Book Review and Contest: Tofu Cookery

Some people immediately like tofu. Not me. I flipped over tempeh at first taste and couldn't get enough of seitan, but tofu left me cold. I'm not talking just a few times of trying it, I'm talking a matter of a few years when I first went vegetarian. The only way I'd eat it (notice I didn't say I liked it, was when I cooked it with that old Fantastic Foods Tofu Scramble mix. The texture still creeped me out, but Jim loved it, so around year 3 of vegetarianism, we had that a handful of times. Even the recipes in The Farm Cookbook didn't didn't tempt me.



Also around year 3, we picked up a copy of Tofu Cookery at a really cool independent bookstore, Mac's Backs, when we were living in a 'hippie' section of Cleveland. I was convinced I was missing out. Every vegetarian I knew liked tofu. The photo of Chinese Sweet and Sour Balls gave me hope. The first time we made it, Jim made the sauce and I made the balls. Of course, we had it over rice. And I was in love. Since then, I've tried many of the recipes in Tofu Cookery, but this one remains my favorite. People say you don't forget your first kiss, but I did. That probably says more about my first kiss than my memory. But I'll never forget the first dish that made me a tofu lover rather than a reluctant tofu eater.

The 25th Anniversary Edition has been updated. Recipes have been adapted to be more healthful in some cases, and some new recipes have been included. Louise Hagler is a pioneer in vegan cooking, and this book is a testament to that. The familiar recipes please vegans and meat-eaters alike. If you happen to have a thing about the texture of tofu like I do, you might want to press the tofu in some of the recipes to make them more pleasing. I don't press the tofu for the Sweet and Sour Tofu Balls, but for some of the other dishes (especially the stir frys), I suggest it. If you do make the Tofu Balls, try adding a little parsley to them. Apparently, it was dropped in this latest edition, but it gives a wonderful, fresh taste.

Would you like to win a copy of this book? Just post a reply here telling me something about tofu. It could be your favorite way to eat it, what got you to like it (or not), your favorite brand or anything.

International readers are welcome to enter. Thank you to the Book Publishing Company for sending me this copy to review and giveaway.

Also, if you're within driving distance to Erie, don't forget the book signing on Sunday. Info is in the sidebar. I'm bringing snacks and would love to see you there. Thanks!

Crispy Bottom Peanut Butter Pie with Chocolate Fudge Sauce from American Vegan Kitchen

Now that American Vegan Kitchen is out, I'm happy to be able to share a few recipes from the book with you. With a lot of comfort food favorites in the book, it was difficult to narrow down. But a dessert is always a good choice, isn't it?

The first one I've chosen was inspired by a peanut butter pie my mom used to make. This is a veganized and improved version. (Sorry, Mom.) It's fun and quick to make. If you want to take a shortcut, you can use store-bought chocolate sauce. The crispy texture of the crust and the creamy filling are a perfect match, just as peanut butter and chocolate are.

One word of warning: When pressing the crispy mixture into the pie plate, it's going to be messy. I do it with my hands and spread some vegan margarine on them first to try to reduce the sticking, but it happens. The good news is that you can lick your fingers clean, a special treat just for the cook.

For a stunning photo of this dessert, check out Celine's post over at Have Cake, Will Travel. Everybody knows the wonderful Celine, author of the awesome 500 Vegan Recipes.

Crispy Bottom Peanut Butter Pie with Chocolate Fudge Sauce
Serves 8

3 tablespoons vegan margarine
3/4 cup vegan chocolate chips
2 cups vegan puffed rice cereal
8 ounces vegan cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup smooth peanut butter
1/4 cup agave nectar
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup soy creamer or soy milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Chocolate Fudge Sauce (recipe follows)

1. Lightly oil a 9-inch pie plate. Melt the margarine and chocolate chips in the microwave or over a double boiler. When melted and smooth, add the cereal, stirring to coat. Transfer the mixture to the pie plate and press into the bottom and sides to form a crust. Freeze for 30 minutes or longer.

2. Using a mixer, combine the cream cheese, peanut butter, agave nectar, sugar, lemonn juice, soy creamer, and vanilla until smooth. Pour into the prepared crust and place in the freezer for another 30 minutes. After the pie is frozen, cover tightly with plastic wrap and foil.

3. Remove the pie from the freezer about 10 minutes before serving for easier cutting. Top with chocolate fudge sauce.


Chocolate Fudge Sauce
Makes about 1/2 cup

1/2 cup soy milk
1 tablespoon brewed coffee
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
3 tablespoons vegan chocolate chips
Pinch salt
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 tablespoon vegan margarine

1. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the soy milk, coffee, maple syrup, cocoa, chocolate chips, and salt. Whisk together and bring to a low boil. Whisking constantly, simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, or until it reaches the desired consistency. Remove from heat.

2. Whisk in the vanilla and margarine. For a thinner sauce, add a little more soy milk. Serve warm of at room temperature. To store, transfer it to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate. Properly stored, it will keep for up to 1 week.

For local people, don't forget the book signing at the Singing Bowl in Erie, Sunday, February 28th, from noon until 3:00 PM. We'll have live music, samples and a special price on books. I'd love to meet you and talk food!

As a side note, I'm donating a portion of the book proceeds to animal welfare organizations. I think I've narrowed the field down to two: Mercy for Animals and Vegan Outreach. If you happen to buy the book on Amazon, it would be wonderful if you did it through Vegan.com to help support that site, as well. That way you're helping promote veganism in yet another way.

So, peanut butter and chocolate.....what's your favorite way to combine them?

Using Cookbooks More

When I was about 8 or 9, I decided to start a library. Considering how much I love books, it was a natural thing for me. I had more books than any kid I knew, thanks to my book store excursions with my grandmother. Whatever I spent of my own money on books, she'd also kick in. So, I got a bunch of envelopes from my mom, stuck them shut, cut them in half and glued(!) them into the back of my books. This was a huge thing for me since I was always adamant about never writing in books, folding over corners or in anyway discomforting a book. Even back then, I cringed at the people who would lick their fingers to turn pages! I started a card file for library cards and tried to get all the kids in the neighborhood to take out books. Not many did, but the project still kept me busy for a while that summer.

Fast forward to now. Things have changed a little.

When I get a new cookbook, I grab a piece of paper and make a list of the recipes that look good. My friend, Liz, over at Cooking the Vegan Books , does something similar but in a smarter way. She actually notes which recipes would be good for a weeknight or would be better over the weekend. It makes it easy to grab a book and get a quick overview of possible recipes. Besides, we all love to flip through our new cookbooks page-by-page anyway, so this makes that fun time more useful.

Now I am committed to writing in my cookbooks. Any change I make to a recipe while cooking, or wish I'd made gets scrawled on the recipe page. Every recipe I try from a cookbook gets listed inside the front cover. It makes an easy reference for when I want to make something I've already made, but don't feel like flipping through lots of books. I can just check one page.

Little things like this help encourage me to use my cookbooks more. They don't do much good just sitting on the shelf and I'm not one for "coffee table books". These days I'm a lot happier visiting libraries than I would be in starting my own. I don't think I'd be very happy loaning out my cookbooks.

Do you have tips to motivate you to use your cookbooks more? If so, I'd love to hear them.

By the way, those corn muffins up top are just a gratuitous photo. I couldn't leave you without a food picture, could I?

Coming soon: Another book contest, and hopefully a wonderful weekend for you!

Valentine's Eve with Grilled Tofu Provencale

I had big plans for a Valentine's Day Dinner. When we'd eaten at Horizons, I was intrigued by the way they prepared the Pacific Rim Tofu. It was a huge piece of tofu that didn't appear to have been seasoned at all. But it was full of flavor due to the cooking technique and the sauce. So I chose a tofu recipe with a red sauce from Horizons: New Vegan Cuisine. The photo in the book looked Valentiney.

Then I got antsy. Why wait a whole day when we could have it Valentine's Eve? I'm not always the most patient person. And besides, when I asked Jim what he wanted for Valentine's Day dinner, he'd suggested Southern Fried Seitan.

The dish turned out great! The tofu is marinated in a very simple marinade then grilled. I had pressed some tofu in a tofu xpress and it had gotten so pressed that I just cut the block in half laterally into 2 slabs that were about 3/4-inch each. There's really no better word for them than 'slabs'. I was amazed at how flavorful the tofu was. The grilling definitely brought out the best in it. The sauce came together quickly and reminded me of a puttanesca.

The recipe made me think that I definitely should cook more from this book. And that everybody's idea of a romantic dinner can be very different! The romance can be behind the intent rather than on the plate. Jim was thrilled with the Southern Fried Seitan on Sunday. Although I can't remember what we had, I'm sure we ate a lot better this Valentine's Day than the first one we shared 29 years ago.

Coming soon: Another book contest. Get ready for a chance to win a classic vegan cookbook.

It's Here! American Vegan Kitchen!

Look what got delivered to my house today! I can't believe it. I'm sitting by a fire, watching the snow fall and signing tester copies. Does it get any better than this? Only a little, because I'm cooking Asian for dinner.

If you'd like to check it out, Amazon has that "look inside" feature. A huge thanks to all of you who have supported me along the way and those of you who have already ordered the book.

Testers, your books will be in the mail Saturday morning. Thanks again for everything!

Note: As of right now (Thursday, 2/17/10) Amazon has books in stock. Even if it occasionally says "out of stock", they will have books in hand in a matter of days. Thanks for your interest!

15 Minute Chipotle Barbequed Black Bean Tacos

How about a quick, pantry-friendly dinner for those nights you hit the door hungry and would practically eat the counter itself if you could? Save those teeth and throw this together in next to no time at all. It's certainly quicker than hacking the counter and definitely a lot tastier, too. Not that I've ever eaten a counter, but you know....

15 Minute Chipotle Black Bean Tacos
Makes 6 to 8 tacos (depending on how much you stuff them)

1 teaspoon canola oil
1/2 cup minced onion*
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 (15-ounce cans)black beans, drained and rinsed
2 chipotles in adobo, minced (or more to taste)
1 cup barbecue sauce

Preheat the oven according the taco shell package. Bake shells when you are almost ready to eat. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Add the onions and cook 3 to 4 minutes, until softening. Add the garlic and beans and cook 2 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and reduce heat to simmer for 10 minutes for the flavors to blend. While it's simmering, make the slaw topping.

Slaw Topping
1/4 cup minced onion
2 cups shredded green cabbage
1 cup shredded red cabbage
1 medium carrot, shredded
1 tablespoon ume plum vinegar**
1 teaspoon agave nectar
Juice from 1/2 a lemon
1/3 cup vegan mayonnaise
Pepper to taste
In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients. Fill taco shells with the bean mixture and top with the slaw.

*if you are using homemade barbecue sauce, you may want to drop the onions
**I'm loving ume plum vinegar, but you could use apple cider vinegar instead. You might need to add some salt to the slaw if you do.

This quick and easy dish makes a satisfying dinner or lunch. The flavorful black beans combine well with the slightly tangy slaw to make this dish a winner.

Cookbook Winnner and Tempeh Endive Boats

The winner of the Saucy Vegetarian is......

Autumn Tao! Congratulations! Please email me your address and I'll get this book in the mail to you.

This photo makes me feel like spring. It looks like a flower, doesn't it?

Tempeh Endive Boats

And here's a serving just for you, enhanced with a little sriracha.



American Vegan Kitchen testers, it won't be long now until your thank you copies will be in your hands. I'm ready to ship them out as soon as they get here!

It's almost the weekend. Hope the sun shines where you are.

New book contest coming soon!