Lentil Jalapeño Tofu Stew

A quick and easy stew using lentils, tofu and vegetables. The jalapeño sauce used in this recipe is easy to make - just boil up a load of whole jalapeños with a quarter of onion. Once softened, drain the water, remove the seeds and stems from the cooked jalapeños and blend in a food processor. Store the sauce in an air-tight container in the fridge. It's great to stir into a stew or a stir fry, or blend into a hummus/dip. I also like to add a spoonful on top of scrambled eggs for an extra spicy kick!

Lentil Jalapeño Tofu Stew
Makes 4

Ingredients:
- 170g / 6oz lentils, dry
- 110g / 4oz onions, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 85g / 3oz celery, chopped
- 85g / 3 oz green pepper, chopped
- 800g / 29oz / 2 cans chopped tomatoes, petite diced
- 33g / 2tbsp tomato paste
- 50g / 2oz jalapeño sauce (boiled and blended jalapeños)
- 450g / 16oz tofu, firm, chopped

Method:

• Boil the lentils in water until soft, about 30 minutes, then drain.
• In a pan, sprayed with cooking spray, cook the onion and garlic for about 5 minutes, additing a splash of water if necessary.
• Add the celery, pepper, chopped tomatoes and tomato paste and cook for another 5 minutes.
• Add the jalapeño sauce, tofu and cooked lentils and simmer gently for 10 minutes until most of the liquid has been absorbed.
• Serve with brown rice, quinoa or courgette noodles. ENJOY!

Nutritional Information:

Tofu Burgers

Another vegetarian burger, using tofu as a great source of protein (16.5g per burger), with healthy fats coming from walnuts. The tofu absorbs all the great flavours - soy sauce, mustard, hot chili sauce and basil.

A little prep work and time is required to drain the moisture from the tofu, but this is well worth the effort as the tofu crumbles easily and forms perfect patties when mixed with all of the other ingredients. The burgers are baked in the oven instead of fried, but brown really nicely and actually look like meat burgers!

To press the water from the tofu, I used paper towels for absorption and added a bit of weight using a saucepan.

Tofu Burgers
Makes 4

Ingredients:
- 450g / 16oz tofu, firm
- 30g / 1oz walnuts
- 110g / 4oz onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 85g / 3oz carrot, grated
- 30ml / 2tbsp soy sauce, light
- 20g / 4tsp mustard (I use Dijon)
- 5g / 1tsp hot chili pepper sauce (e.g. sriracha sauce)
- 1/2tbsp basil, dried

Method:

• First, drain the tofu and squeeze out excess water by wrapping it in paper towels or a clean tea towel.
• Add a bit of weight and let the towels absorb as much tofu liquid as possible - leave for 1-2 hours.
• In a food processor, chop the walnuts into fine crumbs and then set aside.
• Using the food processor, chop the onion and garlic.
• In a frying pan, sprayed with cooking spray, cook the onion, garlic and grated carrot for 5 minutes, until softened.
• In a large bowl, add the soy sauce, mustard, hot chili pepper sauce, dried basil, walnuts and cooked onion carrot mixture.
• Stir to combine.
• Crumble the tofu in a food processor and then add to the bowl, mixing everything together.
• Form four patties and place on a baking tray.
• Bake at 200C / 400F for 20 minutes, turning halfway through, until golden brown.
• Serve on whole wheat buns or with green vegetables. ENJOY!

Nutritional Information:

Crispy Breaded Tofu

These crispy breaded tofu fingers are a great snack, packed with protein. The nutritional yeast provides vitamin B12 and the bean liquid is an excellent egg replacement for coating the tofu fingers before rolling them in the bread-free 'breadcrumbs'! The recipe can easily be doubled for two servings. The 'breadcrumbs' can also be made in advance and stored in an airtight container until ready to use.

I made these tofu fingers at lunchtime to go on top of my salad. It was really quick to make and the hint of spice from the cayenne pepper tasted great with the nuttiness from the nutritional yeast. I always like to eat protein with my salads and so the tofu was a nice alternative to tuna, chicken or cottage cheese.

Crispy Breaded Tofu
Makes 1

Ingredients:
- 112g / 4oz tofu, firm, drained and pressed
- 30ml / 2tbsp bean liquid/aquafaba
- 8g / 1tbsp nutritional yeast
- 8g / 1tbsp corn starch
- 1/4tsp sage, dried
- 1/8tsp cayenne pepper
- ground black pepper

Method:

• Mix all the dry ingredients together.
• Cut the tofu into fingers.
• Dip the tofu fingers in the bean liquid.
• Roll the tofu in the 'breadcrumbs' and place in a frying pan sprayed with cooking spray.
• Cook for 5-10 minutes, turning halfway through, until the coated tofu is crisp and golden. ENJOY!

Nutritional Information:

Tofu Cherry Yogurt

It's clearly cherry season as I have several bags and have been trying to get creative with what I can do with them all. Previous recipes from this blog featuring cherries include:
Cherry and Rice Walnut Salad
Infused Spirits - Vodka
Cottage Cheese Cheesecakes - Lemon & Cherry

As the weather has been hot, I've really enjoyed eating the cherry and rice walnut salad. It also tastes great with Royal Black Quinoa instead of rice - extra nutty and crunchy! This year, in addition to baking cherries with quinoa, and making muffins, I blended them with soft tofu to make a delicious yogurt.

After eating Greek yogurt, I found on several occasions that I tend to break out in spots around my chin. Therefore, I have been trying non-dairy alternatives such as uncultured unsweetened coconut milk, as well as almond yogurt. This recipe below uses soft tofu and fresh cherries for a sweet and creamy yogurt version that still has protein - just like regular yogurt! It's also gluten free, low fat and low sodium - just tofu and fruit blended together. Although cherries are sweet, traditional yogurts with fruit are usually very high in sugar content, anywhere between 12-20g. A serving of tofu yogurt only has 6g.

I like to stir some of the yogurt into cereal (oats, grape nuts, shredded wheat), or add a few spoonfuls to a smoothie.

Tofu Cherry Yogurt
Makes 8 (70g per serving)

Ingredients:
- 225g / 8oz cherries
- 170g / 6oz tofu, soft
- 60g / 2oz pineapple chunks

Method:

• Pit and chop the cherries.
• Purée all ingredients together in a food processor until smooth.
• Pour into an airtight container and refrigerate. 
• Stir before serving. ENJOY!

Nutritional Information:

Tofu Gumbo

Gumbo is a traditional dish from southern Louisiana, usually featuring meat or shellfish, but my version below is a vegetarian alternative - using tofu!

The creole seasoning is easy to make using dried herbs and spices and gives the dish an authentic flavour. A Cajun gumbo is also a popular version, perhaps a bit spicier with a dark roux base.

Okra is traditionally used in Creole gumbo recipes, as it's a classic southern vegetable and used as a thickener, thanks to its slimy texture.  A nutritional breakdown of okra highlights its high fibre, vitamin C, and folate content. Okra is also known for being high in antioxidants and a good source of calcium and potassium.

I like to use two kinds of beans in this dish - to add flavour and colour - plus a variety of vegetables.

Tofu Gumbo

Makes 6

Ingredients:

Creole Seasoning

- 3-4tsp cayenne pepper
- 4tsp paprika
- 2tsp black pepper
- 2tsp basil, dried
- 2tsp thyme, dried
- 2tsp oregano, dried
- 2tsp garlic powder
- 2tsp onion powder

Gumbo

- 450g / 16oz tofu, drained and cubed

- 240g / 8.5oz onion, chopped

- 2 cloves garlic, chopped

- 100g / 3.5oz celery, chopped

- 195g / 7oz green pepper, chopped

- 40g / 1.5oz jalapeño, chopped

- 195g / 7oz okra, chopped

- 480ml / 16floz broth, reduced sodium

- 800g / 28.5oz / 2 can chopped tomatoes

- 335g / 12oz kale AND/OR spinach

- 420g / 15oz / 1 can red kidney beans

- 450g / 16oz / 1 can butter beans

Method:

• Combine all the spices and herbs to make the creole seasoning.
• In a frying pan, sprayed with cooking spray, cook the tofu until browned.
• In a large pan, sprayed with cooking spray, cook the onion and garlic for 3 minutes and then add the celery, pepper, jalapeño and creole seasoning. 
• Cook for 1 minute, stirring in water to avoid sticking. 
• Add the okra, broth and tomatoes to the pan and bring to the boil. 
• Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Add the kale, spinach, two kinds of beans and simmer for another 10 minutes.
• Finally stir in the tofu.
• Serve with parsley, if desired, brown rice or cauliflower rice. ENJOY!

Nutritional Information:

Nutty Tofu

We all know tofu is an excellent source of protein - just like meat, but without the cholesterol and animal fats (I'm thinking of red meats in this instance). In addition, it's great at absorbing liquids and flavours so it's ideal to add to any kind of sauce or marinade based dish.

Miso paste, soy sauce, spices such as cumin, turmeric and paprika are my favourite flavours to combine with tofu. This recipe has a variety of flavours: sweet (honey), savoury (soy sauce), nutty (nut buter) tart (vinegar) and spicy (red pepper flakes) flavours.

It was the first time for me to mix nut butter with tofu but I'll definitely be making this again. Besides the marinade time - one hour is ideal - it's a really simple and quick recipe. The tofu is great grilled on the BBQ or on the stove-top. I like to eat it with green vegetables or on top of a salad.

Nutty Grilled Tofu
Makes 4

Ingredients:
- 335g / 12oz tofu, firm
- 60ml / 4tbsp soy sauce, light
- 40g / 2 tbsp honey
- 30ml / 2tbsp vinegar (I use apple cider)
- 64g / 4tbsp nut butter (I use cashew or almond butter)
- 2tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 clove garlic, chopped

Method:

• Drain and slice the tofu.
• Mix all the remaining ingredients together.
• Marinade the tofu slices in a zipped-bag or sealed container for at least 30 minutes.
• Cook the tofu with the marinade for 10 minutes, flipping the slices halfway through.
• Serve with green vegetables or add to a salad. ENJOY!

Nutritional Information:

Soups

During the cold winter months, there's nothing more I love than a big bowl of homemade soup. Partly because it's so filling and nutritious. Partly because a really big bowl has less than 400 calories!

It's also really easy to make - mainly just boiling a pot of vegetables, adding some carbs like lentils or potatoes (both white and sweet), a few spices and herbs, plus broth for flavour and protein, in the form of fish, chicken or tofu. None of the soups I make have cream or added salt. I always ensure I use reduced sodium broth and no-salt-added canned tomatoes. Natural sugars from carrots, apple and sweet potato are perfect sweeteners. Some of the soups below are thickened with a cup of almond milk or some cashew cream (blended cashews in water).

When making soup at home, a hand-held stick blender is an essential tool. Once cooled, the soup can be bagged up and frozen for future meals.

Soups

Broccoli and Dill Soup

Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

Butternut Squash Soup

Carrot and Coriander Soup

Cauliflower and Chickpea Soup

Chicken and Potato Chili Soup

Indian Spiced Lentil and Vegetable Soup

Kale and Apple Soup

Miso Green Tea and Ginger Tofu Soup

Miso Soup

Moroccan Lentil Chicken Soup

Sweet Potato and Lentil Soup

White Bean Soup

Miso Green Tea and Ginger Tofu Soup

Instead of regular miso soup or heartier and thicker vegetable-blended soups, this recipe is a broth-based soup with vegetables, tofu and unique flavours - ginger and green tea!

I spiralized the courgette to make noodles, using blade C on my spiralizer. Chopped or julienne courgette will also be fine but the noodles are different.

Miso Green Tea and Ginger Tofu Soup
Makes 2
Click HERE for a printable recipe card.

Ingredients:
- 720ml / 24floz boiling water
- 2 green tea bags
- 56g / 2oz onion, chopped
- 1/2tsp ginger, ground
- 56g / 2oz / 1 stalk celery, chopped
- 85g / 3oz green pepper, chopped
- 240ml / 8floz chicken broth, reduced sodium
- 18g / 1tbsp miso paste (I use miso and easy)
- 260g / 9oz courgette, chopped or spirialized
- 170g / 6oz firm tofu, chopped
- 5ml / 1tsp soy sauce, light

Method:
Boil 3 cups (720ml) water and brew 2 green tea bags.

Cook onion, ginger, celery and pepper for 5 mins.

Add broth, green tea water. Add miso paste and whisk till dissolved.

Add courgette noodles and simmer on a low heat.

Meanwhile brown tofu in a teaspoon of soy sauce and then add to the soup.

ENJOY!
Click HERE for a printable recipe card.

Nutritional Information:

Tofu Vegetable Loaf

There's no need for meat when tofu is available! This loaf is a great source of protein and full of vegetables. It's low fat and low sugar. I eat this as a snack as it reheats easily and freezes well too.

Tofu Vegetable Loaf
Makes 6
Click HERE for a printable recipe card.

Ingredients:
- 140g / 5oz onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 110g / 4oz carrot, chopped or grated
- 130g / 4.5oz cauliflower rice (raw cauliflower blended in a food processor)
- 450g / 16oz tofu, firm and drained
- 70g / 2.5oz / 2 slices whole wheat bread crumbs
- 1 egg, beaten
- 15ml / 1tbsp soy sauce, light
- 66g / 4tbsp tomato paste
- 30ml / 2tbsp water
- 1tbsp dried parsley OR 1/4cup fresh parsley

Method:
In a pan sprayed with cooking spray, cook the onion, garlic, carrot and cauliflower rice until softened, about 7-10 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl.

In a food processor, pulse the tofu to break into crumbs.

Add the bread crumbs, egg, soy sauce, tomato paste and water.

Blend into a smooth purée and then add to the mixing bowl. Combine the tofu purée mix with the vegetable mix.

Spoon into a loaf pan lined with parchment paper and bake at 175C / 350F for 60 minutes, until golden brown and firm to touch.

Allow to cool on a wire rack and slice. ENJOY!

Click HERE for a printable recipe card.

Nutritional Information:

Vietnamese Pho Noodles

The recipe below is a vegetarian dish but shredded chicken can be added if meat is desired. The tofu is a great source of protein so meat isn't absolutely necessary.

It's a mix between a stir-fry and a broth-based soup, with as much or as little liquid being served as desired.

Vietnamese Pho Noodles
Makes 4
Click HERE for a printable recipe card.

Ingredients:
- 200g / 7oz rice noodles
- 300g / 10oz tofu, firm
- 15ml / 1tbsp olive oil
- 45ml / 3tbsp soy sauce, light
- 140g / 5oz onions, chopped
- 15g / 3tbsp ginger, chopped
- 140g / 5oz carrot, chopped
- 1/4tsp star anise
- 1/4tsp cinnamon
- 1tsp coriander
- 960ml / 32floz boiling water
- 140g / 5oz pepper, chopped
- 85g / 3oz / 2 stalks celery, chopped

Method:
Place noodles in a bowl of boiling water (about 2 quarts) for 10 minutes, until soft. Rinse under cold water and drain.

In a pan, heat 1/2tbsp oil and saute tofu, 5 mins either side. Then add in 1tbsp soy sauce.

In a wok or pan, heat 1/2tbsp oil and cook onion, carrot, ginger until nearly soft, approx. 5 mins. Add the spices and stir.

Add 4cups (960ml) boiling water and 2tbsp soy sauce. Simmer with lid on for 20 mins.

Add pepper, celery, tofu, drained noodles and simmer for another 5 mins.

Serve in a bowl with lime wedges and/or cilantro if desired. ENJOY!
Click HERE for a printable recipe card.

Nutritional Information: