Missing Chicken Salad

Tofu is perishable and difficult to keep on hand. My solution is to buy two pounds at a time—one for immediate use and one to be tucked away in the freezer. Wrap the tofu destined for the freezer in a towel for 15 minutes to drain the excess water. Then put it in a plastic container with a tight-fitting lid and freeze. Thawed tofu resembles a sponge and is much chewier than the fresh variety. It lends itself to dishes that need a meatier, chewier protein—such as chili and this “chickenless” salad. Use this salad as a sandwich filling, as a dip for fresh vegetables, or as a stuffing for tomatoes.

Ingredients: 

• 1 pound frozen tofu, thawed and well drained

• 2 tablespoons tahini

• 4 tablespoons nutritional yeast

• 2 tablespoons onion, chopped

• 1⁄2 teaspoon black pepper

• 1⁄4 teaspoon garlic powder

• 1⁄4 teaspoon celery seed

• 1 teaspoon barbecue seasoning

• 1 rib celery, chopped

Directions:

Crumble the tofu into a bowl. Combine the remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly. Then process the following in a blender:

• 1⁄4 cup water

• 1⁄2 pound fresh tofu, drained and crumbled

• 1 tablespoon soy sauce

Stir this into the tofu mixture and your salad is ready to serve.