BREAKFAST
Vegetarian Black Bean Omelet
1 can (14–16oz) black beans, drained Juice of 1 lime 1⁄4 tsp cumin Hot sauce 8 eggs Salt and black pepper to taste 1⁄2 cup feta cheese, plus more for serving Pico de Gallo or bottled salsa Sliced avocado (optional)
HOW TO MAKE IT
1. Pulse the black beans, lime juice, cumin, and a few shakes of hot sauce in a food processor until it has the consistency of refried beans, adding a bit of water to help if necessary.
2. Coat a small nonstick pan with nonstick cooking spray or a bit of butter or olive oil and heat over medium heat.
3. Crack two eggs into a bowl and beat with a bit of salt and pepper.
4. Add the eggs to the pan, then use a spatula to stir and then lift the cooked egg on the bottom to allow raw egg to slide under.
5. When the eggs have all but set, spoon a quarter of the black bean mixture and 2 tablespoons feta down the middle of the omelet.
6. Use the spatula to fold over a third of the egg to cover the mixture in the center, then carefully slide the omelet onto a plate, using the spatula flip it over at the last second to form one fully rolled omelet.
7. Repeat with the remaining ingredients to make four omelets. Garnish with pico de gallo, avocado slices if you like, and bit more crumbled feta.
LUNCH
Vegan Orange Chicken
2 packages (16 ounces / 454 grams each) of super firm tofu: For this recipe, we want to use the tofu in vacuum-sealed plastic, not a tub of water. If you only have firm or extra firm tofu (that comes in water), you’ll want to drain the tub and press the block of tofu. You can substitute soy curls, seitan chunks, or store-bought vegan chicken pieces--breaded or not.
3 cloves minced garlic and 1 inch grated ginger: Minced fresh garlic and grated fresh ginger is best, but feel free to use jarred or powdered if you need to.
1 + ½ cups orange juice: This is vegan orange chicken so we need orange flavor! You can use fresh squeezed or carton orange juice for this recipe.
½ cup sugar: For the authentic color and more sweetness, use organic cane sugar in this recipe. If you’d like to use a less refined option, try coconut sugar. Yes, your orange tofu may look more brown, but it still tastes great.
3 tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce or gluten-free tamari: This is for flavor. If gluten-free, pick up some gluten-free tamari. You can also substitute coconut aminos, but I find this to be not as salty and a little more sweet.
3 tablespoons of rice vinegar: To balance out the sweetness of our orange tofu, a little vinegar helps. You can substitute apple cider vinegar here if needed.
½ teaspoon chili flakes / red pepper flakes, optional and to taste: You can use these in the sauce or as a garnish or both. If you don’t like spicy food, skip this ingredient.
3 tablespoons arrowroot powder + ¼ cup water: You can substitute cornstarch here if needed.
1 - 2 teaspoons orange zest, optional
NOTE: If you did not buy super firm tofu (the kind that comes vacuum sealed), drain out all the water and press the block of tofu in either a tofu press or between two plates/cutting boards with a heavy weight on them for 20-30 minutes. Waterlogged tofu will not get very crispy.
Start your tofu using one of the methods below. If you are baking or air frying your tofu, you can choose to leave it plain, toss it in a small amount of oil before cooking, or breading it like with my crispy tofu or panko tofu. Sometimes leaving it plain can dry it out somewhat--but you’re going to be adding it to a sauce so it’s not unpleasant, just personal opinion.
Air Fryer Method: Add tofu cubes to your air fryer in a single layer if possible. Set it at 400 degrees Fahrenheit (205 degrees Celsius) for 15 minutes and shake the basket halfway through. Check the crispness. If you desire the tofu to be more crispy, cook for longer or you can give it a misting of avocado (or other) oil if you like and then cook it for a few more minutes. 15-17 minutes usually works perfectly for me.
Oven Method: Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit (218 degrees Celsius) while you prep your tofu. Place tofu cubes on a baking tray lined either with a silicone baking mat (I find this gets the tofu crisper) or parchment paper. Bake for 25-30 minutes, flipping the tofu and rotating the pan halfway through.
Pan Fry Method: Heat a generous amount of high heat oil in a large skillet. Once the oil is hot enough (you can test this using a wooden skewer. When inserted into the oil, little bubbles should rapidly form around the end of the skewer when the oil is hot enough). Add tofu (tossed in cornstarch or arrowroot powder for best results) in a single layer and spaced at least a half inch apart. Depending on how big your cubes are and how crowded your pan is, cook for a few minutes and flip. Cook and flip until tofu is lightly golden brown then transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to absorb excess oil.
While the tofu is cooking, prepare your sauce in a large nonstick pot (I like to use nonstick to reduce the need for oil, but use what you’re comfortable with).
Either add a small amount of oil to your pan OR you may cook with water if you like--and saute your garlic and ginger for about a minute over medium heat, stirring frequently.
Add the orange juice, sugar, soy sauce / gluten-free tamari, and rice vinegar to the pot. You can add some chili flakes now so they get soft and mix into the sauce or you can leave them as a garnish if you prefer. Stir constantly until the sugar dissolves, then let the mixture come to a simmer.
In a small jar or bowl, mix together the water and arrowroot powder or cornstarch until a slurry forms. Pour that into the pot and stir well. Cook until thickened considerably, about 3-4 minutes.
When the tofu is done, turn the heat to low on your sauce pot and add the tofu to the pot. Gently stir in the tofu until completely coated. Prefer it crisper? Serve right away. Want to make it more like sticky tofu? Cook it down for a few minutes in the sauce (turn the heat to medium low and stir frequently). Toss with orange zest and remove from heat.
Serve orange tofu and plenty of sauce over cooked jasmine rice and sprinkle green onions (and chili flakes) on top. Or add toasted sesame seeds. Enjoy!
Refrigerate leftovers for up to 4 days in an airtight container.
DINNER
Lettuce less Greek Salad with Chickpeas
Salad:
1 can (15 ounces) low-sodium chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 English cucumber, cut into quarters, then sliced
1 ½ cups diced tomatoes
½ cup bell pepper, chopped (any color)
½ cup kalamata olives, drained, pitted and halved
2 tablespoons chopped fresh or freeze-dried chives
2 tablespoons red onion, chopped
6 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
¼ cup fresh dill, chopped
Dressing:
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon dried oregano
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
In a large bowl, combine the chickpeas, cucumber, tomatoes, bell pepper, olives, chives, red onion, feta and dill.
In a separate, smaller bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, oregano, salt and pepper.
Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss to combine, adjusting the taste as desired by adding more oil, vinegar, salt or pepper. Serve immediately.
https://farmflavor.com/recipes/lettuceless-greek-salad-with-chickpeas/