www.roanoke.com

Isn't that an oxymoron?

Apparently not, according to Bryant Terry, the Oakland chef who authored "Vegan Soul Kitchen," a new cookbook I received recently in the mail. Terry boasts that his recipes are "fresh, healthy and creative African-American cuisine."

When I think soul food, I think fried okra, chitterlings or hog jowls, gravies, greens cooked with fatback and cornbread. None of those foods could even remotely be construed as vegan -- or healthy --  under normal soul food cooking conditions. That's why Terry's book is so wonderful. He seems to have spent quite a bit of time thinking about his own background, the backgrounds of his ancestors and all the ways he could lighten up some of that delicious cooking.

For example, Terry writes in his introduction that collard greens were always a staple at his family table. His grandmother simmered them for hours until they were tender, but they had also lost all of their bright color by then. So Terry decided to experiment with a different cooking method that involved blanching in salted, boiling water, shocking in ice water and then sauteeing quickly with olive oil, garlic and sea salt. The resulting dish was healthier and more vitamin rich than the old school way.

Examples of his other creations include Wilted Swiss Chard and Spinach with Lemon-Tahini Dressing, Blackened Tofu Slabs with Succotash Salsa, Quinoa Cornbread and Smoky Pickled Purple Okra.

I'll share a few of those recipes here. Let me know what you think!

Blackened Tofu Slabs with Succotash Salsa
Serves 4 to 6

Salsa:

5 cups water
1/2 cup fresh baby lima beans, rinsed (use frozen if you can't find fresh)
1 ear sweet corn, kernels scraped
1 medium tomato, cored, seeded and diced
3 Tbsp. minced red onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped finely
2 Tbsp. fresh cilantro, minced
1 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 tsp. coarse sea salt

Tofu:

1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 Tbsp. cumin
1 Tbsp. coriander
1 Tsp. coarse sea salt
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. white pepper
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 pounds extra-firm tofu (2 large cakes), frozen, thawed, pressed, patted dry and (each cake) cut into three even widthwise slices

For the salsa:

1. In a medium saucepan, combine the beans with the water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, partially cover and simmer for about 7 minutes, or until the beans are slightly tender. Add the corn and cook for 1 minute more. Drain.

2. Plunge the beans and corn into ice water to stop the cooking and set their color. Drain.

3. In a medium bowl, combine the limas, corn, tomato, onion, garlic, jalapeno, cilantro, lemon juice and salt and mix well. Set aside.

For tofu:

1. In a small bowl, combine the onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, cayenne, cumin, coriander, salt, black pepper and white pepper and mix well to combine. Transfer to a large plate.

2. Brush each side of the tofu sheets with olive oil, dredge in the blackened seasonings and transfer to a plate.

3. Warm a large, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add tofu and cook, without disturbing, until beginning to crisp on the bottom, about 2 1/2 minutes. With a spatula, gently turn the sheets over and fry until the other side is starting to crisp, about 2 to 3 minutes.

4. Serve the salsa atop the tofu sheets.

Wilted Swiss Chard and Spinach with Lemon-Tahini Dressing
Serves 4 to 6

Dressing:

1/2 cup tahini
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tsp. balsamic vinegar
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. coarse sea salt

Greens:

8 packed cups of chopped chard (any kind), cut into bite size pieces
8 packed cups of chopped spinach leaves, cut into bite-size pieces

Dressing:

1. Combine all of the ingredients in an upright blender and blend until creamy.

Greens:

1. In a large saute pan over medium heat, cook the chard and spinach down, stirring often, for about 5 minutes.

2. Transfer to a colander and drain.

3. Combine the wilted chard and spinach with enough dressing to coat lightly and toss to mix well.

Source: "Vegan Soul Kitchen" by Bryant Terry