Food for Life – Tofu Salad Sandwiches

Favorite Recipes from Staff and Friends of Steps to Life

God requires of His people continual advancement. We need to learn that indulged appetite is the greatest hindrance to mental improvement and soul sanctification. With all our profession of health reform, many of us eat improperly.” Testimonies, vol. 9, 156. “We should not provide for the Sabbath a more liberal supply or a greater variety of food than for other days. Instead of this, the food should be more simple, and less should be eaten, in order that the mind may be clear and vigorous to comprehend spiritual things. A clogged stomach means a clogged brain. The most precious words may be heard and not appreciated, because the mind is confused by an improper diet. By overeating on the Sabbath, many do more than they think, to unfit themselves for receiving the benefit of its sacred opportunities.” The Ministry of Healing, 307.

Recipe – Tofu Salad Sandwiches

1 10 1/2 ounce package extra firm tofu

1/4 cup raisins

1 cup seedless green grapes, halved

1/2 teaspoon curry powder

1/2 cup Vegenaise or soy mayonnaise

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup sliced celery

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted

Drain tofu and discard liquid. Finely chop tofu. In a large bowl combine chopped tofu, grapes, celery, almonds, and raisins. In another bowl, stir together the Vegenaise or soy mayonnaise, curry powder, salt, and ground ginger. Add dressing to tofu mixture, stirring to combine. Cover and chill till serving time.

To serve, spread tofu mixture on lettuce-lined toast. Makes 4 servings.

Add or subtract items to your taste. For an added treat, use flavored almonds, if available.

Submitted by Jerry Timmons. Jerry Timmons manages the shipping and mailing for Steps to Life Ministry.

Happy Cooking!

Food for Life – Tofu Cheese Cake and Peanut Butter Carob Pie

“Plain, simple pie may serve as dessert, but when one eats two or three pieces merely to gratify an inordinate appetite, he unfits himself for the service of God.” Counsels on Diet and Foods, 333.

Recipe – Tofu Cheese Cake

2 Tablespoons unflavored Emes Kosher-Jel

½ cup pineapple juice

Blend together to dissolve gelatin.

2 Tablespoons lemon juice

¼ cup oil

½ cup honey

¾ teaspoon salt

2 Tablespoons vanilla

½ teaspoon coriander

1 pound mashed tofu

Combine in blender and blend till smooth. Fill two crumb-crust pie shells and bake at 350 degrees about 30-40 minutes, until edges are lightly browned and middle is firm. Chill until ready to serve. Top with your favorite fruit topping.

Recipe – Peanut Butter Carob Pie

1 ½ cups water

2 cups carob chips

pinch of salt

½ cup soy milk powder

1 teaspoon vanilla

½-1 cup peanut butter

Blend all ingredients, except peanut butter, until smooth (about two minutes). Add peanut butter while still blending, until mixture thickens. May add more peanut butter if needed to reach desired consistency. Pour into prepared pie shell. Freeze until ready to serve.

Food for Life – Marinated Breast of Tofu

Recipe

For chicken-like sandwiches, stir-fries, salads, roasts, and for use in many other dishes.

1 1/2–2 pounds extra-firm tofu

1 1/2 cups water

1/4 cup soy sauce or Bragg’s Liquid Aminos

3 Tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes

2 teaspoons crumbled, dried sage leaves or ground sage

1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

Prepare marinade by combining water, soy sauce, nutritional yeast flakes, and spices in a 2-quart bowl. Instead of all or some of the traditional “poultry seasonings” (thyme, sage, etc.), you may use cumin, coriander, basil, oregano, or whatever herbs are suitable for the dish you are making. For spicy Breast of Tofu, add as much cayenne to the marinade as you like.

Cut tofu into quarter-inch thick slices. Marinate for a few hours, or for as long as two weeks, in the refrigerator. Turn the slices and spoon the marinade over the tofu from time to time, or store in a tightly-sealed container and occasionally shake it.

To use tofu, remove from marinade, bread with Italian-style bread crumbs, and pan-fry as many slices as you need in a nonstick pan, over medium heat, until browned on both sides. Use immediately or cool on racks. For future quick use, separate cooked slices with pieces of waxed paper for easy removal of just a few slices at a time, and place in an air-tight container. Will keep in the refrigerator for several days or may be frozen for several weeks.

Food for Life – Noodles Romanoff

” ‘The earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof’ (Psalm 24:1). This world is the Lord’s storehouse, from which we are ever drawing. He has provided fruits and grains and vegetables for our sustenance. For us He makes the sun to shine and the rain to fall. The whole human family, good and evil, are constantly drawing from God’s storehouse. It makes every difference with those so highly privileged how they receive the Lord’s gifts and how they treat the contract the Lord has made with them. He has made them His almoners, directing them to draw from His storehouse, and then make a return to Him in gifts and offerings, ‘that there may be meat in mine house.’ [Malachi 3:10.]—Manuscript 73, December 12, 1900, ‘Bring an Offering Unto the Lord.’ ” The Upward Look, 360.

Recipe – Noodles Romanoff

Submitted by Evelyn Grosboll

5 quarts boiling water

1 1/2 Tablespoons salt 

12 ounces 1/2 inch wide noodles or fetucine noodles (about 6 cups)

3 cups tofu cottage cheese

2 cups tofu sour cream*

6 Tablespoons olive oil

1 1/2 cups green onions, chopped

1 clove garlic, crushed 

1/2 teaspoon sweet basil

1/2 cup fine bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly oil a 2 1/2 quart casserole. In an 8–12 quart kettle, bring water to a rapid boil, then add salt. Gradually add noodles so that water continues to boil. Cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 7 minutes, until just tender. Drain in a colander; set aside.

In large bowl combine tofu cottage cheese, tofu sour cream, 4 tablespoons olive oil, green onions, garlic, and sweet basil. Add noodles and toss lightly with fork to combine. Turn into casserole. Stir bread crumbs into remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, toss lightly with fork. Sprinkle crumbs on top of casserole.

Bake for 25–30 minutes, until piping hot. Makes 8–10 servings.

*Tofu Sour Cream recipe is given in the November 2002 Land Marks.

Recipe – Tofu Cottage Cheese

14–16 ounces tofu

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup raw cashews

1/2 cup water

Mash or crumble tofu in large bowl. Blend cashews and water until smooth. (May substitute sweet pickle juice for part of the water.) Add seasonings and mix with the tofu.

Food for Life – Potato Waffles and Tofu Omelet

It is the custom and order of society to take a slight breakfast. But this is not the best way to treat the stomach. At breakfast time the stomach is in a better condition to take care of more food than at the second or third meal of the day. The habit of eating a sparing breakfast and a large dinner is wrong. Make your breakfast correspond more nearly to the heartiest meal of the day.” ounsels on Diet and Foods, 173.

“In every family there should be order, and regular habits. There should be a fixed time to rise in the morning, a time for breakfast, and a time for prayer, either directly before or directly after the morning meal. How appropriate it is for parents to gather their children about them before their fast is broken, and direct their young minds to our heavenly Father, who bestows upon us the bounties of his providence. Let them thank God for protecting them during the night, and ask for help and grace and the watchcare of angels through the day.” The Signs of the Times, August 7, 1884.

“In many families, there is no positive rudeness among the members, only a lack of those simple, affectionate attentions which awaken a spontaneous return; a want of that consideration and gentleness of demeanor which are well-springs of comfort in every household. The well-bred host does not fail to bid his guest ‘Good night,’ and ‘Good morning;’ why should not this simple expression of good feeling be always exchanged between parents and children? The kindly morning greeting will often nip in the bud some rising fretfulness; and the pleasant ‘Good-by,’ from old and young, when leaving the house for office, shop, or school, is a fragrant memory through the day of separation. When the family gather alone around breakfast or dinner table, the same courtesy should prevail as if guests were present. Reproof, complaint, unpleasant discussion, and scandal, no less than moody silence, should be banished. Let the conversation be genial, and suited to the little folks as far as possible.” The Health Reformer, February 1, 1874.

Potato Waffles or Pancakes

6–8 potatoes, grated

1/2 onion, grated

1 Tablespoon flour

1 teaspoon salt

Equivalent substitute for 2 eggs

Squeeze the water out of the potatoes. Add all other ingredients and mix thoroughly. Place in a prepared waffle iron and bake until done, or cook as pancakes. Serve with lots of applesauce.

Tofu Omelet

1 brick of firm tofu

1 small clove garlic, pressed

1 Tablespoon minced green onion

1/8 teaspoon turmeric

Salt to taste fillings of choice.

Grate the tofu and then very gently mix in the seasonings (garlic, onion, turmeric, and salt). The long strands of tofu create a lattice that gives the omelet structural integrity. Once the tofu is mixed, pour off any water that has collected in the bottom of the bowl, and then arrange the mixture in two omelet-shaped patties on a heated, oiled nonstick or well-seasoned skillet. Cook the omelets at a medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes, until much of the moisture is evaporated and the edges look a bit dry. Add your choice of filling, fold and serve.

Food for Life – Tofu Tacos

“Some are called to what are looked upon as humble duties—it may be, to cook. But the science of cooking is not a small matter. The skillful preparation of food is one of the most essential arts, standing above music teaching or dressmaking. By this I do not mean to discount music teaching or dressmaking, for they are essential. But more important still is the art of preparing food so that it is both healthful and appetizing. This art should be regarded as the most valuable of all the arts, because it is so closely connected with life. It should receive more attention; for in order to make good blood, the system requires good food. The foundation of that which keeps people in health is the medical missionary work of good cooking.

“Often health reform is made health deform by the unpalatable preparation of food. The lack of knowledge regarding healthful cookery must be remedied before health reform is a success.

“Good cooks are few. Many, many mothers need to take lessons in cooking, that they may set before the family well-prepared, neatly served food.

“Before children take lessons on the organ or the piano they should be given lessons in cooking. The work of learning to cook need not exclude music, but to learn music is of less importance than to learn how to prepare food that is wholesome and appetizing.

“Your daughters may love music, and this may be all right; it may add to the happiness of the family; but the knowledge of music without the knowledge of cookery, is not worth much. When your daughters have families of their own, an understanding of music and fancywork will not provide for the table a well-cooked dinner, prepared with nicety, so that they will not blush to place it before their most esteemed friends. Mothers, yours is a sacred work. May God help you to take it up with His glory in view, and work earnestly, patiently, and lovingly, for the present and future good of your children, having an eye single to the glory of God.” Counsels on Diet and Foods, 263, 264.

Tofu Tacos

1 pound firm or very firm tofu, cubed

1 medium onion, finely chopped

3 cloves fresh garlic, finely minced

1/3 cup Bragg Liquid Aminos or soy sauce

1/3 cup nutritional yeast

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1 Tablespoon chicken-like seasoning

olive oil

Cook all together on a Teflon griddle.

Serve with corn tortilla shells, salsa and soy sour cream. You may also add fresh tomatoes, olives, green onions and chopped lettuce.

Food for Life – Tofu Pecan Loaf

The meat diet is the serious question. Shall human beings live on the flesh of dead animals? The answer, from the light that God has given is, No, decidedly No. Health reform institutions should educate on this question. Physicians who claim to understand the human organism ought not to encourage their patients to subsist on the flesh of dead animals. They should point out the increase of disease in the animal kingdom. The testimony of examiners is that very few animals are free from disease, and that the practice of eating largely of meat is contracting diseases of all kinds,—cancers, tumors, scrofula, tuberculosis, and numbers of other like affections.” Counsels on Diet and Foods, 388.

Tofu is an excellent substitute for meat and dairy products in many vegetarian recipes. There are two basic types of tofu. Silken tofu is soft and can be utilized as an ideal additive for dressings, sauces, and in dairy-free versions of ice cream or cheesecake. Firm tofu, on the other hand, comes in a more solid form. It can be stir-fried, grilled, scrambled, pickled, smoked, baked or barbecued.

Easy to digest, tofu is high in protein and calcium, low in saturated fat and salt, and free of cholesterol. Tofu is also a superior source of magnesium, iron, zinc, and Vitamin B. Documentation of the nutritional benefits of tofu continues to accumulate. More tofu in the diet means fewer cancers and less heart disease. More tofu also means a lower risk of osteoporosis, and for women, eating a lot of tofu translates to an escape from the symptoms so popularly tied to menopause (in the Western Hemisphere).

Tofu Pecan Loaf

1 cup bread crumbs

1 cup soy milk

Soak bread crumbs in milk for 10–15 minutes. Then add:

16-ounce block tofu, mashed

1 cup oats

1 large onion, chopped

1 cup pecans, finely chopped

4 Tablespoons soy flour

2 Tablespoons Bragg Liquid Aminos

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

Mix all ingredients together well then let stand for 5 minutes. Place mixture in a Pam-sprayed or lightly oiled loaf pan. Bake at 375 degrees for one hour, until set in the middle.

A friend of Steps to Life, Margaret Murray enjoys reading LandMarks and watching sermon videos on Sabbath. She lives on the Sussex Coast at Eastbourne, England.

Do you have a favorite vegan recipe you are willing to share with LandMarks’ readers? Send it to us with a photo of you, if available, and a two or three line bio. We will consider all submissions. Send to the address below or by e-mail at: landmarks@stepstolife.org.

LandMarks Recipes
Steps to Life Ministry
P.O. Box 782828
Wichita, KS 67278

Recipe – Tofu Salad Dressing

Tofu, medium firm (16 oz.)

¼ cup fresh tomato

1/8 cup water

¼ cup fresh red bell pepper

2 Tbsp. olive oil

¼ cup fresh lemon juice, to taste

½ tsp. salt, to taste

¼ tsp. onion powder

¼ tsp. garlic powder

Blend the ingredients, except the lemon juice, until smooth. Pour into glass jar and gently stir in lemon juice and cover.

Recipe – Marinated Baked Tofu

1 16 oz. brick tofu

1 Tbsp. chicken-like seasoning

2 Tbsp. Bragg’s Liquid Aminos

Dice the tofu and place in a bowl with the seasoning. Toss to coat evenly. Place the seasoned tofu on an oiled cookie sheet and bake at 400 degrees for 10-15 minutes, or until lightly browned. This can be frozen; if frozen it becomes more the texture of meat.

Submitted by Blythe Hoppe and used by permission of Best Gourmet Recipes from the chefs of Five Loaves Deli & Bakery (Neva Brackett, Published December 1, 1999, by Jim Bracket).

Food – The Protein Myth

If you’re worried about getting enough protein on a vegetarian diet, you may be in for a surprise. The truth is, most Americans get way too much protein, and vegetarians can easily get more than enough protein in their diet as well. Many people still believe that protein is only available from meat and animal sources and we will all fall over dead without animal protein! However, Harvard scientists recently completed a study finding that eating a single serving of red meat each day increases your risk of early death, and factory-farmed chicken, often touted as a healthier alternative to beef, can be contaminated with E. coli bacteria that can give you urinary tract infections.

The idea that protein comes only from meat is a myth. Nearly all foods contain small amounts of protein, and it’s very easy to get your daily protein requirements from beans, grains, nuts, and vegetables, which have less cholesterol and fat than meat and are usually cheaper. All vegetables contain between 1 and 2 g of protein per cup. The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that women get 46 grams (g) of protein each day and that men get 56 g.

Beans and lentils are the cheapest source of protein, providing 12 to 14 g per cup of cooked beans and 18 g per cup of cooked lentils. White beans taste delicious in pasta; garbanzo or edamame in stir-fries; black beans and pinto in burritos, tacos, and quesadillas; and lentils or kidney are great in salads and whole grain pita lunches.

Nuts provide 3 to 7 g of protein per 1/3-cup serving, depending on the type (peanuts and pine nuts have the most). Seeds give 2 to 5 g per 1/3-cup serving, depending on type. Almonds, walnuts, pecans, pistachios, cashews, and pine nuts are all good vegetarian protein sources. Try a sprinkle of chopped nuts on everything from oatmeal to salad. On the seed side, try pumpkin, sesame, and sunflower.

Tofu and tempeh are also excellent sources of protein. Tempeh has 18 g of protein per serving; tofu has 8 g per serving. If you’re not a fan of tofu or tempeh, you can still reap the protein benefits of soy in soy milk (8 g per glass) and edamame (green soybeans, which have 17 g per cup). Aim for one serving of tofu, soy milk or edamame per day.