Double Dose of Eats!
Peace Friends!
I hope this post finds you all well and in good spirits! I wanted to share a couple of recipes that I initially shared on my radio show "Beats, Treats & Eats" on Little Water Radio. I am the co-host with my partner M-TRI and we broadcast every Wednesday from 4-6pm EST on www.littlewaterradio.org. We play independent and underground music, have special guests and a segment on healthy eating. The healthy eating is mostly vegan dishes because my diet is vegan and a lot of people think that it is hard to eat vegan. My mission is to share fast and easy recipes that are delicious. Some people think that a vegan diet is limited-it's not! You do have to be creative but once you get a routine going it becomes easy and you'll feel better! Today I want to share my recipes for "Panko Breaded Tofu Dinner" and "Meatless Meatballs Dinner". I am not a nutritionist or a chef, but cooking for me is a hobby that I am very passionate about. Whatever I share on this page is sure to be delicious. I have heard so many vegetarian and vegan "horror stories" and references to the diet as eating "sawdust and cardboard". I'd like to change that view. Been doing this for over 10 years so through trial and error I have made it here. I hope you make and enjoy these dishes. Always remember that there are no rules-just make something that is delicious to you and fuels your body!
Panko Breaded Tofu Dinner:
For this recipe you will need a knife, a cutting board, a medium size bowl, a saucer, two pyrex large rectangle glass baking dishes (or one and a nonstick cookie sheet), and a medium size skillet with cover.
Ingredients (organic if possible):
One block super firm tofu cut into squares
Panko bread crumbs (approximately 2 cups)-more if needed or regular bread crumbs if you prefer. Be careful to check the ingredients because some of them contain eggs and/or milk. I used Trader Joe's brand.
1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil plus about 2 tablespoons extra
1/4 cup Braggs Liquid Aminos
Multi-spice seasoning (I used Trader Joe's 21 Seasoning Salute)
2 large sweet potatoes peeled and cut into medallions (or yams depending on your preference)
1/4 red onion chopped
5 cloves garlic sliced
3 each white button mushrooms and cremini mushrooms chopped (optional or whatever mushrooms you like)
Bag of baby kale (you could use baby spinach-whatever green you prefer)
BBQ sauce drizzle on tofu (optional)
Nonstick spray
Directions:
Prep all ingredients before you begin cooking. This makes life so much easier.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Spray nonstick spray in a pyrex large rectangle glass baking dish and add potato medallions. You can use a nonstick cookie sheet if you want the potatoes very well done. In another large rectangle glass baking dish spray nonstick spray and set to the side. This will be for the tofu. In a bowl add the olive oil, seasoning and Braggs aminos-you will be dipping the tofu in this and coating well. In a small saucer spread some of the bread crumbs. Dip the tofu in this after you have coated it with the oil and seasoning mixture. Coat well and put each piece in the glass baking dish. The oven should be nice and heated by now so put both the tofu and potato baking dishes in the oven and bake for 20 minutes, turning after about 10 minutes. Be sure to watch the tofu to make sure the bread crumbs don't burn. In the meantime, add about 2 tablespoons olive oil to a medium sized skillet on medium high heat and let warm for 2 minutes. Add the onion and garlic and let cook for 2 minutes. Add the bag of baby kale and a few squirts of Braggs Aminos and cover. Cook for 2 minutes. Plate and dinner is served! BBQ sauce drizzle on the breaded tofu is optional. Makes about 3 servings.
Meatless Meatballs Dinner:
For this recipe you will need a rice cooker (or however you prefer to prepare the rice), a knife, cutting board, a pyrex large glass baking dish, a medium saucepan, a medium skillet with cover and a sauté pan.
Ingredients (organic if possible):
One package Gardein brand meatless meatballs
2 cups cooked brown rice ( A good rice cooker will make your life so much easier-totally worth it! I can't stress this enough. It is essential.)
One package greens (Here I used Trader Joes's organic baby kale or spinach)
One can of Campbell's mushroom gravy. Not the jar because it contains beef fat!
4 small carrots chopped to your preference
1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil plus 2 tablespoons
6 cremini mushrooms (or mushrooms that you prefer)
1/4 red onion chopped
6 garlic cloves sliced
Braggs liquid aminos to taste
Cracked pepper to taste
Directions:
Start the rice first because it will take the longest. Prepare the meatballs according to package directions. Once the meatballs are done, in a medium saucepan add the can of gravy. Once heated, add the meatballs and keep the heat on low. In a sauté pan, add the olive oil and let it heat for 2 minutes. Add the onion and garlic and cook for two minutes. Add the mushrooms and carrots and cook for 2 minutes. Season with Braggs aminos and cracked pepper. In a medium skillet add 2 tablespoons olive oil and the bag of greens with a few squirts of aminos. Cook for 2 minutes on medium high heat until wilted. The rice should be done by now. Layer the rice, greens and carrot/mushroom mixture on top of each other and serve the meatless meatballs with gravy on the side. Dinner is served! Makes about 3 servings.
If you have any questions, feel free to write and I will get back to you! Good luck and until the next post!
Peace & Love,
LT
