Hot and Sweet Ginger-Orange Tofu

I'm not a big tofu eater (it's just so processed which is always a turn-off) but this will be a recipe to remember when I have some to use up! While I was enjoying eating this, DH said "that smells flavourful." It really was! Plenty of sweet from the maple-orange-ginger glaze with a great spiciness from the red pepper. Yum!

Serves 2

Ingredients:
1/2 block of extra-firm tofu, drained and cut into two halves (apparently firm tofu works, too, if that's what you've got!)
1/6 cup freshly-squeezed orange juice
1/6 cup freshly-squeezed lime juice
1/6 cup pure maple syrup
Pinch crushed red pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp. fresh ginger, peeled and grated
1 tbsp. orange zest
1-1/2 - 2 tsp. canola oil, divided
3/4 cup onion, sliced
1 tbsp. chopped cilantro
1/2 tbsp. reduced-sodium soy sauce

Method:
1. Prepare the tofu by letting it drain, covered in paper towels, for 10-15 minutes. Once drained, cut it up into small cubes (about 3/4-inch in size).

2. Mix together the orange juice, lime juice, maple syrup, red pepper, garlic, ginger, and orange zest.

3. Heat 1 tsp. of the oil in a large skillet or wok over high heat. Add the tofu cubes and stir-fry them until golden. They should look like this:


4. Remove the tofu cubes from the pan and set them aside. Add the onions and the remaining oil to the skillet. Saute about 5 minutes or until the onion is slightly golden and softened. Return the tofu to the pan along with the orange-ginger sauce, cilantro, and soy sauce. Reduce the heat to medium and let the mixture simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15-20 minutes or until the sauce reduces and thickens.

This is delicious served over rice. You can also sprinkle some additional fresh cilantro over the finished product, if desired.

Reference:
This is based on the recipe "Fiery Tofu with Red Chiles, Orange, and Ginger" from the February 2009 issue of Vegetarian Times.

I didn't change much... I used firm tofu instead of the extra-firm that was called for. I was worried it would fall apart but it really held its shape.
I also subbed in crush red pepper for the 2 or 3 dried red chiles that were called for. I couldn't find those other than in big bags and I'd probably never use them all! It added just the right amount of heat for me and it's easy enough to add as much or as little as you'd like.

Lickety Split

It has been muffin madness in my kitchen lately with three new muffin recipes this last week! All successful despite some weird yield amounts (which may have a lot to do with all the additions I made to each one). These ones are probably my favourite of all of them!

These started out as a banana-split muffin recipe so I wanted to keep the ice-cream parlour theme going as I made a couple changes. To do that, I added in some extra nuts and flaked coconut. Next time I may try some crushed pineapple and I'd also like to add some wheat germ (nothing to do with the ice-cream theme!)
I can't wait to enjoy these for breakfast during the week.

This made 12 standard-size muffins (even though I halved the original 12-muffin recipe!)

Ingredients:
1 1/2 very ripe bananas, smushed up
1/4 cup firm tofu, smushed up (egg substitute)
1/4 cup turbinado (raw) sugar
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil (butter substitute)
1/2 tbsp. vanilla
1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 tbsp. aluminium-free baking powder
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
3/8 cup non-dairy, semi-sweet chocolate chips
3/8 cup dried Bing cherries
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup coconut

Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin pan with unbleached cupcake papers or lightly grease with vegetable oil or non-dairy butter.

2. In a large bowl, stir together the flours, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. In another bowl, combine the mashed bananas, mashed tofu, turbinado sugar, olive oil, and vanilla.

3. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour the banana mixture into the well. Stir to combine but be careful not to over-mix. Gently stir in the chocolate chips, nuts, cherries, and coconut.

4. Scoop the mixture into the prepared muffin tin, filling each muffin cup about 3/4 full. Bake the muffins at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let them cool on a wire rack (but make sure you try one while they're still slightly warm!)


Reference:
This recipe is based on the Banana-Split Muffins recipe from the November/December 2008 issue of VegNews magazine.

My changes/additions:
*I used half-and-half on the flours - 1/2 cup whole-wheat and 1/2 cup all-purpose (original called for all whole-wheat flour).
*I added the pecans, coconut, and cinnamon.
*I changed the method around a bit.

Tip:
Really make sure you smash that tofu up! My taste-test muffin had little white chunks in it :) Hmmm... I wonder what that could be? Obviously, it won't change the taste at all but you'll want to try to avoid that, especially if you're serving these to others.

Ratatouille!

I decided to try the Ratatouille with Tofu recipe from Cooking Light for dinner last night. I made quite a few changes/additions - it ended up being really tasty! Tons of great veggies! I'll label my changes in purple.

I also didn't serve this with those white noodle things that they had in the magazine (sorry but those look like they have the nutritional value of a donut!) - I used quinoa instead which is another great source of protein on top of that tofu.

Serves 2

Ingredients:
1/2 cup chopped carrot
1/4 cup chopped onion (superfood!)
1/4 cup fresh basil, separated
1/2 tsp. dried thyme or 2 tsp. fresh thyme
2 cloves minced garlic (superfood!)
1 cup diced extra-firm tofu (well-drained) - superfood!
1 cup diced eggplant *see tip on salting eggplant below*
1/2 cup diced zucchini
4 button mushrooms, sliced (superfood! Yes, the little cheap button ones are just as much anti-oxidant powerhouses as their fancier cousins!)
1/2 cup chopped tomato (I just used a regular tomato, not plum tomatoes) - superfood!
2 tsp. pesto (I used regular basil pesto since I had some in the freezer... this did make my version of the recipe non-vegan but I'll type out the vegan pesto below)
1 cup tomato sauce (I made it using 1/4 cup tomato paste + 1/2 cup water)
1/8 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. herbes de Provence (rosemary, thyme, summer savory, fennel seed, basil, tarragon, and lavender)
1 tbsp. lemon juice (superfood!)
1/4 tsp. dried marjoram
1 tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped

Method:
1. Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Coat the pan with cooking spray. Add carrot to the pan and saute 4-6 minutes. Add the onion, 1/8 cup fresh basil, herbes de Provence, thyme, marjoram, and garlic; saute 3-4 more minutes. Add the tofu, eggplant and zucchini and saute 4 minutes more or until tender.

2. Add the chopped tomato, mushrooms, lemon juice, pesto, and tomato sauce and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and stir in black pepper, fresh parsley, and additional 1/8 cup fresh basil.

*Salting eggplant:
Slice eggplant and rinse the slices/pat dry. Sprinkle a little salt on both sides of each slice and let the eggplant "drain" for about 1 hour (I usually just sit mine of a paper towel). Re-rinse the eggplant and chop/use as desired. This will remove any bitterness from the vegetable and will help it retain its shape as it cooks.

*Pesto Coulis (vegan):
1/2 cup parsley leaves
1/2 cup basil leaves
1/4 cup chopped green onion
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Combine all ingredients in a food processor. Pulse until smooth.

Reference:
Based on the Ratatouille with Tofu recipe from the May 2008 issue of Cooking Light Magazine.

Peanut Buttery Goodness

I've always had a thing for peanut butter - I always feel so bad for people with peanut allergies... they miss so much! Here's a yummy way to turn basic peanut butter into something far more exotic.

It does have quite a bit of fat from the peanut butter (20 g per serving according to the original recipe); however, only 3 grams of that are saturated fat so it's not so terrible! The protein content is fairly good and it's low sodium and calorie.

I had this with a salad - the recipe said to serve it with rice which would have upped the protein content even more but I ran out of time! Oh well, I think it would have been far too much food with a side of rice!

As far as I can tell, this is gluten-free. I'm trying to educate myself on gluten-free ingredients so I can start labeling more things. Actually, I'm a bit iffy on the GF status of the hot sauce! I always go for "better safe than sorry" so if you are on a GF diet, leave it out (unless of course you know better than me!)

Serves 2

Ingredients:
1/2 package extra-firm tofu, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices (squeeze the excess liquid from the tofu first) - superfood!
Small amount of vegetable oil
1/4 cup chopped onion (I used a red onion) - superfood!
1/6 cup tomatoes, chopped (the original recipe called for canned; I cut up some fresh grape tomatoes) - superfood!
1 tsp. tomato paste
1/2 tsp. hot sauce (the recipe wanted 1/2 tsp. of chili-garlic sauce.. I just mixed hot sauce and a small amount of garlic)
1/2 clove garlic, minced (superfood!)
1/8 tsp. dried thyme
1/6 cup creamy peanut butter (the organic stuff from Trader Joe's is cheap and yummy!) - nuts are a superfood! I wonder if PB counts? ;)
1/8 cup frozen cut green beans

Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat a baking dish with cooking spray and place the tofu in a single layer on the bottom of the dish.

2. Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Saute the onion in the oil for 5 minutes or until translucent. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, hot sauce, garlic, and thyme. Saute 1-2 minutes. Stir in the peanut butter, green beans, and 1/3 cup water. Bring the mixture to a simmer.

3. Pour the peanut sauce over the sliced tofu and cover the dish with foil. Bake 5-7 minutes. Remove the foil and bake 5 additional minutes or until heated through.

Reference:
I found this in the April 2008 issue of Vegetarian Times magazine - Baked Tofu with Peanut Sauce. Can't find the recipe on their website... :(

Eight-Treasure Fried Rice

I found this recipe as part of a feature on Chinese New Year meals. Totally forgot about it during Chinese New Year but oh well ;) Better late than never, right?!
The original recipe called for shrimp and sausage to be two of the eight treasures... I made mine vegetarian by subbing some marinated tofu and broccoli for those items. The eight treasures here are represented by: eggs, tofu, mushrooms, peas, broccoli, pineapple, cashews, and cilantro.
For next time, I'd make it more colorful by adding some red (a lucky colour in the Chinese culture) with some red bell pepper or even some cherry or grape tomatoes which I'd add after cooking. You could also easily make this vegan by omitting the egg and using agave nectar in place of the honey. Since tofu is a great egg substitute, you won't miss it! Just be sure to replace it with an ingredient to keep the eight treasure theme going!

This made quite a lot! Probably enough for 2 main-dish servings or 4 side-dish servings. The amounts are a bit weird since I divided the original recipe by 3...

Ingredients:
White or brown rice, cooked and cooled (I used 1/4 cup rice and 1/2 cup water to cook it)
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 egg, beaten
1/12 cup chopped onion (probably works out to be 2-3 tbsp.)
3 white mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup frozen petite peas, thawed
1/4 cup diced pineapple
1/4 cup cashews (I chopped mine up a little)
1/6 cup thinly sliced green onions
1/6 cup sweet-and-sour sauce
Small amount of chopped cilantro
1/4 cup broccoli florets
1/4 block extra-firm tofu
1 tbsp. honey or agave nectar
1 tbsp. orange juice (you could also use pineapple juice or half orange/half pineapple if desired)
1 tbsp. reduced-sodium soy sauce
A quick shake of red pepper flakes
1 tbsp. vinegar

Method:
1. Marinate tofu. Squeeze tofu between paper towels to remove the excess moisture. Cut into small cubes. Mix together the honey, orange juice, soy sauce, red pepper flakes, and vinegar in a zip-lock bag. Add the tofu and toss to coat. Let it marinate in the fridge for about 30 minutes - it doesn't need long. Work on the rest of the recipe while the tofu marinates.

2. Heat 1/2 tbsp. of the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet or wok over high heat until hot. Add the egg and scramble until set. Remove the eggs from the skillet and set aside.

3. Heat the remaining oil in the same skillet over medium heat until hot. Cook the onion 15 seconds or until shiny and fragrant. Add the tofu (discard the marinade); stir-fry until cooked through. Add the mushrooms, broccoli, and peas; cook one minute.

4. Add the rice and toss to combine. Add the egg, pineapple, cashews, green onions, and sweet-and-sour sauce. Cook 2-3 minutes until the rice is tender and all ingredients are heated through. Stir in the cilantro and serve.

Reference:
This is based on an eight-treasure fried rice recipe I found in the February/March 2008 issue of Cooking Pleasures magazine. The tofu marinade is based on the Honey-Glazed Chicken Stir-Fry recipe from Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book (1996 edition).

Yin-Yang Tofu Stir-Fry

I did take an actual photo of this but since my desktop computer is still not working (DH is thinking it's the motherboard which is going to be expensive since it's an older computer and will also need new memory, something else, and something else... no, I am not the computer nerd in this family! lol)... maybe I'll just get my iMac instead ;) In addition to that, my USB cable for my digital camera also went on the fritz and my work laptop that my printer is hooked up to will not do any of the fancy printer features like scan or allow me to stick my camera card in the front of the printer and then get my pictures from there... yes, high drama! lol ;) The cute dragon-y yin-yang will have to do for now!

So, I decided to call this yin-yang tofu since it's really called sweet and sour tofu and I figured "oh, opposites and balance! I'll call it yin-yang!" Yes, I'm a nerd... :) Well, I'm a Libra and I do tai chi so all that balance, Zen, yin-yang stuff can't be helped..! I like my cheesy blog post title!

If you would like to make a more carnivorous version of this meal, I'm sure it would be great with some thinly cut chicken breast strips or shrimp!

One quick change I would make next time: I'd let the tofu marinate in a simple marinade made with the pineapple juice, honey, soy sauce, and hot sauce. It was a bit blah... :) I may also add some additional veggies such as carrots and mushrooms next time.

Enough blabbering... here's the recipe! This was enough for 2 servings.

Ingredients:
1 block of water-packed extra-firm tofu (you will need the extra-firm, the wimpier stuff will not hold up as a stir-fry).
1 tsp. canola oil
1/4 tsp. salt, divided
1/4 tsp. minced peeled fresh ginger
1 bell pepper cut into strips (I always cheat and use the pre-cut, tri-coloured frozen stuff from Trader Joe's! hee hee)
3/4 cup pineapple juice, divided (I just got a can of pineapple "rings" and used the juice from that since I couldn't find pineapple juice at the store and was feeling too lazy to really hunt for it)
1 tsp. cornstarch
2 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 1/2 tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce
1 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. hot sauce
2 pineapple "rings", sliced into little triangles
1 cup broccoli
1 cup snow peas
1 tbsp. honey or agave nectar for vegan version
1 tbsp. thinly sliced green onions
Hot cooked long-grain rice
A little fresh cilantro as a garnish

Method:
1. Cut the tofu into small bite-sized squares. Arrange the pieces in a single layer on several layers of paper towels. Cover the tofu with additional paper towels and place a cutting board on top. Let it stand for about 15 minutes to drain. Set aside.

2. Heat the oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the tofu and sprinkle with 1/8 tsp. salt. Cook 8 minutes, stirring frequently. Transfer the tofu to a plate. Add the ginger, broccoli, and bell pepper to the pan; saute 2 minutes or until crisp tender.

3. Combine 2 tsp. pineapple juice and cornstarch in a small bowl; set aside. Add remaining pineapple juice to the pan. Stir in the remaining salt, honey, lemon juice, soy sauce, sugar, and hot sauce. Add the cornstarch mixture and stir well. Bring this mixture to a boil and then allow it to cook for 1 minute.

4. Return the tofu to the pan, stirring gently to coat. Stir in the onions, peas, pineapple. Spoon the mixture on top of hot cooked rice and then sprinkle with some chopped cilantro.

Reference:
I doctored up the Sweet and Sour Tofu recipe from the June 2007 issue of Cooking Light magazine. I would link to it but I can't find it on their website...
My additions: pineapple pieces, honey, broccoli, snow peas. I also used regular old hot sauce in place of the chili garlic sauce that was called for (might add a clove of garlic next time...)

Spicy Tofu Scramble

So I have a LOT of tofu left over from the vegan stuffing/dressing I made and have been trying to think of interesting ways to use it up! I love tofu in stir-fries but the silken tofu just doesn't hold up so well in those types of dishes. Knowing it makes a great egg substitute, I decided to try it to make "scrambled eggs."
This was so yummy - I couldn't tell it wasn't really eggs! The texture was just a bit off but since tofu takes on the flavours of whatever you mix it with, you can't taste it. It's a pretty versatile dish - you could warm up tortillas and fill them with this and some salsa; just throw some salsa on top of the scramble; or serve this with cheese - dairy cheese would not be vegan but would be appropriate for ovo-lacto vegetarians or you could keep it vegan by using soy cheese. You could also mix in some vegan breakfast sausage that has been browned. I bet this would make a great substitute for the eggs in huevos rancheros or alongside some breakfast potatoes. I'm currently hunting for some great potato recipes so I can make some with rosemary and lavender. You can also use different spices to change up this recipe (I'll have to try those and post some more!)
This recipe is also great for people who are looking for a low-fat or low cholesterol alternative to an egg breakfast.
Ooh, I just realized I have mushrooms I could have added to this.. boo! Guess I'm making it again tomorrow :)

Serves 1 (my husband refuses to try anything that has been in the vicinity of tofu so I got to enjoy this by myself! It's easy to multiply if needed).

Ingredients:
1/8 yellow onion, diced
1/8 green bell pepper, diced (I have some frozen tri-coloured peppers that I got at Trader Joes. They are great to just dice up and throw in dishes like this!)
1/4 block silken/soft tofu, drained and pressed between paper towels
1 tsp. olive oil or vegan margarine (Smart Balance or Earth Balance are two that I've used and work well for cooking)
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1/8 tsp. dried parsley
1 tsp. low-sodium soy sauce
1/8 tsp. turmeric (this is optional so don't worry if you don't have any - it does give the great yellow colour, though!)
Couple dashes hot sauce
Fresh/refrigerated salsa (I don't use the shelf-stable salsa. The fresh stuff just tastes a million times better!) Pico de gallo would also work well here!

Method:
1. Slice tofu into 1-inch cubes and crumble slightly with a fork.

2. Heat oil or margarine in a small skillet over medium heat. Add onion, pepper, and tofu. Raise heat to medium-high and sautee for 3-5 minutes, stirring often.

3. Add the remaining ingredients. Reduce the heat to medium and cook 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently.

Reference:
I found this recipe by doing a Google search for tofu scramble. :) Gotta love Google! Here is the original recipe.

Vegan Stuffing/Dressing

My parents requested the stuffing/dressing I made for Thanksgiving again for Christmas. Since we're English we serve turkey at Christmas as well and they were looking for a yummy dressing to go with it. Well, after I said I could make it, my mom asked for a vegan version that my sister and brother-in-law could have. After a bit of tweaking and an "are these ingredients OK" email to my sister, here's what I came up with for them!
This is basically the same as the Sausage and Fruit Stuffing except I used tofu for the egg and made sure the bread recipes were vegan. I halved the bread, onion, and celery amounts from the original recipe but kept the fruits, nuts, and mushrooms the same since I was not using sausage. If you'd like, you could use 1/4 pound of vegan breakfast sausage (it will specify on the packaging that it is vegan) in this recipe. Just brown the sausage before mixing in with the bread, fruit, and veggies.

This was really very yummy! Perfect alongside a Tofurkey (also very yummy!)

This will make about 4 servings ~ the leftovers of this and the regular version are wonderful!

Ingredients:
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 cup vegan cornbread, cubed (make the cornbread the day before so it has some time to dry out a little)
1 cup day-old whole-wheat bread, cubed (I made my own to make sure it did not contain any milk/milk sugars. Be careful here - most grocery store breads have milk).
1/6 cup vegetarian vegetable broth
1/8 cup soft/silken tofu, pureed (I just smushed mine up with a fork) - this is a great egg substitute (1/4 cup silken tofu = 1 egg)
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup walnuts, chopped
1/2 Red Delicious apple, peeled, cored, and diced
3 white mushrooms, chopped
1/4 tsp. sage
1/8 tsp. thyme
1/8 tsp. rosemary
1/8 tsp. marjoram
1/2 tsp. applesauce
1 tsp. salt
Olive oil

Method:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
1. Place a small amount of olive oil in a skillet and heat over medium heat. Add the onion and celery and cook until slightly browned.

2. In a large bowl, toss together the onion, celery, cornbread, whole-wheat bread, vegetable broth, and tofu. Mix in the herbs, applesauce, salt, mushrooms, cranberries, walnuts, and apple.

3. Place the mixture in an oven-safe dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Orange and Honey Tofu Stir-Fry

This is a wonderful low-fat dish - the tofu really picks up the flavours from the marinade. It's quick and easy to make - feel free to substitute any veggies you like!
My husband prefers it made with chicken - you can easily substitute cut up strips of boneless skinless chicken for the tofu. I have a feeling this would also be excellent with shrimp (the pre-cooked frozen shrimp from Trader Joe's would work well for this).
Serve over hot cooked rice.

Serves 4

Ingredients:
Marinade:
2 tbsp. honey (or agave nectar to make it vegan)
2 tbsp. orange juice (I like to use fresh-squeezed juice; you can use prepared OJ)
1 tbsp. reduced-sodium soy sauce
1/2 tsp. sesame seeds
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes (just a good shake or two!)

Stir-Fry:
1 block extra-firm tofu (12-ounce package)
2 tbsp. honey (or agave nectar for vegan)
2 tbsp. vinegar
2 tbsp. orange juice (fresh-squeezed or store-bought)
1 tbsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. cornstarch or 2 tsp. all-purpose flour
2 tbsp. cooking oil
2 cups frozen stir-fry vegetables
**If frozen stir-fry veggies are not available, you can use carrots, bell peppers, snap peas, water chestnuts, broccoli, and celery. If desired, you could also add baby corn and pineapple chunks. If you use fresh veggies, they will just need a little extra cooking time during the first step.**

Method:
1. Prepare marinade by combining all marinade ingredients in a bowl or gallon-sized plastic zipper bag. Squeeze excess liquid from the tofu using paper towels and cut tofu into small squares (about 1/2-inch by 1/2-inch). Gently toss tofu into marinade ingredients. Cover (or seal zipper bag) and marinade for 30 minutes; toss occasionally during the marinating process. After marinating, drain the tofu and discard the marinade.

2. Prepare sauce by combining 2 tbsp. honey, 2 tbsp. vinegar, 2 tbsp. orange juice, 1 tbsp. soy sauce, and 1 tsp. cornstarch in a small bowl.

3. Pour cooking oil into a wok or large skillet. Preheat over medium-high heat (I have an electric wok that I preheat to 250 degrees. It works perfectly for this dish). Stir-fry the vegetables only for 3 minutes or until they are crisp-tender. Remove the veggies from the wok and add the tofu. Stir-fry the tofu for 3 minutes until lightly browned. Push the tofu from the center of the wok (do not remove it). Add the sauce to the center of the wok and cook until it is thickened and bubbly.

4. Return the cooked vegetables to the wok and stir all ingredients together until they are coated with the sauce. Cook and stir for about 1 minute until everything is heated through.

Reference:
This is a modified version of the Honey-Glazed Chicken Stir-Fry recipe found in the Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook.
Better Homes and Gardens Test Kitchen (1996). Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book. Meredith Publishing Group: Des Moines, IA.