Welcome ya’ll to the place to find recipe and plant-based inspiration to add more “superfoods” to your plates without sacrificing time or half your paycheck. I say that because there is a huge misconception that eating healthy is more expensive. If you are having troubles staying in a budget and eating healthy, schedule a consult with me and I’ll set you straight and save you money. I spend a fraction of what I spent on groceries when I ate more omnivorous – plus I’m feeding my husband. And we like to eat! 🙂

When it comes to plant-based diets, one of the foods I get asked most about is tofu. Whether it’s how to cook it or what to use it in, I think people are curious but also a little intimidated. I like to remind people that it’s kind of like learning how to cook chicken – each time you cook it, you learn how long to cook it, at what heat, what seasonings, and all that good stuff. And like chicken, you may eat or cook it one way and dislike it. But that doesn’t mean you won’t like another cooking method. So, for that reason, the recipes this week use tofu in a few different ways.

The main thing about tofu is that you have to have patience – which is/was the hardest part for me. I want to flip it, stir it up, move it around and push and prod. If I can let it steep in the goodness and simmer in the sauce, the result is SO much better. So, like in life how sometimes we just need to steep in what is rather than push and prod to make something happen before we are actually ready, same is true for tofu.

Tofu can get a misguided bad rap, but the research continues to show us that a diet rich in plant based protein (including soy) far outweighs alternatives. In a third a block of tofu, there is 12g protein (that includes all amino acids). Tofu is a fantastic source of iron, calcium, phosphorus, zinc, magnesium and selenium to name a few nutrients. Also, unlike animal based protein, because tofu is made from soy beans, the risk of food borne illness is minimal and you don’t have to worry about cooking it to a certain temperature.

Before checking out this week’s recipes, you may find it helpful to check out this short video to learn how to prepare tofu. Whenever you are cooking with tofu, it’s important to squeeze out all the excess liquid before cooking and adding seasonings. This improves the texture and also helps the tofu soak up the seasonings (think like a sponge).

Sheet Pan Tofu and Green Beans + Broccoli

Sheet pan dinners are my favorite one meal wonders. I can have an entire meal done in 30 minutes without the mess of a ton of dishes and I don’t have to keep an eye on it (or not really). This recipe works well with other veggies or just green beans or just broccoli but we tend to enjoy the texture of green beans and broccoli with the tofu. Plus, both vegetables are easy to find and legit sometimes finding vegetables on the road can be a challenge. … start by heating oven to 400°F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper (this will be a godsend come cleanup time). Prep 1 package of tofu anyway you like, or if you tend to be short on time and borderline hangry, prepare the way I do in video above. In an small bowl, stir 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce/liquid aminos, 3 cloves minced garlic, 1 tablespoon maple syrup (or honey), 1 inch piece of ginger, minced (when using ginger, cut skin off like you would cut the skin off of a potato), and a teaspoon or two of oil (olive works or add more Asian flare with sesame oil) – set aside. Cut the tofu into 1 inch square bites and coat/pour/drizzle with soy sauce mixture. Bake 15 minutes until golden brown on bottom. Flip the tofu and add a pound of green beans (trimmed) and/or small broccoli tidbits or other vegetable of choice and drizzle the vegetables with olive oil + salt + pepper + crushed red pepper (if you like spicy). Bake another 10 – 15 minutes until veggies done to your liking and tofu golden brown. Note: broccoli will be al dente – if you like it cooked more, cut it into smaller pieces or add earlier. Serve with rice, noodles, sweet potatoes, or even in a wrap! This will store for a good week – so make a few pans for leftovers throughout the week if needed. Also, if you’re a saucy person, make double sauce for veggies too.

Scrambled Tofu Pesto Sandwich/Toast/Wrap

Scrambled tofu is great, but mixing the scramble with a pesto is an easy way to add a pop of flavor and create an easy meal. All I do is prepare a package of tofu (again, see video) and squeeze out all the liquid before sautéing it over medium heat in an oiled skillet. Optional to add chopped onion, garlic, carrot, bell pepper, etc and saute for a few minutes before adding tofu. It doesn’t matter how the tofu crumbles, because you’re essentially going to chop, scramble, mix it all up into small pieces. Once it’s warmed, stir in prepared pesto of choice. If you are looking to make your own, check out this walnut pesto. Spread on toast, fill a sandwich, fold into a wrap, or enjoy on its own! If you are using as a sandwich spread, you could also mix in some veganise/mayo based to get to stick together and be a bit more “chicken salad esque”

Lentil Eggplant Lasagna

This recipe showed up in the lentil no recipe recipe post, but the “tofu ricotta” is insanely easy, tasty, and in a mixed dish like lasagna, it works well for plant-based newbies or those needing dairy free alternatives. I’m also suggesting it again because it’s that good and if you haven’t made it yet, you’re missing out. 6 ingredients and a wholesome dinner is done (plus it seems kind of fancy 😉 ).

Hope that helps if you are new to tofu or looking for more ways to incorporate it in to your diet. If you’re looking for other ways to prepare/cook/eat it, let me know – I’d love to help you out! How do you eat tofu? I’d love to hear it! OR do you not eat tofu?? If not, I’m curious about that too! 🙂

3 {Tofu} No Recipe Recipes #9

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.