Smoked Tofu Benedict with Mushrooms and Arugula

Last month I posted about the Frosted Blueberry Cake I made for my sisters’ birthday. What I didn’t mention, is that I also made a birthday breakfast for my sister Jem, her fiancé Dan, and myself, as it somehow turned out that we all had the morning off work. Jem loves eggs benedict and will happily eat tofu, so I decided it would be the perfect occasion to try out some vegan ‘eggs’ benedict. I’ve never liked hollandaise sauce, but I had Colleen Patrick-Goudreau’s recipe for Hollandaise Sauce (from The Vegan Table) on hand for just such an occasion.

Our Smoked Tofu Benedict consisted of whole wheat english muffins, arugula, sautéed mushrooms, sautéed slices of Soyganic Smoked Tofu, and Hollandaise Sauce. Dan doesn’t like mushrooms, so had his without.

Smoked Tofu Benedict with Mushrooms and Arugula
Whole wheat english muffins
Baby arugula
Cremini (or white) mushrooms
Fresh ground black pepper
Smoked tofu (We love Soyganic)
Braggs Liquid Aminos
Hollandaise Sauce

First, slice mushrooms and tofu. I cut the block of tofu in half across the widest side, then cut each piece into 4 slices.
Cut english muffins in half.
Set out all of the ingredients for the hollandaise sauce and set oven to warm (just enough ensure everything stays warm until you are ready to serve).
Make hollandaise sauce and keep covered on the stove at the lowest heat, or place pot in oven to keep warm.
Heat two pans over medium heat. Place mushrooms and a splash of water in one pan and the tofu slices in the other.
If you need to do more than one round of english muffins in the toaster, start now. Place toasted ones on a plate in the oven, until the mushrooms and tofu are done.
Cook mushrooms, stirring occasionally, until tender. Add fresh ground black pepper if desired.
Cook the tofu slices just a few minutes on each side, until warmed and a little browned. Turn off heat, add a splash of Braggs Liquid Aminos, and move slices around in it.
Assemble your Tofu Benedict, according to the photos below, making sure to stir the hollandaise well before serving.
Enjoy!

I was super pleased that this breakfast turned out exactly as I’d hoped and I would absolutely make it again. We all thoroughly enjoyed it! The flavours of the smoked tofu, peppery arugula, earthy mushrooms, and hollandaise complemented each other quite well.

I was also really surprised by how much I like the Hollandaise Sauce. I’m not sure how it compares to non-vegan hollandaise, as I don’t remember what that tastes like, but it was really delicious. I used unsweetened almond milk, and Soy-Free Earth Balance in the recipe.

This was definitely not the healthiest breakfast, but compared to a standard eggs benedict, WAY better! Not something I’d make all the time but perfect for a weekend brunch or special occasion. Also, pretty easy to make gluten free: just use gluten free bread or bun in place of the english muffin and ensure your smoked tofu is gluten free.

Sidenote: You may have noticed Jem’s name popping up a lot in the past few months, and its because as of January, we are now living in the same house again. It’s so nice to have someone around that’s willing to eat my vegan food and join me in my cooking and baking adventures, so I’ve been taking full advantage.