Boy Oh Boy! Baked Tofu Slices

Well, I have never been much of a tofu eater or cooker, but Eating In Week is inspiring me to try new things.  These slices are nice to have on hand for munching, making sandwiches, stuffing in pita or tortillas or making spring rolls.

Start with 16 oz firm tofu.  Drain excessive packing water off.  Place on a plate, put another plate on top and heavy weighted item on top of the plate to press off excess water.  Since my father loves to give me decorative paperweights, I found a nice heavy one to do the job.  Let sit 30 minutes.  

Drain off water, slice into 1/2 inch strips (or whatever size you like). 

Marinate with your favorite marinade for 20 to 60 minutes.  I used the following mix:

1 clove garlic
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
3 tablespoons soy sauce
juice from 1/2 lime
sprinkle of cayenne pepper

Bake at 375 on a greased cookie sheet for 40 to 60 minutes, until desired chewiness.  Serve in strips or chop up.  Enjoy.

Gentle Ginger "Steaks" and Carrots

So, my shameless reliance of The Kind Diet and its recipes continues.    I'm not much of a tofu eater, but I decided to give it try for the sake of variety.  I made these "steaks" last night.   They're pretty easy to make and even tastier if you give them some time to marinate.  Since I was grating ginger, I decided to make up a ginger carrot and cabbage dish. 

Lately I've been experimenting with fresh ginger because I enjoy its unusual and refreshing flavor.  Ginger is used abundantly in Indian, Asian and African dishes and is also a medicinal herb.  Herbalists recognize and use ginger for its anti-nausea and beneficial digestive properties.  When my stomach is off, I find that a cup of ginger tea settles it nicely. 

Enjoy these tasty ginger flavored recipes.

Ginger Tofu Steaks

To make the marinade, combine in a glass cooking pan:

1/3 cup soy sauce

1 tablespoon sesame, sunflower, safflower or olive oil

2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1/4 cup rice vinegar

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1/2 teaspoon cruched red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon brown rice syrup

1/3 cup chopped green onions

Cut extra firm tofu block (1 pound) in to half lengthwise and then half widthwise.  Add to marinade, coat thoroughly and let marinate at least 1 hour. 

Preheat oven to 375F.  Drain off about 1/2 the marinating liquid.  You can keep this sauce for dipping later or discard.  Bake tofu steaks 40 minutes. 

Ginger Carrots and Cabbage

Saute in a pan:

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 cups grated carrots

2 cups grated cabbage

1/2 cup water

salt and pepper to taste

Serve with rice and tofu steaks and enjoy!

Put These in Your Mouth- Portobello Mushrooms

Have you tried cooking portobello mushrooms?  They are the large mature mushrooms that contain vitamins B and D, phosphorous, potassium, sodium and anti-cancer properties.  I love them because they are juicy, satisfying and can be substituted for meat easily.

If you're new to portobellos, give this spicy recipe a try.  You can almost always find portobelllos at the farmers market.  Savor!

To make marinade, combine in a jar and shake until mixed:

1 minced garlic clove
1 teaspoon tumeric
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground mustard powder
1/2 teaspoon ginger powder
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons honey (or brown sugar)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/4 cup rice vinegar

1 tablespoon olive oil

Place two large portobello heads and 1 chopped onion in a plastic sealable container.  Pour marinade over mushrooms.  Let marinate 30 minutes, shake once or twice while marinating.

Heat oven to 425F. Bake mushrooms and onions in a glass pan until mushrooms are soft but browned outside.  Serve with your favorite rice (or grain) and vegetables.

Hooray for Honey Lime Mustard Dressing

This dressing is an excellent marinade for fish or a salad seasoner.

Combine in a jar:

1 tablespoon lime juice
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 stalk chopped green onion
1 1/2 teaspoon honey
1/4- 1/2 teaspoon ginger powder or fresh ginger root
1 teaspoon black pepper

Shake and serve.