Tofu Frittata with Mushrooms and Spinach

I've realized, since starting this blog, that I make pretty regular references to The Vegetarian Epicure, which was one of the very first cookbooks I owned as a teenager, and from which I cooked well into my twenties. Since becoming vegan, I often find myself moved to revisit those recipes and adapt them to the way we eat now. The dish below is a prime example; as a fledgling cook, an unbroken omelet was completely beyond me, and a frittata offered all the same stuff without the attendant stress of turning out a flawless, golden brown crescent of Julia-Childesque splendor. This being the case, they appeared on my table with a certain amount of frequency in those years, making use of whatever vegetables happened to be on hand and usually turned out looking, and tasting, quite nice.

Nowadays, we are all about brunch, so it's not too unusual for us to eat some elaborate, multi-dish meal at 1pm on Saturday and Sunday, if time and opportunity serve. This Sunday I woke up after a shockingly late night, and thought about making a tofu omelet. But then I said to myself, "Hey, self, you haven't made a frittata in yonks," so that's just what I did. And man, was it yummy; it was also easy, which goes a long way with me. It has everything we like the most in breakfast foods: mushrooms, spinach, lots of garlic, tofu, nooch: a veritable cornucopia of brunchy goodness. With some roasted potatoes, toast, and a mimosa, Bloody Mary or a, um, fortified coffee (it's 1pm, people!), I guarantee it will give you the strength to finish the Sunday Times crossword, or take that nap you've been looking forward to all week. Or both. Why choose?

Tofu Frittata with Mushrooms and Spinach
The Vegetables:
Ingredients:
~ 1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
~ 1 tbsp. minced garlic
~ 1 cup chopped onion
~ 1/4 cup each: chopped celery, carrot
~ 2 cups thinly sliced mushrooms
~ 1/2 tsp. salt
~ 1 tsp. each: dill, basil, tarragon, smoked paprika
~ 2 cups baby spinach

Directions:
~ Preheat the oven to 400 degrees fahrenheit
~ In a large skillet or wok, heat the olive oil and saute the onions, garlic, carrots and celery over medium heat for about 5 minutes.
~ Add the mushrooms and seasonings and cook another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
~ Add the baby spinach, stir to combine and cook until just wilted. If the mixture seems wet, raise the heat to high and cook a few minutes to evaporate some moisture.
~ Remove from heat and set aside.

The Batter:
Ingredients:
~ 1 lb. extra firm tofu, crumbled
~ 1 tbsp. minced garlic
~ 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
~ 1/3 cup unsweetened soy milk
~ 1/2 tsp. each: salt, black pepper, turmeric, paprika
~ 2 tbsp. soy "cream cheese" (optional but nice, I used Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese)
~ Extra paprika and dill, for garnish

Directions:
Combine all the ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth (wasn't that easy?!)

The Assembly:
~ Coat a deep-dish pie plate with cooking spray
~ Spread the vegetables evenly over the bottom of the pie plate
~ Pour the batter over the filling, smoothing with a rubber spatula to cover the veggies
~ Sprinkle with a little paprika and dill to make things pretty
~ Bake uncovered in the center of the oven 25-30 minutes, until the batter is set and golden brown on top. (Check on it occasionally during the process, since ovens differ; mine tends to be slow)
~ Allow to sit another 10-15 minutes before serving with a little hot sauce, some home fries, toast, fruit salad, or whatever else turns on your brunch light.