What to Make & Eat This Week

My favorite 5-Ingredient recipes (I'm feeling lazy)

Many moons ago, I came out with a book title The Vegetarian 5-Ingredient Gourmet. (that was back when I was a vegetarian, so yeah, a long time ago.) Though containing lots of simple and reliable recipes, “gourmet” was used quite loosely. With no photos at all and an uninspiring cover, it sold like hotcakes for many years before going out of print. Message: people like super-simple recipes, if not every day, then at least occasionally.

Years later, I took my vegan bona fides to create 5-Ingredient Vegan (2019). It’s not an updated edition of the latter, but the idea is similar: a collection of basic recipes that are good as is, or that the cook can embellish if they’d like.

I wouldn’t say it’s the most brilliant cookbook in my repertoire, but like its predecessor, it has had great staying power. These recipes and meal ideas are perfect for days when you’re too tired to think about what to make, yet don’t feel like spending $$$$ on take-out. As much as I enjoy cooking, I have those days pretty regularly, especially in the summer, and especially when I’m on deadline.

Some of these 5-ingredient recipes rely on good-quality shortcuts. For example, canned beans or bottled sauces. One example is Indian simmer sauce; another is peanut sauce, an ingredient called for in the first recipe. It’s not that big of a deal to make homemade peanut sauce (and that option is given in the recipe), but you may not feel like taking that extra step at 6:30 after a crazy day.

*** Readers, I really want to know what your “pain points” are in terms of getting dinner on the table day after day. Please let me know in the comments or by replying to this in your email. I want to make your plant-based life easier, and for the recipes in this Sunday meal-planning edition (and in the mid-week mailing) practical, and not just aspirational. ***

A Substack anniversary offer

This month marks the one-year anniversary of The Vegan Atlas on Substack! What a gratifying year it has been. To celebrate, I’m offering a 10% discount (off the already reasonable price) through the end of June for free subscribers to upgrade to monthly & yearly subscriptions. (I’m pretty sure that renewals will get this same discount, too. Please join me in growing this community dedicated to making plant-based live easier and more enjoyable. It’s good for your health, the earth, and the animals! Simply choose your plan and subscribe here.

(**Did you know that if you hit the heart at the top or bottom of this post, it helps others discover this publication? Thank you in advance!)

I’ve had a lot to say already, so let’s get down to business. This week, we’ll be making these 5-ingredient recipes (the only ingredients that don’t “count” are salt, pepper, water, and oil. Oil is an ingredient I use only occasionally, and is usually optional.

• Peanut Satay Golden Tofu Triangles

• Pan-Grilled Polenta with Spinach & Black Beans

• Easy Quinoa Pilaf with Salsa Verde

• Chickpea Masala

Your bonus recipe is Frozen Banana Peanut Butter Ice Cream — another treat made with fewer than 5 ingredients.

Peanut Satay Golden Tofu Triangles

First of all, I’d like to thank Dianne’s Vegan Kitchen for this photo, which she took for sharing this recipe with her readers when the book came out.

This simple preparation, inspired by a Thai appetizer, gets its luscious flavor from peanut sauce. Look for peanut satay sauce in the Asian foods section of well-stocked supermarkets or natural foods stores, or when you have more time, make your own Coconut Peanut Sauce.

Complete the meal: Serve with hot cooked rice or rice noodles. Add a steamed green vegetable like broccoli or asparagus and a platter of cherry tomatoes and baby carrots and you've got a veggie-filled meal.

This recipe makes 3 to 4 servings.

Ingredients

• 14-ounce tub extra-firm tofu

• 1 tablespoons safflower or other high-heat oil

• 1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari

• 1/2 cup bottled peanut satay sauce (or homemade Coconut Peanut Sauce,
  if you have a bit more time), plus more for serving

• 1/2 teaspoon sriracha or other hot sauce, or more, to taste

• Shredded crisp lettuce or napa cabbage as needed, for serving

Instructions

1. Cut each block of tofu into six slabs crosswise. Blot well between clean tea towels or several layers of paper towel (or use a tofu press ahead of time). Cut each slab in half to make two squares. Finally, cut each square on the diagonal to make triangles.

2. Heat the oil and soy sauce in a wide skillet. Arrange the tofu triangles in a single layer and sauté on both sides over medium-high heat until golden. Cook in batches if need be.

3. Drizzle the peanut sauce and sriracha into the skillet and stir gently with the tofu triangles, turning them over a few times until nicely glazed.

4. To serve, line a platter with shredded lettuce. Arrange the tofu triangles over it.

5. Serve at once, passing around extra peanut sauce and extra sriracha for those who would like more.