Animal Writings

I had eaten tofu once a week for ten years and was still skeptical about this product the first time I tried it. Tofu is flexible but I thought trying to make it taste like scrambled eggs was pushing it too far. Wrong; this is a great breakfast. It's a complete meal. It has some spinach mixed in, to give it a "Florentine" touch; it has tomato slices, like a proper English breakfast (at least the one they feed tourists); and it has hash browns, for bulk. You can pop it in the microwave, or you can add some Gimme Lean sausage, toast, orange juice, and coffee, and have a hearty and filling breakfast ready in less than ten minutes.

I used to only find Tofu Scramble at Whole Foods and health food stores; more recently I've seen it at Safeway. Surprisingly good.

---

If you like down home food but not animal cruelty, and you cook, I recommend Vegan Vittles, by Joanne Stepaniak. Filled with cruelty-free versions of food you grew up with. It's amazing how good vegan Beef Stroganoff is. Plus it has stories about animal rescues from Farm Sanctuary — a reminder of some of the creatures you won't be harming when you make Ms. Stepaniak's wonderful recipes.

Last week we didn't have all the ingredients for "Buttermilk" Biscuits (p.59), so we tried "Phenomenal French Toast." Superb.

Here's the condensed version of the recipe:

2/3 cup non-dairy milk (we used Silk soy milk; regular, not light)
4 teaspoons whole wheat pastry flour
1 1/2 teaspoons nutritional yeast (we used Red Star brand -- just ask the store guy)
Pinch of salt
4 slices bread

1. Place all ingredients except bread in small mixing bowl, beat until smooth. Pour into wide, shallow bowl.


2. Dip bread slices into batter.


3. Coat your special-reserved French toast pan with a little canola oil.

You know the rest.

I could not get enough of this stuff. It's better than phenomenal — it's...fantabulicious.

---

The recipe for this is constantly in transition. Here's its current form. VERY TASTY.

1 1/4 cups Arrowhead Mills blue corn pancake mix
1 banana, smashed
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup water, plus a little more
1 teaspoon canola oil

Mix up everything. Cook. Serve. Eat. Yum. Makes six pancakes. Serve with a side of veggie bacon and some sliced strawberries.

[Hint: for fluffier pancakes, use water, not milk of any sort.]