Lunch ~ Vegan Chicken Salad with Cranberries

Lunch: Vegan chicken salad with cranberries and dill on bed of arugula, served with blood red oranges.

Making a "mock chicken" salad which is packed with protein and low in cholesterol is a breeze. I like using Nagoya organic extra firm tofu, as it results in the best texture. You can combine the faux chicken with various nuts, fruits, and vegetables to create interesting flavor combinations. I enjoy adding walnuts and apples to make a mock Waldorf Salad. 

Tofu in salad press. 

Vegan Chicken Salad

2 tofu blocks

1/2 c shoyu

1/4 c toasted walnuts/almonds

1/4 c dried cranberries or 1 diced apple

1/3 diced celery

1/8 c fresh dill

1/2 c vegan mayonaise

Start by draining the salad, then placing it in the salad press. Squeeze the tofu and let for 1 hour, until moisture is released from tofu. Drain and pat dry. Place tofu into glass container. Slice widthwise into 1 inch steaks. Cover with shoyu/soy sauce and marinate in refrigerator for 1 hour. Heat oven to 350 degrees and bake for 30 minutes. Allow to cool, then slice tofu into salad pieces. Add celery, cranberries, nuts, dill, and vegan mayonnaise. It's ready to serve in either a sandwich or a salad.  

Lunch: Vegan chicken salad with celery, dried cranberries, slivered almond, on a bed of arugula and sorrel, umeboshi plum marinated baby cucumbers, and clementine.