brunch

One of my favorite breakfast to get out as a vegetarian was the California Benedict at Sneakers in Winooski, VT. Since becoming vegan I have tried to recreate the dish to be as similar as possible and I finally made something tasty and very similar. This is wonderful for any meal but I love to serve at brunch and both veggies and omnivores have been known to love this dish.

 For the marinated tofu:

• 1 cup low sodium vegetable broth
• 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
• 1/4teaspoon chipotle chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
•  1 tablespoons nutritional yeast
•  6-8 ounces extra firm tofu, sliced into 4 triangles (1/2 block)

Marinate the tofu:

1. In a medium bowl, mix together the vegetable broth and red wine vinegar. Whisk in the chipotle powder, cumin, garlic powder, thyme and nutritional yeast, if using.
2. Place the tofu slices in the broth mixture and marinate for about 30 minutes.

For the Hollandaise sauce:

• 1 cup soy, rice or almond milk
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons dairy free margarine substitute
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/2 cup low sodium vegetable broth
• 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• a pinch salt
• a pinch black pepper
• a pinch cayenne pepper

To make the Hollandaise sauce*:

1. In a medium bowl mix together the milk, lemon juice, margarine, cornstarch, vegetable broth and nutritional yeast, if using. Season the milk lemon mixture with pinches of salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper. Stir to combine.
2. Place the milk lemon mixture in a medium saucepan over low heat. Cook over low heat for 3-4 minutes, or until the Hollandaise has thickened to preference, whisking occasionally to ensure a smooth sauce. Remove the Hollandaise sauce from heat until plating the Avocado Tofu Benedict

To complete the Avocado Tofu Benedict:

•  a spritz olive oil or cooking spray
• 1 avocado, thin sliced
•  2 cups arugula, divided
•  4 whole wheat English muffins, toasted and lightly buttered with vegan margarine
•  hot sauce, to taste, optional

To complete the Avocado Tofu Benedict:

1. Prepare a skillet with a light coating of olive oil or cooking spray. After the tofu triangles are done marinating, place the skillet over medium-high heat.
2. Add the tofu triangles to the skillet and cook for 5-7minutes, or until the tofu begins to brown. Flip the tofu triangles with a spatula and cook 5-7 minutes on the other side or until both sides have browned.
3. Top each side of the toasted English muffins with 1/2 cup of the arugula and 2 slices of avocado.
4. Top the avocado with 1 piece of tofu and a drizzle of the Hollandaise sauce* per side. Complete the dish with a few drops of hot sauce, if using, and enjoy.

* If a significant period of time has passed between making the Hollandaise sauce and plating the Avocado Tofu Benedict, warm the sauce on the stove over low heat before serving. You may need to add a bit more milk to thin the sauce during reheating.