Super Green Thai Curry Tofu

Delightfully tasty and yet somehow still good for you. No lies.

Green Thai curry tofu is one of my more healthy obsessions. (Versus the compulsive re-watching of “One Tree Hill,” which probably falls into the “unhealthy” category).

I have been known to order this dish melt-my-tongue-out-of-my-skull-spicy style from my favoritest Thai take-out place three times a week. Three times.

As you can imagine, this addiction to spice got real expensive real fast, and I’ve been forced to learn how to do this little old thing myself.

This was only my first go at a curry dish, so I wussed out and bought some green Thai curry paste (fish-oil-less, natch). I did, however, promise myself that if it went well, I’d make the paste from scratch next time. And it did! So, stay tuned for a from-scratch adjustment to this post down the road.

As you can see, when I say “green” curry I don’t play. This ingredient list reminds me of Diddy’s white party, only all the VIP veggies are dressed in green. In my imagination Oprah is a bell pepper.

Well, that’s what I heard him say anyway.

Why so much green, you ask?

Well, turns out Popeye was totally right about not just spinach, but all green veggies, especially the leafy kind. Aside from being loaded with minerals including iron, calcium, potassium, and magnesium as well as vitamins K, C, E, and many of the B vitamins, the nutrients in green veggies help protect cells from damage, improve immune function and can help protect our eyes from age-related disease. Vitamin K alone can help regulate blood clotting and may help prevent and reduce inflammation, protecting us from inflammatory diseases including arthritis. And they’ve even been linked to reductions in certain forms of cancer.

Bottom line? Eat yo’ greens.

And now…

Green Thai curry tofu
Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 lb extra firm tofu, drained and cubed
• 2 cups coconut milk
• 3-4 Tbsp green curry paste
• 1 cup + 2 Tbsp vegetable broth
• 2 Tbsp soy sauce or Tamari
• 1Tbsp lime juice
• 5 green onions, finely chopped, dark green parts separated from white and pale green parts
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 cups spinach, sliced into ribbons
• ½ cup green beans
• ½ cup broccoli florets
• ½ green pepper, diced
• 1 can bamboo shoots, drained
• 2 asparagus spears, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 Tbsp fresh basil, minced
• 1 1/2 Tbsp fresh cilantro, minced and divided
• 1 cup brown rice
• 1 tsp agave nectar
• Sea salt, to taste

Get your spice on!

1. Heat a large, non-stick wok or pan and add the white and pale green portions of the chopped onions and 2 tablespoons of veggie broth. Cook the onions until they start to get soft.
2. Add the garlic, curry paste and a tablespoon of the cilantro and cook the lot until you can smell the amazing curry smell. (That should take about a minute).
3. Stir in the coconut milk, vegetable broth, soy sauce and tofu.
4. Bring the mix to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 5 minutes.
5. Stir in the lime juice and agave nectar and salt to taste.
6. Add your many, many greens (spinach, green beans, broccoli, green pepper, bamboo shoots, dark green bits of the onions, asparagus, basil and the remaining cilantro) and stir well.
7. Cover the pan and simmer, stirring every so often, until the veggies are tender enough for your taste.
8. Serve over brown rice.

Bon appetit! 

Before I go, I’ll share with you the three important lessons I learned while making this dish:

1) More spice is always better for B. I only used two tablespoons of my curry paste, and while the result was yummy, it was not nearly hot enough for my taste. My eyes didn’t even water! Thusly, I’ve doubled the amount. Good luck!

2) I need a wok. Or a larger frying pan. Or a frying pan with a lid that fits. I made quite a mess.

3) I also need a rice cooker. This dish would have been super quick to throw together if the rice hadn’t taken 45 minutes. Curse you, rice! Any recommendations from the peanut gallery?

Cauliflower-powered mushroom Alfredo

Made with veggies and magic.

I heart alfredo sauce and have missed it sorely since I stopped consuming animal bits. Although the interwebs turned up a few plant-based recipes, none of them were quite able to fill the sauce-shaped hole that buttery, creamy, traditional Alfredo had left in my heart.

Until now.

After my fabulous boss and friend, Marsha, emailed me a pasta recipe that used cauliflower and white beans as a sauce base, I was inspired.

Get me a phone booth and I’ll turn into Super Man. True Story.

Turns out, aside from being totes good for you, cauliflower can bring the bam to a whole host of recipes (also, just so we’re clear, I don’t care if I’m nearing 30, I’m going to keep saying “totes.” And you can’t stop me). And white beans also pack a serious nutritional punch, especially when it comes to protein, fiber and antioxidants.

Using those two veggies as my foundation, I Frankenstein-ed my own ideal plant-based Alfredo, complete with not one but two vegan cheezes.

Plus, while this is not quite an oil-free recipe (thanks a lot, Daiya mozzarella I just couldn’t part with), it is very low in oil. Where once I would have used four tablespoons of olive oil, I chose vegetable broth and silken tofu. So, this oil-lite sauce contains only 60 fat calories from oil, versus a whopping 480. And Aunt B’s booty is thankful.

Cauliflower-powered mushroom Alfredo
Makes about 4 cups of sauce

Ingredients

• 2 cups of Cauliflower (about half a head), cut into large florets
• 1 cup white beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 4 Tbsp vegetable broth, divided
• 2 Tbsp silken tofu
• 1 large shallot, minced
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 ¼ cup vegan parmesan cheeze (if you don’t have or want store bought, here’s a super-fast and easy recipe at Veggieful.com that I used)
• 1 cup vegan mozzarella cheeze (I used Daiya)
• ¼ tsp white pepper
• 1 tsp sea salt, or to taste
• 1 large Toscana kale frond, cut into thin, ribbon-like strips (double this if you’re cooking for two)
• ½ cup thinly sliced mushrooms (double this if you’re cooking for two)
• Pasta (I rock the whole wheat linguine)

Alfredo time!

1. Either make your own parmesan cheeze and leave it in the food processor/blender, or pour your store-bought cheeze in there.
2. Boil the cauliflower in a medium-to-large-size sauce pan for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until it’s soft.
3. While your cauliflower is boiling, sauté the shallots and garlic in two tablespoons of vegetable broth until they’re soft and yellowing. If they start to stick, add a little more broth or water.
4. Plop the cooked and drained cauliflower in the food processor or blender, along with the shallots, garlic, beans, milk, tofu, mozzarella, and white pepper and process until you have a smooth sauce.
5. After you cook and drain your pasta, put it back in the pot and carefully mix in your sauce.
6. Season to taste with sea salt.
7. Sauté the mushrooms in the other two tablespoons of veggie broth before folding them into the pasta, along with the kale, and heating the whole lot through.
8. Serve yourself the yummiest cholesterol-free Alfredo I have ever tasted, being sure to send good vibes my way.

If you made this a meal for one (as I did), you’re going to have about three cups of sauce left over (lucky you). Store it in an airtight container in your fridge, and it’ll keep for a week or so.

As my beautiful roommate Brynn said upon having a taste of this sauce, “you can put this on anything.” And I plan to — broccoli, asparagus, boots. Got any other ideas? I’d love to hear ‘em.

Bon appetit!

Tofubacue with home fries and cheezy broccoli

Tofu, is that you?

You guys, this is all you need to know: barbecue, taters and cheddar.

Just kidding, there’s a whole dinner recipe a’comin, but weren’t those three words enough to make your tums go, “Um, yes please?” I thought so.

But before I get started, here’s an open letter to tofu:

What.Is.This? Seriously. Is this soylent green??

My dearest Tofu,

How I love you. Yes, to the untrained eye you may appear to be an ominously gelatinous and colorless blob of yuck. But I know better.

To begin with, you’re crazy versatile. Should I bake you, fry you, include you in pasta, or turn you into dessert!? I don’t know. I just don’t know. There are so many options!

And you’ve always got my back, tofu. I know that you Judo chop my bad cholesterol and even suit up for the fight against cancer. Plus, you give my bones a boost, help prevent premature aging and come big with the vitamin E. In short, you’re a rock star, tofu, and I’m sorry not everyone knows it.

Forever yours,
Aunt B

So, back to the recipe.

Tofubacue (or TBQ) with Home Fries and Cheezy Broccoli
Serves 4

Ingredients

• 15 ounces tofu, pressed
• 2 cups barbecue sauce (recipe below)
• 2 cups broccoli, steamed
• 1 tsp nutritional yeast (if you’re being good) or a handful of vegan cheddar cheese (if you’re being me)

Barbecue Sauce Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups ketchup
• 3 tablespoons agave nectar
• 1 tablespoon molasses
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoon tamari
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 tsp liquid smoke

Bake that tofu with your bad self!

1. Make your barbecue sauce in a sandwich-sized container with a lid, then carefully squish in your block of tofu, cover it, and let it marinate in the refrigerator for at least a half an hour (flip the tofu over about halfway through). I let mine hang out over night.
2. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or tin foil.
3. Cut your marinated tofu into eight slices, place them on the cookie sheet, and then smother them with the rest of the sauce.
4. Bake the tofu for 30 minutes on each side, flipping them over (carefully) halfway through. I recommend spooning some of the sauce back onto the tofu blocks after you flip them over. Waste sauce, want sauce, I always say have never said before.
5. Either sprinkle some nutritional yeast on your broccoli to give it a cheesy flavor and boost of B12, or throw on a handful of vegan cheddar (such as Daiya) if you’re feeling less responsible.

If you want some potatoes to round out the meal (of course you do), I recommend this lovely recipe for oil-free oven-fried potatoes. FYI: The second time I made these, I let the potatoes marinate overnight (Not on purpose. Some friends called from the bar around the corner, and the meal was, of course, put on hold). Anyway, they came out even more delicious.

Finally, I know I just babbled on and on about how much I love tofu (and I meant every word!), but I think I shall make this with tempeh in the near future. If you beat me to it, let me know what you think.

Bon appetite!

Easy-peezy spicy garbanzo bean and kale tacos

Garban-so-easy vegan tacos. Get it? Heh.

When last we met, I promised you, and my dear friend Maggie, a recipe for vegan tacos. Today I deliver. Yumtastically, I might add.

They’re spicy. They’re simple. They’re fast. What’s not to love? And these little guys are packed with protein, fiber, antioxidants and, most importantly, nomnom-ness. The end result reminded me of a chicken taco, only minus bird.

Carl and Michonne = BFF 4eva

And when I say they’re fast, I’m not blowing smoke up your hookah. I whipped these together in about 20 minutes last night as I was racing out to Fat Cat to watch “The Walking Dead.” [Side Note: I lurv that surly pants twins Carl and Michonne are now zombie-slaying besties. You?]

This recipe, with some alterations (as always) comes from one of my favoritest blogs: The Happy Herbivore. Definitely check it out. Head Herbie, Lindsey, recently inspired me to shift to a low-to-no-oil life. That’s going slowly at the moment, but I’m figuring it out. I’ll keep you updated. In the meantime, if you guys have any oil-free tips, lay ‘em on me.

Anyhoo, back to your food…

Ingredients

• 15 ½ ounces (1 can) garbanzo beans (aka chickpeas), drained and rinsed
• 1 ounce taco seasoning (recipe below, or use a packet if you have one)
• 1 Tbsp tamari or soy sauce
• 2 tsp lemon or lime juice
• 8 taco shells, soft or crunchy
• 1 avocado
• 12 cherry tomatoes, halved
• 2 leaves Toscana kale, sliced into strips and sans stem

Taco Seasoning Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp chili powder
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (omit these if you’re a big baby you want to tone down the spice)
• 1/4 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp ground black pepper

Taco time!

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the taco seasoning, tamari/soy sauce and lemon/lime juice.
2. Add your drained and rinsed chickpeas to the mix, and then stir them gently with a spatula or spoon until they’re all coated.
3. Let your little pea friends stew in their spicy bath while you wait for the oven to heat to 400 degrees.
4. Throw a piece of tinfoil on a cookie sheet and spray it with canola or olive oil before spreading the chickpeas out in an even layer. Warning: I would seriously advise against skipping the foil, as the sauce will indeed harden and become a beyotch to clean off your pan.
5. Bake the lot for about 20 to 25 minutes, or until they meet your crunch requirements.
6. If you’re using soft tortillas, as I did, warm them up on a skillet over medium heat for one or two minutes on each side.
7. Spread some avocado, as much as you like, on the inside of each taco shell or tortilla, add a spoonful or two of the chickpeas, then top with the kale and tomatoes and — voila! — vegan tacos are yours to enjoy.

I will say that when I first made these, I had some salsa at the ready. But, as it turns out, the chickpeas come out of the oven so flavorful, especially when combined with the creamy avocado, they truly didn’t require any more topping.

Bon appetite!

Academy Awards Offers Vegan Menu

Reblogged from Wholly Vegan:

The 85th Academy Awards are slated to air this Sunday February 24th. It's probably my favorite awards show during the awards season even though I've only seen maybe one of the nominated films. One thing that has always amazed me about award shows is the over all value of the entire evening. The stars dress to the nines, the academy gives out gift bags worth thousands, and then there's the food!

Read more… 127 more words

I wish Wolfgang and his crew would prepare vegan delicacies for me. Why not meeee??

The amazing chocolate peanut butter cup cookies, plus a Twitter tip

Only the best cookies ever.

Beware, folks. These cookies may be vegan, but they sure aren’t diet food.

If you ever spent a candy-full holiday hoarding Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, these rich little gems are going to rock your sweet tooth hard.

The recipe comes from the cookbook Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar, with slight alterations, and is so fantastically simple and fast (especially with the aid of a food processor) you might find yourself making more batches than your waistline cares for. Just hide the scale now, that’s all I’m saying.

Makes 24 life-changing cookies

Chocolate Dough Ingredients

• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 3 Tbsps non-dairy milk (I used unsweetened almond milk)
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp sea salt

Peanut Butter Filling Ingredients

• 3/4 cup crunchy or creamy natural salted peanut butter (or you can use unsalted and throw a pinch of sea salt into the batter)
• 2/3 cup powdered sugar
• 2 to 3 Tbsp non-dairy milk
• 1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract

C is for Cooookies!

1. Place the oil, sugar, maple syrup, milk, and vanilla in a food processor and process until smooth (or mix the ingredients in a large bowl).
2. Combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt, and gradually add the mix to the processor (or bowl), until a moist lump of dough forms.
3. Dump the chocolate dough out onto a cutting board, bowl or clean counter and set aside.
4. To make the peanut butter filling, process the peanut butter, powdered sugar, 2 Tbsps of milk, and vanilla until a moist, firm dough forms (if you are food-processor-less, use a hand mixer in a large mixing bowl). If your dough is dry and crumbly, add in the remaining tablespoon of milk. If it’s too wet, add in a bit more powdered sugar.
5. By now your work space should smell amazing. Stop and appreciate that, then preheat your oven to 350 degrees, and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
6. Create the peanut-buttery soul of the cookies by rolling the peanut butter dough into twenty-four equal-sized balls. Tip: divide the dough in half, then divide each part in half again. Use those four chunks to make six balls each.
7. To form your cookies, flatten about a tablespoon of the chocolate dough on your palm, and place a peanut butter ball in the center.
8. Gently wrap the chocolate dough around the peanut butter center and roll it between your palms, smoothing any cracks, until you have a smooth ball of yumyum.
9. Place all 24 dough balls about two inches apart on your lined baking pans, and pop them in the oven (one sheet at a time) for 10 minutes.
10. Let the cookies stand for five minutes before scarfing them down…or moving them to wire racks or a plate to cool off.
11. If you can somehow resist eating them all in one sitting, make sure you store these guys in an airtight container or plastic bag so they don’t dry out. Because that would be a damn tragedy.

Bon appetit!

Next week, I promise you some tasty tacos. You can thank my wonderful friend Maggie for requsting that recipe.

Until then, I leave you with this Twitter tip: If you are a Seinfeld fan, you must immediately follow Modern Seinfeld @SeinfeldToday. It’s a series of episode descriptions as if the show were still in production. Just imagine the shenanigans the gang could get into with iPhones, planking, hipster culture, etc. Enjoy!

How I broke up with McNuggets, plus a sweet mustard vinaigrette recipe

I can relate, Mr. Gorilla.

“How do you do it?” “But how do you get enough protein?” “But do you eat cheese?” “No cheese?! What are you, a communist?!”

I get asked a lot of questions about the way I eat. And occasionally I get yelled at in public (uh huh, that last quote is real). I get it. Being vegan is not the norm, and the not-norm is a curiosity. So, today is the day I answer some of those inquiries en masse.

The truth is, I previously loved me a McNugget. And a double-quarter pounder with cheese meal, too. So how did I end up chomping on kale and quinoa instead of burgers and chicken-like bits?

Well, I certainly didn’t develop some super-human level of willpower to resist good food. The two chocolate peanut butter cup cookies and Molly’s Cupcakes I massacred yesterday can attest to that. In actuality, my perception of what good food is shifted. How’s that, you ask? I give the deets here.

If you have any other questions for me, feel free to ask. You can even call me a commie, if you want. I won’t be offended.

And because I can’t leave you all high and dry without a recipe, here’s one for my favorite salad, courtesy of the cool dudes and dudettes at Chicago’s The Centered Chef.

Sweet, tangy green goodness.

Sweet and Tangy Kale Apple Salad

Serves 8

Vinaigrette Ingredients

• 2 ½ Tbsp agave nectar
• 2 ½ Tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 ½ Tbsp grape seed oil
• ½ tsp shallot, minced
• ¼ tsp garlic, minced
• 1 tsp parsley, minced
• sea salt, to taste

Salad Ingrediets

• 9 cups kale, stems removed
• ¼ cup dried cranberries
• ¼ cup red onion, cut into very thin strips
• ½ cup green apple, diced
• ¼ cup walnuts, toasted and chopped

Salad it UP

1. Whisk all the vinaigrette ingredients together in a mixing bowl and place it in the fridge to chill.
2. Soak the kale under cold water for a few minutes to release any dirty bits, then rinse it under cold water before you dry it (in a salad spinner or with paper towels).
3. Strip the leafy parts of the kale off the stems to use in the salad. You can keep the stems and chop them up really fine before you put them back in the salad, if you don’t want to waste them.
4. Slice the kale into thin ribbons.
5. Toss the vinaigrette with the kale, along with the cranberries and onions.
6. Kale can be kind of a tough beyotch, so let it sit for a few minutes and soften in the dressing.
7. Toss in the apple chuns, sprinkle on the walnuts and, voila, beautiful salad yum yums are yours!

Bon appetit!

Cheesy chick-none and veggie casserole

Just like grandma’s casseroles. Minus the love.

There’s something nostalgic and comforting about a casserole. In fact, when it comes to the old “is there anything more American than…” question, I firmly believe that a casserole can give apple pie, baseball and debatable foreign policy a run for their money.

Me and my Gma. She was a real rad lady.

Casseroles are also some of my favorite dishes, because they’re simple to assemble, please even the stingiest of pallets, make for days of delectable leftovers, and they remind us all of our grandmother’s cozy kitchens (unless you had a rare casserole-less grandma, in which case I invite you to borrow the memory of mine).

For me, this cheesy, seitan- and veggie-full recipe achieves all the important casserole criteria — and I can assure you that it has been thoroughly omnivore tested and approved.

Final note: While the seitan works well as a hearty chicken replacement, and it’s a great source of protein and iron, you can just as easily double the amount of mushrooms and the dish will still be “nomnomnom” worthy.

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 12 ounces whole wheat rotini noodles
• 1 lb of seitan
• 1 cup chopped mushrooms
• 1 cup frozen broccoli
• 1 cup frozen peas
• Bridget’s Nommy Good Cheeze sauce (ingredients below)
• 1/4 cup breadcrumbs (for some crunch, if that’s your bag)

Bridget’s Nommy Good Cheeze Sauce Ingredients

• 1 cup nutritional yeast
• 2 1/2 cups unsweetened soy or almond milk
• 3 Tbsp vegan butter
• 3 Tbsp unbleached flour
• 2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
• Dash of cayenne pepper (recommended for those of us who enjoy a good kick in the mouth pants)
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper (or to taste)
• 1/2 tsp baking powder

Conjure a casserole

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cook and drain the pasta, then put it back in the pot and set it aside.
3. Brown the seitan in a large skillet on medium heat (add 1 to 2 Tbsp olive oil if you like), and break it up into bite-sized pieces while you’re at it.
4. Combine the sauce ingredients in a mixing bowl or food processor.
5. Transfer the sauce to the skillet, add in the veggies, mix well, and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes.
6. Pour the skillet contents into the pot with the noodles and mix well, then turn the whole lot out into a greased casserole dish.
7. Sprinkle on the breadcrumbs before baking uncovered for 30 minutes.
8. Allow the dish to cool before you start shoveling the yummy casserole goodness into your face hole.

Bon appetit!

Crazy simple tuna(less) salad

All of the sea taste you love, none of the sand in your shorts.

Tuna salad was one of my favorite foods before I became vegan, so I was delighted to find that my attempt at a plant-based recreation was 1) so similarly tasty and 2) so simple.

Not only are chickpeas (also known by their pro wrestling name: garbanzo beans) free from tuna’s fat, cholesterol, mercury and ecological destruction, they are packed with fiber and protein — and they’re cheaper!

The key to giving a from-the-sea flavor to this completely land-based dish is two-fold: sea kelp and dill. Dill you can find in any grocery store. Whole Foods will have powdered sea kelp, but I ordered mine from Amazon because I just can’t handle those narrow aisles.

The produce section at Whole Foods

This dish is absolutely delicious and crunchily satisfying on toasted bread dressed with vegan mayo. Try adding a slice of tomato, if that’s your bag. Or you could add a dollop to a salad, or use it as a cracker spread.

Ingredients

• 32 ounces garbanzo beans, cooked or canned and drained
• 1 celery stalk
• 1 dill pickle spear
• 1/4 medium red onion
• 3-4 Tbsp vegan mayonnaise
• 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tsp powdered sea kelp
• 1 tsp sea salt (or to taste)
• 1/2 cup fresh dill

How to make not-tuna salad:

If you’re using a food processor…

1. Slice or dice the onion, celery and pickle into the food bowl.
2. Add in the mustard, salt, sea kelp, lemon and mayonnaise, and pulse until the mixture is as combined and chunky/smooth as you want it.
3. Add the dill to the bowl, and pulse until just combined.

If you’re not using a food processor…

1. Dice the onion, celery and pickle and finely chop the dill.
2. Place all your ingredients in a big bowl, and mash with a fork or potato masher until the mixture is the consistency you want.

When you’re done, just pop the salad in the fridge to chill for at least 15 minutes, and sprinkle a little more fresh dill on top before you nosh.

Crazy simple and yummtastic, right?

Bon appetit!

Facon bacon melty breakfast sammich

You don’t need to eat both of us, but you will. Oh yes, you will.

No one, my usually petulant self included, disputes the value of a good breakfast. It stokes your metabolic coals and makes you a bit less likely to eat that entire box of jelly donuts you will later stumble upon in the break room.

In fact, if you want to avoid heart disease, obesity and diabetes, you’d best nosh after you roll out of bed. Here’s some science on the subject, for all you nerds.

My only problem with the most important meal of the day is this: who has time to actually cook something delicious in the a.m., much less to sit down and consume it? Not this lady.

On a typical weekday morning (when I am deprived of the time to indulge in frittata or biscuits and gravy), I usually grab a piece of fruit, slather some peanut butter on a piece of toast and try not to drop it yummy-side down on the floor. And I do this all whilst I hop out the door, simultaneously pulling on pants and struggling to keep a good grip on my car keys clenched between my teeth. I am what they call a disaster “multi-tasker.”

While PB on toast with a side of banana is pretty good, it’s no breakfast of champions. Am I right, Mr. Vonnegut?

Enter the mighty breakfast sandwich, savior of the morning meal.

This here incarnation consists of splendidly good-for-you tempeh facon bacon, on a bed of fresh spinach leaves, sprinkled with some Daiya vegan mozzarella, and perched on a whole wheat homemade biscuit or English muffin drizzled with vegan mayo. This would probably also be good with a slice of tomato, if you dig tomatoes, and I’d love to try it with cheddar versus mozzarella.

Not only is this dish warm and savory, it’s also blessedly fast, easy to assemble, and portable. Plus it needn’t contain chicken, pig or cow products in order to provide you with plenty of protein, fiber, vitamins, and satisfaction in having dragged your butt out of bed.

Of course, everyone’s favorite Mayonnaise is Patty.

I bought my vegan mayonnaise at the store, but when I run out I plan to make more with one of these recipes.

To keep your breakfast sammich process as quick and easy as promised above, make your facon ahead of time so you’ll have strips ready to go all week long. Then you just need to warm them up in the microwave or throw them on a skillet for a minute.

And now, let’s… Bring home the facon!

Ingredients

• An 8 ounce pack of tempeh
• 3 Tbsp maple syrup
• 1 ½ Tbsp olive oil
• 1 ¼ tsp cumin
• A dash of cayenne pepper
• 1 ½ tsp liquid smoke
• 1 ½ tsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp ground black pepper

Jeez, Carl. Move over!

Facon assembly

1. Slice up your tempeh length-wise, as thin as you can go without it falling apart. This can be tricky. I’d say shoot for 1/8 of an inch.
2. Whisk together all of your other ingredients in a shallow dish.
3. Lay the tempeh strips in the sauce and let them soak up the bacony flavor for a minute or so before turning them over and repeating the process.
4. When the strips are good and soaked, heat up a large skillet on high, and add a wee bit of olive oil (2 to 3 tsp) or spray it with olive oil spray, before placing your strips in the hot pan.
5. Drizzle on the leftover sauce and let the tempeh cook for a couple minutes, then carefully flip the strips over with a fork or tongs and cook them on the other side for another couple minutes.
6. Your strips are “done” when they’re as crispy as you’d like them to be. Place them on parchment paper while they cool off.

Final tip: to make sure the cheeze is properly melty, pop the entire completed sandwich in the microwave for 20 to 30 seconds.

Bon appetite!