Tex-Mex Tofu and Rice Skillet

I love my Pampered Chef "29 Minutes to Dinner" cookbooks and have adapted many of the recipes over the years.  This is the lasted omni to vegan redo.

1 tsp plus 1 tbsp vegetable oil, divided

1 can (11 oz) Mexican style corn 

15-20 oz pkg tofu (my favorite is Wildwood Organics SprouTofu Super Firm, vacuum pack)

1 tbsp Pampered Chef Southwest Seasoning Mix (you could substitute packaged or homemade taco seasoning)

2 cups uncooked white rice (you could also use brown rice - just adjust liquid amount and cooking time accordingly)

2 cups vegetable broth

1 1/2 cups salsa verde

2 tbsp snipped fresh cilantro

1 cup vegan cheese, shredded, if desired 

Drain tofu and slice into 1" thick slices.  Press tofu between absorbent toweling for at least 20 minutes.

Add 1 tsp of oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Drain corn well and pat dry with paper towels.  Add corn to skillet in a single layer.  Cook without stirring for 5 minutes or until caramelized on one side.  Remove corn from skillet; set aside.

Sprinkle tofu slices with seasoning mix; press into tofu to adhere.  Cut into cubes and place in a heavy baking sheet that has been sprayed or brushed with oil.  Bake at 400 degrees, stirring occasionally for even browning, for 15-20 minutes or until desired doneness.  Alternatively, you can saute' the tofu in a pan with a little oil if you prefer that method.  

Add remaining 1 tbsp oil to skillet.  Add rice; stir until coated with oil and slightly browned.  Add broth and salsa; bring to a simmer.  Cover, reduce heat to low and cook for 20 minutes or until all liquid is absorbed and rice is tender.  Add rice, cilantro, and tofu and stir.  Add vegan cheese if desired; cover and let stand 5 minutes for cheese to melt.  

Per serving (without cheese): 

481 cal

69 g carbs

12 g fat

23 g protein

Linguine with Clam-Free Sauce

When I saw this recipe in the December issue of Vegetarian Times, I knew it wouldn't take long for me to make it!  It looked delicious, but as a former linguine and creamy clam sauce lover, I was quite skeptical!  I am happy to say this recipe met all my expectations with the exception of one - it didn't make enough for leftovers!  The recipe says it serves 6, but four of us made quick work of it.  (Morgan abstained - she has decided she doesn't like mushrooms.  Blasphemy, I say!)

Linguine with Clam-Free Sauce

14 oz. uncooked linguine

2 tbsp arame (I couldn't find this particular sea vegetable in my local grocery, but they DID have generic "dried sea vegetable" sheets in addition to the nori sheets, so I tried it and it worked quite well.  I found it in the Asian section of my grocery store.)  

2 tbsp olive oil

6 cloves garlic, minced

3 cups fresh shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and cut into 1/2" cubes (I just sliced mine)

1/2 cup dry white wine (or you could use veggie broth or just water - I used wine because I had some opened for another recipe)

1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice

1 1/2 cups unsweetened soy, rice, or macadamia nut milk (I used soy)

3 tbsp nutritional yeast

2 tbsp Earth Balance margarine, optional (I used it)

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (I didn't want the flakes, so I subbed 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper)

3 tbsp finely chopped fresh flat-leaf (Italian) parsley

4 tsp pine nuts

Cook pasta in salted, boiling water according to package directions.  Drain.

While pasta is cooking, soak arame in 1/2 cup hot water.

Heat oil in skillet over medium heat.  Add garlic and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.  Add mushrooms, wine, and lemon juice; saute' 5 minutes adding up to 1/4 cup water (if needed) to prevention sticking.  (I sauteed the mushrooms for a few minutes before adding the wine and lemon juice.  I wanted them to have a little color and caramelization on them first.)

Add soy milk, nutritional yeast, margarine (if using), red pepper flakes, and arame with soaking liquid; season with salt and pepper to taste.  Cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Divide linguine among four plates; top with sauce; garnish with parsley and pine nuts.  

Per 1 1/2 cup serving:  

386 calories

16 g protein

9 g total fat (1 g sat fat)

65 g carbs

0 mg cholesterol

114 mg sodium

5 g fiber

7 g sugars