Tofu can be enjoyed raw as well. (Just make sure you’re using tofu from airtight packages and that the tofu hasn’t been sitting around opened for days.) Here’s a recipe for tofu crumbles using firm tofu. These tofu crumbles are pretty basic and can be used as a topping for many dishes, e.g. scooped onto a salad or added to a sandwich or wrap. If raw tofu is not your thing, you can cook it in a pan with some olive oil and it’ll kind of resemble scrambled eggs.

The basic idea is to press the tofu and then crumble the tofu with your hands. The tofu should reach a ricotta-like consistency. Then, season and flavor the tofu as you like.

Pressing the tofu changes the texture, drains out the water, and makes the tofu a bit firmer. A simple way to press tofu is to place the block of tofu between some paper towels in a large flat plate. Then, place another flat plate and then put a heavy weight on the plate. Let it sit for about an hour.

Here’s one recipe that I tried for flavoring the tofu crumble. I decided to go with a simple herbs and olive oil blend.

Ingredients:

• 7.5 oz firm tofu, pressed and drained
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp dried basil
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
• salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, crumble up the tofu with your hands.
2. Add lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper.
3. Mash until it reaches the consistency of ricotta cheese, a few minutes.
4. Add olive oil and stir.
5. Add nutritional yeast and combine all ingredients well.
6. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
7. Keep refrigerated until ready to use.

Here’s another variation for tofu crumble. This one has curry powder!

Ingredients:

• 7.5 oz firm tofu, pressed and drained
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp soy sauce
• 1/2 tsp rice wine vinegar
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1/2 tsp curry powder
• salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Same as above.

Enjoy in a sandwich!

Or in a salad!

No egg?
I read that flax seed meal can be used to make an egg substitute for baking. I conveniently have a bag of flax seed meal in my fridge. I like to add a scoop of flax seed meal to my cereals, oatmeal, smoothies, pancakes, and such. It’s a great source of extra fiber. It also adds a light nutty flavor. The writing on the package says that 1 tbsp of flax seed meal can be combined with 3 tbsps of hot water to make one egg replacer.

No shortening?
Fruit puree makes a good shortening or butter substitute for baked goods. I usually like to use either bananas, applesauce, prunes. I had a ripe banana laying around the counter and it was the perfect candidate. Fruit puree will add a hint of flavor to the baked product, so we should make sure that the fruit will complement the product well. Bananas and cornbread works.

No milk?
This one was easy. I rarely ever have cow’s milk in the fridge since I’m lactose intolerant. I like to alternate between soy milk, almond milk, and rice milk. This week was soy milk and so, I substitute the regular milk with the soy milk.

Here’s the recipe:
Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp ground flaxseed meal
• 6 tbsp hot water
• 1 cup wheat flour
• 1 cup cornmeal
• 1/4 cup sugar (1/2 cup if want sweeter)
• 4 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup soy milk
• 1 medium size banana, mushed

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Spray muffin pan/baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
3. Bring some water to boil. In a small bowl, add the ground flax seed. Pour 6 tbsps of hot water into the bowl. Stir until the mixture thickens. Set it aside to rest for a few minutes. (You’ve just made an egg substitute.)
4. In a large bowl, mix the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
5. Add the ground flax seed mixture, soy milk, and mushed banana to the flour mixture. Beat until smooth.
6. Pour mixture into muffin pan/baking dish.
7. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle
   comes out clean.
8. Cool on wire rack for 10 minutes.
9. Serve warm.

This recipe created a very savory cornbread. The cornbread smelled amazing and tasted great as well. It would be perfect for soups and stews, or dipped in some gravy sauce.

For a sweet cornbread, you can add more sugar into the recipe instead. You can also add some honey or maple syrup to give it extra sweetness.

The cornbread freezes very well too. I wrapped them up individually in plastic wrap, placed them in a ziplock bag and tossed the bag into the freezer. The cornbread can be reheated in a microwave or toaster oven and it tastes just as great.

Happy eating!

I made these delicious savory crêpes for brunch the other week when I was home visiting my mom. The crêpe batter is made with whole wheat flour, contains no eggs and no dairy. For these savory crêpes, I made a light and simple filling with sauteed sweet peppers tossed with cherry tomatoes, super sprouts mix, and some crushed almonds.These crêpes were very light and refreshing. It was really tasty. The crêpe batter worked out really well. I can’t wait to try other variations and fillings.

Here’s the recipe.
Ingredients for crêpe batter: (Makes about 8-10)

• 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups rice milk
• 2 tbsp flaxseed meal mixed with 6 tbsp of hot water, mix and let it sit for 2 minutes
• 1/4 tsp of salt

*For sweet crêpes: eliminate salt and add 2 tbsp of sugar and 1 tsp of vanilla extract.

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, combine flour, flaxseed mixture, and milk.
2. Mix well, until there are no big lumps.
3. Place in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

While the crepe batter is in the fridge, I prepared the fillings.

Fillings:

• Assorted sweet bell peppers (green, red, yellow, orange), diced
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• Cherry tomatoes, sliced
• Super sprouts mix*
• Crushed almonds

*I picked up the super sprouts mix from Whole Foods Market. The small box package contained alfalfa sprouts, bean sprouts, broccoli sprouts, pea shoots, and fennel. I find sprouts to be very fun to eat – great in salads and sandwiches.

Heat the olive oil in a pan. Add the bell peppers. Season with some salt and pepper. Cook for about 15 minutes, stirring frequently, until the bell peppers look tender. Remove from heat and transfer into a large bowl. Add cherry tomatoes, supersprouts, and almonds, and toss.

Now that the fillings are done and the batter is chilled, we can start cooking and assembling the savory crêpes.

Cook:

4. Heat a small non-stick pan.
5. Spray the pan with cooking spray.
6. Pour about 2-3 tbsp of the batter into the center of the pan.
7. Tilt the pan in a circular motion to spread the batter evenly across the surface of the pan.
8. Cook for about 2 minutes and then flip.
9. Cook the other side for 1-2 minutes and remove from the pan.

Assemble:
Place cooked crêpe onto a plate or flat surface. Add fillings and fold crêpes in half, thirds, or quarters. Ready to serve!

Store:
The crêpes freeze very well. Once they have cooled, stack them up with a piece of parchment paper or wax paper in between crêpes. Place it in a freezer bag or airtight container and put it in the freezer. They will stay good for up to 2 months. Reheat the crêpes on a non-stick pan or oven when you’re ready to enjoy them again. Assemble with your desired fillings and enjoy!