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Simply Tofu:
Tofu Mania
by R. Ohlgren-Evans, from the September 2005 newsletter
Earlier this summer I rescued Brita Housez’ book, Tofu Mania (Marlowe & Company, 1998), from the yard sale goods sprawled out on our front lawn. I certainly didn’t remember tossing this book in the discard pile….hmmm….is my family trying to tell me something?
No worries – it’s back in my collection and, to make up for any lost time, I’ve spent the last two weeks taste-testing many of the recipes.
Whether a vegetarian in the family needs a protein source, or a cook has learned that soy nutrients may protect us from cancer, heart disease, diabetes and the symptoms of menopause, tofu is making its way into the American pantry. Recipe makeovers of old family favorites are common, and this book is full of creative ideas.
Housez claims that “unlike virtually every other tofu cookbook, Tofu Mania presents recipes for familiar dishes into which tofu has been incorporated. All of the recipes in this book use tofu as an ingredient, but very seldom is tofu the main ingredient.” The author has compiled 120 easy-to-prepare recipes in this collection, including Cherry Pancakes, Roasted Onion and Garlic Spread, Penne Alfred, and Carrot Cake – all incorporating tofu as a substitute for some of the cream, butter, oil, eggs, meat and dairy. The following selections from Tofu Mania are recipes that met with success at our table. I’ve included any modifications I tried or would recommend. Bon apetit!
Oven-Roasted Herbed Potatoes and Tofu
I used twice as much tofu, all fresh herbs, and cut back on the potatoes. This
would make a great one-dish meal by adding Brussels sprouts, slices of red
peppers, and big onion chunks into the mix (adjust seasonings according to
the amount of food you are roasting). Delish!
4 large potatoes, peeled, cut into bite-sized pieces
1/2 cup extra-firm tofu, cubed
1 Tbsp. fresh parsley or cilantro, chopped
1 Tbsp. fresh dill, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
chili pepper flakes (optional)
4 Tbsp. olive oil
salt, to taste
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Pour potatoes and tofu into a container with a lid. Container should be only half full. Add herbs, garlic, pepper, and oil. Cover with lid and shake gently so that potatoes and tofu become evenly coated with herbs and oil.
Arrange potatoes and tofu in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Bake about
30 minutes, turning once halfway through. Potatoes and tofu will be just lightly
golden. If more browning is desired, turned oven to broil and place cookie
sheet on top rack for 3 to 5 minutes. Sprinkle with salt just before serving.
Serves 4 to 6.
Mango Couscous
This tasty dish is great served warm with dinner or straight from the fridge
for lunch (or breakfast…). I learned how to cube a mango from the savvy
market women in Cambodia – check out how to do this (and all things
mango) at: http://freshmangos.com/aboutmangos/index.html#d.
I used whole wheat couscous, and heated the rest of the ingredients in the pan with the onions once they were caramelized. The author suggests substituting peaches or apricots for the mango if you want to try a variation.
1/2 cup uncooked couscous
2 Tbsp. raisins
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 Tbsp granulated sugar
1/2 cup firm or extra-firm tofu, cubed
2 Tbsp. cashews, chopped
salt and pepper, to taste
1 mango, cubed
Cook couscous according to directions. When done, fold in raisins. Cover and set aside.
In a small, nonstick frying pan, heat oil. Add onions and sugar. Caramelize onions by cooking them over low heat for about 30 minutes, stirring often. (This can be done several hours ahead.)
Stir onions, tofu, cashews, salt, and pepper into couscous/raisin mixture. Heat through. Fold in mango cubes. Serve warm, at room temperature, or chilled.
Apple Cranberry Crisp
This is a fantastic variation on the buttery, sweet, and calorie-laden version
that I grew up on. It’s also a great breakfast idea—I enjoyed
several helpings with a swirl of plain yogurt on top. I used fat-free yogurt
and substituted blueberries for the cranberries. I didn’t have wheat
germ at hand, so substituted flax seed meal. I also exchanged orange juice
for concentrated limejuice. The author claims it is also good with apricots,
peaches, or pears.
4 medium apples, peeled, cored, sliced
1/2 cup cranberries, fresh or frozen
4 Tbsp. frozen orange juice concentrate, divided
4 Tbsp. sugar, divided
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 cup silken tofu (soft or medium)
1/2 cup plain low-fat yogurt
1 Tbsp. flour
2 Tbsp. each: rolled oats, wheat germ, brown sugar and sliced almonds
Preheat oven to 400°F.
In a medium bowl, combine apples, cranberries, 2 Tbsp. orange juice, 2 Tbsp. sugar and cinnamon. Spread mixture in 8-inch square baking dish.
In separate bowl, using a hand blender, blend together tofu, yogurt, flour, remaining orange juice and sugar. Pour evenly over apples and cranberries.
In a small bowl, combine oats, wheat germ and brown sugar. Spoon over apple mixture. Sprinkle with almonds.
Bake 20-30 minutes, or until apples are tender.
Robin Ohlgren-Evans wonders if any readers included the 2005 LA Tofu Festival (Aug 13-14) in their summer vacation plans.
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