What to Make & Eat This Week

Favorites from the super-easy files

Hello, and Happy Father’s Day to those who celebrate. Today our two grown kids will be here and we’ll have a quiet day with what I call the “original four.”

I’m assuming that many in this audience of readers are vegetarian, vegan, veg-curious, or exploring a more plant-based diet. Everyone is welcome, of course. Yesterday I was cleaning up some files on my laptop and came across this graphic. It’s a great reminder that by “voting with your fork” everyone can be doing something amazing for the planet every day:

Just think about it — confirming a landmark report by the U.N. a couple of decades ago, livestock alone creates more greenhouse gases than all forms of transportation combined. That’s astonishing, and something everyone can help mitigate with their food choices.

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.

In last week’s What to Make & Eat This Week I presented my favorite 5-ingredient recipes, which went over very well. I get it … no matter how much (or how little) anyone likes to cook, simple is always welcome. So this week, let’s continue the simplicity theme with super-easy recipes, that are ready in 30 minutes, a bit more or less (hopefully less).

This week we’ll be making …

• Super-Easy Tofu Teriyaki

• Easy Vegan Taco Casserole

• Barbecue-Flavored Chickpea Pita Sandwich

• Vegan Cold Cucumber-Yogurt Soup

And for your bonus recipe, my favorite almost-instant dessert for this time of year, Unbaked Strawberry & Blueberry Crisp.

Super-Easy Tofu Teriyaki

Easy tofu teriyaki is all about the sauce, which absorbs into the tofu to make it remarkably flavorful. Making your own teriyaki marinade takes little time or effort. Try it, if its ingredients are kitchen staples for you. But if you want to use a good-quality bottled teriyaki marinade instead, I won’t tell anyone! It will still be tasty, and even more ridiculously easy.

Complete the meal. I made this meal yesterday and since I had made a salad for lunch, I skipped that (and so didn’t make the Japanese-Style Carrot-Ginger Dressing shown in this photo, this time). I did include supermarket vegetable sushi rolls, and set out some cherry tomatoes and baby carrots. Altogether, it was a fraction of what it would cost to get a similar meal at a Japanese eatery!

Of course, you can skip the sushi. If you don’t mind making something else to go with this super-easy tofu dish, consider Vegetable Sushi Salad Bowl.

This recipe makes 2 to 3 servings, so for more, you may want to double the recipe.

Ingredients

• 14-ounce tub extra-firm tofu

Teriyaki Marinade (or for an even easier shortcut, use 1/2 cup
good-quality bottled teriyaki marinade)

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari

• 1 teaspoon dark sesame oil, optional

• 2 tablespoons agave or other liquid sweetener

• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar or white wine vinegar

• 2 teaspoons grated fresh or bottled ginger

To serve

• 1 large or 2 medium broccoli crowns

• Sesame seeds for garnish

Instructions

1. Drain the tofu and cut into 6 slabs crosswise. Blot well between pieces of paper towel or clean tea towel. If you have time and can press the tofu ahead of time in a tofu press, so much the better.

2. Combine the marinade ingredients in a small bowl and stir together (or use the super-lazy shortcut — simply use bottled marinade). Heat 1/4 cup of the marinade in a wide skillet. Arrange the tofu slices in a single layer. Cook over medium-high heat until the bottoms are nicely browned, 5 to 7 minutes.

3. Drizzle the remaining marinade over the tofu slices; flip them and brown the second side, which will likely take less time than the first on the hot skillet.

4. Meanwhile, cut the broccoli into bite-sized florets. Steam in a skillet with a little water until bright green and tender-crisp. Drain off any excess liquid.

5. Transfer the broccoli to a serving platter and arrange the tofu slices over it. Garnish with optional sesame seeds and serve at once, allowing 2 to 3 pieces of tofu per serving.