Fried Tofu // Incorporating Soy in Your Child's Life

Transitioning to a plant-based diet was very difficult for my kids. At first. Especially for my oldest, Essie.

Another one of the unforeseen negative side affects of trying low carb, was that I had trained her palate to enjoy meat, cheese, heavy cream, eggs, and salmon in particular.

It was hard for her. She struggled. In one week I had completely changed her menu. No eggs for breakfast, meat and cheese for lunch, and hot dogs for an afternoon snack. No salmon for dinner.

Looking back on that I shake my head. Literally. What a SAD menu. Where were the whole grains? The fruit, vegetables, raw nuts, beans? No where to be found.

What a tragedy.

But unlike dramatic plays, this tragedy has a happy ending. Or beginning. Depending on which way you look at it.

It's called tofu. Soy. If prepared and presented the right way, kids love. Of course, I try with every meal to incorporate as many nutrient-dense foods as possible for my children, but soy foods really help them get the calories they need. I do not use soy as a replacement for other nutrient dense foods, but rather, in addition to them -- as a side.

The first time Essie tried crispy tofu, I saw the gears turning in her head. Excitement. And I could see that she decided that this eating veg thing wasn't so crazy after all. She could do it. Enjoy it.

So, I thought I would write about some of our favorite soy foods. (See my and Dr. Joel Fuhrman's opinion on whole soy foods, here.)

Starting with the basics. Soy milk. My children's favorite non-dairy milk, it is creamy, a little bit fatty, higher in calories than almond milk, and delicious.

Organic, unsweetened, enriched with calcium, vitamins A and D, and a good source of Vitamin B12. (All vegans need supplementation with vitamin B12.) They love it poured all over their breakfast oatmeal, cereal, or Mighty Tasty Hot Cereal. They also drink it straight out of a cup, with their meals, or use it for dunking cookies.

Next would have to be soy yogurt. I'm tellin' ya we are all addicted to this stuff. I have tried other yogurts -- almond, coconut, etc, and they cannot compete with the flavor or texture.

I hope you get a chance to go to Trader Joe's and try soy yogurt like this. For $2.49 per large container, it's affordable and every week I buy about 4-5 of these. Seriously. Addicted. It contains live probiotic cultures; helpful for the digestive system. This yogurt sells fast at TJ's so go during the week, especially in the morning to make sure you get some. Just a little trick I learned. It's always gone on a Saturday evening.

If you don't have a Trader Joe's, Whole Foods Market also carries Silk Soy Live! yogurt, large container for about the same price. I don't find it to be as tasty as TJ's yogurt, but remember that you can always add some sugar or other flavorings (maybe some fruit jam?) to yogurt to make it tastier.

We eat it as a snack, and I also use it to replace oil in my baked goods (use half the amount than oil). Because it contains fat, and is quite thick, I think it tastes much better as an oil replacement than applesauce does. Kids need fat. I am convinced. They want it, crave it, love it.

Essie had first tried crispy tofu at a restaurant. They deep fry it. Wow. Is this stuff good! I am working on going to a Thai Diner and asking to buy their deep fried tofu (sounds terrible, I know, but kids need fat) directly from them. No way am I buying a deep fryer.

Until then (I'll let you know how that turns out) I love using pre-baked, organic, seasoned tofu. Trader Joe's sells three different flavors; BBQ, Savory, and Teriyaki. I am sure other health food stores carry similar products. I just haven't looked because we are happy with TJ's.

What I do: open a package of pre-baked, seasoned tofu, and slice them into cubes or bite-size slabs. I try to maximize the surface area so that it can get toasted well and become pretty crispy. Get a nonstick skillet, and pre-heat to medium-high heat. Throw cubes in the skillet without any oil, and brown on both sides. Makes it crispy and warm. Serve with ketchup, BBQ sauce, ranch dressing, or their favorite sauce. My kids love this, and clamor over who gets the last piece.

For Sandwiches: Take a block of pre-baked, seasoned tofu, and either chop it fine with a knife or pulse it in the food processor until fine. Immediately press it into hummus that has been spread over some whole grain bread. The tofu loses moistness if you wait too long, and doesn't stick in the hummus as well. Spread a second slice of bread with hummus, and put the two pieces together to form a sandwich. I try to press/compact as much tofu in the sandwich as possible.

I also love using the Teriyaki tofu in our VERY favorite Thai Noodle dish.

Kids love ice cream, creamy treats. I mostly make banana ice cream for them in my food processor, but I also buy soy ice cream, and soy ice cream novelties.

One of their favorite treats is chocolate milk. Pictured is the almond chocolate milk because it was in my fridge, but soy chocolate milk is also commonly sold (even at Wal-Mart!) and is very delicious!

Not every child enjoys meatless hot dogs. I don't think they taste fantastic. But for some reason, my kids really like them. It helps to have them on hand for immediate snacks. Just follow the directions on the back of the package for the best results in preparation.

Tofurky, a sliced deli meat, is also available (pictured at the very top). I do think that this stuff actually tastes good. Pair it with mayo or some hummus your kids like, and you have a sandwich. Or, if you are like Samuel, you munch on it plain. Samuel and Megan love it. It is a more refined food, so I do avoid serving it to them, and strongly prefer to serve them organic tofu.

Sprouted organic tofu. Or sprouted organic tempeh (another tofu product). Fried my way. The Dreena Burton way. Yummy!

What I do: Remove tofu from package, and carefully pat/press dry with paper towels. Cut into cubes, and marinate for 20 minutes. Toss in corn starch. Fry in 3 tablespoons of oil on high heat. Serve with ketchup.

PROJECT VEGAN KIDS
VEGAN FAST FOOD! (If you marinate the tofu/tempeh for 15 minutes or less.)


Pan-Fried Tempt-eh! Or Tofu!
By Dreena Burton, from "Eat, Drink, & Be Vegan."

Makes 5-6 servings as a side dish or nibbler, or 3-4 servings as an entree.
Wheat Free
Gluten Free if you use tofu and corn starch

Note from Ashlee: Although this recipe is for tempeh, my children find both tofu and tempeh very appetizing. I have tried baking my tofu with seasonings and my kids and I do not enjoy it. They like it crispy (because there is so much oil, I try not to eat this!). These are a great replacement for the chicken nugget, when served with ketchup or other dipping sauce. See Dreena's note below, for tips on using tofu in this recipe.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 tablespoons rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar (for tofu, use balsamic or red wine vinegar!)
1 1/2 tablespoons tamari (soy sauce)
1 package (8-oz/227-g) tempeh, or 1/2 package (15-oz) extra-firm tofu, patted/pressed dry with paper towels.
3-4 tablespoons cornstarch (or arrowroot, but I found arrowroot to be gummy when fried)
3 tablespoon coconut or olive oil
lemon wedges, for serving (optional, I never add this part)

Directions:

In a large, shallow dish, mix vinegar and tamari. On a cutting board, cut tempeh about 1/2 x 3 1/2-in (1x9-cm) slices. Add tempeh to vinegar-tamari mixture to marinate, turning slices to absorb marinade on both sides. If possible, allow tempeh to marinate for 20 minutes or more in the refrigerator.

In a large dish, spread cornstarch (or arrowroot powder). Dip each tempeh slice in cornstarch, gently tapping to remove any clumps (some areas will have a thicker layer of cornstarch, this is okay.) In a small to medium size non-stick frying pan on high, heat oil. Add tempeh slices and fry on one side for 4-6 minutes until golden brown and crispy. Flip over and cook for 4-5 minutes until crispy, adding more oil if needed. Flip again if needed. Remove and serve immediately with a squeeze of lemon wedge (for adults) or with a favorite dipping sauce...be sure to eat them while still hot.

Note from Dreena: You can substitute tempeh with tofu (I DO!) in this recipe: use 1 pkg (12-oz/350-g) fresh extra-firm tofu, cut into 1/4-1/2 inch thick squares and press between paper towels to remove excess moisture, then marinate it as you would the tempeh (using 2 tbsp Tamari).

This is so good, even my normally "tempeh averse" husband loves it. I originally created the recipe using tofu, which is an excellent variation. Either way, this Tempt-eh! is a little crispy, a little tender, and a whole lot delicious. This appetizer can also be served in an entree with noodles or a whole grain.

Thai Noodles

I wish I could come to your house and cook this for you.

I wish I could serve it up on pretty plates with vegan egg rolls and dipping sauce, with an Asian salad. I wish I could give you the night off so you could sit with your feet up and read to your kids, or just watch a movie after a long day at work.

I love to feed people, especially the people I love. And I wish I could make this for you and watch you be happy.

Alas. Distance keeps me far away from most of you. *Sigh.* And time is always ticking.

I am a human, when I wish I could be super-woman.

So I am trying, with pictures, to show you how to make it. As if I were in your kitchen with you. As if we were making this together. And it is so yummy.

Here are some crazy vegan, health-obsessed, carb-lover thoughts:

Dr. Joel Furhman says something like this, "A low-carb diet may help you lose weight but then so does cigarette smoking." (FROM HIS BOOK, SUPER IMMUNITY).

Yeah for high-carb diet!

Read, "The China Study," you won't regret it.

It even goes into detail about healing and balancing women's hormones. The healthy, life-long way. I know a lot of women, including myself, who need help with balancing hormones.

Okay, onto the recipe!

This Thai recipe really helps out with going dairy free. It is flavorful, and delicious.

This is Essie's most favorite pasta dish. Samuel likes it, and I should mention that Samuel rarely loves anything that doesn't contain loads of sugar and other refined stuff. Well, I guess he does love salad and fruit...and Megan will pretty much eat anything.

So this recipe, along with being a part of our GO DAIRY FREE series, is also a part of our PROJECT VEGAN KIDS.

There are 5 basic steps:

1.) Cut up the veggies and pre-baked tofu
2.) Saute veggies, ginger and garlic
3.) Make a sauce
4.) Cook and drain pasta
5.) Throw it all together

All the veg you will need:
(From left to right: green cabbage, Bok Choy, carrots, green onions, zucchini, bean sprouts, and then ginger and garlic.)

"Process" your carrots, zucchini, and green cabbage and then set aside. I have a food processor so this step takes very little time for me. If you don't have a food processor, I highly recommend buying your carrots and green cabbage pre-cut. Trader Joe's sells the cabbage pre-shredded, and pre-cut matchstick carrots.

"Process" your Bok Choy by removing the greens and the base (like celery) and wash the stalks. The Bok Choy greens (the top) can be saved and put into green smoothies, or you can also wash, and chop them up and add to this pasta dish toward the end if you are super-green.

Cut it into slices as if it were celery, and set it aside with your mung bean sprouts (I buy mine at Whole Foods Market, Trader Joe's doesn't carry sprouts).

Prepare your green onions, ginger, and garlic.

I use my kitchen scissors to cut my green onions.

Use it all, even down to the white parts.

And now I want to show you a trick I learned on how to remove the skins from garlic.

Place a single garlic clove on your cutting board, or other flat surface. Put your large chef's knife on it, broadside. Hold the knife steady with one hand, while bringing your other hand down with force as if your are punching the flat side of the knife.

Don't worry about hitting it too hard. Your goal is to actually smash the garlic. The skins should slip off pretty easily after doing this.

Then you can chop the garlic very fine with your chef's knife, or you can push it through a garlic press. I love my $14 garlic press; a great investment for me because I am not the world's most patient or skilled veg chopper!

Peel and shred the ginger (peel all the brown skin off as if it were a peach, with a paring knife).

I shred my ginger with the fine holes on the side of my box grater. I now own a zester, and that is an option, too, although I do find it easier to use my box grater.

Put your green onions, pressed garlic, and grated ginger in a non-stick fry pan (I use my cast iron skillet) and water-saute until garlic and onions are fragrant and reduced (water has been cooked out).

Now to make the sauce.

(From Left to Right: Soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, natural peanut butter, chili garlic sauce, organic blue agave nectar, and rice vinegar.)

Measure out all the ingredients and stir them together in a bowl using a kitchen fork.

Add the shredded carrots, zucchini, and green cabbage to the fry pan and stir (Do NOT add the sprouts! They are tender and should be added almost right before you serve the dish). Then add the sauce. Stir the sauce as you pour it so that the agave nectar or peanut butter doesn't settle to the bottom. Stir all the veg and sauce together and continue to saute.

Stir and saute the veg until it has been reduced, and the zucchini is see-through. At this point the brown rice fettuccine or spaghetti noodles need to be cooking, according to their package directions.

Add the cut bok choy, and the bean sprouts, stir, and saute.

While the remainder of your veg and noodles are cooking, cut up your tofu. I use pre-baked and marinated, teriyaki flavor tofu. It is organic, and yummy!

Slice it width-wise first, and then stack the slices on top of each other. I like to slice them diagonally for a more authentic look, but you may choose to slice them into cubes or whatever shape you like your protein to be in.

And then throw it all together! Your pasta, veg, and tofu.

Serve warm with egg rolls, or garden rolls. (I hope to have a post soon on rice paper garden rolls with raw veggies, and a Passion Peanut sauce.)


Thai Noodles
From Mary McDougall's Recipe Index, or from The Starch Solution by John McDougall.

Note from Ashlee: Sometimes I will use an entire 16 ounce bag of pasta (I use brown rice pasta). Because I added more veggies than Mary originally calls for, you may need to double the sauce. I recommend you add the original amount called for in the recipe, and then after you have put your entire dish together, add more sauce to suit your individual tastes. Keep in mind that the longer you simmer the added sauce, the more flavors will blend with the veggies. AND the spices (chili sauce) will also get hotter and have more kick. Saute everything with these thoughts in mind.

Note from Mary: This is a wonderful meal for hot summer nights because it requires minimal cooking and it may be made completely ahead of time and served cold or at room temperature. It also keeps well in a cooler so it is a great picnic food.


Preparation Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients:

12-16 ounces linguini or spaghetti noodles, I use brown rice noodles (broken in half)
1/4 cup agave nectar
1/4 cup natural peanut butter, creamy
1/4 cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
1-2 teaspoons chili-garlic sauce (see hints)(Mary McDougall usually uses sambal oelek)
¼ teaspoon sesame oil (optional-see hints)
3 tablespoons vegetable broth
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 ½ cups mung bean sprouts
1 ½ cups shredded carrots
And I add these additional veggies:
1 1/2 cups cut and coined zucchini
1 whole bok choy, washed, cut, and greens removed
1 cup shredded green cabbage
7-14 ounces baked seasoned tofu, thinly sliced
chopped cilantro
chopped peanuts (optional)

Directions:

Prepare noodles according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, combine the agave nectar, peanut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar, chili-garlic sauce and the sesame oil in a mixing bowl and whisk until smooth. Set aside. Place the broth in a non-stick frying pan with the onions, garlic and ginger. Cook, stirring frequently for 2-3 minutes. Add the sauce, mix well and heat through. Add carrots, zucchini, and shredded cabbage, mix well to incorporate, and saute until tender-crisp. Add the bean sprouts, bok choy and tofu and toss again to mix. Serve warm or at room temperature. Let each person add chopped cilantro and/or chopped peanuts, if desired.

Hints: Rice vinegar and chili garlic sauce may be found in most supermarkets in the oriental section. One brand of chili-garlic sauce is made by Huy Fong Foods. It is quite spicy, so you may need to adjust the amount used according to your tastes. I use a small amount of sesame oil in this recipe for the unique taste it adds to foods. It may be omitted, if desired. This dish keeps well in the refrigerator and may also be served cold. This is great to fix on those busy evenings when everyone is eating at different times because it tastes best at room temperature.



I hope you try it, and I hope you love!!



Question:

What is your favorite dairy-free pasta dish?

Nut Loaf

Holiday Nut Loaf
From “Seven Secrets Cookbook” By Neva Brackett

Makes 1 loaf (10 servings)

Here is another fabulous vegan meatloaf recipe by Angela Liddon at www.OhSheGlows.com.

The following is a recipe I have tried, and we LOVED it. Paul said it was the best meatloaf he ever had, hands-down, vegan or non-vegan. It would go great with Sweet Tomato Sauce or Simple Vegan Gravy.

No vegetarian home would be complete without a good savory meatloaf. Here is a tried-and-true recipe that you will love. It is a basic recipe that lends itself well to variations. If you live in areas of the world where pecans are rare, use your local nuts.

Neva says, “If you don't have tofu, use soybeans. Seasonings can be varied too, according to where you live. This recipe includes a large amount of onions. At first I thought that sounded like too much, but now I consider it to be the secret of its wonderful flavor and moist texture.”

The tofu or soybeans and gluten flour or corn starch help bind it together, replacing the eggs.


INGREDIENTS

1 cup tofu and ½ cup water (or 1 cup soaked soybeans with 1 cup water)(I use sprouted, organic tofu from Trader Joe’s)

2 cloves garlic, minced (or 1 teaspoon garlic powder)
1 tablespoon Bragg Liquid Aminos or 2 teaspoons soy sauce
¼ cup gluten flour or cornstarch (I used corn starch, and it worked well)
1 ½ teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 teaspoon ground sage or Italian seasoning
3-4 cups soft whole grain bread crumbs (I use Trader Joe’s Flourless Sprouted seven grain bread)
2 cups pecans (may use walnuts, almonds, peanuts, sunflower seeds, or cashews)
2 cups finely chopped onions


DIRECTIONS

l. Blend tofu (or soybeans) with water, garlic, and seasonings.

2. Combine remaining ingredients in a mixing bowl. Add blended tofu or soybeans and mix well.


Hint: A food processor will greatly simplify the preparation of this loaf. The bread can be easily made into crumbs several slices at a time, the nuts can be ground, and the onions chopped. These bread crumbs are made using soft, untoasted bread. Dried crumbs are more compact, so if you use them, use only 1 ½ - 2 cups

3. Place mix in lightly oiled or nonstick loaf pan. Cover with foil and bake at 350 F for 1 hour. Remove foil and bake uncovered for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for about 5 minutes to give it a chance to set up before removing from the pan.

Turn upside down onto a serving dish. Garnish with fresh parsley or kale and serve with Simple Gravy or Sweet and Sour Tomato Sauce.

Variation: Cashew-Carrot Loaf

Follow Holiday Nut Loaf recipe using 2 cups raw cashew nuts in place of the pecans. Use 1 cup finely ground or grated carrot and reduce onion to 1 cup finely chopped onion. Use 1 tablespoon Chicken-Like Seasoning in place of the Bragg Liquid Aminos.


Serving Tips: A good entree for a holiday meal along with cranberries, mashed potatoes, salad, and gravy. Leftover loaf is delicious when slices are placed in a nonstick skillet and browned on each side. Yummy in sandwiches or burgers.

This loaf freezes well.