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Tag Archive: Tofu

Tofu “Ricotta” Cheese

Written on July 14, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Side Dish

For whatever reason, I’ve never loved cheese. If I did, I probably would have gotten my fingers caught in more mouse traps as a child. So giving up cheese along with dairy was never hard, but last Summer I tried this Whole Foods recipe for a vegan “ricotta” and really loved it. The herby, seasoned flavor far exceeded any “real” cheese I’d ever tried. For whatever reason I forgot about it for a year and just decided to make it again this week with a few tweaks.

Making your own cheese substitute has advantages and disadvantages compared to store brands. Since it’s tofu-based, this recipe is higher in protein than most fake cheeses. And the addition of fresh herbs and seasoning creates an unparalleled flavor. Since it doesn’t have a bunch of funky ingredients and stabilizers, it won’t melt like other fake cheese. But is that really such a bad trade off?

Tofu “Ricotta” Cheese(adapted from this recipe)

Ingredients:

1 block extra firm tofu
2 Tablespoons tahini
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1 Tablespoon fresh chopped basil
1/2 teaspoon salt + more to taste
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Combine all of the ingredients together in a large bowl. Using a fork, press into the tofu block breaking it up into smaller clumps and mixing it with the other ingredients. Continue this until the ingredients are homogenous and the consistency resembles ricotta cheese. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.

I haven’t found many uses for this so far besides eating it straight from the bowl, but I’m sure with time I’ll find others. Unless I eat it all straight from the bowl, which is a likely scenario, too.

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The Best Grilled Tofu

Written on July 11, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Entree

Tofu gets such a bad rap. And you know what? It kind of deserves it. Just eaten plain, tofu is bland and a little disgusting.

But like any girl wearing glasses and overalls in a cliché 90s movie, tofu can get dressed up and steal the show. It takes on any flavor added to it, and when cooked properly has a “meaty” texture.

There’s no reason for tofu-eaters to be left behind during grilling season. With the right marinade tofu makes a tasty grilled entrée. And this is the best(and simplest!) marinade I’ve ever tried. All it takes is time and patience for the flavors to be absorbed. It works well baked, too, but in the Summer there’s no other way to go than grilled.

The Best Grilled Tofu

Ingredients:

1 block firm tofu, sliced 3/4 inch thick
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup maple syrup
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
1 Tablespoon toasted sesame oil

Combine all of the liquid ingredients and marinate the sliced tofu in the mixture for at least 3 hours, preferably overnight.

Heat a grill to high and lay the strips of tofu out. Flip after 3-5 minutes once the bottom side has grill marks and cook for another 3-5 minutes. Serve hot or refrigerate and serve cold.

You can reuse the marinating liquid again and again since there’s a very low risk of spreading bacteria with tofu. Either add more tofu to the marinade immediately or freeze it until using again.

I can’t get enough of this. I could easily eat a block of tofu in one sitting. That’s what makes it the best.

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Chocolate Peanut Butter Mousse

Written on March 18, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Dessert

Chocolate + Peanut butter

Milk + Cookies

Ross + Rachel

Everyone knows these things just go together, right? Right. I’d been wanting to make a mousse with tofu since I saw a chocolate one on Jenna’s blog. When I saw a peanut butter version in this month’s Food Network magazine, I knew it was a sign.

These were shockingly easy to make and as delicious to eat as you’d imagine. Now, I’m not going to lie: These do have a slight soy flavor to them, so if you have one of those picky eaters who points out any and every funny flavor, it’s not for them. But overall I loved them and didn’t mind the taste at all. The only question was what to put on top?

Chocolate Peanut Butter Mousse

Ingredients(Makes 4 servings):

1 pack of silken tofu
6 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
3oz bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons powdered sugar, separated

To make the chocolate layer, start by melting the chocolate in a microwave or over a double boiler. When the chocolate is hot, stir in 1/4 cup of powdered sugar and 1/2 of the silken tofu. Continue stirring until the mousse is smooth and uniform.

To make the peanut butter layer, take the other half of the tofu and mix it with the peanut butter and remaining sugar. Continue mixing until there are no lumps.

To assemble, scoop a later of chocolate mousse in the bottom of a parfait glass. Do this for 4 glasses and evenly portion them out. Make sure the top of the layer is flat.

Next, scoop on the peanut butter mousse over the chocolate layer. Again, take care to portion them evenly and flatten out the top.

Then you just have to choose your garnish, like chocolate chips:

Or whipped non-dairy cream:

Or fudge sauce, peanuts, peanut butter chips—whatever your heart desires! Serve these at room temperature for the best flavor but store in the refrigerator if there’s any leftover(there won’t be any leftover).

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Garlicky Cashew Cream Sauce

Written on March 9, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Miscellaneous

If you haven’t picked up this March’s Rachael Ray magazine yet, ~~don’t bother because I’m not in it~~ you might not know that there’s a 4-page spread on “meatless mains.” Better yet, these aren’t Sandra Lee pop-a-tofurky-in-the-oven-and-call-it-dinner recipes; no, these are actually good recipes made with real food.

The first one that caught my eye was their “cashew cream sauce” which they put over tofu. I followed the recipe for the most part but changed it a bit and upped the garlic(I clearly wasn’t going anywhere that night).

Garlicky Cashew Cream Sauce(adapted from this recipe)

Ingredients:

1 cup cashews, soaked and drained
1/2 cup + 2 Tablespoons water
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 Tablespoons nutritional yeast
2 cloves garlic
1/4 teaspoon salt

Soak the cashews for 3-4 hours until they’re soft. Drain the cashews reserving some of the water for the sauce.

Add all the ingredients together in a food processor and blend until smooth and creamy.

Use immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a few days.

I liked the flavor of the sauce, which was deep, rich, and strong. I served mine with baked tofu and caramelized onions; next time I would try this with something like pasta to soak up the sauce better. Oh, and I would probably make sure there are a few tins of Altoids lying around to cover up the garlic breath.

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Lunchtime Stir-Fry

Written on February 7, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Entree

Lunchtime is a funny time. I usually just want hot food fast, that still tastes good but won’t take too long to cook(because that might interfere with watching Days of Our Lives). I usually opt for leftovers, quick-cooking quinoa, or—a big favorite of mine—a stir-fry. Start to finish, a stir-fry only takes 12-15 minutes to cook, and it usually has a lot of flavor. I make this with frozen veggies which makes the preparation even faster without changing the flavor.

Lunchtime Stir-Fry

Ingredients:

1/2 block extra-firm tofu, cubed
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2-3 garlic cloves, diced
1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 cup steamed broccoli
1-2 handfuls spinach
a pinch of salt

Heat the oil in a pan with the garlic. Let it sauté for a few minutes over low-medium heat to flavor the oil.

Once the garlic starts turning slightly browned, add in the tofu, soy sauce, and salt. Keep stirring the pan as the ingredients cook and the tofu browns.

Once the tofu has browned on all sides, add in the broccoli and spinach and continue to cook until they have absorbed the liquid.

All the flavor and none of the fuss. To steal the words from Ina Garten(and actually mean them), “How easy is that?” My favorite part is the broccoli after it has sucked up all the salty sauce and is tender and juicy when you bite in.

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Sautéed Spinach With Silken Tofu

Written on January 20, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Side Dish

Really good food speaks with it’s flavor. It was hard to pick a name for this recipe because it’s not like anything else. At first I was tempted to call it a low-fat creamed spinach but if you were looking for creamed spinach and came upon this you’d probably be disappointed. At the same time, it’s so much more robust and filling than regular sautéed spinach.

You know what I’d call this? Delicious. It’s a rich spinach dish bursting with flavors that’s good as a side to something like roasted chicken or baked seitan. The “secret ingredients” in this are cinnamon and nutmeg which enhance the earthiness of the spinach.

You don’t need to call it anything, really. Just grab a fork and dig in.

Sautéed Spinach With Silken Tofu

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves of garlic, diced
2 tablespoons green onion, diced
1 bag of frozen spinach, thawed and drained OR 6 cups fresh spinach
1 16oz pack silken tofu
2 tablespoons non-dairy cream(optional)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Start by heating the oil in a pan over medium heat. Once hot, add the garlic and the onion and let it toast in the pan for about 3-4 minutes.

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Add in the spinach and mix it with the ingredients in the pan.

Next, open up the tofu and add it to the pan as well. Break it up with whatever tool you’re using to stir the pan and start to incorporate it as you pour in the cream.

Once the pan is homogenous, let it sit and the excess water start to boil off.

As it thickens up and gets ready to be served, season the pan with salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg and toss the ingredients again. Remove from the heat and serve hot.

All the different flavors come together to make one cohesive, delicious dist. The nutmeg and cinnamon add an unrecognizable warmth that really enhances the spinach. And the tofu makes this rich and hearty with a slightly creamy texture. Go ahead and call it what you want; I’m too busy eating.

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Sweet And Spicy Tofu With Steamed Kale

Written on December 13, 2010 by Wannabe Chef in Entree

They say you need to eat a food 12 times before you learn to like it. I’m not quite sure how true that is, because last time I checked people don’t need that much convincing to like chocolate or peanut butter. But tofu is something I’m still learning to like, even after years of eating it. It can either taste delicious or fake depending on how it’s cooked. This is a great recipe because it’s flavorful and can be made in about 10 minutes with no pressing involved. This is one recipe that has helped me learn to love tofu.

Sweet And Spicy Tofu With Steamed Kale

Ingredients:

1 block of firm or extra-firm tofu, cubed
2-3 tablespoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons honey
1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 tablespoon white vinegar
a pinch of salt
1 bunch of kale, washed

Start by making your sauce. Whisk together honey, soy sauce, vinegar, salt, and chili powder until it has emulsified.

Heat a pan over medium heat with enough sesame oil to cover the bottom. Once the pan has become hot, add in your tofu and cook for about 5 minutes until the outside starts browning and the tofu is heated through.

Pour in your sauce and mix the pan to coat the tofu. Continue cooking while the sauce boils down and thickens. As it cooks, the tofu should absorb the liquid and become a golden brown color. It will be done when all the sauce is absorbed.

You can either steam your kale on the side, in the microwave, or(like I did), add it on top of the pan in the last few minutes of cooking. Steam it until it has reduced to about half its original volume.

Serve hot and season with salt and pepper.

What about you? Tofu lover or hater? Any way in particular you like it?

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Sick Day Comfort Food

Written on December 11, 2010 by Wannabe Chef in Highlights

For the first time so far this year that I can remember I’ve been sick. Of course it has to happen right at finals time; how could it not? Well, I’ve been pushing through to finish strong(the semester that is) while my trash basket looks like graveyard for tissues and paper towels(because that’s what I used after I ran out of tissues).

I’ve had more time to cook this week than ever but no desire to make anything other than pumpkin quinoa stuffing. What is better sick day comfort food than steaming hot carbs? The first time I made it, I mixed in some tofu for protein and put it over greens and called it lunch. It was nice not to have to do anything more than push the start button on my rice cooker.

The very next day, I made the exact same thing, except with leftover chicken. Isn’t that exciting? I also used cinnamon as the spice instead of Herbes de Provence because I was reading on Twitter that cinnamon does everything from slowing down carbohydrate digestion to boosting your immune system. If I have to eat a pan of maple cinnamon blondies to get better, so be it.

What do you like to eat when you’re sick? I could clearly use ideas. Otherwise I’m just going to turn into a pumpkin.

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3-Ingredient Thai Curry Tofu

Written on December 2, 2010 by Wannabe Chef in Entree

I’m not usually a fan of shortcut ingredients; they’re too Sandra Lee for my preference. But some of them are too good to pass up. For that reason, I love to keep a jar of Thai Kitchen’s curry paste in my refrigerator. Curry paste is all the ingredients needed for a good curry all concentrated and combined. Since it’s so dense with ingredients and flavors, you don’t need much more for a delicious lunch.

*Emily crafted her own green curry paste from scratch! If you want to be really enthusiastic, try that and I bet it would work just as well, though you might need to double the amount here because it seems less concentrated.

3-Ingredient Thai Curry Tofu

Ingredients:

1 block firm or extra-firm tofu
1 tablespoon Thai curry paste
1/3 cup coconut milk

Cut the tofu in whichever manner you prefer. Add the tofu, coconut milk, and curry paste to the pan and heat to medium-high.

Continue to cook the curry until the tofu picks up color and the coconut milk gains a runny syrup consistency.

Serve the tofu over seasoned rice or quinoa. Reserve the excess curry milk for drizzling.

I usually don’t make many ethnic dishes because I can never understand the flavors or the cooking techniques and how they all work together. But when it’s made this simple, anyone can make a tasty curry dish.

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Apricot Glazed Tofu With Walnuts

Written on December 1, 2010 by Wannabe Chef in Entree

You know how you’ll discover a food and then want to eat it with everything and anything? That’s what’s been happening with me and apricot jam. It all started with this chicken salad and has just skyrocketed from there. Apricot jam on sweet potatoes? Yes, please! Apricot jam burgers? Not so good… Apricot jam on tofu? A winning recipe. I liked this so much because it tasted distinctly American with an ethnic flare. This is the kind of recipe I would suggest to people scared of how tofu tastes, because it’s deliciously sweet and tangy with a nutty crunch. You could certainly use this same glaze for chicken or pork, too.

Apricot Glazed Tofu With Walnuts

Ingredients:

1 block firm or extra-firm tofu, pressed and cubed
3 tablespoons apricot jam
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tablespoon white vinegar
pinch of black pepper
1/3 cup walnuts

Preheat an oven to 375 degrees. In a bowl, mix together the jam, olive oil, vinegar, and black pepper. Stir to emulsify.

Toss the tofu in the glaze to coat. Lay it out on a single layer on a lined baking tray and bake for 25 minutes.

After 25 minutes, take out the tray, flip the tofu to prevent sticking, and add in the walnuts. Stick this back in the oven for 10-15 more minutes until it starts to smell “nutty”.

The Fall flavors of apricot and walnut pair perfectly with any squash dishes as a sides. Or you could serve it with quinoa or rice for a warm and comforting tofu bowl.

The only question is what to put apricot glaze on next?

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