Strawberry-Watermelon Frozen Yogurt
I have been on a frozen yogurt kick recently. Partly because I bought a whole ton on sale. And partly because I dropped my ice cream maker and broke the cover. Which was a major tragedy and the week it has taken to get my replacement lid has been an eternity given the 95+ degree temperatures. Since my experiments with chocolate ice cream made without my beloved ice cream maker produced an ice cream that was OK, but not fantastic, frozen yogurt seemed like a good idea. You could probably toss this in an ice cream maker, but the resulting frozen yogurt has a great texture as is - as long as you eat it soft or semi-soft. If it freezes too long it becomes very hard and can be trickier to soften than ice cream. If you want to make it in advance, consider using some higher fat yogurt for a creamier consistency. If you do not have frozen fruit you can use several ice cubes with fresh fruit. I freeze my own fruit, but if you can find frozen melon and berries (without added sugar) you can certainly use them.
1/2 cup frozen watermelon cubes (23 calories, 0.5 grams protein)
1/3 cup frozen sliced strawberries (16 calories, 0.3 grams protein)
1/2 cup fat free Greek yogurt (120 calories, 21.25 grams protein)
1/2 scoop vanilla protein powder (for testing we used Unjury Vanilla Whey Protein Powder (50 calories, 10 grams protein)
1 tablespoon sugar substitute (for testing we used liquid Splenda and liquid Stevia)
Dash salt
Add the watermelon and strawberries to a blender or food processor and whirl until the fruit is pulverized. Add the rest of the ingredients and blend until the mixture is thick and smooth. Scoop into a bowl and serve immediately, or freeze for up to an hour before enjoying.
Makes 1 serving.
Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
209 calories, 32 grams protein
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Garlic-Broccoli Tofu Stir Fry
Garlic-Broccoli Tofu Stir Fry
I love tofu, as long as it is accompanied by some tasty flavors and other ingredients. Because let's face it, plain tofu on its own is kind of gross! However, this recipe has been known to convert even the most ardent tofu-haters into tofu-likers. I suppose tofu-lover conversion was a bit too optimistic, but I still take this recipe as a “win.” There are a few key things to do for the best possible stir fry. Most important is to take the time to “firm up” the tofu so it is as firm as possible. If you have never done this, read my How To Firm Up Tofu Tutorial. I usually start preparing the tofu the night before, but you can always do the tofu and then start prepping the rest of the vegetables and that is usually long enough to firm up the tofu enough to make a difference. Try to find the oyster sauce with the least amount of sugar – or go ahead and make our tasty Vegetarian “Oyster” Sauce which is not only vegetarian, it has no added sugars. There is a lot of garlic in this recipe. A whole head! If you are not a garlic fan, use less. If you adore garlic like my husband does, go ahead and add more. But be forewarned – it will be quite spicy. I like adding some Chinese hot peppers but the vast majority of my testers declared that to be much too hot for them combined with the garlic. You can also double the veggies, but that does lower the protein count so decide what is best for your personal eating plan. I saute everything in a spritz or two of a high-heat tolerant cooking oil spray – normally Grapeseed Oil – but you can use your favorite non-stick cooking spray or else a tablespoon or two of oil if you have the calories and fat to spare for the day. This will result in a crispier tofu, but the overall flavor of the rest of the dish is not changed. A good quality broth does make a difference, and using one that is not too salty is ideal as the oyster sauce has quite a bit of salt in it.
Cooking oil or non-stick cooking spray (for testing we used a one second spray of Grapeseed Oil)
1 14-ounce package extra firm tofu, compressed and cubed (400 calories, 40 grams protein)
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 diced onion (44 calories, 1.2 grams protein)
1 diced red bell pepper (30 calories, 1 gram protein)
1 head peeled and crushed garlic cloves (or to taste) (39 calories, 1.8 grams protein)
¼ cup oyster sauce (for testing we used our recipe for Vegetarian “Oyster” Sauce) (56 calories, 4 grams protein)
2 cups broccoli florets (60 calories, 5 grams protein)
1/3 cup vegetable, chicken, or mushroom broth (for testing we used 1/3 cup water and 1 teaspoon Vegetarian “No Beef” Better Than Bouillon) (10 calories, 1 gram protein)
Heat a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Lightly grease the pan with a small amount of cooking oil or with non-stick cooking spray. Add the tofu, season with salt and pepper, and quickly brown on all sides. Remove the tofu from the pan, leaving any oil or liquid in the pan. Add the onion and saute for 5-7 minutes, or until the onion is soft and translucent. Add the bell pepper and garlic and saute for 2-3 minutes more, or until the garlic is fragrant. Mix in the oyster sauce, then return the tofu to the pan, then add the broccoli and broth. Turn the heat up to high and bring the mixture to a boil. Cook until the broccoli is tender, but not mushy, and the sauce has thickened. Serve hot.
Makes six servings.
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
639 calories and 54 grams protein total
106.5 calories and 9 grams protein per serving
I love tofu, as long as it is accompanied by some tasty flavors and other ingredients. Because let's face it, plain tofu on its own is kind of gross! However, this recipe has been known to convert even the most ardent tofu-haters into tofu-likers. I suppose tofu-lover conversion was a bit too optimistic, but I still take this recipe as a “win.” There are a few key things to do for the best possible stir fry. Most important is to take the time to “firm up” the tofu so it is as firm as possible. If you have never done this, read my How To Firm Up Tofu Tutorial. I usually start preparing the tofu the night before, but you can always do the tofu and then start prepping the rest of the vegetables and that is usually long enough to firm up the tofu enough to make a difference. Try to find the oyster sauce with the least amount of sugar – or go ahead and make our tasty Vegetarian “Oyster” Sauce which is not only vegetarian, it has no added sugars. There is a lot of garlic in this recipe. A whole head! If you are not a garlic fan, use less. If you adore garlic like my husband does, go ahead and add more. But be forewarned – it will be quite spicy. I like adding some Chinese hot peppers but the vast majority of my testers declared that to be much too hot for them combined with the garlic. You can also double the veggies, but that does lower the protein count so decide what is best for your personal eating plan. I saute everything in a spritz or two of a high-heat tolerant cooking oil spray – normally Grapeseed Oil – but you can use your favorite non-stick cooking spray or else a tablespoon or two of oil if you have the calories and fat to spare for the day. This will result in a crispier tofu, but the overall flavor of the rest of the dish is not changed. A good quality broth does make a difference, and using one that is not too salty is ideal as the oyster sauce has quite a bit of salt in it.
Cooking oil or non-stick cooking spray (for testing we used a one second spray of Grapeseed Oil)
1 14-ounce package extra firm tofu, compressed and cubed (400 calories, 40 grams protein)
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 diced onion (44 calories, 1.2 grams protein)
1 diced red bell pepper (30 calories, 1 gram protein)
1 head peeled and crushed garlic cloves (or to taste) (39 calories, 1.8 grams protein)
¼ cup oyster sauce (for testing we used our recipe for Vegetarian “Oyster” Sauce) (56 calories, 4 grams protein)
2 cups broccoli florets (60 calories, 5 grams protein)
1/3 cup vegetable, chicken, or mushroom broth (for testing we used 1/3 cup water and 1 teaspoon Vegetarian “No Beef” Better Than Bouillon) (10 calories, 1 gram protein)
Heat a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Lightly grease the pan with a small amount of cooking oil or with non-stick cooking spray. Add the tofu, season with salt and pepper, and quickly brown on all sides. Remove the tofu from the pan, leaving any oil or liquid in the pan. Add the onion and saute for 5-7 minutes, or until the onion is soft and translucent. Add the bell pepper and garlic and saute for 2-3 minutes more, or until the garlic is fragrant. Mix in the oyster sauce, then return the tofu to the pan, then add the broccoli and broth. Turn the heat up to high and bring the mixture to a boil. Cook until the broccoli is tender, but not mushy, and the sauce has thickened. Serve hot.
Makes six servings.
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
639 calories and 54 grams protein total
106.5 calories and 9 grams protein per serving
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
How to Firm Up Tofu
How to Firm Up Tofu
Years ago I had a friend tell me that compressing tofu and removing as much liquid made a huge difference in the texture and consistency. I was doubtful, but luckily I followed her advice and agree – it does make a huge difference. Now I always do it when I need to work with a firm tofu – whether it is frying, grilling, baking, or even eating diced in a warm or cold salad. It does not take much work, and the long preparation time is simply because the more it sits, the more solid it will become. I like to let the tofu compress for 24 hours, but even as little as half an hour can make a big difference! Patting the whole block and even the chunks or diced pieces dry with several paper towels does also help a lot, especially if you are browning it rather than cooking it over moist heat.
The concept is quite simple – put a heavy object on the tofu and allow the liquid to drain from the tofu. If you leave the tofu sitting in the water that is pressed out it will just reabsorb it all. Another key component is that, unless you are only compressing for two or less hours, you will need to refrigerate the tofu and somehow make sure the tofu is wrapped to make sure it will not absorb random flavors from your fridge.
Doing this can be a little bit tricky, and it took a while to figure out a way to arrange things. I started out using a regular, large strainer with a rounded bottom placed in a huge plastic bowl with a lid. It worked, but the tofu did not compress as well because it was not on a flat surface and the bowl took up a huge amount of room in my refrigerator. I then bought a collapsible strainer - which I left collapsed to make a flatter surface, which worked better and took up less space – but it still took up a lot of space and it did not drain as well.
The third thing I used was a old stainless steel vegetable steamer (without any posts) like this one. That was OK, but not perfect – it took up a lot less room, but still did not provide a flat surface.
The fourth, and final solution, which I have been using for over three years now is an 11” silicone vegetable steamer It is the perfect size, and because it is silicone it presses perfectly flat under the weight of the tofu so you get the best compression – while also being soft and flexible enough to conform to whatever size container you have on hand to store the tofu in.
Other people use all sorts of different things, from a splatter guard, mesh wrapped around the edge of a bowl, even a plastic plate that they poked holes into – but the key thing is to make sure the tofu can drain well and not pick up any funky odors from the fridge. You can also wrap the tofu and strainer in a plastic bag or plastic wrap rather than using a container and just place whatever you are using to weigh down the tofu on top of the plastic.
And speaking of whatever to use to compress the tofu – there are lots of options. Basically anything heavy works great! I typically just throw a 10” plate on top and pile random jars and bottles that are already in my fridge on top of it, but I know people use books, bricks, stones, a bowl full of water, heavy pans, and in one memorable story, a toddler who was on “time out.”
While this description seems to take forever, the process really is simple and takes about two minutes to put together.
1. Find a surface that will strain out the liquid the tofu will release and place it on a plate or bowl that can catch that liquid.
2. If your straining surface is large enough, cut your tofu in half to form two flat, wide rectangles. If you have a larger surface, cut your tofu into even smaller pieces. Place all the pieces on the straining surface.
3. If refrigerating, place everything in an airtight container (leaving room for whatever you are going to use as a compression weight), tightly seal it in a plastic bag, or wrap it with plastic wrap.
4. Place a plate, bowl, pan, or pot with a flat bottom larger than the surface area of the tofu on top of the tofu. Fill with whatever heavy things you have on hand.
5. Let sit for at least one hour, and up to 48 hours. If you are compressing for more than 2 hours, make sure to place the tofu in the refrigerator.
6. Before cooking, pat the rectangles dry with paper towels or clean dish towels. Cut the tofu as directed in your recipe and then pat thoroughly dry again.
Years ago I had a friend tell me that compressing tofu and removing as much liquid made a huge difference in the texture and consistency. I was doubtful, but luckily I followed her advice and agree – it does make a huge difference. Now I always do it when I need to work with a firm tofu – whether it is frying, grilling, baking, or even eating diced in a warm or cold salad. It does not take much work, and the long preparation time is simply because the more it sits, the more solid it will become. I like to let the tofu compress for 24 hours, but even as little as half an hour can make a big difference! Patting the whole block and even the chunks or diced pieces dry with several paper towels does also help a lot, especially if you are browning it rather than cooking it over moist heat.
The concept is quite simple – put a heavy object on the tofu and allow the liquid to drain from the tofu. If you leave the tofu sitting in the water that is pressed out it will just reabsorb it all. Another key component is that, unless you are only compressing for two or less hours, you will need to refrigerate the tofu and somehow make sure the tofu is wrapped to make sure it will not absorb random flavors from your fridge.
Doing this can be a little bit tricky, and it took a while to figure out a way to arrange things. I started out using a regular, large strainer with a rounded bottom placed in a huge plastic bowl with a lid. It worked, but the tofu did not compress as well because it was not on a flat surface and the bowl took up a huge amount of room in my refrigerator. I then bought a collapsible strainer - which I left collapsed to make a flatter surface, which worked better and took up less space – but it still took up a lot of space and it did not drain as well.
The third thing I used was a old stainless steel vegetable steamer (without any posts) like this one. That was OK, but not perfect – it took up a lot less room, but still did not provide a flat surface.
The fourth, and final solution, which I have been using for over three years now is an 11” silicone vegetable steamer It is the perfect size, and because it is silicone it presses perfectly flat under the weight of the tofu so you get the best compression – while also being soft and flexible enough to conform to whatever size container you have on hand to store the tofu in.
Other people use all sorts of different things, from a splatter guard, mesh wrapped around the edge of a bowl, even a plastic plate that they poked holes into – but the key thing is to make sure the tofu can drain well and not pick up any funky odors from the fridge. You can also wrap the tofu and strainer in a plastic bag or plastic wrap rather than using a container and just place whatever you are using to weigh down the tofu on top of the plastic.
And speaking of whatever to use to compress the tofu – there are lots of options. Basically anything heavy works great! I typically just throw a 10” plate on top and pile random jars and bottles that are already in my fridge on top of it, but I know people use books, bricks, stones, a bowl full of water, heavy pans, and in one memorable story, a toddler who was on “time out.”
While this description seems to take forever, the process really is simple and takes about two minutes to put together.
1. Find a surface that will strain out the liquid the tofu will release and place it on a plate or bowl that can catch that liquid.
2. If your straining surface is large enough, cut your tofu in half to form two flat, wide rectangles. If you have a larger surface, cut your tofu into even smaller pieces. Place all the pieces on the straining surface.
3. If refrigerating, place everything in an airtight container (leaving room for whatever you are going to use as a compression weight), tightly seal it in a plastic bag, or wrap it with plastic wrap.
4. Place a plate, bowl, pan, or pot with a flat bottom larger than the surface area of the tofu on top of the tofu. Fill with whatever heavy things you have on hand.
5. Let sit for at least one hour, and up to 48 hours. If you are compressing for more than 2 hours, make sure to place the tofu in the refrigerator.
6. Before cooking, pat the rectangles dry with paper towels or clean dish towels. Cut the tofu as directed in your recipe and then pat thoroughly dry again.
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