Orange Glazed Tofu

Hello readers,

This dish of fried tofu in an orange gravy is paired nicely with the killer mashed potatoes. I used my basic recipe for batter fried tofu which then any sauce can be added. Honey-mustard, barbecue, and 5 spice are a few of my favorite fried tofu toppings. I like to use the high protein tofu from Trader Joes because it's a thick sturdy tofu that holds up well to frying. Or you can use any extra firm tofu, just make sure you drain & press it well prior to preparing to get rid of the excess water. I find the high protein tofu doesn't have excess liquid. The only feedback from my guests about this dish is it could have had more flavor. Also, I don't think there were any vegetarians in attendance, so probably not a crowd big on tofu to begin with. In hindsight I realized it was a difficult dish to choose for a dinner party, because to cook it in large quantities entailed doing batches and then keeping warm in the oven. I left the oven temperature on too high and the sauce all but dried up on the first batch. I think this recipe will turn out much better when cooking on a smaller scale with only one block of tofu. And, consistent with the rest of the dinner party, I did not get any photos. So no matter how you prepare it, it's going to look perfect! Let me know what you think.

In Health,
Miss Jolie Ann

Orange Glazed Tofu
Makes 4 servings

1 block Trader Joe's brand high protein tofu
1 cup brown rice (gluten-free) or whole wheat (full of gluten) flour
1 cup nutritional yeast flakes
1 tbsp sea salt
1 tbsp dried mustard powder
1 tbsp basil
1 tbsp smoked parika
black pepper
extra virgin olive oil
1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
1 tbsp low-sodium wheat-free tamari
juice of 6 freshly squeezed oranges
zest of one orange
2 tbsp honey
black sesame seeds

1. Drain the tofu and cut into cubes or strips about 1/2 inch thick. Set aside on a clean towel to absorb excess liquid.
2. In a shallow bowl combine the flour, nutritional yeast, sea salt, basil, parika, dried mustard, and a pinch of black pepper. Stir until combined.
3. In a skillet add enough olive oil to cover the bottom of your pan completely. Warm oil over medium heat.
4. Add the tofu, little by little, to the flour/spice mixture and turn until fully coated.
5. Add tofu to the pan and fry over medium heat. When each side becomes brown and crispy flip the pieces until all sides are browned.
6. Add the vegetable broth & tamari and continue to cook over medium heat until all the liquid is absorbed.
7. While the broth is being absorbed, in a bowl combine the orange juice, orange zest and honey. Whisk together until well combined.
8. Once the tofu has absorbed and cooked down all the broth-tamari liquid, add the orange juice mixture to the pan. Continue to cook over medium heat until most of the liquid has been absorbed and there is left a sticky gravy.
9. Serve tofu with a sprinkle of black sesame seeds.

Tofu Skillet with Corn Tortillas & Salsa

Tofu Skillet with Corn Tortillas & Salsa
Original Recipe by Miss Jolie Ann

Hello Readers,

This recipe is oh so delicious, quick & easy and inexpensive. It's also totally vegan without the optional toppings. So it's an all around winner! When I used to live in the Mission District I became so totally addicted to really good fresh corn tortillas. I could live off of corn tortillas sauteed in butter. Oh my God. But, I digress. For this recipe I love using the Trader Joe's brand "high protein" tofu. It has a great texture and taste. It goes above & beyond most extra firm type tofu in holding up it's shape in recipes. Enjoy!

In Health,
Miss Jolie Ann

Tofu Skillet with Corn Tortillas & Salsa

Yields about 4 servings

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

12 oz package corn tortillas

1 tsp dried cumin

1 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp dried ground chipotle chili pepper

1 package trader joe's brand high protein tofu or other extra firm tofu

16 oz container salsa of your choice

sea salt and black pepper

handful of fresh cilantro, chopped

1. Cut the corn tortillas in half down the middle. Then slice into ribbons about 1" wide. Set aside.

2. Rinse and drain the tofu. Chop the tofu into small cubes about 1/2". Set aside.

3. In a skillet warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the tortilla ribbons and stir to coat with oil.

4. Add the cumin, oregano and chipotle to the tortillas. Stir to combine the spices.

5. Saute the tortillas over medium heat for about 10-15 minutes until the are soft and crispy around the edges.

6. Add the tofu and the salsa to the tortillas. Cook for about another 5 minutes until everything is warmed together.

7. Remove from heat and add salt & black pepper to your taste. Top with chopped cilantro. Serve warm.

8. Optional toppings could be some grated cheddar cheese or a dollop of sour cream.

Coconut Curried Tofu with Green Jasmine Rice

Coconut Curried Tofu with Green Jasmine Rice
Bon Appétit January 2003

Hey There!

I was looking for a good recipe to use up the abundance of cilantro in my kitchen-garden. I swear the stuff grows like a weed 4 seasons out of the year for me. I omitted the cherry tomatoes because they are out of season right now and used organic brown basmati rice. I found this recipe tasty, but a little on the sour side. I think I was expecting the sweeter coconut milk curries I've experienced at Thai restaurants. Despite it's lack of "sweetness" I'd definitely cook this recipe again. And, if you are like me, always on the hunt for a new way to cook tofu-it's worth the effort to try this recipe. Oh yeah, and much thanks to Kate L. for turning me on to Epicurious.com a few years ago. Enjoy!

In Health,

Miss Jolie Ann

Coconut Curried Tofu with Green Jasmine Rice

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/COCONUT-CURRIED-TOFU-WITH-GREEN-JASMINE-RICE-107640

1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut*

1 3/4 cups water

1 teaspoon salt1 cup jasmine or basmati rice

1 cup (packed) coarsely chopped fresh cilantro

3/4 cup unsweetened light coconut milk**

4 teaspoons minced fresh ginger

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

2 large garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

16 ounces extra-firm tofu, drained, patted dry, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions

2 teaspoons curry powder1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/8 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper

1 cup whole small cherry tomatoes

2 tablespoons chopped peanuts

Preparation: Stir shredded coconut in small nonstick skillet over medium heat until light golden, about 5 minutes. Transfer to bowl.

Bring 1 3/4 cups water and salt to boil in heavy medium saucepan. Stir in rice; bring to boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until water is absorbed and rice is tender, about 18 minutes.

Meanwhile, puree cilantro, 1/2 cup coconut milk, 1 teaspoon ginger, lime juice, and half of garlic in blender. Mix puree and coconut into rice. Set aside.

Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add tofu; stir-fry until golden, about 6 minutes. Add onions, curry, cumin, red pepper, remaining ginger, and remaining garlic. Stir-fry 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes and remaining coconut milk. Season with salt and pepper.

Divide rice among 4 plates. Top with tofu mixture. Sprinkle with peanuts.

*Available at specialty foods stores and natural foods stores.

**Available at Asian markets and in the Asian foods section of many supermarkets.

Nutritional Information
Per serving: calories, 433; total fat, 20 g; saturated fat, 5 g; cholesterol, 0

Skillet Tofu Parmigiana

Skillet Tofu Parmigiana
Recipe from Eating Well Magazine March/April 2008


My friend pulled the recent edition of Eating Well magazine out of someones recycling bin. Recipe whore that I am, I coveted the magazine for 4 new tofu recipes. I'm always trying to find new ways to eat tofu. My tofu repertoire is somewhat limited, which is surprising for a vegetarian of my longevity. This tofu version of chicken or eggplant Parmesan is surprising, satisfying and delicious. Using just one pan for everything except the pasta is a great way to save time and cleanup. The recipe yields 4 big servings which meant I got 4 dinners out of one night of cooking and that is always welcome during my busy week. And, since I already had on hand an opened jar of marinara sauce, leftover shredded mozarella & parmesan, half a package of organic spaghetti, italian bread crumbs, an onion and all the spices-all I had to buy was the tofu and mushrooms!


In Health,
Miss Jolie Ann


Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4
Serve on Organic Whole Wheat Spaghetti


1/4 cup plain dry breadcrumbs
1 tsp Italian seasoning
(Instead of this I just used 1/4 cup Italian seasoned dry breadcrumbs)
1-14 oz package firm or extra-firm water packed tofu, rinsed
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp plus 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 small onion, chopped
8 oz white mushrooms, thinly sliced
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3/4 cup prepared marinara sauce
1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella
2 tbsp chopped fresh basil

1. Combine breadcrumbs and Italian seasoning in a shallow dish. Cut tofu lengthwise into 4 steaks and pat dry. Sprinkle both sides of the tofu with garlic powder and salt and then dredge in the breadcrumb mixture.
2. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, until beginning to brown, about 3 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook until they release their juices and begin to brown, 4 minutes more. Transfer to a bowl.
3. Add the remaining 1 tbsp oil to the pan. Add the tofu steaks and cook until browned on one side, about 3 minutes. Turn over and sprinkle with Parmesan. Spoon the mushroom mixture over the tofu, pour marinara over the mushrooms and scatter mozzarella on top. Cover and cook until the sauce is hot and the cheese is melted, about 3 minutes. Sprinkle with basil and serve on cooked pasta.

Fried Spiced Tofu

Fried Spiced Tofu
Recipe from Diet for a Small Planet
(10th Anniversary Edition)

Today's tofu recipe is going OLD SCHOOL from my battered and well-used copy of Frances Moore Lappe's classic Diet for a Small Planet. This early primer on vegetarian diet and cooking was originally published in 1971, the year after I was born, and the 10th Anniversary Edition came out when I was only 11 years old and not even thinking about anything vegetarian. I received my copy around 1996 when it was handed down to me from a roommate. The pages are now brown, stained, and torn. This week I decided to try a tofu recipe with FANTASTIC results. I made this fried spiced tofu recipe for my friend Catherine, served on brown rice with a sorrel & radish salad (recipe in another post). We devoured it all. The spice combination in the recipe seems a bit crazy, but wow does it taste delicious once done. So, grab some tofu and go OLD SCHOOL!

In Health,
Miss Jolie Ann

1 pound tofu
1 tbsp oil
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp each sweet basil, thyme, ground cumin, and curry powder
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp soy sauce (I used Bragg's Liquid Aminos)
1/8 cup nutritional yeast

Drain tofu, pat dry, and cut into 1/2 inch cubes. Heat oil (in a wok, if you have one) and saute tofu over high heat for 5 minutes. Pour out excess water, reduce heat, and add turmeric; stir until tofu is uniformly yellow and add basil, thyme, cumin, and curry powder. Add garlic (and perhaps a little more oil to prevent sticking) and increase the heat; then add soy sauce and yeast. Saute until golden brown. Taste and add more soy sauce, if desired. Good hot or cold in sandwiches or tacos, or as a side dish.