After going vegetarian a few years ago I quickly learned that it is very easy to eat unhealthy vegetarian foods. Fried mozzarella, anyone? I have learned a thing or two in my weight loss journey and I would like to share a couple--Tofu and Eggplant Parmesan
I was not a fan of tofu because it always seemed so bland and mushy. I found that restaurants did a better job preparing it than I did but that it often involved breading and/or frying. I found a method online for dry frying tofu:
http://hubpages.com/hub/How_to_Cook_Tofu_Like_the_Pros
All you need is a teflon pan and a spatula--not oil!
The first time I tried this a couple of weeks ago was a life changing exerience for me! I finally used the bok choy and fresh ginger that came in my organic produce delivery (it's cheap and conveinient and it forces me to eat a variety of veggies--a slight splurge but for all the right reasons). I dry fried the tofu then marinated it in low sodium soy sauce, seasoned rice vinegar, garlic, red pepper flakes, a tiny bit of sugar and some fresh grated ginger. I stir fried bok choy, shitake mushrooms and scallions and added the tofu near the end. Delicious!
Today I dry fried a whole bunch of tofu on the electric griddle and froze them in individual portioned ziploc bags. This way I can whip up some tofu without going through the whole dry fry process every time.
My latest creation happened today. I love eggplant parmesan but really good EP requires frying in hot oil. I tried a baked version--my very own creation!
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
I peeled the medium eggplant and sliced it 1/4-1/3 inches thick. Sprinkled with salt and let stand for about 20 minutes. Rinsed the eggplant and patted dry. I put about 1/4 cup all purpose flour in a ziploc bag and shook the slices up in there.
Beat an egg with a little water. Dipped the slices in that and then dredged in the breadcrumb mixture:
3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs (crushed finer than the larger bits they came in but any breadcrumbs will do)
1/4 cup grated parmesan
dried parsley
Trader Joe's pasta seasoning (it has onion and garlic powder with some other italian seasonings)
Here was the trick. I sprayed a cookie sheet lined with foil with olive oil cooking spray--Trader Joe's brand but I am sure Pam makes something similar. I placed the slices on there and then sprayed the slices again. I baked them in a hot oven (450 degrees) for 15 minutes, turned them and baked them another 15. They came out nice and crispy without the oil! Even my carnivorous hubby liked them!
To make it a baked eggpland dish I layered marinara sauce with slices of eggplant, topping each with a slice of fresh mozzarella. This is where I more than made up for the frying. I didn't used a ton of cheese and could have put on even less but this was our Sunday dinner. I didn't drown the eggplant in sauce either. They stayed nice and firm after about 25-30 minutes in a 350 degree oven-just enough to get the cheese nice and melty. Served with spaghetti in pink sauce (half alfredo/half marinara sauce) and steamed green beans.
Why am I not taking picutures of these creations?
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Mmm... tofu! I'm a tofu junkie. With my first daughter, I had her eating tofu every day until she was about 1 and a half. She loved it so much that for her first birthday "cake" I gave her her very own slab of tofu straight from the pack and just put a little pink icing on the tip with her name. She was in heaven and ate almost the whole thing.
I second the never frying tofu in oil. My favorite tofu dish is similar to yours but a bit simpler. I like to simmer the tofu in stock (chicken or veggie) and then add bok choy and thick mushroom slices. It's not fancy, but it hits the spot every time. Another great vegetarian dish I love is stuffed tomatoes. You can mix all kinds of cheese (I put in cheddar and cream cheese), spices, and other sauteed veggies. Stuff the tomato right up to the top, sprinkle with some salt and put under the broiler for 15 minutes. So good.
I'm glad you are having fun cooking! There are so many wonderful ingredients out there that most people never bother buying but that make cooking thrilling. My favorite ingredient these days is nutmeg. Breads, soups, sandwiches, it makes EVERYTHING taste better!
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