Tofu Jambalaya

This recipe is a bit like soup meaning that you really can't mess it up. Add anything you want, sub ingredients, it will work out. If you want to sub zucchini  for the okra, go for it! If you don't have all the spices, don't sweat it, improvise. It is not hot, but can be if you want to add hot sauce, double the cayenne powder, or add chiles.

Ingredients:

1 pkg of Firm or Ex Firm Tofu. Or Super Firm if you like that texture.

1 Green Pepper sliced in long thin slices

1 Red Pepper sliced in long thin slices

1 Large White Onion diced

2 Ribs Celery sliced up

1.5 cups water

4 cups vegetable broth

1 6 oz can Tomato Paste

1.5 Cups White Rice

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 Pkg Trader Joe's Meatless Chorizo Sausage*

1 - 1.5 cups sliced Okra. I didn't measure it, but it was probably 15 pods

1 14-oz can No Salt Diced Tomatoes, undrained

1/2 tsp Chili Powder

1/2 tsp Paprika

1/4 tsp Turmeric

1 tsp Oregano

1/2 tsp Cayenne Pepper or to taste

1/2 tsp Thyme

1 tsp Dried Parsely (I left this out because I didn't have it on hand)

1/2 tsp season salt

Salt and Pepper to taste

Method:

Drain the tofu, slice it in half the long way so you have two raft-looking pieces. Drain it. This means put one slice in colander, cover with a folded paper towel, then stack the other slice and cover that one with a paper towel, then set something sort of heavy on it like your flour or sugar storage container. You want decent pressure, but you don't want to flatten the tofu. Let is sit there while you do the following steps

Get out your soup pot and saute Green Pepper through celery in some EVOO over medium heat until slightly soft, 5 min. While you are stirring and waiting, mix the Veg Broth, water, and tomato paste together with a whisk.

When the veggies have started to go soft, add all of the rice and stir it around (still on the heat) for about 30 seconds, then add the garlic and stir another 30 seconds

Then add the tomato/broth/water mixture, bring to a boil, cover, and simmer 10 min.

During that 10 min, saute the TJ Chorizo (take it out of the plastic tubing) and the okra together with some EVOO over medium heat for about 5 min. Also, get all your spices measured out and into a small bowl or a ramekin

After the rice has been cooking 10 min, add everything else (okra, sausage, can diced tomatoes, and spices) and cover again. Set the timer for 15 minutes. Get the tofu out and slice it into cubes. Any size is fine. Mix them in with everything else and cover again.

After the 15 min is up, stir and taste some of the rice, if it is still a little hard, cook for 5 more min. Repeat until it is soft.

* if you don't have a Trader Joe's around you then move. Or, you could sub any meatless sausage you like. Maybe tofurkey sausage or whatever.