Gossip Worthy Monday!!!

Sort of.  It's only me this time, but tonight is the second-to-last episode until the show goes on hiatus.  AGAIN.  Of course, that means a lovely dinner for one.  And a cocktail, of course.

This recipe is actually from Alex Guarnaschelli from the Food Network.  I saw this on an episode of her show, and put it in my recipe box for a special occasion.  Seems like the perfect fit.

(Vegan) Farfalle Pasta with Beet Vinaigrette and Parsley Pesto

I'm going to copy and paste her recipe, but if you'd like to see it on Food Network's site, click here!  I omitted the parmesan cheese because this recipe really doesn't need it, but feel free to use vegan parm if you'd like!

Ingredients:

For the Parsley Pesto:

• - Kosher salt
• - 2 cups fresh curly parsley leaves
• - 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• - 1/2 cup olive oil
• - 1 cup thinly sliced scallions, green and white parts

Beet Vinaigrette:

• - 5 medium beets, thoroughly scrubbed and quartered (reserve and finely slice beet greens, if attached)
• - 2 cups water
• - 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• - 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Pasta:

• - 1 pound farfalle pasta
• - Kosher salt
• - 1 tablespoon vegan butter
• - 1/4 cup vegan parmesan (*optional)

Method:

1. For the parsley pesto: Bring a medium pot of water to a rolling boil. Add the kosher salt until the water tastes like seawater and stir to blend. Add the parsley and cook for 1 minute, and then remove with a slotted spoon. Immediately plunge leaves into an ice bath and allow to cool, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain the leaves slightly and then put them in the blender with the sugar and olive oil. Blend until smooth. If the mixture is too thick, add some water to facilitate blending. Taste for seasoning. Stir in the scallions and set aside in a bowl large enough to hold the pasta.

2. For the beet vinaigrette: Put the beet pieces in a medium saucepan and add 1 cup of water. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Allow it to reduce until there is about 1/4 cup liquid. Add the remaining 1 cup of water and reduce again until you have only 1/4 cup left. Season to taste. Remove from the heat and stir in the red wine vinegar and olive oil.

3. For the pasta: In a large pot, bring 6 quarts of water to a rolling boil. Add a generous amount of salt; the pasta water should taste like seawater. Add the pasta to the pot and stir so it doesn't stick to the bottom as it cooks. Cook the pasta until al dente (chewy but not hard or raw tasting) 8 to 10 minutes. Drain the pasta in a colander, reserving some pasta cooking liquid in case you need it later.

4. To serve: Pour the pasta into the bowl with the parsley pesto. Add the beet vinaigrette and butter and toss to blend. Add the Parmesan and finely sliced beet greens, if using. Serve immediately. Alternatively, you can drizzle the red beet vinaigrette over the pasta for a different color effect.

Enjoy!  Blair and Dan better NOT get together....

Gossip Worthy Monday: Healthy Edition

The non-stop dessert of late is amazing.  However, we are starting to feel slobbish.  So, we decided to try a healthier meal for Gossip Girl this week.  We're both super busy and couldn't coordinate, so we did our own lovely things: stuffed peppers and split pea soup!

My version: (Vegan) Quinoa Stuffed Orange Peppers

For some reason, whenever I think "healthy," I think stuffed peppers.  Work with me.

Ingredients:

- Extra Virgin Olive Oil

- 2 orange peppers

- 1 green pepper

- 1 cup quinoa (uncooked)

- 1/2 a sweet onion

- 2 cloves garlic

- 3/4 cup (chopped) mushrooms

- 1/4 cup (chopped) carrots

- 1/2 cup fresh parsley

- 3 handfuls baby spinach

- 1/4 cup ground nuts (I used cashews)

- A few shakes cumin, cinnamon, salt, and pepper (all to taste)

- Soy sauce! (optional)

Method:

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F.  Cook the quinoa: boil two cups water and one cup quinoa.  Lower heat, cover, and cook for about 10-15 minutes (just like rice).

2. Grab a few bowls and start chopping: the green pepper, the onion, the mushrooms, the carrots, and the parsley.  Minch your garlic!

3. Grab a saucepan and throw in 1-2 tablespoons of oil (over medium heat).  Once warmed, toss in the onion and garlic.  Cook until transparent.  

4. Toss in the garlic, and continue to saute.

5. The mushrooms, pepper, and carrots go in next!  Continue to saute.

6.  Mix in the parsley.  Throw in one handful spinach at a time (unless you have a huge saucepan, then toss it all in!  Go for it!), and allow to wilt down to make room for the rest.  Continue to saute.

7.  Shake in your spices, nuts, and finally the cooked quinoa.  Stir, and lower heat.

8. Cut off the tops of your orange peppers, and core the insides.  Fill with filling (you'll get 4-6 full peppers), and top with it's hat.

9. Cover with foil, and bake for 1 hour.

10. Once finished, either enjoy OR be a little less healthy and put on a ton of soy sauce before enjoying! I tried!:)

Chelsea's version: (Vegan) Split Pea Soup

Ingredients:

- Extra Virgin Olive Oil

- 1/4 cup safflower oil

- 1 yellow onion, chopped

- 2 stalks celery, chopped

- 1 pound split peas

- 2 carrots, chopped

- 1/4 cup white wine

- Water

- A few shakes dried marjoram, basil, salt, and pepper (to taste)

Method:

1. Grab a saucepan, and saute the onions over medium heat until transparent.  

2. Add the celery next, and saute for another few minutes.

3. Add water to fill pan halfway, and raise heat to boil.

4. Add spices, split peas, and carrots, and boil for about one hour (until peas are softened).

5.  Add white wine, and cook down for at least one more hour.

:) !

Can I take this time to express my anger at the fact that Gossip Girl is on hiatus until JANUARY 24TH??!  Boooooooooooo.

Gossip Worthy Monday: Blair's Famous Pumpkin Pie

If you watch Gossip Girl, you understand that Thanksgiving is quite the big deal on the Upper- East Side.  What's even more important?  Blair's Pumpkin Pie.  I'll spare you the details (because I'm sure you know all about it already), but won't spare you the details for my and Chelsea's take on her masterpiece.

My version: (Vegan) Apple Pumpkin Pie

(yes, I had to be difficult and make something different.  It's what I do best!)

When I was on WholeFoods.com writing down their amazing stuffing recipe, I stumbled upon a recipe for... the pie I thought I was so genius in creating.  I couldn't believe it!  I thought I was so brilliant in combining the two "classic" holiday pies.  As much as I was excited about creating my own recipe, in the interest of time (ie. having none), I decided to veganize theirs.  I changed a few things, and will change more the next time I make it (I'm not thrilled with how it looks, but it tasted great- I WILL be making it again).  After all, if their stuffing was so amazing, why not try out their pie recipe?

From WholeFoods.com****, with changes in bold:

Ingredients:

- 1/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar 
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch 
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, divided 
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided 
- 1/3 cup water 
- 2 tablespoons (vegan) butter 
- 2 Granny Smith or Fuji apples*, peeled, cored and thinly sliced (about 3 cups) 

* I think one apple would be plenty, less is more 
- 1 egg replacer 
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar 
- 3/4 cup fresh or canned pumpkin purée 
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves 
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger 
- 3/4 cup evaporated milk**

** I used soy creamer 
- 1 (9-inch) unbaked pie shell (in pie pan)***

*** I made my own crust:

• - 1 1/4 cups AP flour
• - 1/2 cup vegan butter (chilled!)
• - Dash salt
• - 1/4 cup ice water

Method:

- Preheat oven to 425°F. Put brown sugar, cornstarch, 1/2 teaspoon of the cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon of the salt, water and vegan butter into a medium pot and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil. Add apples and cook, tossing to coat in sugar mixture, 3 to 4 minutes more. Remove from heat and set aside. 

- In a large bowl, whisk together egg replacer, granulated sugar, pumpkin, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, remaining 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, cloves, ginger and soy creamer until well combined. 

- Pour apple mixture into pie shell and spoon pumpkin mixture evenly over the top. Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce temperature to 375°F and bake until filling is just set in the middle, about 40 minutes more. Set aside on a wire rack to let cool completely before cutting into slices.

Note: The only thing I think would be better would be if there was more evenness in the layers.  Cut the apple mixture in half, and I think smaller pieces would've worked better for this.  Also, the pumpkin mixture needs to be a little thicker.  I added a little extra cornstarch, but I think I may add something else next time to thicken it up a bit.

For the crust: Chill the butter in small chunks before mixing with the flour and salt.  If you have a food processor, this would be the time to use it!  I don't at the moment, so I used my hands and "kneaded" it.  You should pulse/knead the butter and flour mixture until it forms a coarse meal.  Then, add the ice water in small bits until the dough forms a ball.  Wrap it in clear wrap and place in your refrigerator for at least one hour.  After an hour, press firmly into a pie dish!

Chelsea's version: A Classic (Vegan) Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients:

For the Crust:

- 1 cup AP flour
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/3 cup vegan butter
- 2 tbsp. ice water

For the Filling:
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp. ginger
- 1/4 tsp. cloves
- 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
- ENER-G equivalent of 2 eggs
- 1 can (15 oz.) pumpkin puree
- 1/2 cup of soy milk

Method:

1. Prepare the crust as I prepared mine in the first recipe.

2. Preheat your oven to 350°F.

3. Prepare the egg replacer and set aside.  Combine the rest of the ingredients in a medium- sized bowl and mix well.  Add the egg replacer and mix.

4. Pour the mixture into the crust, and bake for 45-50 minutes (until the center is set).

****Source: http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes/896

Gossip Worthy Monday (on Tuesday as usual): Pink Strawberry Lemonade Bars!

OMG that episode last night!!!!! I planned to post on Monday.  Really, I did, but I had a final due at midnight that I had to work on. Sorry:(.  Chelsea and I wanted to make a dessert this week, and she so brilliantly suggested lemon bars. I had some pink lemonade packets lying around from when my roommate and I made snowcones, and I really wanted a reason to use them. If anything is better than lemonade, it's PINK lemonade.

My version: (Vegan) Pink Strawberry Lemonade Bars

Look at those swirls of color!

  Ingredients: 

For the crust:

- 2 cups AP flour 

- 3/4 cup vegan butter 

- 1/4 cup brown sugar  

- 1/4 cup sugar 

- Dash of salt  

For the filling: 

 - ENER-G Egg Replacer: 3 egg equivalent

- Juice of 2 lemons  

 - 3/4 tablespoon lemon zest

 - 1/2 packet pink lemonade mix (NOT the kind with added sugar.  If that's all you have or can find, do not add as much sugar in the next step- use about half as much) 

- 1/2 cup sugar 

- 8-10 strawberries

 - 2 tablespoons AP flour 

- 1 tablespoon cornstarch 

- 1 teaspoon vanilla

- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 

- Dash of salt 

Method: 

- Preheat your oven to 350°F.  Grease a brownie or casserole pan!

- Prepare your crust.  It's super easy!  Just throw all of the crust ingredients in a bowl and combine.  You may want to use your hands for this one!  It helps if your butter is at room temperature and you cut chunks into your mix.

- Once you have what resembles a dough, press firmly into the bottom of your pan.  Throw into the 'fridge to cool until your oven is preheated.

- Bake your crust for about 15 minutes.  Let cool.

- At this point you can start your filling!   Cut a bunch of strawberries into teeny, tiny pieces, or pulse them down in a food processor.  My original idea was to have a layer of strawberries under the filling, but they're just going to float around, so yeah, that didn't exactly work out.  Just use as many or little as you would like for flavor and/or color.  Set aside.

- Prepare the egg replacer as per the directions on the package.  Wisk to foamy.  Add the rest of your filling ingredients, and mix well.  Add the strawberries.

- Pour the filling onto your cooled crust.  

- Bake for another 25 minutes, or until the filling is firm(er).  (It's done when the filling doesn't move around).

- Let cool.  Place is the 'fridge to settle for at least one hour.

- Once ready, sprinkle on some powdered sugar, and you're good to go! 

Chelsea's Version: (Vegan) Classic Lemon Bars

Chelsea is still perfecting her recipe.  For now, follow the above instructions and simply omit the pink lemonade packet and the strawberries.  Or, check out Isa's amazing recipe for lemon bars in her amazing cookbook Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar.  That book is A-maze-zing (Rachel Zoe, anyone?). 

Gossip Worth Monday: Tea for Two

Oh, hey.  It's Tuesday.  I'm kind of terrible at the whole working around two timezones, work, and actually being able to have time to eat and watch Gossip Girl before posting, soooo yeah.  Anyway, Gossip Worthy Monday!  We decided to go the classy route and have tea time this week.  Tea sandwiches anyone?

My version: (Vegan) Cucumber Mint and Apple, Pear, Basil Tea Sandwiches with a Moroccan Mint Chocolate Tea Latte

Ingredients:

Cucumber Mint Tea Sanwdiches:

- One loaf soft Italian bread (or Sourdough!) 

- One cucumber

- 1/4 cup vegan cream cheese

- 1/4 cup mint leaves

  

Apple, Pear, and Basil Tea Sandwiches:

- One loaf dark rye or pumpernickel bread 

- 1/4 cup vegan butter

- 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves

- One Granny Smith apple

- One Bosc Pear

Moroccan Mint Chocolate Tea Latte: 

- Loose leaf Moroccan Mint Green Tea (one serving, approx. 2 tablespoons)

- 1 tablespoon cocoa powder

- 1 tablespoon agave nectar or sweetener (more or less to taste)

- Soy creamer (as much as you would put in a coffee or tea, I put a lot!) 

Method:

- For the Cucumber Mint Tea Sandwiches, start with the spread.  It helps if your cream cheese is at room temperature.  

- Finely chop the mint leaves, and wisk together with the cream cheese.  If you have a baby food processor, now would be the time to use it.  Toss in the 'fridge to keep it cool.

- Thinly slice the cucumber.  I actually used a potato peeler to make super thin slices.  You can make some fun patterns if you peel with the skin on (if you intend for them to be open-face, otherwise there's not really a point to be fancy).

- Thinly slice the bread, and cut into fun triangles (you can cut them after assembly if that is easier for you).

- Assemble!  Spread one piece of bread with the mint cream cheese, and place the cucumber slices on top.  Viola!

- Follow the above steps for the Apple, Pear, and Basil Tea Sandwiches.  The spread is made in the same way (finely chopped basil wisked with butter), thinly sliced apples and pears, and made into a teeny sandwich.  

On to my favorite, favorite, favorite drink ever!  A Moroccan Mint Chocolate Tea Latte!  I get this every time I am in California, multiple times a day- it's from the Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf.  Unfortunately for me, THERE IS NOT ONE ANYWHERE ON THE EAST COAST.  So, I have to make my own.

- Start by brewing enough loose leaf tea for one drink.  Mix the cocoa powder right in with the loose leaf tea before brewing.  Mint chocolate tea!!

- Once brewed, mix in your sweetener.  Use as much or as little as you'd like.  You do have to add some, or you'll have that bitter cocoa taste (unless you use sweetened:)).

- Finally, foam up some soy creamer and throw it on top!  I use the "Objekt" from IKEA.  It was, like, $5. Put enough creamer in another coffee cup (or frothing cup if you're that fancy), and froth away!  If you want to be legit, put it over a spoon into your cup.  

- If you have sweetener cocoa powder, sprinkle a little on top!  Yayyyyy!

Chelsea's Version: (Vegan) Hummus with Asian Pear, Tomato and "Cheese," and Watercress and Cucumber Tea Sandwiches

Ingredients:

Hummus with Asian Pear Tea Sandwiches:

- One loaf Shepherd's bread

- 1/4 cup hummus

- One Asian pear

- 1/4 cup arugula

 

Tomato and "Cheese" Tea Sandwiches:

- One loaf Shepherd's bread

- 1/4 cup vegan butter

- 4 slices vegan cheese

- One small tomato

- 1/4 cup arugula

- Few shakes sea salt 

Watercress and Cucumber Tea Sandwiches: 

- One loaf Shepherd's bread

- 1/4 cup vegan cream cheese

- 1/4 cup fresh watercress

- One cucumber

- Few shakes sea salt 

Method: 

- For the Hummus and Asian Pear Tea Sandwiches, thinly slice your bread and Asian pear.  Spread the bread with hummus, top with a few slices of pear, and one or two arugula leaves.

- For the Tomato and "Cheese" Tea Sandwiches, thinly slice your bread and tomato.  Spread the butter on the bread and sprinkle on some sea salt.  Top with vegan cheese, tomato, and one or two arugula leaves.

- For the Watercress and Cucumber Tea Sandwiches, thinly slice your bread and cucumber (you can use a potato peeler for the cucumber).  Spread the bread with cream cheese, sprinkle with sea salt, and top with cucumber slices.  Add a few pieces of watercress. 

- Cut into cute triangles, and serve with your favorite tea!  Earl Grey! 

Belated Gossip Worthy Monday: Soup for Sick Girls

Chelsea and I are sick (why this post is a day late). It's kind of cute, in a weird way, that we're sick at the same time when we live on opposite sides of the country. What a perfect excuse for a soup post! We both kept it simple with the number of ingredients used, but man did we make some amazing soup (and holy crap that episode was a-maze-ing.. even though it was torture looking at the television with a migraine).

My version: (Vegan) Winter Squash Soup

Ingredients:

- One medium-sized winter squash (approx. 2 lbs)

- Extra Virgin Olive Oil  

- 2 cups coconut milk

- 2 cups almond milk 

- One medium yellow onion

- One small tomato

- 2 tablespoons vegan butter

- Half of a small bunch of scallions (about 5)

- A few fresh chives

- Vegan sour cream

- Salt, pepper, and nutmeg

So simple, but so delicious

Method: 

- Preheat your oven to 350°F. 

- Drizzle your squash with some extra virgin olive oil, and place in the oven to bake for about a half hour.

- While your squash is baking, chop up your onion, scallions, and chives.  Sauté them over medium heat with the butter.  Once the onions begin to turn transparent, throw in the tomato and stir a few times before taking the pan off of the heat.

- After a half hour, take out your squash.  At this point I cut it into a bunch of pieces, put another tablespoon of EVOO, and seasoned it with some salt and pepper.  Place back in the oven for another 5-10 minutes to soften.

- Back to the saucepan.  Turn onto low-medium heat and stir in the coconut and almond milk.  After a few minutes, add the squash and simmer on low heat for about 20 minutes.

- Once that's done, puree everything in a blender.  Garnish with vegan sour cream, nutmeg, and minced chives (you may want to make sure it's still warm- I put mine back in the saucepan after pureeing and simmered for a few minutes before garnishing and serving).  So good!  And lots of leftovers for those sick or  just cold days:).

Chelsea's version: (Vegan) Homemade Vegetable Soup 

 Ingredients: 

- Safflower oil 

- 3 cups water 

- One leak, sliced 

- One can of whole tomatoes 

- Two medium-sized potatoes, chopped 

- Three carrots 

- One zucchini

- One yellow crookneck squash 

-A few kale and red swiss chard leaves  

- One bay leaf 

- A few shakes of seasoning salt 

Method:

- Begin by sautéing your leaks in safflower oil over medium heat.  

- Once they begin to brown, add water and tomatoes.  Let boil.

- Add potatoes and carrots to the boiling pot.

- Let boil for a few minutes while you chop your greens.  Add kale, swiss chard, and bay leaf.

- Cook for about 15 minutes before adding the zucchini and squash.  Finally, simmer for another half hour.

- That's it!  Easy, even for a sick girl to make! 

We're going back to sleep now!  

Oh, and sorry to let you MOFOers down.  I really wanted to have this up yesterday, but I honestly was on the verge of death (at least, I felt that way).  Forgive me!!!

Gossip Worthy Monday: Bowtie Pasta, Crostini, and Martinis!

Yay!  Gossip Girl is back!  To celebrate, we decided to be corny and make bowtie pasta (get it?*), crostini, and martinis.  We loved the idea of it being so basic, yet open to interpretation.   And I mean honestly, who doesn't love any excuse to eat carbs?

My version: (Vegan) Sundried Tomato, Olive, and Basil Bowties with Vodka Sauce, Mango Avocado Crostini, and a Vanilla Martini with Lime

 Ingredients:

For the Pasta:

- One box bowtie pasta

- 2 cups tomato sauce 

- 3/4 cup vodka 

- 1/4 cup vegan creamer 

- 1/4 cup coconut milk 

- 1/2 cup vegan parmesean cheese 

- 2 tablespoons cornstarch 

- One small can sliced black olives

- One package sundried tomatoes 

- 1/2 cup fresh basil 

For the Crostini:

- One loaf baguette bread 

- Extra Virgin Olive Oil 

- One mango 

- One avocado

- 2 cloves garlic 

- 1/2 one yellow onion 

- One jalapeño pepper

- Juice from 1/2 a lime 

- 2-3 tablespoons fresh cilantro 

- Salt and pepper to taste 

For the Martini: 
(which my boyfriend and I drank out of whiskey glasses because we're classy like that) 

- Absolut Vanilla Vodka 

- Extra Dry Vermouth

- Juice from 1/2 a lime 

- Martini Olives 

Method: 

- Preheat your oven to 375°F.

- Begin to boil water for your pasta, and cook to your preference.  We love al dente.

- Simmer the vodka and tomato sauce in a saucepan over low heat.  Allow it to reduce for about 20 minutes.

- While your sauce reduces (stir constantly!), make the mango avocado spread.  Toss the mango, avocado, garlic, onion, pepper, and cilantro in a food processor.  When it's almost as smooth as you'd like, add the lime juice, salt, and pepper, and continue to process to finished.

- Slice the baguette into very thin slices, and line on a baking sheet.  Drizzle with Extra Virgin Olive Oil, and toss into the oven.  Bake for about 8 minutes, or until golden. 

- Back to the sauce.  Stir in the creamer, cornstarch, and parmesean cheese, and continue to stir over medium heat. 

- Once your pasta is cooked to your liking, add the olives, sundried tomatoes, and chopped basil.  Toss with the vodka sauce!

- Your crostini should just be finishing up in the oven.  Take it out, allow to sit for a moment, and top with the mango avocado spread.  

- Oh, I didn't forget about the martini.  Add 2 ounces vodka and 1 ounce vermouth with a squeeze of lime juice per martini.  Toss in an olive and you're all done!  

Chelsea's version: (Vegan) Bowtie Pasta Salad with Fresh Peppers, Green Beans, and Capers tossed with Balsamic Vinegar, Kalamata Crostini, and a Lemon Raspberry Martini

  

Ingredients: 

For the Pasta:  

- One box bowtie pasta 

- One yellow, one red, and one orange pepper 

- One red onion 

- 1/4 cup green beans 

- 1/4 cup fresh basil 

- 1 tablespoon capers 

-  1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

- 1/4 cup Balsamic vinegar

- Salt and pepper to taste 

For the Crostini: 

- One loaf olive baguette 

- 1/2 cup Kalamata olives (smoked if you're able to do so!)

- 2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil

- Salt and Pepper to taste 

For the Martini: 

- Gin

- Chambord

- Limoncello

- Lemon juice

- Raspberry club soda

- Lemon rind twist 

Method: 

- I'm not going to bore you through this again.  Just read the directions for my stuff, and do the same things with Chelsea's ingredients with a few changes:

   - Chelsea's dressing is wonderfully simple.  Just wisk the oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper together, and viola!

   - For her tapenade, just toss everything in a food processor.  Pretty much the same as mine, but without the second step.

   - Chelsea isn't all about measuring (and honestly, I only do when I'm posting my stuff..).  We're going to suggest using 1 ounce gin, 1 ounce chambord, 1/2 an ounce limoncello, juice from 1/4 a lemon, and about 2-3 ounces raspberry soda.  

That's it!  Hurry up and grab your dinner, your dogs, your best friend on iChat, and get ready for another amazing episode!  Xoxo, Gossip Amandah.

* You know, bows.  They're girly.  Duh. 

 

Gossip Worthy Monday: (Vegan) Pistacio Crusted Tofu

Introducing a new ritual!  My best friend, Chelsea, lives in California.  I live in Philadelphia.  I talk to her all day every day, and on Monday's we freak out about Gossip Girl together.  While dishing about the dinner I was creating for myself, she decided to make the same thing.  Our switch was in the sauces and sides.  And thus, Gossip Worthy Monday was born! On the menu this week?  (Vegan) Pistacio Crusted Tofu, two ways.

My version:  
(Vegan) Pistacio Crusted Tofu with Pineapple Coconut Sweet Chili sauce 
 and an Apple Carrot Side Salad

Ingredients:

- 1 block extra firm tofu 

- 1/2 cup pistacios (I had wanted uncooked/unsalted, but I ended up getting roasted and salted.. and they worked great!)

- 2 tablespoons sesame oil 

For the sauce:

I added 3 tablespoons crushed pineapple and 1/4 cup shredded coconut to an entire bottle of WorldFood's Thai Sweet Chili with Kaffir Lime sauce

For the salad:

- One Granny Smith apple

- One Gala apple

- handful of baby carrots 

- juice from 1/2 a lemon

- 1 1/2 tablespoons EVOO

 - few shakes sea salt and cracker pepper

 Method: 

- Begin by pressing your tofu.  My favorite, although not super-green, method is to take a few paper towels, wrap the tofu, and stack a cutting board with a few heavy things on top.  Repeat again after 15 minutes.

- Pulse your pistacios in a food processor to desired consistency.  Coarse, crunchy pieces are super yummy!  Set aside.

- Make your sauce!  In a shallow bowl, mix the entire contents of the Sweet Chili sauce, crushed pineapple, and coconut.  

 - Marinate the tofu in the sauce for at least 15 minutes (or longer if you have the time).

- While the tofu marinates in the bowl, make your salad.  Wisk together the EVOO, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.  Cut the apples and carrots into strips, and toss with the dressing.

- Back to the tofu!  Cut lengthwise to make two equally sized pieces.  Press each side into the processed pistacios, and pan sear each side over medium heat for about 3 minutes (until golden brown).

- When plating, sprinkle each piece of tofu with more processed pistacios, and pour on some extra sauce.  Enjoy! 

Chelsea's version:  

(Vegan) Pistacio Crusted Tofu with Lime Gyoza sauce and Edamame Mashed Red Potatoes 

Everything is the same as above, EXCEPT:

- Sub the sauce with a Gyoza sauce, and squeeze in some fresh lime juice.

- Sub the sesame oil with EVOO.

- Instead of/in addition to the salad, prepare your favorite mashed potatoes (potatoes, soymilk, Earth Balance, garlic!).  Chelsea and I like to spice up our potatoes, so she decided to use red potatoes and added some edamame!