CASHEW LOAF

I'm always looking for a good loaf to make... and I'm always trying to find good recipes for tofu since it seems to be the healthiest form of protein. This loaf is very tasty, full of veggies, and easy to make...Oh, and it's not full of cheese and eggs like most veggie loafs! I called it Cashew Loaf because Tofu Loaf only sounds good to gnomes...

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 Tbsp olive or canola oil
• 1 onion in chunks
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 cloves garlic
• 2 medium-size carrots
• 2 stalks celery
• 1 Tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tsp ground sage
• 1 tsp. dried thyme
• 1 lb firm tofu
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup ground raw cashews
• 1 tsp. vegan Worcester sauce
• 1 Tbsp. white miso
• 1 Tbsp. tamari or soy sauce
• 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
• 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Preheat oven to 375°.

Put carrots, celery, garlic, and onion in the food processor and pulse until finely chopped. I only have a small food processor, so I have to do it one kind of vegetable at a time. You can chop it finely if you don't have a food processor. 

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a frying pan and sauté the veggies with the salt for about 5 minutes, until vegetables are softened.

It is best to get as much water out of the tofu as possible. I saw this technique online and though it was brilliant. Open up the tofu, put it in a strainer, put the tofu container on top and put a big can of tomatoes or something into the container as a weight. Let it sit like that for at least an hour.

Use the food processor to grind up your cashews.

Crumble the tofu into a mixing bowl and add the cooked vegetables, bread crumbs, miso, tamari, seasonings and everything else. Mix it up, use your hands to get the tofu blended.

Oil a loaf pan and press the mixture into it. Drizzle the top with 1 tablespoon olive oil and bake for 35 minutes.