Everyone’s favorite time of year is here – Veganuary.
No? Oh, that was the holidays?
Well, just in case you’re creeping Google for those few #plantbased recipes to at least attempt a new year resolution for the first 20 days of the year, you’ve landed in the right place.
When I first went #plantbased, I found the hardest part learning how to cook #vegan. As a seasoned chef and baker, I was stumped where to start when your main recipe ingredients are typically meat and dairy.
It took a while, I’ll be honest, but soon, you’ll learn how to simply substitute. The easiest to start? Tofu, almond milk and cashew butter. These three things will carry you through the trenches into the beautiful world of delicious vegan food.
Yes, I know you’ve heard it many times, but I’ve just hit my one year anniversary as a former dairy farmer turned vegan. It’s possible. You can do it and you’ll be happy you did.
So, as usual, I am showcasing a few simple recipes that are easy to recreate and taste fucking amazing – so much so that someone who loved bloody steak doesn’t even miss it. I will say, one of the easiest ways to get started is to use a meal planner or recipe book like SkinnyTaste (where I found the below recipe and doctored slightly – no egg and added veggies). Another favorite is the Rich Roll Meal Planner (no affiliate I just love it!) which also puts all the ingredients you need for each recipe directly into your shopping cart with Peapod. Bonus: Stop & Shop also has prepped SkinnyTaste meals to order on their site!
Clearly the time to be healthier is 2020 – there are just so many options it’s not excusable – unless you don’t want to be. So, here is my first of the year:
Sesame Tofu “Steaks” with sautéed chard and oyster mushrooms
Ingredients (Tofu):
- 7 ounces extra-firm tofu, drained and cut into 1/2 slices or “steaks”
- 2 Tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp brown sugar
- 1 garlic clove, grated
- 1/2 tsp fresh ginger
- 1/3 cup white and black sesame seeds (or I also sub in flax seeds!)
- 1 large egg (I just omit this to be vegan)
- Olive Oil Spray
- vegan mayo (for sriracha mayo)
- Sriracha (for sriracha mayo)
Ingredients (Chard):
- 1 bunch rainbow chard, washed and chopped
- 1 package of oyster mushrooms
- 1/2 red onion
- 1-2 cloves garlic
- Small pat of cashew butter
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions (Sesame Tofu):
1. Press tofu to remove the water. I use a pressed then dab with paper towels but you can just use paper towels if you don’t have one.
2. Transfer to a small bowl or dish so the tofu can lay flat as a single layer.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, sesame oil, vinegar, brown sugar, garlic, and ginger. Drizzle half the marinade over the tofu, then gently flip and drizzle the rest on the other side. Marinate in the refrigerator or at least one hour or up to overnight.
4. Place the sesame seeds on a small plate. Remove the tofu slice from the marinade and dip into the seeds. Spray both sides with olive oil.
5. Preheat the air fryer to 400 F and place all the tofu steaks on a single layer. If you don’t have an air fryer, baking it in the oven works too – bake for 8-10 minutes at 350 F, flipping halfway.
6. While that’s baking, mix [vegan] mayonnaise and Sriracha.
Directions (chard):
One thing I’ve learned with going plant-based is – don’t oversimplify the process, let the food be the flavor. So all you need to do is simply sauté these two veggies together with a small pat of cashew butter and garlic and onion.
This post is made possible through a partnership with Stop & Shop. All opinions are my own. Thanks for supporting Football Food and Motherhood!
