Tofu Surprises and WW
01-26-2018, 06:24 AM
#21
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Location: Mendocino Coast, CA
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Tofu Salad
I like this recipe a lot. I put the salad on a couple of pieces of toasted bread, or roll it up in a lavash, or tortilla. My husband always takes it to work for lunch in a sandwich form, piled high, with fresh lettuce, sprouts and tomatoes. I use tofu mayo in this recipe, but you could use regular mayo. Again, the Himalayan black salt really makes this recipe taste yummy, but you could go with plain old salt, if you want. For those of you on WW, tofu is a zero point food, so the total points for a big pile of this is only 2-3 points, depending on your portion and the amount of mayo you put in. You can also add all sorts of other veggies to it for free. A little curry powder makes this a bit more exotic. Pickle relish is good in it too, but it has a point, or two. The variations are endless. This basic recipe will serve about 4.
1 block of extra firm tofu
6-8 tablespoons of tofu mayo
1/2 onion chopped
2 stalks of celery chopped
1 carrot chopped
1 tablespoon of capers, drained
1 teaspoon Dijion mustard
1/4 teaspoon Himalayan black salt
dash of black, or white pepper
Drain and press the tofu, then cut into 1/2 inch cubes, put into a medium bowl and set aside. In a food processor, add the rest of the ingredients and pulse a couple of times until well blended, then combine with tofu an stir until mixed. You can add additional mayo if it seems too dry.
*If you're not too worried about extra calories, try adding a handful of toasted cashews...delicious!
~ C
I like this recipe a lot. I put the salad on a couple of pieces of toasted bread, or roll it up in a lavash, or tortilla. My husband always takes it to work for lunch in a sandwich form, piled high, with fresh lettuce, sprouts and tomatoes. I use tofu mayo in this recipe, but you could use regular mayo. Again, the Himalayan black salt really makes this recipe taste yummy, but you could go with plain old salt, if you want. For those of you on WW, tofu is a zero point food, so the total points for a big pile of this is only 2-3 points, depending on your portion and the amount of mayo you put in. You can also add all sorts of other veggies to it for free. A little curry powder makes this a bit more exotic. Pickle relish is good in it too, but it has a point, or two. The variations are endless. This basic recipe will serve about 4.
1 block of extra firm tofu
6-8 tablespoons of tofu mayo
1/2 onion chopped
2 stalks of celery chopped
1 carrot chopped
1 tablespoon of capers, drained
1 teaspoon Dijion mustard
1/4 teaspoon Himalayan black salt
dash of black, or white pepper
Drain and press the tofu, then cut into 1/2 inch cubes, put into a medium bowl and set aside. In a food processor, add the rest of the ingredients and pulse a couple of times until well blended, then combine with tofu an stir until mixed. You can add additional mayo if it seems too dry.
*If you're not too worried about extra calories, try adding a handful of toasted cashews...delicious!
~ C
01-31-2018, 08:22 AM
#23
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Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Mendocino Coast, CA
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Here's my version of Tofu Pad Thai.
1 block (12-14 oz.) extra firm tofu, drained and pressed
3 Tablespoons fish sauce*, or 1 Tablespoon kelp powder*
2 Tablespoons soy sauce
1/4 Cup fresh lime juice
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 Tablespoon Thai chili and garlic sauce
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 12 oz package "Pad Thai" brown rice noodles
Hot water
2-3 Tablespoons canola, or peanut oil
1 Onion, chopped coarsely
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
1 Red bell pepper, chopped coarsely
1/2 crown of broccoli, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 carrot, sliced thinly
1/4 Cup scallions, chopped medium-fine
1 Cup mushrooms, chopped coarsely
2 Cups mung bean sprouts
1/2 Cup chopped peanuts, plain, unsalted
1/4 Cup cilantro, chopped
soy sauce and pepper to taste
In a medium-size bowl, combine fish sauce*, or kelp powder*, soy sauce, fresh lime juice, sugar, and Thai chili and garlic sauce. Stir with a whisk until blended. Cut the drained tofu into 1/2" cubes and add to the bowl. Lightly toss tofu to coat with the sauce. Set aside to marinate for about 10 minutes, then drain well, reserving the marinade sauce. Heat up 1 Tablespoon of oil in a wok, or skillet until sizzling. Carefully add tofu only, (do not add sauce at this point) to the hot oil and saute over high heat until tofu cubes are lightly browned and have developed a skin. Remove tofu from oil, drain on a towel and set aside.
Place the rice noodles in a separate bowl and cover with hot water. Allow to soak for at least 10 minutes, until soft and pliable. Drain and set aside.
In a large wok, or skillet, heat up remaining oil over high heat until it sizzles when a drop of water is added. Add onions and stir fry until soft, add garlic and ginger and cook for another 10 seconds. Stir in the sauce from the tofu marinade, bell pepper, broccoli, carrot, scallions and mushrooms. Cook over high heat until vegetables are just starting to get soft. Add browned tofu cubes and bean sprouts and stir lightly. Add rice noodles and toss. Season to taste. Remove from heat and put in a large serving dish. Garnish with peanuts and cilantro. (Sriracha is always nice on it to if you like things spicy.)
* Fish sauce is not always to everyone's liking, nor is it always easy to find. However, it does give that authentic taste. If you want fish sauce in your Pad Thai and can't find it in your local store, try ordering it online. I'm sure Amazon would carry it.
If you are vegan, or vegetarian, you may not want to go with fish sauce. I recently found ground kelp powder in my local food co-op It has a similar, "oceany," taste, which I really like. I've never seen kelp powder anywhere else. If you are interested in it, again, try online, or you could probably grind up a sheet of nori, or kombu for that unique flavor. If you do try this option, please let me know how that works for you.
~ C
1 block (12-14 oz.) extra firm tofu, drained and pressed
3 Tablespoons fish sauce*, or 1 Tablespoon kelp powder*
2 Tablespoons soy sauce
1/4 Cup fresh lime juice
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 Tablespoon Thai chili and garlic sauce
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 12 oz package "Pad Thai" brown rice noodles
Hot water
2-3 Tablespoons canola, or peanut oil
1 Onion, chopped coarsely
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
1 Red bell pepper, chopped coarsely
1/2 crown of broccoli, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 carrot, sliced thinly
1/4 Cup scallions, chopped medium-fine
1 Cup mushrooms, chopped coarsely
2 Cups mung bean sprouts
1/2 Cup chopped peanuts, plain, unsalted
1/4 Cup cilantro, chopped
soy sauce and pepper to taste
In a medium-size bowl, combine fish sauce*, or kelp powder*, soy sauce, fresh lime juice, sugar, and Thai chili and garlic sauce. Stir with a whisk until blended. Cut the drained tofu into 1/2" cubes and add to the bowl. Lightly toss tofu to coat with the sauce. Set aside to marinate for about 10 minutes, then drain well, reserving the marinade sauce. Heat up 1 Tablespoon of oil in a wok, or skillet until sizzling. Carefully add tofu only, (do not add sauce at this point) to the hot oil and saute over high heat until tofu cubes are lightly browned and have developed a skin. Remove tofu from oil, drain on a towel and set aside.
Place the rice noodles in a separate bowl and cover with hot water. Allow to soak for at least 10 minutes, until soft and pliable. Drain and set aside.
In a large wok, or skillet, heat up remaining oil over high heat until it sizzles when a drop of water is added. Add onions and stir fry until soft, add garlic and ginger and cook for another 10 seconds. Stir in the sauce from the tofu marinade, bell pepper, broccoli, carrot, scallions and mushrooms. Cook over high heat until vegetables are just starting to get soft. Add browned tofu cubes and bean sprouts and stir lightly. Add rice noodles and toss. Season to taste. Remove from heat and put in a large serving dish. Garnish with peanuts and cilantro. (Sriracha is always nice on it to if you like things spicy.)
* Fish sauce is not always to everyone's liking, nor is it always easy to find. However, it does give that authentic taste. If you want fish sauce in your Pad Thai and can't find it in your local store, try ordering it online. I'm sure Amazon would carry it.
If you are vegan, or vegetarian, you may not want to go with fish sauce. I recently found ground kelp powder in my local food co-op It has a similar, "oceany," taste, which I really like. I've never seen kelp powder anywhere else. If you are interested in it, again, try online, or you could probably grind up a sheet of nori, or kombu for that unique flavor. If you do try this option, please let me know how that works for you.
~ C
01-31-2018, 11:34 AM
#25
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Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 9,709
They definitely are not. Soy is one of high allergens along with wheat, corn and dairy so be careful with it. I have a lot of food sensitivities and soy and I don't get along at all.
02-05-2018, 06:19 AM
#26
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Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Mendocino Coast, CA
Posts: 5,007
~ C
02-17-2018, 09:15 AM
#27
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Location: Mendocino Coast, CA
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OK...as promised, here's another tofu recipe. This is for those of you that like to make your own, fresh pasta. I use a food processor for this recipe, but I suppose that you could also use a kitchenaid mixer...although, I've never tried that. Fresh pasta, done the Italian way, has an egg, or two in it. This recipe replaces the eggs with tofu and a few other seasonings. You can change this up many ways by adding other herbs and spices for taste, or color.
My basic recipe is a variation of one taken from the Crossroads cookbook, by Tal Ronnen. (Mr. Ronnen also has a very popular, plant-based restaurant in Los Angeles for which this cookbook is named for.)
Tofu Pasta
1/2 package of firm tofu (about 7-8 oz,) drained
3 cups of white flour
3 Tablespoons of olive oil
2-3 Tablespoons of water
1-2 Tablespoons Nutritional Yeast
1/4 teaspoon Himalayan black salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
dash of turmeric
dash of cayenne
Place all ingredients in the food processor and blend for about 2 minutes. The dough should come together and form a ball. Open up the processor and feel the dough between your fingers. It should be smooth and elastic. If it is dry and crumbly and hasn't formed a ball, add another tablespoon of water and blend again. If it is too moist and sticky, add a tablespoon of four and blend again. Once you get it to the right consistency, remove the dough and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill it in the refrigerator for at least an hour. (I sometimes make a double batch and freeze half of it.)
After chilling, sprinkle your work surface with four and knead the dough a few times until it becomes pliable and is easy to work with. Run it through our pasta maker, or roll out to make other shapes. That part is up to you.
Cook in rapidly boiling, salted water for just 2-5 minutes. You may see the pasta float to the top of the pot as it finishes cooking. Voila!
A few notes...
-Himalayan black salt really makes the extraordinary flavor of this pasta. It has some sulfur in it that gives it an eggy taste. I found mine online. It's not that expensive and it will last you a long time. You can also use regular salt instead, if you're not into the black salt.
-Nutritional Yeast also adds a great taste...almost cheesy. Don't add too much though, or it will taste weird. Try half as much and see how you like it.
-Turmeric and cayenne add some taste, but mostly color. Again, don't add too much...just a tiny bit. Turmeric can taste bitter if you go overboard on it and cayenne can get pretty spicy if you overdo it.
If you try this, lemme know how you like it.
~ C
My basic recipe is a variation of one taken from the Crossroads cookbook, by Tal Ronnen. (Mr. Ronnen also has a very popular, plant-based restaurant in Los Angeles for which this cookbook is named for.)
Tofu Pasta
1/2 package of firm tofu (about 7-8 oz,) drained
3 cups of white flour
3 Tablespoons of olive oil
2-3 Tablespoons of water
1-2 Tablespoons Nutritional Yeast
1/4 teaspoon Himalayan black salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
dash of turmeric
dash of cayenne
Place all ingredients in the food processor and blend for about 2 minutes. The dough should come together and form a ball. Open up the processor and feel the dough between your fingers. It should be smooth and elastic. If it is dry and crumbly and hasn't formed a ball, add another tablespoon of water and blend again. If it is too moist and sticky, add a tablespoon of four and blend again. Once you get it to the right consistency, remove the dough and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill it in the refrigerator for at least an hour. (I sometimes make a double batch and freeze half of it.)
After chilling, sprinkle your work surface with four and knead the dough a few times until it becomes pliable and is easy to work with. Run it through our pasta maker, or roll out to make other shapes. That part is up to you.
Cook in rapidly boiling, salted water for just 2-5 minutes. You may see the pasta float to the top of the pot as it finishes cooking. Voila!
A few notes...
-Himalayan black salt really makes the extraordinary flavor of this pasta. It has some sulfur in it that gives it an eggy taste. I found mine online. It's not that expensive and it will last you a long time. You can also use regular salt instead, if you're not into the black salt.
-Nutritional Yeast also adds a great taste...almost cheesy. Don't add too much though, or it will taste weird. Try half as much and see how you like it.
-Turmeric and cayenne add some taste, but mostly color. Again, don't add too much...just a tiny bit. Turmeric can taste bitter if you go overboard on it and cayenne can get pretty spicy if you overdo it.
If you try this, lemme know how you like it.
~ C
~ C
02-17-2018, 10:00 AM
#29
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Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Mendocino Coast, CA
Posts: 5,007
Ohhhh...Ill have to check for you. I would guess that it is probably the same as regular pasta, but I'm not positive about that. I'll run the recipe through a nutritional calculator today and get back to you.
~ C
~ C
02-17-2018, 10:28 AM
#30
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Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Mendocino Coast, CA
Posts: 5,007
Nutrition Facts
4 Servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 473.8
Total Fat 12.9 g
Saturated Fat 1.9 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 2.0 g
Monounsaturated Fat 8.0 g
Cholesterol 0.0 mg
Sodium 153.1 mg
Potassium 227.4 mg
Total Carbohydrate 74.9 g
Dietary Fiber 3.8 g
Sugars 0.5 g
Protein 14.6 g
Vitamin A 2.9 %
Vitamin B-12 25.0 %
Vitamin B-6 97.8 %
Vitamin C 0.3 %
Vitamin D 0.0 %
Vitamin E 6.5 %
Calcium 29.3 %
Copper 15.8 %
Folate 45.8 %
Iron 31.2 %
Magnesium 12.1 %
Manganese 57.3 %
Niacin 90.1 %
Pantothenic Acid 6.3 %
Phosphorus 21.3 %
Riboflavin 149.7 %
Selenium 62.3 %
Thiamin 190.1 %
Here's the same recipe, substituting 2 eggs for the tofu:
Nutrition Facts
4 Servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 481.5
Total Fat 13.6 g
Saturated Fat 2.3 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1.7 g
Monounsaturated Fat 8.4 g
Cholesterol 93.0 mg
Sodium 183.8 mg
Potassium 202.1 mg
Total Carbohydrate 74.4 g
Dietary Fiber 3.4 g
Sugars 0.4 g
Protein 14.4 g
Vitamin A 4.5 %
Vitamin B-12 29.0 %
Vitamin B-6 98.0 %
Vitamin C 0.1 %
Vitamin D 5.0 %
Vitamin E 6.5 %
Calcium 2.6 %
Copper 8.2 %
Folate 45.9 %
Iron 27.3 %
Magnesium 6.3 %
Manganese 33.4 %
Niacin 89.4 %
Pantothenic Acid 5.8 %
Phosphorus 18.6 %
Riboflavin 152.3 %
Selenium 52.3 %
Thiamin 185.8 %
Here's the same recipe with no eggs or tofu:
Nutrition Facts
4 Servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 445.5
Total Fat 11.2 g
Saturated Fat 1.5 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1.2 g
Monounsaturated Fat 7.5 g
Cholesterol 0.0 mg
Sodium 148.3 mg
Potassium 167.6 mg
Total Carbohydrate 74.2 g
Dietary Fiber 3.4 g
Sugars 0.3 g
Protein 11.2 g
Vitamin A 1.5 %
Vitamin B-12 25.0 %
Vitamin B-6 96.0 %
Vitamin C 0.1 %
Vitamin D 0.0 %
Vitamin E 6.5 %
Calcium 1.6 %
Copper 8.2 %
Folate 42.9 %
Iron 25.3 %
Magnesium 6.3 %
Manganese 33.4 %
Niacin 89.4 %
Pantothenic Acid 5.8 %
Phosphorus 13.6
Riboflavin 147.3 %
Selenium 52.3 %
Thiamin 185.8 %
As you can see, the carbs are almost the same in each recipe. I hope I've helped.
~ C
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