Eggless Tofu Salad and Kale Crisps

Even though I've been a vegetarian for a long time, I have always been skeptical of meat and dairy replacements and managed to avoid them until I met my vegetarian soul mate.  Wow- has my world changed!

It helps that the market for these items has improved greatly over the last several years. 

Now, I find myself craving things I never thought possible.  Lately, it's been eggless tofu salad from The Willy St. Co-op.  However, Brent and I always find ourselves critiquing it and wishing we were eating it at home where we could spice it up and add more mustard (and take out the celery).  Plus, premade it is very expensive, so as long as we use the rest of the vegan mayonnaise we will save money in the long run.  

So, today I made my own:

It is so delicious! 

Eggless Tofu Salad

Makes enough for 4-6 servings

Ingredients:

½ 7 oz package of firm tofu

3 tbsp vegan mayonnaise

3 tbsp prepared mustard (we used a combination of yellow and spicy)

1 medium sized pickle, chopped

¼ cup chopped green pepper

1/3 cup chopped onion

¼ cup carrots, chopped or shredded

¼ tsp salt

¼ tsp dried dill

¼ tsp cayenne pepper

¼ tsp turmeric powder

¼ tsp lemon juice

Black pepper to taste

Directions:

1.   Remove excess moisture from tofu one of the following ways:

a.   Press tofu in a tofu press (a must have gadget for vegetarians)

b.   Put tofu block on a plate.  Place another plate on top and stack cookbooks/ heavy objects on top to squeeze out water.

c.   Cube tofu and then place in clean paper towels to gently wring water out. 

2.   Grate ¾ of tofu with the large holes on a cheese grater.  Mash remaining ¼ tofu with a spoon.  This attempts to replicate the 2 different textures of eggs in egg salad- the whites and the yolks.

3.   Mix vegan mayonnaise, mustard, lemon juice and spices in one bowl.

4.   In a different bowl, mix the tofu, pickle, onion, green pepper, and carrots.

5.   Combine wet ingredients with the vegetable and tofu mix. 

6.   Cover and refrigerate for at least ½ hour to let the flavors combine.  Before serving, adjust seasonings to taste.

This is tasty enough to eat on its own, but it's even better on a sandwich.

  Notes:

- We have found that the best recipes for using tofu or fake meat crumbles are the ones that call for lots of other flavorings, i.e. egg salad or sloppy joes.

-Serving suggestion: We like to eat this on a soft baguette with lettuce and more mustard.  Our favorite in the Madison area is from Batch Bakehouse on Williamson St, also available at both Willy St. Co-op locations. 

On Wednesday, we had eggless tofu salad for dinner with kale crisps on the side.  Kale crisps are super good for you (kale is rich in nutrients) but also will satisfy your salt cravings!  In fact, they are so amazing that I find myself drooling at the sight of a hearty bunch of kale.  Weird.

Give them a try- you won't regret it!

Kale Crisps

Ingredients:

1 bunch fresh kale (I prefer curly for this recipe)

Salt

Black Pepper

Garlic Powder

Cayenne Pepper

Onion Powder

¼ cup olive oil

Directions:

1.   Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

2.   Prepare kale by completely rinsing and drying on paper towels.  Tear large pieces of kale, removing it from the stems.  (I start with large pieces because they are easier to flip on the pan and can always be broken up smaller later.)

3.   With your fingers, coat each piece of kale with olive oil and set on a baking sheet. 

4.   Sprinkle spices and salt over the kale and gently toss to coat evenly.

5.   Bake for about 4 minutes, or until kale begins to crisp on one side.  Flip or toss kale on the pan and return it to the oven for another 3-5 minutes, until kale pieces are crispy and just beginning to brown.  Some pieces may finish before others; simply remove crisps that are finished and return the rest to the oven.

6.   Eat right away or store in an airtight container.