Tofu Four Ways: for the Earth and Your Tastebuds

In honor of #MeatlessMonday I've decided to dedicate this post to one of the most common sources of plant based protein out there - tofu! I know you've probably heard both good and bad things (as there's a lot of conflicting research around soy consumption and estrogen levels - read more about it here) about this spongey white stuff that's made from coagulated soy milk. Tofu is high in protein, calcium, and iron, which are all areas of concern people have in plant based diets. Tofu is also rich in many other vitamins and minerals such as magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, and selenium.

tofu in all its glory

From an environmental standpoint tofu is a fairly good choice. Being both 100% plant based and high in protein tofu is an awesome alternative to animal products that often take the center stage in our meals. Upon reading this fun yet informative article from The New York Times it's clear to see that switching from higher environmentally impactful foods like beef, lamb, cheese, etc. to lower environmentally impactful foods we can make a big difference in our planet's health. I'm not saying everyone should go vegan (I'm not one myself) but try to focus on eating less meat, seafood, and dairy and more on plants like vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, whole grains, and legumes. If we focus our meals first around plants, then animal products can take a backseat and act more as a condiment, not the star of the show. I personally aim for 50% of my plate to be fruits or vegetables and at least 75% of it to be plant-based.

we stan a vegan taco

Tofu is a more environmentally friendly protein option than most animal products, and I'll let you in on a secret - you can make it taste amazing. Most people who stick their nose up at tofu haven't prepared it correctly and ended up eating a soggy, wet sponge. A major key in preparing tofu is to properly press it, so most of the water comes out and you don't end up with it being all soggy. Here is a good guide to pressing tofu at home. No one wants to eat soggy, bland tofu, which is why I'm here to show you that you can make tofu taste good and use it as a meat replacement in a vast array of dishes (as pictured below). Keep reading for four tofu recipes and how I used them!

Option Number One: Sesame Crusted Ginger

Ingredients

• 3oz extra firm tofu

• 1/2 tsp liquid oil of choice

• 1 tbsp coconut aminos (sub: soy sauce)

• 1 tsp liquid sweetener (honey, maple syrup, agave, etc.)

• 1/2 tsp curry powder

• 1 tsp ginger

• 1 tsp sesame seeds

• Chopped green onion to taste

• Red pepper flakes to taste

Let the tofu sit in the marinade for 2+ hours and then bake in the oven or a pan until crispy. Serve with whatever you'd like. Here's what I did.

How I used it: Umami Vegetable Noodle Bowl (GF + Vegan)

Recipe

1. Prepare noodles of choice according to instructions on the package (I used these Miracle Noodles and actually loved them. The texture was kind of rubbery but for some reason I was really vibing with it. They were super easy to make too!)

2. Let your noodles cool down a little then toss them with roughly 1 tbspof teriyaki sauce (I used this coconut aminos teriyaki sauce but you can use whatever soy/teriyaki type of sauce you have and or want)

3. Start cooking your tofu in the oven or a pan over med-high heat until it starts crisping. You'll want to cook your vegetables in a separate pan while you prepare your tofu so everything is finished at relatively the same time. If you use a pan check on the tofu and mix it around every couple of minutes

4. Heat up another large pan over med-high heat with lots of oil of choice

5. When your pan is hot add in 3-4 large leaves of bok choy and season them heavily with sea salt. Flip them every couple of minutes to cook both sides evenly (This is my favorite way to prepare bok choy! I chop the hard ends of mine off and steam them because they're denser than the leaves and I like them to be cooked thoroughly)

6. While that's cooking lightly steam some broccoli, bok choy stems, red cabbage, and zucchini for 2-3 minutes

7. When your vegetables are done steaming add them to the pan with the bok choy and season with lots of garlic powder

8. While all of that is cooking chop up some cucumber, carrots, avocado, + red bell pepper and set them aside

9. Steam (30 seconds-1 minute) a small handful of edamame

10. Once everything is done cooking start loading your bowl up: start with bok choy as your base, then add your dressed noodles on top of that. Then add the rest of your cooked vegetables + tofu while things are hot. Then move onto plating your raw vegetables. Finally finish it off with some clover sprouts, green onion, sesame seeds, and a heavy drizzle of tahini

Option Number Two: Chili Lime Cilantro

Ingredients

• 3oz extra firm tofu

• 1/2 tsp liquid oil of choice

• Juice of 1/2-1 lime

• 1 tsp garlic salt (sub: 1/2 tsp garlic and 1/2 tsp salt)

• 1/2 tsp onion powder

• 1/2 tsp oregano

• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika

• 1/2 tsp cumin

• 1/2-1 tsp Trader Joe's Chili Lime seasoning (sub: chili powder) (do more or less based on how spicy you like things)

• Chopped green onion to taste

• Cracked black pepper to taste

• Chopped, fresh cilantro to taste (I used a lot)

Let the tofu sit in the marinade for 2+ hours and then bake in the oven or a pan until crispy. Serve with whatever you'd like. Here's what I did.

How I used it: Cilantro Taco Salad Bowl (GF + Vegan)

Recipe

1. Let's start with the nachos: Place a generous handful of tortilla chips (used my favorite Siete Foods ones) on a microwave safe plate then gently melt cheese on top of them (I chopped up and used this Violife vegan cheddar cheese. It's got good ingredients, texture, and taste but it melts funny, hence why my nachos don't look "done". Maybe their shreds or a different cheese would work better. I still thought they were good though!)

2. Let's move onto the rest of the bowl: Start cooking your tofu in the oven or a pan over med-high heat until it starts crisping. Do the rest of the cooking while your tofu is going, just make sure to stir and check on it every couple of minutes.

3. While that's going lightly steam some kale, red cabbage, and zucchini

4. When your vegetables are done steaming sauté them in a separate pan over med-high heat with some oil, garlic salt, and cracked black pepper

5. While those are cooking chop up some bell peppers and carrots into thin sticks and mix them together to form a little "salad"

6. Once everything is done cooking and chopped start assembling your bowl: I started by placing my nachos, then my cooked vegetables. Then I moved onto my little carrot and bell pepper salad. Finally I plopped 1/4 of a super ripe avocado with a sprinkle of sesame seeds on my plate, some clover sprouts, corn, this vegan cilantro dip, green onion, and a ton of cilantro to round things out.

Option Number Three: Lemon & Herb

Ingredients

• 3oz extra firm tofu

• 1/2 tsp liquid oil of choice

• 1/2 tsp onion salt

• 1/2-1 tsp garlic (depends on how garlicky you want it, I like a lot)

• Juice of 1/2 lemon

• 1-2 tsp fresh chopped dill

• 1-2 tsp fresh chopped parsley

• Chopped green onion to taste

• Cracked black pepper to taste

• 1 tsp finely chopped pine nuts

• *Optional but recommended: heavy shake of Primal Palate Garlic & Herb Seasoning (buy here or here, not affiliate links I just love this stuff)

Let the tofu sit in the marinade for 2+ hours and then bake in the oven or a pan until crispy. Serve with whatever you'd like. Here's what I did.

How I used it: Greek Pesto Pasta Salad with Vegan Tzatziki (GF + Vegan)

Recipe

1. Prepare pasta of choice according to instructions on the box (I used Banza - my favorite plant based, high protein + fiber, nutrient dense, gluten + grain free pasta made from chickpeas. The taste + texture are just like regular pasta, Banza makes an array of fun pasta shapes, and they even have a bomb mac & cheese. This post isn't sponsored, I'm just obsessed)

2. Drain your pasta, let it cool a couple minutes, toss it in 1-2 spoonfuls of vegan pesto (I love Trader Joe's and Good Foods from Aldi), and set aside in the fridge

3. Bake tofu in the oven or a med-high heat pan until it starts crisping on the outside

4. Cover the bottom of a bowl with green of choice - I used arugula

5. Add chilled + dressed pasta to bowl on top of bed of greens

6. Add baked tofu to bowl

7. Add cucumber + tomato slices to bowl

8. Add green onion, parsley, dill, + pine nuts to garnish

9. Add a side of homemade tzatziki: 2-3 tbsp plain dairy free yogurt (I used The Coconut Collaborative) + 1 tsp liquid oil + s&p to taste + fresh chopped herbs to taste: green onion, parsley, + dill

10. Take pictures in the aesthetic little bowl then add to a much bigger one with more arugula, cucumber, tomato, + clover sprouts to toss. Making a delicious salad the size of your head

Option Number Four: Spicy BBQ

Ingredients

• 3oz extra firm tofu

• 1/2 tsp liquid oil of choice

• 2 tsp coconut aminos (sub: soy sauce)

• 1/4 tsp cinnamon

• 1/2 tsp Primal Palate New Bae Seasoning (buy here, here, or here) (sub: BBQ seasoning of choice, but this stuff is insane and I highly recommend it)

• 1/4 tsp coconut sugar (sub: brown or white sugar)

• Cracked black pepper to taste

• Salt to taste

Let the tofu sit in the marinade for 2+ hours and then bake in the oven or a pan until crispy. Serve with whatever you'd like. Here's what I did.

How I used it: Grain Free Spicy Vegetable Tacos (GF + Vegan)

Recipe

1. Julienne (a type of cut, here's what it looks like for reference) a small amount of each vegetable: red cabbage, kale, broccoli stem, + zucchini

2. Sauté those vegetables in a lightly oiled pan over med-high heat until thoroughly cooked on the inside and crispy on the outside. When they're almost done cooking add in a small handful of finely chopped spinach if you want some extra greens like me.

3. While those vegetables are cooking julienne a small amount of these raw vegetables: carrots, cucumber, + bell pepper

4. When your vegetables are done cooking remove them from the pan and set them aside in a bowl to cool

5. Once they're done cooling add your raw vegetables + handful of yellow corn to the bowl and mix everything together

6. To the same pan as earlier (or a different one if you love doing extra dishes) add your spicy BBQ tofu crumbles and cook over med-high heat, stirring occasionally, until crispy. Remove from heat, set aside, and cover when they're done cooking

7. Turn a stovetop burner to a low heat and place your tortilla on it until it starts crisping, flip, do the same for the other side, then repeat with all other tortillas. Make sure it's over low heat so you don't burn yourself when you flip it. You could also be boring and use the oven or a pan but I promise this is the not only the easiest + yummiest way but also the fun + adventurous one. I used these Siete Foods grain free Cashew Flour Tortillas. They have super clean ingredients and hold together so well, even when I put 800 toppings on them.

8. Lay your cooked tortilla out, load all of your mixed vegetables + tofu crumbles in them, then go to town on the toppings. I used: fresh chopped cilantro, green onion, clover sprouts, Trader Joe's pepita salsa, Good Foods vegan creamy cilantro dip (found at Aldi), and chunky southwest style guacamole.

9. Final step? Fold them into tacos and enjoy!

I really hope this post provides you with some recipes or at least the inspiration to go make some kick butt, plant heavy meals. Don't forget to send me a picture or tag me in on Instagram if you try any of them out. I seriously love seeing all of your recipe remakes and creations. Enjoy!