Spinach Powder and Polenta Crispy Coated Tofu

Spinach Powder mixed with dry polenta makes a lovely coating for tofu

Back in February we went to Brighton and I bought some Spinach Powder from ‘The Spice Shop’. I’ve been thinking of simple ways to incorporate it into my cooking and I decided to use it in a polenta coating for tofu first. I didn’t find that it has an over powering taste of spinach but it just adds a lovely bright green colour and adds interest to an otherwise quite bland tofu.

By coating soft tofu in dry polenta before griddling it creates a deliciously crispy coating. If you can’t find spinach powder then you could substitute it with mixed dried herbs or even spices such as paprika (served with chips!).

Spinach powder and polenta could be a great coating for anything including fish and tofu!

This recipe idea is vegan, gluten free and low fat. It is also inexpensive because you only use a small amount of ingredients for the coating.

The method is really simple, mix 2 tablespoons of polenta with 1 tablespoon of Spinach powder and some salt and pepper and spread it out on a plate or a board. Slice and press your tofu then lay it in the powder coating and using your hands rub the polenta all over the tofu.

Heat a hot griddle pan, spray your tofu with some oil and lay your tofu on to the hot pan. Cook for 2-3 minutes on each side turning every minute or so to stop it burning.

I served mine with some paprika stirfried peppers, tomatoes and onions stirred into spaghetti pasta. I felt that the earthy spinach would suit a more rustic dish rather than a stir fry. It would be lovely served on top of a roasted vegetable salad or served in a wrap with peppers and hummous.

I really enjoyed using the spinach powder and I have a few more ideas for the rest of the bag so you’ll be seeing it appear a bit more on here I also bought a beetroot powder so I’m excited to give that a go too!

ps I’m watching Masterchef UK as I write this, it’s so inspiring seeing all of the different flavour combinations!

Seasonal Vegan Tofu and Garden Pea ‘Quiche’

A great vegan alternative to traditional quiche

This is my version of a quiche/ flan which is suitable for vegans!I have simply replaced the eggs and cream with tofu. As you will see I have included my favourite combination of peas, lemon, garlic, basil and mint – such classic flavours which instantly make you feel like its summer! I have also added watercress because it is in season right now and is so delicious and very good for you.

I was feeling a bit conscious that I use these flavour combinations a lot, but they work so well and each recipe is so different! So hopefully instead of being repetitive I am simply showing how using up ingredients in different ways can create lots of different meals

I have made pies before with a bean puree or with a nut cream and both worked delightfully, however this time I wanted something much lighter (but still creamy) and less calorific. I don’t eat a lot of tofu but I do buy it when I just fancy something easy, there is so much you can do with it, it’s a great vehicle for stronger flavours and it is low fat.

Creamy vegan filling in a crispy pastry case!

I definitely preferred this quiche served hot however it would be nice to make a head and eat at room temperature too as part of a buffet. When I think of quiche it brings up memories of party buffets with sausage rolls, egg sandwiches, chocolate fingers and lemonade! I’m not sure back in those days, when I was a kid who couldn’t get enough of those styles of buffet, that I would one day be making my own version made of tofu!

Maybe deep down I knew because I was one of the few people who would fill my plate with the salad garnish before adding the more unhealthy options.

In case any one was wondering, I have still been following a mostly gluten free diet. I am feeling great on it and I definitely notice the difference when I “accidentally” eat a huge blueberry muffin someone bought in to the office for their birthday, and my stomach instantly bloats up twice the size! This recipe uses filo pastry which isn’t gluten free but you can substitute it for a vegan short crust or your favourite gluten free pastry. As long as it holds in that creamy tofu filling you’ll be fine!

Serves 4

Dairy Free, Vegetarian, Vegan, Husband approved!

Tin size – 10″

400g Tofu130g Frozen Peas
1/2 Lemon
Large handful Watercress
2 Garlic Cloves
10 Large Basil leaves
Handful Mint Leaves
Salt and Pepper
3 Sheets Filo Pastry
Spray Oil

Preheat your oven to 180c

Place the tofu, peas, watercress, garlic, basil, mint and juice of 1 lemon into a blender and mix until you have a smooth green puree. Season with salt and pepper to taste and then blitz again to mix in seasoning. Keep some water cress to one side for garnish

Grease a quiche tin, preferably with a loose bottom so you can get the quiche out easily (and not with 3 spatulas and a lot of swearing as I did). You could also line the tin with baking paper, or just slice it in the quiche tin and take it out in slices

Next line the tin with 3 layers of filo pastry, spraying or brushing some oil in between each layer, trim around the edges so you don’t have too much pastry hanging over.

Pour the tofu mix into the pastry case and smooth out so it is one even layer. Crinkle up the edges of the pastry to make a border around the edge of the quiche.

Place the quiche into the oven and bake for 35 minutes until the filling is set and the pastry is cooked. If the edges look like they are browning too much then cover the pie with foil so that it continues to cook but not colour.

If you are taking it out of the tin then once cooked leave it to cool slightly to make it easier to handle.

Leftovers can be placed in the fridge and then reheated in a hot oven for around 10 minutes.

Perfect for sharing, great hot or cold.

Simple Tofu Scramble with Grilled Tomatoes

I decided to try tofu scramble for my breakfast the other day. I’m in two minds about this recipe because I don’t feel that tofu/ Soya products are that good for you but at the same time it is a great alternative to scrambled eggs, it tastes nice and it is very versatile! I suggest eating this as a treat once a week rather than every day.

The great thing about scrambles is that you can add anything to it, recently I’ve been adding spinach, mushrooms, tomatoes, paprika, garlic, chillies, fresh herbs and even some veggie sausages…yes sometimes all at the same time! I have done a basic recipe here keeping the flavour quite simple so that you can add whatever you fancy! I’ve based it on my previous breakfast offering of Scrambled Eggs with Fresh Tomato Sauce which is still my favourite

Scrambled Eggs with tomatoes

Feel free to add asparagus to the list of things to serve with your tofu scramble!! Tofu scramble really is very simple, take a block of tofu, slice off the amount you want to eat and then mash it in a bowl with a fork. I added my flavourings whilst it was cooking so first heat a pan with a little oil if you want or just use a good non stick pan and add your tofu scramble. Then add a sprinkle of Dried Basil, Garlic Powder, Torn Fresh Basil and Salt and Pepper. These flavours just take the edge off the tofu flavour and create a nice base for your toppings.

I’ve recently been cutting down on carbs so I have been bulking up my scrambles with vegetables which works really nicely. I find that if you cook your veg first then add your tofu it is better than cooking them all at the same time because your veg are then nice and soft and your tofu is not too broken down. You can cook it however you like!!

Tofu Scramble with Grilled Cherry tomatoes and fresh basil

I haven’t actually started my month of vegan yet because I went to see a dietician and I left feeling absolutely confused and to be honest a little down trodden about where I should go from here. We decided that I needed to at least postpone my vegan month because my food diary showed that, even though on the surface I’m eating quite healthy, when you dissect it I am just eating fruit, veg and carbs with hardly any protein and any good fats. I need to get myself to a point where I am in the habit of bulking up my meals with more vegetarian friendly ingredients such as nuts, seeds, flax, hemp, oils, lentils and beans, iron etc.

Sigh, I’ll probably post again regarding this but for now I think my blog is going back to being vegetarian, still with plenty of vegan recipes because my ideas naturally gravitate towards the more plant-based natural foods.

What is your favourite vegan breakfast? Have you tried Tofu Scramble before?

Curried Coconut Quinoa with Tofu and Green Beans

This is my Friday Challenge own recipe using pretty much everything I have learnt over the last few weeks. I focused on using the curry leaf powder because this is something I had no experience with. It has quite a strong flavour so I toned it down with some coconut, which also made the quinoa lovely and creamy.

I also loved the technique used in Simon Rimmer’s recipe for ‘Plantain and Mango Curry‘ where he added turmeric to the water when cooking the plantain which turned them bright yellow. I decided to use this technique when cooking my quinoa and it worked beautifully. Adding turmeric doesn’t add much to the flavour but it does add to the colour! Perfect when your after quite a subtle flavour.

And finally the last thing I have used from my past posts is Jamie Oliver’s Korma Curry Paste. I chose the korma curry paste because I had added coconut to the quinoa and so this would create a lovely mild sauce which will compliment the spiced quinoa and fresh green beans.

I think one thing I might possibly change if I was to make this again, is that it’s a very yellow dish! I like a variety of colours on my plate and so maybe some reds and stronger greens by adding fresh chillies and spinach could make this look better!

Serves 4

150g (1 cup) Quinoa
500ml Water
1 tspn Ground Turmeric
2 tspn Curry Leaf Powder
2 tblspn desiccated Coconut or chopped Coconut flakes
Large Bunch Coriander, chopped
300ml Coconut milk (100ml for quinoa and 200ml for curry sauce)
1 tspn Mustard Seeds
1 tablespn or 1 portion of korma curry paste
4 thick slices of tofu, firm or pressed
Large handful green beans (enough for 4)

In a Colander rinse the quinoa really well then place in a saucepan with the water and turmeric, stir then put a lid on. Heat on a medium heat for 20 minutes untill all the water is absorbed. Check it quite often as you don’t want it to stick to the bottom of the pan.

While the quinoa is cooking place a sauce pan on a medium – high heat and add the mustard seeds and dry fry untill they begin to pop, this releases their flavour.

Once the quinoa is cooked take off the heat and then stir in the curry leaf powder, coconut flakes, mustard seeds, fresh coriander and 100ml of coconut milk untill everything is well combined. Taste and season with a little salt if you want

Put the green beans in a saucepan or steamer and cook.

Meanwhile put the frying pan back on the medium heat and add the korma paste, fry for 2 minutes and then add the coconut milk and stir. Add the tofu slices to the pan and cook for around 12 minutes turning the tofu only once if possible. It is ready when the sauce has thickened and the tofu is hot.

I always get a bit nervous cooking foods such as curries and using spices because I haven’t ever had the chance to travel and learn about the cuisine so these sorts of dishes are just created from what I think goes nicely together. I liked this dish because of the strong curry leaf flavoured quinoa against the creamy, soft and mildly spices tofu.

ps I can’t believe it, I have managed to do over 20 posts for Vegan MoFo so far! Knowing that I had to post much more than usual has actually been fun because I’ve posted about things which before I would have thought might be boring. Such as brands of sausages Id like to try…which actually had the most views of the week! so I think after Vegan MoFo is over I will keep relaxed about my posting schedule and enjoy just sharing more.

Product Review – ’805 Foods’ Hot Chilli Sauces

I was contacted by 805 foods a couple of weeks ago about reviewing some of their sauces, I don’t usually do a lot of product reviews but this brand caught my eye because their flavours were punchy and the ingredients list was short and natural. I was kindly sent the sauces through the post and also a link to some recipes on their website to give suggestions for how best to use the sauces. But being a food blogger I thought I’d come up with my own

The sauces are suitable for vegetarians (and vegans), gluten free, free from additives, preservatives and artifical colours.

The Original Hot Monika Sauce has a very strong flavour and a real kick to it! The first thing I did when I received the pack was open it up and stick a spoon in to try it. I really should have taken a smaller spoonful because it did nearly blow my head off however the chilli hit was soon smoothed out by the softer peppery tomato flavour. On their website it says the sauces are pre cooked so they can be eaten straight from the pot as a dip or condiment however I knew straight away I wanted to heat this up for a nice warming spicy dinner.

Tofu Steaks cooked in Hot Monika Sauce served with Sweet potato wedges ands Broccoli

I sliced my Tofu and pressed it to make it firm, then heated some oil in a pan and started off by frying the tofu for a few minutes on each side. Then I spread some sauce on one side and after a few minutes I flipped the tofu over and added some more sauce to the other side. Once the tofu was nice and browned and the sauce was hot I served it up with some sweet potato wedges and some broccoli (to help balance out the spice). The tofu and the hot sauce were a perfect match and balanced each other out perfectly.

I enjoyed cooking with this sauce as I liked the strong colours and chilli kick, my only downside was the oil content which I felt slightly over powered the taste of the sauce. After mentioning this to 805 Foods they explained that they add in slightly more oil because they use no preservatives so one suggestion would be to seperate off some of the oil and use it as a flavoured chilli oil. I think this would be much better as (like many people would) I just poured it straight from the tub and had to blot up the oil!

Over all though this is a delicious and versatile sauce. Next I tried the Bell and Scotch Bonnet Hot Sauce! I dipped a spoon into this one almost immediately after the Hot Monika sauce so it may be because my mouth was already on fire but I thought it was slightly less in your face with more of a growing warming spicy edge to it. It was a much cleaner flavour with plenty of chilli and again a nice simple ingredients list. This one was definitely my favourite.

There were plenty of things I’d like to cook with this sauce (for example I could imagine using it to make a spicy toastie with some spinach and tofu) but for now I decided it would be a perfect way to spice up one of my favourite side dishes. Usually I make this dish more mediterreanean with some basil and paprika but it worked perfectly with the scotch bonnet chillies.

Pepper and Onion Stew flavoured with Bell and Scotch Bonnet Hot Sauce

In a large deep frying pan heat some oil and gently fry thin slices of  1 onion and 3 peppers (I used 2 red and 1 green pepper). Once softened stir in around 3 tablespoons of the 805 sauce and 1 can tomatoes. Continue to cook untill the sauce has thickened and the peppers are nice and soft. Serve along side some spicy tofu, with a cous cous or rice dish or even in a jacket potato.

I really liked the Bell and Scotch Bonnet sauce, it had a deep chilli flavour and worked well with sweeter flavours such as peppers. I like their slogan too “Foods for a better living”.

They also sell a creamy Garlic and Herb dip and are soon to bring out some spice seasonings which will compliment their sauces and bring a different edge to their product range.

Vegan BLT (BBQ Tofu, Lettuce and Tomato): Meat Free Monday

I haven’t really missed bacon at all (It’s the first thing people ask when you say you’re vegetarian – probably just as annoying for a vegan being asked again “what do you eat?”) but for some reason I haven’t really found a satisfying alternative to the simple BLT sarnie (bacon, lettuce and tomato). So I decided to create one. A BLT needs to be slightly smoky, slightly salty and a good contrast between crispy ‘bacon’, crunchy lettuce and juicy tomatoes!

BBQ Tofu Strips, Lettuce and Sliced Tomatoes

What I liked about this sandwich was the fact that the tofu packed some great flavour but it also had a creamy subtleness which was delicious against the toasted bread. I actually left the tofu marinating for quite a while as we went to the pub and I can confirm that after a few cold pints of beer on a rainy day, this sandwich was perfect to come home to! Luckily I took a lot of photos to get the few decent ones because I was obviously a little tipsy when trying to photograph this quickly before devouring it!

First you need to thinly slice the tofu so it is around 1cm in thickness. I did three slices per sandwich which made for quite a hearty portion. You need the tofu to be really firm so place the strips onto some kitchen towel and then place more kitchen towel on top and press firmly. You can either place something heavy on top and leave it or if your tofu is already firm then just a good gentle press with your hands will do the trick. Just be careful not to press to hard and squash it!

For the BBQ sauce you need:
2 tablespoons Ketchup
1 tablespoon Light Soya Sauce
1/2 tablespoon Maple Syrup
1/2 tablespoon Smoked Paprika
1/2 tablespoon Chilli Powder

Mix all of the ingredients together and put to one side. This can be put in the fridge for later use if you are preparing in advance! The flavours develop nicely over time.

Spread the bbq sauce over both sides of the tofu and heat your grill to high. Place the tofu on a grill rack under the grill and cook for roughly 3-4 minutes on each side. This takes a little tender loving care as you don’t want the tofu to break. Also turn it frequently and apply more bbq sauce to each side as it cooks untill evenly coated and the sauce is beginning to blacked slightly.

When cooked put in a toasted bun with some freshly sliced tomato and some crisp lettuce! The smoked paprika gives it a real smokiness which reminds me of bacon and the sweetness from the ketchup and maple syrup balances it all out nicely!

The best bit is that because the tofu is nice and creamy there is no need for anything added like mayo (albeit vegan) or butter! I recommend toasting your bun for the ultimate BLT!

I’ve put this forward to be part of Souper Sundays (also now salads and sammies!) at Kahakai Kitchen

Tofu, Lemon and Tomato Soup (Or Mock Seafood Soup): Meatfree Monday!

Mock Seafood Soup with lemony Tofu, rich tomato soup and griddled lemon slices

For all you Seafood lovers out there, please forgive me, for I have made a delicious but very vegan mock seafood soup! Seafood soup is my all time favourite dish but I decided I needed to try a version without the seafood. I haven’t cut fish 100% out of my diet yet but I always enjoy making veggie versions of the classics I used to eat all the time.  Should this even be called “Seafood Soup” since it is entirely devoid of seafood? I’m not sure but it has the fundamentals of my favourite recipe, ie rich tomatoes, hints of lemon and fennel and soft white tofu instead of white fish.

If anything it is just a really beautiful lemony tofu soup!

The seafood soup would usually contain some form of white fish like cod, maybe some salmon, small prawns, large prawns and mussels! I couldn’t think of a prawn and mussel replacement so I kept it simple and just focused on replacing the fish.

Silky Smooth Tofu is a perfect match for the soup base

The base of this soup is very similar to my Tomato Soup with Basil Gnocchi   but I made some subtle changes to keep it in line with the seafood soup we have on holiday.

Serves 2 – Soup is freezable but I’d recommend frying fresh tofu each time.

1 Onion
2 Sticks Celery
1/2 Red Pepper
1 Large Garlic Clove
1 teaspoon Paprika
1 teaspoon Fennel Seeds
1/2 teaspoon Chilli Powder
8 Cherry Tomatoes
1 Can Tomatoes
300ml Vegetable Stock
2 Lemons – one for juice and one for the garnish slices
200g Firm Tofu
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper

To prepare the vegetables finely dice the onion and red pepper and finely slice the celery and garlic clove. Halve the cherry tomatoes

In a large pan heat some olive oil and then soften the onion and celery for 5 minutes untill it starts to brown (don’t let it get too brown) then add the red pepper and garlic. Add a splash of water if it is browning too fast.

Once the vegetables are all softened add the spices/ fennel seeds and stir, cooking for a further 1 minute, untill everything is completely combined.

Add the canned chopped tomatoes, halved cherry tomatoes and the vegetable stock. Simmer gently for around 20-30 minutes. Taste and season to taste (season after adding the stock as stock cubes can be quite salty.

Drain the tofu and slice it into pieces roughly 2 inches long (it really doesn’t matter but I’ve made mine rectangle). Place the slices in between some kitchen paper and press firmly to remove extra moisture. I use Cauldron’s Original Tofu which is quite firm so for the purpose of this recipe I don’t feel the need to press it too much.

In a frying pan heat some olive oil and add the tofu pieces so that they are quite spaced out in the pan. Squeeze half the lemon over the tofu and cook on one side for 2-3 minutes untill it has began to brown slightly. The lemon won’t let it brown completely. Turn the pieces over gently and squeeze a little more lemon juice over.

Add a few slices of lemon to the pan whilst cooking the tofu and allow them to brown on each side.

Serve up the soup into bowls and top each portion with the cooked tofu and some browned lemon slices and a drizzle of olive oil. Serve with some good crusty white bread and definitely a glass of dry white wine!

Mock Seafood Soup

Basil Tofu Stirfry with Noodles: Meat Free Monday

I think everyone should have a basic stir fry recipe for those evenings when you just want something healthy but super quick and easy! I admit my “go to” stir fry recipe used to be a bag of mixed stir fry veg, a jar of sauce and some straight to wok noodles; now there’s nothing wrong with this, but its much cheaper and more rewarding to be able to throw it together from scratch

When I was cooking Tofu for the month of January as part of my first monthly challenges I got a better understanding of some basic ingredients used in Asian cooking. I also bought different types of tofu, although I didn’t get a chance to blog about a few of them! One of my favourites was Taifun’s ‘Basil Tofu’ which has a very savoury basil taste to it and also it is a very firm tofu, I never felt the need to press it which makes it an even quicker recipe.

The nice thing about a stir fry as well is you can always chop and change the ingredients to whatever is handy or needs using up. There are four elements – the vegetables, the protein, the sauce and the accompaniment (eg noodles/ rice). These can all be changed around and mixed up to make stirfrys more interesting.

This is a simple stirfry recipe so feel free to add things or jazz it up to your personal taste – that’s the whole fun of this kind of meal!

Serves 2

For the stirfry sauce:

1 tblspn Runny Honey
1 tblspn Mirin
1 tblspn Light Soy Sauce
1 inch Ginger (finely chopped or grated)
1 Garlic Clove (crushed)
1 Red Chilli (Finely sliced)
1/4 – 1/2 tblspn Water

To make the stirfry sauce simply mix everything together and put to one side. Make sure everything is mixed well and that the honey is not just sat at the bottom of the bowl. Also for the first three times I made this I kept adding a lot more water because it looked like it needed it but then I regretted it when I poured it onto the vegetables and it was soggy and diluted so resist the urge!

For the Stirfry:

200g Basil tofu
Vegetables – such as peppers, courgette, onion, mushrooms, bok choi, bean sprouts, finely sliced carrot, sugar snap peas, mushrooms etc
Noodles or rice (however much you like per person)
Stirfry oil such as sesame oil for frying

Ok the first thing I’d recommend when making this is to have everything prepared before you start cooking as it will be much easier. Slice all your vegetables and put to one side on a plate or in a big bowl. Also dice the tofu and put to one side.

Put your noodles in a pan and stick your kettle on to boil but wait untill you cook them as they typically take about 2-3 minutes to cook!

In a wok add a little oil and allow it to get really hot, then add the tofu and stirfry turning it reguarly untill browned on the outside. You  may need to do this in batches. Once cooked transfer the tofu to some kitchen towel and leave to one side.

Add a little more oil to the wok if it looks like it needs it and add all of the vegetables (I usually keep mushrooms out for 5 minutes before adding as they get soft very quickly). Stir the veg and when they look like they are nearly ready stick your noodles on to boil.

Once the vegetables are cooked pour over the sauce and cook for a further 1-2 minutes then turn the heat off. Drain the noodles.

Pile the noodles and vegetables into two bowls and then place the tofu on top! I often add extras like sesame seeds or sweet chilli sauce. It’s quite a big portion but its about 50% vegetables so who cares!

 

 

Sweet Marinated Tofu and Noodle Salad

From the last few recipes I’ve made I know that the key was to create a good balance of flavours. I think I have managed to do this with this recipe as there is a sweet marinade, hot fresh red chilli and a mix of steamed green veg and crunchy stirfried carrots!

This recipe is influenced by the Wagamamas tofu soup as I focused on the flavours used in the broth to help me work out a good balance for this dish. I also loved the idea of adding a crunchy element along with the soft tofu like they did with the carrot in the soup – I have done this on two different levels, with crunchy stirfried carrot and then also a topping of crushed peanuts.

The great thing about this recipe too is that you can add in any vegetables you fancy and make it seasonal. Also don’t panic by the long list of ingredients as most of it can be bought cheaply or will last a while. For example, slice your lemon up into wedges, squeeze the amount you need for the recipe and put the rest in the freezer to add to drinks with ice in the summer! Also when buying ginger, unless you use it alot you can always snap a piece off in the shop and only buy roughly what you need! My last piece of ginger cost 4p!

This salad is best served at ‘Room temperature’ but you could serve it hot too if preferred.

marinade ingredients:

2 tablespoons Soy Sauce
1 Garlic clove (crushed)
1 inch Ginger (finely chopped)
1 teaspoon Mirin (or rice vinegar)
Squeeze Lemon
1 teaspoon Honey
1 tablespoon Water

Marinate 150g Cubed/ Sliced Firm Tofu for atleast 2 hours but preferably over night.

Salad Ingredients:

120g Dried Egg Noodles
6 florets of Brocolli (sliced into smaller pieces)
80g Mangetout
80g Sugar Snap peas
6 spears of Asparagus
1 Carrot (Julienned)
1/2 Red Onion (diced)
1 Red Chilli (De-seeded and sliced)
Handful Toasted Peanuts (Crushed)
Handful Sesame seeds
Sweet Chilli Sauce
Toasted Sesame Oil for frying

Boil the dried egg noodles in a pan untill soft, then drain them in a colander and refresh them by running cold water through them.

In a pan steam the brocolli, Mangetout, Sugar snap Peas and asparagus for untill al dente, this can take around 4-5 minutes. Taste one after a while to see if it’s still too crunchy.

Take your tofu out of the marinade and pat it dry on some kitchen towel. Heat 1 tablespoon of toasted sesame oil in a wok or non stick pan untill really hot, then fry the tofu for 1-2 minutes on each side (you may need to do this in batches). Then place back on some kitchen towel untill needed.
Add the carrot, red onion and chilli and stirfry for 1-2 minutes untill softened but still with a bite!

Put all the ingredients in a bowl and using your hands gently combine them so that everything is mixed. Serve up and top with the peanuts, sesame seeds and Sweet Chilli Sauce.

I’ve really enjoyed my tofu journey! I’ve learnt how to prepare it, what to cook it with, how to cook it and how to store it! February brings a whole new challenge which I am going to focus on Polenta! This is an ingredient (like tofu) that I have never cooked with before and I’m not really sure what to expect. I’ve seen it on restaurant menu’s teamed with pork belly or mushroom ragu so I’m wondering if I can turn it from a side dish into a vegetarian main!

Marinated Tofu Skewers (Weightwatchers Vegetarian): Friday Challenge!

This is another new way of cooking tofu which I enjoyed. This recipe is from the Weight watchers book “Cook Smart: Vegetarian” which again can be bought on Amazon. I’ve cooked a handful of recipes from this book including a broad bean dip and also a noodle pancake dish which was really interesting and something I’d never thought of making before!

Up untill now I had only eaten the tofu plain and the flavour came from the broth or sauce however this time the tofu was marinated. The marinade was made of soya sauce, lemon, ginger, garlic, cider vinegar and a splash of water then the tofu was marinated for atleast 2 hours or preferably over night (I left it for about 3 hours and the flavour was delicious).

The tofu is then grilled, which I was abit curious about because from past experiences Tofu can just fall apart. However after learning that you need to press it to firm it up I have also found that the tofu firmed up considerably after marinating! So against my expectations the tofu did indeed hold together on the skewer!

Like all the recipes in this book this is aimed at being Satifsying and low fat, although I would recommend serving these with a side dish because I was quite hungry after the recommended serving size! I love the idea of food on skewers because you can pick and choose the vegetables you add, I liked having peppers, onion and mushroom (it made a change from all the usual tofu pairings) and next time i’d definitely add some courgette! This was a really simple, super healthy lunch.

What have I learnt about Tofu?
Ok so next week I’m going to be doing my own recipe which hopefully will pull together all the things I have learnt – which is more than I ever thought! I literally thought tofu was boring and hard to work with before starting this so I’m really glad I have enjoyed cooking with it so much. From this recipe I learnt that marinating the tofu can make a big difference, the flavours of ginger and soya sauce really came through and it can add another level to the dish! I am going to experiment with marinating tofu for my recipe.