Ripe juicy watermelon, tangy vegan feta and a little chopped mint make a wonderful side dish or light meal.
This season has brought us amazing watermelons, including the seedless varieties. I've never really been a fan of seedless watermelons because they never seem to taste like traditional watermelons to me. The flavor and intensity always seems to be a bit muted. But not this year. I've eaten more seedless watermelon this summer than I think I have my whole life!
Seedless watermelon is recommended for this recipe because it will result in nicer cubes that stay intact. But of course, you can use whatever watermelon you prefer, and you can cut it into whatever shapes you like.
INGREDIENTS
2 cups seedless watermelon, cut into bite-sized chunks
1/2 cup vegan feta (recipe below)
1 Tbsp chopped fresh mint
Coarse or flake sea salt, crushed, to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
Lightly toss ingredients together and serve immediately. Serves 2. Refrigerate any leftovers.
Vegan Feta
(Recipe adapted from Healthier Steps)
INGREDIENTS
14 oz package extra firm tofu, drained (original recipe calls for 1 pound but since tofu usually comes in 14 oz packages, I just use that amount)
1/4 cup water
3 Tbsp olive oil
3 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp nutritional yeast flakes
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp salt
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Drain tofu. Wrap in dish towel and let drain for 20 minutes with something heavy sitting on top, like a pan.
2. Make the marinade by mixing the remaining ingredients in a bowl.
3. Cut tofu into 1 inch cubes. Crumble a few of the cubes and add all tofu to the marinade. Mix to thoroughly coat the tofu. Place in a jar or container with a cover and refrigerate overnight.
Note: I like to let my tofu marinate for 2-3 days, to allow more time for the marinade to infuse. Midway through the process, remove the vegan feta from the fridge and stick it in microwave for a couple seconds on 50% power to soften the olive oil (olive oil will solidify in the fridge - softening will ensure that the tofu won't break up when stirring). Add a small squeeze of additional lemon and a dash or two of salt. Stir thoroughly and put back in the fridge until ready to use.
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