Good Morning! Or whatever greeting is relevant as you read this… It’s time for the most important meal of the day! When I go out for breakfast with my friends and I see all of their delicious meal choices, me and my avocado toast are jealous. So, I took it upon myself to create an equally delicious vegan Tofu Benedict with Hollandaise – paired with the emotional rollercoaster that is Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. You’re in for a perfect day!
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is directed by Michael Gundary and written by Charlie Kaufman who won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay. The story follows Joel (Jim Carrey) and Clementine (Kate Winslet) who had a failed relationship after which they had their memories of each other erased to avoid the pain of the loss. But this doesn’t erase the strong attraction they felt and so they meet again, and rediscover a powerful connection. Kaufman’s screenplay uses a tandem narrative that bounces back and forth between the past and current versions of their relationship, with the added complexity of reversing the sequence of key events. This is classic Kaufman whose other major works include Being John Malcovitch, Adaptation, Synecdoche and many others – all worth watching. Kaufman has what unfortunately sounds like a cliche – a unique voice. You have not seen stories like these before. He is fearless. For example, when he struggled with a film adaptation of The Orchid Thief, he delivered the screenplay about his struggle (Adaptation). But back to Eternal Sunshine and things to watch for. The company that provides the memory erasure service, Lacuna, provides another storyline and set of characters. The technology is sci-fi but very low-tech. The technicians are young, nerdy-techie types, wonderfully quirky and played by Mark Ruffalo, Kirsten Dunst and Elijah Wood. Their stories play with the consequences and temptations that naturally follow from their erasure service.
Ultimately, the movie asks whether the pain of ended love is indeed worth the risk – or even the sure knowledge – that pain is coming and inevitable. That may sound dark but the movie is a wild ride through Joel’s consciousness as he fights the erasure, as it’s happening – fighting for love. Gondry’s music-video-inspired filmmaking adds visual magic to the story.
You might find some true inspiration from Kaufman’s mind. You too, very likely, have a unique voice; you too can be fearless and tell your very own experience of truth and beauty. Although it would be tempting to be able to erase certain parts of this year, maybe even 2020 entirely (as we all impatiently await January 1st), I’m sure that there have been moments, people, experiences that have changed each of us for the better. It has truly been a rollercoaster of a year, but there must be at least one unforgettable moment that you can think of… and if not, it is still to come. That’s exciting!
So, after a delicious breakfast and a great movie, perhaps you will take a few moments to capture bits of your internal world, express appreciation to those who have positively impacted you, and think about what has been a source of sunshine in your life.
Ingredients:
Hollandaise –
• ¾ cashews soaked
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 2 tsp Culley’s South Carolina mustard
• 2 tsp nutritional yeast
• ½ cup water
• ½ tsp paprika
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp turmeric
• ½ tsp tamari
Tofu –
• 1 block extra firm tofu
• 1 tsp tamari
• 1 tsp nutritional yeast
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 cube veggie stock
• ½ tsp turmeric
• 2 tbsp water
Other –
• English muffins
• Vegan butter
• Spinach
• Cherry tomatoes
• Balsamic vinegar (optional)
• Culley’s garlic aioli
• Chives
• Paprika
• Black pepper
• Salt
Instructions:
1. Blend all hollandaise ingredients until smooth and creamy, add more water if necessary for consistency.
2. Cut tofu into chosen shapes e.g. circular to resemble egg. Should be approx. 1cm in width. In a small bowl, mix together the seasonings and marinate tofu in mixture for 10-20 min.
3. Once tofu has marinated, place on a baking tray and pour over remaining liquid. Bake in the oven for 20-30 minutes until cooked through and crispy on the outside.
4. In a pan, lightly toast cherry tomatoes in oil and balsamic vinegar (optional) until charred.
5. Toast English muffins and spread butter. Drizzle Culley’s garlic aioli and pile on spinach. Add tofu and tomatoes.
6. To serve, pour on hollandaise and sprinkle chives, paprika, black pepper and salt.
