In honor of our partnership for LGBTQ+ Pride Month, the Queer Food Foundation team shared these two recipes as part of their mission to uplift LGBTQIA+ chefs and build community through food.
Executive Director Vanessa Parish shares, “At QFF, we believe recipes are more than instructions; they’re stories of care, and connection. By sharing dishes created by chefs within our community, we celebrate queer creativity, resilience, and the joy of cooking for and with one another.”
Tamarind Kelp Noodle Salad
By Jae Camino
Jae Camino (he/him) is a plant-based chef and business owner who currently splits his time between Miami and NYC. Growing up in the Bronx in his mom’s kitchen taught him the essentials of cooking at an early age. Jae has worked in the food industry for over a decade and owned an award-winning bakery in Florida called, “Jae’s Sinful Delights.” After many years of creating desserts, Jae transitioned into a 100% plant-based lifestyle and created his second culinary venture: PLANTATUDE. He now provides consulting services and product testing for plant-based consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies.
For this recipe, bright and tangy tamarind dressing coats kelp noodles and crisp asparagus in this refreshing salad. Baked crumbled tofu adds a meat-like texture that adds contrast to the soft noodles. Light yet deeply flavorful, it’s perfect served as a vibrant lunch dish.
Serves 4-6
For the Crumbled Tofu:
- 16 ounces extra firm tofu, drained and pressed, crumbled
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- 1⁄2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1⁄4 teaspoon ground black pepper
For the Tamarind Dressing:
- 3 cloves garlic, grated
- 2 shallot, minced
- 2 tablespoons tamari
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon tamarind paste
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 tablespoon dulse flakes
- 1 teaspoon red chili flakes
- 1⁄4 teaspoon sea salt
For the Salad:
- 12 ounces kelp noodles
- 6 cups warm water
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 bunches asparagus, bottom part trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
- 10 ounces cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
- 1 cucumber, sliced in half lengthwise, seeds removed, each half cut into 1/8 inch slices
- Microgreens, for garnish
Advanced Preparation: Freeze tofu the night before and thaw in refrigerator the day of making the recipe
Prepare the tofu: Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a large baking pan with parchment paper. In a mixing bowl, drizzle oil over crumbled tofu and add salt. Toss the tofu in oil until coated. Tip the tofu onto the baking pan and spread evenly. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven, cover and set aside until ready to use.
Prepare the tamarind dressing: In a small bowl, mix together all ingredients. Cover and set aside until ready to use.
Prepare the noodles: Combine kelp noodles, water, lemon juice and baking soda in a glass bowl and mix. Cover and let sit for 20 minutes until noodles have softened. Drain and rinse with cold water. Transfer back into the same bowl. Using kitchen shears, make a few cuts to the noodles to make sure they’re not too long. Cover the bowl and refrigerate until ready to use.
Next, prepare the asparagus: Have a large bowl of ice water ready and set aside. Fill a large pot with 8 cups of water. Add 1 tablespoon of sea salt and bring to a boil. Add asparagus and blanch for 2 minutes. Remove from pot using a large slotted spoon and place into the bowl with ice water. Drain asparagus and transfer to a large mixing bowl.
Build the salad: In the same mixing bowl, add cherry tomatoes, cucumber, kelp noodles, crumbled tofu and tamarind dressing. Toss everything together until well coated with the dressing.
Assemble: On a salad plate, place a portion of noodles in the center. Garnish with microgreens.
Chocolate Banana Nut Bread
By Vanessa Parish
Vanessa Parish (she/her) is a Black, Indigenous, lesbian chef, advocate, and social media producer who has made a significant impact in the culinary world and beyond. As the Executive Director and Co-Founder of the Queer Food Foundation, Vanessa leads efforts to create inclusive and supportive spaces for LGBTQIA+ individuals within the food industry. Her commitment to community empowerment and education is further reflected in the previous mutual aid initiatives she founded, such as “Brown Books for Brown Kids” and “Tasty Tutelage.”
Cozy and just indulgent enough, this is the ultimate comfort bake. Bringing together natural sweetness, rich cocoa, and toasted nuts for a satisfying crunch, it’s the kind of recipe that turns overripe bananas into something special!
- 114 grams butter
- 340 grams sugar
- 283 grams flour
- 69 grams baking soda
- 69 grams salt
- 340 grams mashed bananas
- 123 grams sour cream
- 25 grams vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 65 grams walnuts (optional)
- 65 grams chocolate chips
Preheat the oven to 350 F/176 C.
Combine the dry ingredients, flour, salt, and baking soda, together in a small bowl.
Mix the wet ingredients, mashed bananas, sour cream, vanilla extract, together in a medium bowl.
Using either a large bowl with a hand mixer or a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time.
Fold in the dry ingredients and the wet ingredients alternately to the creamed butter mixture until just combined. Add the walnuts and chocolate chips.
Pour batter into a heavily greased loaf pan. Alternatively, grease the pan and line with strips of parchment, then grease the pan again before pouring in the batter. Or grease the pan and then dust with a light flour coating before pouring the patter.
Bake for an estimated 60 to 80 minutes. Rotate the pan at the 30-minute mark. Cool for at least 20 to 30 minutes before removing from the pan.
Tips:
- Make sure the bananas, sour cream, eggs, and butter are at a consistent room temperature for better consistency and even mixing.
- Be careful not to overdo the chocolate chips. Too many can make the batter heavy thus reducing the capability of the loaf to bind.
- If the top is getting browned while baking faster than the inside, cover with foil.