Friday Recipes

It's finally Friday. If you're like me, you probably have plans to get tons of stuff done. And, if you're really like me, you probably won't get half that stuff done before Monday morning. Such is life.

Of course, we still need to eat. So, here are six recipes to help you through the weekend. Enjoy!

SAVORY BREAKFAST SANDWICHES

This recipe, as well as the next one (Tofu Scramble) comes from Compassion Over Killing, and can be found in the breakfast section of their Easy Vegan Recipes.

You can request (or download) Compassion Over Killing's free Easy Vegan Recipes booklet here.

Makes 4 sandwiches

Ingredients

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

3 tablespoons Bragg Liquid Aminos or soy sauce

1/4 cup olive oil

1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper, divided

1 14-ounce package firm tofu, drained and cut crosswise into 8 slices

1 large onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, chopped

8 ounces button mushrooms, sliced

1 medium tomato, chopped

2 cups baby spinach leaves

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon salt

Vegan butter, such as Earth Balance (optional)

4 English muffins, toasted

Instructions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

In a shallow baking dish, mix together the vinegar, Bragg Liquid Aminos or soy sauce, olive oil, and 1/2 teaspoon of the black pepper with a whisk. Place tofu slices in a single layer in the dish, then turn over to coat on all sides. Allow tofu to marinate for 20 minutes, turning slices occasionally.

Place baking dish in oven for 20 minutes. Flip tofu slices over and continue to bake for an additional 10-20 minutes until crispy and most of the liquid has been absorbed.

Meanwhile, spray a large skillet with oil or cooking spray. Sauté onion and garlic over medium-high heat until onion begins to soften. Add mushrooms and continue cooking until they begin to brown. Add tomato, spinach, thyme, salt, and remaining black pepper. Cook and stir until spinach is wilted and any liquid has evaporated, turning heat to medium low if the vegetables are browning too quickly. Adjust seasoning.

To assemble sandwiches, spread vegan butter on English muffins, if using. Then add 2 tablespoons of the cooked vegetables to the bottom half of each muffin. Top with 2 slices of tofu and evenly distribute the remaining vegetables on top of the tofu slices on all 4 sandwiches. Cover with the other muffin halves and press down to help keep vegetables from spilling out.

TOFU SCRAMBLE

Serves 2-3

Ingredients

1 14-ounce package extra firm tofu, drained

2 tablespoons vegetable oil or vegan butter (try Earth Balance)

1/2 pound white button mushrooms, sliced

1 bell pepper, chopped

1 packed cup fresh spinach

2 green onions, diced

1/2 cup nutritional yeast

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric (for color)

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

Heat the oil or butter in a medium-sized frying pan over medium-high heat. Crumble the tofu into the pan and sauté, stirring occasionally for 8-10 minutes.

Add the remaining ingredients. Lightly toss in the pan until well-cooked, about 5 more minutes.

Adjust spices to taste and serve hot.

ROASTED CARROT AND RED LENTIL RAGOUT

This is from Molly O’Neill in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Molly wrote, “Somehow, over the centuries, the word ragout (which in 17th-century France meant anything that stimulated appetite) has come to signify a dish of sturdy consolation. Nearly any simmered food, be it meat, vegetable, fish or fowl, can be called a ragout, although in France, it is generally assumed that the main ingredients will be of a uniform chunk cut into slightly smaller than bite-size pieces. This spicy carrot and lentil ragout can be served first as a main course and later extended with coconut milk or chicken broth to make a soup. Serve it over rice to temper the heat.”

Yield: 6 servings; Time: 1 hour 15 minutes.

This was featured in “Food; Simmer Down” and can be viewed online here. Also, check out Melissa Clark’s guide, titled “How to Cook Beans” to help with the cooking process.

Note: The recipe originally called for chicken stock. I've replaced that with vegetable stock.

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds carrots, peeled

5 tablespoons olive oil

2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 medium onion, sliced thin

3/4 teaspoon ancho chili powder

3/4 teaspoon chipotle chili powder

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 cup red lentils

5 cups vegetable stock

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Lay the carrots in a roasting pan and toss with 3 tablespoons oil. Season with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and a few grinds of pepper. Roast for 20 minutes. Turn the carrots, add the onion and roast 15 minutes, until the carrots are brown and tender. When carrots are cool enough, cut them in 1/4-inch dice.

Warm 2 tablespoons oil in a saucepan. Add the carrot-and-onion mixture, the chili powders and the cayenne pepper. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Stir in the lentils. Add the stock and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 20 to 25 minutes, until the lentils are falling apart. Season with remaining salt and pepper to taste. Serve with rice, or as a thick soup.

BARLEY-STUFFED RED PEPPERS

This comes from the January 2003 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 21. It begins, “Baked, stuffed bell peppers make an ideal budget main course but usually require lengthy cooking time. This speedy version calls for steaming the red peppers to soften them before you fill them to the brim with zesty barley-mushroom stuffing.” Serves 3 in 30 minutes or less.

To view this online, go to http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/barley-stuffed-red-peppers/.

1 cup uncooked quick-cooking barley

3 cups vegetable or mushroom broth

3 large red bell peppers

2 Tbs. olive oil

1 large onion, peeled and diced

1 Tbs. minced garlic

6 oz. presliced portobello mushrooms, cubed

4 oz. feta cheese, crumbled

1 tsp. lemon juice

1/3 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

Hot pepper sauce to taste

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Parsley sprigs for garnish

Combine barley and 2 cups vegetable broth in saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, cover and cook until tender, 10 to 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, slice tops off red peppers, and remove seeds and inner membranes. Reserve tops for later use. Place peppers on steaming rack over boiling water, and cover saucepan. Steam peppers for about 15 minutes, or until tender but not soft. Remove from heat, and set aside until cool enough to handle.

Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat until hot. Sauté onion and garlic until onion becomes translucent, about 5 minutes. Add barley and any remaining cooking liquid, and stir until grains are coated with oil. Add mushrooms and remaining 1 cup vegetable broth, and sauté mixture for about 5 minutes, or until mushrooms soften and liquid absorbed. Stir in feta, lemon juice, parsley, hot pepper sauce, and salt and pepper to taste, and cook about 2 minutes more. Remove from heat.

Stand peppers upright, and spoon barley mixture into them. Fill each pepper, and serve with tops over the filling or propped alongside. Garnish with parsley and serve.

nutritional information Per Serving: Calories: 460; Protein: 14 g; Total Fat: 19 g; Saturated Fat: 7 g; Carbohydrates: 62 g; Cholesterol: 35 mg; Sodium: 900 mg; Fiber: 13 g; Sugar: 13 g

BAKED VEGETABLE MEDLEY

This also comes from the January 2003 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 22. It begins, “The crust for this vegetable-filled pie may be made from ready-made, store-bought dough that you roll out and fit into a pie plate. Or, for a no-fuss meal, start with a premade frozen pie crust. This is a meal-in-a-slice, calling only for a light dessert of fruit and nuts.” Serves 4 in 30 minutes or less.

To view this online, go to http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/baked-vegetable-medley/.

One 9-inch unbaked frozen pie shell

2 Tbs. olive oil

1 large leek, thinly sliced

1 tsp. minced garlic

1/2 bunch kale, shredded

2/3 cup chunky seasoned tomato sauce

1 1/2 cups artichoke hearts, drained

6 oz. smoked tofu, cut into thin strips

1 cup grated low-fat mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 375F. Reserve strips of leek for garnish.

Bake pie shell until golden, about 10 minutes, or according to package directions. Remove from oven, and set aside. Increase oven temperature to 450F.

Heat olive oil in large skillet over med-ium heat. When hot, sauté leek and garlic for about 5 minutes. Add kale and tomato sauce, stirring often, and cook until kale wilts and leeks are translucent. Add artichoke hearts.

Fill baked pie shell, and arrange tofu pieces decoratively on top. Sprinkle grated cheese over top, and bake 5 minutes more. Increase oven temperature to broil, and heat until cheese browns, about 1 minute.

nutritional information Per Serving: Calories: 420; Protein: 18 g; Total Fat: 25 g; Saturated Fat: 8 g; Carbohydrates: 34 g; Cholesterol: 20 mg; Sodium: 510 mg; Fiber: 5 g; Sugar: 3 g

HERBED TOFU LASAGNA WITH ZUCCHINI

This also comes from the April 2006 issue of Vegetarian Times. It begins, “Simple, fresh flavors and an innovative way with tofu—it's blended with herbs and seasonings until creamy and ricotta-like—make this lasagna one you'll want to make year-round. The key: Use the best purchased marinara sauce you can find, then drizzle each serving with extra virgin olive oil.” Serves 10.

To view this online, go to http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/herbed-tofu-lasagna-with-zucchini/.

2 14-oz. pkg. firm tofu, well drained

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil

1/3 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley

1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted

2 cloves garlic, peeled

2 Tbs. lemon juice

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes

1/4 tsp. sugar

1 Tbs. olive oil

4 medium-size zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch slices (about 3 cups)

5 cups marinara sauce

16 no-cook lasagna noodles (9 oz.)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat 13×9-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Combine tofu, basil, parsley, pine nuts, garlic, lemon juice, salt, red pepper flakes and sugar in food processor; blend until smooth and similar to ricotta in texture.

Put oil and zucchini in large nonstick skillet. Sauté 3 to 5 minutes over medium-high heat, or until just tender.

Spread 3 Tbs. marinara sauce over bottom of prepared baking dish. Cover with layer of noodles, overlapping slightly, half of tofu mixture and half of zucchini mixture. Top with another layer of noodles, remaining tofu and zucchini, and 1/2 cup sauce. Finish with another layer of noodles and remaining sauce.

Cover with foil, and bake 1 hour. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

nutritional information Per SERVING: Calories: 314; Protein: 18 g; Total Fat: 12 g; Saturated Fat: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 36 g; Sodium: 617 mg; Fiber: 6 g; Sugar: 10 g; Vegan