Best Baked Tofu

 

 

This is the absolute best way to use tofu! It’s chewy and flavorful, cheap and easy, versatile and healthy. 

• Use Nasoya brand organic super firm tofu if possible
• Grate it with a box grater- your Cuisinart grater blade will create too much mush
• Add 1C walnuts ground medium fine in the Cuisinart 
• Add 1-2 T tomato paste and about 1/2 cup water
• Add other spices if you want (garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, taco seasonings, etc)  Remember- tofu can handle lots of seasoning 
• Bake on parchment in 375 degrees for 20 minutes
• Stir and flip around and continue this process until it’s browned and crispy. 

Here you see a most delicious pita stuffed with baked grated tofu and a fake tzatziki sauce of ranch, dill and minced cukes. 

Basic Baked Tofu

Super easy and nutritious and perfect for a quick weeknight meal. There is no long marinating time needed for this method. This tofu is great served as is, or chilled and tossed in a salad the next day. It would be great in a sandwich also.

It's more about the method than the ingredients. Of course you can cut the recipe in half or double it for a larger crowd. 2 pounds works well for 4 servings.

2 pounds firm tofu, cut into quarters the long way.
1/2 C soy sauce
zest and juice from one big lemon
1/4 corn oil

Make the slash marks on the tofu, cutting rather deep so the juice gets down in there.
Mix the marinade and spoon over the tofu, allowing it to drip down in the slices.

Bake in a shallow baking dish at 400 degrees for at least 45 minutes, checking every so often and spooning more marinade in the cracks. I actually transferred the tofu onto a parchment lined baking sheet when the soy mixture started to evaporate - I did not want my tofu to burn.

It's nice and chewy - and surprisingly not too lemony!

Tofu Mushroom Stir Fry - keeping it simple

This would be an excellent recipe for those of you who are unfamiliar with using firm tofu. I conquered my fear of tofu a few years ago and now it's a staple in my kitchen. It's so handy for a quick meal! Cheap and filling. And so simple! And delicious! And nutritious!

This is also a good beginner recipe for using shiitake mushrooms - please tell me you're not still using only button mushrooms.  I can't get over how delicious shiitakes are. They are probably not as cheap as button mushrooms, but the improvement in flavor is worth it.

At first I thought there would not be enough sauce for 4 portions, but it's plenty. My guys added Sriracha sauce and I added just a splash of extra soy sauce.

Tofu Mushroom Stir Fry (from Bon Appetite)

1 lb extra firm tofu, cut in 1/2 inch cubes, blotted dry on a cotton towel or paper towels.
Sprinkle 2 t corn starch, 1 T soy sauce, some hot pepper flakes over tofu cubes.
Fry in 1 T corn oil until brown, flip over and continue browning pieces of tofu. Set aside.

1 lb shiitake and button mushroom mix. Remove stems from shiitakes and tear them in biggish pieces.

1 bunch green onions, cut in 1 inch pieces.

1 knob of ginger, sliced thinly or grated.

Saute mushrooms, onions, and ginger in 1 T corn oil until brown in some spots.

Sauce:
1 T soy sauce
1 T rice vinegar
1 T mirin (rice wine)

Mix tofu, mushrooms, and sauce. Heat up and serve over white rice

Garnish: sesame seeds.

Secret Ingredient BLT

Vegan Month of Food 2017

"Lines and Light"

(a line of original poetry or a photo of beautiful Michigan light every day in October)

Day 10 : Secret Ingredient

"Unfiltered Light on Sand, Grand Haven, MI"

I admit that for vegans, tofurky is NOT a surprise ingredient. We have been eating it for years and years, but I think my hubby has invented the BEST way to use the stuff! So GOOD! We eat them like there's no tomorrow, juice running down our hands and mayo on our chins. We don't care. We keep eating. No time to reach for a napkin....if you set the sammie down, it might fall apart and that would be a shame....so we just keep eating. Sandwich after sandwich after sandwich. 

Here's what you need:

1 box peppered tofurky slices

fresh tomatoes

iceberg lettuce

mayo

maple syrup

soy sauce

liquid smoke

good, thin white bread (like Pepperidge Farm Sandwich bread)

Prepare to be amazed at this secret way to make bacon for the world's best vegan BLT.

Here's what you do:

Make a slurry of maple syrup (maybe about 2-3 T), liquid smoke (maybe about 1 t), and soy sauce (maybe about 2 t). Use a pastry brush to lightly brush each slice of tofurky. Fry them lightly in a tiny bit of corn oil, flipping once. Brush on more saucy goodness after you flip them. 

DELICIOUS! 

Sweet and Smoky Glazed Tofu Ham (Isa Chandra)

Vegan Month of Food 2017
“Lines and Light”

(a line of original poetry or a photo of light every day for the month of October)

“Where do you get your protein?” they inquire.
“Where do you get your fiber?” I respond.

Day 3:  But where do you get your protein? Make a protein packed meal.
(click HERE to see what others are sharing today)

Can you even believe how gorgeous this tofu is? Seriously! TOFU HAM! That’s crazy! As you might know, tofu is made from soy beans and those little babies are loaded with protein – easily digested, delicious protein.

I followed the recipe closely, but I used marmalade instead of apricot jam. I also skipped the whiskey and smoked salt. I’m telling you, the marinade actually tasted like ham. It was smoky and sweet and thick and dark. One important note is to really press the tofu well. This will help it obtain that chewy, toothsome bite we tofu lovers crave. 

Find this excellent recipe HERE. (Thanks, Isa!)

Chinese Tofu, Mushroom, and Jicama Lettuce Cups

The first time I made this, I followed the instructions exactly as written. It involved dragging out the wok and frying each ingredient individually, including the nuts! I remember that it felt a bit ‘fussy’ for Asian food.

Tofu: Before

Last night, I prepped all the veg, fried the tofu and set it aside, and dumped all the rest in at once. Added the sauce when everything was nice and soft and beginning to brown. Returned the tofu, and voila! Dinner was ready.

Tofu: After

Now that I’ve simplified (and modified from all the unusual Asian ingredients, not commonly found in my pantry), this meal becomes easy for a weekday. Don’t hesitate to try this.

Note: these amounts made enough for 3 hungry adults. (2-3 lettuce cups each.) This recipe would be a cinch to double.

Here’s what you need:

1 block extra firm (or firm) tofu

1 T rice vinegar or mirin

1 T soy sauce

2 t cider vinegar

4 T hoisin sauce

2 t chili paste (Sambal oelek….or I guess you could use Sriracha)

1 t corn starch

1 C Portobello mushrooms (shiitakes would be great too!)

3 scallions

3 cloves garlic – minced or pressed

1 inch fresh ginger- minced

½ C jicama (about the size of a small apple)

2 celery stalks

¼ C salted peanuts

Cilantro

Lettuce (prepped for use as a cup. Choose a butter lettuce or a large iceberg)

Here’s what you do: (the easy way)

Cut the tofu in ¼ inch slabs and place on a few clean kitchen towels which are arranged on the cutting board. Wrap them up in more towels and place another cutting board on top of it all. Place a heavy object, like a cast iron skillet, on the top and walk away. Allow liquid to press out. After 30-60 minutes, the tofu will be nice and dry. This process can be done much earlier in the day.

Prepare the sauce by mixing the two vinegars, soy sauce, hoisin, chili paste and corn starch. Set aside.

Prep the veg by mincing it all in ¼ inch dice. Remember, it will be served in a piece of lettuce, so it needs to be a pretty small dice.  You should end up with about 2 cups of veg. Put it all in the same bowl.

Prep the tofu by cutting it in ¼ inch dice.

Chop the peanuts and prepare the cilantro – set those aside. Make sure the lettuce is clean and cold.

Heat some oil in a non-stick pan or pot (or wok if you’re feeling fancy) Fry the tofu. It’ll get really chewy, so take it out when it’s to your liking. I did mine very well and loved it. Remove the tofu and set aside.

Brown all the veg at once and stir and heat until it’s soft and getting a bit brown. Add the tofu and peanuts and reserved sauce (You want to reactivate the cornstarch before adding by giving it a stir). The mixture will thicken up very quickly. Remove to a serving platter and add a liberal amount of cilantro.

Serve in prepared lettuce leaves.

Eggplant Rollatini

 

Day 22: Make a dish using all seasonal produce. 

Living in the great state of Michigan is such a luxury! We have it all, including as many fresh veggies and farm grown food as a person can handle. My little garden it still producing lots of veg - I have some gorgeous eggplants still tucked away. I'm thinking I'll make eggplant bacon - yes, bacon. I tried it last year and it was killer on a BLT. 

Basically, for these little bundles of garlicky goodness, I sliced eggplants very thin, roasted them, smeared them with some vegan ricotta, smothered them in sauce and finished them off with some pine nuts. Can you say, "Luscious"?

Beer Summit

We did a lot of research for our very own beer summit. 

Day 15:OMG! Barack Obama is coming over because he knows you make awesome vegan food. What are you going to make?

These poor guys didn't have enough food.... Look at Biden grabbing the peanuts.   Can you really solve race issues if you don't have enough food on the table to keep you focused? Plus, I have always felt so sorry for the two guests, wearing those suits and ties. 

At my beer summit, we had lots of food....and lots of beer.

If President Obama came to MY beer summit, I'd feed him. I'd force him to eat TOFU and we could talk about all the global warming that occurs from factory farming all those animals. At my recent beer summit I made these totally fantastic Buffalo Tofu Bites with a buttery buffalo dipping sauce. FIRE alert!  (I wonder if Obama likes spicy?)

I'd serve President Obama these tasty spinach roll-ups and hope he didn't dribble marinara on his tie..... maybe I'd have the courage to tell him to take off the tie? No, probably not.

More research. 

Great ideas and discussion can occur at the dinner table, especially after a beer or two. 

Tofu and Spinach Stuffed Shells (vegetariantimes.com)

Day7: Make something inspired by a book or film.

Best movie ever - Godfather II. Admit it. It's the best.

Best quote ever - "Sunday, Monday, Thursday, Wednesday." Boom! Car explodes and Michael's heart is broken forever. Isn't  this the turning point for poor Michael Corleone? His heart gets pretty hard and who can blame him. Hero or villain? That's a tough call.

And I love when Michael gets a cooking lesson from Clemenza. As if he has time to make Sunday Gravy for 20 guys. Michael has other things on his mind. Seriously.

Anyway, I could watch the Godfathers all day. And I could eat pasta all day. And if you're cooking Sunday Gravy the vegan way, here's your recipe.

This one is good enough for company, even Michael Corleone and Clemenza.

Tofu and Stuffed Shells (vegetariantimes.com)

18 jumbo pasta shells - cooked according to package directions. Drain them, rinse them and set them aside to cool and dry a bit.

12 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced

1/4 C olive oil (or less to taste)

Gently heat the garlic and olive oil and allow to simmer, slowly and gently for about 15 minutes. Do not brown the garlic.

1 16 ounce block of firm tofu, rinsed, drained and dried.

2 T apple cider vinegar

2 t lemon juice

2 t white miso

Crumble the tofu into the bowl of a food processor. Add the olive oil, the vinegar, lemon juice and miso. Blend.

Wilt 6 cups spinach (or however much you want - I like lots more) in a bit of water over medium heat. Cool and drain and squeeze out as much water as you can. Add gently  to tofu mixture.

Spoon about 2 T filling into each shell. Smother in a high quality marinara sauce.

Sprinkle chopped green and black olives over. Bake about 45 minutes till bubbly.

Big Breakfast Burrito from Forks Over Knives

Welcome to the Vegan Month of Food! Fourth time for me and I'm pretty excited to focus on vegan food and cook and blog every single day during the month of September. This year, the organizers gave us some daily topics - I think you'll like them. You'll have to check in daily to see what the theme of the day is, and then click around the internet using the hashtag #veganmofo or #vgnmf15 to see what other bloggers are posting.

Are you following me on Instagram? (livingcookbook) Won't you please? And while you're at it, find Tracy's Living Cookbook on Facebook.  And share the love!

I hold a special place in my heart for the Vegan Month of Food event because it was three years ago, during the VeganMoFo, that I really, truly considered becoming vegan. It was so easy and natural for me. And the FOOD! It's amazing! Three things inspired me to consider becoming vegan:

1. My husband had a mild heart attack. Let me tell you, this is a *real* wake-up call.

2. My daughter lived with a vegan and it totally intrigued and fascinated me.

3. I started listening to "Vegetarian Food for Thought" podcast by Colleen Patrick-Godreau.

Get out the pots and pans! Here we GO! A month of vegan food and blog posts!

Day 1: Rise and Shine! It's MoFo time! Tell us about your breakfast.

Big Breakfast Burrito (from Forks Over Knives)

Here's what you need:

lots of chopped onions

lots of diced red pepper

lots of diced Yukon Gold potatoes

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 T dried basil

1 1/2 t turmeric

1 t dried thyme

1 pound extra-firm tofu, crumbled

1/4 c nutritional yeast

Here's what you do

Saute the onions, peppers and potatoes over medium heat using either a tiny bit of oil, or the Forks Over Knives water saute method. ("What's that?" you ask. Simply add water, 1 scant tablespoon at a time until veg is soft and starting to brown. This method takes longer than sauteing with oil....maybe like 10 minutes or so.)

Stir in the garlic, and seasonings. Add the crumbled tofu and nutritional yeast. (I remember the first time I ever ate nutritional yeast -- I was totally scared of the stuff!)

Spread the mixture on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for about 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Stir it once in a while to avoid any places getting too brown.

Serve on warm tortillas with avocado and salsa. 

Vegan Manicotti

Oh man. This was good. We ate this like there was no tomorrow. I was lucky to have what you see in the photo for a leftover lunch the next day. It warmed up perfectly in the microwave, but straight out of the oven? Killer!

This meal was requested by my son, and I wanted to avoid all the cheese and calories and cholesterol, so I created this vegan version and he loved it. LOVED it.

Here’s what you need:

1 recipe of Cashew Ricotta (from Veganomicon by Isa Chandra)

                ½ C raw cashews

                ¼ C fresh lemon juice

                2 T olive oil

                2 cloves garlic

                1 pound firm tofu, drained and crumbled

                1 ½ t dried basil

                1 t salt

In a food processor or high speed blender, mix the cashews, juice, oil, and garlic until smooth. Add the tofu and continue blending until thick and creamy. Add basil and salt to taste.

2 large cups of fresh spinach

2 cloves garlic, minced

Manicotti pasta (I used 11 total tubes in this recipe)

1 jar marinara sauce

Dehydrated tomatoes  (mine came from my garden. I reconstituted them in about 1 C boiling water. I then snipped them with kitchen scissors into bite-size pieces.)

Vegan Parmesan

Here’s what you do:

Make the cashew ricotta and set aside.  Warm some olive oil in a saute pan and add the garlic, being sure not to brown it at all. Place the spinach in the warm oil, turn off heat, stir until it’s all coated with oil. It should cook down to a small amount.

Stir the spinach and ricotta together and spoon into a large plastic bag. Set aside.

Cook the manicotti for about 4-5 minutes in boiling water. Do not overcook them. Snip a tiny corner off the plastic bag and fill each manicotti tube with the spinach/ricotta mixture. Carefully place in a 9x13 or other size pan. (I had to use two pans to accommodate the entire recipe). Keep going until the kitchen is a total mess and all the filling is used up. Cover with some prepared marinara sauce. Scatter some reconstituted tomatoes over the top for a fantastic punch of flavor. I sprinkled the cashew Parmesan on the manicotti before I baked them….next time I might wait till it comes out of the oven.

Orange Sesame Tofu – Eat, Drink and Be Vegan

I am extremely proud of myself for learning how to cook and eat an entirely new food group: tofu. I say food ‘group’ because there are lots of different styles and types of tofu. While I am not yet an expert in the tofu arena, at least I’m not terrified of it any more.  Yes, I was terrified of the harmless stuff just a few short months ago! Terrified, I tell you!

At first I had no idea what the scary stuff was let alone how to use it. I admit that I did not even know it was made from a simple soy bean. For you newbies, let me say that it’s not nearly as difficult as it seems to add this healthful food to your weekly menu.

 Zero dietary cholesterol and tons of protein. Plus it’s inexpensive! Find a simple recipe, like the one below and give it a try.  Hey, if Benjamin Franklin ate it back in the day and billions of people eat it nowadays, then it’s good enough for me.

I served this delicious tofu with Coconut Lime Rice (also from Eat, Drink and Be Vegan) and roasted broccoli with a garlic-chili paste dressing. A squeeze of fresh lime really brightened up everything. Excellent! 

Orange Sesame Tofu  (adapted from Eat, Drink and Be Vegan by Dreena Burton)

Here’s what you need:

2 t cornstarch

½ C freshly squeezed orange juice

1 t orange zest

3 T soy sauce

2 T maple syrup

2 T apple cider vinegar

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 T toasted sesame oil

1 pkg  (12 oz) extra-firm tofu, sliced and patted dry

Green onions and sesame seeds for garnish

Here’s what you do:

Zest the orange first. Squeeze the juice out of the orange. To this juice add the cornstarch and whisk until fully incorporated.  Add the zest, juice, soy sauce, maple syrup, vinegar, garlic and sesame oil to a 9X12 baking dish. Stir until well blended. Add the tofu slices and spoon each piece with the marinade. Allow to marinate for at least an hour or as much as 24 hours. Cover with foil and bake at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes. Carefully turn tofu over and spoon sauce over the pieces. Bake for another 10 minutes, uncovered. The sauce should be thicker and will continue to thicken as the dish cools. Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds.

Curried Tofu - Warm and spicy on a cold November night.

This would be a perfect complement to any Asian or Indian meal. It would also be good on a green salad, maybe with chick peas and fresh sliced tomatoes. I served it with a big pile of rice, cauliflower and peas that I smothered in a bottle of Trader Joe’s Thai Red Curry Sauce.

The recipe calls for a full quarter cup of curry…. I was leery of the amount, but if you like curry, then I encourage you to go for it and use the entire quarter cup. It also uses a lot of cumin seeds which were nice and crunchy. This recipe is modified from "Veganonicon" by the incredible vegan goddess, Isa Chandra Moskowitz. 

Here’s what you need:

3 T rice wine vinegar

2 T olive oil

2 T soy sauce

¼ C curry powder

1 t cumin seeds

1 pound firm or extra firm tofu – sliced and pressed dry

Here’s what you do:

Mix marinade ingredients and smear over tofu. Marinate for at least an hour. Grill or fry in a tiny bit of oil. 

Easy Tofu Bacon – Vegan Month of Food

Poesy and Plate
 Vegan Month of Food  2014

(check out the hundreds of VeganMoFo blogs HERE)
My goal: cook and blog about vegan food 20 times
  during the month of September. 
My theme: words and food

“True human goodness, in all its purity and freedom, can come to the fore only when its recipient has no power. Mankind's true moral test, its fundamental test (which is deeply buried from view), consists of its attitude towards those who are at its mercy: animals.” Milan Kundara “The Unbearable Lightness of Being”

My husband and I sometimes read the same book at the same time, creating a sort of mini book club. (Our favorite was “Tortilla Flat” written by John Steinbeck. Such lovable characters! Unforgettable! Read it!) 

Actually it’s pretty rare that we enjoy the same type of book, but we’re both big readers. For example, he *loved* the sci-fi classic “Dune” and suggested that I read it, but I could barely get through it and in all honesty, I didn’t really even understand it. Not a lot for the two of us to discuss at our ‘mini book club.’

This summer we decided on “The Unbearable Lightness of Being,” by Milan Kundera.  A beautifully written novel about how each decision we make influences our lives.  I think it also had lots to say about finding happiness in the places we find ourselves; finding contentment in what life brings. I found the setting – Czechoslovakia, 1968 – very informative. I think we might equate what happened to the Czechs to what is happening to the Ukrainians right now.

Anyway, I loved all the characters and I especially enjoyed the character of  their pet dog that they loved so very much. The novel takes a sharp turn right at the end, when the dog dies of cancer (sorry for the spoiler, but if you read at all, you know when a dog is in a novel, it’s gonna die….sob, sob….)  Kundera writes at length about man’s ability to show compassion toward animals. This is where we encounter the powerful quote I share today.

Can we love a dog and not love a pig? Could you be open to putting down the bacon and eating tofu bacon? Simple questions to ask yourself. 

Easy Tofu Bacon : find the recipe HERE

Tofu Feta - Vegan Month of Food

Poesy and Plate
 Vegan Month of Food  2014

(check out the hundreds of VeganMoFo blogs HERE) 
My goal: cook and blog about vegan food 20 times
during the month of September. 
My theme: words and food

"It  is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife."

'A+'  for the day if you know what classic novel this comes from.  I will give you a hint..... it was written by Jane Austen in 1813.

I love simple things like this straightforward statement written so long ago and this EXCELLENT tofu feta. I could eat these little clouds of lemony goodness all day long!  Alas, most guests at my recent cocktail party went for the dairy feta pictured near  my YUMMY tofu feta, which simply meant more for me! Once the tofu is gone, use the dressing over lettuce. 

A note: this tofu feta in no way tastes like the feta made with goat or sheep milk, BUT it's still great! Eat it straight or put it in salads. Eat it with tiny cocktail toothpicks or with your fingers. Serve it in a cute fish bowl or in an old tupperware. Be polite and eat one at a time or stuff your mouth full. All good. 

Here's what you need:

14 ounces extra firm tofu, sliced in 3/4 inch slabs. 

4 T fresh lemon juice

lemon zest

1/4 t salt

1/2 t dried oregano

3 T olive oil

Here's what you do:

Blot the tofu slabs for a few minutes to remove any excess water. Carefully cut into 3/4 inch cubes. Mix the dressing and pour over tofu. Allow to marinate for at least 30 minutes, stirring once in a while. YUM! 

Sriracha Sesame Grilled Tofu

We are not the same persons this year as last; nor are those we love.
It is a happy chance if we, changing, continue to love a changed person.
W. Somerset Maugham

I have been reading a lot of Somerset Maugham this summer – both short stories and novels. Maugham was a master of the English language; he could completely capture a person’s character with words. It’s amazing to me how accurate (or inaccurate, I guess) words can be. I have found his characters to be the most interesting part of his writing which surprises me because I usually complain if a novel is too heavy on character development and light on plot. I prefer a fast moving plot with lots of twists and turns. Maugham leans toward a simple plot, but uses fascinating characters to make the story genuine. I feel as though I actually know the people he has created, or at least have known people like them.  

I also love this Maugham quote about change. I think it is true – or at least I hope it is true. How dull if we never changed. How dreary to remain in the same pattern throughout our lives. How dismal to reject anything new or challenging. Which brings me to this Sriracha Sesame Grilled Tofu recipe.

Someone recently said to me, “I would die if I had to eat tofu.” I think that’s being just a bit closed-minded, don’t you? If you are new to tofu (like I am), then this is the recipe to start with. It was so easy and super delicious.  Be a changed person. Do a favor to the earth and to the animals. Try eating something different. Expand. Grow. Live. Be. Change.

You can see that I used the chili-garlic version of
Sriracha. If you can find it, use it! Spicy.....

Here’s what you need:

1 pound extra firm tofu (note: EXTRA FIRM)

½ C soy sauce

3 T sesame oil

2 T maple syrup

2 T Sriracha chili-garlic sauce or plain Sriracha

2 T rice vinegar

2 cloves garlic, minced

Here’s what you do:

Remove the tofu from the package and drain the water. Carefully slice the block lengthwise into about 6-8 pieces. Gently place the tofu slices on a few absorbent towels and place a few more towels on top of the tofu. Then place a cutting board over the top. On top of the cutting board place a heavy object, Iike a cast iron skillet. Come back in about 30 minutes and see how much water has been squeezed out. Amazing! Now there’s plenty of room for your marinade to soak in.

Whisk the marinade ingredients together and soak the tofu for as long as 24 hours, flipping over once in a while. The longer you marinate, the more the tofu will absorb.

Spray a grill or skillet or other type of non-stick pan with a tiny bit of oil. Grill the tofu until you get the nice char marks. (By the way, char marks or burned spots on grilled meat can cause cancer. Char marks or burned spots on vegetables do not. Look it up if you don’t believe me.)

This recipe is from Vegetarian Times Magazine.