Smoked Tofu Burgers

Tofu is like a sponge, soaking up smoke and getting firmer and denser as it sits on the grill. Just keep it on the cool side of the grill and give it plenty of time to get nice and smoky. 

Double the tofu and marinade and grill up an extra batch of tofu to use in sandwiches, salads, and soups for the week.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons tamari soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons cup vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 block (1-pound)  extra firm tofu
• 5 whole wheat hamburger buns
• 5 large lettuce leaves, shredded
• 1 large tomato, sliced
• 2 scallions, chopped
• Ketchup, mustard, barbecue sauce, if desired

Materials

• 4 cups woodchips, soaked in water
• 1 spray bottle filled with water
• Smoker box or foil to make a pouch

Preparation

1. Mix soy sauce, vegetable oil, wine vinegar and paprika in a square container with a liquid-tight lid large enough to hold all of the tofu. Drain water from tofu and wrap in clean towels, press carefully to soak up water without breaking the tofu. Unwrap tofu and slice into 5 thick slices per block. Place the slices in the marinade, put the lid on the container and turn it over to coat the tofu. Refrigerate the marinating tofu for at least 24 hours or up to three days, turning occasionally to coat.
2. Prepare the grill for smoking (see Tips & Notes for instructions).
3. When the grill is ready and the cool side of the grate is oiled, place the tofu on the grate. Close the lid, opening it once every 10 minutes to quickly turn the tofu. Smoke tofu for 40 minutes.
4. Serve on buns with lettuce, tomato, and condiments of choice.

Tips & Notes

1. Create hot and cool zones

For best smoking results, create hot and cool zones on the grill. The hot zone is where the smoke is created and the food may be seared. The cool zone is where the food is placed to allow the food to cook more slowly and absorb the smoky flavor. If your grill is too small to create both a hot and a cool zone, check your food for doneness earlier as it will cook faster over the high heat

2. Prepare your grill for smoking

Heat the grill

Gas grills: Remove the grate, then turn the gas on high. If your grill has more than one burner, use a single burner on one side. Once the grill is hot, place the smoker box filled with soaked woodchips, or a foil pouch filled with the same, on the hot side of the grill. Replace the grate.

Charcoal grills: remove the grate, pile the charcoal to one side and light it. Heat until it is hot and covered with white ash. Place the smoker box filled with soaked woodchips, or a foil pouch filled with the same, directly on the coals and replace the grate.

Get the woodchips smoking

Allow the woodchips to start smoking. Once you smell the smoke and see wisps of it, you are ready to smoke your food.

3. Smoke your food

Pour a couple tablespoons oil into a cup. Dip a clean paper towel into the oil, hold it with tongs and quickly oil the cool side of the grate (if there are no hot and cool zones on your grill, oil wherever you plan to place the food). Place the food on the oiled grate and quickly cover the grill to allow the food to cook and absorb the smoky flavor.

4. Keep the flames in check

Have a spray bottle of water ready to douse out any flare-ups.

Authored by Robin Asbell. Reprinted by permission from StrongerTogether.coop. Find articles about your food and where it comes from, recipes and a whole lot more at www.strongertogether.coop. 

Grilled Romaine Salad

Use the grill for more than just meat this summer by grilling your salad, too. Romaine is hearty and lends itself perfectly to grilling.

Pile on veggies of your choice for a complete grilled romaine salad. 

Ingredients

Salad

• 1 large head romaine lettuce
• 1 ear corn
• 2 slices day-old bread
• 1/2 avocado, chopped
• 1/4 medium red onion, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided

Dressing

• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

1. Make the dressing by whisking together the cheese and lemon juice in a small bowl. Add the olive oil, balsamic and black pepper and whisk again until incorporated. Set aside.
2. Preheat an outdoor grill or stove top grill pan to medium-low, about 350⁰F.
3. Place the corn on the grill and grill for about 4-5 minutes per side until the kernels start to char. Remove from grill once the whole ear is slightly charred, cut the kernels off the cob and set aside.
4. While the corn grills, drizzle the bread with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and place on the grill for about 1-2 minutes per side until just slightly toasted and grill marks appear. Remove from the grill and cut into cubes.
5. Cut the head of romaine in half lengthwise keeping the core intact. Wash each half thoroughly, gently shake off any excess water and dry well.
6. Drizzle both halves of romaine (cut side) with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Place the lettuce halves on the grill, cut side down and grill for 1-2 minutes per side until the outer leaves just start to wilt and the core has some nice grill marks.
7. Plate the grilled romaine on a serving platter, top with the grilled corn kernels, sliced red onion, chopped avocado and grilled croutons.
8. Drizzle the dressing on top and serve warm.

Serving Suggestion

Add chopped hard-boiled egg or cooked chicken for a complete meal.

Goddess Chickpea Salad with Kale

Creamy and crunchy this salad is packed with protein. Enjoy by itself or stuffed in a whole wheat pita. If you don’t have green goddess dressing on hand, substitute your favorite dressing. 

Meal prep trick: place the dressing at the bottom of the mason jar, top with salad to avoid soggy greens.

Photo Credit: Food, Pleasure & Health

Ingredients

• 1 can chickpeas, drained
• 1 cup packed thinly shredded kale
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/4 cup slivered red onions
• 1/4 cup green goddess salad dressing
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Preparation

1. In a large bowl, combine the chickpeas, kale, cherry tomatoes and red onions. Pour the green goddess dressing over the mixture and toss to coat.
2. Grind fresh black pepper over it all and mix, then taste and add salt if desired. Serve immediately, or store, tightly covered for up to a week in the refrigerator.

Serving Suggestion

This salad is also delicious wrapped in a tortilla or stuffed in a whole wheat pita. If you don’t have green goddess dressing on hand, substitute your favorite dressing.

LA Inspired Street Food: Fruit Salad

If you’ve been to Los Angeles, you may be familiar with the fruit carts sprinkled throughout the city’s many neighborhoods. Carts are typically situated on street corners topped with a rainbow umbrella. Once you spot one, they’re hard to miss.

No matter where you are in the city, vendors stock their carts with the same tools and ingredients - a cutting board, a sharp knife, Ziploc bags, and a bounty of fresh fruits on ice. The secret to this fruit salad is the seasoning. Tajín, a spicy Mexican salt, combines with fresh lime juice for an extra kick and refreshing treat.

LA fruit vendors load up a ziploc bag to be enjoyed on-the-go.

Like any fruit salad, this recipe is very forgiving and can be completely tailored to your tastes. LA fruit carts traditionally use tropical fruits, like mango, melons, and pineapple, but feel free to substitute as you please.

Ingredients

• 1 small watermelon
• 1 cantaloupe
• 1 jicama
• 1 pineapple
• 1 cucumber, peeled and seeded
• 2 mangos
• 1 papaya
• Healthy dash of Tajín or chili powder
• Juice of 1 lime

Preparation

Chop fruits into bite sized pieces. Toss fruits with lime juice and Tajín salt or chili powder. Add an extra dash of Tajín if you can handle the heat.

Serving Suggestion

Serve in a bowl at your upcoming summer bbq. Throw the salad in a Ziploc bag and enjoy on-the-go like a native Angeleno.

Garnet Yam Burgers

Sweet potatoes, chickpeas, millet and spices team up for a fabulous burger.

Garnet yam burger

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 cup peeled and diced garnet yams or sweet potatoes
• 1/4 cup diced yellow onion
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup canned chickpeas, rinsed, drained and smashed
• 1/2 cup millet
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons vegetarian Worcestershire
• Salt
• 1 cup bread crumbs, divided
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 to 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Preparation

1. Bring the vegetable broth to a boil in a medium soup pot. Add the yams and simmer for about 8 minutes, just until the yams are getting tender. Add the onion, garlic, chickpeas and millet, cover the pot and simmer for another 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. The millet should be tender and the liquid should be entirely absorbed when done.
2. Remove from heat and stir in the cumin, chili powder, Worcestershire, a pinch of salt and half of the bread crumbs. Stir well and form into 6 even burgers.
3. Put the beaten egg in a small dish and the remaining bread crumbs in another small dish or plate. Gently dip each burger in the egg, and then coat well in bread crumbs. Place the burgers on a sheet pan or plate and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.
4. Heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Add the yam burgers to the pan and cook for 4 to 5 minutes until browned well on one side. Gently flip the burgers and cook another 4 to 5 minutes.

Serving Suggestion

Serve on a toasted whole-wheat bun with Sriracha mayonnaise, sliced pickled jalapeños and crispy lettuce, or sweet pickles, ketchup and mustard if you prefer. Or make this a main course option for vegetarian holiday guests!

Reprinted with permission from StrongerTogether.coop. Find articles about your food and where it comes from, recipes and a whole lot more at www.strongertogether.coop. Photo provided by Wholehearted Eats.

Moroccan Carrot Radish Salad

Shredded salads are incredibly quick and easy, when you use the food processor. In this one, the peppery kick of radishes and sweet crunch of carrots are enhanced with the tangy lemon dressing. Sort through the radish leaves, discarding any wilted ones, and chop the good ones to toss with the salad.

Ingredients

• 4 large carrots
• 4 large red radishes
• Radish leaves, chopped, or spinach
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup toasted pumpkinseeds
• 1/4 cup toasted, unsalted peanuts (optional)
• 2 ounces crumbled feta cheese

Preparation

Grate the carrots and radishes coarsely. Wash and sort the radish leaves, and chop or julienne. Put them in a bowl. In a small bowl, whisk the lemon juice and cumin, cinnamon, and salt. Whisk in the olive oil gradually. Pour the dressing over the carrots and toss to mix. Just before serving, add the pumpkinseeds, peanuts, and feta cheese and toss.

Authored by Robin Asbell. Reprinted by permission from StrongerTogether.coop. Find articles about your food and where it comes from, recipes and a whole lot more at www.strongertogether.coop

News Roundup May 19, 2017

Austin found a viable, socially conscious response to Uber and Lyft. Can Philly follow?

Early in 2017, even the most mildly woke millennial found themselves asking: “Isn’t there anything other than Uber?”

The transportation network app found itself in hot water when it came out that CEO Travis Kalanick would serve on President Donald Trump’s Business Advisory Council. Soon after, in late January, Uber lowered surge prices during a taxi workers’ strike at JFK airport, a move seen as effectively turning its drivers into scabs.

Read more.

West Philly's The Workshop School joins this year’s Kensington Kinetic Sculpture Derby

Every year, the Kensington Kinetic Sculpture Derby welcomes a crew of visionaries to create people-powered vehicles that run on both ingenuity and creativity. This year, the parade of repurposed bikes and fantastic floats is opening up to a younger demographic. It's usually run by older folks. 

Read more. 

Baltimore Avenue Dollar Stroll, University City Dining Days and more popular events to return this summer

The University City District (UCD) has announced that they will bring back several popular events this summer, including Baltimore Avenue Dollar Stroll, University City Dining Days, and the 40th Street Summer Series. Here’s the UCD sponsored event schedule for Summer 2017 with some more details.

Read more. 

Philly Remembers 4 Cyclists During Ride of Silence

Four bicyclists have been killed in the Delaware Valley in the last year, and 2017 Ride of Silence attendees will remember them, and all fallen cyclists, on Wednesday, May 17th at 6:45pm.

The purpose of this silent ride is to honor cyclists killed/injured in motor vehicle related accidents and to raise awareness about the rights of cyclists to ride the roads. The ride is being held in Philadelphia for the thirteenth year in a row and in its 15th year since its inception. The ride is open to everyone.

Read more.

Local Foraging in the Kitchen: Morels, Ramps, Nettles and Dandelion Greens

The sun is out and the temperatures are high! Let’s get wild. Try this morel dish recipe or read on for more tips about cooking these foraged plants.

Mette Nielsen

Sauteed Morel Mushrooms

Morels are distinctly delicious and super easy to prepare, be sure to cook them long enough. The season is very short and they can be pricy so I often add a few cultivated mushrooms into the mix – crimini, oyster, shiitake.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 8 ounces mixed mushrooms, cleaned and dried
• 2 shallots, minced
• ¼ cup dry white wine
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

To prepare morels, trim, split in half and dip quickly in salted water and then pat thoroughly dry with clean dish cloth or paper towels. Melt the butter in a large heavy skillet over medium heat until it begins to foam. Add the mushrooms and shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until well-browned, about 4 to 6 minutes. Then stir in the wine and the herbs. Continue cooking until the liquid becomes a glaze.

Ramps

These wild leeks are fragrant members of the lily family. Foragers swear you can smell leeks when you step on them, so that they announce themselves, and easy to find. Use ramps as you would leeks and shallots. They’re great in sautés, soups, stir-fries, scrambled eggs.

Nettles

My grandmother would laugh at the very idea I might actually pay money for stinging nettles. They grew wild on the border of the field near her house and she needed gloves to harvest them. But once they were blanched in salted water, she used them just like spinach. Her favorite technique was to simply sauté them in lots of butter and season with salt and pepper and served as a side dish. Try them in a quiche or sautéed in with the morel mushrooms (above).

Dandelion Greens

Yes, these are the same greens I don’t want in my backyard. But they’re delicious, slightly bitter, and loaded with vitamin A and calcium. They pair nicely with lush eggs, bacon, potatoes. Try tossing them onto a simple pizza with mild cheeses and sautéed mushrooms; chop and add them to creamy soups right before serving for zest; chop and add them to scrambled eggs. Toss them with roast new potatoes as they come from the oven.

Authored by Beth Dooley. Reprinted with permission from Lakewinds Food Co-op. 

Win $100 worth of BBQ essentials

Summer time is near! To celebrate, we're raffling off over $100 of BBQ essentials. Enter to win by filling out a raffle ticket in store through Tuesday, May 30th. One lucky winner will take this wagon home on Wednesday, May 31st.

Product includes:

• (2) Santa Cruz lemonade
• (2) Annie's dressings
• (1) Vermont Bread hotdog bun pack
• (1) Vermont Bread burger bun pack
• (1) Boom chicka pop
• (1) Organic watermelon

• (1) Woodstock mayo
• (1) Woodstock dijon
• (1) Woodstock charcoal
• (1) Woodstock bread & butter pickles
• (1) Woodstock yellow mustard
• (1) Woodstock relish

• (1) Woodstock ketchup
• (2) Green Mountain salsa
• (2) Field Day tortilla chips
• (2) Terra Chips
• (1) La Croix 12 pack
• (2) Field Day pasta
• (1) Honest Tom's hot sauce

Ten additional winners will win a 100% organic reusable shopping tote.

Contest winners must pick up in store. 

Lemon Bars

The bright lemon flavor of these bars makes a great finish to a dinner of hearty Mediterranean dishes like pasta or ratatouille. Of course, they’re a delicious midday snack as well.

Via Creative Commons

Ingredients

Crust

• 3/4 cup butter, cold and cut into small pieces
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup confectioner’s sugar

Filling

• 4 large eggs
• 1 1/3 cups sugar
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest, minced
• 3/4 cup fresh lemon juice (3-4 lemons)
• Pinch of salt

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.In a large mixing bowl, whisk the flour and confectioner’s sugar together. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter or your fingers until the mixture is crumbly. Press the dough into the pan evenly.Bake for 15-17 minutes.
2. While the crust is baking, whisk the filling ingredients together in a large mixing bowl. Pour the filling onto the hot crust. Place the dish back into the oven and bake for about 15 minutes.
3. Stir together the sour cream and sugar for the topping. Gently spread the sour cream mix evenly over the bars. Bake another 5-7 minutes. Let the bars cool completely before cutting or topping with powdered sugar.

Reprinted by permission from StrongerTogether.coop. Find articles about your food and where it comes from, recipes and a whole lot more at www.strongertogether.coop