Ten-Minute Breakfast Tacos

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Okay, full disclosure: the first time you make these breakfast tacos, they might take 12 or 13 minutes. But that's because you're reading the recipe and getting familiar with what to grab from the fridge and pantry. Once you've made them once or twice, it's smooth sailing. You grab your tortillas while the skillet heats, grab the tofu while the tortillas warm, then grab the spinach and slice the avocado while the tofu cooks, and before you know it, a fresh hot breakfast is helping you greet the day in style.

With that out of the way, these guys are seriously easy to love. Fluffy crumbled tofu and a little fresh spinach wilted in a mix of sesame oil and tamari make for a light but flavorful combination. Top it all with ripe avocado slices doused with hot sauce, and that lovely mess is fully ready to be hugged in a warm corn tortilla. As a bonus, it takes only a few minutes longer to feed four as it does one (because the tofu will take longer to brown in a more crowded skillet), so this recipe scales decently.

Perfect and fast enough for breakfast, you may find yourself adding a side salad and a Bloody Mary to make these guys into brunch, or a side salad and cold Pilsner for dinner in a snap. Don't say I didn't warn you.

Ten-Minute Breakfast Tacos

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serves 1

2 six-inch soft corn tortillas

1/3 block firm or extra firm tofu

1/8-1/4 tsp (to taste) fine sea or kosher salt

freshly cracked black pepper

2 tsp nutritional yeast

1/2 ripe avocado, pitted

1 tsp sesame oil

generous handful fresh baby spinach

1 tsp reduced-sodium tamari

hot sauce, to serve [see note]

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Heat oven on warm setting.

Place tortillas in skillet. Heat for a minute on each side, or until tortillas are pliable and beginning to puff in spots. Transfer tortillas to oven rack to keep warm.

Crumble tofu into hot skillet. Sprinkle salt, pepper, and nutritional yeast over top. Let cook, undisturbed, two minutes. Meanwhile, slice avocado half while still in its skin.

Reduce heat to medium-low, toss tofu, and let cook one minute, undisturbed. Toss again and let cook one last minute. Remove tortillas from oven, transfer to serving plate, toss tofu again and spread evenly over tortillas.

Return skillet to heat. Add sesame oil, then spinach. Pour tamari over spinach and cook until wilted down, stirring constantly. Divide between tacos.

Scoop avocado slices from skin with a spoon and divide between tacos. Top with hot sauce and serve at once.

[Note: these benefit from an acidic finish, so if you do not like hot sauce, squeeze a lime wedge over tacos before serving.]

Balsamic Tempeh, Oranges and Haricots Verts

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The sour and sweet of balsamic vinegar is a great match for nutty tempeh. And since it also pairs well with all manner of green veg, why not toss in some long, thin green beans to contrast those dense little chewy tempeh squares?

That's already a recipe for success, but where this dish really stands out is by throwing in fat, juicy orange segments to cook with the balsamic and a bit of bitter and savory toasted sesame oil. The juice from the orange scents the dish (further helping that tempeh out), but the fruit itself is knee-shakingly lovely—gorgeously flavorful orange wedges you can periodically pick up and eat with your paws for a rare finger-licking veggie experience. So good. (And probably not a first-date meal. You're also gonna want to floss after. Totally worth it.)

Seriously satisfying when served with a mixed-potato and cauliflower (s)mash seasoned with plenty of nutritional yeast.

Balsamic Tempeh, Oranges and Haricots Verts

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serves 2

1 TBSP olive oil

8 oz frozen green beans (preferably thin variety, may be labeled haricots verts)

8 oz tempeh, cut into 1/2-inch dice

1/4 tsp salt

freshly cracked black pepper

1 orange, unpeeled, cut into 8 wedges

2 TBSP balsamic vinegar

1 tsp toasted sesame oil

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add green beans and cook, stirring frequently, until the frost is knocked off, about three minutes. Add tempeh, salt, and pepper, and let cook two minutes. Toss. Repeat, tossing every two minutes, until tempeh is golden brown and beans are seared in spots, about 12 minutes total. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

Return skillet to heat and add orange wedges and balsamic. Cook, tossing frequently, until orange flesh softens, about five minutes. Add sesame oil and toss to coat.

Return tempeh and beans to skillet. Cook another three minutes or so to let the orange scent the dish and ensure the tempeh and beans are heated through. Serve at once.

BBQ Tofu-Pecan Loaf Sandwich with Pineapple and Smoky Tahini Sauce

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Technically, this recipe should be called BBQ-sauced tofu-pecan loaf sandwich. Now that that's out of the way, what you really need to know is that this sandwich is so much fun. Big and messy and savory and meaty and juicy, and so, so easy.

The tofu-pecan loaf looks fussy, but it really isn't. Process a few things in the food processor, stir it up with the dry ingredients, and the slow cooker takes care of the rest. Which means all you have to do for dinner is whisk together two quick sauces and grill a few rings of pineapple.

The BBQ sauce, by the way, is a total shortcut sauce from the pantry. It gains a little depth from being added to the slow cooker toward the end of cooking. The pineapple adds a welcome dose of fresh sweetness to the whole thing. Did I mention easy and fun?

BBQ Tofu-Pecan Loaf Sandwich with Pineapple and Smoky Tahini Sauce

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loaf adapted from The Vegan Slow Cooker

For the tofu-pecan meatloaf: 

1 cup water

1 cup TVP (textured vegetable protein) 

1 lb Twin Oaks brand extra-firm tofu [see Note]

1/2 cup pecans

3 sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, roughly chopped

1/2 tsp liquid smoke

1 cup oat bran

1/4 cup nutritional yeast

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp dried basil

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp dried marjoram

1/2 tsp fine sea or kosher salt

For the BBQ sauce: 

1/4 cup ketchup

2 tsp turbinado (or brown sugar)

1 tsp apple cider vinegar

1 tsp reduced-sodium tamari

1 tsp molasses

For the smoky tahini sauce:

1/4 cup tahini

1/4 cup water

2 TBSP lime juice

1/2 tsp fine sea or kosher salt

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

To assemble: 

sourdough

grilled pineapple rings

Boil the cup of water in a small sauce pan, remove from heat, and stir in TVP. Let sit 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, roughly crumble tofu into the bowl of a food processor. Add pecans, sun-dried tomatoes, tamari, and liquid smoke. Process thoroughly.

In a large mixing bowl, combine oat bran, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, basil, oregano, marjoram, and salt. Stir to combine, add tofu-pecan mixture, and use your hands to thoroughly combine. Add rehydrated TVP and mix again until incorporated. Press mixture firmly into a lightly oiled slow cooker and cook on low for 6-7 hours.

Half an hour before serving, whisk together all BBQ sauce ingredients. Spread over top of the tofu-pecan loaf, replace lid, and let cook 30 minutes, undisturbed.

Meanwhile, whisk together all tahini sauce ingredients and set aside. Cut your pineapple into rings and grill until you have dark sear marks, but the pineapple is still firm—it will take only a few minutes. (A countertop electric grill is just fine, or sear rings just until golden on both sides in a skillet or griddle.)

When the loaf is ready, sandwich and serve.

Note on tofu: Twin Oaks brand is significantly denser than other brands of tofu. If it's not available to you, purchase two blocks of the firmest tofu you can, press them for 30 minutes, then weigh out a pound.

Dead Simple Smoked Tofu Salad Sandwich (for Summer)

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Granted, you don't actually have to reserve this tasty mix of smoked tofu, shallot, and cornichons for the warm months, but the salty and savory salad begs to be topped with fresh produce and served open-faced. Think sliced radishes, spicy greens, or—of course—nice big slices of tomato.

Grated smoked tofu gives great flavor and texture, and plays extremely well with finely diced shallot and briny little pickles. Dress it all up a bit further with a touch of Dijon and dill, and breezy summer lunches are no sweat at all.

Dead Simple Smoked Tofu Salad Sandwich (for Summer)

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serves 2-4

8 oz smoked tofu, such as Soy Boy brand

1 shallot, minced

5 cornichons, thinly sliced (about 2 TBSP)

2 tsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp Dijon-style mustard

1/2 tsp dried dill

1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper

Grate tofu into a mixing bowl. Add all other ingredients and stir to combine. Serve at once or chill until ready to use.

Espresso-Bourbon Tofu-Peanut Butter (Breakfast) Mousse

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Tofu mousse might not sound like a great idea to a large-ish chunk of the population—especially in the post-aquafaba world—but done with care, it's a totally fabulous idea. Especially for summer breakfasts. It's cool and creamy and fluffy, pairs well with fruit or can be eaten on its own, and can be made in batches in a total snap, so it's just sitting in the fridge waiting for you on any given morning. And it's seriously satisfying, thanks to a good dose of protein from both silken tofu and peanut butter, the latter of which also adds a satiating helping of fat.

Peanut butter, vanilla, a touch of bourbon and lemon, and instant espresso powder all team up to make a flavorful, protein-packed breakfast or snack. You can easily turn this into dessert by adding a cookie (and if your sweet tooth is on the modest side, you may find it weekday dessert-ready as-is). Feel free to thin the whole thing out with coconut milk to transform it into a decadent drizzle over brandy-warmed dates for an honest-to-goodness dessert you could even serve to guests. Yep.

Espresso-Bourbon Tofu-Peanut Butter (Breakfast) Mousse

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yields about 2 cups

12 oz silken firm tofu (from an aseptic pack)

1/2 cup smooth peanut butter (look for a brand that contains nothing but peanuts)

1/4 cup maple syrup, grade A: dark color and robust flavor strongly recommended

2 TBSP lemon juice

1 TBSP bourbon

2 tsp instant espresso powder

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp salt

Puree all ingredients until smooth.

Can be served immediately, but it benefits from chilling for at least 30 minutes to one hour before serving, in terms of both flavor (as the flavors mingle, the espresso will mellow) and texture (the mousse will firm up and become fluffy).

Party Animals No. 50: Saturday Brunch with Pals

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Just a quick Party Animals post this week to run over a recent vegan brunch. The potato-iest, herb-iest meal of the day.

I was hosted for brunch by good pals, and they provided some really tasty grits and greens for the center of the meal. To help out, I brought bubbly for Bellini (and back there in the corner is some cucumber-lemongrass syrup as a modest gift for the hosts).

These are the easiest potatoes ever. The freezer was holding a good amount of potato salad leftover from the wedding party. Threw that in a pan and roasted it up.

For protein, tofu and zucchini muffins. These are kind of a variation on this recipe (I hope to share more about a version of these muffins soon-ish). They're flavored with lemon zest and dill, which is a really great combination for brunch.

And, finally, if you're gonna rush tomato season (which I clearly am), this is how to do it: tuck some little garlic slices into roma tomato quarters, place them in a pan, douse the whole thing with herbes de Provence and some olive oil. Roast for a couple hours at 300, and done.

As ever, thanks so much for being here. See you next week.

Tempeh Tacos with Warm Corn and Poblano Relish

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Way easy and totally tasty, this taco recipe is going to guide you through the warm months in a snap. First, nudge your veggies (diced poblano for gentle verdant warmth, and corn—fresh or frozen, as you have it—for gentle sweetness) toward tenderness by giving them a quick saute. Then bathe them in lime juice and cilantro to brighten everything up.

Follow that up by browning the tempeh with a dead-simple mix of equal parts tamari and rice vinegar. A little turbinado helps the tempeh get nice and tender and balances out its earthier tones, all without taking the time to steam before cooking. This may become your new go-to way to prepare tempeh fast. The result is a totally fabulous protein that will play well in a variety of dishes. (If you're on the fence about tempeh, give this one a try. And let us know how it goes.)

Before you know it, your tortillas are warm and you're digging in.

Tempeh Tacos with Warm Corn and Poblano Relish

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serves 3-4

8 corn tortillas

3 TBSP olive oil, divided

1 cup corn kernels (fresh or frozen)

1 large poblano, trimmed and chopped into small (1/4-inch) dice

2 TBSP lime juice

1 TBSP finely chopped cilantro

pinch fine sea or kosher salt

1 lb tempeh

2 scallions, sliced, divided

3 TBSP reduced-sodium tamari

3 TBSP rice vinegar (unseasoned)

1 TBSP turbinado

1/4 tsp smoked paprika

1/4 tsp chipotle powder

Heat oven to 350. Divide tortillas into two stacks of four. Wrap each stack in foil and place directly on oven rack. Heat 20 minutes.

Heat 1 TBSP oil in a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add corn and diced poblano. Cook until crisp-tender, stirring frequently, about three minutes.

Meanwhile, combine lime juice and cilantro in a small-medium bowl. When the veg is done, add it to the bowl, add a pinch salt, and stir to combine. Set aside.

Reduce heat to medium. Heat remaining 2 TBSP oil in the same skillet. Carefully crumble tempeh into skillet, aiming for small bite-size crumbles. Add sliced white and firm green portions of scallions to skillet. Stir every minute or so until tempeh begins to brown in spots and turns fragrant, three to five minutes. Meanwhile, transfer sliced tender green portions of scallions to a small bowl and set aside.

Carefully add tamari, vinegar, sugar, paprika, and chipotle to hot skillet. Stir to distribute evenly. Continue to cook a few minutes longer, until the liquid in the skillet evaporates, and the tempeh is heated through and browned in spots. Remove from heat.

When tortillas are ready, assemble tacos, garnished with reserved scallion tops.

White Wine-Braised Chickpea, Tempeh, and Spinach Linguine from the Slow Cooker

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Spring: some days are too hot for the oven, then you're hit with a blustery, rainy day that calls for a bowl of comfort. Either way, this recipe has you covered. Toss chickpeas, tempeh, spinach, artichoke hearts, and blissfully salty Kalamata olives into the slow cooker with a dose of herbs and white wine. Let it cook all day, and there's nothing left for you to do but boil the amount of pasta needed for the meal, and done. Repeat with leftovers, should you have them.

The whole thing depends on the garnishes to really shine, so don't skip them. A generous spoonful of chopped sun-dried tomatoes and a final squeeze of lemon over your plate are necessary ingredients to add color, intense bits of flavor, and brightness.

White Wine-Braised Chickpea, Tempeh, and Spinach Linguine from the Slow Cooker

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serves 4-6

For the legume-veggie mix:

8 oz frozen chopped spinach

1/4 cup chopped Kalamata olives

3 TBSP quick-cooking tapioca

1 no-salt-added vegetable bouillon cube

2 15-oz can chickpeas, drained, but not rinsed

8 oz tempeh

1 tsp dried basil

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp dried marjoram

1 cup dry white wine

6 oz canned (and drained) or frozen (and thawed) artichoke hearts, chopped

fine sea or kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper

To serve:

1 lb linguine

generous 1/4-1/2 cup julienned oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained well

lemon wedges, from 1-2 lemons

Layer spinach and olives into the crock of a slow cooker. Sprinkle tapioca evenly over the spinach. Place bouillon cube in the center of the crock. Pour drained chickpeas in evenly, then roughly crumble tempeh into the crock in small bite-size pieces. Sprinkle in each of the herbs, then slowly and evenly pour wine over the whole thing. Cover and cook on low seven to eight hours.

When ready to serve, stir in chopped artichoke hearts, add salt and pepper, to taste, and cover again. Cook pasta according to package directions. Divide pasta among plates and top with chickpea mixture. Add a generous tablespoon of sun-dried tomatoes to each plate and give a squeeze of lemon juice over the whole thing. Serve at once.

Smoked Tofu, Avocado, and Sage-Roasted Lemon Sandwich

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This sandwich relies on the convenience of store-bought tofu, the convenience of nature's perfect condiment (avocado), and takes just about 15 minutes to punch up that lovable combination with seriously dreamy roasted lemons. The result is sure to brighten up any Tuesday afternoon, but feel free to serve this to pals at any casual gathering, too.

Whole-lemon anything is never to be passed up, so when this salad recipe came into view, there was no question that the sage-roasted lemons would be put to work long before tomato season. Totally worth the light effort, these dreamy little lemon slices jazz up absolutely everything. New favorite ingredient.

Smoked Tofu, Avocado, and Sage-Roasted Lemon Sandwich

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yields three sandwiches

1 recipe sage-roasted lemon slices

8 oz smoked tofu, such as Soy Boy brand

1 ripe avocado

6 slices whole wheat bread from a small boule

flaked salt and freshly cracked black pepper

Prepare the lemon slices as directed.

While the lemon slices roast, place each tofu square on its thin side and cut into thirds, so you have a total of six thinner squares. Halve and pit the avocado, divide into eight slices, and scoop out.

To assemble, place two slices of tofu on three slices of bread. Divide the avocado as evenly as possible and place atop the tofu. Sprinkle with flaked salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Add lemon slices, sandwich, and serve at once.

Sausage-Spiced Tempeh-Walnut Patties

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Before we get to the recipe, I want to mention that I've updated the MSV resources page to include a couple local folks, including Knox Vegan. If you haven't been reading over there, Emily is doing some incredible restaurant outreach and is actively courting guest posts on (some locally made!) skin care products and anything else Knoxville vegans can dream up. She's working to make Knox Vegan a visible place to continue building community, and I would recommend her site even if that initiative didn't include linking to my recipes in her weekly newsletter. But it does! And I'm seriously grateful. She also shares in the newsletter valuable ideas and tidbits (like where to find vegan pho in town) that isn't on the site-proper, so don't skip signing up for that when you visit.

Now, onto the food.

If you're a fan of savory, highly flavorful breakfast foods, today is your today. A block of tempeh—for chew and blissfully nutty flavor—and a pile of walnuts—for buttery richness and firm-tender texture—come together with a fully-stocked spice rack to make breakfasts that will definitely wake up your taste buds, if not your pre-coffee brain.

And they're so easy to make. No sauteing anything before assembly—just a couple of spins through a food processor. They beg to be made again and again.

Calling for a generous quantity of walnuts, this isn't the cheapest recipe around. But it yields eight servings (since there's so much going on in these guys, a little goes a long way), and you can always keep the cost down by purchasing walnut pieces rather than whole halves.

The texture here is pretty fabulous. It's tender without being mushy, and the robust combination of tempeh and walnuts lets the patties stand up to a variety of serving options. Munch on them alone to complement a stack of pancakes, or place one on a buttery biscuit.

The biscuit option has received some particularly enthusiastic feedback, but my personal favorite way to make effortless breakfasts that are good to travel involves keeping a bag of English muffins in the freezer. This option keeps the patty in the spotlight, since it doesn't have to compete with the fat in a biscuit. And these patties really deserve a spotlight.

Of course, you're not limited to breakfast here. Feel free to crumble a patty into pasta, or any other dish that could use a shot of flavor.

And the aroma while they cook? Unbelievable.

Sausage-Spiced Tempeh-Walnut Patties

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serves 8

6 oz raw, unsalted walnut pieces

1 tsp dried basil

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp dried rubbed sage

1 tsp dried thyme

1/2 tsp crushed dried red chile pepper (or less, to taste)

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper

8 oz tempeh

2 TBSP reduced-sodium tamari

2 TBSP water

1 tsp psyllium husk powder

Add walnut pieces to a food processor and process to crumbs. Transfer to a mixing bowl. Add all spices (basil through black pepper). Set aside.

Roughly crumble tempeh into the processor bowl. Add tamari, water, and psyllium husk powder. Process until finely chopped (not pureed). Transfer to the mixing bowl and stir to combine thoroughly.

Set mixing bowl aside for five minutes (to let the psyllium husk powder begin to work) while you preheat a closing countertop electric grill. After the five minutes has passed, divide the mixture into eight equal portions. Form patties and cook, with the electric grill lid closed, for five minutes, or until heated through and browned on both sides. (For most electric grills, you'll need to cook these in two batches. If one is not available, try cooking these on the stove top in a nonstick skillet for a few minutes on each side, carefully flipping once.) Let cool five minutes before serving.

Smoked Tofu Salad Sub

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Your lunches are totally covered. Sunny October afternoon picnics, too. And thanks to commercially prepared smoked tofu, this satisfying baguette sub couldn't be easier.

Start with your smoked tofu, grate it, add a good bit of plain nondairy yogurt (Kite Hill or Silk recommended), and season that with lemon juice, cornichons, and capers.

Technically, you can stop right there, grab the crackers, and call it good. Or you can sandwich it up with romaine and top with salt, pepper, oil, red wine vinegar, and thinly sliced red onion. Totally classic presentation with a blissfully flavorful convenience item. Meet your new favorite protein-salad sandwich.

Smoked Tofu Salad Sub

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serves 3-4

For the smoked tofu salad:

8 oz smoked tofu, grated, such as Soy Boy brand

5 oz plain nondairy yogurt, such as Kite Hill or Silk brand

1 6-inch piece celery, thinly sliced

4-6 cornichons (1 to 1 1/2 inches each), finely chopped

2 tsp drained capers

2 tsp lemon juice

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp fine sea or kosher salt

To serve:

baguette loaf

romaine leaves

red onion, sliced into paper-thin half-moons

olive oil

red wine vinegar

fine sea or kosher salt

freshly cracked black pepper

Stir all tofu salad ingredients together.

To serve, cut off a desired length of baguette and split in half lengthwise. Line bottom slice with romaine. Spoon tofu salad on top, pressing down a little to aid cohesion. Top with onion, to taste. Drizzle oil over top, add several dashes red wine vinegar, and finish with a gentle sprinkle of salt and a generous amount of freshly cracked black pepper.

Note: for travel, toast cut sides of bread before assembling. Will keep well, wrapped, for a few hours.

Tempeh Pate with Olives and Capers

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Earthy, nutty tempeh and briny olives make a great match. This pate is a perfect example. Green olives, Kalamata olives, and capers combine with quickly steamed tempeh for a dead-simple spread that becomes more than the sum of its parts. (Naturally, the better your olives, the better the dish.) Finish it off with finely chopped fresh red pepper for a little color and crunch.

You can obviously spread this on crackers to your heart's content, but it's also quite nice on a slice of plain or spinach lavash. Apply a generous amount (about a third of the recipe) to a slice, roll it up, and slice it into little pinwheels with a sharp knife. Munch.

Admittedly, this recipe is pretty fabulous on the second day, but it's so tasty straight from the food processor that you may need to make a double batch to make it last that long.

Tempeh Pate with Olives and Capers

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serves 3-4

8 oz tempeh

1/4 cup pitted Kalamata olives

1/4 cup pitted green olives

1 TBSP drained capers

1 TBSP extra virgin olive oil

2 tsp lemon juice

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 cup diced (1/4-inch) red bell pepper

Steam tempeh 10 minutes. Meanwhile, rinse the olives and capers in a fine sieve. Set aside to let drain thoroughly. When the tempeh is done, set aside to let cool a bit while you chop the bell pepper.

Carefully transfer tempeh to food processor. Add oil, lemon, oregano, and garlic powder. Process until smooth (for tempeh). Add olives and capers. Process until olives are very finely chopped, pausing to scrape the sides, as needed. Add bell pepper and pulse to combine. Serve at once or chill until ready to serve.

Dead Simple Lemon-Pepper Tofu Spread

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Tofu on bread makes up a lot of easy dinners in the MSV house. This particular spread is a favorite for a couple of reasons, though. First, lemon and freshly cracked black pepper are a lovable combination that never gets old.

Second, there's pretty much always tofu and lemon hanging out in the kitchen, which means this mellow and simple spread can be on your plate pretty much any time you decide you feel like blending up a batch. And then you have leftovers.

This spread eats just fine on toast all alone (or crackers, if you need even more convenience), but the cool creaminess of the tofu, brightness of the lemon, and heat of the pepper are even better topped with, say, a little greens quickly sauteed with smoked paprika or smoked salt. With multigrain toast, that's a lot of satisfying flavor piled deep into a blissfully unfussy meal.

Dead Simple Lemon-Pepper Tofu Spread

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yields about one pound

1/2 cup pepitas, roasted and lightly salted

14-16 ounces firm tofu, drained

1/2 tsp fine sea or kosher salt

2 TBSP lemon juice

zest of 1 lemon

1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper

Process pepitas in a food processor to fine crumbs. Add tofu, salt, and lemon juice, and blend until very smooth, pausing to scrape the sides as needed. Stir in lemon zest and black pepper. Adjust salt, if needed (particularly if you use unsalted pepitas). Flavor is best after chilling for an hour or so, but can be used immediately.

Rosemary-Dijon Tempeh Sandwiches with Sauerkraut and Smoky Tahini Sauce

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There are big flavors everywhere you turn in this tempeh sandwich.

Starting with the protein, there's not really any subtlety with the tempeh here. No gently enhancing its characteristics. Instead, you'll hit it with a good dose of Dijon-style mustard and fresh rosemary, plus a little tamari and sugar. The result is robust and heads straight for your pleasure center with no careful tasting required. Look at that gorgeous stuff.

Next, you'll add sauerkraut. It may already seem like there's a lot of acid piling up, but remember that between the tempeh, tahini, rosemary, and wheat bread, you have a lot of earthy and bitter elements in here that can stand up to the vinegar. The tahini gets a generous addition of lemon, but in the context of the sandwich, it keeps things bright without being sour (that's what the sauerkraut is for, of course). Along with the lemon, a nice sprinkling of smoked paprika is all you need to make this dead-simple tahini sauce your new favorite sandwich condiment.

Come fall, you may want to eat little else.

Rosemary-Dijon Tempeh Sandwiches with Sauerkraut and Smoky Tahini Sauce

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makes 2 large or 4 smaller sandwiches

For the tempeh:

8 oz tempeh

1 TBSP olive oil

1 TBSP Dijon-style mustard

1 TBSP water

1 tsp reduced-sodium tamari

1 tsp finely chopped fresh rosemary

1 tsp natural cane sugar (evaporated cane juice)

salt and freshly cracked black pepper

For the tahini sauce:

2 TBSP tahini

2 TBSP lemon juice

2 TBSP water

1/4 tsp fine sea or kosher salt

1/4 tsp smoked paprika

To serve:

sauerkraut

wheat bread

Begin by preparing the tempeh. Turn the block on its thin side and carefully slice in half. Leaving both halves still stacked, place the block back in landscape position (long end toward you), and cut in half. Cut each half on the diagonal to make eight triangles.

Place tempeh triangles in a dish in a single layer. Sprinkle a generous pinch or so of salt over them and repeat with freshly cracked black pepper. Whisk together oil, mustard, water, tamari, rosemary, and sugar. Pour slowly over tempeh and spread it out to cover the surface entirely. Cover loosely with a clean kitchen towel and let marinate 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, carefully whisk together all tahini sauce ingredients until smooth.

When tempeh is ready, heat a nonstick pan over medium heat until hot. Shake excess marinade off tempeh (there won't be much) before adding each triangle, marinated-side down, into the hot pan—it should sizzle at once. Let cook, undisturbed, four minutes (less if you start to smell danger of burning). While cooking, use the small amount of extra marinade to lightly coat the bare side of the tempeh while it cooks—proceed carefully, as the pan is hot and the oil can sputter. Flip tempeh and cook another four minutes, or until golden on the underside.

Assemble sandwiches, using a generous spoonful of tahini sauce for each, and grill or press until bread is crisp and golden. Serve at once.

Balsamic Onion Tofu-Pecan Meatball Sandwiches

Time to get out the slow cooker and satisfy your summer vegan meatball cravings.

As if tofu-pecan meatball sandwiches weren't lovable enough, today's version mixes in blissfully savory and sweet bits of onions cooked with balsamic vinegar. It's a breezy shortcut to seriously satisfying flavor. Keep those big flavors coming by topping it all with spicy mustard and tangy sauerkraut.

Balsamic Onion Tofu-Pecan Meatball Sandwiches

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see [Note] on yield , meatballs adapted from here

For the meatballs: 

1 small yellow onion, finely diced

2 TBSP olive oil

generous pinch fine sea or kosher salt

2 tsp balsamic vinegar

1 cup water

1 cup TVP (textured vegetable protein) 

1 lb Twin Oaks brand extra-firm tofu [see note on tofu]

1/2 cup unsalted pecans

3 sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, roughly chopped

2 TBSP reduced-sodium tamari

1/2 tsp liquid smoke

1 cup oat bran

1/4 cup nutritional yeast

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp fine sea or kosher salt

1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper

1/4 tsp celery seed

To serve: 

sandwich/burger buns

stone-ground mustard

sauerkraut

Heat oil over medium heat. When hot, add diced onion and generous pinch salt. Cook until onions have released their liquid and begin to turn translucent, about five minutes. Add balsamic vinegar and continue to cook, stirring/scraping the pan frequently, until onions are deep in color, another five to seven minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

Boil one cup water in a small sauce pan. Remove from heat, stir in TVP, and let sit 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, roughly crumble the tofu into a food processor. Add pecans, sun-dried tomatoes, tamari, and liquid smoke. Process well, until uniform with no large chunks of pecans. 

In a large mixing bowl, combine oat bran, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, and celery seed. Stir to combine, add the tofu-pecan mixture, and mix thoroughly (hands are best). Add reconstituted TVP and onions when cool enough to handle and mix until incorporated.

Form meatballs, place them in a lightly oiled slow cooker and cook on low 4-5 hours (you may need 5-6 hours for golf-ball size). Alternately, bake in a 350-degree oven for 30 minutes, until warmed through and golden.

Note on yield: recipe yields 36-40 ping-pong size meatballs or 26-30 golf-ball size. Sandwiches will require 3-4 meatballs per bun, depending on bun size.

Note on tofu: Twin Oaks extra-firm is exceptionally dense. If you use a different brand, look for super-firm, or press your extra-firm tofu for 20-30 minutes, then weigh it out for the recipe.

Dead Simple Chipotle Black Bean-Tempeh Tacos with Fresh Strawberry Salsa

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These half comforting and spicy, half crisp and fresh tacos are a great solution for any old day when you don't want to spend too much effort on cooking, but still feel like taking a minute to run your knife through something fresh and fragrant (hi, cilantro).

The title pretty much lays it all out here. You got your handy can of earthy black beans, your block of nutty tempeh, and you'll throw those into a pan with a good dose of chipotles en adobo—for maximum flavor with maximum convenience—and some garlic cloves. Load that into warm, soft corn tortillas and finish them off with what is essentially a pico de gallo with the tomatoes replaced with spring strawberries and the jalapeno omitted, since you already have plenty of that in your base. Dinner is served.

Dead Simple Chipotle Black Bean-Tempeh Tacos with Fresh Strawberry Salsa

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yields 6-8 tacos

1/4 cup finely diced white onion (from about half of one small onion)

juice of 1 lime

2 TBSP olive oil

8 oz tempeh

1 15-oz can black beans

2 chipotles en adobo, plus 1 additional TBSP adobo sauce

3 cloves garlic, crushed

8 oz fresh strawberries

1/4 cup loosely packed cilantro

fine sea or kosher salt

to serve, 6-8 warm corn tortillas

In a bowl large enough to hold the fresh salsa, combine diced onion and lime juice. Set aside to let the onion mellow while you prepare the filling.

Drain and rinse black beans in a sieve. Set aside to let drain thoroughly.

Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. When the oil is just warm enough to sizzle mildly when a piece of tempeh is added to it (not too hot), carefully crumble the tempeh finely with your hands into the pan. Let cook about five minutes, tossing only every couple of minutes to let the tempeh brown. Meanwhile, seed and finely chop chipotles en adobo.

Add crushed garlic cloves and chipotles to the pan. Cook another two-three minutes, tossing only every minute, until the garlic begins to turn golden. Add adobo sauce and drained beans. Let cook until hot, stirring frequently—this should only take a couple of minutes. Set aside and keep warm.

While you warm the tortillas, trim strawberries and chop into half-inch chunks. Chop cilantro. Add both to the onions and lime along with a generous pinch of salt. Stir well.

To assemble, discard garlic cloves before dividing black beans and tempeh among tortillas, then top with strawberry salsa. Serve immediately.

Strawberry-Tempeh Orzo Salad with Lemon-Parsley Dressing

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Strawberry season! If you're interested in finding a way to put your brilliantly red gems to work outside of eating them straight from the basket, there's always pasta salad.

Start with the nicest strawberries you can get your hands on.

You'll leave the berries in the biggest chunks to really accentuate them. Their sweetness will contrast the earthy tempeh (which you'll cut into smaller dice) and grassy scallions. The tempeh is also balanced by a seriously lemon-forward dressing packed with not a little parsley and a bit of pepitas blended in for additional body.

Give those bold flavors a soft, welcoming bed of orzo to sink into, and you're all set.

Strawberry-Tempeh Orzo Salad with Lemon-Parsley Dressing

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serves 4

For the dressing:

2 TBSP hulled raw, unsalted pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

3 scallions, white and tender green parts roughly chopped, tops reserved for the salad

1/4 cup tightly packed parsley leaves

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 TBSP lemon juice

2 TBSP water

1/2 tsp fine sea or kosher salt

For the salad:

8 oz tempeh

8 oz dried orzo

8 oz fresh strawberries, rinsed and dried

Fill a pot that can also hold a steamer basket with enough unsalted water to cook the pasta. Place the whole block of tempeh in a steamer basket, place into the pot (leaving enough room underneath for the water to boil), and cover. Bring to a boil over high heat.

While the water heats, puree all dressing ingredients (using only the white and light green parts of the scallions for the dressing) until smooth. There will still be flecks of parsley left—the focus is to get the pepitas well blended so that the dressing isn't chunky. Set aside.

When the water boils, carefully remove the steamer and add pasta. Replace steamer and cover, ensure the water comes back to a boil, and reduce heat to medium or medium-low to maintain a steady boil. Cook 8-9 minutes.

While the pasta cooks and the tempeh steams, trim and halve the strawberries (leave smaller berries whole). Slice scallion tops into 1/4-inch-thick rings. Add both to a serving bowl.

When pasta is done, transfer tempeh to a cutting board and drain pasta thoroughly. Add pasta to serving bowl, pour the dressing over, and toss everything.

As soon as tempeh is cool enough to handle, cut it into scant half-inch cubes. Add to serving bowl and toss everything again. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

Tofu Muffins with Sweet Corn and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

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Portable protein! And they're seriously sunny.

There may be a slight obsession with tofu pie in the MSV house. A frequent dreaming about finding a tofu pie that might make sense to everyone at the brunch table, even quiche-loving omnivores (if you've already found this, please get in touch). A day when the easiest daytime entertaining option is finally open again. But until then, there are these little guys, totally solving savory breakfast on any given weekday. And you don't even have to share.

They're easy, tasty, blissfully tofu-y, shored up with chickpea flour, and studded with sweet corn kernels and flavor-packed sun-dried tomatoes. They're quite soft and moist fresh from the oven, so be sure to let them cool before digging in for the best texture. In fact, you might be happiest if you just treat this strictly as a session of batch cooking and wait until the next morning. They eat great cold or at room temperature.

Tofu Muffins with Sweet Corn and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

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yields six muffins, inspired by The Vegan Slow Cooker

15 oz firm tofu, drained

3/4 cup unsweetened soy (or almond) milk

1/4 cup drained oil-packed julienned sun-dried tomatoes

1/4 cup frozen sweet corn kernels

1/2 cup chickpea flour

1/4 cup cornmeal

2 TBSP nutritional yeast

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp fine sea or kosher salt

1/2 tsp garlic powder

oil, for greasing

Heat oven to 400. Generously oil a non-stick six-muffin tin.

Crumble tofu into a food processor. Add milk and process until smooth. Add sun-dried tomatoes and process until well chopped. Add corn kernels and pulse briefly to incorporate.

In a mixing bowl, combine chickpea flour, cornmeal, nutritional yeast, baking powder, salt, and garlic powder. Add tofu mixture and stir until thoroughly combined. (Do not taste-test the batter—raw chickpea batter is foul.) Distribute evenly among the six muffin molds (it will fill them each generously). Bake 30-32 minutes, until a tester comes out mostly clean—moist crumbs are okay, wet batter isn't—and the tops are puffed and golden.

Let cool 10 minutes in the pan on a wire rack. Run a knife or spatula firmly around the edges of the muffins to unmold. Let cool completely; chill until ready to eat.

Chimichurri Tofu-Pecan Meatball Sandwiches

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The post introducing the recipe for tofu-pecan meatballs is still one of the most popular posts ever on MSV, and for good reason. These little guys are savory, a little earthy, totally fun, and blissfully chewy. This version adds cilantro and parsley to the meatballs themselves to echo the fresh quantity pureed into an irresistible chimichurri sauce.

Strips of sweet roasted red pepper beautifully complement the rich, fragrant, garlicky and zippy green sauce. For best results, grab the freshest garlic you can find.

Chimichurri Tofu-Pecan Meatball Sandwiches

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see [Note] on yield , meatballs adapted from here

For the meatballs: 

1 cup water

1 cup TVP (textured vegetable protein) 

1 lb Twin Oaks brand extra-firm tofu [see note on tofu]

1/2 cup unsalted pecans

3 sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, roughly chopped

2 TBSP reduced-sodium tamari

1/2 tsp liquid smoke

1 cup oat bran

1/4 cup nutritional yeast

1 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp fine sea or kosher salt

1/4 cup loosely packed flat-leaf parsley, tough stems removed, finely chopped

1/4 cup loosely packed cilantro, tough stems removed, finely chopped

To assemble: 

sandwich/burger buns

sliced roasted red pepper

Parsley-Cilantro Chimichurri, recipe follows

Boil one cup water in a small sauce pan. Remove from heat, stir in TVP, and let sit 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, roughly crumble the tofu into a food processor. Add pecans, sun-dried tomatoes, tamari, and liquid smoke. Process well, until uniform with no large chunks of pecans. 

In a large mixing bowl, combine oat bran, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, salt, chopped parsley, and chopped cilantro. Stir to combine, add the tofu-pecan mixture, and mix thoroughly (hands are best). Add reconstituted TVP when cool enough to handle and mix until incorporated. 

Form meatballs, place them in a lightly oiled slow cooker and cook on low 4-5 hours (you may need 5-6 hours for golf-ball size). Alternately, bake in a 350-degree oven for 30 minutes, until warmed through and golden.

To assemble, place meatballs on a bun (toasted on the cut sides, if desired), spoon on a scant tablespoon of sauce, top with pepper strips, then sandwich.

Note on yield: recipe yields 36-40 ping-pong size meatballs or 26-30 golf-ball size. Sandwiches will require 3-4 meatballs per bun, depending on bun size.

Note on tofu: Twin Oaks extra-firm is exceptionally dense. If you use a different brand, look for super-firm, or press your extra-firm tofu for 20-30 minutes, then weigh it out for the recipe.

Parsley-Cilantro Chimichurri

1/2 cup loosely packed cilantro, tough stems removed

1/2 cup loosely packed parsley, tough stems removed

1 TBSP fresh oregano leaves

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

3 TBSP rice vinegar (unseasoned), (or white wine or red wine vinegar)

2 cloves garlic, peeled

1 small shallot, peeled and roughly chopped

1 small jalapeno, trimmed, seeded, and roughly chopped

1/4 tsp fine sea or kosher salt

Puree all ingredients until smooth. Adjust salt, and vinegar, if needed.

Dead Simple Tempeh Salad Sandwich (with Artichoke Hearts and Kalamata Olives)

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This one's for the tempeh lovers. If you're on the fence about tempeh, or only like it in certain sauces, skip this one. The rest of you, dive into a pile of simply spiced tempeh on your favorite sandwich roll. (Pictured here are small dinner rolls that make pretty adorable sandwiches.)

You'll turn to the convenience of frozen artichoke hearts to add a light vegetal quality to the nutty tempeh and give those both a shot of salt from Kalamata olives. Top with avocado for satiety and creaminess, plus a little lettuce for texture and freshness. Easy, simple, and good. It's nice on a sandwich roll (but a touch messy—like a sloppy Joe without the brutal stain potential), but if you prefer to spoon it atop salad greens, have at it.

Dead Simple Tempeh Salad Sandwich (with Artichoke Hearts and Kalamata Olives)

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serves 2

8 oz tempeh

1/4 cup finely chopped artichoke hearts (frozen preferred; rinsed, if using canned/jarred)

1/4 cup roughly chopped pitted Kalamata olives

1 TBSP olive oil

1/2 tsp sweet (Hungarian) paprika

fine salt or kosher salt

sandwich rolls of choice

flesh of half of one large avocado, sliced

tender lettuce leaves

lemon wedges

Steam tempeh 10 minutes. Meanwhile, chop the artichoke hearts and olives. Add both to a mixing bowl with oil, paprika, and a pinch of salt.

Carefully transfer tempeh to a cutting board. When cool enough to handle, cut into 1-inch dice. Add to mixing bowl. Use a fork to roughly mash and stir salad until combined and still a bit chunky.

To serve, place a lettuce leaf on the bottom half of a roll. Top with salad and avocado slices. Sprinkle with a small pinch of salt and a squeeze of lemon. Sandwich and serve.