Hi everybody!
I know it's been awhile, but we've been busy! We moved out of the city 2 weeks ago and are temporarily living with some family while we hunt for our new home. With so much going on, this pregnancy has flown by... only 4 more months until we meet our new babe! Can't wait! :)
Anyway, I thought I'd share a super easy snack/meal/whatever I tried last night. Jude went crazy for them and really thought they were french fries! I've been a vegetarian for 10 or so years and have NEVER cooked with tofu - weird, huh? It always scared me! But after a delicious tofu dish at a restaurant a few weeks ago, I decided to give it a try!
All you need is a block of firm tofu. You can find it at any grocery store now. I used a 14 oz block and sliced it width-wise 4 times and then length wise 6 or so times, making tofu strips, about 1/4 - 1/2 inch thick and 1/2 inch or so wide. The size doesn't matter much, but I was hoping to trick my toddler into thinking they were french fries! :)
After you do that, lay them flat on top of a kitchen towel in some sort of dish or on a cookie sheet and put another towel on top. Put something heavy on top to get all the excess moisture out. I let them sit like that for about 45 minutes or so, but just check to see. If all the moisture isn't gone- no biggie.
Preheat your oven to 375. Brush a cookie sheet with olive oil and lay the sticks on it. Season with some salt and pepper. You can use some garlic powder, chili powder, whatever! Tofu is so bland and will take on any flavor beautifully! Bake on one side for about 15 minutes, turn over, and bake for another 15 or so minutes. You have to just keep an eye to make sure they don't get too crispy, but if they've retained some moisture, you may have to bake a bit longer.
I served them with some veggies on the side and marinara sauce for dipping (Jude LOOOOVES dipping!) but you can serve them with just about anything! Wouldn't something like this four-cheese sauce be good? Or you can do something SUPER healthy and revert back to babyfood 101 and serve with some pureed veggies to dip in!
Hope everyone is doing well and enjoying the warmer weather! Happy cooking!
