Apron Strings

1/2 brick tofu, cubed
1/4c black bean sauce (mine was leftover from a Green Sprout delivery, but I’m sure the jarred sort would work just fine.)

2T sesame oil
1/2 head garlic, minced fine
1/2 small onion, minced
2T soy sauce
2t chili garlic sauce (optional)

4 cups collards, chopped coarsely

1/2c mushrooms, sliced

2T tosted sesame seeds (optional)

Mix up the tofu with the black bean sauce and set aside. You want to let it sit while you prepare everything else, so it will soak up the beany goodness!

Heat the sesame oil on medium heat and toss in the garlic and onion. Stir for a minute or two, then add the soy and chili garlic sauce. Cook for a couple of minutes more, until the garlic starts to brown.

Now it’s time to toss in the greens! You may have to add it in batches, throwing in more as it cooks down. Once all your greens are reduced and bright and lovely, it’s time to add the shrooms and the tofu. Increase the heat to medium-high, and stir everything up for a few minutes, until the tofu is heated through.

Sprinkle with the sesame seeds, if you’re using them, and serve! This is nice with rice or noodles.

I told you it was a lot of collards! Tomorrow, I am going to try to reproduce the collards that my fiance, Dave, used to eat as a kid. If it goes well, I’ll post it! It’s going to be a pretty greens-centric month, since it sounds like that is what’s growing locally right now.

2T olive oil
1/2c sliced mushrooms…whatever sort you like!
1/2c broccoli slaw
2 cloves garlic
1/2t fennel seeds

1/4c sundried tomatoes
2T water
1T soy sauce
2-3T pine nuts
1t italian seasoning
1t onion powder
dash of cayenne
1/4c nutritional yeast plus 2 extra tablespoons

Heat the oil on medium high and toss in the mushrooms, broccoli slaw, garlic and fennel. Sautee until the mushroom s soften, then throw in everything else, except that extra bit of nutritional yeast. Heat everything all up until it starts to get a little bit creamy, then transfer it to a bowl. Top with the extra yeast and serve!

This could serve one as a really big dinner or two, with some soup and garlic bread on the side! If you want to make it soy free, you can add a little salt, up the water by a tablespoon and omit the soy sauce!

1/4 brick tofu
1t chili powder
your favorite hot sauce, to taste
1 clove garlic, minced
1 pinch mustard powder
1t tumeric
2T nutritional yeast
1T water
1T olive oil
1/2 can black beans
moterey jack cheez, shredded

salsa, guacamole, “sour cream” for topping (whatever you like!)

Mash the tofu with the spices, nutritional yeast and water. Be careful not to mash the tofu up too too finely.
Heat the oil in a frying pan and toss in the tofu mixture and the beans. Stir everything well for a few minutes, then add the cheez. Heat everything up, stirring, until the cheeze gets melty.
Top with whatever toppings you picked and EAT!

If you want it to feel super-brunchy, a little field green side salad with balsamic vinegar will do the trick!

1 head broccoli, in florets (or any veggie you like, really)
2 cloves garlic
1 block tofu, cut into strips
1/2c high gluten flour
oil, for frying
2 cups brown rice, cooked
2 1/2 cups cheez sauce of your choice. I used the mac n cheez sauce from The Uncheese Cookbook.
2 handfuls sunflower seeds

Steam the garlic and broccoli until the broccoli is just bright green.
Dredge the tofu in the high-gluten flour and deep fry in the oil until golden brown.
Mix everything up in a 9X13 pan and top with the sunflower seeds.
Serve!

2c veggie broth
1c carrots, finely diced or whizzed in the food processor
2 large cloves garlic, prepped just like the carrots
2T organic yellow miso
1t ground ginger
1/2 block extra firm tofu, in teensy cubes
1t shoyu

Dump everything into a little pot and simmer for about 10 minutes!
If you’re sick, keep some tissues nearby. I’m just sayin.

1/2 box whole wheat rotini pasta

1 can asparagus, drained
1 can pinto beans, drained

1T margarine
1 large zucchini, diced
1t salt
1t chili powder

1 recipe cashew sauce

Set pasta to cook however the package tells you and preheat the oven to 350.
Meanwhile, mix beans and asparagus in an 8″X8″ glass baking pan.
Sautee the zucchini, salt and chili powder in the margarine on medium high, until the zucchini is softened. Mix this with the beans and asparagus.
Add the pasta when it’s all cooked up!
Pour on the cashew sauce and stir everything well.
Bake for 20 minutes.

You could totally use any veggies and beans you wanted in this, whatever you have on hand.

1 eggplant, sliced into rounds
1/2c cornmeal
2t italian seasoning
2t dried, minced garlic
olive oil

1 small can tomato sauce
1/4c nutritional yeast
1t fennel
1t italian seasoning
2t dried, minced garlic

1 yellow squash, sliced into coins

your favorite fakecheese, shredded

Preheat the oven to 350. Mix the cornmeal, italian seasoning and garlic. Lightly oil a baking sheet and put the eggplant in a single layer, then rub the eggplant with the cornmeal mixture and drizzle with oil. Flip all the slices over and do the same thing to the other side of each piece. Bake the eggplant for 15 minutes on each side.

Mix the pasta sauce with the remaining spices and nutritional yeast and spread a thin layer of sauce on the bottom of an 8″X8″ baking pan. Spread a layer of squash over the sauce, then a layer of eggplant. Pour a layer of half the remaining sauce and then lay out another layer of eggplant. Top with the remaining sauce and then the shredded fakecheese.

Bake for 40 minutes. Let the casserole stand for at least 15 minutes before serving, so things get a chance to settle!

6 large red potatoes, with skins on
1/4c salt

3T veganaise
2T deli mustard
2t fennel seeds
1/2 a vidalia onion, diced
salt and pepper to taste

Bring a big pot of water to a boil and toss in the potatoes and salt. Boil for 25 minutes, then drain, rinse and cool until you can handle them.

Dice the potatoes and stir in the rest of the ingredients. You won’t need quite so much salt, since the water is so salty. This is best if you let it sit for a few hours or even overnight before serving.