Tofu Ham Benny with Zoomie Hollandaise Sauce
Tofu Ham Benny with Zoomie Hollandaise Sauce. Recipe by Chef Linda of Esther's Kitchen.
Tofu Ham Benny with Zoomie Hollandaise Sauce
Recipe courtesy of Chef Linda of Esther's Kitchen!
For all you Hollandaise sauce lovers, here’s a zoomie fast way to make it. Egg-free mayo creates a thick and creamy base in this recipe. This sauce is tasty on asparagus too!
Tofu Benny Assembly:
1. Make Esther’s Tofu Sliced Ham or purchase meatless ham deli slices or meatless Canadian bacon, such as YVES brand.
2. Sauté spinach.
3. Make the Esther Approved Hollandaise Sauce.
4. Toast Esther Approved English muffins and spread with nondairy butter.
5. Place some of the sautéed spinach on each toasted English muffin. Add a slice of Esther’s Tofu Sliced Ham on the spinach. Add the Zoomie Hollandaise sauce, black pepper and chives.
Zoomie Hollandaise Sauce
Cuisine: Esther Approved, Non-dairy sauce, egg-free (can be made soy-free or gluten-free depending on mayo ingredients).
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Yields: 1/2 cup
Author: Chef Linda | Esther's Kitchen
Ingredients:
1 Tablespoon nondairy butter
1/2 cup egg-free mayonnaise
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/8-1/4 teaspoon Kala Namak black salt, to taste
Preparation:
1. Melt the nondairy butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the egg-free mayonnaise, onion powder, ground turmeric, and lemon juice. Heat until the sauce is warmed. Do not simmer or boil. Turn off the burner. Stir in the Kala Namak black salt to add an eggy tasting finish.
Esther’s Tofu Sliced Ham
Cuisine: Esther Approved Ham Alternative, Contains Soy
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Marinade Time: 2 hours or overnight
Yields: 15 slices
Author: Chef Linda | Esther's Kitchen
Tofu Ham Ingredients:
16 ounces (1 lb) super firm tofu, drained, sliced into 1/4” thick pieces, pat each slice with a towel to remove excess water.
1 teaspoon tamari sauce or Braggs liquid aminos
2 teaspoons liquid smoke
2 Tablespoons vegan light brown sugar
1 Tablespoon nutritional yeast
1/4 teaspoon beet root powder (This adds PINK colour. If you don’t have it, omit it.)
1/2 teaspoon dragonfruit/pitaya powder (This adds PINK colour. If you don’t have it, omit it.)
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
3/4 teaspoon salt
Glaze
Heat glaze ingredients after the marinating time on the stove,
just until the vegan butter is melted. Set aside.
Glaze Ingredients:
1 Tablespoon vegan butter
1 Tablespoon vegan brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Dash onion powder
1 teaspoon liquid smoke
Preparation:
1. Combine the tamari, liquid smoke, brown sugar, nutritional yeast, beet root powder, dragonfruit/pitaya powder, black pepper and salt in a bowl.
2. Arrange the tofu slices in a baking dish. Brush the marinade on the tofu. Flip the tofu over and brush this side. Stack 3 or 5 pieces on each other. Marinate for 2 hours in the refrigerator or overnight is best for optimum flavour. Turn the tofu occasionally during the marinating time.
3. Fry Option - Melt neutral tasting vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the tofu on each side for 5 minutes or until desired crispiness, flipping once. Brush warm glaze on top. Continue to cook until the glaze is to your liking. Serve
4. Baked Option - Lightly grease a baking dish to fit the tofu. Lay the tofu slices on each other like fallen dominoes. Drizzle the glaze on the tofu. Broil uncovered at 500F for 10 minutes or until the tops are crispy. Keep an eye on the tofu under the broiler. Broil time can vary with ovens. Serve
5. This Tofu Ham can be refrigerated for ham style sandwiches for up to 3 days. Super firm tofu is recommended for the rubbery ham texture.
ENJOY!
Esther's Eggy Tofu Scramble!
Esther’s Eggy Tofu Scramble. Recipe by Chef Linda of Esther's Kitchen.
Esther’s Eggy Tofu Scramble with Chive Flowers + Chives + fresh grated Violife Parmesan + Arugula + Tomatoes + Almond butter on whole grain bread.
Recipe courtesy of Chef Linda of Esther's Kitchen!
Esther’s Eggy Tofu Scramble
Cuisine: Esther Approved Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Egg-free, Gluten-free, Contains Soy
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 8 minutes
Yields: 2-4 servings
Author: Chef Linda | Esther's Kitchen
Ingredients:
14 oz/397g package organic firm tofu, drained and not pressed
2 teaspoons Adobo seasoning (Frontier Co-op Organic Adobo Seasoning-Authentic Garlic & Pepper Blend was used)
1/8 teaspoon ground turmeric * 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 Tablespoon dairy-free butter
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
3 Tablespoons warm water, divided
Kala Namak salt to taste and add an eggy flavor
Instructions:
1. Break up the tofu in chunks with your fingers and add it to a glass mixing bowl. Add the Adobo seasoning, ground turmeric and black pepper. Gently stir with a silicone spatula.
2. Heat a nonstick sauté pan over medium heat. Melt the 1 Tablespoon of dairy-free butter in the pan. Add the tofu and 2 Tablespoons of warm water. The tofu will be runny in the beginning. The water will evaporate as it cooks. Sauté the tofu scramble on medium heat for about 6 minutes.
3. Stir in the nutritional yeast and remaining 1 Tablespoon of water. Cook for 1 more minute.
4. For an eggy flavor, add Kala Namak salt at serving. Store the cooked scramble in the fridge for 2 days.
ENJOY!
The Advertising Campaign
It has been a while since we’ve posted to our blog. We’ve been really, really busy with a major advertising campaign and community outreach program that has been in the planning phase for many, many weeks.
A mock-up of the exterior ad face of a Toronto transit shelter.
What We’ve Been Up To!
It has been a while since we’ve posted to our blog. We’ve been really busy with a major advertising campaign and community outreach program that has been in the planning phase for many weeks.
And as of Easter Monday, that campaign has launched! We’re very, very excited and proud of what we’ve accomplished and we wanted to share with our readers all the details.
Creative for interior ad faces.
Outdoor Advertising
We have placed 42 transit shelter posters in key locations throughout the city of Toronto - North America’s fourth largest urban centre. There are two versions of the creative. The first one (seen in the mock-up above) is for exterior faces where sight-lines are long and read times are short. The other creative is for interior faces only and contains a multitude of descriptions about the many illnesses and conditions hens forced to lay eggs endure. The central image is of a “spent” hen whom we’ve called “Lucy”. Lucy is representative of the millions of hens condemned to lay eggs in barns all over the world. Our campaign is using the hashtag #thisislucy.
This campaign will run for 4 weeks with a 2 week bonus. We already have some local followers who have spotted our posters and have begun sending us their selfies alongside them.
We hope in the coming weeks, the millions of commuters who will see these posters will appreciate the realities of egg production and will visit our website, begin to look for alternatives and make compassionate food choices going forward.
“Egg-Free Get Started!”
On Saturday, April 27th, 17,500 copies of our egg-free starter kit will be distributed through The Toronto Star - Canada’s largest circulation newspaper! This full-colour, 8-page, digest sized booklet will feature delicious egg-free recipes and baking tips, a chance to meet Lady Heisenberg of Happily Ever Esther Farm Sanctuary along with an invitation to visit the farm. Our booklet will also include information on the truth about modern day egg production.
A sample of our 8-page, full-colour booklet.
On the back cover, and with the courtesy of the good folks at Follow Your Heart, there is a $1 OFF coupon for any Follow Your Heart or Earth Island product including VeganEgg! These delicious, cruelty-free products are now available in most major grocery store chains and specialty grocery stores in Toronto.
Social Media
Starting Tuesday, April 23rd, a major social media ad campaign on Facebook and Instagram will invite users to visit a dedicated page on our website where Lucy asks them to “Leave Eggs OFF their plate . . . for HER!”. There will be additional animal welfare information related to egg production, links to other information on our website and a PDF, downloadable version of the 8-page booklet which we have also made available for our readers here. Note: only the colour, printed version inserted into the Toronto Star has the $1 OFF coupon - if you are in the Toronto area, be sure to try and pick up a copy of the Saturday edition of The Star.
Image courtesy of Vegan Outreach.
Street Campaigns
With the assistance of the volunteers at Cube of Truth, we will be conducting an ‘Egg-Cube-of-Truth’ at two major intersections in downtown and midtown Toronto: Yonge-Dundas Square and Yonge & Eglinton on Friday, May 3rd. Here passer’s-by will be able to view video of standard industry practices at hatcheries, layer facilities and slaughter houses. They will also be offered a copy of our 8-page booklet.
In early May, Vegan Outreach will be leafleting our booklet in several key locations in Toronto as well. We anticipate they will be able to distribute approximately 1500 booklets!
In addition to helping to educate consumers about the true nature of egg production and create awareness around egg-free alternatives, we hope to demonstrate the impact our campaign will have. If we can establish proof-of-concept, we hope to be able replicate this same campaign in other cities across North America with the support of donors.
If you would like more information on our campaign, please feel free to reach us via our Contact Us page. We are always receptive to those seeking to help coordinate other efforts in other locations across Canada and the U.S.
Best regards,
Nigel Osborne
Executive Dir., Egg-Truth
Confessions of an Ad Agency Insider
It was about 25 years ago. Right around the time that eggs were declared "poison in a shell" . . .
It was about 25 years ago. Right around the time that eggs were declared "poison in a shell", that, almost overnight, cholesterol became the scapegoat for seemingly everything from heart disease to dandruff.
This was a huge problem for the Canadian Egg Marketing Board and they were my client so this became a huge problem for me. I worked for an advertising agency at the time that counted several marketing boards (milk, chicken and egg) among their clients.
When the news hit that eggs were going to be the death of us all, we sprung into action. One of the first things we did was fund a study at a local university. This study, not surprisingly, concluded that eggs, eaten in moderation (which translated to one a day) posed no health risk and was even beneficial.
“So, what propaganda does the egg industry rely on to promote their commercial interests? . . . the red herring is a misplaced focus on elevated fasting levels of LDL cholesterol as the main or only harmful effect of dietary cholesterol”. The real concern is how, and when, blood cholesterol levels are measured as an indicator of health concerns.”
Armed with these "facts", we proceeded to discredit every other study published on the subject. We had an "expert" scientist on the payroll and we made a lot of noise. The truth about eggs and health were never questioned....it didn't matter. Sales were going to be affected and that had to be stopped. This fear of falling revenues was responsible for a lot of very questionable, hanging-by-a-thread-of-truth marketing. And I was responsible for a lot of it. It wasn't just eggs, the dairy industry was notorious for disseminating half-truths cloaked in clever marketing messages, too.
The AEB (Amercian Egg Board) claims about egg safety found to be patently false, misleading, and deceptive by the U.S. Court of Appeals.
I remember sitting around a boardroom table trying to figure out a way to increase sales of fluid milk in a declining market threatened almost daily by the emergence of damaging science and the launch of plant-based milk alternatives. We came up with what we called the "drop" campaign. We knew that trying to get people to drink more milk by the glassful would be a hard sell, but if we could convince people to use a 1/4 cup here and a tablespoon there, they would still have to purchase it in larger volume packaging and we could slow the decline in sales.
The American Board’s primary purpose is to market and promote increased egg consumption to the consumer on behalf of its members - the egg farmers of America.
Canada’s new food guide drops dairy as a food group and introduces plant-based sources to obtain protein. While eggs and some dairy remain in the “protein” category, they are significantly reduced relative to previous decades of food guides.
The idea was to come up with a dozen or so food items, like pancakes, mac'n cheese and scrambled eggs, that were objectively better when made with dairy milk than, say, water! Sounds easy, right? We hired a professional chef and proceeded to taste test the recipes made with dairy milk, and, with what we laughed at at the time, water. Here's the problem. There was almost no difference except for the embarrassing "never to leave this room" realization that more than a few dishes made with water were preferred in blind taste tests to the same dish made with dairy milk! Not really sticklers for truth in advertising, we proceeded with the campaign and, no doubt, convinced a whole lot of people that these dishes are infinitely better, both from a taste point-of-view, and nutritionally, when made with milk - even if it was only 1 tablespoon of milk! It may seem like a small thing...making pancakes with milk instead of water, but it was part of a larger problem of ignoring the facts to safeguard the profits. And animal welfare was never an issue. Not discussed even once. This willingness to ignore what doesn't serve the bottom line is finally starting to crumble. Canada's new Food Guide is hard proof of this. And no doubt the marketing boards I once willingly mislead the public for are now very, very scared. I couldn't be happier.
This blog post was submitted by “Janet”, whose name and identity has been concealed upon request. “Janet” was an Account Manager and Copywriter at an ad agency in Toronto hired by the Canadian Egg Farmers.
Eggs Over (dis-)Easy?
(The USDA has been) warning egg producers against the illegal use of false or misleading advertising . . .
In this eight-minute video from Nutrition Facts, consumerist collusion between the USDA and the egg industry are revealed via documents sourced through the Freedom of Information Act. Warning egg producers against the illegal use of false or misleading advertising, the USDA repeatedly advises substitution for the words "safe", "healthy", and "nutritious":
It is no surprise that egg yolks are high in cholesterol, and that eggs are calorie bombs given that their evolutionary purpose is to feed a growing embryo. It is also no surprise that those with a vested financial interest in the production of eggs would seek to ameliorate any negative connotation with their brand or product. What is surprising is the level of self-awareness these companies seem to have about the atrocities they're committing, not only with regard to the health of the humans consuming eggs but also the treatment of the hens to whom they owe their livelihood. What's also surprising is that taxpayers are helping foot the bill for their own manipulation.
A review by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission deems advertising by the egg industy is “false, misleading or deceptive”.
These documents between the USDA and egg companies demonstrate that the federal government has a hand in shaping public perception, re-framing words ("healthy" is now "nutritionally-dense"; "safe" is now "fresh") in what I can only describe as a blatant attempt to pull the wool over our eyes. What's in it for them? What is the financial or moral hook on which the USDA is hanging its cap? Surely fielding such questions and offering alternative verbiage carries a cost to the USDA, an organization so woefully understaffed that poultry farm inspections were given over to farm employees in 2014 due to nationwide USDA inspector shortages.
Denial is a powerful thing, and cognitive dissonance can only be stomached for so long. With these ideas in mind, I had wrongfully assumed that industrial agriculturalists as a whole had all but gone numb to the idea of psychological nuance, patting themselves on the back for a bottom line honestly achieved through good ol' fashioned farm work. Sure you gotta make the cartoon chicken look happy and the farm in the background blood-free. Consumerists can get "overwhelmed" otherwise... but to have the blatant suggestion that advertising should not depict scenes that are "too industrial"--battery cages, large warehouses filled with eggs, machinery, etc.--demonstrates that their willingness to manipulate the psyche of the consumer precedes their concern with demonstrating sterility and mechanized efficiency, reducing hens to units on a Henry Ford production line.
Wow. The fact that these companies are still having to mitigate consumer feelings for the hen after all that commodification and utilitarian production speaks volumes to the innate strength of empathy in avian-human connection. I guess that's the silver lining here. Bottom line, egg consumption can lead to heart disease, and perhaps even worse, heart dis-ease: that achy feeling that creeps in when empathy is swallowed by dissociation.
This blog post is re-published with the permission of Elizbeth M. Burton-Crow, Ph.D.
Egg-Blog contributor: Elizabeth M. Burton-Crow, Ph.D. currently works at the Depth Psychology Program, Pacifica Graduate Institute. Elizabeth does research in Philosophy of Science, Ecopsychology, and Trans-species Ethics. Her current project is 'Poultry, Parrots, and People: Exploring Psyche Through the Lens of Avian Captivity'. Dr. Crow is also a facuity member of The Kerulos Center for Nonviolence
Cheezy Old Bay Scrambled Eggz!
This breakfast will keep me full for most of the day. Recipe by Chef Linda of Esther's Kitchen.
Cheezy Old Bay Scrambled Eggz + Field Roast maple breakfast sausage + sourdough toast + sliced mandarin + fair trade Mexican coffee + Ripple half & half
What Esther Approved, vegan option did you have for breakfast?
This breakfast will keep me full for most of the day. I’ll eat fruit and drink water until a late lunch. This Esther Approved plate of food has 28g protein, 375 calories, 9g fat and 6g fiber. I eat vitamin C rich foods, such as this mandarin to help my body absorb the non-heme iron in this meal: To learn more, click here.
I grew up on the Eastern Shore of the US. I would sometimes eat cheesy scrambled chicken eggs with Old Bay that my Mom would make for my family. You will see Old Bay and other seafood seasoning in recipes on the Eastern Shore. Old Bay is available in Canada too.
These Cheezy Old Bay Scrambled Eggz taste just like the ones I grew up with as a youth. Tofu, nutritional yeast, Esther’s Cashew Parmesan, vegan butter and vegan cheddar cheeze shreds replace the old ingredients. You can also use a commercial vegan parmesan cheeze. Follow Your Heart, Earth Island (in Canada), Violife, Parma, Go Veggie! have a parmesan option.
xo
Chef Linda
Recipe courtesy of Chef Linda of Esther's Kitchen!
Cheezy Old Bay Scrambled Eggz
Cuisine: Esther Approved Egg Alternative, Gluten-free, Contains Soy
Yields: 2 (4 oz) servings
Prep Time: 8 minutes
Cook Time: 4 minutes
Author: Chef Linda | Esther's Kitchen
Ingredients:
8 oz block extra firm tofu, drained, unsqueezed, crumbled lightly with hand masher or fork
2 Tablespoons nutritional yeast
2 Tablespoons prepared Cashew Parmesan (see recipes below)
Couple grinds of black pepper
Dash of ground turmeric, optional for color
1/2 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning, plus more at serving
Small pat of vegan butter for cooking
2 Tablespoons vegan cheddar shreds, use more if you want hog wild extra cheezy
Kala Namak salt, to taste after eggz are cooked
Other Ingredients:
Chives, optional
Vegan sourdough toast
Side of fruit
Vegan cooked sausage
Preparation:
1. Add the tofu, nutritional yeast, cashew parmesan, old bay, black pepper and turmeric in a mixing bowl. Stir to combine.
2. Heat the vegan butter and a nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Add the tofu mixture and cook for 3 minutes. The scrambled tofu will begin to come together. Stir in the vegan cheddar until it melts. Remove the pan off the burner.
3. Sprinkle Kala Namak salt on your eggz to taste. Serve
Esther’s Parmesan Cheeze 3 Ways
Recipe Type: Nut and Seed Cheeze
Cuisine: Esther Approved, Gluten Free
Serves: 1-1/4 Cups
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Option 1:
Esther’s Cashew Parmesan Cheeze
Ingredients
1 cup raw unsalted cashews
4 Tablespoons nutritional yeast, aka nooch
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon sea salt or pink himalayan salt
Option 2:
Esther’s Sunflower Parmesan Cheeze
Ingredients
1 cup raw unsalted sunflower seeds
4 Tablespoons nutritional yeast, aka nooch
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon sea salt or pink himalayan salt
Option 3:
Esther’s Almond Parmesan Cheeze
Ingredients
1 cup sliced or slivered almonds
4 Tablespoons nutritional yeast, aka nooch
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon sea salt or pink himalayan salt
Instructions:
1. Combine all ingredients from your chosen nut or seed parmesan cheeze option in a food processor, bullet or blender.
2. Pulse the mixture to a parmesan cheeze texture. Transfer the parmesan cheeze in a sealed jar. Store the parmesan cheeze in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.
3. Sprinkle on foods wherever you would use parmesan cheese. It's delicious on pasta, salads, soups, raw and cooked veggies, lasagna, avocado toast, sandwiches, pizza and popcorn.
ENJOY!
Learning How to Speak Bird
Did you know that in this very moment, there are tens of billions of birds held in captivity?
Photo credit: We Animals Media
Did you know that in this very moment, there are tens of billions of birds held in captivity? Worldwide, “commercialized” chickens alone outnumber us by a ratio of nearly seven to one. That’s seven chickens for every human on the planet, more if you consider apartment hens and backyard flocks, a growing trend in many cities and suburban areas.
Despite its astounding prevalence, avian captivity as a phenomenon remains all but invisible, something most people hardly even think about, let alone talk about. (And frankly, those with a vested interest in maintaining the status quo would prefer to keep it that way.)
The deafening silence surrounding bird captivity is what inspired me to find my voice and more recently, to undertake a five-year study on “Poultry, Parrots, and People” in order to delve into the psychological aspects of bird confinement. What I discovered is that while the motivations underlying avian captivity are as varied as the species we keep, most share one theme in common: commodification at the expense of the birds.
Parrots, for example, are often sought for their beauty and companionship—aesthetic friendship for purchase at a pretty price. Yet beauty fades and relationships are complicated, leaving many parrots left to languish alone—or worse. By contrast, the chickens, ducks, geese, and other species we refer to collectively as “poultry” are not considered in post-industrialist society as individuals at all so much as means to an end: feathers, eggs, and flesh measured most efficiently in dollars per pound. The end result is the same for poultry as it is for parrots—or worse.
Psychology informs us that commodification is, in essence, a form of objectification, a psychological projection that inflicts harm on an unfathomable scale, both to birds and to us as their captors. Peeling back this Cartesian projection reveals its irrational nature, for humanity’s collective lack of consideration for living, breathing birds is a strange paradox given that our affinity for avian beings is an ancient one, steeped in rich symbolic potency informed by the experiences of countless generations. So why is there currently such a wide schism between our perception (and treatment) of the birds we encounter in day-to-day life and those of our imagination, the sacred metaphorical images that speak in the universal language of the archetypes?
Perhaps in holding the tension of these opposing forces, we have forgotten a third thing, the one at the heart of the matter: The birds themselves.
In my experience, if you spend enough time with a bird, you will begin to see the true colors of their character. They are nothing short of magnificent, far brighter than any feather. The birds i’ve known are sparkling and imaginative and playful, sometimes generous, always curious, and oftentimes rude. They are individuals with their own personalities, just like you and me. (I guess it turns out the species divide might just be another one of those pesky psychological projections.)
With these newly-honed avian eyes I can see it is no longer enough to speak about birds; we need to learn to speak with them, to include their voices in the conversation. This realization inspired me to create the short film “A Bird Tail”, narrated from the perspective of a backyard Ameraucana hen named Pimento, one of the many avian loves of my life. I invite you to watch the film, to get to know Pimento and to fall in love with her, too.
Because isn’t Love the most motivating force of all, stronger than psychological projections like objectification and speciesism? Surely our love for all living things compels us to take flight in the face of immeasurable odds, to get our hands dirty, to learn how to speak for (and to!) Birds and other animals—beginning with telling the Egg-Truth about eggs, for instance.
So I implore you, dear reader, to seek your catalyst. Find not only your voice but the courage to wield it, to crow until you’re blue in the face, until you’re absolutely certain you’ve woken every
Sleeping
Neighbor.
Billions of silenced birds depend upon it.
Egg-Blog contributor: Elizabeth M. Burton-Crow, Ph.D. currently works at the Depth Psychology Program, Pacifica Graduate Institute. Elizabeth does research in Philosophy of Science, Ecopsychology, and Trans-species Ethics. Her current project is 'Poultry, Parrots, and People: Exploring Psyche Through the Lens of Avian Captivity'. Dr. Crow is also a facuity member of The Kerulos Center for Nonviolence
Deviled Eggz!
You simply will not believe this deviled eggz recipe - Chef Linda of Esther's Kitchen is amazing!
Enjoy deviled eggs again with our Esther Approved, Eggless and Vegan recipe. Wow your friends and family with these Deviled Eggz. The Kala Namak salt can smell intense, just like deviled eggs. It’s potency will go away if it’s added while cooking, so add it in last to both the egg whites and egg yolks.
This recipe was developed to yield more egg yolk to guarantee you have enough. Do a practice run of piping a few mini mounds to get your strength and momentum established with the piping bag. The extra egg yolk filling can be used to fill the cavities of celery, on top of sliced cucumbers, veggies, toasts, mini egg style tea sandwiches and more. Vintage deviled egg platters and woodland pottery animals can be sources at thrift stores and online. Egg molds can be found at baking supply stores and online.
Recipe courtesy of Chef Linda of Esther's Kitchen!
Cuisine: Esther Approved, Vegan, Eggless, Gluten-free, Contains nuts
Yields: 2 dozen
Prep + Refrigeration Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 10-15 minutes
Author: Chef Linda | Esther's Kitchen
Egg White Ingredients:
2 cups unsweetened almond milk
1/2 teaspoon tapioca flour
6 teaspoons agar agar flakes
1/2 tsp kala namak salt
Egg White Preparation:
1. Whisk the almond milk, tapioca flour, and agar agar flakes in a small pot. Whisk constantly while you bring the pot to a boil. The liquid will foam and rise up the pot once it reaches the boil stage. Turn off the heat. Whisk in the kala namak salt and pour the mixture into a measuring cup that has a spout for easier pouring.
2. Fill 24 egg molds. If you only have 12 egg molds, fill and leave the remaining liquid egg whites in the measuring cup on the counter. Refrigerate the eggs in the first mold for 35 minutes.
3. Remove the first 12 egg whites and transfer onto a deviled egg platter. Whisk the remaining liquid egg whites and pour into the same mold. Refrigerate for 35 minutes again and release into a second deviled egg platter.
4. Prepare the yellow egg yolk filling while the egg whites refrigerate.
Yellow Egg Yolk Filling Ingredients:
* lb small yellow potatoes, peeled, sliced in half, and boiled until tender, drained
2/3 cup + 2 Tablespoons eggless mayo
1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
2 Tablespoons unsweetened almond milk
1 teaspoon kala namak salt, plus more for serving
1 Tablespoon snipped chives, chopped parsley, cilantro, chia caviar, sweet or hot paprika for garnish to taste.
Egg Yolk Preparation:
1. Add the potatoes, mayo, mustard, turmeric and almond milk in a mixing bowl. Combine with an electrician mixer until smooth. Add the kala namak salt.
2. Scoop the egg yolk mixture and transfer in a piping bag fit with a star tip.
3. Practice piping out a few yolks on a plate until you get your momentum. Whatever pattern you do to the first egg, repeat that technique. Blot the tops of the egg whites with a paper towel so the egg yolk doesnt slide off. You can scoop out a little of the center with a melon baller if desired. Begin piping the egg yolk filling onto each egg white. You can cover the whole surface too. These are your Deviled Eggz.
4. Sprinkle paprika, chia caviar, chives, cilantro or parsley. Keep your Deviled Eggs refrigerated up to 1 day.
ENJOY!
Esther Approved Egg Replacers!
Here’s our new egg chart for Esther Approved, Vegan baking.
Here’s our new egg chart for Esther Approved, Vegan baking. These 6 egg replacers get used the most here. If you are using applesauce, pumpkin or nondairy yogurt, they tend to be heavy. Add in an additional 1/2 teaspoon baking powder for each egg to help with leavening. Each of these egg replacers work differently and it depends what you are baking. You can read about their differences with an online search.
To replace 1 egg, you can also use the following:
• 1/4 cup mashed banana
• 3 Tablespoons creamy peanut butter
• 1 teaspoon baking soda + 1 Tablespoon vinegar
• 1/4 cup silken tofu
• 1-1/2 teaspoons water + 1-1/2 teaspoons oil + 1 teaspoon baking powder
• store bought premixed egg replacers.
Courtesy of Chef Linda of Esther's Kitchen!
Esther the Wonder Pig's Eggy Tofu Scramble!
Today’s filling breakfast is Esther the Wonder Pig’s Eggy Tofu Scramble with Sun-dried Tomatoes, Baby Spinach, Field Roast Maple Breakfast Sausages and Sourdough toast. Recipe courtesy of Chef Linda of Esther's Kitchen!
Today’s filling breakfast is Esther the Wonder Pig’s Eggy Tofu Scramble with Sun-dried Tomatoes, Baby Spinach, Field Roast Maple Breakfast Sausages and Sourdough toast. The baby spinach can be omitted if you just want an eggy tofu scramble. If you are shopping at Trader Joe’s this weekend, check out the Everything but the Bagel Sesame Seasoning blend. For a more eggy flavor, sprinkle Kala Namak as a finishing salt on your tofu scramble. Recipe courtesy of Chef Linda of Esther's Kitchen!
Cuisine: Esther Approved Breakfast, Egg-free, Gluten-free, Contains Soy
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 11 minutes
Yields: 2 Servings
Author: Chef Linda | Esther's Kitchen
Ingredients:
1 Tablespoon dairy-free, vegan butter
14 oz/397g package organic firm tofu, drained and not pressed
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
Dash ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup loosely measured sun-dried julienne cut sun-dried tomatoes from a store bought package
2 handfuls organic baby spinach
Field Roast Maple Breakfast Sausages, cooked to package directions
*ourdough toast with vegan butter
Preparation:
1. Break up the tofu in chunks with your fingers and add it to a glass mixing bowl. Add the nutritional yeast, turmeric, garlic powder, and black pepper. Gently stir with a silicone spatula.
2. Heat a non-stick sauté pan over medium heat. Melt the 1 Tablespoon of dairy-free butter in the pan. Add the tofu. The tofu will be runny in the beginning. The water will evaporate as it cooks. Sauté the tofu scramble on medium heat for 5 minutes. Stir in the sun-dried tomatoes and cook for another 4 minutes. Stir occasionally. Add the baby spinach and cook just until it begins to wilt.
For an eggy flavor, add Kala Namak salt at serving time.
4. The cooked tofu scramble can be stored in the refrigerator for 2 days.
ENJOY!
Aquafaba "Egg" White Omelette!
Try this Chickpea Egg Scramble recipe courtesy of Chef Linda of Esther's Kitchen!
This Aquafaba “Egg” White Omelette recipe premieres today! It’s been in the works and it might be the first fried, aquafaba “egg” white omelette because it hasn’t been seen anywhere else! The tapioca flour is necessary in this recipe to give these aquafaba fried eggs a rubbery texture. Add more Kala Namak salt at serving for an eggy flavor. Recipe courtesy of Chef Linda of Esther's Kitchen!
Cuisine: Esther Approved, Vegan, Egg-free, Soy-Free, Gluten-free
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Yields: 1 omelette or 3 fried Aquafaba fried egg whites
Author: Chef Linda | Esther's Kitchen
Ingredients:
1/4 cup white rice flour
1 Tablespoon tapioca flour
1/4 cup + 1 Tablespoon Aquafaba bean juice from canned garbanzo chickpeas
1/2 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon Kala Namak salt
Additional Ingredients:
1 teaspoon vegan butter for frying
Optional additional Kala Namak salt and ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup chopped steamed broccoli
1 slice of vegan cheese, cut in half
Instructions:
1. Whisk the rice flour, tapioca flour, Aquafaba and olive oil in a small bowl until smooth. Whisk in the 1/4 teaspoon Kala Namak salt last.
2. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium high heat. The skillet must be hot. Melt and spread the vegan butter in the skillet to coat the bottom of the pan.
3. Quickly pour the Aquafaba Egg White batter in the pan. Lift the pan and rotate it to spread out the batter to approximately 8” diameter. Begin to fry the omelette. At 1 minute, begin to move the pan on the burner to shift the omelette in the pan so that it does not stick. Fry this side for a total of 3 minutes.
4. Add your steamed broccoli and 1 slice of vegan cheese on one half of the omelette. Fold the other half over. Fry for 1-2 minutes over medium heat or until the cheese begins to melt.
5. Or fry in three portions of the batter for fried Aquafaba egg whites that resemble round fried chicken eggs.
6. Add additional Kala Namak salt and ground black pepper at serving, if desired.
Notes: Aquafaba chickpea bean juice can be refrigerated in a sealed jar for approximately 3 days. Stir the Aquafaba before using.
Learn more about Aquafaba here. There are communities around the world experimenting with Aquafaba. You might find a group in your respective Country and on Facebook, Vegan Meringues - Hits and Misses!
Please share this recipe with folks who have egg allergies and those wanting to omit eggs from their diets. Please tag Esther’s Kitchen if you make it.
ENJOY!
Spanish Potato Omelette!
This Spanish Potato Omelette (Tortilla de Patatas) used to be made with chicken eggs. Recipe courtesy of Chef Linda of Esther's Kitchen!
This Spanish Potato Omelette (Tortilla de Patatas) used to be made with chicken eggs. A chickpea batter can replace eggs in omelettes. One cup of chickpea flour provides 21g of plant protein. The potatoes provide 19g of plant protein. Enjoy this easy meal for Meatless Monday! Recipe courtesy of Chef Linda of Esther's Kitchen!
Cuisine: Esther Approved, Vegan, Egg-free, Main Entree
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 28-30 minutes
Yields: 4 servings
Author: Chef Linda | Esther's Kitchen
Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons olive oil + 2 teaspoons divided
1-1/2 lbs or approximately 700g yellow potatoes, diced small or sliced into 1/4” thick small slices
1/2 teaspoon pink Himalayan or sea salt
1 cup chickpea (besan) flour
1 cup warm water
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon Kala Namak salt, plus extra at serving
Instructions:
1. Add 2 Tablespoons olive oil in a nonstick 10” sauté pan. Add the potatoes, sea salt and onion powder. Sauté on medium heat for approximately 15 minutes. You want to cook the potatoes slow.
2. While the potatoes are cooking, whisk the chickpea flour, warm water, onion powder and 1/4 teaspoon Kala Namak salt together in a large mixing bowl; set aside.
3. Once the potatoes are cooked, transfer them in the mixing bowl with the batter. Stir until the potatoes are coated.
4. Add 2 teaspoons olive oil to the same sauté pan. Heat the pan over medium heat. Pour the potatoes and batter in the pan. Smooth the surface and run a silicone spatula around the edges to pull the omelette away from the sides of the pan.
5. Add the lid and cook on medium heat for 8 minutes. Remove the lid and shift the pan to ensure the omelette is not sticking to the bottom. Place a wet plate on top of the pan. Flip the omelette on the plate. Slide the omelette back into the pan to cook the other side. Cook for 5 minutes uncovered over medium heat.
6. Slide the omelette out again onto a dry serving plate. Slice and serve.
Additional Kala Namak salt and black pepper, nondairy cheese, sliced tomatoes and hot sauce are featured on the slice in the photo.
ENJOY!
YamChops Eggless Egg Salad!
Reprinted with permission “From the Kitchens of YamChops”, Page Street Publications. Photograph: Vincenzo Piztritto
Eggless Egg Salad
Reprinted with permission “From the Kitchens of YamChops”, Page Street Publications. Photograph: Vincenzo Piztritto
Be sure to search out kala namak for this recipe. It is a South Asian salty and pungent-smelling rock salt and it delivers an authentic egg salad umami. It’s often referred to as Indian black salt but, when searching it out, keep in mind that it’s actually pink!
Ingredients:
1 (416 g) block extra firm tofu (see notes below)
½ cup (115 g) finely diced celery
¹/3 cup (50 g) finely diced dill pickle
1 tsp kala namak
¼ cup + 2 tbsp (87 g) vegan mayo
1 tbsp (15 ml) apple cider vinegar
2 tsp (11 g) Dijon mustard
2 tsp (5 g) celery seed
2 tsp (8 g) evaporated cane sugar
2 tsp (5 g) onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp ground turmeric
½ tsp course grind pepper (sometimes called butcher's grind)
Preparation:
Drain and press the tofu. Break the pressed tofu in pieces into a large bowl. Mash the tofu with a potato masher until you reach an egg salad-like consistency. Add the celery and pickle. Sprinkle the kala namak over the tofu and mix well with a spatula to fully distribute the ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together the mayo, vinegar, mustard, celery seed, sugar, onion powder, garlic powder, turmeric and pepper. Add the dressing to the tofu mixture and mix together well.
Note:
Always search out non-GMO tofu for tofu recipes. To press the tofu, wrap the blocks in a double layer of paper towels. Place the wrapped tofu on a cutting board with a plate or sheet pan on top. Weigh down the tofu by placing 2 or 3 cans (cans of tomatoes or beans work great) on top of the plate or sheet pan and let rest for 15 minutes.
ENJOY!
Chickpea Egg Scramble!
Try this Chickpea Egg Scramble recipe courtesy of Chef Linda of Esther's Kitchen!
Try this Chickpea Egg Scramble recipe courtesy of Chef Linda of Esther's Kitchen!
Cuisine: Esther Approved, Vegan, Soy-Free, Gluten-Free, Egg-Free
Prep Time: 3 minutes
Cook Time: 6 minutes
Yields: 4 servings
Author: Chef Linda | Esther's Kitchen
Ingredients:
1 cup chickpea flour
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
8 fl oz water
1/2 - 1 teaspoon olive oil, adjust to your liking
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt in the batter or omit and add Kala Namak black salt to taste at serving
Instructions:
1. Spray a nonstick skillet with cooking spray. Heat the skillet on medium heat. Pour the batter in the hot skillet. Wait for approximately 1 minute before proceeding to pull in the edges to the center with a nonstick spatula. The chickpea egg will begin to start forming.
2. Continue to stir and flip the pieces. At 2-1/2 minutes, cover the skillet with a lid and cook for another 2-1/2 minutes. Remove the lid and break the large pieces apart. Sprinkle Kala Namak black salt on now if you want an egg flavor.
3. Portion out the scramble on tortillas, toast or a plate. Add your choice of toppings, such as avocado slices, tomato, salsa, hot sauce and coconut bacon flakes.
Notes: The protein content in this recipe is 33g.
ENJOY!
Savory Fried Tofu Egg Breakfast Sandwich!
Try this Savory Fried Tofu Egg Breakfast Sandwich recipe courtesy of Chef Linda of Esther's Kitchen!
Try this Savory Fried Tofu Egg Breakfast Sandwich recipe courtesy of Chef Linda of Esther's Kitchen!
Cuisine: Esther Approved, Vegan, Egg-free, Contains Soy, Gluten-free (tofu egg only)
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 6-10 minutes
Yields: 2 Savory Fried Tofu Eggz, 1 or 2 breakfast sandwiches option
Author: Chef Linda | Esther's Kitchen
Our technique of spreading melted non-dairy butter on the tofu then pressing it in the seasoning blend takes tofu to another delicious level!
Ingredients:
2 (1/2” thick) slices firm tofu, sliced lengthwise from block, shaped into round disks with a metal biscuit or donut cutter, water lightly pressed out
4 grinds ground black pepper
3 teaspoons nutritional yeast
1/4 teaspoon Kala Namak sulphuric salt, add more at serving if desired
1/8 teaspoon smoked paprika
Pinch of ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon onion powder
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons nondairy buttery spread, melted in a small bowl or saucepan
1 - 2 non-dairy cheeze slices (Follow Your Heart Smoked Gouda was used here.)
1 or 2 Esther Approved English Muffins
Instructions:
1. Mix all of the seasonings in a small shallow dish. Level out the seasonings by shifting the dish.
2. Lightly brush the melted nondairy butter on each side of the tofu rounds. There will be remaining nondairy butter left that you will add later to the sauté pan.
3. Press the two tofu rounds into the mixture. Flip over and press again.
4. Heat a nonstick sauté pan over medium heat. Once the pan is hot, place the tofu rounds in the pan. Pour the remaining melted nondairy butter around each tofu round. Press the remaining seasonings on the top of each tofu round.
5. Fry each side for 3-5 minutes, turning only once.
6. Add the cheeze slices on each tofu after the first flip. Place the lid on the pan or tent foil over the tofu to melt the cheeze.
7. Toast your English muffins. Add the Fried Tofu Eggz. Enjoy as is or add meatless bacon, meatless sausage, sliced tomatoes, spinach, ketchup, hot sauce.
ENJOY!
Hens To Slaughter
On September 19th, 2018, I attended a vigil to bear witness to egg-laying hens brought to slaughter at Maple Lodge Farms in a suburb of Toronto, Canada (the 4th largest city in North America).
On September 19th, 2018, I attended a vigil to bear witness to egg-laying hens brought to slaughter at Maple Lodge Farms in a suburb of Toronto, Canada (the 4th largest city in North America).
Prior to this I decided to take a look at their website for research purposes. Immediately upon landing on their homepage, visitors are met with imagery intentionally designed to invoke the bucolic days and by-gone era of the “family farm”. This is an often used marketing strategy to assuage concerns consumers might have as it relates to animal welfare and environmental issues in animal agriculture.
Maple Lodge Farm’s home page.
In reality, Maple Lodge Farms (“MLF”) is one of the largest processing facilities in North America. It is, by all definitions, a “factory farm” facility. MLF slaughters approximately 500,000 birds a day - that is 182,000,000 chickens and egg-laying hens per year. Their products are sold across Canada and they are a leading processor of Halal chicken (which means the birds cannot be stunned before their throats are cut).
False Advertising
MLF also promotes in virtually all of it’s advertising that their products are “Proudly Raised On Local Ontario Family Farms”. But is this true? No - at least not on the night I was there. Every truck that arrived between 6pm and 9pm came from Pennsylvania and Ohio. Members of Brampton Chicken Save, who attend these vigils weekly, have indicated they have also seen trucks routinely come from New York State, as well.
So why are American egg farms sending their spent hens to Canada? I can only offer speculation. On the face of it, it would seem to be more economically viable to send spent hens to a facility stateside. Spent hens are slaughtered for products like dog food or low-grade, processed chicken filler. It even appears that, “the meat industry has . . . . convinced the US government to dump this meat which should only be consumed by non-humans or be turned into pet food or compost, into the National School Lunch Program”. In other words, the U.S. government is feeding slaughtered hens to children while subsidizing the industry at taxpayers’ expense. (Side note: Given that hens have the highest prevalence of spontaneously occurring ovarian cancer of any species in the world, it is very conceivable that American children are actually eating food processed from birds afflicted with cancer.)
Above gallery: photos of truck license plates showing where the hens arrived from.
So again, why are American hens coming to Canada for processing? It may simply be because the supply exceeds the demand for hens produced from the U.S. egg industry despite a percentage destined for school lunch programs. It would seem U.S. egg farms, who cannot find a local processor to take their birds, have two choices: either dispose of spent hens on-site when their laying cycle comes to an end and they are replaced by new layers, or sell them to a foreign market like Canada.
The latter appears to be the case, at least from some farms that reside in border states like Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York where the cost of transport can be kept to a minimum. And this begs another question: What is MLF paying for these birds? Are they paying very little relative to what they would pay Canadian egg farmers? Or are they paying absolutely nothing beyond the cost of transport? This seems more plausible as it would benefit the farms that do not have to invest in maceration or gassing equipment to dispose of their hens. Some of these farms may also be prohibited from dumping or incinerating dead (or near-dead) hens on site due to environmental restrictions. These U.S. egg farms are probably glad MLF are taking them off their hands. And if this is true, then MLF’s margins are probably better than what they enjoy from spent hens arriving from Canadian farms.
Transport
So how do the rules around the transport of egg-laying hens apply when these animals are transported across international borders? In Canada, the CFIA (Canadian Food Inspection Agency) stipulates poultry can be transported for no more than 36 hours without food or water. However, the clock doesn’t start ticking until the trucks cross the Canadian border. If a trip from the Windsor/Detroit or Buffalo/Ft. Erie border takes 3 or 4 hours they are well within the window. But, neither the CFIA, Maple Lodge Farms, nor any other Canadian authority have jurisdiction stateside. How long the hens are on a truck before they reach the Canadian border is anyone’s guess.
So let’s look at what the distance and travel time is direct between a farm in Medina, Ohio to Maple Lodge Farms slaughter facility (see map below). Let’s also assume the truck loaded all the hens from only one farm in Ohio (so no other stops or pickups were made) and there were no delays at the border or as a result of traffic on either side. From Ohio it would take anywhere between 5 to 6 hours. Realistically you could add a one hour delay at the border and anywhere between 1 to 2 hours for traffic snarls and congestion (certainly on the Canadian side where the truck must travel all 400 series highways) as well as at least one pit stop for the driver (add 30 minutes). That equals anywhere between 7.5 to 8.5 hours and 310 miles or 500 kilometres.
Map of route distance and time between Medina, OH and Brampton, Ontario.
And what about Pennsylvania? It would appear to be closer to 8.5 to 9.5 hours with a distance of 370 miles or 600 kilometres. Both of these trips are within the window required by the CFIA. That said, both of these journeys would be further and longer than most trips hens would typically endure from farms located within the densely populated Southern Ontario region. Regardless, and as pointed out previously, this supply of American spent hens is not in keeping with MLF’s advertised pledge to Canadian consumers of “Proudly Raised On Ontario Family Farms”.
It can easily be argued that what Canadians are entitled to and should receive, are assurances that the food they purchase and consume are done so according to the rules and regulations put in place by Canadian-taxpayer-funded agencies whose job is to ensure compliance. No matter how inadequate those rules might be at times. There is no way to ensure that compliance, as it relates to transport, is being adhered to regarding animals coming from the United States. The CFIA has no jurisdiction over egg farms nor over transport companies in the United States. And likewise, the USDA has no jurisdiction over processors in Canada. It is a grey area that really needs some light shined on it.
Map of route distance and time from central Pennsylvania and Brampton, Ontario
The Hens
When the trucks arrived at the gate for MLF, and even before you can see the hens, the smell of urine and feces is pronounced. The hens arrive crammed into very low profile transport crates which are overcrowded. The birds are typically wide-eyed and alert which is understandable given their harrowing journey. Most suffer from extreme feather loss having been confined in tiny cages for up to two years. Some prolapses are visible on some of the birds and some open wounds can be seen - injuries likely due to rough handling when plucked from their battery cages and stuffed into the crates. Time is money and quick loading is the order of the day. I did not see any dead birds on arrival, however, in more extreme weather conditions (especially in the winter) D.O.A.’s are routine.
There is a genuine sadness in my heart when I look at these poor creatures up close. My empathy takes over as I know what awaits them mere minutes away. Much of the world does not look at these poor birds like the beloved companion animals so many of us are familiar with. Nonetheless, I have yet to find or hear a morally consistent argument that can successfully rationalize that they are any different than our beloved dogs and cats.
I feel a bit angry to be honest because I so desperately want to focus on them, to stare into their eyes deeply, to reach out and touch them and give them one brief moment of compassion. Yet, to get the photos I need to share with readers, I almost have to put that aside and concentrate on trying to focus the camera within the two minutes we are allowed to stop the trucks before they disappear behind the gates. I wish I had just a few more minutes. Below is a gallery of some of those photos, not just of the hens but of the facility and the compassionate group of people who continuously come out night after night to bear witness.
Animal Welfare
Maple Lodge Farms’ reputation is not a good one when it comes to animal welfare. In May of 2014, two convictions were registered for offences under the Health of Animals Act. Specifically, MLF was charged by the CFIA for, “ . . . violations (that) involved injury or undue suffering of chickens caused by undue exposure to weather or inadequate ventilation during transportation.” Also, as reported by The Toronto Star, and many other regional and national news organizations in Canada at the time, Maple Lodge Farms “will have to spend at least $1 million over three years to ensure compliance with federal rules after an Ontario judge convicted it of causing undue suffering to the birds.”
However, the monetary penalties incurred by a company the size of MLF is hardly a deterrent. So much so, that less than one year later, Maple Lodge Farms was implicated in yet further animal cruelty (see video below) and while they were on probation from the previous convictions.
It is important to note that spent hens processed in Canada are required to be put through CAS systems (Controlled Atmosphere Stunning) prior to being processed. This renders the birds senseless and/or unconscious prior to being hung upside down on shackles and sent down the line. The stunning requirement is mandated because a hen’s body is so exhausted, depleted of calcium and nutrients that their bones are exceedingly brittle and at risk of breaking if handled while conscious. And this in turn would inflict further pain and suffering for these birds. It also spares workers from experiencing the endless damage they would undoubtedly inflict on these poor creatures if they were live hung.
Conclusion
There is no doubt that these matters as it relates to transport, duration and processing are all very complicated indeed. However, there is one way to make all of this simply disappear - going egg-free. If these animals are not selectively bred, if they are not confined, if they are not transported, and if they are not slaughtered, there is no issue. Each and everyone one of us can undo all the harm these industries inflict on these animals - just don’t buy their products. It truly is up to each and every one of us. There are so many egg-free, delicious alternatives out there. Any doubts about how animals are treated in our food system can be mitigated (or eliminated) by not eating them and/or their eggs or by-products.
I would encourage any curious-minded and reasonably compassionate person, whether you are vegetarian, vegan or not, to come out to a vigil . . . . look the animals in the eyes near their time of death. As Tolstoy once said, “When the suffering of another creature causes you to feel pain, do not submit to the initial desire to flee from the suffering one, but on the contrary, come closer, as close as you can to her who suffers, and try to help her.”
People like the folks from Brampton Chicken Save, are trying to help them. Will you join us? There is no doubt there is a Save Movement near you.
Eggy Tofu Sramble and Easy Potato Hash
Try this delicious SCRAMBLE and POTATO HASH recipe courtesy of Chef Linda of Esther's Kitchen!
Try this delicious EGGY TOFU SCRAMBLE and POTATO HASH recipe courtesy of Chef Linda of Esther's Kitchen!
Easy Potato Hash
Cuisine: Esther Approved Breakfast, Side, Gluten-free
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 22 minutes
Yields: 6-8 servings
Author: Chef Linda | Esther's Kitchen
Ingredients:
1 Tablespoon olive oil,
1 medium onion, diced,
3 garlic cloves, sliced,
5 medium yellow potatoes, sliced in half lengthwise then sliced into 1/4” slices,
1 medium sweet potato, peeled and sliced in half lengthwise then sliced into 1/4” slices,
1 jalapeño, de-seeded and sliced, optional,
1 teaspoon dried herb of choice: thyme or rosemary (Or 1 Tablespoon fresh rosemary or couple sprigs of fresh thyme)
Salt and black pepper to taste
Preparation:
1. Sauté the onions in the olive oil over medium high heat for five minutes or until translucent. Stir in the jalapeño and garlic. Sauté for one more minute.
2. Reduce the heat to medium. Stir in the potatoes and choice of dried or fresh herb. Cover the pan with the lid and cook for approximately 10 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Stir occasionally. Remove the lid once the potatoes are tender. Turn up the heat to medium high and sauté for another 5 minutes to crisp the edges. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve.
Eggy Tofu Scramble
Cuisine: Esther Approved Breakfast, Egg-free, Gluten-free, Contains Soy
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Yields: 4 Servings
Author: Chef Linda | Esther's Kitchen
Ingredients:
15.5 oz package organic firm tofu, drained
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon Kala Namak salt
2 dashes ground turmeric
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 Tablespoon nondairy butter
2 Tablespoons warm water
Instructions:
1. Break up the tofu in chunks with your fingers and add it to a glass mixing bowl. Add the nutritional yeast, seasonings, salt and pepper. Gently stir with a silicone spatula.
2. Heat a non-stick sauté pan over medium heat. Melt the 1 Tablespoon of nondairy butter in the pan. Add the tofu mixture and 2 Tablespoons of warm water. The tofu will be runny in the beginning. The water will evaporate as it cooks.
3. Sauté the tofu scramble on medium heat for about 8 minutes. Remove from the burner and serve with additional salt and pepper. For an eggy flavor, add Kala Namak salt at serving time. 4. The cooked tofu scramble can be stored in the refrigerator for 2 days.
ENJOY!
Chickpea Omelette!
Try this delicious CHICKPEA OMELETTE recipe courtesy of Chef Linda of Esther's Kitchen!
Try this delicious CHICKPEA OMELETTE recipe courtesy of Chef Linda of Esther's Kitchen!
Try our easy and delicious Chickpea Omelettes with Arugula, Mushrooms, Shallots and Cheddar Cheeze for a weekend brunch!
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Yields: 2 omelettes
Author: Chef Linda | Esther's Kitchen
Chickpea Omelette Ingredients:
- 1 cup chickpea flour
- 1 Tablespoon tapioca flour
- 1 cup (8 fl oz) water
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon Kala Namak salt or sea salt
- Dash of ground Black pepper
- Dash ground turmeric
- 2 teaspoons Olive oil, plus more for cooking omelettes
- 1 shallot, diced
- 5 medium (1 cup) size white button mushrooms, sliced
- 2 handfuls arugula or baby spinach
- 2 teaspoons water
- Non-dairy cheeze shreds, to taste
Veggie Filling Preparation:
1. Whisk the omelette ingredients, except the olive oil, in a mixing bowl until smooth. Set aside while the veggies are sautéing.
2. Heat the 2 teaspoons olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté the shallots for 1 minute. Stir in the mushrooms and sauté for 3 minutes. Add the arugula and 2 teaspoons water. Sauté the arugula until it begins to wilt. Remove the pan from the burner and place the lid on the pan to keep the veggie filling warm.
Chickpea Omelette Preparation:
1. In a separate nonstick sauté pan, heat 2 teaspoons olive oil over medium-high heat. The pan must be hot before you add the batter. Pour 1/2 of the batter in the center of the pan. Spread and thin out the batter slightly with a silicone spatula. Cook the first side for 3 minutes. Lightly drizzle additional olive oil on top of the omelette. Flip the omelette over and sauté for 3 minutes. Transfer this omelette to a plate and keep warm.
2. Drizzle additional olive oil in the pan for the next omelette. Repeat this process with the remaining 1/2 of the batter. Once the second side is cooked, divide the filling in 1/2 onto 1/2 of this omelette. Add the nondairy cheeze shreds. Fold the omelette in half over the filling.
3. Add the other cooked omelette to this same pan. Add the filling and nondairy cheeze. Fold the omelette in half over the filling. Cook the omelettes over medium heat until the cheeze begins to melt. Serve
Footnote: the avocado toast in the background is topped with sliced tomatoes and Trader Joe’s Everything but the Bagel Sesame seasoning blend.
ENJOY!
Esther's Deviled Taters!
Try this delicious ESTHER'S DEVILED TATERS recipe courtesy of Chef Linda of Esther's Kitchen!
Try this delicious ESTHER'S DEVILED TATERS recipe courtesy of Chef Linda of Esther's Kitchen!
Esther’s Deviled Taters taste amazing! The combination of tangy yellow mustard, egg-free mayo and sulphuric Kala Namak black salt make the filling taste like deviled egg filling! The aroma of these deviled taters are just like deviled eggs. A health benefit of an Esther Approved lifestyle is Esther's Deviled Taters are cholesterol free! Give this recipe a try for a snack or delicious appetizer for your next party. This recipe can be easily doubled. Enjoy!
Cuisine:
Esther Approved, Appetizer, Gluten-free if using Glute-free egg-free mayo
Prep Time:
20 minutes Serves: 12 deviled potatoes
Author:
Chef Linda | Esther’s Kitchen
Ingredients:
6 baby yellow or red potatoes (approx. 1-1/2"-2" or 4-5cm round), sliced in half 1/3 cup eggless mayo (75ml) 2 teaspoons yellow mustard (10ml) 1/2 teaspoon kala namak salt, plus more for serving (2ml) 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper (.5ml) 1 Tablespoon snipped chives, chopped parsley or cilantro (15ml) Sweet or Hot paprika for garnish to taste.
Preparation:
1. Place the potato halves in a steamer and steam them until they are fork tender.
2. While the potatoes are steaming, combine the egg-free mayo, yellow mustard, kala namak salt and black pepper in a small mixing bowl. Stir until combined. Set aside.
3. Allow the potatoes to cool down before handling. Blot the water off of the steamed potato halves with a towel. Scoop out the cooked potato out of each potato. Leave enough potato attached to the skin so the potato cavity base remains intact. You will be filling the cavity with the finished mixture. Place the scooped potatoes in a small mixing bowl and mash the potatoes with a hand masher. Stir the mashed potatoes into the mayo mixture for 1 minute. The mixture will become starchy and resemble a soft dough ball.
4. Place the filling in a piping bag with a star tip or snip off a 1/2" corner of a freezer bag. Pipe the filling into each potato cavity.
5. Sprinkle sweet or hot paprika onto each deviled potato. Sprinkle chopped cilantro, parsley or snipped chives onto each deviled potato.
6. Serve the deviled potatoes warm or cold. The deviled potatoes can be made a day in advance without the paprika and herb garnish. Add the paprika, herb garnish and additional kala namak salt before serving.
ENJOY!
Esther's Eggy Tofu Scramble!
Try this delicious ESTHER'S EGGY TOFU SCRAMBLE recipe courtesy of Chef Linda of Esther's Kitchen!
Try this delicious ESTHER'S EGGY TOFU SCRAMBLE recipe courtesy of Chef Linda of Esther's Kitchen!
What condiment would you put on this breakfast sandwich? Lightlife Smart Bacon is featured today. It’s tasty! To make this sandwich, fry the meatless bacon per package directions; set aside. Add additional non-dairy butter to the pan and prepare the tofu scramble. Place the fried bacon on a sub roll or bread, add the bacon, tofu scramble and cheeze. Pop it under the broiler for a few minutes to melt the cheeze.
Cuisine:
Esther Approved Breakfast, Egg-free, Gluten-free, Contains Soy
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 11 minutes
Yields: 2 Servings
Author: Chef Linda | Esther’s Kitchen
Ingredients:
• 14 oz/397g package organic firm tofu, drained
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
• 1-1/2 teaspoons Adobo seasoning (Frontier Co-op Organic Adobo Seasoning-Authentic Garlic & Pepper Blend was used)
• 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 Tablespoon dairy-free butter
• 2 Tablespoons warm water
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
•1/4-1/2 teaspoon Kala Namak salt
Instructions:
1. Break up the tofu in chunks with your fingers and add it to a glass mixing bowl. Add the nutritional yeast, Adobo seasoning and ground turmeric. Gently stir with a silicone spatula.
2. Heat a non-stick sauté pan over medium heat. Melt the 1 Tablespoon of dairy-free butter in the pan. Add the tofu and 2 Tablespoons of warm water. The tofu will be runny in the beginning. The water will evaporate as it cooks. Sauté the tofu scramble on medium heat for about 10 minutes.
3. Serve the tofu scramble with additional salt and pepper. For an eggy flavor, add Kala Namak salt at serving time.
4. The cooked tofu scramble can be stored in the refrigerator for 2 days.
ENJOY!