It's a COLD, icy day in Dallas, so what better way to spend the day than concocting a completely new (to-me) recipe with a food that I've formerly avoided like the plague: tofu. Dun dun dun!
I happened upon tofu while I was wandering around the produce section of the grocery store last weekend and decided I should give it a try... just to say that I have. So I researched marinades and found one that looked the tastiest to me.
Let's start with an old classic I made to accompany the tofu:
Roasted Veggies
You will need:
- broccoli
- cauliflower
- carrots
(or any variety of veggies you like... potatoes and brussels sprouts are great too!)
- cooking spray or olive oil
1. Preheat oven to 400*
2. Chop veggies in bite size pieces.
3. Place in a single layer on a baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray.
4. Spray lightly with cooking spray or drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
5. Roast in a 400* oven for 10-12 minutes until vegetables begin to turn golden brown.
Easy, simple, delicious.
And now...
Baked Tofu Cubes
This recipe is borrowed (and slightly modified) from Allrecipes.com. You can find the original recipe here.
You will need:
- 1 (16 ounce) package extra firm tofu
- 1/4 cup low-sodium
- 2 T maple syrup
- 2 T ketchup
- 2 T lemon juice
- 2 dashes hot sauce
- 1 t Tahini paste
- 1/4 t garlic powder
- 1/4 t ground black pepper
1. Preheat oven to 375*. Lightly spray baking sheet with oil.
2. Slice tofu into 1/2-inch slices and gently press excess water out of tofu. I did this by placing the slices between several sheets of paper towels, placing a cookie sheet on top, and then placing a bowl full of water on top to add some slight pressure. (My dad would be SO proud of me for this contraption)
3. While tofu is draining, mix all above ingredients in a bowl to create marinade.
4. Cube tofu (1/2-inch pieces) and add to marinade. Gently stir until all cubes are coated, cover, and marinate at least 5 minutes.
5. Place tofu in a single layer on baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes.
6. Flip tofu and bake another 15 minutes or until tofu begins to get slightly crispy and turn golden brown.
I served the tofu on top of the roasted veggies, and it was actually pretty good! The texture of the tofu is definitely something that takes adjusting to (my roommate, Ryan, says the texture reminded her of scallops... which I can't confirm or deny because I wouldn't touch scallops with a ten foot pole), but the marinade was tasty and it's definitely something that I would give another shot! Which is good, considering I only ate less than 1/4 of the block.
Ryan just went back for more - that's a good sign, right?! Give it a try!
I'm so excited you tried and liked tofu! I have been a pescatarian for about a year and a half and tofu is a pretty much a staple now in my refrigerator. Just the other weekend I discovered a new and easy way to make a new Chinese tofu dish. In the international section at the grocery store there are some Chinese meal's in a box.. I forgot the brand name.. Wu something I think.. anyways they have like. Orange chicken, Cashew Chicken, Spicy Garlic Chicken..all meal's in a box. I just substituted tofu for the chicken and it came out pretty awesome! All the ingredients and spices are in the box and it's super easy to make and low on calories. So .. that's just a little tip I wanted to share. Keep up the good work!
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