Category Archives: Low-Sodium

Yellow Curried Tofu

Yellow Curried TofuWe can thank my Aunt Treva for this delicious curry recipe and for turning me on to cooking Thai food. Makes 4 servings.

4 cups cooked brown rice
1 14-ounce can coconut milk
1 tablespoon palm sugar (or brown sugar)
1 to 2 tablespoons Thai yellow curry paste
1/4 cup chopped mint
1/2 lime
2 cups broccoli florets
1/2 cup sliced carrots
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 12-ounce package firm or extra firm tofu
2 to 3 kaffir lime leaves chopped (optional)

Stir-fry the broccoli and carrots in oil for 3 to 4 minutes, but make sure they stay firm, since they will continue to cook in the sauce later. Set aside.

Combine coconut milk, sugar, yellow curry paste and lime leaves in a wok or large skillet over medium heat. Cook for 5 minutes or until the coconut milk begins to thicken.

Add chopped mint, juice of 1/2 lime, broccoli, carrots and tofu. Cook at a low simmer for 5 to 10 minutes to let the flavors blend together.

Serve with brown rice and additional lime wedges.

Buy the What Dawn Eats: Vegan food that isn’t weird cookbook for more recipes like this one.

Variations

  • Add 1/2 cup chopped pineapple when you add the tofu. If you use pineapple, you might want to reduce or eliminate the sugar.
  • Experiment with other vegetables.
  • Pre-bake the tofu if you want it to be a little more firm.
  • Can easily be made gluten-free.

More information for Yellow Curried Tofu recipe:

  • Prep time: 20 min
  • Cook time: 20 min
  • Total time: 40 min

Spicy Roasted Red Potatoes

I love those cute little red potatoes! Despite the longer cooking times, this is a pretty easy meal to make, and you can always get a little work done around the house while it bakes as long as you remember to swing past the oven a few times to turn them. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

12 small red potatoes cut into quarters
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary
2 cloves minced garlic
dash cayenne pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon red chili pepper flakes
freshly ground black pepper and salt to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Mix all ingredients (except for the potatoes) in a large mixing bowl and set aside while you wash and prepare the potatoes.

Add potatoes to the olive oil mixture and toss to coat. Spread evenly on a baking sheet or pan in single layer with no overlap.

Bake uncovered for 50-60 minutes stirring every 15 minutes.

Buy the What Dawn Eats: Vegan food that isn’t weird cookbook for more recipes like this one.

Variations

  • Add a handful of garlic cloves 15 minutes before the end.
  • Add a few slices of onion.
  • Experiment with other spices. Basil and oregano or sage would be good choices.
  • Naturally low-sodium and gluten-free.

More information for **TITLE** recipe:

  • Prep time: 10 min
  • Cook time: 50 min
  • Total time: 60 min

Traditional Vegan Coleslaw

Traditional Vegan ColeslawThis is the slightly healthier vegan version of the coleslaw that you remember from the picnics and parties of your youth. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Slaw Ingredients

1/2 head of shredded cabbage
1/2 cup shredded carrot

Sauce Ingredients

1/2 teaspoon celery salt
1 teaspoon dried minced onions
1/2 cup vegan mayo
1/4 cup non-dairy milk
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon agave nectar
2 teaspoons dijon or spicy mustard
1 clove minced garlic
freshly ground pepper to taste

Combine all of the sauce ingredients in a small mixing bowl. Stir briskly or whisk until the sauce is smooth and creamy. Add more or less vegan mayo to taste.

Shred the cabbage and carrot and place in a large mixing bowl. Stir in the sauce and toss together to combine. Refrigerate for a couple of hours before serving.

Buy the What Dawn Eats: Vegan food that isn’t weird cookbook for more recipes like this one.

Variations

  • Use a mix of green and purple cabbage for a little color.
  • Add a few other vegetables for more variety.
  • Omit the mustard and replace the celery salt with ground celery seed for a low-sodium version.
  • Can be easily made gluten-free.

More information for Traditional Vegan Coleslaw recipe:

  • Prep time: 15 min
  • Cook time: 0 min
  • Total time: 15 min

Roasted Root Vegetables

This is a great fall and winter meal when you can find a wide variety of fresh and interesting root vegetables at the local market. This recipe is really flexible and forgiving on both ingredients and cooking times, which makes it a great side dish since you don’t have to worry about having it done at exactly the same time as everything else. Makes 4 servings.

2 lbs root vegetables, peeled and cut into 1-2 inch pieces (potatoes, carrots, parsnips, turnips, celeriac, beets*, etc.)
1 medium onion, peeled and cut into 1/3 inch wedges
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon rosemary
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar (more or less to taste)
salt & pepper to taste
1 head garlic, separated into cloves and peeled

Heat oven to 400 degrees.

Combine the olive oil, balsamic, rosemary, salt and pepper in a large mixing bowl.

Toss the vegetables and onion (but not the garlic) with the oil and spices in the large mixing bowl. Remove from the bowl and place the root vegetables and onion in a roasting pan or cookie sheet, but do not crowd or stack the vegetables. Try to get everything in a single layer if possible, which might require an extra sheet or pan.

Roast the mixture for a total of 45-50 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. After the first 15 minutes, scatter the garlic cloves in with the vegetables. Continue stirring every 15 minutes until the vegetables are tender and evenly browned.

Pictured with carrots, red potato, garnet yam, parsnip, rutabaga, golden beet and turnip.

Buy the What Dawn Eats: Vegan food that isn’t weird cookbook for more recipes like this one.

Variations

  • Dinner: To make this into a main meal, serve over a bed of grains or with a side of cooked tofu or tempeh.
  • Try different combinations of vegetables and spices.
  • Add some crushed red pepper to make it a little spicy.
  • Can be easily made gluten-free and low-sodium.

* Note: if you are using red beets, you might want to put them on a separate tray for cooking unless you like having all of the vegetables turn pink.

More information for Roasted Root Vegetables recipe:

  • Prep time: 15 min
  • Cook time: 45 min
  • Total time: 60 min

Mexican Coleslaw

This looks suspiciously like my Thai Coleslaw recipe, but it’s different. Trust me. Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Salad Ingredients

1 small shredded cabbage
1 cup shredded or thinly sliced carrots
1 medium thinly sliced red bell pepper
4 thinly sliced scallions (also called green onions)
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes

Dressing

1/2 teaspoon adobo sauce (or other smoky hot sauce).
2 cloves minced garlic
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons agave nectar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon cumin
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Combine salad ingredients in a bowl.

Combine dressing ingredients in a small container and whisk for 1 minute to combine.

Drizzle sauce over veggies and toss to coat evenly. You might want to add a little more lime juice or vinegar to taste.

Let stand at least 10 minutes or refrigerate until you are ready to serve. Toss again before serving.

Buy the What Dawn Eats: Vegan food that isn’t weird cookbook for more recipes like this one.

Variations

  • Replace carrots and red bell pepper with other colorful vegetables.
  • Add some jicama for additional crunch.
  • Can be easily made low-sodium and gluten-free.

More information for Mexican Coleslaw recipe:

  • Prep time: 20 min
  • Cook time: 0 min
  • Total time: 20 min

Tofu Rancheros

This is one of those all day meals that you can serve as easily for breakfast as you can for dinner. It also gets bonus points for being quick and easy to make. Makes 4 servings.

1 pound tofu (pre-packaged baked tofu or baked firm tofu)
1 15-ounce can black beans (rinsed and drained)
1 15-ounce can vegetarian chili
1 cup salsa
2 cups lettuce
1 cup tomato
1/4 cup vegan sour cream
1/4 cup Mango Guacamole recipe
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

Chop the tofu into 1-inch cubes. Put the chili in a pan on the stove. Add tofu and cook for about 5 minutes or until heated through.

Warm the beans and salsa in separate containers in the microwave or on the stove.

On each plate, spoon the beans into a small pile on one half of the plate and top with chili and salsa. On the other side, add lettuce, tomato, sour cream and guacamole.

Sprinkle the whole thing with chopped cilantro. Serve with tortilla shells or tortilla chips.

Pictured with Cilantro Lime Black Beans and avocado.

Buy the What Dawn Eats: Vegan food that isn’t weird cookbook for more recipes like this one.

Variations

  • Use a can of refried beans or the Cilantro Lime Black Beans in place of the black beans.
  • Add grilled vegetables.
  • Replace the guacamole with sliced avocado.
  • Serve over a bed of Spanish rice.
  • Use 1 recipe of Baked Mexican Marinated Tofu and serve separately, instead of cooking in the chili.
  • You could make a low-sodium version with low salt chili and beans and going light on the sour cream.
  • Can be easily made gluten-free.

More information for Tofu Rancheros recipe:

  • Prep time: 10 min
  • Cook time: 5 min
  • Total time: 15 min

Cilantro Lime Black Beans

How can you go wrong with cilantro and lime? These beans are great served alone, in tacos, with some tortilla chips for dipping, or along with some fajitas. Makes 4 as a servings as a small side dish.

2 cans black beans
1-2 tablespoons oil to taste
juice of 1 lime
2 cloves minced garlic
2 tablespoons tomato juice
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Drain and rinse the black beans. Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook for at least 5 minutes stirring occasionally or until heated through.

At this point, you can serve the beans, but I like to cook them over low heat for closer to 30 minutes or until the beans start to fall apart and become the consistency of refried beans.

Buy the What Dawn Eats: Vegan food that isn’t weird cookbook for more recipes like this one.

More information for Cilantro Lime Black Beans recipe:

  • Prep time: 5 min
  • Cook time: 5 min
  • Total time: 10 min

Variations

  • Add some tomato or onion.
  • Can be easily made low-sodium and gluten-free.

Thai Coleslaw

This is an easy, but tasty addition to any 4th of July picnic or potluck, but I also make this at home as a side dish for any Asian meal. I’m probably violating some international cooking code of conduct, but the Thai Coleslaw goes particularly well with Korean Stir-Fried Noodles (or any other Asian noodle dish). Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Salad Ingredients

1 small shredded cabbage
1 small thinly sliced red bell pepper
1/2 cup thinly sliced snow peas
4 thinly sliced scallions (green onions)
20 leaves fresh basil, shredded
crushed peanuts

Dressing

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes or more to taste.
2 cloves minced garlic
1/4 cup rice vinegar
2 tablespoons agave nectar
1 tablespoon tamari
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
juice of 1/2 lime

Combine cabbage, red bell pepper, snow peas, scallions and basil in a large mixing bowl. Toss to mix the vegetables.

Combine dressing ingredients in a small container and whisk for 1 minute to combine.

Drizzle sauce over veggies and toss to coat evenly. You might want to add a little more tamari and rice vinegar to taste depending the size of your cabbage.

Let stand at least 10 minutes or refrigerate until you are ready to serve. Toss again before serving and garnish with peanuts.

Buy the What Dawn Eats: Vegan food that isn’t weird cookbook for more recipes like this one.

Variations

  • Use sesame seeds instead of peanuts or omit the nuts entirely for people with allergies.
  • Replace snow peas and red bell pepper with other colorful vegetables (carrots, yellow / orange peppers, etc.)
  • Use seedless cucumber or snap peas instead of the sliced snow peas.
  • To make a low-sodium version, use unsalted nuts and replace the tamari with a little extra rice vinegar and toasted sesame oil.
  • Can be easily made gluten-free.

More information for Thai Coleslaw recipe:

  • Prep time: 20 min
  • Cook time: 0 min
  • Total time: 20 min

Grilled Vegetables and Tofu

Grilling is a great way to spend a warm summer evening, since you move the cooking outside and get to enjoy some great summer weather. If you have a big enough grill, make a few extra veggies and keep them around for lunches or to add to other meals. Makes 4 servings.

1 14-ounce package of firm or extra firm tofu
2 batches of Italian Marinade
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 sliced medium eggplant
1 sliced red bell pepper
2 small sliced zucchini
1 onion cut into wedges
8 white button or crimini mushrooms

To make the tofu, follow the instructions for the Soy Marinated Tofu to press the tofu. Instead of the Soy Marinade, you will be marinating it in one of the 2 batches of Italian Marinade. Also eliminate the baking step, since you will be grilling the tofu in a later step instead of baking it.

Turn the grill on over medium high heat.

Put the mushrooms and onion onto skewers to keep pieces of them from falling through the grate. Place all of the vegetables on a tray and brush with olive oil and some Italian Marinade.

If your grill doesn’t have a warming grate above the main grate, you might want to place a plate in the oven and turn it on to 125 degrees to keep any veggies warm that cook more quickly than the others.

Place all of the veggies on the grill or cook in batches. Cook for about 10 to 15 minutes turning the vegetables over after 5 to 7 minutes. Keep a close eye on the vegetables, since they can burn quickly and different grills vary widely in temperatures and cooking times.

Buy the What Dawn Eats: Vegan food that isn’t weird cookbook for more recipes like this one.

Variations

  • Experiment with all kinds of different vegetables.
  • Simple Dipping Sauce: Instead of using the marinade, brush the vegetables with olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Serve with Vietnamese Peanut Sauce, Thai Peanut Sauce, Tahini Sauce or Soy Ginger Dipping Sauce.
  • Balsamic: Instead of using the marinade, brush the vegetables with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Add salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.
  • Citrus: Instead of using the marinade, brush the vegetables with olive oil. Add salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Squeeze some fresh lemon or lime juice on the veggies.
  • Replace the Italian Marinade with Asian Soy Marinade.
  • Can be easily made low-sodium and gluten-free.

More information for Grilled Vegetables and Tofu recipe:

  • Prep time: 30 min
  • Cook time: 15 min
  • Total time: 45 min

Baked Mexican Marinated Tofu

Mexican Marinade

Warning! This Mexican marinade is spicy, but it has a delicious chipotle, lime and cilantro flavor. See the Mexican Marinated tofu recipe below for details about using the marinade.

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
juice of 1 lime
juice of 1 orange
1/4 cup fresh chopped cilantro
3 cloves minced garlic
1 teaspoon dried minced onions
1 teaspoon cumin
3 chopped chipotle chili peppers in adobo sauce
1 teaspoon adobo sauce

Combine all ingredients and stir or whisk to combine.

Variations

  • Dial back on the chipotle peppers if you want something a little less spicy.
  • You could also substitute your favorite spicy chipotle hot sauce to taste in place of the chili peppers and adobo.
  • Use this marinade to brush on vegetables before you grill them for a Mexican grilled vegetable meal.
  • Can easily be made gluten-free and low-sodium.

More information for Mexican Marinade recipe:

  • Prep time: 15 min
  • Total time: 15 min

Baked Mexican Marinated Tofu

I use this tofu in tacos, burritos, nacho salads or any other Mexican meal. The Enchilada Casserole is one of my recipes that uses this Baked Mexican Marinated Tofu. Makes 2 to 4 servings.

1 14 ounce package of firm or extra firm tofu
1 batch Mexican Marinade recipe (see above)
vegetable oil

Slice the tofu into 4 or 5 even pieces. Press the tofu to reduce excess moisture by placing a towel on the counter and wrapping the tofu in the towel*. Place a cutting board on top of the tofu and place something heavy on top (cast iron skillet, a couple of cans of tomatoes, etc.) Let sit for 5 minutes. Rearrange the tofu to a dry part of the towel or on a new towel, and press again for about 5 minutes.

Place the tofu in a plastic zipper bag or shallow container. Pour the Mexican Marinade over the tofu and make sure all of the tofu is covered. Marinade for 1 to 3 hours turning the tofu a few times to make sure that all sides are evenly marinated.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Spray or brush a little oil on a cookie sheet. Place the tofu on the oiled cookie sheet. Bake for 20 minutes turning once after the first 10 minutes.

Variations

  • Experiment with other marinades.
  • If you like your tofu less soft in the middle, bake it at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes, again turning them over at the halfway mark.
  • This is also excellent when cooked on the grill.
  • Pan Fried Tofu: spray or brush a large, heavy skillet with a small amount of oil. Over medium heat, add the tofu and cook for 5 to 10 minutes on each side.
  • Can be easily made low-sodium and gluten-free.

More information for Baked Mexican Marinated Tofu recipe:

  • Prep time: 10 min
  • Cook time: 20 min
  • Total time: 30 min

* Note: If you have fuzzy kitchen towels, you’ll probably want to wrap it in a paper towel first to avoid getting fuzzy lint on your tofu.