Fried Tofu Sandwiches and Some Crazy-Awesome Brownie Cookies

Does that make a perfect day or what??  The tofu sandwiches were based on the tofu recipe I made out of the Vegan Vittles cookbook a week or so ago, but we wanted a bit of a different taste and were looking for a sandwich instead of something to dip.



I think we found just the thing.  I had bought some rolls while shopping earlier in the morning, a few pretzel, a few ciabatta, and the pretzel one was calling the hubby's name.  And what better way to top it off then some fresh lettuce, tomato, a bit of mustard sweetened with honey and a freshly fried piece of tofu?  I loved it!

There isn't a real recipe here, because it really is super easy.  Start with a block of extra firm or firm tofu, and then press it to get as much liquid out as possible.  That gives it that dense texture that we have fallen in love with.  See my fantastically elaborate pressing mechanism...hahaha.



Seriously, you just want it to press it, not smash it and it will take about 20 minutes or so.  Then you will have something that looks like this..



See the puddle around it?  Just drain that off and then cut the tofu into whatever size you are looking to fry.  I cut mine for our sandwiches into six equal pieces.  Then, I floured all of the pieces and set them aside.  I mixed about a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar into 1/2 c of almond milk (any milk would do I'm sure) and then mixed about 1 cup of nutritional yeast flakes with seasoning to taste.  I used an all purpose seasoning blend and salt with a little garlic powder mixed in.  Don't go overboard with the salt though because the yeast has a saltier flavor naturally.  I also added the flour into the mix that was left over from flouring the tofu.  Once that is all done, you can heat your oil in a frying pan to medium high.  I would think they could be baked too, but the texture would be different.

So, here's your set up:



Dip the floured tofu into the milk and then into the yeast mixture and then carefully put into the hot oil.  Let it cook about 5-7 minutes each side for a nice crisp.



Once they're browned and crispy, you will need to drain them.  This is the only thing I keep paper towels around for anymore.  Other than that, it's all cloth, so if anyone has any pointers on draining the oil off without paper towels, I am all ears!

After that, all that's left to do is take a bite!



And if you're craving some dessert...I've got just the thing for you!  Head over the Post Punk Kitchen for their Chewy Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies...I would call them a Brownie cookie but it's not my recipe, so they have naming rights.  Whatever you call it, it's delicious!  Post Punk Kitchen really has an amazing collection of recipes that make eating vegan fun!  Even though we're not 100% vegan, it's exciting to eliminate as much of the dairy and animal products we can and this is one of my go-to sites for getting that done.

I will make this again, but I will make some modifications - namely in cutting back the sugar and oil.  I think the ratio could be played with to be a bit healthier but still retain the decadent aspect of the cookie.  If I have some success, I will report back. :)  Also, I did not add chocolate chips and instead swapped that for the chopped walnuts.  Tasted even more like a brownie!  Hope you love them!



One of the best parts of vegan cookie dough...no raw eggs so eat away with zero guilt.  :)  Yay!



I think these could be frozen at this step and be baked fresh in small batches.



Because having cookies this tasty around could be a bit dangerous!  I did freeze what we didn't eat last night.  Not that it's ever stopped me before.  I will eat a frozen cookie if I'm so inclined.

Hope you're having a wonderful day!   Enjoy the pics!

Sheri