Cooking Tofu On A Panini Machine

I have been obsessed with my panini machine, since I bought it a month ago. I purchased a Cuisinart GR-1 Griddler Panini and Sandwich Press. ($47.95). Did you know that you can cook tofu on a panini machine? I'd recommend using extra firm tofu.

Directions For Cooking/Grilling Tofu On A Panini Machine

1. Drain the tofu and then use paper towels to remove the excess moisture from the tofu.
2. Cut the block of tofu in half. Then cut that half into 4-5 pieces.
3. Marinate the tofu in any sauce or marinade you want for a minimum of 15 minutes.4. Turn on your panini machine.
5. Once your panini machine is warmed up (mine has a light that turns green when it is hot and ready to use), you can put your marinated tofu onto the panini machine (about 4 pieces at a time).
6. Lightly press the handle on the machine for about 10 seconds then release the handle.
7. Cook the tofu for 3 minutes and check to see if the tofu has dark grill marks. If it doesn't have dark grill marks, cook for 1 minute intervals until the grill marks are dark.
8. If the tofu has dark grill marks, flip the tofu using tongs or a fork. Cook on the 2nd side for 3 minutes.
9. Enjoy!

Vegan sweet chile lime tofu with lime cardamon quinoa and collard greens

I saw this recipe pop up on yumsugar today and knew I wanted to make it. It is super healthy (no oils or fatty ingredients in it at all). I'd venture to say it is weight-watcher's friendly, too. The verdict is that this is a recipe we'll make over and over. It is super simple, quick and very flavorful.

I was surprised I had cardamon, as I have never used it before and this is my spice-drawer-o-rama:

 I wasn't sure where to buy collard greens, but I was able to find them at Fresh And Easy, which was awesome! I was also able to find pre-cooked quinoa, which cuts this recipe prep time by a lot.

Vegan sweet chile lime tofu with 

lime cardamon quinoa and collard greens

INGREDIENTS
Quinoa:
3/4 C quinoa, rubbed/rinsed, drained
Zest from one lime, divided in half and slice lime for garnish (use 1/2 the zest)
2 bruised cardamon pods (I used 2 pinches of dried cardamon)
1/4 tsp salt
1 tiny cinnamon stick (optional-I didn't use)
1-1/3 C water (If you use the pre-cooked quinoa, you don't need the water)
Sweet Chili Lime Sauce:
3 Tbs sugar
3 Tbs tamari
1-3/4 Tbs lime juice
1/2 zest of the lime
1/2 tsp red chili flakes (If you don't have red chili flakes, you can use1/2 tsp of Ancho chili pepper)
1 clove garlic, minced (I used 2)
1/4 tsp salt
4 mint leaves, sliced thinly
The Greens:
1 bunch collard greens, washed with middle veins removed (you can use kale as a substitute)
2-3 Tbs water
1 tsp lime juice
1 pinch salt
 The Rest:
14-oz extra-firm tofu, drained and pressed
Lime slices for a garnish (optional)
Mint leaves for a garnish (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Combine the quinoa, 1/2 the lime zest, cardamon, cinnamon stick, salt, and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low. Cook for 20 minutes, then remove from heat and don’t remove the lid. Let steam for 10 minutes.  (I USED PRE-COOKED QUINOA FROM FRESH AND EASY AND MIXED IN THE LIME ZEST, CARDAMON AND SALT IN THE HEATED-UP BOWL OF QUINOA).
Sweet chili lime sauce: Whisk together the sugar, tamari, lime juice, lime zest, red chili flakes, garlic,  salt, and mint until the sugar and salt and dissolved. Set aside. (I DOUBLED THE SAUCE, TO HAVE EXTRA GLAZE ON THE TOFU).

I love my new zester!

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Tofu: Slice the tofu into 7-8 rectangles:

Then cut each rectangle in half to make two squares, and then each square into four triangles:

Saute the tofu in a dry skillet for about 10 minutes on each side on medium-high heat. Add the chili lime sauce and stir to coat the tofu for about 2 minutes. Turn off the heat.  The sauce will bubble up, reduce, and form a glaze.

While this is happening, slice up the collard greens. In a wok (which I didn’t have, so I used a small skillet) add water, lime juice, and salt. Cover with a lid and steam until tender on medium high heat (should be ready in under 5 minutes).

To serve, layer plate with  a scoop of quinoa, collard greens, then tofu. Garnish with lime slices and mint (optional). Enjoy!

Veganomicon vegan recipe review: Chile cornmeal-crusted tofu po' boy

I was so excited to try my first recipe from the vegan cookbook Veganomicon. I gathered up ingredients for the chile cornmeal-crusted tofu po' boy recipe. I've never had a non-vegan po' boy, so I didn't really know what to expect. This recipe is amazing. I liked the tofu leftovers more than the po' boys because it went was the perfect compliment to another Vegonomicon recipe; ceasar salad.

Chile Cornmeal-Crusted Tofu Po' Boy
Serves 4
1 recipe chile cornmeal-crusted tofu (recipe below)
1 recipe creamy coleslaw (recipe below)
Sandwich pickles (I left out)
Chipotle mayo (just veganeise with chipotle powder to your taste preference)
Buns, rolls or bread (we used wheat kaiser rolls)

Chile cornmeal-crusted tofu
Corn or vegetable oil for frying (we broiled, so you don't need frying oil, but an oil spritzer)
1 pound extra-firm tofu, drained and pressed
1 cup soy or rice milk
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup cornmeal
2 tablespoons chile powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1 tablespoon grated lime zest
1 1/2 teaspoons salt

Slice the tofu widthwise into eight slices, then cut each of those slices in half diagonally-from the upper left corner to the lower right corner-so that you have 16 long triangles. Set aside.
Combine the soymilk and cornstarch in a wide shallow bowl. mix vigorously with a fork until the cornstarch is mostly dissolved. In another bowl, toss together the cornmeal, spices, lime zest and salt.
Broiling directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with baking parchment. Place the coated tofu on the baking sheet in a single layer. Spray with oil until lightly coated. Flip over and spray the other side. Bake for 12 minutes on each side.
(I broiled, but here are the frying directions:)
heat about 1/4" of oil in a large skillet, preferable cast iron, over medium heat. To test if the oil is ready, sprinkle in a pinch of batter. When the battler sizzles and bubbles form rapidly around it, you're good to go. Dip each individual tofu slice in the soy milk mixture. Drop it in the cornmeal with your dry hand and use your other hand to dredge it in the mixture, so that it's coated on all sides. Transfer the tofu to the skillet in tow batches so as to not crowd the pan. Fry tofu for 3 minutes on one side, use tongs to flip over each piece, and fry for 2 more minutes. Drain the fried tofu on a clean paper bag or paper towels.

Creamy Coleslaw
3/4 cup slaw dressing (recipe below)
3 cups finely shredded purple or white cabbage (or combination of both)
1 carrot, peeled and shredded finely
Pinch of dried dill (optional)

Slaw Dressing
1/4 cup vegan mayonnaise
2 tablespoons plain soy yogurt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Pinch of white pepper, or to taste
Pinch of mustard powder, or to taste

Prepare the recipes of the components. Spread mayo on the bottom halves of the bread and place the tofu, then the coleslaw, then the pickles on the bread, close the sammiches, slice in half on the diagonal, and serve.

Garlic Ginger Tofu

We are on an Asian-inspired kick this week. We made garlic ginger tofu for dinner on Monday night. We paired it with quinoa and steamed broccoli. The recipe makes 8 servings, so you can easily half  it or quarter the recipe. We halved it and have leftovers for lunch!

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Garlic-Ginger-Tofu/Detail.aspx

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons canola oil
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger root
• 1 lime
• 1 tablespoon tamari, or to taste
• 2 pounds firm tofu

Directions

1. Heat oil in a wok or skillet over medium heat. Stir in garlic and ginger, and cook for 1 minute. Add tofu to the pan with tamari, and stir to coat. Cover, and continue cooking for 20 to 30 minutes.
2. Squeeze lime juice over tofu before serving.