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Tofu, by far, is my preferred vegetarian protein. If you
are any thing like me, you can appreciate the flexibility
of textures, and preparation that tofu has to offer your
tastebuds. Tofu reminds me of a blank canvas (just stay
with me for a moment) that I am able to shape and mold into
my ideal masterpiece dish. Just think about it for a
second. Tofu is a pretty bland food, until you get
creative and spruce it up by adding your own spices, herbs,
and personal touch to produce a tasty meal that doesn't
resemble the white block of substance you purchased from
the grocery store. When I first became a vegetarian, I
really did not enjoy tofu too much. I didn't like the
texture of tofu and I was uncertain about the many ways
tofu could be cooked and enjoyed, until one day I began my
tofu exploration of various methods of changing and
enhancing the texture and flavors of this perfect protein.
Deep Fry - Heat oil in a frying pan. Drain and cut the
extra firm tofu in to cubes. To get creative cut the tofu
in to triangles or strips. Lightly season with salt,
pepper, and garlic powder (you could even season some flour
and coat the tofu with the seasoned flour to make a light
batter). Make sure the oil is sizzling hot before adding
the seasoned tofu. Let the tofu deep fry until golden
brown (usually about 5 - 7 minutes). You can drizzle the
deep fried tofu with teriyaki or soy sauce. I like to eat
the deep fried tofu all by itself (and I like mine extra
crunchy).
Bake - Yes, you can bake tofu. One of my favorite baked
tofu dishes doesn't take long to cook at all. Drain and
cut 1 lb of extra firm tofu into cutlets or steaks. Next,
season the tofu with salt, pepper, dried oregano and dried
basil. Lightly grease a baking dish with olive oil and
place the seasoned tofu, diced carrots and onion in the pan
and bake on 350 degrees for 30 mins. This healthy and
hearty baked tofu dish can be served with vegetarian or
vegan based gravy for a flavorful touch.
Sauté - If you are in a rush or don't want to spend
tons of time preparing a healthy dinner, simply chop some
mushrooms, onions, and green peppers, and add to a hot pan.
Drizzle the vegetables with olive oil, and some minced
garlic. Next, add some cubed tofu to the vegetable mix and
sauté for 5-7 minutes. You can serve this tofu and
veggie sauté over brown rice.
Uncooked - This simple tofu based salad is absolutely
delicious. Prepare this dish the night before for an extra
burst of flavor. In bowl combine some cucumber (remove the
seeds), chopped onion, shredded carrots, cubed firm
tofu, fresh ginger, minced garlic, salt, pepper, and olive
oil. Mix well and serve cold.
Blended - Eggs are not the only food that will give you
an a.m. dose of protein. Simply add some fresh or frozen
fruit, soy milk, agave, and ¼ cup of silken tofu in
a blender and blend until smooth. This protein packed
fresh fruit smoothie will keep you feeling full until lunch
time.
Crumbled - When crumbling Tofu, your vegetarian and vegan
meal creations are endless. I enjoy crumbling extra firm
tofu and adding some olive oil, garlic and onion to a hot
skillet and letting it cook for 5 minutes. Next sprinkle
some cumin, paprika, and chili powder to the tofu mixture
and let it cook for about 10 minutes. In a few quick
minutes, I have just made a delicious protein rich and low
fat filling for my burritos, tacos, taco salad, or even
spaghetti sauce. Why have ground beef when you can use
crumbled tofu?
Tofu, with out a doubt, has evolved in to a diverse plant
based protein. Now, you can purchase smoked tofu, cubed
tofu, and other pre-seasoned tofu to make preparing a tofu
based dish a little simpler. But always remember that tofu
is what you make of it. Don't shy away from cooking with
the various firmness (silken, soft, firm, and extra firm)
textures that tofu has to offer. So, go to the store, pick
up some tofu, and start creating and cooking.
----------------------------------------------------
Ebony Johnson is a vegetarian cooking enthusiast & the host
of Beyond the Garden, the vegetarian cooking experience
that explores healthy & tasty vegetarian & vegan cuisines.
Visit
http://www.mybeyondthegardentv.com/easyveggiemealplan.php
to subscribe to receive free monthly vegetarian recipes,
free access to her vegetarian cooking show & download your
copy of an easy to follow vegetarian meal plan.
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