Rich Mushroom Ragu with Polenta (Low Fat No Fat Cookbook): Friday Challenge!

This recipe I tried is from the Readers Digest Low fat No fat cookbook which I also used for the Tofu Omelette recipe last month. I’ve seen lots of versions of this recipe but I was drawn to this one the most because it looked quite rich but still fairly healthy! Mine didn’t quite turn out like the photo in the book because my polenta was a little grainy and not smooth and shiny like theirs! Also my sauce looked less vibrant (however they could have adjusted this in post production I guess). Aesthetics aside I think it tasted delicious! The sauce included red wine, rosemary, mushrooms obviously and also some onions!

In this recipe the polenta is not flavoured with anything so I was a little worried it would be boring but with the mushroom ragu it actually worked really nicely! I think this was nice because any flavourings would have been lost under the rich mushrooms.

I think I prefer Polenta when it has been set and then fried because it’s a little easier to eat, I found this to be a bit sloppy- however I think it may have needed a little extra cooking.

What have I learnt about Polenta?
I’ve taken on board a few things from doing this recipe. Firstly, you don’t need to pack polenta full of flavourings if you are pairing it with a strong sauce as it can help balance a meal out. Secondly I think Polenta is often used as an ingredient to serve on the side but it doesn’t often take centre stage! I’m definitely going to make my polenta the star of the show and also a complete meal (as I felt the river cottage veg meal was more of a snacky lunch for me).

Tofu Omelettes (Low Fat No Fat Cookbook): Friday Challenge!

This technique was very different to last week and I have to say I never ever imagined using tofu as a substitute for eggs or in an omelette! But this was delicious and again incredibly easy, I think this recipe sums up for me why this challenge is important – two weeks and I’ve already learnt so much.

Just a quick note that this book is amazing, it has so many healthy ideas and I haven’t ever made anything bad from it! You can buy it from Amazon!

Ok so in this recipe instead of carefully slicing and frying the tofu in cubes I mashed it with a fork, mixed it with one egg and some spring onions and then fried it like an omelette! This just shows how versatile tofu can be. If you are vegan you could omit the egg, apparently tofu can substitute eggs in a lot of cooking but I’d consult recipes which try this rather than start adding tofu to your cakes haha!  

I was surprised at the texture and flavour of this omelette, it wasn’t as bland as I was expecting and the soft omelette went perfectly with the soya sauce and garlic based sauce which you cook with some peas and pour on top! I wonder if you could make a tofu spanish tortilla?

I had initially thought the tofu would all fall apart in the pan but after a couple of minutes it flipped over with ease and the sauce literally took 30 seconds! I think next time I will omit the peas and have a more simple sauce with a few thin slices of red chilli to give the recipe a little kick!

What have I learnt about tofu?
It can be used in so many ways and as well as delicately frying it you can also mash it up and create a completely different dish! It’s definitely fantastic with Asian flavours so I think I will stick to this theme when it comes to creating my own recipe!

I’ve also learnt that tofu can substitute eggs in different kinds of cooking which is great for vegans who need a bit more protein!

So far in this months challenge I have cooked with plain tofu so next week I’ve chosen a recipe which marinates the tofu over night before cooking it (next weeks recipe is taken from the Weightwatchers Vegetarian Cookbook).

Do you have any unusual recipes using tofu? What ingredient do you feel you could learn more about?