Caramel Crispies

I've got a confession to make.

The first set of photos I took of these I deleted from my camera before they ever saw the computer. Oops.

So now that the tray is pretty much done I figured I'd better squeeze in a quick shot before I devoured the last piece, cause this recipe is too tasty not to share. These were originally sort of inspired to be Luna Bar knockoffs(inspired by this recipe), but they turned out to be much better and not like Luna Bars at all. I also topped half the tray in coconut butter(NOT oil!), but that was the half that got eaten first, so no photos for them. But just imagine it's there.

Caramel Crispie Squares

3 cups puffed millet
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup cashew almond butter
1/2 cup agave syrup
1/2 tsp salt
1 scoop Vega chocolate protein powder
2/3 cup coconut butter(not oil), optional

On the stove over medium heat mix together nut butter, agave, salt, and vanilla extract til melted. Pour over millet in a large bowl, and add protein powder. Mix well, then press firmly into a baking pan.

In the same pot you mixed the nut butter in, melt the coconut butter til smooth. Pour over the pan and spread to cover.

Freeze until firm enough to cut into squares.

I liked storing these in the freezer because of the chewy texture it gave them, but the fridge would probably work too!

Crispy Tofu Steaks

I love tofu. For awhile I pretended I didn't, and then for a bit soy kind of freaked me out so I didn't eat it. It seems like evidence in inconclusive(as of right now) that tofu is completely terrible for you, so I'm going to keep eating it til someone proves otherwise. I try to stick to organic soy products only though, since non-organic soy is susceptible to being genetically modified, which is something I'd like to avoid!

I've tried a lot of tofu brands in my day, and contrary to what most people think, tofu does have a subtle flavour, and the flavour is more pronounced depending on brand. My favorite right now is called Soyarie, and it's made in Canada. I usually choose the one with herbs, since who doesn't like extra herbs in everything? It's also pretty cheap at $2.19 a pack, and I'm all about cheap protein!

Tofu works like a flavour sponge, it'll absorb the taste of whatever you put it in. If you're feeling fancy you can press your tofu between two plates(the top one weighted with cans or something), and that'll squeeze some water out to allow room for extra flavour in it. If I do this I usually press it for about an hour, but if you don't feel like it it's not a big deal. Marinating it or using lots of spices usually works great. The smaller you cut your pieces the more flavourful they'll be!

For these tofu steaks I marinaded them for about an hour, then covered them with a Nooch based coating then tossed them in the oven for about 20 minutes. They're great for dipping, or in a salad, or any other way you can think to eat them.

This weekend's the Vegetarian Festival in Toronto, and I've got butterflies! 3 days of vegetable goodness, last year was great and I ate so many samples I pretty much needed to roll home. Hopefully this weekend will be the same!

Crispy Tofu Steaks

1 block extra firm tofu, cut in thirds lengthwise then into triangles

Marinade
1/3 cup soy sauce/tamari
1 tsp garlic powder
1tsp coriander
1 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp onion powder
1 cup water
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Crispy Coating:
1/2 cup Nutritional Yeast
1/4 cup wheat bran
1/4 cup ground flax seed
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt

Combine all marinade ingredients in a tupperware container, then submerge triangles. Leave to marinate for an hour or two.

Stir coating ingredients in a shallow dish, and coat each triangle throughly.

Preheat oven to 400. Place triangles on a baking tray and bake for 15-20 minutes.