Grilled Polenta Cakes

Friday, June 26, 2015 - Dinner
Grilled Polenta Cakes (Recipe from Vegan Cooking for Carnivores by Roberto Martin)

I made this recipe while on vacation with the family, and everyone loved it!  I had to make a couple changes, like pan-frying the corn cakes instead of grilling them.  It turned out great, and I plan to make this again.

I actually had trouble finding polenta (aka corn grits) at home in the midwest, but they were readily available in the south!

Served with my homemade black bean vegetable hash.

Tempeh Bacon

Sunday, June 14, 2015 - Lunch
Tempeh Bacon (Recipe from The Vegan Table by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau)

This was my first time cooking tempeh (a vegan protein made from cultured soy beans and rice).  The dish was pretty good. It had an interesting texture, much different than real bacon. The flavor was good - the tempeh was soaked in a marinade of liquid smoke, tamari soy sauce, and maple syrup. The smoky flavor really came through.  I'm not sure I would make this again, but I might try tempeh another time in a different recipe.  I'll definitely use the liquid smoke for other recipes as well - it would be good in a variety of other dishes, like soups, beans, and veggie kebabs.  

Served with: Tofu Scramble

Tofu Scramble

Sunday, June 14, 2015 - Lunch
Tofu Scramble  (Recipe from The Vegan Table by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau)

This is the second tofu scramble recipe I've made.  The flavor was much different from the first recipe, and it was also very good.  This dish gets its yellow color from the added seasonings: nutritional yeast and turmeric.

It was tasty and filling, and had a hearty, savory flavor. If I had to choose, I think I prefer the tofu scramble recipe from Vegan Cooking for Carnivores, which was a little 'fresher' and lighter tasting, but I enjoyed this one a lot too.  

Ratatouille with White Beans

Sunday, June 7, 2015 - Lunch

Ratatouille with White Beans (Recipe from The Vegan Table by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau)

This recipe has been on my "to-make" list for a long time, and I finally decided to try it. My reluctance was partly because of the amount of prep work - many veggies and herbs had to be sliced, diced, and chopped for the dish. The ratatouille is a mixture of eggplant, zucchini, red bell pepper, red onion, tomatoes, white beans, herbs, and spices. It took a long time to make, but it was worth it! It was hearty, tasty, and very filling.  I have plenty of leftovers to eat for lunch the rest of the week, too.

Pad Thai

Saturday, June 6, 2015 - Lunch
Pad Thai (Recipe from The Vegan Table by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau)

This is my favorite recipe from this cookbook - maybe from any cookbook. I have made this dish dozens of times over the last few years, and it is always delicious. I rarely modify the recipe, because it is so good to start with - the only variations I make are the spice level (2-3 x the amount of red pepper flakes) and the vegetables; I use a little more broccoli than suggested, and I alternate between snow peas, snap peas, and bean sprouts as the second vegetable.

My husband cooks the tofu, because he does a great job getting it just right - slightly crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside.

This was a great meal!