Oh, boy! We are so back to long format, y’all. Where have I been? What have I been doing?
Running around in circles. Those who know me know that I famously leave jobs and get frustrated in work settings. Not because I'm bad at work or hate working, quite the opposite. I’m so damn good, that I need to do my own thing and be my own boss.
Last year, I started a new job, joined a mentorship program for grant writing, and reached the conclusion that I need to be self employed. Or at least try. So, this year I launched my consulting business. But this ain’t just business. This is a return to arts organizing and art for me. I’m seeking the balance of “professional” income, art income, and creative freedom. Sounds like a fucking pipe dream, but that’s my pursuit and that’s what’s been keeping me so damn busy. Commissions are open, I’m ready for clients.
laminating dough
All that to say, I haven’t been super creative in the kitchen until recently. I tried and failed to make vegan croissants (a three-day endeavor), but I made my favorite cake thus far for my birthday in April.
But back to those croissants. I was following the recipe in The Vegan Baker, a book I’ve referenced before. I think the main reason I messed up this recipe is because of my misunderstanding of how the folding works to achieve laminated dough. I did buy the most expensive cold pressed vegan butter I could find and the batter still had rise in the proofing stages, but I think the lack of lamination ultimately caused by my croissants to shrink in the oven. We will try again, one day. For now, I’m going to stick to rough puff pastry attempts.
edible but tiny and deflated croissants
There are a few new recipes on the blog, including my carrot cake, a delicious and addicting new way to conceive of banana bread, and a pesto pasta. Hopefully more new things are on their way. Nothing chills me out more than a day in the kitchen.
Speaking of chilling out. Hot weather is aggressively on its way down here in the south and I’m thinking of cool recipes. My local grocery co-op makes a fire tofu egg salad, but so do I and I’m gonna make it again soon.
Tofu Egg Salad Sandwich
INGREDIENTS
Serves: 5
TOFU EGG SALAD
One 14 oz. block of extra firm tofu, pressed
2 medium dill kosher pickles, finely minced
5 celery stalks, finely minced
1 garlic clove, minced
2 Tbs pickle juice from the jar
5 scallions, chopped
1/3 cup vegan mayo
2 Tbs dijon mustard
1 tsp dried dill
2 tsp black pepper
Salt to taste
DIRECTIONS
To ensure the tofu is sufficiently dry, cut the block in half, along its width, and then cut into 8 equal sections.
Wrap four sections in a paper towel, layer on top the other four sections, and cover with a paper towel. Place on a plate and weigh it down to be pressed by using a cast-iron skillet or a cookie sheet weighted with a cookbook or pot. Press for 20-25 minutes at least.
Meanwhile, prepare your remaining ingredients.
Remove excess liquid from the tofu and lightly crumble by hand into a large mixing bowl.
Combine with celery, pickles, pickle juice, seasonings, vegan mayo, and dijon mustard.
Fold together carefully with a rubber spatula.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Serve the tofu egg salad as a sandwich or wrap with lettuce and tomato or enjoy as a high-protein snack with rice crackers.
That’s it for now, folks! Here’s to a summer of inspired and intentional cooking ☀️
