Hey, let’s add some of this stuff to the sauce and see what happens!” I imagine it’s the same way Coke got added to sauce for BBQ (but said in English).

You don’t actually taste the cola in the finished dish but it does add a subtle flavor and sweetness. You have to use Mexican Coke since that has sugar in it instead of the high fructose corn syrup in American Coke. Mexican Pepsi works too. I even tried Zevia, a natural cola soda with Stevia.

Like all of the previous roasted tofu recipes, it’s fairly easy to make. Basically, roast the tofu and make the sauce. The only difference is the tofu blocks in the store nowadays are 14 instead of 16 ounces. Anyone else noticed that?

Chinese Coke-a-Cola Tofu
Serves 2

1 14-ounce block of extra-firm tofu
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon paprika

Sauce
1/2 medium leek, white and some green part, chopped
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon Shaoxing rice wine
6 tablespoons Coca-Cola
1 tablespoon oil
Sprig of cilantro for garnish (optional)

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. In a bowl, combine the oil, salt and paprika. Cut the tofu into cubes and gently toss to coat with the mixture. Place each tofu cube in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Roast for 15 minutes, flip over and roast the other side for 15 minutes.

While the tofu is roasting, prepare the sauce. Combine all of the sauce ingredients except the leeks in a bowl.

Heat a wok to hot, add the oil. Swirl the oil to coat the wok. When the oil is hot, add the leeks, stir-fry for a minute or so. Add the rest of the sauce ingredients. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the tofu is ready.

Add the tofu pieces, stir to coat well. Cover with a lid and cook down until the sauce is thickened (there shouldn’t be very much liquid left), about 5 minutes on medium-low.

Garnish with the cilantro if using. Serve with steamed rice.

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How about a couple of cupcakes for dinner?

I haven’t made lasagna in ages but after seeing the oh-so-cute Petite Lasagnas at Can You Stay For Dinner?, I just had to make a vegan version. Super easy to make using wonton wrappers, the mini lasagnas bake in about ten minutes or so.

I didn’t bother to replace the meat in the sauce called for in the original recipe, I just went with vegetables – fresh shiitake mushrooms and baby zucchini from the farmers market. Baby veggies fit in easily without having to chop them into smaller pieces.

Once cool enough to handle, you can actually pick one up and eat it without a fork. Fun for a party or an easy dinner. Highly customizable too, just use your favorite sauce and fillings.

I only wish the Daiya cheese was a little more melted (I would have left it in the oven for a bit longer but the tips of the wontons were getting to be pretty brown and I have a very touchy smoke detector).

Vegetable Lasagna Cupcakes
Makes 12

24 wonton wrappers
1 cup pasta sauce or spaghetti sauce
1/4 cup of your favorite cheese

Vegetable Filling
2 ounces shiitake mushrooms, washed and thinly sliced
2-3 baby zucchini, peeled, washed and sliced crosswise
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon vegetable oil

Tofu Ricotta
8 ounces firm tofu with water squeezed out and crumbled
10 fresh basil leaves, chiffonade
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste

To make the vegetable filling, heat a wok or sauté pan to hot. Add the oil and swirl to coat. Add the garlic and sauté for a few seconds, add the zucchini and cook for a minute or so then add the mushrooms and cook for another minute until the vegetables are tender. Place in a bowl and set aside.

Next, make the tofu ricotta. Crumble about 3/4 of the tofu in a bowl, add the basil, olive oil, nutmeg, garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a food processor and pulse until smooth but still slightly lumpy. Crumble in the remaining 1/4 tofu, mix to combine and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Lightly coat a 12 cup muffin pan with oil. Layer a wonton wrapper in each cup, gently pressing down on the bottom and up the sides of the cup.

Divide the tofu ricotta in half. Using the first half, distribute evenly on top of each wrapper. Layer the vegetables next using the same distribution method. Top with the tomato sauce then cheese.

Place a wonton wrapper on top but going in the opposite direction. Repeat the layers of the ricotta, vegetables, sauce and finally the cheese on the very top.

Bake for 10 – 15 minutes until the wonton wrappers are golden. Let cool in the pan for a few minutes before serving.

A new product that I’ve been experimenting with lately is ecoVegan Orientals’ Joy. Although I am a little puzzled on the name, it’s not very descriptive and the small window to peek inside at its contents provides little clue. I suppose it’s par for the course as they’re part of the same organization as the Loving Hut chain of restaurants.

On first impression, Orientals’ Joy reminds me of a veggie version of pork, the texture and shape is similar. Which is nice, since there’s plenty of alternatives for veggie beef, chicken and seafood. But not much for a faux pork other than veggie ham or bacon.

It’s main ingredients are non-GMO soy protein and fiber, wheat protein and seasonings. The seasonings are light so it’s good plain or tossed with something else. I went with a stir-fry but I bet it’ll be good prepared as an American dish too, something like veggie pork chops and applesauce.

Veggie “Pork” with Vegetables
Serves 2-4

1 package ecoVegan Orientals’ Joy
6 ounces yu choy sum, about 1/2 a bunch
2 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced
1 garlic clove, smashed and roughly chopped
1/2 inch fresh ginger root, smashed and roughly chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 tablespoon Shaoxing rice wine

Wash the yu choy sum in several changes of water, trimming off any old leaves, tough stems and the bottom 1/4 – 1/2″ from each stalk. Cut the stems into 3″ pieces, halving the bigger stalks lengthwise.

Slice the veggie meat thinly. Heat a skillet to hot, add 1 tablespoon of oil and pan fry the veggie meat over medium heat for a few minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

Heat a wok to hot. Add the rest of the oil and swirl to coat the wok. Add the garlic and ginger, stir-fry for a few seconds. Add the mushrooms and greens, and stir until wilted, bringing up the greens at the bottom to the top. Add the soy sauce and rice wine, then the veggie meat and stir to combine. Serve with rice or noodles.