Tofu Ricotta Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

I adapted parts of a White Pizza Grilled Cheese recipe over at Kitchen Treaty. This is a great grilled cheese compromise for those of us who must avoid cheese or all dairy.

Ingredients:

Tofu ricotta:

• 1 pkg firm tofu (16 oz)
• 1/4 c. rice milk...or any kind of milk really (regular, soy, etc)
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 2 Tb. lemon juice
• 2 tsp. dried basil (or you can use 2 Tb. fresh, minced basil)
• 1 tsp. salt

 The sandwich filling:

• 1 cup of the tofu ricotta above
• 2 tsp. olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tsp dried basil (or 1 Tb fresh)
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano (or 2 tsp fresh)
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• fresh ground black pepper to taste
• Your favorite bread--I recommend Ciabatta bread sliced thin, but it also tastes great on whole wheat sandwich bread too 
• margarine or butter replacement (for spreading on the outsides of your bread before grilling)

Directions:

1. Make the tofu ricotta by placing all the ingredients in a blender. Blend till creamy.
2. Take 1 cup of the tofu ricotta and mix with the rest of the ingredients.
3. Warm a skillet over medium heat. Take your bread slices and butter the outsides. Then add a thick layer of the tofu mixture to the inside of the bread. Close the sandwich and place on a skillet. Flip until both sides are a nice crispy brown.

Note about this recipe:

1. Let it cool for a good 5 minutes. The tofu retains it's heat very well!

Quinoa & Mushroom Stuffed Zucchini

 (Front zucchini has no parmesan, back one does.)

I adapted this recipe from The Kitchn.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup quinoa
• 1 cups water
• 2 zucchini, cut in half along their length
• 2 large garlic cloves, minced
• 1 medium shallot, chopped
• 2 mushrooms, chopped
• Olive oil
• About 1/4 tsp dried and crushed sage 
• About 1/4 tsp dried and crushed rosemary
• About 1/4 tsp dried thyme leaves
• Salt and pepper 
• 1/2 cup tofu ricotta
• Parmesan cheese (optional)

Tofu ricotta ingredients:

• 1 pkg firm tofu, drained
• 1 Tbs. sugar (optional)
• 1/4 cup dairy free milk (I use rice milk)
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 2 Tbs. lemon juice
• 2 tsp. dried basil
• 1 tsp. salt

Directions:

Start by preparing your tofu ricotta. Put all the ingredients in a blender and puree until creamy. Then set aside. (Whatever you don't use can be put in the fridge.) 

Preheat oven to 350° F. 

Toast quinoa in a hot pan over medium heat for about five minutes, or until it smells nutty. Then cook according to package (basically, bring water and quinoa to a boil, then cover and reduce to a simmer until water is absorbed...about 15-20 minutes).

While the quinoa cooks, scrape out and reserve the insides of the zucchini, leaving about half an inch of flesh inside. Put the hollowed out zucchini on a cookie sheet in the oven for about 20 minutes or until softened and tender.

Chop or shred the zucchini innards. Mince the garlic, shallots, and mushrooms. Heat a heavy skillet over medium heat with a little olive oil. Sauté the garlic and shallots until golden, then add zucchini innards and mushrooms, along with the herbs. Sauté, stirring often, until most of the zucchini's moisture has evaporated and the mushrooms are tender.

Fluff cooked quinoa with a fork and put in a large bowl (or if the pot you cooked it in is large enough to add the veggies and ricotta then just leave it in the pot). Add the tofu ricotta and cooked zucchini mixture. Stir well and add salt and pepper to taste. Your stuffing is now ready.

Scoop the stuffing into the cooked zucchini shells. If you'd like sprinkle some fresh Parmesan on top of each then return to the oven for about 5 minutes to rewarm. (Rewarm them whether or not you add the parmesan cheese.) Serve immediately. Makes 4 stuffed zucchinis.