Grilled Tofu

I've grilled tofu in the past, but I haven't done it in a long time. I believe the key to a good grilled tofu is getting a bunch of the water out of it before putting it on the grill. I always use firm or extra firm tofu in water for grilling. I served tonight's tofu with marinated grilled portabella mushrooms, polenta and broccoli.

Tofu:
1 Block of extra firm or firm tofu in water

Drain the tofu. Cut in half so you have 2 thinner sections. Place those sections on a cutting board with a towel above and below them. Put either a couple books or a cookie sheet with a bowl of water on the tofu. Let the tofu sit for at least 20 minutes so that a lot of the moisture is pressed out of it.

Marinade:
Mae Ploy sauce
Hoisin Sauce
Fresh Ginger
Fresh Garlic
Olive Oil
Rice Wine Vinegar
Apple Cider Vinegar
lime juice

Mix the marinade together. Brush on top of the tofu once it is done pressing. Let the tofu marinade for at least an hour.

Rice and Black Bean Casserole

Yet another meal that I don't have a picture of, but it's another thing we love.

This is one of my favorite meals. It's simple, nutritious and the rice and beans can be made ahead. If you do make them ahead, you can reheat them before putting it in the oven so it doesn't take as long to cook.

Soak 1 or 2 cups of dried beans overnight or soak in hot water for an hour and drain. Cook beans in enough water to cover them. Add 2 cloves of crushed garlic, about 1/4 c soy sauce, 1/2 t beef or vegetable bullion, 1/8 t baking soda, & 1 handful of cilantro (optional) . The baking soda keeps the nice black color to your beans. Cook at a low boil until the beans are tender. Make sure you check more than one bean as they can cook differently. Drain when done and discard the garlic and cilantro.

Cook brown rice with the ration of rice to water noted on the package. Add 3 whole cloves and 1 or 2 bay leaves to the water after you add the rice. When done, discard the cloves and bay leaves.

Mince 1 or 2 cloves of garlic, add about 1/4 t sea salt, 1 (12 oz) pkg of soft silken tofu, chili powder, paprika, cumin to taste. Puree with a hand blender until smooth.

You can saute any veggies (i.e. zucchini, red peppers, shredded carrots, corn) to add into the center.

Layer beans and rice with veggies in the middle. Top with the tofu layer. Bake 350 until warmed through. If the beans and rice are cold, you may need to put foil over the tofu layer so it doesn't dry out. If desired, top with cheese for the last few minutes of baking. Serve with salsa, guacamole, and/or sour cream.

Tofu Sloppy Joes

1 lb block of firm tofu in water
olive oil
1 medium onion chopped
1/2 green pepper chopped*
1 clover garlic minced
1 baby dill pickle finely chopped
1/2 t paprika
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 c water
2 T ketchup
1 80z can tomato sauce
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 T soy sauce

The tofu must be frozen for at least 24 hours and then defrosted. Break the tofu into manageable pieces and squeeze the water out of them. Crumble and put aside.

Saute onion and green pepper until onion is translucent. Add garlic and dill pickle and cook for a minute. Add in tomato sauce, catsup, mustard, paprika, vinegar, soy sauce and water. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and add crumbled tofu. Add more ketchup and/or water to taste.

*Any other veggies can be added in place of the green pepper. Today I used a stalk of celery and a zucchini.

Tofu with Lime Sauce

I made this to go with my Cajun Beans. The two didn't pair well, but were both good individually. I'll be making this one again. It's fast, easy and really good. It would be great added into rice dishes.
2 T olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb firm tofu in water, drained, and cut into 1" pieces
1/4 t ground cumin
1/3 c lime juice
2 T soy sauce
1/4 t black pepper

Sauce the garlic in olive oil until it's almost done, but not brown. Add the tofu. Cook the tofu until it's golden in color, about 8 minutes. Mix the cumin, lime juice, soy sauce and black pepper. Add the lime juice mixture to the tofu and cook until the liquid is absorbed.

Veggie Burgers

10 oz frozen spinach (thawed & drained)
1 T olive oil
1 bunch scallions chopped
1/2 to 1 c carrot shredded
1/2 t dried oregano
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup soy nuts (or walnuts)
1/2 c cooked brown rice
1 cake of firm tofu (about 16 oz)
1 rounded tsp dijon mustard
soy sauce
worcestershire
black pepper
2 T chopped fresh basil

Saute the scallion, carrots, oregano and garlic until soft.

In a food processor, chop soy nuts and rice until crumbly. Move to bowl. Pulse half of the spinach and half of the tofu until combined and uniform in color. Add to nut & rice mixture. Pulse other half of spinach and tofu with mustard, black pepper, basil. Add the soy sauce and worcestershire to taste. Mix these and the carrot mixture into the rest of the mixture.

Shape into 6 burgers. Place on cookie sheet with either oil or corn meal under them. Bake at 350 for 35 minutes, until puffed and brown.

You can serve them right out of the oven or chill and grill to reheat. They freeze really well, so I make multiple batches at once. I serve them with flat buns, mustard, tomato and lettuce.