The Starch Solution (35 page)

Preheat the oven to 200°F.

Mix the potatoes, onion, flour, parsley, and 3 tablespoons of water in a medium bowl until everything is well combined.

Ladle about ¼ cup of the mixture for each pancake onto a hot, nonstick griddle, flattening slightly with a metal spatula. Cook 5 to 8 minutes on one side, until golden, then turn and cook 5 to 8 minutes on the other side. Continue making the pancakes in batches until you have used all of the batter.

As you finish each batch, transfer the pancakes to a plate and hold in the warm oven until you have cooked all of them.

Serve warm.

This vegan version of a Mexican breakfast uses scrambled tofu in place of eggs. The scramble is good on its own, or tuck it into tortillas with a spoonful of salsa. For a creamy finish, top with a dollop of
Tofu Sour Cream
. For the beans, smash some warm, cooked beans with a fork or use the
Smashed Slow-Cooked Beans
.

PREP: 10 MINUTES | COOK: 8 MINUTES • SERVES 4

¼ cup vegetable broth

½ cup chopped scallions (green and white parts)

1 pound firm tofu, drained well and mashed with a fork

1 teaspoon regular or reduced-sodium soy sauce

¼ teaspoon ground turmeric

1 tablespoon chopped green chile peppers (optional)

Chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

Dash of salt

Freshly ground black pepper

8 small soft corn tortillas

2 cups cooked pinto beans, warmed and smashed

Salsa fresca, for serving

Pour the vegetable broth into a large nonstick skillet. Add the scallions and cook, stirring frequently, for about 3 minutes, until they soften. Add the tofu, soy sauce, turmeric, and the peppers, if using. Cook and stir for about 5 minutes, until the mixture is hot. Stir in the cilantro, if using, and salt and pepper to taste. Set the skillet aside, off the heat.

To serve, warm and soften the tortillas briefly on a dry nonstick griddle. Center a tortilla on a plate, spread with warm beans, then top with another tortilla and more beans. Spoon some of the tofu scramble over the tortilla stack. Top with salsa, or serve the salsa in a bowl at the table. Repeat to make the remaining servings. Serve immediately.

My daughter, Heather, and I love the tofu scramble at Stella Blues Cafe on Maui, where they serve it with country-style potatoes and onions. This is my rendition of the dish, and I like it even better than the original. We serve it on its own, over
Potato Pancakes
, or with a side of
Hash Brown Potatoes
for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

PREP: 15 MINUTES | COOK: 12 MINUTES • SERVES 4

4 cups small broccoli florets

1 bunch scallions (green and white parts), chopped

1 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced

1 pound firm tofu, drained and cut into ½″ cubes

³
⁄
₄
cup
Tahini Sauce

2 teaspoons regular or reduced-sodium soy sauce

Sriracha hot sauce (optional)

Steam the broccoli over boiling water just until it is tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, drain, and set aside.

Put the scallions and mushrooms in a large nonstick skillet with 2 tablespoons of water. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes, until they begin to soften. Add the tofu and cook for 3 minutes. Add the Tahini Sauce, soy sauce, the reserved broccoli, and a few squirts of Sriracha, if you wish. Mix and cook 2 to 3 minutes, until everything is heated through and the sauce has thickened slightly.

Serve immediately.

Use your creativity to come up with endless variations of this dish using steamed broccoli, spinach, sautéed mushrooms, or other vegetables in place of or in addition to the tomato and avocado. The sauce is also very good served over steamed asparagus, other vegetables, or thick-sliced, cooked potatoes. It can be prepared up to a day ahead; cover tightly and refrigerate, then reheat gently over low heat, whisking steadily to prevent scorching.

PREP: 15 MINUTES | COOK: 5 MINUTES • SERVES 2 TO 4

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 cup
Cashew Milk

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon nutritional yeast

½ teaspoon onion powder

¹
⁄
₈
teaspoon garlic powder

¹
⁄
₈
teaspoon salt

¹
⁄
₁₆
teaspoon ground turmeric

Pinch of paprika

2 fat-free English muffins, split

1 vine-ripened tomato, cut into 4 slices

½ avocado, sliced

Stir the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of cold water in a small bowl until it is completely dissolved. Set aside.

In a saucepan, whisk together the Cashew Milk, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, onion and garlic powders, salt, turmeric, and paprika. Add the cornstarch mixture, mixing well. Bring to a boil over low heat, stirring constantly, then continue to cook and stir until the mixture is smooth and thick. Set aside.

Toast the English muffin halves and place 1 or 2 halves per serving onto plates. Top each muffin half with a tomato slice and some of the avocado. Ladle the sauce over the muffin halves and serve immediately.

This breakfast is a great way to use leftover cooked potatoes and rice. It’s great served plain, spiced up with salsa, or rolled into tortillas. Store leftovers in the refrigerator, tightly covered, for up to 4 days; reheat in a saucepan over medium heat or in a microwave oven.

PREP: 15 MINUTES | COOK: 10 MINUTES • SERVES 4

1 cup vegetable broth

½ cup chopped onion

½ cup chopped red bell pepper

½ cup chopped celery

2 large red potatoes, boiled and cut into large chunks

1 cup cooked brown rice

1 cup chopped fresh spinach

1 tablespoon regular or reduced-sodium soy sauce

½ teaspoon ground cumin

Dash of Tabasco sauce (optional)

Put ½ cup of the broth in a large nonstick skillet along with the onion, bell pepper, and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes, until the vegetables soften. Add the potatoes and the remaining ½ cup broth and cook for 5 minutes.

Stir in the rice, spinach, soy sauce, and cumin. Cook and stir until everything is heated through and the spinach has softened slightly. Season with a dash or two of Tabasco sauce, if desired.

Serve immediately.

Salad doesn’t always have to mean a bowl of leafy greens. Most of the time we skip those light, unsatisfying versions in favor of heartier combinations of potatoes, grains, and vegetables.

Many of these salads make a complete meal, perhaps accompanied by a slab of whole grain bread. Others are perfect on the side with your favorite sandwiches, soups, or main dishes.

See
Dressings, Sauces, and Condiments
for more recipes you can use to season and dress your own creations.

This is our family’s favorite potato salad. Tossing the potatoes with a bit of vinegar after cooking gives them a burst of flavor. We enjoy this best served slightly warm.

PREP: 20 MINUTES | COOK: 10 TO 12 MINUTES | REST: 30 MINUTES • SERVES 6

2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks

3 tablespoons white wine vinegar

½ cup
Tofu Mayonnaise

1 tablespoon soy milk or almond milk

1 tablespoon prepared mustard

1 tablespoon chopped parsley

¼ teaspoon chopped fresh dill fronds or dried dill weed

¼ teaspoon salt

Freshly ground black pepper

½ cup finely chopped celery

½ cup chopped scallions (green and white parts)

½ cup shredded carrots (optional)

Put the potatoes in a large pot and cover them with cold water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to cook the potatoes at a slow boil just until they are tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain the potatoes well, then put them in a large bowl, toss with the vinegar, and let sit for 30 minutes.

To make the dressing:
In a small bowl, whisk together the Tofu Mayonnaise, milk, mustard, parsley, dill, salt, and pepper to taste. Set aside.

After the potatoes have cooled for 30 minutes, add the celery, scallions, carrots (if you are using them), and the dressing. Stir gently to mix.

Serve immediately or refrigerate, covered, for up to 24 hours and serve cold.

This tabbouleh is fresh and delicious on its own. For a heartier meal, add 2 cups of cooked or canned chickpeas or kidney, black, or white beans. If using canned beans, be sure to rinse and drain them well before adding.

PREP: 15 MINUTES | HYDRATE: 30 MINUTES | CHILL: 2 TO 3 HOURS • SERVES 8

1 cup bulgur wheat

2 cups boiling water

3 tomatoes, chopped

1 cucumber, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

6 scallions (green and white parts), chopped

1 cup chopped parsley

½ cup chopped fresh mint

½ cup fresh lemon juice

Freshly ground black pepper

Put the bulgur in a medium bowl and pour the boiling water over it. Cover the bowl and set the bulgur aside for 30 minutes to hydrate. Transfer the bulgur to a colander to drain.

While the bulgur hydrates, combine the tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, scallions, parsley, and mint in a large bowl. Stir in the drained bulgur, the lemon juice, and pepper to taste.

Stir well, then cover and refrigerate until cold, 2 to 3 hours. Serve cold.

Make this summertime salad a day ahead to allow the flavors to develop. Feel free to substitute or add any vegetables you like. We often add bite-size broccoli florets.