Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Tofu remix

Remixes, mash ups, duets... all things that I am known to enjoy. Nicki Minaj and Eminem doing a duet? I may or may not know all of the words. Girl Talk on repeat in my car for years on end? You bet! A cowboy and a stripper falling in love? It's the most perfect love there is!

Tofu scramble? Don't mind if I do!

Now just like scrambled eggs, tofu scrambles are delicious with a Mexican flair. Like, getting drunk at a complimentary happy hour at Le Méridian Cancun delicious. Freshly tanned babe next to you on a Mexican beach delicious.


While nothing in the world compares to those aforementioned Mexican luxuries, this Mexican scramble comes pretty close. In fact, I promise that it you will enjoy it more than an actual breakfast in Mexico.

This is the perfect powerhouse breakfast, and I will take it over scrambled eggs any day. It is way healthier than eggs: none of the fat from eggs upsetting your gut micro biome and all of the soy isoflavones protecting your body. It's a win-win situation! All of the components of this dish work so harmoniously together, just like a cooking team where one suggests making a tofu scramble, and then the  other makes it, and then the initial thinker does some counting while watching the other cook it. It just works :-).


This scramble gets it's Mexican flair from Penzey's Taco Seasoning. I swear, if I could live with only 1 spice mix the rest of my life, it would be this one. Since most of you probably don't have this, these are the ingredients: paprika, salt, onions, lactose, dextrose, corn flour, (corn, lime) tomato powder, cumin, garlic, oregano, black pepper, cocoa powder,  and allspice. My recommendation would be to give your tofu scramble a dash (a teaspoon, perhaps) of as many of those spices as you have. The key ones to make sure make their way in are the paprika, salt, cumin, oregano, and salt and pepper. For the heat, may I recommend some smoked chili salt or southern style hot sauce?


Now, there are many great things to be woken up by/to. This scramble is one of them. So I hope this is my way of giving you something pleasant to wake up to for now (ya, because if there is one thing I love more than waking up... it is waking up to go cook for myself, with what, my hands?!). 


Mexican Tofu Scramble
To you, from me, with the most love. 
Materials:
  • Olive oil
  • 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
  • 1/2 yellow onion, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
  • 2 small potatoes, diced
  • 3 tablespoons taco seasoning
  • Dash of hot sauce
  • 8 ounces extra firm tofu (extra firm is really the best)
  • Salsa verde (or perhaps a fancy pants salsa)
  • 1/2 avocado, finely diced

Methods:
  1. Prepare the tofu: wrap block in paper towels and sandwich between 2 plates, to drain some of the water out. Let it chill like this for about 15 minutes.
  2. Heat up the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat until it is nice and hot.
    • Resist the urge to walk away and play video games/clip your toenails/etc
  3. Add the taco seasoning to the oil and let it infuse for 30 seconds or so.
  4. Add the pepper, onion, potato, and ginger.
  5. Saute until the vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes.
  6. Crumble the tofu into the pan and stir until it has been coated with the spice mix.
  7. Let it sit in the pan without stirring for 5-7 minutes, letting it get a little crispy and giving some of the moisture a chance to evaporate.
  8. Give the tofu and veggies a little fliparoo, a dash of hot sauce, and continue to cook for 2-5 minutes.
  9. While the tofu is cooking, mix the diced avocado into the salsa verde.
  10. Transfer the scramble either to a plate with toast, or perhaps a tortilla, and then top with the salsa.
  11. Enjoy!



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