Walnut Vegan Soy Free Meatballs

Years ago, I ate the most delicious vegetarian walnut meatballs with cheese in a recipe.  Cheese and I don’t really get along and I have yearned to replicate those meatballs for sometime.  Over the holidays, I decided to tinker with two different walnut recipe to make them dairy and soy free.  Well, I think I did it.

Before I give you the recipe, note, that this recipe is a 2 day recipe since you want to soak both the walnuts and oats for easier digestion. Soaking with an acidic medium helps breaks down the phytic acid of legumes and grains. [Source.] This acid inhibits mineral absorption in the intestines.  (For an interesting read, see Katie at Kitchen Stewardship’s article.  She really makes it easy to understand.)

Soaking Oats

To soak oats, follow these instructions.    You will need to adjust the amount of the ingredients to half since I only used one cup of rolled oats.  Don’t use the quick cooking oats.  Also, note, I don’t eat dairy so I used vinegar.  You can use cidar vinegar, lemon, or vinegar.  If you eat dairy, you can add whey.   To soak the oats, I used the following recipe:

1 cup of Organic rolled oats  (Those who have gluten issue, make sure your rolled oats are gluten free.)

1 cup of  warm water

1 tablespoon of vinegar

1 tablespoon of freshly ground wheat, buckwheat, rye or spelt.  (For Gluten free intolerance sufferers, use buckwheat.)

I didn’t realize I need to do this last step until I read Amanda Rose’s article, “Oats and Phytic Acid.”  In fact, she doesn’t recommend using whey or any dairy products.  Her method is simply adding a complimentary grain as noted above to the mix.  How do you soak your oats?

Let the mixture sit for 24 hours on your countertop. (No less than 7  hours according to Sarah of the Healthy Home Economist.  Note, she doesn’t use the complimentary grains.) Cover the mixture.  The oats will absorb all of the water and they will be sticky.

(By the way, see here for another oatmeal recipe that sounds yummy.)

Soaking the Walnuts

I soak all of my nuts since it is easier for me to digest. Add a little bit of salt to the water.

Soaking breaks down the enzyme inhibitor in the nuts.  In addition, they are easier to work with in raw recipes.  Normally, I fill the water over the tops of the walnuts  and soak for at least 8 hours.  Some people also let them sprout for a couple hours thereafter.  I didn’t in this case.

My Combination Recipe

I combine a raw walnut zucchini recipe with another walnut recipe.  By the way, if you want to stop the raw recipe, that is okay. I tasted it before I messed with the recipe.  It tasted amazing.

Here is my recipe:

1 1/3 cups raw walnuts soaked for several hours
2 tablespoon nutritional yeast  (Not Brewers Yeast.)
1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 teaspoons Tamari low sodium, gluten free  sauce.  (You can use soy sauce if you want.)
2 teaspoon garlic
Minced 1 teaspoon thinly sliced green onion (white part only)  (Note, this was in the original raw recipe and I just kept it in.)
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh parsley
1 cup of soaked rolled oats
1/2 medium onion (You can add a whole one if you like)
Hand full of Daiya Vegan Mozzarella Cheese, optional. (I love this cheese.)

2 Teaspoons of Poultry Seasoning.  (Here is how to make your own. Really simple.)

Strain the walnuts and use the water for your plants.  Then chop the walnuts in a food process.  Combine the walnuts and all the other ingredients in a bowl.  Spray your hands with PAM since the mixture will be sticky and hard for you to make the balls.

Make the balls about 1 inch and place them on a cookie tray.  I ended up making about 30 balls.  Cook them at 375 for 30 minutes.

If you have any leftover mixture, just put it on the tray.  If it burns, it is still delicious.

You can play around with this recipe by deleting the green onions and  adding more onion.  In addition, you can add more Daiya for a cheesier taste.

Add sauce!  I have to say these balls were delicious.

Join the Conversation

• Do you soak your grains and nuts? If so, how?
• Do you have a favorite vegan faux meatball recipe?
• Have you ever made Walnut Balls?  If so, link or state your recipe in the comments.
• How do you think the dish would taste with Miso instead of soy sauce?

Similar Posts:

• Vegan Soy Free Meatballs Recipe for Meatless Monday
• Making Almond Yogurt Without a Yogurt Machine
• Eggless Tofu Salad for Meatless Monday. Lunch Will Never Be the Same
• Chickpea Tagine From Vegetarian Times For Meatless Monday
• Amaranth: Cooking with this Super Grain

Vegetable Peel Broth. Check out my Video Below!

What do you do with the skins of your vegetables? You know. After you make that big salad or vegetable soup? Did you realize that they could have a second life before they are banished to the composter?

For years, I peeled carrots, chopped off the bottom of celery, and tore off garlic and onion skins. The skins would enviably end up in a bowl bound for the composter. Deep down inside, I knew these skins had another purpose. The skins are full of nutrients. Throwing in the composter just seemed like a waste.

Then one day it hit me. How about using them to make vegetable stock? The good part of using my “peels” is I could control the salt content of the broth.  Take a look at how much salt you are eating when you use canned or Tetra Pak stock. Shocking.

As I pondered this idea, I found very little guidance on the web as to which vegetables to use.  Nor could I find out if there is a magic ratio of certain vegetables to others. All I learned was do not use potato skins since it makes the stock taste too earthly. Honestly, I really didn’t understand what that meant.

The Sweet Beet suggested adding onion, celery, carrots, garlic clove, and additional spices to your “peels”.  Although her recipe sounds great, I tried the au natural method.

I Flunked My First Peel Base Soup Attempt.

My first attempt of making peel stock was a disaster. Once the peel soup idea started to percolate in my mind, I started saving the skins in a freezer bag. When the bag was full, it was time to make soup.

Everything but the kitchen sink when into the crock-pot. Carrots, celery, potato, onion, garlic bottoms and skins, mushrooms and even turnips. If a vegetable looked limp, it ended up in the crock-pot. Then I covered the skin disaster with water and let the brew cook for eight hours.

When I opened the lid, I was so excited. There I stood.   Beaming and patting myself on the back and admiring my creation.

Guess what? Boy was I delusional. One sniff of this brew could scare off any unwanted animal from my property.

I guess I should have listen to the “don’t put potato skins” in the pot advice.

However, this failed attempt didn’t deter me.

Second Attempt. Knowledge is Power.

So, I blew my first attempt. No lost. There is always another try. I began my squirrel- like habit of storing my peels in the freezer. In a short time, I had a bag full of potato free skins.

All the peels were thrown in the crock-pot. Even the limp carrots. Then I turned on the crock-pot on low, filled the pot up with water, and forgot about it for 24 hours! Oh man, was I on a roll. I burnt the vegetables! Check out my video below that gives you a peek at my concoction.

However, I was able to salvage the stock. It smelt worse with the burnt vegetables, but once I strained it the smell went away.

Finished Vegetable Peel Broth

What did it taste like? For some unknown reason, the brew tasted like a mushroom broth. Strangely, I didn’t throw in any mushrooms. I stored the broth in old glass spaghetti sauce jars in the refrigerator. I estimated that a pot full of vegetable peels makes about 4 cups of broth.

What I Learned

For my third attempt, I have learnt by my mistakes.  Third time is the charm.  Right?

• Only fill the pot up with 2/3rd vegetables and water
• Don’t use earthy skins such as mushrooms or potato peels.
• Only cook for 10 hours on low.

Join the Conversation:

• Have you made vegetable peel broth?
• If so, what type of peels do you use? Any particular ratio of certain vegetables to others?  Provide us with a link to your recipe.
• Do you make vegetable stock in a crock-pot or on the stove?

Similar Posts:

• Celery Leaves: Cook or Discard them?
• Vegan Chicken Soup. Good for the Soul. Good for the Planet
• Budgetnista Green for the Home, Part II
• Do you Know What’s in Your Food Pantry?
• Does Summer Gardening Really Need to End?

Vegan Chicken Soup. Mmm Good for the Planet

Since going vegetarian over a year ago, I had to revamp my eating habits. As you all know, I decided to go “veg” due to my distaste of factory animal farming and killing animals.   But I can’t say I don’t miss the taste of certain food.

There is one dish that I haven’t been able to duplicate.  Chicken Soup.  Sure, there are mock chicken soup recipes that claim they taste like chicken soup.  Don’t get me wrong.  These soup recipes are great but taste more like vegetable soup.  I wouldn’t dare try and pass off  the soup as chicken soup.  Why would I want the Bubbie Union  to file a complaint against me?  (By the way a “Bubbie” is a Jewish grandmother.)

Why Do I Love Chicken Soup

As long as I remember, when you had a cold or were under the weather, you ate chicken soup. Maybe it is a cultural thing for me since I always thought of chicken soup as the Jewish penicillin.  It cures everything.  Do you feel the same way about chicken soup or another type of soup stemming from your culture?

I have made several mock soups which included such ingredients as mushrooms, turnips, unchicken stock, and nutritional yeast.  Atlas, no chicken soup.

Desperately Seeking Vegan Chicken Soup

I can so relate to  Rosanna Arquette’s character  in Desperately Seeking Susan.  Remember?  How a bored NJ housewife desperately searched for Madonna in NYC to create some excitement in her life?  Oh, come on.  It is a classic. 80′s throwback.  A must watch.  And by the way, I dance just like Madonna in her club scene.  Ask my sister.

Back to chicken soup.

Now, I not saying that I am that bored NJ housewife.  (I do have my days.) But looking for the ultimate un-chicken soup recipe is like chasing after Madonna.  You think you spotted her, but she slips between your fingertips. I figured I was just going to ask some of the food blogs that I follow if they could make the recipe for me.

Luckily, I stumbled upon a great food blog a couple of months ago.  So, I knew who to ask.  Tanya of Leafy Greens and Me.  She is a vegan chef and the editor of  a wonderful vegan food blog. What I love about how Tanya cooks is she rarely uses process foods.  She mostly uses whole foods.

So How Did I have the Chutzpah (Nerve) to Ask Tanya?

I have been following Tanya for about a couple of months and have made some of her recipes.   Delish is an understatement.  (Just in case I forgot, her carrot cake cupcakes are to die for.) I comment on her blog, email her questions, and generally bug her.  So, I figured since I am her Number Uno  fan,  I would just come out and ask her to create a vegan chicken soup recipe..  What was the worse thing that could happen?  She could stomp on my heart, break my spirit and then say  no?  I could live with such rejection.  (*Whimper*)

Guess what?  

She said yes and recalled that her mother made a wonderful chicken soup recipe when she was young.  Tanya sprinkled some vegan pixie dust over the recipe.  (Trumpets,  please.)  And guess what?  Tanya created a miracle.  She “veganized her mother’s recipe!”

And do I love the recipe?  Heck, yeah.  

Check out Tanya’s mock vegan chicken soup recipe.   Be forewarned, this recipe take some time since Tanya creates the stock first and then makes the soup.  I told you.  No processed foods.

What did the rest of the family think?   Hubby thought it was good but not chicken soup.  I thought it tasted very close to the real deal and could live with this recipe.  Even my kids ate it and didn’t turn their nose up at my “vegan” creation.  Remember, they are a tribe of cavemen.  (“Me like meat.”)

I would even make the stock again to freeze for all my other soup recipes.  Why? Let’s just say I am tried of those aspectic stock containers.  Most people can’t recycle them and who knows what’s leaching from those containers into our food.   Remember, those containers contain  polyethylene (plastic) in their lining.

Adding Matzo Balls to the Soup

I didn’t make the noodles in the recipe.  Instead I made matzo balls, which my kids enjoyed.  (I have never been a Matzo Ball type of girl.)  See here for the matzo ball recipe. Another warning.  If you are planning to use my matzo ball recipe, spray your hands with olive oil or PAM since the dough in which you make the balls is really sticky.  If you follow the recipe, your matzo balls will float, which is the hallmark of a good matzo ball.   Floater, yes.  Sinker, um, no. Flunk Matzo Ball School.

Join the Conversation:

• Do you have a beloved chicken soup recipes?  If so, link it in the comments or give us the recipe.
• Do you have a tried and true vegan mock chicken soup recipe?  Again, link it in the comments or give us the recipe.  And then tell us, why you think your recipe is to die for.
• Do you use chicken soup when you are under the weather?
• Does anyone have a sniffle?
• Oh, and be sure to share this article with all of your beloved friends and family.  I would love to have a list of great chicken recipes in the comments especially vegan ones.  Everyone needs  a great chicken soup recipe that is gentler on the Earth.  Go ahead. Tweet and share my post on Facebook.  (I live for likes and tweets, you know.)

Similar Posts:

• Turn Old Favorites Recipes into Healthy, Low Fat Vegan Dishes
• Organic Nanny Says Chicken Nuggets Can be Healthy
• Vegan Walnut Meatballs. Soy and Gluten Free. Simply Delish
• Vegan Soy Free Meatballs Recipe for Meatless Monday
• Chickpea Tagine From Vegetarian Times For Meatless Monday

Three 360 Cookware 1 Quart Sauce Pan Giveaway!

I have a confession to make.  The part I dislike the most about cooking is cleaning up.  Am I right, girlfriend?  And no one can make a bigger mess than me.  But when stainless steel cookware like 360 Cookware comes along and nothing sticks to it, cooking has become fun again. And get this.  No oil needs to be added to the pan!


To add to the fun 360 Cookware offered to give away three 1 quart sauce pan to my Green Talk readers.  Aren’t you all lucky dogs?  They figured why should I be the only one having so much fun?

Anna, come’on.  What is wrong with Teflon?

But before I get into the contest, I just want to explain why I hate Teflon pots. According to the Environmental Working Group,

“In two to five minutes on a conventional stovetop, cookware coated with Teflon and other non-stick surfaces can exceed temperatures at which the coating breaks apart and emits toxic particles and gases linked to hundreds, perhaps thousands, of pet bird deaths and an unknown number of human illnesses each year, according to tests commissioned by Environmental Working Group (EWG).”

No PTFE for me, folks.

But No Oil.  Are you Kidding?

Yes.  You heard me right.  No oil is need to cook delicious food.  How do I know?  First I watched a live cooking demonstration and interviewed Greg Wayman, the Vice President of Sales about the 360 Cookware.  But just in case Greg is a magician and pulled a fast one on me, the Company wanted  me to check it out myself.

I admit. I am no Barefoot Contessa or Giada in the kitchen.  But I found that that my food really tasted good without the added oil.  See the below video as a I cook meat for the cavemen (ie my carnivore men/children of my family) and then onions an peppers in order to make Tofu Tacos.

Still not convinced?  Check out the Company’s demonstration video.

How Does this Work?

The secret behind this cookware is vapor technology.  The Company states

“Vapor Technology allows you to cook utilizing a low to medium heat because the design and metal are so efficient that your food permeates evenly from all sides, allowing food to cook in its own natural juices without the excess water or grease other skillets and saucepans require.”

Think a pot and semi-pressure cooker in one.  Similar to a pressure cooker, it seals in the juices of the food.  However, it doesn’t cook the food as quickly as a pressure cooker.

Why Do I Love this Pot?

• Stainless steel.  No secret black coating that I am not sure if it is safe or not
• Easy to clean. Nothing sticks.  My regular stainless steel pans are not easy to clean.
• No oil, mom!  Why do I have to add extra oil to my food to cook with it?
• Food is delicious.
• Even cooking.  No more burning your food in different areas of your pans.
• Can put the pan in the stove up to 400 F.
• Lifetime warranty.
• Cooking on lower heat saves you energy costs.

The Contest and Rules

Do I have you sold?  I thought I did.  So, here are the rules if you want to win a 360 Cookware 1 quart sauce pan:

• You must be over 18 and live in the US.
• You must like 360 Cookware’s Facebook fan page. Leave a comment that you liked 360′s Facebook fan page, otherwise you can’t win the contest.
• Leave me a comment here telling me what your favorite dish to make on the stove?  Include a link if you have written about the recipe.
• To double your chances consider joining my free Newsletter email list or subscribe to my RSS feed. Both subscriptions are listed on the upper right hand column. Be sure to come back and leave a separate additional comment to tell me which one you joined. If you are already a member, just say so.
• To triple your chances of winning, tweet about this contest and come back and leave a separate additional comment of the url (weblink) of your twitter comment.
• To “fourple” your chances, consider joining Green Talk’s Facebook Fan Page! Again, leave a comment that you joined with your Facebook name.  If you are already of member, just say so.

****Remember to like 360 Cookware’s Facebook Fan Page to be in consideration for winning.  Don’t forget to leave that you liked their page in the comments.******

You must enter by Tuesday , July 12, 2011 6 PM EST time to win.  Winners will be chosen at random on July 14, 2011 . Good Luck everyone!

Disclaimer: I was given a skillet by 360 Cookware to tests.  Thereafter, I decided to become an affiliate of theirs since I love their cookware.

Similar Posts:

• 360 Cookware: No Cooking Oil, Energy Efficient, Healthy Meal Solution
• Lemons Vanquish Pots’ Heat Ring Woes
• Elmer’s Glue Sticks and Bottle Recycling Program & Giveaway
• Give Dad a Swig for Father’s Day
• Fabric Gift Wraps by Fabricwrapper, Greener Choice to Wrapping Paper

360 Cookware

Want to lose weight and therefore ditch the vegetable cooking oil?   Or maybe you want to throw out the Teflon pans  since they contain dangerous polytetrafluoroetheylene (PTFE.) 360 Cookware,  a stainless steel cookware, allow you to cook without oil and is Teflon free.  I couldn’t believe it until I tried one myself!

How Can You Cook without Oil?

Honestly, this was my questions.  It seems no matter what I do, my food somehow sticks to the pan.  Cleaning burnt food is one annoying choir.  But can 360 Cookware’s live up to its claim of cooking without oil?   Greg Wynan, Vice President of Sales demonstrated how the pots work as I interviewed him at a green expo.  Read the ensuing interview or listen to the below podcast. The podcast is only 7 minutes long.

The Interview

Anna Hackman: Hi. I’m here at the Green Expo and this Anna Hackman from Green Talk. I’m here with Greg Wynan. He’s the Vice President of sales and we’re going to talk about his Americraft Cookware. And what makes it so green? So Greg, tell me what makes it so green?

Greg Wynan: The first aspect about our cookware is that its designed such that it takes heat very quickly and takes that up the sides and around the piece of cookware. What that allows you to do is cook food without adding any water, any grease, any fat, any olive oil of any kind. (emphasis added.)

So you’re able to cook all your food in its natural moisture just by rinsing in the sink, placing in a pan, putting it at a medium temperature to start for about four minutes and on low for about a 10 to 12 minute cycle and you have a delicious meal made without ever going to the drain and pouring off that extra nutrition and flavor that we so love to enjoy ourselves.
AH: Now, tell me how that all works, it seems too good to be true.
GW: It does sound complicated because this cookware has been evolved over about a hundred years. It has a special lip on the top side of the cookware which is a vapor locking device. So, the moisture that’s in your food comes rising out of the food, hits this vapor lock, locks back in the cookware and allows you to cook your food naturally.

AH: When I was looking at it before, it kind of resembles to me like a pressure cooker.

GW: It works very much like a pressure cooker, but you don’t have any safety concerns. You don’t have anything to lock down. It’s all done in the design of the pot.

AH: So I guess it doesn’t rock.

GW: [chuckle] Yes, it does.

AH: Oh, it does rock? No, rock in a sense like a pressure cooker.

GW: No, it does, it does. The cover will rock but nothing else.

AH:  Yeah, because with the pressure cooker it rocks back and forth.

GW:  The cover will rock back and forth as the moisture’s trying to push out. And then you turn the heat down and it finishes cooking.   It’s hot enough.

AH: So it’s there a time like if you forget about it, what will happen?
GW: As long as you’ve turned the temperature down low, it will just hold itself with a nice low even temperature and you’re good for 20 minutes or so. So there’s a safety time factor built in it. If you let it dry out, naturally you’ll burn your food.

AH: Now, how long does it take to heat up?

GW: Four minutes typically and then you turn it down low. So, medium and low never high.

AH: And what is it made out of?

GW: Stainless steel, aluminum, a little iron and stainless steel. So your food only touches surgical stainless steel.

AH: Oh, it’s surgical?

GW: It’s a surgical grade stainless steel, yes.

AH: Is that different than regular stainless pots and pans?

GW: Most pans are made out of T-304 stainless, so it’s very similar.

AH: What does very similar mean?

GW: It means T-304 stainless steel which are used in surgical things. In many cases, some use higher grades.

AH: Now, I have in front of me one of your pots that you’re going to actually put on for me so you can show us, right?

GW: Yes. Okay, so this pot has been on medium for a little while. I just have water in to show how the vapor seal works. So, when the moisture comes up to the top, see how that spins so freely? And I have it on as low as the heat source will go. When it’s extremely hot and it will cook your food at 165 to 185 degrees where you want food to cook.

AH: I noticed that the handle is stainless steel as well, does that get hot?
GW: The stick handle is a hollow core handle, so no, it does not. You can feel it; it’s been on all day. It’s not hot, is it?

AH: No, not at all.

GW: The cover is slightly warm but, again, this will be hot but the handle itself is not hot.

AH: Oh, you’re right.

GW: We’re cooking on medium and low temperatures.

AH: So, if you want to use this cookware for let’s say sautéing, how would you do that?

GW: Sautéing, this won’t do anything special for you, cook traditional. And we have open sauté pans, cook like you would do normally. There’s nothing special.

AH: What I notice because I can’t see this pot, there’s no Teflon or there’s no silicon, there’s nothing like that?

GW: There’re no chemicals whatsoever. Teflon, we call Tefloff because it doesn’t stay on. This has a lifetime warranty. And you’re always going to be cooking on a clean natural surface. No chemicals whatsoever.

AH: Now, I also see that it says, it’s green manufactured. What does that mean?

GW: Our factory is in West Bend, Wisconsin, so it’s made in America. We have no chemicals in the plant. We have no permits of any kind from any government agency to produce a product. So we’ve worked hard at perfecting the manufacturing process. And in the final cleaning, we have a neutral cleaner, a pH 7 which stands for itself if anybody that understands manufacturing.

AH: Is this an ISO factory?

GW: We’re not ISO certified because our customers are really home chefs and that doesn’t really mean that much to them. We don’t sell to other manufacturers or other companies.

AH: So, is there any green certification?

GW: We are part of the USBC Green Council and we have… Our energy is part of the windmill program in Wisconsin and the energy program all are corrugated stainless. Everything is recycled. So, we follow everything that we can through the manufacturing plant.

AH: When you mentioned wind, are you buying wind credits?

GW: Wisconsin Electric has a program where you sign up and pay a premium and they just built a big wind electro or wind power plant within about an hour of our facilities so we’re part of that program.

AH: Now, if someone wants to buy this, do they buy a whole a set, do they buy pieces, how does that work?

GW: We sell our cookware by a piece stock because every chef might be cooking for one person or family of ten and we can accommodate them all. We have a brand new website called 360cookware.com and you can see the cookware in action with some live video or some great recipes and you can buy pieces or sets, there’s combinations available online.

AH: Now, tell me about the price.

GW: Not all cookware is created equal. There are very low cost aluminum cookware, there’s non-stick coated cookware, painted cookware, cast iron cookware, ours is the best combination of all those metals with stainless steel, so our price is on the high end. Our typical pans are $150 to $225.
AH: But if you buy a set is it more economical?

GW: Yes, it is more economical, the more pieces you buy we naturally have deals. We also have a fantastic slow cooker for those of you that work during the day. Our slow cooker is specially designed and it’s another piece of your set but it also fits a slow cooker base, so you can cook a meal in four hours if you work part time or you can cook a meal in eight hours so you come home it’s all ready for you and done the waterless way.

AH: So that means you can use that pot for other things too?

GW: You can use it for parties, you can put it on the stove, you can put it in the oven or you can make it a slow cooker. It’s a great feature.

AH: That is a great feature! How much does that cost?

GW: The slow cooker is... I believe $269. (Editor Note:  It is $145 for the base.)

AH: Oh! I like that.

GW: It is sitting right in front of us, isn’t it great?

AH: It’s, it’s great. Well, thank you so much for your time.

GW: You’re welcome. Thank you for stopping at the Green Expo.

My review  of the 360 Cookware?

I was so intrigued by the cookware, the Company offered to let me try a large skillet to use.  I swear they heard about the cavemens’ appetites.  My thoughts?  Well you are going to have to find out tomorrow.

Join the Conversation

• Have you tried these pans?
• Do you think it is possible to cook with steam?
• How do you feel about adding vegetable oil in cooking?  Healthy or not so healthy?
• Are you trying to lose weight and if so, do you think these type of pans could help?

Note, the Company supplied the skillet to me to try for free.  They did not pay for this review.

Similar Posts:

• 360 Cookware Giveaway: Trim Your Waist Line While Greening Your World
• Lemons Vanquish Pots’ Heat Ring Woes
• Life Without Plastic. Products that Inspire a Plastic Free Life.
• Chickpea Tagine From Vegetarian Times For Meatless Monday
• Turn Old Favorites Recipes into Healthy, Low Fat Vegan Dishes

Eggless Tofu Salad. Very Yummy!

Many of you know that I have turned vegetarian with a bent towards vegan-ism. Hubby has really been enjoying a tofu egg-less salad at the local heath food shop.  But at $7 a pound I figured I could make it as well. As an avid reader of Vegetarian Times, I recalled  an amazing sounding  Eggless recipe last summer from Pankaj Pradhan, chef-owner of the Red Lentil restaurant in Watertown, Mass . So, what the heck. I made it as my contribution to Meatless Monday.  I have too tell you, this is really tasty but don’t expect it to taste like egg salad.

Eggless Salad Recipe

“Ingredients (with my comments):

• 2 16-oz. pkgs. extra-firm tofu, drained, and cut into 2 slabs (I buy organic sprouted tofu.  Hate all that plastic it comes in.)
• 3 Tbs. low-sodium soy sauce (I use Tamari low sodium, wheat free sauce.)
• 2 Tbs. cider vinegar
• 2 Tbs. rice vinegar
• 2 Tbs. maple syrup (I use grade B since it isn’t as sweet.)
• 1 clove garlic, minced (1 tsp.)
• 1/2 cup finely chopped celery
• 1/2 cup soy mayonnaise (I didn’t have so I used regular.)
• 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion  (I can’t eat.  It gives me heartburn.)
• 1/4 cup chopped cashews
• 1/4 cup golden raisins
• 2 Tbs. chopped cilantro  (Not a big fan of cilantro, so added dried celery leaves.  Next time, I might add cilantro just to see what it taste like.)
• 1 Tbs. paprika
• 1 Tbs. ground turmeric
• 1 Tbs. ground cumin
• 1 Tbs. ground coriander
• 1 Tbs. lemon juice

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Press tofu slabs between two cutting boards 15 minutes to remove excess water. Pat dry, and place in baking dish.

2. Whisk together soy sauce, cider vinegar, rice vinegar, maple syrup, and garlic in bowl. Pour soy sauce mixture over tofu. Bake 15 minutes. Cool.

3. To assemble salad, crumble baked tofu in bowl. Stir in all remaining ingredients, and season with salt and pepper, if desired.”

Baked Tofu

Note, if you want a yummy way to eat tofu, stop at the baking direction. The tofu smelled so good.  Further note, this makes A LOT of salad.  I could have easily cut this recipe in half.

My Goofs:

• I didn’t use cilantro because I am not a big fan. I would try it next time. I used dried celery leaves but they didn’t break down well in the salad.   Maybe I should have used fresh celery leaves instead.  What do you use instead of cilantro?
• I didn’t squeeze out the water well and ended up having to do it by hand.  Take two cutting boards and then place those who-needs-them-anyway yellow page on top of them.  (Yes, I have opted out of receiving the yellow pages but still get some anyways.  Sheesh.)
• MY BIGGEST GOOF?  I thought the salad wasn’t yellow enough so I added more turmeric.   Then I looked at the picture in Vegetarian Times.  Um, the salad was beige.  Oops. Hubby said too much turmeric but liked it anyways.

You can eat it plain, on a bed of lettuce or my preferred way, with sesame toasted Ezekiel Bread.

Join the Conversation:

• What are some of your favorite lunch time vegetarian meals? Link them in the comments below.
• Would you eat the above egg-less salad?
• Have you substituted for cilantro and if so, what do you use?

Similar Posts:

• Celery Leaves: Cook or Discard them?
• Chickpea Tagine From Vegetarian Times For Meatless Monday
• Tempeh, Fried Brown Rice, and Pineapple Recipe for Meatless Monday
• Vegan Soy Free Meatballs Recipe for Meatless Monday
• Vegan Walnut Meatballs. Soy and Gluten Free. Simply Delish

Vegan Soy Free Meatballs

For Meatless Monday, I wanted to share one of my favorite recipe, Vegan Cookbook’s  vegan, soy-free meatballs.  As I told you in my Tempeh Brown Rice post, it has been challenging cooking for children who eat like cavemen and parents who now eat a vegetarian diet. So, I have tried to find recipes that I can simply change the “meat” part of the dish to a vegetarian alternative for the hubby and me.

Why a spaghetti and meatball recipe? What’s not to like about spaghetti and meatballs?  All kids love spaghetti and meatballs.  Even my most picky.  Son #4. So, this is an easy crossover recipe for the house divided.

Why Omit Soy?

Why have I omitted soy?  I am not a big fan of the tofu taste.  Plus, I am also worried about the extra estrogen I am putting into my body by eating tofu.  The Weston Price Foundation lists a whole slew of reasons why you shouldn’t eat non-fermented soy.

Meatball Recipe

Before I start to give you the Anna version, I just wanted to know that these meatballs have a little kick .  Just to give you my frame of reference on the spice department, I grew up eating bland so anything with a kick is like throwing a fiery log on my tongue.  So you can’t judge by me unless you like your food a little on the blander side.   You can  increase or decrease the fire if you want.

Another note,  you easily can double or triple the ingredients and store them in the freezer.  They defrost beautifully.  Here is the original recipe from My Vegan Cookbook with my changes in parenthesis.

Ingredients

• “1/2 Cup Cooked Lentils (You need to cook the beans before you start the recipe so you might want to do this ahead of time or allot 30-45 minutes to cook the beans.  See here on how to cook lentils. No soaking required.)
• 1 Cup Cooked Brown Rice  (Again, you cook ahead and freeze.)
• 1/4 Cup Old Fashioned Oats
• 1/4 Cup + 2 Tablespoons Wheat Germ
• 2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce  (I used wheat free, low sodium Tamari.)
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 2 Teaspoons Lemon Juice
• 1/4 Cup Whole Wheat Flour
• 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
• 1/2 Teaspoon Black Pepper
• 1 Teaspoon Balsamic Vinegar
• 1/8 Teaspoon Nutmeg
• 1/2 Teaspoon Chili Powder
• 1/2 Teaspoon Chipolte Chili Powder  (I don’t like the meatballs hot so I only use the 1/2 teaspoon chili powder.)
• 1/2 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
• 1 Teaspoon Onion Powder
• 2 Teaspoons Molasses
• 2 Teaspoons Dry Mustard

Instructions:

Mix ingredients together in a bowl. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Measure out 2 tablespoons of mixture for each meatball and roll into a ball with your hands. Spray cooking sheet and place meatballs on it. Place into oven and cook 15 minutes on one side and roll over and cook 15 minutes on the other side. After they are out of the oven, let stand for about 10 minutes to allow them to firm up.”

Pair the meatballs with your favorite soup and wheat spaghetti.  Want to be adventuresome?  Make your own tomato sauce!  (If you really want to go for the “from scratch part,” you can use a tomato press to make your own sauce.  Been making homemade sauce for two years with my manual tomato press.)

Gluten Free Ideas

If you are gluten free, don’t despair.  I am sure you can change this recipe to make it gluten free, but you might have to tinker with it.  You can change out the wheat germ for ground flax, ground teff, ground Kasha (buckwheat), brown rice cereal, or ground chia seeds.  (Read this forum post about substituting wheat germ for a gluten free dish.)  I have used chia seeds as a substituted for eggs, and in this case would opt for chia seeds or flax seeds seeds due to their great nutritional value.  I like chia seeds better than flax seeds because they do not need to be refrigerated.

What about the whole wheat called for in the recipe? You could substitute a gluten free flour blend for the whole wheat.  I use Karina’s (The Gluten Free Goddess ) blend #1 when I making gluten free products. (It calls for almond flour, millet, or buckwheat in addition to sorghum flour.  I use millet since I love millet.)   In addition, make sure your oats are gluten free.  Shelly Case, RD, discusses oats and a gluten free diet and provides a list of where to buy gluten free oats.

You could use rice, quinoa (my favorite) or Tinkyada Brown Rice Penne Pasta with the meatballs.  Now, I am inspired to see if I can remake these babies gluten free!

Join the Discussion:

• Let me know if you have a favorite vegan soy free meatball recipe.  Link it in the comments.
• Also, what is your favorite dishes to please the carnivores and vegetarians in your lives?
• What are you cooking this week?

Again, try to make every Monday Meatless and help reduce your cooking carbon footprint.  Need any of the products, listed above?  Just click on the links above to take you to the Green Talk store!

Similar Posts:

• Vegan Walnut Meatballs. Soy and Gluten Free. Simply Delish
• Chickpea Tagine From Vegetarian Times For Meatless Monday
• Buckwheat Honey Pancakes Recipe. Heart Happy, Gluten and Dairy Free.
• Tempeh, Fried Brown Rice, and Pineapple Recipe for Meatless Monday
• Roasted Almond Butter, Sliced Pear, Agave Sandwich for Meatless Monday

Tempeh, brown fried rice, and pineapple

Both my husband and I turned vegetarians last August.  The last four months have been a learning curve for me. Becoming a vegetarian was not hard for me since I always ate in that direction.  But my husband complains that he is never full.   Adding Tofu is not the answer.  I don’t like it its spongy texture and the hubbs still isn’t full.  What’s a green girl to do?

One day , the trees talked to me and whispered, “Grasshopper, Tempeh is the answer you are seeking.” (Trees talking?  Seriously, Anna.  Have you’ve gone off the dead end?  Nah, just pulling your leg.  How else am I going to make Tempeh sound interesting?) I have been dying to try Tempeh for some  time since I heard it was chewier than tofu. Plus, I like that it is fermented. I have my issues with tofu as a non-fermented soy product.  I worry that a diet with too much non-fermented soy will increase my estrogen in my body. Hence, cancer. You can call me paranoid. It won’t hurt.

Why is Tempeh okay in your book, Anna?

I knew you would ask me this question.  A couple different reasons.  Tempeh has a chewy taste. (Yes, I am repeating myself.)   Maybe in a past life I was a cow.  I love to chew gum and pen caps.  (You are thinking that I was kidding about the cow bit?)  Tofu is like eating slippery rubber.  If you like it, power to you.  Just not my cup of tea.

Secondly, Tempeh is a fermented soy which is easier to digest. (You all know that I have my “gas” issues with beans.) Fermented soy also has other attributes.  A LiveStrong’s blog article states,

“[a]ccording to Alive.com, a website devoted to providing accurate health information, the fermentation of soy products can convert minerals like iron, calcium magnesium, potassium, selenium, copper and zinc into more soluble forms so that the body gets more of the provided nutrients. Soy fermentation can also increase the total amount of vitamin and mineral content in the final product, and some of the yeasts commonly used during the fermentation process are able to add large quantities of thiamin, nicotinic acid and biotin, making an even healthier overall product.

So, I have been on the outlook for cool Tempeh recipes and ones that can be adapted for the carnivore part of my family.  I found a great recipe on MeatlessMonday called Tempeh Fried Rice and it was delish. I will note in parathesis how I changed the recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1/4 teaspoon liquid smoke flavoring*
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup white wine ( I used my own leftover white wine instead of store bought white wine.  Whenever we have company I keep the leftover white or red wine for cooking.)
• or
• 1/4 cup water
• 6 ounces Tempeh, cut into bite sized cubes (I used the entire package.  I have a hungry hubby.)
• 2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• 2 teaspoon peanut oil (I didn’t have so I used more sesame oil.)
• 4 cups brown rice, cooked
• 1/2 cup carrots, coarsely shredded
• 1/4 cup green onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar  (I used organic coconut palm sugar which is lower on the glycemic index than sugar. Absolutely love this sugar.)
• 1/2 cup pineapple pieces, well drained.  ( Get the no sugar added pineapple.  Better yet, cut up your own pineapple.  As for me, I used the canned one.  I threw in the liquid and more pineapple and nibbled on the rest…)
• 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
• low–sodium soy sauce, to taste  (I use wheat free Tamari.)
• 2 tablespoons almonds, toasted

*liquid smoke is smoke flavor that has been condensed to a liquid and stripped of the tar and carcinogens found in smoke. It can be found near hot sauces in most grocery stores.

Prepare a large skillet with a little cooking spray or oil. Mix maple syrup, liquid smoke, cider vinegar and wine or water in the prepared skillet over medium heat.  (Watch this pan since the liquid vanquish quite quickly and you need it for the rest of the recipe. I ended up adding more maple syrup to the recipe at the end which I think made it taste too sweet.)

Place tempeh pieces into the maple sauce and simmer, uncovered, for about 10 minutes, or until the sauce becomes thick and sticky.

Heat the peanut and sesame oils in a large skillet or wok over medium heat. Place the cooked brown rice in the wok and stir to coat the rice.

Add carrots, peas, onions, pineapple, brown sugar and thawed peas to the rice. Cook over medium-high heat, scraping the pan regularly, for 5-7 minutes, or until the rice starts to become crispy and caramelized.

Place the tempeh pieces to the wok. Add about half of the maple sauce so that the rice and tempeh are coated and sticky. Add more of the maple sauce if necessary to coat the rice and set the rest aside. Cook over medium heat, stirring to combine, for 3-5 minutes or until tempeh is thoroughly heated.

Season fried rice to taste with low-sodium soy sauce. Sprinkle with toasted almonds and enjoy!  (I added 2 tablespoons of Tamari. I think it needs more, so add the amount of Tamari to your liking.  I put in the refrigerator and then reheated it the next day.)

For the carnivore part of your family, they could try the Tempeh or substitute ground turkey, meat, or leftover chicken. My kids hate everything so I didn’t suggest eating the Tempeh.  You may have more adventurous kids.

Did the meal fill up the Husband?

My husband found that he was still hungry after eating this dish and prefers a quiona or millet instead of rice.  For some reason, he finds that rice in a dish is not that satisfying.  Next time I try the recipe, I will use a different grain.

Consider Taking the Meatless Monday Challenge

Consider taking the pledge to eat meatless every Monday.  (The Meatless Monday organization has a ton of recipes on the website.) As I indicated in my vegetarian post, eating meat lessen your carbon footprint on the Earth and make your heart happier.

As part of my Monday postings, I am going to include one of my meatless dishes.  I would love for all of you to join in and add your Meatless Monday contribution or your favorite vegetarian dish.

What’s cooking in your Kitchen?

What meatless recipe are using this week?  Share your recipes and links in the comments below.  Has anyone tried this Tempeh recipes?  Let me know your thoughts.

Would love to try Tempeh and/or organic coconut palm sugar?  Buy them at the GT store.  Just click on the links.

Similar Posts:

• Vegan Soy Free Meatballs Recipe for Meatless Monday
• Chickpea Tagine From Vegetarian Times For Meatless Monday
• Eggless Tofu Salad for Meatless Monday. Lunch Will Never Be the Same
• Planning Meals Around your Garden: Stuffed Kale Rolls
• Roasted Almond Butter, Sliced Pear, Agave Sandwich for Meatless Monday