Through my research over the past few months, I have ventured into the world of Tofu as a meat replacement in meals to add protein. I have learned that there are usually three different types of commonly found Tofu that can be purchased at local grocery stores.
- Soft tofu (which has a high water content and is best used to scramble up like eggs or put into smoothies)
- Medium firm tofu (which can be fried or baked, best used in soups)
- Firm or Extra firm tofu (which has the lowest water content and therefore is the best to pan fry or oven bake and it becomes crispy. Can be used as a meat replacement in stir fry, sandwiches, etc)
For beginners, it is best to use firm or extra firm Tofu as it is the easiest to cook and work with a meat replacement. Tofu can be seasoned with any spices or sauces and tofu will take on the taste of those sauces used so it is very versatile. When pan fried or cooked in the oven, it will brown up and take on a cripsy texture.
I chose to experiment with extra firm tofu, pan fried for about 5 minutes and soaked in Teriyaki sauce. Then added sesame seeds.
The recipe I played around with was using the teriyaki soaked tofu, quinoa, and spinach in vegan roll wraps. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and bake for 15 minutes until they are golden brown. Absolutely delicious! I used only half of the tofu package and freezed the other half for later use.
