Sweet Chili Lime Tofu with Quinoa

I enjoyed this dish. For Patrick, it was a little too flavorful so I would tone down the flavor next time. And I made okra for a side- the first time I’ve ever made this south treat! I just tossed it in the oven with a little olive oil and it was lovely!

Sweet Chili Lime Tofu
Serves 2-3

1 Block Tofu, extra firm, 14 oz

Sweet Chili Lime Sauce

3 Tbs Sugar
3 Tbs Reduced Sodium Tamari (or soy sauce)
1 3/4 Tbs Fresh Lime Juice
1/2 Zest of the Lime
1/2 tsp Red Chili Flakes (or 1-2 fresh hot chilies, minced)
1 Clove Garlic, pressed, optional
1/4 tsp Salt
4 Mint Leaves,

Directions

Prepare the sweet chili lime sauce by whisking all of the ingredients together until the sugar

Drain tofu and cut it into small triangles. I slice the block into 8 rectangles, then each rectangle in half to make two squares per rectangle. I cut each square diagonally to make four triangles per square.

Heat a well-seasoned cast iron or non-stick skillet over medium heat. In order to properly “dry fry” the tofu, you’ll need a pan the tofu won’t stick to even without any oil.

Spread the tofu out in one layer in the pan. Using a spatula, press the tofu. The liquid will squeeze out and boil away, and the tofu will begin to turn golden. The more water that evaporates, the sturdier the tofu will be, so be gentle at first to prevent the tofu from breaking up. After several minutes, flip the tofu over and press the other side, about 10 minutes of frying.

Add the sauce and stir to coat the tofu. Turn off the heat. The sauce will bubble up, reduce, and form a glaze. If it isn’t bubbling up and forming a glaze, turn the heat back on high and cook until it becomes a glaze.

Egg-less Vegetable Quiche

Another favorite, and a different way to make a quiche.

Egg-less Vegetable Quiche

Crust:

• 1 c. Whole wheat flour
• 1/2 c.  Oats
• 1/2 tsp. Salt
• 1/2 tsp. Baking powder
• 1/3 c.  Olive oil/melted butter
• 1/2 cup water/milk

For the Crust:

1. Dry roast oats (not necessary though) for a few minutes. Grind oats with flour, salt, baking powder. (Oops, I didn’t’ have a blender so I just mixed them and the oats were larger in the crust. I had to add more flour to make the crust a better consistency.)
2.  Add oil/butter and toss until resembles breadcrumbs.  Add water or milk. Make a hard dough; increase the quantity of liquid if needed for a firm dough.
3.  Roll out dough and place in a pie pan. Put small holes in the bottom with a fork.
4. Bake the pastry shell for about 10-15 minutes at 400°F till crust is golden brown.

Filling:

• 1 c. Spinach, washed and shredded
• 1/2 c.  bell pepper, diced
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 cloves Garlic, minced
• 1 tsp. red chili flakes
• 1/2 tsp. dry herbs: thyme, basil, etc.
• 1/2 c. Tofu
• 2 TBSP Olive oil
• Salt as desired
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper
• 1/2 c.  Cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1 TBSP Milk

Could also add mushrooms or other vegetables to quiche. Cottage cheese could be a replacement for cheddar cheese, just mix it in with the filling.

For the Filling:

1.  Heat oil and sauté onion and garlic. Add the pepper and cook for one minute. Add spinach & salt and cook for another minute. Take the filling out from the stove and cool it a little. A little extra water from the cooked spinach is ok and should be taken care of by baking the quiche.
2. Crumble the tofu, mix it with milk, and add it to the cooked spinach mix.
3. Pour the cooked spinach mix over the pre baked tart shell. Sprinkle crushed pepper and herbs over the spread and add the grated cheese on top of the assembled quiche.
4. Bake the quiche for 40-50 minutes at 375°F or till done. Cool it for 10 -15 minutes before slicing the quiche.