How To Make: Baked Tofu

Baked tofu is the perfect addition to stir-frys, noodle or rice bowls, or as a topping on your favorite salad. 

I've been trying to get better at spending some time on the weekends prepping food for the week. I recently set aside some time on Sunday to make big batches of roasted broccoli and cauliflower. One of our favorite ways to eat roasted vegetables is in a rice bowl with greens, some sort of sauce (such as this tahini dressing), and a protein.

These veggie and rice bowls are great with shredded leftover chicken, but for a vegetarian version I like to add tofu cubes.

On weeknights I'll simply pan-fry the tofu with a little bit of oil (olive oil, sesame oil, or coconut oil are my usual go-tos). But, for the ultimate convenience, I recently baked up two packages of tofu to have on hand all week long. Baking the tofu in the oven takes a little bit longer than cooking it on the stovetop, but I think it's the best way to cook up a large amount of tofu at one time. A little toss with cornstarch helps to crisp up the tofu cubes, but you can skip that step if you'd prefer.

Another option would be to marinate the tofu cubes in your favorite sauce for about 30 minutes before baking them; since I'm never sure what I want to use them for during the week, I find plain is the way to go.

Baked Tofu (printer-friendly version)
makes 4+ servings

1 or more (16-ounce) containers extra-firm tofu
1 tablespoon cornstarch (per 16-ounces of tofu)

1. Drain the tofu and set onto a towel. Cut the tofu into 1" squares and set in an even layer on one half of the towel. Flip the other half of the towel over top of the tofu squares and set a heavy object (such as a cast-iron skillet) on top. Press for at least 30 minutes.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat. Set aside.
3. Toss the tofu with cornstarch. This will help to make it crispier.
4. Transfer the tofu onto the prepped baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for 30-40 minutes, flipping the tofu over every 10 minutes or so to evenly cook on each side. Bake until golden and slightly puffed. Remove from the oven and use immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

(lightly adapted from this recipe from The Kitchn)

What's For Dinner: Vegan Stuffed Pasta Shells

So, yeah. Sometimes the food is delicious, but the photos, are, well, not so much. But I swear to you, these vegan(!) stuffed pasta shells are utterly, to quote Penny Hartz, uh-mah-zing. (Anyone else miss Happy Endings?) Like, really amazing. 

And let me tell you, I typically love my pasta shells stuffed full of cheesy goodness. "The more cheese the merrier!" is my usual rallying cry. But ... there is nary a curd to be seen in this vegan recipe. And dare I say it, I don't miss the cheese. Because, well, it sure doesn't taste like the cheese is missing.

Somehow, through the magic combination of firm tofu, apple cider vinegar, and miso, the filling is quite reminiscent of ricotta. So much so that it's nearly indistinguishable (really!). Add in plenty of garlic, some fresh Italian herbs, and your favorite marinara pasta sauce, and you've got yourself a winning dinner combination.  

Vegan Stuffed Pasta Shells (printer-friendly version)

makes 6 servings

6 ounces jumbo pasta shells (about 20 shells)

12 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed

1/4 cup olive oil

1 16-ounces block firm tofu, drained, rinsed, and patted dry

2 tablespoons unpasteurized apple cider vinegar

2 teaspoons lemon juice

2 teaspoons white miso

1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

freshly ground black pepper

5 ounces baby spinach leaves (about 6 cups)

1 24-ounce jar pasta sauce (I used Newman's Own Tomato Basil pasta sauce)

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.

2. Cook pasta shells according to package directions. Drain, rinse with cold water, and then place on clean kitchen tea towel to cool and dry.

3. Add the smashed garlic and olive oil to a small skillet and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce heat to low, and simmer 15 minutes, or until garlic is soft and golden brown in color. Remove from the heat and set aside.

4. Crumble the tofu into the bowl of a food processor, add the vinegar, lemon juice, miso, garlic, oil, thyme, oregano, and basil and process until smooth. 

5. Heat a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the spinach and 2 tablespoons of water. Saute for 5 to 6 minutes, or until the leaves are wilted. Transfer the spinach to a strainer and squeeze out excess liquid. Roughly chop the spinach, and stir into the tofu mixture. Season with black pepper.

6. Add about 1 cup of the pasta sauce to the bottom of a glass baking dish. Spoon 2 tablespoons of the filling into each pasta shell, and place in a single layer in the baking dish. Cover the pasta shells with the remaining pasta sauce and bake 45 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbling. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. 

(adapted from this Vegetarian Times recipe)

What's For Dinner: Cilantro Noodles with Broccoli and Tofu

Cilantro is definitely a "love it" or "hate it" kind of flavor. I stand firmly in the "love it" category. But, while I think it tastes delicious, those who align themselves on the "hate it" side of things often think it tastes like soap. Recent research indicates that your genetics has a lot to do with your predisposition to love or hate cilantro. (In fact, I wrote an article about this research for my day job.)

All that to say, if you don't like cilantro, this recipe is not for you. But if you do like cilantro, oh man, is this noodle dish delicious. I love the cilantro dressing so much, I would totally whip up a separate serving just to drizzle all over salads, freshly sliced bread ... you get the idea.

Cilantro Noodles with Broccoli and Tofu (printer-friendly version)
makes 4-6 servings

8 ounces dried soba noodles
2 - 3 cups broccoli florets
zest of one lemon
2 cups fresh cilantro, chopped
2 large cloves garlic, peeled
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 package extra-firm tofu

1. Drain the tofu and cut it into 1" cubes. Place the cubes on a towel and cover them with the towel's free ends. Place a heavy book or weight on top of the cubes to press the excess moisture out of the tofu. (Press the tofu for at least 20 minutes.)

2. Spray or wipe a large saute pan with a light coating of olive oil. Heat over medium-high heat. Add about half the tofu cubes. Brown on each side (about 1-2 minutes per side). Repeat with the remaining cubes. Remove from the heat. Place the cooked tofu cubes in an oven-safe dish in a warming drawer or in an oven set to 200 degrees to keep warm.

3. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the soba noodles and cook according to the manufacturer's instructions. About 2 minutes before the cooking time is complete, add the broccoli florets.
4. Drain the noodles and broccoli. Place into a large serving bowl and sprinkle with the lemon zest. Set aside.
5. While the noodles are cooking, make the dressing. In the bowl of a food processor, combine together the cilantro, garlic cloves, cayenne pepper, salt, and olive oil. Process until well-combined. Season to taste with additional salt if necessary.
6. Add the cilantro dressing to the bowl with the noodles and broccoli and gently toss to combine. Add in the tofu cubes and gently toss again. Serve warm, at room temperature, or cold.

(adapted from this 101 Cookbooks recipe)

What's For Dinner: Soba Noodle Bowls

I came across a recipe for soba noodle bowls in a recent issue of Oprah magazine. The bowls looked good, but I thought adding in some mushrooms for a bit of umami (savory flavor) and tofu cubes would make them even better. This colorful noodle dish gets its bright hues from a generous combination of edamame, purple cabbage, and carrots. The original recipe calls for thinly sliced cabbage and julienned carrots; I went the easy (dare I say lazy?) route by purchasing a package of broccoli slaw. I'm sure I paid a premium to buy the pre-sliced veggies, but I'll admit sometimes convenience trumps all. The sweet-and-sour dressing is full of flavor and adds just the right amount of zest and spice to the dish. I have a tendency to go light when it comes to adding dressing; add as much or as little as you like to the dish; you really can't go wrong.

Soba Noodle Bowls (printer-friendly version)
makes 4 servings

8 ounces soba noodles (if you are gluten-free, be sure the soba noodles are made with 100% buckwheat; many brands include wheat flour)

1 clove of garlic, minced

3 tablespoons toasted sesame oil

2 1/2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce

2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

2 teaspoons honey

2 teaspoons Sriracha chili sauce

zest and juice of 1 lime

1 package extra-firm tofu, drained, and cut into 1" cubes
2 cups roughly chopped mushrooms (I used baby bellas)
4 cups broccoli slaw (a packaged mix of julienned broccoli, cabbage, and carrots)
1 small bunch (4-6) green onions, chopped, whites and greens separated

2 cups cooked shelled edamame

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

2 tablespoons black sesame seeds
salt and pepper, to taste

1. For the noodles: bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the noodles and cook according to the manufacturer's instructions. Once cooked, drain, rinse with cold water, and set aside.
2. For the dressing: in a medium mason jar, add together the minced garlic, toasted sesame oil, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, honey, Sriracha, lime zest, and lime juice. Place the lid on the jar and shake until combined. Season to taste with pepper. Set aside.
3. For the tofu: heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add in about half the tofu cubes. Brown on each side (about one minute per side) then set aside in a bowl. Repeat with the remaining cubes.
4. Add a few teaspoons of toasted sesame oil to the heated saute pan. Add in the mushrooms and saute over medium-high heat until softened and browned. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add in the broccoli slaw and white parts of the green onions. Saute until slightly softened. Add the tofu cubes back to the pan and cook until just re-warmed.
5. In a large bowl, combine the cooked noodles, sauteed mushrooms, broccoli slaw, green onions (including the green parts), tofu cubes, cooked edamame, and cilantro. Add the dressing and toss to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish with black sesame seeds before serving.

(adapted from this recipe from Oprah magazine)

What's For Dinner: Peanut Noodle Stir Fry

I can confirm that, while eating PB2 straight-up as peanut butter is not enjoyable (to me, anyway), it does work wonderfully in a peanut sauce. Tonight's dinner was one of those throw-a-bunch-of-things-together-and-hope-it-works kind of meals. Luckily, it did work. This dish included a (frozen) veggie blend (with carrots, broccoli, and water chestnuts), a scrambled egg, dry-fried tofu (cooked chicken for D), and rice noodles, all topped with a peanut sauce (recipe below).

Peanut Sauce (printer-friendly version)
makes enough for 2 servings

4 tablespoons PB2
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons tamari (or soy) sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1. Mix together the PB2 powder and water until smooth.
2. Stir in the sesame oil, tamari sauce, and brown sugar.
3. Stir in the red pepper flakes (use more or less, depending on your favored spice level).
4. Add the sauce into the stir fry once everything is cooked and let simmer for one or two minutes; reserve some sauce to drizzle over the top of the completed dish.

What's For Dinner: Broccoli Chicken Stir Fry

I am all about easy dinners lately. This stir fry really only had three main ingredients -- rice noodles, frozen broccoli stir fry veggie mix, and chicken cut into stir fry strips. I started the process by sauteing the chicken in a smidge of sesame oil in the electric skillet. Since I wanted to eat a vegetarian dinner, at the same time that the chicken was cooking, I dry fried some tofu cubes in a skillet on the stovetop. After the chicken was cooked, I removed it from the electric skillet and added the frozen veggies. They cooked for about 7 minutes, or until heated through. While the veggies were cooking, I softened the stir fry noodles in hot water on the stovetop. Once the rice noodles were done, I removed them from the cooking pot and placed them in a bowl of cold water until I was ready for them. When the veggies were cooked through, I added the chicken back to the electric skillet (alternately, you could add in the tofu cubes at this point if you're doing a vegetarian meal). Next, I poured 2/3 cup of teriyaki sauce over the whole shebang and let it simmer for about five minutes. Right before serving, I added in the cooked rice noodles, stirring them around to warm them back up and meld all the flavors together. I made a plate for myself by picking around the chicken, and added the tofu cubes to my portion. D had as much chicken as his heart desired. Stir fries are a super-simple way to make a meal that both vegetarians and carnivores can get behind!

What's For Dinner: Broccoli, Red Pepper, and Mushroom Tofu Stir Fry

Another dinner, another stir fry. I think stir fries are my go-to meal as they are relatively simple to make and can be composed of a wide variety of vegetables. Yesterday after a session at the gym I headed to the grocery store, where I picked up a head of broccoli, a red pepper, and a package of sliced mushrooms. We already had tofu, ginger, scallions, and garlic on hand. I followed the same recipe I used a couple of weeks ago, except this time I added in more veggies. The more color, the better for you, right?  

What's For Dinner: Sesame Broccoli Tofu Stir Fry

Oh, this week is killing me! I have just now come to a stopping point for the day, and it's already 10p. Blergh. And given that I have plenty of deadlines still looming, the end is not quite yet in sight. Soon, though, soon. (One can always hope, anyway.) The other night I was looking for a quick and easy dinner to make, and given that we had broccoli and tofu on hand, I had my heart set on some sort of stir fry. A quick search on Google came up with this recipe. The resulting ginger- and garlic-flavored stir fry was delicious. I only made a couple of substitutions in the recipe -- I used black sesame seeds in place of white ones, and I also replaced the chicken stock with veggie stock. If you're looking for an easy weeknight dinner, I highly recommend giving it a try.

What's For Dinner: Tofu in a Coconut-Curry Tomato Sauce

Clearly I have not gotten over last week's coconut-curry sauce, as I decided to make it the highlight of another dinner entree. This time around I added in some chopped tomatoes and cooked garbanzo beans to the sauce, along with a dash of Vindaloo spice for some extra flavor. Yet again the coconut-curry sauce (and the new additions) knocked my socks off. Yum!

Tofu in a Coconut-Curry Tomato Sauce (printer-friendly version)

makes 4 servings

1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

2 teaspoons fresh ginger, peeled and minced [easy tip for peeling the ginger -- use a spoon to scrape off the outer peel]

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup red bell pepper, chopped

1 cup green onions, chopped

1 teaspoon curry powder

2 teaspoons red curry paste

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon vindaloo spice

4 teaspoons tamari sauce

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 (14-ounce) can light organic coconut milk

1 cup chopped tomatoes

1 (14-oz) can garbanzo beans

2 cups cooked jasmine rice

fresh basil, chopped

1. Dry fry the tofu and set aside.

2. Heat 1 t sesame oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

3. Add the minced ginger and garlic. Cook for about 1 minute.

4. Add in the chopped green onions and red pepper. Cook for one minute more.

5. Add curry powder, curry paste, and ground cumin. Stir to combine, and cook for an additional minute.

6. Stir in tamari sauce, brown sugar, 1/4 t salt, chopped tomatoes, and coconut milk.

7. Stir in the garbanzo beans.

8. Bring the mixture to a simmer. Cook over low heat for an additional 10 minutes.

9. Add the cooked tofu and stir to coat in the sauce. Cook for an additional minute or so, or until the tofu squares are warmed through.

10. Serve over a bed of jasmine rice. Garnish with chopped basil.

What's For Dinner: Soba Noodles with Mushrooms, Carrots, Asparagus, and Tofu

Since I had some asparagus left over from last night's stuffed shells, I decided to use up the rest of the package in a soba noodle dish. In addition to the asparagus, I also sauteed up some tofu, mushrooms, green onions, and carrots. I pulled together a sauce by combining tamari sauce, lime juice, brown sugar, red pepper flakes, and Garlic Gold oil. Though this dish is the epitome of winging it, D declared that it was "restaurant-quality." A rave review, indeed!

Soba Noodles with Mushrooms, Carrots, Asparagus, and Tofu (printer-friendly version)

makes 2 large servings

2 tablespoons organic tamari sauce

1/2 tablespoon Garlic Gold oil

juice from 1 lime

1/2 tablespoon light brown sugar

pinch red pepper flakes

1/2 pkg soba noodles

2 tablespoons organic sesame oil

1 pkg organic lite firm tofu, cut into 1/2"-1" cubes.

1 cup sliced mushrooms

1 small bunch of green onions, chopped

2 medium carrots, quartered

1/2 pkg frozen asparagus cuts and tips, thawed

1/4 cup raw unsalted cashew nuts

1. In a small bowl, stir together the tamari sauce, Garlic Gold oil, lime juice, brown sugar, and red pepper flakes. Set aside.

2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add in the soba noodles and cook per manufacturer's instructions. (I boiled my noodles for 8 minutes.)

3. Heat 1/2 tablespoon sesame oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the tofu cubes and brown on each side (about 2-3 minutes per side).

4. Remove the tofu cubes from the heat and place in a bowl. Set aside.

5. Add 1 1/2 tablespoons sesame oil to the skillet. Saute the mushrooms until browned. Add in the carrots, asparagus, and chopped green onions. Stir and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes.

6. Pour in 1/2 the sauce. Stir to evenly coat the veggies.

7. Add in the cashews.

8. Add in the cooked noodles. Pour in the remaining sauce. Stir to combine the ingredients.

9. Serve immediately.

What's For Dinner: Broccoli Tofu Cashew Nut with Soba Noodles

A quick trip to Whole Foods and I had all the ingredients necessary for this dinner. In all, it took about 20 minutes to put together; it probably would have gone faster if I hadn't decided to serve the stir fry over noodles at the very last minute (I had originally planned to serve it over some leftover wild rice). The next time I make this I think I'll try to make the sauce from scratch -- one of my fave dishes at Anong's Thai Cuisine in Laramie was the broccoli cashew nut (with tofu), and the ginger soy sauce that I used in this dish is just so not the same.

Broccoli Tofu Cashew Nut with Soba Noodles (printer-friendly version)

makes two servings

1/2 pkg soba noodles

3 cups frozen (or fresh) broccoli florets

1 pkg lite firm tofu

1/2 cup ginger soy sauce (or sauce of your choice)

1/2 cup roasted cashew nuts

1. Bring a pot of water to boil. Add the soba noodles and cook according to the manufacturer's instructions.

2. Cook the frozen broccoli florets per the manufacturer's instructions or steam fresh florets. Set aside.

3. Drain the tofu and cut it into 1" cubes. Place the cubes on a towel and wrap it in the towel's free ends. Place a heavy book or weight on top of the cubes and soak up the excess moisture for at least 10 minutes.

4. Heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add in about half the tofu cubes. Brown on each side (about one minute per side). Repeat with the remaining cubes. Remove from the heat.

5. Reduce the heat to medium. Add in 1 T sesame oil and stir fry the cooked broccoli florets for about one minute. Add in the cooked tofu cubes and cashews and toss to combine.

6. Add in the sauce of your choice (I used about 1/2 cup, you can use more or less). Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes.

7. Once the soba noodles have cooked, drain and run cold water over them. Then add the cooked noodles to the saute pan and toss until all the ingredients are combined and the noodles are coated in the sauce.

What's For Dinner: Broccoli Tofu Stir Fry in a Soy Ginger Sauce

Though it might sound fancy, it was actually a breeze to pull together this dinner. Within 15 minutes the stir fry was ready to be plated. And with only four ingredients, it doesn't exactly break the budget, either.

Ginger Soy Broccoli Tofu Stir Fry (printer-friendly version)

makes two servings

1 cup jasmine rice

2 cups water

1 pkg frozen broccoli florets

1 pkg extra firm tofu

1/2 cup sauce of your choice (I used a Whole Foods 365 Everyday Value Organic Soy Ginger sauce)

1. Cook the rice according to the manufacturer's instructions. As usual, I set the rice to cook in my rice cooker and forgot about it. Love!

2. Cook the broccoli florets per the manufacturer's instructions. Set aside.

3. Drain the tofu and cut it into 1" cubes. Place the cubes on a towel and wrap it in the towel's free ends. Place a heavy book or weight on top of the cubes and soak up the excess moisture for at least 10 minutes.

4. Spray a large saute pan with olive oil. Heat over medium-high heat. Add in about half the cubes. Brown on each side (about one minute per side). Repeat with the remaining cubes. Remove from the heat.

5. Reduce the heat to low. Add the cooked broccoli florets to the saute pan. Warm for about one minute. Add in the cooked tofu cubes and warm.

6. Add in the sauce of your choice (I used about 1/2 cup, you can use more or less). Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes.

7. Serve over a bed of rice and eat!

Snacktime: Curried Tofu and Avocado Dip with Rosemary Baked Pita Chips

Before heading to Whole Foods this weekend, I flipped through my binder of recipes to search for a little shopping inspiration. One of the recipes that caught my eye was from a recent issue of Food & Wine magazine for a dip made with silken tofu and avocado. I've never used silken tofu before, so I figured now was as good a time as any to give it a try.

Curried Tofu and Avocado Dip with Rosemary Baked Pita Chips 
(printer-friendly version)

makes 10+ servings

For the dip:

7 oz silken tofu, drained (about 1/2 a package -- I weighed out the 7 oz using a food scale)

1 Haas avocado, peeled, pitted, and chopped

1/2 C nonfat Greek yogurt (I used a single-serving container of Chobani Greek yogurt)

1 t grated lime zest (one lime)

2 T fresh lime juice (one lime)

1 garlic clove

1 t curry powder

1 1/2 t honey

freshly ground black pepper

fine sea salt

1. Combine the tofu, avocado, Greek yogurt, lime zest, lime juice, garlic clove, curry powder, and honey in the bowl of a food processor. Puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

2. Spoon into a bowl with a lid and refrigerate until ready to eat.

 (adapted from this Food & Wine recipe)

{dip ingredient mise en place}

Rosemary Baked Pita Chips (printer-friendly version)

12 small pita rounds (or 4 whole wheat pitas)

1 T olive oil

1 T chopped rosemary

fine sea salt

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

2. Cut the small pita rounds into halves. (If using regular-sized pitas, cut each pita pocket in half and then into six wedges.)

3. Place the cut pita wedges into a bowl. Add in the olive oil and rosemary. Season liberally with the fine sea salt. Toss to combine the ingredients.

4. Spread the pita wedges onto a baking sheet. Bake for 20-30 minutes, or until the wedges are slightly browned and crispy.

5. Cool on a wire rack.

{pita wedges ready for the oven}

What's For Dinner: Ginger-Sesame Stir Fried Veggies with Tofu

The other week when I was at the co-op a ginger-sesame marinade caught my eye and I decided it'd be a great addition to a veggie stir fry. As I was planning my stir fry, I realized I had some firm tofu in the fridge that was about to expire, and decided it would make an excellent addition to the meal. Plus, I had never really cooked tofu to my liking before, so figured I might as well give it a try.

To cook the tofu, first I opened the package and drained off the liquid. Then I cut the block in several rows lengthwise and cross-wise, until I had a bunch of 2-inch cubes. I placed all the cubes on a towel and folded the towel overtop the tofu cubes, and lightly pressed to remove as much liquid as possible. Next, I heated a skillet over medium heat and dry-fried the tofu in two batches. Once in the skillet, I used a spatula to press out additional moisture. As each piece turned golden brown, I flipped the cubes over. When both sides were golden brown, the cubes were done. I placed the cubes in a bowl and set it aside.

Next, I added a couple tablespoons of light sesame oil to an electric skillet and heated it to 375 degrees. Once the skillet was up to temperature, I added in a package of "deluxe" stir fry vegetables. I stirred the veggies every so often to make sure they were getting even heat. When they were nearly completely cooked, I added in about 1 cup of fresh snow peas and the pre-cooked tofu cubes. Finally, I added in about 1 1/2 C of the ginger-sesame marinade, reduced the heat to simmer, and cooked for another few minutes.

Meanwhile, earlier in the day I had cooked up a couple of cups of jasmine rice in the rice cooker (have I mentioned how much I love that thing?). One of the great things about the Zojirushi is the warming feature which keeps cooked rice warm for 12+ hours. Great stuff. Once the veggies and tofu were ready, I served them over a bed of jasmine rice. All in all, the ginger-sesame marinade made for some really great flavors and a fun weekday dinner.