I never really ate a lot of cheese, but I did use bits of it in and on a great many of my traditional Italian or Greek recipes. Personally I found working around not adding cheese to my food to be really easy. However, that said, there are some recipes that really depended on either ricotta or feta as a main ingredient. Once I discovered how flexible and economical tofu can be as a cheese substitute I started working on a few recipes that utilize this fantastic food in a variety of delicious and creative ways. This weeks podcast of Herbed Tofu Cheese highlights just what you can do with tofu without sacrificing flavor or texture. Once you get this basic formula down ( it’s soooo easy) you’ll see all the great possibilities! I love this “cheese” instead of feta or ricotta on Flatbread Pizza or as a filling for lasagna or ravioli. Cubed and seasoned  Tofu can also become tart feta and is wonderful when added to salads like Greek Garbanzo Bean Salad. And, as is the case with all my recipes, you can add your own favorite herbs and spices, as much or little as you like. Tonight I used the basic herbed version as a base replacing traditional ricotta in a Caramelized Onion and Mushroom Tart. The best part? Not one person missed the cheese.

The following list is just a small sample of our favorite summer fresh vegetables for stir frying: green beans, peppers, onions, eggplant slices, carrots, zucchini, pattypan or yellow squash, chard, sugar snap and snow peas, asparagus, and of course sweet corn. Use your imagination when combining vegetables for a stir fry and never be afraid to experiment.  Summer is the best time of year to enjoy all the flavorful benefits and easy preparation of vegetarian food.  So, go on…stir fry!

Soup, salad, side, or main dish, broccoli is a cool weather crop and best from October through April in the Northern Hemisphere. When buying this ubiquitous vegetable, look for bright green color and tightly packed buds. Since raw broccoli requires good air circulation to stay fresh, store in a perforated plastic bag for up to 3 days – or just eat it right away.

Give this nutrient-rich vegetable some love. And while you’re at it, check out the baby hamster enjoying a first taste of broccoli.

“I have to say I love the show! Here in Albuquerque Alan & I watch you on our Apple TV, but I need help w/ my mixed relationship. I’m more vegetarian than my other half. I’ve been wearing him down, but he has a need for chili dogs. I know you’ve said many times on your show that there’s many dishes that can be converted to vegetarian versions.

Keep in mind that he’s going to cover it w/chili sauce and tomato sauce, w/ ground beef (we need to replace this too), cheese & onions. It’s gotten to the point that he makes this because he likes the flavor, but he doesn’t eat enough meat to not get himself sick from this every time he eats it. I was thinking if we could find some kinda veggie hotdog, ground beef replacement then we could totally flip him over to our side. I’m sure you can help. Waiting patiently.” –Alan & Chris

For people in those areas here’s my advice. The general rule of thumb for rehydrating TVP is 1 cup of TVP to ¾-1 cup of boiling water. I always start at the lower measure first, you can always add more water. After pouring the water over it, give the TVP about 10 minutes to rehydrate. Once it has plumped up and is softened, squeeze out the excess water and use.

If you feel the TVP is still too wet, simply spread it out on a baking sheet and pop it in the oven at 300 degrees for 10-15 minutes and the texture will become drier and chewier. If you are going to bake off excess water, make sure to check the TVP at 10 minutes, since all ovens bake differently. If the TVP does become too dry – I prefer it on the drier side – I would still use it, unless it’s totally blackened. Once you add it to your recipe, it will plump back up. If at first you’re not satisfied with the results you get, give it a few tries, you’ll get the knack of it!

Use fine-textured TVP in sauces, or for tacos and chili. Use the larger crumbles to replace beef in stews, stir-fries, soups, and pot pies. Dry TVP can be stored in a cool dry location for up to 6 months. Rehydrated TVP needs to be refrigerated and should be used up within 3-5 days.

One of the specials for the day was Barbecued Tempeh, Coleslaw and Cornbread. The whole combination sounded delicious, and perfect for the season. So that afternoon, at the farm stand, I picked up some fresh organic cabbage, sweet onions and scallions and put together one of Didi Emmons’s wonderful slaw recipes, my jerk tempeh and homemade vegan cornbread.

While the restaurant menu was certainly the inspiration and really had us craving these wonderful flavors, I was able to put together the entire menu for all of us at a fraction of the cost, not a lot of time and I even had fun doing it!

When the dog days of summer have you hankering for a light, tasty, stick to your ribs menu, try these recipes together. I promise you won’t be disappointed especially when it’s topped off with an icy Corona and a twist of fresh lime!

When you’re buying elephant garlic, follow the same guidelines as when you’re shopping for ordinary garlic. Choose heads that are firm with plenty of dry, papery covering. Do keep in mind that elephant garlic is far more perishable than regular garlic so be sure to use it shortly after purchasing to maintain optimum flavor. It also has a higher sugar content so if you’re cooking with it, keep your eye on it because it will brown and burn quickly. Elephant garlic is a wonderful when added raw to salads or to soups and stews, when just a hint of garlic flavor is desired.

I just received an email asking what the difference is between marinating and macerating.

Macerating is a procedure used in food preparation where raw, dried, or preserved fruits or vegetables are soaked in a seasoned, usually acidic, liquid before cooking. Macerating is often confused with “marination,” and some use the terms interchangeably. But they do have a different purpose.

Macerating refers to the softening or breaking down of tough fibers in foods using a liquid. This process not only helps to make a particular food more flavorful, it also makes it easier to digest. This is especially helpful with raw onions. Fruit, on the other hand, is usually sprinkled with sugar and a little fresh lemon, then left to sit and release its own juices.

Marinating will do the same thing to some extent, but it is really designed to simply impart additional added flavor before and during the cooking process. So while these two processes share some of the same purposes, there is a difference.

Lentils are one of the most ancient of cultivated crops, and they’re widely consumed throughout Europe, India, and Africa. They are wonderfully all-purpose, low in fat, high in protein and fiber, and unlike other legumes, they cook quickly and require no soaking. They are a terrific meat substitute for vegetarians in a variety of forms – as in burgers and loaves. Lentils have a mild, earthy flavor, and stand up well against more assertive flavorings.

Puy lentils or French lentils are some of the finest available. While they take a bit longer to cook than brown lentils, they’re worth the extra time because they hold their shape well after cooking. Puy lentils are smaller than brown lentils and they’re a beautiful blue green color. They will darken after cooking and I wouldn’t recommend they be used in a burger or loaf recipe as they cost more than brown lentils and they’re very refined. At one time they were only grown in the volcanic soil of Puy, France, but they are now also grown in Italy and North America, which makes them more affordable.

All lentils are best when simmered gently and shouldn’t be used just for soups. Use them as you would other beans – they make great tacos, for example. All lentils are a wonderful, protein-rich addition to salads or are a delicious side dish to any meal.

Dal (or split lentils) are often sold in Indian markets. They cook down quickly and are best puréed or added to soups.

Before cooking, simply rinse lentils and pick out any stones. Salting the water during cooking will slow the process, so season them just before serving. A delicious lentil dish can be ready in as little as half an hour. An essential pantry item, lentils of all types will last up to a year stored in an airtight container in a cool, dry place.

Recently during an informal get together, I made a simple stew with puy lentils, garlic and onions which I served over wilted baby spinach and cornbread with a drizzle of olive oil, chopped cilantro a squeeze of fresh lemon, and fresh cracked pepper. It was the easiest meal you can imagine, and turned out to be a great success with my supper guests. Next time you think of passing by lentils at the store, take the leap and grab a bag – you won’t be sorry.

Like most things in life there is an up side to everything, at least I’d like to think so. Fast food is one of those things. When it comes to the majority of “foods on the go,” especially American versions, the lack of nutritional value, over the top fat content, and super-sized portions can have disastrous consequences on your health. Fat and salt is what gives most fast foods their flavor and in a sense make them practically addictive to the palate. American fast food leads the pack in unhealthy fat and sodium levels.

On a recent jaunt to Boston, we set out to sample a few ethnic versions of portable food. What a wonderful surprise. Our first stop was New Saigon Sandwich (located at 696 Washington St.), a small Vietnamese take out place in the heart of Chinatown. New Saigon Sandwich had come highly recommended by some friends because of their vegetarian selections, especially a sandwich made with marinated tofu and fresh vegetables.

The recommendation could not have been any luckier. The sandwich we sampled was so simple and fresh, and not loaded with complex sauces. The tofu, crisp lettuce, jalapeño, cucumber, and slivered carrots were all lightly sprinkled with ginger soy sauce. But the big surprise was the bread – the French influence on Vietnam can be tasted in these small perfectly baked baguettes. With almost no chewy center and a crispy crust that flaked like paper, it was the perfect complement to the vegetables and tofu. This establishment, like many in Chinatown, offers a wide variety of soups and vegetarian spring rolls, but for us, it was the idea of “sandwich” that was so intriguing. If you have accessibility to traditional ethnic cuisines where you live, I encourage you to explore these places for lunch or a light supper.