Happy Hens Chickenless Salad
Courtesy of Lauren from Well Elephant
My pal Lauren is a wonderful plant-based cook. She reversed her heart disease from adopting a whole food plant based low fat diet. It’s a wonderful and inspiring story and worth reading about on her website: https://wellelephant.com/
Lauren is one of my few friends who actually invites me over for dinner and doesn’t expect me to contribute a dish. She always makes delicious and healthy dishes for which I always request the recipes! Thankfully, she doesn’t mind sharing.
Like me, Lauren’s goal is to make this way of eating as simple and easy as possible. We have partnered on making videos, teaching classes and giving presentations because we have the same approach and almost have too much fun together in the process!
Fun fact: Lauren and I have only known each other for a few years. But soon after we met and became fast friends we discovered we were born at the same hospital in Queens, NY, delivered by the same obstetrician and had the same pediatrician. We even lived in the same neighborhood as babies! We are convinced we are sisters separated at birth (even though I am older and half Filipino and she is Jewish).
Ingredients
1 package of extra firm tofu – drained
Bragg Liquid Aminos
Red grapes about a quarter-cup, chopped
Celery, about a quarter-cup, chopped
Red onion, about a quarter-cup, chopped
Green onion 1-2 tablespoons, chopped
Squirt of lemon
Salt and pepper, optional
Bread of choice for a sandwich (I like Ezekiel, pumpernickel, or make the pretzel rolls)
Instructions
Drain and squeeze the liquid out of the tofu. I wrap it in a clean dish towel and press gently.
Cut the tofu into bite-size cubes.
Cover in Bragg Liquid Aminos and toss to coat.
Cook the tofu preferably in an air-fryer at 400 for about 13-15 minutes depending on your fryer. You don’t want it crispy, just golden brown. Don’t have an air fryer? Bake on a baking sheet covered in parchment paper at 400 till golden brown.
Cool then refrigerate for several hours to overnight. This helps the consistency to be chicken-like.
Make the vegan mayo the night before too if you like.
Put the tofu in food processor and pulse until most of the chunks are broken up. DO NOT OVERPULSE! You don’t want mush. You want the cubes to be cut into one or two pieces.
Put the tofu into a big bowl and cover in mayo.
Chop vegetables and add to the bowl. Add a little more mayo if needed.
Give a little squirt of lemon juice to brighten the flavor and add salt and pepper if you choose to.
It’s best to let this sit for an hour or so to meld the flavors.
Use in a salad or on bread for a fabulous sandwich.
