Meatless Mondays: Moroccan Mint Tofu

I know some of you are thinking "great, tofu." It's one of those foods that a lot of folks love to hate - even some who haven't ever tasted it.  If you haven't tried tofu, I'd encourage you to give it a go. I've discussed tofu before, but the basic argument is that it makes a great platform for whatever flavors you like. Here, it gets a moroccan inspired spice rub, and then is simply broiled. Because it's pressed, the texture is crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside. This is a fast, easy, tasty way to get plenty of vegetarian protein.

If tofu isn't your thing, I'll be writing more about gardening later this week - we're starting to move more things outdoors, and I'm really excited! I've got one tomato seedling and one pepper seedling doing pretty well indoors, and they'll stay inside for another week or two until it gets a bit warmer. I still haven't got any of my eggplant seeds to start - I might try planting a few more seeds (in our seed starters) to get one going.

Those pesky robins continue to plague our deck. I haven't managed to completely dissuade them from building a nest on our lamp...they're apparently not very bright. I'm trying to keep an eye on things and make sure none of the neighborhood birds are after our seeds or seedlings - there are a lot of birds around right now!

 This recipe is vegan, and high in protein! If you're in a rush, you could press the tofu for as little as 15 minutes, and have this dish fully prepared in about 30 minutes. If you have time, pressing for the 30 minutes I suggest will give you a slightly better texture. We enjoyed this with some baked mushrooms (just spray them with a bit of cooking spray, and bake or broil until they look delicious).

Moroccan Mint Tofu
The rub I use in this recipe was inspired by 101 Cookbooks. Feel free to add some cayenne to the mix if you want your tofu spicy.
Yield: 2 servings

INGREDIENTS
1 block firm or extra firm tofu, sliced into 8 pieces and pressed*
2 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 tsp dried mint
1 tsp ancho chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp salt

DIRECTIONS
*To press tofu, lay the slices in a single layer on a folded clean kitchen towel and cover with another folded towel. Place a baking sheet on top of the towels, and place some heavy objects (cookbooks work well) on top of the baking sheet. Press for 30 minutes or so.
1. Preheat the broiler (high). Line a baking sheet with parchment or a silpat.
2. Optionally, combine all spices and salt in a mortar and pestle. Grind until you have a fine, uniform powder.
3. Stir together oil and spices in a medium mixing bowl.
4. Cut pressed tofu slices in half and gently toss with oil and spice mixture. Arrange in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.
5. Broil for 4-5 minutes, flip, then broil the other side 4-5 minutes, until tofu begins to turn golden. Enjoy!

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