Dinner | The Sweet Life

Baja Faux-Fish Tacos

May 3, 2013 11 Comments

fishtacos2 I made these Faux-Fish Tacos some time ago. I planned on posting them after my April Fools Day Post to offer up an alternative to the Fruit Loop Tacos that I pretended to think were awesome. But life happened and these photos remained untouched on my camera, the recipe buried deep inside my book of chaotic scribbles titled “Kitchen Experiments”.

Then last week when I remembered Cinco de Mayo was coming up, I figured it was the perfect time to dig up my notes, touch up the photos, and finish this post.

And I really can’t imagine a better way to enjoy Cinco de Mayo than with a plate full of Baja Faux-Fish Tacos.

And of course a Margarita.

tacos4 Beer-Battered “Fish” Tacos
serves 4

8-12 small corn or flour tortillas

Tofu Faux Fish
20 oz extra firm tofu
12 oz pale or amber beer
1 cup flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder

canola oil for frying

Red Cabbage Slaw
2 cups red cabbage, shredded
2 tbsp cilantro, minced
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 tsp agave nectar

Toppings
Cashew Sour Cream
2 limes
extra cilantro
hot sauce of choice

Procedure:

Empty beer into a shallow container. Cut tofu into 2” pieces and marinate in beer for at least one hour.

Meanwhile assemble the Cashew Sour Cream according to directions and the Red Cabbage Slaw by combining all the ingredients in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Combine flour, cornmeal, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, and salt in a large bowl. Once tofu has marinated, remove pieces from beer and toss in flour mixture to coat.

Heat canola oil in a medium sauce pan until very hot – you want about 1/2 inch of oil filling the bottom of the pan. Reduce heat and carefully add coated tofu in batches. Fry until golden brown, turning once. Remove from oil, place on a towel to let excess oil drip and repeat until all the tofu is done.

tacos5 Assemble the tacos by placing about 4 pieces of fried tofu on the bottom of a corn or flour tortilla. Add a heaping spoonful of Red Cabbage Slaw and top with Cashew Sour Cream, cilantro, fresh lime juice, and hot sauce of choice.

Eat immediately.

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fishtacos3 Question of the Day:

Do you have any plans for Cinco de Mayo?

I’m taking a long weekend and heading up to Seattle with the family. On Saturday I’ll be take engament photos for very special friends which will be followed by meeting and sharing a meal with one of my favorite bloggers Vegan Richa. That’s right, Vegan Richa is making me food. Are you jealous?

Portobello Sliders with Caramelized Onions

March 12, 2013 10 Comments

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After a fun day of hiking, Eden’s first hike, Jason and I returned to the car eager for nourishment. And we had the same thing in mind: a vegan burger and fries. Now we have our options in Portland; it’s hard to find a restaurant that doesn’t have a vegan option. But these days we struggle to find a place to eat out. With a baby, pubs are out of the question (the reliable burger and fries), as are the nice bistros (the best burgers and fries), or any busy restaurant with a long wait (the popular burger and fries) and while we narrowed down our options we realized we were in a one-restaurant rut.

So we ate burritos.

Delicious burritos they were, but it still left us with a hankering for burger and fries. So I was planning on making these Beet Sliders for tonight with some sweet potato fries but while I was grocery shopping I found some freshly made ciabatta rolls and a whole new dinner plan was made.

The Portobello Slider.

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Portobello Sliders with Caramelized Onions
Makes 4

4 ciabatta dinner rolls (or slider buns), toasted
2 large portobello mushrooms, sliced into thin strips
a large handful of mixed greens
1/2 medium white onion, sliced into rings

Marinade:
1/4 cup white cooking wine
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper

Basil Aioli
1/4 cup vegan mayo
2-3 garlic cloves crushed
4-5 basil leaves, minced

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Mix together the ingredients for the marinade in a flat, shallow dish and submerge the portobello slices completely. Allow mushrooms to marinade for at least 30 minutes.

Meanwhile heat 1 tbsp of oil over medium heat. Add sliced onions and reduce heat to low. Saute for 5-10 minutes until golden and caramelized. Remove onions from heat and set aside. Place portobellos with marinade into hot saute pan. Turn up heat and bring liquid to a simmer. Heat until liquid is reduced and mushrooms are browned and cooked all the way through.

In a small bowl mix together the ingredients for the basil aioli.

Now it’s time to assemble the sandwich!

Spread the basil aioli on the bottom side of all four buns. Evenly distribute greens, portobello, and caramelized onions. Top with the other half of the bun and serve immediately.

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Are you a sandwich fan? What is your favorite sandwich?

I think I asked this question on my facebook page a few weeks ago. I’m not sure what I answered because it’s always changing but I will never say no to a hearty TLAT (tofu, lettuce, avocado, and tomato)

You might also like:

Tofu Banh Mi Tacos

Beet Sliders with Lemon Aioli

Tofu Reuben Sandwich

Pear Stacked Salad with RAW cashew cheese

Filed Under: dinner, dinner Tagged With: portobello, sandwich, slider

Tofu Banh Mi Tacos

February 22, 2013 11 Comments

Jason always orders better than me. When we go out to eat, almost without fail, I ~~muse~~ stress over the menu while he makes a quick decision. I struggle to narrow down my options nearly numb from this looming decision, and right as I’m about to make up my mind, I see something new on the menu and a few more minutes of my life are wasted in worry.

And then our food comes and immediately I am drooling over Jason’s plate and working to convince him he wants to split our meals in half and share. Meanwhile my meal looks sad, dry, and disappointing.

Okay so I may be exaggerating slightly. But hey, it’s my story to tell.

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My first experience with a Banh Mi Sandwich was on the streets in downtown Portland, shoveling huge bites of the sandwich into my mouth before Jason took it back. He was the one that ordered it, after all. I am not one to learn from my mistakes, apparently, because the next time we hit up the same Vietnamese food cart I ordered yet another mediocre dish while Jason ordered the Banh Mi sandwich. Once again I watched wistfully as Jason enjoyed his sandwich.

So the other day it was time to take matters into my own hands. I went to work recreating those few delicious bites I had tried awhile back. As I’ve been enjoying a bit of Ethnic Fusion recently (see Palak Paneer Pizza) I choose to turn the traditional Banh Mi Sandwich into a taco. The results: will be making again tomorrow night!

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Banh Mi Tacos

6-8 small flour tortillas
fresh cilantro

Marinated Tofu
8 ounces extra firm tofu
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp sesame oil
2 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tbsp maple syrup
pinch of salt
1-2 tsp fresh grated ginger

Cucumber Carrot Slaw
2 carrot
1 small cucumber
1/2 small red onion
1/2 red pepper
1/2 jalepeno
1/4 cup white vinegar
1 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp soy sauce
pinch of salt
juice of 1/2 lime

Spicy Mayonaise
1/4 cup veganaise
2-3 tsp siracha

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Preheat the oven to 400. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Very thinly slice tofu and lay the tofu strips in a single layer on baking sheet. Mix together the ingredients for the marinade and brush a layer over each tofu slice. Bake for 10 minutes. Flip tofu, brush on another layer, and baker for another 8-10 minutes until browned and crispy around the edges. Remove from oven and let cool. Slice lengthwise into thin strips and set aside.

To make the cucumber carrot slaw, cut all vegetables as thin as you can. Set in small bowl. Mix together remaining slaw ingredients and pour over vegetables. Toss to combine. Cover and place in refrigerator to marinate for at least an hour.

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Assemble the tacos by laying a few tofu strips down the center of a tortilla. Top with a small handful of cucumber carrot slaw and a few leaves of cilantro. Add desired amount of spicy mayonaise, fold over and enjoy.

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And believe me, you will.

How do you order at restaurants? With ease or full of doubt? And are you usually happy with your choices?

You might also like:

Asian Noodle Salad

Quinoa Stir Fry with Ginger Peanut Sauce

Tacos Sin Carne

Raw Taco Salad

Filed Under: dinner, dinner Tagged With: dinner, lunch, sandwich, tacos, vietnames

Raw “Goat Cheese” Salad with Pears, Hazelnuts, and Cherries

February 17, 2013 2 Comments

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Last week on Valentine’s Day my mom hosted a luncheon for her daughters (me and my two sisters) and our daughters (Eden and my two nieces). It was a very nice occasion to get together; we watched the little ones run around chasing each other, made valentines cards out of contruction paper, and hunted for hidden treasures. At the lunch my mom served a stacked salad inspired by this. I, of course, then got inspired to make my own version because I can’t imagine a more elegant way to enjoy a fresh salad.

Originally I was planning on using Diaya spreadable cheese to stack in between pears and arugula, but with a desire to eat less processed foods and more raw foods I realized this dish was the perfect time to try making a raw nut cheese.

cheese

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Vegan Goat Cheese Stacked Salad
Makes 2

1 large pear
1 large handful of fresh arugula or mixed greens
2-3 tbsp chopped hazelnuts
2-3 tbsp dried cherries

Macadamia Nut “Goat” Cheese
Apple Cider Vinaigrette

Macadamia Nut “Goat” Cheese
Makes about 3/4 cup

1 cup macadamia nuts, soaked 8-10 hours
1 tbsp unpasteurized white miso
2-3 tbsp water, as needed
pinch of salt
2-3 tsp lemon juice

Drain and rinse the macadamia nuts.

In a food processor or powerful blender mix together nuts, miso, salt and water (as needed) until it forms a smooth paste. You may need to stop the blender and scrape down the sides a couple times. Transfer onto a double layer cheesecloth, wrap into a small log, and let cheese to sit out for 12- 36 hours in a warm area of the house; the cheese becomes more tangy and salty as it sits.

Remove cheese from cheesecloth and adjust flavors (if necessary) by adding lemon juice and/or salt. Store in the refrigerator.

Sweet Apple Cider Vinaigrette

2-3 tbsp raw agave
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
juice of 1/2 lemon
1/4 cup + 2 tbsp cold pressed olive oil
salt and freshly ground pepper

In a blender combine agave, apple cider vinegar, and lemon juice. With motor running, slowly add olive oil until thick and well combined. Season with salt and pepper. Store in refrigerator.

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To assemble the salad: Core the pear and slice it into thin slices. Place few leafs of arugula on a plate and cover with a pear slice. Top the pear with a few hazelnut-sized pieces of nut cheese and a couple of dried cherries. Layer with a couple more small pieces of arugula and repeat 4 times. It will look like this:

arugula
pear
goat cheese & cherries
arugula
pear
goat cheese & cherries
etc….

It will also look like this:

stackedsalad

Top with cheese, cherries and a few crushed hazelnuts and finish with Sweet Apple Cider Vinegar. Serve immediately.

You might also like:

Cuban Tempeh

Raw Tuna Salad

Spinach Strawberry Salad

Raw Taco Salad

Filed Under: dinner, Raw/Mostly Raw, salad Tagged With: dinner, gluten-free meals, nut cheese, raw, salad

Beet Burger Sliders with Lemon Garlic Aioli

February 14, 2013 8 Comments

Yesterday Eden and I drove an hour out into the country to my parent’s farm. My mom watched Eden as she methodically explored the world around her while I sat in my dad’s office working on the cookbook. I am finding the work of this book to be extremely rewarding and I am so excited to share the final product. It is also exhausting. My mind starts hurting as I write down the procedures, edit photographs, transfer files, and most of all try to understand ebook formatting.

After putting in a good days work, I came home ready to close the computer and interact with the physical world around me. But first I wanted to stop by with an old post from the summer that is good enough for a second look.

Beet Sliders with Lemon Garlic Aioli

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My life is full of many blessings. I have much for which to be grateful. Eden. Jason. My friends and family. This short time in my life when my main responsibility is to make Eden feel loved and grow healthy. The fast approaching fall. So many blessings, indeed. And over the weekend I added one more to the list: the beet slider. Yes it is that good.

Beet Slider with Lemon Aioli
makes 10-12 patties

12 Slider Buns
1 bunch fresh Arugula

Beet Patties
1/2 cup brown lentils (uncooked)
1/3 cup diced red onion
1 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp fresh parley, minced
1/4 cup wheat flour (use potato flour to make gluten-free)
4 medium beets, ends trimmed
salt and pepper to taste
2 tbsp canola oil

Lemon Garlic Aoili
1/3 cup vegan mayo (such as vegenaise)
3 garlic cloves, pressed
1 tsp lemon juice

Bring a medium pot filled with water to a boil. Add beets and cook until tender, about 40 minutes.

While the beets are cooking, rinse and place lentils in small pot with 1 1/4 cup water. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer. Let lentils simmer until all the water has evaporated and lentils are soft, about 35 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

Meanwhile saute your onions until translucent and slightly brown. Mash lentils with a fork or potato masher until lentils are broken down. Add olive oil, sauted onions, four, and parsley. Mix together.

Remove tender beets from water and set aside until cool enough to touch. Remove the skins and grate the beets through a food processor. Add to the lentil mixture and mix together until well combined. Season with salt and pepper.

Heat the canola oil in a heavy bottom pan over medium heat. Scoop out between 1/4 – 1/3 cup beet/lentil mixture and shape it into a small patty. Drop in the pan and continue with remaining filling. Cook for about 5 minutes per side until browned and cooked all the way through.

*Uncooked beet patties will keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or the freezer for up to 1 month.

While the beet patties are cooking mix together the ingredients for the lemon aioli in a small bowl.

Assemble and enjoy!

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You might also like:

Cuban Tempeh

Roasted Beet and Cashew Cheese Pizza

Tofu Reuben Sandwich

Spinach and Mushroom Pizzadilla

Filed Under: dinner, gluten-free meals Tagged With: beets, burger, dinner, sandwich, seasonal, sliders

Spinach and Mushroom Pizzadilla

January 21, 2013 6 Comments

Recently I asked my facebook page what they would like to see more of on The Sweet Life. I was thrilled with the variety of responses with which I will enjoy working into this blog. Several people, and I’ve heard this before, asked for easy to prepare meals with few ingredients.

So per your request, I present:

pizzaaaa

I am a huge fan of pizza. I have probably mentioned this before. There was a time in the summer that Jason and I were making pizza at least once a week. But I’ve never felt great about eating that much pizza. Sure, I am one to indulge but typically I aim for healthier, well-rounded meals.

I found my solution on Pinterest. Often, when I’m putting Eden to sleep, I browse through the “food” categories on Pinterest. There I find amazing, mouth-watering foods in desperate need of veganization. And last night, I found just the recipe calling out for a vegan makeover.

Spinach and Mushroom Pizzadilla

2 whole wheat tortillas (or gluten-free tortillas for a gluten-free meal)
4-6 button mushrooms, chopped
6-8 black olives, sliced
large handful of fresh spinach
about 1/2 cup non-dairy mozzarella cheese (I use Diaya)
1/2 cup pizza sauce
salt and pepper to taste

2 tbsp oil for pan frying

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Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat with 1 tbsp of oil. Saute mushrooms and spinach until mushrooms are tender and browned. Remove from heat and add the second tbsp of oil. Assemble pizzadillas by spreading a thin layer of pizza sauce over one half. Add cheese then vegetables and top with a little more cheese. Fold over and place on hot skillet.

Cook 3-5 minutes, until browned. Flip over and cook the other side until cheese is melty and the tortilla is brown and crispy.

Serve with the extra pizza sauce for dipping.

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Do you have any favorite easy-to-prepare meals? If so, share it with The Sweet Life.

Pictured below is Jason’s soon-to-be famous Tofu Rueben. When we are tired and don’t feel like cooking, we never say no to a Rueben.

Baja Faux-Fish Tacos

Portobello Sliders with Caramelized Onions

Tofu Banh Mi Tacos

Raw “Goat Cheese” Salad with Pears, Hazelnuts, and Cherries

Beet Burger Sliders with Lemon Garlic Aioli

Beet Sliders with Lemon Garlic Aioli

Spinach and Mushroom Pizzadilla

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