“What’s for Lunch?” Healthy Recipe Series #15 - Strawberry and Tofeta Salad

I just had a salad for lunch - plain, boring, and green. Even with the addition of fresh snap peas and crumbled feta cheese, I figured there had to be a better way to make a tasty and colorful salad! So I turned to my favorite cookbook - Vegan Cooking for Carnivores - and thumbed through the pages until I found this delicious looking Strawberry and Tofeta Salad!

I bet you’re thinking “what the heck is tofeta” because that’s exactly what I thought too! According to the author Roberto Martin,

“Toefta is a word I made up to describe tofu cubes that have been soaked in kalamata olive brine. The tofu becomes salty and crumbly like feta cheese.”

Perfect! I love feta and if there is a vegan alternative, that’s even better! I’m very excited to give this a try!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 block firm tofu
• One 12-16 oz. jar of kalamata olives
• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 tbls. brown sugar
• 12 oz. mixed greens
• 1 bunch chives, chopped
• 15 fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped
• 1-1/2 cup fresh strawberries, quartered
• 3 tbls. olive oil
• salt&pepper

Instructions:

1. Follow the standard preparation for tofu and cut into small cubes.
2. Pour the liquid from the olive jar into a bowl, add the tofu cubes, and let soak at least 1 hour (or a full day).
3. In a small saucepan, simmer balsamic vinegar with the sugar until reduced by half. Allow to cool completely.
4. In a large bowl, toss mixed greens, chives, basil, and strawberries with a drizzle of the balsamic vinegar reduction and olive oil. Season the salad with salt & pepper to taste and top with tofeta.
5. Enjoy!

I recently enjoyed a strawberry and candied almond salad with poppy vinaigrette at a local vegan restaurant and it was AMAZING. I forget how much I love strawberries in salads until I try it again… there is something about the combination of savory and sweet along with the acidic tang of vinaigrette that takes a salad to the next level.