Vegan Dinner Date

Neko and Abby went vegan for our dinner date last night! Unfortunately, my side dish of rice noodle stir fry did not turn out well, and I'll have to revisit it before I can post it here. But the dessert is a don't-miss - you won't believe how fluffy and yummy and moist this cake is, without a single egg or speck of butter in sight!

Maple-Baked Tofu Triangles

1 lb firm tofu, pressed and drained
2 Tbsp maple syrup
4 tsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp canola oil
1 clove garlic
2 Tbsp orange juice

Slice the tofu vertically into 3 slabs, and then slice into triangles. Lay the tofu triangles in a baking dish. Whisk together the remaining ingredients and pour them over the tofu. Marinate, turning at least once, for at least 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350F. Bake the triangles in the marinade for 40-45 minutes, until the triangles are golden and most of the marinade is absorbed.

Vegan Coconut Cake

Cake:
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup coconut milk
1/4 cp sugar
2 Tbsp oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
sweetened, shredded coconut

Coconut Drizzle
1 cup coconut milk
2 Tbsp agave nectar (or use sweetener of choice to taste)
2 tsp corn starch

Preheat the oven to 350F. Coat an 8- or 9-inch cake pan with non-stick spray. In a medium bowl, combine the flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In another bowl, whisk together the coconut milk, sugar, oil, vanilla, and vinegar. Add the wet to the dry and stir until well-combined. Pour the batter into the cake pan and top with a handful or two of shredded coconut. Bake for 25 minutes in an 8-inch cake pan, slightly less time for a 9-inch pan, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

To prepare the coconut drizzle: In a small bowl, combine the corn starch with a small amount of the coconut milk and stir until completely dissolved. Stir the dissolved corn starch into the remaining coconut milk in a sauce pan; cook, stirring, over medium heat until thickened and bubbly, about 5 minutes. Let cool before drizzling over slices of cake.

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I liked the triangles, and Neko ate them up - Abby tried a few bites but did literally gag on the 4th bite or so. I guess she's not a tofu girl! I was thrilled with my coconut cake - I made another one, without the drizzle, for playgroup this morning. It was a hit with kids and mommies alike!