Tofu Asada Tostadas

As nice to eat as it is to say

Hey, welcome to School Night Vegan - so glad you’re here!

There’s a bunch of fun free stuff in this week’s newsletter, but the recipe is for paid subscribers, to say a huge thanks for supporting School Night Vegan!

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I’m writing this from a massive comfy couch in a house on the banks of the Leduc Bay in Ontario, Canada.

You should see the position I’ve somehow ended up in - it’s like my molecules are becoming entwined with the couch and I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to stand up again. It’s eye-watering early because my jet lag is still “live, laugh, loving” but there are certainly worse places to wake up at 4am (I just got to watch an otter catching its breakfast while the sun came up over the water).

I love Canadian cottage culture because, to an outsider, you imagine people escaping from the city to their tiny quaint summer houses in the countryside and boiling a tea kettle over a log fire. But as far as I can tell, a cottage here means a great big massive modern house that’s bigger than anywhere I’ve ever lived. And honestly, slay. It’s so beautiful here, and I think because everything is in flux at home, I feel incredibly lucky to be here right now.

I’m here with my friends Amanda (founder of the Getaway Co), Lauren Toyota (cook book author and YouTube sensation) and Erin Ireland (mastermind behind To Live For bakery in Vancouver). We drove up yesterday from Toronto in a car that was so full of groceries/baked goods/leftover Thai food that I literally had to leave my suitcase of clothes behind. Priorities. Special mention to Erin’s box of delicious baked goods which she travelled with all the way from Vancouver - the Nanaimo bars and butter tarts were borderline spiritual.

Anyway, my job today is to cook a delicious lunch for the gang, and I can’t think of anything better to prepare than these Tofu Asada Tostadas. I love this recipe because the ingredients are actually super simple and accessible, but the results are beyond delicious. It’s one of those recipes that somehow seems like more than the sum of its parts.

I also love this recipe because it’s one where you treat tofu as though it’s meat, in order to enhance not only its flavour, but also its texture too. The tofu is sliced super thin (use a mandolin if you have one) before being marinated in a deliciously umami, zesty, herby sauce.

This method of slicing, marinating and baking tofu (in that order) is a good one to have in your toolbelt, because it can be used for all sorts of dishes. I use this process when making schawarma or doner kebabs (obviously with a different marinade recipe). Nut even if you’re not feeling creative, the tofu as described in this recipe can be used in burritos, bowls, tacos and sandwiches. Truly versatile and blummin delicious.

It’s a brief one this week, so just two updates.

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Weekly Wrap

I Think I Finally Nailed Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

I’ve been working on numerous oatmeal raisin cookie recipes for ages and I always run into the same problem - cakiness! I love my ORC’s (oatmeal raisin cookies) really chewy and dare I say moist, but with a crispy exterior. But I’ve always struggled to get a texture that doesn’t feel too soft and cakey.

Last week I finally made a batch that are honestly the perfect ORC. They use three different kinds of sugar, and I think that has solved the problem. Granulated sugar, for crisp crunch, light brown sugar, for moist maltiness, and treacle (or molasses) for chew and deep rich flavour. They’re honestly spectacular AND I even had a chance to do a freezer test and can confirm they freeze and defrost perfectly in dough form AND post-baking. I know I just shared a cookie recipe, but I’m putting these in next week’s newsletter.

Look At My Dog

Not an update. Just look at her. But be quiet, she’s sleeping.

OK, that’s all. Here’s your recipe.

LOVE YOU! XXX

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This Week’s Recipe: Tofu Asada Tostadas

(With Downloadable PDF Version)