The weeks from Thanksgiving through December is a time when traditional holiday fare tends to take center stage. Whether it's turkey, egg nogg, stuffed squash or pumpkin pie, the foods we eat have that special, festive character.
We'd like to contribute to the holiday spirit with a few recipes that take advantage of the versatility of tofu and tempeh to increase the nutritional value of some of these traditional foods. Give them a try, and let us know what you think!
|
 |
| Tofu Turkey |
|
|
 |
| This 'turkey' can feed up to 10! |
|
TOFU TURKEY
Ingredients
“Turkey” : 5 lbs. Surata Soyfoods Firm tofu. 10 small vegetable bouillon cubes. 4 tsp. garlic granules. Optional: Cheesecloth. (Cheesecloth helps drain the tofu but is not required.)
“Poultry” seasoning: 2 tsp ground sage. 1/2 tsp celery seeds. 1 tsp each marjoram, thyme, and rosemary.
Herbed Whole Wheat Stuffing: 2 tsp sesame oil. 1 cup diced celery. 2 large garlic cloves, minced. 1 cup diced onions. 1 cup diced mushrooms. 1/4 cup soy sauce. “Poultry seasoning”; 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley. 1/2cup raisins. 4 cups of 1/2 “ cubes of whole wheat bread (about 4 slices).
Basting liquid: 1/2 cup sesame oil; 1/4 cup soy sauce. (For an extra thick, rich baste mix in 1 TBS orange miso and 2 TBS orange juice)
Mushroom gravy: 2 Tbsp. Sesame oil. 2 medium onions, diced. 6 cups sliced mushrooms. 1 cup whole wheat flour. 6 cups water. 1/4 cup soy sauce.
Prepare 'Turkey'
Mash tofu well in a large bowl. Work in bouillon and garlic until well mixed. Place the mixture into a 12" colander. (If desired, line the colander with one layer of moistened cheesecloth.) Cover the surface of the tofu with a plate or pie pan and place a 5 lb. weight on it. Refrigerate for at least an hour.
Prepare Stuffing
Heat oil in a pot and saute garlic, onions, celery, and mushrooms for five minutes. Sprinkle all of the ‘poultry’ seasoning over the vegetables. Add soy sauce and stir well. Cover pot and continue to cook over medium heat until vegetables are done, about five minutes. Remove from heat and add bread cubes, parsley, and raisins; mix well.
Stuff and bake 'Turkey'
Hollow out tofu to within one inch of the colander. Pack in the stuffing and cover with remaining tofu. Pat down so the surface is flat and firm. Preheat oven to 375. Oil a large baking sheet and carefully flip the filled tofu onto the sheet so the flat surface of the tofu faces down. Mix basting liquid and brush tofu with half of it. Cover turkey with foil and bake for one hour. Remove foil, baste again, and return to oven to bake uncovered for one hour. Baste again half-way through.
Prepare Mushroom gravy
Heat oil in a pot and saute onions and mushrooms until onions begin to clear. Mix flour with water and shoyu, and add to vegetables. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring often, then simmer uncovered over low-medium heat for 1/2 hour, stirring occasionally.
Serve 'Turkey'
Using several spatulas, carefully transfer the turkey to a large serving platter. Serve the gravy on the side. Makes 8-12 servings.
|
 |
| Tofu Pumpkin Pie |
|
TOFU PUMPKIN PIE
Ingredients: 1lb. Surata Soyfoods Soft tofu, well drained and mashed. One 16 oz can (2 cups) pumpkin. 2/3 cup honey. 1/2 cup milk (soy or dairy) 2 tsp. cinnamon. 1/2 tsp each nutmeg and ginger. 1/4 tsp each ground cloves and allspice. 1 tsp vanilla. One 9” prepared pie shell, unbaked.
Procedure: Combine all pie ingredients in a bowl. Blend in 3 to 5 batches until very smooth. Bake in the pie shell in a preheated 375 degree oven for 60-70 minutes, or until set in middle. Cool and top with Tofu Whipped Crème.
|
|
TEMPEH LATKES
(A Chanukah favorite)
Ingredients: 1 package Surata Multigrain Tempeh, grated; 1 small onion, minced; 4 medium potatoes, peeled and grated; 1 TBS soy sauce; 1 tsp. thyme; 1 tsp. marjoram; 1/2 tsp. sage. Oil for frying.
Procedure: Stir-fry the tempeh with the onion until the tempeh is browned. Add the potatoes and herbs and cook for a few minutes. Cool, then form the mixture into patties and fry in oil, flipping after a few minutes until both sides are browned. Keep warm in oven until ready to serve.
TOFU BLINTZES
To make the tofu filling, combine 1 lb. SURATA Soft tofu, 1/3 cup sugar or your choice of sweetener, and 1 tsp. lemon zest; process until smooth. Spoon into bowl; cover; refrigerate while cooking crepes. . Wash and dry the bowl of the food processor or blender for use in making the crepes.You can either purchase ready made crepes, or just follow the recipe below to make your own.
To make the crepes, combine 1 cup liquid egg (or two large eggs and 2 large egg whites, 1 cup soymilk, 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour, and ¼ tsp salt in a food processor or blender. Process the batter until smooth. Pour batter into 4-cup glass measure; refrigerate 1 hour.
Heat a 7" nonstick crepe pan or skillet over medium heat. Oil it lightly or coat it with cooking spray. Add 2 tablespoons of the tofu batter, tilting pan to spread batter evenly. Cook until lightly browned on underside, dry on top, 30 seconds. Flip; cook 5 seconds. Remove to plate. Repeat with remaining batter, spraying pan as needed and stirring batter occasionally. Place waxed paper between cooked crepes on plate.
To make the blintzes, preheat the oven to 350°F. Oil a large baking sheet with or coat it with cooking spray. For each blintz: Place 2 tablespoons filling on paler side of crepe in strip at one end, 1" from sides. Fold sides, then end, over filling; fold other end envelope-style to cover filling completely. Place on prepared sheet. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until filling is hot. Serve with fruit, jam, or lemon curd if desired.
|
 |
| Tempeh Latkes & Tofu Blintzes |
|
|
TEMPEH STUFFED SQUASH
Ingredients 3 TBS. oil 2 cloves minced garlic l large onion, chopped 1/2 tsp celery seeds 1/2 tsp thyme salt & pepper to taste 1/2 cup sunflower seeds.
1 12 oz. package Surata Soy Tempeh, soy or multigrain, grated or finely chopped. 1/4 lb. Mushrooms, finely chopped. 1/4 cup spinach, finely chopped.
2 TBS soy sauce. 1 cup cooked rice. 1 slice whole grain bread, crumbled. 1 cup grated soy or dairy cheese. Paprika. 4 red or green bell peppers. 2 medium squash.
Procedure Preheat oven to 400’ F. Slice squash in half, and bake with a small amount of water in a baking pan until the centers are soft.
Saute first group of ingredients until sunflower seeds begin to brown. Add the next three ingredients and continue to saute until the mushrooms are tender. Remove from heat and add soy sauce, cooked rice, and bread. Mix well. Hollow out squash about 1/3 and stuff with the mixture. Sprinkle on grated cheese and dust with paprika. Add water to the pan and bake for 20-30 minutes. Or, pan fry the stuffing mix until thoroughly heated and serve as a side dish. Makes 3 full cups.
|
|
TOFU VEGG NOG
A no cholesterol version of this holiday favorite!
Ingredients: 1/2 lb. Surata Soyfoods Soft tofu, well drained. 1 liter carton plain soy milk. 1 TBSP. Lemon juice. 1/4 to 1 tsp honey. 1 TBSP. vanilla. 1 tsp nutmeg. 1/2 tsp ground cloves.
Procedure: Mash tofu well and blend with one cup of the soymilk until very smooth. Add remaining ingredients and blend. Before serving, stir well; the spices like to settle to the bottom. (If desired, you can add rum to it right before serving.) Makes 5 cups.
|
|
TEMPEH CRANBERRY DISH
(A holiday dish suitable for large groups - 8-12 servings)
Ingredients: 4 packages Surata Soy Tempeh, soy or multigrain. 2 cups fresh cranberries (or 2 cans cranberry sauce). 1 cup apple sauce. 1/2 tsp salt. 1 TBS. Orange juice. 4 cloves. 1/4 cup maple syrup 2 TBS. soy sauce. 2 TBS. grated ginger. 1/2 tsp each allspice and cinnamon. 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg. Pinch of cayenne. Fresh rosemary.
Procedure: Cut tempeh into halves, and cut each half into triangles. Pan fry in a small amount of soy sauce until browned.
Wash whole cranberries (if using instead of sauce) and place in a saucepan with apple sauce, orange juice, and salt. Cook until the cranberries are soft. Add maple syrup, ginger, and the rest of the spices and cook a few minutes more. (If desired, you can then blend the mixture in a food processor until smooth.)
Place the pan-fried tempeh in a baking dish or casserole and pour the cranberry mixture over it, covering the tempeh thoroughly. Bake at 350’ for 30-40 minutes. Serve garnished with rosemary.
|
TOFU WHIPPED CRÈME
Ingredients: 1/2 lb well drained and mashed Surata Soyfoods Soft tofu. 2-3 TBSP maple syrup. 1/2 tsp vanilla.
Procedure: Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until very smooth and stiff. Stir well before using. Makes one cup, and lasts for 2-3 days. Makes a great addition to Tofu Pumpkin Pie, above.
|
|