Vegan Feast!
Lauren-style tofu (a mishmash of preparation methods) over grains, topped with Grit Yeast Gravy. This is decidedly un-vegetarian/vegan tasting, and is quite easy to make. It’s probably my favourite dinner - M requests it at least once a week!
For the gravy:
(From “The Grit” cookbook)
1 cup vegan margarine
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup flaked nutritional yeast
2 cups regular (not reduced-fat) soy milk
1/2 cup soy sauce
1-3/4 cup hot water
2 tablespoons vegan Worcestershire sauce
In a large, heavy-bottom saucepan over medium heat, melt margarine completely. Stir in flour and yeast until blended and continue to heat roux until mixture begins to bubble. Use only enough heat to maintain vigorous bubbling, whisking constantly for 4 minutes. This is the time required to cook the flour to smoothness, and vigorous whisking is important to avoid burning.
Continue rapid, thorough whisking and add soy milk gradually. the mixture will quickly become thick and custard-like. Combine soy sauce, hot water, and Worcestershire sauce and add to gravy gradually. Blend well after every addition and do not add liquid so rapidly that gravy is very thin. If gravy does become too thin from the addition of too much liquid, continued cooking will thicken it.
For the tofu:
One (1) 8 oz. block of firm or extra-firm tofu
Vegetable oil
Soy sauce
Nutritional yeast
Halve tofu. Bake on lightly greased cookie sheet for 30 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, turning once. Meanwhile, heat a small amount of vegetable oil in a non-stick skillet. Remove tofu from oven and cube (pieces the size of dice seem to work well). Add to skillet and saute until golden brown. Sprinkle with soy sauce and nutritional yeast. Toss well, and continue adding small amounts of both soy sauce and nutritional yeast until desired consistency and flavor is reached. Adding too much yeast at once will make a gooey mess, but enough is needed to coat the tofu in crunchy goodness. Remove from heat.
Serve over a bed of grains (I like Trader Joe’s Harvest Grains blend - with couscous, orzo, garbanzo beans, and red quinoa) and top with gravy.