Tofu

This recipe doubles easily for a bigger batch. Accompany with Asian noodles or rice and a simple stir-fry, as suggested in the menu.

Soft tofu is a good choice for dishes in which it is crumbled, as in this and the preceding scramble recipe. Both are good for lunch, a light dinner, or even as part of a casual brunch.

These tasty patties can be sandwiched into rolls with lettuce and sliced tomatoes or served on their own as a side dish for grain, potato, or pasta dishes.

The secret ingredient in this smooth sauce is silken tofu. Blended silken tofu makes a great base for sauces that seem creamy, but are actually pure soy goodness. Look for it in your supermarket’s produce section (as well as in natural foods stores). Complete this meal with some fresh bread and a bountiful tossed salad. Or serve it with any of the mixed greens salads on pages 50 to 53.

I used to think of lasagna as quite labor-intensive until no-boil noodles came to the rescue. It’s always a great company or potluck favorite. Now that lasagna is so easy to assemble, you might consider it everyday fare (remember, though, it does take time to bake). This is hearty enough to complete with fresh bread and a big salad.

What luscious flavor from such basic ingredients! Pureed soft tofu or white beans make a deceptively rich base for a soup sure to please mushroom enthusiasts. Serve this soup as an introduction to light pasta or potato dishes.

With a generous portion of tofu, this soup is perfect to team with a light noodle dish.

This nicely flavored miso soup is made more substantial with the addition of tofu. Fresh shiitake mushrooms impart the best flavor to the broth. Follow with an Asian-style noodle dish, such as Asian Sesame-Soy Noodles (page 85).

This visually stunning dish also packs a real flavor punch. Even people who don’t normally like tofu feast on this dish, though you can substitute beef, if you must. If you can get your hands on an Asian pear, use it here. Green beans are also good in this instead of the spinach. Serve this with Perfect Steamed Jasmine Rice (page 240).

We like to whip up this delicious tofu scramble with home fries made from Yukon Gold and sweet potatoes on lazy weekend mornings. Begin to cook the scramble just as the home fries are nearly browned to perfection so you can serve this hearty and soul—satisfying breakfast all at once. It tastes and looks great when accompanied by salsa or chopped tomatoes and a handful of garden—fresh herbs.

These vegan cupcakes are very moist and decadent. The peanut butter filling doubles as a cake filling.

We've rarely gone out for Indian food without including aloo gobi among our selections. It's a vegetarian/vegan standard. This rendition comes together quickly, and the tofu mimics paneer, the bland, soft cheese found in some Indian dairy dishes.

Homemade Panang Curry Paste is the spicy backbone of this velvety vegetarian curry from southern Thailand. Serve it with bowls of jasmine rice for a hearty lunch or dinner.

To make this slightly sweet dish such a delicious departure from other melon soups, Kinch briefly cooks vibrant Cavaillon and Charentais melons. Feel free to use any of your favorite summer melons, including honeydews or cantaloupes.

The three Ts of soy (TVP, Tofu, and Tempeh) join forces to create a protein-packed burger that will rock your socks off.

Wheat Free No need to worry if your local market doesn't carry egg-free mayo. Just whip up some of your own. This recipe works very well as a sandwich spread or in any mayonnaise-based dressing. As long as you use wheat-free vinegar, this mayo is indeed wheat-free.

Wheat Free If there was ever a reason to call a veggie burger hippie food, then this burger fits the bill. Inspired by watching The Drug Years on VH1 and, of course, dear and sweet Simon & Garfunkel, these burgers are sure to please your peace-lovin' pals. Normally, I advocate the use of fresh herbs, but for this one, dried ones work best. I also tend to overspice things, so please, unless you really like the flavors of these herbs, feel free to cut the amounts down.

Tofu is a surprisingly rich source of calcium, which may discourage your body from storing fat, especially in the tummy region. Break out the bikini!

You will definitely surprise yourself with this one. It is an extremely delicious dish that's quick and straightforward to make, but looks as if it's been prepared at a top Chinese restaurant. It is fiery, both from the chiles and the black pepper; you can moderate this by reducing their quantity a little. However, the whole point is spiciness so don't go too far.