FoodFash

Adventure Begins in the Kitchen

Back To The Press

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Look what I found!  I haven’t used my tofu press since well before I left Tampa.  And not because I didn’t want to, but because I may or may not have packed up my kitchen gadgets about a month too early.  So I was a little excited…

I stil have a pretty bare fridge since I spent most of last week in Dallas and this week in Portland, but I did have a lone brick of tofu waiting for me when I got back from yoga.  Tofu and a frozen stash of veggies totally equals a finally-back-in-town recovery meal.

I pressed the tofu for about an hour and then submerged it in ponzu sauce.  I let the tofu marinate while I unpacked some suitcase, which was about another hour.

I browned the tofu in coconut oil and then added frozen broccoli.  Solo ponzu sauce seemed a bit on the boring side, so I stared in my spice cabinet hoping something spoke to me.  Red pepper flakes and ground mustard?  Sure, why not?  It ended up being a pretty flavorful and slightly spicy combination – right up my alley.  This is a good recipe for a quick Asian inspired craving, but by no means compares to the thick ooey gooey sauces that typically come with take-out.

Patience Pants Pizza

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Pictured above is the magical tofu press I’ve spoken so highly about over the past few weeks.  It’s convenient, compact, and saves a boat load of wasted paper towels.  No more water soaked cookbooks, spills in the fridge, or partially pressed tofu.

I. Am. In. Love.

The only downside of pressed tofu is the foresight required as it takes a few hours to get it right.  It’s easiest for me to stick it in the fridge overnight.

I sliced the pressed block in half, rubbed with olive oil, and then sprinkled with garlic salt.

Then I put it in a 450 degree oven for 45ish minutes.

After it was crispy on the outside, I topped with chopped spinach, marinara, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, and mozzarella Daiya.  I baked for another 10 minutes, until the Daiya was melted.

This dish reminded me of a cross between pizza and eggplant parmesan, a combination that I eagerly embraced.

 

Nerdalicious, In Pictures

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Breakfast: Whole Wheat Bagel Thin & Fried Egg

Lunch: Tofu Pizza & Watermelon


Snack: Broiled Tofu with Liquid Aminos/Vinegar Sauce

Dinner: Leftover Chili (the last of it!)

I am admittedly addicted to my tofu press.  It’s magic.  It’s even more magic when you use the right type of tofu.  I’ve always used extra firm, but I learned tonight that all extra firm tofu brands are not created equal.  I typically buy Mori-Nu because it’s cheaper and has a longer shelf life (I’m notorious for letting perishables go to waste – eek!).  And although I still plan on keeping a few boxes of Mori-Nu in my pantry for emergencies, Nasoya Extra Firm is where it’s at!  The Nasoya tofu has a texture more comparable to that of the restaurant tofu.  And when pressed, I think the marinating possibilities will be endless.  This excites me, I’m a nerd.

Check back tomorrow for the tofu pizza recipe!