BBQ Tofu on Gluten Free Buns

Well it is another Monday, which means another meatless meal.  One of the goals of this Meatless Monday experiment is to push me to try new things, things I either never tried before, or tried in the past and did not like.  So, this week, for my Meatless Monday, I decided to tackle tofu.  I decided the best way to do this was in a form that was familiar: BBQ Sandwiches.

The first step was to make buns.  I am trying to eliminate gluten temporarily, to see if it makes a difference, so I made gluten free buns from almond and flax meal.

Gluten Free Sandwich Buns

Ingredients

1 1/2 cup almond meal
2 eggs
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 tbsp honey
1/4 cup flax meal
water

Directions

1.  Separate the egg whites from the yolks.  Add the egg yolks to the almond meal, baking soda, salt, and honey.  Stir gently.

2.  Take the egg whites and whip them.  A lot.  The more air you can incorporate into the whites, the better. Once the whites are beaten, gently fold them into the mixture.

3.  Add the flax meal and enough water to make the mixture the same consistency of cake or muffin batter.

4.  Using aluminum foil, create circular forms to hold the mixture.  You want them to be the size of a typical sandwich bun.  I used a large plastic cup, molding the foil around it, then gently sliding it off.  Create 4 forms and spray with nonstick cooking spray.  Divide the batter evenly between the 4 forms.  Place on cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 18-22 minutes.  Let cool slightly, then peel foil away.  When ready to use, simply slice them in half.

Obviously, the buns are a little labor intensive, so I made them early this morning.  Then, this evening, I made the BBQ Tofu.

BBQ Tofu

Ingredients
1 block extra firm tofu
olive oil
BBQ seasoning (I used McCormick Cinnamon Chipotle Rub)

1.  Drain the tofu, and slice into 1/2 inch slices.  I got 12 slices from one block of tofu, which means 6 servings of 2 slices.

2.  Lay to tofu slices on a cookie sheet.  brush the tops with olive oil, and sprinkle with seasoning.  Make sure to spread the seasoning all over the slice, using a butter knife.

3.  Broil for 5-10 minutes, or until the edges of the tofu get slightly golden and crisp.

4.  Remove from oven, flip the tofu to the opposite side, brush with olive oil and coat with seasoning.  Return to oven to broil for another 5-10 minutes, until edges get slightly golden and crisp.

Serve on gluten free bun, with any garnish you choose.  I added a little cheese and low fat ranch dressing to mine, and paired with baked fries and salad!

Since the tofu yielded 6 servings, but the buns only yielded 4 servings, I may shop the other servings up and mix into a salad!

Cooks Tip: If you do not have a dry BBQ seasoning, skip the olive oil and brush the tofu with BBQ sauce instead!

Lentil Salad

One of my goals for 2013 is to institute Meatless Mondays in our household, to insure that at least once a week I am cooking meatless meals.  We shall see how it goes.  In the mean time, I figured, why not start on New Years Eve?

Meatless Monday- Lentil Salad

Ingredients

Salad 
1 cup green lentils
2 bay leaves
3 cups vegetable broth
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped onion
2-3 oz. goat cheese crumbles


Dressing 
1 tsp honey
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp dried thyme
3 tbsp dried parsley (or fresh if in season or available)
1 clove minced garlic
2 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 cup olive or grapeseed oil
fresh ground salt and pepper

Directions

1.  Rinse the lentils, then add to a large saucepan or pot, along with bay leaves and broth.  Bring to a boil, then reduce to medium heat and cook for 20-25 minutes.  Be sure not to overcook the lentils, you do not want them to split open.

2.  Once lentils are cooked, allow them to cool completely.  While cooling, combine all ingredients for dressing in a container with a lid with a tight seal. Seal container, and shake until all ingredients are emulsified.

3.  In large bowl, combine cooled lentils and chopped carrot, onion, and celery.  Mix gently with spatula.  Slowly add the emulsified dressing, gently stirring and folding it into the salad until well mixed.

4.  Serve with goat cheese crumbles on top.

This salad can be served as a main dish, with this recipe yielding 2 servings, or a side dish, with this recipe yielding 4-6 servings.

Cook's Tip: Chop up veggies and set aside while the lentils are cooking!

Cook's Tip: Small jars, like jelly jars, are perfect for making the dressing for this salad.  Just add ingredients, seal, and shake!