I’m all about bright and colorful salads, homemade bean burgers, and pure and simple hummus. Giant green smoothies have been my favorite breakfast for the better part of a year. This year I joined a CSA and have been loving the fresh, local, and organic produce in my weekly share. And then there are times I need me some prepackaged tempeh bacon or a quick, microwavable veggie burger.

Here are my favorite convenient, go-to vegan meats that satisfy each and every time:

Field Roast Apple Maple Breakfast Sausages
Lazy weekend brunches do not feel complete without these delicious morsels. I was never a sausage fan in my omnivorous days, but there is something about these sweet and savory links that is pure heaven (perhaps it’s the fact they are cruelty free!). I enjoy these bad boys as a side to a big tofu scramble.

Lightlife Smokey Tempeh Strips
My longstanding love affair with tempeh bacon began the first time I tried these smokey, savory strips. Whether stuffed into a BLT, chopped into a tofu omelette, or crumbled on a salad, the spot-on flavor cannot be beat. Any time I try and replicate these at home it always falls short. These strips take the cake.

Five Star Foodies Artichoke Burgers
Just recently these locally-made patties have made it into a wider market, so more people can enjoy them. These are the only veggie burgers that have excitedly ended up in my shopping cart in multiples of 3, accompanied by a squeal of joy, because they are that good. A slather of vegan mayo, sprinkling of vegan mozzarella, and a crunchy leaf of romaine are all these babies need to reach peak perfection.

Gardein Chipotle Lime Crispy Fingers
Food nostalgia soars whenever these crispy strips are on the menu. With an added, sophisticated kick of chipotle lime flavor, the perfectly breaded vegan chick’n is the definition of comfort food. Dip them into a chipotle mayo or garlic aioli and let your taste buds revel.

Tofurky Spinach Pesto Sausages
Tofurky’s recent rebranding has brought with it plenty of new and exciting products to try. These spinach pesto sausages made me re-examine the ingredient list upon the first bite. Even though I have faith in the company’s plant-based mission, I was overwhelmed by just how cheesy they taste! These are absolutely perfect for throwing into pasta with red sauce.

What are your favorite, go-to vegan meats?

Reposted with permission from The Offbeat Herbivore. Image via Pexels.

The post My Top 5 Go-To Vegan Meats appeared first on Chic Vegan.

Down-Home Country Tofu Scramble

Ingredients

• 1 block (10 to 12 ounces, or 280 to 340 g) extra- or super-firm tofu, pressed and drained
• 1/4 cup (30 g) nutritional yeast
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 tablespoon (11 g) Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons (28 ml) oil, optional, or vegetable broth
• 2 cups (220 g) shredded potatoes, rinsed in cool water to remove excess starch
• 1 medium yellow onion, julienne cut
• 1 tablespoon (10 g) minced garlic
• 1/2 recipe, “Sweet and Smoky Tempeh Strips” (recipe follows), cut into bite-size chunks
• 1 cup (30 g) baby spinach or any other green
• Pinch black salt, optional, plus more to taste
• Salt, to taste
• Ground black pepper, to taste
• In a small bowl, crumble tofu and toss with nutritional yeast, turmeric, and mustard to coat.

Preparation

In large skillet, heat oil or broth, if using, over medium-high heat. Add potatoes and onion. Saute about 5 minutes, tossing constantly. Add garlic and continue to cook an additional 2 to 3 minutes, or until garlic is fragrant and onion is translucent.

Add tofu and chopped tempeh strips and toss to mix. Continue to cook an additional 5 minutes, or until tofu is heated through. Remove from heat and toss in spinach to wilt. Add black salt and toss. Add salt and pepper, to taste

Veggie Bite 

Tofu Scramble can also be made into an awesome breakfast or brunch casserole by tossing together all the ingredients and spreading in a 9 × 9-inch (23 × 23 cm) baking dish. Sprinkle the top with your favorite shredded nondairy cheese and bake at 350°F (180°C, or gas mark 4), covered with foil, for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 20 minutes, until top is slightly browned and most of the liquid has evaporated.

Sweet and Smoky Tempeh Strips

* Nut free Yield: 18 to 20 pieces

Ingredients

• 1 block (8 ounces, or 227 g) plain soy tempeh
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) liquid smoke
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) mildflavored vegetable oil, optional
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) soy sauce or tamari
• 1 tablespoon (14 g) tightly packed brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika

Preparation

Steam or simmer the tempeh for 20 minutes to reduce bitterness, if desired. Meanwhile, in a bowl, mix remaining ingredients, including the oil, if using, together to make the marinade.

Slice tempeh into thin strips. Mix tempeh and marinade in a shallow dish or a resealable plastic bag and allow to marinate for at least 1 hour in the refrigerator.

Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C, or gas mark 4). Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or reusable silicon baking mat. Arrange tempeh strips in a single layer on the sheet. Pour any excess marinade over the strips.

Bake for 15 minutes, flip, and bake for an additional 15 minutes, or until the tempeh strips are a rich chocolate-brown color, dry but still flexible. Use immediately, or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to use. You can eat the strips cold, or reheat in a toaster oven, microwave, or even pan fry them in a bit of oil to get ’em nice and crispy.

From Going Vegan by Joni Marie Newman and Gerrie Adams. Reprinted by permission from Fair Winds Press.

The post Recipe: Down-Home Country Tofu Scramble with Sweet & Smokey Tempeh Strips appeared first on Chic Vegan.