Welcome to Life Beyond Lettuce, where I share ways to change your habits and try new recipes for a healthy and delicious whole-food plant-based life.

These are my recipes featured on Good Morning Washington on October 11, 2016

Ranch-Style Dressing
Makes: 1 cup, about 4-6 servings

• 1 cup silken tofu
• 1 tsp dried dill (or 1/2 tsp fresh dill)
• 1 tsp dried parsley (or 1/2 tsp fresh parsley)
• 1 tsp dried chives (or 1/2 tsp fresh chives)
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
  1 tbsp lemon juice
• optional: 1 clove garlic, pressed or minced

1. Blend the tofu until smooth and the consistency of yogurt. Don’t blend the herbs in now, or your ranch will turn very green! You may skip the blending completely if you want to have less dishes to clean, but the dressing will be slightly less smooth texture.
2. Whisk in all the seasonings.
3. Serve over salad or as a dip. Enjoy!

Scrumptious Taco Filling
Makes: 2 cups, about 3-4 servings

• 1 box firm tofu (liquid removed)
• 2 tbsp chipotle peppers in adobo
• 2 tbsp lemon juice, lime juice, or apple cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 3/4 cup vegetable broth or beef-flavored broth
• 1 clove garlic, pressed or minced

1. In a non-stick pan, use a potato masher to break up the tofu into a ground beef-like consistency.
2. Add all seasonings. If you like it spicy, add more chipotle. For mild, substitute 1 tsp smoked paprika.
3. Simmer over medium heat for about 10 minutes until most of the liquid has been absorbed.
4. Serve in hard taco shells, soft taco shells, on taco salad, or in lettuce wraps.
5. Shortcut: skip the seasonings and just add broth and pre-mixed taco seasoning.

Tofu Fingers
Makes: 16 fingers, about 3-4 servings

• 1 box firm or extra-firm tofu
• 1 cup veggie or chik’n broth
• 1 cup whole wheat breadcrumbs, almond flour, or cornmeal
• seasoning of your choice! try dried parsley, onion powder, garlic powder, old bay, etc.

1. Cut open tofu and drain the liquid.
2. Slice tofu horizontally into 3 or 4 thin rectangles. Sandwich the tofu between two towels and press out the moisture with your hands or a sheet tray weighted down with cans, books, or anything heavy for about 15 minutes.
3. Once the tofu is drier and sturdier, slice it into finger shapes.
4. Dip each finger into broth and then the seasoned breadcrumbs.
5. Place breaded tofu on a sheet tray or baking dish lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
6. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes, then flip them over and bake for an additional 5 minutes.
7. Optional: Broil for 1-3 minutes to make them extra crispy. Watch so they don’t burn!
8. Dip: Dip these in your choice of condiment! Try ketchup, bbq sauce, cocktail sauce, aioli, or gravy (veggie or chik’n broth simmered with cornstarch for 5 minutes to thicken)
   
   

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   Mock-zarella CheeseMakes:about 10 balls

   • 1 box silken tofu
   • 2 tbsp white wine vinegar or lemon juice
   • 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
   • 1 tsp salt
   • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
   • 1 tbsp kappa carageenan powder (for meltiness)
   • 5 tbsp tapioca flour (cheap at international groceries)
   • optional: for more tanginess, substitute half or all of the tofu with unsweetened soy yogurt
   1. Blend all ingredients until smooth.
   2. Pour the liquid into a saucepan over medium heat and whisk mostly constantly for 5 minutes.
   3. Don’t worry if it looks clumpy! Have faith and keep stirring until it smooths out, gets stretchy, bubbles, and begins to pull away from the edges of the pan as you whisk.
   4. In a large bowl, mix 8 cups water, 1 tsp salt, and ice cubes.
   5. Using an ice cream scoop or 1/3 cup measure, drop scoops of the cheesy mixture into the saltwater and wait at least 30 minutes until firm.
   6. This cheese is great on pizza or lasagna; it will melt when heated! You can also melt it with additional non-dairy milk for a creamy, stretchy cheese sauce for pasta or veggies. Great on broccoli!