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Neon Tommy - Annenberg digital news

A Tofu Stir Fry For All The Vegetarians

Jenn Harris |
April 18, 2010 | 6:17 p.m. PDT

Staff Reporter
tofu
Cooking with big flavors makes this tofu healthy and delicious. (photo by Jenn Harris)

Sometimes I just don't feel like eating meat. I know. Who would have thought? It's an odd occurrence, and one that only happens rarely, but it happens. My body will crave vegetables and as a protein substitute, I'll use a good chunk of extra firm tofu.

Eating sans meat is not only healthy, but easy on the wallet. A pack of tofu costs around $2.00, and is just as filling as a hearty piece of animal protein. Fresh vegetables are also cheaper, but the real bargains happen when you find the varieties that are in season. If your market has an abundance of pumpkin this month, why not make a pumpkin stew or soup with a dollop of crème fraiche? The Better Health Channel features a list of the vegetables in season for every month of the year. Each vegetable is clickable, and will take you to a page with recipes that feature that vegetable. Genius.

For this week's recipe I made a tofu and vegetable stir fry with lots of garlic, white pepper and sweet soy sauce. I found that if I crank up the bold flavors, the vegetables and tofu will be delicious enough to eat as a meal on their own. I went to the market and raided the produce section for what was on sale. I went home with carrots, onions and zucchini. This recipe will work with any vegetables you can afford, or feel like, as long as there is some variety.

Tofu and Veggie Stir Fry Extravaganza
Serves 2

Ingredients:

1 package extra firm tofu, chopped into small cubes
2 zucchinis, chopped
3 carrots, chopped
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
1 tsp white pepper
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil or vegetable oil
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tbsp sweet soy sauce (They sell this at most Asian markets but if you can't find it you can just substitute 1 tsp of brown or white sugar and 2 tbsp of regular soy sauce)

Directions:

Heat a large skillet on medium heat and pour in the oil. Add the garlic and sautee for a minute or two. Add the onion, carrot and zucchini and cook for a couple minutes or until the vegetables soften.

Add the tofu and cook for another couple minutes just to heat through. Add the seasoning and sauces and stir for another couple of minutes to combine.


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