Sunday Brunch: After St. Patty's Day

Wanting to feel somewhat healthy after destroying my already-failing liver during St. Patrick's Day, I decided to make a breakfast quiche.

When I first considered becoming vegan, I wept at the thought of giving up eggs. I loved fried eggs, poached eggs, quiches, frittatas; my philosophy on food was "put an egg on it!" Then I discovered the secret of using tofu as an egg substitute in such dishes. Don't wrinkle your nose at me.

I decided to give it a shot.


BAM. Food porn. You didn't think vegans were allowed to have food porn, did you? Given it's not the greatest porn shot (I'm an amateur, alright?), but still; it's pretty damn sexy.

This recipe required a bit more time than a regular quiche, but it was worth it. It also passed the Russell test, who claimed it was pretty damn near similar to an eggy dish. I cut time by using a bulgur crust, but perhaps I'll try a flour crust when I have more patience.

Green Quiche: for Curing Post-St. Patty's Celebrations

2 cups water
1 cup bulgur

1 pound/block soft tofu
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp dijon mustard
1/4 tsp tumeric
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
1/3 cup pesto (I made a kale & walnut pesto, posting the recipe soon)

You're an adult, you can choose your own veggies (I sauteéd garlic, broccoli florets, spinach, oregano, and added in roasted red peppers).

Preheat oven to 375°F. Add bulgur to boiling water, cover and allow to simmer for 15 minutes (until no water remains). Press bulgur into pie dish, bake for 15 minutes, until bulgur feels firm to the touch. Remove from oven.

While the bulgur is cooking, make your filling! Blend tofu in food processor, adding in soy sauce, mustard, and nutritional yeast halfway through. Blend until smooth, scrape into medium sized bowl. Fold in pesto.

Prep and cook your veggies. Fold them into the tofu-pesto mixture; add salt and pepper to taste.

Transfer tofu-pesto-veggie goodness into bulgur crust, making sure veggies are evenly spread out. Bake for 20 minutes, until firm and lightly brown on top. Let cool for a few minutes, then slice and serve.

Sunday Brunch

Hungover and tired on a Sunday morning, waiting for the kombucha to kick in, Paola and I decided to remedy the situation with brunch.

Tofu scramble was a must. Tempeh bacon was also mandatory. And carbs, the ingredients had to be surrounded by carbs. Oh and I guess some greens would be nice too.

I decided on a breakfast sandwich. Who doesn't like sandwiches? Paola and I have determined if we open a restaurant, anything that isn't a sandwich must be wrapped in something equally full of wheat and carbs.

We had to name our creation something that reflected the goodness of consuming brunch after a night out. 'Hangover Brunch Sandwich' wasn't entirely true, since it required some preparation, and we weren't that hungover.

Thus, the Morning-After Sandwich. No, not that morning after. This sandwich does not void any bad decisions from the night before, but it will make you feel better.

Paola: I'm going to hell, aren't I?
Kelly: At least this sandwich is bomb.


Morning-After Sandwich
Tofu scramble:
1 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic
1/2 package of firm tofu, pressed and drained
1 tsp tumeric
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp thyme
salt and pepper
handful of chopped green onions

4 slices tempeh bacon (Tofurky is da best)
roasted red pepper (tomato would work for those of you who are less prepared)
handful of spinach
veganaise and dijon mustard
sandwich bread, toasted

Warm the olive oil and garlic in a skillet (preferably cast iron) over medium heat. Add in tofu, cutting into bite-sized chunks with a spatula. Sauté tofu for 10-15 minutes, occasionally stirring. I let my tofu get crispy and stick somewhat to the pan before scraping it with the spatula.

Add in spices and stir to coat tofu. Remove from heat, add green onions and toss to combine.

Warm a non-stick skillet over medium low heat. Add tempeh bacon, let cook for 4-5 minutes on each side, until browned.

Smother bread with vegan mayo and mustard. Add spinach, bacon, scramble, and red pepper (or tomato). Attempt to eat without dropping scramble everywhere.