by Jen
on February 18, 2014
I always keep a package of firm tofu in the fridge for an easy, meatless protein. One serving of tofu averages 10 grams of protein. Let me give you a little comparison here…
– 1/2 cup serving of raw firm tofu contains 94 calories
– 4 oz ground beef contains 331 calories
– 1/2 cup of 2% milk has 60 calories
– 4 oz of cheese packs 320 calories
I used to eat a LOT of tofu, tempeh, beans and other vegetarian protein sources. I feel so much better since incorporating a LOT more lean protein into my diet but I still love a good tofu dinner when I’m needing a meatless meal.
Baked Tofu
Tonight’s dinner was baked tofu with roasted broccoli and mushrooms and whole wheat couscous with a dollop of hummus to finish it all off. The key to delicious “main dish” tofu is baking the moisture out of it and getting the texture firm and substantial. I can’t count how many requests I’ve received for a tofu tutorial so here we go! Easy baked tofu coming at you now…(#1 tip…buy firm or extra firm tofu!).
Step 1.
Drain and press the tofu. Tofu is packaged in water so you want to drain and press the excess water out. You can see how (un)technical I get about this. I put the tofu in a colander and put my cast iron pan on top of it to press it. You do not need to buy a fancy tofu press appliance. I usually leave it to press for 15-20 minutes while I am prepping other dinner stuff.
Step 2.
Place drained tofu on a cutting board on it’s shortest side.
Step 3.
Slice tofu into thin 1/2 inch slices using a sharp knife.
Step 4.
Prep a baking sheet by spraying it with cooking spray. Arrange tofu slices on baking sheet.
Step 5.
Season as desired on both sides. You can keep it as simple as salt and pepper here. My personal favorite is a little sea salt and lemon pepper. In this batch I used freshly ground sea salt, Jane’s Mixed Up Basil seasoning and lemon pepper.
Step 6.
Bake at 400 degrees for 20-30 minutes, flipping half way through baking. You want your tofu to be golden and firm to the touch.
Tofu…love, hate or never tried?
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