I had a craving for a simple yet tasty rice with vegetables that could serve as a light dinner. I looked through a few recipes but none appealed to me so I created my own and I am super glad I did because this rice came out fantastic! The annatto powder gives the rice a reddish color and subtle flavoring. Preparing and cooking this dish takes a bit longer than you would expect a light dinner or side dish to take but I promise it's well worth it.

Vegetable Rice Pilaf

2 cups of long grain white rice, rinsed thoroughly and drained well
1/4 cup Earth Balance
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 stalks of celery, minced
1 med onion, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeño, seeds and stems removed, minced
1/2 cup fresh or frozen corn
1/2 cup fresh or frozen peas
1/2 cup diced baby carrots (about 10)
4 cups of vegetable stock (substitute water if necessary)
1 tsp annato powder
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp cilantro, chopped

1. Heat earth balance and olive oil in a large heavy rice pot on medium high heat
2. Add rinsed rice and cook for 10 minutes, stirring often, until it lightly begins to brown
3. Add minced onion, garlic, celery and jalapeño mixture (I used my small food processor) and cook with rice for 5 minutes, stirring often.
4. Add baby carrots and stir for 3-5 minutes. Add peas and corn and mix well.
5. Add remaining ingredients and stir until well mixed. Do not over stir once liquid has been added.
6. Brings contents to a light boil, stir one last time, lower heat to medium low and cover tightly for 25 minutes or until all liquid is absorbed. Do not stir or lift lid while rice is cooking.
7. Lift lid, stir contents and remove from heat.
8. Cover for an additional 5 minutes and then serve.

Prep and Cooking Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 4-6

Ever since first having this simple dish at The Bye and Bye in Portland, I have become obsessed with eating it as often as possible. It's quick, easy and super tasty. There are a lot of ways to dress it up with sauces, side dishes or in a salad but I tend to prefer having it just to munch on as a snack. This a great recipe to use when you are having a tofu craving but haven't marinated anything or just want to make something fast and simple.

Nutritional Yeast Tofu

3 tbsp grapeseed oil (or other neutral tasting oil)
16 oz extra firm tofu, drained and patted dry
2/3 cup nutritional yeast
3/4 tsp of sea salt
1/4 tsp paprika


1. Slice tofu block in half lengthwise and then slice 1/4 inch thick (it'll yield about 16 pieces or so)
2. Mix nutritional yeast, sea salt and paprika in a large airtight glass container and set aside
3. Heat oil in a cast iron skillet on medium high heat
4. Spread 8 pieces of tofu in the oil and cook for five minutes on each side or until lightly golden brown
5. Use a slotted spatula to scoop out tofu, making sure most of the oil is drained (do not place on paper towel) and toss it in spice mixture. Seal container and shake until all pieces are evenly coated. Scoop tofu pieces out of mixture and set aside
6. Repeat steps 4 and 5 with remaining tofu

Although I love to cook as much as possible, every once in awhile I get home late, tired and ready to eat immediately, just like everybody else. On those days I love slapping together a fast sandwich and this particular one seems to make more appearances than the rest so I figured the recipe might be worthy of posting. After always pulling out three jars from the fridge just to make this sandwich, I finally made a dijonnaise relish that I keep handy for this particular creation. I rarely use 'fake meats' in my cooking or diet but I do have a soft spot for tofurkey and have convinced many that they wouldn't be missing much if they made the switch from cruelty turkey to tofurkey. I always use either spelt or sprouted wheat bread but you're welcome to use whatever bread you prefer.

Tofurkey Sandwich

2 slices of bread, preferably sprouted wheat
4 slices of Tofurkey deli slices (I used peppered)
1/2 roma tomato, sliced thin
1 romaine leaf, broken into smaller pieces
mayonnaise, to taste (1-2 tbsp)
dijon mustard, to taste (1-3 tsp)
dill relish, to taste (1-3 tsp)
dash of salt (optional)

1. Toast bread according to your darkness preference
2. Spread mayo, mustard and dill relish on both sides of bread until evenly distributed
3. Layer 2 slices of Tofurkey deli slices on each side of bread
4. Layer lettuce and tomatoes on one side of bread, sprinkling a dash of sea salt on tomatoes (optional)
5. Stack sides together, being careful not to let the tomatoes or lettuce fall off
5. Slice diagonally and enjoy!

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 1

Sometimes recipes are born out of boredom, extra ingredients laying around or just when I feel like experimenting. I had some leftover pineapple juice the other day and couldn't figure out what to do with it. I decided to marinate tofu! I'm a big believer in marinating (I have tofu and tempeh both marinating in the fridge right now), as I believe it makes for tasty dishes that are quick to prepare. The only secret is remembering to do it early. I tend to create my marinades while cooking entirely different dishes so I can throw it in the fridge and forget about it until I go digging through a day or two later ravenous and wanting something I can throw together fast. You can seriously throw a marinade together in less than 5 minutes, which is well worth the time considering the amazing results. This slightly sweet pineapple tofu recipe can be used to top salads, in sandwiches, served as an entree with grain or potato based side dishes or simply served with dipping sauces. I recently served it with coconut creamed corn and a pineapple soy reduction and it was absolutely delightful.

Baked Pineapple Marinated Tofu

8oz extra firm tofu, patted dry and sliced
1 1/2 cups pineapple juice
3 tbsp tamari or soy sauce
1 tbsp oil
1/4 tsp sesame oil
1 serrano or small jalapeno pepper, cut in rounds
1/2 lime, juiced

1. Cut tofu as you wish, no more than 1/2 inch to 1 inch thick
2. Mix all ingredients in an airtight container and mix well. Let sit for minimum half an hour or overnight
3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
4. Place entire contents in an oven safe casserole dish, making sure tofu is laid out flat. Bake for 1 hour or until all the liquid has been absorbed and tofu is browned. Stir contents and flip over every 10-15 minutes to distribute marinade.

Total Prep and Cooking Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Total Servings: 2