A Healthier, More Sustainable, Cleaner Cold Cut!

It's meat, but it's not. Cold Cuts and how they're made has been the subject of a lot of scrutiny over the years. But now one company wants to change all that and introduce a cold cut that's clean, vegan and very, very tasty. The company Prime Roots and one of it's principals Kimberly Lee, stopped by Tonia's Kitchen to talk about their vegan take on the cold cut and most importantly how you can fool just about everyone who tries it. They swear it's meat, but it's not. Case in point, Kimberly told Tonia to try their club sandwich. Even though there's no actual animal meat there, your tastebuds wouldn't be able to tell the difference!

• 3 slices sandwich bread, lightly toasted
• 4 slices Prime Roots Cracked Pepper Turkey-Inspired Clean Plant Protein
• 2 slices Prime Roots Smoked Bacon-Inspired Clean Plant Protein, crisped in a skillet
• Romaine or butter lettuce
• 2 slices ripe tomato
• 1/2 an avocado
• 2 tbsp mayo (regular or plant-based)
• Dijon mustard
• Toothpicks for that authentic club sandwich vibe

1. Toast your bread until golden and spread mayo and Dijon on each slice.
2. Place lettuce, tomato, and Koji-Bacon and Koji-Turkey on the bread. Top with avocado slices and final slice of bread.
3. Secure with toothpicks at all four corners and cut into quarters, diagonally.

Pro Tips:

• Crisp your Koji-Bacon in a hot skillet for extra texture.
• Add thinly sliced red onion or sliced cheese for a punch.

A Creamy Dessert...That's Vegan!

 

It's not exactly the first thing you might think of when cooking vegan, but you can have creamy desserts without a drop of dairy! Nisha Vora, who wrote the new cookbook Big Vegan Flavor, came by Tonia's Kitchen with her recipe for Chai Spiced Custard Tart with Mango. Nisha told Tonia that while this dessert is inspired by the cuisine by her East Asian/Indian heritage, it is not as sweet as many of the authentic desserts you might find prepared in that tradition. To keep it vegan, Nisha uses coconut cream, vegan butter and ground almond flour. It's an amazing symphony of flavor, dairy-free!

You Won't Believe it's Not Pastrami!

But in actuality it's not! Instead, Mica Sivah, who wrote the new cookbook Nosh, Plant Forward Recipes Celebrating Modern Jewish Cuisine, says it's based on celery root. Mica admits it's an ugly vegetable by itself, but with a little work, it actually becomes a very usable substitute for the venerable meat which has been in Jewish Deli cases for decades. It's a great, heart healthy idea where you won't miss the taste at all! 

• Celery Root
• ⅓ cup nutritional yeast
• 1 tbsp black pepper, freshly ground
• 1 tsp coriander, ground
• ½ tbsp coriander seeds, whole
• ½ tsp smoked paprika
• ¼ tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp dijon mustard
• 1 tsp maple syrup
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 ½ tbsp olive oil
• ¾ cup beet juice
• ⅔ cup water

1. In a medium bowl combine root, nutritional yeast, black pepper, coriander, paprika and garlic powder.
2. In a small bowl, whisk the mustard, maple, soy sauce, olive oil, beet juice and water. Pour into dry mixture to combine.
3. Transfer dough to a sheet of kitchen foil, and roll into a log, twisting both ends.
4. Place in a steamer basket, and steam, with the lid on, for 60-70 minutes.
5. Preheat the oven to 350F. Remove seitan from foil, and place on a cooling rack ontop of a baking tray. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until the outer layer has hardened slightly.
6. Let cool, and thinly slice.
7. Enjoy!

Flavors of The Fall...For Vegan Diets

It has maple syrup. It has olive oil and it has many of the other flavors of fall. Nisha Vora, who wrote the new cookbook Big Vegan Flavor, stopped by Tonia's Kitchen to talk about her recipe for Maple Roasted Squash and Chickpeas with Pesto. Nisha told Tonia this certainly fits the bill of big flavor in a vegan recipe. She says to use winter squash, which is in season, Slice it thinly and toss it with the maple syrup and olive oil. She promises a bright and tangy dish that fits perfectly with the fall season.

When Braising Tofu...

 

We admit, we hadn't heard of that either. Traditionally, when you cook tofu, it's done to a crispy texture, but this is something different. Nisha Vora, who wrote the new cookbook Big Vegan Flavor, stopped by Tonia's Kitchen to talk about her reasons behind going vegan (hint: it's not because of health matters, though her switch has helped with a few of those kinds of factors) but also to open everyone's mind to the creatively that comes with vegan cooking. Among the ideas, Sticky Coconut Milk Braised Tofu. Nisha told Tonia she'd never tried it before, but now she may never have tofu any other way.

• 1 14-ounce/400 g block extra-firm tofu drained
• Kosher salt
• 3 tbsp neutral-flavored oil of choice

For the braising liquid

• 1 tbsp coriander seeds
• 1 13.5-ounce/400 ml can full-fat coconut milk
• ½ cup (140 g) soy sauce or tamari (use tamari for GF)
• ¼ cup (84 g) agave nectar (or organic brown sugar or cane sugar)
• 2 lemongrass stalks minced
• 1 inch (2.5 cm) piece fresh ginger thinly sliced (peel on okay)
• 4 large garlic cloves smashed
• 1 to 3 Thai chilis or 1 serrano pepper, stemmed and sliced in half vertically (use 3 chilis for spicy, omit for mild heat)
• ¼ teaspoon ground white pepper
• 1 2-inch cinnamon stick

For serving

• Cooked white or brown rice
• Roasted black or white sesame seeds
• 1 handful chopped cilantro or Thai basil optional

• Wrap the tofu in a thin dish towel or a few paper towels and press for 10 to 15 minutes.
• Slice the tofu in half vertically, then flip each slab around and slice crosswise into squares about ½-inch (1 to 1.5 cm) thick.
• Arrange the tofu in a single layer on a cutting board. Gently press down on the squares with a towel to release more water. Sprinkle the tofu with a couple of pinches of salt. Line a large plate with a few paper towels.
• Heat a 12-inch (30 cm) nonstick skillet over medium-high heat for 2 minutes, then add the oil and heat for 30 seconds. Carefully add the tofu, arranging it in a single layer.
• Move the tofu around in the oil to evenly coat it and cook until golden brown on the bottom, 5 to 7 minutes. Use a thin spatula to flip and cook until the other side is also golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes.
• While the tofu cooks, make the braising liquid. Use the back of a large knife or a sturdy mug to roughly crush the coriander seeds. Or you can use a mortar and pestle or pulse once in a spice grinder.
• In a medium (2-quart/2 L) heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the coconut milk, soy sauce, agave, lemongrass, ginger, garlic, chiles (if using), roughly crushed coriander, white pepper, and cinnamon. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, then reduce the heat and simmer for 7 to 8 minutes. It should be very flavorful and quite salty.
• Add the fried tofu to the braising liquid and stir to coat. A few pieces of tofu will peek up above the liquid, but that’s okay. Simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until the tofu is almost wrinkly and the liquid has thickened into a sauce that sticks to the tofu, about 35 minutes
• Remove from the heat and let cool briefly; discard the cinnamon stick. Serve over rice, pour a little braising liquid on top of the rice (not a lot, as it’s quite potent), and garnish with sesame seeds and herbs.

Braised Tofu

We admit, we hadn't heard of that either. Traditionally, when you cook tofu, it's done to a crispy texture, but this is something different. Nisha Vora, who wrote the new cookbook Big Vegan Flavor, stopped by Tonia's Kitchen to talk about her reasons behind going vegan (hint: it's not because of health matters, though her switch has helped with a few of those kinds of factors) but also to open everyone's mind to the creatively that comes with vegan cooking. Among the ideas, Sticky Coconut Milk Braised Tofu. Nisha told Tonia she'd never tried it before, but now she may never have tofu any other way.

• 1 14-ounce/400 g block extra-firm tofu drained
• Kosher salt
• 3 tbsp neutral-flavored oil of choice

For the braising liquid

• 1 tbsp coriander seeds
• 1 13.5-ounce/400 ml can full-fat coconut milk
• ½ cup (140 g) soy sauce or tamari (use tamari for GF)
• ¼ cup (84 g) agave nectar (or organic brown sugar or cane sugar)
• 2 lemongrass stalks minced
• 1 inch (2.5 cm) piece fresh ginger thinly sliced (peel on okay)
• 4 large garlic cloves smashed
• 1 to 3 Thai chilis or 1 serrano pepper, stemmed and sliced in half vertically (use 3 chilis for spicy, omit for mild heat)
• ¼ teaspoon ground white pepper
• 1 2-inch cinnamon stick

For serving

• Cooked white or brown rice
• Roasted black or white sesame seeds
• 1 handful chopped cilantro or Thai basil optional

• Wrap the tofu in a thin dish towel or a few paper towels and press for 10 to 15 minutes.
• Slice the tofu in half vertically, then flip each slab around and slice crosswise into squares about ½-inch (1 to 1.5 cm) thick.
• Arrange the tofu in a single layer on a cutting board. Gently press down on the squares with a towel to release more water. Sprinkle the tofu with a couple of pinches of salt. Line a large plate with a few paper towels.
• Heat a 12-inch (30 cm) nonstick skillet over medium-high heat for 2 minutes, then add the oil and heat for 30 seconds. Carefully add the tofu, arranging it in a single layer.
• Move the tofu around in the oil to evenly coat it and cook until golden brown on the bottom, 5 to 7 minutes. Use a thin spatula to flip and cook until the other side is also golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes.
• While the tofu cooks, make the braising liquid. Use the back of a large knife or a sturdy mug to roughly crush the coriander seeds. Or you can use a mortar and pestle or pulse once in a spice grinder.
• In a medium (2-quart/2 L) heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the coconut milk, soy sauce, agave, lemongrass, ginger, garlic, chiles (if using), roughly crushed coriander, white pepper, and cinnamon. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, then reduce the heat and simmer for 7 to 8 minutes. It should be very flavorful and quite salty.
• Add the fried tofu to the braising liquid and stir to coat. A few pieces of tofu will peek up above the liquid, but that’s okay. Simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until the tofu is almost wrinkly and the liquid has thickened into a sauce that sticks to the tofu, about 35 minutes
• Remove from the heat and let cool briefly; discard the cinnamon stick. Serve over rice, pour a little braising liquid on top of the rice (not a lot, as it’s quite potent), and garnish with sesame seeds and herbs.