TOO-EASY TEMPEH: Craving Simplicity

I don't usually make a grocery list. Generally when shopping for food, I allow myself to go with my instincts (for better and for worse!). Oftentimes my body has a strong sense of what it needs, even though my brain might not always be as attuned. And I just go with it. Lately - tempeh. Week after week, it's been tempeh in the grocery cart. Tempeh in the fridge at home, and tempeh for lunch and dinner.

While I have a few favorite tempeh recipes that I use, I have found my ultimate, no-fuss winner for right now. It makes a great little side, salad topping, sandwich filling, or main star of the meal. And as for now, I haven't gotten tired of it. Probably one reason being that it's so darn easy to make - why stray?

So this is what I do to make this no-hustle-no-hassle-tempeh-extraordinaire:

• I chop the tempeh up into little or bigger squares.
• I put the squares in a sauce pan.
• I throw some stock in there, covering the tempeh. Of course veggie stock is fab, but because I am a non-vegetarian tempeh-eater, I like to do the mix-it-up veggie/non-veggie style and use chicken stock.
• I add a little salt and pepper, let the mixture boil, then simmer, soaking up all of the stock.
• Sometimes, if I have enough on hand, I add more stock, and let the tempeh soak up a second round for more flavor.

Because I'm a lemon-lover, I like to squeeze some of that in while it's cooking, but it's not necessary. Some fresh or dried herbs are great too. A bit of grated carrot is a nice touch, giving a dash of color and added flavor, while not veering from the easy factor.

You can spice up this lil' number however you like. It's forgiving and friendly to a range of tastes and options. If only all cravings were such a cinch!

SUMMER LUNCH SURPRISE: New Noodles

I love noodles too much. If it was up to me, I would eat noodles maybe every meal of every day, or at least two out of three meals a day.

I first saw noodles made out of tofu at Safeway a little while back, and they made me curious. I bought them in an attempt to curb the noodle eating, or at least trick myself into thinking I was eating noodles when I wasn't. But I have to say, I ate them, and I wasn't really so tricked. After I ate them, I was just left craving the real deal.

But I bought them again and I decided to try something new with these noodle fake-outs. I added them to real noodles, and I've got to say, this idea is a keeper! Eating less noodles can be better than eating no noodles, if it means that I'm not going to secretly long for a big plate of spaghetti. And they're also a good way to add some protein into a dish that may not have it already.

The tofu noodles have an al dente texture, something to bite into. They mesh well with thin rice vermicelli noodles and crisp cucumbers, for a cold noodle salad especially great on a hot summer day. This dish does well when it has time to sit in the fridge after it's made, getting it nice and cold, and allowing all of the ingredients to soak up the flavors.

Ingredients:
(for 1 medium-sized bowl of noodle salad, about 2 servings)

• 1/3 16-ounce package of vermicelli rice noodles
• 1 8-ounce package tofu noodles
• 2 cucumbers
• 1 carrot
• 1/3 bunch of basil
• 2 green onions
• 2-3 teaspoons of rice vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• dash of salt

What to Do:

1. Put a small pot of water on to boil.
2. Slice the cucumbers into thin half circles.
3. Finely grate the carrot.
4. Once the water is boiling, add the vermicelli noodles.
5. Drain the tofu noodles from the water in the package.
6. After the vermicelli has been boiling for a few minutes, add the tofu noodles, and boil for two more minutes.
7. Drain the noodles in a fine strainer, and rinse them off with cold water.
8. Add the noodles into a large bowl with the other ingredients.
9. Chop the basil and the green onions into small bits.
10. Add the rice vinegar a little bit at a time, stirring and tasting.
11. Add the sugar and a tad of salt, and stir well.
12. Place the bowl in the fridge for half an hour if time allows.

I included the cucumbers for their crunch, and because they are a common ingredient in salads flavored with rice vinegar. The grated carrot adds a little color, and the basil and green onions give a burst of taste. Try different combinations. This basic idea would be great with an assortment of fresh veggies as well as different fresh herbs, such as cilantro or mint. Taste the salad as you season it to make sure that the rice vinegar is not too light and not too heavy. If you taste too much vinegar, just chop up another vegetable, and add that in, or maybe add in another little dash of sugar, just not too much, or else it'll be too sweet. The sugar is there just for a subtle note of sweetness, to balance out the tang of the vinegar.

Since learning of the tofu noodles sold in the store, I have now been exposed to the fresh soy noodles sold at my farmers' market. I think fresh soy noodles can also be found at some stores in Chinatown. There is quite a difference between the fresh and the packaged; they are two different foods completely. The fresh tofu noodles are most certainly fresher, and that's always a good thing. But the packaged tofu noodles can be easier to find, and I truly do enjoy them too.

I'm glad I gave tofu noodles another shot. I now consider myself an official noodle collector, always on the lookout for the next new noodle!

TOFU BITES: Savory Treat

This tofu is lip-smackin' good!

I got really into this recipe when I cooked for a school lunch program. Many of the kids who I cooked for had never tried tofu before. They were hesitant at first, but after a taste, they ate it up! After that, tofu became one of the kids' favorites!

I also like to cook this for my loved ones and myself to eat as a part of meals or as snacks. It's great to have in the fridge as leftovers, either to throw in with whatever you got, or to just eat on its own. But it's hard to keep it around very long, because it's kind of addictive.

The recipe is from the Moosewood Collective's Moosewood Restaurant: New Classics. I often veer from the recipe, trying out different seasonings and spice combos. The trick is to be sure to have enough oil to coat the tofu, along with something in there to give it a nice kick of flavor. The following is the original recipe called, "Simple Baked Tofu."

3 to 4 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cake firm tofu (16 ounces), pressed

(To press the tofu, put it between 2 plates, and place a heavy book on the top plate. Let it sit with the weight on it for 15 minutes, and then drain the liquid.)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Lightly oil a baking dish. In a bowl, mix together the soy sauce, oil, and garlic. Cut the pressed tofu into 3/4 inch cubes. Toss the cubes in the soy sauce marinade. Spread the tofu in the prepared baking dish in a single layer. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, stirring once or twice, until brown and chewy.

I recommend pressing the tofu as the recipe says, because it tastes noticeably better when pressed before cooking. However, I have also made this recipe without pressing the tofu, both when time hasn't allowed for this step as well as when I have made quantities too great to deal with pressing, and the results have been just fine.

Mmm, makes me wish I had some tofu in the fridge!

Recipe © 2001 by Moosewood, Inc.

A+ TEMPEH: From Tough Sell to Tasty Morsel

Tempeh used to be one of those foods that I often found myself thinking I should eat, rather than being something that I really wanted to eat. I didn't have much luck cooking it, but for some reason I continued to buy it. It seemed that I only cooked my tempeh when it was the absolute last thing in the fridge. As I begrudgingly ate this "healthy" food, I wondered what I was doing wrong, and why this food just seemed so blah. It was a happy day when I learned of the vegan chef from Brooklyn, Isa Chandra Moskowitz. Her tempeh recipe has permanently changed tempeh's status in my fridge. Instead of being the food that just sits there until I have to eat it, it is now one of my gems, a treat that I look forward to eating!

Isa has written three books, two of which I own and treasure. Her books have the kinds of recipes in them that you know will taste good every time. This recipe is taken from her book "Vegan with a Vengeance."

1 (8-ounce) package tempeh
1 tablespoon fennel seed
1 teaspoon dried marjoram or oregano
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon dried sage
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce
Juice of 1/2 lemon

In a small sauce pan, crumble the tempeh and add enough water to almost cover it. Over medium-high heat, simmer the tempeh until most of the water is absorbed, about 12-15 minutes. Drain the remaining water and add the rest of the ingredients. Cook over a medium heat, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 10 minutes.

I like to eat this in tacos, with grains/pasta and veggies, as a side, and as a snack. And if I have some made to pack in my lunch, I know it's going to be a good lunch day, which pretty much makes it a good day in my book!

Recipe © 2005 by Isa Chandra Moskowicz.