Crispy Coconut Tofu Nuggets

The husband and I enjoy eating tofu, both as an addition to a dish, as well as a main entree. I've only recently felt confident in my tofu cooking abilities, and have finally discovered the secret to making it crispy and flavorful, without deep frying it. I learned this secret from Cara's Cravings (press out the water and bake at a high temperature) and her blog has become my go-to source for tofu recipes.

So when I saw this one for coconut tofu I knew I wanted to try it; the only hurdle was the husband-he is not a huge fan of coconut. But finally I decided just to make it and let him deal, which turned out to be a great idea--he loved it and told me I should definitely make it again. Yay for tofu!

We dipped out nuggets (think chicken nugget, but tofu and not a fried breading) in pineapple teriyaki sauce, which was a perfect pairing; I think plum sauce would work well, too. Next time I plan to marinate the tofu in coconut milk to add some extra flavor. I'll let you know how that goes.

Crispy Coconut Tofu Nuggets
Source: Cara's Cravings
Printable Recipe

Ingredients
1 block firm tofu (I used a 1 lb. package)
2 egg whites
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/4 cup shredded coconut
zest of one lime
salt and pepper

Directions

Pre-heat your oven to 375 degrees.

Wrap the tofu in paper towels and place it on a plate. Set several heavy cans or books on top of the covered tofu to squeeze out the water. Let sit for 20-30 minutes.

Set a cooling rack on top of a baking sheet, and spray with nonstick cooking spray.

Pour the egg whites into a shallow dish. On a separate plate, mix together the panko, coconut, and lime zest.

Slice the tofu diagonally into two large triangles, then slice again to create two smaller triangles.
Season the tofu wedges with salt and pepper. Dip each one into the egg, then dredge in the panko mixture and set on the cooling rack.

Bake for about 25-30 minutes, turning halfway through, until lightly browned and crispy on both sides.

Crispy Sesame Maple Ginger Tofu and Broccoli

The husband loves tofu and is always up for trying new tofu recipes, but I have a fear of cooking tofu. I feel like it never comes out right, no matter how much I squeeze out the water or how I cut it up. I usually just crumble it up a bit and throw it in stir frys, but even then, I still am less than thrilled.

Where is that crispy on the outside, soft, almost creamy, on the inside texture I find in Thai restaurants? Why can't I recreate that at home? Do I really have to fry tofu to get that texture I crave?

Well, apparently not. I saw this recipe on Cara's Cravings recently and decided to give it a try. She mentioned some of my same frustrations, but then went on to describe her success at achieving crispy, yet creamy tofu. Well, let me tell you, she was right! This tofu came out wonderfully well! It had a nice crispy exterior and a soft interior, with a ton of flavor.

I made some modifications to Cara's recipe, including adding broccoli to make this a more filling meal. If you'd like to see her original recipe, check out Cara's Cravings. Don't be afraid of the maple syrup here; I thought it might be cloying and overly-sweet, but it just added a subtle hint of sweetness to round out the flavor profile.

Crispy Sesame Maple Ginger Tofu and Broccoli
Source: Adapted from Cara's Cravings
Printable Recipe

Ingredients
1 14-ounce block extra-firm water-packed tofu
2 small heads of broccoli, stems removed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground pepper
3 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
3 teaspoons sesame oil
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
3 teaspoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 475°F.

Squeeze the water out of the tofu and cut into 1" cubes.

Spray a 9 X 13" baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and add the tofu cubes; lightly spray the tofu with more nonstick cooking spray and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 10-12 minutes, or until the pieces of tofu are lightly browned. Turn the pieces over, and roast for another 10 minutes.

Whisk together the soy sauce, sesame oil, maple syrup and vinegar in a small bowl.

Cut the broccoli into small chunks.

Remove the tofu from the oven, and add the broccoli to the dish. Toss with the maple mixture, sesame seeds, ginger, and crushed red pepper.

Return to the oven and roast for another 5-10 minutes, turning once, until desired crispiness is reached.

Serve over brown rice.

Cold Soba Noodle Salad

One benefit of being a teacher is the much-needed vacation time. I love teaching my students every day, but I find myself needing a break from them right around the time our school vacations are set to begin. This year was no different; in the week or so before December 20, I found myself counting down the days until we were on Christmas Break. The minutes slowly ticked by on December 18, the last day of school before a two week break. Now I am on my second official day of Winter Break and enjoying the relaxation time.

Since I am home, I've decided to cook a real lunch for my husband and I everyday and branch out and try some new foods. While I was flipping through my huge hardback Cooking Light compilation cookbook, I found this recipe for soba noodles with tofu. The husband is a huge fan of tofu and I am always looking for new ways to use it, so I decided to give this a try.

Even though I used low-sodium soy sauce, I did find this to be a tad salty, so I might reduce the amount of soy sauce next time. Also, I plan to half the amount of cucumbers and double the tofu. Some grilled ginger chicken might also be a nice addition. However, I have printed the original recipe from Cooking Light below. Let me know what you think and if you make any substitutions. :)

Cold Soba Noodle Salad
Source: Cooking Light
Printable Recipe



Ingredients
1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce
2 Tablespoons rice vinegar
1 Tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
1 teaspoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons dark sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon chili oil or vegetable oil (I used vegetable oil, but I just found chili oil at Fresh and Easy recently)
1 1/2 teaspoons sesame seeds
4 cups cooked soba noodles (8 ounces uncooked noodles)
2 cups sliced peeled cucumber (1 whole cucumber)
1 cup thinly sliced green onions
2 cups cubed firm tofu, about 12 ounces (I used medium firm...be sure to squeeze out all of the water before adding to the salad)

Directions
Combine the first 6 ingredients in a small bowl, whisk together, and set aside.

Cook the sesame seeds in a small saucepan over medium heat until toasted, about one minute.

Combine sesame seeds, noodles, cucumber slices, noodles, and onions in a large bowl. Toss gently.

Pour the dressing over the top of the salad and toss once again.

Chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before serving.