Banana Bread French Toast

Pots/Pans Used: 1


This recipe has been floating around in my head for a while now and I'm so glad I finally got around to making it because it was thebomb.com. I did a Hawaiian twist on my Grandmother's Banana Bread recipe by adding 1/4 cup of shredded coconut and 1/2 cup chopped macadamia nuts to the batter. I highly recommend it!

Ingredients

Slices of my Grandmother's Banana Bread
1 1/2 cups soymilk
1 cup flour
1 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1 Tblsp brown sugar
Earth Balance
powdered sugar
maple syrup

Topping (enough for about 4 slices):
1 banana, sliced
1 1/2 Tblsp pecan chips
1 Tblsp minced crystalized ginger
2 Tblsp Earth Balance
dash of nutmeg

1. Start out by whisking together the milk, flour, vanilla, nutmeg, and sugar in a flat casserole dish. Let your banana bread slices soak in this mixture for a few minutes on either side like so...



2. Then in a skillet over medium heat, melt about a 1/2 Tblsp of Earth Balance. Brown French toast in the melted butter. A couple minutes on either side should make it nice, crispy, and golden brown :)

3. Once you've fried up all the french toast, you can store them in a warm oven while you prepare the topping. For the topping, add the sliced bananas and 1 Tblsp Earth Balance in a skillet over medium heat. Once the bananas get a nice sear, add the ginger, pecans, nutmeg, and the second Tblsp of Earth Balance. Let the flavors combine as you stir it up for a couple minutes.



4. Plate the french toast with some banana topping, warm maple syrup, and powdered sugar. Try not to tease your critters...



5. And Enjoy!



  

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Breakfast Burritos

Level of Difficulty: easy
Pots/Pans Used: 2

If you're vegan, you've probably got a tofu scramble recipe down pat. But this is just a fun way to jazz up your breakfast routine. All you have to do is fill a flour tortilla with tofu scramble, (veggie bacon, sausage, and/or hash browns are always welcomed additions) and top with my go-to cream sauce and a dash of paprika. I always make my scramble a little different, but essentially it's some combination of veggies, tofu, seasonings, Earth Balance, and lots and LOTS of nutritional yeast.

As for the cream sauce...

2 TBL Earth Balance
1 TBL flour
3/4 cup unsweetened almond/soy milk
2 TBL nutritional yeast
pinch s&p

Melt 2 TBL Earth Balance in a sauce pan over medium high heat and then whisk in the flour. whisk in the milk a little bit at a time as it thickens up into a nice sauce. Add the nutritional yeast and s&p to taste.

Assemble your burritos and top with a pinch of paprika. I served mine with some sauteed kale and fruit salad on the side.
Best. Breakfast. Ever. :)

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Sweet Potato & Oatmeal Casserole

Level of Difficulty: easy
Pots/Pans Used: one!



My friend, Blake (of Blake Bakes), made me this seriously fantastic breakfast casserole for one of our potluck brunches. It was so good that I decided to make it myself. I modified the recipe slightly by using coconut milk instead of soy/almond milk, and walnuts instead of pistachios. I also reccomend doubling the topping because it's definitely the best part! This recipe is sure to be a big hit and a great option for Thanksgiving day morning! You can find the recipe here.

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Benny & Flo

Level Of Difficulty: easy
Pots/Pans Used: 2

Ingredients

Extra Firm Tofu
2 tbl maple syrup
1 tbl soy sauce
few squirts liquid smoke
1/4 c water
3 tbl Earth Balance
2 tbl flour
unsweetened almond milk
pinch of salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, paprika, chili powder
nutritional yeast
kale
tomato

This is sorta like an Eggs Benedict meets Eggs Florentine... sorta. It's yummy regardless of what you call it. To keep it light and healthy, I replaced the bread with a tomato slice but it's up to you!



You start by pan-searing your tofu. I only used about 3/4 of the package. Cut the tofu into thin slices and then place them in an oiled pan over medium-high heat. Brown both sides. Combine maple syrup, liquid smoke, water, and soy sauce. Spoon over the seared tofu and let the sauce thicken and thoroughly coat the tofu. Once that's done, set it aside. Then throw some washed and torn kale into the pan. Season with some salt & pepper. Once the kale is steamed and softened, it's done. To make your hollandaise sauce, melt some butter in a sauce pot over low-medium heat. Then whisk in your flour. Gradually whisk in your milk until it thickens up to the desired saucy consistency. Add as much nutritional yeast as you want (I usually do about 2 tabelspoons). Add a pinch of s&p, red pepper flakes, paprika, and chili powder. Now that all the components are done, it's time to assemble!

Take a slice of tomato, then top with the kale, then tofu, then drizzle the sauce on top. Now dig in!

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Strawberry Basil Jam

Level of Difficulty: In need of a watchful eye
Pots/Pans Used: 1-2

Ingredients

6 1/2 cups strawberries, chopped
2 1/4 cups vegan sugar
4 TBL fresh lemon juice
2 1/2 TBL fresh basil, finely chopped

Last week I made jam for the first time. I think I was inspired by my North Carolina trip this summer after seeing tons of interesting jam flavors in all those quaint little country shops. I loved canning so much that I think I might even start selling some fun jams on my etsy shop. Would anyone be interested in something like that? For those vegans that are strict on sugar, you'll be happy to know that all the jams I sell will use certified vegan sugar! But first, I'd love to get some feedback from you guys...




This makes a relatively small batch of jam (about 3 8oz jars). While you're making your jam, I recommend putting your jars in a big pot of boiling water. Combine strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice in a large skillet and bring to a boil. Continue to stir as it thickens up. After about 8 or so minutes, lower the heat once it's begun to thicken up a bit. You can test to see if it's gelled up by dabbing a bit on a cold plate and tipping it after a few seconds to see how slowly it runs. Once it's begun to gel, stir in the basil and let it cook another 2-3 minutes. Now, it's done and you can fill your jars. In order to preserve the jam longer, you can submerge the now full jars (tops on!) in a big pot of boiling water for ten minutes. I made some Whole Wheat Biscuits from The Kind Life cookbook (I love them and they're so easy!) to pair with the jam. Enjoy!



 

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Nutty Orange Coffee Cake

Level of Difficulty: so easy
Pots/Pans Used: 2

So, before we get into the ingredients and instructions... lemme preface this by saying that this is a Paula Deen recipe... dun dun dun. I mean really, NEED I SAY MORE? This may in fact be the most un-vegan-iest vegan recipe EVER. So, if you feel like being reeeeaaalllly bad, make this cake because it's totally insane (and surprisingly simple).

Essentially, its an entire cake comprised of buttermilk biscuits that have been filled with cream cheese, dipped in melted butter, and rolled in sugar...(crickets)...
.....
.......
............
................
................... I know, that's what I said!!!




Anwyays, I threw a little Summer dinner and dance party shindig and this cake seemed like the puuuuuurfect dessert. Plus, that way I knew I couldn't eat it all myself. Not to mention, this recipe is a great conversation starter. I overheard a couple people saying "I know, isn't it awesome? Did you hear what's in it?!"



So here ya go, the now infamous vegan recipe... (To vegan-ize, I just used store bought buttermilk biscuits that were coincidentally egg/dairy free, Tofutti's Better Than Cream Cheese, and Earth Balance).

Stay tuned because I have lots more recipes from my summer dinner party coming!

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Banana Peanut Butter Cup Smoothie

Level of Difficulty: it's a smoothie!
Pots/Pans Used: just a blender

Ingredients

1 & 1/2 Frozen Bananas
1 cup Almond Milk (I used Unsweetened, but that's up to you)
2 TBL Cocoa Powder
2 TBL Peanut Butter
1/2 tsp Agave Nectar



OH MY GOOOODDDNESSSSS. This tastes like a super decadent milkshake without any of the guilt. In fact, you could have this for breakfast... like all the time.... :^O!!!!! Just blend all ingredients in a blender and then indulge in the best smoothie EVERrRrRrRrRrR!

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The Quintessential Banana Bread

Level of Difficulty: Some measuring required
Pots/Pans Used: 2

Ingredients

2 1/2 Bananas, mashed (I got about 2/3 cups plus 2 TBL when mashed)
3/4 cup Brown Sugar
1/2 cup Earth Balance
5 TBL French Vanilla Soy Creamer
2 cups Bread Flour
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1/4 tsp Salt
1/2 cup chopped nuts (i used hazelnuts!)

So I actually have been cooking quite a bit lately despite the lack of updating. This is one of my newest creations I whipped up by modifying my Grandmother's famous banana bread recipe. The texture is perfect... not too dry and just moist enough. Would be ideal with some Earth Balance or Jam. Stay tuned because I'm currently conceptualizing a vegan "ricotta"-stuffed banana bread french toast... mmmm!



Preheat oven to 350. With a mixer, cream together your sugar and Earth Balance. Then add the mashed bananas. In a separate bowl, combine all your remaining dry ingredients. Then gradually add the dry ingredients into the wet. Next add the creamer. Fold in the nuts. Pour into a greased bread loaf pan and bake for 1 hour.

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Breakfast of (Indecisive) Champions!

Level of Difficulty: easy
Pots/Pans Used: two!

Ingredients

Pancake mix (I used Aunt Jemima's Original Mix. However, you can always make yours from scratch)
Egg Replacement
Gimme Lean Sausage
Maple Syrup
1 pkg Extra Firm Tofu, drained
1/2 Onion, chopped
8 oz Mushrooms, sliced
3 Cloves Garlic, minced
1/4 cup Nutritional Yeast
1 tsp Curry Powder
Turmeric
1 TBL Earth Balance
1 tsp Soy Sauce
Cheddar Daiya Cheese (optional)
s&p to taste

This little gem came to be while watching an episode of Man V. Food. We've all been there.... do you want pancakes for breakfast or eggs with sausage/bacon? Sweet or savory? Well, a restaurant came up with a dish to satisfy everyone's taste buds. That's right, the sausage is cooked INTO the pancakes and then topped with scramble. It's a fun way to jazz up a classic meal. Now, the non-vegan version is basically a heart attack waiting to happen. The vegan version is just as filling but relatively guilt-free. Hope you guys have fun with this one...



I started out by making the tofu scramble (This makes an entire package of scramble so you can keep some for leftovers). In a skillet, melt Earth Balance over medium heat. Add the garlic and onions. Once they're translucent and fragrant, add the mushrooms and let them get nicely seared on either side. Add soy sauce and mix well. Crumble the Tofu into the pan and mix it all up. If you want to, add some Daiya cheese at this point and let it melt into the scramble. If you feel the scramble is too dry, feel free to add a TBL of water. Add the curry powder, sprinkle some turmeric for color, nutritional yeast and s&p. Meanwhile, brown a few sausage patties. When you're making the pancakes, just let it cook for a few seconds and bubble. Next, place the sausages into the batter and after a few more seconds, flip the pancake like you normally would. To assemble, top the sausage pancake with some maple syrup and a generous serving of tofu scramble. Feel free to sprinkle with some Daiya. Ta Da!

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Biscuits in Sausage Gravy

oh yes, I went there...


Level of Difficulty: Easiest of easy
Pots/Pans Used: ONE


Ingredients

2 1/2 cup unsweetened plain soy milk
1 package Publix buttermilk biscuits (totally vegan! I think the kind I bought was "hearty layers" or something. Just double check the ingredients to make sure you're getting the right one!)
1 package Gimme Lean Sausage (you don't have to use the whole package if you don't want to)
1/4 cup flour
Earth Balance
s&p to taste

Finally! At long last, my cooking mojo is back in full swing. I'm back in Tampa now, and pretty much obligated to start cooking for myself again. Regardless, I've missed it quite a bit. I am spending tomorrow planning recipes and grocery shopping so be prepared for regular postings again!



This specific recipe is so incredibly easy. In fact, I don't think I've showcased a recipe on here that was more deserving of the "Quick N' Easy" tag. However, I can't take much credit for it. It came from this neat little cookbook my friend got as a gift, Hot Damn & Hell Yeah/ The Dirty South Cookbook. This is the only recipe I've tried from it so far, but the cookbook seems to be jam packed with cute illustrations and yummy down home meals. I decided to make it because on the last day of my holiday break, I had a very small "Goodbye Brunch" with a few friends. We had mimosas, fruit salad, curry tofu scramble, and hash browns. However, these were definitely the star of the show. Seriously, MAKE THESE! THEY'RE SO GOOD! You'll actually want to expand your stomach capacity just to make room for more. They're THAT good.



All you do is heat some Earth Balance in a skillet over medium heat. Meanwhile, you can follow the biscuit instructions and bake them in the oven. In the end, everything should be ready at about the same time. Break up the sausage into little pieces and brown it in the pan. Then add the flour. Let it coat the sausage and then add a little more butter to help it stick to the sausage and brown more. Then gradually add in the soy milk a little at a time while stirring constantly. I had serious doubts when I read the recipe that it would thicken up enough, but it TOTALLY does. I was kind of amazed. Keep adding milk until it's the perfect gravy texture. For me, this ended up being about 2 1/2 cups of milk. You may need more or less. Finally, season with salt & pepper and pour over the biscuits. Serve immediatley!

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Blue Basil Smoothie

Level of Difficulty: Flipping a switch
Pots/Pans Used: 1 blender

Ingredients

1 cup spinach
3-4 large basil leaves
1 cup frozen blueberries
2 sliced rings of pineapple (plus some juice)
1 banana
1 cup plain soymilk



I'm on a healthy food kick right now (knock on wood) and I recenlty stocked up on everything I needed to make green smoothies for breakfast. Ironically, this turned out to be a blue smoothie, but it still has enough green ingredients to make your body love you. I got the idea to add basil after having a green smoothie at a raw restaurant that consisted of spinach, basil, parsley and various fruits. It was delicious! I have to say the same applies for this little creation. Luckily, there is hardly any prep, and it's a good way to get some fruits and veggies in on a day that you haven't been very kind to your bodacious bod. Lemme know what you think...



All you've gotta do is throw it all in a blender and ta da!

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Simple Smoothie

Level of Difficulty: Anyone (with a blender) could do this!
Pots/Pans Used: just a blender

Ingredients

1 banana
1 cup strawberries
the juice and flesh of one grapefruit
1 cup ice
2 tsp agave nectar (optional)



I happen to love smoothies but rarely make them. Contrary to what the photo makes it look like, this is not a rose-infused smoothie (although that's an interesting idea I should work on)... the roses I had in my apartment were just too pretty to not utilize in the photo. I decided to make this really simple smoothie because I had some fruit that only have a few days left and needed to get put to good use. The great thing is that you can really mix it up and add whatever you have. You could add some spinach and make a "green" smoothie, do whatever. If anything, this is just a reminder of how simple and awesome smoothies are.



All the effort required is blending all ingredients. Ideally, I like to use frozen fruit so that I can bypass using ice. Usually the ice never breaks down enough and so you're left with little chunks. If your fruit is frozen, usually that's enough texture to thicken up the drink. Now go and get your smoothie on.

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Banana Muffins with a Chocolate Peanut Butter Topping

Level of difficulty: average as far as muffins go
Pots/Pans Used: 3 bowls!

Ingredients

1/2 cup agave nectar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
2/3 cup water
1/3 cup vegetable oil or canola oil
1 tsp molasses
2 ripe bananas, mashed
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cup flour

Topping:
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup & 1 TBL maple syrup
1/4 cup & 1 TBL unsweetened soymilk
1/4 cup flour
mini chocolate chips

Basically, I was watching Cupcake Wars on the Food Network and avoiding my sculpture project when the need to bake came over me. I had some super ripe bananas and very little baking ingredients so I improvised. The reason I call these muffins instead of cupcakes is because they came out much more dense than I was expecting. I'll probably try and tweak this recipe to get a more fluffy cake, but these were yummy enough that I decided I might as well share them with you. And if you're not a fan of peanut butter, the muffins are good enough by themselves!



Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl, combine your flour, baking soda and powder. In a separate bowl, whisk together your wet ingredients (agave, vanilla, veg oil, molasses and mashed bananas). Then fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Lumps are okay, don't over mix! Next, fill the cupcake liners 2/3 full. Bake for 25-27 minutes, until they are cooked throughout. Let them cool. They will probably sink a little, but no worries!

As for the topping, combine all ingredients in a bowl and either whisk or blend to combine. The reason I added the extra TBL of maple syrup and soymilk is because that's what gave me the texture I wanted. But you can always start out with the 1/4 of each and see if you want to add more. Top the muffins and sprinkle some extra chocolate chips on top. If you want to make them look extra impressive, just melt some chips and then drizzle some chocolate on top and garnish with sliced bananas. Now demolish them!

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Recipes that Make My Life Easier

I've been compiling a few of my favorite, quickest recipes after getting a considerable amount of emails from people just getting into the vegan lifestyle that were a little intimidated by cooking. The truth is, cooking vegan food isn't harder than cooking any other type of food. Of course, some vegan cookbooks can be overly complicated and require a lot of specialty ingredients. It's no wonder you feel like you're entering into a whole new world and you don't speak the language. In all honesty, the only specialty ingredients that I think I ever have in my kitchen are nutritional yeast, agave nectar, Earth Balance and Daiya vegan cheese. Not everyone may find that they use those ingredients enough for them to become your constants, but you just have to search around a bit to find the ingredients that become staples for you when embarking into vegan cooking.

Unfortunately, the truth is that unless you live in a major city, eating out as a vegan isn't always convenient. So, it really is beneficial for you to learn to cook for yourself if you haven't already started. I know I really didn't start getting into cooking until about 2 years ago when I went vegan... I didn't even cook this much when I was a vegetarian. But the reality is, not everyone loves cooking or is particularly skilled at it. Here are some recipes that are really simple, can help to segue into vegan cooking, and can easily become staple meals for every week... I know they already are for me!

But wanna know the best news of all? They ALL only require one pot or pan!


Peanut Butter Cup Oatmeal


Pots/Pans Used: maybe one

Sad but true, I rarely ever get two minutes for breakfast. Usually I just pop Vans maple infused frozen waffles (vegan AND gluten free!!!) into the toaster and drizzle some agave nectar on top, throw a Luna bar in my bag on the way out the door, or just go without. I know, I need to work on that. Anyways, one morning when I had ten whole minutes for breakfast, I decided to make this jazzed up oatmeal. One of my besties, Lindsey Mills of Soul Food, specializes in what she calls "Fancy Oatmeal". She's mixing up oatmeal on a regular basis. I've had her carrot cake oatmeal and lemme just say, it was delicious. I decided to take a stab at it and came up with this super easy and quick breakfast, Peanut Butter Cup Oatmeal.

All you need is oatmeal and.... Dark Chocolate Dreams (peanut butter blended with rich dark chocolate) You can find it in most health food sections at Publix.



Prepare oatmeal according to instructions and then add 1-2 TBL of the chocolate peanut butter spread and mix up. That's all. If you're looking for other ways to use this spread, it's great on a slice of toast or for dipping strawberries in.

Pizza


Pots/Pans Used: maybe one

Pizza is one of the easiest things to make for dinner. Plus, it's fun to make with your significant other on a cozy night in. Or if you have kids, let them pile the toppings on so they feel involved. The nice thing about making pizza is that you can really work with what you've got. All you really need is pizza dough which you can pick up in the bakery section of most grocery stores (Pillsbury brand of pizza dough is vegan too), a jar of tomato sauce and various veggies.

For this pizza, I first rolled out the dough, and pre-baked in a 450 degree oven for about 5-10 minutes. Meanwhile, you can saute whatever veggies you want to use. In this case, I sauteed some mushrooms with soy sauce and garlic, added some artichokes and topped with kale (which gets crispy as it bakes!). Take the dough out of the oven, spread out tomato sauce, sprinkle some Daiya mozzarella cheese on top (optional!), and pile high with veggies. Bake in the oven until the cheese melts or the crust seems thoroughly cooked. By the way, I HIGHLY recommend getting a pizza crisper. I got one as a Christmas gift and it really gives you a crispy crust that just can't compare with a regular baking sheet. But by all means, if you're just testing the waters, use the baking sheet!

Spanish-Inspired Grits


Pots/Pans Used: one

When I REALLY don't feel like cooking or am short on time, I make grits. Usually I just season with a little butter, nutritional yeast and s&p. Then I serve vegetarian baked beans and sauteed kale on the side. And if I'm really lucky, I have some veggie bacon in my fridge to toss in the mix. But let's get real, I'm never that lucky. The other night, I didn't have baked beans, but I did have black beans... so I decided to make Spanish-Inspired Grits. This certainly isn't the prettiest dish I've ever posted, but that's no indication of how it tastes. I was actually surprised by how yummy it was!

You'll need:
grits
3 TBL veganaise
3 TBL Earth Balance
4 tsp taco seasoning
2 TBL nutritional yeast
1 can black beans, drained
s&p to taste

All you have to do is cook the grits according to their instructions, then add the butter and veganaise and mix well. This will get it nice and creamy. Then mix in the taco seasoning and nutritional yeast. Finally, add the drained black beans and season with salt and pepper. Done and done!

Sushi

Pots/Pans Used: one!

Making sushi is so much easier than you think! It seems like a really intimidating endeavor but seriously... it's actually kind of a no-brainer type recipe. I'm kind of a Japanese food freak and I could easily eat sushi every day of the week. My favorite roll? just a simple avocado roll. Seriously, you can't go wrong. However, the nice thing about sushi is you really can get creative and fill it with your favorite ingredients. All you have to actually cook is the sushi rice and the rest is assembly. I swear it's easy! Here is a previous sushi post that provides an instructional video on how to roll your own sushi.

You'll need:
nori sheets
sushi rice
sesame seeds
bamboo mat
saran wrap
veggie filling


Onion Dog

Pots/Pans Used: one

You'll Need:
Smart Sausages (Italian Style)
bun
onion
mustard
condiments

This is a great, quick lunch if you're craving something filling but want to put forth minimum effort. Dice up some onion and saute it with olive oil over medium heat until they begin to caramelize. Add some Dijon mustard and coat the onions in it (optional if you don't like mustard). While the onions are being taken care of, you can toast the hot dog bun. Set aside the onions and saute the sausages in the same pan. Just top the sausages with the onions and whatever condiments you like!

Quesadillas


Pots/Pans Used: one

This is absolutely the easiest of my recipes and the one I make most often. Sometimes I just crave that melty cheesey goodness that you rarely get on a vegan diet. This is when I turn to my trusty quesadillas. I can't deny it's been my favorite midnight snack on more than one occasion. All you do is place a tortilla in a pan, pile high with Daiya cheddar cheese, shake some hot sauce and garlic powder on top then sandwich with another tortilla. Let it get crispy on both sides and let the cheese melt completely. That's it!

Hope that was helpful! Even if none of these recipes suit your fancy, most of the recipes on this blog are just as easy. Good luck cooking vegan :)

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Mixed Fruit Kanten with Cream Sauce

Level of Difficulty: simple but with a fair amount of chopping involved
Pots/Pans Used: 2

Ingredients

1/4 cup agar agar flakes
4 cups apple juice
2 mangoes, skinned and diced
1 pint strawberries, sliced
3 plums, skinned and diced

Tofu Cream Sauce:

1 lb silken tofu
1/4 cup sugar
1 TBL vanilla
1/4 cup almond milk

Alicia Silverstone recently posted about a kanten with plums and blueberries she made on her site, thekindlife.com. If you are like me and had never heard of a this kind of dessert before, it's basically a thick jello type texture with fresh fruit floating throughout. I had been wanting to do a healthy dessert for a small dinner party I was throwing and this seemed to fit the bill perfectly. The only thing was that I didn't have her book on hand to look at the recipe. So I did a little searching on the internet at other Kanten recipes and improvised a bit. You can easily change up this recipe to fit the fruit you have on hand or for what's in season. Since I had mangoes, strawberries and plums in my fridge already, I went with it. It's not an incredibly sweet dessert, but I personally loved it. It's light, refreshing and would be perfect for dessert or breakfast. Agar agar is the only specialty ingredient in this recipe, and you can find it at Whole Foods. This is what gives the dish the gelatinous texture so it's an essential ingredient. If you're wondering, the dinner party consisted of my Broiled Stuffed Mushrooms, asparagus, salad, and Eggplant Parmesan. I felt I was craving lots of veggies so this meal was perfect.



For the tofu cream, combine the tofu, sugar, and vanilla in a food possessor. While it's on, add the almond milk. Pour into a bowl and let it firm up a bit in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
In a saucepan, combine the agar agar flakes, and 2 cups of the apple juice. Just set it aside for 10-15 minutes so that the flakes can soak. Meanwhile, combine the remaining two cups apple juice and mango chunks and puree in either a blender or food processor. If it's a little chunky, don't worry about it because mine wasn't a smooth puree either. Just set that aside for the time being. Now bring the agar agar flakes and apple juice mixture to a boil and then reduce heat to simmer. Let it simmer until the flakes disintegrate completely. Next, combine the agar-apple juice mixture with the mango puree and process again. Pour into a large tupperware container and then drop the strawberries and plums inside. Let it refrigerate until it firms up. This happens somewhat quickly, within an hour even. This makes about 8-10 servings. It keeps great in the fridge so you can have it for breakfast the next day. Just serve with a couple spoon fulls of the tofu cream sauce and you're set!

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