Vegetarian Vietnamese Lettuce Wraps

It’s potluck season.

Ready for Potluck

Nowadays, however, our martial arts group potlucks can be challenging for me to prepare for. We have a bunch of vegetarians, and a number of folks are opting for gluten-free options. Our crew usually brings spicy lentil or chickpea dishes, Indian style rice, veggie gluten-free pastas, chili and gluten-free cornbread. Occasionally, there is still the omnivore who brings chicken adobo (and no, that is not me – although I do eat meat and I am Filipino).

On top of it all, I was the designated baker until Sempai B joined the group. Desserts are his specialties. In the last few potlucks, he made a gorgeous and moist chocolate cakes, light chocolate mousse with homemade whipped cream. So good… I love Sempai B’s desserts. They are delicious, decadent, and gives me much inspiration and something to strive for. However, since someone usually brings cookies, I suspect that I am out of the job – for desserts at least.

So, what to do…

My other expertise are salads, so that remains an option. I also make a mean salad, most likely because it’s has been default lunch in the summer. Because of that, I have also become an expert in disguising my salads and changing the presentation a bit. I do get tired of eating the same thing so I have to trick myself. My salads are very healthy too – no heavy dressings and low sodium.  I usually pick vinegar-based (apple cider has been my recent favorite) dressings with EVOO and lots of aromatics and herbs. OK - Maybe it's too healthy.

For our last potluck, I decided to bring vegetarian lettuce wraps. This dish was actually inspired by my Hubby. He initially suggested chicken wraps. One problem: chicken - it has to be vegetarian.   That said, it was an excellent idea and I used his Vietnamese Chicken Wrap recipe as a base, but tweaked it.

What I have is below… let me know what you think.

Mad Gourmet’s Vegetarian Vietnamese Lettuce Wraps

Based on Hubby’s Vietnamese Lettuce Wrap

Ingredients

Filling and Sauce

• 1 Tbsp Olive oil
• 1/2 package of tofu, Firm, lightly mashed
• 1 portabella mushroom, finely diced (almost minced)
• 1 scallion, thinly sliced
• 1/4 tsp dried basil (if using fresh, use about 3/4 - 1 tsp)
• 1/4 tsp ginger powder
• 1/4 cup shallots minced
• 1/2 tsp lime juice, fresh squeezed
• 1 tsp light brown sugar
• 1/2 to 1 tsp Sriracha hot sauce (to taste)

Wraps and Garnish

• 6 leaves butter lettuce
• 1/2 cup peanuts, chopped, toasted
• 1/4 cup cucumber, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup carrots, shredded
• 1/4 cup of cilantro sprigs

Directions

1. Ahead of time, chill the lettuce, cucumber, carrots and herbs (recommend to put it in a leak proof glass or stainless steel container)
2. In a large bowl, stir together the lime juice, sugar, and sriracha. Set aside.
3. Saute shallots, tofu, and portabella mushrooms. Add ginger powder and basil. (Turn off heat after saute)
4. Add sriracha mixture and scallions to tofu mixture. Toss to combine and chill for 1/2 hour.
5. To serve, put tofu mixture in lettuce leaves and garnish with the cucumbers, carrots, or cilantro.

Verdict

This was a hit in the party. The biggest compliment, I think, was when my friend (who is an excellent cook) wanted the recipe. Incidentally, that is why I initially wrote this recipe down.

The original recipe did use fish sauce, but I cannot add that because it is supposed to be a vegetarian dish. I was going to substitute something else for it, but the combination of lime juice, Sriracha and sugar was tasty enough. The tanginess of the lime juice combined with the sweetness of the sugar and heat – BAM!  Remember, if you want it to be vegan, do not use honey. I think this recipe is close enough to be vegan, but I am not sure of the tofu.

I love the addition of mushrooms in this dish. I have become a big fan of mushrooms since they have a texture similar to meat. It’s rich in Vitamin D as well.

Next time, I may serve it with peanut butter sauce. Also, I was thinking of doing a quick pickle on the cucumbers and carrots (think Banh Mi, folks).  I may add quinoa or rice for a heartier dish. In fact, my other buddy and I were doing Rice Pulao and Tofu wraps, and it works! Ah, the possibilities.

Hope you enjoy!

P.S. I am still going to find a way to bring my low-fat banana brownies. Those are awesome! It's a slightly modified version of my basic brownie recipe and I am working on making it gluten-free.

Curried Tofu Salad

Try it with Arugula on a half-bagel

I really enjoy tofu, but wanted to try something different. I usually see them deep fried or sauteed with veggies. Last year was a start since I made  tofu patties and faux tofu chillaquiles.

Actually, faux tofu chillaquiles does not sound right: French, Chinese, and Mexican terms in one entrée.

I first thought about this recipe when I had curry powder left over from making curry chicken. I thought that a curried tofu salad would be tasty, since tofu pretty much absorbs the flavor of anything. It was also a good departure from tuna salads or the egg salads that I stuff between bread. I did need a recipe to start with.

I found a great recipe in EatingWell.com. It was close to what I wanted. However, I did not have mango chutney and thought adding grapes was a bit… well, different. I think I did not have yogurt available the first time I made it, so I just used mayo.

True to my Mad Gourmet fashion, I made a few modifications (really, not that much this time). My standard recipe is below (although I do add chutney if I have it).

Try it and let me know what you think.

Mad Gourmet's Curried Tofu Salad

Based on the recipe from EatingWell.com

Ingredients

• 1 14-ounce package extra-firm water-packed tofu, drained, rinsed and finely crumbled
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 1 large carrot (about 1/2 cup)
• 1 medium sized apple (about 1/2  cup apple)
• 1/2 cup sliced scallions
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
• 2 tablespoons low-fat plain yogurt (You can sub mayo for this, if you don’t have yogurt available)
• 3 tablespoons reduced-fat mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons prepared mango chutney, optional
• 2 teaspoons hot curry powder (used Trader Joe’s), use more if you want it spicier.
• Salt, to taste (used about 1/8 teaspoon salt)
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Preparation

1. Whisk yogurt, mayonnaise, curry powder, salt, pepper, and chutney (if using) in a large bowl.
2. Stir in tofu, celery, carrots, apples, scallions and walnuts.

Verdict

This has been one of my Meatless Monday staples. It’s great! You can make it ahead, and it’s great for  lunches and some snacks. This is awesome on crackers with some pomegranate arils.

You can keep in the refrigerator covered for up to 2 days. If you prefer, you can half the recipe (and save the rest of the tofu for chillaquiles)

HELP WANTED: How to bind Butternut Squash-Tofu Patties?

I often have some leftovers from my Slow-cooked Butternut Squash recipe. Leftovers are great: it makes the meal the next day easier; often sometimes much easier. Plus, the cleanup is minimal if you just heat it as is. However, sometimes I do get tired of it and like to transform them for variety.

I have been working on making butternut squash-tofu patties. I figure that this would be great as a sandwich or a starter especially for Meatless Mondays. The sweetness of the squash with the protein from the tofu is a great combination for a sandwich, especially with 21-grain bread. Also, if you are fortunate enough to have some quinoa or kale, adding these would add texture and more protein. Kale would even add some color.

Promising beginnings, but...

I do think I need some help.  The patties are delicious, but I am having some problems binding them. My first three patties fell apart, but I was able to salvage two of them for the photo op.

I suspect that the pan may not be hot enough. I am also thinking for my next batch I may add some breadcrumbs, maybe 1/4 cup, to make it easier to bind.

Butternut Squash-Tofu Patties

Makes about 5 patties

Ingredients 

• 1/4 block of tofu (I use extra-firm), mashed roughly with a fork
• 2/3 cup leftover butternut squash (from Slow-cooked Butternut Squash recipe)
• 1/3 cup of quinoa, cooked (optional)
• 1/4 cup of egg whites (or 1 egg)
• Salt, pepper, and garlic powder (to taste)

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients.
2. Heat a large skillet, grease the base lightly with oil.
3. Fry the tofu-squash mixture in small patties (I use my 1/3 cup to measure)
4. Make a few and keep warm on a hot plate until all the mixture is cooked.

 Let me know what you think. I’d love to hear your suggestions.

Quinoa, Kale, and Tofu Patties

Open-faced served with Massaged Kale salad

I saw a recipe for Spinach Burgers and I thought that’s a great idea. Unfortunately, I am allergic to spinach (go figure) so here I am again looking for substitutes. 

I do have some left-over kale and I thought, hmmm… that should work well. I searched and Googled and found this recipe from treehugger.com. This looked like a great option and will prevent me from experimenting… too much.

Fortunately, I also have (re-)discovered the bulk foods aisle at Whole Foods, so I managed to get some more quinoa. I bought just enough to make this recipe. As a side note, that aisle is wonderful – one can get just the right amount of oats, spelt flour, almond butter, almond flour, and experiment. I actually think I bought a bit too much grain.

Back to the task at hand…

Beautiful greens in this batter!

The original recipe calls for 1 cup of uncooked quinoa that yields about 2 1/2 cups of cooked quinoa. That’s a lot of quinoa especially for just two people. I usually keep a batch precooked (I cook about a cup at a time). So, it’s a bit easier to adjust the proportions. It’s probably more energy efficient anyway. Check out the advice from lunchboxbunch.com on how to make fluffy quinoa; it helped me prepare the perfect quinoa.

The original recipe also called for steamed kale. However, after a recent experience of sautéing kale, I prefer massaged kale. I also think that massaging provides better texture. I also have some tofu left, so I figured I should add it to the mix to add a bit more protein. If you don’t like tofu, you can omit it.

The initial recipe that I used is below.  As always, it will most likely change a bit. But overall it’s a delicious alternative to a garden burger. Even my husband agrees. For future variations, I may use feta cheese for a bit of a Mediterranean flavor.

Quinoa, Kale & Tofu Patties

Based on the Savory bite-sized Quinoa and Kale Patties by treehugger.com

Makes about 4 burger-sized patties or 8 slider-sized patties

Ingredients:

• 5/8 cup of cooked quinoa (3/4 cup would probably work too)
• 1 egg, whisked
• 2 Tbsp Parmesan cheese
• 2 Tbsp Mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 cup spring onions (about 1), sliced thin
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 cup massaged kale, chopped (with olive oil and salt)
• 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
• 1/4 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 cup tofu, mashed with a fork

Preparation:

1. The recipe calls for about 5/8 cups of cooked quinoa (I quartered the recipe). If you don't have any precooked, rinse 1 cup of quinoa thoroughly and place the grains in a medium sauce pan with 1 1/2 cups of water. Allow quinoa to soak for 15 minutes. Then, with the lid on the pan, bring the water to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook until quinoa is tender and has absorbed the liquid - about 20 minutes. Let cool to room temperature.
2. In large serving bowl, add the kale, a drizzle of oil and a little salt. Massage until the kale starts to soften and wilt, 2 to 3 minutes. Set aside.

Almost there...

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, mix together cooked quinoa, eggs, cheeses, spring onions, garlic, salt, kale, and breadcrumbs. Let everything sit for a few minutes to absorb the liquid. You want the batter to be moist, but not runny.
2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Make a patty with about a half-cup of the mixture. Cover the pan and let the patties cook for 7-10 minutes until they are a deep rich brown.
3. Flip and cook the other side for another 7-10 minutes until both sides are nice and brown. Let patties rest on a cooling rack while you finish the next batch.