Chickpea Zoodle Soup....

Lent, you have struck again! 

I have been fighting a sore throat/sinus thing and wanted nothing more than a big bowl of Chicken Soup. FAIL!!!!! It was Friday.... no chicken for me. Time to improvise! No chicken? Try chickpeas instead! No noodles in the pantry? Make your own with a zucchini!

I must confess..... this soup is delicious! 

I set up the shot & was clicking away with my camera when a thought struck! CHEESE! Topped with a little Vegan Mozzarella, this soup was transformed! Enjoy!

Chickpea Zoodle Soup

(Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Nut-Free, Vegan)

Ingredients:

• 1 Tblsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1/2 Yellow Onion, chopped
• 2 Celery Ribs, chopped
• 2 Carrots, chopped
• 1 small head Broccoli, chopped
• handful Green Beans, chopped
• 1 Yellow Squash, chopped
• 4 cloves Garlic, minced
• 1 Tblsp Poultry Seasoning
• Sea Salt
• Black Pepper
• 1/2 tsp Thyme
• 2 tsp Tarragon
• 1 quart Organic No-Chicken Broth
• 1 (15 oz) can Organic Garbanzo Beans, drained & rinsed
• 1 bunch Spinach, chopped
• 1/2 Zucchini, spiralized
• Daiya Vegan Mozzarella Cheese, garnish

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.
2. Saute onions 3 minutes, add celery & carrots, cook 3-4 more minutes until soft. Add broccoli, green beans & squash, cook 3 more minutes.
3. Add garlic and saute stirring constantly 1 minute.
4. Add spices & herbs, stir to combine.
5. Deglaze pan with broth and bring to a simmer.
6. Add garbanzo beans & spinach and cover.
7. Reduce heat to low & simmer 15 minutes.
8. Add spiralized zucchini "noodles" & cook 5 more minutes until soft.
9. Garnish with vegan cheese & serve.

More Baked Tofu Bliss....

Next on the tofu front is another baked tofu recipe.  This time, I got a little braver and made my own sauce. I wanted to add a pinch of curry powder, but, alas, had none in the house. (Sacrilege, I know!) Not to worry! I have amended the no-curry-in-the-kitchen situation. Curry, or no curry, this is a delicious recipe. I enjoyed my 'fu atop a salad. How do you enjoy your 'fu?

Apricot, White Cherry Baked Tofu

(Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Nut-Free, Vegan)

Ingredients:

• 1 pkg. Nasoya Super Firm Cubed Tofu, drained
• 4 Tblsp Apricot, White Cherry Preserves
• 1 Tblsp Balsamic Vinegar
• 1 tsp Poultry Seasoning

Directions:

1. Combine preserves, vinegar, & poultry seasoning in a bowl.
2. Toss tofu with sauce and marinated 30 minutes.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
4. Bake marinated tofu 25-30 minutes.

Sherry + Spinach = BFFs

I must say, I eat an abnormal amount of greens. Popeye, watch your back!

I could totally challenge you for the Spinach King/Queen title! I add it to smoothies, plate almost every lunch and dinner on a bed of spinach, add it to salads... Heck, I've even added it to ice cream! Every once in a while, I actually cook it, like a normal person. When it comes to a BBQ meal, like my BBQ Baked Tofu, a side of cooked greens are a MUST!

I always have a bottle of sherry handy for cooking purposes. I've never tasted it by itself, but added to recipe..... HEAVEN!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Seriously, the skies open up and angels start singing! Sherry & Curry, Sherry and Sour Cream.... oh don't get me started! My favorite cake recipe even calls for Sherry! I've become distracted. Where was I? Oh yes, spinach! 

This delicious recipe can be made with regular garlic. I, however, used swoon-worthy Black Garlic. If you ever stumble upon this unusual ingredient snap it up, no matter the cost! It has a subtle, smooth flavor that adds elegance to simplest of recipes.

Sherried Spinach

(Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Nut-Free, Vegan)

Ingredients:

• 4 cloves Black Garlic, sliced
• 3 large handfuls Baby Spinach
• dash Sherry

Directions:

1. Spray a skillet with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Over medium heat, saute garlic until fragrant.
3. Add spinach and a dash of sherry and cook down until wilted.

BBQ Bliss....

I LOVE BBQ!

 I ALSO LOVE TOFU!

 Is that weird? Seriously, I crave plain tofu straight out of the package, a la this lovely lady. I wanted to try something different, though. The other night, I was in the mood for my two loves, tofu & BBQ sauce. I decided to combine them to create a simple baked tofu entree. The preparation is so simple, I'm not even sure it can be deemed a recipe, but that doesn't matter! It CAN be deemed delicious! In our household, THAT is what counts! Serve alongside Sherried Spinach (recipe to come tomorrow) & Roasted Kabocha Squash & you have a down home Vegan BBQ in no time flat!

BBQ Baked Tofu

(Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Nut-Free, Vegan)

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup BBQ Sauce
• 1 pkg. Nasoya Super Firm Cubed Tofu

Directions:

1. Drain tofu and toss together with BBQ Sauce.
2. Allow to marinate 25-30 minutes.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
4. Place marinated tofu on a lined baking sheet. Bake 25-30 minutes.