Tag: holidays

Maple-Kissed Coffee

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If you’re in the mood for a hot drink that doesn’t come from a powder, but don’t want to venture out the door to the barista, it doesn’t take long to make coffee-shop-quality creations at home. If you live in the Niagara area, get your hands on some dark maple syrup for this one–it’ll really up the flavor–and use a bold brew to counteract the sweetness.

maple syrup coffee

Maple-Kissed Coffee

1 1/4 cups brewed coffee
3/4 cup creamy unsweetened nondairy milk, such as So Delicious Coconut Milk
1/4 cup pure maple syrup (I like the dark stuff… or amber, at least)

Put the coffee, nondairy milk, maple syrup, and salt in a medium saucepan. Heat until steaming. Serve warm.

Slow-Baked Thanksgiving Tofu

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Thyme and sage, along with celery and carrot, remind me of the makings of a good Thanksgiving stuffing. Be sure to press out as much liquid from the tofu as possible, which helps it absorb the flavors of the other ingredients. This recipe easily can be doubled and tripled.

Thanksgiving Tofu

Slow-Baked Thanksgiving Tofu

1 (175g/6.1oz) block super-firm tofu
1/2 cup (120mL) celery, diced
1/2 cup (120mL) carrots, peeled and diced
2 shallots, diced
1 to 2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup (60mL) vegetable broth or mushroom broth
2 tablespoons (30mL) extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons (30mL) apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons (10mL) dried thyme leaves
1 teaspoon (5mL) ground sage
Sea or Himalayan salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste

Cut the tofu cross-wise three times to make three slabs. Wrap in paper towels and put on a cutting board. Put a heavy object (such as a plate with a few canned goods on top) on top of it to press out excess liquid. Let sit about 1/2 hour, changing paper towels when they are soaked through.

Preheat the oven to 425 F. After the tofu is pressed, cut each slab into nine cubes. Put in a small glass baking dish with celery, carrots, shallots, and garlic. Add the broth, olive oil, cider vinegar, thyme, sage, and salt and pepper. Mix well. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil, stir the mixture, and bake for an additional 30 to 45 minutes until browned and crispy.

Mushroom Nut Loaf

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This recipe is relatively flexible in terms of the nuts and herbs. I love swapping the pecans and almonds for walnuts and heartnuts, and adding savory and sage to the other herbs, as well.

nut loaf

Mushroom Nut Loaf

2 tablespoons (30mL) extra-virgin olive oil
2 small onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups (480mL) chopped cremini mushrooms
1 cup (240mL) almonds, chopped (see Note)
3/4 cup (180mL) pecans, chopped (see Note)
1 tablespoon (15mL) fresh thyme
1/2 tablespoon (7mL) fresh rosemary
1/2 cup (120mL) apple cider
1/4 cup (60mL) sorghum flour
Sea or Himalayan salt
Freshly ground pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the onions and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, mushrooms and nuts. Cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Stir in the herbs, apple cider, and sorghum flour. Mix until smooth, cooking until the mixture has thickened, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper.

Use a spatula to scrape the mixture into the prepared pan. Bake for 30 minutes, until firm and lightly browned. Let stand at least 20 minutes before turning out of the pan. Serve warm.

Note: Finely chop most the nuts, leaving a couple tablespoons  in tact for a nice crunch. (This is easily done in a food processor). The finer chopping aids in a loaf that stays together when slicing. Similarly, if you unmold it too soon, it will not stay together when slicing.