posted
In light of the recent threads on nutrition, along with the new year and its health related issues, I think it's time for another hatrack recipe thread.
I'm not very good at cooking, but I'd like to start cooking more, both because rice and pasta are getting really old, and because I think it'll be better for me. I even have a question to kick the thread off: How do you cook with Tofu?
Posts: 4655 | Registered: Jan 2002
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posted
I don't know about tofu but I am loving this Hummus spread on a veggie sandwich...also as a dip for veggies...also by itself...(it's from the Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook)
Hummus
15 ounce can of chick peas rinsed and drained 1/2 c plain fat-free yougurt 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice 3 garlic cloves, crushed 2 tsp olive oil 1 Tbsp water 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp ground cumin 1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
In a food processor or blender, puree all the ingredients until blended but still a little chunky.
Per 1/4 c: 91 Cal, 2g Fat, 0g Sat Fat, 0g Trans fat, 0mg Chol, 151 mg Sodium, 13g Carb, 1g Fiber, 5g Protein, 54 mg Calcium. 2 points
Posts: 697 | Registered: Nov 2005
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posted
It depends on the variety of tofu you buy - the soft silken stuff is really only suitable for steaming, or battering then deep frying (which is incredibly good, if somewhat against the whole healthy idea).
Firm tofu can be panfried easily, so is perfect for adding to stir fries and the like.
Posts: 4393 | Registered: Aug 2003
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posted
This is what my housemates and I made for dinner tonight. It's one of my favorite Japanese dishes, and really easy to make too, if you have the ingredients. It's not tofu-based, but I imagine that replacing the chicken with tofu would work quite well. Recipe originally written out by another friend (i.e. not me ). Note that you should make white rice to go with the meal- about 1 1/2 cups is about right for 3-4 people.
Oyakodonburi (chicken with eggs and onions) 4 servings
chicken thighs or breasts (2-3 breasts or 4-5 thighs) boneless, skinless, cut into chunks 2/3 cup water (maybe a bit more- I didn't measure) 3-4 Tbsp soy sauce 2 Tbsp mirin or sake (can substitute with cooking white wine) 2 Tsp. dashi (dried fish soup flavoring) 2-3 Tsp. sugar (brown preferably) 3-4 eggs 2 onions 3 bunches scallions 2 cloves garlic 1/2 tsp. ginger salt and pepper
Marinate chicken in soy sauce, mirin, garlic, ginger, and 1 bunch of the scallions, chopped into fine pieces. Wait 15 minutes.
Boil water in semi-deep skillet- water level should be about 1/2 inch of the skillet so add more water if necessary. Add dashi to boiling water. Add another tablespoon or two of soy sauce. Add sugar. Mix to make sure everything is melted. Add chicken to water and cook (maybe 3-5 minutes on high). Add sliced onions and rest of scallions. Cook another five to ten minutes until chicken is well-done and onions are soft. Flavor with sprinkles or small amounts of salt, pepper, sugar and soy sauce until it tastes good or to your liking.
(Sorry, but I don't measure when I cook so I taste a bit and add, taste, add, etc. All I'm saying is that there is probably more soy sauce and sugar than is actually listed above. maybe not, but most likely.)
Pour eggs (beaten in another bowl) over the chicken and onions in the skillet. When eggs are done, the dish is ready to serve. Serve on top of white rice in a bowl.Posts: 1321 | Registered: Sep 1999
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posted
I like to cut the extra firm tofu in chunks and then marinate it in chicken or beef broth to give it some flavor before stir frying it with veggies. That obviously doesn't work for vegetarians!
You can put the silken tofu in a shake or smoothie and blend thoroughly to add protein.
Posts: 3149 | Registered: Jul 2005
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Backstory: When I met the woman who became my wife, she made dinner for me and included green beans. I tore up the green beans and from that night on, when she asked what I wanted for dinner, I would reply "Green Beans". She said, "Green Beans and what?" My response, "Green Beans and I don't care." After awhile I just said, "Green Beans and..." The name stuck.
BTW, it's not health food, but then again, I am no body builder.
1/2 stick of butter 4 cubes of chicken boulon 1/2 white onion chopped 2 cans of cut green beans six slices of bacon
In a sauce pan, melt butter, crush chicken boulon cubes, and saute onions
Cook bacon in skillet and set aside when done.
When onions are done, drain and pour in both cans of green beans.
Add water to just below the top of the green beans (about 3/4 of one can).
Cook on medium heat until most of the water has cooked out.
Crush bacon over top of green beans before serving.
The most important step. Call me over when you make it!
Posts: 1766 | Registered: Feb 2006
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You can pretty much treat the extra firm stuff just like you would meat --- some flavors/cooking preparations might not work as well, but yeah, you can marinade. A low salt soy sauce, sesame oil, green onions, rice wine vinegar and your herbs of choice (I'm quite fond of coriander) would work well as either a marinade or as a stir fry sauce [add a bit of corn starch if you are going to stir fry].
The silken tofu also works well in light soups. You'll want to use a clear broth [vegetarian, fish or chicken], season it however, add in whatever [bamboo shoots, mushrooms (dried or fresh), rice noodles, onion, egg, miso, green beans, whatever]. Add the tofu at the very end after the soup has cooked all the other items to perfection and has cooled down just a bit [i.e. not boiling]. Its texture will be better the shorter time it is in the soup. Although I don't mind if it's a bit spongey the next day. I guess you could just add it to individual servings and then that's not an issue.
Posts: 3423 | Registered: Aug 2001
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posted
Yeah, I tend to either put the firm variety of tofu in a thai red curry sauce over rice or stir-fry it- usually with something like soy sauce, sherry, ginger, and a little Mongolian Fire oil.
My wife has made some tremendous desserts with silken tofu, but alas, she's the dessert expert, not I.
My college "I need veggies now" recipe:
Cook 1/2 packet of frozen "mexican mixed vegetables" (typically something like broccoli, carrot, and kidney beans), and 1 cup rice (dry, equivalent to 4 cups cooked.) Mix cooked ingredients together; toss with soy sauce, Mongolian fire oil, and a dash of powdered ginger. Doesn't look like much, but it's tasty, cheap, reasonably healthy, and provides complete protein.
Posts: 3826 | Registered: May 2005
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posted
Don't know that much about tofu recipes, but here's something else:
The Best Chicken Salad Ever
Different types of lettuce of your choice (iceberg lettuce, rucola and so forth) 1 chicken breast per eater 4 small carrots 3 large onions 1 large zucchini 2 large sweet peppers
olive oil 1 garlic clove basil (fresh or dried) salt
The dressing: 1½ cup of curd cream (or crème fraîche) 3/4 cup of feta cheese 2 garlic cloves black pepper
Preparation: The chicken used for this recipe should be ready marinaded, but if they don't sell such chicken at your corner of the world (or if you just plain dislike store marinaded goods) mix your own marinade. (It doesn't need to be anything extremely flashy: I usually use a simple one with honey, tarragon, basil, little bit of garlic and balsamic wine vinegar.)
Anyway, cut the carrots, onions, sweet peppers and zucchini into large chunks.
Mix together the olive oil, basil, salt and ground garlic clove. Then mix this marinade with the vegetables.
Put the vegetables on a large oven tray and then put the chicken breasts on top of them. Cook in the oven in about 200 C for around 20 minutes. (The vegetables should be cooked but not smashed up.)
Meanwhile prepare the dressing. Use a fork to smash the feta cheese into crumbs and then mix the cheese in with the crème fraîche. Add the ground garlic cloves. Sprinkle black pepper on top for show.
Finally, take a large bowl, put the lettuce on the bottom, then the vegetables over it, and then the chicken breasts on the top. Serve with the dressing and some white bread.
Posts: 247 | Registered: Dec 2006
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posted
I just made this today, and it worked out great.
Drain a can of kidney beans, reserving the liquid. Pour the kidney beans into the slow cooker. Lay four to six bratwursts (or other non-precooked sausage; I used some nice beer brats from kroger) on top of the kidney beans. Mix a can of beef consomme with a half cup to a cup of salsa; I used some leftover artichoke-garlic salsa, and it worked well. A salsa with some sweetness is good. Pour that over the sausages, then pour the reserved kidney bean liquid on top, barely covering the sausages. Cook on low while at work (say, six to eight hours).
I had originally intended to add sliced apples, but was pressed for time and forgot. I'd suggest two or three sliced apples, and some extra liquid from some source. Beer, perhaps. Put the apples under the sausage and over the kidney beans.
Posts: 15770 | Registered: Dec 2001
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posted
blacwolve, I haven't tried marinating, I think you could. This soup is versatile. People have put cauliflower, quinoa, cinnamon, all sorts of things in it and so I think it would take a serious effort to make it taste bad.
Posts: 130 | Registered: Jan 2007
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I have two recipes using Tofurkey up, but none with actual tofu? I'll have to do something about that.
Um, Dags? How come it doesn't want to let me add a "recipy" [sic]?
One of my kids' (and mine) favorite recipes is what they call "tofu and veggies with rice." Firm or extra firm tofu is cubed (take 12 oz tofu slab, drain, slice in half parallel to the top, then cut in four both side-to-side and back-to-front (like tic-tac-toe, only more so)). If I have time to do this ahead of time, it then marinates in "chicken" or vegetable broth. If not, I just cook it in the broth (or alternatively, with some soy sauce and lots of garlic) for a while. Add frozen vegetables (we like to use any one of a few different blends) and instant rice (or cook non-instant rice separately and then add it).
Fast, easy, and yummy. The leftovers are great for lunch, hot or cold.
Posts: 32919 | Registered: Mar 2003
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). Note that you should make white rice to go with the meal- about 1 1/2 cups is about right for 3-4 people.
