Down Home Vegan Cooking

Post number 11 for VeganMoFo.

As you know from my recent posts, we went to Asheville last weekend. One of our stops included a meal at Rosetta's Kitchen. We did not get pictures of our food because we were in a hurry to get on the road. I had a yummy Pad Thai bowl with peanut butter tofu and John had a plate with peanut butter tofu, mashed potatoes and gravy, and greens. His plate was not gluten free, so I could not try it. I was a bit disappointed that the dish was not gluten free, so when we got home I decided to try and make it myself. I have never tried it before, but I felt confident that I could replicate the meal and possibly even make it better!

So, I came up with a recipe for the a peanut butter tofu and got to work. The result was a delicious and hardy meal. John said that it was better than the one he ordered, but he was probably being nice. I only have mine to go off of and I loved it. I could not get enough of the peanut butter tofu! The greens and the mashed potatoes were awesome as well. It almost made me want to open a vegan and gluten free down home cooking restaurant. Almost.

Baked Peanut Butter Tofu

• 1 lb of tofu
  
• 1/4 c nutritional yeast (also known as nooch)
• 1/2 cup of natural peanut butter
• 3 tsp low sodium gluten free tamari
• 2 tsp rice vinegar
• 1 tsp agave nectar
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup warm water

Drain the tofu and wrap it in two paper towels. Place the wrapped tofu on a plate and top with a second plate. Use a weight to press down the plate and let the tofu sit for 15-20 minutes. While the tofu is pressing, make the sauce. Mix the peanut butter in a bowl and pour about 1/4 c of the warm water over the peanut butter. We use fresh ground, so it is a bit harder than the kind in a jar. Mix the two until creamy. Add in the tamari, rice vinegar, and agave. If the mixture is too thick, use more of the water. Set the sauce aside.

Preheat the oven to 420. Meanwhile, place the nooch on a plate. Unwrap the pressed tofu and cut it into about 1 inch cubes. Roll the cubes in the nooch and place them in a baking pan sprayed with olive oil spray. When they are all coated, place the tofu in the oven for 15 minutes. Flip the tofu and let it bake on the other side of 15 minutes. Then add the sauce making sure that each piece gets coated. Bake for another 15 minutes, turning once. The tofu will get a little crispy and smell wonderful! I cannot wait for the cold weather so I can have this meal again!

Sauteed Greens

• 1/2 c onion, chopped
• 1 bunch of swiss chard, leaves washed and chopped and stems set aside
• 2 tsp of olive oil
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 clove of garlic

Heat the oil in a large skillet, preferably an iron skillet. When hot, add the onion and red pepper flakes and saute' for 5 minutes. Then add the garlic and saute' for 3 minutes. While cooking, chop the stems small and add to the pan to saute' for an additional 3 minutes. When stems are tender, add in the chopped chard and cook until the leaves wilt. Serve hot.

Mashed Potatoes

• 3 large potatoes
• 3 Tbsp soy sour cream
• 1 Tbsp Earth Balance (vegan butter)
• 1/4 or more nut or soy milk
• 1/4 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder

Wash the potatoes. Leaving the skin on, chop the potatoes into about 1/2 inch cubes. Place the cubes in a soup pot and cover with cold water. Place on the stove and bring to a boil. Allow the potatoes to cook, checking them for tenderness. When the potatoes are tender, turn off the burner, drain, and place back in the cooking pot. Place back on the burner, turned of. Add the non-dairy milk and Earth Balance and begin to mash. Add in the soy sour cream and powders and mash until you reach a desired creaminess. Serve this with your favorite vegan and gluten free gravy!