Vegans?

I've been cooking quite a few dishes from the blog Fat Free Vegan Kitchen. We're not vegans, but I try to cook meatless meals every once in a while. I found the blog while I was looking for a good way to use patty pan squash I had gotten at the farmers' market in Jackson, Mississippi. Turns out the blog author, Susan, is from Jackson! I made her Patty Pan Squash Stuffed with Cajun White Beans and it was fabulous. She probably got her patty pan squash from the same farmer at the market. Anyway, last night I tried her Eggplant and Tofu in Spicy Garlic Sauce, and it is another winner! Both of these meals were so flavorful that we didn't even miss the meat. I served the eggplant dish over brown basmati rice with a side of sauteed zucchini and onions.

I think the key to cooking tofu is to get it crispy and brown on the outside so it has some chewy texture to it and it doesn't feel like mush in your mouth. When I worked at Ruby Chinese in Oxford, Mr. Phat made the BEST deep fried tofu. I don't deep fry it at home, but I try to get that same crispy exterior by baking it in a hot oven or sauteeing it in a hot n0n-stick pan.

This week I plan to make another meal from the Fat Free Vegan's recipe box: Eight-Ball Zucchini Stuffed with Rice, Basil, and Sun-dried Tomatoes. I only have regular zucchinis, not the eight-ball kind so I'll have to make some adjustments. This recipe caught my eye because Chip loves sun-dried tomatoes.

Chip has eaten every bite of these dishes because they are really that good. Do yourself a favor and rediscover veggie cooking!