Looking for an easy vegan recipe

[Trishy]

My FIL will be coming over on Sunday with his dd who is vegan. I plan on making Chicken and Dumplings for FIL, BIL, dh and I but I would like to make a little something for SIL to eat other than a Boca burger. Unfortunately, the area I live in is rural so it is really hard to find a lot of things. I would really appreciate if a few of you could throw some vegan recipes at me with basic ingredients.

Trish

[chfriend]

Easy Chicken Fried Tofu recipe (combination of a number of recipes I've seen printed):

*1 lb block of tofu (for great consistency freeze then let thaw...not necessary though)
*handful of sesame seeds
*a couple of handfuls of brewers yeast, also called nutritional yeast (this is different from the baking yeast...it's yellow flakes)
*a few tablespoons of soy sauce or tamari
*salt/pepper or poultry seasoning or any combination of herbs that would be tasty on fried chicken
*oil to cover the bottom of a fry pan or electric skillet

Cut the tofu into cubes of approximately the same size. Toss the sesame seeds, brewers yeast and seasoning into a bag. Heat up the oil in the pan to a medium heat (300 degrees on an electric skillet). Pour the soy sauce into a shallow plate. Dredge the tofu through the soy sauce a few at a time, then shake in your yeast mixture. Carefully place the covered tofu in the pan. Let fry happily on the medium heat with a cover on for twenty minutes or so. Turn and fry on the other side about 15 minutes.

Drain on a brown paper bag.

For a really big time, through a handful of flour in the used oil. Add the leftover yeast mixture. Stir into a "roux" by stirring on the same medium heat for a minute or two. Add 1-2 cups *very* cold water, stirring in gradually. Presto...a really respectable gravy.

Bonus: this makes fantastic toddler finger food.

[Erin Pavlina]

Brewer's yeast and nutritional yeast are NOT the same thing. I think nutritional yeast is what you're looking for. It can be hard to find if you don't have a health food store near you.

[Seeking Refuge]

Here is a soup that I make sometimes because I have all the ingredients on hand. It is good served with a salad and some crusty bread.

Lentil Pottage

1/2 lb lentils , 2 large onions, 2 carrots, 2 sticks of celery, 1 1/2 pint of vegetable broth (recipe below) thyme, parsley, garlic and 1 tblsp olive oil.

Wash the lentils and soak overnight in a bowl. Drain off the water and place them in a large sauce pan with other ingredients. Reserve butter. Bring soup to a boil and simmer 1 1/2 hours. Blend soup and return to pan. If soup is too thick add some broth. Stir in olive oil and serve hot.

Homemade Vegetable Broth

3 ribs celery with leaves, 1 medium leek with green top, 1 medium zucchini, 3 medium carrots -all cut into two inch pieces, two cloves garlic, stems from 1 bunch parsley, 3 medium onions unpeeled and quartered, 4 peppercorns, 2 bay leaves, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp thyme. Put all the ingredients in a 6 quart stockpot with 12 cups of water, bring to boil and reduce heat. Simmer gently skimming scum off top periodically. When scum no longer collects cover and continue cooking 30 minutes. Strain through cheesecloth. This stock can be used in place of other broths when making soup.


Hope you like it,
Steph