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.

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

Roasted Pepper “Cocktail” Sauce

Roasted Pepper “Cocktail” Sauce

This is one of those “happy accident” recipes. I wanted a sauce for shrimp that was a bit different than a typical cocktail sauce and had planned on making a tomato-horseradish-yogurt sauce. Except I did not have any tomatoes or even tomato-based products in the house. I did have some fresh basil and oregano and some leftover roasted peppers, so I decided to have some fun! The result was a little different (and I strongly do not suggest try mixing horseradish, basil and oregano. Yuk.) but there was potential and with a few changes I ended up with a great, high protein alternative to cocktail sauce. It is great with shrimp, crab (real or artificial), and lots of other cooked fish and seafood – with tilapia and cod being two other favorites. I also really like it on celery, but I have some oddball taste buds and my other taste testers were not big fans of the combo. I have made it with both jarred roasted red peppers in water and freshly roasted peppers with good results. If using commercial peppers, just try to piece together about four peppers from the pieces in your jars – it should be about 1 1/3 jars, but it depends on the brand and how tightly packed they are. Want even more protein? This sauce thoroughly covers the taste of protein powder if you need an extra boost. It is also gentler on some stomachs than traditional cocktail sauce, and you can make it even kinder by reducing the amount of horseradish. If you do not have fresh parsley, just omit it rather than using dried parsley. The sauce will still be tasty – but is tastier with it. The sauce is even better if you can make it at least four hours in advance, and you can make it up to three days ahead of time – just stir it well before serving it.

4 medium roasted red bell peppers (about 2 pounds) or 1-2 12-ounce jars drained roasted red peppers in water (for testing we used fresh peppers) (148 calories, 4.8 grams protein)
1/4 cup fat free Greek yogurt (60 calories, 10.6 grams protein)
2-3 tablespoons prepared horseradish (21 calories, .6 grams protein)
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons crushed garlic cloves
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Combine all of the ingredients in a food processor or blender and process until smooth. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate for up to three days before serving, mixing quickly with a spoon right before serving.

Makes 10 servings.

Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes

229 calories and 16 grams protein total
22.9 calories and 1.6 grams protein per serving

Broiled Lemon Brown “Sugar” Sole

Broiled Lemon Brown “Sugar” Sole

Simple, quick, and easy, this was another pre-op recipe that was super-easy to convert to a WLS recipe – and is just as tasty! You can use any other white fish, such as cod, flounder, or tilapia with good results. I do use non-stick cooking spray, but I do also love using an Olive Oil Mist to grease pans, especially when broiling. Not only does it prevent the fish from sticking, it is less likely to burn under the broiler. I have also made this fish on the grill, fried it in a pan, and baked it – the marinade is very good no matter how you cook it. Do not let the fish too long in the marinade or it will start to “cook” in the lemon juice and will end up with an odd, rubbery texture.

1 pound sole fillets (528 calories, 109 grams protein)
Zest and juice from 1 lemon (divided) (20 calories)
2 tablespoons brown sugar substitute (for testing we used Ideal Brown No Calorie Sweetener)
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil (40 calories)
Salt
Freshly ground pepper


Rinse the sole well and pat dry. Place the fillets in a single layer in a shallow pie plate or bowl. In a small bowl mix together the lemon juice, brown sugar substitute, olive oil, salt and pepper. Pour the marinade over the fish. Flip over to coat well. Place in the refrigerator and marinade for 15-20 minutes, but for no more than 30 minutes. Preheat your broiler on “high” and liberally grease a broiler-safe pan with an olive oil or non-stick cooking spray. Place the fish on the pan and broil for 4-6 minutes. Flip the fish, coat with the remaining marinade, and broil for another 4-5 minutes, or until the fish is cooked through, making sure not to overcook. Sprinkle with the reserved lemon zest before serving.

Makes 5 servings.

Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Marinating Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

588 calories and 109 grams protein total
117.6 calories and 21.8 grams protein per serving

Roasted Peppers

Roasted Peppers

I adore roasted peppers. I love the intense flavor, the smell of them roasting, and the diversity of the many ways you can use them. I roast all different types, from fragrant red bell peppers to fiery hot Scotch bonnet peppers. You can roast virtually any type of pepper – just be very careful when handling hotter peppers, both in preparation and when opening the oven door. I once got a lungful of very, very hot peppery air and it was not very pleasant. I like roasting bell peppers best because I love their smoky sweet flavor, but Italian sweet peppers, Anaheim peppers, and all of my favorite hot peppers work great when roasted. You can use these peppers in hundreds of recipes. If they hang around long enough. If you make large batches, they do freeze well, can be canned, and store for quite a while in the refrigerator. For canning and chilling, cover them with water with a drop or two of vinegar or lemon juice added. For freezing, I freeze them on baking sheets in different portions (whole pepper, half pepper, chunks, etc.) and then package them in freezer bags once they are frozen solid.

Peppers (any variety of shapes, sizes, colors, and varieties depending on recipe)

Preheat your broiler and line a heavy broiler-safe baking sheet with foil. Halve the peppers lengthwise. Remove all of the seeds and the membranes. Place the peppers, cut side down, on the prepared baking sheet. Gently press down and flatten the peppers to provide a flat broiling surface. Broil 4 inches from the broiler until the peppers are blackened and charred. If some peppers cook sooner, remove them from the baking sheet and return the rest of the peppers to the oven. Place the roasted peppers in a heavy duty plastic bag with the seal tightly closed for 20 minutes. Do not skip this step as this "steaming" period is what makes the skin easily removed from the peppers. Peel the peppers and discard the skin. Eat the peppers plain, store for later, or use in a wide variety of recipes.

Slow Cooker Creamy Salsa Chicken

Slow Cooker Creamy Salsa Chicken

This favorite pre-op slow cooker recipe was very easy to modify for my new diet – and is still just as easy and tasty! You can use chicken or turkey tenders or boneless thighs in this recipe, and can also use frozen chicken – and just add 2-4 hours to the cooking time. I usually make it this way and it does result in a slightly moister chicken, and makes it a snap to put it again if you forget to take the meat out of the freezer. I love using homemade salsa, and usually use my Quick Salsa, but you can use any commercial salsa – just make sure to check for added sugars or corn syrup as many commercial salsas do have them added. If you would rather have a thicker sauce, drain some of the liquid from the salsa before adding it as the sauce will not thicken or reduce as it cooks. I usually will add a generous amount of hot peppers or hot sauce when serving and top with yogurt – but your favorite cheese, sour cream, scallions, cilantro, or other typical Mexican toppings are great to add as well. This does freeze very well, and tastes better the next day if you want to make it ahead of time.

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (for testing we used 2 pounds) (1024 calories, 184 grams protein)
4 cups salsa (for testing we used our Quick Salsa) (265 calories, 8.3 grams protein)
2 15-ounce cans drained and rinsed black soy beans or black beans (for testing we used black soy beans) (880 calories, 77 grams protein)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 3-ounce package light or regular cream cheese (for testing we used Neufchatel 1/3 less fat cream cheese) (210 calories, 6 grams protein)

Combine the chicken, salsa, beans, and spices in a slow cooker and mix to combine. Cover and cook on high for 4-6 hours or low for 6-8 hours. Add the cream cheese and stir until the cream cheese melts and forms a smooth, creamy sauce.

Makes 12 servings.

Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 4 hours
Total Time: 4 hours, 5 minutes

2379 calories, 275 grams protein total
198.25 calories, 22.9 grams protein per serving

Quick Salsa

Quick Salsa

This is my favorite quick recipe for salsa. I do love a salsa made with fresh tomatoes, but not only does it take longer to make, it also requires good tomatoes, which have a very short window of opportunity here. You can finely dice the ingredients and toss them in a bowl if you do not have a food processor or blender. I love the Muir Glen Fire Roasted Tomatoes - or more accurately, I am addicted to them, but you can use your favorite diced canned tomatoes. You can use any type of onion you like – regular, sweet, or red and can also use a bunch of scallions instead. Your favorite chile peppers, or a blend of chile peppers, sweet peppers, or fresh cilantro (or less traditionally, Mexican oregano or parsley) can all be added as well for great variations. Depending on how thick you want your salsa to be, you can drain some or all of the liquid from the tomatoes before adding them to the food processor. I usually drain the first can completely, then drain the liquid from the second can into the empty first can and then add just enough until it is the consistency I want it to be. However, especially when I am using this salsa for soups or other dishes that need liquid, I will keep all the liquid. This is best made at least a few hours in advance and can be stored for a week in the refrigerator.

1 large onion (44 calories, 1.2 grams protein)
3 jalapeno peppers (12 calories, .6 grams protein)
3 peeled garlic cloves (12 calories, .6 grams protein)
2 14.5-ounce cans diced fire roasted or regular tomatoes (for testing we used Muir Glen Fire Roasted Tomatoes) (240 calories, 8 grams protein)
3 tablespoons lime juice (23 calories)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Sugar substitute equal to 1 teaspoon sugar (for testing we used liquid stevia)
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Cut the onion if needed to fit into your blender or food processor and add it along with the jalapenos and garlic to a blender or food processor. Process until the onion and peppers are very finely minced. Add the remaining ingredients and pulse until the mixture is well-mixed. Serve immediately, or chill for several hours and serve cold or at room temperature.

Makes about 5 cups salsa.

Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes

331 calories, 10.4 grams protein total

16.6 calories, .5 grams protein per ¼ cup serving