Cheesy Tofu Strips Italian Style Food

CHEESY TOFU STRIPS - ITALIAN STYLE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F
• Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
• Spread 1/2 cup of spaghetti sauce evenly around bottom of dish.
• On a plate, combine bread crumbs and parmesan cheese. Set aside.
• Slice tofu in half lengthwise, then cut each half lengthwise into thirds.
• Cut each piece lengthwise again into halves to create 12 sticks.
• Coat each stick in crumb/cheese mixture, and place in baking dish.
• Cover the sticks with remaining spaghetti sauce and top with mozzarella. Bake 20 to 25 minutes.

EXOTIC TOFU STRIPS WITH ROSEWATER AND HERBES DE PROVENCE (VEGAN)

Steps:

• Get your tofu properly dried out by either letting it sit out of the package between two plates, or do it the lazy way like I do which is to dry the brick of tofu off with paper towels and microwave on high for 2-3 minutes, blotting off all excess water when done and let it cool on the cutting board for a few minutes.
• Cut into 8-10 rectangular slices.
• Mix the oil, tamari sauce, rosewater, and herbes de provence (just shake in how much you want, 1 teaspoon is a rough estimate) together in a small dish until incorporated to make a baste.
• Brush a little bit of the baste onto a heavy skillet, and put down as many pieces of tofu as the skillet can hold. Brush the tops and sides with more baste.
• Let cook for about 5-6 minutes or until the bottom is browned and collected enouhg baste, and flip, cook another 5-6 minutes or until browned.
• If you want a chewier texture, let cook on each side about 8 minutes. 5-6 minutes is good for a softer texture.
• Ready to serve immediately! Can be easily reheated with microwave or stovetop, but also can be eaten cold-- I like my leftovers to have on sandwiches the same way one would use lunchmeat!

VEGAN BAKED TOFU STRIPS

Steps:

• Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees.
• Coat 1 cookie sheet with non-stick spray.
• Get a wide shallow microwavable bowl and put the soy sauce, cornstarch, vinegar & water in it and whisk it until it's smooth.
• Place it in the microwave for 2-3 minutes and then whisk it again. It should be a sauce like consistency, not too thick, not too thin.
• Now get another wide shallow bowl and put the panko crumbs, garlic granules, poultry seasoning & sea salt in it.
• Drain the packages of tofu and cut into strips the size and length of a finger. There should be 8 strips to a package of tofu.
• Use the Wet Hand-Dry Hand method of soaking the tofu strips into the wet mixture of soy sauce and corn starch with your wet hand, then placing them one or two at a time into the crumbs and coating them with your dry hand.
• Place the strips onto the cookie sheet and place them in the oven.
• Cook for approximately 10 to 15 minutes and then turn the oven heat off and let them sit in there to dry out and stiffen up to your likeness.
• Cut these strips in half if you'd like to make more of them. Serve and enjoy!

TOFU PARMIGIANA

Steps:

• Combine breadcrumbs and Italian seasoning in a shallow dish. Cut tofu lengthwise into 4 steaks and pat dry. Sprinkle both sides of the tofu with garlic powder and salt and then dredge in the breadcrumb mixture.
• Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, until beginning to brown, about 3 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook until they release their juices and begin to brown, 4 minutes more. Transfer to a bowl.
• Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the pan. Add the tofu steaks and cook until browned on one side, about 3 minutes. Turn over and sprinkle with Parmesan. Spoon the mushroom mixture over the tofu, pour marinara over the mushrooms and scatter mozzarella on top. Cover and cook until the sauce is hot and the cheese is melted, about 3 minutes. Sprinkle with basil and serve.

ITALIAN MARINATED TOFU

Steps:

• Combine the Wine, Oil, Vinegar, Bragg's or Tamari, Garlic, Basil, Dill, And Oregano in a shallow bowl. Whisk lightly to combine, and place tofu squares into marinade. Swish to cover, then cover the bowl and leave alone for 30 minutes.
• Flip. Leave alone for another 30 minutes.
• Heat a medium skillet over high heat, pour a small amount of olive oil in and swirl til the skillet is covered.
• Pour the marinade into the skillet, let it begin to heat. Place tofu squares (which now should be lightly gold-brown instead of the milky white it began as) into the skillet, and use a spatula to squish and cut the tofu into smaller peices.
• Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes or until the marinade is basically gone.
• If desired, cook until tofu is drier and darker. Or closer to burned, whichever. I stopped mine when it was golden and there was still a bit of liquids left.
• Spoon out onto a plate and eat as is, or place a little in a lettuce leaf and wrap and eat, or eat on bread.
• If desired, top with pepper, soy cheese shreds, broccoli sprouts, more dried spices, pasta sauce, mix with rice or vegetables, or basically anything.
• Since this is an 'Italian' style marinade, consider matching it up with like foods.
• However you take it, enjoy!
• You can try doubling the recipe, if you do, please post how it went!

CHEESY TOFU

Steps:

• Press water out of tofu: Wrap tofu in a clean kitchen towel and place between two cutting boards. Place a heavy object, such as a 28-ounce can of tomatoes or beans, on top. Let rest 20 minutes, allowing the weight to press out extra moisture in the tofu. Unwrap tofu and pat dry. In a large mixing bowl, crumble tofu with your hands. Then mix in remaining ingredients plus salt and pepper to taste.