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

Vegetarian “Oyster” Sauce

Vegetarian “Oyster” Sauce

I do really like oyster sauce, and use it in a lot of Asian inspired recipes. However, the commercial versions are not vegetarian and frequently have lots of corn syrup and/or sugar added to them. This does not taste exactly like oyster sauce (which is not surprising given that a lot of the flavor does come from oysters) but does make for a fantastic substitute and very tasty sauce. You can add it to stir fries, drizzle it on cooked vegetables, serve with seafood, chicken, sliders, or burgers, and of course, use it as a substitute for traditional oyster sauce. This is exactly how I make it every time, and I think it is the best version I have tried, but you can make a very good sauce using other types of broth or bouillon. If you cannot find the black beans, you can use a brown or black bean sauce that you can find in the Asian section of your local grocery store – but they almost always have sugar or corn syrup added to them. I love the Better Than Bouillon soup bases, and use them all the time – but you can use your favorite broth, stock, or bouillon – just make sure it is a very strong ½ cup of broth that you end up starting with.

½ cup plus 1 tablespoon water, divided
2 teaspoons vegetarian beef, mushroom, or vegetable bouillon concentrate (for testing we used Vegetarian “No Beef” Better Than Bouillon) (20 calories, 2 grams protein)
2 finely ground Chinese fermented black beans(35 calories, 4 grams protein)
1 tablespoon granular sugar substitute (for testing we used Erythritol) (5 calories)
2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce (20 calories, 2 grams protein)
1 tablespoon mirin (25 calories)
1 ½ teaspoons cornstarch (8 calories)


Heat ½ cup water to boiling in a small, heavy saucepan and add the bouillon and black beans. Bring to a boil, then add the soy sauce, mirin, and sugar substitute. Return to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for at least 15 minutes. Before serving or preparing to chill for future use, mix together the remaining tablespoon water and cornstarch in a small bowl and whisk into the sauce. Cook, stirring constantly, over medium heat until the sauce has thickened. Serve immediately, or cool and store in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Makes about 1 cup sauce.

Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

113 calories and 8 grams protein total
14 calories and 1 gram protein per tablespoon

Cold Asian Tofu Salad

Cold Asian Tofu Salad

Another recipe designed for vegetarians, but surprisingly popular with meat eaters, this salad can be mixed up from start to finish in less than five minutes and makes for a great side dish or main meal – especially on hot summer nights like this one. This recipe makes about two cups of salad, which I will usually serve on tender lettuce leaves. You can either eat the salad and the lettuce separate, cut them up into small pieces, or do what I like best which is to use the lettuce to make a low-calorie wrap-like sandwich. If you cannot find red pepper seasoned rice vinegar, you can use seasoned or plain rice vinegar and add hot peppers or additional cayenne pepper to taste. Roasted garlic seasoned rice vinegar also makes for a great dressing, and so does the addition of some roasted or fresh finely minced garlic. You should not toss together the salad in advance, but you can dice the tofu and mix the dressing ahead of time and just toss together quickly before serving. If you want to add some more vegetables, cucumbers, mushrooms, spinach, bean sprouts, and radishes are a few favorites – although almost any fresh, raw vegetable can work well. If you have the extra calories to work with, a tiny drizzle of toasted sesame oil makes for a nice touch. Likewise, to cut calories, you can omit the sesame seeds.

1 block of firm tofu (Nigari) (228 calories, 26.4 grams protein)
2 tablespoons red pepper seasoned rice wine vinegar (for testing we used Roland Crushed Red Pepper Seasoned Rice Wine Vinegar (40 calories)
2 tablespoons soy sauce (16 calories, 2 grams protein)
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro or parsley
2 sliced scallions (10 calories, .6 grams protein)
1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger (or to taste)
Dash cayenne pepper
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
8 leaves of Boston or Bibb lettuce
1/2 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds (for testing we toasted Bob's Red Mill Sesame Seeds(23 calories, .8 grams protein)

Pat the tofu dry on paper towels, dice, and set aside. In a medium bowl whisk together the vinegar, soy sauce, cilantro, ginger, and scallions until well-mixed. Taste and adjust the amount of salt, cayenne, and black pepper if needed. Add the tofu and toss well to coat with the dressing. Spoon the mixture into the lettuce leaf cups and sprinkle with the sesame seeds.

Makes 4 ½ cup servings.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
317 calories, 29 grams protein total
79 calories, 7.25 grams protein per serving

Asian Style Shrimp and Scallion Frittata

Asian Style Shrimp and Scallion Frittata

I know, Frittatas are technically Italian, but who can resist this savory combo of flavors? The simple combination of creamy eggs, sweet shrimp, fresh scallions, and a bit of Asian seasonings makes for a fantastic breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Frittatas offer infinite variations, and this one is no exception. You can use crab or lobster in place of the shrimp, can add other vegetables (asparagus is another favorite), skip or increase the amount of cream cheese, and if your diet allows for it, use regular cream cheese or add extra butter for a more traditional-style Frittata. You can also use your favorite milk and yogurt with excellent results. My favorite thing about Frittatas is how versatile they are. You can eat them hot, warm, at room temperature, or chilled and they store well tightly wrapped in the refrigerator and even freeze well, making them perfect for bariatric kitchens. I wrap individual wedges well in plastic wrap and then place the wedges in a heavy freezer bag. They will freeze well for up to two months. If you get overly enthusiastic when mixing the eggs and they start breaking up and resembling scrambled eggs, you can either finish scrambling them in the pan and serve them that way, or you can try to meld the ingredients back together by adding another beaten egg and seeing if you can glue it all back together before placing it back in the oven. Your end result might not be as pretty, but it certainly be just as tasty. I cut these into twelve slices for bariatric-friendly servings, but a “regular” serving would be two slices.

6 eggs or 1 ½ cups egg substitute (for testing I used egg substitute) (201 calories, 45.2 grams protein)
1/4 cup regular or low fat milk or soy milk (for testing I used regular soy milk) (66 calories, 4 grams protein)
1/4 cup fat free Greek yogurt (60 calories, 11 grams protein)
2 tablespoons soy sauce (16 calories, 2 grams protein)
2 teaspoons sesame oil (for testing we used Kevala Organic Toasted Sesame Oil (87 calories)
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Dash cayenne
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon margarine or butter (for testing I used 1 tablespoon light butter) (50 calories)
1 tablespoon olive or other cooking oil (119 calories)
½ cup sliced scallions (white and green parts divided) (16 calories, 1 gram protein)
2 minced garlic cloves
3/4 pound peeled and deveined small shrimp (320 calories, 72 grams protein)
2 ounces cubed light cream cheese (148 calories, 5.6 grams protein)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Mix together the eggs, milk, yogurt, soy sauce, sesame oil, and spices in a medium bowl and set aside. Heat a large, heavy oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Melt the butter and olive oil together in the pan, and once hot add the white part of the scallions and the garlic and saute for 1-2 minutes, or until the scallions are starting to soften and the garlic is transparent. Add the shrimp and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring continually, until the shrimp is mostly pink on the outside. Add the egg mixture and cook until the eggs are just starting to set, only stirring gently to move the eggs around and to prevent sticking. Make sure not to over mix the eggs – you do not want them to resemble scrambled eggs. Fold in the cream cheese and reserved green scallions and place in the preheated oven. Bake for 8-12 minutes, or until the eggs and shrimp are cooked through and the edges are lightly browned. Let cool in the pan for at least 3-5 minutes to make removing from the pan easier. Remove from the pan and cut into 12 wedges.

Makes 12 servings.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 25 minutes
Cooling Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes

1083 calories, 116.8 grams protein total
90.3 calories, 11.7 grams protein per serving