"Eggs" Benedict

Before turning vegan, oh how I loved eggs benedict! Now, a version for vegans to enjoy as well :)

INGREDIENTS
2 English muffins, sliced and warmed in the oven (so you have 4 halves)
2 block of firm or extra firm tofu, drained and pressed (see method below if unsure how)
olive oil, for frying
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 tsp. turmeric
2 tsp. onion powder (or to taste)
salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper to taste
hot sauce, to taste
2 cups baby spinach
1 tomato, cut into thin circles
vegan hollandaise sauce, recipe below

METHOD:
1. Heat the oven to 200 degrees F - the oven will be used to keep all the ingredients warm. Place your english muffins on a baking sheet and in the oven.

1. Take a water glass or a biscuit cutter (something circular that will cut through the tofu) and press into each slab, cutting out two circles per tofu block. Now take both circles, and cut them in half so that you have four tofu circles. You can take the excess tofu and put it in a tupperware and save it in the fridge for later use. (I usually give it to the dog along with her dog food for breakfast)

2. Sprinkle each tofu circle with salt, pepper, and onion powder.

3. Heat the olive oil in a saute pan on a medium-high setting. Saute the garlic for about 1 minute, stirring and moving it in the pan so that it doesn't burn. Add a desired amount of hot sauce to the pan and the turmeric, cook for an additional minute. Place the tofu circles in the pan and cook on each side for 3-4 minutes or until light brown and crispy. When they are finished cooking, place them on a baking sheet and into the oven where they will stay warm until the assembling begins.

4. In the same pan, saute the baby spinach with a pinch of salt (saves on dishes!). You might want to add more olive oil if your pan is looking a bit dry. Make sure that you keep stirring the spinach so that it doesn't stick together and get brown - you want the spinach to become just a little soft and wilted, but also retain shape and color.

5. Take out the warm ingredients from the oven. On the english muffins, lay a slice of tomato, spinach, a slab of the tofu and top with the hollandaise.



HOLLANDAISE SAUCE
1/2 cup Vegenaise
2 tsp dijon mustard
lemon juice from 1 small lemon
1/8-1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
salt and pepper to taste
approx 1/4 tsp turmeric (for color)

Whisk all the ingredients until combined.



TO PRESS TOFU:
Tofu has a good amount of liquid in it. Pressing out that water will make it easier to retain a marinade, and hold its shape. Cut the tofu out of the vacuumed sealed container and drain the water. Place tofu block on a clean kitchen towel and fold the cloth over to cover the tofu. Place a flat object, such as a heavy skillet or cutting board, on top of the covered tofu for 20-30 minutes. Be careful that the object is not too heavy, or it will squish and smash the tofu.