Blog / Recipes

Tag Archives: vegan

BBQ Tofu Burger

Posted on

 

Shredded tofu burger on a sesame bun.

BBQ Tofu Burger

This is a fantastic recipe whether you're new to tofu or have been enjoying tofu for a while. The tofu is grated and baked. Make sure to use extra-firm tofu for the best texture and results.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Course Main Course
Cuisine Vegan, Vegetarian
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

  • 1 350-400 g block of extra-firm tofu
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil (e.g. canola oil)
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 tsp chilli powder
  • 1/2 tsp paprika or smoked paprika
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 cup BBQ sauce
  • 1/2 cup water

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease or line a large baking tray.
  • Drain off any excess water from the tofu and pat dry. Use the large side of a cheese grater and grate the tofu into shreds.
  • In a large bowl, combine oil, soy sauce, chilli powder, paprika and garlic powder. Add the shredded tofu and gently mix so that the tofu is all coated.
  • Spread the tofu in an even layer on the prepared pan. Bake for 28-33 minutes until the tofu is browned. Stir the tofu half-way through cooking.
  • Heat the BBQ sauce and water. Stir in the baked tofu. Serve hot on a bun and add your favourite toppings. Or enjoy in tacos or a lettuce wrap.
    [Recipe is a slight modification from ItDoesn'tTakeLikeChicken.com]
Keyword BBQ tofu, tofu, tofu burger

Chickpea Lettuce Wraps

Posted on

 

Two lettuce leaves each filled with a mixture of chickpeas, mango, tomatoes and onions .

Chickpea Lettuce Wraps

Here's a fresh and colourful plant-based meal! Bonus: It's a no-cook recipe that's ready in less than 10 minutes!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Course Main Course, Salad, Snack
Cuisine Vegan, Vegetarian
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup canned chickpeas
  • 1 head Boston or romaine lettuce
  • 1 mango or orange or peach, diced
  • 1 cup grape tomatoes, quartered
  • 1/2 cup red onion, diced
  • 1/4 cup cilantro leaves, chopped
  • salt and pepper to taste

Dressing

  • 1 lime, juiced (about 2 Tbsp)
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced

Instructions
 

  • Rinse and drain the chickpeas. (Or save the bean water - also called aqua faba - for another recipe.)(Use any leftover chickpeas for another salad or stew.)
  • Wash and dry lettuce leaves.
  • In a large bowl, combine chickpeas, mango / orange, tomatoes and red onion. Toss in cilantro.
  • In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk the dressing ingredients.
  • Add dressing to the chickpea mixture. Toss gently to coat. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  • Scoop the chickpea mixture into a lettuce leaf. You may also add lettuce into the chickpea mixture to make a salad. Enjoy!

Notes

Adapted from a recipe by the Canadian Pulse Industry.
Keyword chickpeas, plant-based, vegan, vegetarian

Food Innovation Winners at the SIAL 2019 Show

Posted on

One of my favourite food shows is SIAL – it’s the premier event for food innovation and food inspiration. Here are just a few highlights from this year’s event in Toronto.


Winners of the SIAL Innovation Contest
It’s always exciting to see the winners unveiled at this 12th annual international competition. This year’s three grand-prize winners are:

• GOLD Grand Prize – Vegan Keto Buns by Unbun Keto Foods: Described as 100% plant-based, these buns are made with almond flour, pumpkin seed protein powder, coconut flour, psyllium husk, flax meal and chia seed meal. According to the company’s website, the buns are gluten-free, vegan, keto, grain-free, starch-free and paleo. Each bun (87g) contains 260 calories, 18 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 14 g carbohydrates, 11 g fibre, 1 g sugars, 11 g protein and 370 mg sodium.

• SILVER Prize – Yummy Doh Raw Cookie Dough: It’s exactly what it’s says it is – a vegan cookie dough that is safe to eat raw (there’s no egg product) and can also be baked into cookies. Made with heat treated enriched wheat flour, a 2 Tablespoon serving contains 120 calories, 6 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 16 g carbohydrates, 1 g fibre, 8 g sugars, 1 g protein and 120 mg sodium.

• Bronze prize – ICE Oat-based Coffee: This innovation is an oat-based coffee drink that’s made from oats and cold pressed sunflower oil. It’s marketed as a dairy-free, vegan drink for coffee lovers. The cylinder-shaped cardboard package is cool! In 100 mL, the nutritional profile is 54 calories, 1.2 g fat, 9.6 g carbohydrates, 4.8 g sugars, 0.2 g fibre, 1.1 g protein, 74 mg caffeine per can.

• Hopeful Prize – Partake Pale Ale-Craft Non-Alcoholic Beer: This new award recognizes food startups. Made with water, barley, hops and yeast, and 0.3% ABV, the beer contains 10 calories per 355 ml can.

Canadian Plate Challenge
New to SIAL this year was a culinary competition hosted by the University of Guelph’s Arrell Food Institute. Four chefs from across the country were challenged to create a healthy, sustainable dish that “tastes like Canada”, using 13 ingredients from each province and territory. The competing chefs were:
– Andrea Carlson of Burdock and Co. in Vancouver, British Columbia
– Laura Maxwell of Le Sélect Bistro in Toronto, Ontario
– Josh Crowe of Monkland Taverne in Montreal, Quebec
– Pierre Richard of Little Louis’ Oyster Bar in Moncton, New Brunswick

And the winner is…Pierre Richard for a twist on his traditional chowder. Using a variety of ingredients like dried morel mushrooms from the Yukon and snow crab from Newfoundland and Labrador, Pierre plated the dish with a bannock-inspired tuile and a pour over ‘Ocean Nage’ intended to represent the coming tide of The Bay of Fundy.

Congratulations to all of the winners!

Written by: Sue Mah, Registered Dietitian & Founder, Nutrition Solutions Inc.

[Images: SIAL Canada]

Get ready for International Year of Pulses!

Posted on

The United Nations has declared 2016 as International Year of Pulses!

Dried peas, beans, lentils and chickpeas are examples of pulses. Packed with nutrition, pulses are are a super sources of fibre, iron and protein.

Research from the Canadian Medical Association Journal found that eating 1 serving (3/4 cup) of pulses three times a week lowered the “bad” LDL cholesterol by 5%. Because pulses are a low Glycemic Index food, they cause a slower rise in blood sugar – that’s good news for people with diabetes or anyone watching their blood sugar levels.

Here are some of my favourite pulse recipes which I’ve collected over the years! Enjoy!

Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie (made with lentils)

Black Bean Veggie Burgers

Red Lentil & Vegetable Dal

Chickpea Chocolate Cake (you’ve got to try this!)

Love to learn? Love to eat?

Sign up for my free nutrition news, tips, trends, recipes and fascinating food facts!