Vegan Pomodora Premo with Tofu and "Chicken"

At last! A new brand kitchen concoction! Born from an end-of-the-month pantry raid and some left over linguine, this bursting-with-flavor pasta dish is a delight to the taste buds and to the body. Great in protein and good fats, your family, both vegan and not, will love it as a whole meal.

You will need:

• 1 Lb. Cooked Whole Wheat Linguine (Or a pasta of your liking)

For the sauce:

• 4 Large Roma Tomatoes (Cut into medium chunks)
• 1 Bunch Green Onions (A.K.A Scallions, sliced thin)
• 1 Jar Kalamata Olives (Pitted and cut in half. DON’T DRAIN THE BRINE!)
• 1 Can Quartered Artichoke Hearts (Non-Marinated!)
• 1 Block Extra Firm Tofu (Cut into small cubes)
• 1 Package of Faux Chicken* (Optional)
• 4 Cloves Garlic (Minced)
• 5 Leaves of Fresh Basil (Please don’t do this recipe an injustice and use dried)
• 1/4 Olive Oil (The best you can afford)
• Salt and Pepper to Taste

* The “chicken” is optional. You can use chicken style seitan, Morning Star Farms chicken strips, a Boca chick paddy sliced, etc… but I digress. There are a lot of vegans who choose not to use meat substitutes. For example, when I make this for my family, my mother loves the “Chicken” strips, but my father won’t touch them.
So it’s entirety up to you. The Tofu works just fine on it’s own.

Directions:

1. Put the olive oil in a deep pan and turn on to a low heat. When it warms up, add the garlic and scallions. Lightly salt and pepper. Sauté until the garlic becomes soft and the white parts of the onion become
   translucent.
2. Add the tofu and continue to sauté on a low heat until it is cooked through. Now add the tomatoes and olives. Continue to cook until the tomatoes start to break down into a sauce. Pour a little of the olive juice in the mix, it makes it a little more flavorful.
3. When you, more or less, have a sauce (you don’t want the tomatoes to be fully pasted) add the artichokes, fresh basil and “chicken.” Continue to cook for a few more minutes and you now have a sauce. All
   that’s left for you to do is put it over the pasta.. you did cook the pasta right?

Serves 4.