Vegan Breakfast Burrito

This gives me close to the satisfaction I get when I eat McDonald's sausage burrito. The eggy tofu scramble is full of flavor you will not miss the sausage and cheese that are in the McDonald version.  I added other ingredients to those listed in the recipe for tofu scramble I found online to mimic what is found in the McDonald's copy cat  version.  I incorporated into the scramble itself and not just as toppings,  the green chilies from a can, tomatoes and green onions.  To achieve some smokiness to the scramble, I added a tiny amount of liquid smoke.

This is an excellent satisfying breakfast to go whenever we are allowed to take trips after this lockdown from the pandemic or just in the comforts of your home.

Vegan Breakfast Burrito

Adapted the recipe for the scramble from this online  recipe and for the copy cat version of McDonald's I used this site for reference 

Ingredients

• 8oz firm tofu
• 1/4 cup water plus more as needed
• 2 tbsp. nutritional yeast
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4-1/2 tsp salt or 1/4 tsp black salt if you have it
• black pepper
• 1/4 tsp onion powder
• 1/3 cup almond milk
• 1/8 tsp liquid smoke
• 2 tbsp. green chilies from a can or 4-6 pieces bottled jalapeno chopped
• 2 stalks green onions, sliced
• 1 small tomato, chopped
• 4 medium tortillas

In a small bowl combine the nutritional yeast, turmeric, paprika, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, salt, black pepper and onion powder in a bowl.  Then whisk in the milk and liquid smoke till you have a sauce.  Set aside.

Coarsely mash the tofu right in the skillet and then saute it in water till lightly browned.

Add the sauce to the tofu and heat through till the sauce envelops the tofu.  Add the green chilies, green onions and tomato to the mixture and continue to heat through till the sauce is almost dried up.

Warm the tortillas in the microwave for 20 seconds.

Add 1/4 of the mixture to each tortilla leaving about 2 inches of tortilla at top  Fold the top part over the filling and then fold the sides and roll the tortilla into a tight cylinder.

You can warm up leftover burritos in the microwave covered with lightly wet paper towel for 1 minute.

Air Fried Vegan Samosa using Oil Free and Dairy Free Dough

This is a delicious flavorful appetizer.  It is vegan and filled with vegetables other than the traditional potatoes and peas,  The recipe of the filling that came from this site added cauliflower and carrots.

I chose this recipe among others online since it has the shortest list of ingredients that I found,  The curry powder is enough to carry the characteristic Indian flavor you taste in store bought samosas.  Really easy.

The original recipe came from the Forks Over Knives Cookbook which served the samosa filling over flatbread.  I could have done that but I have in my bucket list to make samosa with an oil free and dairy free dough. I found out I was in for a challenge.

After several trials, I came up with a mixture of cornstarch, almond meal, whole wheat flour and almond milk that gives a dough that is easy to work with and also crispy upon baking in the air fryer even without oil.

It was a labor of love. I did not stop till I was satisfied even waking up early in the morning tweaking the dough recipe.

Do double the dough recipe since the amount of filling is pretty hefty.  Choose the size of the samosa you like.  I like the small appetizer size.  It is cute and just gives you enough to satisfy your cravings.

Though the samosa is good by itself, I also give the recipe of the Tamarind Sauce that needs no cooking.

Air Fried Vegan Samosa using Oil Free and Dairy Free Dough

Adapted from this site

Filling:

2 1⁄2 cups potatoes, peeled and diced
1 1/4 cups diced carrots
1/4 cup water or more
1/2 head cauliflower, chopped
1 1⁄4 cups chopped onions
3-4 pcs bottled jalapeño, chopped
1 can (15 oz) sweet peas drained and rinsed or use frozen peas
1 1⁄4 tablespoons curry powder
1⁄2 cup unflavored almond milk
sea salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper


Add the water, potatoes and carrots in a skillet and allow the water to boil until the potatoes and carrots are cooked.  You might need to add more water.

Add to the potato carrot mixture, the cauliflower, chopped onions and jalapeno and some more water. Allow the mixture to simmer until the onions are translucent and the cauliflower softened.

Add the sweet peas and curry powder to the vegetable mixture and heat through.  Add the almond milk to the mixture until it thickens.  Season with salt and black pepper to taste.

Dough and Assembly of Samosa

1/2 cup almond flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 tsp salt
4-5 tbsp. almond milk

Combine the almond flour, cornstarch, whole wheat flour and salt in a bowl.  Add half of the milk and mix.  Add the rest of the milk as needed.  Knead the mixture till it gets stretchy.

On a floured surface, roll the dough into a large square or close to it.  Then with a knife, score smaller squares or close to it about 2 x 2 inches or the size you prefer.

Add about a teaspoon  of the filling along the middle diagonal of each cut small square dough.  Then make the two opposite points meet to form a triangle.  Seal the rest of the edges.

Air fry the samosa at 390 degrees Fahrenheit for 5 minutes.

Serve as is  or with the tamarind sauce (recipe below).

Tamarind Sauce

1 tbsp tamarind paste

2 tbsp maple syrup

1/2 tsp each cumin, ginger, garlic powders

1/4 tsp salt

1 tbsp. water

Mix the ingredients in a small bowl with a fork.

Vegan Pulled Pork Asian Bao

The sauce that coats the jackfruit will make you forget you are not eating meat.  It absorbs the sweet and salty sauce perfectly.  The hoisin sauce with the rest of the ingredients for me tops other sauces I have used before with jackfruit. The bun made from refrigerated biscuits complements the Asian flavor.  Yes I cheated using refrigerated biscuits. Why not!  I want my siopao or Asian bao right away.

The bao expands upon steaming so do not overcrowd the steamer tray.  I suggest also to use 1 tbsp. filling and not overstuff  the biscuit because it is hard to pinch the edges together and seal them well. They tend to open up if not sealed well.. I wrote 1-2 cans of jumbo (16 oz can) in the ingredients since there are left over fillings.

This is perfect to freeze in case any are left.  Just microwave for a minute with a wet paper towel on top.  This is a convenient lunch or snack on the go.

This is good.  My husband my picky taster gave it two thumbs up.

Vegan Pulled Pork Asian Bao

Adapted the filling from this site  and use of refrigerated dough from this site

• 1- 20 oz net weight can of green / young jackfruit, drained and rinsed 
• 1/4 cup water or vegetable broth
• 2 stalk green onions, sliced
• 4 tsp grated ginger
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 3-4 tsp tamari or soy sauce
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar
• 3 tbsp hoisin sauce
• 2 tsp brown sugar 
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 star anise (optional)
• 1-2 (16 oz) any jumbo can Refrigerated Biscuits (Grands! Southern Homestyle Original Biscuits are vegan)

Chop the jackfruit into shreds and set aside.

Heat the vegetable broth or water in a skillet and add to it the green onions, ginger and garlic.  Saute the aromatics in the broth till soften.  

Add to the aromatics the soy sauce, rice vinegar, hoisin sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil and star anise if using.  Mix and heat through.  Add the jackfruit till coated with the sauce.

Separate the refrigerator into 8 biscuits.  Press each biscuit to form 1 4-inch round.  For each bao, add 1 tablespoon of the jackfruit mixture onto the center of each dough round. Bring the edge of the biscuit towards the center and pinch them together.  

Place each of the bao on a piece of wax or parchment square paper.

In a 5-quart Dutch oven  or a rice cooker/slow cooker, add 1 inch water and bring it to simmer.  Place the bao one inch apart on the colander or steamer basket or tray and place in the Dutch oven or rice cooker/slow cooker. Steam for 10 minutes counting from the time the water starts steaming.  Transfer to a plate. Repeat with the remaining bao.

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No Tuna Salad

I have been waking up to this these past mornings.  It is addictive especially on toasted mini naan bread and topped with tomato.

The texture and looks are just like tuna salad without the fishy taste. It is very satisfying.  I like to add more onions and celery than called for cuz I like it crunchy.

No Tuna Salad

Adapted from The Minimalist Baker

1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained, coarsely mashed in small blender
2-3 tablespoons tahini
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon maple syrup
¼ cup diced onion
¼ cup diced celery
¼ cup diced pickle
sea salt and black pepper to taste

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl.

Air Fryer Paprika Garlic Potato Fries

This is so good.  A crowd pleaser.  I was looking for leftovers from yesterday's lunch but they were all gone.

The recipe comes from the free recipe booklet that came with the NuWave air fryer. It is easy to prepare.  Ingredients are straight from the pantry.  The texture of the fries is perfect and the taste is delicious.

Air Fryer Paprika Garlic Potato Fries

6 medium russet potatoes (I have also used red potatoes unpeeled)

2 tbsp. oil

1/2 tbsp. garlic powder

1 1/2 tsps. smoked paprika

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp salt

Cut the potatoes in quarters or wedges and soak them in cold water for 20 minutes. Then pat dry.

Place the oil, garlic powder, paprika, black pepper, salt in a bowl and mix.  Toss the potato quarters or wedges in the oil mixture.

Press "PreHeat" setting in the air fryer; set the temperature at 360 degrees Fahrenheit and the cooking time to 20 minutes.  Press Start.

Once the air fryer is ready, place the potato wedges in the Air Fryer basket.  Do not overcrowd if possible.

Cook the wedges until golden brown.

Air Fried Mary Anna's Salmon Cakes

I adapted this air fried version from my friend Mary Anna's skillet fried salmon recipe, called Salmon Burger.  She submitted it to our Associate Group's cookbook, Recipes and Spiritual Reflections of The Associates of the Sisters of St. Joseph Baden, Pennsylvania.  She found this delicious recipe very convenient to prepare for her big family which included three of four sons who became priests.

The only things I changed was adding garlic powder and dredging the patties in panko crumbs plus air frying the salmon cakes instead of pan frying them in the skillet like Mary Anna did.  The result are little moist cakes with crispy coating.  Using the bottled horseradish completes the satisfaction of eating this delightful dish.  My husband devoured these for lunch today.  Thanks Mary Anna.

Air Fried Mary Anna's Salmon Cakes

1-15 oz can salmon, drained, remove skin and bone
1/4 cup uncooked oatmeal
1/2 cup crushed cornflakes or crumbled bread
2 tbsp. mayonnaise
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1-2 eggs
2 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tbsp. bottled horseradish
1 tsp garlic powder
panko crumbs for coating
extra bottled horseradish as sauce

Flake the salmon and mix with all the ingredients except the panko crumbs and extra bottled horseradish.

Score the mixture into 8 equal parts and form into patties.  Dredge each patty in panko crumbs.

Spray the air fryer with nonstick spray.

Place the patties in the air fryer and spray top with nonstick spray.  Air fry for 9 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit.  Flip and then spray the top of each patty with nonstick spray and bake for 3 more minutes.

Serve with horseradish sauce.