MEXI-KALE TOFU SCRAMBLE

A tofu scramble is a great breakfast option for those days when time is on your side. As well as packing in some hearty protein first thing in the morning, tofu is super versatile. Mexi-kale scramble brings together a rainbow of vegetables, healthy whole food fats, and a Mexican spice blend - with oregano, smoked paprika, garlic, cumin, coriander, and a little thyme. 

Get creative and build a scramble using a mix of the veggies you have on hand (capsicum, grated carrot and spinach or kale work great), a block of extra-firm tofu, and your favourite spice blend (such as Italian, Middle Eastern, Indian, and more)

Simple, delicious, vegan!

BRAISED ASIAN GREENS WITH TOFU

Don't be deceived by the somewhat lacklustre name of this dish... it is truely one of my favourites! It is super simple to make, uses healthful ingredients, and tastes really, reallllyyy good!

What you need:

TOFU, KALE + BROCCOLI BOWL

after a “blah” day at work i felt that some comfort food was in order! ok, sure!… so salads aren’t in most people’s comfort food category but this one is hearty, flavourful and - with a 90’s classic french-onion-dip style dressing – ticks all the boxes for me.

plus – despite having only six main components – this salad bowl packs in over 50g of protein, a solid dose of key minerals calcium and zinc, and a bounty of phytochemicals – winner!

how?

1 cup of cooked brown rice

1 cup of cooked lentils

1 cup of broccoli florets

2 cups of kale, roughly shredded

2 tablespoons of raw pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

1 block of tofu, cubed

for the dressing…

¼ cup of vegan sour cream (I used toffuti)

1 teaspoon of dijon mustard

½ teaspoon of onion powder

pan fry the tofu until golden brown and set aside. sauté off the kale and broccoli until tender (but retaining a little bite and their vibrant colour). toss it all together and drizzle over the creamy french onion style dressing – enjoy!

serves 2

PROBIOTIC + PROTEIN POWER BOWL

with over 50g of protein [per serve], 885mg of calcium [per serve] and a probiotic punch - this power bowl is not only super healthy but super tasty and super satisfying! 

how? 

1 cup of cooked brown rice

1 cup of cooked puy (a.k.a french) lentils (i whacked mine in the pressure cooker with a few bay leaves for 10 minutes) 

400g block of extra firm tofu, cubed and pan fried (i drizzled mine with a little black cherry vincotto for a bit more bite)

2-3 cups of roughly shredded cos lettuce

** amended - 1/2 cup of cucumber, diced

for the dressing... 

2 tablespoons of miso paste (i used white)

2 tablespoons of tahini (i used hulled)

1 small clove of garlic

1/4 to 1/3 cup of water

blend all dressing ingredients together in a wet mill (or with a bamix) until thoroughly combined. toss everything together with a generous drizzling of the dressing and enjoy! 

serves 2

"ISA DOES IT"'S CURRIED PEANUT SAUCE BOWL

this tofu and kale (i used silverbeet [a.k.a swiss chard]) combo is such a winner. i am a big fan of satay - so i was sold from the get-go! if you haven't already grabbed your copy of isa's book then definitely hit up your fav book store and get this one on your shelf a-sap!

if you are anything like me, you may have trouble not 'taste-testing' the sauce so much that you almost run short when it comes time for smothering your crispy tofu and wilted greens - but, if willpower prevails you will be rewarded with a tangy, creamy, dish to-die-for! 

PALAK TOFU

ever heard of palak paneer? well here is the delicious vegan alternative to that gorgeously green indian dish! served with brown rice, this dish packs in plenty of protein, all-important iron, as well as manganese, vitamins A + K, and magnesium. 

how? 

1 block of firm tofu, cubed

1/2 brown onion, finely diced

1 clove of garlic, finely diced

1 teaspoon of turmeric

2 teaspoon of garam masala

1 packet of frozen spinach (200g), thawed

1/2 to 1 cup of vegetable stock

2 cm chunk of ginger, finely diced

1/4 teaspoon of ground chilli powder

1 teaspoon of oil (i used canola)

fry off your tofu in the oil in a medium saute pan until golden brown. remove and set aside. add the onion and garlic to the pan and saute until translucent. add the turmeric, garam malasa and chilli powder and stir to combine. add the spinach, ginger and enough vegetable stock to bring the spinach mix together into a 'sauce'. cook for 5-6 minutes until thick and saucy. return the tofu to the pan and stir to coat and heat through. 

serve with some deliciously nutty brown rice - yum!

serves 2

TANGY VEGAN LAKSA W/ TOFU

its winter down-under and that means its time to whip out the ol' stock pot and get creative with some hearty winter-warmers! i am a laksa fan and this one is really simple to pull together if you have some asian flavours on hand

how?

1/2 brown onion, diced

1 clove of garlic, finely diced

1 red capsicum, diced

1 carrot, sliced 

1 small potato, diced

1 teaspoon of turmeric

1/2 teaspoon of dried chilli flakes (or 1 small thai chilli, finely sliced)

2 teaspoons of ground coriander

5-6 kaffir lime leaves (i have a tree in my courtyard that i steal a few off)

5 cm chunk of lemongrass, finely sliced

5 cm chuck of fresh ginger, cut into fine matchsticks

1/2 tin of coconut cream (135mL)

500mL of vegetable stock

1 block of tofu, cubed

bunch of fresh coriander

1 teaspoon of oil (i used canola)

saute off the onion and garlic in the oil until translucent. add the potato and cook for 2-3 minutes. add the carrot, capsicum, turmeric, ground coriander, chilli, ginger, lemongrass and lime leaves. cook for 2-3 minutes to bring out the flavours. add the stock and bring to the boil. reduce the heat and simmer until the vegetables are tender. add the tofu and coconut cream and cook until heated through (don't boil). stir through the fresh coriander and serve on top of some fluffy jasmine rice - enjoy!

serves 4

FRESH HOMEMADE TOFU

although a consciously planned vegan diet can tick all the boxes when it comes to essential vitamins and minerals - not even mentioning its amazing health-giving properties - there are a few aspects that may need some attention. an adequate intake of calcium can be one. so how can you include more calcium in your vegan diet? easy! calcium-set tofu. the australian dietary guidelines advise that 100g of firm tofu contains the same amount of calcium as a serving (1 cup) of milk. just another reason i ♥ tofu!

if you are like me and are constantly looking for ways to cut down on waste, why not try making your own homemade tofu?! its easy to do, guarantees your tofu is fresh, packed full of calcium and delicious!

how?

2 litres of fresh homemade soy milk
1 tablespoons of calcium sulphate (food-grade gypsum)*
1/2 cup of boiling water

* you can buy this from a retailer of brewing supplies (i bought 1kg for 19.95AUD, which will make ~62 blocks of tofu!)

equipment

1 large 3L pot with lid
1 wooden spoon
1 small jug or bowl
1 slotted spoon or small colander
1 tofu press or strainer lined with muslin cloth
something heavy to press your tofu

SPICY TOFU + CHERRY TOMATO SKEWERS ON CREAMY POLENTA W/ SAUTÉD SILVERBEET + BROAD BEANS

ok, so there are a few components going on here - but each requiring minimal skill. the creamy polenta can bubble away while you spear together your crusted tofu and cherry tomato skewers. sauté off the silverbeet and broad beans with some diced onion five minutes before plating up and your done! 

so what makes this dish healthy? well.. tofu brings calcium to the party, whilst the cherry tomatoes and broad beans add vitamin C. silverbeet is a real winner - packed full of vitamins A, E and K (and of course fibre). 

KALE, TOFU + BLACK QUINOA BOWL W/ ROMESCO DRESSING

with left over romesco dressing on hand, i made a slight alteration to the kale, tofu and quinoa bowl with creamy chavez dressing - swapping the white quinoa for a nuttier black variety of this protein-packed grain and smothering it all in the practically no-fat romesco dressing. this was super yum, i was very happy whilst devouring this vegan bowl of deliciousness!

KALE, TOFU, QUINOA BOWL W/ CAESAR CHAVEZ DRESSING

i have mentioned before that i have an overflowing bookcase full of amazing vegan cookbooks, which are in turn full of inspiring recipes and ideas. although i spend alot of my spare time flicking through their pages, i have only managed to work my way through a small number of these fab recipes. there are just too many dishes and not enough meals in a day! but i have made a rule that i cannot buy anymore cookbooks until i have exhausted the books i currently have (this of course is an ambitious rule, which i am likely to break if i happen to find myself surfing the pages of bookdepository.co.uk!)

SPICY BEANS + SCRAMBLED TOFU

i have to say i am oh so proud of my spicy beans (recipe to come) and vegan breakfast scramble! this was quick and easy and a sound way to start a day.

how? - for the scrambled tofu

2 teaspoons of ground cumin
1 teaspoon of dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon of turmeric
1 teaspoon of salt
3 tablespoons of water
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
450g of firm tofu, drained
1/4 cup of nutritional yeast
cracked pepper to taste

mix the cumin, thyme, turmeric and salt together. add the water and set aside. saute the garlic in the oil in a heavy based frying pan over medium heat. break up your tofu into scramble-size peices and add to the garlic. cook for 10 mins making sure the tofu is getting deliciously golden brown. add the spice mix, nutritional yeast and pepper and cook for a further 5 mins. serve on some delish sourdough toast or as a side to some tasty spicy beans and grilled mushrooms.

serves 2

SOY SESAME GINGER TOFU

continuing my love of all things tofu, i whacked together a soy, sesame and ginger tofu dish for dinner - yum! 

how? 

225g of firm tofu

2 teaspoons of ginger, grated or finely chopped

1 teaspoon of sesame seeds

2 tablespoon of soy sauce

1 cup of brown rice, cooked

1/2 cup of broccoli, steamed

stir-fry the tofu with the ginger and sesame seeds. add the soy sauce when the tofu is crisp and golden. serve with rice and broccoli. 

serves 1-2

SALT + PEPPER TOFU SALAD

o-m-gosh yum! this delicious dish was the amaze result of a "what can i do with this 1/2 a block of tofu?!" moment and so incredibly simple and quick to smash together!

how? 

225g of firm tofu, cubed

1/2 teaspoon of salt

1/2 teaspoon of black pepper

4 leaves of cos lettuce, roughly torn into pieces

1 medium sized vine ripened tomato

1/2 a lemon, halved again

combine the salt and pepper in a dish and roll the tofu pieces into the mix. heat a small frying pan and dry fry the tofu until crispy (i always charcoal mine a little [as you can see from the pic] as i love the smokey flavour!) Serve on top of the lettuce and tomato salad base with the lemon generously squeezed over the top - sooooo good! 

SUPER SPICY TOFU + BEAN SPROUTS

now this was a spicy dish, but tasty all the same!

how?

225g of firm tofu, cut into cubes

1 tablespoon of red chilli in oil

2 cups of bean sprouts

1 cup of cooked rice (i used a wild and brown rice mix)

dry fry the tofu in a wok or frying pan. add the chilli and stir fry for 2 minutes. remove from heat and add bean sprouts. serve with rice and a large glass of water!! 

serves 2

SPICY SESAME TOFU NOODLES

in the mood for tofu and noodles, i whacked together this cheap and easy asian inspiration meal in no time! using frozen veg and tofu the prep was simple and a real time saver

how? 

1 stick of buckwheat noodles, precooked in boiling water

1/2 cup of frozen baby carrots, defrosted

1/2 cup of frozen sugar peas, defrosted

200g frozen tofu, defrosted and cubed

2 teaspoons of sesame seeds

1/2 teaspoon of garlic granules

2 teaspoon of chilli powder

1/4 of a large brown onion, diced

saute the diced onion in a saute pan or wok. add the garlic granules and chilli powder and cook briefly to release the flavour. add the tofu, carrots and sugar peas. stir fry. add the cooked noodles and toss together and heat through. serve sprinkled with the sesame seeds and some kecap manis (optional)

serves 2

LAST MINUTE MISO SOUP

crashing through the door after a delayed flight and feeling exhausted, the thought of having to figure out something for dinner was draining! solution = last minute miso soup! ok... so this looks a little less that fab... but dont judge a miso by its cover! this soup was super delish and made in a matter of minutes! 

how? 

1/2 cup of frozen spinach 'nuggets' defrosted

1 cup of iceberg lettuce, roughly torn into pieces 

100 g of frozen tofu, defrosted and cubed

2 tablespoons of miso paste

1 1/2 cup of water

boil the water in a small saucepan. bring to the boil. add the spinach, tofu, lettuce and bring back to the boil. remove from the heat. scoop out 14 cup of the hot broth and mix with the miso paste. stir in the miso paste mix and serve - easy, delicious and the perfect way to relax!

serves 1 

CURRIED TOFU SANDWICHES

to investigate further the suitability of tofu as a tasty vegan replacement for eggs, i decided that a curried tofu sandwich would be an easy (and dare i say fail-proof) way to test this theory!

how? 

250g of tofu, patted dry with paper towel and crumbled

1 teaspoon of curry powder

1 tablespoon of vegan mayonaise (optional, since i wanted a lower calorie sandwich i didn't include any vegan mayonaise) 

salt and pepper to season

lettuce

2 slices of wholemeal or multigrain bread (for that added nutritional boost of wholegrains!), fresh or toasted

combine the crumbled tofu, curry powder, salt and pepper and vegan mayo (if using this). take one of the slices of bread/toast and pile on some fresh and crisp iceberg or other lettuce of choice. top with the curried tofu mix and the second slice of bread/toast. result = ethically delicious vegan replacement for eggs!

TASTY VEGAN TOFU SCRAMBLE

a cool spring saturday morning calls for a descent hot breakfast! and what better way to warm up and fill up than a tasty vegan tofu scramble - yum! 

how? 

250 g firm tofu, patted dry with paper towel and crumbled

1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon of dried oregano

1 1/2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast flakes

salt and pepper to season

2 teaspoons of evoo

combine the crumbled tofu with the other ingredients. heat the evoo in a hot frying pan. add the tofu mix and pan fry until crispy and golden. serve with a couple of slices of toasted wholemeal bread drizzled with a little more evoo

with easy, tasty, and healthy vegan meals like this, how can you go wrong! 

CRISPY FRIED TOFU IN SESAME SOY SAUCE

i seriously heart deep-fried tofu! so after my bulk tofu purchase yesterday (at €0.75 per 500g pack) i was totally craving a tasty tofu dish... so crispy fried tofu in sesame soy sauce was a must on the lunch 'menu'!

how? 

250 g block firm tofu, cut in half and patted dry with paper towel

1/2 cup of brown rice

1 tablespoon of soy sauce

1 tablespoon of rice wine vinegar

1/2 tablespoon of tahini

2 tablespoons of plain flour (or rice flour if you have it onhand)

sprig of fresh coriander for garnishing 

cook the brown rice. combine the soy, rice wine vinegar and tahini in a small bowl and whisk to combine.  place the flour into another small bowl and use it to coat the tofu pieces. heat enough oil in a small saucepan to achieve a depth of 2 cm. when the oil begins making a crackling sound add the tofu and shallow fry until golden, turning to crisp all sides. 

serve with brown rice and pour over sauce, garnishing with fresh coriander - too good! 

serves 2