Monday, February 13, 2006

Eggless Salad Sandwich

My goodness, I must have at least a dozen recipes for eggless tofu salad -- it's in almost every vegan cookbook I own. All the recipes were similar, so I settled on Deborah Madison's version in This Can't Be Tofu!, mostly because it includes capers, which shmoo loves, and the fresh herbs and touch of paprika sounded good. I spread the eggless salad on white bread with a thin layer of Vegenaise, and packed it with organic apple slices, baby carrots, and an Odwalla Chocolate Chip Peanut Nourishing Food Bar.
Verdict: I like giving shmoo these Odwalla bars; they're not too sweet and they're even enriched with calcium. It's nice to see more nondairy sources of calcium springing up all the time. I don't think the sandwich will be a returning favorite, though; he finished less than half. 3 stars.

30 comments:

Danielle D. said...

I have never tried eggless tofu salad, but I LOVE chickpea salad sandwiches. Have you ever tried chickpea salad?

regina said...

random question-

do you cut the apple slices yourself or use one of those apple corer/slicer things?

Jennifershmoo said...

Hi, Danielle -- Yes, we love that, too! In fact, I made it for lunch back in November:

http://veganlunchbox.blogspot.com/
2005/11/chickpea-salad-sandwich.html

Hi, Jeenuh! I use a small paring knife. I have a corer, but I think a sharp knife does a better job.

Anonymous said...

mm im a big fan of odwalla bars..i havent tried the nourishing food ones yet..but the chocolate chip peanut one is quite good..especially for breakfast with some soy milk
-AP Environmental Girl

Anonymous said...

Have you tried Cliff ZBars? Our guys like the bars and we like the company (organic ingredients, big into sustainability, and so on). The bars follow California's new helathy kids snacks guidelines, are whole grain, and are fortified with Calcium.

Jennifershmoo said...

I just saw those Clif bars at the store for the first time. We might give them a try!

Anonymous said...

I've had many of the vegan bars--Clif (original), Clif Luna, Clif Zbar, Odwalla bars. I think they're all pretty filling. Looking at Schmoo's lunch, I'd have been full without even touching the sandwich. Jennifer, are you sure lil Schmoo didn't like the sandwich, or was he possibly full instead?

Jennifershmoo said...

Hi, Paula! Actually, shmoo told me he "didn't care for it" and that it was "too sour" (he says that a lot about things he doesn't like -- he must have a sensitive sourometer). My husband and I ate the rest on toast with some sliced avocado here at home and we *loved* it. But you're right, the bars are filling, too, so at least I didn't feel too bad about the unfinished sandwich.

Anonymous said...

One thing that's percolated around in my subconscious is sending shmoo to school with untried foods, what happens if he just hates something, he doesn't get enough to eat.. Maybe there should be a dry run at home for new things..

sarchan said...

Actually, freshman year, the little dining hall/store (called Eddie's for some unknown reason) sold Odwalla Bars, and they, along with the Odwalla juice were one of the few things I actually enjoyed. Of course, like all good things, they quit stocking them later in the year >_<, but I happened to see them at WF the other day and couldn't resist :). The chocolate peanut butter are my fave too.

Anonymous said...

i love those odwalla bars. the carrot raisin ones taste like carrot cake and the mixed berry ones taste like fig newtons with little rice krispie bits.

Anonymous said...

There is a local Oregon company that makes the BEST eggless egg salad. Here's their link:

http://www.tobysfamilyfoods.com/

They have a vegan and non-vegan line. I have tried and tried to make mine resemble theirs, but I can't even come close. If you ever get a chance to buy some, I recommend the regular lite (vegan, of course) version they have just renamed Classic Lemon Dill. It is fantastic! (But don't even try the new fancy-shmancy flavors....sometimes you just shouldn't mess with a good thing.)

I have no interest in or intention of moving from this area, but even if I did Toby's would keep me from moving away from here. Gotta have my Toby's!

Anonymous said...

OH! I just saw the post about Clif Z Bars. They are great! Peanut butter is my favorite. But beware! They are TOO good, if you know what I mean.

Jennifershmoo said...

Oh hey, they sell Toby's at my local grocery store! I've never tasted it, but with your recommendation I may give it a try. I'll have to see if they carry the "Lemon Dill". Thanks!

Anonymous said...

They are just changing all their packaging, so the one I'm recommending may still say Toby's Lite Tofu Pate (but don't get the lite with jalapeno).

Anonymous said...

I'll second the Toby's recommendation! It's soooo good.

Anonymous said...

do you use an ice pack with each meal? whats your criteria for ice pack/no ice pack?

Anonymous said...

I agree with you about Toby's. I noticed some of their new flavors recently at the market and bought the martini olive variety thinking it would be good. Yuck! I wound up throwing it away it was so bad.

Stick with the original : )

Anonymous said...

Oh, I just love those little Odwalla bars, too! My favorite are the carrot-raisin variety, but my grocery store seems to have stopped stocking them... All I can find are the peanutbutter and "berries go-mega." Do you have any idea if they've dropped the flavor, or if my Shaw's is just being wonky? (Which is very possible.)

Anonymous said...

Hello,

I recently purchased a box of the chocolate peanut butter Odwalla bars at my local Target Store.

Carin

Anonymous said...

I think the eggless salad looks good...actually the whole lunch does! Well, I would rather have those brussel sprouts you got me addicted to now than the carrots. I agree with others though those bars can be really filling and that does look like a lot of apple. Jane

Anonymous said...

Odwalla bars are delish! I was so bummed when I found out that Odwalla was bought out by Coca-Cola company. Especially since it is one of the only fruit sweetened energy bars.

-becca

Jennifershmoo said...

Hi, Gramarama! Yes, I tucked an ice pack into his insulated case. I use an ice pack for lunches that are best kept cold (I would have worried about the tofu and Vegenaise if it weren't cold), a thermos to keep things piping hot, and just the insulated lunch case when things don't need to be kept cold or taste best at room temperature.

Hi, Hannah! They still list the carrot flavor on their website, so I think they're still making them.

Harmonia said...

I will have to check that out! I bought Capers a while back and haven't used them.

If anyone has any other caper suggestions...visit my blog and post in comments!

http://harmonia.blogsome.com

VeggieLawyer said...

I just wanted to share my favorite recipe for tofu salad. I've tried a few versions and I like this one the best. The recipe is from the Pillsbury Cookbook.

Mix together:
10 oz crumbled tofu
1/4 c chopped celery
2 tbsp sliced green onions
1/4 c plain soy yogurt
2 tbsp pickle relish
2 tsp. honey mustard
1/2 tsp curry powder
1/8 tsp turmeric

Refrigerate at least 30 minutes before serving.

When I make it, I add a little more yogurt because I like a moister salad.

Anonymous said...

I have to agree with some of the people above and say that the one time I had a Clif bar it was awful. It wasn't a z-bar though, so maybe I'm missing out on the good stuff. I really don't want a bar that just tasted like some brown rice stuck together, though.

Noam said...

Clif builder bars are the best.

(SR71)Atomica said...

I can relate to "Shmoo's" assessment of the eggless salad sandwich, I never cared for egg salad myself, but I imagine eggless salad MAY be an improvement...I MIGHT try that...

joe vannicola said...

Although I'm not vegan, your recipes look really inviting.
I might try a few of them myself.

Anonymous said...

Так или иначе, но «Зенит» впервые отошел от своей классики 4-4-2.