ArtsAutosBooksBusinessEducationEntertainmentFamilyFashionFoodGamesGenderHealthHolidaysHomeHubPagesPersonal FinancePetsPoliticsReligionSportsTechnologyTravel

Healthy Tofu Recipes: How To Use It 3 Ways For Dinner

Updated on July 31, 2016
Tofu is a healthy start for yummy recipes
Tofu is a healthy start for yummy recipes | Source

Almost two years ago my daughter decided to start eating a vegetarian diet, and I was re-introduced to tofu. My first taste of the soy product back in the 1970’s didn’t make me a big fan. But for my daughter’s sake I was willing to check it out again. I’m glad I did.

My early attempts to cook with tofu led to bland results. Then I learned that, like a sponge, tofu soaks up the flavors around it. So I tried marinating it, and began to have fun experimenting with all sorts of taste combinations.

I was always impressed with the nutritional value of tofu - high amounts of protein and calcium with a low calorie count. But I wondered just how versatile this ingredient could be. So I issued myself a challenge to find out.

Using three packages of extra firm tofu, I tried creating recipes for three distinct courses of a meal. I ended up with three new ways to enjoy it. Before I share those, here's a video that explains where tofu comes from and why it's such a healthy choice.

Learn About Making Tofu

Baked tofu with peanut sauce is low-calorie spicy goodness!
Baked tofu with peanut sauce is low-calorie spicy goodness! | Source

Part 1, Appetizer: Baked Tofu Bites

I generally don’t make very spicy food, but wanted to see how well the tofu would absorb the kick of some of Indian-inspired tastes. To my surprise I enjoyed the fiery flavor - in small bites, of course! And the amount of heat can easily be turned up.

1 tbsp Curry powder

1 tbsp Chili powder

1 tsp Cinnamon

1 1/2 cups Tofu, extra firm, cubed

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Put all the spices into a small zip-lock bag. Put a few cubes of the tofu into the bag, and close securely. Shake the bag to cover the tofu with the spices. Remove the cubes to a cooking sheet. Repeat process until all the cubes are coated.

Bake the tofu for 10 minutes, until it is a medium brown color. Then turn each over and bake for another 10 minutes so the other side browns. Remove and cool, then put on a serving plate or into an airtight container to store in fridge (up to 2 days) or the freezer (up to 2 weeks).

Serve at room temperature, with toothpicks to dip into store-bought or homemade peanut sauce.

With just a couple of steps, tofu becomes part of a delicious dinner!
With just a couple of steps, tofu becomes part of a delicious dinner! | Source

Part 2, Main Course: Breaded Tofu and Pasta

There are a few steps to this yummy italian dish, but it is worth the effort. You can save yourself a little time by buying the olives already sliced and the garlic in a jar already minced. Packaged bread crumbs work perfectly well also.

Note: This recipe serves 2-3 people, depending on your appetite!

8 oz regular or whole wheat pasta (about 1/2 of a package)

2 tbsp olive oil

1/2 cup green pepper, diced

1/4 cup onion, finely chopped

1/3 cup pitted canned olives, thinly sliced

1/2 cup sundried tomatoes, chopped roughly (if in olive oil, drain first)

1 clove garlic, minced

pepper, to taste

1 cup bread crumbs (white, wheat or italian bread)

1 tsp each oregano and basil

7 oz extra firm tofu, cut into small cubes (keep them in some of the liquid from package)

Parmesan cheese (optional)

Cook the pasta in water until al dente (done but still firm).

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a sauté pan. Soften the onions, pepper and olives over medium heat for 3-4 minutes. Add in the tomatoes and cook for another minute, then put the garlic in and cook another 30 seconds (so the garlic will release its flavor but won’t burn). Turn the heat off and leave the pan on the burner.

In another large pan, heat the vegetable oil on a medium setting. Put the bread crumbs in a large bowl with the oregano and basil and mix together well. Take the tofu cubes from the liquid and roll them in the crumbs until they are well coated. Put them in the pan for 7-10 minutes, until they are browned on each side.

On each plate put pasta, the vegetable mixture and tofu. Top with a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese if desired, and a small drizzle of olive oil.

Tofu for dessert??Yes!
Tofu for dessert??Yes! | Source

Part 3, Dessert: Tofu Parfait

I came across cheesecake, custard and other dessert recipes with tofu. They sounded good, but I wanted something light and quick to make. I tried a technique I just found out about to soften the firm tofu. It came out like a creamy mousse - and the consistency holds up fine in the fridge for a couple of days.

7 oz firm tofu

2 tbsp honey

Cinnamon

1 Banana, sliced

Granola or a nugget-type cereal

Rinse and drain tofu. Place it into a food processor and let it blend for about 3 minutes, until it starts to look smooth. Stop the processor and add the honey. Blend for another 2 minutes, using a spatula to scape the sides a couple of times.

In parfait glasses, layer the tofu, banana slices and cereal, then sprinkle cinnamon on top.

Note: Use whatever kind of fruit you like - apples & raisins, berries, even kiwi. And cinnamon can be replaced with other favorite toppings. Go wild!!

working

This website uses cookies

As a user in the EEA, your approval is needed on a few things. To provide a better website experience, hubpages.com uses cookies (and other similar technologies) and may collect, process, and share personal data. Please choose which areas of our service you consent to our doing so.

For more information on managing or withdrawing consents and how we handle data, visit our Privacy Policy at: https://corp.maven.io/privacy-policy

Show Details
Necessary
HubPages Device IDThis is used to identify particular browsers or devices when the access the service, and is used for security reasons.
LoginThis is necessary to sign in to the HubPages Service.
Google RecaptchaThis is used to prevent bots and spam. (Privacy Policy)
AkismetThis is used to detect comment spam. (Privacy Policy)
HubPages Google AnalyticsThis is used to provide data on traffic to our website, all personally identifyable data is anonymized. (Privacy Policy)
HubPages Traffic PixelThis is used to collect data on traffic to articles and other pages on our site. Unless you are signed in to a HubPages account, all personally identifiable information is anonymized.
Amazon Web ServicesThis is a cloud services platform that we used to host our service. (Privacy Policy)
CloudflareThis is a cloud CDN service that we use to efficiently deliver files required for our service to operate such as javascript, cascading style sheets, images, and videos. (Privacy Policy)
Google Hosted LibrariesJavascript software libraries such as jQuery are loaded at endpoints on the googleapis.com or gstatic.com domains, for performance and efficiency reasons. (Privacy Policy)
Features
Google Custom SearchThis is feature allows you to search the site. (Privacy Policy)
Google MapsSome articles have Google Maps embedded in them. (Privacy Policy)
Google ChartsThis is used to display charts and graphs on articles and the author center. (Privacy Policy)
Google AdSense Host APIThis service allows you to sign up for or associate a Google AdSense account with HubPages, so that you can earn money from ads on your articles. No data is shared unless you engage with this feature. (Privacy Policy)
Google YouTubeSome articles have YouTube videos embedded in them. (Privacy Policy)
VimeoSome articles have Vimeo videos embedded in them. (Privacy Policy)
PaypalThis is used for a registered author who enrolls in the HubPages Earnings program and requests to be paid via PayPal. No data is shared with Paypal unless you engage with this feature. (Privacy Policy)
Facebook LoginYou can use this to streamline signing up for, or signing in to your Hubpages account. No data is shared with Facebook unless you engage with this feature. (Privacy Policy)
MavenThis supports the Maven widget and search functionality. (Privacy Policy)
Marketing
Google AdSenseThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Google DoubleClickGoogle provides ad serving technology and runs an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Index ExchangeThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
SovrnThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Facebook AdsThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Amazon Unified Ad MarketplaceThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
AppNexusThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
OpenxThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Rubicon ProjectThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
TripleLiftThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Say MediaWe partner with Say Media to deliver ad campaigns on our sites. (Privacy Policy)
Remarketing PixelsWe may use remarketing pixels from advertising networks such as Google AdWords, Bing Ads, and Facebook in order to advertise the HubPages Service to people that have visited our sites.
Conversion Tracking PixelsWe may use conversion tracking pixels from advertising networks such as Google AdWords, Bing Ads, and Facebook in order to identify when an advertisement has successfully resulted in the desired action, such as signing up for the HubPages Service or publishing an article on the HubPages Service.
Statistics
Author Google AnalyticsThis is used to provide traffic data and reports to the authors of articles on the HubPages Service. (Privacy Policy)
ComscoreComScore is a media measurement and analytics company providing marketing data and analytics to enterprises, media and advertising agencies, and publishers. Non-consent will result in ComScore only processing obfuscated personal data. (Privacy Policy)
Amazon Tracking PixelSome articles display amazon products as part of the Amazon Affiliate program, this pixel provides traffic statistics for those products (Privacy Policy)
ClickscoThis is a data management platform studying reader behavior (Privacy Policy)