Tofu McMuffins
Most families have Christmas (or other holiday) morning traditions. My mom always gets up early to bake some delicious treat before the family gathers to celebrate; it’s usually a festive, fruit-laden Christmas Stollen, or cinnamon-raisin buns.
I love waking up to the aromas of baked goods, but this past Christmas, I really wanted to gift the family with a morning treat. Two weeks before the big day, I was running through snow, in the dark, at 5am, before work. I was no stranger to these early jaunts (thanks to the need to prep for early-morning cooking classes), and pulling on the thermal tights knowing I’d be greeted with the cold darkness is never easy.
But as I was trudging through the snow, I couldn’t shake the feeling of giddiness that comes from knowing you’re up-and-at-em before most of the rest of the town. And I suddenly knew I wanted to feel the same on Christmas Day, taking my mom’s place as designated cook/baker for the family. So I dropped a hint to my mom that we should definitely bake off some extra sourdough English muffins on Christmas Eve, to save for breakfast.
I’m not sure where the inspiration for Tofu McMuffins came from, but somehow, on that dark run, the thought of unwrapping a steamy, foil-covered McDonalds Egg McMuffin sounded really, really freaking good.
I mean, RIGHT?! (The above image is not mine but that sandwich is indeed vegan). I had this vision of all the Christmas-spirited Witters-Hicks’ eagerly unwrapping their personal McMuffins by the tree while sipping chai and I just knew it had to happen. In my head, it was a done-deal.
So kale. You’re probably wondering, Why kale? I ate kale for breakfast literally every day of the summer at a previous job where I was lucky enough to have a breakfast buffet available. The chefs would prepare a sweet-and-saltly kale sauté that blew everyone’s minds. Even picky, veggie-frightened eaters would dive in and the kale sauté would routinely be the first item depleted from the buffet.
The tofu patty: Crispy, flavorful, uhhmazing (DO freeze your tofu in preparation – it really changes the texture and flavor [more about this in another future post]).
The cheese. Chao and Follow Your Heart pepperjack slices are my favorite vegan cheese for both flavor and meltability. Both are rockstars in this breakfast sandwich.
So make these sorta-healthy-and-insanely-tasty McMuffins for your family on Christmas morning, for your friends at a brunch party, or for yourself when you need some self-care.
Let the kitchen shenanigans begin!
Tofu McMuffins
Ingredients
For Each Sandwich
- 8 English muffins
- 1/2 C kale saute
- 1 tofu patty
- 1 slice vegan cheese, cut into 4 pieces — 2 pieces per slice of English muffin (Chao Creamy Original or Follow Your Heart Pepperjack both rock)
Kale Saute
- 1 lb kale frozen
- 1 Tbsp coconut oil
- a few generous splashes soy sauce (sub Bragg Liquid Aminos for GF)
- a few generous splashes balsamic vinegar
- 1-2 Tbsp maple syrup
- a handful of dried currants, raisins, or craisins
Tofu Patties
- 1 lb super-firm tofu (frozen then thawed – firm or extra-firm also work)
- 2 Tbsp coconut oil
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce (more to taste – sub Bragg Liquid Aminos for GF)
- 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp mustard powder
- 1 ½ tsp ground cumin
Instructions
Kale Saute
- Saute kale in coconut oil until soft and fragrant, then add the rest of the ingredients and stir until combined.
Tofu Patties
- Cut tofu into 1cm X 4cm X 4cm rectangles (roughly – whatever is a good shape to fit neatly inside of your English muffins)
- Bring tofu rectangles to sink and squeeze out excess moisture with hands
- Fry tofu in 1 Tbsp coconut oil until golden brown and crispy. Flip and repeat with remaining 1 Tbsp coconut oil.
- While tofu is frying, combine all spices in a bowl.
- Remove frying pan from heat. Drizzle soy sauce over the tofu followed by half of the seasoning mix, until all slices are coated.
- Return pan to high heat, flip tofu so the seasoned side can brown (1-2 min). Sprinkle remaining seasoning over the unseasoned sides, flip, and allow those sides to brown.
- Remove from heat and assemble sandwiches.
Assembly
- Place English muffin slices with cheese in a hot, buttered frying pan. Add 2 Tbsp water, cover, and allow to steam for 1-2 min to melt the cheese.
- Place one rectangle of fried tofu on one slice, top with 1/2 cup kale saute, and the other half of the English muffin. Press down with a spatula to adhere cheese to the rest of the ingredients.
- Fry for 1 min then serve immediately or wrap in tin foil and store in a warm oven until serving.
