Native Foods Blog

The Best Vegan Chocolate Cake Ever!

 

by Holladay Allen    

Native Foods Cafe

Yep.  That is what I Googled.  And the first recipe that popped up… I ran with.   This recipe is awesome because (1) it is soooooo easy and (2) it is incredibly moist and delicious!  So give it a whirl, chances are you already have all the ingredients in your pantry.  

Native Foods Cafe, vegan food, vegan chocolate cake, vegan restaurant

 

The Batter

1 1/4 cups flour

1 cup sugar

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup warm water

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/3 cup vegetable oil (I used safflower)

1 tsp distilled white or apple cider vinegar ( I used white)

 

The Glaze

1/2 cup sugar

4 tbsp vegan butter

2 tbsp almond milk

2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

2 tsp vanilla extract

 

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

2.  Now Alicia says to do the following: In an 8X8 square pan/dish, mix together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt with a fork, making sure it is really blended together. Add the water, vanilla, oil, and vinegar, and again, mix together so that it's really blended together. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides if necessary.

I opted to blend all the liquid ingredients for the cake in the Vita-Mix, then slowly add in the dry ingredients (all mixed together) in to the blender.   Then pour into a lightly greased 8x8 pan.  Worked like a charm.

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3.  Place in oven and bake for about 30 minutes, or until a knife comes out clean. Cool on a rack completely (2 hours).

  Native Foods Cafe, vegan food, vegan chocolate cake, vegan restaurant

 

For the glaze, in a small saucepan, bring sugar, vegan butter, milk, and cocoa to a boil. Stir frequently; then reduce heat to a simmer for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir for another 5 minutes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Add vanilla, stir, and immediately pour onto cake. The Glaze dries really quickly, so spread it immediately and now is the time to add some sprinkles if you'd like. Let this cool for an 1 hour and devour, slowly.... so you really enjoy every last bite.

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Thanks to Alicia K on Instructables for the best vegan cake ever!

Que Salad, Salad.... This History of the Salad

by Christopher Arnett

Native Foods Cafe

From time to time as I’m enjoying some tasty morsels, I wonder about the origin and history of the satisfying sustenance that so titillates my taste buds. I find it fascinating how people in the past used the ingredients around them and developed them into particular combinations of deliciousness that we take for granted, today. Take the salad, for instance. Where did it come from? When? And how did it become entrenched in our modern culinary sensibilities? I’m eager (and hungry) to find out!  And who can forget the Big Salad on Seinfeld:

_

 

First, let’s start with name itself: salad. Maybe the origin of the word will tell us a little about the history? Well, the term salad, or sallet was first used in English in the 14^th century. It is derived from the French word salade, which itself comes from the Latin word salata, which means “salted herb” in this context. The reason for this is that vegetables were seasoned with brine or salty oil-and-vinegar dressings during Roman times. Ah, so it seems as is usually the case today when it comes to salads, it’s all in the dressing.

  Native Foods Cafe, vegan food, vegan restaurant

Let’s start with the ancient world. Centuries before Rome, Babylonians were enjoying greens with oil and vinegar. And like the Romans, the Greeks actually dined on salad, as well. Both cultures enjoyed a variety of dishes with raw vegetables that were dressed with oil, vinegar, and herbs. The Romans were especially fond of their mixed greens and dressing. When Rome fell in the West, salads became less popular, though raw vegetable were eaten during Christian fasting days and used as remedies. However, in the East the Roman Empire continued with the Byzantines, who continued the tradition of salads in their cuisine. Salads eventually returned to European cooking through medieval Spain and Renaissance Italy.

  Native Foods Cafe, vegan food, vegan restaurant

And that brings us to the modern period. It is known that that during her reign in the 16^th century, Mary, Queen of Scots ate boiled celery root over salad covered with a creamy mustard dressing, truffles, chervil, and hard-boiled egg. Then, in 1699, the English gardener and diarist, John Evelyn, encouraged his countrymen to eat fresh salad greens in his Acetaria: A Discourse on Sallets.   He met with little success, but I give props to him just for publishing a discussion on salads so long ago! Here at home, the U.S. popularized salads in the late 19^th century. This occurred during the wave of the domestic science/home economics movement. Apparently, this movement highly emphasized control, and tossed mixed greens were considered messy and improper. Interestingly, this led to the proliferation of salads molded in gelatin for maximum control and order of presentation (yuck!).  Thankfully, the gelatin was eventually put aside, and the rest of the world soon followed suit in its demand for fresh, tossed salads. Today, salads can be found all over the world, from restaurant menus, pre-packed and ready to go, or do-it-yourself salad bars.

 

And salads can also thankfully be found at your local Native Foods Café. Let’s take a look at what chef-crafted delights await you:

 In the mood for something exotic? The Ensalada Azteca is a fresh, tropical, Mexican-inspired salad with protein-packed quinoa, crisp romaine, refreshing jicama, a homemade Azteca salsa, and delicious mango-lime vinaigrette. Perfectly paired with a Watermelon Fresca for that full laying-out-on-the-beach-in-Cancun effect. 

Native Foods Cafe, vegan food, vegan restaurant, Ensalada Azteca

 

Still feeling like staying south of the border but looking for something spicy? The Yo Amigo Taco Salad offers our delicious homemade Mexican seitan, salsa, crunchy tortilla strips, and a mouth-watering spicy Chipotle dressing.   

Native Foods Cafe, vegan food, vegan restaurant. Yo Amigo Taco Salad

Want to get back to basics? Keep it simple but no less delicious with our Crunchy Kale Salad. Raw kale, cabbage, creamy avocado, and crispy apples topped with currants and almonds. And don’t forget the maple orange dressing and zingy tahini ;)  

Native Foods Cafe, vegan food, vegan restaurant, Crunchy Kale Salad

And last but not least, my personal favorite: The Greek Goddess salad. This salad is near and dear to my heart, since I actually had traditional Greek salads while in Greece. Having a vegan take on this is a gift from Olympus, itself. Fresh romaine tossed with Kalamata olives, red onions, peppers, and cucumbers. The dressing is a sweet and savory roasted tomato vinaigrette. But that’s not all! It also comes topped with a balsamic glaze, fried chickpeas, and a Native vegan feta cheese that is truly myth-inspiring.

  Native Foods Cafe, vegan food, vegan restaurant, Greek Goddess Salad

We’ve come a far way from gelatin molds, my friends. Bon appétit!

 

 

 

5 Reasons to Vegan this Week!

by Holladay Allen

Native Foods Cafe

 

1.  The Cheese Man! Punk Rawk Labs is now hawking a line of nut milk cheeses made from cashews, macadamias and a blend of the two.  Pass the Malbec puh-lease, along with the cheese.

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2.  Peanut Butter Cups!  Vegan and amazing from Go Max Go Foods…. Cleo’s are my new favorite midnight… or day snack.

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3. The Black Cat Bag!  Large and in charge… for all you cat lovers out there… and fashionistas too.  Cuz cats are in, didn’t ya know?  And black cats and dogs are the least adopted… so lets make em’ really cool.

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4.  Vegan Jewelry by Michelle Rubin!  Michelle sells her full line at her very cool boutique Love & Pieces in Wicker Park. 

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5.  The Best Vegan Chocolate Cake Ever!  I swear.  Well, one of the top three at least.  Recipe coming atcha on Wednesday.... so be sure to check back.

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The No Flare Diet

by Chef Kendall Huff

Native Food Cafe

Inflammation is an evil little word that doesn’t even sound like anything good comes from it. And no, nothing does!! There are so many forms of this unpleasant little curse. It ranges any where from acute (short lasting like straining a muscle or a viral infection) to chronic (arthritis and heart disease). After the last Native Foods Demo on Hearth Disease and the Foods the Fight, I received LOADS of questions and emails about inflammation, so here we go!!

Like most people, I was once a frequent Aleve partaker. We were BFF’s if you will. We met regularly 2 to 3 times a day in a 4-dose take. That’s anywhere from 8 to 12 pills a day.  YIKES!  The bottle says its ok, but the side effects of that are another blog all together!!  Instead of continuing with this pattern of destruction, I decided to do some research on what I could do and what I could eat instead of popping those blue “magic” pills.

 

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Now the Inflammation Diet is NOT going to shed pounds off of your body. I repeat, LOSING WEIGHT IS NOT THE POINT HERE!!!  Each diet has a twist to it. For example, I can’t eat grapefruit or eggplant. It makes my muscles hurt. But that’s the fun part!! Keep a journal and figure out what works for your body! Eating to avoid inflammation is promoting better health for yourself and can in turn, ward off disease!

 A majority of people today have a diet that includes too many Omega 6 Fatty’s (found in processed foods and fast food), and not enough of the Omega 3 Fatty’s.  Also, the phytochemicals that are naturally found in plants reduce inflammation automatically!! Easy Money!! And don’t forget to exercise!! Get that blood flowing and that heart going!! Cardio 3 times a week for 15 to 20 minutes and you’ll feel great!!

 

 

The 7 Simple Guidelines to Roll with:

1- Eat plenty of fruits and veggies! Just when you think you ate enough for the day, have another apple and a stalk of celery!!

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2- Minimize (or eliminate) saturated fats and trans fats.

 

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3- Eat you Omega 3’s!! The easiest way to get that is by adding walnuts, Flax Seeds, Soybeans, tofu and tofu to your diet.

Double Your Flax with this Delicious Spreadable:

Walnut Flax Seed Hummus

1 ½ cups cooked chickpeas

 2 each cloves garlic, peeled                                                                                                        

1/4 cup walnuts                                                                                                                              

1 TBSP Ground flaxseeds                                                                                                            

1/4 cup water or chickpea cooking liquid                                                                                

1/8 cup lemon juice                                                                                                                      

1/4 tsp Ground cumin                                                                                                                  

1/4 tsp Paprika

**dash cayenne

• Toss the garlic into a running food processor, and process until thoroughly chopped.
• Add the walnuts, and process until they are in tiny pieces.
• Add the chickpeas, flaxseed, and 1/4 cup of water (or cooking liquid).
• Begin blending and add the lemon juice. Continue blending until the mixture is smooth, adding a little more liquid if necessary.
• Add the cumin, the paprika, and dash cayenne, and blend for another minute, and taste to check the seasonings. If needed, add more cumin and lemon juice.

 

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4- Watch your intake of refined carbs!!

*For example-Pasta noodles, white rice, pastries and breads

 

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5- Eat plenty of grains!!

*Bulgur, Wheat Berries, Couscous, Brown Rice, Millet, Quinoa, shall I go on??

 

6- Avoid refined and processed foods

 

 

7- Spice it up!! Ginger, Curry, Cayenne, Red Peppers, Turmeric and even Rosemary are just a few examples!!

 

White Bean and Red Pepper Bruschetta

Yield- 12 to 15 pieces (using a 6 inch Baguette)

 

1 cup White Beans (soaked overnight)

2 cups  Water (Veg Stock)

1 each Bay Leaf

1 tsp Sea Salt

2 each Red Pepper (roasted)

2 cloves Roasted Garlic

¼ cup Olive Oil

2 TBSP Balsamic Vinegar

2 tsp Rosemary (fresh- chopped)

1 TBSP  Chopped Parsley

½ TBSP Thyme

Sea Salt- To taste

Baguette (Or bread of your choosing)

 

1. Place white beans, water/sock, bay leaf, salt in a small pot and cook on medium heat for 1 to 1 hour and 15 minutes. Check occasionally
2. Brush red pepper with olive oil and grill until outer skin chars and can be removed easily.
3. Strain beans from water and allow to cool completely.
4. Slice baguette into ¼ inch slices and brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 10 to 12 minutes, or until golden brown.
5. After peeling the skin off of the pepper, dice into ¼ in pieces.
6. In a bowl, combine the beans, peppers, smashed roasted garlic cloves, vinegar, and all fresh herbs. Toss together and season to taste.
7. Serve on toasty bread!

 

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**Check out these Books also!! Super helpful in your quest for an inflammation free life!!

 

The Anti-Inflammation Diet and Recipe Book: Protect Yourself and Your Family from Heart Disease, Arthritis, Diabetes, Allergies - and More

By: Jessica K. Black 

 

How to Reduce Everyday Pain and Inflammation in Your Body

By: Todd M. Cambio

 

 

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Rapunzel Pigs

by Holladay Allen

Native Foods Cafe

So I was going to post a razzle dazzle recipe to whet your palates and get you ready for the weekend... but then I saw this magical picture on someone's Tumblr:

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But I am pretty sure that this gem is hanging around on a lot of people's Tumblrs.  I mean, shear perfection... get it?  Shear!  So I had to find out if it was real, and it is.... so now I must write a blog all about long-haired guinea pigs.

Guinea pigs, or cavy, were domesticatd around 5000 BC.  They are not part of the pig family nor are they from Guinea.  They actually hail from way up in the Andes, and are a pure product of hybridization, which means they never actually existed in the wild.  That is weird.  Even weirder the guinea pigs were used for all sorts of things: food, science testing (hence the colloquial reference to the name), holistic healing (they were rubbed against the bodies of the sick), and high society gifts to name a few.  Several different breeds came about from all the hybridization, and then (of course) people had to start competitively breeding and showing them.... which is wrong, just plain wrong.  One of these breeds, which I am calling the guinea rapunzel, is the long-haired guinea pig (pictured above... and now below).  Unbelievable.  I immediately thought it was CGI, this just could not be real.

long-haired guinea pig, Native Foods Cafe, vegan, vegan food, vegan restaurant

It's almost like a really nice wig was put on a small rodent of some sort.  I love them, and think they are insanely adorable.... but I think the way they were brought into this world is despicable.... and I bet they agree as they are prone to quite a few health problems:

• respiratory tract infections
• diarrhea
• abcesses on the neck
• scurvy!
• pneumonia
• hip dysplasia
• congenital eye disorders
• the "waltzing disease"

And I about keeled over when I read this.... straight out tha Wiki: Guinea pigs are not well suited to environments that feature wind or frequent drafts,

They love their greens though.... grass being their absolute fave.  They are unable to produce their own Vitamin C (hence the scurvy problem) so they must get it through diet!  Long live the Guinea!    

(an abrupt ending, I know.... but that is all you really need to know at this point)

 

long-haired guinea pig, Native Foods Cafe, vegan, vegan food, vegan restaurant

Kombucha Clothes a la Mode

by Holladay Allen

Native Foods Cafe

I have been riding the Kombucha train for almost a decade now, and I see no reason to ever get off.  Especially now that there are Kombucha clothes!  BioCouture is developing a new line of couture made from the Scoby, or the mother culture from which the Kombucha grows and ferments (Scoby stands for the symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeasts).  BioCouture was started by Suzanne Lee, who, while writing Fashioning the Future: Tomorrow's Wardrobe, discovered that Scobies make mighty nice skirts.  And you can see why:

We borrowed this beautiful picture of a Scoby from Brooklyn Feed.

She describes the process: "To a sugary green tea solution we add a mixed culture of bacterial cellulose, yeasts and other microorganisms to produce a flexible cellulose mat. The bacteria feed on the sugar and spin fine threads of cellulose. As these start to stick together they form a skin on the liquids surface. After two to three weeks, when it is approximately 1.5cm thick, we remove the cellulose skin from the growth bath. We can then either use it wet to mold onto a 3D form, like a dress shape, or dry it flat and then cut and sew it into a garment.... The material is nearest in feel to a vegetable leather..."

I love the idea of an ooey gooey bacteria that transforms into haute couture eliminating the need for gross chemicals and toxins.  New clothes are riddled with toxins and dyes which can absorb right into your skin, and in turn, your bloodstream.   The BioCouture kombucha material needs much less dye to achieve the same coloring effects.  This is very cool.... but right now some of the pieces are looking more Ed Gein than Marc Jacobs.... but to each her own.  

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I think it is awesome that Suzanne Lee is pioneering this brave new world of Scobies in fashion and look forward to the shoe and handbag line!

Way cooler creating a plant and bacteria based clothing line than one based on milk proteins called Qmilch... ew!  Read about that one here.

And I also came across Emily Crane who has been making garments out of bizarre ingredients ever since she made her first dress in a walk-in freezer out of soap bubbles, while working as a catering assistant.  Her two fave ingredients are seaweed (yay!) and gelatin (nay.) beacuse of their versatility... they can go from a hard plastic look to a draped latex kinda thing.  

 

 

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How Do You Like These Apples? Not One Bit.

by Christopher Arnett

Native Foods Cafe 

An article posted Tuesday by the Chicago Tribune recounted some disturbing food safety trends in India. It seems adulterating food with harmful chemicals for various economic reasons has been a long-standing practice in India. And now that authorities are trying to crack down on the offenders and improve the standards of food safety, they are being met by large-scale resistance.

Let’s start with the fruits and veggies, shall we? Apparently, the use of a harmful chemical called calcium carbide is rife in India. It is used to bring fruits to a ripened state in a matter of hours, whereas the process would occur naturally in a matter of weeks. So why are the vendors trafficking in produce that is so under-ripe? Well, unfortunately the economic and agricultural infrastructure in India is currently not very conducive to the expedient transportation of fresh produce to intended markets over long distances. Due to the slow-going on traffic-jammed roads littered with pot-holes and lack of refrigerated storage, a whopping 40% of produce rots before even making it to the city market stalls. Obviously, this is just bad business. And obviously, the vendors need a solution to this problem in order to protect their livelihood. Unfortunately, that’s where harmful chemicals and consumer deception come into play.

As I said earlier, the use of calcium carbide is widespread among Indian produce vendors. Incidentally, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India has gone so far as to ban the chemical because it is a carcinogen known to cause cancer. In spite of this, individuals continue to use it. Disturbingly, the official that was interviewed for this article stated that even though the chemical is “not harmful.” He even went so far as to defend its use by pointing out that ripe fruit could be transported from so far away without it. And vendors will go to other measures to sell their wares, as well. It’s not uncommon for them to polish or dip fruit in artificial colors to give them a fresh appearance. And that’s not all. Apparently, rat poison has been found in vegetables, and batches of unregulated moonshine liquor have killed scores of people at a time. Whoa! All in all, the Food Safety and Standards Authority has found that 13% of all food in India is unfit for consumption. Yikes!

The shiny ones are the ones to watch out for. “Looks good to the eye but ends up bad to the stomach,” says one Delhi vendor.

India has a seen a surge in economic growth in the past two decades, but food safety standards have struggled to keep pace. This is largely due to the massive impoverished sector of Indian society who can’t afford to be so discriminating in their consumption and selling of contaminated foods. If it comes down to eating the adulterated food or not eating at all, the choice is obvious. And if you can’t sell enough of your wares, you can’t support your family.

The situation in India is a tough one, and my heart goes out to all those people who don’t have access to basic healthy food and nourishment. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India hopes to increase its staff and funding next year, so here’s hoping they’ll help improve the health and wellbeing of all these people.

 

Native Foods Cafe, vegan, vegan food, vegan restaurant, toxic apples in India

 

5 Reasons to Vegan this Week!

by Holladay Allen

Native Foods Cafe

 

1. Booda Balm!  For your lips, your face, your elbows, your gnarly knuckles, your nether regions or wherever you'd like... this stuff is like heaven... it just glides on and moisturizes to the maximum.  I imagine just how Siddhartha would have liked, errrr, loved.

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2.  Vaute Couture Coats!  This Leanne Mai-ly Hilgart knows her shiz.  Ever since I migrated to the Windy City from Lala Land, winter coats seem like a somewhat legit purchase.  My sorta-houndstooth-coat that I purchased in Denver at Buffalo Exchange 10 years ago is starting to really fall apart.  And whoa, the Alicia in Bittersweet is sooooo fine.  I have a major coat crush.  This all-vegan designer line boasts the following: 

 Ethics: Vegan, Eco-conscious, Constructed locally in NYC. Weather Prepared: Windproof, Heat Retaining, Snow Resistant. Fabrics: Recyclable Made in the USA 100% Vegan Shell lined with 100% Closed Loop Zero Waste Recycled Satin Ripstop

 

Be still my heart.  I'll take one in every color.

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3.  The Jasmine Bag by Amy Kathryn!  Says it’s a diaper bag.... but if you aren't toting diapers, I say it's a snack bag.  Love all the snack-storing pockets.  Cause vegan snacks are the best.  And this bag is pretty dang attractive.  This is the Olive color, which is my fave color, and available HERE and HERE.  The Camel color is still available on their website HERE!

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4.  Dark Chocolate Covered Pretzels from Whole Foods!  Cuz you need some chocolately snacks to shove in that handsome handbag pictured above.  And these are absolutely the right snack to pair with the Jasmine bag.  Chocolatey, salty, crunchy... oh yes.  

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5. Vegan Buffalo Tofu Wings, FTW!  In case you missed the recipe last week, CLICK HERE.

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Fight the Funk!

by Chef Kendall Huff

Native Foods Cafe

Everyone wants a life of peace, joy and tranquility right? How great would it be to wake up every morning with a warm tingling sensation, overall happy feeling and spend your day with a balance for work, friends, personal time and family?

In the reality of things, not many of us get to achieve this feeling on a daily basis.
Perhaps some more than others, but man wouldn’t it be great!!  More and more people are having these “funks” so to say.  You know what I’m talking about. The feeling of staying in bed ALL day or the crashing on the couch after a deadline has been met and turning into a “sloth’.  Knowing what causes or triggers these funks will make it easier to target your remedies. Everyone is different and some herbs take longer to work than others(say within minutes to a month). Turn your frown upside down with one of these magical herbs….

 

 

 

Need to Move and Shake…

Adding high caffeine plants like coffee or guarana into your diet may aggravate irritability and insomnia. Instead, I like adding small amounts of green tea and yerba mate into my diet. The health benefits on those bad boys are far more superior to a straight up latte or energy drink. Check out www.teavana.com!!

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Other non-caffeine uppers are cayenne, ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg!

 

The Wort:

I also like St. John Wort!! It has loads of befits and uses like the flowering tops are used to prepare teas, tablets, and capsules containing concentrated extracts. Liquid extracts and topical preparations are also used. Today, St. John's Wort is used for depression, anxiety, and/or sleep disorders. All in one kind of a healing! I like it so much that I have it one my arm!!

 

Chef Kendall, Native Foods Cafe, vegan, vegan food, vegan restaurant

Stimulate the Mind…

Brain Fog oh Brain Fog…how I loth thee.  It’s like my Monday and Thursday morning ritual. Not sure where it comes from, but man is it consistent! Adding a little Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba) into your morning tea or morning supplements helps boost brain function  and relieve anxiety. 

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There are also fragrances that will help clear the fog.  Peppermint and Rosemary oils have shown to perk up your day.  Place a few drops in the bottom of your shower and start your day nice and clear...

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SUNSHINE…

When your down, sometimes all you need is a little sunshine!! Even if it’s a 5-minute walk to the EL, or taking lunch in the park, get some of those rays!! Vitamin D plays a huge role in boosting your mood. And hey Chicagoans….you can take a Vitamin D supplement till that sun finds its way back!!

 

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Sleepy Time…

Sleep can easily make or break your mood. They say no less than 6 hours and no more than 9 is the goal. To enhance into the “shut down” mode, try some restful herbs an hour before bed. For example, try chamomile tea, lemon balm or passionflower (I have this tattoo also, but we’ll keep my arms to a minimum).

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Vegan Buffalo Wings...In the Oven and In Your Mouth

by Holladay Allen

Native Foods Cafe

So the Super Bowl just rolled around.... and everyone is all talking about football and snacks and parties... and I could really care less, plus I don't even have a TV to watch all those commercials everyone is raving about.  We did however have an awesome Super Bowl Special meal the week before the grand event:  The Cubano Sandwich. This sandwich was fantastically delicious... and I was sad to see it go.  So I guess I am somewhat grateful for the Super Bowl, as it inspired our brilliant food development team to come up with such a sandwich :)  And I did enjoy reading all the blog posts about Super Bowl Snacks, especially the vegan ones, though I don't playa hate... I like reading all food blogs.  I like to try and veganize meat-centric recipes, the pictures can be super ick though!  Anywho, I stumbled upon a blog from Jess Scone at Get Sconed in PDX (one of my favorite blogs) about her Super Bowl snacks.... and I decided to give these amazing looking wings a whirl.  She got the recipe from Joni Newman's Just the Food Blog, which is an amazing vegan resource as well my friends! I decided to follow Jess' route and make a baked version of these Toffalo Wings.

Vegan Buffalo Wings in the Oven

1 lb tofu, cut into tofu fingers, place in a colander with something heavy on top and let drain for a bit.

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For the batter:

1 1/4  cup all purpose flour 

1 tsp fresh cracked pepper 

1/2 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp dried basil 

1 tsp garlic powder

1 TBSP blackening spice blend

1 can coconut milk (no light or reduced-fat, straight up coconut milk)

Buffalo Sauce:

Vegan butter and hot sauce heated in a pan man!

 

Mix together flour and spices.

Set up a breading station like so:

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Dip one tofu wing in coconut milk, then dredge through flour mixture, then repeat one more time.  Be careful not to have too much breading on each wing!  Cuz then they are weird and bready.

Spray a sheet of foil or baking pan with some grape seed oil.  Lay your wings out like so:

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And Bake!  At 400 for 20 minutes, then flip and bake another 20 min.  Remove from oven and toss with hot sauce/ butter mixture.

Enjoy with veggies and a dairy-free dipping sauce… I mixed the ranch from Native Foods Café with some dairy-free sour cream and a French onion dip pack from Simply Organic and made…. French Onion Ranch!

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