How It All Vegan!: Irresistible Recipes for an Animal-Free Diet (33 page)

Another amazing tofu transformation. The cries of shock and pleasure should be enough to convince you that this is truly a great recipe.

1 lb extra-firm tofu

½ cup Braggs
or
soy sauce

3-4 tbsp liquid smoke

cup water

1 tbsp onion powder

1 tsp garlic powder
or
1 clove garlic, crushed

1 tbsp pepper

1 tsp sweetener

Cut the drained tofu into long narrow strips (about ¼ inch thickness). They may look big, but they will shrink during baking. In a small bowl, whisk together the Braggs, liquid smoke, water, onion powder, garlic, pepper, and sweetener. Place the tofu strips in a shallow baking pan or on a cookie sheet and pour the marinade over them. Let them marinate for several hours or overnight for best results.

Cook the tofu in a food dehydrator (follow directions) or bake in the oven for about 4-6 hours at 200°F. Turn the tofu over once every hour so it bakes evenly. Continue until the texture is very chewy, but not crispy. Tofu jerky will keep indefinitely. Store in a container with a tight-fitting lid.

CAJUN JERKY

1 lb extra-firm tofu

½ cup Braggs
or
soy sauce

3 tbsp liquid smoke

cup water

1 tbsp
cajun spice

1 tsp sweetener

Cut the drained tofu into long narrow strips (about ¼ inch thickness). They may look big, but they will shrink during baking. In a small bowl, whisk together the Braggs, liquid smoke, water, cajun spice, and sweetener. Place the tofu strips in a shallow baking pan or cookie sheet and pour the marinade over them. Let them marinate for several hours or overnight for best results.

Cook the tofu in a food dehydrator (follow directions) or bake in the oven for about 4-6 hours at 200°F. Turn the tofu over once every hour so it bakes evenly. Continue until the texture is very chewy, but not crispy. Tofu jerky will keep indefinitely. Store in a container with a tight-fitting lid.

HAWAIIAN JERKY

1 lb extra-firm tofu

cup Braggs
or
soy sauce

½ cup pineapple juice

1 tsp powdered ginger

¼ tsp pepper

tsp cayenne

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tbsp sweetener

Cut the drained tofu into long narrow strips (about ¼ inch thickness). They may look big, but they will shrink during baking. In a small bowl, whisk together the Braggs, pineapple juice, ginger, pepper, cayenne, garlic powder, and sweetener. Place the tofu strips in a shallow baking pan or on a cookie sheet and pour the marinade over them. Let them marinate for several hours or overnight for best results.

Cook the tofu in a food dehydrator (follow directions) or bake in the oven for about 4-6 hours at 200°F. Turn the tofu over once every hour so it bakes evenly. Continue until the texture is very chewy, but not crispy. Tofu jerky will keep indefinitely. Store in a container with a tight-fitting lid.

Vegan
Kids Stuff

Some of my fondest childhood memories come from the kitchen. The smells, sounds, and tastes that surrounded me as a child helped me to become the vegan food-lover I am today. I remember sitting on the kitchen table in an apron that covered my feet, food all over my hands and face, helping to pour ingredients into my Mum’s big beige mixing bowl. I felt terribly important and was proud to help.

Children love to lend a hand in the kitchen. We’re all busy trying to do too much in too little time; when it comes to food, we grab a quick bite, order in, or make something that requires only water and a microwave. But that’s not really eating. We need to take the time to slow down and teach ourselves and our children to savour the food we eat, to appreciate what we put into our bodies.

In this chapter we have included recipes that the children in your life can help with and some they can do on their own, as well as activities to keep them busy. We’ve also included tried and true, nummy-yummy recipes to please even the pickiest eater.

Our wish is that you pass on an appreciation for healthy food and spend some time with your kids in the kitchen making memories to last a lifetime.

TIPS FOR FEEDING KIDS

EAT TOGETHER

We’re all busy. Do you occasionally find yourself eating in front of the TV or standing over the stove picking out of a pot? We grab meals when we can. But the single most important thing you can to do to give your kids healthy attitudes toward food is to sit down at the table and eat with them. It’s also important to eat what they’re eating instead of serving separate “grown-up food” and “kid food.” Talk about your meal, how it tastes and smells. Create eating experiences that are significant, happy times that involve conversation and laughter as well as nourishment. Above all, keep your meal free of stressful nagging and criticism.

MONKEY SEE, MONKEY DO

While considering your child’s eating habits, take a good look at your own. Children learn from your example, so you owe it to them, and to yourself, to improve your own eating habits.

• Eat a good, hearty breakfast. A full belly makes for a happy and attentive child.

• Eat your veggies! Let your children see you eating and enjoying raw vegetables.

• Eat healthy snacks. Instead of junk food, nibble on fresh and dried fruit, vegetable sticks, soy yoghurt, and air-popped popcorn. Check
FUN SNACKS FOR KIDS
-
MEALS FOR THE PICKY
for some good snack ideas.

OFFER HEALTHY FOODS

Children won’t crave or beg for cookies and candies if they are never around or offered. Keep around only the foods you want your kids to eat. Have fresh fruit, celery and carrot sticks, radishes, cucumbers, and other vegetables washed, cut, and available in the fridge. In the summer, try
juice popsicles
or to
fudge-sicles
.

DON’T FORBID ANY FODS

This may sound like a contradiction, but it’s best not to make a big deal out of “bad” foods. Even though we wish our kids never touched junk food, let them have it once in awhile, perhaps on special occasions. By allowing kids to eat what they want at birthday parties and school outings, they’ll learn that junk food is something to be eaten sporadically. They’ll also learn the important lesson that these foods can occasionally fit into an overall healthy diet.

HOW MUCH TO EAT

Many parents agonize over how little or how much their children consume. Children whose parents aren’t overly controlling of their food intake are in a better position to regulate how much they eat themselves. Remember that your child is much smaller than you and requires smaller portions. He or she also needs to eat more frequently. A good rule for children under six is to serve one tablespoon of each food item for each year at each meal. For example, serve three tablespoons of applesauce to a three-year-old. Kids’ food intake will vary as their growth speeds up and slows down. Some days they may seem to eat very little, but they will make up for it by eating more the next day or the day after. By letting kids decide when to have more and when they’ve had enough, you are helping them to recognize the internal cues of hunger and fullness. These cues will help them regulate their food intake and weight for life.

Limit fruit juice intake to half a cup per day. Offer juice after meals, and not before when it may curb a child’s appetite for more wholesome foods. Some children may better tolerate white grape juice than apple juice. Offer fresh filtered water at all times. Clean, clear water is the best way to a healthy body.