Vegetarian Chili

When I stopped eating meat, I quickly discovered that all meat substitutes were not created equal. A lot of them contain fillers, shit I can't pronounce and massive amounts of sodium making them worse for you than just eating meat itself. Others are made out of wheat gluten -not a fan at all. Then, I discovered Marjon Tofu Crumbles which are made with organic GMO-Free soybeans. Score! This product is cholesterol free, gluten free, vegan, lactose free, low carb, sugar free, pre-cooked, mildly seasoned, low sodium and ready to use. I use it to make chili and honestly cant tell its not ground beef. Check out my super easy chili recipe when I want something really quick, warm and filling but healthy. You basically just dump stuff in a pot and it only takes 30 min to make! Tard-proof.

Ingredients:

Packet of low sodium chili seasoning

1 package of Tofu Crumbles
1 14 1/2 ounce can of fire roasted diced tomatoes, undrained
1 16 ounce can of kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 8 ounce can of tomato sauce
1 small onion diced
diced green/red pepper
diced celery

minced jalapeño


Saute the onion, pepper, and celery in the bottom of a pot until the onion turns a little translucent. Add the tofu crumbles and saute for about 3-5 min.  Add the rest of the ingredients. Bring to a boil. Turn to low, cover and simmer for 15-20 min stirring occasionally. Top with some green onion, fat free sour cream and fat free shredded cheese. 

Side note: I usually don't add the whole packet of chili seasoning and I add a little cayenne pepper because I like it spicy. I also use organic canned goods...

Tofu 'Caprese'

So, I'm totally stealing this recipe from world renowned 'BAMF' David Chang. David is chef/owner of the Momofuku restaurant group and fellow bourbon lover - as shown Here. I'm on a crappy diet which doesn't let me have cheese, or anything good at all for that matter. However, I've decided that dieting doesn't have to suck completely and whipped up this salad for lunch today. The recipe calls for 'shiso leaf' which is an Asian culinary herb in the mint family. Luckily, I can find it on occasion at Japanese Market, but if you can't find it in your area you can substitute basil or mint or chive etc. Tofu, soft or firm - whatever you feel like. Today I went with soft. 

Without further ado... My totally unoriginal stolen recipe! 

Cherry Tomato & Tofu Salad

(Makes 2 servings)

2 teaspoons soy sauce

A few drops of toasted sesame oil

A dash of sherry vinegar

1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil

Sea salt

Fresh-ground black pepper

1 teaspoon sesame seeds

1 cup ripe cherry tomatoes, halved

2 slices very fresh tofu or yuba (tofu skin), 1/2-inch thick and about 2 by 4 inches

Shiso leaves

Combine soy sauce, sesame oil, vinegar and olive oil, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Toasted sesame oil is very potent and should be used sparingly. Add dressing and sesame seeds to the cherry tomatoes and mix together. Arrange tofu on a plate and spoon over tomatoes and dressing. Cut fresh shiso leaves into fine ribbons, or tear leaves into pieces, and scatter over tomatoes and tofu, then serve.

From David Chang, as published in “In the Green Kitchen” by Alice Waters